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Later that night, I was watching Silas and Seth playing with his airplanes when the phone rang. Jacob was somewhere, so I answered it.

"Black's house," I cheerfully announced. Being on the council, Billy got a lot of phone calls. I wouldn't want to confuse someone important and make him or her think they got the wrong number because a female was answering the phone.

"Bella?" It was Embry, and he sounded upset. "Where's Jacob? I need to talk to him now."

I was surprised, but I got up and headed towards the stairs.

I asked, worried, "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

He sighed tensely into the phone. "Yeah. We were patrolling by your house, and we found the scent of an unknown leech. Jared says it isn't one of your bloodsuckers, and he wants to know what Jacob wants to do."

I stopped dead in my tracks as I reached the top of the stairs. A vampire- not a Cullen- was by my house? Dad was in the house! Was he safe? Oh God!

I made the decision myself, "Go back there and protect Charlie. I'll get Jacob over there as soon as I can."

Jacob poked his head out of the bathroom. "What about Jacob?" His hair was dripping and he was in just a pair of boxers. I assumed he took a shower.

I blushed at his almost-naked appearance but didn't look away when I fretted, "We have to go to my house. Embry says he needs you, something about a vampire."

Jacob frowned, "I'll go now." He crossed the hallway and wrapped his arms around me, his eyes wide with anxiety. "Do you want me to send Paul over here to stay with you and Silas?"

I blinked at him in confusion. He wanted me to stay here? My dad was in possible danger! I had to go make sure he was safe. I just had to. I wouldn't feel settled until I knew that- saw him unscathed with my own eyes.

I firmly corrected his line of thinking. "Silas will be fine alone with Seth."

Jacob glared at me for a second. I knew he was reluctant to take me into possible danger. I frowned and clung onto him. "I need to come, Jake."

I'm not sure if it was the desperation in my eyes or my voice that broke down his reluctance, but his face softened and he agreed, "I'll give you a ride."

Taking my hand, he led me into the living room. He announced, "We're going for a walk. Seth, are you okay to be here for an hour or two?"

Seth nodded, and Silas waved to us as we left the house. I closed my eyes when Jacob took his boxers off. After the familiar sound of him phasing was heard, I dared to peek over my shoulder. Jacob was lying down and waiting for me.

I hesitantly climbed on top of his back. This was the first time I'd ever ridden him before! I clutched at his scruff as he stood up and jolted forward. My hands dug into his fur, but he didn't seem to mind.

His gait was smooth and fast. Colors, mostly green, whirled past me as we darted through the forest. It reminded me of my few rare rides with Jasper.

Before I could dwell on that thought for too long, we were in the forest near my house. Paul, Embry, and Jared were gathered in a small clearing waiting for us.

I got down from Jacob, and he nudged me over to Jared. I opened my mouth to protest, but he bushed my face with the tip of his tail and whined. I could almost hear him asking me to be patient.

With a sigh I leaned against Jared's shoulder. Paul and Embry darted in opposite directions, and Jacob went directly towards the house.

A few long, silent, minutes ticked by.

I felt Jared's body stiffen suddenly and glanced the direction he was looking. My whole being shook as he snarled. With a whimper, I pressed myself against him and clutched onto his leg.

I demanded weakly, "What is it?"

I knew he couldn't answer me, but it was a natural instinct to ask. I didn't see anything! What was he being hostile for?

His large muzzle shoved me aside and I flopped gently into the ferns, now half concealed by the large green fronds.

With a challenging snarl, Jared sprang forward and collided with something. A blur of color- a blur of white.

I cowered against the tree. Could Jared fight off a vampire alone? He was the smallest member of the pack!

Two more blurs arrived, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Alice and Edward liquefied at the edge of the clearing.

Alice wailed, "Jasper, stop!"

Jasper.

Jared was fighting with Jasper. Again.

Edward crouched to spring into the fray, but Alice held him back

I struggled to my feet and opened my mouth. No words came out. No words even formed coherently in my brain. I could only stand dumbstruck and watch the two supernatural beasts snarl and tear at one another.

Jared's blood started to stain the ground, and pieces of Jasper's clothes joined it.

I saw Paul darting towards us from the west. Alice did, too, and she defensively cut him off, snarling as fearsomely as that day she killed James. Paul's step faltered and he halted, unsure of what to do.

My mind snapped back on track. I demanded, "Edward, stop them!"

His bright golden eyes flickered towards me, and met mine for a fraction of a second. Everything that could have been spoken went unsaid between us. He could see my horror, my terror- and I could see his determination.

He would stop the fight. As long as he got Jasper out of the way, Paul and I could probably get Jared to calm down.

Edward didn't even have a chance to move.

With an echoing yelp and a loud thud, Jasper slammed Jared into the ground. There was a sick, familiar splintering sound that made me flinch.

It was the sound of a breaking bone. Like my leg, only much louder, because it was a larger and stronger bone.

Jared lay absolutely limp. His blood covered Jasper's shirt, and his relaxed muzzle was around Jasper's leg.

Jasper's hands were dug deeply into his back.

He snapped Jared's spine. That was the splinting bone- the spine shattering.

Paul howled mournfully, and I could hear Embry do the same from a short distance away. I darted forward without thinking and shoved Jasper away from Jared, collapsing onto the ground.

Tears spilled from my eyes and I gasped, "You killed him!"

My brain was working backwards right now. I should be caring about the fact that half of my second family- the Cullen family- was home. I should be caring that they were in danger from the rest of the pack.

I didn't. I cared about Jared. I cared about Kim, and his parents, and his friends from school.

Jared was dead!

Jasper actually stuttered, sounding as confused and lost as I currently felt. "I d-didn't mean to! H-he attack me first, he was about to rip my leg off!"

My mind finally clicked into action the instant I heard his voice.

His smooth, honey-like voice. It was so much better than I had been able to remember. So soft, so deep, so buttery. I felt a shiver run down my spine and I glanced over my shoulder.

For the first time in a half of a year, I looked Jasper Whitlock in the face.

I wanted to look into his regretful golden eyes and know that he was sorry. I wanted to share in the pain I had heard tinging his perfect bass voice.

I wanted to run up to him and hug him. Jasper was back. He promised to come back, and here he was.

I knelt on the ground motionless. I saw the rips in his shirt, Jared's blood on his face, and I shuttered.

Embry crashed through the bracken nearest to me and hovered at my side like a bodyguard- as usual. I was almost positive he was my bodyguard.

He bared his teeth at Jasper, who stood only a foot away from me, and snarled. Jasper's eyes widened and he took a step back.

Edward suddenly shouted, "Jasper, run!"

Jasper snapped his head to the side and asked, "What?"

Edward darted over to Alice's side and pulled her into his arms. He snarled, "Run!"

Looking totally confused, Jasper turned to run.

He was too late.

The final pack member had arrived. The biggest, meanest, most dominate protector of the tribe.

The alpha that just lost his brother to his mortal enemy. The same mortal enemy who was the cause for his imprintee's life distress.

Snarling menacingly, brown eyes as hard and cold as ice, Jacob pounced on top of Jasper and his jaws met the vampire's throat.

Today's story is As Long As You're Mine written by ColourPearl. This is the fic that turned me onto the Jasper/Bella pairing. It's pretty awesome. I'll admitt I really didn't enjoy the sequel as much as this one, but they were both worth the read!!