A/N: Okay guys, I haven't gotten this beta'd yet, but as soon as it is, I will repost this chapter with the better version of it. I am not going to be able to update as often as I thought, because I'm doing NaNoWriMo next month. That will practically eat all my spare time up. Read on.

Disclaimer: I am so, so, so, so, SO tired right now so I don't want to come up with a witty and cheesy disclaimer. So, nothing I own in here is mine.

Edit: This is edited now. Feel free to reread if you want, though not much was changed. :)

Chapter Six: Bella

"Edward wants me to stay close to him just so I can stop him if things go . . . differently than expected," Alice explained. "Would you care to join me?"

"Of course, my dear," I said and flitted to her side before we ran out of the house and into the forest. "Where are we going exactly?"

"You'll see," Alice said. "I offered it to Edward because I would know exactly where it was, even though I would know wherever he was going." She winked at me before running faster. I shook my head and picked up my pace to match hers.

We soon ran into a familiar clearing with flowers and grass sprouting between the roots of trees. I gasped as Alice waltzed into the sunshine and sat herself down in the center. There was still a faint scent of both of us from the last time we had visited. That visit was one I tried to keep in my memory, even though it hurt to do so.

It was quite the bittersweet memory, for I had had another 'hunting mishap', as Alice would call it. In truth, it was the first time I had killed a human since I met the Cullens-the summer of 1950. Alice and I had been married for only a few months, and hadn't hunted for one week due to…other preoccupations. I had made the mistake of coming with Alice to shop for new clothes in a distance city. It was too much for me to handle and I…lost control, I guess. I was so upset; I just ran and ran out of the state, with Alice following me the whole time. I eventually broke down right in this meadow. Alice had comforted me here.

I ran over and sat right next to Alice, pulling her into my lap and giving her a kiss.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Alice breathed, sweeping her hand down and around the grass. "Just the same as fifty-five years ago." I grunted in agreement, laying us down and gave Alice another kiss.

"Does Edward know what exactly happened here?" I questioned and Alice smiled against my lips.

"No; I blocked my thoughts," she laughed and kissed me this time, her fingers knotted into my hair and I held the small of her back, pulling her closer to me. Suddenly, Alice jumped, breaking the kiss and beaming at me.

"They're coming!" she squealed and ran out of the clearing. I sighed, shaking my head, before following her. "He doesn't want us too close…because he's being an idiot and worrying about you being too close to Bella." I tried to hide the pain that came with hearing that statement. Alice saw through my mask. "He's just paranoid, Jazz. Love can make you a jerk sometimes. We should stay right about…here. Perfect." Alice smiled triumphantly at me, leaning against a tree.

I sat down on the forest floor, looking up at my beautiful wife and wondering yet again how I deserved her. I finally gave in, knowing that I deserved her because she was the one who kept me alive.

"What's Bella like?" I asked Alice and she grinned, hopping down onto the floor next to me. She lay down on her stomach, crossing and uncrossing her feet over and over.

"She's really clumsy," she gushed and I found myself smiling at her enthusiasm. "Um, she doesn't like anybody to get her anything, like presents, you know? She's going to have to break that habit because she's in for a rude awakening when Edward allows us to talk to her…" Alice continued rambling on and on and I couldn't help but notice my mood sinking down.

Alice kept on repeating the phrases 'when Bella is one of us' and 'when Bella will be one of us.' I still didn't like that idea quite yet. What if Bella causes our whole family to be put in danger?

I shook my darkening thoughts away and continued to listen to Alice go on and on. She was very pleased with how this family was getting a new change-'a brighter change', as she called it.

"Oh!" Alice gasped and we were both instantly on our feet. "He's losing control of himself. We have to help him, Jazz." I bit my lip before nodding; ignoring the part of me that was screaming to let Edward kill the girl, let him become the weakling. We ran a little bit before the clearing in time to here Edward loose a bit of his restraint.

"As if you could fight me off," he exclaimed and Alice looked at me pointedly. I closed my eyes and focused quickly on calming thoughts. Times when Alice and I would just sit in our room and listen to the gentle patter of rain on the ceiling. Days when Alice would fiddle with my hair while I read a good book. I transferred all of that to Edward and he calmed down, realizing what he was doing.

"Thanks," he whispered under his breath so Bella couldn't hear him. I jerked my head towards the direction we had come from and raised an eyebrow. Alice nodded and we took hands before running silently away from Edward and Bella.

Edward and Bella were leaving the meadow so Alice and I took that as our cue to leave the meadow as well. She was absolutely ecstatic—Edward has kissed Bella and she had seen it. Well, not really. She had seen it in the future, and I wouldn't let her try to get closer to see them kiss. "Edward will have enough on his mind," I had told her. She just pouted.

We were now running home. Or, in Alice's case, frolicking. When we got inside, I had to sedate Alice so we wouldn't cause Rosalie to have another fit.

"Jasper," Alice said, sitting peacefully on our couch. "Why did you do that?" I suppose she was angry, even though she was speaking in an alluring whisper. I immediately took my calm front off her and she was bouncing in her seat.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I didn't want Rosalie to have a temper tantrum."

Alice just laughed before saying, "Come in." Esme opened the door, smiling apologetically and slightly shocked. Even though we'd lived here for fifty-five years, everyone still wasn't quite used to Alice knowing their actions ahead of time.

"Sorry to interrupt," Esme said as I pulled a chair out for her to sit in. She smiled thankfully to me and sat down. "But I was very curious as to where you guys were. I believe you went somewhere for Edward?"

"Yes," Alice beamed. "You know about Edward taking Bella to the meadow and such. Edward wanted us around just in case he lost control or something. And you'll never guess what happened . . . they kissed!"

They both broke out into giggles and squeals and gossiped like…well, like mother and daughter, or course. I didn't really want to ruin it by 'making some comment only a guy would make' (as Alice put it), so I quietly walked out of our room and went downstairs to watch TV with Emmett.

Edward came home at about one in the morning and I had to practically hold Alice back as she pestered him about Bella.

"Jasper, control your wife," Edward grumbled as he walked down the stairs.

"I'm glad you're home," I retaliated. "Alice was going to blow up if you hadn't have arrived when you did."

"Hey, it's not my fault I'm curious!" Alice defended herself as we walked into the living room.

"I'm sure you already know that Bella's coming to the house today," Edward growled and everyone else suddenly appeared.

"What a lovely surprise."

"Oh, Edward that's wonderful!"

"Aweso—oh, come on, Rose don't be like that! Come back, baby."

"I did know, but I just wanted to hear you say it."

"Huh?" I asked at the same time as everyone else.

"Yeah, I, uh, invited Bella over to come and visit," Edward explained sheepishly. "And I'd like all of you to be on your best human behavior. I don't want to scare her, even though she's been exceptionally calm on the subject of us being vampires. That means no moving at faster-than-human speeds, no hissing or snarling, and no using your powers." Edward glared at Alice and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Your words won't stop me from doing what I want," she argued, folding her arms across her chest.

"Alice, please respect Edward's wishes," Esme said. Alice rolled her eyes and sighed, nodding her head. Something told me she wasn't going to listen. Be it my empathy or my love for her, I knew she was going to rebel from Edward's rules.

"Jasper," Edward started, looking at me, "I'd like you to hunt tonight and try to keep your distance from Bella whenever she's over at the house. She knows about your difficulties with the diet and I don't want you to scare her. No chances are going to be taken."

I nodded stiffly, picturing Alice in my head, swirling around and around in the snow. She had never seen snow when we had first gotten to the Cullens' house, and when it snowed, she was overjoyed by it. All she would do was smile and giggle while swirling around and around, the snowflakes showing up exceptionally in her black hair. Soon, we had gotten into a small snowball fight that ended in me being dunked in a heap of snow shaken from a tree by Alice. How I loved her!

Edward had moved on from warning me about staying away from Bella. I had used my power to help him from realizing I was blocking my thoughts. I didn't want him to know how much he had bothered me. I kept a natural calm emanating around the room before exiting quietly. Alice noticed me leave instantly and followed me. I turned my back on her, not wanting my wife to see my bottom lip trembling.

"Where are you going?" Alice asked as I walked out the front door and ran into the forest.

"To hunt," I said dryly, hurt creeping into my voice. "What else would weak, old Jasper be doing?" Alice swore behind me, cursing Edward.

"Jazz, I really don't think he meant to hurt you," Alice said, picking up her pace to keep up with me.

"Yeah, but Jasper's just too weak and sensitive that everything causes him pain!" I exclaimed my voice full of pain.

"I hate it when you act like this!" Alice shouted back. I stopped dead in my tracks. This was the first time she had ever yelled at me. Alice was in front of me now, taking a deep breath and calming herself down. "I hate it whenever you say that this life is too much for you, or that you'll never have good self-restraint. It makes me feel terrible for even bringing you into this family because you're suffering every day. I suffer, too, because you do."

"Alice I—" I started but Alice cut me off.

"No, I'm sorry," Alice said. "I am here to give you support, not break you down. I just lost my cool there." I raised an eyebrow at her expression. She shrugged. "The twenty-first century's catching onto me."

"Alice, I-I had no idea—"

"No, no," Alice shook her head. "I'm sorry I ever brought it up. Let's just forget about it."

I shook my head and held my left hand up, pointing to the silver band around my ring finger.

"You're wearing it?" Alice breathed in shock.

When we had gotten into school, we couldn't wear our wedding rings or people could suspect certain things. Alice and I really didn't mind—we didn't need a ring to show our love for each other. Yet, I still found myself wearing my ring whenever we weren't in public. It was a comfort, of sorts, to me. It always made me remember that Alice did truly think I deserved her and that she would always stand by my side no matter what.

"I always wear it whenever we're not in public," I quickly explained. "This"—I pointed at my ring again—"is the symbol of how we chose to be a team forever. Whatever happens, we do this as one, not two individuals, Alice."

"You're right," Alice murmured, looking at the forest floor. "But, you have to promise me you won't go around blaming yourself for my pain."

I nodded hesitantly. If she said that, it'll probably be my fault. How am I not supposed to blame myself, then?

Alice bit her lip, and I felt her regret.

"You never have to keep secrets from me, Alice," I encouraged her. "I'll understand anything."

"I don't like to see you in pain all the time," Alice finally blurted out. "It makes me feel like I did something wrong by bringing you to the Cullens. This life was supposed to be better than your other one, but it seems it's just the same, if not worse."

I was already shaking my head. How could she ever feel like this and not express it to me? How could I not even feel her lack of confidence?

"Alice, you've changed my life into a completely blissful one. I never want you to ever regret giving me this. I'm sorry if I'm not appreciative enough of this life or you. If you want to leave me right now—" I said before Alice's finger pressed against my lips, silencing me. She pulled my face down to her level before kissing me.

"You-are-absolutely-perfect." Alice said in between pecks, "and-I'll-never-ever-leave-you." She gave me one last, tender kiss and kept her forehead pressed to mine when she pulled away. Alice was smiling . . . sort of. It was a bittersweet moment so her smile didn't reach her eyes fully.

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you," Alice whispered, gazing into my eyes with all the love she could muster. "Don't worry—I'm not going anywhere unless you're there." I kissed her gently, picking her up so I didn't have to crouch down so awkwardly.

"It's okay, darling," I smiled as well. "Shall we hunt?"

"Of course."

A/N: Okay, so I read this to just make sure I didn't have too much icky parts in my writing. But I'm nearly dead right now so if I missed any, just send me a pm and give me the sentence I messed up in. (I got it edited, so it's all good now) Did you like it? Please review!

~Eclipse-Vamp :)