A/N: Wow. All I have to say is wow. I never expected the amount of reviews I got on the last chapter. You guys are wonderful, stupendous, the butter to my bread. You made an awful week bearable, and I am so appreciative that you liked the chapter and you guys are awesome. Simple as that. A few of you were wondering if that was basically the end of the story, and the answer is heck no! We have reached the halfway mark, give or take.

*****

If someone had told Jasper forty years ago, that he would be happy with someone other than Alice, he would have been sure that they were lying. But glancing over on the left side of his bed, was a woman, a woman who was tangled up in his sheets naked, lying on her stomach, flipping absentmindedly through a history book that Jasper had left on his nightstand a week before.

Bella was breathtaking. It seemed so natural that she was there with him, her hair thoroughly in disarray thanks to their activities over the past several hours. His eyes couldn't help but wander down her body, enjoying her every peak, every curve that she had finally allowed him access to. He stood there staring at this beauty, before his eyes finally rested on her neck, admiring the mark that he had left.

Jasper felt fulfilled seeing his bite on her. It was high enough for the entire world to see, high enough for all vampires to know that she was his. It was the only mark on her perfect body other than the one that James had left on her hand and the discreet one where Edward had injected his venom to change her.

Jasper was only slightly jealous of Edward's mark; the difference between the two was significant. Edwards was hidden away from the world; he did not want Bella to have anything marring her body and Edward did not want a reminder of what he considered the selfish thing he was doing my turning her. Jasper's however; Jasper's was a mark of possession, a sign to all that Bella was his mate. He chose that area of the body on purpose; he wanted Bella to be reminded of their coupling every time she looked in a mirror, he wanted every male vampire in her presence to be aware that she was taken. It was not an uncommon thing in the vampire world for a mate to be marked. He had seen Charlotte;s and Rose's marks, each wore theirs proudly on display for the world to see. He was sure that Esme had one too, although he had never seen the bite that Carlisle had left.

Prior to last night, Jasper never understood the need for marking. Alice and himself had never even come close to succumbing to the urge, even in their wildest nights of passion. But with Bella, from that first kiss, he had longed to do it. Then when Bella voiced her request, it was as if Jasper could not contain himself any longer, his primal needs taking over, giving in to what his vampire desired.

It was a selfish thing he did by marking her; even if she had asked for it.

He bent over, his hand lightly gliding up her spine as he placed a soft kiss upon her bare shoulder. Jasper relished in the feelings that she was emitting; ever since she had lowered her shield, she had not raised it once again around him. He felt every delicious emotion that she experienced. Bella's longing for him was quite intense, but he also felt the traces of worry and the guilt that he knew that Bella thought she had buried deep down. In truth, they bubbled right underneath the surface, just waiting to appear at the right moment.

Jasper did not fault her; truth was, he understood completely. He carried the same guilt with him, the same worry. Bella was perfect for him in every way- smart, beautiful, caring. Their coupling confirmed what Jasper had been contemplating for the past several months, Bella was his mate, Bella was the one that he was not even aware he had been waiting for.

But Alice. As much as he loved Bella, he could not just simply forget about her and all the wonderful years they had together. It just wouldn't be right, would not serve her memory justice. His tiny bundle of energy.

No, Jasper was still determined to fix whatever this was. She deserved that. But when it got fixed, if it got fixed, himself and Bella would need to come to terms with what they now were to each other and what Alice and Edward were to them now.

Placing his lips on Bella's shoulder yet again, he decided that thinking about the changing dynamics of the family could wait. There would be time to worry about the implications later. Jasper only wanted to focus on the brunette underneath him and revel in the emotions that they held towards one another.

Jasper slid his naked body next to Bella's, his fingers working up her thigh, resting on her flawless waist. The other hand moved to gently caress her beautiful face, his eyes searching her golden ones. He leaned over, his lips seeking hers, capturing her in a needful kiss, lingering, savoring the taste of her on his tongue.

The kiss was all at once sweet and sensual, Bella letting Jasper set the pace of the kiss. He wanted to take his time, to keep the touches deliberately slow. Their past several lovemaking sessions had been needy, the pent up sexual frustrations between them coming out at a frenzied speed; both eager to show the other how much they wanted the other.

But now, the needs of the vampire inside the both of them were sated and it was just the man and the woman remaining. Jasper wished to make her understand how much he not only wanted her, but how much he loved her. He kissed her again, pressing his body tightly along hers, reveling in the feel of her feminine body.

He felt the excitement build up inside of Bella as his hands roamed her body, Bella arching her back, trying to get closer. "I need you."

He stilled, moving his hand in between their bodies, tilting her face to his. "I need you too. So much."

The overwhelming urge to be one with her presided, and in one swift move, he flipped Bella to her back as he entered into her.

He pressed his body close to hers, wanting to feel every movement together, desperate to immerse himself in every way possible with Bella. Jasper wanted nothing more than to stay like this forever; both of them one for all of time. Jasper took his time to enjoy her body; each plunge agonizingly slow as he reveled in body.

He knew they were getting both close; and with a final thrust, he released into her, holding onto her body tightly as each spasm finished, before he stilled. Jasper nuzzled into her neck, kissing the spot where he had left his mark tenderly.

"Bella," he breathed against her neck. "I love you." It was the first time he had said it out loud to her, even though he had shown it using emotions previously. He wanted to verbalize it, wanted to say the words to her, make sure there was no question about how he felt.

She held him tighter as he said those words, her happiness erupting even further at the declaration. The corners of her mouth upturned. "I love you too, Jasper."

When she had originally let down her shield, Jasper couldn't believe the depth of emotions held inside her. This magnificient creature wanted him, lusted for him, desired him. But beyond that, Bella loved him. Jasper had felt the love that Bella had for Edward; in truth, most vampires would have given anything to have that kind of love, the kind of devotion the two of them shared.

But the love that she felt for Jasper; he wasn't even sure if Bella or himself could fully comprehend it. Her love for him was pure and it was deep. All Jasper knew is that it eclipsed what Bella felt for Edward and Jasper knew that his own feelings for her were of the same intensity. She was his. And the truth was, he was hers.

Then, as quickly as her happiness appeared, it faded into nothingness. Bella furrowed her brow, and Jasper was finally hit with that guilt and worry that had decided to surface. He kissed her softly on the lips again, asking a question he knew the answer to. "What's wrong, Darlin?"

Bella looked down at her left hand that was now entwined with his, and his eyes followed. Her diamond shimmered in the late afternoon sun, small rainbows dancing along the wall from its reflection. His own golden ring touched her platinum one. Jasper and Bella both stared at them for a moment, the implications of what they have been doing reflected in those bands of metal.

Bella sat up, covering herself with a sheet. "This is wrong, Jasper. We are both married. We just cheated on them."

"No. We didn't." Jasper squeezed her hand. "As much as I hate to say this, you saw the records. We are not married to them anymore. Per government records, we were never married to them. Alice and Edward are husband and wife." Jasper did not believe his own argument. His voice flat at best. It would be all too easy to immerse himself fully in the guilt that Bella was feeling, as it was, he was precariously on the edge of it.

"Maybe not on paper, but in here-" Bella touched her heart. "I can't just simply forget I am married to him. I took vows."

"I know, as did I." He agreed. He thought about his first wedding day with Alice, how beautiful she was. Jasper ran his hands through his hair as he thought upon his next words. "But it still doesn't change the feelings that I have developed for you. I think they would be happy to know that we found solace in each other."

"You talk about them as if they are dead." she replied flatly.

"I talk about them as if they are not a part of our lives anymore. There is a distinct possibility that may be what happens."

"Six months ago we both swore that we would never give up. We stood in that forest, devastated, our lives in shambles at our feet. Are you giving up?"

Jasper shook his head firmly. "No. Not giving up. But I am trying not to feel guilty about what I am doing with you. We did not do anything wrong. What you and I are doing, what we are becoming, how is that wrong?"

"What is it that we are becoming Jasper?"

Jasper pressed his lips to her forehead before staring directly at her. "Who we were always meant to be. Bella. I believe, no, I know, that no matter what, even if this whole situation had not occurred, you and I, it was inevitable."

Bella finally met his eyes. "Do you really think that?"

Jasper nodded. "I do. I think we would have gone to school together and discovered these feelings, this attraction. Even after that first weekend with just you and I, I felt closer to you than anyone in the family, save Alice. You and I, we were always kept apart Bella. Always. We never had an opportunity to get to know each other. I think that the attraction would have made itself known and we would have fought very hard against it, just as we did here, only to succumb to it."

"I can't do this. I can't do this to him." Bella shook her head, standing up, beginning to dress herself.

Jasper did not want her walking out. The desperation she was feeling was beginning to envelope him, and it was difficult to reign in his emotions. He tried to take a calming breath with little success. Jasper rose, grabbing her arm. "Bella. Don't you think they are doing the same to us?"

Bella easily wrenched free of him, pausing as she had finished pulling back on her top. "Excuse me?"

"Edward and Alice, I caught them in the act together when I went back. They were making love." That particular memory was one that he had been desperately trying to forget, even with the happiness he had recently found with Bella, the image was raw and painful.

She froze, her voice quiet. "Of course they have consummated their relationship, Jasper. They think that they are husband and wife. Did you not think that I have thought about that, many, many times? I just did not think you would throw it in my face." Bella walked to the door, turning the knob before turning back to him, her shield rising yet again, cutting him off. "Is this, all of this, some kind of revenge for you? A way to get back at your wife?"

Angry and frustrated tears welled in her eyes. "Bella, you know that is not true. You felt my emotions."

She nodded. "I did. And you felt mine. But it doesn't mean that what we just did was right or that we shouldn't regret it."

And with that, Bella took off into the woods.

*****
Bella slowed down after running a few miles. She shouldn't have said that to Jasper. She could never regret what she had done with Jasper and telling him that she loved him. But it still didn't ease the guilt that she felt.

Bella felt the vibration of her phone. She had forgotten that she had tucked it away in the pocket of her shirt. She pulled it out, grateful to see that it was not Jasper.

"Hi Char."

A/N: Again, thanks everyone for all the reviews. You guys are the best. ~~Jenn~~