AUTHORS NOTE – SORRY FOR THE DELAY, I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FINDING A SUITABLE END TO THE CHAPTER, BUT I DECIDED THAT THIS IS THE BETTER OF THE CHOICES – BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT THE CHAPTER IS SHORTER.

THANKYOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS – KEEP READING AND COMMENTING!

NOW ONTO THE SHOW.

--

The night only got darker, the blackness swallowing Carlisle, Jasper and Bella into its plumes. The stars shone through the light tree canopy, casting their impure light onto the trio. Jasper and Bella sat huddled together, his arm wrapped around her shoulder, holding her tightly. He was sending her gentle waves of calm – to dim the pain from her, so that he could help himself. Carlisle sat to the side – obviously watching his adopted children but not interrupting their affections.

"Bella, what happened with Edward?" Jasper asked curiously, but his voice tender.

She stiffened under his heavy arm, her eyes immediately cast to the floor to avoid his inquisitive gaze. No-one except her and Alice knew exactly what had happened to Bella's lover – the only thing that the others knew for certain was that he had changed Bella before he died.

"Jasper…" Bella said slowly. "I don't want to hurt you again."

"It's okay, you won't hurt me." Jasper smiled wryly at her, knowing she was still watching him out the corner of her eye. He had seen her tracing his scars visually while he had held her tight.

"Carlisle…" Bella said, turning to him for assurance.

"Bella, I know it isn't what you want to hear, but I think you should tell us." Carlisle said, his face turned away from her glaring eyes. His hands wrung together, knowing that it could release an unwanted reaction from both of the damaged souls in front of him.

"Jasper if I hurt you, you have to tell me. I can leave." Bella said.

She sensed the subtle confusion building inside her, fed to her by the empathy – his power still not under full control. He looked a lot calmer, and the waves of self-loathing and guilt had stopped almost completely, but every now and then a small burst of emotion would escape.

"It's to do with… Alice." Bella muttered.

"Alice?" Jasper growled, his hands slackening from her shoulder. An instinctive shudder ran through him. "What has she got to do with it?"

"Son – Bella is about to explain." Carlisle interrupted. "If you can't keep calm, I'll fetch Emmett."

Jasper turned to Carlisle, his eyes apologetic, before turning his face back to Bella in hope that she hadn't taken offence from his outburst.

"Please… continue" He said softly, squeezing her shoulder.

"You have to remember, I was human at the time – a danger magnet, as Edward called me. Victoria was there…" Bella's voice remained smooth, but Jasper could sense the pain that was coming from her. He recoiled against her body, rubbing his head into her shoulder.

"Jasper?" Carlisle enquired.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." He said immediately, but moving the hand not wrapped around Bella to his forehead – as if he had a migraine. His golden eyes were tinted black with anger and sorrow.

--

"They were fighting, Victoria and Edward. I don't know what happened, one minute Edward was winning… and then, then he wasn't." Bella stuttered. "I've never seen him make a slip… I never thought he could lose…"

"And then Alice was there, I didn't know how or why, but she was there. She shouted something at him but I couldn't hear it, I was weak, I was human…"

"The next thing I know was Edward leaning over me – he told me I'd be okay, that he had to do this, and his lips touched mine in a kiss. Then he bit me. The pain was so bad… I cried out, the blood was running down my throat… I remembered thinking why Victoria hadn't attacked me…"

"Edward was still leaning over me, his lips so close to mine… It was as if he knew that it was his last moment with me, maybe he did."

"Then… Victoria flew at him; she pulled him off of me… She killed him, she ripped him apart, in front of my very eyes. I could see it even though I was changing. His face in the flames..."

"Alice didn't even fight with him, she kneeled there and screamed for him. She kept shouting his name over and over again. And then… Jasper, you came…"

"I remember you – you ripped her head off… and then it went dark and the fire came, next thing I know I could hear her… Alice. She told me she was sorry, and that she loved him."

"I didn't want to tell you – I didn't know whether she meant as a brother or as more… and I knew you'd be so hurt."

--

He ran.

--

The living room felt empty. Esme, Rosalie and Bella were sitting at the prop dining table in the corner – Bella had repeated her story at Carlisle's request, even though she would rather be searching for Jasper.

"Oh Bella…" Esme gasped. "I'm so sorry."

"Esme, don't be sorry for me. I know he loved me, maybe he loved Alice too, but he did love me." Bella said – a bit too strongly for her own liking – she flashed her adopted mother a quick smile. "I just feel sorry for Jasper…"

Rosalie's eyes drifted towards the glass wall on the opposite side of the room; however Bella caught her obvious apprehension and looked in the same direction, hoping for a sign that Jasper and the men would be coming back.

"He won't hurt Emmett or Carlisle…" Bella said, more for her own assurance than Rosalie's.

"I know." Rosalie said simply.

"He loves them too much…" Esme murmured.

"Well, his notions of love flew out the window tonight, didn't they?" Bella said acidly at no-one in particular.

"Carlisle and Emmett will find him, Bella." Rosalie said smoothly. "They will bring him back, before he can hurt himself."

"Or anyone else…" Esme added.