Chapter Ten

(Broken/Missing – Evanescence)

Jasper's POV

He was so close. Only an inch away from the pulsing red warmth in the man's neck; but Jasper couldn't control himself. He had forgotten everything else. His eyes were endless black pits that screamed hungry and dangerous to anyone that dared look into them.

Behind him, the other hiker cried out in pure fear when he saw Jasper and started yelling gibberish as he backed off into the trees. Something was holding Jasper back from killing the man underneath him. He couldn't move; mostly because if he did he was sure that he would lose his control. The second hiker was already gone with a few twig snaps.

"W…well?" the small, pained voice brought Jasper's attention back to the man underneath him. He studied the human's face.

"Just…kill me. But…make it quick." He whispered.

"Fine. K-kill me, but make it quick." The words spoken so long ago by a victim that Jasper never forgot. Without warning a memory clouded his vision.

I follow a young girl down a dark street. She's short – looks about fourteen. I read her emotions. She's miserable…and scared. Good, she's right to be scared of me. I creep up behind her as she stops. The only light is the faint glow of a far street light. I clasp a pale hand around her mouth. The girl tries to scream and pry my hand off, but I drag her backwards and into a doorway. I turn her to face me, but I hesitate. Her large, human brown eyes seem…so innocent. She whimpered and my hand dropped.

"Fine. K-kill me, but make it…quick." She sobbed. That was the last time I ever hunted a human. I realise what I have become…I have nearly lost my humanity to the monster inside me. I yell out to the darkness in anger and run to wherever my legs will take me.

Jasper was pulled back to the present suddenly, to the man cowering beneath him.

"No…this isn't right…" Jasper whispered, releasing the pressure on the man. He sighed and stood up.

"I'm so, so sorry. But I swear if you tell a soul about this I will know and I'll kill you next time." A bluff. But it was enough to scare the man into crawling backwards, his wide eyes never leaving the vampire's. As soon as he felt a tree behind him he started running down the hill.

"Wait!" Jasper called. "Just one thing…" he was in front of the running man in a millisecond. The sane part of his mind that saved this human had drowned in his thirst. He held the man by his shoulders.

"What's your name?" Jasper demanded.

"I…J-Jason." He replied, shaking in fear.

"Well, Jason. I'm afraid to say that I'm incredibly thirsty, and you just happen to be here. So, I'll be nice enough not to kill you." And to himself he whispered, "Completely."

With that statement he bit into the human's neck, paralyzing him. He kept drinking whilst sending his venom into his system, and finally built up the self control to stop. But he couldn't stay near the dripping blood – Jasper ran and tried to drown out the man's pain filled screams. He was turning into a vampire.

Jason's POV

Why me? Why did I have to die? Jason Dave was just an innocent, normal man. He had a decent life, a sixteen-year-old daughter and a loving wife.

But he felt as if he would die, here and now. Attacked by some…monster in the middle of nowhere with no one to hear his screams and help him. The pain inside Jason was too horrible to describe, it was like he was burning. He remembered the time he had broken his leg on his motorcycle, the pain of that. He'd take that a thousand times and smile if he could trade this pain. He remembered a prank-gone-bad, where he was drenched in boiling water. Jason could take that a million times and be happy if there was any way to get rid of this burning. It felt as if he was getting hit by a hundred trains going at incredible speeds, getting tortured with deadly weapons, breaking every bone in his body, being buried alive, suffocating – every pain he could think of, added together, was not nearly as painful as the agony he was going through. So he lay crumpled on the ground and awaited his death.

Jason remembered his friend Oscar. He had just left him there at the mercy of the monster. That bastard. They were best friends!Almost like brothers!

He had always been there for Oscar, yet this one time that Jason needed him he was too damn scared. But another part of Jason was glad that Oscar had left. At least he would survive.

He tried to think more, but was engulfed in the agony of the fire that was consuming him completely.

Couldn't Jason at least die in peace?

Jasper's POV

Jasper no longer ran towards Alice. Instead he ran in the opposite direction of her – and Forks. He couldn't return to the Cullens, not after what he'd done. Carlisle would hate him. Esme would cry. Alice…

Jasper couldn't think about her. How much he had broken her faith in him. So he ran, and this time he wasn't planning on stopping.

Alice's POV

After only a short period of time, Alice found sitting on the hill useless. She had thought over the vision a thousand times, and she had done nothing. Before telling her family, or more importantly, Emmett, she would return to Jasper and apologise for overreacting. He cared about her, and one little slip wouldn't break them.

So Alice stood and wiped invisible dust off of her jeans. She was about to run when she heard a tortured scream. Only with her enhanced senses could she hear this. Being Alice, she ran towards the sound, desperately wanting to help whoever was in such pain. As she got closer, she caught a human scent. And blood. It overwhelmed her and she focussed on getting to it.

As Alice entered the tiny clearing in the trees a new scent hit her. Jasper's. What would he be doing here? But her question was answered as she looked down at the man writhing in pain.

Could Jasper have done that? She wondered, kneeling next to the man. He continued his screams and clawed at the ground. The side of his neck was mangled and he skin ripped violently. He had lost a lot of blood, but Alice smelled the vampire venom inside of him. Pumping slowly through his veins, changing his body. If Jasper did do this, it must have taken a lot of self-control to stop...which seemed impossible for Jasper; after all, he was new to the "vegetarian" diet of animals. But obviously he had changed. His scent was everywhere. Even on the poor human.

The man finally built up the strength to look up at Alice. He opened his mouth to speak, but pain-filled grunts came out.

"Shh..." Alice whispered. "It'll be okay...I'm so, so sorry." She reached forward and wrapped her arms around the man, lifting his limp body. He cried out and whimpered quietly. Alice carefully positioned him where his bleeding neck was farthest from her face, and stopped breathing. It was uncomfortable, but she managed to start running. With Alice's vampire speed, she was back at the Cullen's residence within a minute. Carlisle was waiting outside.

"Alice? What happened?" he stood in front of her, concern crossing his pale face.

"Jasper. I found him in the woods...with Jasper's scent everywhere. Carlisle, Jasper drank his blood. And stopped! He's changing." Alice whispered in horror. She handed the man to him and took a breath in another direction, but the scent of blood still got to her. She fought it as Carlisle carried him into the house. Alice waited outside and listened to Esme's voice for a few seconds before turning and sprinting back to the clearing.

She caught Jasper's scent and followed its trail.

Bella's POV

Emmett had left. On Bella's request. She needed time to think. He had done something horrible to her, but if he really loved Rosalie, why would he return to Bella and beg for forgiveness? Thoughts and images reeled through her mind. He had no reason to lie to her. Emmett wasn't like that. So maybe he told the truth after all. She didn't care. All she knew was that she loved him, and would do anything to have him back. So Bella decided to take her chances and forgive Emmett.

She yawned loudly and stretched her arms out in front of her.

Maybe in the morning.

Emmett's POV

Emmett was overjoyed. At least Bella was considering taking him back. He wished that she would see how much he loved her.

He was reclining upon the think branch of a tree not too far from the Swan residence, wanting to be near Bella. There was no warning to Rosalie's arrival. She melted out from the shadows and sat opposite him.

"Rosalie." Emmett's eyes widened in shock. "What...what are you doing here?"

She just rolled her eyes, and fiddled with a twig.

"Is it really such a surprise that you'd see me again? I still exist you know."

"Yeah but...never mind. Is there anything you wanted?" Emmett asked quietly, not meeting her gaze.

"Actually, yes. We need to talk. Not here though, I find it peculiar to discuss something serious in a tree." Again, no pain or anger made its way on to her blank face.

"Uh...sure I guess." Emmett was simply curious as to what she was on about, so he followed Rosalie to the forest's edge. Right by Bella's home. They were in full view to anyone that looked out of Bella's bedroom window, and luckily no one watched.

"Emmett." Rosalie brought his attention back to her.

"Yes?" Rosalie paused.

"I understand that you don't love me anymore. But I just want to know...why did you chose her?" sadness finally broke her control and flooded her face.

"Rose...I don't know. I just met her and...Fell in love I guess. I can't talk about this with you, Rosalie. I don't want to cause you pain -"

"But I love you!" Rosalie cried. "I saved you, and I've always loved you! And after trying so hard for you to love me, you take one glance at her and instantly fall in love!" her control had slipped and she was sobbing tearlessly.

"I' m sorry, Rose..." Emmett backed up slowly. He heard movement in Bella's bedroom and looked up to see her watching. The second his attention was diverted Rosalie pounced forward and pressed her mouth to his. He was frozen for a second, but tried to pull her off. Rosalie was older and stronger, and Emmett tried desperately to get away. He had never felt this weakness before. After three seconds that seemed like an eternity, Emmett focussed his strength to kick her off and run. Rosalie didn't pursue him, but stood and laughed maliciously.

Bella's POV

No! Bella collapsed back onto her bed, letting out a quiet cry and sobbing.

He had lied. Bella had witnessed him and Rosalie kissing. At first it seemed that he was trying to get her off of him, but it changed to something that looked like wild passion. Emmett didn't love her. He loved Rosalie. It would always be Rosalie.

Sorry that took so long, Christmas shopping has got in the way, and I have a bad fever. I'm skipping school today because of it and writing this in BED. It's killing my poor shoulder!

R&R

Lauren