Sweet like candy to my soul
Sweet you rock and sweet you roll
Lost for you, I'm so lost for you
You come crash into me ;;

Whether or not Jasper pinched her, kissed her cheeks, stood in front of her and screamed at the top of her lungs until she was at full attention, Bella never seemed to wake up from her 'dream'. The next morning after they'd kissed, when she actually woke, it was in his arms. It was silly to think, but Bella almost felt as if she were someone else watching the two of them from afar. She would have been extremely envious of whoever was in that position, she quickly realized. But there was no need. It was her. She was the one who had her face buried against his neck. She was the one who took a deep breath and was filled with the scent of him. It was Bella.

The days that followed created something of a pattern between the two of them. It was as it had been for the past few weeks with several new additions. For one thing, school had become a permanent part of her routine again. Each day, Jasper would drive her there, listen as she said she didn't want to go but got out of the car anyway to put on a brave face. School, though, had gotten significantly better since the Wednesday of that week, the day after she fell asleep with Jasper. The reason? She had something to think about, to look forward to. People still stared, still whispered, but to Bella, they had all but become invisible. The frequent daydreaming didn't do well for her trying to catch up, admittedly, but Jasper had an answer for that too. After he'd pick her up from school, he'd take her home and help her with her homework. It was easier to concentrate on the material when it came from Jasper's lips, she came to decide. Besides, he was the best tutor one could ask for. After all, how many times had he gone through the same material over and over again?

Something was noticeably different in her. Charlie thought she never seemed happier. The rest of the Cullen family seemed to notice as well, especially Esme. She stopped by once in the afternoon, kindly offering a night to let Bella relax from cooking, and helped out with making dinner for her and Charlie. Before she'd left, she hugged Bella to her and whispered that it was good to see her again, almost as if Bella had just come back recently instead of weeks ago. The brunette had to wonder whether or not anyone - especially Esme - had any idea of why her disposition turned to a sunnier one.

The one responsible?

Currently, he was situated in the driver's seat of his car. School was over for the week, signaling that Bella had survived Forks High School once more. The weekend was a reward for the days spent in the classroom, never more so than now when it meant that there would be less time constraints on her schedule and she would be allowed to spend more time with the curly-haired blonde.

It was a warm day, warm enough for the top to be down on Jasper's car and for Bella to not have to worry about wearing a jacket. It was seemingly bright out, but the sun was nowhere to be seen in the overcast sky. It, for Forks (and for a vampire), was a perfect day in regard to the weather. That morning, she'd told Charlie that she would be home later that night after school and not to expect her home as early as he usually did when he arrived home from work. He was glad she would be getting out of the house. She did tell him that she would be with Jasper, to which he was somewhat hesitant. But the chief had no real problems with the boy. If anything, he still held a great deal of gratitude toward him ever since Jasper found his daughter and brought her home unscathed the night that she'd gone missing. Charlie wanted Bella to enjoy herself and if that meant being with a friend, he would support it. (Somehow that would have been different, Bella guessed, if her dad knew that her 'friend' had been sneaking into her room every night.)

Currently, Charlie was getting his wish. Bella was enjoying herself.

"Where are we going?" she asked, leaning her cheek against the back of the seat to watch Jasper as he drove. To her, it honestly didn't matter where they went or what they did. She was content just being with him.

The atmosphere in the Cullen household was noticeably lighter. That is, when Jasper was there. Most of his time was spent with Bella, but whenever he was back at the house it was easy to see that something had lifted the blonde vampire's spirits. He didn't talk about it and didn't really talk much at all. He would spend time playing video games with Emmett mostly. It was mostly a subconscious defense mechanism. Being in that house raised the level of risk that Jasper would be reminded of things he didn't want to resurface. He just wanted to think about Bella and not be miserable anymore. That was the main reason he spent almost all his time at her side, at her house, or just somehow watching over her. Esme was the one who took the most notice of her son's lift in mood. She'd noticed it with Bella too, on the occasion that she got to see her. It made her very happy to see that the two of them had life in their eyes once more. She had her suspicions, but she did not say a word. Jasper was thankful for that.

After picking Bella up from school that day, he did not want to take her home straight away. It was the weekend and the weather was surprisingly beautiful. No sun, but it was warm enough for them to go out for a drive in his car with the top down. He didn't have to worry about Bella catching a cold or anything, either. It was a rare occasion that the weather was so nice, so he really wanted to take advantage of that and take her out somewhere. There was no set destination in mind, but Jasper liked to do things like that; drive around until finding something interesting to explore.

Every now and then, Jasper would turn to look at Bella. He was holding her hand, his palm beneath hers. His hold was gentle, his thumb lightly brushing against the back of her hand. He would, on occasion, bring her hand up to his lips and kiss her knuckles while he was driving. He had a fascination with her hands and played with her fingers often. He hoped she didn't mind; she didn't seem to, as she humored him by letting him do as he wished when he would hold her hand.

"I don't know," he replied, smirking a bit. They were driving a bit aimlessly, but he didn't care. That was half the fun. He turned to look at her again, meeting her eyes for a brief moment. He wanted to lean in and kiss her, but with how fast he was driving that probably would not have been a good idea.

"We'll know when we get there," he added, then turned to look back at the road.

He drove on, not once letting go of her hand. It was another fifteen minutes before he found a place of interest and slowed his car to a stop. It was an abandoned fair, long since forgotten by the rest of the town. Jasper wasn't even sure if they were technically in Forks anymore. But this place looked worth taking a second look at. He gave her hand another kiss before releasing it, then cut the engine and stepped out of the car. He walked over to her side and opened the door, then offered his hand to aid her in stepping out.

"How's this for a destination?"

'We'll know when we get there.'

Bella liked the sound of that. It left room for freedom and imagination. It didn't seem like there were boundaries or worries or cares. That's how it was with Jasper. It was like he erased any hint of fear she might have had about anything, as if he took a cloth and wiped it all away from a white board. They could have kept driving forever and Bella wouldn't have cared. It was hard to care about anything while she was holding Jasper's hand or getting occasional goosebumps from his lips against her skin. She knew that they weren't always a result of the cold.

She didn't recognize the area where they were now. It wasn't until then that Bella realized she didn't know much about the area surrounding Forks. Before, she'd hated the place so much, she didn't see any need to get to know it better. In her visits with Charlie during the summer, she just waited for them to be over so just as quickly, she could leave. After she'd moved back a year ago, she had been so distracted with other things that it was never a point to go looking further than the little town's outskirts. But she was glad she was getting to see it now. And getting to see it with Jasper.

Of course, it would have probably been more beneficial if she was looking anywhere but Jasper. It was always hard to take her eyes away from him, though. She loved the way one of his curls would occasionally stray and brush against his forehead. She liked the way he had a tiny line of determination between his eyebrows whenever he was paying close attention to the road every so often. She found herself constantly wondering what was running through that beautiful mind of his, eager to be let in on his secrets and ponderings. But just like this trip, it was probably a benefit not to know everything. It left an air of mystery and he always seemed to surprise her in any case. Always good surprises - a kiss to her palm, a squeeze around her middle when she was drifting off to sleep, a sweet wish of luck when she would go off to school in the morning. They were all things that were still so new to her in regard to the two of them, but somehow Bella was confident they would never grow old.

When the car slowed, she looked around. It was an interesting place, one she was certain she'd never seen before even in passing. It was very curious and she found herself captivated by the fairground before the two of them were even out of the car.

"What is this place?" she wondered aloud, keeping a hold on Jasper's hand as they neared the attractions. There was a large break in the fence that allowed them entrance and when they were through, Bella nearly tripped over an old tree stump and had to grasp onto him. Cheeks flushing, she chuckled at her own clumsiness and made a point to watch more carefully where she was going.

There was a good handful or so of rides and about two dozen carts with open-faced structures that she had imagined used to hold games and refreshment places. Toward one side, a large house stood with faded wood and chipped paint that she figured was likely a fun house of sorts. In the middle, there was a carousel with what were probably once brightly colored horses and a few wooden carriage seats sporadically placed. There was a ferris wheel toward the back that looked as if it hadn't been operated in years.

"This place could be as old as you are," she joked affectionately, looking up at Jasper.

Jasper hadn't ever been to this place either. It was obviously a carnival and if he had to guess he would've said it'd been there for several years. Most of the paint on the attractions had faded but the styles of the decor and the themes of the rides were very dated. It wasn't as old as him, as she'd joked, but it was pretty old. When she nearly tripped, he caught her arm to keep her from face-planting. That would've brought their trip to a screeching halt, literally, and he wanted this to last for as long as possible. He also, of course, didn't want her to get hurt. He looked down at her as she blushed and laughed at herself and lightly brushed his fingers through her hair.

He slid his arm around her waist and kept her close to him as they walked. Jasper had never been to a carnival before. They were too crowded, too many people with too many emotions; it would have overwhelmed him and put the family in jeopardy should he slip up and falter. But he knew what they were. Now that he was seeing one up close, he wished that this place was up and running so that he could take her to it. There was something about it though, even though it was worn down and untouched for years, that made it seem special. It felt like they were supposed to be there.

"Maybe not as old as me," he said with a smirk. "But definitely as old as Rosalie." He chuckled lightly, and pulled her a little closer so he could kiss the top of her head. He looked around, spotting what had been a booth where people would shoot at a target to win a prize.

"I could have done that one," he said, nodding to it. "I bet I would've won you one of those giant bears."

Opposite to Jasper, Bella had been to hundreds of carnivals. In Phoenix, they were frequent in the summer. The school where she'd used to attend had one every year as did many others in the surrounding area. Renee would insist on trying every food item they had there and would stock up on at least half a dozen pink cotton candies every summer. She had been more of a kid at this type of place than Bella had. The latter used to get overwhelmed with the hoards of eager people and sights, sounds, and smells all in one relatively confined space.

She smirked when Jasper poked fun at Rosalie, knowing that his twin would have scoffed at his wording. If they were 'twins' they would have been the exact same age in any case and his argument would have been lost. When he mentioned the shooting game, she lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Oh yeah?" she asked. "Isn't that a little cliche?" she wrapped an arm around his back and gave him a squeeze to allow him to know she was joking. "Besides, I don't know if I'd want to hang around those games. Did you ever see the kinds of people that work at carnivals?" she asked. When she was little, the workers used to scare her most of the times with their leering, teeth-devoid smiles and scruffy faces. "I doubt you'd be the scariest one here," she said, joking with him again.

When they neared the fun house, she adopted a sneaky smile. "Come find me," she said, finding his hand and gently tugging on his pinky finger affectionately before letting go and hurrying in through one of the openings.

It wouldn't be fair at all - he would be able to smell her, and he definitely would be able to stop her with his speed if he wanted to - but Bella still made the attempt at the little game. Once inside, she crawled through a foam-like tunnel and came out into a room full of fun mirrors. Crouching behind one of them, she bit her lip to keep from giving away her presence too easily.

Jasper shrugged lightly at her comment about cliches. "Maybe, but I would've gotten to show off how great a shot I am with a rifle. Though maybe it's just as well. I haven't held one in over one hundred and forty years. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself." He grinned as she gave him a squeeze, and kissed the top of her head again. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as she then started talking about carnies.

"You think so? I doubt they could give me a run for my money. It'd be interesting to see, though.." he mused out loud. He hadn't ever met anyone he believed to be scarier looking than himself.

He walked with her up to the fun house, walking in step with her and trying to match her strides. It was a little difficult due to the height difference, but he managed to keep a steady pace with her. He was curious as to what would be inside a fun house, and it appeared he was going to get his answer. Bella teased him, then ran off to hide from him inside. Jasper, always the worrier, was careful upon his entrance because if this place was as run down as it looked, the place was liable to cave in depending on what they did there.

Jasper entered the fun house and looked around. Not finding her right away, he started looking more carefully. He was trying to do it the honest way, without using his heightened senses in order to find her. He wanted to, though. He didn't like them spending any time apart, even for games like this one. He set off to find her as quickly as possible, calling out for her and checking behind mirrors and curtains. After searching for a few minutes longer, he grew a bit frustrated and started to sniff and listen. He could smell her scent close by and he could hear her heart beating.

Jasper was fairly certain he knew where she was, but he wanted to play along. "And what do I get if I manage to find you, wherever you are?" He called out, looking around the mirrors.

Bella tucked away a mental note about his wording. It had been a while since he held a rifle? Her first thought was immediately of some kind of war. Though it obviously didn't matter any longer because it would have been decades ago if that had been a clue to his past, but the idea of Jasper in some kind of battle didn't sit well with Bella. As protective as he was over her, she was beginning to find herself extremely protective over him as well. Ever since she witnessed how badly he'd been hurt - to the point of tears could he actually cry them - she had felt a sense of needing to look after him. Besides, if he was meant to be the protector all the time, who would look after him?

Someone needed to. Bella didn't mind having that position. She would take it proudly and do the best job of it that she could. Jasper was more than worth it.

For now, her job was to try and stay quiet. It was difficult to do when he came into the rooms of mirrors. There were bunches of Jasper-images everywhere she looked when she peeked out. In one, he looked like an extremely tall toothpick. In another, he looked short and very squat. In yet another, his body was contorted in waves. Funny - Bella still thought he looked gorgeous even when the mirrors weren't meant to be serious or at all flattering.

She found herself in a predicament when he questioned her. If she answered, she would give away her location. But she didn't just want to ignore him, especially since she probably would have liked whatever prize he selected should he find her just as much as she would. For the sake of the game, she only answered with a smile, one that was, of course, hidden to him.

The clever plan went to hell, though when she caught a glimpse of him passing by a mirror that gave him very feminine-looking and very accentuated curves. Bella couldn't help but to giggle, and though she tried to conceal it by covering her mouth with her hand, the damage was done.

Jasper hadn't ever thought he'd be in a playful mood again. He had simply accepted this his life would never hold any sort of meaning again and that he would exist in a tormented and miserable state for the rest of eternity. Yet there he was, sneaking around in an abandoned carnival inside a fun house, playing hide and seek with Bella. Bella; someone he also never expected he'd ever be able to be close to. Now, he could not imagine life without her. But he wasn't thinking about any of that. He wasn't thinking about anything except for her and this moment right now.

He wasn't really paying attention to the mirrors. He might've found it amusing if he did, but Jasper had long ago gotten into the habit of avoiding mirrors as much as he possibly could. It was his instinct to look away from his reflection, whereas others of his kind had been known to lose themselves in their beautiful mirrored images. But Jasper only saw a monster in his reflection, so it was simply second nature that he didn't look today, either. That was a bit of a shame, since he was producing some pretty amusing images in the distorted mirrors.

The great thing about Jasper's power in this situation, was that Bella did not need to answer him vocally for him to know what his prize would be. He could feel her smiling at him, and that made him feel indescribably good. It also made him want to end this little game much faster than he originally anticipated. Fortunately for him, she gave herself away with her giggle. It was a precious sound to him, like music. He hoped that before their time together came to an end when she fell asleep that night, that he would hear that lovely sound again.

Jasper smirked inwardly and continued in his "search" for her. He purposely did not try to hide and sneak up on her. Given their situation outside their happy moment together, he did not think it wise for him, a vampire predator, to creep around in silence and stalk her, startle her and possibly bring back bad memories of the fact that vampire had been sneaking around in her house. Or worse, bring back the memory of him attacking her. Instead, he made it overly obvious. He moved around each mirror until he got to the one she was hiding behind. Grinning, he peeked around the mirror and saw her there, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Pardon me, ma'am, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to escort you out," he said, immediately wrapping his arms around her from behind and pulling her close.

He was flooded with her scent all at once, and at times that was still very difficult for him, but he'd learned when he should and shouldn't breathe. Right now he was in a calm enough state that it didn't get to him too much. He was just content to have her close again.

Bella was well aware of where he was; probably just about as aware as Jasper was of her own location. And so, when he peeked around the other side of the mirror, he didn't scare her by any means. She closed her eyes for a moment, still with her hand over her mouth to conceal her laughter and tried to remain very still as if that would be able to mask her hiding place. But most assuredly, he found her there. Truth be told, Bella was happier that it was sooner rather than later.

That was a thought that was emphasized when she felt his arms slide around her middle. She didn't say anything at first, just leaned back against him and allowed her smile to spread across her face. The way his voice sounded gave her butterflies in her stomach and again, she had goosebumps that were not a result of her hands resting on his arms. Turning around to face him, she linked her arms around his neck and grinned.

"Was I that obvious?" she asked.

Bella frequently wondered how difficult it was for him to be this close to her. She knew she should have been more considerate and mindful of his delicate position when it came to bloodlust, but it was so hard to be sensible when she craved being near him. That was like her bloodlust - having Jasper close to her. It wouldn't at all be too far-fetched to say that he was addicting. Everything about him - his looks, his scent, his voice. They all drew her in. Bella wasn't naive to think that it didn't have anything to do with the fact that he was designed to do exactly that. But she also knew that vampires weren't necessarily designed by nature to steal a person's heart and cause them to feel emotions they would have pronounced dead a long time ago.

But that was how she felt. He'd stolen hers like the most clever, untraceable thief.

"I suppose you'll be wanting your prize then," she said with a mock, disappointed sigh at losing their game. "I'm afraid to say that I'm all out of big fluffy stuffed bears," she said with a grin. "Would you settle for a different one?" she asked, pulling him closer.

Being reunited with her, even after being separated for just a few minutes, was a relief to him. Jasper didn't necessarily need to be touching her every second of every day to be secure in how he felt about her. However, when he did have her in his arms, when he was kissing her, holding her hand, breathing her scent and feeling her body pressed to his, the world did seem like a better place to be in. If he had to choose between the two, he'd pick the world where she was resting against him as she was now.

He smirked sideways as she turned around to face him and linked his hands together behind her back. He looked down at her, completely taken with the way she was grinning at him. He was intoxicated by her, and while he did have a strong lust for her blood, he'd been learning to turn that desire to drink her blood into a desire to protect and cherish it. It might have seemed strange, especially to others of his kind, but it was how Jasper was able to be so close to her for extended periods of time without succumbing to his temptations and the natural instinct to feed.

"No, I just got lucky," he whispered as he leaned down to nuzzle her cheek.

His heart was in a much better state than it had been. It had been mended, patched back together for the most part. Still fragile, still vulnerable, but he was functioning again. He was able to feel again, and feeling things was the way he predominantly functioned in the first place. The girl in his arms now was the reason for that and he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to express how grateful he was. He'd try, though.

"My heart was really set on the bear," he teased. "But.. I suppose I could be just as pleased with something else. What's my consolation prize..?"

The more time she spent with Jasper, the more Bella began to notice different things about him that attracted her. One of these things, something that she came to take note of when he nuzzled his face against her cheek, was the difference in their body temperature. Of course it wasn't something that she missed before; how could she have when it was such a striking contrast? But rather, Bella noticed that she actually liked the way his cold skin felt against hers. It was rather strange, and she would never mention it to him because she fully realized this, but there was something about the way it contrasted that was attractive to her. Maybe it was because whenever she felt a chill because of his skin, it was a signal that he was close by. How couldn't she enjoy a reminder of such?

She smiled when he expressed his disappointment with her inability to provide a certain prize. He was joking, she knew, and she intended to keep the jest going a bit longer to tease him. "Would you settle for a stuffed moose? I'm pretty sure I still have the one I had when I was a baby hidden under my bed," she said. "I wouldn't mind finding him for you. You're worth it."

Tightening her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer and she lifted on her toes to smile again, this time against his lips. There was only so long she could maintain a joking nature when she was aware that the two of them both knew a kiss was the real prize he was seeking. She was all too willing to award the winner when she pressed her mouth to his and kissed him soundly, exactly as a victor should have been upon rescuing a maiden in a tower. Bella certainly wasn't a princess, but she would be glad to play the part if this was involved.

Jasper was not used to such physical warmth. That was one of the many things that had surprised him upon becoming close to Bella. It was true that to each other, vampires did not feel the icy cold their skin gave off. Even so, the heat the Bella gave off being a human was not something Jasper was used to feeling. It didn't take much for him to be used to it, though. In fact, the craved it. Any absence of her warmth was just a painful reminder that she was not next to him.

"A stuffed moose? Well.. I suppose if I'm worth it.."

He smirked and kissed her cheek, tightening his arms around her to bring her body against his. Who were they kidding? He wanted a kiss, and she knew it. When she brought her lips to his, he could almost taste her smile. He held her to him, returning the kiss and savoring it. Whether or not she was a princess, he was going to make sure he did everything he could to make sure she felt like one. He was a gentleman, and she was his lady.

His belle. His Bella.

Though he could have gone on kissing her, he knew she needed oxygen and he certainly didn't want her to become uncomfortable from a lack thereof. When he broke the kiss, he stayed close, pressing his forehead to hers.

"I'll take all my rewards in that form, if that's all right with you." He gave her another soft kiss then hugged her, holding her against him in a gentle embrace. "Come on," he said, starting to walk her back outside. "Let's enjoy the warm weather."

Every time he kissed her, Bella wondered if Jasper knew the effect it had on her. Because he was gifted in ways that normal humans were not, she knew he would be able to tell in some ways. For one, her heart always accelerated. It drummed against her ribcage like a song that was played just for him. There was only one string of notes, a special melody and unless it was Jasper unlocking it, it would remain hidden and never played. The fact that he could do such things to her heart with one touch of his lips amazed her.

She hated having to breathe, though. The fast heartbeat was something she didn't mind dealing with, but when it came to having to stop kissing him in order to fill her lungs, Bella was disappointed. Though, there was a plus in that whenever she inhaled, she could taste the sweet scent of his breath. It was dizzying. Just like Jasper.

"That would be perfectly fine with me," she said, gently stroking the back of his neck when he touched his forehead to hers. "I think my poor moose might be extremely jealous though," she added with a grin before he kissed her again.

The best part of being with Jasper was that it didn't matter what they did. They could have kept kissing, or holding one another, or exploring the fairgrounds, and she would have felt the very same. She loved every single second. And so, when he suggested they go back outside, she agreed, walking next to him with her arm securely wrapped around his back.

"Where to now, soldier?" she asked, rubbing his side gently as she surveyed the rest of the space.

Jasper could feel her internal reactions to his touch, his kisses, and his gazes, and that helped him to know that all of those affections were welcomed. He could hear when her heartbeat sped up. He could feel when she wanted to be kissed and sense how she wanted to be touched. More often than not, though, he was not relying on his ability when he did all of those things. Most of the time it came naturally, and it was not until after he did bestow affection that he would read her emotions to see how she took them. Mostly, he liked listening to her heart. It once was something he tried very desperately to drown out because it drove him mad, but he'd learned to appreciate the sound, to cherish it. It was almost soothing to him, and it was most certainly something he wanted to protect.

He closed his eyes as her fingertips played against the back of his neck. Her warm touch against that sensitive area was almost enough to send chills down his spine. He ran one of his hands up and down her back while the other stayed at the small of it. Jasper smirked and shrugged innocently.

"I don't know how I compare to the moose. But I know he can't possibly have a better car than mine." He chuckled lightly, and just barely resisted the urge to start kissing her again.

Jasper shifted his arm to rest comfortably around her shoulders as they walked. He liked the way it felt to have her arm around him, the way she was touching him and leaning against him. She had a very calming presence about her that was very relaxed, and it helped keep him feeling that way. It was one of the reasons he was able to be so close to her now without being in any sort of unbearable pain. It amused him when she called him 'soldier' in passing. He wasn't sure how much she actually knew about his past, if anything at all. He'd never really talked about it with her, but that didn't mean someone else couldn't have shared it. Either way, he was amused by it.

"Let's go over there," he said, nodding to the carousel that had long since stopped running. He kissed the top of her head as they walked, lightly trailing his fingers over her shoulder as he kept her close to him.

Because it was still so new – this level of a relationship between the two of them – perhaps Bella never really thought it through in terms of comparisons. She did, though, acknowledge that she had been trying to avoid making comparisons in term of Jasper and Edward. It was still too difficult and she feared what too much thought on the issue would mean. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt Jasper and she knew that she would if she started in with comparisons, even if it was on an unintentional level. Not all the comparisons were negative; of course they weren't. In actuality, most would have seemed… favorable toward the blonde.

Currently though, one that Bella couldn't help but to notice how affectionate Jasper was. He always kept her close to him. Whether it was a small touch of his hand against hers, a kiss on the head, a cuddle when she was sleeping – it was all so frequent. It wasn't that Edward hadn't been affectionate with her as well. But it was rarer and it seemed, somehow, to be more a struggle for him to be close to her than it was for Jasper. That struck Bella as strange since Jasper was newer to the vegetarian lifestyle and had many struggles with human scents and blood. Including hers, as was displayed on her eighteenth birthday.

But he seemed to do so well with her. Maybe he was good at hiding it in order to protect her or keep from frightening her while in actuality, it was exceedingly difficult for him. But Bella doubted that if he really was having a difficult time, he wouldn't be able to remain so close to her in the same manner he had been in the past week. Either way, Bella wasn't complaining by any means. She, for someone who really didn't like drawing attention by any means, loved when it came from Jasper.

Her eyes lit up when he suggested they check out the carousel and her steps quickened slightly as they approached in anticipation. It was a classic-looking one. The horses didn't move up and down like some of the newer ones did, but instead, they were rooted in place by golden (or what Bella assumed were once golden) poles. All of them were somehow damaged; some had chunks missing from them, some poles were missing top or bottom halves, but there was still something so enchanting about it. When they were close enough to climb onto it, Bella dropped her arm from his back to hold his hand instead, leaving them a little bit more freedom to walk around.

As they weaved through the horses, circling the old ride, one thing in particular caught her eye. One of the carriages that was situated in the middle looked virtually untouched. It didn't have any pieces missing from it like the other one on the ride had. Instead, it was beautifully preserved. It obviously looked somewhat out of place in comparison to the other parts of the carousel, but that is exactly why it captivated her.

"I wonder why this one isn't damaged…" she wondered aloud, running her fingers over one of the wooden carvings of flowers on the side.

Something about this particular place appealed to Bella. It was special.

Jasper had not allowed himself to think outside of what he had with Bella. He did not talk about their relationship with his family. He did not talk about much of anything with them. It would leave too much room for them to inquire about things he was not ready to talk about, or even let himself dwell on. Being with Bella and keeping her safe and happy, those were his priorities.

He didn't expect her to be nothing but smiles when they were together; that wasn't real, and it certainly wasn't natural. He loved seeing her smile and he loved how he could feel her happiness radiating from her. It was much easier for him to be around her, to curb his thirst and just relax in her presence, when she was happy. He would be there even when she was not, and do everything he could for her, but he liked it best when she was smiling. It rubbed off on him a great deal as well and that meant a lot to him. As far as his affections went, that was just a little known trait that Jasper possessed. He could see why it would be unexpected. It wasn't something he displayed publicly. He reserved it for those he cared about, feeling it was much more special to be shared only by them.

Her excitement and anticipation did not go unnoticed. Jasper could feel it from her and it filled him with excitement as well. He laced their fingers as she took his hand and followed just a step behind her to the carousel. He could see all the imperfections from far away. It had clearly been out of commission for decades, and the constant rain and wind that the local climate had to offer had not done much for its preservation. Yet there was something beautiful about it. It was like an antique; a classic, understated beauty.

As she led him to the untouched carriage, Jasper examined it with his heightened senses. It clearly was the most preserved piece on the structure. "Maybe it was waiting for us to find it," he mused out loud. He touched the frame, and it felt sturdy even under his touch.

"Shall we sit?" He asked, lightly passing a hand through her hair.

Jasper had a gift with words.

Bella wondered if he had any knowledge of it. Perhaps he intended to always phrase things so beautiful and make them seem special, or perhaps instead, he didn't even realized he did it. But either way, the beauty in his speech always made Bella feel as if she were reading about him in a storybook instead of being the one to hold his hand in reality. With them, it was always such an adventure. All they had done was leave school after he'd picked her up and drove aimlessly. There hadn't been any sort of destination in mind and yet, Jasper made it seem like that was all part of the wonderment of it. He had been right, she learned, when they'd found the fairgrounds.

But now, in the strange and unexpected place, they'd found a special one of their own. He touched upon that with his words and Bella felt her heart warm when his words echoed her own thoughts about the carriage being somehow different in a way that was aside from it being undamaged. Nodding at his suggestion to sit, she let go of his hand in order to situate herself when the two of them came to occupy the bench. It was wide and deep, obviously meant for a family to enjoy when they took a ride on the carousel. That made it comfortable and spacious, perfect for cuddling into Jasper as Bella intended to do now.

When she saw that he was comfortably resting against it, she maneuvered to sit in the space on the bench between his thighs so she could lean back against his chest. Because of the expanse of the wood and how deep the seat went back, she was able to manage. He was cold against her, of course, but Bella didn't care. When she pulled his arms around her and rested her own atop of his, she was only thinking about how nice it was to be held by him, nothing about temperature.

For a couple of minutes, she just sat there quietly, resting against him with her head leaning back against his shoulder. If she could, she would have stolen this moment and locked it away in a memory box to preserve it for how perfect it felt. Turning her face into his neck, she lazily pressed a kiss to the cold skin there.

"You picked a good spot," she complimented him when she spoke again. Her fingers gingerly stroked his arms while her mouth continued to explore his neck. "Are you still disappointed about not winning a bear?" she asked.

Anything Jasper said to her came from the heart, and regardless of whether it sounded like a storybook or not, he meant it. To him, he was just speaking normally. It did seem like a fairytale to him too, though. Never did he once think he'd be able to be so close to her without either suffering the burning pain of his eternal thirst, or even worse - succumbing to it and ending her life. Jasper did not think he was strong enough, but somewhere along the way, he'd managed to get enough of a handle on his struggles to be near her. More than that, to lie with her at night, kiss her for hours, and sit with her as they were now. She could even touch him without him flinching. In fact, he liked it when she touched him and kissed him.

As she leaned back against him and pulled his arms around her, Jasper couldn't help but sigh contently. She was so soft and her warmth was very soothing to him. He liked how affectionate she was. He liked how she would simply take his hand, how she'd lean against him - sometimes he wasn't even sure if she was aware she was doing it. Her kisses, her embraces, the caresses she gave him. Jasper loved everything she did. He closed his eyes as she pressed her lips against his skin and spoke softly to him. He hummed contently, savoring the kisses before he finally answered her.

"I'll manage."

He shifted his hold on her slightly so that he could take her hand in his. He first brought it to his lips, then lowered it back to her lap and started to play with her fingers. Jasper couldn't explain why, he just simply had a fascination with her hands. He lightly traced patterns on her palm with his index finger, then he'd lace his fingers with hers and simply play with her hand. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and nuzzled her hair.

"Are you cold?" He asked softly, knowing she'd say she wasn't but needing to ask her anyway.

If he told her about the effect she seemed to have on her, Bella didn't know how she would have responded. She would have had a little bit of trouble believing that she was able to make him feel good about himself. Of course that was her goal; she wanted that more than anything. But it was difficult to accept that it was on account of her. However, she would have felt very happy to know that he was coping much better than he was a month beforehand. Somehow, she knew that she would have felt that happy even if the source of his improvement came from someone other than her. It didn't matter what the cause was, just the result; Jasper's happiness.

He seemed to have a fondness for her hands. Bella continued to notice it more and more often. For whatever reason, Jasper always seemed to be fascinated with her fingers and would toy with them frequently. Now was no exception. She didn't mind it - she rather liked to watch him. Turning her face away from his neck, she did that now, eying the way his fingers twirled hers around. But for as much as she didn't mind his fixation with her hands, Bella tensed when he turned her palm over and started to trace his fingertip against it. There was a reason, though.

Bella had a crescent-shaped scar on the inside of her hand that gave her awful memories. The scar, one that Jasper would surely remember just as well, was a few degrees colder than the rest of her skin and was pale white in color. As Jasper's finger brushed over it, her jaw tightened and she pulled her hand away, turning her palm over and hiding it in her lap.

"I hate that scar," she admitted in an explanation, not answering his inquiry about the cold.

She felt somewhat colder now, but it didn't have to do with the actual temperature. It had to do with the reason she pulled her hand back. It was somewhat vain and Bella didn't want to come across as being such a way. But she swore, when she thought about it, that she could still feel James' teeth sinking into her skin and the intense burn of venom seeping through her blood a second later. it had been the worse pain she'd ever experienced and not something that she would ever be able to forget, much to her dismay.

When she pulled her hand away, Jasper immediately feared the worst. He worried he'd done something he shouldn't have, that he'd scared her somehow, that he'd overstepped some sort of boundary. He didn't know what he'd done, but he wanted to fix it immediately. Fortunately she didn't leave him in the dark for long.

Her scar.

Jasper knew what she was talking about right away, as he'd been there when it happened. He could see the scar on her palm plain as day, right down to each individual tooth mark due to his heightened sense of sight. It didn't bother him, though.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. The cause of the scar bothered him, but not the scar itself. He thought nothing of the mark at all, but he could understand why she would. The memories attached to that scar were not by any means happy. He didn't want her to feel self-conscious about it, especially not with him.

"I don't hate the scar," he said quietly. Jasper lightly trailed his hand over her other arm, and leaned his head down to kiss her shoulder. "I hate what caused it, and I hate the pain attached to it. But.." Very delicately, he took her hand again and kissed her palm, his lips lightly brushing over the slightly raised crescent. "..it's a part of you. I couldn't ever hate anything that's a part of you."

His words were true, and he really did believe that. But he also feared his words wouldn't be enough.

"I have one that I hate, too," he said. "You won't be able to see it."

He released her hand and very slowly rolled up his left sleeve. He didn't push it up far, just a few inches above his wrist. With his vision, he could see a very deep, angry looking scar. It was the most prominent one he had and the one that held the most meaning. He never talked about this scar, or why it was so much worse than the hundreds of others that marred his body. He wouldn't tell her the story of how or why it was the way it was, but he'd tell her a little about it if she wanted to know.

"Here," he said, taking her and and guiding it over his wrist so she could feel the raised skin.

It was extremely difficult for Bella's heart not to ache when Jasper spoke. She didn't deserve such sweet words. It was a good ache to be sure, but one that just felt as if it were wasted on her. How could someone so wonderful never be properly noticed before?

Of course before there had been Edward. Bella was so wrapped up in him that she didn't pay much attention to, well, much else at all. Now, she felt horribly guilty for it. Why hadn't she paid better attention to Jasper? Why hadn't she tried to get to know him better? It was true that there hadn't been much time before her birthday and afterward... well, that wasn't exactly possible considering how things came to an abrupt halt because of Jasper's reaction to her blood.

But now, sitting there with him and listening as he told her there wasn't a part of her that he could hate, Bella felt as if she were weightless. Even with something like that scar, so full of horrible memories and physical pain, it seemed like Jasper could chase away all of the negativity. Her eyes closed when he brought her hand to his lips and brushed his lips against the ethereal crescent shape. She would always be conscious of it to be certain, but his words helped.

There wasn't much time to focus on that scar after he'd confessed to having one that he wasn't fond of. Sitting up a little straighter, her brow furrowed as he pulled up his sleeve. His skin looked flawless and unblemished there just like every other part of him that she could see. It wasn't until he guided her hand to the scar that she believed it existed. Running her fingers gingerly over his wrist, Bella noted a definitely change in the texture of his otherwise smooth skin. She did that a few other times as if to make sure it was really there since it was otherwise invisible to her.

"What happened?" she asked with curiosity, bringing his hand closer to her face so she could take a closer look at where the scar was meant to skin looked so pale that it was invisible, but running her thumb gently over the marred area confirmed that something was amiss.

Jasper watched as she curiously traced his scar with her thumb and looked at it closer as if that would allow her to see the scar. He was glad that she couldn't see it, or any of the scars on his body. Of course, he was careful to keep the majority of them covered by typically wearing long sleeves and shirts with high collars. Even if the humans he had to interact with couldn't see them, he always knew that they were there. He hated seeing them. He knew they were his most dominant feature. He knew they made him look like a frightening monster.

He did not see the harm in letting her feel one of his scars. As sensitive as he was about them and especially about the one she was touching at the present moment, Jasper thought that if feeling one of his scars and knowing that he felt that way about it might help her to deal with her own issues revolving around her scar. It also might help her to know that he had one too. He had hundreds. But there was a time and a place for everything. Jasper didn't want to keep things from her, but this place was rapidly becoming more and more special for them. He did not want to relate it to his horrific past. He did not want to taint this place with thoughts of Maria. He would speak of her one day to Bella, and of all the things she made him do. But that day, was not today.

Jasper continued to let her feel of it, and did not recoil his hand. Her touch almost felt healing, in a way. The warmth of her fingers against his tarnished skin felt nice in an area that was almost constantly in pain.

"My creator bit me there," he replied calmly. He failed to add that she'd bitten him there several times afterwards, every time she wanted to punish him for something. He dropped his gaze to where her thumb was tracing the scar. He could see where each of Maria's teeth had pierced his diamond-hard skin. He had to look away a few seconds later. He didn't want to remember that right now.

"So you're not alone."

Bella wanted to ask him the whole story, but perhaps it was because there was something about the tone of his voice that seemed different, that she refrained. This wasn't the time nor the place, she figured. One day, she would ask him again. In the meantime, she made a sound of acknowledgement, continuing to gently brush her thumb across his wrist before bringing it to her lips. Gently, she kissed the raised skin and though she couldn't see it, her mouth reverently touched the crescent mark. If he was just as upset about this particular scar as she was about her own (and sadly, Bella wouldn't learn now that she really had no room to be upset in comparison to Jasper's story), then she wanted to make his concern disappear.

"Why anyone would ever hurt you is beyond me," she said, quietly.

And that was the truth – Bella wouldn't be able to understand how anyone could have ever marred the skin of such a beautiful person, both inside and out. Once more, it brought back slight guilt to the fact that for so long, Bella didn't know Jasper truly, nor had she made much of an effort to do so. Before letting go of his hand, she kissed each of his fingertips and the center of his palm. Each kiss was a small testament to how much she adored him, but somehow, Bella didn't think even a thousand kisses could properly convey how she felt about Jasper.

Wanting to stray from the subjects of scars and how they were received, she linked her fingers with his and let their hands fall to her lap again.

"Tell me something that no one else knows," she challenged. It was another moment in which she felt very child-like and care-free, as if this were some sort of game like the one where she'd gone hiding in the fun house room full of mirrors.

"A happy something," she added with a grin, turning her head to glance up at him.

Jasper was quiet at first. He didn't want to elaborate on why someone would have wanted to hurt him, why Maria seemed to take pleasure in hurting him, or why he probably deserved it a lot of the time. That side of himself wasn't something he wanted to reveal to her ever, though he knew he would have to eventually. It was only fair. He couldn't bring himself to do it just then, though. Not here, not at their place. When the time came, he would tell her why, and he would tell her anything she wanted to know. For now, though, he just held her close with his unexposed arm and let her kiss and touch the other as she pleased.

He was relieved when she switched subjects. He wasn't sure what he could tell her that no one else knew, but it was a welcome change from the impending sadness that the previous subject was starting to bring to him. Jasper didn't want to associate sadness with this moment, so any escape to happiness would be welcome.

"Something happy, that no one else knows..." he repeated, thinking that over in his head. It was actually a fairly difficult question. The first half of his life as a vampire had been void of all happiness, and the second half was something he wasn't talking about to anyone or even letting himself remember. He was going to have to draw from his human memories to remember, and many of them were a bit fuzzy.

"Well, let's see," he thought out loud, resting his chin on top of her head for a moment as he tried to pick a memory. He was looking forward at the carousel horses when a memory struck him. Jasper chuckled lightly, then looked down at her.

"I was on a horse the first time I tried to ask a girl from my town to let me court her," he said. "I was.. trying to impress her on the horse, but this cat darted by and startled it. The horse tossed me off and I landed at her feet. Not my most shining moment. But I can laugh at it now." Jasper laughed softly and shook his head. "I was never really that good with horses. Don't tell anyone, all right? It was kind of embarrassing as a soldier to not be an ace with my horse."

Jasper grinned a little, then kissed the top of her head. "Is there anything you want to know about my human life?"

Bella didn't think he probably wanted her to laugh at his story, but she couldn't help herself. The imagery of Jasper, someone who she had never seen as anything but quick on his feet and graceful even, falling off a horse at a girl's feet was humorous to her. She thought it was incredibly endearing that he had been trying to 'court' the girl at the time and even his word usage while he was telling her the secret seemed sweet to her. The two of them really were from different times as this, just another example, pointed out. Gentleman never wooed over women on horseback unless it was in a movie or a book, but Jasper made it seem as if it were common practice for him during that time period.

"I hope she at least was flattered," she said, turning her face back toward his again so she could brush her lips against his cheek. She knew she certainly would have been and any girl who was anything less than impressed by his actions would have been completely foolish in Bella's opinion.

"I promise all your secrets are safe with me," she assured him with a smile, kissing his cheek again.

When he asked her if there was anything she would have liked to know about his human life, Bella's face lit up. Her eyes widened slightly and she nodded. Of course she wanted to know about his human life. But she couldn't just pick one element of it. To her, everything about Jasper was of interest to her, no matter what time in his life it had transpired. The fact that he was offering to tell her by asking if she had any curiosities excited the brunette.

Sitting up, she moved from between his legs to sit beside him on the carriage bench in order to be able to face him, and answered almost breathlessly. "Everything."

He was glad she found it humorous. Hearing her laugh again after she'd just been a little bit down on herself was good. He'd been able to bring her out of that sadness on his own, without the use of his power, and that made him feel great. He shrugged lightly.

"I don't know if she was impressed or if she pitied me, but she did let me walk her to Sunday school for the next three weeks."

Jasper didn't really talk much about his life to anyone. Just to Alice, and with the rest of the family when they inquired about it or if he needed to make a point of reference. Other than that, he typically just kept his memories on a shelf in the back of his mind. They were a bit dusty, and every year more and more of them became a bit more blurred. He hoped that by talking about them a little today, it might blow some of the dust off and make them a little more clear.

"Everything? Hm, well I guess a good starting point would be at the beginning, wouldn't it?" He turned in the seat so he could face her, his elbow propped up on the back of the bench. He held her hand in his other, beginning to absently play with her fingers again as he thought of where to start.

"Well, my full name is Jasper Monroe Whitlock, and I was born in 1844 in Houston, Texas. I inherited my curls from my mother. I don't remember her face very clearly, but I was close to her. We used to sit on our porch swing and drink lemonade while she'd read me stories." He smirked just a little. "I still remember what lemonade tastes like." He lightly brushed his fingers against hers, then laced them together.

"I don't remember much about my father. He loved my mother very much. I remember always being able to feel that from him. He taught me to regard women highly and that has always stuck with me. I've always tried to be very respectful of ladies. But I also really loved flirting with them. I learned how to be pretty charming," he said, grinning sheepishly. "Hence the horse story."

Jasper frowned a little, trying to recall specific details. "My father grew ill when I was sixteen. Tuberculosis. He didn't make it, so it was just Mama and me. I tried to take care of her and the house, but I don't think she ever really recovered from the loss. I wanted to help support her so when I found out that the town was recruiting soldiers for the war, I went to join. Being the charmer that I was I managed to convince them I was twenty, even though I was just three weeks shy of turning seventeen. Anyway, I served in the Confederate army and actually managed to work my way through the ranks to become the youngest Major in Texas. I was mostly in charge of making sure that the women and children in the towns were properly taken care of and brought to safety should there be any raids or the need to evacuate. I took a lot of pride in that. I always sent my mother my weekly earnings."

Jasper didn't want to talk to much more about his military endeavors, because that would lead him to talking about the day he met Maria, and he wasn't ready to discuss that yet. "But, aside from being a soldier, I was a fairly standard, normal young man from that era. I liked taking walks. I went to Sunday school. I liked making the girls in town blush." He smirked again and shook his head.

"Anything else you'd like to know?"

Bella decided, from the first second he started speaking, that she never wanted him to stop.

She would have easily been content to sit there and listen to him all day long, for hours and hours about the details he remembered from him human life. It felt like every new fact he revealed about himself attracted her more than before. She smiled when he told her his full name and made a reference to the source of the blonde curls that she loved so much. Her free hand reached out to brush a few away from his face when he revealed that his mother was responsible, and as strange as it may have been, she felt her heart warm toward the woman who raised this wonderful boy. The feeling remained when he spoke about his father as well and she imagined what a closely-knit family they must have been, obvious from the way that Jasper's face looked when he remembered them with such fondness.

The warmth wavered though when his story took a much sadder turn when she learned that his father had died and his mother suffered from it as a result. The hand she had by his hair, gently cupped his cheek affectionately, her thumb running along the frown lines at the corners of his lips when he continued on. She admired him so much in that moment that it nearly hurt. Only sixteen and taking on the responsibility of caring for his mother, putting on a brave face and volunteering for a war in order to ensure he was able to. Bella couldn't believe the things he managed at such a young age and the way he worked himself up in the ranks. That sort of bravery was incredibly rare and Jasper had more of it than anyone Bella had ever met. Ever.

But despite his courage, his heart was what impressed her so much. It caused her own to swell in her chest when he told her what his main duties were and how that tied into ensuring his mother was cared for. For a couple of minutes, she couldn't do anything but stare at him with such adoration that it almost seemed as if he'd just come back from the war instead of this all occurring a over a century beforehand.

Involuntarily, she moved closer to him as if she were literally drawn in by his story. She was still captivated when he lightened the end of his tale by telling her about his Sunday school and penchant for making females blush. That part was certainly something she could attest to herself.

When he finished, she merely shook her head, still in awe by him. Bella honestly wondered if he had any idea of how wonderful of a person he was. Somehow, she didn't think he gave himself nearly enough credit. Thinking of this, she couldn't help herself. Leaning in, her free hand still resting on his cheek and kissed him gently.

"I can only imagine how many hundreds of hearts you broke," she said fondly, brushing her thumb across his cheekbone.

She just couldn't stop staring at him, couldn't get over this incredible being seated beside her and everything he'd accomplished. "You're amazing, Jas," she said honestly.

While Jasper was telling her his story, he wasn't talking himself up, or trying to list off any achievements he'd accomplished during his life. He didn't intend on trying to impress her, he just wanted her to know him and who he'd been and who he still was. There wasn't very much of his past after his change that he was proud of, so he was glad to have shared the happier moments with her.

He laughed when she talked about him being a heart breaker.

"Hardly," he said with a grin. "I think it was more the other way around. It must've had something to do with the power I gained after my change, but I'd become so emotionally attached to the girls I liked. I never really could commit to anyone as a soldier because I was always moving around, but I did usually find a girl I was sweet on during my travels. It'd break my heart to leave." Jasper shrugged lightly. "Sensitive, I guess."

He met her eyes and could feel that she was genuinely in awe over the story he'd just told her. It was unexpected, because to him that was just normal life. He'd done what he had to do in order to survive and support his mother, and flirted with a handful of girls along the way. He reached up and took the hand that was resting on his cheek. He brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"No ma'am," he said, shaking his head when she called him amazing. "Just crazy about you."

He gently slid his other arm around her and gracefully pulled her into his lap. As he threaded their fingers together, he kissed her cheek, then very gently kissed her lips.

Bella was sure it wasn't the other way around. Now, more than ever, she was assured of the fact that he didn't think of himself as highly as he should have been. No, he might not have told her such stories of his past in order to make himself look extremely favorable, but Bella honestly thought there would have been nothing wrong with that. He should have been proud of all of the things he did, the things he believed in and fought for. Now, not only was he prince charming, but he was a knight in shining armor as well. If he was right about being the other way around, with the girls being the ones to break his hearts, then they didn't deserve him. If Bella had known him back then, she would have waited an eternity for him. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that she could just let him slip away after one encounter with him if he was the boy in the picture he painted of his past.

But she happened to be crazy – to use his wording – about this boy now as well. Momentarily, she had the urge to pull back and question him. How did this happen? How was it possible to feel so strongly about someone when you truly thought you would never feel anything but pain and heartache again? How could he feel the same way about her as she did about him? How did this happen?

Bella could have asked him a hundred similar questions, but she refrained. For one thing, it would ruin it. Perhaps things were best kept unanswered. Secondly, she didn't know if there were answers to such inquiries and if they were, maybe Jasper didn't know. She surely didn't. All she could be sure of was how she felt about him and how much of a whole person he made her feel like.

She didn't protest when he pulled her into his lap. His motions were so fluid and graceful that it made even someone as big of a klutz as her look beautiful and smooth. Draping one arm over his shoulder around his neck while her other hand entwined with his. Her heart fluttered when he kissed her and there was not a thing that she could have done except kiss him back and try to bring across the way she felt in this moment as best as she could through the action.

Bella Swan was falling in love with Jasper Whitlock.

Author's Note: One of our favorite chapters. The carousel is a place you will be seeing a lot of in this story. We hope you're liking it so far! Please remember to comment and review to let us know! Chapter 8 reveals who it was that was lurking around Bella's bedroom. Also, did we hear you were wanting more action? ;) Stay tuned!

Lyrics: Crash Into Me- Dave Matthew's Band