Chapter Thirteen

Bella

I hated what Maria and Alice had done to this man who had risen to stand before me, anxiously. They had almost, but not quite, destroyed him for their own pleasure, but never again. If we were to be together, never again. He pulled me to my feet and continued into the trees until we came to a small opening where the Suns rays still reached.

"If this is about the skin of a killer I've already seen the floor show, it won't alter how I feel."

"I'm sure Edward gave you the whole vampire predator speech but perhaps if he'd shown you what I'm about to you would have felt differently. I hope not but I can't change the way I am."

He stepped into the suns rays and his skin began to sparkle as Edwards had done except on his neck and jaw line where I saw the sparkles were distorted by something. I stepped forward to see better but he stopped me with a gesture.

"Please Bella, wait"

I watched as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt and stripped it off dropping it to the ground. The sun hit his torso and it glittered but the light also exposed the scars, hundreds of them, covering his chest and stomach and down his arms. I found myself at his side, running my hands over his chest and down his arms before turning him round to look at his back. It too was scarred but not as badly. The scars were familiar, I had one of my own. Bite marks, hundreds of bite marks, all over his exposed body. As I turned him back I saw a light in his eyes and a softening of his expression.

"Who did this to you Jasper?"

"Newborns, enemies, after a while I stopped noticing."

Without even thinking I kissed a mass of them clustered across the side of his neck.

"I will never let anyone hurt you again Jasper. I promise."

He pulled me close, whispering as he nuzzled my neck,

"I love you Bella. Be mine forever."

We sat talking in this tiny space for hours, into the twilight. He went to put his shirt back on but I stopped him.

"I want to see you, see these scars, they are what formed you into the man you became, the man who rose above it all"

"Where do we go from here Bella? I have nothing to give you. Everything I owned I left behind at The Cullens. Alice has probably burned it all by now. I do have money though so we have the chance of a fresh start if you want to, that is"

He sighed and lay back resting his head on my lap, my fingers smoothing his hair.

"Jasper I don't care about material things, I never have. Pretty clothes, expensive jewellery, glamorous surroundings, none of them mean anything. If you are asking me to commit to you the answer is yes. After all how can I protect you in the future if we aren't together? Anyway you might decide you hate me after a few weeks."

He lifted his head slightly to shake it,

"No Bella I wont, but you may"

I leaned down and kissed him.

"Not going to happen my love"

He rolled over so we were face to face and kissed me. The feel of his cool body under my hands set my pulses racing and I was sure it must be making his throat burn with thirst but I knew I was safe, that was enough.

"What do we tell the others?"

I shrugged,

"Nothing. I'm sure they'll work it out for themselves, lets just ignore them"

Rose

When they finally got back, hand in hand, Jaspers shirt only partly buttoned I knew they had found each other. She had seen the worst of him and still hadn't run screaming. His face, strained for so long, was more relaxed although he was still tense. Bella was radiant and I wondered what she would be like when they finally made the commitment to each other. I had loved Alice as a sister but she had been bad news for both Jazz and Bella. I hadn't seen it until now but it was true. I saw Emmett grin and knew the fun was about to begin.

"So Bella. How'd you subdue The Major?"

She smiled faintly and I saw her squeeze Jaspers hand before replying.

"That's our secret and it's Jasper not The Major"

That was unexpected, her protecting him and I admired her for it. Emmett wasn't sure how to answer that so he turned to me.

"Rose, remember the little squirt who used to visit us in Forks? Wouldn't say boo to a goose, followed Edward around all doe eyed?"

I shook my head in warning as a low growl built up in Jaspers chest. Emmett stopped abruptly and put up a hand.

"Sorry Jazz, no offence"

Bella touched his cheek and he relaxed into her.

"It's OK Emmett, just leave Edward in the past"

"Sure little sis, sorry I didn't think"

"No you never do" I said thumping him on the arm.

He squealed and ran from the room shouting,

"Peter I'm being battered and abused"

"About fucking time"

Was the only response.

Bella

We all sat together on the porch after I'd eaten, Jasper sitting behind me with his arms around my shoulders keeping me close. Edward had always wanted me close but it felt like ownership "She's mine and don't forget it." This was different, "I love this woman and she loves me, we are a couple". I laughed inwardly, it was ironic, both Edward and Maria had treated us as possessions, controlling our every move. Perhaps Jasper had done me a favour attacking me!.

I started to doze as they spoke about places they'd been and places they still wanted to visit. I'd never been out of the United States except for that magazine assignment which turned out to be life changing. The years of hell after Edward had left ended in good fortune and I was now in a relationship, fledgling I admit, with his almost brother. Two men who were different in every way and I knew who the better man was. He had his arms around me now and although his skin was cold against mine he warmed my heart, the most important part, the part he had brought back to life. I felt myself lifted up and managed to open my eyes enough to make out Jaspers face as he carried me upstairs and lay me on the bed pulling the coverlet over me. Then he leaned in and the last thing I remembered was his cool lips on my forehead.

Jasper

After putting Bella to bed I rejoined the others who all looked at me expectantly and when I just sat back down and leaned back they started to question me,

"What are you going to do about Bella?"

"Are you two sure about this?"

"What about Edward?"

"Do I get to be best man?"

"Do you think Maria will come looking for you? "

"What's Charlie going to say when he finds out?"

"Have you decided what to do about Alice?"

"Do you think Bella will ask you to change her?"

"Are you going to tell Carlisle and Esme?"

"How are you going to keep this from the Volturi?"

The questions seemed to come at me from all directions and I could feel the tension building up again. I needed Bella's support, I needed her to keep me calm but she wasn't here with me. As my muscles started to tense I suddenly felt her there, her presence filling me with peace and driving away the anger. I looked to the stairs and there she was, hair tousled, eyes half-shut. She held her arms out and I went to her, picked her up and carried her back with me, sitting her on my lap. She put her head on my shoulder her lips close to my ear,

"Its OK Jazz I'm here. Don't let them upset you, they're just concerned for us"