Hello Folks, I'm back. I had a real fight with this chapter and only hope that this version will do the trick. Tell me what you think… kindly, please.

Still don't own twilight.

14

Bella's POV

I drove away from school still laughing. Two miles down the road however I was confused again: If I was honest with myself I had to admit that I had fallen in love with that strange guy, no matter how dangerous he was – according to Edward – or how deranged/criminal or whatever his past might have been. Even no matter if he was one of the "Cold Ones" of Jake's stories. What I did not know was what to do about it, and the melodramatic way Jasper had been talking to me all day as well as his possessive streak did not make things easier. I sighed exasperatedly and pulled into the parking lot of the local supermarket for shopping.

Not really taking care I rushed through the aisles adding things to my cart, when I was suddenly stopped because I had careened headlong into another girl. I was mortally embarrassed and apologized at once, but she just waved my excuses away while getting up again and brushing herself down.

"Don't worry, things like that happen to me all of the time. I was probably walking around with my eyes closed anyway, no harm done." She smiled at me, and I noticed that she was really pretty: about my age and long shiny strawberry hair and big violet eyes. She was really pale though.

"Do you live around here?" I asked, inferring that her skin color could be the result of this rainy place. I was hoping that she did, too, because she seemed really nice.

"No", she smiled, "I'm just staying in the vicinity for a while to visit a friend. My name's Charlotte", she held out her hand.

I took it. "Bella. Meet the other vertically challenged inhabitant of Forks."

We started chatting and found that we had quite a few thing s in common: she also liked reading and was not too keen on parties and stuff like that. In one word: I was absolutely charmed by her and ended up regretting that she was not at my school.

"Goodness", she said looking at her watch after a while. I did the same and started. We had been talking for an hour. "Damn, sorry, I need to be home cooking for my dad…"

"Yes, I should also call my boyfriend, he's probably tearing up the county looking for me."

"Well", for once I was not slow to react. "If you're staying here longer, you should call me." I handed over my cell phone number.

"Yes, I would like that. You know what? I just call him to let him know where I am, and then he can watch his baseball game without me."

I giggled. "He keeps watching the game?"

She sighed and nodded.

"Want to come along for a drink or something?" I asked. I was not letting this opportunity at making a friend pass by. Not this time.

"I would love to", she said, sent a rapidly typed text-message to someone, and we did the rest of my shopping together.

When we were at the checkout I noticed that she had not gotten anything and asked. "What about your stuff?"

She started but caught herself quickly. "Oh, I meant to get some chips for Pete, but as I won't be keeping him company for his sports event… well, he can go without them."

"Are your parents ok with you travelling with your boyfriend?" I wondered what he was like.

"I'm a bit older than I look", she smiled back. "Pete and I have been together for a long time, and no one will tell us not to visit our oldest friend who has just moved up here."

"I see." I said not understanding.

By that time we had arrived at the house and Charlotte helped me get my bags out. "Can I use your bathroom for a second?" She asked, sounding urgent and looking uncomfortable.

"Of course", I pointed out the way for her and she made a beeline for it while I started putting away the groceries and making some tea.

Charlotte's POV

Phew! I just about made it into the bathroom before my contacts had completely disintegrated from the venom, but at least my plan had worked. I was not about to let Jasper cause any more chaos and ruin our chances at having Bella in our life.

Man, I love this girl, and I would definitely like to have a female best friend. We could have so much fun together, and with her Jasper would be in a much better mood, too.

I put in another pair of dark blue contacts and rejoined her in the kitchen to help putting away the food and start the cooking for her father. We got back to talking, and after a while I stirred conversation back to the topic of boyfriends. I wanted to sound her out about Jasper, too, because I was not completely sure that our friend was reading the signals right she was giving him. For all his cleverness and hypersensitivity he is still a guy who has been single for a hell of a long time, so I guess he might need some help there.

"There is this guy at school that I think about a lot", Bella was just telling me while she washed chicken breasts before cutting them into strips for frying. "I don't know why, he just takes up so much space in my head, that sometimes I feel he's all there is." She was shaking her head at herself.

I laughed. "I know what you mean. They tend to do that, get you in knots so twisted that you think the whole world revolves around them."

"Just like that", she nodded, "and for me it's the first time, and I'm just confused…"

"Tell me about him", I encouraged her. I had sensed Jasper near. Probably it would do him some good to hear his praise sung. He never believed any of my compliments about his looks, always thought of himself as some sort of Quasimodo who was only able to get women because of his gift.

"He's… phew… well, I just think he's gorgeous, he's seriously hot. I just keep wanting to run my hands through his hair and mess it up. He is not like the other guys, he's clever, has read everything, and he is really sweet, always interested in what you have to say." She looked to me for understanding.

I nodded and smiled. There you have it Jasper!

"I know I sound like a sick teenager raving about the latest idol, but as soon as I close my eyes I see him in my head and want to spend more time with him, like really close."

"You want him near you all the time?" Mating pull at work?

She nodded, blushing furiously. I swallowed venom. Damn, she smelled good. Jasper really needed to change her soon. But at least he ought to be able to feel her lust for him, if even I could almost smell it.

Bella giggled and threw a tea towel at me. She missed by a yard and shrugged. Then she sighed. "I just can't imagine how he could be really interested in me for long, he's just so… perfect."

I rolled my eyes. Jasper was right outside the door which was slightly ajar, and things like that could definitely go to his head. "He must have one vice."

"Ye-es, that he has", she grinned. "He is absolutely infuriating. Today I was about to take his head off…"

She was interrupted at that point by Jasper bursting into the room.

I shook my head at him: That was not what I had had in mind, an entrance vampire style without explanation of why you're in a building etc. Then I was almost taken off my feet by a wave of emotions radiating from him, which I would not have expected after Bella's long list of his qualities, but he was howling in pain and projecting enough anger for me to almost cower. "Jasper, what…?"

He wrapped Bella in a tight embrace which almost cut off her air supply and buried his face in her hair. "No, please, you can't do this to me."

"Do what? How did you get in here?" Bella struggled to free herself without success.

Jasper tightened his embrace. "I won't let this happen. You're mine, you hear that?" He growled furiously and Bella started shaking.

Oh no, whatever had he gotten wrong now? Clearly the Major was getting the upper hand, and while I was sure Bella loved Jasper, I was equally sure she was not ready to meet that side of his personality just yet. "Jasper!" No reaction. "Major, stop! You're scaring her!"

I got a vicious hiss for my efforts and took a step back. Better do this from a distance. "What happened?"

"He's trying to steal her, claiming her before I can, and she lets him into her bed." He had let go Bella and was growling at her now.

The poor girl was frightened out of her mind – as who wouldn't be in the face of an angry Jasper – and said in a voice barely audible. "I don't know what you're talking about, no one but me sleeps in my bed."

"Don't lie to me!" He hissed, his eyes burning with anger and pain. "I can't bear… it hurts too much." He pushed her from him.

I caught Bella in my arms trying to comfort her. "Enough, Jasper, you're hurting her!"

"Get. Out. Of. My. House. Now!" A voice from the door thundered. Bella's father stood in the doorway, and I'm not sure who was scarier in his rage, Jasper or Charlie Swan. The Chief turned on Jasper. "If I see you here again, I will consider it trespassing. Don't you dare come near my daughter again if you can't control your emotions! Out!" He held the door for him.

Jasper looked as if he was about to take on the Chief when a sob came from Bella. That did it for the enraged empathy. He froze and flinched. "Oh god, Bella, I did not mean to make you cry. I…"

"Do you have a problem with your ears?" Chief Swan hollered, and I grabbed Jasper's arm and pulled him outside. "Not now, Jasper." At least he was shaken enough to let himself be dragged along by me.

I got him as far as the woods near the Swan house where he collapsed. Peter was already waiting for us, his expression not boding well for the chat he would want to have in private with me later.

"Care to explain what the hell is going on?" Peter looked from Jasper to me.

I sighed. "I met Bella and came along to her house. She really needed a friend to talk, and I thought I could make things easier for Jasper that way. It worked, everything was fine until…" I looked to our friend who was sitting on the forest floor holding his head in pain.

Peter touched his shoulder. "Jasper, what is going on?" When he got no answer he turned to me.

I shrugged and told him what had happened. "So he thinks she has another boyfriend, which I'm pretty sure is not true." She had told me herself that she had not been in love before, besides, every inch of her screamed virgin.

"She's in love with Edward, and he sleeps in her bed."

I guffawed. "Rubbish! Where did you get that harebrained idea? She was describing you, you idiot!"

"Then why is his scent is all over her room?" Jasper asked tonelessly and broke down again.

Peter raised his eyebrows at me, but I just shrugged. He bent down and touched Jasper's shoulders. "Do you want us to take him down or will you go after him yourself?"

Jasper looked up at us, his face as dead as he had been for 150 years. "No. She loves him."

"Major?" We were sure we had misheard him.

"Isn't it enough I frightened her like I did today? Do I have to kill her love too?" He was shaking with the pain inside him, and we were at our wits end when one of the Cullens showed up.

The small, caramel-haired woman acknowledged us with a small nod. "You must be Jasper's friends Charlotte and Peter." Then she sat down next to Jasper and pulled him toward her, comforting him like a mother would a small child. "Jasper darling, I'm sure we can work it out." She sat with him for an hour and held him to comfort him. After that he got up.

"Esme, I need to be alone for a while."

"But you will come back to us?" When he shrugged, she implored him once more. "Jasper, please! Don't leave without saying goodbye."

He bent down to her briefly to kiss her cheek. "I won't." Then he ran into the forest.

"Can you tell me what happened to my son?" Esme turned to Peter and me.

"No, Ma'am", Peter answered ironically, "But it looks as if your son Edward can tell you." It was clear he was angry that his oldest friend was upset.

"Peter, no, he said he did not want us to go after him", I tried curling into his arms to calm him down, but he shrugged me off.

"Looks like the animal diet does not agree with him", my mate scoffed. Esme flinched and was at a safe distance at once. For all the world knew he could be a heartless bastard, but I knew he was deeply shaken by Jasper's pain and scared about what he would do.

I sighed and held up my hands to Esme, signaling we meant no harm. "There has been a misunderstanding. Jasper thinks that Bella has been sleeping with Edward."

"Goodness", she exclaimed. "Surely that must be a misunderstanding, but I can see how that would disturb the poor dear. Can you take care of him?"

"Don't worry, I will", Peter said determinedly and took off without another word.

I shook my head. "He is not usually as impolite as that, it's just his way of dealing with Jasper's mood. They are very close."

"I see", Esme said. "It's good he has close friends, it would be horrible for him to be on his own." She thought for a minute. "You're welcome to stay at our house if you like. I need to talk to Carlisle about this trouble."

"Thank you. I try to talk to Bella again."

"Do that. I'll get a room ready in case you are coming later. See you then."

I dialed the number Bella had given me as soon as Esme was gone. I did not really believe that Bella was with Edward, but it would obviously be better to hear from her own mouth that she had indeed been talking about Jasper, so I waited patiently for her to answer her phone.

"Yes?" Warily after five rings.

"Bella, it's me, Charlotte. I was wondering how you are."

"Not too good."

"I'm sure Jasper did not mean to scare you like that. He was just upset because he…"

"Is he the friend you were visiting?"

"Yes. He is a real nice man once you get to know him better…"

A hollow laugh. "My father banned him from the house, and I'm not keen on violent men either." A lot of pain there.

"Bella, he could not hurt you if he tried; he was just out of control and upset by the idea of you and Edward…"

"What would I want with that jerk?"

"Thanks a million, Bella. You've just made my day."

"Huh?"

"Sorry, I can't explain that right now. It's been great meeting you. I'll see you again soon. Bye!"

I had to find Jasper and tell him, but first I needed to get my mate off the warpath before he laid the county to waste.