A/N: Don't forget to vote for Wedding Day Jitters if you can. The link is on my author page. You can vote once every 24 hours per device. THANK YOU! Now for this story… they met and she passed out. Honestly, I think if I had been in her place, I might have hyperventilated as well. Lol. I know what I want to do with her "gifts" and you will be finding out more about that later; and just like usual, Jasper's gifts will probably be much more than what is shown in the books. I think if he can manipulate emotions, he can do so much more than what is in the books, but again, that will come later. Enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 3 – The Truth

Jasper held the precious girl in his arms and thought back to the pact he made with Alice earlier and then the words that Alice spoke to him at lunch time. Smiling and chuckling silently, he shook his head. Now that he had seen her, held her, smelled her, and looked into her eyes, there was no way he could stay away. The little pixie seer had been right once again, and that thought caused him to roll his eyes. He should always know never to doubt someone who can see into the future.

Looking down at Bella as he cradled her to his cold chest, he studied her a little more. He wasn't too worried about the fact that she was still out of it since it had only been a couple of minutes. She had gotten herself really worked up, and he knew seeing him after seven years had to be a shock… or the fact he hadn't changed a bit in that time. Stroking her cheek, her skin was soft and yet looked like porcelain and almost transparent, as he could see the small blue veins that carried life through her body. She still smelled the same, of sunshine and cherry blossoms… at least that was always what he thought she smelled like even as a child. It was a scent that had always been distinctly hers and anytime he would see a cherry blossom or smell one, he would immediately think of the little girl that had not been afraid of a stranger with cold hands. Her lashes fanned her cheeks and he knew under those eye lids were the deep pools of brown anyone possessed, and even at ten years old they had captured him. Snickering, he shook that thought off; it made him sound like a pedophile, and he wasn't. When Bella was ten there was a connection he had felt to her and he wanted to do anything and everything to protect her, and that meant leaving Phoenix as soon as possible after making sure there were no lingering threats; and the moment he saw her at lunch, he knew that bond was still there, but somehow different. Jasper wasn't sure how or why, but it was. It was stronger, more precious, and one he never wanted to lose because he was afraid if he did, it would literally destroy him.

He should be afraid of getting too close, of hurting her, of everything, but he couldn't bring himself to care about all of that. Jasper was the one vampire in the Cullen coven that struggled the most being around the humans and surviving off of the animals they drank from; however, sitting here with Bella in his arms, he didn't want to bite her. Yes, her blood called out to him, but the thirst did not control him and he wanted to make sure he never hurt her, although he wasn't exactly sure how he was going to accomplish that task. They were two different species in a sense. Yes, he looked and acted human, but he was not human… she was. A flick of his wrist could kill her, a bite would end her life and change her, and she would grow old and die unlike him. It was all impossible, and the best thing to do would be to stay away from her, but he couldn't, and for the first time in his life he was starting to believe the impossible might actually be possible and he had only been around her for less than an hour. How would more time spent with her change his mindset? There was a part of him that couldn't wait to find out and anticipated it with great relish, but there was a part of him that was terrified of it all.

Jasper shifted Bella slightly so that he had a firmer grip on her. He could hear the strong beat of her heart and the rhythmic breathing as her chest moved up and down. Lifting his head, he gazed out into the distance. All of his thoughts, hopes, and fears might all be for naught… she could run away from him and not want to have anything to do with him. She could be terrified to be around him, hell he would be. And then there was his "family", some he trusted and others he did not. How was he going to explain this to them? Would they make him leave? Would they try to separate them if Bella didn't run for the hills? He laughed again; he was almost thinking about her as if she was his lover and part of his life, but at the moment she was no more than a girl he met several years ago while he was on a mission, who had tried to warm his hands and laughed at his funny accent. Why did it feel different today than it had before? He couldn't explain it, and honestly did not know if he wanted to. For the first time in his long life, he just wanted to feel everything this beautiful girl had to offer him… no matter what it was: good or bad.

"Is there a chill in the air today?" Bella thought to herself as she started to open her eyes. The last thing she remembered was coming to an abandoned park to meet JW and then passing out as soon as she saw him. Shifting, she realized she was in someone's arms and although comfortable, it was a little cold. Wait, someone's arms? Her eyes flew open as she snapped her head up. Indeed she was in someone's arms and JW was looking down at her with worried eyes. Her breathing started to come erratically again, "JW?"

"Bella darlin', I need to you calm down and breathe with me," Jasper ordered and exaggerated his unnecessary breathing: in and out, big and deep. He was relieved with Bella followed him and seemed to relax a little bit. She was still wary, confused, happy, irritated (he wasn't sure why that one would be the case), and relieved; he could feel all of those emotions coming off of her. There were others in the background, but those were the main ones. When she seemed in better control, he set her beside him on top of the picnic table he had been sitting on, "Feel better?"

"Um, ya-yah," clasping her hands together, Bella looked at her lap. She was nervous and couldn't quite understand how Jasper looked the exact same and then thought he must have some really good genes running through his body, "So is Jasper Hale your brother?" She was grasping at straws because somehow she knew Jasper and JW were one in the same, and that thought reminded her that he was with Alice and she wanted to get sick.

Jasper could feel her emotions swinging all over the place and just as soon as she seemed to settle on one, it would flip to something else, but the latest one was hurt. Why hurt? Holding his hands together between his legs, he shook his head, "No, I am Jasper Hale."

"Oh, well, I guess I better be going then. I was going to meet someone here, but…" She tried to stand up, but his hand on her arm stopped her; however, Bella refused to look him in the eye as she spoke softly, "Your hand is cold. Why is it so cold?"

Smiling down at her, Jasper answered her just as softly, "Because I have a circulation problem."

It was the same answer she had received when she was ten, and she could feel the sting of tears gathering in her eyes. Why did she feel like crying? Grabbing his hand in both of her, she rubbed it, "I'll help you warm it up." It was the first time she realized his hand wasn't getting warmer. Did it not get warmer when she was a child as well?

"Bella…"

"JW… Jasper, how?" Bella lifted her eyes and questioned him.

"JW is fine. Not many people call me that, and no one here does."

Nodding, she asked again still holding his hand in hers, "When you helped me, you looked like a teenager, like you do now… you should have grown up or changed a little. You haven't. Did you get held back in school? Did you…?" A finger on her lips halted her interrogation.

Jasper could feel her panic and anxiety start to rise once again and stopped the flow of words spilling out of her mouth, "I'll explain everything the best way I can. Alright?" When he received her nod, he removed his finger and started to speak, "I didn't get held back, and I am actually at the top of my class and a senior."

"That's not possible. You are more than a year older than me," Bella declared.

"You're right, I am," he briefly wondered what she would do if she knew just how much older than her he was, but he would save that for now. "When I found you in Phoenix, I was there looking for someone."

"You were supposed to meet someone, but he didn't show up. I remember you telling me that."

Her feelings had once again changed to that of reflective, and he swore he might get whiplash from trying to keep up with them all. Smirking, he nodded, "You have a good memory."

"I remember everything from that night," Bella whispered and then shook her head, "Continue."

"After traveling a little bit, my friends and I came back to our family and then we moved here a couple years ago."

"What are you spies or something?" She blurted out, her mind racing. Groaning, Bella knew she should allow Jasper to explain everything, but she was curious and sometimes that got the best of her. It made sense though. If he was working with a team of spies or working undercover for the police or military, it would explain why he still looked the same… he was already an adult when she met him.

"Let's go with 'or something'."

"Where's your girlfriend?"

Frowning, Jasper asked, "What girlfriend?"

Bella sighed, "I heard that everyone was paired up in the Cullen family and that you are dating that girl you were with at lunch."

"I'm not with her."

That simple declaration made the knots loosen up in her stomach and she felt like she could breathe again, "Oh."

Jasper quirked an eye brow and looked at her, "Are you going to let me explain or are you going to keep jumping in?" He wasn't mad or annoyed, but he was amused, and found it interesting when her feelings changed yet again to relief as soon as he told her he was not dating Alice.

"Oh, sorry. Continue."

Chuckling, he shook his head and glanced at the hand she still held within hers, "A lot of people assume that Alice and I are dating, and even some of our family members might believe that, but it isn't true and never has been. We have always been really good friends and depended on each other for support. She is like a sister to me. We don't correct the mistaken assumptions because honestly, we are not interested in what others think or say, and up until recently it was easier because if we were attached others would stay away from us and not attempt to ask us out; and since there was no one either of us were interested in until recently, there was no reason to say anything. We have tried to tell our family and some of them got it, but some still think there is something going on somewhere. Trust me, there isn't. As far as why I haven't aged, well… I was done growin' when you met me."

Everything he was saying just supported her theory that he was working undercover for some sort of agency, but the fact he wasn't with Alice sent a surge of joy through her and butterflies started to flutter in her stomach. She could not explain it; it just made her happy and relieved. So many questions were racing through her mind, but she wasn't sure she dare ask them.

"Darlin', you should know that I am different from most people."

"Different how?" She still loved his Texas accent, even if it did sound funny.

Extracting his hand, Jasper ran both through his hair trying to find the words to explain himself without revealing too much, but his phone beeping distracted him, and he needed to make sure there weren't any problems. However, as he read the message he wanted to laugh. It was from Alice and instructed him to tell Bella everything. Spilling everything was a lot easier said than done though. He cleared his throat and began again, "I am gonna tell you something, but it stays between us and you have to hold your questions for when I'm done. Got it?"

Bella quickly agreed. She wanted to know all she could about Jasper, and yet, she wasn't prepared for the fantastical story he was about to tell her.

"When I was 19, I met a woman and she changed my life forever. I was a major in the army and thought I knew all about the world… or at least the south, I was wrong though. When I say I was a major, I was a major of the confederate army."

Bella's head was swimming. Did he just say the confederate army? That wasn't possible. The civil war was fought and ended around 150 years ago. Back when she was ten, she had felt safe with him and she never thought he was completely bonkers, but now… she wondered if he was insane. There was no way he could have been a major in the civil war. As per his request though, she kept her mouth shut.

"The woman I met was named Maria, and I had stopped to help her and the two women that were with her," Jasper snorted derisively, "If someone would have told me that my life as I knew it was about to end… and I'm talkin' more than the war had done, I wouldn't have believed them. In fact, I would have thought they were just as crazy as you probably think I am right now."

Her head shot up and she looked directly into the eyes that were boring into hers, "I didn't…"

"It's alright darlin'. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm not done yet. Maria bit me and my world went black right before it started to burn. I was changin' and after three days, I finally woke up again and craved something I never wanted before… blood. I never knew vampires existed before then, and I know that it sounds like I am just feeding you a story, but I'm not. I was changed and in a sense died when I was 19, and I will forever be 19. When I said I stopped growin', I meant I stopped agin'. I wasn't gonna tell you everything, but I guess you could say that it was for the best that I did. I was in Phoenix in order to meet with someone so that I could find Maria because there were rumors she was up to something. She didn't exactly like the fact I just up and walked away from her. Instead of meeting the person I was supposed to find, I met you and helped you back to the park so that you could go home. My coven is led by Dr. Cullen and we stay in one place for a few years before moving on to another place. When I met you, they had already left Forks behind, but I had heard about it and knew that they planned to return one day, which is why I made that comment to you. I wasn't actually thinkin' we would meet again in high school. No one here, with the exception of my 'family', know that we are vampires."

"Vampires as in drinking blood, controlling people with your mind, turning into a bat, can't be out in the sun?" Bella wasn't sure if she actually believed it… she honestly didn't think vampires could be real since they were made up for the purposes of books and movies in order to scare unsuspecting people… or suspecting as the case may be.

Jasper nodded, "Yah, only most of that is wrong and a stereotype." He had never been this nervous before, but telling her the truth of his existence… well, it was probably better he didn't have a beating heart or could sweat.

"Which part?"

"I drink blood to stay alive. It is my food, but I drink from animals. We can't turn into bats, I guess depending on the gift, some of us can control people, and I was out during the daylight hours at school earlier. Also, contrary to popular belief, a wooden stake to the heart won't kill me. If you rip me apart and burn me, I can die though. Or hell, just burn me."

"Ah," she spoke softly and frowning as she thought about what he just said. Was she actually considering that he was telling her the truth? "What do you mean some can control depending on the gift?"

"Not all vampires have special gifts, but some do. I can control emotions, but Emmett can't do anything like that because he doesn't have a special gift. I can't see the future and Alice can. Does that make sense?"

"Um, I guess," Bella couldn't quite grasp everything. It seemed pure lunacy was flowing out of his mouth, and yet he sounded like he really believed what he was saying. It was crazy though. Vampires weren't real; that would be like saying werewolves, witches, and such really existed. They didn't… did they? Bringing her hands up, she rubbed her head trying to sort through all of the emotions, thoughts, and words that were circling inside of her being.

There was something within him that desperately wanted her to believe him, but he knew it was a wild story, and he hadn't even told her everything yet. She had been bombarded with enough information for now though and Jasper knew she couldn't handle any more, "I know you think I am probably some sort of maniac, and I agree, what I have told you sounds unbelievable, but it is the truth. I tell you this because I wanted you to know me and give you answers to your questions. I just ask that you not talk to anyone about this or say anything to anyone because we have to keep up appearances, and I ask that you think about what I said. I could have given you a simpler explanation, but it wouldn't have been the truth."

"I… I have to go," Bella stated anxiously and got off of the table running to her car without a backwards glance.

Jasper watched her leave and wanted to call out to her knowing he couldn't, not yet. "Lying might have been easier. It isn't like we don't lie all the time anyway," he muttered to himself. Looking over his shoulder, he asked, "Isn't that right, Alice?"

"It is, but she is different. We need to talk about Edward. He left for the Denali's," Alice told him. There were several visions that came to her about Bella, and they all centered around Jasper and Bella side by side.

"Why? What about him?" The southern vampire asked his orbs focusing on the direction in which Bella's truck disappeared.

"Bella is his singer."

Jasper's eyes grew in size and he whipped around to face his friend, "Come again?"

"Bella is Edward's singer. He wanted to attack her during class, but I stopped him before he could. He left, but he will be back. You need to…"

"He will not touch her," Jasper growled as he got up and ran into the woods.

Sighing, Alice followed him knowing things could get more complicated before they got better, and she had yet to tell him about her other visions. If her visions were true, Bella was going to be the trigger that would create division amongst the Cullen clan and it could lead to a small civil war within the family. It might be better to leave the human alone, but she knew it would not be possible for Jasper, and there was something more… Bella was special and the unrest created would not last forever. In fact, bonds will become stronger in the end. Nothing was set in stone except for one thing, the human would be a part of their lives whether they liked it or not. Alice knew Jasper wanted it, and honestly she wouldn't wait to get to know her future best friend more. Small ripples did not create a tsunami; they would survive.