A/N: Ok, first of all I needed to let you know that starting next week I will be updating very sporadically for the remainder of the month (basically after this chapter). I will be travelling to see my older sis in Virginia and then I have family coming in to see me the day after I get back. I will write and update as much as possible (not going on hiatus like I did in February), but I will not be updating regularly like I usually do. Sorry about that. Also, if you noticed a change in my profile pic, well this month is Myasthenia Gravis awareness month. It is a rare neuro-muscular disease and is represented by a teal ribbon.

Ok, James is hunting two people that got away from him. We know that according to Alice's visions, the nomads will be coming to the school and that Jasper and his team will be lying in wait, so what is going to happen? I must be in the mood to write a little fluff this week, so this chapter is all Bella/Jasper. Enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 19 – Tomorrow Will Come

Falling upon her bed once Jasper finally brought her home, Bella let her gaze scan the room and felt oddly unsettled. In just over 24 hours, her sanctuary and personal space would be invaded by an unwanted visitor who was hell bent on forcing her to go with him. If Edward would actually listen, he would understand that she loved and wanted to remain with Jasper and the last thing she wanted was to be within a five mile radius of a maniac who wanted to suck her dry because her blood was too appetizing for him. That wasn't just a "no thank you", that was a hell fucking no.

It was funny how something as simple as meeting someone could change one's outlook. When Bella had moved to Forks, she had done it for the sole purpose of making her mother happy; there was no joy in the move for herself. She was basically sentencing herself to an overcast, overly green, Podunk town whose teens probably had more fun raiding watermelon patches than doing normal things teenagers do, or at least that was what she thought when she boarded the plane. Her first day of school, her perspective changed. No longer was Forks a barren wasteland where she would rot until she finished school, no longer did she have to Google how to deal with boredom techniques, and no longer did she have to wonder if she had made a mistake. The best decision Bella ever made for herself was to move in with her father. Here in this small town she found her other half, a memory come to life. Jasper was the person who changed it all the moment he walked into the cafeteria… actually more like when she met him at the park. And now someone was threatening the happiness, joy, and peace she found in Forks, and why? Because of jealousy, hunger, and a misplaced fear of what Jasper might do to her; and yet, the brunette was more terrified of Edward than she ever had been of her southern mate. If Jasper had truly wanted her blood, he could have bit her when she was ten instead of helping her home, he could have bit her at the park, or he could have drained her when he had snuck into her bedroom and created a ruckus, but he hadn't because Jasper loved her and would never do anything that she did not want, would never hurt her on purpose, and would never do anything that would take her away from him. She knew that to be fact, just as she knew her name and birthdate.

Bella buried her face into Jasper's chest and breathed deeply. This smell, the cold skin, this strength, this was her true home, and she did not want anyone to take it away from her. She'd be damned if she let someone, anyone, do anything to upset the new natural balance of life… well at least the new balance in her life. Feeling his arms wrap around her and hold her close, she ignored the chill his body brought to her own and relaxed in his comforting embrace. She never wanted to be without him, apart from him, and she somehow needed Edward to see that the southern vampire from Texas with the funny accent was the only man she wanted to be with in this life or the next.

"What's wrong darlin'?" Jasper questioned. Her emotions were all over the place from afraid to aggressive to sad to pissed off… on and on in an ongoing cycle.

Shaking her head, Bella didn't move from her spot. She wasn't sure she could put her feelings into words, or if she really wanted to voice her thoughts aloud right at that moment. Speaking them and giving them real sound outside of her head seemed like it was inviting Edward into their private time together. Tomorrow would come soon enough and she did not want him in the room with them at the moment… then again, thinking about him and allowing him to get under her skin right now, wasn't that letting him in the room? Wasn't Edward then, the elephant in the room? It's there and everyone can see it, but they all pretend that it isn't really there.

"Bella honey, I know that this whole thing with Edward seems like a huge cluster fuck, and I admit that I wasn't expecting something like this to happen, but I swear on all that's holy, I won't let him get close to you again. I know you're afraid of what might happen tomorrow, but with Pete and Char here to help, we'll handle him… permanently."

"You're going to kill him?"

"His ass deserves nothin less."

Finally lifting her head, the brunette locked eyes with her mate and spoke softly, "I just don't want to see you get hurt or for the others to be mad at you for… taking care of him."

"They won't be. They understand what he has done and what needs to be done in order to keep you safe. If he is allowed to live, he'll keep comin after you til he's dealt with. Let's just say, takin' care of him early is the humane way of handlin' things."

She couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at her lips and she leaned forward and kissed him. Starting to unbutton his shirt, Bella allowed her hands to wander along the expanse of skin that had been revealed and her smirk grew when his breath caught the moment one of her finger nails scraped against his nipple. Biting his lip and then sucking on it, she tried to attack the buttons on his jeans, but his hands stopped her before she could. It couldn't be that he didn't want it; the evidence was more than obvious since there was a large hard bulge in his pants, leaving her to think such a tight spot could not be healthy for his anatomy.

"Dammit!" Jasper gasped. He wanted to yell and scream, but Charlie was just across the hall and it would not look good to be heard or caught in Bella's room.

Bella tried again, but this time both of her hands were caught and she was thrown onto her back before she could say or do anything. With her hands pinned above her head and the way his thighs were hugging her legs shut, she could do nothing but buck in order to attempt to break his grip; and of course it didn't work. His strength was simply too much for her.

Feeling the woman he loved buck against him and make electrifying contact with his dick only made him want to rip off her clothes and plunge into her wet heat right now, but he knew he couldn't. Apparently he had to be the one that kept their head out of the two of them, and that was definitely easier said than done. Forgetting himself momentarily, he thrust against her and got great enjoyment out of not only the friction, but the small mewling noise she made at the back of her throat, and he thrust again. He could already smell her desire and need, feel the wetness soaking through her panties and jeans as he brought his free hand down to the junction of her legs. The small moan that escaped her lips was music to his ears and he leaned down and sealed her lips with his, swallowing any further sounds as his free hand moved to her right breast and started to massage it through her shirt. God how he wanted this woman, to make her completely his, and mark her body inside and out with his scent so that no other vampire would dare come near her, but sanity returned and he couldn't do this. Not tonight with her father in just the other room, and not when there was no real time to savor anything since they had to get up and deal with bad guys tomorrow. If they were alone, if they didn't have to worry about tomorrow, if they didn't have to fret about people seeking out his mate, Jasper would do anything and everything to make love to her. Their time would come, but for right now, they would have to wait.

Stopping the massage his hand was giving her breast, Jasper released her mouth and they were both panting in need of air; her much more so than him though. As he climbed off of her and settled next to her, he could feel her confusion and the shame that started to creep into her emotions and shook his head, "It isn't you darlin', but this isn't somethin' we need to do with your dad right across the way. I promise you, the moment this is all over, you and I are going somewhere overnight and we can do whatever we want to each other."

"Anything?" Bella quirked her eyebrow at him.

There was something in her tone that made him second guess his choice of words and he carefully said, "Within reason."

"So not anything?" Grinned Bella, teasing her mate.

A lopsided grin appeared, "Trust me when I say, you will not leave the bed until you are fully satisfied."

"I'm going to hold you to that promise."

"Oh believe me; I won't be forgettin that one."

Bella turned serious for a moment, "What do you think is going to happen tomorrow?"

"I wish I could say for sure, but I can't. My granny used to always tell me never to count your chickens before they hatch. I want to say that the three nomads will find their way to the other end of my lighter and that it will be an easy enough fight, but I can't. It could be a tough fought battle. We don't know their skills and I hate goin into battle unprepared, however, we are as prepared as we can be and Pete, Char, and I have fought a lot of battles when we didn't know all the factors and came out on top. We're skilled and not many people have as much battle experience as we do."

"What if something happened to you?"

"Nothin' is gonna happen to me. You and I have a date after this is over and come hell or high water I'm keepin it! My momma used to say I was ornery, and she was right."

Something about his prideful declaration made her feel better. No matter what happened tomorrow at school or tomorrow night, he would not lose his life tomorrow, and she would get her night with him… more than one because she planned on living a very long and full life with him.

Jasper wrapped an arm around his mate, still willing his painful erection to go down, and pulled her to his side… not too close or it might be hard to hold to his promise, and whispered, "Now that we got that sorted out, I think it's high time you chose to sleep because tomorrow morning will be here quicker than you know it and we actually have to be out of here before the rooster crows."

"How early is that exactly?"

"Well they say a rooster is supposed to crow when he sees the sun."

"Dawn? You want to leave here before dawn?"

"Bingo. Don't worry darlin'. I'll help you get some sleep and then I'll make sure your up and at em' when you need to be," he snickered quietly before giving her a final kiss for the night. Sending her a wave of peace and lethargy, Jasper watched as her eyes slowly drifted shut and she entered a world of oblivion. There were times that he wished he could still sleep, but observing her as she slept was the next best thing and he loved seeing the medley of expressions that ran across her face as she dreamt. He often wondered what it was she saw during her slumber, but with the exception of the nightmares, he had yet to ask. And then he pondered the choices available to them in the future, would she be willing to give up her dreams and sleep to stay beside him forever? She said she wanted it; however, some changed their minds when it came down to acting upon their choice. It was easy to say the words, harder to do the deed. Something told him that she would be there a hundred, two hundred, a millennium down the road, and he anticipated it with great joy. This was his mate and he would never let anyone else have her. If he had to rip whomever apart, he would do it. Bella was his and his alone. Tomorrow would be the first step in proving that to the world.