Ohhh here we go, y'all. I almost hated writing this chapter, even though you can't really have New Moon without it. But the pain that I knew it was going to cause... ugh. It was interesting to write with a Bella/Jasper pairing instead of Bella/Edward though. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3: Instinct

"Hey, good lookin'."

Bella turned to see Jasper leaning against the doorway, hands shoved in his pockets. He was wearing a dark denim collared shirt over a band T-shirt with grey dress pants. "No fair. How come you get to wear a Bleeding Horse Express shirt and I have to wear a dress?"

Jasper smirked. "Because Alice has lost interest in dressing me. You're new. And, it's not like we get all that many opportunities 'round here to throw birthday parties, y'know."

"Yeah, I guess..."

Bella turned and looked back in the mirror at the emerald green dress with black flowers that Alice had picked out for her. "At least she let me keep my converse."

"You look beautiful," he said, stepping into the room and handing her a CD case. "For you."

"What's this?"

"Jacob Black can give you a gift, but I can't?"

She rolled her eyes. "I suppose I'll allow it. So what is it?"

He ran his fingers through his hair. "It's, um... it's me. Eight hours of me playing guitar. I was hopin' it'd help you sleep."

Bella felt hot tears flood her eyes. She shook her head. "This is beyond... I mean, this... it's perfect. Thank you, so much."

She launched herself into his arms. Jasper stiffened but wrapped her in his embrace. "I love you."

He didn't answer, only poured all the love he had in his heart into hers.

"Thank you," she whispered, "that was even better than the CD." She then stepped back to tuck the CD into her purse. "Well, let's get this over with, shall we?"

Jasper smirked and gave a grand bow. "As you wish, m'lady."

Bella groaned. "It's only going to get worse from here, isn't it?"

"'Fraid so, darlin'," he said as they made their way down the stairs. Bella nearly fell down the last few when she saw the hundreds of pink candles and crystal bowls filled with roses. "Alice is a little hard to rein in."

"You think?" she said under her breath.

Carlisle stepped forward to help her down the rest of the way, and Esme wrapped her in a hug. "Happy birthday, dearest Bella!"

A flash went off. Bella blinked and looked through bleary eyes to find Alice holding the camera Renée and Phil had sent as a present. She grinned. "Found it in your bag. Mind?"

"No. No, it's fine but..." she waved at everyone else, "I don't have to be in them all, okay? Get other people too."

Alice didn't answer, but rather continued to take pictures while Rosalie thrust a package wrapped in shining silver paper at Bella. "It's a necklace," she said, her pretty red lips seeming to be in a perpetual frown. "Alice picked it out."

"Thoughtful as ever, dear sister," Jasper scoffed. Rosalie glared at him.

"It's great," Bella jumped in before things could escalate further. "Thank you. I'm sure it's beautiful."

Alice waved Jasper over to Bella. "Show me the love!"

Jasper hooked an arm around Bella's waist and pulled her in close. She steadied herself with one hand on his chest and the other gripping his upper arm. Their eyes locked. Bella was, once again, lost in his gaze. She would never tire of looking at him. But the longer she looked, the more she began to notice...

Another flash. "We are going to make the cutest scrapbook with these!" Alice squealed, and Jasper said something about getting her a drink before Alice pulled her away to open more presents.

She was led to a large table stacked with presents, a cake so large that it had no business being anywhere but a wedding, and elegant plates and silverware that Bella was sure cost more than her father's house and police cruiser combined. "Alice," Bella laughed, "I'm the only one that even eats cake. That thing could feed fifty!"

"I hope you're hungry!" Alice grinned before snatching a gift off the table and handing it to Bella. "Here, this one's from Emmett."

It felt remarkably light. She shook it and looked to Emmett. He grinned triumphantly. "Already installed it in your truck. Finally a decent sound system in that piece of-"

"Hey! No hating on the truck. But thanks, I know Jasper will appreciate it at the very least."

Jasper raised his glass of whiskey. "I'll drink to that."

"Here," Alice said, handing her a smaller, elegantly wrapped present, "this one's from Esme and Carlisle."

Carlisle smiled warmly. "Just a little something to brighten your day."

"Yes, you've been looking a little pale lately," Esme added with a little laugh at her own joke.

Bella chuckled and slid her finger along the paper to remove the tape, sharply pulling back when she felt the familiar sting of a paper cut. "Shit!"

Before she could react further, her eyes met Jasper's. He looked pained, and... afraid. She felt a shift deep in her chest the minute the scent of her blood filled his senses and his vampire instincts took control. "Jasper..."

His face twisted into something she did not recognize, and a low, terrifying snarl ripped from his throat. In that same instant, Bella felt herself get thrown backwards. She slammed against the wall and crashed onto the table, shattering crystal and fine china, before falling to the ground. She looked up to see Edward standing over her, a thunderous crack when Jasper collided with Edward, who shoved his older brother back into the opposite wall.

Jasper used the momentum to propel himself back toward Bella, but this time, both Edward and Emmett tackled him to the ground. "Take him outside," Carlisle ordered, kneeling beside Bella and immediately ripping off his tie to use as a tourniquet. "All of you get some fresh air. Now!"

She watched Jasper be lead out the back door, Edward and Emmett half dragging and half pushing him along as he thrashed against them. Rosalie followed with a reluctant Esme and Alice behind her.

Bella looked down at her arm as Carlisle tied off the makeshift tourniquet. There was blood everywhere. Tears filled her eyes. What had she done?

She numbly followed Carlisle to the kitchen, sitting in a chair opposite him. With his vampire speed, he retrieved all the necessary tools and set to work removing the glass from her arm. He wiped the blood gently as he extracted the glass, dropping each shard into a bowl beside him.

"I really know how to kill a party, don't I?"

He looked up at her tear stained face and offered her a small smile. "This was not your fault, Bella."

"I should've been more careful..."

Carlisle shook his head. "Accidents happen. You're only human, after all."

"How does it not bother you?"

"Centuries of practice. I decided if I am going to have an immortal life, I may as well do something useful with it and help as many people as I can."

"Edward," Bella said, wincing when Carlisle began to stitch the deepest wound in her arm, "he seems to have good control too. I didn't even think he liked me very much but..."

"Edward values his family over all else. That extends to you now, as well. Jasper has not been a vegetarian as long as the rest of us have. He struggles from time to time. With Edward's gifts, he is often able to intervene before Jasper is able to act on his instincts."

"What about Alice? Can't she see him?"

"I'm afraid not," Carlisle explained. "Not always. Her visions are dependent on decisions, and once our instincts take over, our decisions are no longer conscious, but a primal urge."

"When I saw him just before... he looked... afraid. Like he knew what was going to happen."

Carlisle began to clean all traces of blood from the area. "Perhaps. Some people who experience seizures sometimes have warning symptoms they are able to recognize. It may be the same for Jasper."

Bella nodded but remained silent. Carlisle finished cleaning the kitchen and the living room, returning with her purse. "What happens now?" she asked, her voice soft and unsure.

"Now, I take you home. You'll get a good night's rest, and we will all start fresh in the morning."