A/N: Twilight is the property of Stephanie Meyers. Anya Simms is all mine.

Chapter 28: False Vision

JPOV

Evening, Thursday Mar 3/05

Damn it. Just damn it.

Of all the nights for Eddie Boy to lose his shit, it had to be tonight. I was finally having a moment with Anya. A real moment. We'd just said we loved each other. And were getting real close leaning against that kitchen counter. I could tell Anya was enjoying herself and I swear she was thinking about wanting to wrap her legs around me as I raised my hand under the back of her shirt. Then wham! Emmett barges in, pulling me off of Anya because Fucker saw something in Alice's vision, of me kissing my girlfriend.

No – Fucker thought I was going to drain Anya dry. Because I'm the struggling vampire who can't control his bloodlust around humans. The only lust I was dealing with was the rising lust coming from Anya. Not thirst. Not images of ripping her throat out.

Ripping her panties off? Well, maybe.

Fucker.

I was running full speed through the forest, Emmett right beside me, the trees blurring into dark streaks as we raced back to the house. Of course, Eddie boy had insisted Em run instead of taking the Jeep. He was in one of his moods, and when Edward was in a mood, practicality went out the window.

I could sense Em's amusement mingled with his confusion as we sprinted through the underbrush. He still didn't quite get what had just happened back at Anya's place, and frankly, I didn't have the energy to explain it all to him right now. Edward's overreaction was bad enough without having to spell out how his love story is received by adults in Anya's world.

Emmett wasn't willing to let it rest.

"What the hell did Anya mean back there?" Emmett asked, his voice breaking the wind's rush as we dodged a fallen tree. "Alcohol poisoning? Drinking games?"

I couldn't help but laugh, though I kept my eyes on the path ahead. "It's just... a human thing. A way they deal with melodrama. You wouldn't get it."

Emmett let out a bark of laughter, the sound echoing through the forest. "Well, it sounds like it might've helped with this mess. Edward's losing his shit over nothing it seems, and now we're running through the woods like something's on fire. I had plans with Rosie tonight too!"

Just as I had plans with Anya. Plans that involved making it to at least second base. "Welcome to life with Edward," I muttered, though I couldn't help the exasperated smile that crept onto my face. "He saw a vision, took it out of context, and now thinks I've gone rogue."

"Yeah, but over Anya?" Emmett shook his head; disbelief clear in his voice. "He should know better."

"That's the problem," I replied, frustration creeping into my tone. "He's always ready to assume the worst, especially when it comes to me. It's like he's just waiting for me to slip up and give him a reason to pack up and leave Forks."

Emmett grunted in agreement, picking up the pace as the house came into view through the trees. "Well, let's get this sorted before he packs Bella's bags too."

Bursting out of the tree line and onto the lawn, I could see the lights of the Cullen house through the trees, and I felt my anger simmering just below the surface. I didn't need this right now. I didn't need Edward's overprotective bullshit. I needed to get back to Anya, to finish what we started, to feel her in my arms again. Make it to second base.

I love her. She loves me. That should be enough. I'm not some newborn vampire who can't control his thirst. I'm not a danger to her. If anything, I'm the only one who can keep her safe from the real threats out there. Like Eddie boy and how his damn tension and panic was rolling off of him, refusing to listen to reason as Alice was, by the sounds of it, doing her best to calm him down, but he wasn't exactly listening.

Emmett shot me a look as we reached the front door. "You ready for this?"

"Not really," I admitted, though there was no time to hesitate. We pushed through the door and raced up the stairs into the living room, where Edward was pacing like a caged animal, his eyes wild and unfocused.

"Jasper," he snapped the moment he saw me, his voice a harsh demand. "What happened? Alice saw—"

"Alice saw a moment out of context," I interrupted, keeping my voice calm, though I could feel my patience wearing thin. "Nothing happened. Anya's fine. Everyone is fine."

Edward stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he tried to process my words. "But you were—"

"I was making out with my girlfriend, Edward," I snapped, my patience wearing dangerously thin. "Not snacking on her."

He flinched, his expression tightening with a mix of shock and disapproval. I could see him trying to process my words, his thoughts spiraling as he tried to reconcile what I'd just said with his own rigid beliefs about what was possible between a human and a vampire—especially when that vampire was me – the struggling one.

"You know that's... dangerous," he said, his voice strained, trying to maintain some semblance of control over the conversation. "Anything beyond a chaste kiss—it's not safe, Jasper. Not for you, not for her."

I let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Edward, you need to stop thinking that every move I make is going to end in disaster. Anya and I know what we're doing. We're careful. I'm careful."

"But you can't guarantee her safety," Edward pressed, his voice rising as the anxiety returned to his eyes. "You know how easily things can go wrong."

My anger flared again, but this time I kept my tone controlled, even if the edge was there. "Edward, Anya isn't Bella. And this isn't your story. You need to stop projecting your fears onto me."

He stared at me, clearly torn between his concern for Bella and his distrust of my self-control. I could feel the tension creeping back into the room, the frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

I really don't feel like manipulating it, not for this fucker and his stupidity.

Alice stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Edward, you have to trust Jazz. He knows his limits better than anyone. Anya's safe with him."

Emmett, still leaning against the doorframe, added with a grin, "Besides, you're not the only one who can handle being close to a human without losing it. Give Jazz man some credit."

Fucker's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond right away. I could see the battle playing out in his mind—the fear of what could go wrong clashing with the reality that he wasn't in control of my relationship with Anya. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he exhaled slowly, some of the tension easing out of his posture. "I just... I don't want anything to happen to her. Or to you."

But I could feel it—the jealousy simmering beneath his words, the sharp pang of envy that he wasn't even trying to hide. His comments didn't match up with what he was really feeling, and it was hard to ignore.

I looked him straight in the eye, my voice steady but firm. "No, Edward, you don't. You don't care about Anya. You care that I don't ruin your chance with precious Bella. Let's not lie to ourselves here."

His eyes flashed with something between guilt and defensiveness, but he didn't deny it.

I pressed on, the anger boiling up inside me. "You're afraid I'm going to slip. That I'm going to make a mistake, expose who we are to the world. And then we'd have to leave. Oh, wait—wasn't that you, Eddie Boy?" I took a step closer, my voice cold, every word cutting. "You saved Bella from being crushed by a van a month ago, and then all of us have had to babysit your ass to make sure you didn't slip. Did you know that Rosalie offered to end Bella for you? Because that's what you've put us all at risk for. Not me. Not Anya. You."

Edward's eyes widened, a wave of shock flashing across his face. For once, he didn't have a snappy comeback.

And I was on a roll, and kept leaning into him. "You want to talk about risks? Look in the damn mirror, Edward. You're the one with no control, not me. Anya's not some distraction. She's not some passing human I'm going to slip up with. She's mine. And unlike you, I know how to handle that without screwing everything up."

Edward's face tightened, but I wasn't done. I thought about what Anya had told me about Eddie Boy in the woods, showing his true self to Bella. The memory of her laughing as she acted out his dramatic speech flared up in my mind, and I couldn't help myself. "And then when you finally did decide to 'show yourself' to Bella, again without talking to the family about it, you did it alone in the woods! And you compared her to heroin! Jesus, Edward, if that's not a red flag, I don't know what is."

Edward's eyes blazed with anger. "Oh, did your tempting Anya tell you what was written in the books? Is that how you learned about that?"

I could feel the smile pulling at my lips. "Yeah, in fact, she gave me an entire dramatic rendition of it. I'd say it was a scene that was very popular in her book club." I turned to Emmett, who was watching with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "You wanted to know about that drinking game Anya was talking about? This scene, with the lion and the lamb crap, probably sent hundreds of adults to the hospital with alcohol poisoning."

Emmett snorted, his grin widening. "No way. When Edward told Bella what he was? Seriously?"

"Oh, yeah," I said, leaning against the wall with my thumbs hooked through my belt loops. "Apparently, every time you hear the word 'heroin' or 'lion,' you take a shot. By the time the lion says he loves the lamb, most people are blackout drunk. But that's just what I heard from Anya."

Edward glared at me, his face a mix of embarrassment and irritation. "You think this is funny, Jasper?"

I shrugged. "I think it's damn ironic. You're here lecturing me about control and risks when you've been out there treating Bella like some drug addiction you can't kick. At least I'm honest about what I feel for Anya."

Edward opened his mouth to retort, but I didn't give him the chance. "And another thing," I added, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "At least I know how to French kiss a woman! You repressed idiot man-child!"

Edward's face went pale, if that's possible for a vampire, a mixture of horror and disbelief twisting his features. "You're... you're French kissing Anya?" he stammered, eyes wide with shock.

I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh, what was that you were doing for the last month, Edward? Oh, yeah, standing vigil in Bella's backyard every night while she slept, avoiding her at school. And what was it that I was doing, Emmett? Can you tell him?"

Emmett, still leaning casually against the doorframe, struggled to keep a straight face. His eyes crinkled with amusement as he said, "Can I have What is Jasper and Anya dating for $200, Alex?"

Fucker's mouth snapped shut, his jaw clenched so tight I thought he might crack a tooth. The expression on his face was priceless—a perfect mix of embarrassment and anger. He looked like he'd just swallowed a mouthful of lemons. Hunh, I wonder if I could make him actually do that? What would happen?

Alice tried to step in again, her voice calm but firm. "This isn't helping, you two. Maybe you should both go back into your corners and take a breather."

I ignored her, focusing on Edward. "Face it, Edward. You're not the only one who can handle a relationship with a human. And for the record, I'm not skulking around in the shadows like some creep. No, scratch that, I believe Anya said, 'I would have a leg up on that because I can sense her feelings and I'm not a fucking creep.' The creep, of course, being you, Heathcliff."

Edward's eyes narrowed, his frustration and embarrassment flaring. Before he could respond, Emmett couldn't help himself. He threw his head back and belted out the chorus to "Wuthering Heights" in a falsetto, "Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy, I've come home, I'm so co-o-old, let me in-a-your window!"

The room fell into a shocked silence before Alice covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, and even I couldn't keep a straight face. Rosalie had entered the room at this point and was just stunned at what she was overhearing.

Edward's face went through about five different emotions in the span of a second, finally settling on pure, exasperated disbelief. "You all are unbelievable," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "This isn't a joke."

"No," I said, still smirking. "But you kinda are, Eddie Boy. Look, I'm not about to drain Anya, and I'm sure as hell not playing the creepy stalker in the backyard routine. Maybe it's time you take a page out of my book and start acting like you actually want to be with Bella, instead of just watching life pass you by from the shadows."

His eyes flashed with anger. "I am with Bella! I told her who I was! And I'll have you know she wants to be with me!"

I started a slow clap, letting the sound echo in the room. "Congrats, bro. You want a medal or a chest to pin it on? Or maybe you want us to print out a certificate and put it on the fridge?"

Edward's face twisted in irritation, about to fire back, when Carlisle walked into the room, drawn by the noise. "That's enough, boys!" he said sharply, his voice carrying the authority that could silence a room.

We all turned to look at Carlisle, who stood there with his arms crossed, his eyes moving between Edward and me. "We're a family. Start acting like it. This isn't about who's better at being with humans. It's about trust and support. Edward, you need to trust that Jasper knows what he's doing. And Jasper, you need to ease up on the taunting."

I clenched my jaw but nodded, the tension easing out of me. Carlisle was right. As usual. I glanced at Edward, who gave a reluctant nod, his frustration still evident but contained.

"Good," Carlisle said, his voice softer now.

"I'm heading back to Anya's," I said, making it clear that this conversation was over. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

Edward gave me a reluctant nod, and while I could still sense his lingering jealousy, he didn't try to stop me. I turned and headed for the door, the cool night air a welcome relief as I stepped outside. The sooner I got back to Anya, the better. Second base here I come!