A/N: Thank you all for reading and especially for the reviews. Hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Two quick notes: First, I don't really know anything about horses or how to care for them so please overlook any glaring mistakes. Also, I'm still looking for a Twilight universe beta so let me know if you are interested. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I'm just playing with the Universe.

Previously:

Part of me knew she had made a couple of good points, but I was too annoyed by one thing she said to acknowledge the rest of it. My voice held hints of a growl as I spoke. "The Cullen's are not now nor have they ever been my family. Peter and Char have been my only true family since I was reborn into this life. The three of us have been quite content with that arrangement for decades." With disdain, I spat out my next words. "Now, I'm suddenly told we've gained a forth member."

With a defiant glare, Bella snarled out her next words.

"Congratulations. It's a girl."

We stared at each other without moving for two minutes and forty-three seconds.

I wasn't exactly counting but it was something my vampire mind catalogued none-the-less.

During our impromptu stare down, several things occurred to me. First, Bella had started to feel fear during our conversation. It was only a small amount and it was abundantly overshadowed by her anger and frustration, but it was there and I could only assume that I was scaring her in some way.

Surprisingly, it was the first time I could ever remember feeling Bella's fear directed at me. Even at her birthday party years ago when I had lunged at her, she had never truly been afraid. It was an anomaly I'd pondered briefly when it first happened but other things had been on my mind at the time and I never revisited the observation. I wondered if she would explain her thoughts from the event if I asked her.

Probably not.

Regardless, Bella should always be afraid of me because I'm a deadly fucker. Even my own kind shies away from me and knows to stay out of my way. Hell, all of the Cullens were terrified of me and, in rare moments, I can still feel fear from Peter and Charlotte.

I couldn't blame any of them. My past and my scars were neon signs warning others of my strength and brutality.

Now, however, I felt a little regret pass through me at finally having caused Bella to fear me. In that moment, I could admit, if only to myself, that it had been refreshing to be around someone who didn't have an underlying fear of me.

Of course, I'd fucked that up.

Damn it and damn her for making me feel bad for scaring her.

Suddenly, at the two minute and forty-four second mark, Bella took a really deep breath before closing her eyes and breaking our connection. She kept her eyes closed a moment longer as she took another deep breath. I could feel her calming down and I waited for what she would do next.

She shook her head minutely before opening her eyes to meet mine again. Her efforts to calm herself worked effectively and her demeanor softened.

"I don't want to keep arguing with you, and I don't want there to be constant tension in the house." She spoke in a resigned voice. "The fact is that we both need to learn, at the very least, to be cordial to each other before Peter and Char get home. Can we agree on that?"

The stubborn ass in me responded before I even thought over her words, "No, you can just leave."

Her jaw set angrily as she hissed, "I'm not leaving."

I tilted my head slightly as I appraised her emotions. She was feeling angry, frustrated, resolute, and afraid.

The interesting part was that her fear spiked with her words.

So, maybe she wasn't afraid of me after all.

The only excuse I have for what happened next is that I had given my inner asshole free reign over the last two years and I hadn't regained control of him yet.

"It really makes no difference to me if you want to wait until they come home so they can tell you to leave." I shrugged then shook my head at her when she started to protest. "Don't bother trying to lie to me by denying it's a possibility. I can feel your mounting fear." I paused for effect. "I would just think it would be easier for you to leave on your own this time instead of having another family choose to abandon you."

Well, fuck.

At least I can admit I'm an asshole.

The lash of pain that flashed through her felt like a hot poker being stabbed into my chest.

Amazingly, she didn't flinch or show any outward reaction as her emotions rolled through her like a storm cloud. Instead, she simply looked at me stoically for a few moments before speaking without inflection.

"I would tell you that using your gift to find one of my deep seeded fears and then picking at the open wound that caused it is an act completely beneath you. However, I'm fairly certain you just proved to me that you've already sank so low that there is nothing beneath you."

Damn it.

Even my inner asshole was starting to respect her bitchiness.

I watched her as she walked back around the horse to stand in front of me, and she carelessly dropped the brush she had been using onto the ground.

"Maybe I need to make this whole picture clearer for your, Jackass." She spoke heatedly before grabbing my left hand and moving it toward her throat.

I was so confused by her actions that I let her direct my movements without resistance. She placed my hand so it was gripping loosely around the base of her throat and I could feel her pulse thrumming wildly beneath my fingers. She moved her hand to my wrist in an effort to keep my hand in place and then she stared into my eyes without fear.

"The only way I'm leaving this family is if I'm completely dead. So, if that's how it's going to be, then fucking get it over with."

I rolled my eyes at her theatrics.

Of course, it didn't escape her notice and her anger hit a whole new level.

"Don't fuckin' disregard me, asshole." She practically growled at me. "I'm not being a drama queen and if you would use that damn gift of yours then you would see that I'm completely serious."

I leaned down toward her face until we were practically nose-to-nose. "I know how serious you think you are, Isabella. I simply wonder if your hosts know that you are suicidal."

She laughed humorlessly in my face without taking her eyes away from mine or backing away. "I have a family I love and plans for the future. I'm not suicidal, Jasper. I'm practical."

I leaned back away from her face slightly in an effort to calm myself. Her scent was enticing me in several different ways.

"Explain." I managed to hiss.

She narrowed her eyes. "Peter and Char will never ask me to leave. I know this even if my heart has trouble believing it at times. I also know that this situation leaves you with three options: leave, accept me, or kill me. I'm betting you would have left already if that was an acceptable option to you." She paused for a second before continuing. "For everyone's sake, I'd like to get the 'kill me' option off the table before they come home. I don't want them accidentally getting killed in the cross fire if you attack me while they are here and they attempt to protect me."

She seemed to come to an end of her speech but she didn't break eye contact with me. I had to begrudgingly respect her a little for that since there are very few beings on the planet that would make eye contact with me at all.

Still, while her speech had some interesting points, I continued to question one glaring issue.

"Nice speech, but if you are not suicidal then why aren't you afraid of dying. I've been around several suicidal beings and even they were still afraid to die."

"Why should I fear death?" She chuckled mirthlessly. "Sure. There are things I still want to do and plans I've made, but the only ones who would miss me are Peter and Char. They have each other and would go on without me and be fine."

"Maybe you think I should fear death itself." She shrugged easily. "The way I see it; there are three possibilities for the afterlife: nothingness, heaven, or hell."

"If death is nothingness, it may be a relief after the past few years of my life. If it's heaven, then I've somehow earned a reprieve and there's nothing to fear."

Suddenly, Bella's eyes lost all their usual depth and they were devoid of life. "As far as hell goes, I've already survived the darkest pits of my own personal hell. Anything else the universe chooses to throw my way will be child's play."

Unwillingly, I felt my curiosity grow with every word she spoke and it annoyed me. In the past twenty-four hours, the little human had managed to surprise and intrigue me as well as earn a little of my respect while also making me admit (to myself) that I'm an asshole.

I sighed and slowly moved my hand away from her throat. She released my wrist immediately but her gaze still held mine.

As pissed off as I still was about her being here and the unwanted complication her presence represented, I knew one thing was true. "I'm not going to kill you, Bella. To be honest, I haven't even considered it as an option."

I would have expected some relief or a peak of happiness in her emotions but all I felt was acceptance as she nodded her head. "Alrighty then."

As if nothing had happened, she bent to pick up the horse brush she had discarded on the ground. In the next second, she turned her back on me to walk over to the workbench. I continued to stand in the same spot while I observed her working with some items in front of her. I could easily see that her body was shaking slightly and I laughed too low for her to hear me when I heard her mutter, "Stupid adrenaline," under her breath.

She was a peculiar human.

While I studied her and she continued to concentrate on something I couldn't see in her hands, the large black horse standing beside me slowly walked up to stand closer to Bella. The horse's head stood at least a foot and a half over Bella and she had to be aware of the animal's presence behind her. However, she continued to work without pause.

The horse had other plans.

A small smile crept across my face as I watched the animal slowly bend its head and rest it on her left shoulder. When she didn't acknowledge the horse, I was surprised when it gently nudged her hair and left check.

Bella laughed a little and I felt her churning emotions calm and lighten a tad.

"Alright, Alright." She soothed the horse as she reached up with her left hand to stroke one side of the horse's head while her other hand reached into a small bag on the table. She retrieved a sugar cube and held it up to its mouth with her right hand. I then saw her rest her head's weight against the animal for a couple of moments and her emotions lighted even more. I also noticed the tension in her shoulders lessened as she continued to pet, feed, and lean on the horse.

The scene was strangely calming and brought back a few of my seldom-visited human memories.

Eventually, Bella turned around to face the horse. Without prompting, the horse lowered its head further. A small, private smile graced Bella's face before she closed her eyes and leaned forward to rest her forehead against the horse's forehead while stroking it's neck softly with both hands.

I felt oddly out of place while witnessing this moment between Bella and her horse. Ever since the horse had moved to stand behind her, Bella's emotions had become less and less volatile. Now, Bella was only radiating happiness, contentment, and serenity.

Fuck, I needed a horse with that ability.

Eventually, Bella placed a light kiss where her forehead had rested, whispered a very soft 'thank you,' and took a small step back. The horse stood up to its full height and they both seemed to regard each other.

"Enjoy your run." She said with a half-smile.

The horse neighed softly as if participating in a conversation before turning and trotting off into the field.

I watched the horse for a moment before turning my attention back to Bella. She had gathered some items into her arms and started toward the barn. I followed behind her and I let a small piece of my curiosity take over while she was hanging the bridle up.

"What's the horse's name?"

Bella glanced at me quickly from the corner of her eye before answering. I think she was surprised I had asked such an innocent question.

Considering the fact that I had been a self-absorbed jerk since I arrived here, I was a little surprised too.

"Her official name is 'Spirit of the Phoenix,' but I just call her Spirit."

That reminded me of something I had heard yesterday. "Is that why Peter calls you 'Baby Phoenix'?"

"Every few days, he seems to come up with a new reason for giving me that nickname." Bella laughed lightly as she finished emptying her arms of tools. "But Peter was already calling me that before he bought Spirit for me. He named her too."

Trying to sound casual, I attempted to gain some information. "You seem very connected to her. How long have you had her?"

Bella shot me a wry grin that told me she wasn't fooled by my thinly veiled attempt to find out how long she had been with my family.

I was surprised when she answered my real question without a fight.

"I've been with Peter and Char for almost two and a half years." She explained as we stopped in the barn entrance and watched Spirit running in the distance. "Peter brought Spirit home during my first summer living with them."

My anger was coming back with a vengeance and my mind was reeling. I had assumed that the only reason Peter hadn't told me about Bella earlier was because I was out of contact, but if she had been with them for two and a half years . . .

Bella's voice jarred me out of my internal dialogue. "I know you are probably putting together the timeline so I'll make it clear for you. Please know though, while Peter and Char respect your privacy and we don't really talk about you, some things I know from simple conversations."

Well, at least they weren't telling her my life story.

"I know you left the Cullen's and went out of contact two years ago. That was in the beginning of July." I nodded quickly. "I came to live with Peter and Char mid-March of the same year."

I was certain my eyes were pitch black as I hissed. "I spoke to Peter in April."

The implication was clear. Peter had deceived me. Bella had already been with them for a month and he didn't tell me anything about their new arrangement. He may not have told an outright lie to me but he did hide the truth.

Bella nodded slowly. "I know."

"Why?" I growled. I was too angry to voice my question in full but she seemed to understand.

She sighed. "I don't really know and I don't want to speak for him. Maybe it would be best if you asked Peter."

She didn't have to worry about that. I would most definitely be having a chat with my brother.

"Even though I didn't ask them to hide anything from you, I'm sure their reasons for doing so stemmed from my state at the time you called." She continued thoughtfully while watching Spirit graze. "I could be wrong, but I think they would have told you before now if there had been the opportunity to do so. In April though, I think it was just too soon for me to handle it and they knew that."

We were both quiet for a few minutes while I considered everything she said and the implication of her words.

"Whatever happened to you," I forced my voice to soften, but I saw her form stiffen immediately. "I'm not asking you to explain it now, but whatever it was . . . Peter and Char saved you, didn't they?"

She nodded her head once but didn't offer any further explanation. Before I could ask her anything else, she whistled loudly. Without hesitation, Spirit slowly started trotting towards the barn while her owner turned around to open a stall door. Within moments, the horse was safely contained and we were slowly walking back to the house in silence.

After taking off our boots in the mudroom at the back of the house, Bella started walking toward the stairs. "I'm going to clean up before making myself a late lunch."

I began making my way into the living room to watch a little news on the television while I contemplated the little bits of information I had learned over the last hour.

I heard Bella pause half way up the steps so I turned to face her direction. She seemed to consider something before finally coming to a decision. "Peter and Char love you like a brother, and I've known for years that you would show up on our doorstep eventually. I repeatedly swore to myself I was prepared for that day to occur and I promised myself I would not be a hateful bitch when it happened."

I raised my eyebrow and she laughed slightly before shrugging. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I failed at that." She placed one hand on her hip while shooting me a mock glare. "But you can't say you made it easy on me. I swear someone gave you a map to all my 'bitch buttons.'"

I chuckled once at her choice of words before reluctantly nodding once in acknowledgement. I certainly hadn't tried to go easy on her.

Her expression turned serious once more. "I believe we've reached a halfhearted agreement to accept one another's presence, for Peter and Char's sake, since we're all out of acceptable options."

Reluctantly, I agreed with a single, slow nod. I wasn't happy with the situation but I didn't see another viable alternative yet.

Her features didn't change, but I felt her slight relief as she nodded back in acknowledgement. Then, she smiled tentatively, "Well then, after I clean up, you're welcome to join me in the kitchen for a little Q & A. The only caveat is that we can refuse to answer anything we are not comfortable discussing with each other yet."

For a split second, the asshole inside me tried to take over and respond with a sarcastic and resounding 'no.' Vampires are secretive by nature and I was even more so, but it took surprisingly little effort for me to reign in the jackass personality this time. As secretive as I was, I was also an extremely curious being and I wanted answers.

"I can agree with that plan, Ms. Swan."

"It's Bella, Jasper." She corrected with a small smile before turning to continue going up the steps.

I had already sped over and sat on the couch when I heard Bella's voice call down from her room upstairs.

"And Jasper?"

"Yes, Bella?" I called back loud enough for her to hear me.

"My last name is Whitlock."

A/N: What did you think? Leave me a review with your thoughts. Thanks for reading!