A/N: Wow, two T rated stories in so short a time? WTF is happening? I need to write something with some smut to feel more myself. Lol

I researched Marcus' gift but there wasn't anything to tell me if he has to be physically in the presence of both parties to see their bond or not so I'm taking some creative license here. This one is also based on a prompt "While dozing by the fire in your winter cabin, you hear a knock at the door. Blizzard conditions have closed all surrounding roads, and the nearest neighbor is miles away." As you can imagine, I had to tweak it a little bit. Vampires can't doze.

For those who may be wondering, I have not abandoned writing full-length Bellsper stories, I am still trying to get the one mentioned in my profile to cooperate. There have been numerous starts and stops along the way but I'm pretty satisfied with the direction it is going and hope to potentially have the prologue posted before long. Fingers crossed.

"Why should we believe her, Brother? I say we kill her, right here and now. We cannot allow a human to walk around uncontrolled while holding knowledge of our species. It is against our own laws. We also must find the Cullens and arrest them for breaking those laws in the first place. Entertaining her for a single moment longer is foolhardy!"

Aro glanced at the older man, one dark brow quirked in question, "is it, Caius? I told you I could not see a single thing when I touched her. That, in and of itself, should tell you how valuable she could be to us. We need fresh blood, someone new and young that can tell the world we have grown and changed. Something we used to do if you'll remember, once upon a time. I suggest we start to do so again, starting with this girl. Maybe then we won't have so many of our kind out there needing our help too afraid to ask for it.

"The Volturi have changed, Brother, and we need someone who can enlighten our people. Nearly sixty years have passed since we began this undertaking and so few of our kind know about it. This girl seems the best person to do that, I don't know why, but I feel like we can trust her implicitly, and we gain in the process. A gift so powerful as to work while she is still human? Could you imagine how powerful it would be once she was one of us?

"Her request isn't unmanageable either, once she has been a vampire for a year she can go out into the world in search of whatever it is she's missing. While she searches, she can spread the word. It's a win/win for us all around. If it makes you feel better, we could send Felix with her, but I say we grant her other request and change her. It's rare a human wishes to be turned these days. I have yet to see it outside those we employ. She's a curiosity and I, for one, would like to get to know a little more about her."

Caius opened his mouth to protest, only to be interrupted by the dulcet tones of the third brother, who sat in his throne as if he hadn't a care in the world. He didn't even glance at his covenmates as he spoke, seeming entirely apathetic about the whole situation. Only a closer look would tell a different story.

"Come, Caius, even you have to admit Aro is right," Marcus said. "Besides, I can see there is a strong bond there, with whom I am unsure, but I can see the aura of it all around her. It's one might see between a mated pair. I'm most intrigued to see who it is she's mated with if it wasn't Edward Cullen like she at first thought. I too vote for her change."

The blond sighed, running a hand down his face in defeat. "It seems majority rules. Fine, turn her, but pray that your decision doesn't come back to haunt us later."

Bella Swan took a deep breath, not that she needed to, and stepped through the doors of Calgary International Airport. Even a year and a half later, she was still amazed to no longer be bothered by the cold. The winter coat she wore was for nothing more than appearance sake. Her life as a vampire so far had gone better than even the brothers expected, only a few months passing before she gained complete control of herself; the rest of her first year used more for training to use her gift than anything.

Her shield was strong, very strong. In the time she'd spent getting used to her new life, she'd strengthened it to both a mental and a physical defensive weapon. She was able to toss Felix the length of a football field now, raze buildings to the ground, and turn both Jane and Alec's gifts on the twins or another instead of just blocking them. The brothers were most pleased.

Now that was something to think about. After the stories Edward told her, she'd expected manipulative assholes that used any means necessary to get their way. Like they'd been at their beginning. Instead, they treated her as a daughter, a sister, a friend. Aro was more amused than frustrated to have his gift thwarted. Having to learn things about her life the old-fashioned way was a novel idea, so used to just touching people and seeing the complete story as he was. Their conversations often went on for hours, as did their disagreements. Despite his human age being not many years older than hers, Aro treated her as a father might.

Marcus indulged her love of books, continuously searching for new and more exciting tomes for her to read from the archives where he spent most of his time. They also enjoyed lazy days reading in the library, both content in their silence. Marcus surprised Bella with his love of all literature, from the newest Young Adult series to the oldest poetry. Bella sought Marcus out regularly when she wished to share a new read with him. They often enjoyed intense debates after. They'd become as close as siblings.

The wives were a pair of women who desperately needed a change. She'd argued Aro down several times on his need to protect them, teaching him the absurdity of his decision to place them in an ivory tower when the weaponry of the day might easily take them out in one fell swoop. At one point, they even got into a shouting match in the antechamber off the main throne room. She reminded him just why he'd begun the changes in how the Volturi operated and how those very reasons were every incentive to move the wives and stop hiding them away: the humans creating weapons that could disintegrate vampires, the humans becoming more technologically advanced, the humans becoming more observant. She even reminded him that she'd figured out on her own that the Cullens were vampires in the first place, explaining how she was unlikely to be the first or last human to do so. She understood his concern. The death of his sister had affected them all, Marcus the most of course, but their placement far away from those who could protect them was stupid.

So, to ease his fear, Bella volunteered to be the one to protect them when the need arose if only to allow them access to the outside world once more. They needed to be around more than just Corin and their husbands. No one was meant to be so isolated for fuck's sake, and it wasn't fair to force them to be content using Corin's gift. Sulpicia and Athenadora loved Bella for her actions and they'd become as close as sisters; Corin disappearing anytime Bella came to visit. She didn't want Bella to become addicted to her gift like the wives were. As it was, it would likely take centuries to wean the two women off of Corin so Corin could finally leave. The poor girl remained isolated, not wanting to spread the addiction to her gift within the citadel itself. Bella knew she would probably become friends with the tiny vampire, if Corin wasn't so afraid of herself.

Even the prickly Caius had fallen. He was the most indulgent of the three, always coming up with ways to keep Bella's analytical mind preoccupied. He taught her anything and everything her heart desired which amused Bella a lot. He'd been so determined to dislike her in the beginning. Yet now he was another who treated her as a father. It helped to ease Bella's heart when she missed Charlie. He may not have been the most of involved of dads but she loved him and missed him all the same.

She loved this coven like family, knew her loyalty would never waver. The Volturi definitely was changed, and it was time their people knew. She'd spent these last six months spreading the word to any vampires she came across as she followed the pull in her heart that had begged an answer from the moment the Cullens had left. It had led her a merry chase but it was stronger now than ever before. Whatever, whoever, she'd been searching for was here in this major Canadian city—or at least close by. She would find it, soon.

She stared up at the night sky; the stars obscured by the clouds dumping vast amounts of snow on the province. A blizzard, the meteorologist proclaimed, and it had hit. Thank the deities the storm waited until she and Felix arrived. She would have thrown caution to the wind and ran all the way here from Texas if their plane was canceled. She was too close to stop now.

Speaking of, the giant dark-haired man beside her scanned their surroundings with his brown eyes, contacts he'd put in just before the fasten seatbelt sign had come on. "Seems we must hurry if we don't want to be delayed by the storm. The humans have mostly hunkered down; it'll look strange for us to be out driving once the storm gets worse."

Bella bounced up on her toes, her mouth spreading wide to catch a snowflake drifting to earth. It didn't taste as good as they had when she was human, but the nostalgia was all she had to hold on to, the only way she could maintain her memories during the burning. She'd be damned if she'd stop indulging now. "I don't care Felix. Can't you feel it? There's something in the air tonight. I just know I'll find what I've been looking for soon. It's here, or close by, whatever it is."

He chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"All the more reason to get a move on. The rental company is over there," he said, pointing across the street.

As they trudged through the rapidly growing snow drifts, Bella had a moment of doubt. "Felix, how will I know I've found it?"

The big man shrugged a muscular shoulder, a knowing glint in his eyes. She wished he would tell her what he knew, what they all seemed to know that she didn't, but every time she asked they'd just shrug her off and tell her she had to figure it out for herself. It was most frustrating.

Felix's soft voice echoed in the encroaching silence. "Trust me, Pet, you'll know."

Bella knew she would get no more from him. Laughing it off, she raced ahead. "Come on, Brother Bear, we need to get a move on. I didn't know you'd become as slow as a tortoise."

They took under thirty minutes to rent a car and drive across the city to the secluded little inn they'd booked rooms at and check in. Bella couldn't seem to stop fidgeting. So close, she was so close. The first time she'd felt as if she were missing a piece of herself was the day Charlie confirmed the Cullens had left Forks. That was almost two-and-a-half years ago.

At first, she had thought it was Edward, but as the months went by, she realized she didn't miss him as much as she doubtless should have if they'd been meant to be. She missed him, sure, but it was with the same fervor she missed the rest of the family. No more, no less. Surprisingly, she missed Jasper more than the others. Though she wasn't sure why. He was Alice's and had never spent more time with Bella than necessary. Everyone was too afraid he'd lose control and murder their pet human.

She had always felt they were putting more pressure on him than needed. Why couldn't they see it was his gift that caused so many issues? How hard was it to understand that shoving him in a school full of hormonal teenagers was taxing enough without surrounding him with Edward's lust for her blood all the time as well?

His face flashed across her mind, honey blond hair blowing in the breeze, his rich gold eyes full of kindness and light but also a deep sadness she'd always yearned to chase away. Perhaps after this little trek, she might convince the brothers to let her search for the Cullens. Wouldn't they be shocked to find her one of them now? She could already see their reactions. Pissing Edward off would be half the fun, let alone Rosalie's face when she saw Bella.

Felix's soft baritone broke into her reverie, amusement coloring his tone as if he'd known what she was thinking. "Alright Swan, you're free to go. Just don't forget to feed on the way. How you can stand that animal diet is beyond me but whatever. Go on, get."

He didn't have to tell her twice. The snow provided the perfect cover as she took off at a slow jog, only switching gears once she hit the outskirts of the city. She traveled Northwest for a while, racing around the outskirts of tribal lands just outside Calgary, knowing how important it was to respect the treaties. The snow danced around her, the blustery night combining with the wind she created as she ran.

With each mile, she passed around city after city. Bearspaw, Glenbow, Cochrane, Mitford, all raced by as if the world was standing still, their lights dimmed by the falling snow, the wind creating drifts deeper in some places than others. She didn't let that stop her, blasting through each one as if didn't exist.

Bella's mind blanked as she ran, concentrating solely on her lack of a racing heart, on how her muscles didn't burn, her bones didn't ache. She didn't have to worry about becoming short of breath any longer, didn't have to worry about running out of steam. She could run and run without ever growing tired, and it was nothing short of exhilarating. She understood why Edward loved it so much.

Ghost Lake went by in a blur and it wasn't long before she entered Banff National Park south of Saddle Peak. Here she slowed. She didn't know how long she'd been running, but she needed to stop and feed. Bypassing picnic areas and campgrounds, she ran deeper into the forests pausing only long enough to take down a couple of elk.

The pull was getting stronger and her whole being craved to follow it, so she disposed of her kills hurriedly and began a trek that went more north than west this time. As she passed Mount Sarbach, she realized she was leaving Banff and entering Jasper National Park of Canada. She chuckled at the irony. She'd just been thinking about him and now here she was, entering the park with his name.

Bella ran and ran until she couldn't run anymore. She came out of the trees onto a paved roadway, and a few steps beyond that was a lake. Taking out her cell phone, she did a quick search of her location and found herself on the southern end of Medicine Lake. The pull here was the strongest yet, but in which direction should she go?

She'd been running with no cognizance of her course, simply following where her heart was leading her but now she sensed it was important to pause and think a few things through. So she sat in the snow at the edge of the lake and stared out at the expanse of icy blue before her. It really was a pretty sight, the snow all around her, the lake freezing over, the evergreens with their snow-covered branches. A vision worthy of a Thomas Kincaid painting if ever there was one.

Bella closed her eyes on it all, breathing deep the surrounding scents. The weasel tucked away in the bough of a tree to her right; the owl hunkered down out of the snow after its meal in the hollowed out tree to her left. The sweet tang of the freshwater before her. There was something else too, something tickling her senses, drifting on the wind there one moment and gone the next. Smoke, chimney smoke.

Her eyes flew open. Rising fast to her feet she took off along the western shore of the lake. She was positive this was the right direction and as she came out of the trees on a clearing; she was proven right. There, nestled amongst the flora of the forest, sat a little log cabin, its lights casting a soft glow through the wafting snow, smoke rising from its chimney. She listened intently, but heard no heartbeat. How strange. Did that mean no one was at home? What sort of human would go out on a night like tonight?

The pull told her she stood in the right place. If her heart worked, it would practically be bursting at that moment. Whoever lived in that cabin, they were what she'd been searching for. A quick check of her watch said it was thirty minutes to midnight. Shouldn't whoever lived there be home by now? The snow had drifted up to the windows. It would be stupid to be out in this if you weren't inhuman.

She saw no tracks to indicate if a car had left recently, so she would have to suck it up and knock on the door. She was too close to back out now.

Jasper Hale sat in his cabin beside the lake, the fire burning in the hearth warming his one-room abode. He didn't need it, but he loved the smell of burning wood. It reminded him of his childhood. He needed the comfort right about then. Had it been so long since he'd left the family? Over two years had come and gone, all of them spent living a lonely nomadic lifestyle. He was sick of it. Why wouldn't his mind let him rest? His heart stop leading him hither and yon in search of something but never allowing him to find it?

He was weary down to his bones. Probably the only vampire in existence ever to feel that way. The grandfather clock in the corner ticked away the minutes to midnight, ticked away the ending of another year. What were the family doing at this moment? He bet Alice had planned an elaborate party to bring in 2008 and dolled up the family in the latest fashions just to view Dick Clark's New Year's Eve broadcast.

Maybe they had gone to New York this year to attend the ball drop in person instead. He always enjoyed that, despite the overwhelming crowd of emotions. Who wouldn't enjoy soaking in all the hope, joy, and love? It was easily his favorite time of year. All those positive emotions bombarding him and chasing away the darkness if only for an evening.

What about the girl they'd left behind? Walking away from Bella Swan without so much as a goodbye hadn't felt right to him. How could they love her as much as they claimed and just walk away like that? How could Edward walk away like that? She was presumed to be his mate so why was it so easy to step aside?

It surprised Jasper that Edward refused to fight for the girl after everything they'd been through up to that point. Jasper actually got angry at how unaffected Edward seemed as he told them they were leaving because Bella wanted nothing more to do with them, that she'd finally come to terms with how dangerous they were to her and wanted them gone from her life. He'd tried to argue them down, tried to remind them that the Bella that fought so hard in Pheonix wouldn't up and fear them all of a sudden.

Hell, he'd even offered to leave the family so they could remain. Edward shot him down, telling Jasper in no uncertain terms that everything was his fault and he'd be best to shut his mouth and do as they told him. That pissed him off and Edward's face bore the brunt of his anger and sealed his fate. He knew he wouldn't be able to remain in the family after attacking the golden son, so he'd decided to leave anyway.

Carlisle and Esme's attempts to get him to stay were likely just mechanical at that point, they didn't genuinely want him around no matter what they said. He'd always known he was a mere afterthought to them, a part of the package if they wanted Alice in their lives. He'd never resented it as much as he had at that moment. So he'd gone to Jenks to draw up divorce papers and left them on his bed before heading off into the unknown.

He missed them though, all of them. Well, maybe not Edward. He always thought the little shit needed taking down a peg or two. His head was way too far up his ass to be comfortable. They'd attempted to call him a few times in the beginning but gave up when he wouldn't answer. He was sure Alice had seen that he wanted to be left alone at that time, had needed to sort himself out. He did sometimes wish that they would stop giving him his space now though. He was lonely. He missed the easy banter, the camaraderie. They really were more of a family than a coven.

Jasper's mind drifted back to Bella, wondering what she might be doing. He missed her too. Her floral scent and the love and happiness she'd always emitted had been a soothing balm to his soul, and he wished he could get that back, if only for a moment. She should be in college by now, her second year. Was she on winter break? Was she home in Forks for the holidays with her dad?

He wondered what she might have majored in. Did she miss the family, miss him? Were she and Edward back together? If so, was she eventually convinced to give herself a few more human years? Or had she convinced Edward to turn her by now? He'd doubtless never know the answers to those questions. Had lost the right to know the night he'd attacked her. Still, it didn't hurt to dream.

Just then, a whisper of sound caught his ear. Jumping up, he made his way to the door preparing to defend his territory.

As Bella stepped closer to the cabin, she came screeching to a halt at the familiar scent. That explained the lack of a heartbeat! There was another vampire in that cabin. One that made the surrounding pines smell dull in comparison. The rich scent of leather combined with it to give the creature within a delicious woodsy smell that drew Bella ever closer. There was something niggling in the back of her mind as if she'd smelled that scent before but couldn't quite place where.

Continuing her approach to the door, the snow crunching beneath her feet, Bella tried to remember what she knew about vampire mates. Edward had explained a little about them, telling her it was because of her humanity she didn't feel the pull as strongly as he did. Obviously, he'd been wrong about that. She understood that now. But what had he said about the pull? That it was different for some. Carlisle hadn't sensed it the first time he'd met Esme when she was sixteen, not until he'd found her again at twenty-six lying in that morgue left for dead.

Yet Rose had felt it the second she'd found Emmett, she just hadn't understood what it meant at first, too worried about saving him. Was that what she'd been feeling all this time? The pull to her mate? It would explain the reactions in Volterra, explain why she was standing on the porch of another vampire's home. She should be wary, she was in unknown territory, but she exhibited a sense of calm, unafraid of the person within. As if she knew they wouldn't hurt her.

They jerked the knob from her fingers as they nearly ripped it from its hinges. It took only seconds for both vampires to crouch into defensive positions, Bella's shield coming up between them as she took in the man gradually getting back up. She recognized him, and he did her. Well, that explained why she'd missed him more than the others.

Bella peered into the familiar golden eyes of Jasper Hale, the light behind him casting a halo around his blond head, making him the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen with her new vampire eyes. Oh, she saw the scars too, no doubt about it, but where they would scream danger to someone like Felix, they called to her. She wanted to trace her fingers over every single one, her lips too. Her entire being screamed he belonged to her.

She dropped her shield and stood as the shock wore off and his incredulous voice reverberated around her in the silence. It made her smile. "Bella? Is that truly you?"

Bella skipped forward wrapping her arms around his waist. He looked down on her with awe-filled eyes, eyebrows practically disappearing into his hairline. Kissing his cheek, she shoved passed him into the one-room cabin. "Sure is. How have you been Jasper?"

He followed behind her, long pale fingers pushing the door shut as he stared at her. "What? How? When? What in the hell is happenin'?"

Bella's grin widened. "You're kinda cute when you're flustered. Come sit down and I'll explain everything."

She took a seat in one of the chairs before the fire, waiting for him to do the same before she began to speak in rapid-fire, telling him everything that had occurred in the last two years. How she'd felt after they'd gone, and the lie Edward had told her. The growl he emitted was sexy as fuck and did funny things to her, his anger palpable and she wondered if he was projecting, "I knew that asshole had to be lyin'! He told us you'd finally seen us for the dangerous creatures we were and wanted nothin' more to do with us. That you'd said to leave you alone. It's why everyone left without so much as a goodbye."

"I sometimes wondered if that was the case. It hurt, thinking you all didn't love me as you claimed. I was angry at you guys for a long time. But then Charlie came to me with his idea and that's when my plan fell into place." She told him about Charlie suggesting she take a year off, travel around Europe, before heading off to college. An all expenses trip paid by him and her mom with some savings they'd put back. "If there's only one thing I regret about what happened last year, it's faking my death in Italy, forcing my parents to mourn me as if I were actually dead. I've kept tabs on them though, checking in on them through computer articles and news brought back to me by one of the other Guard members. Aro considered it a small concession in the grand scheme of things as long as I never approach them myself."

"How did you get around Alice? Surely she would have seen you decide to go to the Volturi, as deadly as that decision was."

"I figured Alice probably wasn't watching me. I thought you all didn't care about me, so why would she care to watch me through her visions? That, and I never decided to go to the brothers until I got to Italy. I knew that by then it would be too late if Alice did happen to get a sporadic vision of me, like I know she did sometimes. No one would be able to stop me before I was already in the citadel and before our rulers," Bella explained with a shy smile.

She could feel the anger and fear wafting off him in waves as she told him about the day she'd walked right into the lion's den. Looking back, she could see just how stupid what she had done was. She still didn't know why she'd believed they would help her. She just knew she felt like something was missing and part of that was being a vampire. Who better to change her than them? So she'd forced their hands. She never once imagined the Cullens would be in danger, Carlisle was one of Aro's favorites and she just understood in some way that Aro would do everything he could to keep from having to punish Carlisle and his family.

Jasper glared at her, lips in a sneer. "It was still a stupid thing to do, Bella. Do you know what would have happened if they hadn't been so amused by your bravery and intrigued by your gift? I don't want you to endanger yourself like that ever again."

It was adorable that he thought he could tell her what to do, so she let it slide.

Pride overrode his anger as she told him how hard she'd worked to gain control of herself, it impressed him that it had only taken her a few months to accomplish it. Even more so over the way she'd worked diligently with Felix to learn how to master her gift, how helpful she'd been so far for the brothers. Like so many others, Jasper was skeptical at first when she explained they weren't the monsters everyone presumed them to be; not anymore, at least.

"I remember what Carlisle told you all, but that was the Volturi of the past. They've grown so much better Jasper. They ask gifted vampires to join them now instead of using Chelsea, having no harsh feelings if someone declines the invitation. Wiping out covens on bare bones excuses to gain a powerful gift no longer happens either. Trials are held for most crimes now, instead of immediate executions.

"Those are now only doled out when some idiot is murdering people left and right and bringing attention to themselves. I've only gone on a few missions, just to help me practice, but they mete out justice swiftly in those cases. If you break the law on secrecy, you're brought in and given an opportunity to explain yourself now—as the brothers understand that a vampire can sometimes find their mate among the humans.

"Then there're the brothers themselves. They're so wise, Jasper. So all knowing. Marcus loves books as much as I do. We can sit for hours discussing them. He's such a fandom nerd too, he loved the Harry Potter series and is not so patiently waiting for the next movie. Aro and I talk about the most mundane things. Did you know he likes to cook? He creates whole feasts of things from their native Greece for the townspeople sometimes. He looks for any excuses to celebrate so he can practice at being a chef.

"Caius and I play chess a lot, and he teaches me many things. At this rate, I won't need to go to college at all. He'll teach me all I need to learn. The wives take me shopping. At first, it was an effort to get me used to being around humans but now we just enjoy it. Can you believe that? Alice would squeal with joy to learn I've overcome my aversion.

"Felix and I are just like siblings. We spar and play when our duties don't call on us. He tells me about his time as a child, how he's been searching for a special someone but hasn't found them yet. We indulge in court gossip a lot as well. Trust me, Jasper, if anyone can attest to how different they all are, it's me. I've grown a very strong bond with pretty much all of them. The only person I avoid like the plague is Jane and that's mainly because she always seems to have a stick up her ass. She and Edward would be perfect for one another."

Jasper was in heaven. Once he'd gotten past the fear and anger at the danger she'd put herself in, he allowed himself to soak in her emotions. The honest heartfelt love and devotion she felt for these people was amazing. She truly was happy, and he enjoyed the calmness as it embraced him like a warm blanket as she spoke. When she giggled at her description of Jane and how she and Edward would fit together, he finally allowed himself to smile. Yet, he still had one lingering doubt.

"Everything sounds great, Bella, but please tell me you recognize they only changed you because it would gain them somethin'. It sounds like they genuinely care for you but I'd hate to see you get hurt if that turns out not to be the case."

Laughter spilled from her lips as Bella shook her head. "I know, Jasper. I grasp that they saw an opportunity and embraced it with open arms. Seeing is believing. I've spent over a year in their company. Surely you can trust my word if nothing else."

Sweeping his hair back from his face, he sighed and stood, moving to lean against the mantel and stare into the flames. "I do trust you. I think that's why I'm strugglin'. For decades Carlisle has told us they manipulate and lie to get what they want and now here you are tellin' me that isn't the case anymore. It's hard to let go of a well-rooted belief, but my heart is tellin' me it's you and you'd never lie to me like that. So what else am I to believe?"

Bella stepped up behind him, her soft hand stroking his shoulder spreading fire throughout his body. It was still hard for Jasper to believe she was standing in his home, a vampire. When he'd opened the door, the way she'd so gracefully fallen into a defensive position, her beautiful bell-like laugh, the light in her eyes, everything screamed she loved being immortal. That she was supposed to be one of them; he didn't need Alice's visions to tell him either.

That thought hit him like a kick in the gut. Alice's vision. She'd always seen Bella as a vampire, but it was continually Edward at her side. Did that mean Bella Swan was still intended for his former brother, or was there more to the picture Alice just hadn't seen yet? The idea of Bella being with the pretentious moron angered Jasper. She was his dammit, his! He knew that now, with every fiber of his being.

From the moment the delicious scent of pomegranate, Cedar, and the fresh Bermuda hay of his childhood had floated to him and he'd seen her pale, flawless skin, he'd wanted to claim her. To make the first and only mark she bore his mark. He'd consistently believed Alice was it for him, his true mate, until he—like Edward—was able to simply walk away from her and never look back. Now he knew why he'd never wanted to mark her. Sure, he felt bad for ditching her as fast as he did, if it hadn't been for Alice he never would have known there was another way for him to live, to survive. He owed her for this much at least, not to mention the companionship she'd provided for over fifty years, but it had no longer been enough to get him to stay.

Now Bella was standing before him and he finally knew why he'd been so drawn to her back in Forks and why he'd been incapable of settling in one place for long all these months. So why was it Edward perpetually at her side? Did Alice lie to them, had she instead seen Bella with Jasper and been unwilling to give him to another?

Jasper didn't have to think about it too long, the answer was a resounding no. She could be manipulative at times but she would never keep him from Bella if they were destined for one another. She'd never break the law. Maybe the vision was true, it merely meant something different. Perhaps Bella would still be a part of the Cullen family; at his side instead of Edward's.

Hell, what was he thinking? She hadn't said shit to him about why she was there, just she'd been missing a part of herself as much as he had. Which could mean pretty much anything. Why the fuck would she want an old beat up warrior like him? Someone she'd have to watch continually to make sure he never slipped and tried killing another human? It had to have been exhausting for Alice to do it, regularly scanning the future to be sure he wouldn't go on a murderous rampage. Why should he subject Bella to that life as well?

The pair stood there in silence, each lost in their own thoughts for a moment. It was Bella that broke it. "So, have you figured it out yet?"

He turned to face her, awed by her beauty as she stood in the firelight's glow, her silken hair lightened to a soft umber, the flames dancing in her golden eyes as she watched him. His tongue darted out, licking his parched lips and her eyes shifted to follow. "Figured what out?"

Could this be it, the moment she told him she felt what he did? She moved, turning to face him, a soft smile playing about her lips. "What we've both been missing all this time."

If it could, his heart would have beat faster just then as he asked the question he wasn't certain he wanted to know the answer to. "And what have we been missin'?"

"Come now, Jasper, must I say it? Can't you feel it? The fire, the hunger, the need to mark, to claim? Kiss me, Jasper Hale. It's almost midnight."

His feet moved of their own accord, hands cupping her face, thumbs tracing the bones of her cheeks, fingers tangled in her hair. He paused, for just a second, gazing into eyes the same color as his own so full of love he could almost drown in it. Her hand came up, a thin finger tracing a scar on his jaw.

Their lips touched for the first time with the beginning gong of his grandfather clock. He kissed her long and hard, wanting the moment to last forever. It wasn't until the twelfth chime that they stepped back.

"Happy New Year, Bella," he said with a grin.

Her soft smile warmed him inside out and gave him so much hope for the future. He would do whatever it took to deserve this glorious creature in his arms, even if it took him centuries to do so. "Happy New Year, Jasper."

Their lips met once more, a passionate kiss that bespoke so much of what was to come. Happy New Year indeed.