Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, Stephanie Meyer does.

Previously: Terrified, I looked up at Jasper's face. He looked like he was struggling against himself for a few tense seconds before he lent in and carefully licked the blood from my face. His cold tongue sent tingles across my body and I felt my body tense in anticipation but then he stopped and exhaled, resting his forehead against mine. I let out a shaky breath and slowly lifted my arms, wrapping them around his cool, marble neck.

He wasn't going to hurt me.

BPOV

A few minutes passed and Jasper hadn't moved a single muscle, remaining kneeling beside me, so I kept my arms around his neck. I tried not to think about the fact that Kyle's corpse was a few feet away from me, and yes, I was certain he was dead. Glancing to my right, I could just see Kyle's face behind Jasper's shoulders and his skin was deathly pale– there probably wasn't a drop of blood left in him.

I didn't feel bad at all; Kyle would have killed me if Jasper hadn't stopped him. I should just feel grateful that I was still alive… Jasper could easily have been too late or he could have killed me himself.

And… I think Jasper had gone back into his primitive, instinctual mindset again… When he had looked at me earlier his eyes had been completely black – that black without white once more… He wasn't moving, and he was starting to purr again. I hadn't realised until now but I had really been missing his purr. It soothed me unlike anything else ever had and the stress of the day started to melt away.

Wouldn't it just be awful if the rest of Jasper's family returned now...?

And speaking of the Devil - I heard the front door open and my heart sank. Oh no… oh no no no. This couldn't be happening – not when Jasper was in such a fragile state…

Jasper reacted in a flash, practically flying from the floor and by the time I had sat up I could see him and Emmett wrestling violently on the floor. Esme darted around them and pulled me into her arms, carrying me out of the house almost before I could blink.

"No – put me down!" I started squealing as soon as my mind had caught up with my body. She was taking me through the forest at an alarming rate and my head was pounding. I hoped it had stopped bleeding – I didn't know how good Esme's control was and I really didn't want to test it out. I just wanted to get back to Jasper – he was wild again… He could hurt everyone… And what if he went so crazy he couldn't get back to normal again?

"Shush, sweetie, are you okay?" Esme asked as we ran.

"I'm fine! Put me down!" My worry for over Jasper coupled with the increasing stretch on my heart caused my voice to get higher and more panicked. "Esme please!"

Dammit, why did I have to be human? How was I supposed to stick up for myself when everyone else was vastly stronger, faster and just… Better?

"ESME!" I was now shrieking - I had to be over-emotional, didn't I?

Behind us I could suddenly hear growling, which terrified me because Esme was still running and the noise was getting closer. How the hell could it be getting closer?! What was faster than a vampire?!

"Shush!" Esme pleaded me, but was cut short as she was toppled over. Fortunately her arms formed a protective cage around me and I only suffered from a few bruises rather than crashing headfirst into a boulder or something.

I was prised out of her grip and I started struggling against the hands holding me for a few seconds until I recognised the glorious scent. I twisted my head round until I could look into Jasper's eyes. They were completely black, just like before. I don't think Esme kidnapping me from him helped in the slightest.

He pulled me close to him and held me tightly so his head was in my shoulder and my feet were off the ground, ending up somewhere around his shins. "Jasper." I breathed softly, not wanting to alarm him.

"Jasper," Esme said too from behind me where I couldn't see. I assumed she was approaching us because Jasper started growling and backing away, not letting me go.

"Esme, don't…" I warned her.

"But Bella… He'll hurt you…" I heard her say.

"No he won't." I said with a confidence that surprised me. "He's not hurt me before so he won't hurt me now. Just give me a bit to calm him down again…"

"I'm not sure about this…" Her voice wavered slightly.

"I am. I've done this before." I said, trying to reassure her. I wished she would just leave us alone. I wished the whole family would just leave me alone with Jasper so I could look after him and give him the attention he deserved.

"I'm so sorry," she finally whispered and there was a few seconds of silence and I felt Jasper's tense muscles relax. Esme must have left.

I breathed a sigh of relief and brought my arms up around his neck. "It's okay, Jasper…" I said softly into his shoulder. "She's gone… It's just us…"

As if he understood what I was saying, he started purring again and it was as if any tension I had previously just melted away.

~XX~

I don't know how long we were there for – he didn't move a single muscle and I didn't want to let go- but the forest gradually darkened around us and the temperature dropped. I started to shiver and the purring stopped. He pulled away and looked at me questioningly as if to ask me what was wrong, and his skin seemed to glow in the fading light.

"I'm just cold," I said, lifting one of my hands to run it through his silky hair. He leant into my touch, closing his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them again he started to carry me through the trees. We were moving so fast but I hardly noticed because he was just moving so smoothly and gracefully. It was fascinating to watch the scenery blur past.

At the last second, I recognised our surroundings and realised he was following our path back the way we had gone, and we were back at my house. The door was already open but of course he didn't care anyway so I pushed it closed again with my foot as we went past. I pointed to the sofa and somehow he understood, sitting down and loosening his arms as I got comfortable on his lap, adjusting my legs so they were both on one side of his and so on before I returned to snuggling him.

I couldn't remember the last time I had felt so content and came to the conclusion that I probably hadn't. I was surprisingly comfortable, considering his body felt like it was made from stone, and now I was warm too. Not to mention his purring.

I exhaled gently, pulling back to stare up into his dark eyes, taking hold of his hands and holding them close to me with one of mine while the other rested comfortably on his chest.

We stayed like that – staring at each other – for a few minutes. I checked for any signs of recognition but he was still as wild as ever, just calmed down.

My hand drifted from his chest and trailed up his neck, fingertips brushing over his scars. For a moment I wondered again why he had them then decided I would ask when he was normal as my fingers ran along his chin and I cupped his face in my hand.

He leant into it slightly once more, and continued to stare at me as though he was waiting.

"What do you want me to do, Jasper?" I asked him quietly.

He blinked at me in response and made a soft whimpering noise in the midst of his purring.

"Oh, Jasper…" I whispered, and slowly, as though my body had a mind of its own, leaned in and pressed my lips to Jasper's.

He seemed to freeze completely for a few seconds. The purring stopped and I began to have second thoughts but just as I was about to pull away he leaned in too and returned the kiss, pulling his hands easily away from mine to place one on my waist and the other on the back of my head, tangling in my hair to pull my gently closer. My eyes shot open even though I hadn't realised I had closed them to see him open his too and brown met amber.

Amber?

Wait? His eyes weren't gold? He was fully aware of what he was doing again?

We pulled away from each other, slowly, uncertainly, as if we were both as surprised with what was going on as the other.

I was confused. He looked confused.

"You're back," I whispered.

He slowly nodded, his eyes moving down to my lips again. Instinctively, my tongue flicked out to moisten them and I watched as his eyes darkened perceptibly. He leaned in again and his lips brushed against mine once before he seemed to give in and his hands on my hip and neck were pulling me closer once more.

The kiss got heated very quickly. His lips on mine made my whole body tingle and somehow even the taste of him was exquisite. I just wanted more and he seemed to be thinking the same thing, slipping his icy hand under my shirt to lightly touch the skin on my back. I got shivers – good shivers – and moved on his lap so I was straddling him and could access his lips with greater ease.

In the back of my mind I was asking myself what was going on. Jasper was kissing me but he had Alice? He was married?

Married.

I got cold chills suddenly and froze. Jasper pulled back immediately, sensing my sudden change of mood, and scanned me over with his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"You're married." I whispered.

He didn't answer but his eyebrows furrowed and he sighed as though realising the same thing. The mood had long since vanished by now.

Finally, after several tense minutes, he said, "we're not."

"Huh? But… Alice called you her husband…?"

"Alice and I… We were married… But… She filed for a divorce several years ago." His gorgeous amber eyes closed and sadness seemed to radiate from him.

"What? Why?" I found myself gasping. Why would she want to leave this gorgeous creature?! Alice had been lying? Why had Jasper gone with her?

"She couldn't put up with me anymore." He gently scooted me off his lap and then put his head in his hands.

My heart ached for him. How could Alice do that?

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and told him that it was alright and I was here for him. I ran my hand through his hair and rubbed his back. I tried everything that usually worked to calm him down but he didn't move.

Geez, Alice had really messed him up. Was it her fault that he had been wild in the first place?

The thought made me angry – so angry that my fists clenched and Jasper finally looked up at me in confusion. I quickly tried to sort my face out and smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring way at him.

"Why are you angry?" he asked.

"What?" How did he know I was angry when he couldn't even see me?

He must have seen the surprise on my face because he leaned back and looked at me properly. I found my eyes drifting down his body, observing the nice way his shirt stretched across his chest before I returned them quickly to his face and tried not to blush.

"I can feel your emotions."

He- What- What- WHAT? So he – what?! Does that mean he knew when I felt lusty around him? Did he…?

Aw… Shit.

A/N: Um... So... Here's a chapter... Yeah... Sorry for the wait... But... Um... *Opens list and reads excuses* Blah blah blah GCSE's blah blah blah school-stuff blah blah blah... But at least in eight days my exams will be over and then I'll have the nine-or-so weeks of summer holidays to write in so the next chapter won't take so long... Thank you for all the reviews, I'm so sorry if I didn't reply to you!

So... What's everyone else got planned for the holidays? x