Disclosure:  Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyers.  I take the characters out of time and see what happens.

Pre-Edit Count –   2,188 Words

Song I listened to for this chapter: What It’s Like by Everlast

Previously:

He stands up and leaning over as he kisses her lips, he turns to slant his mouth over hers, claiming her as his need for her skyrockets. Before long, he feels that her newly acquired talent of breathing through a kiss is lost as he is taking over her mouth. Not able to help it, he smirks, as he brings to kiss back to a gentle pace.

Bella opens her eyes slowly to her mate, her hands having found their way into his hair, and she shakes her head. “What was that?”

He kisses her lips quickly and tells her, “That is me on human blood. And I can tell you to add taste to the items that are enhanced.” He starts walking out of the room, then pauses as he tells her, “I think we will call it an early night. I have other areas I would like to explore.   In the name of science of course.” He chuckles as he watches the blush work its way down, knowing by now just how low it goes.

Now:

In a house set back in the woods with only one other to keep him company, a man writhes in pure agony. He has barely any idea of what is going on, but he does know what he barely heard before the burning got worse, going through the memories he wishes to keep.

He also regrets never having the family he had pushed off, thinking he had plenty of time. Many things he has pushed off , thinking he had time to do them. He has played around and now regrets it and the hearts he may have broken.

He had goals, he wanted to be comfortable in his life, owning his company with no loans he had to pay off for the startup costs. He wanted that life so that when he found the woman who would be everything to him, he could offer her so much. Wealth, a comfortable life and his time. He wanted that 2.5 kids dream.   But now it is all gone.

He is not sure what is happening to him, but he does remember hearing that the alternative would be painful. He gathers that he will live through this and he is selfish enough to want whatever life he will have than to be done with the earth altogether.

He has enjoyed his time with Carlisle and Bella as they turned the farmhouse into a home, a true home for both of them.   When he had been given the task he was unsure whether these people really could do justice to the house. But when they had finished with it, he had been truly amazed, nothing had changed outside of the home, but the inside was more upper-class than the previous interior. They had gone with richer colors, and smoother lines. The main thing throughout the home is comfort. Soft fabrics to go with clean lines. The effect is a home he would enjoy living in and had even planned to use some of the ideas later.

But now, before he had time to even show them the completed house, this happened. He had heard the screams, the bell-like laughter that sent chills down his spine with its evilness. He had heard the murmurs that he had been left to suffer since she was not there and by the time they found him it would be too late.

Now he is burning in hell for sins he doesn’t remember committing. He never cheated anyone, he may have broken some hearts, but he had always been upfront that he was not looking for love. He honored his mother and father when they had been alive, and he cannot think of any of the Ten Commandments that he failed. Nothing to cause him to burn like this.

Movement outside of him makes him focus on it, glad to have something to help escape this torture.

A baritone voice asks, “How is he?”

Another voice, bass this time, answers him, “Silent, but he is proceeding as well as he should be. Though he might not agree.”

A trill voice exclaims, “Carlisle! Your eyes!”

A throaty laugh comes from his side and the bass voice asks, “Are you sure you want her here?”

The first voice, Carlisle his mind supplies, “She is safe. But she has an idea, and I think it has merit. It has to do with my eyes changing. I drank the first of the blood bags and this happened and other abilities presented themselves although they had been hinted at all along.”

The baritone voice asks, “Bella?”

The throaty laugh happens again and then she answers him, “I did a lot of research, which I am kicking Carlisle for not doing himself. And from what I remember you were the last to have human blood and had it in quantities that would allow us to know if they are working. If you wouldn’t mind, Jasper. It would be a better idea for everyone if it works.”

The bass voice, or Jasper, answers her, “I would be happy to work with you, milady. Carlisle, I figure you want to do this as scientifically as possible?”

Carlisle’s voice laughs, “Jasper, would it shock you to learn that Bella is actually taking the reigns of this one?”

Jasper laughs and a southern accent that had been hinted at comes through, “No, Sir. I told ya that she was more like ya than ya would ever guess.”

Then came Bella’s voice, “Jasper, now why in hell would you hide that accent?”

The other voice answers her, not as shrill this time, “It doesn’t fit.”

The throaty voice grows harder, “And Alice Cullen, what makes you the one to determine that? In this day and age, there is no reason for him to hide it. People move all over the states.”

The voice replies back with a slight edge, enough to make Brad want to growl at it, “He is supposed to be Rosalie’s twin. She doesn’t speak with a southern accent.”

The throaty voice is harder as it replies, “They don’t look enough alike to be twins. Maybe at a quick glance, you can get away with it. Plus they speak differently anyways. Rose has a northern accent, not as noticeable, but it’s there. Alice, there is no need to keep up these elaborate charades. It makes no sense, and it’s not really keeping up with the times.”

A huff sounds as Bella continues, “Why the hell are Rose, Emmett, and Jasper in High School? They are too old for it and by putting them through it again, and again it is pure hell over and over. Have them in College, just move to bigger cities. People don’t notice as much in them. Shit, I think you could live in New York for decades and as long as you move within the city, it will be no problem. None of this charade you guys are doing now makes any sense.” She sounds puzzled as if she is trying to make sense of the plan.

Carlisle’s voice comes over Brad, soothing Bella, “Shh, my lovely. We may have gotten stuck in a rut, but we can change it. Most of it was for the thirst, to allow for hunting. But you are quite right, Jasper, Rose, and Emmett are too old to be in high school. I have heard murmurs the last couple of moves, and was going to suggest otherwise.” He could hear the sounds of something rubbing, maybe Carlisle doing that arm rub thing he does so often with Bella?

Brad’s mind is turning over the information as well as the mention of blood bags. But before he can get further Jasper’s voice brings him back, “…Be happy to take this challenge. But I would like to stay here with Brad.,” he says wistfully.

Bella laughs, “Luckily, they come with these handy little straws and so Carlisle brought the bags with him for your first taste. If you drink it now, then it will be within an hour of Carlisle.”  There is a genuinely teasing note to her voice, and Brad gets the impression she really enjoys being around this Jasper.

Then Brad felt this happiness which alien to him and then smells something that makes his mouth water. A sound like drinking through… a straw? and then Alice’s voice hits that high note again, making Brad want to groan, but he knows that if he opens his mouth he will start screaming again. He barely managed to stop last time and it had been some female voice mocking him for the screams that got him to stop last time.

“Jasper Hale! Your eyes!”

Bella’s voice cuts through the shrill one’s, “Enough Alice!” When there is silence, Bella asks curiously, “What color were your eyes before, Jasper?” He can almost imagine her with that head tilt he had gotten to know from their meetings.

A whisper comes, “Green.”

A smile is evident in Bella’s voice, “Looks like you will get your eye color back before Carlisle then. How are your thirst and senses?”

Jasper’s voice comes out, richer somehow. “Better. No thirst at all. Which is unusual for me. It is part of my…problem. My beast is always hungry, but he is satisfied in a way I have never felt. And everything is actually better. Better than it would be with humans.” Brad can hear the surprise in his voice which makes him wonder what this change is really doing.

Brad hears someone moving around and then Bella’s voice is murmuring, making it evident with how her voice travels with the movement that she is the one doing it. “Maybe because of the white blood cells being gone? Or maybe more platelets. Something has to be affecting them both. What though?” He can’t help the smile as he imagines what she could be doing.  Bella had felt like a little sister to him before, and now? Well, the feeling doesn’t seem to have changed all that much.

Jasper’s voice comes to him, “Why don’t ya ask the Volturi to conduct the same experiments? And when Peter comes back, ya can have him drink with us. Carlisle and I have enhanced senses cause of the Alpha, but Peter has been on human all this time.” He sounds as if he is trying to help Bella, which makes Brad even more likely to trust the man.

The pacing stops and then Bella’s voice comes back, “Yep. Carlisle?”  It is plain to everyone in the room what she wants.

He laughs as he answers her question, “My lovely, I will call and ask. This is of interest to them. I think Caius would be the best to help us. Now come. Jasper will let us know when Brad is closer to rising.” There is nothing but kindness and joviality in Carlisle’s voice, telling him whatever is going on is doing a number on the good man.

Jasper’s voice comes back to them, “Come back when you wish Bella, somehow Brad is calmer right now.”

A growl rings out and Brad winces.  Everything inside of him wants him to submit to the beast who growled.

Jasper’s voice comes out meeker as he informs the growler, “Not like that! She is yours, and no one doubts it, Carlisle. She calms him. And I have a theory. I think if he smells her during the change, it may make it easier for him to be around her. But, I want some of these bags, I want to start him off with them, they satisfied my beast and I am hoping he will be calmer.”

Bella’s voice comes out and her voice is softer, “Carlisle, none but you. You know this and I would never want another.   Now, can what Jasper is speculating be fact?”

Carlisle’s voice is close to where Bella’s is and after a period of time, he finally answers with a growl in his voice, “His idea has merit. Bella. I am sorry, but I cannot have you in here without being here myself. So yes, Jasper, if Bella wants to try, we will be back.”

Brad soon ignores the rest of the conversation, thinking back to why Carlisle would be so obsessed with Bella. Thinking back to it, he never saw anything but complete adoration and commitment to Bella. Carlisle was never far from her, but they look like newlyweds, or the fiancés they said they were. And there was never any hesitation of returned affection from Bella.

So obviously this relationship is odd and he wonders what Jasper’s feelings towards Bella are. Jasper was warm towards her, teasing even. Are they close? He has never really seen any of the rest of the family other than Edward.

Brad tries to think on it longer, instead as the pain rolls through him again his mind leaves the issues he would rather puzzle out. Then he hears Jasper’s voice softly advise him, “Think on what you want to remember. I know the pain is bad, but if you forget, you will regret that more. Bella and Carlisle will be back. No worries, you feel for her as you should. Just concentrate right now on the memories, Brad. Let nothing be forgotten.”

After that, Bella and Carlisle did come back, Carlisle explained to Brad what he is turning into, and what they are planning to do. How the blood bags seem to be working and both Jasper and Carlisle tell him that they are there for him.

Brad listens and he burns. Always burning… then…it starts to withdraw. His heart is beating fast and he is hoping the fucked up organ will just stop. He has noticed that when his heart beats harder, the burning is worse, now it seems as if the pain is focusing on that one organ.

He can hear Jasper, Carlisle, and Bella. She has insisted on staying. Jasper agreed. Bella told Carlisle that if he couldn’t protect her, no one could. And that she needs to see what happens. Soon enough she will be going through the same thing.

With that, Brad’s heart gives one last thump and he arches off the surface he has been on. Then silence. Except for one heart beat in the room….

Final count, 2,189 words.

Fairfarren~