I own nothing Twilight related, that honor belongs to the amazing Stephenie Meyer.

This one-shot is based off one of my favorite songs, Fast Cars, by Tracy Chapman; although I absolutely love the Boyce Avenue/Kina Grannis version. If you haven't heard the song, check it out it's amazing! Although I made my fic ending happy cuz I love HEAs.

Thank you to my wonderful friends, my prereader, Frankielynn, and my beta, mizzdee. They make everything pretty for me and I love them for it (and you should too).

Forthelongestday made the beautiful banner for this fic! http:/i1096(dot)photobucket(dot)?t=1327614068

She found the note taped to the front door when she got home from school.

Bella,

I can't do this anymore. This isn't the life I wanted. Charlie can't give me what I want out of life.

Take care of your father. He needs someone to watch him and make sure he's ok.

You know how he drinks.

Take care,

Renee

Not even an 'I love you'. Just a 'Take care'.

Bella walked into the house, looking around the kitchen and living room, finding small things missing. Things that had belonged to her mother. She walked to the hallway, peaking in the doorway to her father's room. Charlie had always had a drinking problem. He lost his job shortly after Bella was born, getting caught drinking on the job. Since then, it turned from a recreational thing to an all hour's thing.

Renee had supported them on a kindergarten teacher's salary since Bella was little. Whenever she asked him to get a new job, his reply was always, 'My body's too old for work.' For a man in his late forties, Charlie Swan looked closer to seventy. He had spent his life in bars, drinking himself into unconsciousness. Letting his health, his appearance, his career, his family, go.

Bella had quit school shortly after her mother left, needing to watch after her father. She got a job at the local convenience store, working as the cashier. She met Jasper Whitlock one day at work, he was a college student, driving through town, stopping for gas. He pulled in with his bright red, Mustang convertible, pumped his gas and walked in to the store.

Bella watched as he walked to the coolers, grabbing some beer and pop, then walking through the snack aisle. Walking up to the counter, he didn't pay any attention to the beautiful woman behind the counter.

"All this and pump three," he said, finally looking up into Bella's face. He took in her appearance, watching the blush rise on her face. "Hi."

"Hi," Bella replied, blushing even more furiously, while ringing up him up. "That'll be $55.26."

Jasper handed her his credit card. "What's your name?"

"Bella."

"Well, Bella, I'm dropping my buddy off up north of here and spending the night. I'll be back through town tomorrow, early afternoon, probably. What are you doing? Do you want to spend the day with me?"

Bella stared into Jasper eyes, holding out his card and receipt to him. "Sure."

Charlie died two months later. Bella and Jasper had not only stayed close, constantly talking on the phone and texting, but drove to visit each other as much as possible. After the funeral, Jasper drove Bella back to her house. He was staying with her for a while, since school was out for the summer and he didn't want Bella to be alone.

"What do you wanna do tonight?" Jasper asked.

"Let's get out of here. I wanna go. I wanna get out of town. Let's go to California. You can play your guitar on the street corner, we'll get jobs and we'll live the way we want to. I wanna go. Let's just get in your car and go."

And that's what they did.

They would drive around town, in one of the rare moments that they had enough gas to have some fun.

Bella was working as a check-out girl at the local market.

Jasper still couldn't find a job so he sat on the street corner outside of the market, playing his guitar and singing, his open guitar case at his feet.

They lived off of Bella's paycheck, week to week, staying at shelters and the occasion motel. They constantly hoped for something better to come along and their lives to come together. Jasper was going to find a good job, or get discovered as a singer and Bella was going to get promoted to manager. They were going to get married, buy a big house in the suburbs and raise their future children.

It'd been a few years and Bella finally made it to manager. She was able to get her GED and they sent her to college to get her business degree. Bella and Jasper got married shortly after she was promoted; buying a house in the suburbs just like they had planned. Jasper held on to hope, waiting for his music career to start, waiting for his dreams to come true.

Bella worked day to day, paying for all of their bills. They had two children, Ben and Maggie.

Jasper spent all of his time out with his friends, drinking, rarely seeing his wife or kids.

"Why are you even here, Jasper? You obviously have more important things than me and your children," Bella screamed at him, throwing a bowl at his head, missing by only a few inches.

"What does that mean?" Jasper asked, stumbling slightly on his unsteady feet.

"You are drunk again. You haven't been home in three days. You have been out, with your friends, doing God knows what. And when you finally make it home, it is 3 am and you are still drunk off your ass." Bella paused, looking at the staircase leading to where the two most precious people in her world were sleeping. "If you are going to keep doing this, you need to leave. Get in your car and go. I can't do this anymore and I will not have you ruining your children's lives like my parents ruined mine."

Jasper sobered immediately. "What?"

Bella turned to look at the stunned expression on Jasper's face. The tears fell over, spilling down her cheeks. "Go. You need to leave."

Jasper watched as she turned away. She walked out of the room and toward the staircase, leaving him standing in the kitchen. He stayed there for a few minutes, wanting to go after her, wanting to stay and be a part of his family. But he knew he had to make some changes first. Jasper got in his car, starting it before driving away from his house, the house that held his only reasons for existing.

A year had gone by since Jasper had left Bella. She knew after their fight, they would have to work through some things; she never expected him to actually leave her and their children. A knock sounded at the door, Bella looked at the clock, wondering who would be here so early on a Sunday. She swung the door open, taking in the cleaned up man in front of her.

"Good morning, Bella. I hope it's ok that I'm here. I'm sorry it's early. I didn't wake you, did I?"

Bella shook her head. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Jasper was there, standing at her door, looking completely sober.

"May I come in? I'd like to talk to you for a few minutes, if that's ok?"

Bella nodded, opening the door wider and stepping out of the way. She didn't trust herself to speak. She wanted to wrap him tightly in a hug, taking him back without any questions. But she needed to know where he'd been the past year.

"Would you like some coffee?" Bella managed to get out.

"That would be great, thank you," Jasper answered.

Bella ran to the kitchen, taking in her appearance quickly in the small mirror in the hallway. She smashed down her hair, running her fingers through it. She ran to the kitchen, splashing water on her face, before grabbing the coffee.

"Here you go," Bella said, handing him his coffee before sitting down across from him. "What are you doing here, Jasper?"

Jasper took a deep breath, taking a sip of his coffee. "You remembered how I like my coffee."

He looked up at Bella with a smile, taking in the serious look on her face. "I needed to see you. I've missed you so much the past year."

He paused a moment, remembering the speech he had planned, "When I left this house one year ago, I knew that if I were to ever come back here…If you were to ever take me back…I would have to clean myself up."

"I got in my car and drove straight to the rehab center. I was there for six months, detoxing. The following six months, I spent finding a job. Which I did. I now work at the center, I'm a counselor, helping with addicts. I'm going to school again, I went back to finish my degree, focusing in psychology. I have turned my life around and I really want to come back to you and the kids."

"Jasper, how do I know that you're telling the truth? How can I know for sure that you didn't just clean up for the moment? I don't know if I can trust you?"

"Bella, I can show you all of my paperwork for my rehab stint and for my job. I swear to you, on everything, that I have changed. I know it will take time to build your trust back. I don't expect this to be easy. I don't expect you to let me back into your lives like nothing happened. I just want to know that you will give me a chance."

Just as he finished talking, the rumble of little feet came from the stairs.

It took only a moment before the cries of delight sounded.

"Daddy," Both Ben and Maggie yelled, running into his open arms.

Jasper looked over their heads, he looked into Bella's eyes.

He saw the tears pour down her face as she looked at him with acceptance. She walked over, wrapping her arms around them and placing a small kiss on Jasper's lips.

"I missed you. I'm happy you're back."

"I'm happy you are letting come back. I missed you too. I love you, Bella."

"I love you, Jasper."

Thanks for reading!