This is one of two one-shots that wouldn't leave me be until I wrote it. It's not that good, but I needed to get it out of my system so I could work on Midnight Flame. Please enjoy:

Empathy

Imagine that you had the ability to feel the emotions of all those around you. You could tell when that blonde girl that worked at the supermarket was lusting after your father. You could tell when someone was lying to you. You could feel it when your brother fell in love.

Now imagine that you have the ability to feel that same brother's anguish when he decides to leave the one he loves. He tells you it's not your fault. Your wife tells you it's not your fault. Your parents tell you it's not your fault.

But when you find out that the girl jumped off a cliff, all you can think is: it's all my fault.

- Page Break -

"Where's Alice?"

Jasper didn't answer when Esme asked the question. He just stared at the newspaper in his hands, not seeing a single word, his mind far away.

"Where's Alice, Jasper?" louder this time.

"Forks," he replied, folding up the paper and spinning around on the stool so he could see his surrogate mother. "Alice has gone to Forks."

"Why?" demanded Carlisle. "We promised Edward we would have nothing more to do with Bella."

"And look what good that did us," Jasper laughed bitterly. "Edward's off hiding God knows where and Bella's thrown herself off a cliff. Real smart move on Edward's part, wasn't it?"

His words were angry and scathing, showing his distaste for his brother's actions, but inside he was a mess of guilt and hopelessness.

It's all my fault.

"She did what?" gasped Esme, shocked.

"You heard me," Jasper glared down at the counter, his back to his parents once more. "She killed herself- she loved him, and he destroyed her."

"He thought he was doing what was best, Jasper," interrupted Carlisle.

"Yeah, well, he was obviously wrong.

It's all my fault.

"Has anyone told Edward?" Carlisle asked.

"No," Jasper replied. "Alice told us not to."

It's all my fault.

"It's for the best- news like this shouldn't be given over the phone. I'm going to go call Alice and find out how Charlie's doing," Carlisle looked to his wife. "It will be okay."

"Bella's dead," Esme whispered, her voice broken and her eyes distant. She was reliving the death of her child, Jasper realized. Bella had been her daughter in every way that counted. She had hoped, like everyone else but Rose, that Edward would come to his senses and bring Bella to her rightful place in the family.

Now they would never see her again.

It's all my fault.

"How will we tell Edward?" Jasper asked, trying not to sink into the depression he could feel looming in the back of his mind.

"We'll wait until he comes home. We don't want him to do anything foolish," Carlisle replied. He didn't say the words, but both Jasper and Esme knew of whom he was thinking.

The Volturi.

"I'll come with you to talk to Alice," Esme said to Carlisle, her voice shaking with despair. "I… I want to hear what happened."

Carlisle helped Esme, who was still shaky from the shock of the news, and they left Jasper alone in the kitchen once more.

The despair loomed ever closer as he buried his face in his hands and, for the first time he could remember, wished he could cry.

"It's all my fault…"