Summary: Jasper never seemed to be very fond of Bella in Twilight and then he tried attacked her in a lapse of control during her birthday party. When Alice saw the vision of Bella jumping off the cliff, he realized he had been wrong about Bella.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. It is the property of Stephanie Meyer.

JPOV

Alice's eyes flickered up to mine, a sad smile touching her lips. She hadn't quite been the same since the day we left Forks and with it, Bella. I stroked her cheek gently and leaned down to kiss her.

She froze in my arms, eyes wide and horrified.

"NO!" she screamed. "BELLA, DON'T-" her voice broke into a dry sob and she fell to the ground, and with her I fell, too.

I tried my best to comfort her, but she was in too much agony. She shook with sobs and her horrified expression gave me an idea as to why.

"No, Bella. Not that. Don't…Please. For E-" she cut off, eyes still glazed. She waited mutely. "She-she's not coming up. She's…gone."

I held her tightly and sent endless waves of calm out to her, although I couldn't quite master my own despair.

"What happened, Alice? Tell me," I commanded gently.

"Bella…she…jumped off a cliff. She didn't come up. She jumped off the cliff, into the ocean. She committed suicide. I warned him, God, I warned him," she was babbling. "But, no, 'she promised', he said. 'She would never.'" Alice suddenly became furious. "He couldn't listen to me just this one time! Of course, he wouldn't want to listen to the psychic. No, he wouldn't even let me watch out for her. And now…now…" she shrieked in furious agony, but it ended in a sob.

Suicide. I had never thought she would do that. I had always thought she cared too much about him. But I could see her reasoning. If Alice ever left me without looking back, I would have felt the same, I was sure. I might have gone looking for her, but only if there was even the tiniest strand of love left in her for me. But Bella couldn't know any of that. Edward wouldn't have left her with out her knowledge of his love…would he?

Alice broke out of my arms and started to run. Something about it made me stay. She didn't want me to be with her now. I would find her later. It was clear enough she didn't want my comfort right now.

But…Bella was gone forever now. Edward would never have her to comfort him when he needed to be comforted. He would never see her smile again, never touch her and see the blush across her skin…never have the chance to tell her he loved her the entire time.

I realized then how he had left her. She was never truly sure of his love for her, just as he had been about hers. Although he had thought his love was stronger, she had thought he could never love her. She thought he didn't love her now, or had thought so, if she had already jumped. Did he break her in such a way? Could he have had the heart to do that sort of thing? The answer, I knew now, was yes.

I wanted to beat him for it. Knock the sense back into him.

The anger that took over me wasn't like what I would feel if this had happened to Alice, but it was strong enough. Bella had been part of the family, although I had attacked her. I cringed every time I remembered the moment. I wished I hadn't done it. I should have been stronger, but how do you do such a thing after the opposite is pounded into your head? I remembered the cold, callous way I had turned on Bella. Edward's face when I went at her. All perfectly clear, yet I had been emotionally detached in a way, and I had become the monster that lurks beneath the surface.

I hadn't meant to do what I had, but Edward had told me it was only a matter of time until it would have happened. He was empty now. Every time he came back to us, he looked less alive than the last time. His eyes were black and cold now, his body was always rigid. The smallest touch would send him into another room, along with any thought of Bella or his wellbeing. It was painful to watch, let alone experience. His pain was so much, it was almost physical. I couldn't stand to be in the same room with him for long because he insisted he didn't need my help, making me suffer as well.

Bella was so kind, though. Her love for all of us, even Rosalie, who had made it clear sense long before they had met that she didn't like her. But the love she held for Edward was overwhelmingly strong for such a small, breakable girl. And I admired that. She was a miracle. Edward's miracle. And she was gone now.

For the first time I realized that I felt something for her. Something strong, but not as it is with Alice. Brotherly love, not as strong as with the rest of my siblings, but something that had been growing. But it was too late to express my revelation to those it would matter most to. And of the two, who needed to know it the most, one was dead and the other was broken, staring into the black abyss that was now his life.

And then there was Alice.

ALICE!

I stood and ran for the house as fast as I could. The trees flew by, my feet barely touched the snow covered ground. When I reached the house, I found she was there.

She had already told Carlisle everything she knew and with him, the rest of the family. Rosalie was slightly elated, but I wasn't there to see how everyone was doing.

Alice was determined. I took her hand and dragged her into the other room.

"What are you going to do?" I asked in a low voice.

"I have to go and see," she said. "I need to see if she is still alive. I just have to know."

"Don't interfere in this, Alice," I warned her. "Edward won't approve. And I won't either. What's done is done."

"What if it isn't, Jasper?" she asked desperately. "What if I was wrong? I've been wrong before."

"Alice, we can't tell him. We can't do anything. If she's dead…he's not going to make it out alive. He'll want to die." Even if I cared for Bella, she was too new, Edward was someone I had known and loved for much longer.

"That's why I have to go and see," she whispered. "If she isn't alive, we have to keep him away. And if she is alive, I've managed to save them both."

"No, Alice," I said. "You can't bend fate."

"Yes I can," she said forcefully. "If I have the chance, there is no way in hell I'm giving it up. I'm leaving. Now." She began to run away and I ran after her.

She had stopped outside to wait for me.

"Don't do anything rash," I said.

"I try not to," she said in return.

"I know, but…"

"Can't we just agree to disagree?" she asked.

"Fine."

I stared away from her for a moment before looking back at her with determination.

"Alice, promise me when you come back that you will never leave my side again. Ever," I whispered the last word in anguish. I never wanted this to happen again. If anything were to happen to her…

"I promise to come back and never leave, Jasper," she said. She watched me, knowing I would fulfill my half of the promise.

"I promise we will be together always."

She ran over, kissing me furiously. I let her sadness, her love, and her passion take me over. She broke away all too soon.

"I need to go now."

I nodded mutely.

And she was gone.

I prayed she would return to my arms soon. When she did, we would never part like this again, no matter what happened.