Disclaimer: I don't own or claim to own TWILIGHT or anything relevant to the TWILIGHT SAGA; all of that awesomeness belong to SM respectively. Only this plot is mine.

Need You Now

Picture perfect memories
Scattered all around the floor
Reaching for the phone 'cause
I can't fight it anymore

And I wonder if I
Ever cross your mind
For me it happens all the time

It's a quarter after one
I'm all alone
And I need you now
Said I wouldn't call
But I've lost all control
And I need you now

~*~Chapter One ~ I Run to You ~ Bella~*~

~*~June 2000~*~

"Well, you called me, but I apparently have something better to do than talk to you at the moment, so leave it and I'll get back at ya later, if I feel like it."

I sigh as I hear the message. This is the first time in close to five years that I've heard his voice. And it's through his damn voicemail. With the same fucking message that always annoyed the hell out of me too. Though to be completely honest, I'm surprised that he even has the same number after all this time.

The beep signaling for me to talk, and 'leave it' as he said, breaks me from my thoughts and I panic. I haven't heard anything from him in FIVE YEARS! What if I'm the last person he even wants to talk to? I close my phone roughly, with a loud snap resounding throughout the dark and practically empty parking lot.

I quickly get into my old truck, and start for my own apartment, debating the whole way. I know that he can easily see my number in his missed calls but I also know that if he doesn't recognize the number, he will ignore it. But damnit, I can't help this feeling I have right now. I just have to talk to him, five years of silence be damned. He's the only one who has ever been able to calm me down or even talk to me in times such as these, and sadly there have been a few.

Thinking over my night, I can't get the image I walked in on out of my head.

~*~NYN~*~

Using my key, I walk into the dark apartment. Leaving the lights off, wanting to surprise him, I try not to make any noise as I head towards the bedroom. Only noticing that all is not quiet, as I originally thought, once I'm only feet from his closed door.

I hear grunting, moaning, and heavy breathing. All of which really can't be discerned between male or female. That is until a voice, a very feminine voice, lets out "Oh God, YES! Right there baby."

I briefly try to reason with myself that he could just be watching a 'movie'. I know he owns them, and since he wasn't expecting me back tonight, it's seems plausible. Or even, that he might have picked up another shift at the hospital to allow more 'us' time when I got back tomorrow, and it's his brother that's here. But my gut and conscience knows different: That those words were too loud and close and real to be from the TV. So, I hold onto the extreme off chance that it's his brother in his room with a girl, though I have no logical reason as to why that would be.

Moving slowly and steadily to the door, I grasp the knob and watch my hand turn it quietly. My mind registering the dim glint of the ring that he just placed on my finger not even a week ago, before I left for my annual trip with Rose and Alice.

I release my breath as I open the door slowly, praying that for once my gut instinct is wrong. My mind keeps reasoning that this is Edward we're talking about here. My Edward, he's kind, sweet, caring, honest, an old-fashioned gentleman.

With the door open, just enough to see clearly and show about half of my body to them, if they were to look up anyway, I bring my eyes up from looking at the floor. Instantly, I feel the tears well up and all my breath leaves me.

My Edward, whom I had always thought to be the most loyal and perfect guy I'd ever been with, is there bedding a woman in the bed we picked out together! As they move together, still having not noticed they now have an audience of one, he moves up on his knees more, never breaking their rhythm and unknowingly giving me a clear view of the woman's face.

I gasp, as seeing that it's not just any woman, but a nurse from the hospital. Tanya.

It all makes sense now. All the hateful comments and leers that she always shot me anytime I brought Edward lunch or met him in the cafeteria with dinner. He had always said it was nothing to worry about. That he didn't know why she would hate me since I'd never even spoken to her and only knew of her. Well, now I can honestly see that he knew exactly what her 'problem' was.

Having had been looking, well glaring more like, so intently on Tanya, I hadn't noticed that my gasp got their attention and they were, well Edward was anyway, moving to cover up. I glance to him briefly, just long enough to see that he's trying to find the words to get out of this, then back to her, to see her lying there, in our bed, baring all her glory with no shame and a cocky smirk adorning her otherwise beautiful face.

I don't look away from her till I hear his voice, finally calm and collected enough to address me.

"Bella? What are you doing back already? I thought I was supposed to pick you up at the airport tomorrow afternoon."

Taking a deep breath, I release it and open the door wider. I look to Tanya again, still laying out with absolutely no shame whatsoever, and back to him in time to see him scowl at her and throw the sheets over her body before turning back to me.

Meeting his gaze, I tell him why I left my friends and our yearly 'girls only' vacation. "Well, I missed you and wanted to surprise you. Not to mention Rose and Alice practically threw me off the island because of my near constant state of moping over being away from you so soon after our engagement."

At my last word, Tanya shoots into a sitting position, thankfully clutching the sheets to her chest and staying covered, glaring at Edward, her words eerily calm but laced with venom. "Engaged, Edward? ENGAGED!"

Huh, apparently he wasn't completely honest with his slut either. I keep watching him, to see how he'll handle her outburst. But it doesn't faze him apparently, as he continues meeting my gaze. I see Tanya get out of the bed from the corner of my eye and continue around the room grabbing her belongings as she heads to the joining bathroom.

I watch him for a beat more, twisting his ring around my finger. Sighing, I shake my head and walk out of the room. Taking the ring off, I set on the bar countertop as I pass on my way to the door.

I expect him to follow me, fight me, or something. Anything except what I get. Nothing, he says nothing; he does nothing. I walk out the front door completely broken and needing only one person. The one person that I never thought I'd need again.

~*~NYN~*~

1:15 am. Only four hours ago I was a happily engaged, recent college graduate, who had her whole life ahead of her. A life that included the luxury of getting to stay at home and write; a life that included a handsome, gentleman husband; a life that wouldn't be perfect but was definitely perfect for me in my mind's eye.

And in one fell swoop it all came crashing down. Including the pedestal I held Edward on. I always wondered why he was with me. What he saw in me. Just looking at him, I felt beneath him. And I could tell I wasn't the only one to believe that either as whenever we were out together, the stares always proved it to me.

Now, I had the truth. If he saw me as his equal, truly wanted to be with me, wouldn't he have fought harder? Wouldn't he have followed me and try everything in his power to get me to listen? To forgive him and promise it would never happen again?

But he didn't do any of those things. I suspected that he probably did them all to Tanya once I'd left, if only to continue where things left off at my interruption.

So, a quarter after one in the morning, found me with a newly emptied bottle of Merlot and surrounded by all the memories I had of him.

Puffing out a breath of air, causing my bangs to blow off my forehead minutely, I reach for my phone, and dial the number again. A number that until just hours ago, I hadn't called in 1,794 days; and yet, today found me dialing it twice within hours of each other and as if I've pressed the numbers in this distinct order each day since we had said goodbye. Almost as if nothing had changed and we were still close like all those months ago.

Again, as I listen to his cocky, confident, couldn't care less message, I don't let it shock me. This time, as the beep sounds for me to record my message, I don't hesitate to leave one.

Clearing my throat softly, I start talking, letting my mouth just lead me.

"Um, hey Jazz. It's me." I pause wondering if he needs me to say my name, has it been long enough for him to forget my voice. Without another thought, I continue on. "Well, I just needed to hear your voice and took a chance with your old number." I swallow and clear my throat again, trying to get rid of the lump that is growing there. "Hmm, well, some things just happened tonight and it really made me miss you and… Well, hell…" Tears start pouring out of my eyes, after I'd managed to hold them off for so long, I'd began to think they weren't going to actually fall at all. I huff out a breath, trying to get some of my composer back to get through this stupid message. "Well, it all just made me think of you and really… just I… damnit, Jazz I really just need you here right now. I know that it's been forever, but I just can't do alone right now. And I'm so very alo…"

His voicemail cuts off, and I fall to my side, curling into a ball, clutching my phone and letting the sobs just take over.

~*~NYN~*~

I wake up in a haze as the first stream of daylight crosses my face, eyes swollen and tired, face tight from the dried tears. Once I'm awake enough and get my bearings, I sit up a little and look around my living room. The first thing I notice is that the empty wine bottle and dirty glass are gone, as well as all the pictures I had strewn everywhere.

Sitting up further, I notice the next big difference as a blanket slides down my arm to pool around my legs. Looking around further, I notice that these little occurrences have actually happened throughout my apartment, as it is now spotless. Ok, what the hell is going on here? I start to stand slowly, to try to stay steady on my feet with my hangover and lack of sleep.

It's once I turn to head to my bedroom that I see him sitting at my dining room table, staring out the window in a haze. His wavy, dirty blonde hair is noticeably longer, now grazing the tops of his shoulders. I take in his broad shoulders and muscular back in the tight, form fitting t-shirt. And without even looking I know that he's wearing dark, stone wash, loose, relaxed fit Levi's with his standard cowboy boots.

I would think this was a dream, except I'd have no reason to dream him to look so different from the last time we saw each other as I didn't know what he looks like now. I'd have no reason to believe that he'd grow his hair out since he always complained once it got to the bottom of his ears. Or that he would be, even at this distance and lack of good lighting, noticeably more toned. No, this is definitely not a dream. He really is here; in my apartment.

I move to take a step but start to lose my balance with my legs going weak at seeing him but also because of my stiff muscles from sleeping in an awkward angle on the floor for a few hours. All the air leaves my lungs as I feel myself start to fall into the couch right as he looks to me and his soft hazel eyes meet mine.

He's at my side before I can blink, but I've already fallen onto the couch cushions, narrowly missing falling off it altogether. He kneels in front of me and the amount of concern, sadness, and sincerity in his gaze leaves me breathless for a moment longer.

"Are you ok Bells?" My eyes close at hearing his strong voice again. And I drink it in, recording it in my memory to come to later as proof he really was here and this isn't all just a very real dream. "Bells?" I smile at the old nickname and meet his eyes again.

"Jazz?" I still can't wrap my brain around the fact that he is here, in the flesh, in front of me. "What are you doing here Jasper?"

He starts to pull away, but I reach my hands out, and grasping his, halt his movement. He looks at our hands and takes a couple deep breaths before answering me.

"I got your message. And… I just… couldn't stand the thought of you being alone. Or as… broken as you sounded. I was concerned and I… just needed to know that you were ok." He never looks up but starts to brush his thumb across my knuckles, watching the movement intently. "And when you didn't answer your phone, after close to 40 minutes of trying… well, I just knew I had to see you, be here for you, with you." We're silent for a few minutes, before I have to ask how he got here.

"How'd you know where I live?" I watch him closely and can tell that he's smiling, even without him looking up at me.

"I called Renee."

"Ah, yeah, she always had a soft spot for you. And you took advantage of it too often too." He looks at me then, and tries to look innocent, but that look really doesn't work for him, so I chuckle. "And don't try that innocent act. You and I both know that's true." He laughs with me before we both calm down again. And I take the time to really study his face.

First thing I can see is that he really does look older, wiser. But upon closer inspection, I can tell that it came with a price. I can see laugh lines already forming among his features but it's his eyes that give him away. The sparkle I'm used to is dim now, almost completely gone, and he automatically looks like he's aged closer to ten years instead of just five. I bring my hand up and brush a stand of hair behind his ear with my fingertips softly before running them along the lines and wrinkles already forming on his face. He leans into my touch and rests his head into my hand fully when I cup the side of his face at the end of my perusal.

"So, tell me what happened Bells. Are you sure you're fine?" I look into his eyes again, and see nothing but sincerity and concern there and that's all it takes for everything to pour from my mouth, sans verbal filter.

I tell him everything about Edward and our almost three year relationship. How we met during one of my frequent trips to the ER and Edward was there working during is intern year of medical school. How at the time it was embarrassing when he asked me out over my x-ray but looking back I see the humor in it. To the first date and all the ones that followed. I explain getting ready to merge our households, which was to take place in just a couple weeks but had been in the plan and works for a couple months. I went into every detail of the engagement and proposal, only taking place a day before I was to leave with Rose and Alice for a week.

And then, everything about me coming home early to surprise him and finding him in bed with Tanya. I explained how she was the only major fight we'd ever have, and how those fights were becoming more frequent over the last six or so months. That looking back on it now, I see that I should have known something more was happening between them. But hindsight is 20/20.

I pause, taking a drink of the water he had gotten me a while ago, and wipe my tears with the Kleenex he just handed me, I look into his eyes again before asking the one question I haven't been able to keep quiet or forget since Jake all those years ago.

"What is wrong with me Jazz? Why am I never enough?" He wraps me in his arms and brings me to sit across his lap.

"Oh, Bells. This is not about you and definitely NOT your fault. This is all on him. It's his loss and it's going to end up being the biggest regret of his life that he ever let you go." He brings his hands up to my face, framing it in his strong grip, and makes me look him in the eye. "Babe, you are absolutely gorgeous and the most beautiful person I know. Don't ever doubt that or yourself again, ok? You are more than enough and always will be. They just couldn't handle that and took the easy out. Ok?"

I take in his words, really take them in, for a moment and nod slowly in his hands. He smiles a little and rests his forehead against mine. After a moment, I feel the strain on my neck, and turn to straddle his legs, wrapping my arms around his waist. He brings his arms around my shoulders, pulling me closer, and rubs my back softly. I rest my head on his shoulder, nuzzling into the nook of his neck, and fall into a restful sleep. I allow his heat and steady breathing to bring me peace and comfort and feel my body relax completely for the first time in years. Close to five years to be exact.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading. Please review and let me know what you like, don't like, or any of your thoughts. Constructive criticism is always greatly appreciated... HOWEVER just plain rude and mean thoughts are just that, and aren't ever needed. :) Thanks again for taking the time to read and please takes just a few minutes more to review.

Much love~