BPOV
As Edward rounded the corner, I could feel Jasper's despair. I bit my lip when I saw him sitting in the grass under a huge tree, his blonde, curly head in his hands. His whole body was shaking with dry sobs, and my heart almost broke. It wasn't like anything I had ever seen, it was much, much worse. Absently, I wondered if I looked anything like that when I lost Edward. Somehow, my pain didn't seem as bad.
Edward set me down, pondered Jasper for a moment, then nodded at me to go ahead. I slowly, calmly as possible, walked over to him. To my surprise, his head whipped up to look at me, a frown creasing his perfect features.
"Bella," he said quietly. He sucked in a breath, and shuddered a little.
"Hi, Jasper. How-how are you?"
"You know the news, don't you?" He put his head back down on his arms, which he'd suddenly wrapped around his knees. "She's gone, Bella. Gone. Without me. And she promised to never leave me, to never lie to me. And she did." I sat down a good foot away, and sighed again.
"Jasper, everyone is as shocked and hurt as you are. But you aren't alone. We aren't going to leave you. Always, you always have us." I moved an inch closer, and he didn't move. I pressed on. "We aren't going anywhere."
"I don't even know how you can talk to me, after all that has happened, all that I have done-"
"No! Don't you dare say it! Listen to me, I don't care what's happened, what you've done! I'm here because I actually know what you're going through. I lost Edward, remember? I though he was never going to come back." We both looked up at the sound of Edward's pained gasp. I didn't even care anymore if it hurt him. He deserved, needed to hear it too. "I thought…no, I knew that I would have to pick myself up and move on. I thought he left me because he didn't love me anymore, that I wasn't loveable, unworthy. I was wrong, and that is clear now. You have to understand that Alice is only gone because she loved you, loved us all. She new beforehand, psychic or not, that you'd try and wipe out the Volturi if you knew what was happening."
He smiled at that, and it was so beautiful, so much more beautiful than my beloved Edward's crooked smile that I had to look away. I couldn't let Edward see or feel me flustered by his brother.
"I know you're right, but I loved her, Bella. She was my world, the only light in the universe, my soul mate, Now that she's gone; I have nothing, am nothing. Nothing can bring her back."
"No, nothing can. But think about the fact that you have so many years of wonderful memories with her. When you are lonely, we're all here for you."
"Thank you, Bella. For everything you have said," said Jasper, getting up. I didn't even notice until he was already standing and looking down at me. I scrambled to my feet. Edward rushed to my side, ready to take me home. "Wait, Edward," Jasper said suddenly. "May I try just one thing?" Edward hesitated, staring warily at Jasper, before he nodded and let go of my waist. "Do not move," breathed Jasper,so I held myself as still as I could. Of all things, he hugged me, gently wrapping his strong arms completely around me. I allowed him to stay there like that, even as my heart beat quickly and his cool breath played across my neck. Finally, it was Edward who pulled me out of his embrace. I waved goodbye as he scooped me up and ran me home. He didn't stay the night, in order to mourn with his family, and for once, I was glad to be alone. I was allowed to think without him assessing my every movement, of my heart, of my breathing, of my body. And I could pretend the guilt I felt from opening up about the pain Edward caused me didn't exist. Honestly, I wanted to think about Jasper and Alice. Jasper's pain hadn't hurt me as much as I had expected it to, and I found myself fascinated by his grieving process. I'd suffered so similarly, but the fact that my being with him had ceased it, if only for a while, appalled me.
I didn't know why, but my dreams that night were filled with Jasper, including every moment I had ever spent with him. I even dreamt of my last birthday party, but this time, instead of leaning in to attack me, he'd leaned in to kiss me and everyone else in the room blurred away. I had startled myself awake, remembering a novel had given me as a present a few weeks ago. I'd never thought to open it, but I was overwhelmed with a need to see it. So I dug it out from the pile of treasured books on my shelf and held it in my hands. I opened it and a slip of paper fell out.
Curious, I picked it up and unfolded it. It was of course from Alice, and a small batch of tears fell from my eyes when I looked at her neat script. I forced myself to read it.
Dearest Bella,
I hope you aren't reading this unless you feel you need to because it means I've left everyone behind. I ask you to take care of my Jasper, to love him, to hold him, to let him love you as Edward loves you. I know it makes no sense yet, but I have confidence you are meant to be with Jasper, and that Edward will understand someday. I loved Jasper deeply, Bella, and I know you're the only one who is able to give him the same love. I saw it years ago, and I knew then I would lose him at some point. But then Edward messed up the first vision, and I thought I'd be able to keep him. Edward never saw the first vision, but I told Jasper that I might leave someday. Please allow your heart to open.
Love, Alice.
It kind of hurt to know that Alice had seen Jasper and I together, since I couldn't think of leaving Edward. Somehow though, I believed I would undoubtedly find myself in love with the elusive Vampire. I didn't know how soon or how deeply I'd fall for him, but there was now no chance that it would never happen. I didn't like the idea of hurting Edward, because I loved him so much, but I was sure that he wouldn't be the love of my life anymore.
