(Jasper's POV)

Why did I say that? What the fuck made me say it? I mean it's true, I do love Bella. But now wasn't really the time to say it. I was positive she hadn't heard me, but what if she had?

My worrying was starting to affect Bella. I heard her heart rate accelerate and her emotions changed from calm to anxious.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down, so Bella would too. I forced all my thoughts to the back of my mind and focused on just watching Bella sleep. I really do love her...

It was actually Alice that convinced me to come back. After we left, I sunk into a deep depression... And I didn't know why. At first I figured it was someone else's emotions affecting mine. And I was right, but it wasn't anyone around me.

It wasn't Alice. She was sad about having to leave Forks, but not depressed exactly. Rosalie, Emmett, Carlise, and Esme were in different states so I figured it wasn't them.

Edward was on a completely different continent so I knew for sure that it wasn't him.

No one in the Denali clan had any reason to be depressed. So, I was left depressed and confused.

I was in my car, driving to a good place to hunt, when I noticed that the depression was getting stronger. I was close to Seattle, when it hit me. Bella! Was it possible that Bella was affecting my emotions?

I hunted quickly before making my way to Forks. It was nighttime when I got there. I climbed the tree outside Bella's window and sat on a branch, watching her. The depression was definitely coming from her. It almost caused me physical pain to see her like that.

The nightmare came later, and I left before she could see me. I didn't want to give her false hope if she were to see me, and then later see me leave. I couldn't do that to her...

I ended up driving down to Forks every night after that, watching Bella sleep. She looked peaceful when she slept, and she muttered Edward's name a few times (her emotions always changed to either anxiety or anger). But the depression remained. I was tempted to affect her emotions- just so she wouldn't have to suffer from so much heartbreak- but I knew it would give me away. So I refrained.

I wondered what had gotten into me. No human had ever had this kind of effect on me, let alone Bella Swan. Ever since her birthday, I'd tried to block her out of my thoughts as much as possible. I was so close to killing her that day...

The more time I spent watching Bella sleep, the more I started noticing how little her scent affected me... and how beautiful she was. That surprised me.

It was weeks later when I figured it out. I was in love with her.

I drove back to Denali that night lost in my thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" Alice had asked me when I got there. We were broken up by this point, but still best friends.

"I think I'm in love with Bella," I said almost inaudibly to even vampire ears.

Alice had squealed and convinced me to go back to Forks for good.

So now here I am, watching Bella sleep.

She mumbled something even I couldn't hear and snuggled closer to me, hiding her face in my tee shirt. I buried my face in her hair and inhaled deeply. Just a few months ago, that scent had driven me to almost kill her. Now, I couldn't get enough of it.

I closed my eyes and let my thoughts wander. It was the closest I would ever get to dreaming.

(Bella's POV)

I woke up with Jasper's cold arms still wrapped around me. I was instantly reminded of him even though I knew he wasn't here, and would never come back.

I looked at Jasper. His eyes were closed, even though I knew he wasn't asleep. I never noticed how good-looking he was, with the way his hair fell in front of his eye... I stopped myself from finishing that thought.

I loved Edward! Right? I thought being able to say the name would confirm it. But it didn't...

The truth was, I didn't think I loved him anymore. He'd hurt me, not even caring about my feelings. He just left.

He obviously didn't love me, so why should I love him? What good did it do to love someone who would never love you back...

That's when the tears started. At first, they started off just silently falling from my eyes. But I let a sob escape, and Jasper was instantly hugging me close to him.

"Bella? What's wrong?" He asked, the concern evident in his voice.

I didn't answer. I just sobbed into his shoulder, refusing to look up at him.

He didn't mess with my emotions, which I was grateful for. He just let me cry.

After I had calmed down, I still refused to look at him.

"Bella. Please look at me," he pleaded.

After a minute, I looked into his eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked me, quietly.

"He really doesn't love me anymore, does he?" I said quietly, tears falling again. I buried my face in Jasper's shirt again.

He didn't answer. How could he?

Eventually, he sighed and said. "He was just being a dick. He had no idea what he was leaving behind. You didn't deserve any of the heartbreak he put you through." He kissed the top of my head.

I realized in that moment, just how much Jasper cared about me. This just made me start crying again. I knew Charlie was fishing with Billy today, so I wasn't worried about him worrying about me.

The fact that Jasper still came back- even after my birthday party, even after he'd avoided me so much in the past- was a comforting thought. But the fact that he came back, but he didn't, well, that hurt. A lot.

That meant that Edward really didn't love me. And he probably never would.

"I'm really glad you came back," I told Jasper, my face still buried in his shirt.

After that, we were inseparable. Jasper was what Jacob had been for me. My personal sun. I was able to live my life again and Charlie stopped worrying about me.

Of course, that still didn't stop Charlie from telling me to go out with my friends every so often. He still didn't know Jasper was back.

We were eating dinner, when Charlie asked me, once again, "Bella. Why don't you hang out at La Push anymore? I'm sure Jacob misses you."

The truth was, Jacob hadn't even crossed my mind. I knew the Cullens (Hales) hated the Quileutes and vice-versa, so it made sense to stay away from him while I was with Jasper, who only left to hunt. And even then, he was back by the time I went to bed. The nightmare never came whenever Jasper was with me.

Charlie asked me about Jacob practically every day so I lied to make him stop. "I'm going to the movies with him and Mike Newton on Friday after school." There. Now he can't say anything.

I was right. Charlie stopped asking questions after that. It was really only a half-lie. I was going to the movies. But not with Jacob and Mike.

I was going to the movies with Jasper. We were seeing the newest horror movie out, even though there was a better romantic comedy out.

Jasper hadn't questioned me when I said I wanted to see blood and guts. He understood. Romance meant I would probably be bawling my eyes out in the movie theater, which is the last thing I wanted people to see.

As planned, on Friday, after the last bell rang, Jasper was there waiting with his car. He drives me to school almost every day, and picks me up after.

I got in the passenger side and Jasper started driving towards my house, so I could eat something, and drop off my backpack.

"How was school?" He asked me, still driving at the actual speed limit.

"It was fine. Jessica still hates me." I had told him about that whole incident. He knew about the voice I had heard in my head. I asked, "Why don't you drive as fast as everyone else in your family?"

"Normally I do. But I know how much it scared you when Alice drove really fast, so I'm willing to stick to the speed limit."

"That's more than Alice ever did," I said, rolling my eyes. We never mentioned him. I could only say or think the name occasionally.

He laughed. "If you haven't noticed by now, Alice has major ADHD."

"Is that even possible for a vampire?"

He thought about it. "You know, I don't know. Maybe."

He parked in the spot in the driveway Charlie's cruiser normally took up. Before I could even unbuckle my seatbelt, Jasper was holding my door open for me.

I unbuckled my seatbelt, grabbed my backpack, and tried to get out of the car without tripping, which for me is impossible. Jasper caught me before I hit the ground.

Jasper took my backpack up to my room while I walked into the kitchen.

I decided to make myself a Pop-tart.

Jasper came back downstairs right when I was putting it in the toaster. He made a face. "How can you eat that?"

I rolled my eyes. "Not all of us are vampires."

"Oh yeah? Well... your face!"

I cracked up.

I laughed a lot more when I was with Jasper. And I knew it had nothing to do with his gift. With Jacob, the pain was lessened, but not completely gone. With Jasper, it was almost as if there were never any hole to begin with.

I ate my Pop-tart (not before sticking my tongue out at Jasper), and then we made our way to the movie theater.

He asked me, "You sure you wanna see a crappy horror movie?"

I nodded.

He shrugged. "Ok. Don't blame me if you have nightmares due to the crappiness of this movie."

I laughed and said honestly, "I won't have nightmares because you'll be there."

He smiled. "I feel special."

We joked around until we got to the theater. It had started raining and I had forgotten to bring a jacket. I was freezing.

Jasper took his Silverstein hoodie off and handed it to me. I shook my head. "I couldn't take your jacket."

He rolled his eyes and draped it around my shoulders. "It's cold, Bella. Just wear it."

I rolled my eyes this time but didn't say anything. Jasper's hoodie was really soft and warm, and it smelled like him. Jasper's scent is different than all the rest of the Cullens somehow. I'm still trying to figure out the difference.

I slipped my arms through the sleeves and zipped the hoodie up, pulling the hood up to keep my hair dry as we ran to the ticket window.

We got our tickets and headed to the theater. Halfway there, I heard a voice behind me say, "Bella?"

I froze. "Mike?" I turned around.

He grinned. "Hey Bella. What're you doing here?" He noticed Jasper standing next to me. I could tell he was confused.

"Mike, you remember Jasper Hale, right?"

"Oh yeah... but I thought..." That's right. Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper were supposed to be in college.

"I didn't go across the country like my siblings did. I visit every weekend," Jasper lied, while affecting the emotional atmosphere.

Mike let it go and then asked, "So, what movie are you seeing?"

I told him. And then instantly regretted it.

"Hey that's what I'm seeing too!"

Great, I thought sarcastically.

We went into the darkened theater and found seats near the back. I sat in between Jasper and Mike.

All the fake blood must have made Mike queasy, because before the movie was even over, he was holding his head and moaning. "Are you okay?" I asked him.

"I don't feel so good," he whispered. "I think I'm gonna-" He ran out of the theater.

Jasper looked at me and we followed him out. He wasn't outside. Jasper looked in the bathroom and came out a few minutes later. "He's in there puking his guts out. He might be in there for awhile."

We sat down on a bench just outside the theater and waited.

After a few minutes, Mike came out of the bathroom.

"Are you okay?" I asked again.

"I think I'm coming down with something. I've been feeling funny all day."

"Give me your keys. We'll drive you home," Jasper said.

Mike didn't ask questions though I looked at Jasper questioningly. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "I'll get my car later." He stood up and then helped me stand.

We stopped by the concession stand and got an empty popcorn tub, before walking outside to Mike's Suburban. Jasper drove while I sat in the passenger seat and Mike sat in the back, holding the popcorn tub in case he threw up again, which he did. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the sound, in case I threw up myself. Jasper, sensing my discomfort, reached out and grabbed my hand. I felt myself calm down. My own temporary queasiness went away as well.

We stopped in front of Mike's house and I walked him to the door. After his mother assured me he would be fine, I walked back to where Jasper stood. Mike was too sick to even think about we'd get home.

Jasper and I walked away from Mike's house, into the woods nearby. Jasper looked at me. "How do you feel about running?"

I stiffened. I had hated running with him but I knew there was no other way for me to get home. I reluctantly gave in. "Ok. But I'm blaming you if I throw up."

He laughed and swung me over his back. "Hold on," he said.

I buried my face in his neck and squeezed my eyes shut. My arms were locked tightly around his neck and my legs were around his waist.

"Ready?"

I nodded.

And then he was running.

Running with Jasper wasn't nearly as traumatizing as it was with him. Maybe it was because Jasper was just slightly slower, but it was definitely more pleasant. If it wasn't for the wind and rain hitting my face, I never would have even known that we were running.

We stopped in front of my house and Jasper let me jump down. "I'm gonna go get my car. I'll be back before you go to sleep," he told me, before I disappeared inside the house. Charlie wasn't home yet so I started making dinner. Charlie came home just as I was finishing.

"Hey Bells. Did you like the movie?"

"Mike got sick."

We ate and then I disappeared up to my room. I started my homework. After I was done with everything but calculus, Jasper still wasn't back. I started getting anxious. I turned my computer on. "Where is he?" I asked aloud anxiously.

"Where's who?" A voice behind me asked.

I spun around in my desk chair and smiled. Jasper was sitting in the rocking chair. "What're you doing?" He asked.

"Checking my e-mail. Renee gets anxious if I don't respond immediately."

He laughed and moved to sit on the bed next to the desk. I sent Renee a lengthy reply, telling her almost everything I had done today, and hit send.

After that, I finally decided to get started on calculus. "Hey Jasper?" I was suddenly embarrassed. I never usually asked for help. I just worked everything out myself.

"What do you need to be embarrassed about, Bella?"

"I need help with my homework."

"And your embarrassed about that?"

I looked down. "I just hate asking for help. It makes me seem weak."

He forced me to look at him. "There's nothing wrong with asking for help. It's a good thing."

I smiled. "Thanks Jasper."

"No problem. So, what do you need help with."

He helped me with my homework and then I decided to go to bed.

Jasper wrapped his arms around me as soon I lied down on my bed, just like he did every night. I snuggled closer to him and fell asleep almost immediately.

I remembered that first night, when I had heard him say, "I love you". And now that I'm thinking about it, I think I'm falling in love with him too. I never even realized that I was still wearing his hoodie.

A/N: K, well, there you go. New chapter. Hopefully, by chapter 3, Bella and Jasper will be a couple! Read and review!!!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.