Reunion

Jasper's Point of View

The next day I followed Bella. I needed to know the extent of the damage our family had done. Her muted emotions were obvious as she pretended to be happy. Her laughter was a moment too late. Her smiles didn't reach her eyes. She shuffled with her head down between classes. From my perch in the tree I wished I could take her in my arms and make it all better then shook myself from the thought.

Eventually school was over. Bella came out smiling and laughing with Jessica. It was only after Jessica left that Bella's smile fell away as if it had never been. She got into her rusted behemoth of a truck and carefully drove home. I followed, increasingly worried. What had we done to Bella and was I even capable of helping her?

Unsure of my ability, I called Alice to fill her in on the state of her friend and try to solicit her help.

"Jazz, Bella isn't our concern. Your concern should be our relationship. You've just left me here. You need to sort out your priorities and come home."

Alice's harsh words left me breathless, but I would not leave Bella in the state she was in. Alice was wrong.

"I'm staying Alice. Our leaving did this to Bella and it's our job to put it right. Come help me. You were her best friend after all."

"She's just a human Jazz. She'll get over it. I'm not waiting on you to return forever you know while you comfort Edward's pet human. Fashion week is next week and you'd better be back to go with me."

"I'll be back after I've helped Bella."

"Then you might as well not come back at all."

Alice ended the call and I felt cut adrift. I couldn't loose Alice no matter how callous she was being and I couldn't walk out on trying to help Bella, not when I saw the damage or leaving had left her with. She was barely living, and that was mostly faked to please those around her.

I ran. I ran from Alice's heartless words. I ran from Bella's broken smile. I ran to think. Was it worth possibly loosing Alice to try to help Bella. No matter which way I analyzed the situation, I had to stay. Honor, duty, the girl that we had broken hopefully not beyond repair all demanded it. After taking down a deer and steeling myself for the accusations to come, I began the run back to Bella's house, and the broken soul that resided there.

It took an hour to be back in my tree again. Charlie's cruiser wasn't home and Bella wasn't making dinner yet. I decided this was as good a time as any to make my apology and see if she would even speak to me.

Knocking on the door, I felt nervous of the reception I would receive. She could just slam the door in my face. Yet, I knocked and waited.

The door opened and Bella just stared at me. There was no horror, no fear in her emotions. Suddenly, even for a vampire, Bella launched herself at me. I stopped breathing. Her arms were around my neck and she sobbed into my shirt. I couldn't understand what she was mumbling for her sobs. Picking her up I carried her inside, closing the door behind us and placed her on Charlies leather couch. She didn't let go of me.

I caught a few of her words between her sobs, "You're back... I never thought...Why did you..."

"Breathe Bella" I encouraged her. "We have plenty of time to talk, just breathe and calm down a bit" I used my gift cautiously and sent calm into her. Finally her sobs quieted and she pulled away from me fractionally.

"Are you real?" she asked, touching my face.

"Yes Bella, I'm real." Her touch calmed me and her both it seemed.

"Are you back for good or are you...leaving again soon?"

"I'm back for a while. I came to apologize to you. For my attack; for the way we left, all of it."

"Jasper the attack was never your fault, I never blamed you. I told Ed, I told Edward to tell you that. You felt all their thirst, all their hunger. You are the strongest of them."

I sat back quickly. I had never considered that feeling all of their thirsts could lead to my slip-ups. Why didn't Alice see that? Why didn't the others?

"Jasper," Bella asked, "Are you ok?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you are extremely perceptive Bella?"

I was having no trouble with the smell of her blood now. Of course, she hadn't cut herself, but even if she did I thought I could maintain control. Why was being in her proximity so much easier at this moment? It was true I had just fed, but even then."

"I'm sorry Jasper but Charlie will be home soon. Will you stay while I make his dinner?"

"Sure Bella, I'll go when he get's home. What do you think of me coming back to talk to you tonight?"

"Thank you Jasper, I'd like that."

Watching Bella prepare food was both fascinating and disgusting. Normal food cooking smelled horrible to vampires. Yet it brought back memories of his mother teaching him to cook over the cooking fire in their small home. It was a good memory.

"So is Alice here too Jasper?" Bella asked quietly.

How did Jasper explain to Bella that her best friend wanted nothing to do with her any more. That she was "Just a human?"

"No I came on my own. I don't think Alice and I are still together" Jasper said with a slight flinch.

"I'm sorry Jasper, I didn't mean to bring up something hurtful to you." Bella said reaching out to touch his hand.

The comfort was nice. He was the one with the emotional control. He kept the emotions in the house from getting too strong. Often that left him being the one to bring comfort.

"So you're on you're own for now?" Bella asked. "Where is the rest of your family?"

"Most of us are in Canada, Bella but if you're asking about Edward, I don't know where he is. He left after we got to Canada."

"I don't really want to talk about Edward, he's hurt me for the last time, I meant everyone else."

"Well, we haven't decided where to go yet. We're staying at our house in Canada till we decide what our next move is. Carslile isn't even working at the moment."

"I miss everyone Jasper. Why didn't you at least say goodbye?"

"Because we listened to the idiot of the family, Bella."

Surprisingly Bella laughed and Jasper could feel her genuine mirth with his gift. This wasn't some faked emotion. This was real. Perhaps Jasper could help her after all.

Charlie drove up then and Jasper said goodbye quickly and disappeared up the stairs and presumably out a window.

Bella's Point of View

Emotion... it had been gone so long from her life that it was both scary and a rush to have real feelings again. Jasper's presence was a gift and a gift that wouldn't last. Like last time he could disappear at any moment and she had to prepare herself for that. She couldn't get too close or too dependent on the emotions he engendered in her.

After dinner, which surprisingly wasn't as much of a chore as she expected, Bella went upstairs to do her homework. Things may be crazy right now but school was still real and she couldn't leave her work undone. She laughed quietly when she realized the chapter she was reading for History was on the Civil War. She made notes as she read and wondered just what Jasper would think of what history had to say of the war.

Finishing her homework earlier than usual Bella didn't know what to do with herself. She didn't have the urge to relive memories of Edward. She was sick of crying over him. He didn't even stay with the family after he made them leave her, the jerk. He could have gone off on his own if he wanted to leave her so badly. He didn't need to take her family too.

So instead of dwelling on Edward, Bella thought about Jasper. Why hadn't she talked to him more when the Cullens were around? Bella knew Edward thought he was dangerous, but she hadn't gotten the feeling she was in danger from him today. He was always a quiet presence with the family, when he was there. Not invisible, but not part of things. Bella quickly decided that she'd use the little time she had with Jasper to get to know him as she hadn't been allowed all those months.

Cracking her window open for the first time in months Bella got ready for bed then settled in with a book to wait on Jasper's return.

Jasper's Point of View

Jasper sat in his perch in the tree basking in the genuine emotions coming from Bella's room. He was afraid his presence might affect her negatively or not help at all but it seemed him being here was doing something good for Bella.

Perceptive Bella. She seemed to see through everyone right into their soul. He wondered if it was a gift that would increase if she became a vampire and then stopped himself. Edward was gone. Why would she want to become a vampire now? The question still pushed at him. Would Bella be a gifted vampire? What part of her would become magnified into a gift; her quiet mind or her perceptive eyes?

A chuckle coming from Bella's room disturbed his thoughts. What had she found to laugh at. He looked harder into her room. What would be amusing in a History book of all things? Did she share his love of history?

It wasn't long before she was going to shower and change clothes for the night and Jasper found himself eager to speak to her more. He sent Charlie to sleep on the couch in the living room and after she had settled in tapped on her window.

Bella motioned him in with a smile.