She had a talent. A kind of talent you were born with. It was as if she could tell her whole life story through drawing. She got lost in the process and all her over worries and fears seemed to go away. This made me wonder even more. Who was this mystery girl? Where did she come from? Who would take such a sweet innocent girl and hurt them? These questions clouded my mind. I felt such a connection to her. I knew we were mates. But she didn't. I don't even know where to begin. How would I explain the concept of mates to her? How could I make her understand? I would just have to deal with it when the time came.
"Edward." Alice said in her mind. I looked up to her. "The other's will home any second now. I just wanted to prepare you." I nodded to her gratefully.
Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Esme had left to give us some privacy. We felt that the girl would be more comfortable coming down stairs with less vampires in the house. But now they were coming back. I wanted the girl to meet them. The sooner the better.
Just as Alice predicted the front door opened. Their chatter died down as they entered the house but there thoughts were still loud and clear.
The girl immediately stopped what she was doing and rushed to my lap. Her eyes became black in fear as the four new vampires walked into the room. I rubbed her shoulders trying to calm her down but I knew something else was bothering her. The girl instantly went quiet and stared at Jasper in shock.
Jasper was frozen to the spot as he looked at the girl in my arms. Alice had moved to his side but he wouldn't snap out of it. Everyone was looking between the girl and Jasper. Did they know each other?
"Sweetie what's wrong?" My eyes kept flickering back and forth between the two of them. I wanted to know what was happening. Jasper was blocking me from reading his mind which was very frustrating. What was so bad that he didn't want me to know? I would never judge him for anything he did in the past. We all had our rough times. But I had a feeling it had something to do with this girl. The air in the room became thick with tension and everyone wanted to know what was going on. Jasper finally snapped out of his trance and began muttering words under his breath.
"No no no. This can't be happening. This can't be her." What was he talking about? How did they know each other?
"Jasper baby, do you know the girl?" Alice asked. Her eyes were swimming with curiosity but at the same time concern.
"It's Bella." Was all he whispered.
Jasper's Pov:
It couldn't be her. It just couldn't. I wanted to believe it was not her but I would only be lying to myself. It was Bella, in the flesh and blood.. At the time she was so fierce and would not give up. No matter how hard they beat her down, she would just rise right back up. Bella wasn't afraid of anyone and no one could tell her what to do. Bella was one of the few souls on this planet that would willingly sacrificed herself and her own needs for another person's. She was one of the most kind hearted people I had ever met; and my biggest regret.
I am surprised she is still alive. I would have thought that they would have killed her a long time ago. Over the past decades I had learned to deal with the fact that she was dead and there was no coming back. I never forgave myself for leaving her behind. I had moved on with my life while she sat there in that cage; all time frozen.
I never told Alice or any of the Cullens about her or that time because I couldn't stand to remember it. The pain we went through was worse than the newborn armies. That was saying a lot. The burden of leaving her behind had clung to me and never left my mind.
I can still remember the look on her face as I escaped. How her eyes glistened with venom as she encouraged me to run. Bella knew there was no hope for herself. She had been here for so long and it wouldn't be much longer until she succumbed to their wishes. She was too weak and slow and would only slow both of us down. I had pleaded with her to come with me but she refused. Bella said she was going to stay. If she left another vampire would just be taken and put in her place. Bella couldn't let that happen to anyone else. She was too kind of a person for that. It was something I greatly admired but at the same time detested about her.
I promised Bella that I would be back for her someday, but we both knew that it wasn't possible. That that would be the last time we saw each other. Until now.
Bella was different then I remembered. That spark that was ignited in her eyes was put out and now all that remains is the damage. The girl that never backed down was now cowering away in Edward's arms as she looked at all of us terrified.
For a split second I second I saw a hint of recognition in her eyes but it was gone. I could feel her confusion and uncertainty. Bella knew that she knew me from somewhere but just didn't remember. It sent a pain through my heart. The way that she was curled up on Edward's lap was the same thing she used to do to me. I was envious. I used to be her person. I used to be the one she would curl up on and cry and scream to when they had beaten her hard. I was the one who told her, never to give up hope.
I loved her and still do. Not as a mate but as an older brother. Although Bella would deny it, she looked up to me. We had formed this connection in the short amount of time we had together and it broke my heart that she refused to escape with me. I wanted us to stay together and start a life together in this big lonely world, but no. Bella just had to play the savior. That angered me so much. How come she couldn't have thought of me that one time? Did she ever think she was hurting me by staying behind? All I wanted for her was to have a happy and safe life away from those horrid people and that place. All I wanted for her was to feel loved and cared for. Was that such a hard thing to wish for?
Up until now I had believed there was no God for our kind. We were monsters damned to this life for eternity. There was no way God could love monsters. We were soulless creatures who killed to survive. In my darkest days when I prayed for Bella to be saved no one came. I begged and hoped every day there would be an answer but there never was. But maybe now, maybe there was a God. Maybe there was some good still left in me.
The way Bella acted was that of a scared little kitten but I knew I could change that. I knew she would get better. She had to get better.
This was all my fault anyway. The guilt I had felt all these years was now catching up to me. I held it in for so long. But now Bella was back. Now I could finally make up to her for all the mistakes I had made. Now I could finally be here for her like I had promised all those years ago.
