AN: Hope you guys enjoy the last bit of this Chapter, we get to see a new side to Bella.


Jasper POV-

I walked into the house to find Bella sitting on the couch upside down, with her legs dangling off the back and her hair puddled in the floor. "When will they be here?" She asked, not looking at me.

"The morning." I whispered, "How did you know they were coming."

"I've remembered almost everything, the best way to get Emmet somewhere is to piss him off and dangle the promise of a fight in front of him."

"True, but now he knows that there will be no fight." I sat next to her, trying not to stare at her legs.

"No, now he knows there is a big candy reward at the other end of the short trip, his dead baby sister."

"Bella, you aren't dead." I corrected.

She blurred as she flipped over, the motion too fast for me to see, "Jasper," She shook her head and started again, "Jasper, most of the time, I feel dead."

"But you can be happy, or angry, your emotions-"

"That's not what I meant. I'm talking about the fact that the whole family thinks I'm dead. I am dead to them and it makes me feel horrible. I miss them all so much, and I want a chance eventually to talk to Edward and make sure he knows it's not his fault."

"But you said."

"I lied. What happened to me was Victoria's fault."

"But we could have stayed, could have prevented it."

"You can prevent a car accident too if you never get behind the wheel. You guys left to keep me from getting killed, so I could live a normal life. You couldn't have been expected to stalk me just to make sure I never got hurt again. Things happen, that's part of the whole life thing." She looked thoughtful for a moment, "Peter told me about Edward and Alice, I asked him. How long have they been married?"

"A few years." I was astounded by her words, I wasn't used to the woman that could clearly think things through.

"I'm glad they could find comfort in each other. But that leaves you out." She took my hand, astounding me further.

"What about you? You are left without a mate as well."

"I haven't spent a century married to someone either. I'm okay being alone." Her shoulders lifted and fell. "I should get used to an eternity alone anyhow, not like anyone can take me and my scars too."

I winced as I realized she was speaking the truth for me as well, though I could take her and her scars and love her anyways, I said nothing. She wasn't ready yet, besides, I was saving myself from hearing the rejection in her voice.

She went upstairs to retrieve a book before coming back down and settling on the couch. She leaned against my shoulder and began reading, her hair cascaded down my still bare chest that I had forgotten completely. The feel of her silk waves against my skin was agony at the same time as being heavenly because it made me painfully aware that she wasn't mine. Charlotte came through the room and took in the sight before going upstairs to her own room, she came down with a plush rabbit with long floppy ears, she handed the stuffed animal to Bella. It had been something I saw in her room, sitting on the couch with her anytime I found her reading. It was something I hadn't seen in the house before they got there.

"Bella, may I ask why you are snuggling with that stuffed animal?"

"It makes me feel better." She shrugged. "Peter got it for me when I wouldn't come out of my room."

I smiled at the love in her voice when she said Peter's name, "Have you named it?"

She looked away from her book to stare at the rabbit, "No, it doesn't need a name to know that someone loves it."

"Are you talking about yourself or the rabbit?" I teased.

"Both. Charlotte and Peter loved me when I didn't have a name or a past, even though things could go wrong because of my mental state. Something tells me I could have killed them both and they would still love me."

"It's called unconditional love, and you're right." Peter laughed, walking into the room. "I would die at your hand with a smile on my face."

She stood and went into his arms again, then he sat down and she joined him by plopping down on his lap. "Peter is my angel."

I tried to ignore the black hole that felt as if it opened up beside me, in the place she had vacated. I also tried to ignore the bitter jealousy I felt toward Peter. "We're going to have guests in the morning." Bella smiled.

"I heard. Why don't you and Char go see if there is something nice you can do to make them feel welcome."

She tugged Char outside and there it was, in the way she had responded, sometimes she was like a child.

"It's a defense mechanism. It's slowly fading, but it's still there on occasion."

"A defense mechanism against what?"

"The death of those she cares about." He shook his head. He looked at me and took in my state of dress, "What happened to your insecurities?"

"I had forgotten I wasn't wearing one after hunting. She made me forget all about it."

"Brother, I have to say, I'm very proud of you." His eyes were suddenly fierce, I could feel his pride.

"Proud of me for what?" I was surprised.

"I see how you look at her, I know how badly you want her and how difficult it is to control that. But there is also something else I've seen that tells me why you haven't given in."

"And that would be?"

"You are completely in love with her." He raised an eyebrow as if he knew more than he was telling.

I sat forward and put my face in my hands, "I am. I'm sunk, I can't help it."

He laughed, "There is also something else you should be made aware of, it's concerning Bella's gift."

I stared at him in confusion, not needing to voice my question.

"She told me about the mind reader not being able to get in her head. She also confided something in me a few days ago that surprised me. She can keep you out too."

"What do you mean?"

"She lets you feel her emotions, but only what she wants you to know. She has been keeping others from you."

"What has she been keeping from me?" I nearly growled.

"She didn't tell me, I have no way of knowing."

I fretted and thought over the possibilities while we waited for Char and Bella to return to the house. Was she hiding hatred, disgust, pity? What would be so bad that she felt the need to hide it from me? I wouldn't be able to ask her, because it would be a violation of her trust. At some point, I had picked up the stuffed rabbit and clutched it to me, inhaling the scent of Bella from the fabric. Peter eyed me, clearly amused at seeing the Major cuddled up to a stuffed bunny and acting like a girl, but I couldn't find it in myself to be angry with him.

The front door flew open and there was a blur as Bella's scent filled the room. Char came in behind her and kicked the door closed. She looked very unhappy as she stood there with one of her shoes dangling from her finger and the other missing. I felt mischief from the other room, but left it alone.

"What happened?" I asked.

"We were after flowers and started playing tag. I was winning and the little thief took my shoe!"

Three voices broke into laughter and Bella sauntered back into the room with the other shoe dangling in front of her, taunting Char, "I never will understand the love a woman can have for her shoes. You two should have seen the look on her-" She stopped when she looked at me, then tossed Char's shoe back to her, giving up her little game.

"So, Jasper," She plopped down on the couch next to me, "Is there something you'd like to tell the rest of us?"

"Huh?" I asked.

She looked pointedly at the rabbit still clutched to me and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." I smiled, "I've decided to marry your bunny to save myself from a life of loneliness. She agreed."

She smiled a brilliant smile in return and stole the stuffed animal back from me. Peter and Charlotte went up to their room for some privacy and after a few minutes of nothing, I was hit in the face with the rabbit.

"What was that for?" I asked.

She shrugged, "It seemed like the thing to do. How long until the others get here?"

It was my turn to shrug. It was five in the morning and they could be arriving at any time. I put my head back to stare at the ceiling for a moment before getting up to go and change clothes, not to mention putting a shirt back on.