THANK YOU for the reviews on the last few chapters! I have been unable to find the time to reply, and I am truly sorry for that because I LOVE you guys for reviewing! I am glad you all seemed to like the direction I took with Jake. :P
I am pleased to say this is a longer chapter than the past few shortys. :) I hope you enjoy it! I am writing as often as I can, and having a blast with this story. Don't worry, things will be getting hot and heavy again very soon. :)
As always, they belong to Stephenie, I'm just bastardizing them for fun. Enjoy!
When she entered the kitchen for breakfast, she was surprised to not see Edward standing at the stove. Jasper was just plating two scrambled eggs with toast and a few slices of crisp bacon. Bella's stomach rumbled as she hesitantly took a seat at the counter where Jasper placed the plate.
"Good morning, Bella," Jasper drawled. The grin on his face made Bella instantly wet. How did he do that?
"Good morning, Jasper. This smells delicious. Thank you," Bella couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice. She felt like her nervousness was actually radiating out of her in visible little squiggly lines. She picked up her fork and anxiously pushed her food around the plate, unsure she could stomach it now. Jasper reached out and stroked her hand reassuringly.
"Calm down, darlin'. I promise I don't bite," Jasper soothed. Bella smiled and started eating. "The rest of the family are out cleaning up after yesterday's fun. They should be home in about an hour. I volunteered to stay so you wouldn't be alone when you woke up. I thought we could talk a bit."
Bella shoved a forkful of eggs in her mouth and nodded her head noncommittally. Jasper pressed on. "I don't want things to be awkward every time you see me, darlin'. And I don't want to have to manipulate your emotions to make them that way. What can I say or do to make this easier for you?"
Bella swallowed her last bite of eggs, marveling at how generous and caring Jasper was being about this. "I don't want it to be awkward either. I'm sorry, Jasper, if you've been feeling like I'm uncomfortable around you now. I think I just needed some time." Bella focused on the pieces of bacon on her plate as she spoke rather than looking Jasper in the eyes. "It's been a crazy couple of days," Bella sighed.
She suddenly felt like crying and didn't have the slightest idea why. As the first tears streamed silently down her face, Jasper rushed around the counter to her side in a blur, wrapping his arms around her. "I know its overwhelming, darlin'. It's okay. So much is happening."
Bella nodded her head and sniffled. "I'm so sorry, Jasper," she cried, still unable to stop the tears from flowing. Jasper held her to him, rubbing her back.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Bella. I will always be here for you. Every member of this family will always be here for you. But as the resident empath, I'm probably the one who understands best what you are feeling right now and you have to know its perfectly fine to feel that way."
Bella used her napkin to brush the tears from her cheeks. "I felt so guilty at first, but that passed, probably faster than I thought it would. Then I just felt..." Bella hesitated, trying to figure out how to put it into words.
"Unsure," Jasper offered. Of course he would know what she was feeling. Bella smiled.
"Yes! I was unsure. Was it okay to have feelings for you? Did Edward still love me the same way? What about the rest of the family?" Bella let it all ramble out of her, glad for the release. "And then there was the whole Jacob kiss and a fresh round of guilt." Bella stopped talking abruptly when she felt Jasper stiffen at the mention of Jacob.
"The Jacob kiss?" he asked. "Why were you kissing Jacob?" Jasper sounded just as upset as she had expected Edward to be the day before.
"I didn't want him to get himself hurt during the fight," Bella explained. "It was a horrible kiss and I felt awful but Edward understood." Bella wasn't certain that Jasper would be equally understanding as Edward and was suddenly worried she had unintentionally hurt him. "It meant nothing, Jasper. Edward and I talked about it. I promised to wear my engagement ring at all times and he understood that it meant nothing."
Jasper couldn't help his initial reaction to hearing she had kissed the wolf. Bella was a Cullen, after all, or soon would be. She belonged to this family, not any other. He quickly calmed as she explained and reminded himself that if Edward had forgiven her, then it was a moot point anyway.
Bella had become so focused on Jasper's jealous reaction to her mention of Jacob that she'd stopped crying. Her thoughts and feelings were instantly no longer scattered in so many directions. She felt a sudden clarity that she was certain Jasper hadn't artificially created. Bella realized now that her sole focus was on how much she loved Edward and Jasper and all of the Cullens. Kissing Jacob had been a means to an end for her but it had hurt the people she loved and she hated that. She wanted nothing more right now than to wipe the look of betrayal off Jasper's face.
Bella reached out to Jasper and took his hand in hers. "Jasper, I love this family and I promise I will never do anything to hurt any of you ever again," Bella said. She meant every word. She knew now that it was possible to love more than one person and she loved every one of the Cullens. Edward would always come first for her, with the rest of the family a very close second.
"I know you won't, darlin'. Don't worry about it. Edward forgave you."
"I don't only care about Edward's forgiveness," Bella admitted, shyly.
Jasper leaned in and kissed Bella gently on the lips. In that brief moment all awkwardness between them evaporated permanently. "You're forgiven. It's in the past," Jasper said with such finality Bella was certain she could move on from it now. Silence fell as Bella munched on her bacon so Jasper decided to clear the air further. "You know, I've been very careful not to let Edward into my head lately in case you wanted your privacy," Jasper informed her.
"I appreciate that," Bella bit her lip in thought for a moment. "Edward mentioned that he might like to "see" your point of view. He overheard me talking to, um... Alice, about it." Bella still felt strange talking so openly about this.
"Would you want him to see that?" Jasper asked earnestly. Bella was silent for awhile.
"I don't think I would mind. I think I would like to be there, though, when he does. The thought of the two of you sitting in a room alone while you show him just seems creepy," Bella answered honestly.
Jasper chuckled. "I think that can be arranged. The three of us can excuse ourselves for a walk later, if you like." Jasper didn't mind the thought of some time away from the family with Edward and Bella. Recalling their first night together would make for an interesting afternoon, he thought.
"That sounds perfect," Bella said before drinking the last of her orange juice and popping the last bite of bacon in her mouth. "Jasper, does everyone know?" Bella felt like this was the last question standing between her and complete resolution of all the upheaval of the last few days.
"Edward and Alice told them this morning. We all thought you would be more comfortable not having to be there when they found out. Especially Emmett." Jasper rolled his eyes. "That man has no tact. Rosalie slapped him upside the head more than once this morning for making certain comments."
"What did he say?" Bella couldn't help but admit the thought had crossed her mind in the past day or two what it would be like to have sex with Emmett. She blushed as the thought floated through her mind again. Jasper ignored the sudden surge in lust he felt from Bella.
Jasper grabbed Bella's plate and glass, turning towards the sink as he answered. "Something along the lines of promising not to break everyone's new favorite toy." Bella could swear Jasper would be blushing, if he could. "And one very unappreciated comment wondering how kinky you were." Jasper was washing her dishes, still not turning back to Bella, which she thought was odd, but when he finished and turned back to her he seemed perfectly normal.
"No one will say anything, I'm sure. You don't have to talk about it with anyone else unless you want to. Even Alice has agreed to just let it be for now, okay?" Bella felt a rush of relief hearing that.
"Feeling better?" Jasper asked knowingly, his smile back. Bella couldn't help but mirror the contented look on Jasper's face.
"Much better, thank you. I guess all I needed was breakfast and a good talk with my favorite empath." Bella felt lighter than she had in days. Her life was no longer in peril. She'd moved past the uncomfortable feelings caused by sleeping with Jasper and embraced her love for the Cullen family for all that it was.
"Good, because they're back," Jasper couldn't help but chuckle a little at the split second of terror he felt coming from Bella before she steeled herself to face the family.
Alice flitted through the back door first, a huge smile on her face, making a beeline for Jasper. When she lifted onto her tiptoes and pulled him down to her for a kiss, Bella was amazed to find she wasn't the least bit jealous of Alice. Carlisle and Esme entered holding hands until Esme spotted Bella and headed straight for her, arms open wide.
"Bella, you're awake! I fell like its been ages since we've had time to talk. Promise me we'll make time for a chat this week." Bella had gotten into the habit of joining Esme outside in her garden whenever they were both at the house, at least once a week. With everything that had been happening, it had been much longer since their last talk.
"Of course, Esme," Bella answered, pleased to find she wasn't dreading the thought of it.
Almost before Esme had released Bella from their hug, Bella felt herself being grabbed by a large pair of arms and twirled in a dizzying circle, before being sat down on the countertop. Emmett's grin was huge and playful, as always.
"Bella! You missed one hell of a water fight today. I wish you could have seen Edward's face!" Only then did Bella notice that Emmett appeared soaking wet from head to toe, though dry enough to manage not to drip on the floors. Rosalie, her hair soaked and falling in her eyes, entered through the same door as all the others, but avoided the kitchen entirely, walking straight up the stairs and into her room. Edward had entered the room at the same time as Emmett, but stood off to the side by the doorway, leaning against the wall.
Bella licked her lips just at the sight of him. Edward's black pants and deep blue button down shirt were wrinkled and soaked just as Emmett was. His wet hair fell across his forehead in a way that made Bella's hand itch to reach out and sweep it off his face. He looked like the definition of lust, except for the sardonic, unamused expression on his face at Emmett's actions and words.
"I'm sorry I missed it," Bella said in response to Emmett, but without taking her eyes off of Edward. Edward walked across the kitchen maintaining eye contact with Bella through every step. She was certain she'd stopped breathing and felt her heartbeat thump unevenly for a moment when he reached her. He placed his hands on her waist and scooted her to the edge of the counter, stepping between her legs as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
As their lips met Bella felt a spark of electricity run through her. Edward's grip tightened ever so slightly on her waist as her tongue darted out to taste his lips. Bella's fingers wound into the hair at the back of his head and held him to her, pressing her body more firmly against his. Bella felt her head begin to spin and realized she'd ceased breathing long before the kiss began. As they parted she gulped down air embarrassingly loudly and blushed, realizing the entire family, minus Rosalie, were still standing in the kitchen with them witnessing their display.
"I missed you this morning," Edward's breath drifted across Bella's face, doing nothing to help revive her from her breathless, kissing induced stupor.
"I made her breakfast, which she ate entirely, so I can't be that bad a cook," Jasper's voice brought Bella back down to Earth a bit. Edward still hadn't released his grip on her waist and he arms were still wrapped around his neck. Carlisle coughed politely before the two finally released each other. The distance between them helped clear Bella's head.
Bella cleared her throat before speaking. "I wanted to thank you all for everything. It isn't fair that you had to risk your lives because of me yesterday. I'm very thankful to have a family that loves me enough to do so." Bella twisted her hands nervously in her lap while she spoke. As she did, her right hand brushed against the ring on her left. "And Edward and I have some news we haven't gotten to share with you all with everything that's been going on. I'm sure you all already know, but Edward and I are now officially engaged, so I will be an official member of the Cullen family very soon."
Bella sounded almost blasé as she announced her engagement to the family. Edward was quite proud of her in that moment. Bella found herself being passed from Cullen to Cullen for hugs and congratulations, first Emmett, then Alice and Jasper, even though they'd already spoken about it. Esme's hug was emotional. She looked as though she were crying, though no tears fell from her eyes. Carlisle's hug was firm, strong, and Bella thought too short. She filed that thought away for later examination, though, when Rosalie suddenly appeared in the kitchen. She didn't approach Bella who had been moved off the countertop in the recent round of hugs and was now standing next to Edward on the far side of the island.
"Welcome to the family, Bella," Rosalie said quietly before reaching her hand out towards Emmett. "Emmett, I need your help in our room please." Emmett took her hand and walked out with her, casting a confused, apologetic look over his shoulder at the rest of the family as they left.
"How are you feeling, Bella?" Carlisle's voice cut through the tension Rosalie's abrupt appearance and disappearance had caused. Bella felt her stomach tighten as she felt Carlisle's cold hands examining the bandaged cut on her arm.
"I'm fine. It only hurts a little," Bella bit her lip to keep from reacting to Carlisle's close proximity as he unwrapped and then rewrapped the bandage.
Bella recalled having been in a similar position with Carlisle before, after her disaster of an eighteenth birthday party. Carlisle had stitched her arm up in the privacy of his office after the rest of the family had had to leave to keep from eating her. Bella didn't recall feeling so... hot when she and Carlisle had been alone then. She decided that then she saw him merely as Edward's father. As she had spent the past few days contemplating this newly discovered interrelation amongst the Cullen family though, Bella no longer viewed Carlisle on the same level as Charlie. Now, even in the presence of the rest of the Cullen family, she couldn't seem to help her reaction. His presence was almost as intoxicating as Edward's to her. Bella couldn't help the flush of her face at the moment and was unfathomable grateful that no one in the room made mention of the telltale signs of her arousal she was certain they were all aware of.
"It looks as though it is healing nicely. Just be certain to clean it and change the bandage at least once each day. If you need any help, I'd be happy to do it for you," Carlisle offered. Bella made a mental note to ask Edward how he would feel about her taking Carlisle up on that offer later. She felt certain if she were to get Carlisle alone in his office she'd be unable to control herself and wondered if Carlisle would have the same restraint.
"I can help her with her bandage. I'll make sure she's taken care of." Edward put an end to that train of thought for the moment when he stepped closer to Bella, almost angling himself between Carlisle and her. Carlisle immediately took his hands off Bella and stepped back.
"Of course, Edward," he said, but he looked him straight in the eyes as he said it, almost as if in challenge. Jasper, fortunately, broke the tension.
"Edward, I promised Bella we'd escort her on a walk this afternoon. I thought she might enjoy a picnic by the river now that its rising with the melting snow."
"That sounds wonderful, as long as Bella and Alice don't mind." Edward seemed to relax immediately at the suggestion and Bella wondered if Jasper hadn't helped to artificially diffuse the situation as well.
Alice popped onto her toes for a second to kiss Jasper on the cheek. "That's a great idea, baby. I have a marathon shopping session planned today with Esme anyway. You three go have fun!" Alice hugged Bella quickly before grabbing Esme's hand and practically skipping out of the kitchen with a "See you later!" shouted over her shoulder to the rest of the family.
"I have to get to work. You three have a wonderful afternoon. Bella, be sure to give Charlie my best when you see him tonight," Carlisle said. Bella nodded in response as Carlisle disappeared around the corner as well, leaving just her, Jasper and Edward standing in the kitchen.
Next chapter is shorter by necessity, so I promise not to make you wait long. :) Reviews are appreciated! 3's
