"It's nice to have you back, son." Carlisle called as Jasper timidly opened the front door of the house. He looked a complete mess, the same clothes he had left home in days ago still hung to him. The blackness of his eyes made his face pale and gaunt. He stepped gingerly into the living room – Bella lay on the sofa, head in Emmett's lap, her eyes closed in imaginary sleep.

It was too much; Jasper made to back out the door, but as soon as his foot moved backwards Bella's eyes snapped open. A deep golden swirl that their entire family had adopted.

"Jasper Whitlock Hale!" Bella laughed "Don't you dare take another step towards that door!"

Carlisle and Emmett began to chuckle as Jasper's eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened significantly.

"W-what?" He stuttered.

"Come here, now." Bella said, patting the spare seat that she had created my sitting up and budging against Emmett. She sensed the hesitance that he was sending to the room in waves. "Please…"

"Erm, okay…" He smiled nervously before moving to sit next to her. He perched at the edge of the seat, keeping his head down so he didn't have to make eye contact with anyone in the room.

"Relax!" Bella insisted, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him back into the seat. Her hands lingered that little bit too long to be comfortable for Jasper's liking, so he gently and softly angled himself so she had to release him.

"Where've you been hiding then, bro?" Emmett asked.

"Hotel." Jasper answered quietly.

"How'd you pay for that?" Emmett asked incredulously.

"Money." Jasper muttered, before he produced a broad grin.

"Well duh-" Emmett laughed, reaching round Bella to punch his brother in the arm playfully. "I knew that! But how'd you get the money…?"

"I robbed a bank." Jasper grinned. All the positive emotions had flooded his mind and he became completely infatuated by them.

"You did not!" Carlisle groaned, half-expecting him to be telling the truth.

"No, dad. I didn't rob a bank… But, I kind of erm… sold my wedding ring to a pawn shop." Jasper admitted, waiting for the onslaught of criticism.

"Good for you, bro!" Emmett laughed.

"We missed you round here." Bella smiled softly, looking at Jasper's seemingly reformed character. "Just do me one favour…"

"What?" Jasper inquired, hoping she'd ask him never to leave her sight again.

"If you're gonna break your phone next time, make sure you do it during a thunder storm… All the humans in Forks could hear that smash!" She said.

"Yeah… okay…" Jasper smiled weakly.

--

"It's not like I even love her…" Jasper said to himself. The sofa was comfortable as he sunk into it, he wished for the solace of sleep, but knew it would never come to him – he was cursed in more ways than one. "Humans lose their mates all the time… and they never decide to be as tragic as me… God, I'm so pathetic…"

"You're not pathetic." Emmett called from upstairs. Jasper hadn't realised he'd been home at the time, he was too wrapped up in his own despair. "You'll realise that she's the one missing out soon enough…"

"Okay, Emmett. Thanks for interrupting my private moment." He laughed softly, not really meaning to offend his brother.

"It's alright, bro. I'm glad to be of service." Emmett chuckled. "It's just a good job it wasn't Rose up here… or then you'd be in for the whole soppy film and tissues business."

"For the first time ever, I'm glad it's you, Emmett." Jasper laughed.