Our arrival went smoothly, and we were rejoined with the rest of the family. Carlisle explained to Jake, Renesmee, Emmett, Jasper, and Esme what had occurred in Italy. There really wasn't a reaction; it was already accepted.

Rosalie and Melinda were still talking to each other. Edward was listening in and mouthed, "Really?" Rosalie nodded.

Melinda addressed all of us, "Thank you for saving my life. I will never forget what you've done for me. What I am proposing might bring closure to any unfinished business."

We didn't know how to respond, except for Edward who leaned in further. "There is a witch near Stonehenge that has special abilities. She is able to open portals."

Alice was intrigued, "What?"

"As immortals, you may never see your loved ones again. This portal gives you the chance of seeing those people."

Carlisle whispered, "Heaven?"

"Actually it is between Heaven and Earth where both can interact."

"And it's possible for us to enter this portal?" Carlisle questioned.

"I am sure that you will be able to; however, your granddaughter and her husband will not be able to enter; they are human."

"Will we get to see John?" Rosalie asked.

"I, like Renesmee and Jacob, will not be able to go with you, Rosalie. I wish I could, but it's for the rest of the family to resolve to find closure. The portal sends you where you need to go—not where you want to go." What if Charlie and Renee are not there? It's been only a few years without Mom and Charlie—months. Maybe there wasn't anyone for me to see.

As I drifted in my thoughts, my eye caught Jasper walking away from the group and outside on the porch.

"What's wrong with Jasper?" Renesmee worried.

"Honey, Jasper's not sure if he'll be able to enter the portal based on his past—before joining our family," Edward explained. "He believes his past will ruin any possibility to find closure with anything or anyone."

"Should we do something?" Jacob offered.

"The only person who'll make Jasper change his mind is Bella," Alice announced.

"Me? Why? You're his wife."

"He won't listen to me. A father or mother talk will do nothing. A brother talk will just make things more difficult, especially a brother who can read his mind. You have only known him as a Cullen, and I know you can give him the faith to try."

"How?"

"You'll figure it out."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"This has to come from you. He'll know if you were coached. You need to reason with him—to prove he's not a monster."

Edward nodded. He knew I could do; he had faith in me. It's something about him that supports me –to conquer any fear.

Confronting Jasper was nothing I was looking forward to. It was alike arguing with grandparents—they lived so long that their opinion should be accepted without question. Jasper had passed his 200th birthday and the most senior member besides Carlisle of us, but he had experience typical vampire life, in which few of us knew personally.

He stared at the stars, and his breath came in slow pools of cold air. There's something about November—air that is different from any others; it's the true beginning of winter and life has stopped.

Jasper didn't turn around as I opened the porch door. Whether he was expecting it or he didn't, his body language didn't change. He finally faced me.

"You weren't the one I expected."

"You mind me being here?"

Jasper smiled, "Never."

"Melinda got me worried."

"About what?"

"Seeing Charlie. He just died months ago. Maybe he's not done with the paperwork or whatever happens."

"Bella, you are one of the most honest, loving people I've known. I have no doubt you'll see Charlie. Me—I'm afraid I won't even get through."

"Why?"

"In the two hundred plus years of my existence, I have killed so many people and newborns." He chuckled bitterly, "I probably have taken out an entire town."

"And you think you will not be forgiven?"

"Would you? I almost killed you on your birthday."

"Sixty-eight years have passed, and you're still lamenting on that? Jasper, when will you forgive yourself? I have."

"I feel every death. That night, I sensed your fear and Edward's panic, and I still could not stop myself. Does that sound like a monster that should be granted admission into Heaven?"

"You're not thinking about what you've done after that. You trained our family to fight the newborns. If Victoria and the newborns won, Forks as well as other towns would have been decimated. You protected me when I was pregnant and fought the Quiletes when they attack after Nessie was born. If not, Jacob would not have had enough time to imprint and Ness and the others would have been killed

"You were willing to fight the Volturi when Ness's life was endangered. You would have sacrificed your life for Ness's. Does that sound like a monster?" Jasper said nothing. "If you look at the numbers, you've saved an entire city. Jazz, you've done so much." I know logic can't solve every problem, but I hoped this would work.

"Bella, you're very sweet, but there's nothing you can say that's going to change my mind." Why did Alice think I could convince him of all people? Other than the time we've known each other, I didn't know what I could do to…

"Jazz?"

"Yes?"

"I could protect you with my shield."

"What?"

"It's powerful enough to stop Edward's and Aro's mindreading and protect me from Kate's, Jane's, and Alex's abilities. Why can't it block from this portal?"

Jasper faced me now. I knew he was in deep though going through all the scenarios as if it was a plan for battle. After several minutes, Jasper whispered, "It will protect us?"

"Yes."

Jasper opened the porch door and offered me to step in first. He seemed relaxed as he reached Alice who smiled as he kissed her on the cheek. Looking in her eyes, he announced, "So, when are we going?"

In that nanosecond, Alice's and my thoughts converged, and we hoped my shield would work, or Jasper didn't call my bluff.