Chapter Ten

Bella

"You can be"

"How?"

"Firstly you have to divorce him"

"He wont do it"

"He'll have no choice if you refuse to go back to him"

"Where do I go Jasper? What do I do?"

He knelt down in front of me, "You can start by moving here. I will look after you. You can have anything you need, and we'll work from there". I looked in his face, tears filling my eyes,"What about your life though? You have your own life to lead". He shook his head, "No I don't Bella. I haven't had a life for a long time". "Why Jasper? What happened?" He hesitated before shrugging, "I fell in love with a girl". "That should mean the beginning of your life, not the end". "Not necessarily" he said with a sad smile, "You see she wasn't free. She was already someone else's" he explained. "Oh", I'm sorry Jasper but couldn't you have told her how you felt? It may have made a difference". His eyes looked deep into mine. "No it wouldn't. She was very much in love with the other man". "And you still love her?" I was so sorry for him. "Yes. Very much". I thought I might be making him sad, "Oh, I wish I could help".

He smiled gently, "Enough about me. What do you think to my proposal?" I shook myself, his eyes were hypnotic. "Yes please if you don't mind". "No I don't mind Bella". He got to his feet, "Would you like to rest now?" I nodded "Yes I'm so tired. I haven't slept properly in so long". "Well tonight you sleep. I'll look after you". He kissed my cheek and opened the bedroom door "Sleep Princess". I smiled and brushed his cheek as I passed, "Thank you Jasper". I got between the sheets and closed my eyes, I was so tired I soon fell asleep. I dreamed that night, Edward was chasing me but Jasper stood firm in front of me, protecting me. He turned to me and held out his arms, smiling. And I stepped forward into their steel embrace. That's when I woke with a start. How had I been so stupid! He must think I was an imbecile.

I replayed the conversation and pulled the book out again, flipping it until the photograph fell out. "I fell in love, she was already in love, she wasn't free, Oh yes I still love her." I looked at the photograph again, studying Alice this time. She had her usual dazzling smile in place but her eyes were sad and she was leaning away from him. I got out of bed as quietly as I could and taking the envelope out I fanned the photographs across the bed. I studied each picture in detail. Every time we looked as if we were enjoying ourselves, but Alice's smile was a little dimmer with each photograph, her eyes reflecting her sadness. In each picture Jasper had his arm round both of us but it was curled around mine pulling me close while Alice was pulling away a little more. I touched his face, was I the reason he and Alice had parted?

She knew he loved me and gave him his freedom so he could wait for me. She'd even watched my future to tell him when I would need his help. Did Alice love him so much? Love me so much? I found it hard to believe but everything pointed that way. I heard the door open but I didn't try to hide what I was doing. He walked in and stopped when he saw the photographs laid out. He looked at me then back to them. "So. You've discovered my secret".

I continued to look at the pictures. "How long?" I asked. He hadn't moved, he stood looking at me, a long time. "How long?" I asked again. "Since I first saw you" his voice was very low. "But Alice" I started to speak. "Alice knew" he said, "Alice knew before I did. I didn't know what was going on, I couldn't make sense of my feelings. When we came back from Phoenix she told me. She said that I would have to wait. That you may never be anyone's other than Edward. It all depended on what he did. I would have been content if you were happy. I could carry on, as long as you were happy but when Alice told me what she saw I made plans to keep you safe. I swear that was all. Just to keep you safe. I even stayed away and got some security for you, but in the end it wasn't enough, I had to act".

"You must believe that all I want is for you to be happy. I'm not asking for anything from you. I don't expect you to feel anything for me. I wont hassle you or touch you or anything. Just keep you safe and try to get Edward off your back. You do believe me don't you Bella?" I didn't answer straight away, I was so stunned. He backed away from me, "I'm sorry Bella. I know this is very awkward for you. I'll go. I'll be watching the house from the trees and I won't come in. Perhaps you could come out later and tell me what you want me to do. I'll go now. Sorry Bella". He turned and was gone.

I picked the photographs up and put them back in the envelope, my hands shaking once more. What did it all mean? Jasper was in love with me and vowed to keep me safe, no strings attached. Edward was my husband and all he wanted was to control me. The angel and the demon but in the end it was the demon who was helping me. I thought back to all the things I had learned about Jasper. All I had learned by bitter experience about Edward. Who was really the man of principles? How did I feel about what I had learned? The ironic thing was that Edward had been jealous of Jasper. He must have seen something in Jasper's actions or read something in Alice's mind. It was after her last visit that he'd really started to get possessive and brutal. He knew something. Did I too? I had been blindly in love with Edward but had he really been in love with me or just with the idea of his singer being his wife? I didn't know any more. All I knew was Jasper offered me safety with no strings attached and I would take it gratefully with both hands and I would never treat him as if he were a threat.

I walked through the cabin and outside. It was dawn and a beautiful sunrise. I saw him sitting cross-legged on a rock, his back to me, watching it. I knew he was aware of me but he never moved. I walked slowly to stand beside him. His face was calm but his eyes reflected his pain. "Jasper". I took his hand which was laid palm up on his thigh. He turned very slowly and clasped my hand in his. "Bella?" I pulled gently, "Come back inside please. I think we need to talk". He got up and allowed me to pull him back inside.