A/N: I've never been one to dedicate a chapter. But this chapter is dedicated to JustOnePogoStick, who spent an inordinate amount of time going through and reviewing every single chapter on both of my multi-chaptered fics. She gave me words of encouragement and asked some great questions.

I was also lucky enough to spend two weeks in NC with my family and was able to witness the birth of my newest nephew. It was fantastic to take a break but I am glad to be back in Idaho. I really hope you like this chapter and will have something up on Whiskey Kisses soon hopefully.

Surprise of a Lifetime 14

~~Bella's POV~~

I sucked in a deep breath and pulled Jasper's scent in. Despite being in his cool embrace, I was warmer than I remembered being in a long time. I finally felt warm from the inside out. It was such an unusual sensation that I looked up at him with hooded eyes and tried to read his emotions. I couldn't grasp how he had known what would bring me peace.

I finally felt accepted. I looked at him and brought my lips down gently on his cheek. I giggled quietly as he pretended to wipe it off.

"Does that mean you aren't going to force me to send it back?" He raised an eyebrow in mock seriousness.

"You can't have this back unless you pry it from my cold dead fingers." I stuck my tongue out.

"That can be arranged if you prefer." He stated with a straight face.

"Haha, you should have gone into standup comedy instead of the medical field."

"Yeah maybe someday." He teased before bringing his lips to mine in a sweet kiss.

"I love it. I should be upset about the cost, but I just can't wait to put it on." I answered his earlier question.

"Let me remedy that situation. Turn around my lady." He performed a half bow.

I complied and shivered as I felt cold fingers sliding my hair to the side. I closed my eyes and committed the night to memory, because I didn't want to forget anything about it. I had just had the best birthday in the world. I leaned into Jaspers chest as he pulled his fingers from my neck and wrapped them around my waist.

He turned me slowly in his arms and I heard his sharp intake of breath as I faced him finally.

"It looks better on you than I could have imagined."

"Such a flatterer, don't worry I'm going to invite you in." I smirked at him as I opened the door and walked into the living room.

"It's the truth. You were made to wear the Cullen crest. I am just so lucky you have been willing to accept all of us. I am lucky to have you in my life." I felt he was trying to tell me something more than his words conveyed.

I removed the basket of teas from his hand.

"Want to go get the other stuff from the truck? I'll make some tea and change into my pajamas." I watched as he walked to the door and took deep breaths to calm myself.

I started the water to boil, and was making my way into the bedroom to change as I heard the front door open and Jasper called out.

"Which tea did you want to try first? I can finish that up while you change."

"Emmett seemed psyched for me to try the blueberry one, so I'll do that tonight." I answered as I pulled my dress off and used a wipe to remove my makeup. I was in the middle of pulling on my shorts as I heard the door to my room open.

I turned my head quickly to the sound and watched in shock as Jasper opened the door and entered my room.

"Oh, I uh…I thought you were finished. I'll just wait in the living room." Jasper stammered before trying to back up quickly.

"Jasper. It's just a bra. Not like I'm naked or anything." I said quietly as I walked toward the door slowly.

"It's not that. I just," he went silent as I stopped a few inches from him.

"You just what?"

"I've never seen you in less than your pajamas. I should have knocked. I apologize. " He took in a deep breath and I leaned in closer.

"I know how you can make it up to me." I whispered as I grazed his earlobe with my lips.

"How can I make it up to you?" Rasped softly from his lips.

I pulled his head to mine and crushed my lips to his in a deep kiss. I rose on tip toes and moved one hand to his waist to begin tugging his shirt up. I slid my fingers back and forth at the band of his jeans and then worked them upward to his chest, his chilled skin turning me on even more. I was practically fevered.

I couldn't remember being so turned on in all my life, but the image of Jasper in his civil war uniform froze me. Jasper was from a time when women didn't behave the way I was behaving at that moment. I wanted things to work out between Jasper and I.

He was everything I needed in my life, stable, smart and funny; even if he was more sarcastic than anything. I finally felt the passion I had with Edward, the friendship I'd shared with Jacob, and the comfort I'd found in being with Eric. I didn't want to do anything that might jeopardize that.

I kissed him softly on the lips before pulling back with an awkward smile.

"I'm the one who needs to apologize now. I'm sorry for pushing myself on you. You must think I'm terrible." I felt tears well up out of nowhere.

"Bella, how could I think you are terrible? I want this just as much as you do." He pulled me to him quickly and I felt the evidence of his arousal against my hip. I gasped sharply. "Now do you believe me? I want you. I just want to make sure you are absolutely certain. I couldn't stand it if you regretted anything between us." I felt the anguish in those words.

"Jasper. I know this seems crazy. I feel crazy for even thinking it, but I love you. I feel like I've found the other part of my soul. Like you had been carrying it around all this time, until I was ready for you. I need you." His forehead met mine and he began talking.

"Bella, you have no idea how long I've wanted to hear those words from you. I love you, too. I have since the day I met you. I couldn't imagine losing you, so you have to be sure." I felt his honesty, and need as though it were my own, and I realized it was my own. We needed each other.

~~Jasper's POV~~

Bella held my heart in her hands. I waited with baited breath to hear what she had to say. I knew her response would either crush any hope of a future I had, or lift me up to the sky. I had never opened up so much in my life, nor in my existence as a vampire. I had never invested something I couldn't afford to lose like I had just done with Bella.

I stared as her mind seemed to process my statement.

"Bella, please say something." I urged.

"Jasper how is it that we have only been back in each other's lives for a little over a week? I feel like I've known you all my life." I saw a tear spill over her cheek, and I leaned in to kiss it away. The taste of salt and Bella lingered on my tongue as I pulled away.

"It does feel that way doesn't it? Perhaps the physical should wait, while we fill in the gaps. I want to be there every morning when you wake up; I want to be the one tucking you in at night. I want to get to know you. The rest will still be there when we catch up." I stroked her cheek and watched as she moved closer to my touch.

"I like that idea. As much as my body is screaming that we should just do what we want and screw the consequences, I'm glad one of us has a level head." She tilted her head up and looked at my face as though looking for something there.

"I certainly don't have a level head currently, however I can compartmentalize a bit better than the average human." I raised an eyebrow hoping to lighten the situation.

"Oh well if you want to act like that, you can take your skinny butt back into the living room and wait until I get dressed. Perhaps you can practice compartmentalizing your lust which is currently leaking all over me." She smiled brightly at me and turned back into her room.

I quickly checked my emotions and saw that I wasn't in fact doing any 'leaking'. I laughed deeply as I sat on the couch and replayed the scene in my head to go over the fine details. I felt my chest begin to burn at the reminder of the need we had both been so deeply tangled in as we talked about the future.

I felt relief as I remembered her telling me she loved me. I knew it wouldn't be easy sailing from here on out, but it was a start. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice Bella's approach until she placed a hand on my shoulder. I turned my head to look at her and she grinned at me.

"How about that cup of tea?" She questioned me lightly.

"I can get that. Why don't you sit down, and rest for a bit. You've had a long, eventful day." I walked into the kitchen and fixed her a cup of blueberry tea, just the way she liked it. I hummed quietly as I did so, and heard giggling from the living room. I walked into the living room with a death glare settled on my face.

"What? You were humming 'Over the rainbow'. Don't even try to deny how funny that is." She gave me a look that said she wasn't playing with me.

I laughed briefly, and sat down beside her on the couch wrapping an arm around her shoulders as I pushed the cup of tea into her outstretched hand.

"Thank you. You sure do make a good cup of tea." She said as she took a small sip. "Mmm, Emmett did a good job picking this out, it's yummy!" She exclaimed as she took a larger swallow.

"I'll make sure to let him know how much you liked it. He has been acting like a bit of a lost puppy this past week." I responded to her obvious pleasure.

"Really? Why is that?" She gave me a quizzical look.

"He was miserable when we left last time. Always complaining about losing his little sis. He just wants to see you more."

"Oh. I bet he wouldn't want you sharing that info with just anybody." She raised that infuriating eyebrow.

"I'm sure you're right about that. Just plan on spending some time with him in the near future or he might drive the whole family crazy." I gave her a smirk.

"Alright, alright. I can do that. I'm sure I can find some sporting event or something to take him to." She laughed and moved her hand to mine. I gripped her hand loosely and began rubbing my thumb over the back of it gently.

"He won't let you know how much it means to him, but he has missed you almost as much as Esme."

"Jasper, you have no idea how glad I am to have you and your entire family back in my life, even Rosalie." She gave me a sideways look which caused me to smile deeply.

"She really did have your best interests at heart. You should talk to her sometime, and ask her to tell you about how she became one of us. I think you might be surprised to find that she has her own insecurities and things to deal with. She has been like a sister to me, and I hope you two will become friends." I gave her a piercing look and she glanced at me from under thick lashes.

"I believe you. I was just too young when we first met to give her a chance. I think we could get along better now that I have been through some real life stuff. Now if only I could get Alice alone for a little one on one chat." She snuggled closer to my chest and I wrapped my arm more closely around her.

"Ah, Alice. She's my best friend and sometimes I'd still like to strangle her, but what exactly is it you wanted to talk to her about?" I thought I knew what it was about, but I wanted to make sure.

"She was supposed to be my friend, and yet she kept something this big from me. I know she had to have known Edward was her mate. Why didn't she tell me?" She sounded exasperated.

"You know her visions are subject to change right? She really didn't want to mess anything up that might happen later down the road." I answered in what I hoped was a vague enough response.

I felt her shift inside my embrace. I tilted my face toward hers as she looked up with something close to recognition in her eyes.

"She saw this? She saw us together in the future? Why the hell didn't she tell me? Why didn't she tell you?" I saw and felt the spark of anger rising in her, and I glanced away. "She did tell you, didn't she? You knew we would be together all along? Why? Why didn't you tell me?" She pulled away from me quickly and looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"Bella, you have to understand that she saw so many possibilities that neither of us could be sure of our futures. So many times she saw Edward leaving the family because he was tired of her trying to get him to accept everything. In some versions we never even met you. There were times when it looked like you wouldn't come back to Forks. We couldn't risk telling anyone what we saw, because it was such a subjective vision. I couldn't risk everyone looking at me with pity when things didn't work out between us. I still can't stand the thought that this might not work out. I can't stand the thought of losing you Bella. You have to understand that." I pleaded with both my words and emotions. She had to understand that what I was telling her was the truth.

"Jasper…." She trailed off as she slid further from me on the couch. "I, I don't know what to say to that. I want to feel flattered, and happy that you care so much about me. But at the same time, I'm angry that you and Alice kept this from me. I spent so many years thinking I had lost all of you. If I thought there was even a chance of having you in my life I would have done whatever it took." She looked at the cup of tea between her hands.

"Don't you see though Bella? This is what it took. You needed the time to grow and go through heartbreak. You needed to come back to Forks in your own time. I needed to learn how to control my bloodlust. I needed to become the man I should be for you. We both needed this time and space to grow and accept ourselves before we could work as a couple. As much as I hated the idea that I might not be the one for you, it had to be this way or we both would have been unable to make it work."

"Jasper, what if it hadn't worked out? What if Eric had done the noble thing and offered to marry me? What then? We both would have been miserable for the rest of our lives." Her voice rose as her panic did.

"I would have found you. I would have done whatever it took." I held her face in my fingertips and looked into her eyes. I had to see that she believed me.

She stared into my eyes for what felt like an eternity. I couldn't look away, but it hurt every second that ticked by.

"I believe you. I'm just glad that didn't happen. I'm selfish enough to want every moment I can get with you. I guess I have no right to be mad about what could have happened. I should just be thankful about what did happen. I'm glad you are here right now. Nothing else matters." She set her cup on the table and slid into my open arms.

I wrapped both arms around her as tight as I could, and breathed in her scent. I wasn't sure I deserved her love and faith, but I was going to keep both for as long as I could.

~~Bella's POV~~

I allowed myself to be pulled into Jasper's strong and welcoming arms. I took in the strong, masculine scent of him and relaxed as he rocked gently back and forth. It wasn't long before I began to drift off and he pulled back and looked at me.

"You ready for bed?" He asked as he lifted me up.

"Well I guess you already know the answer. But yes. I am ready for bed."

He carried me into my room and pulled back the covers as he lay me down in my bed. I couldn't help but admire his strength and gentleness; he was the epitome of a southern gentleman. I put my hand on his shoulder as he pulled back from me.

"Stay?" I asked quietly.

"I'm going to. Just like I always do sweetheart. I'll stay until you fall asleep."

"No, I don't want you to leave. Please stay. I want you to be here when I wake up. If you don't mind that is." I felt my blush rising to my cheeks.

"It would be my pleasure." He responded before dipping to kiss my forehead.

I leaned back against my pillow and fell asleep to Jasper's soft soothing cadence.