"He hasn't changed. Well he has, he's grown up - more mature, but I still see the sweet teenager in his eyes," Bella said as she threw small stones into the river at the edge of the Cullen's property. Jasper was sat on the ground, legs crossed as he looked out at the ripples Bella was making.

Bella had been frustrated since her and Edward's talk a few nights back. She was frustrated at how he was dealing with Tia, his dreams and plans that had included Bella and how, in general, all it made her feel.

"For someone who says she doesn't like him in that way anymore, you're thinking and talking a lot about him," Jasper said with a wry smile. Jasper had been worried about Bella this morning. She was off her food and was grumpy, so he dragged her out of the house to talk. He knew she wouldn't say anything while they were inside and with around everyone, so off they walked.

"It's just hard, Jasper. I have so many memories of growing up here and of Edward. It's like I've gone back to then, but I've taken this burden with me," Bella said with a huff and took up a seat next to Jasper. "And yeah, there are feelings there, but are they the ones that were still there from when we were kids or is it more? I'm so confused," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I've been texting Alice. I know, I shouldn't, and she's way too young for me, but I can't help it. That first night when Riley and I turned up, I just saw her across the room, and I was hooked. It's those damn blue eyes of hers," Jasper mused. Bella's head lifted up in a second.

"She's only twenty, Jasper," she said with a gasp.

"Do you think I don't know that? I'm fourteen years older than her, and while I'm already grown up and settled, kind of, in my job, she's barely left high school. I feel like a pervert, but I can't help it. We've texted each other daily, constantly, but I don't see her as a twenty-year-old when I see or contact her. She's so much older in her mind. I'm not just attracted to how she looks. She's got this beautiful mind, too," Jasper said with a little sigh.

"I should want to kick your ass. I changed her diaper, you know? I might have been only seven, but I did it. In my head, I want to kick your ass, in my heart, well, that's different. If you like each other, then no one should stop you, but just remember that she has Carlisle and Edward. On top of that, you have my dad who sees her as a second daughter and then there's Emmett. You've got your work cut out for you, I hope you know that" Bella said.

"We're just texting as friends at the minute, Bella, nothing more. She's just getting back on her feet after her operation and heading back to school. She doesn't need me on top of that,"

"Did she tell you about her chances of having kids? She lost an ovary, and there's scarring. It could be quite difficult for her, and as you said, you're older and more settled. Won't you want the marriage and kids' thing pretty soon?"

"We've talked about it. It was one of the first things she brought up. Look, if we ever get that far, I've already told her, kids or not, as long as I get her, I don't care,"

"You seem pretty intense about her, for someone who's telling me that you're just texting as friends…" Bella trailed off, looking at him properly, right in the eyes.

"I have to be mature about this, right? Do I want her more than a friend? Hell yes, but Bella, we hardly know each other – in the grand scheme of things - and she's nearly four hours away from me right now. On top of that, I'm dealing with other situations. I can't be selfish here," Jasper answered, and Bella understood.

"If I was safe and this was all over, where would you be, honestly?"

"Sitting outside her dorm room, waiting for her to get back from her classes," he replied in an instant.

Honesty above everything. That was their motto to each other.

"And speaking of honesty, what do you think I should do about Edward?" she asked.

"Answer me some questions as simply as you can. Do you think these feelings that you have for him are based on when you were a kid?"

"No,"

"Is it infatuation now that you're around him again?"

"No,"

"Do you see yourself doing the things that he spoke to you about the other night?"

"Yes,"

"Do you love him enough to let him in instead of pushing him away?"

"What?"

"No, that's answering a question with a question. Look, I know how difficult everything is at the minute. We know you've been to hell and back and you still have this sword hovering over your neck, so to speak. But since I've met you, all you've talked about is Edward. He's been your strength even though he's been out of your life for ten years. You've never once questioned yourself, why to start now?"

"Because I have too much riding on this, Jasper. I have Peter and Charlotte haunting me with every step I take. He will never go away, which means she won't. What if they find me, what if they take Eloise away from me? Do I want to deal with all of this on top on falling for Edward for the second time? What if he gets close to Eloise? What if he becomes her daddy and she dotes on him, more than she does already, and we're ripped away from here? I have all these questions that keep coming up, and it's driving me insane. I have no answers, and I can't shut off," Bella said with a slight whimper to her voice.

"I think you need to take some of the advice you gave to Edward and think about what you really want, Bella. When it comes to my brother and his witch of a wife, all we can do is a plan and be proactive. At the first sign of trouble, you and Eloise are out of here, and I think Edward will be going with you. From what I can tell, now that you're back in his life, he won't let you go,"

"But that's just it. He has a life here, his family and job, I can't ask him to uproot all of that!" Bella stressed.

"You won't be asking him, Bella. He'll go with you regardless. You could plead with him to stay here, and he'll find a way to follow you," Jasper said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"How do you know all of this?"

"Because I've seen how he looks at you. How he's constantly on edge like someone is going to swoop in and steal you from right under his nose. I see how he constantly seems to be seeking approval from you. There's a lot you can pick up on from being on the edge of it all," Jasper replied.

Bella was left feeling very confused about it all, but mostly about her feelings toward Edward. There had been a few times when she just wanted to lean in and hug him or kiss him, but she didn't. She knew he had Tia and as painful as that was to know, she thought that as long as he was happy, that was all that mattered.

It wasn't until their talk at the cottage that Bella saw the other side to Edward. The side that she hadn't seen in years. His soft, caring side. The side that wanted to please everyone, despite not being happy himself.

All the time she knew that she couldn't have him, she was fine. She would just have to deal with it, but not now.

Now she knew that Edward might be ending things with Tia and that left their dreams wide open.

"Do you have a plan ready, in case they come for us?" Bella whispered, her heart rate picking up a little.

"I do, but I'm not telling you," Jasper laughed.

"I need to be prepared," she said.

"You will be, don't worry. Everything will be in place, ready for you to go again, don't worry. Your only focus is that little girl of yours."

The more Bella thought about Edward, the more confused she became. She would spend hours at night, just thinking about when they were younger. The exhilarating feelings she'd get when they kissed or held hands. How her stomach would flutter when he ran a finger down her arm or over a bare patch of skin above the waist of her jeans. The looks they'd give each other over the table at dinner.

All of the memories were as fresh as when it happened. Would it be like that again? She kept asking herself. She already knew the answer. It came to her every time Edward walked through the front door or when she looked at him across the room.

Her heart jumped when she saw Edward pay Eloise attention like she was the most important person in the room. How he'd hold her or point to photographs and explain who each person was to her.

Although Bella was trying to be strong and take Edward's girlfriend into consideration, she was almost at the point of pleading with Edward to just let Tia go, just so she could hold him. She craved his kisses now, but that wasn't all of it. She wanted to feel loved and to love in return. She wanted to hold him at night and to let him be the daddy that he seemed to want to be with Eloise.

Yes, she was still scared of the future when it came Eloise's birth father, but surely they would find a way through it.

They just had to.