A/N: Sorry forgot to mention that Peter and Charlotte are hanging back in case they are needed, so if for example Jasper didn't check in with them in a couple hours or if Peter's "knower" told him they were in trouble then they would bust in, so they are not currently at the Cullen home, only nearby.

3rd Person/non specific POV:

Alice had just accused AB of stealing Jasper.

Jasper was quick to reply, "No Alice, she didn't. I understand you're upset but let's remember the facts here. 1, you gave up on me not the other way around. 2, we have been apart for ten years now and never in that time did you ever come after me or give me any indication you still saw me as yours. and 3, we are not mates... we never were and I think you know that."

Alice was stunned, Jasper had never spoken back to her like that, "What are you talking about? Of course we're mates, is this something Bella put in your head?"

"Oh for the love of God, its Annabel now!" AB interrupted but Alice ignored her and kept trying to get Jasper to see things her way.

"Look, Annabel, can you please give me a moment alone with my husband we have things we need to talk about." AB was about to lay into her but Jasper got there first.

"Alice, like with Edward earlier we will not separate from one another while in this house so if you need to speak to me it will be with AB present." Jasper explained trying to remain calm.

"Ugh, why?" Alice asked petulantly

"Because she is my actual mate." It was like time stood still after that, the entire house quieted down.

"No, no, its not possible." Alice tried to deny what Jasper had told her.

"Think about it Alice, 10 years we were able to go without being near each other, did you ever feel that debilitating pain, like the tether between us had snapped and now you were bleeding out? I can't go a day without seeing and being near Anna, she is my mate, not Edward's like I am not yours." AB was impressed with how gently and compassionately Jasper was trying to handle things, Jasper could feel Anna's pride flowing off her and it made him happy that he had done his mate and mother of his child proud.

Alice wanted to stomp her feet and bawl her eyes out, "It's not fair! your supposed to be the dull boring girl with horrible fashion sense, you were supposed to be Edwards. Now look at you, your gorgeous... your wearing Nanette Lepore, and you have my Jazzy and a baby on the way! why do you get everything!?"

Rosalie of course with her vampire ears was able to hear all this and it was a question she wanted answered as well.

Annabel sucked in a deep breath and tried to emulate Jasper and keep her calm, "Because I worked for it. After you all abandoned me I broke down, I ended up seeking psychiatric treatment, while fending off crazed vampires and earning my degrees. I earned everything I have, I eat right and run for my figure, I have my own business to pay for my clothes, and I had to worked especially hard to forgive Edward so I could open my heart again to Jasper. I earned my happiness, I built it like a foundation on a house... it is solid because it was carefully built from the ground up. You are entitled, Alice. You think because your a vampire or because you knew jasper first that he and the world owe you something, they don't."

Jasper wished AB also had the gift of empathy because he would have loved it if she was able to feel how proud he was of her now.

Carlisle popped back into his office and asked them all to come back down to the living room.

"I think we need to finish our discussion from earlier, Jasper I heard what you explained to Alice... is this true is Bella... I'm sorry is Annabel your true mate?" Carlisle asked sending sympathetic looks to Edward.

"Yes."

"I felt it," Edward spoke quietly, "What you asked Alice, the pain you described... I felt it ever second I was away from Bella, how do you explain that if she is really your mate?" He asked.

"Edward, I felt it to. Honestly I did," Annabel explained, "when you all left it was like a hole had been punched through my chest, it didn't seem possible to live through that kind of pain but I did and I grew... maybe we could have been mates if we were both frozen at 18 but I grew up. I am not your Bella anymore... not even close."

"So, I missed my one chance to be happy, I'll never find anyone else?"

"Maybe, if you keep up the pity and dramatics, but if you work hard and put in the time and effort to change, maybe you'll grow enough to become someone else's mate." AB tried to reason with Edward not to be so apocalyptic in his thinking.

"But it impossible for a vampire to change." Edward said dejectedly

"No, its not." Jasper jumped in, "I changed, and AB is right it was hard work. I had to confront a lot of things I wanted to leave buried, it was painful and tedious but I did it and I am so glad I did because now for the first time in my life I am at peace within myself. And I want that for you, brother."

"How did you do all that?" Edward asked genuinely hoping for an answer to help guide him out of this constant depression he seemed to be trapped in.

Jasper reaches out and holds Annabel's hand, and gazes at her lovingly. "It started with therapy."