Rain: And I am back with a brand new chapter! This chapter will be dealing with what happed with Bella and Edward as well as Jasper and what he's been up to. So sit back, relax and enjoy!

Mario: Here we go!

The Crimson Eyed Drifter: Distance between Hearts
Chapter Five

Forks General Hospital
Bella Swan

"Bella."

Edward's voice cut through the surprise I was feeling when I saw him standing in front of Esme's car.

"E-Edward," I stammered, my arms gripping the book against my chest slightly, slightly nervous.

Why was I so nervous?

Was it because I knew that I hadn't spoken to him since the night of my birthday?

Was it because I knew how guilty I was for thinking of Jasper when I should have been thinking of him?

Or was it because of the angry look that was on his face?

To be honest, it was all three reasons.

I haven't seen Edward this angry since the night of the birthday party but at the time, it wasn't directed at me, it was directed at Jasper.

But now it was directed at me and that upset me.

Forcing a smile on my face, I walked up to him and asked softly "What are you doing here?"

Edward didn't return my smile. In fact, he frowned further.

"I came to look for you. You weren't at your house and I was growing concerned," Edward responded as he narrowed his eyes at me. "But I realized I shouldn't have been since you were with Esme," Edward added, a subtle hint of annoyance in his voice.

"I'm sorry for worrying you Edward," I said genuinely, really not wanting to worry my boyfriend about all of what was going through my mind and heart. "Esme took me here to figure out what was going with me this past week."

"And what has been going on Bella?" Edward asked me with an incriminating tone in his voice, which made me look at him in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, getting a bit defensive due to said tone in his voice.

Something about his physical stance was bothering me.

It was as if he was going to attack me or something and I did not like that at all.

"Bella, I haven't seen you all week," He stated. "You didn't even contact me during the past week and when you did decide to come out, instead of contacting me and soothing my worries, I find you here with Esme. Why didn't you come to me?"

I furrowed my eyebrows at his tone.

Why was he acting like this?

"I'm sorry I didn't contact you but I am dealing with something that I don't want you to worry about. The only reason that Esme bought me here was because Charlie invited her and she was really worried about me…I just want to drop it and pick up where we left off and just be together," I told him.

It was an empty laugh.

"Bella…I know all about you and Jasper's meeting before he left," Edward said, shocking me to my core.

He knew?

How did he know?

"How?" I asked him softly.

"I was worried about your safety with being alone with him and out of everything I saw, I wasn't expecting what I saw," Edward responded and for a moment, I got really angry.

I get that he was worried about Jasper taking a bite out of me but to spy on Jasper and I as we were saying goodbye really rubbed me the wrong way.

But before I could comment on this, Edward opened his mouth and said "I saw how you cried for him…How you screamed at him and how you wished for him to stay…Even after all that he did. You wanted him to stay," Edward said, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"Edward…I…"

"Why?" Edward interrupted, his voice still empty of any emotion. "He attacked you. He could have killed you and yet you shed tears over him. You acted as if it was me leaving this place and not him…"

A hint of frustration blossomed in my body as I took a breath. "Edward, you know exactly who I am. You're talking to a girl that really didn't want the birthday party in the first place. Nor did I want presents. You really think that I would ask someone to leave their family of decades because of me?"

"Bell-" Edward started but it was my turn to interrupt him.

"No. You asked why I wanted him to stay so listen!" I shouted but then I immediately forced myself to calm down. "So you saw me and Jasper talk before you left," I responded after a moment, trying to choose my words carefully.

"I'm not going to lie to you and hurt you further by deceiving you Edward…The reason I didn't come visit or call you was because I was…and still am upset that he left because of me."

My breath came out shaky as I tried to keep my voice in check.

"I told him that I'm not worth him leaving here…I told him that you guys would rather what him instead of me and yet he left anyways. After all the tears I shed and the sadness I felt, he walked away," I then lowered my head and repeated "He walked away…" in a soft voice.

Something about him walking away made my heart hurt.

"So whatever you think happened between him and me didn't happen at all! I don't know why it affected me like this and I won't lie and say that it will pass any time soon…" I continued. "But I can't let this feeling stay inside of me….Esme and Carlisle was able to help me but giving me this book."

I then showed Edward the book and when I put it back to my chest, I said "And while I'm not fully over it all, I want to pick up where we left off before all of this began and be with you," I told him, trying to smile but all I could do was grimace.

Despite it being the truth, why did it feel like I was lying to him with the last words that I spoke?

Didn't want I want to pick up where we left off?

Was that what I really wanted?

My mind then decided that now was the perfect moment to replay the moment Jasper kissed me on the cheek as I cried.

"I'd rather leave them and keep you safe than to stay here and take their light away…They know, as well as I do, that I am not worth it…You are."

Jasper…

No! I can't do this now!

I had an entirely different issue to work with and my mind is wandering right back to what caused me all of this in the first place.

Edward stared at me long and hard, as if he was trying to peer into my soul and I stared back at him.

It felt like a damn eternity between the two of us and honestly, that bad feeling in my stomach started to get worse.

Oh god…

Edward pushed himself off of the car and stood firmly in front of me and said "Bella…As I sat here and waited for you to come down, I replayed everything in my head and I realized something."

Edward seemed to hesitate for a split moment but that moment was like an eternity for me.

"I realized that as much as I love you…But sometimes, love isn't enough…" Edward told me as he stared at me dead in the eye.

"W-What?" I gasped out softly.

What was he trying to say?

"I realized that I let you into is a dangerous life in the first place and risked you getting hurt and if I want to keep you alive…I need to remove you from it," Edward told me softly.

I could feel my heart stop at his words.

No…No, no, no, no, no!

It wasn't enough for my heart to be ripped from my chest from Jasper walking away but now Edward?

The very reason that I came to know and love all of the Cullens?

"That is why I am here…To tell you that this is over…We are over. After I leave here, I will be leaving Forks for good," Edward announced to me with an even tone.

How many tears must fall from eyes until the gods above stop throwing all of this stuff my way because I feel like someone is out to hurt me as much as possible at this rate.

"Why are you doing this?" Was all that I could truly ask him at this point. Why was he doing this when I just admitted that I was still really down about Jasper?

Did he not care about my feelings about all of this?

Edward only shook his head and said "Because it is the best thing to do right now…And if it was up to me, I would tell my family to leave but…I made Jasper a promise that I wouldn't try to force them to leave again."

During my spiral into pure agony, I caught what he had said.

"I made Jasper a promise that I wouldn't try to force them to leave again."

What did he mean by that?

"Edward…" I began slowly, tears still falling from my eyes before I asked "What do you mean by again?"

Edward merely shook his head and said "Goodbye Bella. I'll cherish all that we had…Always," before he started to walk past me and towards the exit of the garage.

But there was no way in bloody hell that I was going to have him leave until he fully explained what he meant so once I turned around to look at him walking away, I shouted "What do you mean by again?!"

Edward stopped and for a moment but after a moment, he started to walk again. "Don't you walk away!" I shouted before I launched my book at his back as hard as I could.

The rather heavy book slammed into his back hard enough for the sound to echo in the indoor garage before it slammed down on the ground with a hard thud.

"What do you mean by "Again" Edward Cullen?!" I screamed out once again, my voicing echoing in the garage.

As I panted, Edward turned around to face me, his face still devoid of emotion but he still didn't speak. All he did was look at me as if he didn't know who I was.

"Tell me," I panted out, an angry glare on my face, wanting nothing more than to hear his explanation.

"The night after your birthday…I was going to invite you over, take you for a walk in the forest and break up with you," Edward answered as he stared at me with those sickeningly beautiful golden eyes of his.

My eyes widened in horror at his admission.

So he had planned to do this earlier?

Hehehe…

So I felt guilty for leaving him in the dark about my sudden emotional attachment to Jasper…And he was going to do this anyways?

Ah…

Well isn't that something?

But Edward wasn't done yet because he then added "After that, I was going to convince the family to leave Forks with me."

I honestly couldn't breathe at this point. He was going to leave me in the forest and disappear with the others out of my life…I was stunned beyond belief!

Did he not take my feelings into consideration? Did he not realize that I loved each and every one of them with all that I have in this frail human body?

Did he not realize this?

"But during my fight to convince the others of my plan, Jasper came down with his bag and that was when he told us he was leaving," Edward stated with a hint of annoyance but I still didn't respond.

All my mind was saying was "How could he do something like that to me?" over and over again.

And every time that it repeated in my mind…the angrier I became.

"He didn't want us to leave you because he knew it would destroy you and as much as I didn't want that, it was a risk that needed to be taken…But the others refused even more after this and I was forced to do it but now I realize that I can't keep that promise to him…Not anymore."

My vision began to turn red as I felt tears run down my face.

"All we have done since we met you was hurt you and nearly get you killed."

I could hear my heart beating heavily in my chest as I stared at the perfection that was Edward with fury.

"And I no longer want to have you experience that danger so it's better that I end this relationship before it leads to your death," Edward finished, apparently not aware of the anger that was flowing from my body.

And just as he finished, I let loose with laughter but this wasn't a humorous laugh.

Oh no.

This was a laugh of someone who was off of their rocker! I was so mad, so hurt that I couldn't stop laughing at it all.

I officially was over my boiling point.

"Bella? Are you alright?" I heard Edward ask as my mad sounding laughter continued to echo all around me, sounding just as mad as I felt.

"Edward," I managed to gasp out through my laughter. "You asshole," I stammered before another round of laughter left my lips. "You truly are an idiot of the highest order aren't you?" I asked rhetorically as more laughter spilled from my lips.

"I-I mean…You were going to invite me over...Under some pretense to hang out and then leave me out somewhere after breaking up with me and then have everyone…Everyone that I came to know and love…drop me like I'm some old torn doll that can't be fixed? Because you felt like it was too dangerous?" After those words, I let back and let out another loud laugh.

I don't know how long I laughed for this time but when I finally calm down, I looked at him in the eye and said "Tell me something Edward…Did you think it was dangerous when you admitted to me what you and your family were?"

"I…" Edward started but I merely shook my head.

"Did you think it was dangerous when you kissed me in my rooms…As I was in a shirt and panties, virginity ripe for the taking?" I asked him again, inwardly enjoying the subtle look of worry on his face.

"Or was it dangerous at the baseball game where James came into the picture? Or how about when I was bleeding out in Phoenix? Or even after while I was in the hospital…" With a grin, I walked towards him, my laughter going down into giggling as I looked him right in the eye and said "You didn't think it was so dangerous before…So why now?"

Edward didn't respond but it's not like I gave him a chance because it was then I wrapped my arms around his neck and placed my lips right above his and whispered "Maybe…This was your plan all along Edward…"

I snickered at this and said "Maybe, you realized that we weren't worth it sometime ago and decided with Jasper attacking that this was the perfect chance to break things off…"

"It wasn't like that," Edward whispered but I placed an index finger against his lips.

"Well when you tell a girl that you were going to invite her over under the pretense of something fun only to lead her out into the forest and leave her after breaking her heart and then trying to convince the family which she loves and they love her in return to leave her alone…Broken in the forest at night…That doesn't sound like the love you preach!"

Edward flinched at my sudden shout and that was when I shouted "That sounds like you were playing with me this entire damn time! You were my boyfriend! You were supposed to be the first one to make sacrifices like the one Jasper did and yet you were looking for an easy out!"

I moved away from him said "If you wanted to break up with me, there is so many easy ways you could have done it but you went about it in such an immature and pathetic way! It would have destroyed me if you did it."

Tears returned to my eyes as looked up at him I said "Jasper…The same Jasper that barely knew me…The one that nearly attacked me, realized that I would have been destroyed if you and the others left…And he did it before you! You! The one I wanted to spend my life and afterlife with…The one I wanted to give my all to...And you had the nerve to be upset with me earlier because I didn't come to you first with my problem…and then hint at something between me and Jasper to boot?!"

I scoffed and then said "Well, it's a good thing I didn't come to you considering now I know how that would have turned out." I then took a deep breath and picked up the book the laid on the ground and whispered "Well I won't hold you here any longer. You're free from this pesky human's life…"

"Very well," Edward said to me softly before he turned around and started to walk away once more.

"Wait!" I shouted. Once Edward stopped his movement, I said "Once you leave…Don't you ever come back into my life…"

Edward waited for a moment before he started walking again and the moment he walked out, I held the book to my chest and walked towards Esme's car.

And once I got close enough, I fell down to my knees and wept as hard as I could…Not even aware three minutes later when Esme had me in her arms and me on her lap.

Wyoming
Jasper Hale

It had been a week since I left Forks and I have been traveling down the long stretch of highway and It felt like something was torn away from me and I don't know why.

All that I knew was that the moment I drove away from Bella and my life in Forks, this feeling had started and it has only gotten worse since then. 'What is going on with me?' I thought to myself as I continued to speed up, trying really hard to not look back at the direction of Forks.

Maybe it was my guilt for nearly killing her and then leaving her crying at the school.

Yes…That had to be it.

Because I couldn't see why this feeling of pain would be within me otherwise.

"You aren't a monster…Monsters wouldn't leave their family for a human girl they barely know! Monsters wouldn't care what anyone thinks, as long as they got their way!"

Why did you fight so hard for me to stay?

She said it herself. I was leaving my family for a girl that I barely knew but the opposite was the same. You barely knew me and yet you cried for me…you begged for me to stay…

"You made a mistake! We all do one time or another but you aren't a monster nor a disappointment so you don't have to leave them behind…You don't have to tear your family apart for me!"

I kept up the dangerous speed as I flew down the long, empty, winding road, trying to keep my mind on focusing on my destination but all my mind could think of was Bella.

The look of utter heartbreak on her face as she stared at me with those eyes.

Those beautiful coffee brown eyes.

Silently begging me to remain in Forks with the Cullens…And with her.

"Please don't go Jasper…"

But she still didn't understand…I had to leave her…her life was far more important than me being in Forks and as much as her sadness tore at my heart, I needed to leave before I screwed up even more.

But despite it all, there was one thing that kept replaying in my mind was her final words to me as I drove away.

"Jasper! No matter what, I will show you that you are worth it!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at this as I shut my eyes briefly and shook my head before opening my eyes and focusing on the road once more.

Me?

Worth it?

Heh…What a funny thought…

After several more minutes of driving alone, I saw something shining in the distance. It was a bright, large moving truck coming at me at a high speed but the emotion I was feeling coming from the oncoming truck was excitement and love coming towards me.

I slowed down my bike and skidded to a stop before removing my motorcycle helmet and chuckled.

There were only two people that would ever be this excited to see little old me. I got off my bike and leaned against it and waited for them to drive up and as the truck neared, it slowed down until it rested in the middle of the road.

I sauntered up to the driver's seat of the door and when the door opened out towards me, I said "I should have known you would have met with me sooner or later."

Staring back at me was the smiling Peter Whitlock and his beautiful wife, Charlotte Whitlock.

"Well Major. It is you after all," Peter told me as he held out his right hand, which I clasped immediately before tugging him out of his seat and into a tight hug, which he returned.

"It's good to see you again brother," I heard him whisper into my ear before we broke away and just as we did, Charlotte came flying out of the truck and slammed into me with a tight hug, which I eagerly returned.

"God Jasper, I missed you so much!" Charlotte exclaimed happily as I twirled the two of us around before placing her on the ground.

"I missed you too Char," I replied as I placed a tiny kiss on her forehead before I grinned at Peter and said "When did you see this occurring Peter?"

"Eh, I saw it happening five years back when you and pocket psychic came to visit. I hope she is still doing well," Peter responded with a smile.

"As well as you would expect considering," I responded with a small smile of my own. "I haven't really gotten a chance to talk to her since I left. I just hope they are all doing ok without me."

Peter nodded and took a look at me for a moment and then said "Well get your bike into the truck and then hop in. We have a long ways to go."

I looked at him in confusion and replied "A long ways to go eh? Might want to explain that one to me. Where are we heading?"

"Well, we've been traveling around the United States while our house in Arizona is being built from the ground up," Charlotte explained while separating herself from my arms and returning back to Peter's side before she added "We just decided to go wherever the wind takes us. Just like the old days. And since Peter saw us meeting you on some highway, we figured you would like to join us."

Well…How could I say no to that?

Admittedly, I've missed being on the open road since the Cullens didn't really like traveling like this around the United States. They tended to travel to different countries more than anything. "Well, I'll have to that being a drifter with you two is always fun," I said with a smirk on my face.

Peter grinned and pulled a wallet from out of his back pocket and handed it to me and the moment I saw the brown leather wallet, I noticed that it had a black "W" etched on it.

"Well if you're going to be traveling with us, I figured that you'd want that back," Peter said with a smile on his face.

I opened the wallet and saw my driver's license with the name "Jasper Whitlock" as my name and I looked at him and smirked.

"You thought of everything," I told him, clearly proud of my second in command. Peter tapped the left side of his head and gave me a wide smile, which told me all I needed to know.

"Well then…Its time we get to our next stop," Charlotte said as she motioned for me to get my bike before she moved to the back of the truck.

I lifted up my bike and started to carry it towards the back of the truck but as I turned to go fully behind the truck, I noticed that Peter was looking at his phone with a serious look before he started to press a few buttons on it.

And that was when I went behind the truck completely, losing sight of him.

Charlotte pulled the strap attached to the door of the truck before she raised the door up the rest of the way as she said "Do you need to hunt at all before we get going?"

I lifted the bike and placed it into the truck before I leapt into the truck and once I finished strapping the bike down, I turned to Charlotte and said "Not yet I'll need to find a place to hunt soon."

"I know there are a few critters out here you could nibble on. I hear snakes are like ice water due to their cold blood," Charlotte said cheekily, referring to my diet…my old diet.

I merely smirked at her and replied "I think it's about time my eyes lose their golden hue, Char." Charlotte stared at me for a moment before a grin formed on his face.

The two of us then made our way to the front of the seat and that was when I opened the door for Charlotte, who winked at me before I got into the truck after her and with a close of the door, I turned to Peter and said "Well let's get out of here. We're burning daylight."

Peter put his phone away after a few more clicks and he smirked at me before he started up the truck and started to drive off.

"Onward to Nevada!" Charlotte said with a whoop, which Peter joined in on and admittedly…I joined in as well…Until the image of Bella crying appeared in my mind, which made my excitement die down slightly.

She will be ok…The family is with her and Edward is still with her…I just had to keep that thought in mind as I spend time with Peter and Charlotte.

I had to think that…For I wouldn't want Bella to cry at all.

Not for the Cullens.

Not for Edward.

But especially not because of me.

Everything needed to work out…And in time Bella, you'll see that I did this for them…And for you.

'It's for the best,' I thought to myself as I shut my eyes and that was when a flash of Bella's tear streaked face flashed into my head, making my frown deepen.

But despite it being for the best, it didn't make the pain in my heart dull any less.

…I'm sorry Bella.

Rain: And that was the end of that one. So you guys now know the full conversation between Bella and Edward and also what Jasper is doing now so what will happen next? Only one way to find out!

Mario: See you next time!