AN: I own the plot and the characters belong to Stephenie someone that's not me. But we all knew that anyway.

Thanks to my wonderful beta heavyinfinity that got this done while trying to deal with real life. I wish I had one of those, lol.

I'm sure this is going to be a shocker for some but well it happened. Just enjoy it :D

Chapter 7

I went with Charlotte to make the arrangement for her to drop out of school. I knew she felt bad for quitting, but it just wasn't for her right now.

"It's fine, Char. No one is going to be upset, I promise. This is voluntary, you aren't in the army anymore." I gave her a knowing wink to which she scowled. Okay, maybe that wasn't the best joke.

We announced her decision to quit that evening when everyone was assembled and they received the information exactly as I predicted, supportively. No one said anything and agreed she should do what makes her comfortable and that included returning to her human diet.

The rest of us made plans to move off campus and distance ourselves from the humans some. Bella was a little saddened but understood the need. She kept Emmett at her side a lot and tried to make him feel loved and forgiven again. Rose was also a little saddened by the move. She was taking school unusually serious and I couldn't figure out why. For whatever reason I didn't ask and I don't think anyone else did either.

We found a nice five bedroom, 3 story home that allowed everyone to have their space plus 2 spare rooms for visitors and family. The first visitor out would be Charlie for Thanksgiving and from there we'd decide what to do about Christmas.

Classes went on and Bella was allowed to keep her study time at the library; one of us would just go pick her up when she called. Jack remained a constant at her side, never finding any more friends on his own or choosing a girlfriend from any of their classes.

It was shocking one evening when Peter and I heard a car that we didn't recognize pulling up in the driveway. It was late and the girls and Emmett were out hunting. Even though Char didn't want to hunt animals anymore, she still enjoyed going into the forests and having some girl time with Rose since Emmett always took a long time, looking for carnivores to make sure he got the best possible meal.

Peter and I gave each other identical looks with eyebrows raised and moved to look out the front window. A small white car came to a stop in the drive and I could hear Bella's voice from the car. "Thank you for the ride, Jack. It really wasn't necessary though, Jasper would have been happy to pick me up."

"I know, I just feel bad keeping you out late all the time. And well I was wondering if maybe I could talk to Jasper now that I'm here. If he's home that is?"

"I'm sure he's home." Bella looked to the window and I'm sure could easily see Peter and I standing in the window due to the lights in the room being on. "See, he's right there. So come on in, I guess. I wish you would have just told me you wanted to talk to him though."

"Sorry, I guess I was nervous he'd say no. I mean I haven't talked to him in weeks and the holidays are coming up and well I guess I just don't know." He rubbed the back of his neck looking at the ground, obviously nervous.

I exited the house to help Bella from the car but she had the door open before I got there. I took her book bag and kissed her quickly, "Welcome home, darlin'. I would have come and got you, you didn't need to make Jack drive all the way out here." I couldn't let him know we had heard their conversation.

"Oh, she didn't make me. I offered and, well, I hoped maybe we could just talk?" He was very nervous and unsure of himself.

"Um, sure, come on in," I said, leading Bella by her hand and leaving Jack to follow behind us.

Peter was waiting just inside as we entered and gave Bella a hug while I laid her bag next to the stairs.

"Peter, you remember Jack, Jack- Peter," I made quick introductions and headed for the patio. It was a nice evening out and I really wanted to keep Jack's scent out of the house. I pulled Bella into my lap as I pointed for Jack to have a seat across from us. Peter sat on a chaise next to Jack.

"What can I do for you, Jack?" I asked as I slowly inhaled Bella's sent so as not to give myself away. I had missed her today.

"I'm sorry, I guess maybe I should have asked to speak with you alone?" he said, looking uncomfortably at Peter and Bella before looking back at me.

"Oh sure, Bella-" I helped her stand from my lap as Peter stood and took her arm to escort her back inside. Of course, Jack didn't know that Peter would be able to hear him no matter what and would probably tell Bella everything he said anyway. But he could have his "privacy".

I waited patiently as I heard the patio door slide shut and Peter snicker at the very idea of privacy in this house while he escorted Bella to the living room. Looking back at Jack I gave a quick flick of my hand indicating that he had my attention and should proceed.

"Well, geez um…I just, wow this is a lot harder than I thought it'd be," he chuckled and rubbed his hands roughly down his face. He leaned forward as he rested his arms on knees his hands hanging down. He looked nervous, scared, and I was sure that's what I'd get if I felt for his emotions, but I wasn't in the mood today. I had turned everyone off except Bella yesterday and I was enjoying the peace that brought me for now. So I waited quietly.

After a couple minutes Jack looked up with one of the saddest long looks anyone has ever had.

"What's wrong?" I finally asked, starting to feel a little tense myself.

"Well, I have two things to say actually and I'm not sure which one I should say first but I feel both will probably end my friendship with Bella, which I really don't want." My eyes narrowed at his words; now I was becoming angry. Had he done something to her? She seemed fine when they got here.

My anger apparently spurred him into action as he ran his fingers through his hair and looked around, anywhere but at me, while he began to speak.

"So Bella had an accident today," he paused and glanced at me as I looked towards the door, wondering if I needed to go check on her.

"Go on, what happened?"

"Well, we were walking from class to the library like always and I don't know what she tripped on but she tripped and started falling forward. I grabbed for her but I wasn't quite close enough so I wound up grabbing the side of her shirt and pulling her back but then she just fell backwards and well…"

I worried I knew where he was going with this and heard a slight growl from Peter inside as Bella confirmed the story he relayed to her.

"Her shirt rode up and Jasper, I saw her stomach, covered in scars. She has so many. I just it scared me and though I'm sure you know about it, well I felt I had to say something."

"Yes Jack, I'm well aware of her scars. I'd prefer if you didn't say anything to Bella about them, she can be rather self-conscious at times." I knew that was what this was about.

"But how did she get them? Is she okay?"

I finally opened myself to feel his emotions. He was worried, horrified, and, shit, a little lustful.

"That's really none of your business, Jack." I stood up and headed for the door. "I'll walk you out."

"Wait!" he reached his hand out. "I…I well, maybe I should leave," he said dejectedly.

"Was there something else? If not, yes, you should leave. I'm sure Bella will be very upset to hear that you know of her scars. Did you say anything to her about them?"

"I… no, I didn't mention them to her."

"Good, are you ready to leave?" I asked making my way towards the door again.

"No," he whispered quietly. If I was human it would have been difficult to hear him. I took my hand off the door handle and turned to look at him once again.

"Then what? I'm not sure I have the patience for this tonight, Jack. What do you want to say?"

"I… I well… I wasn't expecting it to happen… I just… I thought everything would be okay but I spend so much time with her and she's so wonderful. I don't want either of you to hate me, Jasper," he sighed and looked at the ground.

I was torn between tearing his head off and putting him out of his misery or saying what he couldn't. "You think you're in love with her?"

His head popped up and he looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights. "I… I… I… never, I swear!"

I sent him some calm because his heart skyrocketed and I really thought he was going into a panic attack.

"Jack, I didn't accuse you of sleeping with my girlfriend. I asked if you thought you were in love with her. If you had done anything to her, you wouldn't be here right now." I let the threat sit for a couple minutes while he shook in his seat, silently trying not to cry.

"Why did you come here to tell me you are in love with my girlfriend?" I returned to my seat noticing that he was going to take a couple minutes. I really just wanted to throw him out but I was curious why he was here.

He finally began speaking in a shaky voice, "I don't know. I, how'd you know? Why haven't you kicked me out yet? Beaten me up? Something? I know she doesn't want me, you're ten times the man I am. I just I don't want to lose her friendship or yours and I don't know what to do. I guess… I came here because… I… I don't want to hide it but I don't know what to do. I want your help and your forgiveness and I want the same from Bella. I love her. God, do I love her. But I also understand she is madly in love with you. You're all she ever talks about. And I guess that's why I like you. The way she loves you is so over the top, how can someone not like you after hearing how wonderful you are all the time… I'm sorry." He looked at me briefly before deflating and looking back towards the ground again.

"What the fuck?" came from my little hellcat in the house as Peter just relayed Jack's speech verbatim to her. "He can't love me. I've done nothing to lead him on. I don't touch him or hardly even look at him. I always sit across from him not next to him and I don't tell him personal shit. This can't be happening!" she nearly wailed.

I knew she was doing her best to keep the relationship platonic. I also know that Jack has no one but her.

I sighed deeply not sure what to say here. I've never been in a position where someone admittedly loves my mate and yet wants my friendship and forgiveness for it. How does anyone respond to that?

Jack's emotions were all over the place, mostly fear and longing.

"Listen Jack," I paused waiting for him to look up at me which he finally did. "I'm sure that was difficult to admit. I don't know what to say. I guess some part of me expected it because of how much time you spend with her. That and the fact that you don't seem to spend time with anyone else. I appreciate the compliment that I am ten times the man you are. But, it takes a very strong man to admit his weaknesses to his enemy.

"I think maybe you should distance yourself from Bella if you are not going to be able to control your feelings. And you should work on meeting new people, making new friendships, looking for single girls."

"But that's just it!" He jumped to feet slightly startling me and began pacing. "I don't want other girls, I want Bella but I know I can't have her, she has you and you aren't just going to let me have her. I'm sure you could kick my ass anyway; you feel like stone. I know that's stupid but your skin almost feels hard, like stone and I can't imagine the muscle it takes to feel that hard. You must work out constantly. Are you taking steroids?" He paused in his rant to ask.

I chuckled at him and shook my head no, watching as he then continued his tirade. I couldn't for the life of me understand this guy but I know he noticed more than he should about my skin.

"She's so beautiful and smart and wonderful. I understand why you love her and then I saw those scars today and I briefly worried that you were hurting her and maybe I could take her away from that but..." he took a deep breath, "I know that you aren't hurting her, she couldn't possibly be as in love with you as she is if you were. I admire your ability to communicate with her so subtly, almost like you can read each other's minds. I want that, I want to be close with her and gaze into her chocolate eyes and learn all her secrets but she keeps me away. I try to put a friendly arm around her but she dodges it before I touch her. I try to sit next to her in the library but she'll make a show of going to get a book and returns to the other side of the table and then just asks me to pass her books over-"

I briefly tuned out to Jack's rant as I realized he hasn't been as innocent as I thought and Bella never said a word. That didn't make me happy. She shouldn't be keeping things like that from me.

"She is always so polite and there is just no one like her in the whole world. She's everything I never knew I wanted. But I want her to look at me the way she looks at you, to talk about me the way she talks about you and I know this all wrong," he paused again, panting heavily as everything just kept spewing from his mouth.

"If I tried to take her from you, what would you do?" He finally stopped abruptly and looked down at me with a fierce determination and fear at the same time.

"Jack, I think you need to go home. Bella isn't for the taking. It's her choice, but if she really felt the same for you don't you think she would have broken up with me by now?"

"NO!" he yelled. "How can she, her family (he air quoted with his fingers) is your family. She loves you all if she broke up with you she would lose everyone. And she's living here with you, this is your home or your sister's home I guess. She said Char bought the house. She'd have nothing if she left you!"

Okay, so maybe now was the time to get pissed. I bit back my growl and raised eerily from my chair moving towards him so we were nearly chest to chest.

"This is her family whether I am in her life or not, but do not think to put her off to be some gold digger who is only with me for my money and that she couldn't survive on her own if she wanted to. Her life is really none of your business and though I do not agree with her continuing her study sessions with you that will still be her choice. But if she chooses to continue to study with you, you will not touch her, you will not sit next to her, you will maintain the boundaries she has obviously already set despite your desire to do more. If she makes one complaint about you, you will disappear, do you understand?"

He was shaking horribly as I growled out my threat and finally nodded his head before turning towards the patio door where Peter and Bella stood. Peter with the angry brother, I'm gonna fuck you up look and Bella with her mouth hanging open, horrified at the scene.

"Jasper?" she squeaked before looking to Jack. "Jack?" she asked with a bit more force.

Jack's emotions suddenly went from fear to smug.

"It's okay, Bella. I told Jasper everything. You don't have to be afraid of him anymore. I'll take care of you."

Bella's eyes widened, I growled, and Peter executed the perfectly timed facepalm. Bella looked back to Peter before looking very confused between me and Jack.

"Afraid? You told him what?" I could feel her, she was baiting him now. Seeing how far he was willing to go with this charade.

"I told him everything. How we've spending our 'study' sessions and how much we love each other. I know you were scared to break up with him so I did it for you."

"Oh," Bella responded but she sent me her humor so I knew she wasn't done. Peter walked passed her to a chair on the patio and took a seat to watch what was going to happen.

"I'm sorry, Jasper, it's true," she responded and moved to Jack's side taking his hand. His returning smile and smug emotions grew.

"Come on, Jack, I think we should leave," she said as she began dragging him through the patio door and through the house as Peter and I followed silently.

When we all arrived at the front door Bella opened it and put Jack outside. "I'm just going to grab a few things, wait in the car for me, please?" she asked. He nodded dumbly, smiling lovingly at her and walked to the car. She slammed the door and ran around turning all the lights in the house off before running upstairs to the bedroom laughing.

Peter and I joined her in the bedroom she was laughing hysterically in, but the tears that were coming out were not those of enjoyment. She was very upset because she had just lost her only human friend.

"How long do you think he'll stay out there?" Peter asked as I joined Bella on the bed and cuddled her into my body.

"It doesn't matter. Just get rid of him Peter, by any means necessary," I growled.

"Yes sir," he responded with a mock salute.

"NO! Don't kill him, Peter. Just make him leave. Please?" she asked looking between me and Peter in the dark, knowing we could see her just fine. Peter looked at me and I gave him a small nod.

Peter exited the room and went outside, as he did, we heard Jack's car start and peel out of the driveway. He appears to be a much bigger coward than he acted like after that stunt. As the noise went down the road Bella burst into tears, bawling and apologizing for I don't know what. I just hugged her to me and made soothing sounds until she fell asleep I my arms.

Peter returned and stood in the doorway, "What are we going to do, Jazz?"

"Damn good question, Peter. She has a lot of classes with the asshole and I don't know what she'll want to do now. But as always, this is her show."

Peter nodded and shut the bedroom door quietly. I removed Bella's clothes and got her into bed. It's a good thing tomorrow is Saturday. I honestly did expect Jack to develop feelings for Bella, how could you not? She was just loveable but I really thought he wouldn't act on them. I don't think he would have either if Bella hadn't interrupted our 'conversation'. He was on his way out the door with his tail between his legs until she showed up and then he stupidly got a burst of courage.

All Bella wanted was a non-vampire friend, one last friend. I wish it could have gone differently. I don't want Bella to feel so hopeless to have a life that she speeds up her change. She still has a year and a half I had promised that time to her father too.

AN: So who hates me and who thought it was awesome?