On the 5th Day of Christmas ~ Jasper

AN: SO thanks to a reviewer, I learned that the 12 Days of Christmas doesn't start until Christmas so I am actually ahead and it stops Jan 6th? Because of that, this will have more than 12 chapters, and I'll include a second part to Alistair. I was in such a rush that I….made it quick lol

Happy Christmas Eve you guys! You guys are the best, seriously. You were all encouraging and told me to just take my time, and I really appreciate that! Xoxo-Half of My Soul

Summary: Jasper Whitlock first met Bella Swan when he ventured into Forks. They striked up an odd friendship, one that Jasper would grow very fond of.

JPOV

I had fallen in love with her. I knew it the day she went out on a date with one of the town's teachers. The jealousy that rode through me was palpable. I however knew that he was the better choice. He was human after all, and could give her a life she always dreamed of. She deserved everything and more. Bella and I had been friends for five years now. I first met Bella when I decided to leave Texas and Maria's malicious ways. I thought a small town would be great.

I had wandered into the bank one day, and she had the purest emotions I had ever felt. It was a reprieve from the feelings of violence, bloodlust, and coldness. I basked in her emotions like a month to a flame. As refreshing as they were, I told myself that I would not get too close to humans, form unlikely attachments, but the world enjoyed seeing me fail. We met again at the bookstore in Seattle, she happened to have a mile high stack of books in her hands, stumbling towards the register on unsteady feet. I offered her a helping hand by steadying her and taking a few books off the top.

I wasn't surprised when she remembered me from the bank, my too inhuman smile drawing her in. She had thanked me heavily and I couldn't help but run my eyes over her purchases. She apparently liked history. When she had noticed my wandering eyes, she started to happily, and nervously babble about her fond likeness for the subject.

As much as I liked our little engagement of conversation, I had to be standoff-ish. I didn't want her to get close to me. All my kind ever did was draw innocent, beautiful souls like her in and bleed them of their humanity. She had noticed my change in demeanor as we stepped out, and I could tell I slightly unnerved her. As fate would have it, we ran into each other quite often. How could we not with living in a small town?

Each time, I made sure to offer her a tense smile and silent stares. I was probably acting a fool, but I thought it was best. Even after turning this abandoned home into a living space on top of a hill and buying it from the city, she and I couldn't avoid one another. It was probably the 6th time we had crossed paths; it was raining, the weather was…mmm…annoying…and low and behold there she was under an umbrella, standing on the sidewalk. I had no choice but to step next to her as I was waiting in line for this antique shop to open. I wanted a few things for my home, and they had great accent pieces.

She had noticed me, and I felt her agitation rolling off her in waves. I knew she wanted o turn around and asking me what my problem was. And you know what? She did. Even though I was prepared for her agitation, her words shocked me. She cursed me to high heaven, asking me, in her words, 'what the fuck is your problem?' I couldn't help but laugh at her expression. That only made her huff and she turned around fully to face me, jabbing a tiny finger into my chest. It was then that I just gave up. I had done all I could to avoid her, and yet, I kept running into her. I had apologized, not really giving her a reason, and she had silently stared at me, pursing her lips.

I learned that Bella Swan was a stubborn woman.

I grew to care for her friendship. I had given her my cell, and she called me late one night, and I could tell that she was nervous. She asked about coming over, and I was confused why that would cause her to be nervous. She simply didn't want to be a bother, and since I hadn't invited her over, she was unsure of my reaction. Be that as it may, we had become friends, and of course I said yes. She was more awed when she stepped inside, admiring my many 'collections'. She was great company to say the least, and from there become a regular occurrence until she was letting herself right on in.

I never realized how lonely I was until Bella and I started to talk more. She had told me a lot about herself, and she told me her life story over the course of a few months. Her emotions were always nice to bask in. What started from there blossomed into a friendship I came to enjoy. I came to cherish it. She even called me her best friend once. It was probably out second year of being friends.

Soon though, I wasn't sure how it happened, I started to feel different about her. She was prettier than when I first saw her, growing into herself confidently, maturing into a strong woman. Her face had matured, she had cut her hair to her shoulders. It was like a spotlight had been shined on her, and she wasn't just my best friend anymore.

I never told Bella what I was. I knew however that she knew that I was different. She always noted my body temperature when we'd sit together and watch movies. She always asked if I was cold, and whenever she came over, I always had a blanket waiting for her. Our friendship wasn't perfect, however. Her growing curiosity about me had created a strain. She felt like I was hiding something, which I was of course, but I couldn't tell her that. If I did…I'd have to snuff the life out of her, and I cared for her too much. She had become very upset, thinking I didn't trust her. She had told me everything about her, and I mean everything. She only knew bits and pieces about me.

She uttered but a few words to me, and it had me on edge. I know you're not human

How the hell she would know that, I'm not sure.

I told her that she was right and that it was better for us all around that she stopped trying to guess. She seemed satisfied with that answer. She didn't push, or prod anymore, but she told me that she felt better knowing. She hated not knowing things, having no control. I understood, and she promised not to tell anyone. My small confession didn't deter her, and she came around like always, smiling and just a happy, go-lucky person.

It was then that I made a mistake. A horrible mistake.

Even though I cared about Bella, I truly did, if I stayed too long, someone would notice that I wasn't aging. I had watched newborn babies turn five. 5 years wasn't too bad, but it was starting to become noticeable. Bella had even pointed it out jokingly. Dude, you don't even age, do you?

I had simply laughed it off. She was a bit drunk that night, her eyelids heavy.

"Jasper?" She slurred, laying her head on my shoulder. "Yeah, darlin'?" I look down at her, chuckling. "You're the only friend I have had in a long, long, time….you mean a lot to me…." I knew that of course. I could feel it. Bella had lost her parents at the age of 16 to a fire. She was on her own since then. She never made many friends here in town, no one was really her speed. She only stayed to be close to her parents. She had never really gotten over their death.

She always felt like it was more than an accidental fire. Many say that her mother became the affection of a man by the name of Daniel Bloom. Her father, Charlie, the Chief of Police had put the man in jail quite a few times. It was coincidently the night that Daniel was released early from prison that their house had been set on fire. Bella had only escaped trough her window. The town had seen her as some sort of pitying anomaly.

I made Bella I promise that I knew I couldn't keep.

I'll always be there for you

I had been avoiding Bella for the last two weeks, unsure of how to break the news to her without telling her the truth. I ignored her calls, her voicemails…everything. She had found me packing boxes one day, and the look on her face said it all. She felt betrayed.

Yet, she still had a good heart. She didn't say anything to me as I stood there frozen, staring at her like a deer caught in the headlights. I knew what I was doing was shitty. She simply asked me if I was moving, and I could only nod once, and with that she silently got to work, helping me grab a few things, and putting them in boxes. She didn't look at me, she didn't speak to me, and her heart….it was bleeding. I hated that I did that to her.

She left without saying goodbye. The roles had then reversed. I was the one calling, leaving voicemails. We had gone three weeks without speaking, and we ran into each other at the post office. I was shipping some things to a house in Montana, and she was dressed real pretty like, arm in hand with a man I had seen quite a few times.

We couldn't avoid one another then, and our exchange was intense. She was headed out to Seattle with her date to have dinner. I told her I was happy for her, and I shook her date's hand, albeit too tightly, causing him to wince. She just smiled tensely at me, furrowing her brows. That day I sent her my own emotions, my love, happiness for her, and a sense of peace. Her eyes had widened, and she just stared at me with an expression that was filled with wonder. I bid them goodbye, her quiet bye echoing in my ears.

I had decided to stay until after the holidays. Bella and her now boyfriend Will had been dating since I ran into them. We hadn't really spoken since our tense meeting, much of my fault. It seemed that she was happy and found someone to take care of her and wouldn't abandon her like I did. Like I was about to. I didn't want to disrupt that. I wanted her to forget about me. To make a life without me in it.

Maybe that wasn't my choice to make, but the longer I stayed, the more suspicious the town would be.

Bella had called me a few times after I told her when I was leaving. Despite our rocky friendship, we promised to see each other during Christmas before I left. I knew she now understood that I had to go, but she had been upset with the way I did it. Christmas came to fast for my liking, and I decided that I'd put on some Christmas Western and string up a few lights to make it look nice.

When Bella knocked on my front door, I was expecting a tense, but cordial, maybe even nostalgic conversation, but what I had received was a teary-eyed, red-faced woman. She looked like she had been crying for a while, and guilt passed through me. She had steeled herself before I could say anything, wiping her eyes, and smiling at me as if all was right in the world.

I just silently let her in, and I went to remove her jacket, like I used to, but she had simply shrugged away from me. Not too noticeable, but I had to narrow my eyes at her. She had looked away from my gaze, and she cleared her throat, diverting my attention by asking me a few questions. She asked me where I was going, if I would like it, what I would do…just random questions that I answered to the best of my ability.

I however wasn't focused on her questions. I was focused more on her. I had known Bella for years now, and she seemed….off. Different. She kept looking everywhere, bouncing from foot to foot. She also had that damn jacket on to the point where she was sweating. I had the fireplace going and the heat on, so I knew that it wasn't cold. Her hands shook every time she picked up something, and she spoke…so…weird like. I knew though that we had grown apart, but this wasn't the Bella I knew.

She had nervously fiddled with her hair, a tick of hers, and that's when I saw it. Against my own control, I was in front of her in seconds, brushing her hair to the side, narrowing my eyes at the finger-shaped bruise on her neck. She had froze, eyes wide. I wasn't too concerned about her shock, but more so on her well-being.

It was then that I traveled my eyes down some, noticing a pattern. She grasped my hand, and if it weren't for her wide eyes and pale face, I would have torn that jacket flap out of my way. I stared her in the eyes, frowning at her. "How long?" I asked quietly. She looked away from me then, and I tilted her chin back to me, repeating my question. Her lips trembled, and I closed my eyes.

"I'm going to kill him," She frantically shook her head at me, and there was no pleading she could do, no crying, begging…

So I didn't kill him, but he had a very unfortunate car accident the day after Christmas that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Bella didn't ask questions which I was grateful for. I still didn't tell her I loved her, and had for quite some time, but I knew that she knew.

She was smart.

New Years Eve was a day that I would not forget. Bella and I had slipped back into a routine that took me back to the good days. We spent all day together, and I had finally told her the truth about what I was. She had so many questions, and was more excited than I thought possible, realizing I was walking history. It was nice. It was nice to have her again. Even if for a short while.

When the clock struck 12, I had cupped her face and kissed her like my life depended on it. She surprised me when she kissed me back in favor, holding onto me so tightly I thought her fingers would break. When we pulled away, we were both too stunned to speak, but there was no going back. I couldn't go back. She stared at me, mouth agape.

I just blinked.

When she pulled me back down to meet her lips, I was in heaven.

I was fool to think that I could slip away and out of her life. Fate was trying to tell me from the beginning that this was one human that I couldn't avoid. I may have screwed some things up, we may have drifted apart here and there, but she was the one thing I'd forever cherish.

AN: Merry Christmas Eve! Hope you guys enjoyed. Okay it's 10pm and I better get to bed so I can wake up with my family lol Have a Merry Christmas/ X-Mas everyone! Please ignore any mistakes.