I love that I get from you guys. I am so grateful for all of you. These past couple of weeks have been so incredibly difficult. Seriously. You're reviews and follows and just the views without any sort of acknowledgment have been huge in bolstering my mood. I love you guys. I don't know you, but I think I love you. (That's awkward.)

I've been trying to get all of the chapters written ahead of time in my spare time, but it's hard to find my voice sometimes. But no worries because you guys seem to still think I got it.

How about a little trip home? The song title for this chapter is The House That Built Me by Miranda Lambert. I love this song. It makes me all reminiscent and stuff. Sappy, emotional stuff.

PS guys, I know that I say this almost every other chapter, but I am going to change my penname. I'm thinking wordynerd. So don't be alarmed if you see stuff pop up from me.

Disclaimer: I have the Castle books and Stargate: Atlantis the complete series and lots of books (sooooo many books) but I don't own the rights to these characters or their environment. Now I'll go drown my sorrows in Colonel John Sheppard's witty sarcasm and ice cream.

Chapter Seventeen: The House That Built Me

BPOV:

"So Jasper, how are your parents doing?" Charlie's voice cut into the kitchen where I was pulling chicken parmesan from the oven. I smiled to myself as Jasper answered and changed the subject to sports. As I tossed a salad together, I listened as my father and Jasper engaged in an animated discussion of rosters and player stats with good natured ribbing.

Jasper and I had decided to surprise Charlie when we drove up for Carlisle and Esme's anniversary when we knocked on the door and Charlie opened it to find me standing there, hand in hand with my ex-boyfriend's brother, his face went pretty much every color in the rainbow. Finally he grabbed me and wrapped me in a hug. When he offered to order pizza or take us out to the diner, I argued that I hadn't mastered as many culinary ventures to eat out. I got to work in the kitchen while Charlie sat at the table and grilled me about life. I knew he was fishing for the story behind my familiarity with Jasper. After an hour of failed plays, he asked Jasper if he wanted to go watch the game.

I was pleased that Jasper was holding his own against my father's obvious testing. I had been a little worried about my father's reaction to my new relationship. When I had left, I was a heartbroken girl whose boyfriend had just cheated on her and best friend had died. Now I was a confident woman who was in a happy, healthy relationship with my best friend's widowed husband –not that he knew that. I set the table and called in the boys, moving things from the counter to the table.

"This smells amazing, Bells," Charlie exclaimed, sitting down.

"Thanks. Has the pizza place been able to expand since I left," I teased.

"Actually, no. Um…" I looked up at the shy, embarrassed tone of my father's voice. His ears and cheeks were bright red. "Sue spends a lot of time here. She cooks for me most of the time." I met Jasper's eyes and he was fighting a smile.

"Oh really? Sue Clearwater?"

"Yeah. She and her kids are over here a lot."

"That's nice of you to have them," I said, purposefully making him squirm. Sweet payback.

"Well, yeah, I mean… Sue and I… we're kind of, um, seeing… each other," he mumbled and I felt my fork slip from my fingers and clatter on my plate.

"As in…dating?" I couldn't keep the disbelief from my voice.

"Yeah, she was going to come over tonight actually. But I texted her and told her you were here." I was touched that my father wanted to spend time with me.

But I had to see this.

"No, Dad, It's okay. Call her and tell her to come."

"Really?" I tried to keep the smile off my face.

"Yeah. I'd love to meet Sue again. See the woman the convinced the self proclaimed eternal bachelor to give up the single life," I teased. He smiled –grinned –and jumped up from the table to call Sue.

"I know where you get it from now," Jasper murmured, moving his chair closer to mine and taking my hand.

"What?"

"Your amazing ability to love so deeply, so fully. Charlie would give his life for Sue. It's the same intensity of feeling that you feel when you look at me, kiss me. It's not a normal intensity for a human being to experience."

"So my superpower is that I can love on a superhuman level? Did you consider the fact that maybe we've just both found wonderful people who bring out the best in us," I quipped, placing a kiss to his cheek. He smiled and rested his forehead against mine.

"I think I'm the lucky one," he whispered before our lips met in a sweet kiss. Our kiss became heated but before we could get carried away, a clearing throat broke us apart. I turned, red faced to see my father staring at us, face equally red and shuffling from foot to foot and trying to avoid eye contact.

"Sue will, uh, be here in about ten minutes," he muttered before turning on his heel and heading to the living room where I heard the sounds of the game start moments before. I looked at Jasper and we both began to snicker quietly. I moved to clear the dishes, dumping Jasper's uneaten food in the trash. He helped me clean up and do the dishes until the doorbell rang a few minutes later. Charlie practically ran to the door and threw it open. I couldn't hear what he was saying but Jasper whispered the conversation to me as it happened and I smiled when I heard him tell Sue he loved her.

They came into the kitchen a few moments later, hand in hand, Charlie blushing and Sue grinning. I did not hesitate before going up and hugging her. She squeezed me tightly before letting go.

"Bella, it has been far too long," she said, squeezing my hand. "Charlie reads me all your letters. I'm glad to hear that Utah has been treating you so well."

"Thank you. I'm so happy to hear that Charlie has had someone looking after him since I left. I was worried he'd live on a steady diet of pizza and diner food," I joked. She laughed while Charlie muttered something about not being completely helpless.

"I know. The man could burn water. I don't know how he survived so long before you came to live with him." I laughed.

"Hey, I'm standing right here," Charlie interjected but I noticed the way his eyes were soft as he looked between Sue and me.

"Sue, this is Jasper Hale, my boyfriend," I said and Jasper took Sue's hand. I watched as her eyes moved between us in speculation before they settled on his and she smiled softly and nodded almost imperceptibly. I felt him relax and we headed into the living room where we began to trade stories and distractedly play games. It was an evening full of fun and a strong sense of family that I hadn't felt in a while. It was strange and refreshing to see my father so happy. With Jasper there, I felt like my family was finally whole. Edward had certainly never been able to befriend my father on a level this intimate or devoid of tension. Jasper and my father were teasing and arguing with each other good naturedly and I felt my heart swell as I watched them interact.

Despite my happiness I could not help but feel a strange sense that this would be the last time I visited my father.

And that thought frightened me.