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Chapter 7: New Beginnings

(Natalie's POV)

I gasped as I stepped through the tree line, taking in the amazing view that stretched out before us. It was like something straight out of my dreams.

We were standing at the top of a stunning, large waterfall that splashed down onto the rocks and fed the river below. From this high up the mountain, the view of the Olympic National Park went on for miles and the setting sun outlined the world around us in multitudes of red, orange, pinks and purples.

"Oh my God, Jasper, this is amazing!" I gushed. "How on earth did you find this place?"

He smiled proudly, "I found the road that led up to the lot where we parked earlier after making a wrong turn. It was right after we'd moved here. After that, I did some exploring and came across this spot. I find I come here a lot, especially when I want to get away from the house."

I looked back at him, "Thank you for sharing this with me."

"You're very welcome," he grinned.

I reached for my cell phone that I had kept in my jacket pocket and began taking pictures – I couldn't resist.

Jasper chuckled at my eagerness to capture everything that the beautiful landscape had to offer. "You really are into photography, aren't you?"

I nodded with a wide smile, "I love it. I have an old Nikon at home. It used to be my grandfather's. Charlie gave it to me after he died. It's not as high-tech as the newer model's – or as expensive, but it still takes some beautiful shots."

"I'm sure that has a lot to do with the photographer, as well," he commented.

I smiled softly, relieved that the cold was hiding my blush, but couldn't help the shiver that suddenly went through me as a stronger breeze hit us.

Jasper noticed, of course, and he motioned to something behind him. "Would you like to warm up a bit?"

I cocked my head in confusion, and followed him over to the side towards a thick patch of trees.

What in the world?

Jasper began moving a bunch of large branches to reveal what looked to be some sort of small off-roading vehicle.

"Where did this come from?" I wondered, baffled.

He smirked, "I arranged to have this already here so we could get back to the car later."

He reached into the back and pulled out what looked to be a thick blanket, as well as several heaters and a small generator.

"Good thinking," I observed, impressed and touched at the effort and preparation he had put into everything for this evening.

"The blanket is heated too," he informed me as he spread it out on the ground and plugged everything in. "Go ahead and sit down. I just need to grab a couple more things."

I settled onto the blanket and was surprised at how much warmer I had already felt as I looked back out at the amazing landscape.

"Are you hungry?" Jasper asked as he appeared with two thermoses and a picnic basket.

My jaw dropped slightly at the unexpected spread, "You didn't have to go through so much trouble just for me."

"I know," he replied as he poured what looked to be hot chocolate into the lid, which doubled as the cup. "But I wanted to."

I smiled at him endearingly as I took the offered cup and then took a sip, relishing the way the hot liquid settled in my stomach and warmed me from the inside out.

"You are a really sweet guy, Jasper," I complimented him. "I'm so happy I met you."

"So am I," he responded, his golden eyes lighting up as he stared down at me, causing my stomach to flip.

"So," I cleared my throat awkwardly and then shifted around to face him. "You know I am into photography, books, and cars, but what about you? What else do you like to do for fun besides camping, outdoor sports and acting as Forks High's Welcoming Committee?"

He laughed, "Well, I too like to read."

"Really? What kind of books?" I asked, excited that we had yet another thing in common.

"I'm like you in that aspect; I'll read anything I can get my hands on. However, my bread and butter is history - especially the Civil War. I also enjoy reading about historical war tactics and battle plans, along with the soldiers who fought in them."

"That actually sounds really fascinating. What peeked your interest in the Civil War?" I asked him.

"That's kind of a long, complicated story," he shifted uncomfortably. "I'll tell you about it some other time. In the mean time, I could lend you something from my if you're truly interested?"

The disappointment I had briefly felt at his procrastination had been somewhat lifted, and I was smiling once more. "Yeah, I'd love that!"

"I'll bring you something on Monday," he decided.

"Thanks," I replied.

Jasper and I continued to talk and laugh long after the sun had disappeared, leaving a dark sheet of black coating the nighttime sky - the majority of the moon and stars were hidden behind the regular cloud cover. The sound of crickets was becoming nearly as loud as the water as it hit the rocks so far below us and echoed into the night.

Jasper had lit us a fire just after the sun had set and we were now roasting marshmallows to make s'mores using gram crackers and Hershey bars. We also had some fresh fruit earlier – apples and grapes – with sliced cheese, pepperoni and crackers. We had also cooked some hot dogs, as well.

"Ah! Take it out! It's going to catch fire!" I laughed just as the marshmallow burst into flames.

"Shit!" He hurriedly pulled his stick back to blow it out, but it was already too late; by the time he had it extinguished, the once white, fluffy confection was now a sticky piece of charcoal.

"Guess I'm not that great at this after all," Jasper chuckled as he pulled the black and white sticky goo off of his stick and tossed it's remains into the fire.

"You know, I thought that with all the camping and ruffing it you Cullen's do, that you'd at least know how to cook a decent marshmallow." I teased him good-naturedly.

Amusement sparked in his eyes and he set his stick off to the side, turning back to face me, "My family and I don't usually eat this kind of stuff. We're on a special kind of diet." He responded with a smirk.

I made a face, "What, like no sugar, no carbs?" I asked, momentarily recalling how he'd eaten his hot dog without the bun.

"Something like that," he chuckled cryptically, and he turned a bit more towards me, resting his elbow on his bent knee.

I shook my head and pulled my perfectly cooked marshmallow from the fire before grabbing a graham cracker and a piece of a Hershey bar to sandwich it between.

"I can't imagine a diet that doesn't involve the occasional bit of chocolate," I told him, biting into my s'more, moaning happily for emphasis.

He grinned and reached over to wipe a smudge of chocolate from the corner of my mouth. "So I take it you like sweets?"

"It's a love/hate relationship," I explained, vividly recalling the painful trip to the dentist the week after Halloween when I was seven.

"I get it completely," he smirked charismatically, and I felt myself internally swoon.

I decided to change the subject. "So, do you play any sports?"

His smile turned more genuinely happy as he responded, "My family and I love to play baseball and football – Emmett gets really competitive and it drives Rosalie and Esme nuts."

I couldn't help but to be amused at the mental picture he illustrated for me.

"So, he's the sports fanatic of the family?"

"Definitely," he confirmed. "He loves Madden and all those sports games. Emmett might come across intimidating because of his size, but in all honesty he's a big teddy bear and a bit of a practical jokester. But he's almost always laughing and smiling. He also makes Rose really happy. She's been through a lot and deserves to be treated well."

"She seems more intimidating to me than Emmett does, actually." I sheepishly admitted. "I am used to being around overgrown teenage boys. You would be surprised how big some of the guys from the rez are." I frowned a bit as a realization came over me, "I haven't seen any of them around in years, actually."

I quickly shook off the melancholy and smiled uneasily. "What about Edward? Is he always so daunting?"

Jasper sighed, "No, not at all - he is usually very level-headed. He has a strong affinity for music and culture. How he'd acted your first day… that isn't who he usually is, and he feels very bad about it. He really was just having a really off day."

I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth as I digested what he had to say and nodded my understanding. "But seriously, Jasper, I won't put up with anyone bullying my sister. She's been pretty upset about what happened with Edward - I've actually been kind of worried," I explained, "But I get that people have bad days and sometimes act without thinking. If you say he is not that kind of guy, I will give him the benefit of the doubt, but if he doesn't knock it off, he's going to make an enemy out of me."

Jasper nodded with visible relief. "I completely understand where you're coming from, darlin'. And thank you. I admire how protective you are of the people you care about."

I smiled, "I'm sure you understand what that's like. After all, you were just looking out for your brother the same way I was for my sister."

"Yeah, you're right," he thoughtfully concluded.

"And Alice? She seems sweet." I asked him somewhat nervously.

Jessica had said that they'd used to be a couple, and, from what I'd seen at school, they still seemed to be pretty close. She is also the only other Cullen who acknowledges me when we pass each other in the hall, lunch or during class, however, we have yet to actually speak.

Jasper smiled, "Alice is very kind. She is always so full of energy and always looking to help others – she enjoys seeing the people that she cares about happy. She also loves to design clothing in her spare time, especially for the family. She is really looking forward to meeting you."

I couldn't hide the shock I felt at this revelation.

"Me?" I squeaked.

Jasper chuckled, "Yes, you. Why are you so surprised?"

I cleared my throat anxiously, "It's just that…well…you and Alice…"

How should I say this?

Lucky for me, I didn't have to worry about it as realization colored his features as he quickly understood what I was trying to convey to him.

"You're referring to the fact that Alice and I were in a relationship," he concluded, and I nodded. "You don't have anything to worry about with her. Alice and I have been over for quite some time, well before the rest of the student body really took notice. We mutually parted ways and are still very good friends – even more like family. She is very much okay with how everything is."

"Well, that's good to know."

Seriously?

I internally slapped my palm to my face. Was that the only thing I could think of to say? But, I had to admit, the knowledge that they have been over for quite some time did ease my conscious. As much as I liked Jasper, I wasn't okay with coming in-between him and Alice, or hurting anyone because of my feelings.

"She knows how I feel about you," he continued to say, causing my head to snap up and my heart to flutter once more. "She wants to meet the girl who has so thoroughly captured all my attention."

My heart was pounding.

This was it; it was time to gather up my courage and discuss the topic that we had been dancing around all evening – he had just given me the perfect opportunity to do so. What was the worst that could happen? He'd already made it clear that he returned my feelings, right?

"You like me."

Real smooth, Natalie.

Jasper reached for my hand, and I swallowed thickly, allowing him to take it.

"I like you very much," he replied, never once looking away from my face.

My heart fluttered wildly as my next words seemed to tumble from my mouth, "I like you too - a lot."

A giant weight felt like it had been lifted from me the moment the words left my lips, however, I didn't get the chance to bask in the relief for long as an infectious cocktail of elation, satisfaction and affection all slammed into me at once.

I began to sway, feeling extremely dizzy as my chest contracted and out of ikebana from the emotional intensity. I gripped Jasper's hand tightly with my own in an attempt to stay upright, and fighting not to pass out right there where I sat.

What in the hell was happening to me?

Then, just like that, all the overwhelming emotions were gone, and Jasper was now a lot closer, watching me full of concern and guilt?

"I'm so sorry, Darlin! Are you alright?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah, sorry mm… dizzy spell," I brushed it off.

After all, what was I supposed to tell him? The truth would make me sound crazy, and I couldn't even begin to explain what that was.

Jasper didn't press the issue, only nodded and continued to worriedly look me over quickly with his eyes until he seemed confident that I was telling the truth and was in fact okay. He then relaxed, still holding onto my hand and maintaining his close proximity.

The light from the fire was now hitting him at just the right angle to light up his face. He was also looking at me in that way again, the one that made my heart beat faster and slower at the same time, and a knot formed in my throat.

My God, this man could easily send me into cardiac arrest; he dazzled me every time he looked at me.

But it was also much more than that. Behind this handsome face was such an amazingly thoughtful guy. I had never met anyone like him before, even without all the mystery that surrounded him and his family.

I really was starting to care about Jasper Hale a lot . But how was it possible to have such strong feelings for someone you barely knew? At this point, I honestly didn't care. Something inside of me was encouraging me, driving me onward, insisting to me that this was all somehow right.

"My God, you're so beautiful," Jasper spoke hoarsely, bringing me back to the present as I continued to gaze up at him. His eyes were hypnotizing me as I watched the flames dancing within his liquid gold eyes.

My face began to feel hot and I knew my cheeks would be turning pink. He must've noticed this too, as he began to smile at me fondly, and reached up with the hand that had been holding mine to lightly graze my cheek until he was cupping the right side of my jaw.

I didn't pull away, I didn't want to. The tingling electrical sensations were back in full swing and I was loving every single second of it.

Jasper began to lean in even closer now, stopping just far enough away so that I could still see him as his cool, sweet smelling breath ghosted over my face. It was like an aphrodisiac, and all my senses were coming alive.

"Can I kiss you, Natalie?" He asked, his voice sounding both deeper and raspier than usual, sending chills down my spine as I tilted my chin up in acquiescence to his request.

Finally, his lips met mine, fitting together so perfectly as though my lips were made to kiss his. Blinding white fireworks went off behind my eyelids as he cradled my cheek more firmly in his hand.

It was pure bliss.

My blood began to boil under my skin, under my lips, and, as they parted, I breathed in his heady scent.

It was intoxicating.

Jasper pressed his mouth back onto mine with vigor, and his tongue slid over my bottom lip, begging for entrance.

I reached up to grab onto the back of his neck with one hand to bring him closer in acceptance to his request.

What was he doing to me?

Jasper slowly broke off the kiss, pressing our foreheads together as our noses rubbed against each other, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

I would be content to stay right here with Jasper, just like we were right here and now in this rapturous moment. Forever.

(Jasper's POV)

The drive back to the Swan residence was a quiet one. The only sounds to be heard were the soft music that came from the car's speakers accompanied by the 'lob-dub' of my little mate's beating heart.

I smiled to myself as I thought back on the wonderful evening we had spent together.

She really enjoyed the special place I had chosen to take her. It was an important place to me. I'd come across it the day Alice told me about Natalie and ended our companionship. I was feeling overwhelmed by so many different emotions and needed some time to myself to wrap my mind around everything. I'd taken the picture that Alice had drawn of Natalie from her vision and wandered around aimlessly until I came across the waterfall. I'd sat there for hours looking down at drawing and wondering about the girl gazing back up at me.

I explored the area a lot over this past year, and discovered a lot of secrets that nature kept hidden. I couldn't wait to bring her back to show her more, and she'd seemed eager to return. I knew that place would come to hold a lot of sentimental value for her, as well.

There was so much about Natalie that attracted me to her, from her kind and loving nature to the way she looked out for the people she cared about.

And, God, that kiss - my lips were still tingling from it. The heat from her soft, wet mouth molding against my ice cold lips drove me insane, and I could swear that my long silent heart had begun to beat once again during those few precious moments.

I couldn't get the whole experience out of my head. I knew without a doubt that I would never tire from her kisses; she was intoxicating.

I gave the hand I was holding against her thigh a squeeze, causing Natalie to look over at me from the passenger's side. She gave me a tender smile that hit me square in the chest.

I brought her hand to my lips and placed a chaste kiss against her knuckles, and a faint blush appeared across her porcelain skin.

I turned onto her street, and then pulled up in front of her house before shutting off the engine.

Natalie turned to look out the window and sighed, feeling as reluctant to leave as I was for her to go.

The lights were all off inside the house aside from the flash coming from the television in the living room. I could sense that Charlie had long since fallen asleep in his chair in the same place where we had left him earlier this evening.

"Can I walk you to your door?" I asked.

She nodded, "Always the gentleman."

I jumped out and quietly made my way around to the other side of the car at a human pace to open her door, holding out a hand to assist her.

She looked up at me from underneath her lashes as she placed her hand in mine, then intertwined our fingers as I walked her up the driveway to her front door.

She turned to face me and smiled, "Thank you so much for such a wonderful evening, Jasper. I really had a great time with you tonight."

"I did too," I smiled as I played with the fingers on her left hand. "I'm so glad you agreed to come out with me."

I leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to her sweet lips, dragging it out as long as I could until [I knew she needed air.

"Can I give you a ride to school on Monday morning?" I asked.

Her eyebrows shot up, then a wide smile lit up her beautifulface, "Sure."

Embarrassment I didn't understand blended through the joy and eagerness she was feeling, and I brought my hands up to cup her jaw using my thumbs to outline her cheeks bones.

"I'll be here by 7:15am, if that works for you?"

She rose up onto her tip toes, and held onto my wrists to steady herself, surprising me by initiating a quick kiss of her own accord before replying, "Sounds good."

I smiled, releasing her face in favor of her hands as I held them between us, "Sweet dreams, Darlin'."

"Drive safe, Jasper," she replied, and I brought her right hand up to kiss the inside of her wrist.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I leaned down for another kiss but I was more forceful in my pursuit. She gasped and allowed me entry into her soft, wet mouth.

Finally pulling back, I reluctantly began to back away from her, holding onto her hand until I had to release it and made my way back to my car.

I watched to make sure she got inside okay before I pulled off and headed back to the house to drop off my BMW in favor of my truck so I could go back to pick up the UTV I had left in the parking lot after driving Natalie and I back from the spot.

But first things first, I needed to get rid of all the human food that was still sitting uncomfortably in my stomach.

I pulled up in front of the house, sensing that everyone was home, aside from Edward. I flitted inside and up to the living room, stopping when I found Carlisle and Esme, who were both relaxing on the loveseat. Carlisle had his arm stretched out behind Esme, who was snugly leaning into him.

"Hello Jasper," Carlisle greeted me with a smile.

I made my way further into the room, suspecting that they wanted to talk, and took a seat on the couch across from them.

"Hey."

"How was your evening with Natalie?" Esme asked kindly.

I couldn't help the grin formed on my face at the mention of the human girl I'd just left. "It was great. I just dropped her off at home."

"That's wonderful, dear," she responded, honestly happy that things were progressing so well with my mate.

I could sense that there was more, and I patiently waited for them to continue.

"Alice saw that Edward will be home early tomorrow," Carlisle relayed.

I sat up straighter at this news.

"Oh?"

He nodded warily, "We thought it would be best to inform you before he arrived."

I thought through the implications of Edward's return, worried about how this would effect Natalie. It was a catch-22 – the family, Esme especially, and I obviously missed our him and wanted him to come home, but at the same time, Bella was Edward's singer. I wad petrified about what it would mean for Natalie if something were to happen to the twin she loved so much. Or worse - if something were to happen to her in her effort to protect Bella.

I frowned, "Thank you for telling me. I appreciate the warning."

I rose from my seat, and was about to leave the room in search of Alice when Carlisle stopped me.

"Jasper," he stood and crossed the room, "Alice doesn't foresee any problems arising from his return. We will all take precautions to ensure nothing happens to neither Natalie or Bella, but this is Edward's home too, and he is a part of our family. We cannot ban him from returning if he thinks he can handle it."

"I understand."

What else could I say? He was right. And Edward had proven time and again that he had a handle on his blood lust, but I had yet to see a vampire resist the call of his singer and didn't see how this would be any different.

I needed to talk to Alice.

I swiftly climbed the stairs to the top floor where I knew Alice would be in her studio and let myself in to find her seated in front of her sewing machine as she worked on the seam of one of the many dresses she was making for Rosalie. Yards of fabric were stacked on the build-in shelves on the far end of the room and several manikins were dressed in nearly-completed ensembles around the large space.

"Hi Jasper," Alice chimed without looking up from what she was working on.

I walked right over to the antique sofa and collapsed down onto it with my head in my hands, letting out a loud sigh in acknowledgement.

She stopped what she was doing and looked up at me, her emotions deliberative, yet confident as she crossed the room to sit next to me.

"Everything will be fine, I promise."

I looked up at her, searching.

"You know you can't see decisions based off instinct, especially in relation to hunger or blood lust. If so, we wouldn't have had to move so many times."

Especially because of me…

"So what makes this time any different? Why are you so sure that Edward can handle this? He's never experienced the pull of a singer's blood before."

"Edward has always had a firm handle on his control, Jasper. You of all people should know that," she insisted, and looked at me pointedly.

I didn't respond right away, knowing that she was right on that account. Due to my empathic abilities, I could sense a vampire's blood lust, and my brother's control was right up there with Carlisle's – not surprising considering her was Carlisle's first companion before he saved Esme.

"I've seen what happens if he comes back to school with us on Monday. I didn't foresee Bella being Edward's singer, so I'll be paying better attention this time. He'll also be well fed and better prepared. He can do this, Jas, and what's more is that he wants to."

I continued to think over her words, having trouble reigning in the instinctual drive to protect Natalie above all else.

"You know I care about her too, right? You know I would never put her in a situation if I thought something bad was going to happen to her? Remember, I've been having visions of Natalie with our family, together in love with you, and with me, as my sister, long before I knew who she even was. I love her too – or I'm going to."

Her emotions reflected her honesty, and I relented, finally able to calm my instincts enough to listen to reason.

Alice's face momentarily went blank as she saw my decision to welcome Edward home without objections, and a wide smile lit up her face, her emotions reflecting an anticipatory excitement.

"Thank you, Jas," she squeaked as she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.

"I really hope you're right and that he can do this," I let out a long breath, and released her.

She jumped to her feet and practically skipped back over to her sewing machine, "I promise that everything will work out. Besides, he will only be near her at school during biology – a class that Natalie doesn't have with them. I will be watching the whole time and will get him out of there if I even get the hint of trouble. What could possibly happen?"

(Natalie's POV)

Sunday passed without incident. Charlie, unused to spending time in the usually empty house, had been at work for most of the weekend while Bella and I got a lot done. We cleaned the house together, got ahead on our homework and we each wrote mom a more bogusly cheerful email.

We had also managed to drive to the library in the afternoon, but it was so poorly stocked that I didn't bother to get a card; I would have to make a date to visit Olympia or Seattle soon and find a good bookstore. I wondered idly what kind of gas mileage the truck got and shuttered at the thought.

I did a little bit of work on the truck in an attempt to get the engine to quiet down later that evening. Other than that, I am happy to report that the rain stayed soft over the weekend, quiet, so I was able to finally get some real sleep.

Come Monday morning, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as I finished doing my hair. Charlie had called up about five minutes prior and announced to Bella and I that he was leaving for work. I heard his cruiser leave less than a minute later.

I was just about to slip into the bathroom when I spotted an enormous black jeep pull up in front of the house.

Who on earth…?

I continued to watch out the window as Jasper climbed out from the back seat and leaned casually against the door. I smiled at the sight and hurriedly finished getting ready.

Then I slung my back pack over my shoulder, and knocked on Bella's door before poking my head inside. "Hey Bells, Jasper's here to take me to school. I'll meet you there, okay?"

She looked up at me through the reflection of her full length mirror and smiled.

"Alright, I'll see you there," She responded as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

I grinned back at her before I closed her door and practically skipped down the stairs and out the front door. It was colder outside this morning, but happily not raining.

I watched as Jasper's face lit up when he saw me, and he pushed off the Jeep to scoop me up into his arms and wrap himself around me. He buried his face into my neck, and I swear that I heard some sort of purring sound rumble in his chest. It reminded me of the sound that a large feline would make when they were happy, but, knowing that it was impossible, I dismissed the comparison in favor of a more realistic explanation - maybe he had been humming against my jacket?

Storing the observation away with the rest of the thoughts I'd been pushing away for another time, I pulled back from him so that I could see his face. His golden eyes were alight with happiness, and he cupped my jaw, leaning down to gift me with a gentle kiss.

"Good morning, darlin'," he grinned against my lips as he slipped his hand into mine, brushing his thumb gently over my knuckles.

"Good morning to you too." I responded.

"You ready to go?" He asked as he pulled me by the hand over to the monster of a jeep.

I nodded happily as my eyes appraised the large vehicle.

"Another car?" I smirked, quirking a brow at him.

He chuckled, "I'm afraid I can't take the credit for this monstrosity."

"No, that would be me," came from inside the vehicle as the tinted window was rolled down revealing Jasper's brother, Emmett, and his exquisite blonde girlfriend.

I smirked and allowed Jasper to lead me the rest of the way down to the Jeep.

Emmett held a hand out the window with a dimpled grin and a mischievous twinkle in his eye that spelled out 'trouble' in the most amusing ways, "I'm Emmett Cullen. It's nice to officially meet the girl who Jasper has been gushing about all week."

I noticed Jasper smile shyly at his brother's attempt at embarrassing him as he opened the trunk and placed my book bag inside with all their things for school.

"It's nice to meet you too," I laughed and shook his hand, immediately noticing the icy coldness of his touch. It was just like how Jasper's was, only I didn't feel the electric crackling when I touched him like I felt when Jasper touched me.

He opened the back door and helped me climb inside.

"My gosh; could this jeep be lifted any higher?" I joked.

"Well, I tried to put some BKT monster truck tires on her, but Esme had a fit and made me take them off," Emmett pouted as he twisted around in his seat to face me.

I chuckled at his antics, already sensing that we were going to get along famously.

The back door on the passenger opened and Jasper jumped inside.

"Natalie, this is my sister, Rosalie – and Emmett's better half," Jasper said as he introduced me to the beautiful blonde who had been observing quietly from the front seat.

I turned to her and smiled warmly, "It's really nice to meet you. Jasper has told me so much about the both of you."

Rosalie turned to acknowledge me with a small smile which didn't quite reach her eyes, and didn't respond with more than the word, "Likewise."

I glanced up at Jasper, curious about her aloft demeanor, and saw that he was frowning at her.

From what I'd learned so far, the beautiful blonde Hale twin seemed like she could be a real bitch when she wanted to be. However, I somehow sensed that I shouldn't base my opinions off of my first impressions. Chances are that she was most-likely worried about my intentions with Jasper. If this was the case, then she and I would just need some time to get to know each other better, as well as for her to see that I was not out to hurt Jasper, her, or their family. We had a lot in common if what Jasper told me about her interest in cars was true, so it helped that we would have a nice jumping-off point; fingers crossed - the last thing I wanted was to butt heads with Jasper's twin sister.

On the way to the school, I could feel Rosalie's eyes continuously scrutinizing me through the passenger side's mirror. It wasn't too hard to ignore it though - Emmett and I were getting to know each other through small talk and playful banter about which baseball team was better. Jasper had been right about Emmett's intensity in regards to all things sports, and was currently laughing in the seat next to mine, his hand resting casually on my upper thigh.

We arrived at the school fairly quickly, which was probably due to the fact that Emmett had broken every single speed limit on our way here.

We turned into the student lot and pulled up next to the familiar silver Volvo, and leaning up against it was none other than Edward Cullen, along with his sister, Alice.

At first, all I felt was surprise at his sudden reappearance, but then I remembered the reason for my anticipation for his return to being with.

I pulled my lower lip in between my teeth as my mind raced, unsure about how I was going to go about this. There was no way I would allow Edward Cullen to treat my sister with malice, but, what if Jasper was right? Maybe Edward was had just been having a bad day. Everyone's entitled to one of those, right? Not to mention, I also didn't want to start off on the wrong foot with my new boyfriend's brother over a simple misunderstanding, if that's what it was.

Jasper must have noticed where my thoughts were taking me when he followed my gaze over to his bronze-haired brother. He gave my thigh a gentle squeeze, causing me to shift my focus up to him.

"Don't be too hard on him?"

I sighed, and nodded, agreeing to see where today would lead. Jasper had convinced me that Edward deserved a chance to fix things before I made any hasty judgements about his character or jumped down his throat over something that he'd felt bad enough about already.

"Come on, let's get going," Jasper helped me grab my school bag from the trunk space behind us before he exited the jeep, leaving me a few extra seconds to I prepare myself until the door next to me opened and Jasper held out his hand to help me climb down from the monstrous black jeep.

I could immediately feel the eyes from everyone in the parking lot as they first noticed our entrance. Whispers erupted around us, and I swallowed uncomfortably, and looked down at my boots, watching the little droplets of moisture roll off the rims as we walked around to the other side of jeep.

Jasper gave my hand an supportive squeeze, "Don't mind them - They are just curious, and maybe a little envious."

"I can imagine so."

His lip twitched in amusement, then he leaned down to place a quick kiss on my cheek. He released my hand and moved it down to my lower back, gently guiding me over to where the rest of his siblings had all gathered.

"Edward, Alice, this is my girlfriend, Natalie," Jasper introduced me once again. My heart gave a little flutter when he used the term 'girlfriend', and I smile widely.

Before I could speak, I was suddenly engulfed into a very tight embrace by the small, pixie-like girl who had been standing with Edward. She was practically vibrating with happiness and excitement.

"It is so great to finally meet you! We are going to be such great friends, I know it!" She gushed.

I couldn't help but to revel at her enthusiasm and I wrapped my arms around her to return her hug; Alice's energetic demeanor was endearing, and I immediately liked her.

"I'm really happy to meet you too," I grinned.

"Okay, Alice, that's enough, stop hogging my girl," Jasper chuckled, and I could tell he sounded pleased.

I felt his hand on my hip as Alice released me, guiding me back into his side.

My attention was then brought to Edward as he cleared his throat, then nodded politely, "Natalie; it's a pleasure to meet you."

"You, as well," I responded.

It was then that I noticed Bella as she pulled into the parking lot, parking the truck on the other side of the lot.

"Hey Natalie, are you coming?" Jasper asked, and I turned to see everyone starting to head into the school.

"I'm going to go grab Bella for class, I'll see you in history" I smiled up at him, standing up onto my toes to kiss his jaw

"Okay," he grinned, leaning down to quickly kiss me before disappearing into the school after his siblings.

A/N: Jasper and Natalie had their first kiss! And Edward is back in Forks! Any thoughts on the chapter? This one was pretty much completely rewritten.

If you have any questions or comments, post them on my reviews and I will answer them here at the bottom of the next chapter in the Author's Notes…

9 time-twilight : Great chapter. If I remember correctly in the old story I think you had Paul as Natalie's boyfriend while in this version Paul was Natalie's best friend, I love this version better were you made Paul her friend instead.

I love the way in this version you made it so Jasper sense it when Natalie was in pain with her headaches, maybe you could keep doing that when Natalie is near Jasper because in the old version you never had Jasper sense when Natalie was in pain with her headaches.

I love the way you did it so Natalie doesn't hate Forks she just hate the bad memories. In chapter 3 you had Natalie say "I'm not a big fan of the rain" so maybe you could change that bit or have Natalie hesitant about why she doesn't like Forks in chapter 3 and then have her say "I'm not a big fan of the rain" and Jasper can sense she's lying or something.

Will Natalie be turned into a vampire before Bella because of her tumor and if so how soon or will she be turned into a vampire the same time as Bella. Will Edward try to convince Jasper not to turn Natalie because of his beliefs even after finding out that she has cancer, I can see Edward saying something along the lines of "they can cure cancer these days so don't turn her if she can live out her life as a human" and Jasper going Major on Edward saying "Natalie my mate, you can't tell me what to do" and maybe something like "if you want to keep Bella human that's your business". I can't see them turning Bella and Natalie the same time because with Jasper's experience with Newborns he knows how hard it is to look after one Newborn never mind two. Plz update soon.

Bella'Xo: I haven't decided exactly when or how I am going to have Natalie changed, but I will say that it will definitely be before Bella. Edward will be Edward – I don't plan to do any Edward bashing but he feels strongly in his beliefs. I am so glad you are enjoying this story and am already working on the next chapter! Enjoy!

4 UnknownReaderHasJoined : Did she and Paul actually date, or were they just close friends? Would he try to pull her away from jasper and that path, similar to jake, though not the same extent? I've always been a fan of both jasper and Paul, so it's interesting to see them on opposite sides to same girl.

Bella'Xo: I am going to get more into Paul and Natalie's past later on in the story, but basically they met as children and became really close – best friends even. But when Paul shifted, he changed – he became angry at the world and started to only hang around with Sam and Jared. When Natalie came up for that last summer in Forks, he treated her really coldly and they stopped talking after a really big fight. Paul is going to be Natalie's Jake, but with a different twist. More to come later!