Chapter 12

BPOV

My whole body was sore as I stirred from my sleep. I could feel where Jake hit my cheek and was certain that it would be bruised. My legs and arms ached from him throwing me and the adrenaline spiked movements I made. I was hurting.

Yet...

I shifted my legs slowly, realizing that I was completely nude underneath unfamiliar sheets. Glancing around, the masculine-toned walls surrounded me as I slowly came to. Soft breathing was to my right. I glanced down to see him.

My hero.

My Jasper.

His shaggy blonde hair spilled everywhere over his pillow, his hand spread across my stomach protectively. The strong arms surrounding me provided a sense of security, of warmth, in quite possibly the most chaotic time of my life. There was absolutely nothing that I could give him to repay him for what he did; then again, I knew exactly what I could give and hoped that it would be enough.

I could give him everything. All of me.

Forever.

Would that be enough? Was I enough?

I turned on my left side and backed myself into his body, his right arm gripping me tighter, holding me as if I belonged there. I did belong. Then I heard him whisper, so quiet:

"Welcome home, darlin'."

****

3 months later

I hummed to myself as I whipped the eggs, glancing around the kitchen. The last few months were quite possibly the most intense, life-changing days of my life. Stuff like this doesn't happen in real life - people don't just have the "love at first sight" kind of connection. The fact that we had been together for a total of three months and have already fallen hard for each other is reason enough to question why it had taken so long for us to find one another.

He was the love of my life.

My insides warmed at the thought and I continued stirring. Just then, the doorbell rang. I brushed my hands off with a nearby dishtowel and made my way to the front door. My hand caressed my growing stomach as I walked quickly to answer whoever was there.

I unlocked the door and swung it open. There, standing on Jasper's front stoop, was Edward. Not that I knew Edward well, but he appeared to be completely broken. His saddened eyes took glanced me over and he raised an eyebrow suspiciously at me; I looked down to find that I was only wearing one of my beloved's longsleeved henleys. It was grey, low cut and long - it did cover up all of the important parts, but I never felt so exposed. And judged.

"Edward," I nodded diplomatically, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Hi," he glanced behind me and to the sides, perhaps scanning for Jasper.

"What can I do for you?" I asked.

His eyes met mine again and hardened. He looked as though he'd cry if he could, "Where's Jasper?"

Suddenly, I felt protective. I felt protective of the man that saved me so many months ago. Protective of the life that we started. And most importantly, I felt protective of the life growing inside of me.

"He is not available at the moment, Edward. Can I leave him a message for you?" I responded with an authorative tone.

Edward took a step forward to pass by me, and I shifted to my right to block him from entering. His long fingers wrapped around my upper arm, pushing me to the left so that he could enter the house. Although I was small, I was still fierce.

"Listen, asshole. You are not welcome in our home. You have three seconds to leave before I have Jasper put you out. Your choice."

Edward grinned down at me, his hand still wrapped around my arm. "So he is here?"

I scowled at him, "One."

He chuckled, "Oh Bella, why couldn't I have found you and Jasper keep Alice? You are much more my type."

I began to shake with fury, "TWO."

Edward leaned down and whispered, "I like it when you get angry. I bet Jasper likes it, too."

My instincts kicked in as my knee jerked up and connected directly with his crotch. He cupped himself and screamed a high-pitched scream. His knees hit the ground as he let me go, leaning against the wall next to the door frame.

"Three," I laughed.

"Bella!" I heard yell out from upstairs as Jasper stumbled around, likely vacating the shower. I laughed at the image I was missing - Jasper, angry as a hornet, grasping for clothing and soaking wet, running down the stairs to save his damsel in distress. I'm glad that this time, I took care of it myself.

He sprinted down the stairs and nearly ran into the opposite wall when he slid across the landing. His eyes found me and he sighed, happy that I wasn't hurt. Then his eyes found the open door and the figure lying at my feet. He smiled, possibly the widest smile that I have ever seen.

Jasper walked forward slowly, chuckling to himself, "Were you being rude to the lady of the house, Edward?"

I nodded and smiled, stepping back from the pile of man that I just debilitated. Jasper looked at me and asked what happened.

"He wanted to know where you were," I replied truthfully. "When I told him you weren't available, he tried to enter himself. I told him not to and counted to three before I took matters into my own hands. Or knee, rather." Jasper was already furious at the intrusion; I didn't feel the need to tell him about the other comments. I could tell him that later - I didn't want my future husband to be in prison for murder while I raised my child without him.

"Edward. Why the fuck are you here?" Jasper knelt down to him, eyeing him with a hard stare.

Edward coughed and grimmaced in pain, "I just came by to tell you that it was over..."

"What's over?" Jasper replied, visibly exhausted with our unwelcome guest.

"Alice and I. We're over. I was stopping by to tell you that you can have her back..." Edward's eyes hit the floor to his left and then to me. His stare lingered a bit too long for my comfort and I squirmed nervously, turning toward Jasper. I could have sworn that the look in his eyes would have burned a hole through solid lead.

Jasper quickly backhanded Edward across the face, hard enough to get his attention but likely wouldn't leave a lasting bruise. Edward's eyes immediately teared up, "What the hell was that for?"

"That was for betraying my friendship. For betraying my trust. For taking my longtime girlfriend," then he reached his hand out to Edward, offering his assistance to hlep him up. Edward grabbed it tentively as he was jerked upright, one hand still holding his crotch. Edward raised his eyebrow as Jasper continued, "That was for setting me free from her reign in my life. For allowing me to live again. For putting me through hell so that I could find my piece of heaven on earth."

Jasper glanced over at me, then to my stomach, and back to my eyes and smiled. I smiled back, knowingly. We both turned back to Edward whose mouth was hanging open in shock, making the connection. Likely, he noticed that both of us were wearing plain silver bands on our left ring fingers, as well.

I stepped forward to open the front door wider as I knew what was next, "And THIS," Jasper yelled as he heaved Edward out the door, allowing him to land hard and awkwardly on the concrete sidewalk, "is for coming back here. For speaking inappropriately to my wife. For the complete disregard of my previous request. Let me take the time to repeat it for you: LEAVE US THE FUCK ALONE."

Then he slammed the door.