A/N: So this was supposed to be an extra outtake, but then the power went out and I lost it. So by the time I re-wrote it, I didn't have time to finish the next chapter. Plus people keep asking for more Jasper and G.G., so I'm just posting it as a chapter instead. Timeline-wise it takes place right after Edward arrives at Bella's house and Jasper takes off. And it's in Jasper's pov!

Disclaimer: Characters are not mine, plot probably actually does belong to some soap opera, but I'm going to claim it anyway.

/&/

It's pretty easy to maintain righteous anger towards someone when they are hundreds of miles away and you haven't seen them in almost five years. It gets much harder when she's standing in front of you with a headache inducing number of emotions swirling behind huge brown eyes. My head knew that I was pissed, that I couldn't possibly trust her, but my traitorous heart had given a leap at the sight of her and hadn't stopped trying to beat its way out of my chest since. It had taken everything in me to maintain my anger and keep from enfolding her trembling frame in my arms. The sudden appearance of Edward had helped.

"What did you think of your surprise?" G.G. was bouncing in the backseat of the car, a huge grin on her face.

"What?" I asked, attempting to push thoughts of Bella away.

"Bella! She's back!" G.G. exclaimed, eyeing me with exasperation.

"Mmm, I saw that. But we don't know how long she'll stay," I cautioned her, remembering all too clearly how difficult it had been for G.G. last time Bella had left us.

"Maybe she could have a reason to stay this time," G.G. said pointedly. My lips twitched at her adult demeanor when just seconds ago she'd been bouncing around like a five year old.

"I think Edward might have a problem with her settling here so far away from him," I couldn't help the bitterness that colored my tone when I said his name.

"He's dreamy," G.G. sighed.

"Is he?" I grunted. I didn't know what was so special about a pale guy who clearly couldn't be bothered to brush his hair.

"Yeah, he's totally brooding and tortured, like Angel," she elaborated.

"Has Alice been letting you watch Buffy again? You know I think you're too young for that," I scolded her.

"But I always liked Spike better," she continued, completely ignoring my attempt at parenting, "He was tortured too, but instead of letting it get him down he used sarcasm to rise above. Plus I think he loved Buffy more."

"And that whole vampire thing totally doesn't matter," I muttered.

"See, sarcasm. Spike was blonde too," she grinned at me, "You could definitely win this fight.

I ignored the way my heart stopped, and then resumed pounding double-time against my ribs at the thought of having Bella back in my life for good.

"I can't believe you just used Buffy as a metaphor for this situation," I grumbled, "And there is no fight."

"Well there could be, if you got down off your high horse and realized that you are as much to blame for Bella leaving as she is," G.G. huffed at me.

"Did you and Alice practice that speech together?" I met her eyes in the rearview mirror, lifting an eyebrow at her impassioned statement.

G.G. glared at my mocking response and refused to say anything else.

She's right you know, a little voice in my head whispered, clearly in cahoots with my heart, you could have stopped her if you'd just told her the truth.

That I loved her? I protested, she deserved better than a loser like me, still does. Not to mention I'm clearly crazy, because I'm having an argument with myself.

"Did you have something to do with Bella rushing home?" I asked G.G., "Or was it Alice?"

"I called her," G.G. lifted her chin defiantly, "She can convince you to stay here."

"And did you give her the impression that we were going on the run to prevent you from being taken away from me?" I pulled into the driveway and turned the engine off, but remained in the car waiting for G.G.'s answer.

"I don't like that social worker, she really could try to take me away from you," G.G. whined.

"Okay," I conceded, "that is a risk. But my plan to move you to Port Angeles hardly constitutes 'running away.'"

"I don't wanna move schools, I like it in Forks, and you know Charlie would let me stay with him," G.G. complained.

I sighed, wishing I'd never warned her about my plans to move, "So you lied to Bella?"

"I stretched the truth," G.G. admitted, "Did you tell her? Is she mad at me?"

"I was so upset and shocked to see her that I didn't feel like explaining," I told her, "Plus, as punishment for lying, you have to tell her yourself."

"Aww man, she's gonna be so disappointed in me," G.G. pouted.

"I understand Alice being a party to your devious plan to reunite Bella and me, but what I can't believe is that Charlie went along with it all," I muttered, shaking my head.

"I may have stretched the truth with Charlie too," she mumbled, refusing to meet my eyes.

"You lied to the chief?" I chuckled in disbelief, wondering if she'd grown a set of balls I wasn't aware of.

G.G. hung her head and stared up at me sorrowfully through her eyelashes.

I just grinned at her widely, "Have fun telling him the truth."