Here's the last chapter! Please bear with me; some of the songs are a little long. Please read them! They go very well with the story! Enjoy!

Once Edward knew how I was feeling, he tried a little harder to make me feel included.

Once I knew that Edward knew, I started to try a little harder too.

We started doing stuff together again and I eased up on the beer. I even joined him on a few nights out.

I got a little bit better at being alone.

"No! Don't even say that again!"

Edward smirked. "What? That Fall Out Boy would kick Maroon 5's butt in a band contest?"

We were at Provocation. Hey, I got a discount there now because I performed often enough that I drew in my own little crowd of regulars. It was me and Edward. Bella was implied. A few people from our classes were supposed to meet us to celebrate the end of exams. That would make the second set of exams I'd taken since I'd first seen her. Two semesters later and I was still hung up, but definitely better that I had been before Edward pulled me out of my black hole.

"Edward, I don't think you understand." I looked him dead in the eye. "Maroon 5 is like good music, relationship advice, and seduction for your girl all wrapped up in one. And don't forget the sexual innuendoes every other line!"

"What, you mean like that musical orgasm Adam Levine decided to record as the hook in 'Tangled'? Please. Straight men should not listen to that crap." He gestured to Bella as if to make his point.

"Jasper, have you even heard them sing 'Harder to Breathe'? 'I have the tendency of getting very physical, so watch your step 'cause if I do you'll need a miracle'…what the hell was that?" Bella shuddered and burrowed deeper into Edward's side. At least I could watch them now without wanting to puke. Most of the time.

"But have you listened to 'She Will Be Loved' or 'Must Get Out' or…I'll just show you. Forget Edward. Forget the bar. Just listen to me singing and believe that I'm singing to you. Trust me." Even though it wasn't open mike night, I winked at the bartender. I knew he'd set me up. I picked up the guitar and started to play without any introduction.

"Watch the sunrise
Say your goodbyes
Off we go
Some conversation
No contemplation
Hit the road

Car overheats
Jump out of my seat
On the side of the highway baby
Our road is long
Your hold is strong
Please don't ever let go. Oh no

I know I don't know you
But I want you so bad
Everyone has a secret
But can they keep it?
Oh no they can't"

There was applause. I looked at Edward looking at Bella looking at me. Even though we'd already had this discussion, he was always weary of anything that might seem like I loved Bella. I figured bringing a few beers back to the table would be a good enough peace offering.

"That, bro, is a love song. That's music. Nothing Fall Out Boy ever does could compare to the way Maroon 5 makes you feel. Am I right, Bella?"

She took a few seconds to snap into it and answer. "Yeah," she whispered. I saw her lean in and whisper something to Edward. He handed her his car keys and she waved to me.

"We're gonna go now. Back to the apartment. Apparently, she's in 'the mood'." He scratched his head. "I suppose I should thank you?" HE looked dumfounded.

"Yeah?" I pulled his beer out of his hand. "Just don't ever think I'm trying o steal your girl again, man. Seriously."

"I gotta go. You might want to wait a while before coming home." He high fived me, and I was happy for him. "If it wasn't about Bella, then…was that about…her?"

"Yeah."

"So, you're still…?"

"Yeah."

He walked out, shaking his head.

I really wanted to take it all back when I got home three hours later and they were still going at it. It was me, my guitar and the rooftop until the headboard in his room stopped banging. I just hoped that this time there wouldn't be any feathers to clean up.

After that night, as if by silent agreement, we both started bringing our guitars out with us when we went out. Occasionally, we would perform duets at open mike nights. Occasionally, we even went out without Bella. We even went out with her a few times.

"Pass the nachos!"Of course. The local dive bar. Edward ordered nachos. Oh, the things you could do to your breath when you already had a girlfriend. At the end of the night, Bella would still make out with him. My defining moment could come at any time. I avoided the nachos being passed in front of my face and reached for the fries instead. Then I downed them with a swig. At least the smell of beer was acceptable and manly. Nachos were just kind of gross.

I was sitting in a booth with Edward, Bella, Alice, and Will. Will had his arm around Alice. Alice was drinking a beer. Bella was kissing Nacho Breath. I decided to start up the conversation.

"Did you guys know that Stanley dates students?" A recent experience made me shudder at the memory.

"Shut up!" Alice shrieked, slamming her beer on the table. "That skank from the sociology department?"

"Well, I don't know if she dates them." I smirked. "She certainly sleeps with them, though."

"Bro, tell me you didn't." Edward shook his head at me.

"Not Professor Stanley. Please." Bella looked horrified.

"I didn't." If they wanted this story, they were going to have to beg for it.

"Did you guys see the game yesterday?" Will said. "The ref really should –" A tiny had appeared over his mouth.

"Will, shut up!" Alice shrieked again. "What happened?" she asked me. Me.

"Last week, she told me to come to her office. You know, to talk about my paper or some crap like that. So I show up with a pen and everything to take note and she was normal. She said to close the door, and I just thought that I must have done really badly on the last paper and…" I sipped my beer, letting the suspense build.

"What?" Bella and Alice shouted at the same time.

"She came around the desk and handed me an envelope and said I had done really poorly. I thought my paper was inside. It wasn't. There were pictures of her. In lingerie. Then, she told me I needed to be punished for my bad grade and she hopped onto my lap and asked me if I wanted to see the real thing."

"No!" Bella practically choked on her beer and Alice looked ill.

"You did, didn't you?" Edward was grinning. "Everyone's been wondering what her boob job looks like up close." Bella slapped his shoulder. Edward grinned sheepishly and drank his beer.

"I've been wondering just how much lipo she had done!" Alice piped in. "That woman went down a dress size overnight and thought we wouldn't notice!"

"Listen, I was so creeped out that I dumped her on the ground and ran out of there!" Everyone burst out laughing

"What happened to the pictures?" Bella asked.

"I burned them! But I emailed her back." I was about to get to the best part. "I told that if she even thought about failing me in her class, I'd post them online."

If everyone had been laughing before, they were in stitches now.

"I knew she was dumb, but I didn't know she was that stupid!" Alice said. "I can't wait to see her on Monday."

Conversation flowed pretty easily after that. The beers kept coming and everyone kept laughing. Will had looked upset since Alice told him to shut up, but who cared about him anyway?

"Okay, I think we're drunk enough," Edward bellowed. "Its dare night, bro." Every other Friday that we went out, we both played and sang at wherever we ended up. Totally normal, except on those Fridays, we each chose the song for the other to sing. It was cool. It tested our musical abilities. Most of all, it was good for a laugh. We'd just never done it when Alice was there. I'd come a long way, though. I'd make it work.

"Let's do this," I said. It was his night to choose first.

He pretended to rub his chin in thought before he leaned over and whispered in my ear. No. I looked at his face. He wasn't letting me get off that easily. As I headed to the stage in the corner with my guitar, I heard Alice ask, "What's 'dare night'?" A few taps on the mike, and everyone turned their heads toward me. I took a deep breath and started strumming my guitar to play the song of death that Edward had dared me to sing.

"Every time I look up
I see it in your face
You wanna hook up with me
Instead of acting like you're supposed to
You cop an attitude like you're too good for me
And you know good and damn well that...

If I wanted I could take you from your man
With my eyes closed
I could have you eating out the palm out of my hand
And all your little girlfriends too
Yes I can and I will if I want to
If I want to baby."

I finished Usher's song. I knew that Edward was playing with me. I'd hit him where it hurt for trying to expose me. Bella. As he passes me on the way up, I told him my song choice and then whispered that he might want to tall Bella up there with him. I smirked. We all knew she couldn't sing.

I got back to the booth and waited to hear his voice coming out of the speakers. To my surprise, Alice leaned over. "That was really good," she said. She couldn't have said anything better.

"Thanks." Bella and Edward's voices alternated verses the entire song.

"You're a part time lover and a full time friend
The monkey on your back is the latest trend

I don't see what anyone can see, in anyone else
But you

I kiss you on the brain in the shadow of a train
I kiss you all starry eyed, my body's swinging from side to side

I don't see what anyone can see, in anyone else
But you

Here is the church and here is the steeple
We sure are cute for two ugly people

I don't see what anyone can see, in anyone else
But you"

They continued singing, Alice and Will laughing at their antics on stage. My mind, however, stopped.

I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else but you."

I had told Edward that I didn't think we should invite Alice to dare night anymore. His excuse? "Bella wanted her there." At least Will wasn't there. That was something.

If it wasn't for Edward, I wouldn't be at Elixir staring at Alice. I also wouldn't look like an idiot because I was at a loss for words.

Shit just got real.

I was suddenly nervous. I wondered if Edward would screw me over yet again. I hoped not. "Hi, Alice."

"Hi, Jasper."

Worrying wasn't something I needed to do. The four of us settled into our regular steady conversation with an equally steady flow of beer. I didn't even blink when Edward said, "I think we're drunk enough." It was time. I had a nice one for Edward; I figured we'd take it easy tonight. When he went up, the club quieted.

"If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea
I'll sail the world to find you
If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see
I'll be the light to guide you

Find out what we're made of
What we are called to help our friends in need

You can count on me like one, two, three
I'll be there and I know when I need it
I can count on you like four, three, two
And you'll be there 'cause that's what friends
Are supposed to do, oh yeah, ooh, ooh"

He was definitely my friend as well as my brother. Maybe he'd be nice to me because of it.

When I met him midway between our table and the stage, he told me something totally unexpected. "Just sing to her tonight, man. Like you always do. That's my dare. Sing to her." He patted my back and went back to our table

On stage, I stared out at the crowd, wondering if I could do this. In my head, I had the perfect combination of songs. I was just terrified of actually playing them in front of her. It was dare night, though. My eyes met hers as my fingers met the strings. No matter who else might hear it, this song was only for her.

"Hello, tell me you know
Yeah, you figured me out
Something gave it away
It would be such a beautiful moment
To see the look on your face
To know that I know that you know now

And baby that's a case of my wishful thinking
You know nothing
Well you and I
Why, we go carrying on for hours on end
We get along much better
Than you and your boyfriend

Someday, someday
we'll be together
someday, someday
we'll be together

I hit the bar every night
Looking to score a good time
It's not like I planned it
I'm left empty handed
I'm still alone in my mind
Now what will it take to feel right
Can I come see you tonight?
Is there someone new now?
What can I do now?
'cause I need you by my side

Someday, someday
we'll be together
someday, someday
we'll be together

Well all I really wanna do is love you
A kind much closer than friends use
But I still can't say it after all we've been through
And all I really want from you is to feel me
As the feeling inside keeps building
And I will find a way to you if it kills me
If it kills me

How long, can I go on like this,
Wishing to kiss you,
Before I rightly explode?
This double life I lead isn't healthy for me
In fact it makes me nervous
If I get caught I could be risking it all

Cause maybe there's a lot that I miss
In case I'm wrong

If I should be so bold
I'd ask you to hold my heart in your hand
I'd tell you from the start how I've longed to be your man
But I never said a word
I guess I'm gonna miss my chance again

All I really wanna do is love you
A kind much closer than friends use
But I still can't say it after all we've been through
And all I really want from you is to feel me
As the feeling inside keeps building
And I will find a way to you if it kills me
If it kills me
If it kills me
I think it might kill me

And all I really want from you is to feel me
Yeah, the feeling inside keeps building
I'll find a way to you if it kills me
If it kills me
It might kill me"

I made my way back to our table as slowly as I dared. I could see Edward's face from where I was. He looked a little shell shocked. Alice was still looking at me. I saw Edward get up from the table and walk quickly toward me.

"So, there's one thing I didn't tell you."

I eyed him warily. "What?"

He ran his hand through his hair. "Alice and Will broke up this week."

I never knew that angels could sing at the same time I got a feeling like I wanted to throw up. "And you let me go up there and make a fool of myself?"

"Chill out. Come back when you're ready." He started to turn around but decided to give me one last piece of advice. "Look at her, and you'll see what I mean." I turned to the table. Alice was still staring at me. Even as Edward sat down and spoke to her, she kept looking at me.

Could she…? I hoped so. I didn't think that I could handle rejection at that point. Holding onto my guitar for comfort, I sat back at our table.

"That was really good, Jasper," Alice said quietly beside me. "Really good."

"Thanks," I murmured.

"I think it might be the best I've ever heard you sing," Bella chimed in. I smiled sheepishly.

The night continued with pretty normal conversation, at least until our usual Edward and Bella time. He said something she liked. She suggested they leave. They have fun behind closed doors at me and Edward's place. Then it was just me and Alice. I offered to drop her at her apartment. My heart stuttered when she said yes. I was also happy that she liked to talk so much. It meant that I didn't have to fill in much of the conversation.

When we got to her place, I walked her to the door of her and Bella's apartment.

"Thanks, Jasper." She smiled at me.

"No problem," I said. It really wasn't. "Goodnight, Alice."

"Goodnight, Jasper," she said. I watched her to make sure that she got inside safely. After she turned the key in the lock, she stopped. "You know, Jasper, Will's not around anymore. I know Edward must have told you why he wasn't there tonight. You can come in if you'd like."

"What?" I was completely unprepared for this.

She stepped so close to me that she had to crane her neck to look into my eyes. "To put it in terms you understand," she murmured. Then she took a breath as she began to sing. "I know I don't know you, but I want you so bad."

She batted her eyelashes and I grinned as I followed her into her apartment.

I think she felt my music. I was definitely feeling hers.

Author's Note: 13th August, 2011

Here's the end people. I hope you enjoyed it!

Lyrics in this chapter from

Secret by Maroon 5

If I Want To by Usher

Anyone Else but You by The Moldy Peaches

Count on Me by Bruno Mars

If it Kills Me by Jason Mraz

Someday by John Legend

This Time by John Legend

Until next time, lovelies.