A/N: Hello everyone. I am sorry, my computer decided to give out. It's over 5 years old now and it's been through a lot with me so I guess I can understand. I couldn't load anything, I only had that rainbow circle of spinning death.

Theme song for this chapter: White Horse by Taylor Swift. I usually post the song a couple days before the chapter, so if you're ever curious ahead of time check it out.

Anyway, you know the drill, I'm still poor and not famous and am stuck with the same computer-meaning I don't own anything Twilight related!

The sun was peeking through the curtain ever so slightly but enough to make me squeeze my eyes tight. The darkness didn't offer much relief though the slight movement made me realize how much pain I was in. It felt like there was something inside my head just pounding to get loose.

My body ached as well. I felt like I had spent the night at the gym, not that I would really know. I racked my brain trying to figure out why the hell I was so sore. What happened last night?

I was hanging around the house with Trip, and then he and I and Luke went out. But then what? I pieced together all the bits I could remember. Beer pong, keg stands, dancing. Yeah that could all tire somewhat out I guess.

Dancing. It's not something I used to like to do, I was too clumsy. It's something I had actually come to enjoy in my quest for normalcy though. It was then that I saw his face. I hadn't been dancing alone.

I had danced with a guy, Chris I think, and he wanted something out of it, but I didn't. We had kissed a bit and then I was going to leave and then what? I strained my brain, trying to break through the fog. I saw him hovering over me and I automatically pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind.

I tensed with the image and immediately groaned at the pain my movement caused. My noise stirred someone next to me and I felt a pair of arms tighten around me.

They were warm arms. Well, they were a bit chilled, but still human warm. I had already started flailing my arms and kicking my legs wildly to break free before I even realized how scared I was. I still wasn't sure exactly what happened last night but I had a good enough idea that I knew I needed to get out of there.

I felt the arms clamp down on me, steadying me, as a sleepy voice replied, "Woah, Cookie!" Immediate relief washed over me as I recognized the voice and sunk into his hold.

I looked around the room and immediately recognized Trip's small bedroom. The walls were were mostly plain, with a few photos and a couple of posters.

It wasn't unusual to be here. I stayed here most of the time. The couch was pretty uncomfortable and I could feel every spring in my back. Trip and I had realized it was purely platonic and we found comfort in having the other around.

I rolled over in his arms, burying my face deep into his shirt. It smelled like him, a mixture of smoke and his normal scent, almost like the forest. It made me feel safe and I could physically feel my heart start to slow.

He looked a bit hesitant as he gave me a small smile. I returned it half-heartedly.

"How are you feeling this morning Cookie?"

I groaned my reply. He laughed quietly and I shoved him playfully as I rolled out of bed. But then his face turned serious and I didn't like it. He was meant to be happy and light, maybe broody, but not serious. I raised my eyebrows in question.

"Listen." His voice sounded as serious as his eyes looked. "You know if there's anything you need to talk about I'm here right?" Oh boy, I was definitely not up to this conversation.

I assumed this had to do with last night. "Trip, why does this feel like the beginning of a Dr. Phil episode or maybe Intervention? I know you're there okay, and I appreciate it. But can we cut the mushy sh-." I looked over at the clock in the middle of my sentence and noticed it was 10:15. "Is today Thursday?"

Trip nodded and I groaned. "Fuck! I have class, why didn't you wake me?" I cringed as I hastened my movements.

He laughed a little. "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I was your alarm clock. And in case you didn't notice, I was soundly asleep too until somebody woke me up."

I crossed the living room to the bathroom, glad that it was unoccupied. I could just go to class, but I knew I looked like a mess. I was already slipping and I couldn't show up looking how I knew I did.

I pulled my shirt over my head, going slowly for my aching muscles. It was a t-shirt, not at the one I remembered wearing yesterday. I suddenly had a flash of myself wrapped in Trip's sweater and shook my head to get rid of the image.

I was hurting from my aches and stiffness as well as from the onslaught of memories that I didn't want that were trying to slip through. Between last night and the many other memories I had pushed deep down, I was just overwhelmed.

I opened the door peering around the corner. "Hey Trip? Maybe there is something I need from you."

He appeared in the living room. "Anything for you Cookie."

"What kind of painkillers do you have?"

Ten minutes and one Demerol later, I was standing under the scalding water. I was already starting to feel better. I had had Demerol before when I had my wisdom teeth out and I remembered being pretty loopy. I made sure to eat a really quick bagel before swallowing the pill, hoping that that would be enough to keep me coherent.

The water was about as hot as it could go. The heat was loosening my muscles and leaving them a bit tingly and I felt a big warm inside.

Whatever the fuck happened last night, and I had a pretty good idea what that was with the bits I was getting, needed to be forgotten. I blinked away the memory of his warm hands on me, roaming my body while I tried to move away.

My life was okay now, I was actually somewhat happy. I was living a normal life and I felt a connection to my own life for the first time in a long time. I felt like I was on the way to where I was supposed to be. I'm sure a lot of that had to do with Trip.

This reminded me of a memory from last night, feeling safe in Trip's arms, drifting to sleep as I saw..

Wait. Did I see what I think I did last night? Maybe I was just strung out, I'm sure that's what it was. But a nagging thought in the back of my mind told me that I didn't imagine it.

A vampire.

Here, in Rhode Island. My Rhode Island.

Him.

What did he want? He had told me to move on, what right did he have to come back now?

Of course I had some residual feelings. I grieved for the loss, when I allowed my mind to think of it. More of what could have been, the life that almost was. Before I met Trip it was the only other place I had felt this connection before, like I was getting close to something important. Most of the time I didn't allow myself to think of it though.

I was tougher now, I didn't need him.

I shook my head to clear my mind and rinsed out the conditioner from my hair before jumping out.

I dressed hastily, pulling on a pair of jeans and my favourite sweater. It was a black hoody with a small chihuahua on it. He was barring his teeth and wearing a spiked collar. The text read 'One Tough Cookie'. One lazy Sunday at the mall, we saw it in a shop window and Trip would not leave until we bought it. I felt like I could use the reassurance today.

Trip chuckled as he took in my appearance. I stuck out my tough jokingly and willingly grabbed the coffee he handed me as I ran out the door.

I made it all of five steps when I was suddenly very aware of something. I felt the little hairs on my neck stand up and my instincts told me to go.

That could only mean one thing. Before I could really stop myself I mumbled to myself, knowing full well that his ears would hear me. "Fuck my life..."

I heard a low chuckle behind me. It was deeper than the melodic laugh I expected though. It wasn't any less appealing, just different. "Nice to see you too."

JPOV:

I had waited outside the house I had tracked them to hours before. I followed Bella's scent here and it took everything I had not to burst in the door. It wouldn't have been hard. I remembered Bella's feelings towards the guy who was taking care of it and I knew that I didn't want to do anything to hurt her.

I was further reassured when another guy a couple of years older, bulky like Emmett, approached the house. I heard him talk to the other guy.

"How is she?"

"I don't know man. She's sleeping. She seems okay. I don't know what I should do? I should go back there and kill that guy."

"I know. But I took care of it. He won't be bothering anyone for a while. We can think about it when we're feeling more rational."

"Thanks Luke. I really appreciate what you did for her, and I know she would too."

"I get it. She's family, dude. She's like your little sister. She's lucky to have you." This guy sounded like Emmett too. I was comforted knowing Bella had family here. A bit of me was also happy with the fact they weren't romantic either but I didn't want to dwell on that now.

That was enough to reassure me she was safe there. I knew they weren't to blame for whatever happened and I didn't want to sweep in and mess up Bella's life. I decided to just go back to Peter and Char, but my feet wouldn't go. I just had to wait to make sure she was alright. If she told me to go, then I would.

Close to 11 I felt her heading towards the door, frustration rolling off of her. She was quicker than I expected though, coming out the door and heading it the opposite direction before stopping dead in her tracks.

I could feel her anger and nervousness. She was conflicted and I half expected her to keep walking. She surprised me though, and I heard her mumble so quietly I would have missed it if I had human ears.

I couldn't help but laugh. I had always known there was more to her beyond what she was with Edward. I couldn't help but imagine her using that language around Edward. "Nice to see you too" I replied.

She turned around slowly to face me and asked, "Jasper?"

I was confused as she was. She was looking right at me, who did she think I was. I suddenly understood when I felt the relief coming off of her.

"What are you doing here?" That was her immediate reaction and I could understand her hesitancy.

"Again, I repeat. Nice to see you too." I chuckled again.

I felt a small amount of guilt roll off her but she was still nervous. "I'm sorry Jasper. I'm just confused, I thought you were him." I could feel some of her nervousness fade away but she still had her guard up. "I was confused, and I thought I imagined one of you. I just assumed that's who it would have been. But I thought it was all in my head."

I joked with her, trying to lighten the mood. "Nope, here I am in the flesh, so to speak."

She gave me a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Who are you here with?" She didn't even try to skirt around it.

"Nobody, Bella."

She sighed. "I don't really have time for this, Jasper. So whoever sent you, tell them everything is fine."

"Bella, I'm not here with or for anybody. Well, I am staying with some friends, but no one you know. I promise."

She was feeling more relived, but still conflicted. I was going to leave when she surprised me again. "Well, I am in a hurry, but you could walk me I guess. For a price."

I nodded urging her to continue, curious at what she wanted from me.

She didn't feel nervous, only confident and I found I kind of liked that. "A smoke on the way."

I raised my eyebrow at her but she continued. "Oh come on now, you don't think you vamps are the only ones that have a sense of smell do you? I may not have super-human senses, but it's all over you." I guess my clothes did smell of smoke. I reached into my pocket and pulled out what was left of the pack from earlier. I wondered why Peter and Char had given them to me to take.

I chuckled again. This is the most I had laughed in a long time.

"And don't you dare think about lecturing me."

"Wouldn't dream of it. You just took me off guard. Here you go darlin'." I handed her a cigarette that I had reached out of the pack.

I felt her shock at my statement followed by contentment.

I was worried she was going to tell me to leave, but instead she continued. "I didn't know you smoked Jasper."

"Yeah, I did in my human life and in my years before the Cullens." I was surprised at how easy it was to talk to her about it but noticed her flinch at the mention of their name. "You can imagine how, certain people, didn't look too fondly on it." She nodded with a small laugh. I wondered if she was trying to picture Edward kicking back smoking. "I didn't know you did either Bella."

"Well, not that often. My friend Trip does when he's drinking or sometimes when we're around some of the guys. Or if I'm stressed. This seems like it might be a conversation that will cause me some stress, you know?" She was light about it but I knew she meant it.

I just chuckled a bit and nodded. "I can assure you that's not my intention."

"And what exactly are your intentions Jasper?"

I took a drag from my smoke before I answered. Bella did the same and she looked pretty good doing it. I liked this Bella, not that I hadn't like the old one too.

"Purely curiosity. I smelled something similar to something I remembered and I followed it, leading me to you."

"You know, curiosity killed the cat Jasper, you should really be more careful. And what did you smell that was similar, I don't get it."

"Too bad someone beat curiosity to the punch." I joked with her. "You're asking a lot of questions too you know. Well as you mentioned, we have a good sense of smell and I was out for a stroll when I caught a whiff of something I that reminded me of something I had smelled before. It smelled like you, but different. It's a very distinct smell. I've only ever smelled one other who smelled as strongly as you."

"What do you mean I smell different?" She was genuinely curious.

"Well, I'm guessing it's whatever you have been putting into your system that is changing your blood's scent. You smell more like I remember today though, but still a bit off."

She sighed and I felt her frustration again. "Look Jasper, I've had enough intervention for one day."

"I wasn't judging, only answering your questions." I wasn't in any position to judge her or her decisions. She was a big girl anyway.

As if she read my thoughts she gave me a smile. "Well thanks, it's nice to be treated like an adult sometimes."

"So now will you answer one of mine." I had something I needed to know.

"Shoot."

"This guy, Trip, you said. How much do you know about him exactly?"

Bella was confused and nervous again. I wondered if she thought I was spying again. If she did, she answered anyway. "Well he's from Florida, that's where I met him. He was back for the summer and we became friends. He just gets me and I feel we're meant to be in each others' lives." I felt her platonic love for him again. "Now why do you want to know?"

"Well there was just something about him. I couldn't smell him, or sense his emotions. And then when I tried to approach him last night he was able to get away before I could reach him. It was all very strange."

I really didn't mean to bring up last night. I knew she would bring it up if she wanted to talk.

As I expected she pulled away. She tossed her smoke to the ground before stepping on it with her black Chuck Taylors. "Look, as much as I'd love to keep up this reunion, I have to get to class. It's been a slice."

I nodded as she turned and started towards her class. I could feel her inner-struggle.

She turned around again. "Well, if you wanted I could meet you afterwards for a bit. The pub on campus at 2:30? And you're coming alone right?" I felt her nerves again.

I was just happy she wasn't shutting me out. "Sure, see you then Bella."

A few hours later I was sitting at a booth near the back of the restaurant. I had arrived a bit early. I went to hunt again, just to be sure. After that I didn't have much else to do. I declined ordering from the waitress and waited until I saw Bella approaching.

She sat down across from me, tossing her bad in next to her. She looked worn out. I could see the dark circles under her eyes and she looked still looked a bit pale.

I asked her how her class was and she began to tell me about her English literature course when the waitress approached again. She ordered two beers and I looked at her quizzically."

"Hair of the dog, right?" I shook my head with a chuckle. Her eyes lit up with wonder. "Can you drink that Jasper? I just ordered two because I was used to doing that with him to make it seem less obvious and then I would just drink both sodas."

The waitress came back and I urged Bella to get some food as well which she did. I took the bottle in my hand. "Yeah, I can drink. It affects our venom like it does your blood. As long as I don't drink too much too quickly it will just be absorbed. Otherwise, it has to come out some way. It doesn't taste quite as good as it does to a human though."

She nodded sipping on her own bottle. We talked about her courses and about Rhode Island in general.

After a couple of hours Bella sighed. "Jasper, as much as I'd like to avoid them, are we ever going to talk about any of the many elephants in the room?"

I laughed a little, but more at her phrase than the situation. "And what would those be?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, you know, why you're here alone. Him, them. What my life has become. What you saw last night. Take your pick, there's a whole family of them."

I could tell without feeling her emotions she didn't want to talk about any of it right now, just as I didn't. But all the small talk out of the way, the issues were looming.

I shook it off. "Let's just get them some peanuts from the bar and let them be."

She smiled and I could feel how at ease she was, as was I. At the same time I could feel her apprehension.

And as quickly as it all happened, she was gone again and pulled away. "Well, this has been a fun stroll down memory lane and all, but I should be going."

I nodded. "It was nice to see you Bella."

"Look." She was conflicted again between her contentment and her determination. "I have a normal life here, or at least as close as it's going to get. It's just like he wanted. I don't need vampires in shining armour to sweep back in and think they can fix me. I'm sure you should be getting back anyway."

I wasn't sure if she meant me or Edward, or if she was lumping us all in together. I could feel her pride in her actions. She was trying to keep herself from being hurt again.

"Bella, wait." I reached into my pocked and pulled out a piece of paper. "This is my number. If you ever need anything at all, you can call me. I will be around for a while." She took it and put it into her pocket with a nod. I wondered if she'd ever call, but I figured she wouldn't.

It was too bad though, I could really use a friend and I really enjoyed talking to her. Maybe I could use a human in shining armour.

A/N: There it was. Not what you were expecting? If so I'm sorry, but I found it unrealistic to just have Bella jump into his arms and that be that. I won't keep you waiting too long though, I promise.

Please review! I do listen. I was asked for longer chapters. I tried with this one but with my computer problems I just wanted to get this out. I was thinking I will respond to reviews with the theme song for the next chapter in my responses. So please tell me what you think :)