A/N: Sorry about the wait! I just had a hard time writing this chapter for some reason. But please don't give up on this story! I want to finish it to the end and see what you guys think. Thanks for reading!

Previously…

"Tanya." Edward spoke up. "I truly apologize for what I did. I had no intention of hurting you or your family. So please stay."

Tanya hesitated, her eyes on Edward.

"Well, if you're sure it is okay." She said, not taking her eyes off Edward.

So much for realizing what an asshole he is! Why would she just accept his measly apology like that? Oh, wait. I used to do the same thing; Make excuse after excuse for him.

"Of course it is Tanya!" Alice chirped immediately. "We would all love for you guys to stay!"

"Oh that's so great!" Irina exclaimed, squeezing Jasper's arm affectionately.

Well, crap.

BELLA POV

I took a deep shuddering breath.

Never have I ever been so aware of my surroundings. It feels like my heart is about to explode out of my chest, my hands feel numbingly cold, every breath I take brings me closer to my last; and yet…I'm ready.

I close my eyes as I feel Jasper move in closer until I can feel his breath against me.

"Bella? Sweetheart, look at me."

I opened my eyes and met his bright gold ones.

He didn't say anything. No words of comfort. No false assurances. But then again, I didn't say anything either.

Time passed before he broke our eye contact. His eyes moved from my face down to my neck and I saw him swallow hard.

My whole body tensed and seemed to instinctively scream 'danger'. I had to force my hands to unclench and my body to unwind and calm down. This was Jasper. He would never let anything happen to me, especially at his hands.

"I'm sorry." Jasper whispered as he leaned over me, his blonde hair brushing against my cheek.

And then he bit me.

6 HOURS EARLIER…

BELLA POV

"I'm glad you guys decided to stay. Really, I know things haven't been the smoothest for anyone now, but at least we have family." Esme said embracing Tanya.

"Some family…" Rosalie muttered to me, a scowl on her face.

I bit my lip and wanted more than anything in that moment to sink into the sofa and disappear.

But of course, that would appear to be impossible right now.

"Can we go upstairs for a second?" Jasper asked quietly moving from where he stood by Irina.

I nodded and let him lead me up the stairs.

He walked me straight to his room and shut the door behind us.

I stood by his leather sofa, refusing to sit down, and watched him.

He remained facing the door for a few seconds before turning around suddenly and standing beside me.

"I didn't mean to tell Irina." He said suddenly, his eyes looking pained. "We were talking on the way to go hunt and she started asking all these questions about you and about 'what we were going to do with you'. She was talking like you were our pet or something. And…I don't know I got defensive, and then I just told her."

"Oh thank god." I said unthinkingly, sighing in relief.

Jasper hadn't told Irina because they had some 'connection' or because they were good friends. He told her because he was trying to defend me.

"What?" He said looking at me in surprise. "You're happy about that?"

"What was she saying about me?" I asked, completely ignoring his questions.

I didn't owe him any explanations. And I wasn't going to give him one because it was slightly embarrassing.

His face immediately darkened as a hard look overcame his features.

"It was nothing."

"Well it obviously was something for it to provoke you to tell her about our previous plans to change me into a vampire. Which is probably not going to happen anymore."

And honestly, I was starting to really think that I would never be changed. It seems that every time I get closer to being a vampire, something gets in the way and makes that dream seem impossible.

Besides, Charlie would be returning home soon and I wouldn't be able to stay at the Cullen's house anymore. And, knowing how protective Charlie is, he will definitely try to restrict the amount of time I spend here. I think it's about time Charlie and I have a talk about things. He still treats me like the little girl I was when I left, but he's going to have to realize that I'm legally an adult now and can make decisions without wanting him to hold my hand through them.

"I know things have been hard lately, but you know that doesn't change anything right? You know that I'm going to keep my promise and change you."

"How am I supposed to know that Jasper? It's been a week since the Denali's came over and you and I have barely spoken, let alone about changing me into a vampire."

It felt good to say what I had wanted to tell Jasper ever since I saw Irina walk up that first day.

"And I thought our friendship meant more to you than that, but I guess I was wrong." I finished.

He stared at me for a moment, his eyes focused completely on mine.

"I-" He started.

The door swung open and Irina walked in, her heels clacking against the wood floor.

"So this is your room? How come you haven't shown it to me before?" Irina pouted, walking further into the room.

"Do you think you could knock?" Jasper asked politely. "I'm talking to Bella now and we were in the middle of something."

"This place could use a little cozying up. It seems kind of dreary." The blonde vampire continued obliviously, as she waltzed around the room.

"Yeah well I'll keep that in mind." Jasper said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Now do you think you could give us a minute?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll be waiting in the room I'm staying in. Don't bother knocking; just come right on in whenever you're finished here." She said waving at him as she left.

"I love how she pretended that I wasn't even here." I remarked sarcastically, with an eye roll not unlike Jasper's earlier.

I glanced at Jasper after a few seconds of not hearing him respond and saw that he had sat on the sofa with his elbows on his knees with his head in his hands.

I stared at him for a few seconds, unsure of what to do. Did he want me to leave? Or should I say something? Or put my arm around him?

I settled for sitting close to him on the leather furniture and lent him silent support.

I know things are hard for everyone right now, not just me. I should be a little more sensitive to how others feel, instead of just focusing in on all my hurt and anger and sadness.

If we were really going to be a family we would all have to be a little more understanding and forgiving…no matter how hard it was.

After a while I suppressed a yawn and carefully leaned my head against his shoulder.

His only response was to scoot down a little in his seat to accommodate my short height. It made me smile, before I drifted off into sleep.

I blinked my eyes and sat up, letting the navy blanket that was draped over me slip off onto the floor as I moved.

I debated going downstairs but decided against it and decided to stay in here awhile where there was peace and quiet.

After my eyes had adjusted to the faint light coming through the window from the setting sun I moved to Jasper's bookshelf and looked through his collection.

Most of his books were about the era he lived in and the war he fought in, but there were also quite a number of classics and even a few contemporary novels as well. A smaller red book caught my eye and I pulled it off the wooden shelves.

Oh, I was so not ever going to let Jasper live this down! I smiled, laughing softly to myself as I skimmed through his copy of Pride & Prejudice.

Hearing a knock at the door, I set the book down and immediately walked over and opened the door, expecting it to be Jasper.

"There you are! What are you doing waiting is Jazz-man's room?" Emmett said grinning at me suggestively.

I rolled my eyes and smacked him on the shoulder before starting for the stairs.

"Wait up! I was joking. You know what a joke is right? Don't tell me all that time with Edward made you forget?" The curly haired brunette said mockingly, matching my slow pace down the staircase.

"Is there a reason that you're being purposely annoying or are you just bored?" I questioned with a smirk.

He gaped at me in surprise and I cracked a smile.

"See Emmett? I can tell jokes too." I announced before walking off the last step into the living room and heading past the others in the living room for the kitchen.

"That wasn't a joke! That was cruel and mean, Bella!" He protested as he followed me to the flawlessly clean kitchen.

"You'll get over it." I commented with a shrug before I set some water to boil.

He pouted and muttered something under his breath and was quiet for exactly three seconds before he was talking animatedly again.

I welcomed the distraction he provided and once again was happy to have a brother like Emmett.

"I see you've taken it upon yourself to try and steal my girl."

"Jasper!" I exclaimed excitedly, forgetting my food and current companion immediately and smiling brightly at him.

"Now how come I didn't get greeted like that earlier?"

Jasper and I both ignored Emmett.

"Sorry I had to leave the room. I had some things to take care of and figured that I should get them done while you were asleep so that we could spend more time together after you woke up." Jasper explained, leaning up against the counter as I finished my meal.

I nodded and drifted off into my thoughts as Jasper and Emmett talked about something like cars, hunting or whatever guys talk about.

"Actually Bella I have excellent news." Jasper said, drawing my attention back to him.

"Hmm?"

"Carlisle said that we can go back to the cabin today to change you if that's what you still want."

"Seriously?" I interrupted, barely daring to hope.

"Yes, seriously." Jasper teased, full of good humor as he grabbed my hands and tugged me towards the door.

"Well, someone's attitude has changed about this." I remarked as we walked through the empty living room to the back door.

He shrugged. "I've simply decided to look at things differently."

I let his vague answer slide and asked another question.

"What about everyone else? Do they know?"

"Esme is filling them in as we speak. And they will all be staying at the main house for the next couple of days so that you have time to get used to the change before being thrown back into all the drama."

We walked for an hour in silence, only slowing when Jasper had to help me over a log or tree branch.

Finally, Jasper spoke. "I know we have a lot to talk about, and we will as soon as you're a vampire because after that…everything will change."

I kept walking quietly beside him, sensing that he wasn't done talking yet.

"I'm not gonna sugar coat things because what you're about to go through will probably be the most unimaginably intense pain you will ever have to suffer physically. And I just want you to know that I will be there the whole time. I will not leave you, I cannot leave you, and I don't want to. So when you're lying there and feel like you have to give up I want you to picture me waiting for you on the other side. Because I will be."

I slipped my hand into Jasper's and gave his a light squeeze. And I continued to hold onto him the rest of the way there.

When we got to the small house I pushed away the feelings of déjà vu about the last time I was here. It was time to start fresh. To start anew. This was my chance to take back all my mistakes, and decisions that I have regretted. This was my chance at a fresh start. And I was ready to take it.

A/N: Like? Dislike? Let me know your opinions! I'm thinking of doing a Jasper pov for after and during Bella's change but let me know what you think! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Also, I have already started typing the next chapter so that the delay will not be as long as the one for this chapter.