Author's Note: Up to this point I have been working exclusively with Jasper's POV, but now that I think most of you are starting to figure out the big mystery and we're close to the end, I'm going to give you Ginny's POV of the last chapter. If you haven't figured out the big mystery then you're about to, even if Jasper's been too thick headed to work it out for himself yet. Without further adieu, Ginny:

6. Ginny's Tale

I stood in the kitchen suffering once again from a valley of the emotional rollercoaster I had been riding for the past five months. How is it possible to miss someone even more when they're living right under the same roof than you did when you thought they were completely lost to you forever? It's true though, somehow having him live in my house and yet still not know the reality of our relationship stabs me in the heart on a nearly daily basis. I've been observing all of his memories with him since he once again entered my life, and I knew he has enough information that he should be able to start seeing the truth coming together, but it was like he was being intentionally obtuse and I was torn between understanding whole heartedly that he was still broken and hurting and not ready for the truth, but at the same time it was clear that he didn't want to see. He hadn't even bothered to ask me to help him bring up any of our memories for several weeks now.

I closed my eyes and sighed as I felt him enter the room behind me. The vice clamp on my heart tightened the closer he came. He stood in silence for a moment before I heard him turn to go back upstairs and before I realized what I was doing I had called his name.

"Jasper, it's been a long time since you've asked to me to help you search your memories. Are you no longer interested in your past?"

It took him a long time to answer and the vice grip on my heart tightened. He didn't care. He didn't want to know. I've loved him my whole life and all the years since and he didn't even want to know! I felt a strange mix of anger and sadness as the thoughts washed over me repeatedly.

"It's not necessarily that I'm not interested," he replied, "but we seemed to have built a pretty decent life here and I didn't see taxing you when I understand our history a little more now."

I couldn't help the hurt and anger I felt as I turned to face him locking eyes with his gaze. He looked a bit shocked and shuddered a bit as though he were surprised. Well of course he'd be surprised, Ginny. He doesn't know, you silly fool. Why would he expect you to be hurt? Remember, you need to be patient and understanding…he doesn't remember.

I felt my heart crumple like an aluminum can being collapsed, folding upon itself as it crumpled down to a flat disc. He didn't remember. I wasn't important enough to remember. The fire erased me so easily from his mind when he was transformed, so obviously I didn't mean as much to him and he did to me. I couldn't have and what made me think that he would even care if he knew now? He loved his vampire family so fiercely, his weak human feelings he once held for me would pale in comparison to those emotions. I felt my shoulders fold onto themselves, as the hopelessness of my incomprehensible situation took over my countenance as I gazed unseeing into the deep green of the forest beyond the walls of my home.

I heard his soft voice behind me filled with compassion and a desire to understand. "Ginny, I'd be happy to explore more of our past if you want to, I just didn't want to drain you if it wasn't necessary. Is there something else I should know about our friendship that I haven't already revealed?"

I sighed and shook my head indicating that there was more he needed to know. I couldn't help but feel sad and anxious. How much longer would it take him to finally reach the memories that would be undeniable and how will I feel if he finds a way to deny them anyway?

I felt him walk up behind me and place a gentle and slightly hesitant hand on my shoulder. "Please Ginny, I'd really like to know more, I was honestly only considering your well being."

I nodded and my body tensed as the room faded and we were once again exploring his memories. While he was experiencing his memories in a vivid first person perspective, I observed as a third party, but unlike him I knew what would happen before it unfolds for him. I was always so grateful that he becomes so lost in his visions that he never notices the emotions I feel as I watch him explore our past and the tears that inevitably escape my eyelids.

He was walking through a new memory for him, the end of year school picnic and I experienced my own memories more vividly in conjunction with his. All of my feelings and hopes, so young and naïve, so crazy about the boy that had for so many years been my friend, my confidant, my protector…even then I knew that I loved him. I watched the scene unfold remembering the tightening in my stomach as he moved his head near mine in an attempt to see the teddy bear holding an umbrella in the clouds and butterflies began to flutter there when he didn't move away after finding the cloud I was pointing out to him.

We lay there for a long time and the longer we stayed the more nervous I became and then suddenly I had an idea. I sat up feeling a sense of loss at moving away from him, but I knew my idea was even better. I reached down grabbing his hand and making him follow me to the grove of trees at the far edge of the park. I went to the far side of my favorite maple and asked if he had his pocketknife. He looked confused but handed it to me and I reached out for it using the caution my grandfather had taught me to use when handling knives. My grandfather had taught me how to whittle at a very young age and we used to spend countless hours on the sun porch working away on various small pieces of wood. I had actually gotten quite good. I used my skill to carve out our initials in the tree trunk using a slanted line giving the letters a script like appearance and then stepped back admiring my handiwork.

My stomach clenched and I knew what was coming and instinctually pulled away from the memory, hoping I wouldn't need to experience it today. It was too sad and the beginning of a very sad time for me, the time when Jasper and I were no longer allowed to be friends and my mother began to restrict my every movement to ensure I was never around him again. My mind strained to avoid the memory and suddenly we were in the same location but at a different time. We were older and my heart strained again when I recognized the day. Of course my mind would take me to the day I took him back to that tree! Ugh, I guess my subconscious is determined to put me through this today. I said to myself internally.

I was internally cringing as the memory played out for him. Me greeting him for the class reunion picnic, Timothy pulling me away from Jasper on purpose and cornering me into sitting on the opposite side of the group from him in a not so thinly veiled attempt to steal my attentions, cleaning up after ourselves and watching everyone migrate toward the playground…but I had stayed behind.

"Jasper, I'm sorry that we haven't gotten to spend as much time together today as I had hoped." I said watching his back and praying he wouldn't be mad at me and give me a chance to show him the tree…our tree…the tree that I walked by nearly every day during my 'daily constitutions for my health' I would tell my mother.

He slowly turned to look at me and I saw the hurt in his eyes. I wished there was a way I could make him understand that the events of the picnic and the years of distance in our friendship were not of my doing. I hoped that showing him the tree and talking about that day would help. I timidly reached my hand forward and looped it through his elbow whispering as encouragingly as I could, "Come with me, I want you to see somethin'."

I led him to the tree and there it still sad visibly aged and darker, but never disappearing, just like my feelings for him…my declaration of friendship and not that he knew it at the time, or even now…but love: VSB + JAW Friends Forever

I sucked in a deep breath and began to tremble in my tears as the memory of the rest of that fateful morning so long ago when we were just children played through his mind. This was so hard for me to watch and it also scared me because I knew he was a smart man, and it was going to lead him to ask questions that would bring out the remainder of the truth about who he really was. I just wasn't entirely sure he was ready for it. He was doing so much better, but he would never fully heal. His vampire bond with his mate was so strong, would anything ever be able to compare…even if it was a deep and bonding human love that spanned most of our human lifetime? I struggled to pull in ragged breath as I watched the scene unfold.

She had just finished carving the tree with his knife before turning to him giggling. "Jasper, your initials spell out the word Jaw! I never noticed that before."

He looked down and blushed before looking at the carving again in wonder. "Virginia, what's your middle name?"

She giggled, "Scarlett." Then she reached her hand forward and took his lacing their fingers and leaned forward placing a kiss on his cheek. He flushed red again as his hand shot up to his cheek and rested over the place that still tingled from her lingering kiss.

He leaned over to return her kiss when he heard a piercing voice scream across the meadow. "Virginia Scarlett Benjamin, come here right this instant!" His head shot toward the sound and saw her mother storming across the grass and his eyes grew wide as he saw the anger in her mother's eyes. She snatched the girl's hand right out of his and stormed away dragging the crying girl behind her.

I couldn't restrain the smile that spread on my face as I, for the first time ever, was able to experience that memory while being aware of his emotions. I wasn't sure about now, but back then he really did care as much for me as I did him. Then my mother entered the picture and fresh tears once again fell as I remembered the feeling of my heart being torn from my chest as she pulled me screaming and crying away from the only boy I would ever love. Thankfully the painful replay was over and we were back watching our slightly older selves again standing in front of the old tree with our initials carved in the trunk. I observed again, hoping to get the opportunity to feel more of the emotions he had felt for me that I had never actually been aware of before.

"Our friendship was never the same after that." he whispered.

"She made me stay away from you," she whispered back looking with a sad expression at the carving in the tree trunk. "I missed you so much." She shifted her gaze to his eyes. "I still miss you Jasper…every day."

His eyes grew wide as she slid her hand down his arm and intertwined their fingers as she leaned forward and placed another sweet kiss on his cheek just like that day so many years ago. He reached his hand up to cover the place her lips had lingered with a blush filling his face, a matching one filling hers. Just then we heard the voice of Timothy Blackwell from the playground below calling for her and she blushed a deeper red.

"Promise me I'll see you again Jasper…please, promise me." Her eyes searched his in earnest and he nodded. She let go of his hand and walked quickly away to join the group below. He stood there in a daze as he stared at the letters carved in the tree running his fingers over them gently. He pulled out his pocketknife slowly and carefully carving a heart around the aged letters before closing it and walking away still dazed but a bit happier.

Two things happened at once. At first I was excited to get to see how and when he had carved the heart. I had seen it later that afternoon when I had returned to the tree line in search of Jasper and saw it there. My heart began to speed in my chest as I ran my fingers over the engraving hoping it meant that I was not alone in my affections. At the same time I felt his hand pull quickly from my shoulder a wave of confusion hitting me as he battled to deal with the images he had just seen. He wasn't ready; it was obvious now that this was a mistake. I shouldn't have pushed. I sighed as I continued to stare out the window blankly.

"Ginny?" I heard him ask timidly.

I struggled to find my voice, finally managing to vocalize a weak, "Hmm?" I was nervous about what he would say or how he would react.

"I know you're probably tired, but I'd like to see more as soon as you're ready, but not today okay?"

I wasn't sure if I was annoyed or relieved. On one hand I wasn't going to have to broach the difficult subject yet, but at the same time, in typical Jasper manner, he was choosing to ignore the things he had learned and not connect the dots. He was once again being deliberately obtuse. "Sure," was all I managed to answer.

I heard him leave the room as I wallowed in my conflicting emotions and then my breath caught as I heard him turn by the stairs and come back standing behind me once more in the kitchen, "Hey Ginny, I'm curious, What is my middle name?"

If I had a beating heart it would have stopped. I turned to stare at him unsure of what to do. I was excited hoping that maybe this was our chance, but I could see in his eyes that he still wasn't quite ready. He still hadn't connected all of the pieces. I began to get anxious, not sure if or how I should answer. The maniacal debate in my head only lasted a few short seconds, but at the same time seemed to stretch on for years. I finally began to open my mouth and admit his middle name was Aaron when my cell phone began to ring on the far counter. I looked over and jumped to run grab it off of the countertop, grateful for the distraction.

"Hello? Oh hi Wes." I was instantly relieved.

"Hey GiGi, I've got some great news for you. The mock up of the release is ready and waiting for your final approval at the post office. How much do you love me?"

"Really? Is it in town now? Oh thanks Wes, I'll go pick it up right away and let you know what I think. Alright, bye, bye." Oh man did I love that man right now; this was just what I had been waiting on.

I turned to Jasper, my excitement visible in my eyes, although I'm sure he would just think it was about the book itself and not what I was hoping it would help me do. "That was the publisher, how would you feel about a little drive to town?"

He smiled and nodded obviously curious about my new excitement. "What's going on? What do you need to pick up?"

"Well it seems that they just finished up the mock up release of my newest book and two copies are waitin' at the post office for me to preview right at this moment. Mr. Whitlock, would you like to be the first person in America to read GS Benjamin's newest novel?"

I couldn't help but be thrilled to see his eyes widen in excitement at my offer. It pleased me to no end that he truly did enjoy my writing that much because I put so much of myself in my writing that by extension he loved me in a way by loving my work. "Would I? My dear Miss Benjamin, it would be an absolute honor!"

I smiled and grabbed the Hummer keys as we both ran full speed to the truck and jumped in as I sped my way down the mountain and into town. We got to the post office and as soon as the worker handed me the package I ripped it open and pulled out two hardback copies of Unfinished Business. I watched in both joy and awe as he flipped directly to the liner notes in the dust cover and read the synopsis with obvious enthusiasm before flipping to the first page and reading the beginning of our story.

Well it wasn't exactly our story, but it was a bit of a parallel story. I had written this story over sixty years ago when I found out that he hadn't been killed as I had always believed, but instead he had been changed and was living amongst the dangerous southern covens all of the time we had been separated. As soon as I learned this, I traveled immediately to the Houston area to find him and barely escaped with my life. The leader, Maria, was obviously angry with him for leaving, but still had enough respect for him to spare my life. I immediately began searching, but being an extremely bad tracker, I found the process excedingy difficult, always barely missing him in his travels. By the time I found him, he was living in Rochester New York with his new mate Alice and his new family. I saw them from afar and never had the courage to address them because I could see that he loved her and the rest of the family very deeply and there was no longer any room in his life for me. I left that day more dejected and broken than any other day in my life, including the day that I had been told he was missing…at least then I wasn't left with the knowledge that he hadn't chosen a life that didn't include me…at least then it was involuntary.

I returned home and packed away the manuscript saving it in hopes that someday I would have the opportunity to share it with him and try to explain everything and once again returned my focus on my human family. I kept the manuscript buried in the attic wishing I could forget it and forget my loss and my love, but that's the curse of my power, there is no such thing as forgetting, no such thing as moving on. He truly was burned in my brain and my love for him permeated every cell in my body. As long as I walked the earth I would always love Jasper Aaron Whitlock.

The day I received Alice's letter I went through a whole myriad of emotions ranging from concern for him and the pain he was about to endure, a desire to hop the next plane to Washington and offer my assistance as futile as it would be considering I had no tangible defensive power, and to my embarrassment, an excitement and hope that I might get a chance to tell him after all. I ran up to the attic and unearthed the manuscript now yellowed with age and set about the task of retyping it on my laptop. I sent it off to the publisher later that very day and waited biding my time until it would be published and I could present it to him hoping it would at the very least open the doors of communication regarding the true nature of our human life, love, and descendents.

My foot began to bounce on the drive home as he quickly plowed through the first chapter, commenting regularly on what a good author I was. I just kept praying that he would understand and not hate me for dragging the truth out over all of these months. When we got home I smiled as he nodded toward the book and proceeded directly up the staircase to his room. I said one more silent prayer before opening the book to examine the mock up and smiling at its perfection before calling Wes.

"Hey Wes? It's perfect! Thank you so much my friend, it means so much more than you will ever know!"