Author's Note: This one is a little short, but the next one is much longer. Thank you for reading :)

Ten

March

For the last month or so, Jasper had been calling the pace I was keeping with Bella "asexual". He knew the whole story about us and the lack of definition in our relationship, but had never talked to her the way I'd talked to Alice and Rosalie. I doubt she would have minded, but I still didn't know what to make of us; wouldn't it be more difficult for her to disentangle herself from me if our friends were involved? For some reason, I was already assuming that's the direction she would go in. Also, were there steps for this? Letters, e-mails, webcams, meet the friends, meet each other? What would happen then? She and I got along beautifully from a distance, but I was afraid if she got to know me up close she'd decide I wasn't worth the trouble.

Anyway, I had been debating letting them get to know each other, Jasper was a little curious, but that decision was made for me by a surprise knock on the door.

"-and I fell flat on my face right in the middle of the stage, so that was the end of ballet for me." Bella was blushing bright red by the end of her story. It was something she did a lot; I had noticed. "Ok, your turn, and make it a good one."

I pursed my lips, trying to come up with something embarrassing enough to satiate her, but no so embarrassing that I couldn't ever look her in the eye again. Before I could think of anything, I heard someone at my front door. "Just a sec," she nodded and I got up to answer. Talking with Bella when I got home from work had become a daily ritual and I wasn't pleased with the interruption. It was Friday and Bella just gotten back from Rosalie's house; these days were my favorites because neither of us worked the next day and we would talk for hours on end. I opened the door; it was Jasper. "Oh, hey," I let him inside. I checked my watch; it was almost eleven. "What's up?"

"Sorry man, it's just…Tanya." He walked further into my apartment, heading for the living room where my laptop was sitting. I hadn't been to the Old Town Bar in at least a couple of months and apparently, Tanya had moved on from me.

"Oh, tell me you didn't –"

"No! I was leaving and she was just getting off her shift," he sighed as he spoke, "and she wanted to come with me, like with me, and we were close to here…" he trailed off, noticing my laptop screen. "What's that?"

My heart sped up; this wasn't how I was planning on doing this. "Uh," I sat next to him to see what exactly was showing on the video screen. I could see part of a bed frame, a slightly rumpled pillow, and the edge of her sheets, but no movement and no Bella.

"Oh! Did I interrupt…something? Oh God, were you m- I should go." He made a face and stood up quickly. It took me a minute to figure out what conclusion he'd jumped to. I thought I could hear the faint sound of laughter coming from my speakers.

"What? No!" I could feel my face heating up. "I was talking to Bella." I gestured to the screen, "it's ok Bella," I said softly. She reappeared a moment later, her face as flushed as mine. I sat in front of the screen, giving her what I hoped was an apologetic look. "This is Jasper," I moved the laptop so she could see him; he sat back down.

He nodded quickly, "it's nice to meet you. Sorry about…all that."

She smiled warmly, "it's nice to meet you too."

Jasper looked at me, "I'm going to head out; she should be gone by now. I'll see you Monday." He glanced back at the screen, "bye Bella."

"Bye Jasper."

Jasper saw himself out and I turned my attention back onto Bella. "So, is that an embarrassing enough story for you?"

To her credit, she held back her laughter for possibly a whole five seconds. After that, she laughed so hard that I could see a tear slip down her cheek. She tilted her head back toward the ceiling, exposing her neck, her shoulders bouncing. "I'm glad I can amuse you." I tried to say it seriously, but was having a hard time.

Bella waved a hand in front of the screen, trying to speak. "I'm…sorry," she tried to calm down, "that was…way better than my story." She smiled widely.

"What can I say? I deliver." I picked up my laptop and started walking.

"Where are we going?"

I gave her a sidelong glance, "the bedroom." She didn't say anything and I set my laptop down on the bed to change out of my work clothes. I had taken to wearing a shirt at night while we were talking; I thought I might make her uncomfortable otherwise. I plugged my laptop in and turned on a lamp, then got situated under the covers. "Ok, better."

I fell asleep some time after dawn; the last thing I remember was lying further and further down on the bed. When I woke up, my lamp was still on and my computer was a couple inches from my face. I opened my eyes all the way and touched the space bar; I could see that our video had been disconnected. I checked the time, it was barely eight o'clock; I checked to see if she was online anyway. She was, but it said she was idle. I wondered if we'd fallen asleep together. I decided to take a shower and then check again.

I got out when there was no hot water left and changed into a worn pair of jeans and the white t-shirt I'd slept in the night before. I rubbed the towel quickly over my hair and hung it back on the rack. I checked the computer screen, but she was still idle. The laptop came with me to the kitchen anyway.

I made breakfast quietly, making my "specialty" of toast with peanut butter. I was just finishing my second piece when she came online. I clicked the mouse a couple of times and after another minute I could see her face again. She was still in bed, raising a hand to move some hair away from her face. I watched with rapt attention, some very distant part of me wondering if maybe I should have just left the woman alone. I took my now empty plate to the sink; she would still be able to see me, but I would look less like I was stalking her.

"Oh, God," she drew out the last word and I grinned crookedly, still facing the sink.

"Good morning." I set my plate on the rack to dry before facing her. "How'd you sleep?"

She pressed her face into the pillow for a moment before looking back to the screen. "I'm really sorry, when did I fall asleep?"

"It's ok, I fell asleep too." I smiled.

"Oh, well I'm still sorry." She paused for a moment, "so, any plans for today?" She was still lying with her head on her pillow; she looked really sleepy.

"I have a few errands to run and probably a nap to take later, but that's about it."

"No hot dates tonight?"

"Just with you if you're free."

She grinned self consciously, "I'm free."

We talked for a few more minutes before Bella decided to get up and around. I couldn't get the way she looked first thing in the morning out of my head. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were half closed, after she apologized she worried her lip between her teeth. It was an image I was going to have in my head all day. I tried to shake myself out of it, but after a while I gave up and enjoyed the memory.