-taps computer screen- anyone in there…? Helloo?

Really, two reviews?! I know you can do better than that. Please? I realize I'm a horrible person for ot updating, but still! Even if it's a flame, just let me know you're reading! That I have a purpose! Because right now I don't feel so… needed. Oh, and to settle something… do you care about me, or the story? Be honest in your answer. Read the author notes (which I took out, btw) or read the story? And would you care at all if I did or didn't like Edward?

Quote of the day: I missed 11:11 by one minute last night; I guess that's fate's way of telling me you just aren't worth wishing for anymore. –unknown

And yet I still do… we'll see where that gets me (don't comment ,anyone, it will get me no where it's stupid and only hurts, and as long as I keep missing it by two minutes as I've done for the last four days, it doesn't matter. But, do any of you reading this make wishes? And if so, what on? ) Sorry for the long note.

Without love, the world looks too bleak, so I love you,

Kasey

"Surprise!" Alice yelled after a few moments of both of us just staring at the man in the doorway with open mouths. "Jasper's back," she said in a manner that hinted she wanted to be excited, but that our reactions were dimming that, so it came out like a question of "should I be excited?"

I shook my head once.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded. Alice looked surprised.

"You're not going to say hello? That's rude, Bella, even for you," Alice said.

"Alice, you know you don't mean that, stop that," Edward defended.

Jasper looked down. "I don't think I can explain it well enough right now."

"Well then leave." This was beyond ridiculous. Jasper couldn't be back. You can't just flip a switch and say "oh, I was just kidding about the whole 'break my girlfriend's heart and leave her and everyone one else I'm close to without an explanation or any means of contacting me' sorry for all the mess I've caused, let's forget about it, oh, and I'm leaving again on Tuesday." Well, maybe not the leaving thing again, but he hadn't told us why he was here yet, so I didn't know.

He looked hurt, and the bad side of me thought he deserved it, but the rest of me just wanted to know why he was here, and a part of me was glad for Alice's sake he was here.

"I'll explain later," he said. "Can't I just…visit now? I haven't seen any of you in what feels like forever."

"And whose fault would that be?" I asked.

"Um… My dad's?" he questioned softly, joking.

"Well you could have called," Edward said. Alice was glaring angrily at both of us.

"So, Alice, do you know why he's back?" I asked her, guessing the answer already.

"Well, no… I came to get you as soon as he got here. I thought you'd be excited." Her tone was hurt.

"Have you lost your mind?! And you're excited to see him? For all you know he could be back to say 'just wanted to get my CD I left here back, have a nice life, see ya!' Do you remember at all what a mess you were because of him? You're only going to get hurt again when he leaves again," I yelled at her. Jasper and Edward were staring at me, but Edward looked like he agreed, Jasper just looked… pained.

"Lost my mind, lost my heart, whatever, so he took my heart with him when he left, and maybe it feels good to have it back, even if it's only for just a little while. Don't judge me, Bella."

Edward stepped in before we could really start fighting. I sighed. It seemed I was fighting with everyone.

He pushed us all further inside the house, pointing towards the sofa for us to sit down. He went and grabbed four cans of soda and handed them to each of us.

"Okay, we're going to talk like civilized people," he explained slowly, like we were small children getting disciplined. Though I suppose we were acting like little kids.

"Jasper, I'm glad you're here. I've missed you. How have you been?" he spouted off.

"I've been hell."

"Nice answer," I muttered under my breath. Edward elbowed me.

"So where have you been?" Alice asked him, her tone curious, with an undertone of wanting an explanation. He left the explanation out of his answer, unfortunately.

"Texas."

"And the reason you are here now is…?" Edward wondered, his voice impatient at Jasper for making us ask so many questions and not just telling us already.

"Because I wanted to come back, and I wanted to be here for Christmas. I finally convinced my parents to let me come."

I was utterly confused. He made no sense at all. Wishing I could read his mind, I stopped myself from blurting out a million questions. What was the point in asking anyway? He was being too cryptic. I considered smacking him over the head and calling him an idiot, but I knew Alice wouldn't take that well. I made a mental note to talk to him privately, or at least nowhere near Alice, so I could tell him what I felt he needed to hear.

"You do realize you're not explaining much," Edward tried to laugh, but it was a very unsure one… I don't think any of us had thought about whether the situation was funny or not.

"I know, but I need to work out what I'm going to say and how before it comes out wrong."

"Good luck with that," I said. Alice was sitting there quietly, I guess doing the same thing as Jasper… waiting for something to say at the right time.

"Hey, Jasper?" she asked him softly.

"Yeah, sw--," he cut himself off. "Alice," he finished.

"Do you think later we could talk, just you and me?" She sounded nervous. Even though I thought she was being crazy, I felt her pain, and felt sorry for her. Poor Alice. I didn't know what to do to comfort her, and that made me feel horrible. Like a terrible, nasty, never-wanna-have friend.

"I'd like that," he said. He turned to us again. "And I will explain everything later, but for now, can we just put it on the sidelines. Or you know, close the scrapbook for a while and put it back on the shelf… we can come back to it later."

"Sounds like something a therapist would say," I laughed, trying to work with him to sort of change the subject. We would make him talk later. But I guess for now we could just… be friends and friendly. I knew Edward would want the chance to talk. Jasper was his best friend.

He looked down, ignoring my comment. We soon completely changed the subject, but the evasion just made me more curious as to what he had been up to in his time gone.

We managed to joke and laugh like nothing wrong had happened and it was months before any of did anything to add to the mess we were in, but working our way out of, now. Somehow, we forgot for a few moments, and that was one of the best feelings in the world. Forgetting something you regret or that you wished had never happened, it was indescribable. My mind was healed again, my smile was real, and I had nothing to worry about. I felt carefree, like I was in a different world, though I knew I'd have to step back into reality too soon. I had Edward again, for that I was grateful, but what about Alice? She was still going to hurt, and she still had things she needed to work out, and while this moment, the loss of memory, was cleansing, it wouldn't stay that way. All good things come to an end. And she'd be back where she started. And I still wouldn't know what to do to help her. I wished with all of me that there was some way I could make her feel better, that I could help her, but no answers had come to me yet.

Edward looked at me out of the corner of his eye and smiled at me. He grabbed my hand silently while we were talking, and it just added to the pocket in time that was glitched… the one that sent us backwards, and erased thoughts that made the air taste sour and the eyes water. The bubble that surrounded us, not yet popping. If only it could stay this way forever…

A/N: not my best chapter. Sorry for all the dialogue, again. Too much. For all you Shrink wanna-bes out there, please realize that this chapter had no intentional references to real life or my own personal feelings. Do not attempt to analyze it, your conclusion will be wrong. Not that it matters. Alice's POV next chapter I think. Review please.