Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I do, however, own my OCs, this storyline, and an obscene number of cookbooks.

A/N: A very special thanks to my beta, readingtime. You are loved, chicka. This chapter is dedicated to Mari, for making me smile.

Jasper's POV

I sat on our bed, twirling the ring between my fingers. Bella's last birthday present. An engagement ring. When I'd purchased it, I had little doubt she would say yes. Now I wasn't so sure. I wished I could ask Alice, but knew she wouldn't tell me. She wouldn't even tell me where Bella was right now. I wanted to follow her the moment she left, but thought it might be best to let her have her alone time. After all, it was pretty obvious that she was trying to get away from me. But with Bella gone for several hours now, I couldn't help but worry. I kept repeating to myself that if Bella were in trouble, Alice would tell me.

How did so much change in such a short period of time? I realized that the fault rested squarely in my lap. My jealousy had really gotten the better of me. I needed to find a way to come to terms with her friendship with Edward. Bella has tried so hard to keep my entire family happy and together, and all I've done is throw it back in her face because of my own insecurities. But I just can't seem to help myself. I can't lose Bella over this. I have got to get a grip. I swore to myself to not be the one to make Bella be caught in the middle anymore. I wouldn't make her choose. If she wanted to be friends with Edward, then I would have to deal with it.

Then there was the whole argument last night and how I went about ending it. I didn't want to talk about the mystery girl from my human life. I didn't want to argue about Edward. Again. I just wanted to make love to my girlfriend. After the argument with Bella and then Adrian this morning, I realized that I went about it the wrong way, but I still couldn't see it the way Adrian did. I prayed that Bella didn't see it that way either.

I heard the door open and then Bella's footsteps coming up the stairs. I jumped up off the bed and put the ring in my pocket. When she reached the doorway she stopped. I started to walk over to her, but she put her hand up to stop me.

"Stay there for a minute," she commanded. "Please," she said a little softer. I nodded and she smiled a little. That's a good sign.

"First of all, I want to tell you that I disagree with Adrian's assessment of what happened last night. It doesn't mean I'm happy about it. You betrayed my trust and unfairly used your powers to your advantage. Before last night you had always treated me as an equal. I don't feel like an equal now. I feel like just another susceptible human, easily controlled and manipulated at your whim. It's not a good feeling."

"I'm sorry, Bella, really I am. It was not my intention. I don't want you to ever feel that way around me, you must know that."

Bella nodded her head at me. "I do. That's why I am putting my faith in you that it won't happen again." I took a step in her direction and she stopped me again.

"We never finished our argument from last night. I am tired of fighting about Edward. You know how I feel about you. You can feel it. I'm worn out from trying to convince you of what should be obvious to you. I'm also tired of trying to make everyone happy. I have spent so much energy walking on eggshells that I'm completely exhausted. 'Is Edward hurt?' 'Is Jasper jealous?' Now I have to worry about you and Adrian being at each others' throats, too. He isn't just going to let this go, Jasper, no matter how many times I tell him I've forgiven you for it."

"I know."

"Well, I can't do it anymore. I'm not just going to cut Edward out of my life, Jasper. He's a good friend to me, and to you too, even if you don't see it."

"How do you mean, Bella?"

"I saw Edward tonight. He…"

"You WHAT?"

"Are you going to let me explain or are you going to go off the deep end again?" Bella's eyes narrowed and she stood tall.

I took a deep breath. "You're right, I apologize for interrupting. Please continue."

"I went for a ride but wasn't exactly in the best state of mind to be driving, so I turned around and was coming back home when I passed Edward in front of his house. He went for a ride with me so I could blow off some steam, and then he sat with me so I could get something to eat. I told him about our argument and about Adrian's reaction, and he defended you, Jasper. Edward. Defended. You. I want you to let that sink in for a minute. He didn't need to do that. With the way you have treated him lately, he would have been well within his rights to jump on the roofie bandwagon, but he didn't." That was the second time in a week that Edward had surprised me.

"You're right, Bella. I must admit I'm surprised that he didn't beat you back here and try to rip me to pieces. I've got to give him credit for that. You really didn't go to his house intentionally to talk to him?" Bella shook her head.

"No, I really didn't. He heard my bike coming and heard me crying and stood in the street waiting for me. I saw him standing there and stopped to find out what he was doing. It was completely innocent." I looked in her eyes then, holding back tears, and saw her sincerity.

"I trust you, Bella."

"Do you really, Jasper?"

"Yes, really. I can't promise to never be jealous of Edward again. But I can promise to make more of an effort rein it in. I don't want this to be harder on you than it already is." Bella ran into my arms then, crashing against my chest and wrapping her arms around my neck, peppering my face with kisses. I could detect a faint trace of Edward's scent on her skin, and for the first time in a week, it didn't set me off. I didn't care. Bella was in my arms and that was all that mattered to me.

"Where are Alice and Adrian?" Bella asked.

"They went to Polaris to go shopping. I guess you weren't the only one that needed to blow off some steam."

"UGH! I'm afraid. Very afraid. Remember the last time they went shopping to cool off? I ended up with half the Stella McCartney spring collection! Even that ugly handkerchief skirt!" Bella and I laughed, truly relaxed now that we'd come to a resolution.

Alice and Adrian came in shortly thereafter laden with bags. We met them downstairs hand in hand. Adrian looked at our entwined fingers and scoffed. "Hey, Hells Bells. How was your ride?"

"It was good, thanks."

"Yeah, Alice said it would be," Adrian muttered.

"Huh?" Bella tilted her head in question.

"Never mind. If it's alright with you, I'd like to have a moment alone with your boyfriend."

"As long as you promise that you're not going to require a visit to the emergency room when you get done. First semester of pre-med doesn't exactly make me qualified to set broken bones, you know," Bella teased. Adrian rolled his eyes at her and pulled her into a tight hug with one hand on the back of her head. He held her for a long time, and I could see him shaking.

"You're really okay?" he whispered in her ear, not loosening his grip on her.

"Yes, I'm really okay. I feel much better now. Thanks for jumping up to defend my honor, though." Bella gave him the smile that was reserved exclusively for her best friend, then grabbed the bags he dropped to follow Alice up to her room. Adrian and I sat down in the living room and I waited patiently for him to begin. He leaned his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together. I noticed his muscles were taut and his knuckles were white. It was a strain for him to remain calm.

"Look, Dude. You know I've always been in your corner, right? But Bella comes first, and man, you're screwing up royally. Starting a fight with Edward at the bar, fighting with her after the club, and then the whole 'make her so horny she forgets why she's mad at me' thing. Not. Kosher. If Bella forgives you, I will too, but personally, I think she went easy on you. I just want that on the record right now."

"Point taken."

"Good, because next time I'm taking a torch to your ass." Adrian stood up and extended his hand to me. "We cool?"

I stood and shook his hand. "Yeah, we're cool. Hey, can I ask you your opinion on something?"

"Yeah, sure. What's up?" I took the ring out of my pocket and showed it to him. His eyes got wide as he took it between his thumb and his forefinger.

"Day-am, that's some rock, Jasper! Fine work, my friend. Fine work."

"Do you think she'll say yes?"

"When are you going to ask her?"

"Thursday, when you go to Hotel Edward. It's the night before her birthday, so I thought that I would take her out for a romantic evening and then surprise her."

"Well, then I think your chances are pretty good, as long as you manage to suck it up when she goes to Edward's tomorrow."

I kissed the ring and put it back in the pocket. "Thanks, man."

"Good luck, Jazz." Adrian headed up the stairs and I heard the girls squeal as he opened the door. He quickly shut it again and came back down, red-faced, with a skirt hanging off his head and shoulder haphazardly. "That's what I get for not knocking first," he mumbled. We decided to play Assassin's Creed while we waited for the girls to finish up.

Bella and Alice came down a little while later, giggling. Adrian blushed worse than Bella. Alice ruffled his hair as she walked around the couch then plopped down on the floor between his legs. Bella headed for the kitchen.

"Bells Baby! Is there any Ben and Jerry's left?" Adrian yelled over his shoulder in the general vicinity of the kitchen.

"Yeah," she yelled back, slightly muffled since her head was in the freezer. "Do you want Chunky Monkey or Chubby Hubby?"

"Are we out of Phish Food?" He hollered.

"We didn't have Phish Food here. Edward has it at his place, along with Cherry Garcia."

"Damn. Okay, Chunky Monkey. I don't care how yummy it is, I can't eat anything called Chubby Hubby. And don't go eating all the Phish Food tomorrow, either. Save some of that shit for me."

Bella laughed as she brought her and Adrian each out a quart of ice cream and a spoon. She eyed me warily, no doubt gauging my reaction to the mention of Edward. I smiled my most sincere smile, and felt her relax immediately. She turned back to Adrian. "If you want Phish Food so bad, why don't you just go to the store and get some? Besides, aren't you supposed to be eating healthy right now?"

Adrian took a big spoonful of ice cream and then replied with his mouth full. "Game's not for six more days, Warning Bells."

The girls decided they wanted to play too, so we turned off Assassin's Creed and loaded up Mario Kart. Bella and Alice put us to shame, always taking the top two spots. After falling off of Rainbow Road for the hundredth time, Adrian decided to call it a night. Once he started yawning, Bella followed suit, and we all headed for bed. I would have liked to make love to Bella and start erasing the memory of last night, but she wasn't ready yet, and I wasn't going to push her. So we cuddled and I sang her "She's Everything" while she fell asleep.

Normally, Alice and I venture downstairs for a while after Bella and Adrian have fallen asleep, but tonight I didn't feel compelled to move. I just wanted to hold Bella in my arms for every minute that I could and hope that tomorrow was a better day. Bella was going to Edward's, and my reaction to that was going to be critical to rebuilding her trust in me. It wasn't going to be an easy thing to do, but I would do it for her.

My resolve was tested the next morning when we entered the garage to leave for school. Edward's scent was all over her bike. Edward had gone for a ride with her. Bella had told me that last night, hadn't she? Somehow in the midst of everything else, I let that slip by. But it was slapping me in the face now. Edward had gone riding with Bella on the motorcycle I bought her for her birthday. I seethed with anger and envy and had to close my eyes and hold my breath for a few seconds to regain my composure.

"Jasper? Is everything alright?" Bella looked at me, concerned.

"Yes, darlin'. I'm fine. Let's take the truck today, if that's alright with you?" Bella shrugged in indifference.

When we got to school, Edward was leaning against a tree by the stadium waiting for us. He looked at Bella and raised an eyebrow as if to say 'Is everything alright?'. When Bella smiled and gave him a slight nod, he positively beamed back at her before pushing off the tree and falling in stride with us. It was at that moment I realized that I truly hated Edward Cullen. This was going to be much harder than I thought.

After Bella and Edward went inside for their Biology lecture, I headed to American History. Kelly smiled at me as I entered and then ducked her head. I felt a shot of lust from her, but it was quickly doused. She must have been thinking about Edward.

"Hey," she said as she took out her book.

"Howdy. Did you have a nice time at the club?"

"Yes, I did. You?"

"For the most part. I wanted to thank you for dancing with my brother. He doesn't get out much these days. You looked very nice together."

Kelly furrowed her brows in confusion. "Didn't he tell you?" Now I was the one confused.

"Tell me what?"

"Jasper, I wasn't asking Edward to dance. I was asking you. I think Edward was just taking pity on me when you didn't seem to notice." Kelly looked away, embarrassed.

"Hey, look at me, please. I'm sorry. It was the first dance I'd had alone with my girlfriend all night. I would never intentionally ignore a pretty lady like yourself." She smiled, and I felt a little better. "Still, you and Edward did seem to hit it off pretty well, didn't you?"

"I suppose so. He seemed nice enough." Kelly shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe I could hook you guys up and the four of us could go out sometime?"

"Are you really doing this for me, or do you have an ulterior motive?" Well, of course I did. But there was no reason for her to know that.

"Such as?"

"Oh, I don't know," she replied loftily. "Distracting Edward from his ex who just happens to be your girlfriend, perhaps? Hmmm?" Damn. Caught. I looked at her sheepishly.

"Sorry, no can do, cowboy. I give you an A for effort, though," Kelly winked at me. I was about to reply but the professor started the lecture. We were doing geneology for the next couple of weeks. Fantastic. I love it when I have to completely make up my family tree. It's not like I could exactly admit to being born in 1843.

A/N: Not wanting to show preferential treatment, The Naked Cullen Boys have taken their Cullendales show to Ann Arbor, Michigan to give some Cullen style loving to the maize and blue! The next chapter will be Bella at Hotel Edward. Love you guys! Oh, and a link to a picture of the engagement ring is on my profile if you're interested, as is a link to the ballot for the Eddie/Bellie Awards. If you haven't voted yet, you still have time (hint hint, nudge nudge). They have extended the deadline due to the FF crash last weekend.