Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters in Twilight, or anything related to the books and/or movies. If I did, I would be way too busy- doing dirty things with the Cullen boys- to sit down at my laptop and write this story. The scenes that I did borrow from Stephenie Meyer have been revamped to fit my story.

Learning to Live Again

Chapter Six: Building Trust

I couldn't move from where I sat slumped against the back of my couch. It had happened again. I had lost control of my anger and the next thing I knew Jacob was laying across the now broken kitchen table.

He was in shock as well, not able to move from his spot. He was looking right into my eyes, confusion and hurt masking the dark features on his face. I don't know how long we stared at each other or when I started crying again. I was shaken from my stupor when another person entered my home and put their arms around me, pulling me into a comforting hug.

I couldn't see through my tears, but I knew that it was Jasper without needing to be aware of my surroundings. He was using his power to calm me, rocking my sobbing frame back and forth until I was able to gasp for breath. I looked up from Jasper's shoulder in time to see Jacob standing and dusting himself off before slowly walking out of the house.

"Jasper, what if Ja—"

He stopped my further speaking by placing his finger over my lips. "Don't worry about what Jacob may or may not say. He's too in shock right now anyway. I'll speak with him later and explain that we haven't gotten to find out any information on your power yet. I think he'll understand."

I raised my eyebrows at Jasper's tone. He spoke as if he knew a secret that I didn't. He was so confident that Jacob wouldn't expose me.

"Trust me, Bella."

"With my life," I stated. I smiled slightly when I noticed that Jasper stilled at my confession. "It's true, Jazz. I trust you more than anyone else. I know that you would never hurt me and that you would do anything to help me. I just want you to know how much I appreciate that. And how much I appreciate you."

I took a deep breath, and suddenly everything was in slow motion. I reached my hand up toward Jasper's face and moved a strand of his curly hair out of his eyes. Most people in Forks thought that his eyes were scary, but I saw them for what they were. Honest and tormented.

"I would do anything to keep you safe as well. As much as I hate to admit it, I think that your brother is right. The safest place for you is far away from me. One of these days, I'll either expose you or cause you to get hurt or worse from defending me. It's not fair. And it's not fair for you to have to stay behind to take care of me, either." I was proud of myself for being strong enough to hold back my tears.

I knew that there was truth to my words, but I also knew that if Jasper were to leave me right now I wouldn't make it much longer. I would either fade slowly away into nothingness or I would finally snap and do something that I would never be able to regret. I just prayed that he couldn't feel how dependant I had become on his existence.

Jasper was quick to take the small opening in my rambling to speak. Damn vampires with their speedy… everything.

"You're insane if you allow yourself to think for even one moment that I would leave you right now," he stated as if it should be obvious to anyone. "I would hate myself if something happened to you while we were away. I would never be able to look at my family again, Bella. We would break. And as for you being a danger to me, the only possible threat you hold is that you would trip and fall on top of me. Which would only cause injury to you as I'm rock solid with lightning fast reflexes."

I chuckled at his light tone and was rewarded with a gentle smile from the vampire who was still holding me tight against his chest. Leaning up, I placed a soft kiss on Jasper's cold cheek before moving my face to whisper in his ear. "Thank you, Jazz."

Before he could respond, we both heard the door slam and my father's footsteps walking down the hallway and into the kitchen.

"Bella?!" Charlie yelled as he quickly turned around and found Jasper and I tangled together on the floor in the living room. His face turned from worry to an angry scowl, noticing the close proximity and comfort I felt at being in Jasper's arms. "What's going on in here? What happened to the kitchen table?"

Thank God for small favors that I was quick on my toes at the moment and could form a coherent story to give my father. "Nothing's going on, Charlie, and I'm sorry about the table. Jake came by and we got into an argument. I go so upset and frustrated with him for not listening to me that I shoved him into the table. I didn't realize that he had gained thirty pounds in muscle and the poor table just gave out."

"You shoved Jake?!" Charlie was surprised, but I honestly couldn't tell if he was surprised I had shoved a person or if he was surprised I had managed to exert physical strength without hurting myself in the process.

"I was so upset that I didn't even know what I was doing, dad. I just—I can't get a grasp on my emotions right now," I admitted to him. Unbeknownst to my father, Jasper pinched my side, signaling that he was the one that was keeping a grasp on them for me. It took all my strength not to laugh at his teasing.

"I understand that, Bells, but please apologize to Jacob. You and he have history together, and I know that he wants to be here for you right now," he explained. He was more or less staring at Jasper instead of looking at me while he was speaking.

"I'll call Jake tomorrow, after we've both had some time to cool off." I waited a minute, not moving from Jasper's arms. He knew me well enough to not try to disengage from me yet. "Dad, please just ask what's on your mind right now," I said bluntly. I was exhausted and could no longer beat around the bush.

"What's Edward's brother doing here? And why are tangled up in each other worse than you and Edward used to be?" he asked. He was now hanging up his gun holster and removing his jacket. He walked from the kitchen into the living room doorway, leaning against the frame while still scrutinizing us with his gaze.

"I'm staying behind for awhile, Chief Swan. My parents were needed in California to get the new home in order, but there were still some things to wrap up here in Forks. Since I'm taking this year off from school, it was just the most logical for me to take care of everything for them," Jasper easily explained the story he had come up with for all who were interested.

"Jasper came over today to check on me, because he knew I would be upset. He found me in tears and came over here to hug me right before you walked in, dad. That's it," I stated. I knew there was more, and I sensed that Jasper did as well. This was enough for Charlie, though.

"Okay. That makes sense," Charlie mumbled before turning and walking back into the kitchen to inspect the damaged table. I heard him say something else under his breath but couldn't quite make out the words. Jasper tensed in my arms and furrowed his eyebrows together. I knew that I would need to find out what Charlie had said to make him feel so uncomfortable.