A/N: You are awesome! Thank you for the reviews and all of the faves/follows. Here is the next chapter. You know the drill, if you get a chance, let me know what you think by reviewing. You have been great and I am so excited that all of you are enjoying the story.

Chapter 9 – The Next Step

Saturday morning came too soon for Bella and before she knew it she was waking up to find sunlight peering at her through the window. She sat up quickly and looked around the room, she saw Jasper sitting in a chair in the corner avoiding the sunlight. She had always loved how their skin seemed to shine like diamonds when the sun hit it, but it was the reason they needed to stay out of sight on a sunny day like today. The fact that he was avoiding the sun when he was indoors hit her as funny for some reason, "Afraid of glittering up the joint?"

He smirked at her, "Not at all, just figured it was probably best if you didn't have a life size prism in your room that everyone could see." She snorted trying to stop her laugh and Jasper found that hilarious which started him laughing at her, "Oh yah, I can see what Edward found so alluring now. The snort is just so sexy!"

Bella couldn't help but laugh with him, "I thought so. You know that is one of the qualities men find so attractive in women, how well they snort."

When the laughter died down, he looked at his friend seriously, "Thank you, I needed a laugh."

"It will be ok Jasper. You have me and the family to support you and get you through this, and anytime you need me, I am here to snort till your side aches. Well, if that is even possible for you," she giggled and made him chuckle with her.

"I appreciate that," he said quietly turning serious again and looked from her to stare out the window.

She studied him for a minute and then asked, "What do you plan to do now?"

He turned back to face her, "I don't know. I guess I will read the papers again like I said I would. I will call the lawyer we always use for our legal matters and get him to review the divorce papers. If everything is ok, I will sign them. It seems weird and unbelievable that everything is over just like that, it's surreal."

"I know, but hey we will all get through this and if you want, I am sure Emmett will let you use him as a practice dummy," she smirked winking at him.

"Honey, I can take him without him offering to be a practice dummy. I got skills," he smirked back. It was the truth, she knew about the vampire wars and she knew about some of his past, but she didn't know everything. He wondered if she knew the whole truth if she would run from him screaming. It was part of the reason the family was always trying to protect her around him, but for now they were leaving them alone and he was grateful. He wasn't sure why he was leaning on her so much, but he knew that she understood him and what he was going through and knew when to back off without him saying anything. She just knew when he needed that space.

"I am sure you do have skills," she said laughing. "So what is the plan for today? It is sunny outside so that negates you leaving right now and you can't see a lawyer until Monday. Charlie has already left to go to work, so you are more than welcome to hang out here. I just have some chores to do."

"Since you put it that way, I guess I will hang out here with you then and help you with your chores."

"I never said you can help. I said I have chores and you can hang out."

"Regardless, I will help you and then we can hang out and watch a movie or something," he said standing up, "Now get up lazy bones and let's get to it." He walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the living room. He heard her moving upstairs so he knew that she would be down soon. He wanted to keep busy, to keep moving. He wanted to keep his thoughts and feelings at bay, but when there was nothing to occupy him, he was unable to concentrate on anything else and everything he wanted to forget rushed to the surface.

He wasn't sure how long he had been standing there, but Bella was shaking him out of his reverie. He looked at her and saw that she had changed clothes and threw her hair up. She looked worried about him, "I'm alright, let's get started on the chores."

Her stomach grumbled, "Actually first, let's feed the human and then you can help me with my chores."

He chuckled, "Ok."

The rest of the day passed in the monotony of chores and then the brain draining power of the television. They watched a couple of movies before Charlie made it home and they noticed the sun was setting and Jasper could leave. She reminded him that the window was open if he needed it and he nodded. She kind of hoped that he used it, she was getting used to him being there.

He wasn't there before she crashed for the night, but he was there by the time she awoke in the morning, "Hey, I didn't think you came last night."

"I wasn't going to, but needed a break from everything again. It is nice not to be swept up in everything all of the time. You know?" Jasper answered her.

"I can imagine. So what did you want to do today?" Bella asked as she got out of bed and started to make it.

"Actually, I was thinking we could take a little drive," he offered her a sideways smile.

"Sure, I'm in. Just give me time to get ready." At his nod, she grabbed what she needed and started to get ready for the day. When she was done, they hopped in her truck with Jasper behind the wheel and started to drive, "So where are we going?"

"Nowhere in particular, I just thought a drive sounded nice. When I lived in Texas, and I wanted to think, I would go do some work around the land or I would ride my horse. It always helped me think and stuff," he said looking at her briefly. He could feel her nervousness and curiosity increase, "Don't worry Bella, I am not going to do anything to you. I just wanted to go for a drive and I figured you could use one also."

She offered him a small smile, "Sorry, yah let's just drive."

After driving for about an hour, Jasper decided to start talking, "I was thinking of leaving the clan and going off on my own for a time."

"No! You can't do that!" She wasn't ready to let any of the Cullen's go.

"Bella, I was only thinking about it. With everything that has happened, I just thought that maybe I needed some alone time," he said in a calming voice. He was trying to project calmness over here. He could feel her panicky feeling when he mentioned leaving. He knew it hurt her when they left the last time, but he figured it would be alright if he left since the rest of the family was there, "Besides everyone else is staying."

"I think it is best if you stay. If you need alone time, you can stay at my place. Charlie works during the day and I am at school, you would get plenty of alone time there," she was throwing ideas out there. She didn't want to lose another one.

"Bella what are you going to do when we leave because we eventually have to leave?" He asked curiously. He could still feel her panic and fear at the surface, but she was calming down due to his gift.

"I will go with you! By that time I should be changed and if not then one of you can change me then," she said decisively. She was not losing them again.

"Calm down Bella. I will stay for now and try it your way, but if it gets to be too much, I will talk to you before I leave. Alright?"

She nodded. She didn't want to think or discuss them leaving her behind. That was her nightmare.

After about another hour of silence, Bella whispered, "Jasper, I'm sorry. I know it isn't easy for you right now and then I am being selfish, if you really need to go then I will understand."

He knew that she was being honest with him and she would accept him leaving, but he knew that was the last thing she wanted, "I will try it your way first and stay in Forks for now." He looked at her and he could feel the relief sweep through her, he smiled and thought to himself, "At least someone wants me around them." He changed the subject when he saw a sign for a fast food restaurant, "Are you hungry?"

"Yah, a little," she said quietly. She was happy that he was going to stay at least for a little bit longer, but she felt guilty for being so selfish and throwing a tantrum.

Jasper pulled into the drive thru and ordered food for her before they hit the road again. This time back towards home, "Bella, there is no reason to feel guilty for how you feel. It is how you feel and it makes me feel good that you would want to keep me around given everything. I know that it wasn't easy for you when we left the last time and…"

"No it wasn't and why wouldn't I want you around? You are just as much a member of that family as anyone and you are a friend. I don't want to lose any of you. I just wish I could let you go as easily as it seems you can let me go," she murmured.

"Darlin' I don't know where you got that idea in your head, but you are wrong. It was never easy leaving you. It hurt everyone to leave you behind, especially without saying good-bye. I blame myself for that and for what happened to you, but I want you to know that you are part of the family and leaving you behind was one of the hardest decisions the family ever made."

"Thank you. I never blamed you, you know," she said quietly.

He turned and stared at her as she ate her food and shook his head. He would never understand the girl that was seated next to him.

They finally made it home and Jasper left her on the porch, like a good southern gentleman would do, and went home. He would put his plans to leave on hold for now, but he hoped he wouldn't regret that decision later. Right now he would think about the here and now. He would review the divorce papers tonight and then tomorrow he would see the lawyer. It was time to take the next step and he knew signing those papers was the best decision. He knew Alice wasn't coming back, so he needed to decide what to do about the future now that she was not going to be a part of it.