A/N: Jasper is still in the lead for the pairing in Wedding Day Jitters. If you want to weigh in, let me know who you think Bella should end up with. As for Moving on… More about Alice and Michael coming soon. :D Onward with Bella and Jasper, and everyone else. Peter's greeting wasn't the nicest, but I think he has learned his lesson. LOL. Hope you like the next chapter, revelations are made and that leads to some heavy emotions. Please review if you get the chance.

Chapter 30 – Confrontations

Bella awoke with a start and sat upright in bed in a flash. She heard movement behind her and turning her head she saw her boyfriend staring at her with concerned eyes. When she had gone to bed he was not there, choosing instead to have Emmett take her home and watch her while he dealt with his friends. She lay back down and snuggled into him, letting out a small sigh of contentment when she was finally comfortable. This was her spot. This was where she wanted to be, where she liked to be.

"Comfortable sweetheart?" Jasper jokingly mocked her.

"Yah, I am," Bella snickered.

Jasper started to stroke her hair and turned serious, "Are you ok Darlin'?" The way she bolted up in bed made him concerned and he needed to know that she was alright.

"I am fine. Just a dream," she mumbled. She had been dreaming about the attack at the hospital and then Peter and Charlotte showing up. Only in her dream, Peter had not been joking and had been about to drain her when Emmett and Jasper showed up. She knew it was an unfounded fear and he apologized, but after the other events that had been occurring in her life, no one could exactly blame her. Plus she always seemed to sleep better when Jasper was there.

"Want to tell me about it?"

"Not right now. When did you get in? When I finally crashed, Emmett was still here."

"Emmett said you had finally gone to sleep about an hour before I got here. I am not sure what time that was, but I know it was only a couple of hours ago. Sorry I wasn't here sooner, but I was taking care of some things," Jasper said cryptically.

Bella pulled back and looked at him in the face, "What is that supposed to mean by the way? I know it has something to deal with Peter, but he didn't know. Did he scare me? Yes, he did, but given everything that has gone on lately, I am a little freaked out anyway when I see red eyes."

Jasper gave a dark chuckle, "He is still alive and has all of his parts." Under his breath he added, "Now."

"Jasper," Bella said in warning.

"We just had a discussion that he was not allowed to scare you anymore and that next time he was to follow his orders and not stray from the path even if he had good intentions and was trying to pull a prank on me," he smirked and leaned up to give her a small kiss on the temple. "Are you going back to sleep or are you up? Your dad just left for the station."

Bella stretched a bit, "What time is it?"

"6:45 in the morning."

"Ugh! Why did I have to wake up so early?" She groaned as she ran her hands through her hair in a stressed manner.

"Are you still tired? If not, we can go visit at my house. I promise that Peter will behave. I think he learned his lesson. Or we can stay here and spend some quality time together."

Bella looked towards her boyfriend lying back on her bed and leaned over him and started kissing him. She pulled back after a few moments, "I think some quality time is very much in order Mr. Whitlock. We can go visit later and at a more decent hour. I know vampires don't sleep, but humans still do, so we will follow human etiquette. You remember those rules, don't you?" Bella finished with a coy smile and a wink.

"Oh I think I can manage to remember some things about being a gentleman," he smiled and grabbed her around the waist flipping her to where he was on top and started to lean in. When he was a hairs breath away from her lips, he whispered, "Now you said something about quality time together."

Several hours later, Bella and Jasper were pulling up to the Cullen house so that they could visit with Peter and Charlotte. Bella was still apprehensive, especially after her dream, but she would do this for him. She knew that he would be by her side and nothing would happen to her, besides soon enough she would be a vampire and if need be, she can get Peter back for scaring her. She laughed inwardly to herself… that could be fun.

As they walked up slowly to the front door, Jasper whispered in her ear, "Is this a more humane time of visiting?"

Bella looked up in time to catch his wink, "Yah, I think you have this etiquette thing down."

"Good to know I haven't lost my touch after all of this time," he laughed.

Bella joined in the laughter and was still giggling as he ushered her inside the house. Her laughter stopped when she noticed Edward was there waiting for them. She furrowed her brow, "Is everything alright Edward?" In all honesty, he looked a little concerned.

Jasper felt concern and a little bit of fear coming off of Edward. Something was not right. "What's wrong?"

"Peter and Charlotte went hunting this morning after you left," Edward said looking at Jasper. He took in a deep breath before he continued, "They said they ran into another rogue vampire and heard it say something about Bella. Before it could do anything else, they took care of it. It was on a phone and the phone was smashed in the scuffle. So we don't know if there are more or anything else."

Jasper clenched his jaw and started to grind his teeth. He was grateful his friends took care of the problem, but he wanted more information. He hated being in the dark. "Where was this?"

"Port Angeles," Edward whispered.

"Thank you," Jasper said to his adopted brother, but knew there was something that he was not saying. Anyone could have relayed the information to them and it could have waited until they were all in the same room. "What else?"

"I have some things that I need to say to Bella and with everything going on and about to happen, I want to talk to her today." He turned his gaze upon Bella, "Can I talk to you alone?"

Bella looked from Edward to Jasper and back again. When she looked up at Jasper one more time, she could tell that he was not happy about leaving her alone with Edward. Edward had not been happy at the growing relationship between his ex and brother, but seemed to finally accept it. He had not been alone with her outside of school since the day they broke up besides the occasional car ride and those had been awkward and quiet, especially after the realization that Bella had feelings for Jasper. Still she knew that Edward would not be asking for this if it wasn't important to him. She squeezed Jasper's hand to get his attention, "I will be alright and we will be in there shortly. Ok?"

Jasper knew that this meeting of the minds was going to happen sooner or later, but that did not mean that he had to like it. He didn't question Bella and her feelings for him. He knew she loved him, but he also knew that Edward was her first love and that would never change. Jasper also knew that Edward still loved Bella, although it had morphed into something less lover-like. It was always in the back of his mind that Edward may try to take Bella away from him and he didn't know if he could deal with that. When Alice left, Bella was right there. If she left, he wouldn't have that anchor. He forced a smile for her and gave her a kiss on her cheek, "Yah, I will be in the living room waiting for you."

"Thank you Jazz," Bella said softly trying to project all of the love she felt for him to reassure him that no matter what, she was his.

"Thank you Jasper," Edward solemnly said. He knew that it was not easy for his brother to let the person he loved talk to him. There had to be a lot of emotions that Jasper was feeling and yet, he still let them have their conversation. Edward was grateful. He knew that he would never get Bella back, but he felt the need to say some things to her. "Can we go out into the garage?"

Bella nodded her head at Edward's suggestion and turned around to head towards the garage. It would afford them some sort of privacy. When they got there, she turned around and looked at her ex, "What did you need?"

"First I wanted to say that I am really happy for you and Jasper. We were all really worried about him after Alice left and because of you, he came out on the other side even stronger than he was before. There have been no thoughts of slipping up since you became a fixture in his life and for that, my family is very grateful. Even when he was with Alice, the desire was still there. The last few months before Alice left, we could tell that there was something happening between them, but no one was sure what it was and we left it alone. They were still loving towards each other, but Alice seemed a bit distant," Edward started to explain.

"I didn't notice anything, but Jasper has said the same thing," Bella said. She was really wondering where this conversation was going.

"It was a big shock when she walked out the door and left like she did. Then when she sent the divorce papers, we knew that she wasn't coming back. There was always that little hope, but it was quickly dashed. We knew that day how much he had come to depend on you and I could already see what was happening between the two of you even though you couldn't. It was a knife to the heart. When I left you in the woods and took off, I knew I hurt you. I didn't have to read your mind to know that. I thought that when you showed up in Italy, well first I thought I was dead, but then I thought that you forgave me and we could go back to where we were. We couldn't. We were never the same after we came back. Maybe it was your lack of faith in me and the wounds I left when I abandoned you, maybe I realized that I didn't really know you like I thought I did. I had put you on a pedestal and realized that you were not the same person as when I left. You were stronger. At some point in time, you came into your own, or at least started on the path of doing that. Jasper helped you to continue on that path. I knew the day the divorce papers were delivered, I had lost you forever."

Bella looked down. She wasn't sure what to say or feel about what Edward was telling her. So she stayed quiet for now.

"It hurt, but I am not upset or angry. I am really happy for you. He has been able to give you something I never could. He truly loves you and would die to make sure you were safe and happy. I think I was too selfish to do all of that for you. I tried, but never was able to do that."

"I think you were lonely for so long and you didn't know how to not be selfish when you finally found someone. I understood. Just make it a life lesson for next time," Bella said quietly as she looked him in the eye. She didn't understand at first, but Jasper helped her to see everything from a different perspective. They never really discussed Edward, but being with someone who loves you wholeheartedly makes you see things in a different light. Edward was her first love, but Jasper was her last.

"Thank you for that," Edward said. He started to shuffle like he was nervous. This whole time he had stayed in one place and hardly moved and now he couldn't stay still.

"Are you ok? Was there something else?"

"I wanted to let you know that I still love you. I think I always will, but Jasper makes you happier than I have ever seen you. He accepts you and doesn't try to change you. I know I didn't exactly get A's in that department. I am happy that you have found someone to love and that can love you the way you deserve to be loved. I guess if I can't have you for me, and I do understand, then I am happy you will still be in my life as a sister. More than anything, you were also a friend and I was afraid of losing that too."

Bella walked up to Edward and gave him a hug, "We will still be friends and thank you for your acceptance. I never wanted to hurt you, but what happened between Jasper and I was a natural progression. Neither of us planned it."

"You might not have, but I think someone knew it was coming," Edward mumbled.

"What? What do you mean?" Bella stepped away with a confused look on her face.

"I think that is why Alice left. I think she got a vision of you and Jasper gravitating towards each other and discovering feelings. It makes sense on why she would leave and then send divorce papers. She also made sure that you were there to help him through his time of need. She left you the letter and told you to be there and to help him through all of that. I think she knew that you were the only one that could help him."

Bella started to pace. It made sense and yet, she couldn't believe that Alice would just leave Jasper for that reason. Surely she knew that if she was there, nothing would ever happen between them. That is the thought that made it all click. If Alice had a vision of Bella and Jasper together, she knew the only way that it might happen is to leave and if it started to happen naturally without either party realizing it; it would hurt to watch it all. Bella hung her head and brought her hands up to cover her face. She felt ashamed and guilty. Shoulders shaking, she was crying for the hurt that the visions brought Alice and the decisions it forced her to make, and she cried for her unwitting part in the whole thing.

Edward could tell she was upset and crying, but he wasn't sure what to do. He never intended to hurt her like that or make her cry, but he could see that is exactly what happened. He didn't want to leave her, but felt that Jasper was the person needed right now. He knew that Bella would rather be comforted by Jasper than by him. He tried to calm her down enough to get her to his brother. He pulled her into his arms, "Bella, everything happened the way it needed to. You are not to blame. It will be alright."

She couldn't stop crying and started to cry harder at his words. Feeling herself being swung up into Edward's arms, she knew he was taking her to Jasper. She knew that before he called for his brother. Could she face him right now? It didn't appear that she had much of a choice in the matter.

When Edward swung Bella up into his arms to carry her to Jasper, he called for the empath to come to them. He made it out of the garage and just inside the door leading to the house when Jasper appeared. He was afraid the older vampire might do something to him for making Bella cry, but before anything could be said or done, Edward placed Bella in Jasper's arms. "She got upset when I suggested that Alice might have left when she had a vision of you and Bella together," he quickly explained.

"What are you talking about?" Jasper asked. He could feel the guilt and sadness coming out of Bella.

"We were talking and I was telling her that I was happy for both of you. She said that neither of you planned this. I said that neither of you had, but I think Alice did."

"What do you mean?" Jasper was confused and started to think about everything that Edward said. He thought about the reasons for Alice leaving for the first time in a long time. Then his thoughts moved to the note that she left Bella and the words it contained. Edward may actually be right. Did Alice see him and Bella together and that is the vision that caused her to leave?

"Alice left you here when she left and said she was following a vision. I thought about what could make her leave you behind, tell Bella to watch out for you, and then send you divorce papers. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Edward stopped at a loss for words.

Jasper sent a small smile to him and whispered, "I know." He shifted Bella in his arms and looked down at her. Tears were still coming out of her eyes, but the gut wrenching crying at stopped. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Edward leave and give them a semblance of privacy. Placing Bella on her feet, he wiped away her tears, "Are you alright Bella?"

"If she really left because of us…" Bella sobbed softly.

"If that was the vision she had, then that was her choice to leave. She didn't force us together and neither of us did anything wrong. We are together because through different circumstances, we found each other and feelings developed. There is no way to know if she had stuck around if we would still end up together. I loved her and was faithful to her, but she left and I have you now. We were both hurting and helped each other cope. I don't know what would have happened if she was still here. I do know that I love you and need you more than anyone else in my life. Alice showed me a new life, but you pulled me from a darkness that I still seemed to inhabit," he was desperate to make her understand that regardless of why they were together, they belonged together now and neither of them needed to feel guilty for the way it happened.

Bella nodded her head not trusting her voice. She knew he was right, circumstances happening the way they did, pushed them together and they did not have a reason to feel guilty. It was still in the back of her mind though that Alice left because of her. If she hadn't been in the picture, Alice would never have had that vision in the first place.

"If you are thinking that if we had never met or if Alice and I stayed away, that this would never have happened and I would still be with Alice, you are wrong. I have a feeling that we would have found each other eventually or found each other again. We cannot live in the what ifs or what may have happened. She made her own choices, and so did we. Neither of us cheated or did anything wrong. We were there for each other and grew to love each
other. I personally would not have changed anything that happened," Jasper said it with confidence and knew it was true. If it hadn't been for Alice, he would have never found a new way of life, but Bella was his future and sometimes things happen for a reason. If Alice did leave because of a vision of Bella and Jasper together, then she made her choice and he was not going to argue with the results.

"I just wonder that if things had been different or I hadn't been here," Bella sniffled.

"You can't live in the past sweetheart. I love you and we have nothing to be guilty or feel bad about. Do you understand? She made her decision and this was the result. If we try to play the what if game or live in a past that never existed, we will make ourselves go crazy and the guilt could eat us alive." He leaned down and kissed her tears away, "We only know what we have right now, the past that is already set in stone because it happened, and the results of decision and actions from that past. I love you and if Alice really did leave because of a vision like that, then she gave me a gift that I will be forever grateful for. So we can take that gift and question it, feel guilty about it, and let it pull us apart; or we can embrace it and cherish it. I know what I want to do, but I need to know what you want."

Bella looked up at him. She was searching his eyes and saw the truth of what he said. Jasper was right. They could either throw the "gift" away or accept it and move on as they have been. She gave him a dazzling smile, "I know what I want to, and it is you."

Jasper gave her his lopsided grin, "I am glad we are on the same page because I love you too much to let you go."

"You know, I think I feel the same way about you. Regardless of how it happened, you are mine and I want to keep it that way," she said as she brought her arms up around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.