A Glimpse Into The Past

"So, what's your story then darlin'?" I glanced up at Jasper while pushing the mushrooms around on my plate.

"Who says I have a story?" I teased pushing the plate away.

"It's written all over you," he told me with a smirk, "it could be the sad smile or the way your eyes glance around every few minutes, as if expecting someone, maybe it's the way you hold your arm across your stomach sometimes, like you're trying to keep yourself together. " He leaned forward, his eyes intent on mine and his voice turning into a whisper, like he was telling me this big secret. "But, really the thing that gives you away the most, is that you're wearing a wedding ring, yet you're on a one year cruise with your best friend instead of your husband,"

He sighed leaning back his chair, pushing the mushrooms around on his plate as I had on mine, "Though I guess it's really none of my business. I suppose I was just too curious not to at least ask. Must be the psychologist in me." he said, a sheepish smile spreading across his face and shot me a wink. He pushed his plate away suddenly in what looked like disgust, "I hate mushrooms," He told me with a grimace.

"So do I," I admitted laughing.

"Wanna go up onto the deck?" he asked, I glanced at Rosalie and Emmett. They had taken to the dance floor four songs ago and didn't look they'd be leaving anytime soon. I nodded to Jasper in confirmation before standing up, Jasper joined me a second later and offered his arm to me. I smiled softly, accepting his arm and slipping my hand into the crook.

We walked silently down the halls, passing couples mostly, some teenagers lingered in the halls, speaking to one another. Though when we finally made it to the deck, it was completely empty, I didn't even have a chance to feel cold before Jasper let my hand drop and shrugged out of his suit jacket to slip into onto my shoulders, I smiled greatfully at him and walked over to the railings of the ship. Looking out at the ocean, I felt Jasper come to stand next to me.

"I'm getting a divorce," I said after a minute of silence. "he was having an affair and she's pregnant with his child,"

"Doesn't sound like a very smart man," he told me softly and I laughed, though it sounded more like a snort.

"Apparently not." I agreed.

"I was married once," he admitted, turning around and leaving back on the railing. He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, "found out a year into our marriage she was only in it for the money," he laughed softly and shook his head. "I get payed to read people and I couldn't see the signs that were right in front of me." he looked at me now and then nodded to my left hand. "It took me a year to finally take mine off, don't let it take you that long."

^*^*^Time Jump Two Weeks Later^*^*^

"I swear to god, Emmett. Put me down," I screamed hitting his back, he just chuckled at my weak hits.

"What was that you said? Put you down?" he asked and struggled harder, "If you insist, Bella." the scream in my throat caught as I was thrown down and I almost swallowed half a ton of water as I swam back to the surface. I managed to get out of the way just in time for Rose to tackle Emmett from behind and push them both into the water.

I felt a small hand wrap around my ankle only a second before I was pulled under the water again. I came back up, brushing my hair out of my face and splashed a laughing Rosalie. "Real mature, you guys." I said swimming over to the side of the pool. Jasper was standing on the edge looking down at me in amusement.

I glared at him and reached my hand out to him expectantly. He rolled his eyes but bent down to grasp my hand in his. I made sure I had a good grip on it before I smirked at him, his eyes widened and he shook his head in protest but I had already steadied my legs against the pool wall and yanked him in. He resurfaced spluttering, he glared at me, but his blue eyes shone with humor as he grabbed me around the waist and dunked my head.

I pushed him away quickly and aimed to splashed him, he ducked under the water last minute though and the water hit Emmett right in the face. My eyes widened and I had to press my lips together to stop myself from laughing. He looked shocked for a second, before on evil grin spread across his face.

"Oh, it's so on!"

I fell onto the chair, my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath and Jasper collapsed next to me, his breathing laboured, "Remind me next time to never get into a splash war with Rosalie ever again," Jasper panted causing me to laugh.

"Only if you remind me the same about Emmett," I countered teasingly, he laughed as well and nodded in agreement. I shivered slightly as the cool air rushed across my skin. Emmett had dumped me into the pool with my shirt still on, so I'd have to get a new one, my stomach grumbled in protest and having to go all the way back to the room before I ate.

Jasper must of noticed my shiver and my stomach growling because he stood up a second later, picking up my bag and offering his hand to me, "I'll lend you a shirt. My rooms is closer and then we can go eat," I grinned agreeing quickly and grasping his hand to pull myself up. I was starving. I glanced around and realised Em and Rosalie must have left to get dry clothes on to. Or other things, I laughed to myself in my head. So much for Rosalie not being cut out for dating.

It didn't take long to get back to Jaspers room and he passed me a dry long sleeved tee-shirt after confirming that I had dry shorts to put on. I stepped into the bathroom and changed quickly, bundaling up my wet clothes into my towel and then into my bag. I stepped out of the bathroom and froze. Jasper had turned on music, so he didn't notice my entrance and was rifling through a draw, obviously looking for a shirt since his torso was completely bare and covered in scars.

I stepped behind him, my hand coming out hesitantly to touch one of the scars that ran down his back. He froze at my touch, his body going rigid under my fingertips. I pulled my hand back quickly and mumbled an apology. He grabbed a shirt from the draw and brought it over his head coving his back from my view. He switched the music off, still facing away from me. I heard him take in a shaky breath before he finally turned to face me, his eyes held so much pain in them, but they also held fear. What was he afraid of?

"I'm sorry, Jasper." I apologised again and he shook his head softly.

"Don't ever apologise. Not to me, I just, I didn't expect you to touch them," He shrugged slightly, "I know they're not exactly the prettiest thing to look at." he said with soft laugh.

"What happen?" I swallowed thickly and spoke again quickly, "I mean, you don't have to tell me," he shook his head and sighed.

"I suppose you noticed Em and I aren't very similar," he started and I nodded, Jasper was all blue eyed and blonde and Emmett was brown hair and hazel eyes. Not to mention the difference in personalities, I had just thought it was the luck of the draw. "We aren't blood brothers, I was adopted by Peter and Charlotte (Emmett's parents) when I was eleven," he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the draws before continuing,

"I didn't have the same upbringing as Emmett, my biological father was an abusive alcoholic and my mother was normally too high to notice or even care. I was ten when one of my teachers noticed blood soaking through one of my shirts, my father had taken a belt to my back and it had cut through the skin, I was so use to the beatings, that I hadn't even noticed. I got put in foster care for a year before the Whitlocks' found me. They saved me, I guess you could say."

I took a step towards him cautiously, I pulled on the bottom of his shirt, fisting it in my hand and pulling it up slowly, Jasper uncrossed his arms and I thought he'd stop me, but he let me pull it over his head and I dropped it to the floor. My hands ran over them, tracing the one over where his heart lay.

"My father told me once when I cut my leg open after I crashed my bike, the biggest fish in the lake also has the most scars and those scars aren't a sign of weakness,but strength, because, it survived," I breathed in deeply and cupped his face in my hands, "You're scars are beautiful, Jasper and you should be proud of them, because they show that you went through hell and survived it,"

I bent down to pick up his shirt and passed it back to him, "Now, I am absolutely starving. Care to join me for lunch?" I grinned holding out my hand, trying to lighten the mood, my stomach growled in agreement and I blushed, embarrassed, but Jasper thankfully smiled and shrugged his shirt back on.

"Looks like the beast has spoken," Jasper teased grasping my hand in his and pulling me out the door. I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling.

"Hilarious."