Jasper's POV

I had been careful to keep my distance from Bella and the girl. I knew that I upset them both – even just a little with my appearance and I wanted to give them space to come to me when they were ready. I knew at least a little bit, but perhaps more than the rest of them did, what they were both experiencing.

But after Nessie's outburst, I couldn't help but to follow Bella and Edward. I had an instinct that told me that it was time… and I hoped that I could help Nessie just a little bit.

I knocked lightly on the door to Carlisle's office before I turned the handle and let myself in. I wasn't surprised to see Bella in Edward's arms, the tears streaking down her face as he consoled her. The look on his face told me that whatever I had to say, had better be important.

"Can I talk to you for a minute Bella?" I asked carefully and she nodded her head. I could see her trying to be brave and not let her fear show, but I could also see that it wasn't working, her worry for her child, outweighing any effort to cover her own feelings up.

"I know that I still frighten you a little bit Bella, and I wanted to give you space to work that out… and I still plan to do that… but I wonder… would you be alright if I talked to Nessie? I think if I tell her a story that maybe it could help a little bit and might be able to relate to it." I explained and I saw the reaction that I expected as she tensed up, and then relaxed again. She knew me, and she knew the gist of mine and Rose's story… I could see her turning my words around in her head before she answered.

"Make sure Esme is there while you talk to her." She bit down on her lip after she spoke, her head still leaning against Edward's chest.

"I will. Thank you for trusting me Bella." I said and moved to go back out the door. But she stopped me.

"Jasper?" She said and I turned, "Why don't you and Alice come over one day next week and maybe we can all talk a little bit?" She said and I smiled. This was a first step that I could easily oblige her.

"Of course. I'll let Alice know." I said before I left the room, closing the door softly beside me and heading towards the kitchen.

When I walked in the room, I saw Esme with Renesmee seated up on the counter, a cookie in the girl's hand while she cried. She wasn't eating or speaking, and Esme looked up at me curiously as I entered the room.

"Hey Nessie." I said, more to announce my presence so that I didn't startle the child.

"I was just talking to your Momma, and she said it would be alright if I came in here and told you a story." I began when she looked up at me wide-eyed. She hadn't shied away from me the way that Bella had, but I could still see that initial spike of fear whenever I came too close to her. She still didn't speak, instead taking a bite of the cookie and nodding her head.

"Many years ago, in a little town in Texas, there was a little boy and his younger sister." I began carefully, trying to construct my story to be relatable without being triggering for the girl. "They didn't get to leave their house very often… their Momma wasn't a good Momma, and her friends were usually really bad people." I could see her eyes widen at the description. She looked intrigued and not too scared so I kept going, Esme watching me carefully to make sure I didn't frighten her.

"The Momma's friends liked to hurt the little boy and the little girl, a lot like the way that your Momma used to get hurt." I swallowed thickly. If I was going to do this, I couldn't let my own emotions get in the way.

"One day… their Momma died and suddenly the little boy and his little sister, were left all alone. The boy had always looked after his sister, but he didn't know what to do, and so they finally left their tiny house and they found a helper." I tried to use language that I knew she had used with Esme and Edward. "The helper took them to find another helper… she took them to the Police station, and when the little boy got brave enough to tell his story, they sent the little boy and the little girl to live with a woman and her husband. This woman was so nice, but the little boy and his sister didn't know what to think. They weren't used to anyone being nice to them or taking care of them. The boy had always taken care of his sister by himself. And they were both scared of the woman's husband." I paused and saw Nessie open her mouth to speak, so I gave her an opportunity to ask her questions.

"Was the husband nice?" She asked and I nodded. "When the boy and his sister gave him a chance, they realised that he would never ever hurt them. But it took time, and the man was patient, and willing to let them trust him in their own time." I told her before she opened her mouth to speak again. "How old was the little boy?" she asked, "The little boy was six and his sister was three." I told her, remembering Rosalie as a small child, knowing that she didn't have the same horrific memories that I did… only bits and pieces that had come to her at various times.

"Was it weird sometimes? Did you feel like you didn't belong with everyone else?" I had to give her credit. Ness was intelligent and I should have known that she would know that I was telling her my story.

"Yes. I remember the first time that we celebrated my birthday and Christmas… it felt like I had done something wrong, because I had never gotten to experience those things before. And it didn't seem fair… everyone else around us had always been with their families, and they never had to worry about bad people, or what they were going to eat. Everyone else had always celebrated the holidays with friends… But I learned as I got older, that it wasn't me that was bad. It wasn't my fault, and while it was definitely unfair… I had done nothing to deserve the things that had happened to me, and I started to believe after a while that I would never have to return to that place again. Sometimes though, I would be sitting with Emmett and Edward, and I would remember. And it's something kind of special in a way." She looked at me quizzically as I said the words, Esme still watching me carefully.

"Because it meant that my heart knew what it was like to hurt… and it knew what it was like to love. I knew what so many other people didn't know, and sometimes that bothered me. But other times I knew exactly how lucky I was now that I finally had those things… and that is something that so many people don't get to think about or realise." I explained, watching her face.

"Me and Momma are lucky." Nessie said and I tried to think of a way to word it differently… that hadn't been what I had meant exactly. "I feel weird. And I wish I had Christmas before. But I know how good it feels now. I appreciate Christmas and all of our friends and family now because I didn't have it before." She clarified a little simpler, and I couldn't help but nod slightly.

"Where'd you learn the word appreciate?" I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood before continuing. She simply rolled her eyes at me, causing me to laugh even harder.

"I'm sorry that you had to know bad people before you met the good ones." Nessie's smile faded and I saw the knowing look in her eyes. I didn't expect that feeling that hit me when I saw her connect to me in that way. From that moment, I knew the fear that she had previously felt at my appearance was faded to an almost non-existent level. I knew that we would be able to interact a little easier now.

"I'm sorry that you did too Ness. And I don't know why there are bad people like that in the world. But I do know that you and I… and Rosie… we found the good ones, and we know how to love deeper because of that." I told her and she smiled, reaching out towards me and offering me a hug. I accepted it and saw Esme smile at us. It might not have been the right way to do things from her professional perspective, but I had a feeling that it was the right thing, from a survivor to survivor perspective.

"So… what do you say, we head back to the living room now? I think there's still a huge stack of gifts for a certain little girl!" I said as she hopped off the counter. She nodded, looking up at me. "For Haley?" She laughed as she said the baby's name sarcastically and I smiled, shaking my head. "Absolutely!"

"There might be another one for me…" She winked at me and I laughed again, the girl had her own sense of humor.

"Maybe… somewhere under all that pink wrapping paper… There might be just one or two green ones left."