A/N: Yay, it's the Christmas episode. Enjoy!

Chapter 8: A Break

The tree in Charlie's house towered up to the ceiling, its crown forced to bow downward from the cramped space up top. Bella gently traced her finger over a tiny ceramic handprint ornament she had gifted Charlie in the first grade. Even then, she had been horribly clumsy, given the smeared fingers that made the handprint resemble a penguin's foot. Despite the imperfection, it must have still held sentimental value for Charlie to have kept it all these years.

"Are you sure you can't stay until school starts? You've only been here for less than a day and you already want to leave? What kind of student transport makes kids work during the holidays?" Charlie asked suspiciously as he sank into his recliner. Although he tried to maintain a neutral expression, Bella noted the slight jut of his lower lip and the tip of his ears turning a bright pink.

Bella wanted nothing more in the world than to take a year off and hide in her warm, safe bedroom in Forks. She wanted to spend time with Charlie and Sue. She wanted to see Jacob again. She wanted to see Angela or Mike and Jessica. But she had come just to lay eyes on him, just for reassurance that he was safe. Jasper's threat extended beyond just Renee and her new family. And if she didn't have another victim for him by next Saturday…she didn't want to find out what would happen.

Releasing the ceramic handprint, she explained, "I told you about those missing students. The school's in freakout mode so they're expanding their Buddy Walk to Buddy Ride. It doesn't pay much but it'd be nice to have some extra cash."

Charlie signed and leaned further back into the recliner, his eyes fixed on the TV screen. "I don't like the thought of you carting around potential suspects," he grumbled, his voice tinged with concern.

"Potential suspects," she snorted, rolling her eyes. She glanced at her dad before trying to look busy, adding more ornaments to the tree. "I think they're worried about a repeat of what happened to that guy, Steven Marsala." She looked out of the corner of her eye to gauge his reaction.

"Marsala?" Charlie said, his eyebrows raised. "That name rings a bell. You remember those animal attacks from a few years ago? I heard he looked just like one of those victims. We were all worried that the animal, or whatever it was, was back but thankfully it ended with him. They said his father found him." He leaned forward in his recliner and Bella could almost see his demeanor shift to Chief Swan. "Bella, you still have your pepper spray?"

"Yes, of course I do. So, d-do you know what his dad is doing now?"

"He used to teach at the school. Not anymore, though. Whatever he witnessed cracked him. Raved about a woman—just barely taller than you—killing his son, but trust me when I tell you, no human could have done that." Charlie fell silent as he contemplated this. "Are you sure you can't stay longer?" he asked with pleading eyes. "I'd prefer it if you weren't driving at night. And Sue's hosting a Christmas party at the Res…Jacob will be there." It was the second time he had mentioned Jacob.

Bella shot him a stern look before breaking into a playful smile. "Sorry, Dad. Weirdly, I have to be like a responsible adult or something," she quipped, shrugging. "Tell Billy and Jacob I say hello and tell Seth not to let his girlfriend boss him around too much."

Charlie was silent for a moment before he spoke again, hesitant. "Do you…do you still talk to those Cullen kids?"

She snapped her head up to look at him. "What? Which Cullen? No?" Her cheeks warmed. She couldn't have sounded guiltier. "Why-why do you ask?" she added, putting a hand on her hip in what she hoped looked nonchalant.

Charlie scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable. "I got a call from Billy earlier. Apparently, there was some kind of altercation between the boys on the reservation and one of the Cullen kids."

"What kind of altercation?" Bella pressed.

Charlie shrugged. "I don't know, Bells. They've always had issues with the Cullens. It seems the older blond one openly antagonized one of the kids on the trails, and now everyone's upset." He paused to think about it. "I think I remember him. Edward was moody but boy, that was nothing compared to the older brother. Always looked like he had nails in his shoes."

"Well, maybe I'll stay for the night, if that's okay?" Bella suggested hesitantly.

Charlie gave her a pointed look. "What happened to being a 'responsible adult'? I thought you said you were done with that family. This isn't a change of heart because I said one of the Cullen boys is here, is it?"

It absolutely is, especially since the one in question threatened to murder you two days ago. Bella bristled at the thought but maintained her composure."Dad, trust me, I want nothing more than to remove them from my life permanently. But now that you keep talking about the res, you've convinced me. I'll come to Sue's party."

"Bella, that's great! Sue will be happy to see you."

"But I'm taking my own car," Bella added firmly.

"Trying to keep your escape route clear, huh?" He clicked his tongue and shot her two finger guns. "I like it."

"And I'm probably still planning on leaving tomorrow morning."

"Alright, well at least open the gift I got you," he said, nodding towards a small bag underneath the tree.

Bella picked it up, grabbed another box, and handed it to him. "Together?"

She watched Charlie's face light up as he unwrapped a new tackle box she had bought for him in Seattle. Meanwhile, she pulled out her own gift from the bag. "What is this, a nail kit?" she asked, eyeing the small compact pink object before she pressed a button and a thin knife flipped out from the side. She raised an eyebrow. "You really trust me to walk around with a knife that pops out?"

"I feel better knowing you have something to defend yourself with if you're going back to that school," he replied with a shrug.

Bella smiled, tucking the knife away, before giving her dad an awkward hug. "Thanks, Dad. I promise not to poke myself with it."

Charlie's smile was bittersweet. "Are you doing okay, kiddo? With everything? You seem tense. No one's bothering you?"

In her mind, she screamed, Dad, I did something horrible and there's someone bothering me and I don't know how to get rid of him or how to stop him from hurting you or Mom. "Yeah, everything's great! Did you see the transcript I forwarded you? Not bad for an at-risk youth."

Charlie barked a laugh, rising to tousle her hair. "I'm so proud of you, Bells." He then cleared his throat and joked, "And all we had to do was get rid of those pesky boys and your life just turned around, didn't it?"

As Bella forced a laugh, she hoped desperately he didn't hear the sob in her voice.

Bella arrived at Sue's party wearing a white zipper pullover and jeans. She'd gotten away with wearing scarves and turtlenecks for the last week to conceal the large bruise on her throat. She followed Charlie's car to La Push, feeling a pang of nostalgia for the scenic drive she had grown to adore.

Sue's house was packed. People were milling around, enjoying snacks while dinner was being prepared. Charlie patted Bella on the back before heading off to find Sue, leaving Bella to stand there awkwardly before she decided it was better to get some food to keep her hands busy.

As she stood in the corner of the dining room, Bella caught sight of a group of nearly identical looking men towering over the rest of the party. All of them were wearing short sleeved or sleeveless shirts or shorts despite the weather. She spotted one guy failing tremendously at flirting with Leah, whose attention seemed to be focused on another tall man with cropped hair standing next to a short, plump woman with gruesome scars down half her face. Leah had been friendly to her after the events of last year and Bella wondered if she should go and say hello.

Just then, Seth found Bella and launched into a ramble about his girlfriend. Despite ten minutes of nonstop complaints, he finished with a sigh and said, "I can't wait to see her again. She's amazing."

"You're insane," Bella teased with a small smile.

"If you met her, you think she's great, I swear—"

"Bella," a deep voice interrupted.

Both Bella and Seth turned to see a hulking figure standing in front of them. It took Bella a moment to recognize him before her jaw dropped. Jacob Black. His long, inky black hair had been cropped short, revealing a chiseled jawline and intense dark eyes. He had grown a foot and a half since she last saw him, his muscular frame filling the room. She hadn't even recognized him amongst the tall men she had seen earlier.

"Hey," Bella greeted in awe. "Y-you look so different. Great, I mean. I mean good. You look—-" She pressed her lips together, flushing. "How have you been?"

"That's my cue to leave," Seth said under his breath before exiting the room.

"When did you get in town?" Jacob asked.

"Yesterday night; I just got back from my mom's wedding."

"Right…that's great."

They stood there awkwardly, the tension between them palpable. Bella struggled to find something to say, their last interaction still fresh in her mind. They hadn't spoken to one another since he abruptly ended their relationship after going steady for four months.

"Dad mentioned you opened a garage with your friends. How's that going?" she asked, trying to break the silence. She was genuinely curious. When she had started community college, he was actively being recruited by some top colleges—apparently Jacob was a math wiz who had gotten a perfect SAT score. Then after their breakup, Charlie had mentioned on one of their phone calls that Jacob had quit school to work in La Push.

"Good," he answered curtly. Jacob looked around uncomfortably and she caught him locking eyes with the tall man next to the woman with the scars. "How long is he planning on staying?" he asked suddenly.

"Who?" she replied, confused.

"Cullen."

Her eyebrows drew together. "I don't know. I'm not with him. I have nothing to do with that family," she said, crossing her arms defensively. "Why? What's the problem?"

"They assured Sam they'd be gone for good," Jacob said cryptically. "And Cullen seems to suggest he's with you."

"With me?" Bella exclaimed. "He's not with me. And, I don't know what to tell you, Jake. They own a home in Forks so they're in their right to move back whenever they want."

Jacob looked frustrated, and suddenly, his eyes narrowed. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to her neck. Without warning, he reached out and pulled the collar of her pullover down to reveal the bluish-purple bruises with defined circles where Jasper's fingertips had gripped. A ripple passed through his frame; Bella had never seen him look so angry.

She slapped his hand away, patience wearing thin, and immediately his body seemed to vibrate before her eyes. "None of your business."

"Did he do that to you?" Jacob demanded, his voice tight.

"Who are you talking about?" Bella retorted, her own frustration mounting.

"Cullen, who else?"

"Why do you think I'm still involved with those people?" The lies were seeping between her teeth, but she couldn't stop. "I get that I was a bit sad when Edward and I broke up but jeez, I'm over it, okay?"

"If he did that to you, he's going to regret it. Tell him he's not welcome."

Bella's irritation reached its peak. "You know, maybe next time, come see me to say hi. I'm not your messenger. If you have a problem with the Cullens, you go tell them yourself," she snapped before bumping past him and storming off through the house. She caught her dad's eye briefly and gestured she was going outside before slipping into her car, groaning in frustration.

She sat in her car for a few minutes, trying to let the anger pass, but her mind kept straying to the Cullens. Jasper had no reason to come back to Forks other than to mess with her. Without thinking, she turned on her car, shifted her gears, and left the party and out of La Push. She found herself driving the familiar winding roads back to Forks in daze to the tall house with the wall of glass.

As she pulled up to the Cullen's house, she noticed a light on where Carlisle's study used to be. Taking a deep breath, she got out of the car and approached the front door. Without knocking, she pushed it open and stepped inside.

Jasper was already standing at the entryway, holding an intricate whiskey glass containing a splash of amber liquid as if were waiting for her to arrive. She was expecting him but his presence still caught her off guard. He wore a white cashmere sweater, sweatpants, with bare feet.

"What are you doing back here?" she asked sharply.

Jasper looked amused. "You barge into my home and ask me what I'm doing here?" he replied sarcastically.

He had a point. Bella hated that he had a point.

"Can't we call a truce for a minute? It's Christmas," Bella suggested, her voice softening slightly.

Jasper smiled and nodded. "Truce," he agreed. "I'm collecting some things. I haven't been back in this home since…everything happened."

"Since they died, you mean," Bella finished.

His eyes flickered up to meet hers. "Yes, since they died." He must have sensed the swirling emotions and questions in her mind. "Don't bother, Bella. I'm not in the mood." A faint smile played on his lips when she sniffed in frustration.

"Can I look around?" she asked, tentatively.

He gestured to the rest of the house. Be my guest.

She went upstairs and stood at the entrance to Edward's bedroom, a sense of emptiness washing over her. It was stark, almost clinical. There was not a speck of evidence that he had once existed in this room. No CD left behind, no random strands of bronze hair on the floor, not even a layer of dust.

"Alice left some things," he said from behind her. She spun around to see him standing by the stairs, hands behind him holding the railing. "You're welcome to take what you want."

"I-I don't think—"

"At least take a look," he insisted, his tone surprisingly gentle.

Bella hesitated but nodded once before moving to the next bedroom. It was spacious, with a large window overlooking the forest. There were three wardrobes in the room, all still brimming with clothes and jewelry. Bella opened one of the wardrobes and ran her fingers over a pair of highlighter yellow pants that was definitely three sizes too large and for a woman at least six inches taller than Alice.

Bella glanced at Jasper, who shrugged and simply said, "I don't get it either."

She pulled another drawer open and saw the smoky gray choker with the Cullen crest at the center, a piece that Alice often wore. She trailed her finger against the ribbon before picking it up. She felt a knot in her stomach, thinking about Alice choosing to leave this behind.

Standing in front of the mirror, Bella unzipped her pullover, revealing the bruises that marred her skin. She held the choker up to her throat. Through the mirror, she saw Jasper's eyes darken. She was acutely aware of how closely he was watching her. For a moment, his rapt attention was all her mind was capable of concentrating on, but before she could react, he was already behind her.

His touch was gentle yet firm as his thumb rested at the base of her neck, his fingertips trailing down the side, hesitating over each bruise. She felt his breath pass her ear and began to feel a familiar warmth pool in her abdomen. Every cell in her body screamed a warning—she could taste how badly he wanted to bite her, but what was stopping him? Bella's heart hammered against her ribcage as she waited for him to speak, to apologize. To take everything he had done back. To promise he wouldn't torture her or bother her anymore.

But Jasper remained silent. His eyes met hers in the mirror as he loosened the choker out of her grip and turned to leave the room without a word.

Fresh tears welled up in her eyes. This is hopeless. She quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve before leaving the room and following Jasper downstairs into the kitchen.

Jasper was already pouring champagne into a second flute glass. He gestured the glass to her.

"I'll pour my own drink," Bella said cautiously, though she didn't move to get a new glass. "I heard you got into a fight with one of the boys from La Push."

He snorted, leaning back against the counter. "Fight? More like they caught my scent and came to start trouble."

"What? Caught your scent?" Bella shot him a dirty look. "Are you being racist? What are you talk—"

"You came here angry," he commented, cutting her off.

Bella's jaws tensed, her nostrils flaring. "Well, I have a lot to be angry about." She hoped he could feel her eyes boring into him.

"It was a different kind of anger," he remarked, his gaze lingering on her.

"I guess you of all people would be able to tell." She sighed. "My ex was being a jerk," she said simply.

He raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue.

"I had a life outside of you guys, okay?"

He tipped the glass to look closer at the champagne. "Who was he?"

"None of your business, that's who." Bella snapped, crossing her arms.

"Was it one of the boys from La Push?" Jasper pressed, his eyes flickering to hers. "Or Andrew?"

Bella didn't answer.

He regarded her with a mixture of curiosity and something else she couldn't quite place. For a moment, she thought he wanted to tell her something. Instead, he looked away and downed the champagne. Placing the flute back on the kitchen island, he said, "I'll forgive the ones you'll miss during your break. A familiar needs her vacation; I'm not completely heartless. But, don't expect any more leniency in the future."

"Familiar? What are you—Dracula? Are you joking?" she exclaimed. "Jasper, this needs to stop."

"Stop? Bella, I thought we decided that you don't make the decisions here." The smile had slipped from his face, and she could tell that his patience for her had vanished. "It'd be such a shame to lose such a kind Chief of Police on Christmas."

She circled the island, standing a little bit closer to him. "I'm sorry I called the Denali coven. I'm sorry! I didn't realize you and Rosalie being alive was meant to be a secret." She should have stopped there, but the words were already pouring out. "If you had told me what the hell happened, I wouldn't have had to reach out to them! You came to find me to tell me they died. Did you really think I wouldn't be curious about what happened? You didn't think I'd be scared after you pulled my classmate into an alleyway to drink her blood? You know what I've been through! You know why that would scare me! Why are you punishing me? Why do you even need me to find victims for you? Why can't you just leave me and my family alone—"

Suddenly, she found herself on her back outside in the snow, surrounded by darkness, the air whooshing out of her lungs. She struggled to sit up and saw Jasper leaning against the door frame with a smug grin on his face, his feet dusted with snow from stepping outside to throw her out. "I'll see you in a couple weeks, little swan. Enjoy your vacation," he said. The door shut behind him.

Bella choked back a scream as she crawled to her car and leaned on the tire to pull herself up. She cast one last glance at the house and before she got into her car, she thought she saw someone standing by a window on the second floor, watching her.

A/N: Let me know what you think!