"So, what happened to Edward?" Jessica Stanley asked Angela Webber as they made their way to their usual table in the middle of the cafeteria.

Alice listened closely from the food line as the girls gossiped about her brother and Bella. Well, more like Jessica Stanley was gossiping and Angela was listening absentmindedly.

Without Lauren Mallory around to pitch in, the conversation on Edward's whereabouts quickly died away. Good. No one should think about him, not now that he was going down a dark, dark path.

The vision had come to her last night after Jasper went off with Emmett to hunt and have a heart to heart about...something. She could only keep up with some much lately so she wasn't sure. And once the vision of Edward and that hateful creature came into view, Alice considered ripping her brother to shreds and nothing else mattered.

She loved her family to the death of course, but Alice could only focus on one person at a time and right now, Bella was in first place.

"You okay, Alice?" Bella asked, bringing the vampire out of her thoughts.

"Of course I am! Just thinking of all the things we'll shop for at the mall this weekend!" She smiled cheerily, taking to assembling her food in the red tray she had in her hands. I can't tell her now, but I'll have to soon. I'll have to tell them all about Edward and what he's done. I only hope he'll change his mind and stop this.

Alice worried her lip as she watched Bella grab an apple, a soda, and chips, practically tossing them onto the tray without any care.

Her best friend was depressed, she knew that and hated that she couldn't do anything other than stand by her side. Trying her best to be silent support while Jasper did the comforting. Because they both needed that the most right now—to make up for lost time.

Speaking of Jasper, the empath was trying as hard as he could not to glance over his shoulder in their direction. His golden eyes shimmering with a sweet mix of impatience, curiosity and...longing. Alice didn't need to be an empath to know how strongly Jasper felt for Bella.

It was potent.

And yet, so much time had been stolen from the two. Because of Edward.

Her frustration towards Edward started to build up at the mere thought of his lies of omission over the last year. Intentionally hiding his decisions from her to keep the truth from spilling out...

Alice's heart clenched at the thought of Edward doing such a thing.

Over the years, everyone learned how to hide their choices for a time if they wanted privacy from Alice's gift and sometimes she pretended all together that she wouldn't see their said choices. It was the proper thing to do. The seer had also made it a point to not interfere unless it was absolutely necessary.

Not that anything of real importance ever happened before Bella arrived and changed all their lives—for the better in many ways.

"Bella!" Jessica called out as Bella and Alice made their way over to the table. Alice had to rein in the rage that bubbled up inside her as the girl waved her sister over, eager to know as much as she could about the Cullens.

Not because her friend Lauren Mallory hurt Bella or anything...selfish human.

Bella tensed and looked over her shoulder when Jessica called out again, the latter waving at her to join their table.

Her heart sped up slightly, but for a whole other reason as she noticed Tyler, Mike, Eric and Angela were all staring at her with curious eyes.

Alice said, "Jessica wants to know about Edward. But the others aren't so you could go talk to them if you want." They had been her friends before the Cullens after all.

"No." Bella shook her head after a long beat of silence, both in answer to Jessica's attempt to bring her to the table and to Alice's suggestion. She turned and started walking towards the table where Jasper and the rest were waiting, all alert to see what she would decide. Bella's eyes were two sad pools of melted chocolate as she said, "There's no point in talking about it anymore."

Alice sighed, catching Rosalie scrutinizing gaze and tensed as the blonde said too low for anyone to heard, "What."

Not a question but a command.

Alice glanced to Bella as the girl greeted Jasper and blushed when he smiled at her.

"We have to talk once we get home," she said quickly in a low voice. Emmett and Jasper tensed but the latter maintained his focus solely on Bella so as not to alarm her.

"What kind of talk?" Emmett asked, brows furrowed as he did.

Alice narrowed her eyes, "t's about Edward...and Victoria."

Rosalie's eyes turned a shade darker at the mention of Edward's name at the same time the boys tensed completely.

Jasper looked over Bella's shoulder, his expression grave and deadly, telling Alice and everyone else that he would not step aside for their brother to do as he pleases. Not when it comes to Bella, his mate.

Never again.


"I don't know how you do it but your cooking is always great, Bells." Bella smiled at Charlie as she finished washing the last of the dishes.

She'd cooked cordon bleu for them this evening and Charlie could not stop congratulating her on how good it was. She blushed with a spark of pride that she'd managed to cook for her father again like she used to.

Since he left, the motivation left her too and it's been hard getting back to what used to be—whatever that constituted as.

"Thanks dad." She said as she finished the last of the dishes.

"Do you want some ice cream? I got cookies n' cream or strawberry cheesecake," Charlie announced as he recited the Ben & Jerry's ice cream he'd bought earlier today with as much excitement as the clumsy, awkward man could. He popped open the freezer with a smile before retrieving them.

"Either is fine."

Charlie took both of the tubs of ice cream to the kitchen counter and slid the lids off before reaching for two bowls in the cupboard. He spooned out two generous scoops of each before he finally asked, "How was school?"

"Fine," she said, hoping he didn't push for more information—reopening the wound her so-called friends left behind after the whole dodge ball incident.

While knew Mallory had been the one to start it all, Bella had seen the way Jessica laughed along with the other girls. She'd seen the way Tyler and Mike stared at her with pity in the cafeteria when they noticed the fading bruises under her eyes, but didn't say anything.

Even Angela didn't speak to her today, probably unsure of what she wanted to say or too aware of the many prying eyes of the students around them. News of the entire ordeal had spread through the school despite Jasper and Alice's attempt to shield her from it.

Bella knew though she always did. She suspected Edward had known Lauren Mallory took pleasure in making fun of Bella all the time, even shoving past her on occasion or making rude remarks when they were in the lockers getting ready for gym class. In the end, it had been the rest of her unconventional family who took matters into their hands to put a stop to the bullying. Not Edward.

Suddenly, a wave of low simmering anger bubbled up inside her. Edward had fought so hard to keep her away from his family, from Jasper, and not because he wanted to protect her. No, it had been for another reason entirely. One she still wasn't sure she had the answer to–

"Bella?" Charlie called her name, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

Charlie's smile was replaced by a thin line of his lips, worry etched across his face. He set down the bowls on the counter and walked over to Bella, taking a towel to dry her hands after she'd been rinsing her hands for...a long time.

Bella stared up at her father as he wiped her hands and guided her over to one of the stools to sit down. She waited, knowing he had something to say and was trying to find a way to say it without sounding gruff as he usually did.

Charlie ran a hand over his face and sighed, "I spoke with your mother today."

Bella straightened, tugging on her sleeves nervously, "About...what?"

"You, kiddo," Bella frowned but Charlie continued and for the first time in a long time, Bella felt as though she could really see him. The dark circles brought out the crow's feet around his brown eyes and his beard looked a little more unkempt than usual. He was tired, she realized. "I'm worried about you, Bells. You don't eat or go out like you used to. You don't sleep, I know that for damned sure."

Bella swallowed the tears that gathered in the back of her throat. She shut her eyes and shook her head, "I'm fine."

"No, Bella. You're not. You haven't been since that Cullen boy left and I know it's for a bigger reason than you're telling me," Charlie placed a hand on Bella's shoulder, urging her to look at him. Then, the dreaded question came up, finally. Charlie's voice was pleading and soft as if scared he'd scare her away. "What did he do to you? Please, you can tell me. Whatever it is, I'll listen and I won't be mad."

Bella shook her head again, "N-nothing...it was nothing."

"What was nothing?"

A tear rolled down her cheek and the fight in her to keep it all bottled up slipped out, "We argued and things got out of hand. I don't know, it wasn't a big deal." She wiped her face, feeling herself gradually crumbling beneath her father's worried gaze. "We said some hurtful things."

Charlie asked, "Was it we said hurtful things or he did?"

Bella could only nod as more tears ran down her cheeks. She couldn't tell him about the rest, not without unloading a lot of shame and pain caused by putting her trust in a man who was supposed to love her, protect her.

Without another word, Charlie wrapped his arms around Bella and held her close for a long time. She clutched his shirt in her hands, staring out the kitchen window with tears rolling down her cheeks.

She knew that she couldn't tell Charlie anything else, because the second he found out Edward had forced himself on her, he'd storm off to the Cullens and demand to know his whereabouts.

Her father was a cop after all, and he didn't take violence of any sort lightly, especially against someone he loves. The best thing to do for him was to keep yet another secret to herself, one she knew wasn't her own anymore.


That night, after eating ice cream with Charlie while they sat in the living room watching a sitcom, Bella went to her room.

She got ready for bed and crawled under the sheets, pulling the purple comforter up over her chest. She laid there for a long time, hoping for sleep to come and claim her. But the nightmares reminded her of why that was a bad idea. She tried not to think of Edward and failed miserably, only replacing him with thoughts of Charlie and Renee worrying about her.

She tossed and turned in bed until she found a comfortable position to doze off. The only problem was that as soon as her eyes closed, she was startled awake by the shadows in the corner of her room, in the rocking chair that he once sat in.

The pounding of her heart matched the even rhythm of raindrops hitting her bedroom window. Her hands were clammy as she hurriedly reached for the lamp and the light-flooded her bedroom, dispelling the shadows and revealing no one sitting in the rocking chair.

The urge to cry overcame her as the apprehension that one day Edward might very well show up ruled her every sane thought. She hurriedly reached for her cellphone on the nightstand and texted the first person that came to mind, hoping they could soothe her worries. Irrational as they may be.

Bella: Hey, are you busy?

It took only a few moments before her cellphone buzzed in her hands.

Jasper: Hey you. No, I'm not. Just got back from a hunt with Carlisle.

Bella bit her lip, feeling the warmth of her blush deepen across her skin as she read his message. Then she stopped herself, not expecting to react this way to Jasper.

He was handsome, she always thought so since the first day they met, but he was also...Jasper. Untouchable. Distant and utterly selfless. Too good for her, Edward's voice seemed to mirror her thoughts perfectly. It hurt.

Before she could put her phone away and regret her decision to bother him, another message came in.

Jasper: Are you okay?

Bella contemplated her next message and then before she could start second-guessing herself she typed out what she wanted to say.

Bella: I can't sleep. My mind won't stop playing tricks on me.

Unexpectedly, her phone started buzzing in her hand repeatedly. Bella startled and dropped it onto the mattress as if it burned her. Shooting up in her bed, she straightened and blinked furiously at her small silver cellphone, the screen illuminating her dimly lit room with his name—Jasper Whitlock.

She took a second to collect herself, unsure why she felt so nervous nor why her heart pounded harshly in her chest. Biting her lip, she plucked her phone up and flipped it open. Her voice was low and hesitant as she said, "Hello?"

"What's going through that head of yours, darlin'?"

There it was again. Darlin'. Every time he said that word, to her no less, tiny butterflies made her body tingle with the pleasant feeling of excitement.

But...that couldn't be right, there was no way she was delusional enough to think Jasper referred to her as anything other than a friend. That was the truth. Nevertheless, why does that truth somehow make her feel worse?

Bella sighed as she leaned back in her pillows, "I'm just thinking about a lot of things. Charlie asked about...what happened with him that day."

Jasper was quiet for a few seconds before his low rumbling voice asked, "You told him everything?"

"Only that we broke up and it was bad. It seemed like the easiest thing to say. I don't know, I just don't want him to know about the rest. It would hurt him. My dad can't handle these things too well, even though he tries to prove otherwise."

"I'm sorry, Bella."

"It's not your fault," she reassured, picking at the fleece blanket, "But I have this feeling that he might come back and finish what he didn't. That one day I'll wake up and he'll be there in my room. Just like before."

She swore she heard a low growl on the other line, however, she quickly forgot it as she sensed the worry in Jasper's tone as he asked, "Before? You mean he—"

"No, not that. He'd never touched me like that before without my consent. I guess that was the problem."

"How so?"

She heard the sound of a car door opening and closing on the other line. He was probably on his way somewhere else.

Bella didn't know why she did it—spoke to him about what Edward had done—but she quickly found that talking to Jasper had easily become the best part of her days in the middle of her darkest ones. Taking away the loneliness she felt lurking inside her heart.

She could only imagine what would have been left of her if they'd all left her behind...

If Jasper had left her behind. It had only been a few hours since she'd last seen him in school and yet, she missed him. How strange was that?

"He never liked touching me. Not the way Emmett touches Rosalie or Carlisle kisses Esme. It always felt...cold and distant between us and if I ever tried to get closer, he'd reject me. It made me feel..."

"Unwanted." He finished for her, sounding solemn as he did.

"Yeah," she sighed.

"But you know that's not what love is," Jasper murmured and the sound of him driving on the winding roads of Forks told her he was in fact going somewhere.

A small hint of sadness tweaked at her heart as she suddenly had the urge to be there with him, go wherever he went. She yearned to have his hand cupping her face the way he always did. Have the cold feel of his hard skin against her own...

She swallowed and breathed out, "And...what is love to you?"

Jasper was quiet for a long time before he spoke again, "It's something I can't describe fully. I haven't ever truly been in love," he seemed to stop himself from elaborating as if there was more to say but he refrained from doing so now. "I know it's unselfish and whole though, from what I've seen and felt around me. It's a warm feeling that leaves you thinking about them for days, even hours on end. You only want what's best for them because it's what they want for you too."

Bella's heart pulsed in her chest and she wondered if he could hear it through the phone. She bit her lip as she curled onto her side and mused, "It sounds like you do know what being in love feels like, Jasper."

Again he didn't say anything for a long time. She felt her eyes closing, feeling completely relaxed now that she heard his voice. Felt the weight of his words on her heart.

"Bella?"

"Yes?" She asked breathlessly.

"Look out your window for me, darlin'."

Her eyes shot open and she sat up, "What? Why?"

"Just do it," he said teasingly. Bella kicked the sheets off her legs as quickly as she could and practically stumbled to the window as her foot got tangled up.

Her hand reached out towards the curtain and she parted it, looking into the night until she saw him. Leaning beside his car, a smile tugging at his lips, Jasper waved from across the street, "Hi."

Bella's lips parted and her breath hitched, "Hi..." Even from here, she could see the warm honey color in his eyes as they stared back at her.

He was dressed in a black hoodie and jeans, nearly making him invisible in the night had it not been for the golden locks of his hair swaying in the wind.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, unable to hide the small smile that swept across her lips.

"He's not getting back in there with you, Bella. I won't give him a chance, and if you're scared that's a possibility, I'm not leaving. I'll be here."

Tears filled her eyes then and that warm feeling in her chest flooded every other emotion she'd felt before, "Jasper..."

"Get in bed, darlin'. I'll talk to you until you fall asleep."

"But, what about...do you want to come in then?"

Even though the question caused her insides to coil and war with her rational thoughts that it wasn't a good idea, she didn't want him to be outside all night like that.

"And risk Charlie seeing me? I'd rather stay on his good side for as long as I can, besides I'll have to move my car somewhere else before he notices. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise. I'm not going anywhere without you."

Which meant he planned to stay here until she was ready to go to school tomorrow.

He'd wait for her.

Bella placed her hand on the glass and shook her head, unable to hide the way her voice quivered as she said, "You're doing too much for me, Mr. Whitlock."

"It's worth it, Miss Swan."

There was an intensity in his words, in his golden eyes when he spoke them. Only proving his point when his gift settled over her body, a thick veil of untethered care and sincerity meant for her.

They spoke on the phone for a long time, late into the night. Jasper shared stories of his past until they made it to his time shared with the Cullens. The last thing she remembered hearing before falling asleep was the sound of Jasper's low chuckle as he told her about Emmett's antics over the years.

She loved his laugh. His smile and the sound of his voice. She loved that he was outside, looking out for her all because she was too scared to fall asleep.

It was at that moment that Bella realized what she felt for Jasper was little more than friendship. It was something more, something she couldn't begin to describe.