Bella awoke alone in her bedroom.

Her face felt tight for some reason. Her eyes swollen as she blinked her tiredness away, and her head feeling heavy as if weighed down by a boulder.

Her mind felt numb. Like a blank page, the words long since erased leaving behind blurred streaks of black ink.

She slowly rose from her bed, the covers falling off her shoulders when her hands finally released their death grip on the sheets. As if she'd been holding onto them for dear life even in sleep.

Bella looked around at the silence of her room, taking in every little detail that was so her it would have brought a smile to her lips. Seeing all her possessions so close, keeping her protected and comfortable with the familiarity of it all. Her books were stacked on the floor by her bed and along the windows where they didn't fit on her bookcase anymore. Esme had insisted on getting her another bookcase to store the rest, but Bella hadn't wanted that. It was better this way in her mind.

Some part of her felt numb as she slid her legs off the bed and she slowly rose to her feet.

The silence in her mind that didn't allow her to think.

Looking to the clock on her nightstand, she noted with surprise that it was half past twelve in the afternoon. Had she really slept that long? It was odd that none of the Cullens had come to check on her. Normally one of her siblings, mainly Emmett or Alice, would be bounding into her room to wake her up by blasting music or shaking her awake.

Something was different.

Deep down, she knew why that was. Yet she still pretended that last night hadn't happened.

That she hadn't had another seizure and—

No.

Bella wandered into her bathroom and tended to her needs, avoiding looking into the mirror as she stripped out of her clothes and slid into the shower. She stared at the droplets that dripped down her wet strands of hair. Blinking while she stared into nothingness.

Necks snapping.

Pained roaring.

Blood everywhere, all over that woman's corpse.

His cry of pain...witnessing his closest friends being—

Bella shoved the shower curtain aside, falling to her knees in time before she purged whatever was in her stomach. The spray of the water obscuring the retching she did as images of her brother being torn to pieces invaded her mind. She didn't stop until she was dry heaving, tears rolling down her cheeks from the sheer terror and disgust. When she was finally done, Bella pulled herself together as best she could.

The stillness inside her was still there. Probably a defense mechanism to keep her from falling to the ground and weeping uncontrollably. Unable to function whatsoever.

The sound of her cellphone chiming on her nightstand forced her to finish brushing her teeth and get dressed. Following the motions of everything she'd done up until yesterday.

She picked out Edward's old sweater that Alice had almost thrown out because he'd "used them one too many times" and pulled it over her head. It was oversized on her and long enough to reach her mid thigh. When she finished pulling on her favorite pair of leggings, she looked at the text Flynn had sent her.

Flynn: Hey you. You didn't text me last night. You doing okay?

Bella stared at the screen for a long time, still not feeling an ounce of joy to see her...best friend, had texted her. It had come as a surprise when he'd told her he was officially driving his mother's van now, and by the time they started high school in a few weeks, he would be driving all on his own.

At first, she wanted to say that yes, everything is okay. That she didn't have two seizures twice in one day and they both resulted in horrible, terrifying visions that she couldn't escape. Visions that had been real. Instead, she decided the only person who could possibly make this hollowness inside her go away would be Flynn.

Bella: I need you, Flynn.

Flynn didn't waste anytime before he sent back another text just as she opened her bedroom door and swallowed the bile in her throat, unable to stomach what she would see downstairs. How her family was dealing with such a loss...

Flynn: Okay, I'm on my way.

Bella's ears were ringing with every step she took. Dread swirling in her belly the entire time she walked down the hall, ignoring their family pictures on the walls as she made her way towards the living room.

The were soft murmurings coming from there and she assumed they were all waiting for Bella to join them, to break the news to her that Jasper had...that he'd...

"So, you just let him get away?" Emmett snapped. His tone harsher than she thought possible from her bear of a brother.

"They didn't let him get away. Calm down Em," Rosalie sighed.

"This isn't exactly the most important thing we should be discussing in all fairness," Carlisle murmured, "Right now we should be discussing Bella, and her...condition. If she has a gift, then we need to try to understand it. See if these seizures can be avoided all together."

All conversation came to a halt when she walked into view in the threshold. Her senses slipping out of her grasp as she took in her family, all sitting with grim expressions on their faces when they turned to look at her. For once, she didn't so much as blush.

Emmett was the one blocking her from wandering further into the living room when he turned to face her. His scowl was replaced with clear understanding as he took in the dark circles under Bella's red eyes. Taking in her wet hair that still dripped water.

"Bells," Emmett started but movement caught her attention behind him.

Her brown eyes flooded with unshed tears as she looked over his shoulder.

And spotted them. Meeting Peter's dark gaze—not a trace of blood red in sight—unable to look away from the unreadable expression on his face as he took her in the same way Emmett had done. He stood by the couch, his hands clutched at his sides. The tightening of his full lips told her he didn't like what he saw. Not that she cared. All she could see was the way he'd been murdered by James and Victoria. How he'd tried and failed to defend Charlotte and Jasper. The ferocity in his face when grief momentarily struck him down in those final moments.

He'd fought.

Every inch of her being trembled as she looked to Charlotte next, who was sitting on the couch beside him, smiling softly at the girl. Gratitude shining in her equally dark eyes.

Had they not been feeding this whole time? On...humans?

"Bella," His voice made her shut her eyes tightly, tight enough that she saw stars exploding all around her.

His voice...

He was really here.

Not an illusion, right?

Jasper was really here. Alive. Footsteps approached her and panic surged forward, making her snap her eyes open and gaze up into Jasper's searching eyes. The warmth and love he always shared with her was there. A balm to her soul.

His appearance was the exact same as that vision. The same clothes and his hair the same golden shade of blonde. The scars on his neck still barley visible beneath the collar of his hoodie.

The world felt like it was tilting.

Jasper reached a hand out at the same time Emmett moved to stand beside her, one of his hands supporting her when she swayed slightly.

There was such bone chilling relief coursing throughout her very soul, and yet, there was also fear. So potent it made Jasper falter, his lips parting as if he wanted to say more to her but came up short. He most likely interpreted her feelings as fear towards him. Rather than for him.

She could feel the blood draining from her face as more images of Jasper dying in front of her flashed before her eyes.

She couldn't look at him.

Not without seeing the way his head had been twisted off his shoulders.

The sickening crack.

The resignation on his face before he was no more.

She couldn't do this.

Bella's voice was oddly detached as she stated a matter-of-factly without looking him in the eye, "You're back."

Something akin to surprise and hurt flashed across his features before he lowered his hand and composed himself, "I am."

"Okay," Bella said as if not at all affected by his mere presence right now. The need to throw her arms around him or strangle him for what he'd nearly done shook her down.

The vacant, lifeless look in his eyes when Victoria angled his head in her direction for a brief moment—

"Bella, I..." Jasper started gently only to be interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

"Who...Flynn, he's here." Carlisle questioned as he rose, a frown etched between his brows when he took Bella in and then looked to the hall that led to the front door.

Bella took a staggering step back, "W-we agreed to hang out today. Just going for a walk."

Before anyone could say a word, she was spinning on her heel and running to answer the front door. She barely managed to pull her boots on, didn't so much as say a word of greeting to Flynn before she yanked him by the hand down the steps of the front porch.

Never once looking back to the vampires who watched her go.

"It's best to let her go," Alice said before Edward, Emmett, or Jasper could think to follow after the teenagers. Jasper turned to look at his wife. Finding her staring out the window, her amber eyes following where Bella and Flynn were still running up the trail that led into the forest around their home. Neither speaking as far as she could hear. "She's...processing everything."

Carlisle sank back down onto the loveseat beside Esme, who looked equally stricken. He said, "She's been asleep for two days. Either from the seizure or the panic attack of seeing whatever she saw, I'm not sure."

"You said she saw me...us," Jasper looked to Peter and Charlotte, the former showing not an ounce of emotion on his face. He continued staring at the spot where Bella had stood moments ago. Even his emotions were unreadable to him. "Bella had a vision?"

Alice paused before answering for Carlisle, the other's already having heard what the seer knew.

"It's most likely some form of a Jumper gift. In her human state, it must be manifesting through these seizures, which also explains why they're so infrequent and not triggered by the common causes of epilepsy."

"A Jumper..." Edward shook his head, his voice incredulous as he leaned against the bookcase with his arms crossed.

"What is a Jumper exactly?" Charlotte inquired, curiosity reflecting in her big round eyes. She looked between Jasper and Peter, the two not seeming at all confused with whatever this gift was, which probably meant that they had encountered another vampire with a similar gift, if not the same one.

"Think of it as an outlet to travel from one place to the next within a matter of seconds, returning to the place of origin in a blink of an eye. You wouldn't even be able to tell. Jumping," Alice explained with a small smile though it didn't reach her eyes, "is a form of teleporting. It enables the gifted to go from one place to another within seconds passing. They could travel the whole world within minutes if they wanted to and if they knew how to do so perfectly. For a vampire, such a gift is unique as well as deadly with their speed and strength also in their roster. As unique as Shields or Seers are."

"But Bella predicted Jasper's death," Everyone including Jasper tensed at Rosalie's blunt words that weren't unkind, merely stating a fact. The blonde beauty frowned as she thought of her little sister and all she must have gone through while jumping, "She saw him die right before her eyes. So, what does that mean for her?"

Alice mulled it over, "It's likely that she has some other attribute to the Jumping. Maybe she finds herself catching flashes in time, glimmers of what may or may not happen depending on what the person she's seeing decides to do. Like my visions, they can be subjective."

"She has seizures every time she Jumps then," Esme shakes her head in clear horror even though she'd already heard and accepted this fact over the past few days. Her eyes met Alice's and the pixie's eyes shared the same lament with her mother.

"When she undergoes the change-"

"If she undergoes the change," Rosalie snapped at her sister. "We won't decide what's best for her when it comes to that. You promised," She looked to Carlisle accusingly. Her father merely nodded in agreement. Peter's eyes sharpened with interest, but again, he didn't say anything. It wasn't his place, he seemed to realize. Even if he was Bella's mate. It seemed as though Peter respected his mate enough to not pry in her and her family's matters. As if he knew exactly what Bella would want.

Jasper needed to speak to him about this soon, before he and Charlotte decided to leave again.

"If she decides to change, there's no way of knowing that the seizures will ever stop. There's just no way of knowing. I'm sorry," Alice's stare found Jasper's, unshed tears in her eyes.

There is no stopping it. It's a part of her, wether we like it or not.

Jasper clenched his jaw, his expression grave while he looked out the window. Trying and failing to see wherever his sister had gone.

Wondering if this so-called gift would be more of a curse to the girl.

He suspected it already was.

Bella's hands couldn't stop trembling, in fact her whole body couldn't stop trembling from the moment she laid eyes on Jasper.

Alive and well.

Try as she might, the look of resignation on his face before Victoria ripped his head off still overruled everything else.

He gave up. Just like that. Not like Peter in any way.

"Hey, hey! Slow down there," Flynn released a breathless chuckle as he tugged on her hand to get her to slow down, "What happened? Did you get into a fight with Rosalie or something?"

"No..." she said hoarsely, staring at the swaying leaves on the trees surrounding them. They were so far into the forest now that she could hear the birds singing on the branches while everything else was silent. As if even the forest knew better than to come alive when she felt so numb, on the verge of imploding on the inside. "Nothing like that."

Flynn frowned, noticing that she still had her back to him. He walked around her, looking down at her now that he grew another inch or two during their short break. His eyes narrowed when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Hey," He reached a hand up to wipe away a single tear that had rolled down her cheek, "Bella, what happened?" He asked with a severe tone this time. Nothing like the boy she'd grown up with all these years. There was a flash of protectiveness in his eyes now that hadn't been there before.

Bella didn't know how to feel about it.

The words were incapable of escaping her today. Like she'd locked up completely. Fear holding her back from spilling all she felt out into the world. It would be ugly, she knew that much. It would be opening up the already gaping wound in her heart. She was scared of being incapable of closing it up again.

Jasper's vacant gaze...

The flames that consumed his body, torn to shreds by sheer monsters.

Bella released a pained whimper as she wrapped her arms around herself, "Flynn..."

He was there in an instant, wrapping his arms around her to keep her from doubling over when it appeared as though she were shattering into a thousand pieces. His arms were strong as they held her close, letting her lean her forehead against his chest when the tears streamed down her cheeks endlessly. Flynn's shock quickly waned when she started to shake in his embrace. It was then that he realized Bella hadn't brought a jacket with her.

"Shit, Bells. Here," He quickly shrugged off his flannel jacket before pulling it across her shoulders. When he managed to get her arms through the sleeves, he hugged her again. Bella didn't stop crying, murmuring apologies for doing something like this to him. Flynn's lips turned up into a wry smile, "Shh, stop apologizing. It's okay. I'm more worried about you."

"I can't tell you...even though I wish I could," She rubbed her forehead against his chest, feeling so frustrated that her family had to keep such big secrets. That she had to keep secrets from the only person in her life who allowed her to feel normal in order to protect her family. "I think I'm losing my mind."

Flynn stared straight ahead, over her head, frowning in the direction of the Cullen household.

He carefully asked, "Did someone hurt you? You want me to tell my mom?"

Bella stiffened and pulled away when she caught on to what he was asking. Panic flooded her senses, only making the tears roll even harder, "N-no! No one hurt me. They would never hurt me." Not intentionally.

"Then what happened? You can tell me, Bells. You know whatever is said between us stays between us. No one else has to know." It had always been that way, hadn't it? Them and then the rest of the world. Him and her, always.

"I...I..." Bella found it too difficult to breathe, too frustrated with herself that she couldn't say it. Not to him. Not without dragging him into the messed up life she currently seemed to have thanks to the seizures, to Jasper going after James and failing, to this new nightmare she had to live even when she wasn't sleeping. She was terrified of being in her own skin. Bella looked up into Flynn's gentle, worried gaze and she broke down completely. Unable to stop the words this time when they spilled out of her in a shaky mess that sounded desperate to her own ears, "I can't do it anymore, Flynn. I-I'm so tired of being sick. Of being me. I'm so scared about the s-seizures and m-my family. Losing you. I can't do it-"

Bella's sob came to an abrupt halt, her breath catching instead as Flynn pressed his lips to hers. A soft, urgent kiss that made the tears streaming down her cheeks sear her flushed skin. Unlike their first kiss, Flynn kissed her like he knew the exact shape of her lips. Carefully pecking them before kissing her a little longer. Tasting her tears as a droplet rolled between their lips.

Bella's hands gripped the sleeves of his shirt, melting into him slowly while he eased her sorrow and worries with the feel of him pressed so closely to her. Flynn stepped closer, capturing her face to keep her right there. Keep her with him in this moment. Making her believe that for once, nothing else mattered but them. That they were together now.

Bella released a little sigh as he slowly pulled away, whispering, "I'm right here. You're not losing me. Not a chance. I don't know what's going on, and I wish you could tell me so that I could help you. But if you say you can't, then I'll understand. Just know that I'll be here no matter what, okay?"

"O-okay..."

When she leaned up to kiss him this time, there wasn't anything urgent in the kiss. It wasn't awkward either. What they shared now, as innocent as it was, it was perfect. When they finally parted for air, Flynn panted as he pressed his forehead against hers. Bella breathed heavily, highly aware that her face was flushed but not caring one bit.

"What was that for?" She asked with a small smile.

Flynn smiled, "I just wanted to make you stop crying. Let you know that I'm here. Sorry, I hope it wasn't-"

"I liked it," She whispered shyly. "Thanks..."

"No problem," Flynn chuckled, taking her hand in his.

As they walked in pleasant silence with Flynn telling her all about his dad and what they did while on his visit, Bella couldn't help by steal tiny glances up at him.

This was all so new to her. Feeling utterly captivated by Flynn was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before. It felt even better knowing that it was Flynn's first time being this close to another girl. Sharing his feelings with her so openly.

And it was all with Bella.

"Do you want to go home anytime soon or maybe we can go somewhere else? Did you eat yet, we should go to that burger joint up the road," Bella shook her head, knowing she'd been too frantic to get out of the house to think to do anything.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'll go ask Carlisle."

"Good," He smiled brightly down at her. Shedding light into her withering heart, bringing her back.

What would she do if she ever lost this hand that held hers so carefully? Keeping her warm and happy. Or as happy as she could feel at the moment.

If she didn't have Flynn, would she be able to withstand what was to come?

Was she even strong enough?

The sound of the front door opening and closing made Rosalie stiffen. She knew her sister had walked into the house at the same time Carlisle and Jasper had, both of them too concerned for the girl to leave the living room. Right where she'd left them last.

"Bella?" Carlisle asked.

Her quick footsteps stopped.

Rosalie couldn't stop herself from walking out of the kitchen and into the the hall, seeing the frightened expression on her sister's face while she kept her back to Carlisle. He didn't see the desperation on her face, the knee wobbling need to run run run away.

Rosalie knew exactly what she felt—had felt it so long ago when she woke up in this new body that was hers and wasn't all at once.

Knew what that sort of desperation did to a person.

"I'm going to go out with Flynn to eat. If that's okay," her voice...her voice was so cold. The complete opposite of how truly felt. Rosalie knew her observation was correct when she glanced up to find Rosalie standing a few feet away with tears shining in her eyes.

Rosalie knew then and there that whatever she'd seen during her Jump had killed Bella. Deep down. Whatever innocence she still had, had died along with Jasper.

It terrified Rosalie more than anything. Perhaps more than losing this sweet little girl she'd helped raise to a life of immortality and blood.

And she couldn't protect her.

Carlisle looked over Bella's shoulder to his eldest daughter. A question laced in his eyes. Rosalie could only nod once, enough to get her point across that Bella needed to leave this house for a little while. To regain what she'd lost, but not with them.

"Alright, sweetheart. Do you...need anything from me?"

Bella's eyes fluttered closed. All she could do was shake her head.

She took one more step before Jasper murmured in that familiarly comforting voice of his, "Darlin'."

Bella didn't stop this time as she took the stairs two at a time, never once tripping over the steps. It took her all but less than a minute to grab her jacket before heading out the door.

Ignoring Jasper's pained expression as he remained leaning against the wall in the hallway. Leaving him with no choice but to let her go after sensing whatever she was currently feeling towards him.

Leaving the entire house as cold as it had once been the day before Bella came into their lives.

Thanks for reading x