My Hunt took a little longer than usual, so I’m running late, not that Bella knows I’m coming.  When the Cullen’s took the vote to leave Emmett and I were outvoted.  I left with them, but not for long.  The whole family blamed me for them having to leave Forks and Bella behind.  Their blame coupled with my own guilt and shame became too much.  I was like a drowning man, and strangely it was my wife asking for a divorce that threw the proverbial life vest to me.  She informed me that ‘this’ just wasn’t working and handed me the papers.   I just nodded without saying a word and then went to pack my things.  Esme seemed to be the only one sad to see me go, even Emmett blamed me for his having to leave his little sister behind.

I hightailed it out of there and headed to Seattle where I knew Peter and Charlotte kept an apartment for when they’d come visit me.  They hadn’t visited in years because the Cullen’s where always so stand-offish and judgmental, but I knew they still had the apartment.  Stashing my things there I then headed back to Forks figuring the least I could do was apologize to Bella.  When I got there, I realized that she had not taken our leaving well, in fact, Zombies would show more life than she was displaying.

I circled the house and caught a whiff of a familiar scent… Victoria.  I knew we should have hunted her down and killed her after we killed James, but I got outvoted then too, never mind that I’m the more experienced Vampire when it comes to vampire instincts.  Protecting Bella from Victoria became my number one priority, so I called Peter who told me, “Char and I are already following some leads on the red-headed bitch’s whereabouts.  I’ll call when we locate her.”

So while Peter and Charlotte hunt down Victoria, I spend all my time stalking Bella and making sure she stays safe.

I’m brought out of my memories when I arrive at my tree and discover a gift box sitting at the base of the tree.  My years listening to Alice prattle on about colors tells me it’s Aqua Blue with Kiwi Green and Hot Pink polka dots on it and a Hot Pink bow on top of the box.  Looking around I see no one so I take a deep breath and that’s when I smell it… Bella.

Picking the box up I shake it a bit and hear paper rustling inside it, so I take off the lid to find hundreds of little scraps of colorful paper all cut with different specialty scissors.  Each slip seems to have words on it, so I take out a piece of paper and read, “1.) Even though you did nothing wrong…”  I take out several more pieces of paper with the same message before I find the next, or the third if the number three on it is any indication.  I keep looking and finally find the one with the number two on it, but not before finding five and four first.  It appears five is as high as it goes so I close the box and lay the pieces out on top of the box.  They say, “1.) Even though you did nothing wrong…”  “2.) I forgive you…”  “3.) Still friends?…”  “4.) The door is unlocked…”  “5.) come inside when you’re ready.”

I reopen the box and pick through all the slips of paper to make sure there really are only five messages.  Once I’m satisfied that that’s all of them I sit on the forest floor and just stare at the colorful little pieces of paper.  Bella forgives me?  More importantly, she doesn’t think I did anything wrong?  I should have fed that day.  I should have fed every day with her always being around, but I took for granted that my control would be strong enough.  I was wrong, and I tried to kill her!

Still friends?  Maybe she has a death wish?  Though honestly, I’ll always be her friend, even if she’s not mine which she apparently still is.

It takes me three nights to work up the courage to enter her house.  I watched Charlie say goodnight and leave for the station, so I know he won’t be home until tomorrow afternoon, so I don’t have to worry about him finding me in his house.  Following the only heartbeat in the house up the stairs I frown because it’s beating nice and slow, which means she’s fast asleep.  I get to her door and just as I’m about to turn around and come back when she’s awake I notice a piece of paper taped to the outside of her bedroom door.

It has my name on it, so I pull it off the door and unfold it before reading, “Dear Jasper, Whatever you’re protecting me from, you’ll have an easier time of it in here.  It’s supposed to be cloudy tomorrow, so I’ll see you when I wake in the morning?  Okay?  —Bella.”

Softly pushing the door open I look in and see her face, peaceful in sleep, softly illuminated by the little white Christmas lights decorating her walls.  Walking into the room, I pull out her desk chair and sit before staring at Bella while she sleeps blissfully unaware that there is a killer mere feet from her.

I thought her forgiveness was her gift to me, and it was, but it wasn’t the only one.  No.  This, right here, the trust she is showing me by allowing me into her bedroom while she is fast asleep, that is the true gift to me.  So I sit and watch while Bella sleeps waiting for her to wake up with the morning sunrise and wondering if she’ll let me apologize for her birthday even though she doesn’t think I did anything wrong.  Guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

The End