A/N: As always i own nothing, everything you may not recognize belongs though is mine, as well as the plot to this story.

Also IMPORTANT note bellow.

Chapter eleven – old scars

Jasper's POV

I followed behind blindly as we were led inside the house I had spent many years in before I'd met the Cullen's. It was odd really, the feeling of familiarity of being here yet it had been so long since I had. When Alice and I had married and I had switched my diet Peter and Charlotte were seen as people that could drag me under once more, could make me slip and give into temptation. So to keep everyone happy I separated myself from them, I knew it was a mistake, the pair of them was family to me and never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that one day they would bring me to my -

Bring me to my what? I stopped the thought then as we entered the house and took a seat around the room, Bella sitting furthest from the rest of us, an action that caused my dead heart to break just a little unexpectedly.

"I think we all have some explaining to do, Bella?" I thanked whoever was out there that Carlisle suggested that Bella go first, I was on the edge of my seat to hear her speak once more, to hear how she became a vampire and especially wanted to hear the explanation behind the colour of both her hair and eyes, although the red in her eyes I had a good guess as to why, as did Edward, I smirked.

I sniggered a little as Bella shook her head no, indicating that she didn't want to go first and wanted to hear what we had to say before she started.

"Of course, where to start?" he mused.

"After my birthday party," I flinched at her answer, it was the one subject I was hoping to avoid, I still blamed myself for that night, this was my entire fault and I knew that everyone knew it.

"I'm sorry," I didn't know I'd spoken until her eyes snapped towards me, the gorgeous golden orbs piercing me as she tilted her head slightly to the left. "I should have had better control, should have gone hunting with the others before you even arrived, I-" I was cut off when her eyes narrowed into slits, the red becoming slightly dominant as I felt her anger spike once more.

"Is that what you think happened?" a little confused I nodded slowly, "and they let you think this is what happened and you're the one to blame?"I didn't answer, apparently silently answering her question as she slowly stood from her seat and made her way over to me, I braced myself ready for whatever she was about to do. "Jasper," I almost gasped at the way my name sounded on her lips, never noticing before her lip pouts when she says it, the way I, almost growled at the sudden need I felt towards this woman who was knelt in front of me, "please look at me." My eyes snapped to hers as if I was pulled and whatever she said I obeyed. I watched as she smiled sadly, the horror that she felt seeping through as she placed her hand on mine.

Horror at me.

I was about to turn away, to leave the house in shame not wanting to feel that emotion anymore and wanting to get as far away from it as I could, well that was until she spoke four words I never thought I'd hear from her mouth.

"It wasn't your fault."

"What?" if vampire's needed breath I knew I would be gasping for it about now.

"I said it wasn't your fault, I've never and will never blame you for what happened that night, sure you lost it a little but no one can blame you for that, I certainly don't." Her smile was stunning as she slowly stood once more. "I can't believe you let him think it was his fault, every one of you bar Carlisle had to leave the room because you couldn't stand to be near me, now try having everyone's hunger plus your own, oh and don't forget that I'm, well was, Edwards singer so my blood would have been so much more stronger to him than anyone. Do you think you could handle that? The temptation of a singer plus six other, including your own?" she looked at everyone in turn, "that's what I thought, so don't blame Jasper and his 'loss of control', he's actually the strongest one of all." She moved back towards Peter and Charlotte taking her seat but now leaning forward as if she was ready to move at any moment.

I never really thought of it like that, I knew my gift was both a blessing and a curse but to know that that could be the reason for my behaviour was actually a little relieving and I was grateful again to whoever was out there that they brought Bella back into my life and also helped her to understand when none of us even did. She really was incredible.

"Jasper I never thought of it like that, son I am so sorry," it went like that as each of them apologised for the way in which they treated me, and slowly one by one I felt that shame I've felt for the past seven years lift from my shoulders and a smile appear on my face.

"Now that we've gotten that cleared up, continue," the way Bella spoke was like she was in charge, the air of authority I hadn't noticed was there was something I had never seen before, she was confident in her movements that wasn't entirely like the human Bella I once knew, it was different and if I was being honest a complete turn on and I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if Bella were to dominate me, to command me to do all the things I was dying to do…

A low growl ended this thought as all eyes turned in Edwards's direction, noticing that he was glaring at me I smirked.

She's not yours now Eddie boy.

I almost laughed aloud as he growled once more as if trying to be menacing. It was something he and I used to argue about years back, when it came to Bella being around me, my thoughts were, let's just say not appropriate in the company of both a human who happened to also be my 'brothers' girlfriend.

"So like you were saying?" she completely ignored Edward as her eyes remained on Carlisle, her long slim fingers tapping her knee as she waited for his reply.

"Ah yes, when Edward returned from taking you home he informed us of your decision, we honoured it by leaving, but all those months-"

"Wait stop there," Bella held her hand up at the same time Edward hissed, "no," towards his creator.

"Sorry?" I was glad that it wasn't just me that was confused this time as I felt everyone's confusion hit me at once.

Bella's POV

"What do you mean my decision?"

"Your decision to stay away from the supernatural, he told us how you wanted a normal life around humans and your own kind of people. That is what you wanted isn't it?"

For someone who had spent years trying to push her anger back and live as normal as one could, it was becoming increasingly hard to when in the company of this one family. I had met people who had threatened my life, people who wanted me dead and had tried, I have met vampires who threatened my family and those I loved and they had all ended the same way, they were all a pile of ash now thanks to my little gift I had demonstrated outside. But never have I ever met one family who made me want to kill them, cry and hug them all at the same time. Well except Peter that is but that was only to be expected.

But what Edward had told them? I had always blamed myself for the Cullen's leaving, if I was a little more exciting, a little less breakable then maybe they would have loved me the way I loved them and stayed. To hear though that it wasn't my fault and was simply because of a lie, a lie that would have been easily cleared up if they had just asked me before they packed up and left me in Forks for dead.

Realising that I had been sat in my own mind for longer than I had thought as I tried to calm the anger, I knew I needed to answer them, "No it wasn't what I wanted," I whispered knowing they would hear me, even over the growls that filled the room around me.

"Bella?" it was Alice this time to turn and ask the question.

"I'm sorry but what you were told was a lie, I never wanted you to leave. God I wanted to turn and be part of your family for Pete's sake!" anger Bella, calm it down.

"But Edward told us that you broke it off with him, that you realised it wasn't safe for you in our world anymore, you wanted nothing to do with us or our world?"

I felt Charlotte grab my hand in an attempt to calm me as I told them what really happened that day, from Edward wanting to our walk in the woods, told them exactly what he had said as I watched shock and horror play across their faces.

"He told me you left for a clean break, that you were already gone and wouldn't want to say goodbye."

"Edward, tell me this isn't true?" I glared towards him as I let my eyes purposely flash red as I stared him down.

"I'm sorry," was all he needed to say as each of the Cullen's turned to and on him.

"How could you do that?!" Esme screamed

"What even went through your head?" Carlisle shook his head, a look of disappointment fixed in place.

A growl escaped everyone who remained, none of them mattered though, the last was the one I paid the most attention too.

"I'll fucking kill you," at this one I smiled, ever since I first locked eyes with Jasper I couldn't help but feel a pull towards him, I'd never noticed how utterly beautiful he was until now, his scent, the smell of honey that filled the air whenever he spoke drew me in. oh I could see his scars, could count and see the outline of each individual one but honestly, it made him look hotter, made me ache to kiss each one individually….

Maybe being alone in that castle for so long had really made me begin to lose my mind.

As he sensed my eyes and emotions he turned towards me with a smile that I couldn't help but wink at. Damn empath.

I shook my head then and knew it was time for me to speak, "you see all these years you've been lied to, hell if you would have known the truth maybe all this wouldn't be happening." I shrugged, what was done was done.

"You have to understand Bella, we didn't want to leave, we considered you family in so many ways, we just thought it was what you wanted and so we left. Can you ever forgive us?" I closed my eyes at that request, for so long I have hurt over their abandonment and here they were, asking if I could forgive them.

"I except your apology Carlisle but what I went through," I stopped as I remembered the pain.

"Show them," I turned my head towards Garrett as he gave me a soft smile, "show them how it felt, it's the only way they'll understand."

"Bella?" They questioned once more.

"As you have already seen I have more than just the one gift, another of my talents is slightly like Jaspers," I smiled towards him once more, any excuse to rack my eyes over him, "I can't feel the emotions of those around me, nor can I manipulate them, I can though make you feel what I feel, although you'll be able to differ my emotions from your own. That is if you want to know?" I honestly wasn't comfortable with putting them through even an ounce of what I went through, but Garrett was right, it was the only way they'd understand the hurt I felt at their leaving.

"Show us," Jasper whispered as the others nodded their heads in agreement.

I concentrated, thinking back all them years ago, that first month of them leaving and I pushed, I pushed everything I felt and remembered towards them, watching as one by one they began to wither in agony while clutching their chests, letting up after just a few seconds.

"How did you survive that? I wanted to claw my chest open after just a few seconds, you walked around with that pain for months," I watched as conflicting emotions battled their way across each of their faces as Carlisle said the words.

"I almost didn't survive it, at first I thought it was because Edward had left me, it took me two month to realise that wasn't the case, it was because my family, well people I considered my family had left me. The night I was changed I was contemplating ending my life just to rid myself of that pain." It was still hard for me to remember that part of my life, even after this many years.

"Did you change her?" Jasper turned his attention towards Peter now as he asked this.

"No, I wish I had, I tried to get there first but I was too late." He sighed as I squeezed his hand, once again reminding him that it wasn't his fault.

"Will you tell us your story Bella?" Jaspers attention was once again turned on me as he moved forward on his seat and I took a deep breath.

A/N: So like I said previous, I am so sorry about the delay with this story, but I am back Haha.

I now not much happened in this chapter but it was something I needed to get out of the way before I can go into Bella's story and everything she went through. Including how she met Peter and Charlotte. Need to get these sorts of things out of the way before i can move on with the plot.

IMPORTANT!

So as mentioned above I have something important to ask, a competition maybe haha, anyway I have thought of a few ideas as to why the Cullen family may need witnesses but I am wondering if anyone can think of any other reasons?

Let me know either in a review or in a PM.

Until next time though,

Jess

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