A/N: In a way, this was suggested by Elise Suzanne.

Takes place between Eclipse and Breaking Dawn

This is a little different than the other chapters, since it's an actual story and not just people's thoughts. I hope everyone likes it all the same.

Disclaimer: Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Bella's POV

I stirred the contents of the pot sitting on our stove, glancing over my shoulder at Charlie sitting on the couch in the living room. He had invited Alice over for dinner tonight, without Edward. Alice had agreed, despite the fact that she obviously didn't eat. I had told her it was okay she said no, but she told me she wanted to come.

So, now I was cooking dinner for a vampire that didn't eat human food. Nice.

Charlie had made sure Edward wouldn't be here. It still annoyed me a bit that Charlie didn't like him. It worried me what he'd think when I told him we were getting married.

Setting the table with three places, I called Charlie into the kitchen.

"When is Alice getting here?" Charlie asked, entering the kitchen. I didn't answer because there had been a knock on the door just then.

Charlie's POV

Bella went to get the door, but I stopped her and told her I'd get it. She nodded and went back to setting the table.

When I opened the door, I was shocked when I didn't just see little Alice Cullen. I saw little Alice Cullen, linking arms with a tall blonde boy.

"Hello?" I asked uncertainly.

Bella appeared next to me. "Oh, hey Jasper. Hi Alice."

"Hi Bella, Charlie," Alice said with a smile. She turned her gold eyes on me. "Charlie, this is my boyfriend, Jasper Hale."

I choked a bit in surprise. Why hadn't Bella told me Alice had a boyfriend? Even worse, a boyfriend that looked like he wanted to and could kill me? "Boyfriend?"

"Yeah, boyfriend," Alice repeated. She looked up at Jasper with complete adoration.

Jasper smiled, though it looked forced. "It's nice to meet you, Chief Swan." He held out a hand.

I shook his hand, already used to the unusual cold skin of the Cullen family. He had a firm hand shake, and I fought not to wince at his tight grip.

Alice and Jasper followed Bella and I into the kitchen. Bella got out another plate. Apparently, she hadn't known that Jasper would be here either.

I sat down across from Jasper, but he kept his head down, looking at the table, his jaw clenched. I shifted easily; the awkward tension in the room seemed to be getting to everyone. Besides Alice, that is.

Alice put her hand on Jasper's arm, in what seemed like reassurance. It puzzled me, but I didn't bring it up.

Bella set Jasper's plate on the table in front of him and sat next to me. I cleared my throat and Jasper looked up.

"So…how long have you been dating?" I asked. Alice smiled.

"Six years," she stated proudly.

I raised an eyebrow. "Six years?"

"Ever since Carlisle adopted me. I met Jasper and it just…happened, you know? We fell in love, even at such young ages."

Jasper said nothing. He just pushed around the food on his plate with his fork. Alice seemed too into the conversation to even think about eating.

Bella took a bite. She seemed used to Jasper's strange behavior, unfazed even. Of course, spending all the time she does with Edward, she had to have been around Alice and Jasper enough.

"Jasper," I started. He nodded in acknowledgement. "What are your plans for the future? College, marriage?"

"I'm planning on going to college, possibly majoring in law. Alice and I do plan to get married when the time is right and things have slowed down a bit."

Alice smiled and placed her left hand on the table. "He gave me this ring when I was fifteen, saying that we'd get married someday. So, technically, we're engaged."

I choked on the food I had been swallowing. I hadn't been expecting that. As I stared at the ring, I wondered how I had never seen it before. Now, I couldn't take my eyes off of it.

"Marriage is a good thing, right Dad?" Bella asked, somewhat nervously.

I narrowed my eyes, turning to her. "Why?"

"Why isn't it?" Alice cried happily. Jasper cracked a smile and turned to watch Alice. "You get to plan it all and everything!" She met Bella's eyes briefly before looking back towards me. "Except, Jasper and I plan to get eloped."

"Eloped?" I asked in confusion. Getting eloped instead of having a huge ceremony with hundreds of people just wasn't Alice. It seemed like it was all Jasper. I didn't like the control he had over her and her decisions. If she wanted a big wedding, she should be able to have a big wedding.

"Well…at least not a big ceremony." Alice shrugged. "Better for us. We like to keep our relationship private and personal."

I turned to Jasper, who was still watching Alice with complete devotion and utter worship. It caught me off guard and the question I had been intending died on my lips. From that look I could tell he would never hurt her. Jasper was head over heels in love with Alice, as she with him. It was obvious that they lived solely for each other. You could tell by the way they would subtly glance at each other, as though saying things no one else understood. You could tell by the way they always had to be touching in some way, even if it was just fingertips against a forearm. Their love wasn't complicated, it just simply was.

This revelation made me feel so much better about the dangerous looking boy sitting next to the tiny girl I considered a second daughter. I knew that I could trust him to never hurt Alice.

"Charlie?" Alice asked, cocking her head in question. Both Jasper and Bella were also looking at me.

"Uh…I was just going to say that's nice." I turned my eyes to my plate.

When I looked up, Alice and Jasper were staring into each other's eyes, most likely having a silent conversation off in their own world. I smiled slightly.

Alice looked away to the clock on the wall. "Oh, well, Esme and Carlisle were expecting us home soon. Thank you so much for dinner Bella, Charlie. We should do this again another time."

She hopped off her chair. Jasper stood as well, holding out his hand to me. "It was nice meeting you Chief Swan."

"Call me Charlie," I told him, shaking his hand firmly.

"Charlie," he amended with a smile and a nod.

"Bye Bella! See you soon. We can go shopping," Alice told Bella as she grabbed Jasper's hand and they headed toward the door.

Bella froze, mid-step. "Shopping?"

"Don't be so dramatic. You'll have fun, I promise." Alice flashed a grin over her shoulder before they disappeared around the corner. Moments later the sound of the door opening and closing could be heard.

I turned to Bella and she smiled slightly. "Sorry Dad, I didn't know Jasper was going to be here."

"Don't be sorry, I was going to meet him eventually, right?" I replied easily, heading toward the living room. Pausing, I turned to Bella, who was cleaning the table. "I like that boy."

She frowned. "And you still don't like Edward?"

I chuckled. "Nope."

"Why not?" Bella turned, the dishes forgotten.

"Edward's broken your heart, left you empty and hurting. Jasper, I get the feeling, would rather die than leave Alice."

Bella opened her mouth to protest, but then she closed it and sighed. "You're right Dad. Jasper would rather die than hurt her. But Edward loves me and regrets what he's done every day. I hope you can realize that someday." She sighed and set to cleaning the table once again.

I sat down on the couch and turned the TV on, though I wasn't watching it. Instead I was thinking not only about Jasper and Alice and my revelation about them, but I was also thinking about Bella's words, letting them sink in. For some reason, I felt there was a change on the horizon. A change that would alter everything. I had a feeling that change wouldn't be about Jasper and Alice and that worried me.