Snow crunched under Evelyn's boots as she made her way up the path to the Cullen's home. The sky was scattered with clouds, and thin rays of sunshine peaked through the canopy of trees and fell across the fresh snow from the night before. The ground seemed to glitter like a million diamonds, and Evelyn smiled softly to herself as she was reminded of that day in the meadow when she first saw Jasper in the sunlight.

Her palms began to sweat as she gripped the shoebox in her hands tighter. She paused when she reached the top of the front steps, staring at her reflection in the glass of the front wall. Her dark circles were nearly gone, skin less pale, and her smile once again reached her eyes. Still, she knew she was not the same Evelyn from a few months ago. She was different now, stronger, and even though sometimes days were hard, she knew that the worst had passed.

With a deep breath, she placed her hand on the doorknob and gently tried it, momentarily shocked when the massive wooden door swung open in front of her to reveal the massive entry way and living room of the Cullen house.

The tiny sliver of hope that for some reason the Cullens would be here dissipated as soon as her eyes adjusted to the change in light. Pure white sheets were draped over the furniture, including Edward's grand piano and all of Esme's designer couches and tables. Most of the decorations adorning the wall were taken down, save for the graduation cap wall that hung in the stairway as the Cullen's special reminder of their eternal existence. The only sound came from the wind blowing softly outside, most noises muffled from the fresh blanket of snow. She was truly alone.

She took her time wandering through the halls. She hurried past the stairs, not wanting to relive the memories of Bella's birthday party flashing in her mind's eye. Evelyn shuffled into the kitchen, noticing how sad and lonely it felt without Esme to occupy it. How many times had she sat at the island serving as the vampire's personal taste tester? She remembered watching them play board games in the evenings, and listening to Carlisle tell stories of all the things he had seen as they all sat around the large, elaborate dining table. She remembered feeling like she was part of a family, with Jasper, the person she had loved the most in the world by her side. Her heart began to ache uncontrollably, and she quickly got up and left the kitchen before the tears that were now filling her eyes would fall.

The girl found herself once again at the foot of the stairs, unable to stop the memories of that fateful night. She could still see the way Jasper had seemed to flip a switch the moment that the scent of Bella's blood had hit his nostrils. Evelyn could still feel him throw her across the room, and had it not been for Esme, she would have crashed through the glass and the smell of her blood would have made the situation ten times worse. She shivered, shaking her head, and continued up the steps to the second floor.

It did not take long for her to wander through the entire second floor. She passed by the various bedrooms of the Cullens, each one with furniture draped with white sheets, the walls empty and bare. Except for one. Evelyn frowned as she passed by the door to Carlisle's study, stopping to peer inside. It was as if the room had not been touched. Everything was in its place, with nothing covered or taken down. Cautiously, she stepped into the room.

Automatically her eyes went to the paintings adorning each wall. There was a variety of landscapes, cities, portraits, and diagrams, all only of what she could assume were priceless in worth. Edward had told her once that Carlisle was somewhat of a collector, but she had never gotten the chance to ask where all the artwork had come from.

As she scanned the walls, her eyes fell on a large painting, with three distinct figures being the main focus. Evelyn made her way over to the canvas, immediately captivated by the faces she saw. Even though they were painted, they looked eerily alive and inhumanely beautiful. Upon closer inspection, she realized that a fourth figure, who very much resembled Carlisle Cullen, resided in the corner; farther back than the other three, as if intentionally painted that way to show that he was lesser than the three vampires in the front. Under the canvas, a small bronze plaque identified the painting simply as Volterra, and there was no signature or mark from the artist to be found anywhere on the piece.

Carlisle had mentioned once before that he had spent some time with the Volturi, but he had not really explained who they were or what they did other than that they were the informal rulers of the vampires. Jasper had simply told her not to worry about them when she pressed him for clarification, and she had listened. But now, as she stared into the eyes of the figure in the middle of the painting, a pit began to form in her stomach. She didn't know why, but she could sense that they were powerful and dangerous even through the way that they were painted. They looked as if they could step out of the frame and into the room at any moment, and the very thought made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

"Not real," she breathed to herself, shaking her head and hurrying from the room. She made sure to close the door behind her for good measure.

There was only one room left on the second floor. She swallowed hard, gripping the shoebox tightly in her hands as she walked down the hall and through the open doorway.

Like the others, his room had been stripped bare. What furniture Jasper had kept in here was covered, and all of the rifles, books, and CDs that had adorned the walls and shelves were nowhere to be found. She stopped in the middle of the room, spinning in a slow circle as she took in the bare walls and windows. There were so many memories in this room from the last summer that were flashing through her mind like a movie. She had spent countless days and nights here with Jasper, unable to help falling deeper and deeper in love with him the more time they spent together. Most of the time they would talk for hours or listen to music, and sometimes he would read her poems either from his books or from his original work. Those days were always her favorite; she could have listened to the soothing lilt of his voice forever if she wanted to.

But there was one moment that stood out clearer than the others did. He had told her that he loved her for the first time in this room, almost right in the spot where she was standing. At the time, she had thought it was one of the happiest days of her life, but now it lived in her memory as a reminder of the love she had lost.

Evelyn wiped the stray tear that had fallen onto her cheek and sank to the floor. She set the shoebox on the floor and opened it up to retrieve the journal she had brought with her. The book had slightly crushed the photographs and drawings inside, but otherwise everything still looked to be intact. She flipped to the last page of the journal that had in some ways saved her life, pulled out the pen she had brought from her coat pocket, and began to write her last letter.

Dear Jasper,

Today is January 23. Exactly two months before I arrived in Forks and the day that my life changed forever. Today also happens to be the first anniversary of my parents' death. Surprisingly, I feel okay. Marie and I are going to watch some home movies and look through some photo albums tonight to reminisce a little. I think it will be nice, not that you'd really care, I guess. I know it's a weird day for me to be doing this, but I thought it was fitting to close this chapter of my life on the same day that it was set in motion. Kind of like coming full circle, in a way.

I'm writing to you to say goodbye. A real goodbye, from my heart, because I need the closure and since you aren't here this is the best way I could think of to do it. I don't even know if you'll ever see this but I'm going to write it anyway.

For a long time, I hated you. I hated you so much that I could barely breathe. What you said to me the day you left was cruel and it still hurts to think about. I hate that you left me with all of these memories of you... of us. Even more so, I hate the fact that when I think of you sometimes I can't remember exactly they way your eyes looked or the way your voice sounded. I hate that my memories are already starting to fade because they're the only reminder that I have left that tells me that you were real and that at one point in time I was yours and you were mine.

Love and hate are funny things, aren't they? Two sides of the same coin. I want you to know how much I hated you at first, but I mostly want you to know that I loved you through it all, too. I still do, and I think a part of me always will. Whatever pain and heartbreak I have felt, love was always there right beside it. And when the bad things fade, love will be the last to remain.

But I also know that it's time to move on. I need to let you go, Jasper. And I think I'm finally ready. So I'm leaving all of these pictures, drawings, and letters here, along with my journal. Honestly, I was going to burn them, but I think this is better. After today, I'm never setting foot here again. By the looks of things around here, I know you'll all be back one day. You can take these memories... I don't need them anymore.

And when you do come back, probably decades from now when I'm long gone, I hope that you see this letter. I hope that the sun is shining, and it's a beautiful day, and that this letter will remind you that once upon a time, in the little town of Forks, there was an ordinary girl who did nothing but love you with everything inside of her.

Goodbye, Jasper. I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for.

Evelyn Masen

With a quick flourish, she tore out the last page and gently set her journal and the letter inside the shoebox. She could already feel a weight being lifted off of her chest as she set the box on the linen-covered desk and shut Jasper's bedroom door behind her.

He'll remember me someday, she thought to herself as she descended the stairs. And maybe then he'll realize the mistake he made.

She didn't look back as she exited the empty house. Of course she still felt all of the hurt and the pain that Jasper had caused her, but for the first time in a long time she felt free. It was as if she had finally told her heart that it was okay to start letting go, and she knew that with time, even the pain would fade to nothing but a memory.

As she walked out to the yellow car in the driveway, the snow crunching under her boots, a sudden chill crawling down her spine made her freeze. Her whole body was instantly alert, with goosebumps erupting on her skin despite her winter coat and her ears focusing to listen to the sounds around her.

She held her breath and quickly scanned the area. It was eerily quiet, even more quiet than it should be with the fresh snow. There were no audible sounds of wildlife, and to her knowledge there should be no other people around the house, either. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that somehow she was no longer alone in the clearing. She looked back at the house, and then into the woods beyond, her eyes scanning the treeline as if her human eyes could find whoever it was that she could feel watching her. She could see no one in the forest around her.

Just as soon as the chill had come it vanished, and Evelyn felt her body immediately relax. She didn't move for a few seconds, listening intently, and when she heard the melodies of the birds in the trees resume, she released the breath she had been holding. It's just because I'm back here. They're not coming back.

She shook her head a few times before hurrying to her car. As she drove back down the road leading to the main highway, she didn't bother to glance back at the house in her rearview mirror.

***

Evelyn was driving way faster than was safe in a neighborhood as she turned onto Bella's street, but she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice. She had come to the conclusion that either she was crazy and having hallucinations... or that someone, or something, was following her.

She had felt the same strange chill creep down her spine again the night she visited the Cullens' home. It was late, and she and Marie had stayed up drinking wine and looking through all of the pictures Marie had of her parents. They had laughed and cried together for hours, their emotions likely heightened from the wine. Later Marie, a self-proclaimed "lightweight," had fallen asleep on the couch and left Evelyn alone to reminisce in silence.

When she had finally decided to go to bed, she stood and immediately could feel the effects of the alcohol; normally, she wasn't one to drink at all, and she swayed a little on her feet as she grabbed a throw blanket off of a chair to drape over her aunt. When she straightened again, suddenly there it was: the strange feeling that she was being watched. She whipped her head to the window that faced the trees around her house, and yet again she saw nothing. Like the first time, the feeling vanished within just a few moments, but this time she started to feel a little afraid. Even so, she had blamed the alcohol for making her see things and went to bed relaxed as if nothing had happened.

But then it had happened again, over a week later, as she walked out to her car this morning before school. Evelyn then realized that it couldn't be a coincidence. As she sped down the empty street she debated on whether she should tell Charlie, ultimately deciding that he would probably focus on the fact that Marie had let her drink enough alcohol to start seeing things and he wouldn't be much help. She would let it go, for now... but she also vowed to be a little more aware of her surroundings from now on. If someone was truly following her, she would know who it was soon enough.

As she pulled up to the curb in front of Bella's house, she found Charlie sitting outside on their porch steps. He got up to come and greet her as she turned the car off and stepped outside into the crisp February air.

"New ride?" Charlie asked lightly, smiling and nodding at the brand new (to her, at least) forest green 1994 Jeep Cherokee in front of him.

"Don't act like you didn't know, Charlie," Evelyn grinned, running her hand along the hood. "Billy and Marie said you were in on it the whole time."

Charlie grinned and nodded approvingly at the car. "Well maybe I helped a little... but Jake and Billy did most of the work. I just found the car. I'm glad you like your birthday present, though. Bella said you'd like the color..." He trailed off, glancing towards the house and rubbing his neck awkwardly.

"Any better today?" Evelyn asked quietly, looking down at the smudges on her rain boots. She felt like she already knew the answer before he spoke.

"Nope. I'm worried, Ev. I don't think this is normal behavior." The man sounded exhausted as he spoke, his voice laced with worry for his only daughter. His eyes had large, pronounced dark circles under them, and it looked like he had gained a few extra fine lines and wrinkles in the past few months from worrying so much.

"There's no normal way to grieve, Charlie." Evelyn paused, feeling sympathy for Bella because she knew what she was going through but also for Charlie because he was right; Bella's behavior was worrying. "She'll go back to normal eventually... it takes time."

Before Charlie could respond Bella had thrown open the screen door and let it loudly slam shut. She came trudging down the steps, and Evelyn felt her heart break just a little as she took in her friend's appearance: her hair was tangled and thrown into a haphazard ponytail, she was wearing the same jacket she had worn for the past week, and her skin was even paler than usual with dark circles to rival her father's. Oh, Bella...

"I'll see you later, dad," she mumbled as she reached for the door handle. Just as she had opened the door, Charlie let out an exasperated sigh and reached around his daughter to slam the door shut.

"Alright, that's it," he started, staring up into the sky for a moment as if to gather his thoughts. "You're going to Jacksonville to live with your mother."

Evelyn watched as Bella's eyes widened, and she recoiled a few steps as she narrowed her eyes up at her father. "Dad, I'm not leaving Forks."

Charlie sighed heavily, his eyes softening to reveal the exhausted, worried father sitting beneath his rough exterior. "Bells," he started, willing her to understand. "He's not coming back."

Bella grimaced at the mention of Edward, but she nodded once. "I know that," she mumbled quietly, and by the sound of her voice Evelyn wasn't so sure that she believed her.

"It's just not normal, Bells, this behavior... quite frankly it's scaring the hell out of me, and your mother, and even Evelyn and Marie are worried about you, too." Evelyn didn't say anything, but it was true; she and Marie talked about Bella quite often, with the latter taking every chance she got to ask Charlie or her niece about the broken-hearted girl. "Baby, I-- I don't want you to leave. I don't, but it's not good for you here, anymore. Just go, Bella. Go to Jacksonville, make some new friends--"

"I like my old friends," Bella snapped, her eyes flickering to Evelyn for a brief moment before returning to her father.

Charlie raised his eyebrows. "Really? Because the only one you ever seem to see anymore is Evelyn," he pointed out. "And no offense to her, because I'm so grateful that you have her here, but that's just not going to cut it, Bella. It's time for you to leave Forks."

Evelyn could see Bella was getting anxious by the way she looked back and forth between her and Charlie. "I'm, um... I'm actually going shopping tomorrow. With Jessica." Her eyes shifted to Evelyn, and she didn't miss the pleading look in them. "I was going to invite you to come with us on the way to school, Ev. It'll be fun, right?"

Evelyn sighed, deciding to play along for her friend's sake. "Yeah, sure, I'd love to come with you guys."

Charlie was unconvinced. "You hate shopping."

"Well Jess and Evelyn don't," Bella quipped back. "I'll be fine, dad. I figured I just needed some girl time."

Her father frowned slightly, not entirely believing his daughter's story, but he had to admit that it was nice to hear that his daughter was finally making an effort again. "Alright," he said, satsified. "Girl's night. Shopping. I like it. Go... buy some stuff." He nodded at both of them and turned to head back inside his house as the two girls jumped into Evelyn's car so they could get to school.

"So... we're going shopping," Evelyn drawled, eyeing her friend from the corner of her eye as they drove down the main highwhay towards their highschool.

"We don't actually have to go. I was just trying to get my dad off my back."

"Oh, we're going," Evelyn answered. "And you're going to be the one to tell Jess. Your dad is right, Bella. It's time to start trying to live again." She glanced at her friend again. "Have you thought about... you know... therapy? Or talking to someone about everything? Maybe some outside help would be good for you."

"You know why I can't," Bella retorted, suddenly defensive. "Now you sound like my dad."

Evelyn shrugged. "You're my friend. I care about you and I just want you to be okay again."

Bella didn't speak again until they had pulled into the school parking lot and Evelyn had turned off the car. "It's not as easy for me as it was for you, Ev. I don't know how you got over him so fast... you loved him so much and now you're perfectly fine like nothing even happened."

Evelyn bristled at her words and the bitter tone in her voice. Easy? "Not to sound like an asshole, Bells, but you don't know anything about what it was like for me. Nothing was easy. It still isn't easy, but at some point I decided that I need to take care of myself because no one is going to do it for me." At the incredulous look on Bella's face, Evelyn sighed and got out of the car. "I'll see you at lunch. Make sure you talk to Jess."

She didn't wait to hear her friend's response as she shut the car door and made her way into the school.