Sequel to First Love Lost.

Author's note: Characters are all human and OOC.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Twilight.

If you haven't read the first story, you might be lost if you jump into this one.

The story takes place almost three years after the beginning of First Love Lost. Bella is going into her junior year of college. Most of the main characters from the first story will be in the sequel. James, Angela, Ben, and Charlie are all characters who will not be featured at all. A few new characters will be introduced. All of them will be my spin on their Twilight counterparts. Also, anyone expecting Jasper to pop up at the beginning of the story will be disappointed. The beginning is very much about Bella and establishing where she is in her life right now.

*** Just a reminder because I know a few people missed them. There are four Jasper POVs attached to the end of First Love Lost. A few things from them will be referenced in this story. You may want to search them out if you didn't see them the first time around. They immediately follow the epilogue.

Enough of my yapping. Happy reading, and I hope you all enjoy the story.

Last Love Found
Chapter 1 - New Beginning, Old Reminders

My last stop before reaching my destination was a small gas station in Post, TX. I had four hours of travel left after spending the last week leisurely driving from Seattle, WA, to my new home in Sterling, TX. When I finally arrived, I will have traveled 2500 miles. What was a girl like me doing so far south? I was finding a new life and revisiting an old one.

I was moving in with my brother, Emmett, and his best friend, Edward Cullen. Two years ago, they had both moved to Texas after graduating from Forks High. My brother was offered a football scholarship to Texas West, a university known for its high caliber athletic program as well as its superior academics. While Emmett's primary focus was football, Edward's was his pre-med course work.

The house I would be living in had been Emmett and Edward's home now for the past year. They lived on campus their first year but moved to this house their sophomore year. It was a nice two story with four bedrooms and three baths. Esme and Carlisle bought the place as an investment property and planned on selling it when we finished school. They charged the guys a set amount of rent, which I would now be helping with. To help cover expenses, Edward and Emmett rented out the basement apartment.

All things considered, it was a pretty sweet setup. Emmett used his half of the money that Renee and Phil left us to cover his portion. I would find a part-time job to help cover mine. I didn't have a scholarship like my brother. My money was used on tuition and books.

Four hours after my last pit stop, my road trip was over. Emmett was waiting in the front yard of his house with Edward by his side. I had last seen them over the holidays several months prior. Our time apart had seen our bonds strengthen in spite of the distance between us. It was helped along when both of their relationships ended in a similar fashion to mine and Jasper's. Emmett and Rose had split up shortly after I left Forks. Alice and Edward's breakup followed shortly thereafter.

The previous two years saw my relationship with my brother improve but left me alone in almost every other way. My friendship with Angela was the only one I took with me beyond Forks. We didn't attend the same school and eventually drifted apart after the first year. Making friends in college proved difficult for me. Past experience told me that they wouldn't last, which made me feel that I shouldn't even bother.

Jacob and I had maintained a close friendship, but it faltered when I elected to join my brother in Texas. What hurt the most was that Jacob gave me two months before I got scared again and ran back to Washington. Given my history, I could hardly blame him, but his lack of faith in me still hurt.

The other members of the group, Jasper, Alice, and Rose, were a mystery. All I knew for certain was that wherever Jasper was the girls were close by. Those three would never be far apart from one another. I was terribly curious about where they were and what they were doing, but Edward and Emmett hardly ever mentioned their names. Too much love still existed for it to be a topic open to discussion. They mirrored Jasper and me in that way. All three couples suffered from too much too soon.

When I stepped out of my car, I was enveloped in a huge hug. Emmett still didn't know his own strength. "Welcome home, Bells."

If possible, my brother was even larger now than the last time I saw him. "Em, I need to breathe," I choked out.

"Sorry," he said as he let me go.

Edward grabbed me for a quick hug. "It took you long enough to get here."

I knew he was referring to the two years rather than my drive down here. They both had been pestering me to come down to Texas the whole time we were apart. "I'm here now."

"Yes, you are," he said as he gave me another hug.

My relationship with Edward had changed by leaps and bounds. We were as close to a brother and sister as you could get without the blood. When I wasn't on the phone with Emmett, I was talking to Edward. In the spring of my sophomore year in college, it was him that ultimately convinced me to come to Texas.

With their help, I was unpacked and moved in within an hour of my arrival. They were now giving me a quick tour of the house. The second floor had all three of our bedrooms and two bathrooms, one of which the guys shared. The main floor had an open floor plan with a large living area and an updated kitchen.

A few hours later, we were sitting in the living room waiting for the lasagna to finish cooking. My one chore was food, which seemed like a fair trade. Emmett was in charge of vacuuming and trash, while Edward took care of the dishes and the dusting. The yard work was left to their tenant in exchange for cheaper rent.

"I was thinking tomorrow we could show you around town," Emmett suggested.

"Sounds good."

"It will have to be in the afternoon, though. I'll be at the gym in the morning."

Edward snickered. "You're at the gym every morning."

"That reminds me. I need to give you my extra game pass when the season starts. You'll have to sit next to this punk," Emmett said as he threw a tennis ball at Edward. "But I'm sure you won't mind."

I was actually looking forward to seeing my brother play. I had only managed to watch one of his games on television. He didn't get much playing time during those first two seasons but was expected to start this year. It would be nice seeing him play again in person. Edward and I had already made plans to attend all of the away games.

The slamming of a car door got my attention. "Are you expecting someone?"

Neither one of them seemed to want to answer. After a minute, Edward finally spoke up. "It's Laurent. He moved down here six months ago after he had a falling out with Jasper."

I flinched at the dreaded name being spoken out loud. I could think the name. Hell, I could read the name, but what I couldn't take was saying it or hearing it.

"I'm sorry," Edward said removing me from Jasper hell for a moment. "We should have told you, but we didn't know if you would come."

Laurent. I had only met him once, and it was on one of the worst nights of my life. Just thinking about him and that time made my legs start to tingle with the need to run.

Emmett sensed my need for escape. "You only just got here. I don't want you leaving again. You have to get over this shit, Bells."

As much as it irked, I knew he was right. I had been running since that day I left Jasper two and a half years ago. So much of my life had become a game of avoiding the pain. I didn't make friends. I didn't date. It was a hollow attempt at making sure I never grew attached to anyone or anything. When I found myself starting to grow interested in someone, I bailed on them. I lost count of the number of almost friends I made and the number of offers from guys that I ignored. My life was empty, and I only just recently decided that I should change that.

It wasn't any one thing that made me wake up to the world again. One day, I just got lonely. It started when I saw the familiar faces walk by me as I sat on my favorite bench. I had become quite the people watcher. The same people walked by me at the same times every day. They were living their lives while I was hiding from the very thought of having one.

People could have normal relationships. Friendship was possible. I knew these things, but my heart would start its erratic thump. My stomach would clinch into knots, and I would walk away. The thought of allowing someone close hurt me physically. I could blame it on Jasper or my relationship with my father, but the truth was that I did this to myself. I was my own worst enemy. A smile from a stranger was met with cool eyes. A kind word was met with suspicion. My body language was a signal to one and all to move on and ignore the sad girl with the lost love and the faraway look in her eyes. I didn't want to know anyone, and it was mostly because I didn't want to know me.

My vision of myself was clouded with a stark awareness of just how destructive and selfish I was. People's lives were hurt by my actions. No further evidence was needed than Edward and Emmett. Their relationships ended as a result of my leaving Forks. Emmett didn't want anything to do with Jasper and eventually Rose chose her cousin over my brother. Edward and Alice tried to hold on, but it became more and more difficult as clear lines in the sand were drawn. When all was said and done, the bonds of friendship were broken. Hurricane Bella left only two houses standing, and they couldn't coexist.

A strong hand squeezed one of my own. "I just want you to be happy." Emmett's voice brought me back to the present.

You've learned from your mistakes. Make a friend. Give Laurent a chance.

I smiled absently and reached around Emmett to open the door.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked.

Living again.

"I'm going to invite him to eat with us."

With not so steady legs, I made my way down to the basement apartment and knocked on his door.

The door opened after a short wait. I found myself staring up into familiar green eyes. "I didn't think you would come see me."

Laurent had changed since the last time I had seen him. His dark hair was cut short, and his face looked older. There was a level of maturity to him that I didn't see in people my own age. If I remembered correctly, he should be around twenty-four, and it was a number that looked really good on him.

My memories of him were a bit foggy. We had spent only a small amount of time together, but I had a positive feeling when I looked at him. "I thought you might like to eat dinner with us," I offered.

He ducked his head and smiled. "One question. What are your circumstances now?"

I laughed. "They are free and clear, but I still don't date."

"We'll just have to work on that, won't we?" He stepped out of his apartment closing the door behind him.

With much more confidence going up the stairs than I had coming down, I led him to the kitchen door. When we walked inside, Emmett and Edward stopped in the middle of their conversation. I could tell that they hadn't expected him to join us.

Edward spoke first, "I took the lasagna out. The timer went off."

Dinner started out quietly. It slowly erupted into story telling time as all three guys told stories about their time in Forks together.

Some of them were funny. Like the story about Alice's horrific Halloween party that left all three of them and both girls dyed alien green from the costumes she insisted that they wear. Jasper was the lone hold out, of course. Getting him to dress up would have been impossible. There was a story behind that, but no one would tell me.

Another story was sad. Laurent talked about the time a friend of his was killed in a car accident after a party. The kid had been drinking and lost control. It was what motivated Alice to start hiring people to watch over her parties. No one was allowed to drink and drive. Designated drivers were mandatory if a person wanted to attend.

The story that was the most revealing was when all three of them talked about going camping with Laurent and his dad. It was during this story that I found out that Laurent was Jasper's cousin on his dad's side of the family. That information explained a whole heck of a lot. His branch of the family didn't have the money or influence that Rosalie and Jasper's side had. They were not poor by any stretch of the imagination, but they were by no means wealthy.

After dinner, Emmett and Edward cleaned up the kitchen while Laurent and I sat in the living room talking. I found out that he was working as an assistant to the strength and conditioning coach at the university. It didn't surprise me. He was in very good shape.

After chatting for about an hour, Laurent made his excuses and left for the evening. I was disappointed when he left. Talking to him was surprisingly easy. He made me smile often with his subtle flirting and silly stories about my brother. Having him around was going to be a good thing. I was already enjoying my time in my new home and wondering just what the hell took me so long to get down here.

My first two weeks in Texas were relaxing and hot. The temperatures were averaging around 100 degrees on most days. Not a single drop of moisture fell, and judging from what I had seen, there wouldn't be any for a long time. I wasn't complaining so much as just observing how different the weather was. To tell the truth, I really liked it. The change made me feel like I was living a new life.

My time with Emmett was limited by just how busy he was. When he wasn't at the gym, he was at school. It would only get worse as the season grew closer. We made a point to spend the evening together along with Edward. Watching old movies together became a routine for us. Every night one of us would pick a channel. My brother liked war movies. Edward liked old gangster movies. I liked anything without romance.

Edward's schedule wasn't any less busy than Emmett's. He spent most of his free time volunteering at the hospital where Carlisle worked. His parents lived in a small town that was just a twenty minute drive outside of this one. The day after I arrived, Edward brought me to visit them. Though we had talked on the phone, it was the first time I had seen them since Christmas. True to form, they hugged me like a long lost daughter. In truth, I felt like one.

Laurent floated in and out of the picture for most of those two weeks. Some nights he would join us, but others he would be out with friends. During the day, he spent most of his time at the school. He was just as busy as Emmett in that respect.

As for me, I was exploring the surrounding small towns. I picked a different one every day and would eat lunch in the smallest restaurant I found. It guaranteed me a conversation with many of the locals, who enjoyed sharing their stories. My initial motive was to get out and start meeting people again. I had always felt more comfortable around people who were older than me. The conversation flowed easy, and they appreciated the company as much as I did. It seemed like a nice test run before school started back up soon.

I never anticipated that I would become so enamored with small town life. I revisited towns every few days and was greeted warmly by the people who I had met. They were so welcoming and kind. It really made me feel like I finally had a taste of Texas. It was truly like every other place, only a little more relaxed. My previous visions of the state included cowboys and tons of livestock. I found that, but it wasn't what really made the towns I visited. They were made up of everyday people who lived simple lives and loved family. They weren't stereotypes; they were themselves.

The middle of July brought with it record temperatures and a new job. I was now a part-time clerk at a small bookstore located just off campus. My first week of work was a disaster. The cash register hated me, and the owner, an elderly gentleman by the name of Aro, thought that hitting on the help was acceptable behavior.

Now when I mentioned hitting on the help, what I really meant was that the old coot kept hitting me in the butt with his cane. Every five seconds, I would hear his gravely voice order me around and then punctuate the words with a light smack from his walking stick.

"Stock those books, Bella." Smack.

"Check those customers out." Smack.

"Go on break." Smack.

"You have something on the back of your pants." Smack.

Yeah, that something was his cane hitting my ass.

At first, it made me mad. Then, it started to grate on my feminist feelings. A week into it, I just started to laugh. He would likely have offended others, but I was onto his game.

Aro wasn't a bad person. He was just a silly fool who wanted to make me smile. I think he saw something in me that told him I needed a laugh. His answer was to push my buttons until he found my breaking point. It started with the cane, which he stopped doing after I threatened to break it over his hard head. With that option gone, he moved to nicknames.

Bee Bee came first. Bella Bug and Brat followed. The B words got to be redundant so he moved to my last name. Swan Lake was a particular favorite for him and lasted the better part of my second Monday. When that got old, he decided to call me Crow's Feet, which I abhorred. After trying out all the possible varieties of names that his mind could muster, he finally found his favorite. Aro now called me Brown Eyes, which I loved.

He always said it with a twinkle in his eyes and a wink to punctuate the two words. It added a sort of lightness to our interactions, and I soon found myself growing quite fond of him. Everyday he would greet me warmly and give me a list of busy work a mile long. I would complain like a brat just so I could hear him threaten to fire me.

Aro was a sensitive soul. His wife was the one who originally opened the store. She didn't really like books. What she enjoyed were the college students. She told him that they made her feel young. Ten years ago, those feelings came to an end when she was stricken with a rare blood cancer. After she died, Aro came out of retirement and ran the store in her memory. He kept a smile on his face and a laugh in his heart as he let her legacy live on.

I walked out of the back room and made my way to the register at the front of the store. Aro was sitting in his favorite wing chair that he positioned just next to the register. He liked to tease me by saying that it was his way of keeping me honest.

"Hey, Brown Eyes. Did you get that list done?" he asked in usual gruff voice.

I smiled. "I always do."

"Figures. Can't you slack off and give me something to complain about?"

"If it makes you feel better, I might have forgotten to dust the reference section."

Aro tapped his cane on the floor. "Lazy brat."

"Old goat," I threw back with a smile.

A lyrical voice interrupted our exchange. "Call him Old Fart. He likes it better."

Victoria.

I turned to greet my new friend and co-worker. She was one of the best things about working here. Her warm nature invited you in and made you want to spill your secrets. Aro hired her just a few days after he hired me, and the two of us had become fast friends.

With her flaming red hair that fell in wild curls around her shoulders, Victoria was hard to miss. She walked into a room and all eyes were on her in a flash. It wasn't just her beauty that caught people's attention. It was her alarming fashion sense. Being colorblind made it difficult for her to put together an outfit that matched. Rather than fill her closet with clothes she knew she could coordinate, she played up the difference between herself and others.

Her clothes were a rainbow of crazy. Today was red jeans with purple boots. She paired them with a black vest over a green and white striped polo shirt. The finishing touch was the multiple wallet chains that ran from her belts loops creating a skirt of metal links around her waist.

Victoria was an original, and I loved that about her.

She linked our arms together and leaned her head on my shoulder. "We should play hide and seek. You can go first."

It was another one of her odd suggestions. She was always bored and looking for a way to amuse herself. On the first day I met her, she ran to the sporting goods store and bought some foam balls to play dodge ball with. She quickly learned that throwing a foam ball was as pointless as an unsharpened pencil.

The bell on the front door rang announcing the last customer of the day. As I turned to greet them, I was momentarily struck dumb. In pranced one of the last people I would have ever expected. With her ballerina's grace and radiant spirit, I would have recognized her if she was wearing a bag over head. No one moved like her. No one had her glow.

Alice.

I felt all the blood drain from my face. My stomach clinched into a painful knot, and my heart did a little flutter reminding me that it still lived. I stood perfectly still as I watched her walk to the history section.

What the hell was she doing here? And what the hell do I say to her?

Victoria whispered in my ear. "Are you okay, Bella?"

No, I was anything but okay. Memories of another life flashed in front of my eyes. An unused classroom. A spoiled boy. A selfish girl. A bad decision. A coward's way out. After all this time, why did she have to show up now?

Aro stood up and moved next to us. "Who is she?" he asked.

I turned and smiled weakly at my very concerned boss. "She's an old friend. I haven't seen her in a few years."

"Well, go talk to her."

Sure, and I'll follow that up by jumping out of a plane.

In my book, Alice was synonymous with Jasper, and he was synonymous with a pain in my chest that had only just gone away. I couldn't handle it. I had to get out of here before she could see me.

I untied my apron and threw it behind the counter. "I have to go. I'll see you two tomorrow. Please, don't tell her that I work here."

Before either of them could protest, I flew out the front door and ran across the parking lot to my car. I didn't even bother with my seatbelt as I turned the key in the ignition and hit the gas. My car took off with a roar as I picked up speed quickly. I barely registered tapping the clutch and switching gears. My mind was entirely focused on escape.