Chapter Six

Jasper

I had sensed that one of the wolf boys was close by but I knew that Bella was friends with them, it had been one of the things she and Edward fought about constantly. Personally, I didn't think they were any danger to her, she wasn't a vampire and now she and Edward had parted the Quileutes had nothing to worry about but then again he would have seen her with me so perhaps I would stay close, just to keep an eye on things. The wolves were notoriously hot-headed and Bella wouldn't stand for any nonsense and might rile him.

I parked up a few streets away and made my way quickly back to a position from which I could see the house and hear the conversation inside. I grinned as I heard Bella's words, she was acting true to form and I thought to myself, good on you Bella, don't take any nonsense from the cub. Then it registered that his emotions were becoming heated and I was about to step in when I heard him curse and loud footsteps as he left the house furious with Bella and probably himself for letting her get the last word in.

Once I was sure he had left I went back to my car and drove slowly home wishing I was still in that cozy little house in Forks and as I pulled up and heard raised voices I wished it even more. Emmett had somehow upset Rose again and I wondered what he had said or done this time.

As I walked in they were standing in the hall and Rose turned on me,

"I expected better of you."

I looked at her stunned by the accusation which came out of the blue,

"Me? I've just walked in, what have I done?"

"You lied."

"Right, OK, when in particular am I supposed to have done that?"

I admit I was confused, when had I lied to Rose?

"You told me you heard Bella was looking for an escort to the dance and you stepped in."

Whoops! Emmett had opened his mouth and put his size 50 foot in it!

"I did, it wasn't a lie."

"Really? So you didn't step in to save Emmett's neck when I returned earlier than expected?"

I glanced at Emmett who nodded glumly but he was in enough trouble without me adding to it,

"I told you, I heard Bella was without an escort and stepped in end of the story, any problem you have with Em is between you two."

She glared at me but she knew I wouldn't say any more on the subject so she changed tack,

"Where have you been all afternoon? Alice rang."

That came as something of a shock,

"Here? Why didn't she ring my cell phone? Is everything OK?"

"I guess she rang home because she expected you to be here on a Sunday afternoon. She's fine, she and Edward are going to New York for a few days and then they'll fly back and meet us in Seattle at the end of the term, I said I'd pack her things for her unless you want to?"

I shrugged, right now I didn't really care, I was still thinking of Bella and then it hit me that I shouldn't be, Alice was my wife.

"I'll do it but I thought she'd be coming home sooner."

Rose sighed, a sure sign her anger had abated,

"Me too, she must be missing you like crazy. I guess Edward was in a worse state than we thought."

I nodded and went upstairs to our room, Alice wasn't coming back before the end of term which was another two weeks away so maybe I could see Bella again before then preferably out of school. I flopped into my old leather recliner and closed my eyes thinking what are you doing man?

A few minutes later I heard Emmett's footsteps and with a rap on my door he came in and sank down on the bed,

"Man, that was close. Thanks, Jazz. I guess I said something I shouldn't and she was on it like a shark on blood. Where were you anyway?"

"Out, I had to pick up a book in Port Angeles."

He leaned closer and sniffed then shook his head,

"You took Bella with you? It's a good job Rosie was too angry to pick up on that. What's going on?"

Just my luck that Emmett picked this moment to become extra perceptive, thank goodness the same couldn't be said for Rose.

"Nothing, I just thought she might like a ride out and I like her company."

He studied my face,

"What about Alice? I mean I know she's away and she and Bella are friends but even so…"

I glared at him feeling inwardly guilty,

"I might point out that you were the one who offered to take her to the school dance behind Rose's back."

He groaned and closed his eyes,

"I know and look where it's got me. You just be careful man, Alice gets jealous too."

I was getting sick of people reminding me of that and snapped my reply out.

"Then maybe she should be here with me instead of in Portland with Edward."

He got up nodding,

"Good point but please Jazz, don't do anything stupid, I like Bella."

"So do I and I won't, now go sort out your own love life."

He grinned,

"Fighting may not be not much fun but making up sure is."

And with those words of wisdom, he left me alone with my thoughts which although forbidden were warm and wonderful.

The hours until school the next morning seemed long even though I had a new book to read. I couldn't focus on the printed words, instead, I kept drifting back to the afternoon, those few precious hours I had spent in Bella's company and every time I did so Alice's face would float into view and ruin it. Did I love Alice? Yes, I did, what was there not to love? She was warm and funny, loving and strong but was I in love with her? I hesitated, I was no longer so sure but I had to give it a chance, maybe Bella had caught my attention because I was lonely. I wished Alice would come home instead of flying around the country with Edward, didn't she know I needed her? Or, did she no longer need me? These questions haunted the dark hours before dawn until I could take no more and tried to ring her but it went straight to voicemail so I left a message telling her I was sorry I had missed her call and asking her to call me when she got my message.

My phone stayed stubbornly silent until Emmett called me to see if I wanted a lift to school. I agreed solely because I was too distracted to drive myself and grateful that neither he nor Rosalie seemed eager to talk. We split up once he pulled up in the parking lot and I hung back to look around hoping to see Bella's old red truck parked in its usual spot until I remembered her saying that her dad was taking it to get new tires fitted. Going to my first class I knew I wouldn't remember a thing I heard, my mind was already too full of conflicting thoughts and emotions.

At lunch, I made my way quickly to the cafeteria but she wasn't there and I took my usual place at our table with Em and Rose feeling depressed until I heard my sister hiss in disapproval and looked up to see Bella approaching.

"Hi there, did you remember that book, Jasper?"

I looked into her beautiful face and drank in the sight as I fumbled in my bag only to remember I had left the book sitting on my table at home.

"I'm sorry, I forgot."

She looked crestfallen then recovered,

"Never mind, maybe tomorrow. Hi Emmett, Rosalie. Guess I'd better get something to eat. Bye."

As soon as she was out of hearing Rose pounced,

"What book? Why is she sniffing around you now?"

I rolled my eyes, certain to upset my dear sister even more but I couldn't help it,

"Bella is not sniffing around anyone. I offered to lend her a book and I forgot it, that's all."

She snorted,

"I don't like it Jazz, we got shot of her when she kicked Edward into touch, probably the most sensible thing she's ever done but I don't want her back in our lives, just leave her be. I'll be glad when the year ends, that girl is nothing but trouble."

I couldn't take any more of Rosalie's idiotic fantasies that humans were dangerous and Bella more dangerous than most so I picked up my tray and left the cafeteria without another word.

I went outside and found a spot out of the softly falling rain to sit and read, the only person outside at this time of day. It was peaceful and I began to relax a little when I heard someone approach and looked up expecting to see Rosalie ready for part two of the anti Bella speech but it was Bella herself and she looked troubled.

"Can I join you?"

"Sure"

I moved over to make room for her on the bench and waited,

"Look, I'm sorry if I caused problems for you with Rosalie, I know she hates me and I guess she'd rather I stayed away from you all. Don't worry about the book you must have more important things to worry about like Alice coming home."

"She isn't…..coming home I mean. She and Edward have gone to New York, she won't be back this semester."

Bella looked at me keenly,

"What do you mean?"

"We're supposed to be going to London for the summer and I've no idea where we'll go after that but I doubt it will be back here, don't forget Rose, Em, and I are graduating."

Her face fell,

"Of course, I forgot sorry. So, what will you do?"

"What we always do I guess, move on, start over."

"Don't you find it depressing going back to school and doing the final couple of years over and over? I know you enjoy learning but even so, there must come a point when you've heard it all."

I nodded,

"It does although I haven't done it as often as the others, Alice and I didn't join the Cullen's until about fifty years ago and before that remember I'd never been inside a schoolroom."

She studied me for a long time then began to bite her lower lip, a sure sign I had noted before that something was bothering her,

"When you leave, do you ever return? I mean for a visit?"

"Sometimes, but not for fifty or sixty years when everyone who might remember us has died or moved away, or at least that's what Carlisle told me. They were here in Forks once before but I guess Edward told you about that."

She nodded,

"Yes, it was in the nineteen forties I think. So, when you go I'll never see you again?"

Was she really bothered about that? About never seeing me again or was she thinking of Alice, the girls had been quite close before she broke up with Edward.

She looked at her watch and groaned,

"Back to the grindstone, I guess."

As she got up I took the plunge,

"Bella, I could drop the book over this evening if you like."

She turned and smiled,

"Thanks, Jasper but I don't want to put you to any trouble."

"You aren't, would seven be OK?"

She nodded brightening,

"Yes, that would be fine, I have some baking to do but it can wait until tomorrow evening."

"If you're sure then?"

She nodded smiling at me and left but I stayed where I was, somehow I couldn't be bothered with afternoon classes, instead, I headed home to do some serious thinking.

Emmett

I really wished Jazz had let things with Bella drop, I knew he was lonely with Alice away and meant nothing by it but Rosie had her own ideas and I had to hear all about them!

"I'm telling you Em, I saw Jazz and Bella sitting outside together after he left the cafeteria."

"Well, maybe they were just arranging for him to deliver the book he promised her."

She looked at me scornfully,

"Are you blind? Stupid? Or both? Bella Swan got bored with Edward so she dropped him, now she's moving in on Jazz and he's too naive to see it. If Alice were here she'd soon tell Miss Swan where to go."

"Jazz, naive? I don't think so Rosie and we both know he's crazy about Alice. Bella does too, it's just friendship."

She arched one exquisite eyebrow,

"Really? I just wish Alice would come home, surely Edward can look after himself, he's not a baby who needs coddling….well, maybe he is but her place is back here with Jazz and with us. I think I'll ring her, let her know what's going on."

I grabbed her arm and pulled her close,

"Leave it Rosie, you'll only cause trouble and in just over a week we're out of here and they'll be together again. Anyway, you're thinking way too much about him and not enough about me, I'm beginning to get jealous."

It was an obvious deflection but she fell for it and pulled me close for a kiss,

"Em, you are all that matters to me, I just hate to see anyone I love making a big mistake but just for you I'll keep my thoughts to myself….for now."

I felt pretty good, I'd saved Jazz from a real ear-bending and my Rosie was a past master at that and I decided that made us just about even.