I don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyers does.

Chapter 7

"Where are we going Charlie?" Bella asked her mind was in a whirl thinking about all that had been revealed and all she still didn't know.

"Jasper built a shelter for me when I found out he was a vampire." Charlie answered as he reached down on the ground and pulled up a ring that Bella hadn't seen. He motioned for her to climb down. Bella looked down the hole tentatively before grabbing hold of the ladder and starting to climb down.

"Why?" She asked when they both reached the bottom.

Charlie didn't answer at first and set about lighting some lanterns that were hung on the walls. Bella looked at the now revealed room, forgetting for a moment her question. There was a bit of furniture, two chairs and a table with a checkers board on it. Built into the wall were bookshelves lined with books. On a far wall were more shelves lined with various canned goods and bottled water. There was a cot nestled in the back of the dim room.

Charlie motioned for Bella to sit and she did, looking at him expectantly.

"When I found out he was a vampire he built this shelter. It is well hidden and booby trapped. We developed a signal knock so that I would know if it was him or someone else, if someone tries to enter. He has explosives rigged to go off if I press that button on the wall. It would kill anyone trying to get in while we remain safe in here." Charlie told her while setting up the board for a game.

"I don't understand why though Charlie." Bella said before taking the first move. It had been a long time since she played checkers with her dad.

"Do you know about the Volturi?" Charlie asked moving his own piece.

"The what?" Bella asked.

"It is a large coven of vampires that rule the vampire world. They have strict rules about humans finding out about vampires." Charlie told her briefly.

That surprised Bella. Why hadn't Edward told her about this? Was she in danger too? "What happens if the Volturi find that a human knows about vampires?" Bella asked.

"They are either killed or changed. More often killed." Charlie said looking at Bella with a frown.

Bella looked at him in shock. "What about the vampires that revealed themselves?" She asked worried for the Cullens.

"From what Jasper said it depends on the kings mood. He said that Aro likes to collect gifted vampires so gifted ones would most likely be recruited into the guard." Charlie said looking at her with concern.

So Edward and Alice would be safe but what about Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme? "What about the ones without gifts?" Bella asked licking her suddenly dry lips.

Charlie sat back in his chair with a sigh. "It depends on Aro's mood. Jasper said he is not very predictable, most likely they would be reprimanded."

Bella bit her lip, she didn't like the sound of this. Her knowing about the Cullens put them and her in danger. Why would Edward risk not only her life but his families? His reasoning for not changing her seemed weak in the face of the consequences. She looked around the room they were hiding in. Everything looked freshly stocked and had obviously been built for Charlie's comfort. At least Jasper made a plan for Charlie's safety if the Volturi found out.

It made her angry. "So Jasper was just going to hide you in here indefinitely if the Volturi came after you?" She asked. She couldn't be mad at Edward so redirected her anger on Jasper. Hiding her father away for years seemed cruel.

Charlie laughed. "No, this is for an emergency. He made more contingency plans than I could keep up with. I usually just nod my head and smile when he talks about them." Charlie told her still chuckling.

Bella crossed her arms over her chest. "Why didn't he just change you?" Maybe there was another reason not to be changed that the Cullens were afraid to tell her. Some reason that stopped them from changing her, other than they just didn't think she was worthy of being a Cullen.

"He wanted to." Charlie said turning his eyes from Bella.

"And you didn't want to because you didn't want to kill anyone." Bella finished for him. Charlie was the chief of police, he wouldn't want to be a danger to those around him.

"You don't have to hunt humans Bells, I'm sure you know that." Charlie told her.

Bella frowned. "Why didn't you want to be changed?" She asked again. Surely it would have been easier and safer. She had already gathered that Charlie cared a great deal for Jasper. His staying human put Jasper in danger.

"I didn't want to leave you Bells." Charlie said softly.

Bella stared at him, her eyes narrowed. "You had no problem leaving me before." She said old bitterness surfacing.

Charlie turned his eyes to hers, the hurt in them made her gasp and regret her words. "Not by my choice Bells."

Bella stood up angrily. She wasn't sure if she was more mad at him or herself. She hadn't been a good enough daughter, she wasn't bright and beautiful like Renee. She must have disappointed him so much. No she shook her head in denial, he was the one who had picked his life in Forks over her. "You could have come to Arizona any time to see me, but you never did."

Charlie looked down in shame. "You're right Bells and I am sorry. At first I was so hurt over your mom leaving I just didn't want to see the life she built for you and her away from me. I loved her very much. Then in time I became Chief and it was harder to get away. It's excuses I know and I am sorry I should have put away my feelings and been there for you Bella. You deserve more."

Bella stared at him. He was talking to her and it shocked her, but she was still so angry at him. "You hardly sent support. I don't know how many times we struggled to pay bills and you are the chief, surely you make enough money to have helped us more." He had sent her gifts and the occasional card with money. He had also called her every week, Bella supposed that was more than most children got from their fathers but a voice in Bella's head screamed she had wanted more. She wanted her father there. She wanted his calm presence to offset her flighty mother. She wanted him to take care of Renee so she didn't have to. She wanted her childhood back!

Charlie turned away from her at her words and Bella stared at his back in shock. He walked over to the shelves and got two bottles of water. He opened one and took a drink handing her the other one. Bella shook her head. She was a little thirsty, she looked up at Charlie's face and relented taking the bottle and letting a little of her anger go. Whatever was in the past didn't matter. What mattered was right now. Charlie was talking to her and maybe she should give him more of a chance. She took a drink.

"Do you think Edward and the Cullens will be hurt? I mean Jasper won't hurt them by mistake will he?" Bella asked. She got the impression that Jasper knew who the Cullens were but she couldn't be sure.

Charlie smirked a bit. "Jasper..." Charlie stopped as if gathering his thoughts. "Jasper is a fighter but he is also the most compassionate man I have ever met. He knows who the Cullens are and won't hurt them. I have every faith that he will take care of this rogue coven too."

Bella was still worried. James had been frightening and the Cullens were out there trying to protect her. She didn't like it, she didn't want them hurt for her. She looked over at Charlie's now relaxed posture. He didn't seem worried at all.

"Tell me about Jasper." Bella said. She was very curious about him. He was so mysterious, she didn't even know the color of his hair.

Charlie smiled. "How about this, you tell me about Edward and the Cullens and I will tell you about Jasper." He asked her.

Bella returned his smile. "Deal. You first."

Charlie moved a checker piece jumping two of hers. "I met Jasper a year before you were born..." He suddenly stopped and sat back in shock.

Bella looked at him with a question in her eyes.

"An Alice Cullen told me about her ex-boyfriend being out in the woods and it lead me to Jasper. Do you think it's the same Alice Cullen?" He asked but Bella could already tell that he was thinking it was.

"She sees the future from decisions made. I think it is a very good possibility." Bella answered in a whisper. What was Alice up to?

Jasper watched red hair flowing through the trees. She wasn't trying to hide from him. He could tell by her actions and emotions she was a decoy. He wasn't going to bite, he turned away from her and began to run in the opposite direction.

He felt her frustration and confusion but ignored it. He couldn't smell or feel James yet but he was sure that he would be on Bella's trail. As he had studied the coven from the shadows of the baseball game he had gotten quite a bit of information.

Even though Laurent had talked to Carlisle he wasn't the leader. James had no respect for the darker vampire. In fact he had seemed to not even want to be there. Jasper was sure he wouldn't even fight. The red head, Victoria was obviously the mate of James. Her emotions were full of love and obsession for the ponytailed vampire.

James...he was a bastard. Jasper felt his sadistic emotions. The man was arrogant and liked to prove his superiority. He guessed from the reactions that James was some kind of tracker. He wasn't worried when he left the Cullens, he had been confident. He hadn't even tried to spy on them, to see where they were going. That meant he knew he could find them.

Jasper knew exactly the best place to ambush James and made his way there. He hoped Victoria would follow. He had let her distract him a bit just to suck her in. Ideally he would like to take them both out at the same time. He didn't want to chance them escaping. He grinned as he felt Victoria's emotions behind him. She was frustrated, confused and just a bit worried. He knew she would follow him.

He quickly made his way to his trap, making sure to leave a clear trail for anyone who wanted to follow him, and hid himself in the trees waiting for James to show up. He knew he would, all that arrogance had to come from somewhere and Jasper was betting that it was from a gift of tracking.

He waited for a couple of hours before James finally showed up. Maybe he had given him too much credit. Jasper grabbed the vampire as he ran by and threw him into a tree. The tree cracked but didn't fall. James growled and showed his teeth, instantly going into an attack position.

Jasper smiled, so the man knew how to fight. All the better, Jasper dodged a punch and grabbed James leg throwing him on his back. James seemed to get a hold of his anger and he began to study Jasper.

'Well time to give him more to think about.' Jasper thought as he lowered his hood. It had the desired effect, James turned his head in horror and began to scramble away. Jasper grimaced. He had wanted James fear, it would make him sloppy and easier to defeat, but still the reaction hurt.

Jasper easily caught James, the tracker was too frightened to put up much of a fight. He just tried to run and Jasper subdued him with no effort. James fought frantically and Jasper had some new bites to add to his scars but in the end he was lying on the ground in pieces.

Jasper put his hood back on when he felt Victoria's emotions approach. She was torn between the need to flee and wanting to save her mate. Jasper lit a fire slowly giving her time to make her decision. He knew without a doubt she would soon try to save James. The mating bond once established was too strong to be ignored. Still he would have to be careful, she had proved to be slippery and he wanted this ended now.

He bent over and picked up one of James legs intending to add it to the fire when she made her move. He turned and used the leg as a weapon, swinging it like a bat he hit her in the side. Instead of falling back she grabbed the leg and tried to take it from him. Jasper grinned and reached out to grab her, she dodged him but wasn't quick enough and he managed to get a hand full of hair. He pulled her close to him gaining a hold on her neck.

"I'm sorry but you threatened what is mine." He whispered in her ear before detaching her head from her body. He went about his gruesome work of dismembering and burning the bodies, frowning. Why had a picture of Bella entered his mind when he had said that. Why did he feel like she was his? And where were the Cullens? He had worried about running into them but he hadn't caught any trace of them.

Author's note: Happy Easter everyone!