Bella
I felt like the vampires in my life were conspiring to get me to tell Jasper how I felt before it was too late. Alice must have seen something and was keeping it from me. I would find a way to get her alone and get it out of her. I needed to know! I was so happy that Rose and Esme had wanted to spend time with me, but I was suspicious as soon as they started questioning me. I know they had the best intentions for me and that's why I couldn't be mad at them. They were right, I had to let Jasper know how I felt. I had just realized the depth of my feelings for Jasper that day in school.
Mike Newton had made a snide comment about how I couldn't seem to stay away from the Cullen family and I started thinking about that. I knew I would never want to live with out Jasper or any of the Cullen's and that's when it hit me, but especially Jasper. I loved him. He had pieced me back together after Edward left me broken. We had found each other in this crazy world and completed each other. He needed to know. I was so happy to see Alice return, but also a little nervous. I was in love with her ex-husband! Even though Jasper had told me that Alice had foreseen us together and was okay with it, I still felt guilty. Once she had grinned at me and rushed forward to hug me, I knew I had nothing to worry about. Alice was completely fine with me and Jasper. Garrett had outed my wishes to join the family and I loved him for that. It was so much easier for me to admit it, once he had brought it up. It also got both Jasper and I to admit our feelings of love even more and I owed Garrett hugely! I hated to talk about my emotions and Garrett made it so easy for me. I hoped we would become good friends.
I missed having a good friend outside of Alice and Jasper and even the rest of the Cullen's. Jacob had refused to speak to me anymore, once I had told him that Jasper was staying in Forks for me. He told me I needed to choose which side to be on and when I refused he stopped being my friend. It upset me so much at the time, but with Jasper being around to help me, the pain from that wound had healed as well. I wished nothing but the best for Jacob and hoped he would find his happiness someday. I had hoped that we could be friends down the road, but if I was joining the Cullen family, there was no way that would ever happen.
Alice surprised me by waiting for me in my truck after school the next day. I expected Jasper and for the second day in a row I was greeted by another vampire. Jasper had been meeting me there everyday since he returned and saved my life. It was weird to not see him again and I was a little bummed.
"Hi Bella" Alice said and started bouncing up and down in her seat. "I know you're upset I'm not Jasper, but I also know you wanted to talk to me privately and this was the best I could come up with. I told Jasper I missed the school and needed to see it" she laughed. "He bought it of course as I was feeling how much I would miss Garrett while I was gone".
I laughed at her, "Oh Alice! I am excited to see you and I'm sorry if I didn't act like it. I'm glad we have a few minutes to talk alone". I hadn't started the truck up yet and was reluctant to do so.
"We can sit here to talk if you like, but if you're not home in your normal driving time, Jasper will come looking for us. Garrett too. So you start driving and I'll talk. I can see everything you want to know and I do talk super fast" she said in a rush. It's a good thing my brain was functioning today or I would have missed half of it. I laughed for a full minute at her before I started the truck and headed for home. Home?
"I'm not going to your house?" I asked a little disappointed. I wanted to see everyone.
"No we are all going to come hang out with you at Charlie's" she said excitedly. "Except for Esme and Carlisle of course. I've missed your father and it will be good for him to see how much the rest of us love you". I nodded at her, yes that made sense. It would give Charlie some peace of mind if he could see how much I loved them as well.
"Bella, I know you are a little apprehensive about my feelings towards your and Jasper's relationship and I want you to know that I wish nothing but the best for you both. I am so happy that you found love with each other. You complete him, and he completes you. I know you can feel that. Jasper is the happiest and most open I have ever seen him and that is because of you. And you have healed so well with his care and love that it feels as if there was never a hole there to begin with doesn't it?"
"Yes" I answered.
She beamed at me, "That's what I have always felt from my visions of you two. You will be amazing together. More in love than anyone I have ever seen. Your relationship will just grow and grow and your change will enhance it even more. I can't wait for you to feel the full love and all that Jasper has to give. Which brings us to your next question" she waited for me to ask. We both knew she already saw what the question was, but I loved that she let me ask it anyways. I needed to ask this one before she just answered it.
"When Alice?" I whispered.
"If everything goes as I see it happening, Friday" she waited for me to process that. Friday? I would only have a few more days with Charlie and school? How could I possibly prepare him for this?
I realized what Friday meant and gasped, "Edward is going to change me?"
She shook her head slowly, "Not change you Bella, but hurt you. He's going to hurt you badly and Jasper will be the one who does it". We were almost to my house and I started to drive even slower. I finally pulled over on the shoulder of the road and parked. I turned my whole body to look at her.
"How is he going to hurt me? I need to know. Why aren't you telling Jasper? Do the rest of them know?" I threw all my questions to her at once. Of course she had already seen that and was starting to answer them before I finished asking.
"I can't give you the specifics as it may change the outcome Bella. Please understand that. I am trying my hardest to be open and honest with you, but I can't give you details. Just know it will happen and you will change this weekend. Yes I've told the rest of them and the only reason I have forbidden any of them from telling Jasper is because he will never let you anywhere near the clearing if he knows that is what will happen. It needs to happen this way Bella. It's the only way I see your change happening. You can't worry about Charlie and Renee either. They will be upset to find out you died, but will both move on and heal in time. They will never forget you and will always love you".
It would devastate them to lose me. There had to be another way! I started planning and Alice curbed that as soon as I started making decisions.
"You can't tell Charlie anything Bella and you know that. I know Edward has told you a little of the Volturi and if they ever found out that Charlie knows about us, they will kill him. Stop planning on finding a way to be with him. It's not possible" she finished in a whisper. Alice really did love Charlie as much as she loved me and I knew it hurt her to lose him too. I nodded at her and put the truck in drive. She put her hand on mine to stop me and I looked up at her again but her eyes were closed.
"Emmett will help you with Charlie" she opened her eyes and smiled at me when I looked confused as hell at her, "Trust me Bella. You will know what to do when you see it yourself. Now let's go before we get hunted down by our two loving boyfriends". I laughed and reigned my emotions in as I pulled back out on the road. If Jasper felt even a hint of my turmoil over Charlie, he would worry that I was making the wrong choice. I knew that the wrong choice would be to ever leave Jasper's side and I would never do that. I wouldn't survive with out him. I didn't want him to ever doubt that and so I made sure I was nice and calm.
"Thank you for everything you have ever done for me Alice" I said to her.
She grinned hugely and I felt a little panicky, "Don't thank me just yet. Wait until you see the wardrobe I have picked out for you after the change and then thank me". I gasped at her and her grin turned a little wicked. I felt paler than normal and had to slow my breath down. Alice was laughing loudly and continued to do so until we pulled in my driveway. Emmett and Rosalie's cars were both out front. Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Garrett were all standing in the driveway waiting for us.
I got out and headed straight for Jasper's open arms, "I missed you darlin" he said into my ear as he bent down to kiss me. Kissing Jasper was the most exciting experience I have ever felt. He didn't do just a closed mouth kiss like Edward had. It was a full blown tongue in the mouth kiss that I absolutely loved. I knew he was careful not to hurt me and had to think carefully about each kiss, but whenever I kissed him, I finally felt like I was being kissed. He always made sure to thoroughly kiss me before releasing me and my pulse was usually racing out of control by the end of it. It made me feel desired and loved.
"Jasper that's enough. She may be the love of your life, but she's still my baby sister" Emmett said menacingly from somewhere next to us. I opened my eyes as Jasper finally pulled away from me. Emmett had been at least 10 feet away from us as we began the kiss, but now he was no less than an inch away. His face was drawn into a scowl which he directed towards Jasper.
"Leave us alone" Jasper mumbled as he moved to kiss me again. Emmett was in between us then, blocking my view of Jasper. Jasper was starting to growl at Emmett, who was growling right back.
"Jasper you know how much you love your sisters right?" Rosalie tentatively began, "That's how Emmett is feeling about Bella and will continue to do so until you are equals. It's his brotherly instincts and I know you can't deny him this". Jasper nodded and stepped back as Rose's words sunk in.
"Sorry Emmett" he began, but Emmett had cut him off.
"No apologizing Jazz, I'm the one who should be and I am sorry but I will protect her". Jasper nodded and grinned at Emmett, "I'm glad she has you to protect her. All of you actually". They all smiled at him and then I moved to go inside. I had to start Charlie's dinner soon and still had some homework. I was still in shock over what had taken place outside. Emmett would protect me from Jasper kissing me? That seemed ridiculous to me at first, but then I looked at it from Emmett's point of view. I was his human baby sister and in love with a vampire. He was a vampire and knew what they were capable of. I loved him a little more for wanting to protect me. I wonder if that's what Alice had meant earlier about Emmett helping me with Charlie.
Charlie had quickly gotten over his initial shock of seeing all the Cullen kids and Alice's new boyfriend. I had told him the night before that I was dating Jasper and he took it well. I think it was because he couldn't deny how much happier I was with Jasper. Where Alice had Charlie wrapped around her finger, Rose had him eating out of the palm of her hand. I could tell that Charlie was enthralled by her beauty. They all got along so fabulously that it made my heart swell. Charlie was accepting of them all, even Jasper. He had hated Edward, but never felt that way about Jasper. I thought maybe Jasper was influencing his emotions, but when I confronted him about later he swore it was all Charlie and I believed all the honesty that was pushed at me then.
Garrett and Charlie talked like they were old friends and I was glad. I was nervous about how he would react to each of the boys. His reaction to Emmett had to have been the most surprising to me. Emmett had snatched him up for a hug as soon as they met and I was silently panicking. Charlie started laughing the instant his feet touched the ground again and those two were glued at the hip all night. He loved that Emmett was so blunt and up front about everything. They even had made a date to go fishing together! Emmett had somehow won Charlie over the most and he seemed just as interested in Charlie as Charlie was in him. Before I knew it they had disappeared into the garage together to check out all of Charlie's fishing gear. I suddenly knew what Alice had meant about Emmett helping me. Emmett would get the message to Charlie that I was happy and loved when he could no longer see me. I could give Charlie that much. I looked at Alice when I felt her starting at me, as I stared after Emmett and Charlie, she smiled and nodded her head once. I was so happy that I could at least give Charlie this much. I was so glad she was allowing me to give him that.
"Can Emmett pick me up after school tomorrow?" I asked while Charlie was still out of ear shot.
"I haven't picked you up all week so far and now you want Emmett to be the one there tomorrow?" Jasper teased as he kissed my cheek. I smiled at him, "Well Alice and Rose have already done it once, so I figure Emmett could use a turn to spend some quality bonding time with me". They were all laughing and I narrowed my eyes.
"Emmett just said Jasper better agree or he's never going to allow him anywhere near you again" Rosalie whispered. Damn that vampire speed talking thing! I always missed stuff with my slow human hearing. That would be one thing that I definitely would not miss. At least they were all making an effort to tell me what I missed now. I appreciated that.
"He says it will give you two time to have a brother to sister talk" Garrett chimed in and Alice burst out laughing. I glared at her.
"I'm sorry Bella but I just saw part of that conversation and I couldn't help myself" she must have finished telling the rest of them what she saw as they all burst out laughing.
"Stupid vampire speed talkers" I muttered under my breath.
Jasper wrapped his arm around my shoulders and hugged me to him, "Emmett will be so mad at us, if we tell you anything darlin'. So please just wait until he talks to you himself?". I grumbled a yes and then Emmett and Charlie came walking back in. They all feigned sleepiness a little while later and left. Jasper would be back when I went to bed and for that I was happy. I loved spending all night in Jasper's arms and I knew I would love it even more when I no longer had to sleep through it all. Charlie had commented that they were all very polite and raised well by Esme and Carlisle. He was excited about his fishing date with Emmett and that made me laugh. How the heck did Emmett expect to spend a day fishing with Charlie? Then I realized that after Friday there would be no need to worry. Emmett wouldn't have to keep up the pretense of being interested in fishing once I was changed. I was a little sad that they wouldn't get to do that.
School dragged by as I waited for the end of the day. I really needed to talk to Emmett about Charlie before anything happened and I was impatient to get it over with. I almost fell as I ran to the truck when the last bell finally rang.
"Hey little sis" Emmett greeted me from the driver's seat of my truck as I tried to get in.
"Hey Emmett. What the hell is going on? You're not driving!" I exclaimed as I finally realized why he would be sitting behind the wheel. He reached his massive arms out to me and had me buckled in the passenger seat before I had time to blink.
"Yes I am Bella. You drive so slow and I want to see what this baby can do!" he threw the truck in reverse and went flying out of the parking spot. I was clutching the seat for my life. I knew Emmett drove way better than me on my best day and would keep me safe, but he drove like a maniac! He was the scariest driver out of all the Cullen's and I felt like I was going to be sick.
"We need to talk Emmett and I can't think coherently while being flung around on my seat" I told him. Suddenly we were pulled over on the road almost halfway to the Cullen's house. How the hell had he gotten so much speed out of my old truck? I didn't want to think about that anymore. "I need you to do me a favor" I began as my heart rate finally slowed and my stomach settled itself. He turned to face me.
"Anything sis, just name it" he grinned hugely at me.
"Please promise me that you will find a way to tell Charlie how happy and loved I feel once my change is done".
Confusion swept across his face, "Why me Bella? Charlie loves Alice the most out of any of us".
I started shaking my head at him, "That may be true, but if he hears it from Alice, Jasper, Esme, or Carlisle he will think they are lying to him to try and help him. Even Rosalie and Garrett would get the same response from him. I know my dad and he took to you the most last night Em. He trusts you because you are so honest and straight forward. He will know when it's you that tells him, that it really is the truth. Please promise me you will make sure he knows how much I love him and how it was my choice? I knew you can't tell him specifically what happened to me, but he needs to know I choose this". I had practiced my side of the conversation over and over all day in school and I delivered it just how I had wanted to.
Emmett sat there thinking before responding, "Okay Bella I'll do it. I don't know what I will say yet, but I promise to think about it before I go there. I'm glad he likes me the best, since I am the best!" he finished by exclaiming that. I rolled my eyes at him, but didn't argue. Let him think what he wanted about Charlie liking him the best. Who knows, it may be true?
"We need to talk about sex now Bella" he said. My mouth fell open and stayed there. This bluntness of Emmett's was exactly why he would be the one to tell Charlie. I sat there mouth hanging open until he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Look I know this is going to be awkward and I apologize, but we need to have this talk".
"Oh god Emmett please stop!" I begged him. He shook his head furiously. "No Bella. When you change and you are Jasper's equal, you two will eventually want to have sex and I need you to understand something. It's not easy for a female vampire to lose her virginity if it wasn't done while she human". Kill me now I silently begged as I blushed, but Emmett just kept going. He looked as though if he could blush too, he would be redder than I was. I didn't have the heart to stop him as he was so hell bent on finishing this talk. Maybe the faster he talked, the faster it would be over with. "It will hurt just as it does a human girl, but if not done properly it could end up hurting every time. We heal ourselves as you know" a light bulb clicked as I finally got what he was saying. I would heal over and over again unless something was done.
"Jasper knows what to do to get you over that, but I wanted you to be prepared. I know I could have waited or let one of the girls talk to you about this Bella. I just felt it was my big brother duty to warn you of what will happen". Why the hell did he need to warn me now when sex was the farthest thing from my mind? I thought about how to answer him without hurting his feelings.
I smiled at him, "Thank you big bro, I really appreciate your protectiveness. I have to admit I am beyond embarrassed though and wish you would have let one of the girls talk to me".
"We've kept you in the dark about so much Bella and you shouldn't be in the dark about this or anything else. You should talk to everyone about what they remember from the change and go into it as prepared as possible. I'm taking you to the house now and we all have decided to spend the rest of the night answering your questions and telling you everything there is to know about our kind". He smiled at me and pulled me in for a hug, "No more secrets" he said as he pulled away. I smiled at that as I hugged him back. We started driving towards the house again, talking about everything but sex. I was glad that talk was over and I was extremely excited to find out all they had to share with me about the vampire world.
Jasper
Bella and I had spent the most amazing five days between my house and hers. Alice, Garret, Rosalie, and Emmett had even accompanied me to Charlie's house one night. Charlie was delighted to see Alice again and they spent a good portion of the night catching up. I never knew how much she had cared for Charlie too. Rosalie seemed to take to Charlie as well. She normally shied away from most humans, but she was at ease in his presence and joining in the conversation quite frequently. He was eating out of the palm of her hand. Garrett had years of experience in dealing with humans and was comfortable as well. Emmett was the only one who worried me. He had hugged Charlie the moment they met and seemed to be entranced with him. Luckily Charlie had been amused by the hug and even laughed as Emmett finally set him down.
Emmett kept interrupting the conversation and asking Charlie questions. Charlie never seemed to get fed up with him and always answered. I sensed his emotions and he was at peace and he found Emmett's bluntness entertaining most of the time. Somehow during the course of the night, Emmett had even wrangled a fishing invitation out of the chief. What the hell was Emmett thinking? Did he honestly believe he could go sit in a boat in the sun with Charlie all day and have him not notice his sparkling skin? They went out to the garage at one point so Charlie could show Emmett all his fishing gear!
Rosalie even had to hiss at him once, in vampire speed of course, "Em, I don't know what this weird obsession you seem to have with Charlie is, but could you please knock it off? It's really freaking me out a little bit". She had caught Emmett staring at Charlie for an unusually long time. It was kind of creepy and yet funny at the same time.
Emmett had hissed back, "I can't stop myself Rose, but he's just so fascinating to me".
That was the one and only time he was permitted around the chief. We all felt it was for the best, except for Bella and Emmett. Bella thought it was endearing the way Emmett was with Charlie. Of course Emmett had thought he did nothing wrong and was trying his best to convince us all to let him come back. He was met with a resounding no from Alice, Garrett, Rose, and I. He sulked about it for two days.
I had thought things would be weird at first between Alice and me, but we fell into the most amazing friendship. She was right of course, we would always be best friends. Garrett and Bella struck up a friendship, which was quite surprising to me. They got along fantastically and acted as if they had known each other for years, instead of just days. We all reacted that way to Garrett though. He was just so easy to like and talk to. Esme and Carlisle had been quiet for most of the week. They kept to themselves most of the time now and I could feel that it was the impending situation with Edward that caused their behavior. While they were both happy for all of us and to have all of us as their adopted children, they were sad about losing Edward. I understood that, we were all sad to lose him as a family member but he had chosen this for himself. I couldn't bring myself to feel that badly for him. He was coming here to try to kill me after all and the major in me would never forget that part.
I had finally told all of my family about my past. The only other person I had ever told my horrifying past to was Bella. I had confessed everything that month we had spent together before the rest of them showed up. I had worried she would judge me or be scared, but she never was either. She was understanding and forgiving about it all. The rest of them were as well when I told them. They all told me I should have told them sooner and I was relieved. I had really opened up and finally let them in. It brought us all closer and our relationships were flourishing. It always made me happy whenever I sensed all their emotions about each other.
We had spent Wednesday evening at our house with Bella and we had made sure to answer any question she had about us. We also told her everything there was to know about vampires. Her emotions always amazed me. They were calm and peaceful for the most part, and excited for the rest of it. She was truly at peace at joining our family and that made me so happy. The only time her emotions showed any fear was the talk of the Volturi. They creeped her out for some reason and I was fascinated to know why. They were like royalty to our kind. I would ask her about it someday. I knew Emmett had embarrassed the hell out of her earlier and I was so relieved that she wasn't mad at him or any of us for not stopping him. We knew she had to have that kind of sex talk with someone and when Alice saw Emmett stepping up to the plate we all cowardly let him take the bullet for us, so to speak. Alice said it hadn't gone nearly as bad as she saw it going. Emmett had decided to reign it in at the last minute and only give Bella a vague description of what he wanted to say. I was secretly glad that he hadn't told her everything about it. Sex was the farthest thing from my mind right now and we would worry about crossing that bridge when we got there.
I could feel Alice was hiding something from me and I cornered her on Thursday about it. All she told me was that we would be playing baseball the next night and Edward would show up. She begged me to please trust her and do what she said when that happened. I readily agreed, I would never argue with what she saw after she had given me Bella and my future.
A/N: I must love you guys! Two chapter's within 24 hours and over 5,000 words! I hope you like this one as much as the others. Thank you so much for all of your wonderful reviews. If I don't respond to them all, I'm sorry. I do read and cherish each and every one though. I hope you giggled at least a little at some point in this one, as I did when I wrote it. The next chapter will be a big one & will strictly be from Emmett's pov. I'm looking forward to writing that one! *Hugs*
