Once again thank you for the reviews. I know I promised daily updates for a while and I kind of slacked off the last two days but hubby took the damn internet stick away with him for two days grrr! Its back in my possession now On a positive note I'm up to writing New Moon for this. Anyways enough of my ramblings, hope you enjoy this chapter.
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CHAPTER NINE
"We recently had a visit from Maria," Peter said finally, knowing Jasper would be well aware of their emotions.
"Maria?" Alice echoed and glanced worriedly at Jasper but his face was set like a stone as he stared at their visitors.
"What did she want?" Jasper asked bluntly.
"She said she was just in the area and wanted to say hello," Charlotte sighed and rolled her eyes. "But that witch never does anything without an ulterior motive."
"You know she can't hurt you anymore sweetheart," Peter said quickly as he put his arm around his mate's shoulders.
"I know that," Charlotte nodded and flashed him a smile. "It's her questions that bother me."
"I know," Peter nodded and turned back to look at Jasper and Alice. "She was asking all sorts of questions about you, my brother. If we had seen you lately, how you were, where you were, if you were still feeding on animal blood and if you still…"
He broke off and glanced at Alice with a sigh.
"If you were still with Alice," Charlotte finished for him apologetically.
"I told her in Calgary that is never going to change," Jasper snapped lightly.
"I bet she had some colourful words to describe me," Alice smirked, remembering the vile names Maria had called her the day she had found out that Jasper had not only left her forever and moved on but married another.
"A few," Peter admitted.
"Alice doesn't need to hear them," Jasper said quickly.
"Believe me brother I would never utter such language in the company of two women," Peter answered. "We just thought you should know she is still showing an interest in you."
"She can show an interest all she wants," Jasper shrugged. "I will never return to her, her army or that way of life."
"I think she knows that," Charlotte nodded.
"You didn't tell her where Jazz was did you?" Alice frowned.
"Of course not," Peter assured them. "We just wanted to give you the heads up that she was still looking."
"She can look all she wants," Jasper sighed.
"Well, that's enough about Maria," Charlotte said brightly. "Tell us, what have you two been up to since we last met."
Jasper and Alice launched into the details of their lives over the past few months and then Peter and Charlotte took their turn to bring their friends up to date. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was setting by the time they had finished when Emmett rushed into the room with Rosalie at his side.
"Jasper, Peter," he said excitedly. "Are you two up for a game of football tonight at Rainer Park?"
"Boys only?" Charlotte frowned.
"Well no, it doesn't have to be," Emmett replied. "Do you play?"
"Oh yes!" Charlotte squealed.
"Well what do you say then?" Emmett grinned as he glanced around the group.
"Like I have any choice but yes," Peter laughed as Charlotte bounced excitedly beside him.
"For sure," Jasper added.
"Count me in," Alice nodded.
"Babe?" Emmett asked as he glanced at Rosalie.
"I suppose so," Rosalie muttered.
"I'll go see if Esme and Carlisle want to come too," Emmett grinned excitedly and rushed from the room.
An hour later the group were making their way to the park and Carlisle glanced at Emmett.
"Maybe we should have called and asked Edward if he wanted to join us," he mused.
"I tried, there was no answer," Emmett replied. "I left him a note in case he comes home."
They reached the park then and Emmett quickly got the game organised. Jasper, Alice, Peter and Charlotte played against Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme and the game was great fun for them all. When they finally finished Emmett's team won by a small margin and he was gloatingly happy.
"Well, I had to let you win at something didn't I," Jasper teased. Emmett growled as the rest of the family laughed and then Emmett suddenly tackled Jasper to the ground. The others stepped back to avoid the mud splatters and continued laughing as they watched the two men wrestle.
"You can do it bro," Peter called out in encouragement and moments later Jasper pinned Emmett to the ground and then leapt off him with a smirk.
Emmett rolled himself in the mud until it covered him and Jasper just smirked as he got to his feet. As Emmett made a lunge for him Jasper slipped neatly from his grasp and raced over to Rosalie. He grabbed Rosalie and held her in front of him and she let out a squeal.
"Emmett Cullen, don't you dare!" Rosalie growled playfully when Emmett looked like he was about to pounce on them. "If you get me covered in mud I will kill you."
"You don't play fair," Emmett grumbled as he glared at Jasper and Jasper laughed as he walked back over to join Peter, Charlotte and Alice.
"Shall we head back to the house?" Carlisle suggested once they had all settled down and they agreed.
XXX
Peter and Charlotte's two day stay came to an end quickly and it seemed like no time at all when the afternoon of their departure arrived. They were spending their last couple of hours sitting in the living room chatting with Jasper and Alice when Edward finally walked into the house. Charlotte glanced up as he came into the room but he ignored everyone as he went straight to the piano and began to play.
"Have fun in Port Angeles tonight," Alice thought as soon as she saw him letting him know that even with their guests she had been keeping an eye on her visions of his future. "Let me know when I'm allowed to talk to Bella."
She kept her attention on Jasper, Peter and Charlotte as their visitors began making noises about leaving and she noticed they both glanced at Edward, probably wondering why he was I such a strange mood.
"If you see Maria again tell her I wish her well," Jasper said pulling Alice back to the conversation and away from her thoughts about Edward.
"I don't imagine that will happen soon," Peter nodded. "But if it does I will certainly tell her."
Jasper and Peter shook hands as Alice and Charlotte embraced and the Cullens began to move towards them to say goodbye. Even Edward cut his song off and got to his feet and walked over to them.
"Charlotte, Peter," he said with a nod of his head.
"It was nice to see you again Edward," Charlotte murmured as Peter just nodded back and Edward slipped out of the room.
Peter and Charlotte said goodbye to Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie and then Jasper and Alice followed them outside as they walked out to their car.
"It was good seeing you both," Peter nodded as they both opened their doors.
"You too," Jasper smiled.
"You're always welcome," Alice added.
"Same with you," Peter grinned. "Come see us soon."
"We might just do that," Alice smiled but Jasper knew the chances were low. Although Alice loved his friends she worried when they went to visit them that they would influence Jasper to drink human blood although they never ridiculed the Cullens for their strange diet.
"We'll see you soon," Peter promised and they climbed into the car. Jasper and Alice stood together and watched as the car pulled out and disappeared down the driveway and then Alice snaked her arms around Jasper's waist.
"It was good to see them again," she murmured.
"Yes it was," Jasper agreed and placed a kiss on her hair as he pulled her into his arms.
XXX
Later that evening Jasper and Alice were snuggled on their bed together as Alice flicked through a fashion magazine she had sent from Europe and Jasper read a civil war book, that for once was actually pretty accurate.
He was looking at the pages of the book when he suddenly realised their anniversary was approaching. He tried to let his mind wander, not settling on a gift for her although a few ideas flittered through his head. This was one thing he didn't like about being married to a psychic, he very rarely got to surprise her. He felt his frustration slip through his defences and quickly reined it in as he glanced at her but she seemed preoccupied with her magazine.
He felt Alice tense beside him and glanced up at her and he immediately recognised the sign of her glazed eyes that she was having a vision. Hoping she wasn't seeing any of his ideas for their anniversary he watched her for a moment before speaking.
"What do you see?" he murmured but she responded by shaking her head and then letting out a gasp.
"Oh no, Bella!" she groaned.
"What is it?" Jasper asked more urgently.
"She went to Port Angeles with friends tonight," Alice whispered in horror. "She decided to wander off. The path she is on now is dangerous."
"Dangerous, how?" Jasper demanded.
"A group of men have noticed her," Alice murmured in the slightly eerie voice she often got when she was talking while looking at visions. "She's lost in some back streets and they are doubling back to surround her. They are going to…"
"Going to what?" Jasper gasped.
"Attack her," Alice moaned and flung herself into Jasper's arms, her visions making her feel as violated as they suggested Bella would be.
"This is happening pretty much instantly?" Jasper asked, knowing he wouldn't have time to get to Port Angeles if it was in the very near future.
"They've already noticed her and made their decision," Alice nodded sadly.
"I'll try calling Edward," Jasper said quickly and grabbed his cell phone and dialled Edward's number but the phone rang out without being answered.
"He isn't answering," he told her needlessly but then she suddenly bolted upright as her vision changed.
"Wait, it's going to be okay," she sighed. "Edward is already looking for her."
"Do you see him finding her in time?" Jasper asked breathlessly.
"Yes," Alice nodded and a small smile slipped onto her lips. "He's going to stop them before they do her too much harm. They will scare her but they won't hurt her. Oh Jazz, he's going to take her to dinner afterwards."
"Dinner?" Jasper smirked, amused.
"Well, for her silly," Alice giggled and leaned back relaxed now the whole vision had played for her.
"He's gone into a restaurant just so she can eat?" Jasper asked in amusement.
"You went in a diner without needing to eat," Alice smirked at him. "And look how well that turned out?"
"You have a point," Jasper grinned.
"Oh," Alice said suddenly and went serious. "He's going to tell her. Well she is going to guess most of it but she knows for sure now, or she will."
"Knows what?" Jasper frowned.
"Everything," Alice said in a whisper. "She knows he can read minds and she knows he's a vampire, that we are all vampires."
"Alice, no!" Jasper gasped in horror, as usual his mind only going as far as the possible repercussions for the love of his life. "Are you in danger?"
"Not at all my love," Alice assured him. "She isn't going to tell anyone. Opposite of in fact. She is going to take it all very calmly and they are beginning to fall in love."
She giggled with delight at the thought of Edward and Bella together and Jasper shook his head, a wry smile appearing on his lips.
"You are such a hopeless romantic," he teased her lightly and she just looked at him and flashed him a huge smile as she bounced on the bed in excitement.
