Chapter Thirteen

Jasper

I should have thought about it when I avoided eating with Bella, suspicious and scared as she was she assumed I wasn't eating because the meal was tampered with and by the time I showed her that it wasn't it was too late. She was distraught and when I followed her upstairs a few minutes later it was to find her locked in the bathroom sobbing.

"Bella, this is getting to be a bit of a thing between us, talking through a locked door. I'm sorry I frightened you, I should have given it more thought. I guess I underestimated how hard it is for you to trust anyone right now. Do you forgive me?"

There was a moment's silence followed by a click and the door swung open to reveal Bella looking at herself in the mirror with a groan.

"I look terrible. I'm the one who should be apologizing, I told you that I trusted you then acted as if I didn't."

"We'll just forget it then, shall we?"

She nodded and after washing her face she came out and sat on the balcony staring across the fields.

"It's so peaceful here, no traffic, no people, no noise."

I sat beside her on the rattan sofa and we watched the birds in silence for a while then she continued still not looking at me.

"I remember...bits. I was close to you all for a while, wasn't I? The family I mean, that's how Carlisle recognized me and why you're all helping me now."

I nodded.

"Yes until Edward decided we should leave."

She screwed her face up.

"A party! That's why I remembered a birthday cake."

She was talking more to herself than me now so I just listened without comment wondering how far her memory would take her.

"I never wanted the damn party but... Alice... Alice insisted."

She turned to me, eyes wide with shock,

Alice is your, oh!"

I stopped her there.

"Alice and I parted a long while ago, Bella."

She frowned and looked away again.

"Over me?"

"Only partly, but yes that was one of the reasons."

I was about to explain when she spoke again.

"You.. they said you tried to attack me at the party and... Edward left... to keep me safe."

I nodded, and thought, here's where it goes to hell in a handcart!

I waited,

"He wasn't worth all the pain I felt," she said sadly.

I was stunned, what was she saying?

She continued in a monotone as if there were no feelings left inside her.

"He wasn't worth it... he left because of that? He should have protected me... not run...but why would they think you attacked me?"

She shook her head, that memory wouldn't come but something else did,

"There was someone who came after me when he left.. she had flaming red hair..."

"Victoria," I supplied.

She nodded,

"Yes, that was her name… she was a…"

Her eyes opened even wider and I waited for the hysterics I thought would come but I should have known Bella better. She just turned to me with that same flat voice.

"Vampires, you were all vampires. You saved me from James, that's the memory I had first, you told me I was worth saving. You didn't attack me at all, did you? It was their fault..."

She sat up straighter in the chair and I could see a gleam of pleasure in her eyes, her memory was slowly coming back a little at a time but in bigger increments now.

"The wolves protected me….they saved me from… the guy with the...".

She made a gesture in the air around her head.

"Laurent."

"Yes, Jake came and.."

She put a hand to her mouth in horror as another memory hit her and this time it provoked a strong reaction.

"Jake… Oh God, I was getting married."

I knew this of course, but I wouldn't have mentioned it if she hadn't.

Turning to me she sighed and continued sadly,

"I didn't love him, at least not enough, but I would have married him."

I didn't understand this.

" Why would you do that?"

Her reply was heartbreaking.

"To make him happy."

I shook my head.

"That's not a good enough reason to get married."

She laughed bitterly and looked down at her hands folded once more in her lap.

"It's a common enough one. My heart was already broken but he still wanted the pieces so I said yes. But... I never married him, did I?"

"No. You went missing the night before your wedding."

I could see her struggling and failing to dredge up more.

"I can't remember, Jasper."

And with that, she started to cry again.

Bella

It was all coming back to me in little pieces and the idea of remembering what happened before I found myself in the alley terrified me. Someone was after me, Jasper had stopped them once but would they find me again? And if they did would he be able to stop them a second time? If they were just men I was confident that he could, but if there were other vampires involved, who knew? He was my only hope though, and I intended to stay as close as I could to my self-proclaimed protector.

He held me until I ran out of tears then fetched a box of tissues and waited while I dabbed my eyes and blew my nose realizing I must look a complete trainwreck now but somehow it didn't seem to matter. He just sat there waiting patiently for me to say or do something, anything at all.

I didn't feel pressured to keep talking but I did anyway finding that it helped.

"Did you know Jake?"

"No, not really, Edward did, he was jealous of Jacob Black."

"Why?"

I was curious and he laughed,

"Because Jacob was his rival, in his eyes".

"Oh? But Edward told me he didn't want me anymore. That he was bored with a human girl, that the novelty had finally worn off."

I saw Jasper's reaction to my words, a furious expression crossed his face before it regained its usual mask of impassivity.

"Do you know where I've been all this time? If you do, I want you to tell me. Nothing could be worse than staring into a huge black hole."

He shook his head and I believed him.

"Not yet but I will and when I do someone will pay."

I sighed and leaned against his side feeling safe when he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"It's not your fight, Jasper."

"Well, let's just say I'm making it mine along with keeping you safe."

I lifted a hand to my mouth about to worry my thumbnail which was jagged from previous nibbles but Jasper put his hand over mine and gently pressed it back down. I was too weak to protest and in truth I was glad, it was a terrible habit but something I had picked up while missing. I wondered what else I had picked up and promised myself to keep an eye on everything I did but for now I was just so tired and closed my eyes feeling the last of the sun's rays on my face and knowing Jasper's skin would be glowing, a dull sheen that made him appear ethereal, like a spirit rather than a real person.

Jacob Black

Every time I came home to the reservation I wished I hadn't, there were just too many damn memories of Bella here. The cabin we had planned on making our home was occupied by Leah and her husband now with their first kid on the way but it should have been us and our child not them. Billy was recovering from his chest infection so I could leave again soon, where I would go I had no idea but as far from Forks as I could get. I'd cut my connection to the Quileute pack, I was a lone wolf now and spent most of my time in that form, it was easier. I didn't have to make small talk with those I met on my travels or carry clothing and my meals were free but no matter how far I ran I couldn't outrun my memories and God knew how I had tried.

When I entered the cabin having been into town shopping to fill up the freezer for Billy I heard the phone ring. I ignored it knowing it wouldn't be for me but then my dad called me through. As he told me who it was I looked at him as if he were speaking an alien language.

"Who?"

"I know it sounds crazy but he says it's Edward Cullen."

"What the fuck does he want?" I asked angrily.

Billy threw me the phone.

"Why don't you ask him? I'm not your social secretary."

Then he wheeled himself out the door coughing as he exerted himself.

I waited until he was out of earshot before speaking.

"What do you want, Cullen?"

He didn't like that but it sounded like he was trying to be mysterious, talking in a low voice.

"I have some information I think you might be interested in."

"Really, and what would that be? How to kill a leech quicker?"

He hissed through his teeth but didn't hang up which puzzled me, he was the touchiest guy I'd ever met normally.

"I know where Bella Swan is."

I cursed him as his words hit me like a steam hammer and I staggered.

"It's true, she's still alive. She just surfaced and I know who she's with, in fact, she's probably been with him the whole time."

I was gripping the phone so tightly the plastic shell groaned and cracked, shards of the plastic digging into my palm.

"If you're yanking my chain I swear I'll rip you to pieces, Cullen. She's dead."

"No, she's very much alive and I'm offering you a chance to get her back."

I hesitated but what did I have to lose? Except for my self-esteem which was already pretty much lost to me.

"OK, I'll buy it. Where is she?"

He laughed.

"I'll take you to her."

Now it was my turn to laugh, me and Cullen going on a Bella hunt, sure! Like I was gonna trust him?

"Yeah, right, and I'm supposed to just trust you? I don't think so, Bye."

As I was about to cut him off he spoke again.

"If you don't save her, I think he'll turn her, or kill her. Are you prepared to ignore this chance, Black?"

I thought for a moment but he already knew what my answer would be.

"What's in it for you?"

"Let's just call it payback shall we?"

"OK, but I'm bringing friends," I warned him.

I expected him to put up a fight at that but he just agreed straight out

"Sure, the more the merrier so long as they remember whose side I'm on. I'll meet you at Port Angeles airport in the morning, 8 a.m sharp and don't be late."

I went to find the pack, I knew however much I wanted to I couldn't do this alone, not if Bella was with vampires. I would need Sam and the pack to back me up but it wasn't going to be easy to persuade them that Edward Cullen was telling the truth, hell, I found it hard enough to believe myself.

As expected they were skeptical and full of questions.

"Why tell you now, Jake? He's just yanking your chain. If he knew where Bella was, supposing she was still alive, you'd be the last person he would tell."

"Paul's right, Jake. Edward Cullen hated you more than any of us. Besides, if Bella were alive don't you think she'd have found a way to contact her parents, if not you. She loved her dad and there's no way she would have left him not knowing he was OK. At least she would have heard of his murder and come back. Much as I hate to admit it she wouldn't have left you at the altar either, it wouldn't be Bella's way."

The others agreed with Jared's objections although no one could come up with a good reason why Edward would suddenly want to meet me if not about Bella.

"I can't see him planning a trap for us, why would he? He left town more than two years ago so why wait until now? Besides, he wouldn't dare start a war with the guardians, the Volturi would rip him to pieces."

"Exactly, Jared. Well, I'm going, is anyone going with me? Or do I face the vampires alone?"

They looked at each other and then at Sam waiting for his decision while I paced back and forth eager to get going, alone if necessary.

"Very well, we'll go, but Jake, you have to accept orders from me when we move as a pack or no one is leaving the rez."

I had expected that proviso, the pack was only strong when it worked together, so I agreed. I was relieved that I would have them watching my back and excited at the thought that Bella might truly be alive. I didn't want to think about what she had been doing for the past two years or who she had been with, that could wait. For now, I just wanted her back where she belonged, with me. There would be time enough for answers later.

Edward

I put the phone down with a smile,

"Yes. Got you, Major Whitlock. Bella goes to rehab or with the dogboy but you don't get her, no way."

I turned to find Rachel standing behind me,

"Very mature, Edward. Are you really concerned about Bella Swan or is this a case of 'I don't want the pretty toy but you're not playing with it either?'"

I hated my wife sometimes, but she was so beautiful and so sexy. I grabbed her, kissing her throat as I carried her into the bedroom. She was mine, all mine, and by tomorrow evening Bella would be right where she belonged. Either with Jake or in an asylum. I didn't much care which, just that she was out of Jasper's grasp. He didn't deserve a girl like her, damaged or not. He'd lost her for me and I sure as hell wasn't giving him the wreckage that was left!