Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.

Rated M for a reason.

Chpt 20 One Bullet Dodged

JPOV

Staying in LA is gettin' to be a problem, I had to run for miles to find a decent meal and this tree. It's a nice tree though, comfortable an' with a good view.

There's a lot I need to think about. Him, Bella and whatever bad shit Pete says is comin'.

Bella and I had a long talk this mornin' about Edward. She misses nothin', she saw my reaction to the news last night an' she wasn't gonna leave it alone until I told her what was botherin' me. She doesn't think Alice's vision is a problem, she thinks that so many decisions have been made an' so much has changed that anything Alice saw years ago is a fuckin' mute point. I wish I could be so sanguine but at least she understands my fear that I'll change her and the matin' pull will kick in an' she'll be off lookin' for him before I can even blink. So no, Edward turnin' up before then ain't anythin' I can't handle, it's afterwards that scares the shit outta me.

Which was the other thing we talked about this mornin', like I said, she misses nothin'. When we spoke in the forest an' I asked her if she understood what I was sayin' in part I meant about my wantin' her forever. I didn't think she'd a picked up on it but she did, she knew exactly what I meant.

She wants me forever too. I can't say I've ever been happier, or luckier. I'm in love with the perfect woman an' she's in love with me too. The lord knows I don't fuckin' deserve any of this but I'm gonna take it an' enjoy it for as long as possible. Of course I told her every last revoltin' detail about me, what I've done an' what forever with me might be like and if she still wants me after that then I ain't gonna fuckin' argue. That woman's got more backbone than an elephant, not the sexiest comparison in the world but she's amazin' to me.

Given a choice I'd change her right this second but she wants to get this shootin' business cleared up first, one way or another and I can understand that. I must admit that I was surprised after all she has a life. But she don't see it that way, says she's just existin' and her life is with me an' Pete an' Char and that she was always meant to be a vampire, I reckon she's right.

The sound of Pete's approach jerks me out of my thoughts and soon he's scalin' my tree.

"So you're gonna change her then?" He asks, settlin' himself onto a limb.

I just laugh, you can't keep anythin' from Pete for long.

"I've got the builders in on the Wyoming place. Its perfect, nice an' isolated, easy to defend an' plenty of game for the pair of ya."

"Thanks Pete."

"That's what a bro's for J."

I laugh again. It always amuses me that Pete and I think of ourselves as brothers, technically as his sire I'm his father. Somethin' I ain't above remindin' him of when he's bein' a pain in the ass.

"So we're leavin' next week after her hearin' are we?"

"Yeah, she doesn't wanna hang around, says too much can go wrong."

"Amen." Pete nods. "Not takin' any risks with my lil' sis. She's gonna be an awesome vamp J, fuckin' awesome."

We lapse into a comfortable silence.

Eventually I have to ask. "So what's this shit you think is comin'?"

"I dunno J, I wish I did. We're all gonna be in a shit load of danger an' we'll need to be on the top of our game."

Silently I trawl through a list of suspects which isn't as easy as it sounds.

Edward's hardly a shit load of danger at least not to us, more of a danger to himself maybe. The Volturi? They've had The Major on their radar in the past but that was a long time ago and lil' old Jasper Whitlock ain't likely to be botherin' 'em much. Bella's gonna be changed soon so there shouldn't be a problem there. The majority of our enemies from The Southern Wars are dead, I killed most of 'em. With the exception of Maria, Rutilio killed her.

Rutilio. He headed up the other most powerful coven in the south after Maria. When we went up against 'em she killed his mate but he escaped. Leavin' a mate behind is the biggest mistake you can make, revenge is a strong motivator for our kind and nothin' gets us goin' like the loss of a mate. Hence my concern about Edward. But Rutilio ain't got a scent, he escaped the massacre an' we couldn't track him. He disappeared. Pete and I heard on the grapevine a few years back that he'd re-surfaced an' given the evil bitch what was comin' to her. Since then the only time we hear about him is when some dipshit turns up lookin' for The Major sayin' Rutilio told 'em we know where he is. And that's always worried us some, we don't know if he knows who I am or not, all we know is as soldiers for Maria's army we Whitlocks are on his shit list somewhere just probably not as high up as The Major would be.

So if we discount Edward that leaves The Volturi, Rutilio or forces unknown. And forces unknown is the one that worries me most. For the most part the vamps that turn up lookin' for a fight with the Whitlocks or The Major are too stupid to survive but there are some out there who play this game very seriously, large sums of money changin' hands in bets. Those are the dangerous enemies, the ones you don't fuckin' know about. It's always bothered me, the danger it puts my family in but it's worse now because it puts Bella in danger too.

And I have to wonder if I will be able to protect them, one of the reasons The Major always won in the past was because he didn't care an' he had nothin' to live for.

If there were no Major then maybe there'd be no danger.

Pete's been waitin' calmly for me to finish my train of thought but I must have been projectin' because now he's frownin' at me.

"Don't do that J, okay?" He says sternly. "We're a fuckin' family and we'll fight and die as one if that's what it takes, sweet thing's gonna feel exactly the same way. I know."

"Thanks Pete." I push my love for brother out as hard as I can.

"Aw J," his eyes go wide an' innocent "I know ya fuckin' love me, there's no need to show it, ain't manly bro."

And before my fist can connect with his jaw he launches himself backwards out of the tree.

"Missed me ya fucker!" He shouts.

Leaping after him I set off chasin' him through the forest. He's fast but eventually I catch him, pinning him to the ground an' givin' him the pastin' he so richly deserves. Cheeky bastard.

Having worked off our surplus energy and frustration we dust ourselves off and start headin' back to the house.

"So what do ya thinks comin' J?" He asks as we walk.

Before I can answer my cell rings, seeing the caller ID I hold it up to show Pete. He raises his eyebrow in question.

Shruggin' I answer the call. "Hello Carlisle."

"Jasper, how are you? I hope you are well?"

"I'm fine thank you. The family?"

"We're all very well thank you. Well, everyone except Edward and Alice."

"Ah." Not sure how to answer that one.

"Yes, well." He continues soundin' uncomfortable. "They are part of the reason I am calling you."

"Yes?" I ain't helpin' him out, if he's gonna say what I think he is then he's on his fuckin' own.

"They are both rather upset at the moment."

Silence.

"Edward has been in Los Angeles." He continues eventually.

"Has he? It's a nice city, I hope he enjoyed his visit." Pete's got both hands stuffed in his mouth while I'm talkin' to try and stop from laughin'.

"You know very well he did not Jasper."

"I'm sorry Carlisle I haven't seen him in over four years, I'm afraid I have no idea why he wouldn't a enjoyed a trip to LA."

"Jasper, he was looking for Bella and he found her with you."

"Ah."

"Yes, quite. Obviously he was very concerned about her safety with you and the Whitlocks but, um he was also very concerned about your, er, relationship with her."

"Well please thank him for his concern Carlisle but my relationship with Bella is just peachy."

"Jasper." He sighs heavily. "I am sure you can understand how he feels, he believes you have stolen his mate. He is very angry."

"Where is he Carlisle?" I erase the teasin' tone from my voice allowin' a hard edge to creep into it.

"I have persuaded him to come home, we are in New Hampshire at the moment. He will be back here tomorrow."

"Well Carlisle I sure appreciate you callin' to let me know. Might I suggest you keep him there? Under the circumstances neither Bella nor I will be pleased to see him if he turns up here again. Do you understand what I'm sayin'?"

"Yes Jasper I do. I will do my best but I ask you to remember that he is my son."

"I'll try Carlisle." I sigh. "I really will."

In silence Pete and I pick up our pace quartering across the land around the house and it isn't long before we cross Edward's scent. Following the trail we find ourselves in the shrubbery overlookin' the pool.

Pete inhales. "He was here last night, while we were in the pool."

"How the fuck did we miss him?"

Pete shrugs "J what were you an' my lil' sis doin' out here last night?"

I smirk.

"You gotta learn to multitask J." He shakes his head and then starts to howl with laughter bendin' over an' slappin' his thighs. "I'll bet poor fuckin' virgin Eddie's scarred for life."

Realisation dawns and I start laugin' too. Talk about stakin' a claim. Best not tell Bella she might not find it quite so funny.

Reining in our laughter we enter the house.

Bella pounces the second we walk in the door.

"Edward was here last night!" She almost yells.

"We know, Carlisle just called me. How do you know?" I ask, concerned.

"Because he just fucking called me too!" Her face is bright red and she's blazin' with indignation. "How did he get my fucking number!"

Carefully I push some calm out to her as I put my arm around her shakin' shoulder. "He could have got it from anywhere baby, your number's not unlisted."

"Oh." A little of her rage dissipates. "Of course. Do you want to hear his message?"

Pete and I nod eagerly.

"Bella." Its Carlisle's smoothest doctor tone. "It's Carlisle Cullen here. Edward informs me that he, ahem, saw you in Los Angeles last night and as a result we, the family are extremely worried about you. Please will you call me and let me know that you are well? Thank you."

"You should call him sweet thing."

We all turn to Pete in surprise.

"It'll get Eddie off our backs for a while if Carlisle tells him that you're safe an' happy."

"Do you think so?" She asks chewin' her lower lip in that damn sexy way.

"I know so."

"But I don't want to talk to any of them." She wails.

"It might be best darlin'" I sigh "a text message probably ain't gonna help."

Growling she flips open her cell and returns the call.

"Carlisle. Thank you for your belated concern about my welfare. Please tell your stalker, I'm sorry, your son that if he comes anywhere near me again I'll fucking shoot him. Good Bye."

That's my girl, I'm so proud.

Pete an' Char are laughin' like loons an' its a few moments before he can speak. "Well it wasn't quite as reassurin' as I was hopin' for sweet thing but I reckon you got your point across well enough."

And then she does it again. "Jasper, just exactly when last night was Edward here?"

Oh oh.