Path Of the Empath
The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Twilight or to any of its characters.
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Chapter 25- Love Is A Battlefield
I was reading the newspaper, focusing my attention on the Seattle newborn issue in lieu of beating myself up over the Victoria issue. The death toll was still rising. It was so strange…I hadn't seen anything like this since…
"Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett, Alice, Rosalie, Esme-where is everyone?" Edward had just walked back in through the door. Great, just when I thought it was safe. "I'm sorry Jasper," he whispered. "I know my emotions must be slightly overwhelming, but can you please come here for a second?"
I put the paper down and walked slowly down the stairs, monitoring the emotions below me as I approached. I saw Edward standing in the front hallway. He was soaking wet and he was apprehensive. Had something happened? Did Victoria show up at Bella's?
"No, it isn't anything like that Jasper. I just have a feeling that we are going to have a problem with Jacob Black."
"What kind of problem?" I asked cautiously.
"Well, when I dropped Bella off earlier her father told her that the dog had been calling all damn day. Then, when she spoke with Jacob he didn't seem to have anything urgent to say. Bella thinks he is under the impression that I took her away for the weekend to change her."
"Well, that doesn't make sense," I said quickly. A sick feeling was starting in my gut as I remembered something I felt from Jacob. I quickly started rambling. "I mean if you were going to change her, you couldn't possibly have brought her back right?" I asked nervously.
"Obviously not." He said, giving me a strange look. "Besides the fact that she would look blatantly different, it would be years before she could control her blood lust enough to be around humans…but you already know that Jasper."
"So, I guess Jacob must have just not known that." I had to play this off. If he pulled out of my mind what I felt from Jacob…
"Of course Jacob would know that. He was probably guessing she wouldn't be coming home and was calling so frequently because he wanted to prove his theory. Something still feels wrong about it though. Did you notice anything odd when Carlisle was speaking with them?" He asked desperately.
"Um, I'm not sure," I was stalling and he could tell. His eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean? You did see something," he accused.
"No! I didn't see anything…" Shit…Um…A-B-C…no! Um…We are young, heartache to heartache. We stand no promises…What the hell am I singing? Shit…Alice, Alice, Alice…
"What is it then? Why are your thoughts so jumbled? Are you blocking me on purpose?"
"No…I'm not trying to block you." Alice, Alice, Alice…
He stared into my eyes. "Please tell me whatever you know." He asked quietly.
I sighed. There was no way he was going to let this go. "Edward, I don't know if this even has anything to do with why Jacob is calling her."
"Please, Jasper,"
"When we met the wolves at the boundary the other day, they were very territorial-as you know. Jacob Black was especially territorial though, and I felt…well…"
"What?"
"He is in love with her Edward," I said bluntly. If he wants it, here it comes. I focused on my memory of what I picked up on from Jacob. He growled and swore under his breath. I sent some waves of serenity to him, taking deep breaths to stay centered and not let him drag me under with him. He was taking the news shockingly well. Well, for Edward anyway.
"He loves her. And…what? He is going to fight for her?"
"You know I can't tell what he is going to do about it. I only know that he does."
"I am going to kill him." He moved suddenly for the door. I grabbed his arm and tried to talk some sense into him.
"Edward, you can't kill him, think about the treaty. Carlisle won't allow it."
"Carlisle would kill him too if it were Esme." He shook his arm free from my grasp and ran his hand through his hair angrily.
"No he wouldn't. If she was hurt, then yes, he would probably kill him-but Bella hasn't been hurt. She may not even know how he feels about her."
"He knows how I feel about her. He had better keep his feelings, and his hands to himself." He raged. I took another deep breath.
"Edward, can you blame him? Bella is amazing. Half the guys in school are probably in love with her."
"I know that. I have to listen to their deranged thoughts about her everyday. Four of them actually love her, the rest are more interested in her…THAT IS NOT THE POINT!! They weren't the ones she spent her time with. He is the shoulder she cried on. There has to be some connection of course…" His voice broke and his eyes grew wide.
"Edward, you know that you are the one she loves. I am telling you straight out that I have felt the way she feels. It IS you. You are the only one she loves." I grabbed his shoulders and shook him. He shook his head.
"Jasper, she deserves better…"
"Oh, no you don't. You are not doing this again. Get over the inferiority complex. I believe we have all seen firsthand that there is no life for Edward and Bella when they're apart." I was talking to him slowly like he was a child, because he kept shaking his head like he was one. Finally I had enough. I stared in his eyes and dredged up my memories of Edward's catatonic days on his piano bench. I waited until I felt the switch in emotions so I knew he saw it. "You know I'm right Edward. Play this smart. Bella probably doesn't even know…"
"Maybe she deserves to though. Maybe she should know she has options other than a ninety year old teenaged vampire who has no soul. Maybe she wants a life, with kids and…"
"She wants you. Even if you wish she wanted more." I said quietly. He was finally silent. I had called him out. He loved her so much that he wanted her to have the best. It was too bad he didn't see himself as clearly as others did. If he did, he would see why we were so proud to be his family, why Bella loved him and why we all put up with his over dramatic nature.
"Stop analyzing me in your head. I know you all care for me. I'm not going to do anything crazy. We both know that I can't ever leave her again." He grimaced, "Does it get easier?"
"Does what get easier?"
"Watching other men drool over the love of your life."
I snorted, "Wait until she is a vampire."
He glared at me and I laughed.