Just to let you know I'm going to be away for the next week but I'll post if and when I can. Many thanks to all those reading and reviewing my stories. Jules x
Chapter Twenty Six
Bella
We stayed like this in silence for a while but I was worried he might fall back into the dark place again.
"Jasper? Can you speak to me? Please try, you're scaring me"
"Bella?"
It was more a sigh than a sound but he was communicating and I'd take whatever I could get for now.
"Yes its me, are you OK?"
His head moved and I lifted my own to look into his eyes which focused at last, and registering me he looked awkward.
"I'm sorry Bella"
"Hush, don't, there's no need to apologise. I should be apologising to you, I don't know what came over me. I was just trying to get a response I guess."
His lips curved in a ghost of a smile,
"It felt good."
"How are you feeling?"
He closed his eyes for a moment,
"Weary, so very weary, but I shouldn't be here worrying you Bella and taking up your time. I'm really sorry, it just kind of hit me without warning".
"Jasper, you can have as much of my time as you like, now stop apologising."
He pulled me close again taking deep breaths of my scent and I could feel the tension leaving his body a little at a time. His shirt was crumpled and pulled from his waistband showing part of his belly and I couldn't resist the urge to touch the scars I could see there. He misunderstood the slight shiver that ran through me as I touched him,
"I'm sorry, my shirt's still wet, you must be cold."
He was right of course it was except where I'd leaned against him and the heat from my body had only partially dried the cotton. I sat up,
"Perhaps you should take it off. I'll hang it over the heater, it wont take long to dry."
He hesitated then shrugged and pulled it over his head handing it to me as if the very task, doing that much, had worn him out. I tried hard not to stare at the sculpted body now revealed as I limped over to the heater, draping his shirt over the back of a chair.
"I really shouldn't be here Bella. You have enough problems of your own, you really don't need mine too."
"Well I don't think its a good idea for you to walk out of my door stripped to the waist so unless you're taking the fire escape I guess you're stuck here a while. Besides its nice having company that doesn't want something from me."
I could feel his eyes on me as he lay back with a deep sigh,
"You really didn't get anything but aggravation from us did you Bella. Look at you now, making a new life for yourself despite all the hurdles you have to overcome and we have to turn up and make things even more difficult for you. I'm so sorry Bella."
"Hey, it's not your fault. This was an accident and there are a lot of people much worse off. I thought about giving up, I wanted to and then I thought no. I wasn't ready to give up, I still had some fight left in me but I wanted a fresh start. That's why I left Forks, left everyone who remembered me as I was. I'm not the same person as the girl you met in Forks."
He smiled, it was still weak but it was an improvement,
"No, you aren't, you're much stronger than that girl and I'm not the same man, I'm much weaker."
"Then perhaps we need each other for a while eh?"
His eyes so full of hurt and confusion started to clear a little,
"You are a very unusual girl Bella Sw..."
The door bell rang insistently and he froze.
"Its OK, probably someone from work wanting to know if I'm OK. Stay there I'll be back."
I struggled to my feet and cursing under my breath I limped to the door and opened it, not expecting the figure that pushed past me into the room almost knocking me off my unsteady feet. Edward took one look at Jasper laying there among the blankets his shirt missing and screamed in rage, his face twisted into an ugly sneer,
"You bastard, you couldn't wait to fill my shoes could you? How dare you? Bella deserves better than an animal like you. I knew you were hanging around just waiting to take advantage of her."
As he said this Edward grabbed Jasper's leg and dragged him towards the window intending to throw him out. I knew Jasper wasn't totally recovered by any means and hadn't hunted or Edward would never have got away with such actions. Grabbing my cane I swung it round and hit him on the back of the head as hard as I could. Stunned he dropped Jasper and whirled on me,
"Bella what the hell are you doing? Have you lost your mind?"
"I'm doing something someone should have done a long while ago Edward Cullen"
I punctuated my words with blows of the metal cane which buckled under the onslaught but kept him away from Jasper.
"Get the hell out of my apartment and don't you dare come back Edward Cullen."
He backed away holding his hands up to protect his pretty face and throwing the stick at him I looked around and snatched up the lighter I used for the gas.
"If you don't get the hell out I swear I'll set you alight."
He continued to back up until he hit the door frame when he stopped looking over my shoulder,
"You animal."
"Hey Edward, don't insult my guest, you want to say anything say it to me. Now get the hell out and don't come back."
I struck the lighter and moved forward waving it before me seeing the fear in his eyes before I shut the door in his face.
There was another knock almost immediately and this time I had every intention of making good on my threat. I had the flame alight as I wrenched the door open only to find a guy I'd never seen before standing there looking impressed,
"Well I'll say this for him, The Major knows how to pick a girl with backbone. Now would you mind pointing that flame somewhere else, its making me nervous"
As I looked more closely I realised he too was a vampire but I didn't know him and without that there was no way I was putting my weapon down. He peered over my shoulder and raised an eyebrow nodding his head then looked at me again.
"Sorry we haven't been introduced, my name is Peter, Peter Whitlock and I am The Major's oldest, no make that only, friend. I was impressed by the way you tackled Edward the Ass hole, can't stand the prick myself."
I heard Jasper groan and turned to see him looking surprised but not alarmed,
"What are you doing here Peter?"
"Ah, he walks, he talks, well almost. You look like shit Major. I knew something was up but having a girl cover your ass? And a human at that? Very sloppy Major, very fucking sloppy"
I put my weapon down and stepped aside and he slipped past me looking round.
"Well, it's not the Cullen house thank fuck and you my dear aren't a Cullen so things have finally improved for The Major. Why don't you get dressed while this pretty young creature and I get to know each other."
Jasper struggled to his feet and looked around for his shirt but I shook my head,
"No way, it's still wet. Just sit down and you can tell me who the joker is."
Jasper collapsed into the chair and lay his head back,
"This is my friend Peter, a loose cannon with a very dirty mind, not to mention mouth."
"You slander me my friend, I haven't started swearing yet.
"Where's Charlotte?"
"Parking the car and chatting up the rather cute doorman I expect or she could just be waiting to see that Cullen actually leaves, take your pick."
"Who's Charlotte?"
"That my little mouse is my mate and The Major's only other friend. Now, shall we sit down and you can fill me in, then you need to get off your ass and hunt before you decide your friend here looks like a meal."
He gazed at me, wondering what response he would get to his words but I just smiled,
"You're the one with the red eyes, so its you I should be watching."
"Nah, I've just fed, besides it's the height of bad manners eating your friends...well whatever you are."
He sat down on the couch and patted the seat beside him,
"Come on, get comfy and tell me a story. I love stories."