SO, I know you all hate me for the evil cliff hanger but I know you also secretly loved it. I've never been called evil quite as much as I was this past week. The reaction last chapter was off the hook, thank you so much for that, it inspired me to get this out that much quicker. See you all at the end of the chapter for a quick note. Thanks to Anadabyel for pimping out our lovebirds, she writes some hot & steamy stuff, check it out. Also, huge thanks to OhJasperMyJasper for mentioning this story in her amazing sequel fic Errors & Omissions, a wonderful slash tale of love and self discovery, and for all the brainstorming and hand holding both with the FF world and in RL.

Charlotte Salyers is taking her turn with Jasper, enjoy.

Only at Night

Chapter 28

Frantic


JPOV

I hated watching that plane roll away more than anything. The thought of being away from her for three long weeks made my chest tight, ache, filled me with longing. I barely said a word to Peter and Char as they dropped me for my flight. Peter told me that they were going to surprise Bella and attend graduation and then drive down to Palo Alto with us to help us get settled in. I was grateful that we would get to see them that soon, but I wasn't honestly sure how I felt about them joining us for the time that was meant to be just for us. I owed them both entirely too much to ever begrudge them that, so I kept it to myself.

I made it to California and checked into the hotel. I was heading to campus bright and early for my first day and was actually a little nervous about it. I knew I had weeks before summer session started and I had to face students, but the prospect of settling down to work with a new group of peers was intimidating. Talking to Bella made me feel better, she always did. I knew she meant it when she said that we would talk every night, but honestly, I also knew that she was going to lose track of time studying. I loved to watch her lose herself in her work, she was so focused and intent when she studied. I was glad in a way that I wasn't with her this week, I knew I would just distract her and I wanted her to be able to finish strong. I hated not being together, but I loved her more, and knew she would try to balance time with me in and I didn't want her to even have to worry about that.

I spoke to Dimitri more often than I spoke with her. I checked in with him late Sunday night, after I spoke with her, he assured me that Jacob had not done anything to try to reach out, he didn't even think he was aware that she was back. All of his time of late had been spent with the new woman or at the garage. He had made a couple trips home to the reservation lately but that was it.

Tyler came into town on Tuesday for the closing and stayed the night so we went out for dinner and for some drinks. I took him to the house to show him around and laughed when he said he was moving in. We talked a little about how quickly and vastly things were changing. I could tell that he was regretting the choice to go to a big firm and putting his relationship on hold. It had cost them the engagement, but Liz had not really moved on, she wouldn't wait forever though, and I hated to see them both hurting so much.

"Ya know Tyler, it isn't too late. You can still change your mind, open your own practice, go to a smaller firm, hell Bella would probably be over the moon if you'd agree to help her with the foundation she's starting. Hell, you could leave the law entirely, but I don't see that making you happy. Just think about it, she is being patient, but she isn't going to wait forever and neither should you.

"You're right Jasper, thanks. It just seems wrong somehow. I got what everyone coming out of law school wants, what I worked my ass off for, and it feels wrong to want to throw it all away after all the hard work."

"Does it feel right to throw Liz away?"

"Fuck no."

"Well, then, there you go."

"Peter is right, you are a little fuck."

It occurred to me that all that insight I had wished for was there, it just didn't work for my own relationship, maybe Peter felt the same way. Huh?

I had a feeling the wedding would be getting larger. Char is going to kill me.

I met with the painters first thing Wednesday morning before work so that they could get started with the painting. I had all Bella's instructions and color selections and left them to start on the guesthouse. I checked in each evening to see how it was going and just because I wanted to be there as much as I could. I decided to deviate from the plan and have them paint the office next so that I could start using it.

The painters were done with the guest house and the office by Saturday and I checked out of the hotel and started crashing in the guest house. I took the opportunity to start filling the bookshelves in the office and went and bought a six foot folding table and office chair to use until Bella picked out furniture. I wanted to be able to at least bury myself in work while I was without her. I really was lost, even with the new job, the painters, all the crap I was trying to coordinate. I talked to Preston and Tyler and Peter every day. I was having lunch on Wednesday with some of the other History Department faculty. I checked in with Dimitri twice a day only to hear he had nothing at all to report. In other words I was keeping myself distracted.

When the painters finally finished the Master suite I began filling the closet with our clothes and unpacked all of our toiletries and I even went shopping and bought a whole bunch of candles and scented bath oils so that when I finally had Bella here, I could spoil her a bit. I may or may not have bought some new toys for us to try too.

I was relieved when she was finally done with finals and called me drunk off her ass while her family sat around her now empty house partying. The stress was finally off of her, and now she could take a little break before she had to start preparing for the bar exam. At least then we would be together and I could help her with things so she could study. I wondered if she ate at all the last three weeks.

One more day. The furniture showed up Friday morning as expected and they had everything moved into the guest house and unpacked and in the cabinets within two hours. That was one of my surprises for Bella; I had the movers unpack so that when she got here we could focus on shopping for furniture. If she wanted to move things around later, we could always do that.

I spent a jittery afternoon on Campus waiting impatiently for the day to end so I could go get my woman and drag her back home. I couldn't fucking wait.

By the time I got to the airport I saw a text come in from Bella and knew Peter must have gotten there. Sure enough Change in plans, we were not staying in for a quiet night alone after all. I knew as soon as Peter told me they were surprising her that I wouldn't get her to myself. I would have warned Bella but Char slyly let me know she had already done so, clever girl.

I grabbed something to eat before heading to the gate, figuring it was going to be a long night of heavy drinking if I knew Peter. He and Emmett and Mike and James, this could get very, very interesting. Of course he'd see through James in a minute flat and know he has history with my girl. I just hoped he didn't get himself riled up about it. Peter knew exactly how I met Bella, yet, he'd never accept that there was anyone but me for her; he was such an ass that way. He knew damn well that kind of shit I had been doing before I met her. I'd have to keep an eye on that situation.

It was the longest flight ever and I was anxious and climbing the walls the entire time. This would be the last damn time I flew commercial, what a pain in the ass. Peter is going to have to learn to deal, we are buying a plane.

I finally got to the Club and found Emmett out front, waiting for me. He told me to have Mike put my bags in the office and he'd be in to join us shortly. I thanked him for keeping an eye on Bella and went on in to find her. I didn't even get past the doorway when our eyes connected. Memory did not do her justice, she looked so damn beautiful, it should have been illegal. I watched her as she floated towards me and I couldn't have cared less that there was anyone else on the planet, just having her back in my arms where she belonged, was heaven on earth.

I tilted her head to kiss her, but got lost just looking into her eyes. I was already hard and all I had done was hold her. Damn Peter.

"So beautiful. God, I missed you baby." I ran my thumb along her jaw, tracing its way from her chin up to her ear, my hand settling behind her head as I pulled her to me and into a deep passionate kiss.

"Oh baby, I missed you so much, promise me we never have to be apart so long again." She renewed the kiss.

At some point I was vaguely aware that Peter came and took my bags. I was not ready to share her, everyone else had already had their time with her, if I couldn't just leave with her right now, then at least I could have a few minutes to myself with my fiancé. That plan was going to hell in a hand basket and quickly. I wasn't going to last another minute without pulling her into the bathroom, or didn't Emmett mention something about an office?

She was suddenly pulling away from me and by the look on her face I knew why, that motherfucker, I swear to Christ he has a death wish.

I was still fuming when the song ended and everyone was around us dancing. I cursed out Peter and big surprise, he had a smart ass response. Then James made the fatal mistake of saying something about Bella and Peter's eyes narrowed to slits as he goaded him, about to square off. This was exactly the situation I had been worried about. I had to act fast to diffuse it before it got out of hand. James has been an extremely good friend to both Bella and to me, I knew from the first time I saw them that there was something there, but I also knew it was nothing, never was, never would be. So I laughed, I laughed my ass off and Peter backed down.

As much as I wanted to leave and be alone, I also knew that in a few days time, it was her entire family she would be missing. I wanted her to spend what little time she had left with them, enjoying it. We stayed until entirely too late considering she had a big day following.

We fell asleep, Bella nestled in my arms, head on my shoulder. I couldn't help thinking that it was the way we would fall asleep every night for the rest of our lives and I was content.

I was drunk when we had gotten here after the club and we had gotten in late, I never set the alarm, and I was sure she didn't. I turned, sitting up looking to the clock. Shit, we had overslept. I hadn't thought about the fact that there was nothing left in her house either. We both needed coffee and some food if we were going to make it through the next few hours. I made a coffee run and while I was driving it occurred to me that I had no idea where the bed we had slept in came from.

We hurried to get to the ceremony on time and barely made it. I was so proud of her. I watched the looks her classmates gave her and the confusion on their faces at the size of the party accompanying her. Most of the other students had maybe two or three guests, parents mostly. Bella had nine and the only one that looked like a parental figure was James' father. I saw the looks of relief from some of them, jealousy from others, shock from most and concern from a few. Several apparently recognizing James' father for who he was.

I made sure to pull her close and hold her in a manner designed to leave no question as to who I was to her. Steve took notice and looked around at his classmates and grinned. Yeah, it was immature, but damn it, she was better than all of them and the little fuckers didn't give her the credit she was due.

I kissed her and told her again how proud I was of her as she and Steve left for the procession. The ceremony was over fairly quickly as these things went, and she had done a wonderful job delivering her speech.

We were all enjoying the post ceremony reception while Bella and Steve went to turn in their gowns and retrieve their actual diplomas. She didn't know it yet, but I had a big surprise for her when they came back.

Peter was talking to Steve's parents and Char was talking with James' father. Emmett was commenting on the appetizers while Rose hushed him stating that the wedding menu was set and it wasn't being changed for mini wieners. Mike and James were flirting with a couple of the new graduates. All was right with the world.

As I watched my family before me I became increasingly anxious for Bella to return. I sent her a text

What is taking so long?

I waited, watching my phone. No reply. I called; straight to voicemail. I called Steve; straight to voicemail.

Something wasn't right; I could feel it in my chest.

Peter looked at me and I was starting to pace, why weren't they answering their phones?

Peter walked up, "What's up?"

"Something's not right, she has been gone too long, come on, we are going to look for her." I was frantic now.

I grabbed the girl James was talking to, "where is the room to turn in the gowns?"

"Ouch, what is your problem?" She pulled her arm away.

James looked at me and saw the panic, "Answer him, where is it?" He was pulling her behind us as Emmett and Mike and his father ran over to us.

Emmett was the first to realize. "Shit, where is she?"

The girl led us to the room and they were not there. The woman at the desk said they had left twenty minutes ago.

"Twenty minutes? Twenty Minutes? Fuck."

"Jasper, calm down." Peter put his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't tell me to calm down, where the hell are they? They left twenty-five minutes ago and they were only here five. Bella would never disappear like that on me, she knows how worried I would be, hell all of us would be."

"Jasper, she was with Steve, maybe they are talking."

"No, let's start looking. Peter will you call Dimitri?"

We followed the hallway while Rose and Char checked the reception area, asking if anyone had seen them. Steve's parents were frantic. There was no sign of them. Dimitri and Felix had taken the day off, I didn't think we'd need them when all of us were together and they really needed a break. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Fuck.

Hotel security stopped us at the door to the kitchen demanding to know what was going on. When we told them an officer and a woman from the graduating class were missing and that there had been a stalking complaint in place they quickly called in the local law enforcement. The Dean of the school was alerted and came looking for me.

I set out down the opposite direction in the hall leading from the gown collections area. There was nothing but a couple of restrooms. Wait, there was a beeping coming from the men's room.

"Peter, down here." I called out to him and pushed the door open.

"HELP. Call 911." I yelled as Peter ran through the door.

"Keep Steve's parents out of here until I see if he is ok." I called out to no one in particular as I checked for a pulse. Steve was lying face down on the floor. Ok, there was no sign of blood; that was good. His pulse was racing and he was breathing. He tried to talk, but nothing came out, his pupils were huge. But he was alive, and he was alone. Shit, that could only mean one thing.

"He has her, Peter; he has her."

"We don't know that." Peter tried to stay calm.

I felt Steve squeeze my hand. He might not have been able to speak, but I knew what he was trying to tell me.

Steve's parents came in, followed closely by the EMT's, they confirmed quickly that Steve had been drugged and hit on the back of the head, he was just regaining consciousness when I found him. They couldn't be sure what he was given yet but didn't see any needle marks.

I raced to the ladies bathroom; if Steve had come in here maybe Bella had gone in to the ladies room. There, on the floor, was her cell phone, smashed.

James and Emmett were behind me screaming, Peter was pacing the room, looking like he was about to punch the wall. I felt sick; the sick, twisted fuck had her, he had been playing all along, I knew it.

I ran into a stall and puked. I was still shaking and rinsing my mouth out when the officer came in asking for me. As we walked out to the hall Steve was being brought out on a stretcher. All I heard was a faint "Stop."

"Sorry." It came out as a whisper, strained, his voice hoarse.

I went to Steve, "Hey, it is not your fault Steve," I said.

"Waiter," Steve groaned out.

"What? Wait, he's trying to tell us something."

The two officers came over, and bent over Steve with me, straining to hear.

"Champagne, drugged."

"A waiter gave you both drugged champagne?"

Steve nodded.

"Gun"

"He has a gun?" I asked, Steve looked at the two officers.

The taller one said, "Does he have your gun?"

Steve nodded.

Shit.

The entire hotel was searched; there was no sign of them.

Once the police finished questioning everyone, Rose and Char took Steve's parents to the hospital. Dimitri and Felix met the rest of us in front of the hotel.

"Where would he take her, where would he go?" I was shouting.

"We went by his place and the girlfriend's on the way to meet you, no sign of him." Felix answered, ignoring my temper.

"He won't take her to the garage, there isn't enough privacy, but we should look there for clues, his place was clean." Dimitri offered.

We pulled up in front of the garage, it was closed. There was no indication that anyone was there, no lights, no sounds. We drove around back and James spotted Jacob's car under a tarp.

"Are you sure that's his car?" Peter demanded.

"Yeah, that's his." Dimitri confirmed.

"So either he's here or he switched cars." James was out the door and pulling the tarp off the car before he finished his sentence.

"Engine's cold, he didn't drive this today, look, the tarp is wet, it hasn't rained today, underneath the car is dry. This car has been sitting here since at least last night."

"Very good James." Dimitri praised, agreeing with James.

"Dimitri, where else would he go, you've been following him for weeks, where else would he go?" Peter was getting frustrated.

The police pulled up halting the conversation. "Gentlemen, we understand that you are worried, but you need to let us do our jobs."

"Has the chief been notified?" I just remembered that the chief knew Bella's dad, he would light a fire under this, and Sam, we needed to call Sam.

"I don't know sir, should he be?"

"Well, one of your guys is lying in a hospital bed and her father was the Chief of Police in Forks, and, as I understand, friends with your chief. You know what, don't worry about it, I'll call him myself." I really hoped I was doing better than I usually did at poker.

"That won't be necessary sir, we will notify the chief right away." He returned to the car and came back ten minutes later with an update.

"The Chief is aware and is contacting Forks now, they will coordinate, any reason you think he might be near Forks?"

"Yeah, he is from the reservation a couple miles from there."

"Chief also says you boys are to stand down, now, or we are under orders to bring you in."

"Oh, sure, ok, yeah, we'll just take a little vacation while this lunatic has my fiancé; you know, the lunatic you guys have had three months to do something about, but yeah, you didn't, do your jobs that is, now did you?" The vein was throbbing in my forehead and I could feel the heat on my cheeks rising as my voice rose.

"Sir, we understand that you are upset, and I am going to pretend that you just said, "yes sir" and nothing more, if you get in your cars and leave, now." The officer stared me down which did nothing but further infuriate me.

Peter's hand laid firmly on my shoulder and he whispered, "Let it go, we'll find her."

There wasn't much I would be able to do from the police station so I apologized and climbed into the passenger seat of Dmitri's truck. Once Peter was in behind me, Dimitri in the driver's seat and James next to Peter, Dimitri turned the engine over and pulled out behind Felix. I could see Emmett shaking his fist in the front seat next to Felix, turning to Mike in the back and when he caught sight of me he stopped mid sentence and turned back around.

Fuck, it was too soon to be giving up hope, she was alive, he wasn't going to kill her, he never wanted to kill her. That wasn't what this was about. Maybe that was the answer, figuring out what this was really about. It was kind of hard to believe that meeting her once for a couple hours sparked this kind of obsession, although, she had had a pretty major impact on me the minute I saw her. Damn it, not helping.

"Jasper, let's see if we can get a hold of the girlfriend, ask her some questions, see if she knows anything," Dimitri said. "She'll be at work now, maybe we can get to her before anyone else does."

We pulled up in front of the coffee house, and Dimitri pointed out the brunette behind the counter.

"Holy hell, you didn't tell us she looked like Bella." James groaned.

"No she doesn't, wait until you get close, her eyes are blue, her nose is bigger, her complexion is darker. She is nowhere near as beautiful." I heard them snicker, "What, she isn't." Now they were just pissing me off.

"We can't all go in there, James, will you stay with Jasper?"

"No Peter, I'm not staying in the car," I said, more than a little pissed.

"Jasper, we can't have you losing it if you don't like what she says, she'll see right through your emotions. We can't tell her why we are looking for Jacob, we have to convince her we know him. I can do that, but not with you getting upset by anything she says. Now, let your brother help me and stay in the damn car."

Dimitri was right, it was better if I wasn't there.

It was hell to sit in the car and watch them talking with her. She seemed to trust them after a few minutes, she was smiling and playing with her hair, and shit she was blushing. What the hell were they asking her? I am sitting here losing my damn mind, what the hell could he be up to, why didn't I go with her to get the diploma, why didn't I have Dimitri following him today, of all the days to tell him to take some time, why today? I swear to God, if he hurts her I will tear him limb from limb, I'll tear his heart out. God, please let her be ok, please don't let him hurt her, please just let me find her.

"Hey, we will find her Jasper, we will, we won't quit until we do." James tried to keep me from losing all hope, but without Bella, I had no hope. Without her, I was nothing, I wouldn't survive if he hurt her. I wouldn't want to.

"We have to find her James, before he..., before anything..., we just have to find her."

"To do that you need to keep your shit together bro, be strong. You hired Dimitri for a reason, he knows what he is doing, trust him."

"Yeah, ok, your right."

My phone rang and I about jumped out of the seat trying to get it open to see if it was her, maybe she got away, got to a payphone. When the caller Id popped up with Rose's cell number my heart sank again.

"Rose, what's up?"

"Jasper, Steve is awake, he wants to talk to you."

I heard the phone being shuffled around and waited for Steve to come on the line.

"Jasper, where are you, what's going on?"

I quickly brought him up to speed and he brought me up to speed on what was going on with the police. One of his buddies was stationed outside his room and feeding him information. They had searched Jacob's apartment and there was nothing tying him to Bella or any clues as to the type of car he was now using or where he may have gone. The place was too clean, like he wasn't coming back. Most of the clothing was gone the fridge and cabinets were empty, no computer or phone books, nothing much left behind.

"A waiter handed us each what he claimed to be his last two champagnes and practically begged us to take them off his hand. It never occurred to me, anyway, I only had a sip or two, but Bella chugged it all. Bella wanted to use the ladies room, I thought she was just hung over, and I went in to use the men's room. As I was walking into the men's room I started feeling dizzy, nauseous, I realized what was happening and went to turn around to go after Bella, that's when I saw him, it was Jacob, he was swinging something, I think a tray and that's that last thing I remember until you found me. The waiter had to be helping him, he was dark skinned, black hair, I think he may have been from the same tribe as Jacob. I want to try to find the waiter, he leads us to Jacob."

"Ok Steve, let me know what we can do."

"I think it is better if I stay on my own for now, if I work through the department I can get information to you, if I meet up with you guys, I close that door."

"Steve, I can't thank you enough."

"Jasper, I care about her, it's my damn fault he got her, I swear to God, I'll do anything it takes to find her."

"Hey, it's not your fault, I called Dimitri off, it's just as much my fault. Now James is about to kick my ass for blaming myself so don't you do it either. Let's just find her."

"I'll be in touch."

I hung up with Steve a little more hopeful. Rose and Char were going back to Bella's house; we'd meet back there later.

Peter and Dimitri walked out the front door of the coffee shop, Dimitri walked over to Felix's car and spoke through the window to him while Peter climbed back in behind me.

"Felix is going to check out a lead, while we go check out her place. We'll meet back up at Bella's."

"Ok, Rose and Char are headed back to Bella's now, Steve is checking into the waiter and he will feed us information from the authorities."

Dimitri got back in and drove off. We waited in the car while he checked the girl's apartment. When he came back he reported that there was no sign Jacob had ever been there. There was an empty space in her closet, where his clothes must have been, empty picture frames, not a sign that he had ever been there, despite that she had just told them that he had been slowly moving his things in and that they were planning to call it official. Guess she was in for a big surprise when she got home.

We met up with the others at Bella's house; there was no sign of Jacob or Bella anywhere. Char made me sit down and eat something. I couldn't for the life of me tell you what it was, or what it tasted like. I don't recall chewing or swallowing, I just know that at some point I looked down and the plate was empty. I was tired of sitting around waiting to figure out what to do next. Where should we look next?

Steve called on his way over with more bad news. He was looking through mug shots trying to identify the waiter, a sketch artist had rendered a drawing from Steve's description, the officers at the hotel were questioning the kitchen staff and the management looking for him or anyone who recognized the man in the drawing. No one had ever seen him before, all the wait staff had been accounted for and he was not one of them. They had begun to search the hotel for him and found the uniform in a garbage can down the hall from where Bella had been taken. There was an exit door that led straight to an employee parking section next to the can. As they searched the parking lot they found a body behind the dumpster. It was the waiter.

"Oh God, oh God, Steve, he's going to kill her." I was screaming, I was throwing anything I could find to throw. "I'm going to fucking kill him." All hell was breaking loose, a string of loud profanities was coming from Peter who was hitting the kitchen counter, James, Emmett and Mike were no better. Dimitri grabbed me as I headed for the door and tackled me to the ground. Felix had Peter in a head lock and Char was screaming. Rose was pleading with Emmett to calm down. I was throwing punches at Dimitri who kept tightening his hold on me when Steve walked through the front door.

"What the fuck? Are you all going to wrestle around on the floor or are we going to find Bella?" Steve screamed.

"Jasper, I've been thinking, the most logical place to look is the reservation. That is the only other place he has gone more than once in the past three months. I haven't been able to follow him around once he was on the reservation, so there may be some place he could hide her." Dimitri was trying to get through to me.

"Ok, I'm ok, you can let go of me now." I offered my hand to help him up once he let go of me.

Peter and Felix were shaking hands and Char was crying a stream of tears. Rose hit Emmett upside the back of his head and called him an "ass".

"Let's go," Mike said heading for the door.


To answer your questions, yes the next few chapters are going to get rough. I don't want to give too much away, but if you are seriously concerned about reading something that you believe might be coming and don't mind a spoiler, let me know and I will tell you.