Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.

Rated M for a reason.

Chpt 28 Sayin' Goodbye

BPOV

Jasper and I sneak into the house through the hole I made earlier, showering and changing before joining the others downstairs.

Pete and Char are cuddled up on the chair smiling at us indulgently. Em is smiling tentatively, probably not sure of the reception he's going to get and Edward is scowling. Of course.

Before he can open his mouth I hold my hand up, stopping him. "Edward. I am a week old and my ability to concentrate is flaky at best. I can't deal with you right now, we have more important things to discuss. So please, just wind your neck in and keep quiet."

Huffing he subsides into his chair while Jasper leads me over to the couch pulling me into his lap and wrapping his arms around me tightly.

"Perhaps ya'll could start by explainin' how you came to be here at the same time as those four eejits we just cremated?" Pete asks innocently.

"We were coming anyway. Jenks informed us of Bella's death and I came down here to find out what happened. We crossed their scent a few miles away and decided to follow them." Edward answers.

I am about to explode again when Jasper strokes his thumbs across my wrist, calming me. Determined I clamp my jaws shut, we will have this conversation if it kills me.

"An' what's brother bear doin' here?" Pete continues.

Edward fidgets uncomfortably, scowling at Jasper. "Carlisle thought it best if I brought some protection with me."

We all start laughing, even Em who attempts to hide his amusement behind his enormous hands.

"Alright. We'll let that go for now." Pete allows, reinin' in his chuckles. "We need to find out why Rutilio's suddenly got so interested in findin' The Major."

Edward's head snaps up and I feel Jasper stiffen. "Do you know Rutilio?" He growls at Edward.

"I know a Rutilio, in Rio. I cannot understand however what connection he would have to your current difficulties. Who is The Major?"

"What does he look like Edward?" Jasper asks.

"Medium height and build. Dark hair. He is Spanish. He was a conquistador."

Pete's eyes meet Jasper's over my head. "That's him." He confirms grimly.

"Yes but he cannot possibly be the same vampire you are thinking of." Edward continues. "He hardly seems the type, he has certainly never mentioned anything about The Southern Wars and I have never heard anything about it in his thoughts."

"Could someone fill in the blanks for the rest of us?" Em huffs, saving me the bother.

"Rutilio was head of one of the most powerful armies in The Southern Wars." Jasper explains. "We destroyed his coven, Maria killed his mate. He killed Maria. He is an extremely dangerous man and not the biggest fan of the Whitlocks."

All eyes swivel back to Edward.

"I still maintain that I would have heard something in his thoughts if it were the same person. If Rutilio was involved in your less than savoury past I . . . ."

"What?" Jasper barks.

"He did seem to recognise your name when I mentioned it to him."

"You mentioned me to him?"

"J, bro, calm down. You're projectin', it ain't Eddie's fault he's stupid." Pete chips in.

"Did you tell him where to find me?" Jasper asks quietly.

"Not deliberately." Edward shrugs.

"Not deliberately." Jasper repeats slowly.

"Jasper I can hear what you are thinking and I absolutely fail to see how attacking me is going to help the situation."

"It'll make me feel a fuck of a lot better." He growls, shifting me off his lap.

Edward gasps, turning to Jasper his eyes wide. "Oh dear god. You are The Major?"

Em's jaw drops as he regards Jasper in awe. "I lived with you for nearly sixty years man and you never told me you were the fucking Major?"

"How did I miss that?" Edward asks himself.

"Edward." Em sighs. "You don't actually think we only think about sex an' shoppin' all the time do you? We do it to keep you out of our heads."

Jasper nods in agreement, smirking.

"Jasper, please, could you not think about doing that to my Bella, this is hard enough as it is." Edward whines.

And there goes the control fairy.

"I am not your Bella!" I scream leaping to my feet.

"I am sorry Bella, forgive me I still struggle sometimes with modern conventions. I did not mean to imply ownership."

Oh please, is he for real? "Edward." I growl. "I do not have a problem with ownership, I belong to Jasper."

"You belong with me Bella." He responds, his voice suddenly hard.

"Oh shit." Pete mutters, pulling Char closer to him. "Here we go."

Truly the vampire mind is an amazing thing because I can feel myself snap even though I am powerless to stop it, even down to the millisecond it takes my eyes to turn black. Other Bella and Hidden Bella are back. Other Bella is going to kill Edward and Hidden Bella is going to help.

Faint blue light snaps out around Edward and I as I stalk towards him, repelling both Em and Jasper who are attempting to get between us.

"I hate you." I rage as I stalk towards him, venom flying out of my mouth. "You left me. You left me for Victoria to kill. You cost me the life of my father. You made me a killer. I blame you for everything."

"Bella, I . . . ."

Screaming I launch myself at him my hands finding his neck, the force of the impact sending us tumbling through the living room wall into the kitchen. Landing on top of him I kneel on his chest closing my hands around his throat and squeezing as hard as I can, venom dripping onto his face from my still screaming mouth. Struggling he finally manages to throw me off, breaking my death grip on his neck and flinging me back into the living room. Immediately I flip back onto my feet watching as he comes after me, his face distorted by fury. Instinctively Hidden Bella pulls back the blue shield flexing around us until it covers only me.

Edward crashes into the shield, rebounding into the living room wall where Em pounces on him wrestling him to the ground and pinning him there.

I stand in the wreckage, chest heaving for unneeded breath, sanity creeping slowly back over me.

Eventually I recognise Jasper's voice. "Bella, darlin', can you hear me? Can you lower your shield darlin'?"

Other Bella and Hidden Bella crash back together and the blue light blinks out. Jasper pulls me into his arms, almost crushing me.

"Are you alright, did he hurt you? Darlin' are you okay?"

Weakly I nod.

"She's not going to go at him again is she?" Em asks, his voice laced with concern.

I shake my head and whisper. "No. Never again. He's not worth it. Its over. Take him away Emmett, I never want to see him again."

"Bells." Em's voice is still concerned. "There's still so much I don't understand, what happened to you after we left?"

Sighing I push my face further into Jasper's chest. "Victoria came after me. She wanted revenge for James's death. The wolves tried to protect Charlie and me but eventually she found us. She bit Charlie. One of the wolves was going to kill him before he could change so I shot him. I killed him. Charlie died anyway. It's in the past and it needs to stay there, its over. Take him away Emmett. Make sure he never comes back. I'm sorry. Bella Swan is dead. I'm Bella Whitlock now."

Silence apart from the sound of Edward sobbing brokenly in the corner.

"I am sorry Bella." He whispers. "So sorry. But you are my mate I cannot just leave you."

"Eddie." Pete interrupts, stepping forwards. "You don't feel it do you?"

"What?"

"The pain in your chest."

"I don' understand?" He whispers.

"Bella's been away from ya twice since you've been here and neither time you've felt tuggin' in your chest. You would have felt it if she really was your mate."

Em nods. "That's right Edward, its like indigestion or something. I can feel it now."

A strangled sob escapes Edward but my attention is on Jasper who is returning my own wide eyed stare.

"I've felt it." I gasp, placing my hand over my cold dead heart.

"Me too." He whispers, copying my movement. "Every time we are apart."

Pete snorts. "And the penny finally drops. Halle-fuckin'-lujah!"

"Did you know?" Jasper growls without releasing my eyes.

"Not for sure J but I couldn't see how Eddie could be sweet thing's mate. She keeps tryin' to fuckin' kill him."

Jasper growls again.

"Sorry J. Seriously I was pretty sure, but you two were so worried about the magic midget's vision you wouldn't a listened to me anyways. Ya'll just needed to work it out for yourselves when the time was right."

"How could Alice be wrong?" Edward asks, his voice muted.

"I dunno Eddie. You'll have to ask her." Pete shrugs.

"Bells. I'm sorry. For everything. I'll take him home to Carlisle now. He won't bother you again." Standing Em hefts Edward's limp body to his chest and starts out the door.

"Wait up Em!" Jasper calls. "We still have a few things we need to discuss about our visitors, Pete and I'll come with you a ways." He turns his attention back to me. "Will you be okay darlin'?"

"Yes, I need to hunt. Char, will you come with me?"

"Sure thing sugar" reaching out she takes my hand "let's go."

Managing a weak smile for Jasper I follow her out the door and into the rising sun.

JPOV

"Be careful!" I call after them. "Might still be trouble hangin' around."

"Right. Let's go." I order and the four of us set off at a run stoppin' about twenty miles from the house.

"Jasper . . . ." Edward begins just before my flyin' fist connects with his jaw, knockin' him on his ass.

Em steps forward and I hold up my hand in warnin'.

"Stay there!" I order both of them, sendin' 'em a little dose of fear. "Don't fuckin' move."

"What did you tell Rutilio about me?" I ask.

"Only that Bella was with you."

"How did he know where to find me?"

"He must have overheard Carlisle mention Yellowstone when he telephoned me about Bella's death."

"And you are absolutely sure that there was nothin' else in his thoughts other than that he recognised my name?"

"Positive." He nods firmly and I can feel his honesty, which is a shame because I would love an excuse to beat him to a venomous pulp.

"Alright. That's item one on the agenda. Item two." Swiftly I kick out with my foot, catchin' Edward's chin and flippin' him onto his back immediately jumpin' on him and pinnin' him to the ground.

"Bella is mine Edward. I love her an' if you ever fuckin' attack her again I will send your body parts home to Carlisle in a succession of smaller an' smaller envelopes. You will respect her wishes and you will stay away from her unless she or I give you permission otherwise."

Swingin' my fist I punch him again.

"Jasper, that's enough man." Emmett warns, steppin' forward. I ignore him, Pete'll deal with him if he tries to interrupt.

"That was for leavin' Bella in the fuckin' woods and ignorin' my warning that James's mate was gonna come lookin' for revenge."

Takin' a deep breath I climb off him steppin' away and watchin' as he struggles to his feet rubbin' his jaw.

"I assume I don't need to tell either of you to keep quiet on the matter of whether or not I am The Major."

They both nod and I feel their sincerity.

"Take him home Emmett and don't let him come back." Turnin' on my heel I start walkin' back to the house, already plannin' what needs to be done next.