Chapter Thirty Seven

Bella

The pilot spoke to Garrett before we went through passport control, handing him a large brown envelope. Garrett in turn handed it to me and I looked at the printed label. It just had a name on it Bella Swan. I glanced at Garrett who just smiled,

"Might be a good idea to open it."

I carefully lifted the seal and looked inside then shook the contents out onto the table in front of me moving my coffee cup out of the way. Laying there were a passport, and another envelope which was full of dollar bills.

"Whose is this?"

"Well now, let me hazard a guess, following the clues of course. It was handed to you and has your name on the front. Inside is your passport so I would deduce that the money is yours too."

I glared at Peter.

"That's not funny Peter, I don't have more than about fifty dollars to my name."

Jazz took my hand,

"It's a gift from a friend just in case you need anything, now you wont have to ask anyone for money. I know it upset you that we were paying for everything."

"Yeah next time I need a fucking car I'll come to you for the money."

Peter was trying to lighten the mood and I smiled gratefully but I couldn't help wondering which fairy godmother had sent this to me.

The plane was like something from a James Bond movie, lounger type seating, a bar, a kitchen area and even a bed. I couldn't even begin to imagine how much something like this might cost. The plane took off immediately before a storm front which was headed our way stopped us flying altogether. My new passport had been accepted without any trouble although I expected to be called back or arrested for trying to use fake documents. I felt physically and emotionally worn out, so much had happened since I found out about my past and I hadn't had time yet to really think about it all. The one thing I was sure of, the only thing I was sure of, was that these people here with me now would never let me down, would fight to their last breath for me. Especially Jazz who hadn't left my side and now sat beside me as I drank hot coffee from the galley and munched on a bagel. It seemed odd to be doing something as mundane as eating and drinking when I was headed towards a confrontation with the "kings" of the vampire world. I questioned Alice's assumption that I was a shield though, what would happen if we got to Italy and I discovered I had no special powers at all, that I was simply a human girl. As I thought about this I became more and more agitated until I had to run for the toilet where I was violently sick. I sat on the floor hugging the cool metal to ease my burning head when I hear the door open,

"Please, I'll be OK in a minute."

A pair of strong arms lifted me easily from the floor and I lay my head on Jaspers stone shoulder feeling the coolness of his body through his shirt.

Jasper

I had felt Bella's growing turmoil but let it run its course for a while, she needed to feel the emotions that were torturing her to understand why she was acting as she did. When I heard her vomiting I knew she needed me and went to get her. The others nodded their approval and went back to their conversation as I picked Bella up and carried her through to the tiny bedroom at the rear of the plane laying her on the bed before going back to get her a bottle of water and a wash cloth. She took the bottle from me gratefully ad swilled her mouth before wiping her face with the wet cloth.

"I'm sorry Jazz".

"What for? I'm amazed you didn't break down before now after all you've heard and felt. I think you should try to sleep for a while, you look very tired."

"Will you stay with me?"

I smiled and kissed her still flushed cheek,

"Of course."

I took the bottle and cloth from her, dropping them to the floor, then sank down beside her on the bed and pulled her close once more. Her warm breath against my throat had my mind reeling and my body reacting in ways that were certainly not appropriate for the circumstances. I felt myself getting aroused and tried mostly unsuccessfully to overcome it. As her breathing evened out and her heart rate dropped I stroked her hair, her face and kissed her hair.

"What are you doing to me Bella? I just hope at the end of all this you choose to stay with me because I honestly don't think I could bear to part with you."

I'd been wrong, she was dozing but not fully asleep and she'd heard my words,

"I can't see a way of leaving you Jazz, you give me strength to continue the battle my life has become"

She kissed my throat and I felt myself stiffen once more but thankfully she slipped into sleep then and I had time to calm my raging desire before she woke up once more.

Peter

We all heard their words, it was impossible in such a confined space to even try to pretend that and Charlotte smiled at me,

"The Major found the right girl in the end."

"Yeah well lets just hope the stupid fucker can keep a hold of her. It's not going to be easy, don't forget where we're headed. There aren't many happy endings in Volterra."

"Well lets keep our fingers crossed that this is one of the few shall we Peter. Try a little optimism for a change."

I stuck a finger up at Garrett,

"You know something Garrett, I tried that once, optimism."

"And what happened?"

"I got bitten by a fucking vampire. I find pessimism works better. At least that way I can be pleasantly surprised occasionally."

We heard a soft laugh from the bedroom,

"I don't know what you've got to laugh about Major. You come up with a foolproof way of getting us into the Volturi stronghold and more importantly back out again with our heads still attached?"

He didn't reply but I knew he was working on the problem, I just hoped he wasn't relying on Bella's supposed gift because that could easily be a crock of shit made up by Alice the human Anaconda. She'd love to see us with the breath crushed out of us, the bitch!

Jasper

I knew Peter didn't trust Alice but I didn't believe she was leading us into a trap. She loved Emmett and Rose and if for no other reason than that she would help. If we couldn't protect him Emmett would never leave Volterra, he would die an innocent scape goat, led to the slaughter by two people he trusted. Bella started to become agitated in her sleep and I calmed her wondering what she was dreaming about, she had plenty to furnish nightmares for the remainder of her human life but then a thought occurred to me, if Edward were indeed her father then how long would she live? Was she so much more human that her life span would be as theirs or was there enough vampire in her genes to make her if not immortal then certainly very long lived? Could she be changed by a vampires bite? If not then I would have to face the thought of losing her eventually and just the very thought of that tormented me. There had to be a way to keep her with me for all time or my life would end with hers. That was not such a terrible thought, perhaps we would be reunited in some land beyond.