Chapter 36

Previously:

"Sounds about right – Bella's pulse is increasing slightly, think she is definitely trying to wake up this time… Will call you later on Brother, keep thinking about those memories he gave you – perhaps they will reveal more to you?"

I smile at his comments, "Okay Peter, talk soon." I listen as I hear him shuffle on the bed before the line goes dead.

Stuffing the phone into my back pocket, I slowly walk to the house, mulling over the memories Rage returned to me, considering what it is that he is hiding from me. Absentmindedly, I reach into my shirt and pull out Bella's blouse and hold it to my face, letting her scent waft to my nose, wrapping me in the cotton. The weight of my concerns drops from my shoulders and I drift slowly back to the house, the worries and angst from earlier wiped away as my mind is filled with the knowledge that Bella is safe - on my bed, in my space, my territory with my Peter, and surrounded by my coven.

Deep inside, Rage lays back; his hand softly moving over his scarred chest, as the memory of lying in the security of His One's arms fills him and his chest silently vibrates with pleasure.

The Major's watchful eyes turn toward Rage and notes the effort Rage is taking to withhold the sound of his purr even in the height of pleasure that he is obviously in, and smiles softly. He turns his attention back toward Jay, and smirks as he observes Jay with his head clouded by his Mate's scent – When, oh, when is Jay going to realise what that scent means? He reaches out with their gift, checking the surrounding area, as far as he can reach, for dangers and threats. Satisfied all is currently safe, the Major settles down against Rage, pulls his hat low over his forehead, and rests.

…...And now...

Peter PoV.

Smiling to myself, I relax back onto the bed, in mirror image to Bella, resting my head on my supporting arm, and reaching out with my left, gently tracing patterns on the back of her hand, waiting for her to finally wake up. I know my path now, it is obvious that my Sire still hasn't put two and two together and figured out the meaning of his reaction to her scent, and his anxiousness that is becoming more and more blatant as the days pass by. It has only been three days, but I can feel his restlessness over our bond, muted currently by our reaction to Bella's pain, but it is there and growing - I know what I have to do.

The pillow beneath Bella's head rustles as she stirs slightly, her body curling back, as if snuggling closer to the pillow wall she is laying within. She mutters as she starts to come out of her deep sleep, her nose turning to press against the pillow, and my ears just catch, "Mm Jasper," that she dreamily utters. A soft smile spreads over my face as I am filled with a wild hopefulness for my Brother's sake.

Suddenly, her heart beat rockets in speed as she stills her sleepy movements - my eyes scan over her, looking for what has caused her racing heart, and just as I finish her pulse drops back to normal, slow and calm. Her hand turns over slowly, and her thumb starts tracing along my fingers and across my knuckles. Gently tracing the scars from the times my fingers were removed by Maria as

punishments... until she reaches the smooth skin that forms the webbing between my forefinger and thumb, she seems to be feeling along that muscle, the pauses tracing back looking for something.

Bella PoV

As I slowly start to wake up, I am aware of the comfort of where I am laying. I move my body slightly, snuggling deeper into the soft bedding, and the warmth behind me - my head turning towards my pillow, the scent coming off it is so soothing, just so "mmm Jasper." I vaguely become aware of a cold finger moving across the back of my hand ever so gently, I turn my hand over, the cold hand dropping into mine, and I start tracing my thumb over the knuckles, over scars that my eyes have traced hundreds of times in the past. My eyes closed, his scent warmed by my body floats around me, those traces of the South that just tug at me whenever I smell them. Without really thinking about it, my thumb moves to the fleshy part between his thumb and forefinger, searching for that odd bite scar that draws a line through that area and around his thumb. My mind starts clearing rapidly, my thumb searching for that well-loved scar, a frown briefly pinches my forehead before I snatch my hand away, and push myself to sit upright defensively, my eyes flying open and a guttural sound escaping my throat.

As my eyes focus, I see Peter laying relaxed on his side, absolutely still, not even breathing, his eyes startled, with his upper hand laying on the bed, where I dropped it. I let out a sigh, "Dammit, Peter! I thought you were Jasper!" My voice breaking slightly at the end, and my chest pulsing in pain briefly at the mere thought and I fight to push the pain away yet again. As I watch him, his face ripples in pain, and his hand flies to his chest rubbing where I know his heart is scarred. I then glanced around to figure out where I was, and instantly knew why I could smell Jasper, why I felt so comfortable here, probably the only other place I know that I feel so safe. My memory instantly skips back to the afternoon of my birthday, when I came face to face with Jasper's beast, Rage, and got a glimpse of exactly how powerful Jasper actually is and the bafflement on Carlisle's face when a supposedly uncontrollable human blood drinking beast, just curled up next to me as my request, then ending up laying on his back rumbling quietly to me, like he always does from inside Jasper usually, rather than being there himself.

I realise that my eyes had half shut as I was thinking about Rage, and open them fully once more. Peter smiles at me, With his hand indicating he would like to sit up, and I smile back and nod. Out of habit, I raise the hand that Peter had been tracing his finger on to my nose and sniff slightly, seeking out his scent. I frown deeply, all I smell is the South, Jasper's scent, and only the most subtle of apple notes to it. Peter cocks his head to the side, watching, and then asks, "What's up Bella?"

I look back at him, "I don't understand, why do I smell Jasper's scent where you were tracing with only a hint of apples, and not your apple pie scent?"

Peter smiles sadly, "You remember our history, the bond between us? How it is maintained?"

I nod, remembering Jasper explaining the shared venom exchange, "I remember."

"Well, the hours before I headed off before your birthday, I knew I wouldn't see him again for a while, so we topped up our bond, just in case. So, that is why I smell of him - his venom is flooded through me, and mine through him - his scent doesn't change so much, something about being my Sire we believe...Just as well we did it, you needed to feel safe, and his scent does that for you -

otherwise you would still be out cold, I would guess." He watches my face, no doubt taking in my every expression, and watching for my reaction to the reminder of the depth of their bond together.

"How is he doing? Is he okay? He was in such a mess after the party, and the note he left me, just sounded so final..." My voice trails off as I dwell on the finality of the letter.

"He is doing as well as he can be," he reassures me, "He is unhappy about being so far away, but his emotions are calming down now. He did have a spike earlier today though, which he wanted me to ask you about."

"What do you mean?" I ask confused.

Peter looks down, then focuses his attention on my face once again, "Well, something strange happened after Edward left you this afternoon."

"Yeah?" I prompt.

"You were talking with Garret as I was running towards you, I was about thirty metres out when Garret tells me that he mentioned Jasper, and you collapsed in agony." Peter explained. "Can you tell me what happened."

The scene flashed through my head, realising Garret was there watching over me, talking to him, his compliment. "He just mentioned Jasper's name," I pause, the thought of Jasper still painful... "I heard you cry out, seconds after I keeled over in pain. It was like my chest was being ripped I two, I have been getting oddly timed pain on and off, but this week it has been far worse, almost constant heart burn, even if I haven't eaten anything to cause it."

"how long has it been going on for?" He asks, with an odd look on his face.

I searched my memories, trying to place the first time it happened, and then it struck me, "Just after I was admitted to hospital in Phoenix after James bit me." Peters face was a picture, his eyes wide, his mouth opening and closing, as if he was trying to say something and nothing was coming out. "Err Peter? Are you okay?"

Peter stops opening and closing his mouth, and just shakes his head slightly, then stops...still...frozen.

I frown, tapping Peters hand trying to get him to snap out of it, to no avail. I sigh, take a deep breath, and raising my voice slightly I call out, "Charlotte...I think I've broken Peter!"

There is a brief lull and then a tap on the door. "Come in," I call out. The door opens and Charlotte sticks her head round the corner.

"Oh my, you weren't joking, were you." She said grinning at me. She came into the room and quickly assembled a t shirt and sweatshirt, and pointed at the en suite, "why don't you freshen up, while I get this lummox moving down stairs?"

I climb off the bed, taking the clothes, smiling my thanks to her as I leave the room. I can hear Charlotte chivvying Peter out of the room, and his soft drawl, "Since Phoenix...she felt it since

then...Christ Char, she was in hospital for two weeks then, I remember Jay telling me...and then they only saw each other at school, never truly connected until Marcus' visit."

I quickly strip down and grab a shower and washing my hair as I mull over his words. what did he mean by felt it? Felt what? By the time I was washed and dressed, I was ready to face them and ask my questions. There is obviously something going on, something important to do with me, and I need to know what it is.