Chapter Fifty Three
Bella
I sat with dad for another hour talking about the short spell when he, Renee, and I lived as a family and the times I had as a visitor to Forks after they split up. I still loved my father but I no longer trusted him. He may not have meant to hurt me but he had lost his temper and it could have been a lot worse than it was. I knew my place was with Jasper and I trusted that he would keep me safe and as soon as I asked him he would change me so I would never be hurt again. I'd been through too much over the last few weeks to go back to being Bella Swan, stumbling my way through my human life. I know Charlie realized this as his eyes misted over,
"When are you going Bella?"
"Soon. I'll visit once more before I go, later today and I'll see if Jasper will come with me."
"Will you keep in touch?"
"I'll try but things are different now dad, I'm starting a new life with Jasper so I don't suppose I'll see much of you."
"Are you going to the funeral? I would have but I don't think I'm in any fit state."
"I hadn't thought about it. I don't know. I have to leave now."
I leaned in and kissed his forehead before turning and leaving him to his thoughts.
Jasper
I saw Bella come out the door looking thoughtful but as soon as she saw me a huge smile replaced that look and she ran over.
"I missed you Jasper. I hate being apart."
I swung her round and kissed her in welcome before opening the door for her,
"Ready for some lunch?"
She nodded but the thoughtful look was back,
"Is there a problem Bella?"
"No not really, Charlie asked me if I was going to Renee's funeral and I realized I hadn't even thought about it. Does that make me a bad person?"
"Were you very close to your mother?"
"I was at one time but then she got married again and I felt in the way. She wanted to spend time with Phil and it made things awkward so I suggested moving here to live with my dad. We'd grown apart I guess. You know sometimes I feel like a ship on the ocean with nowhere to dock, as if there's nowhere I can call home. It's a horrible feeling and I was glad I'd stopped feeling it but I'm scared it will come back again."
"Bella you will always have somewhere to call home. Right by my side. Wherever we go we will always be together."
She looked at me with tears in her eyes and took my hand squeezing it in her own.
"I know. I guess I just can't believe how lucky I am."
Once in the café I told Bella of my meeting with Jake and Harry.
"I think I got my message across but Jake is very unstable so please, for me, don't go near him."
She nodded,
"He wasn't very happy when he left but I guess he could smell you on me."
I grinned,
"I think he knew what had happened between us too."
"How?"
"We all have our own scent Bella and both the wolves and vampires can detect any change in this. Now you and I are intimately connected your scent has changed very subtly."
"What about yours?"
"Yes mine too."
"Does that mean that next time we meet up with Athos he's going to know?"
"I'm afraid so."
She blushed furiously at the thought of what Peter might say to her, not if but the exact form his teasing would take. I could tell her I'd have a word, ask him to ease up a bit but it was like asking the tide not to ebb and flow, it just wasn't going to happen, not with Peter.
Bella
We rang Carlisle and Esme to see how they were and check Emmett was OK.
"He's giving Rose a very hard time but I don't blame him. Edward asked about you Bella."
"I'm not interested Esme, as far as I'm concerned Edward no longer exists. We're leaving Port Angeles soon but I'd like to see Porthos again."
"Who?"
"Sorry Esme, Emmett. Do you think I could speak to him?"
"Just a second I'll see where he is."
I waited and then the receiver was picked up but it wasn't Emmett's voice I heard but Roses.
"Bella I know you don't want to speak to me but I wanted to apologise for my actions. You've proved your loyalty to Jasper. My only excuse was that I was stupid, I let Alice use me and yes at the time I wanted to get you out of our lives."
"Rose I don't give a damn about what you did to me or how you felt or feel about me What I do care about is that you put Jasper in danger and you deceived Emmett. We have nothing to say to each other Rose. Goodbye."
I put the phone down on her thinking I probably wouldn't see Porthos again and that made me sad, I liked Emmett, no I loved Emmett like a brother. In fact I missed both my Musketeers as well as Charlotte.
Jasper
I felt Bella's sorrow and cursed that Rose had got to the phone first,
"I could go and see Emmett if you like, I'm sure he'd like to say goodbye to you Bella."
She shook her head,
"No, it's not fair. Rose is his mate and I can't come between them Jazz. I know how I'd feel if someone tried to come between us, I'd kill them. I just have to accept I wont be seeing him again. Lets go see Charlie then we can get the hell away from here. Do you have somewhere Jazz? You know I never asked you about that. I know so little about you except that I can't live without you."
"I have a couple of places but nowhere I'd take you Bella. We'll get somewhere of our own darlin' Just as soon as we get away from here. The world is yours to choose a home."
She looked at me with tears in her eyes,
"I love you so much Jazz. I just want to get out of here, Away from Charlie, the wolves, and everything that reminds me of Forks and Edward Cullen."
"OK, Lets get this over. Hospital then we hit the highway south."
I drove to the hospital again and went up to Charlie's room with Bella, not wanting to see him after what he did to my Bella but it was only for a little while so I gritted my teeth and followed her into his room. He looked at me as Bella went and kissed him on the cheek,
"Dad this is Jasper."
He nodded and held out a shaky hand which I shook briefly before sitting down the other side of the room.
"I take it you don't think much of me Jasper Hale?"
"That's about right Chief Swan. I don't think much of any man who harms his own daughter,"
"It was an accident, I was angry and worried about her."
"Really? And hurting her showed her just how much you care?"
"I've already apologised to my daughter and she accepted it."
"Well she's got a good heart and you're all she has now except for me."
"Yes and you're going to look after her now I hear, Where will you go? Can you support her?"
"They are questions a father has a right to ask but you forfeit those rights when you drew blood Chief Swan. I'll answer but understand I don't have to. I will look after her and yes I can provide for her and look after her, as to where we go that's for her to decide. It's also her choice if she tells you. Now I'm going down to wait outside for her because if not I might just forget you're her father and show you what I think of men who take their temper out on their family members. I'll see you in a bit Bella."
I kissed her on the cheek and went out glad that neither if them could see just how angry with Charlie I really was.
