Chapter Fifty Five

Carlisle

I was shocked to hear about Charlie but then he had decided to go to Volterra to check on Leah and she was always going to be dangerous although I would have thought Aro would have ensured she was closely supervised when out among others. As I had anticipated it didn't take long for the news to get around that Edward was going to trial and when I told Esme that I had known of his pending arrest before it took place she was furious with me for not telling her.

"I didn't see the point in worrying you unnecessarily, he'll never be found guilty and executed, Aro wants him in the guard, he'll make a deal."

"And have you spoken to Edward? What about Alice? Where is she? Is Aro really going to stop them getting married?"

"One question at a time Esme, please. Yes, I have spoken to Edward, he rang to ask me if I would go to Volterra and represent him at his trial."

"And?"

"And I said no, I told him exactly what I told you, that if he considered things he would see a way around this. He's no fool, he'll work it out."

And Alice?"

"Alice is in Volterra with him by now, where else would she be? She and Edward are mates, Aro won't separate them, they will live quite comfortably in Volterra, Aro will make sure of that, especially as it means he gets her gift as well, two for the price of one."

"I see, well, you've got it all worked out, it's just a shame you didn't bother telling the rest of us. I thought we were a family Carlisle, we've never kept secrets from each other until now and I'm deeply upset."

"Then I should probably also tell you that Bella's father has been grievously injured."

"Chief Swan? How? He's a vampire, who could hurt him? Don't tell me the Quileutes did it."

"No, not exactly. Leah Clearwater somehow got free long enough to attack Charlie. She clawed most of the side of his face off and destroyed it,"

Esme put a hand to her mouth in shock,

"Oh, poor Charlie and poor Bella, I take it she knows? That family doesn't get a break does it?"

"Yes I told Jasper and he broke the news to her."

"You did? Why? Can't Aro handle giving out bad news all of a sudden?"

"Esme, please, I'm not getting into a row about my friend right now. Bella and Jasper are traveling straight to Volterra so she will also be there for the trial although I don't know if she'll speak to Edward."

"Well, if I were her I wouldn't, he doesn't deserve it. What's going to happen to Leah? Aro can't just let her go around attacking people."

"I don't know my dear but I'm sure he'll come up with something ingenious you can always rely on Aro to do that."

"Well…."

"I do wish you wouldn't start every sentence with that word, Esme."

She glared at me and I knew I was now very deep in a hole but I'd rather she be mad at me than keep on firing questions that I couldn't answer.

"I am going to Volterra to give Bella some support. She has no mother now and I'm the next best thing, you do as you like Carlisle, it seems you always do."

Ouch!

She went out straight-backed with indignation while I stared after her in amazement, Esme go to Volterra? She was terrified of the Volturi!

I decided she would calm down and come to her senses and went off to work as I heard her telling Rosalie in an indignant voice of my many faults in "hiding" facts from them.

Bella

Jasper explained everything to me once we were alone including what Heidi had said to him,

"You mean Caius was responsible? And Aro knows it?"

"Aro can't prove anything but he knows so he doesn't need to, he's leaving it to Charlie and me."

"And Leah?"

He answered me with a certain amount of caution in his voice,

"That's sorted too. I'm going to give the new guards an exhibition and training session and then I'll sort out the other business."

"The other business? You mean you're going to kill her. Are you sure? Look what happened to Charlie and he's a newborn with extra speed and strength."

"Bella, you'll just have to trust me on this and I don't want you there."

I stared at him in utter disbelief,

"You're going to kill the bitch who ripped my dad's face off and you don't want me there? Try to keep me away, Mister."

"I don't want you to see me kill anyone, Bella."

That sobered me but I still wasn't happy being wrapped in cotton wool, even by Jasper.

"We'll discuss it later, in the meantime tell me about Heidi."

He shrugged,

"What's to tell, she's a girl, he's a guy, they clicked."

"A girl? Hardly, she must be as old a Methuselah and what's with the clothes? My dad would have arrested a woman dressed like that in Forks."

He grinned,

"Do I detect a hint of bitchiness there? Heidi is a nice girl who is blessed or cursed depending on how you look at it with sexual magnetism. It's her gift, as a human she was incredibly beautiful, so beautiful she was hated by her mother and sisters and treated very badly. Her father sold her to a local aristocrat as his mistress and she was only saved from his attentions by a local vampire called Hilda. Heidi hated her sexual appeal for a long time until she joined the Volturi and learned to use it to serve her own ends."

"So, is she using it on Charlie?"

"No, Heidi never uses it on anyone she cares about or those she works with and the way she dresses is just her. If you have a figure like that I guess you just want to show it off."

I glared at him,

"Does she appeal to you, Major?"

He knew he was dancing on very thin ice by the tone of my voice and he smiled and grabbed hold of me pulling me close and tumbling onto the bed with me in his arms.

"Darlin', I have eyes only for you and I think you are far sexier than Heidi."

I grunted but he had ways of taking my mind off unpleasant things and soon we were a tangle of naked limbs on the huge four-poster bed.

Jasper

When we finally surfaced the next morning Bella had forgotten her bad mood and Heidi, who did nothing for me. I much preferred Bella but I could see how another woman might find her a rival. What I hadn't told Bella was that Heidi could make herself equally appealing to women when she wanted to, I guess I hadn't revealed that particular point because that might have been a little too much for her already overactive mind. Bella would get used to Heid eventually, once she saw how happy Heidi made Charlie and what a nice person she was under the surface, as beautiful inwardly as she was outwardly.

In the meantime I needed a quiet word with Charlie and after belatedly telling Bella of my meeting with Alice in the corridor and receiving absolution, Bella wasn't one to hold a grudge except maybe at Leah, she went to arrange a meeting with Edward leaving me free to spend a few minutes alone with her father. I had offered to accompany her on her visit to Edward but she decided she could cope on her own before admitting that Charlie had offered to go with her when she was ready. I felt better knowing she wouldn't be alone although I didn't doubt she could hold her own against Edward if anything I felt sorry for him under the circumstances!

Charlie

Bella had reacted better than I expected to my face, it wasn't a pretty sight I was the first to admit that but as she told me,

"You're my dad, do you really think I'd stop loving you because you lost your looks? Dad, I'm sorry to burst your bubble but you never had any, not to me anyway."

I laughed, it was true, I remember thinking how old and plain my own parents looked when I was a teenager!

"What does Heidi say? I mean you and her are…."

She trailed off unsure just how to vocalize our relationship,

"She was there when it happened, she looked after me and she says she doesn't care what I look like she loves me just the same. I bet that turned your stomach didn't' it? A young woman who fancies your old man."

Bella was honest enough to blush,

"I guess it's just the thought of you with anyone, I mean you've never even had a girlfriend since mom left."

I grinned,

"Actually I've had a few but I kept them quiet and they soon fizzled out but Heidi's different, she's a nice person. I know what you think, she's too young and too flirtatious but that's just her gift, the way she's survived in this world."

It was a strange conversation to be having as we walked along a corridor but I was happy she was willing to discuss it. Bella walked in silence for a few minutes then turned her head to look at me, I was walking so my good side was towards her,

"Are you happy dad?"

"Now that's a good question, you know I don't think I've ever been happier. I feel like I fit in among vampires, I've made some good friends and I have Heidi. I guess you should know that she and I are living together and I guess I'll get around to making an honest woman out of her when she's ready, being married doesn't mean as much here as it does to humans, being mates is all that matters."

Bella held up a hand to stop me,

"Please dad, I know I'm an adult now but that's a little too much information."

I burst out laughing and two black cloaked guards walking by turned to look at us then nodded when they recognized me. I think I'd earned some respect when I tried to stop Leah, most vampires wouldn't go anywhere near her.

We stopped outside Edward's cell and I glanced at Bella,

"Are you sure you want to do this? He's not alone, I can hear Alice's voice."

She nodded although I could tell she would have preferred to speak to him without his mate, her once best friend, in attendance, so I opened the door and we walked in to find Edward sitting at his table and Alice lounging on the bed. She studied my ravaged face and I thought I detected a hint of pleasure in her eyes. Did she think this was payback for what Bella had done to Edward and her? It even crossed my mind that maybe we were wrong and she had something to do with Leah's attack but I didn't see how that was possible.

Edward jumped to his feet and glared at us,

"So, you finally decided to come and apologize? You sure took your time Bella and I want to talk to you alone so maybe your dad can wait outside. After all, I can't offer to take a walk with you, I'm not permitted out of this cramped little cupboard."

Bella put a hand on my arm and gestured to Alice,

"If she's staying…. so is my dad."

He scowled even more but then pushed a second chair, one he had requested for his visitors, over to Bella who sat down and looked around.

"It's not so bad as cells go Edward and don't go blaming me for your predicament, you broke the law not me, so I have nothing to apologize for. So, that said, why did you want to see me?"

"I thought you might at least take pity on poor Alice, you and she were friends after all. If you were just to alter your story a little. Tell Aro you said what you did out of spite, that you were angry with Alice and me for the way we treated Jasper. He'd believe that he thinks everyone is disgusted with our behavior the narrow-minded fool. Tell him that Jacob Black told you our secret to try and break us up, it's true in a way. He did tell you the story of the spirit warriors and the Cold Ones, you told me that yourself."

Bella who hadn't taken the proffered chair shook her head sadly,

"You really are a little shit aren't you Edward? If you can't get your own way everyone else is to blame. You want me to lie to Aro Volturi so you don't have to get yourself out of this mess. If what you want me to say was the truth I would have told Aro the first time. I really don't care about you or Alice, you deserve each other and I am not lying to save your neck, take the deal you know Aro will offer you, a few centuries here in Volterra might do you good, after all you won't be the most important person any longer, there are plenty of others with greater gifts here already."

She didn't even wait for his answer just turned to me,

"I think that's all dad, let's go shall we."

And I followed her out to see the two guards at his door grinning, they'd enjoyed Edward Cullen getting his ass handed to him by a human, and a girl at that.