Chapter Forty Three

Peter

It was good to have the Major and his family back where they belonged. By which I meant as far from the fucking Cullens as possible. I just didn't get it, Bella had been throw down the stairs and almost lost both her own life and that of her child by the psycho she was married to, a psycho who had been backed by the rest of his fucking family. The Major pulled the irons out of the fire at that time and not without adding considerably to his collection of scars. Hell, he was never gonna be a poster boy for the fucking Marlboro man or any such shit but nowadays he looked like he'd been chewed up and spat out by a fucking sabre tooth tiger.

Yet still, they remained on friendly terms with that twisted and, quite frankly, crazy family. They even wanted that innocent little girl to call them family. I mean, I know I'm no saint, I have my rough edges, but by their standards, I'm fucking Joan of Arc!

Charlotte read me yet another of her infamous riot acts before they got back. My fucking ears were burning from the litany of those I'd been forced to listen to over the past few weeks, and of course, I promised to keep my mouth firmly shut.

"It's not your decision, Peter. They have their reasons. Let's just try to get along. I do not want you driving the Major away again like you did with Alice."

I stared at her, aghast. Oh right, that old chestnut again!

"Me? That was my fault? Well, forgive me for not allowing that stuck up little bitch to look down her fucking nose at me and mine. If he wanted to get laid he didn't have to marry her. He could have done a lot better for himself than that evil little bitch. You know something? She acted more like Maria every time I saw her. Telling him what to do, how to dress, when to shit, it made me sick."

"Well, Bella's nothing like Alice or Maria. She genuinely loves our friend and Megan, Megan adores him. Just cut them some slack and we can all be friends. Do I make myself clear, Peter Whitlock?"

She glared at me and boy did that woman have a glare on her, it could freeze the fucking inferno in hell.

"OK. OK. I got it. Now can you please stop yelling at me?"

I got a final, 'you've been warned' look from her and she sauntered out. You know, sometimes I wondered why I married her but then, she was the only woman crazy enough to take me on. So what choice did I have?

When they returned Darius wasn't with them which was something of a welcome surprise. Not that I disliked the guy, he just made me uneasy. He was a little like the Major, a ticking time bomb. The difference being that I knew the Major and what made him go off, Darius was a mystery.

Megan went straight down to the stables to say hi to her pony which oddly enough seemed to have missed the little girl.

Taking the opportunity her absence afforded and the fact that Charlotte was outside with Bella and therefore out of earshot I asked the Major what happened with the Volturi and his 'family reunion'.

I knew right away that I wasn't getting the whole story and I guess I just felt that I deserved more. I'd been his faithful friend and comrade at arms since he turned me. I'd never let him down or given him any reason to doubt my loyalty so I flipped out. A bad move I guess, but then that's me. Go in all guns blazing in defence of myself.

Jasper

I stood silent while Peter ranted knowing what had set him off and feeling that maybe he was justified. It wasn't that I didn't trust him, I did, with my very life and had done so for well over a century. It was just that Peter had a problem with working out boundaries. He was as likely to tell Megan things we rather she didn't know, like just how dangerous all this could turn out to be.

He ended abruptly, "So? Cat got your tongue?"

"No. I was just waiting until you finished. It seemed a shame to interrupt your rant in full flow. It's a shame Charlotte doesn't have a swear box. She'd have enough for an exotic holiday by now."

"Fuck you, Major. Bottom line, do you trust me or not? Or am I not as reliable as the fucking Cullens? After all, they've shown just how trustworthy they can be, now haven't they?"

"Right. Enough, Captain. Pull your horns in and listen."

He snorted, "Yeah? Why? So you can give me more half stories and fucking fairy tales?"

"No. So I'm not forced to knock you through that fucking wall. Got it?"

Now, I'm no angel, but I rarely used the kind of language Peter peppered his everyday conversation with and that told him I was serious. Not only that, I was at the end of my rope with him so he shut up and stood there arms folded glaring at me belligerently.

"Go on then, I'm all ears."

"Peter, you hate the Volturi and the Cullen family, so what's the point in me giving you a blow by blow account of our visit? It would only give you more opportunities to go off."

"Hey, you, Bella, and your kid here are family. That means something to me so yeah, I want to know what happened. I want to know what's happening next and where our morose computer geek is hiding, instead of coming back with you. That alone tells me there's something in the wind. I watch your back Major, always have, always will, so suck it up. If there's something going down I want to know what it is. Or I guess you and I should just walk away from each other right now."

For the first time, I saw that I had genuinely hurt Peter and that upset me. I never wanted to hurt his feelings and I guess I was so used to Peter just being there that I took it for granted that he didn't need all the details. I was wrong and I was man enough to admit it.

I held out my hand to him but he just stared at it. It wasn't a gesture he was used to getting from me.

"Peter, I'm sorry. You're right. I should have filled you in right away, but let me tell you that it wasn't because I didn't trust you. Shit, you've saved my ass enough times and I will always look to you first."

"Then why, Major?"

"Because I made an error. I thought you might think me crazy, think I was putting Megan and Bella at risk for something you wouldn't consider important enough."

He stared at me as if I'd just said something in Russian,

"You thought I might criticize a decision you made about your family? What the fuck do you take me for? You never questioned any decision I made for me and Charlotte even the ones you thought were crazy. They're your family, you would never put them in danger unless you thought it was necessary or the danger predictable and worth taking. Fuck me, I reckon that wolf took more than a few pounds of flesh from you, Major."

"Well, OK. Are you gonna take my hand or do I stand here all day looking like a dick?"

"Now that's an idea... Oh, what the hell!"

He grasped my hand and yanked me forward pulling me off balance by the unpredictability of his action.

When I was chest to chest with him he stared into my eyes and spoke quietly into my ear.

"I don't want to fight with you Major. Just you make sure you have all the angles covered. That woman and child are looking to you to keep them safe and I aim to make sure you do. I may act like a fucking clown, but don't ever take me for one again."

Then he stepped back and shook my hand.

"So, what the fuck is going on and what can I do to help?"

I told him everything and although he raised an eyebrow at Megan's insistence on helping Darius he didn't say a word. Only when I told him what we wanted him to do did he groan and throw his hands in the air.

"You want me to play fucking games with the girls? What kind of role is that for a grown man? Jeez, just make sure no one ever finds out, I'll never live it down."

I smiled back, "You have my word, my friend. Now let's join the girls. I have the feeling they felt the heat in here and decided to keep a low profile."

"Yeah, Charlotte always knows and she usually visits the horses. Come on, let the games commence."

He was right, the girls were with Megan in the stables and Charlotte looked at us concerned when she saw us come in, then relaxed, knowing the danger had passed.

"Daddy, Sunny missed me and I missed her. Can I go riding tomorrow?"

"We'll see. I know mommy wants to see our new house, but first I think we need to see just how good you and mommy are at hiding things… or people."

Megan looked at me through a curtain of hair, her head bent.

"OK. How? Does that mean you think Aro will help?"

"Well, if he decides to I guess we should make sure Darius is already well hidden."

I could see something in her eyes and gazed at her questioningly before it hit me. Of course, Megan was working on the assumption that Aro was going to help so she already knew that Darius needed to be hidden.

"I… I already hid Darius, daddy. I had to but I daren't tell you, because I was afraid you might tell me that I couldn't."

Bella knelt down before her,

"That was very brave of you sweetheart but it must be difficult doing it on your own. Let me help you, we can do it together if you show me how."

Mega, relieved that her mommy wasn't cross with her nodded, wiping her eyes.

"Yes, I'll help you, mommy. It's not really difficult, just like playing hide and go seek."

She turned to me.

"Are you going to play hide and go seek with us, daddy?"

Peter stepped forward and crouched down beside Megan.

"How about I play with you and mommy? You beat me last time, but I think you cheated. Let me try again, but this time we'll make it harder because you have to hide you and mommy and if you can do that then we'll try it with Charlotte too. Maybe even your pony and the horses and if you do that then I'm hiring an elephant or two."

Megan giggled, "That's silly."

"You think so? Well, let's see."

Megan grinned and threw her arms around Peters's neck, much to his obvious delight.

While Megan had dinner, watched over by Bella and Charlotte, Peter took me to one side.

"This hiding Darius, what story are they gonna use? I mean it needs to be a good one. He isn't fucking stupid."

"I was going to leave that to Aro, why?"

"Well…"

He rubbed his chin, hesitating before he continued.

"Look, I never mentioned your scars before because I know you're self-conscious about them and you don't like talking about that kind of shit but they could work to our advantage."

My hand wandered up to my cheek feeling the deep gouges made by Jake's claws.

"How?"

"Well, everyone knows that you and Darius are friends so why not have him with you at the house. You know, the two of you were just going back to pick up your stuff or check on things and got caught up in the shit going down. No one knows what really happened there. It coulda been the whole pack and while you escaped after rescuing the kid, Darius wasn't so lucky, He got caught in an ambush trying to protect your back and the wolves killed him. Maybe he got a little rusty over the centuries or thought he'd be safe with that fucking treaty the Cullens had with the Quileutes and wasn't as vigilant as he should have been."

I thought about this. It was probably as good a cover story as Aro could come up with and I wanted Peter to know I appreciated his input.

"I'll run it by Aro. It would work if he hasn't already decided, or decided against helping."

Peter nodded, smiling to have come up with something really useful.

As it was I didn't have to try contacting Aro, he called me.

"Major. I have spoken to Sulpicia at length regarding your daughter's...conversation."

"I see. And I take that you're calling to tell us that you've decided what you are going to do. I Understand it wasn't easy and I guess it was a lot to ask."

"Yes, it was and a very brave thing to do, especially for so young a child. A most remarkable child. I am very glad that you saved her, Major. Our world would be a lesser place without her presence."

"Thank you."

"You paid a heavy price too, I saw. Luckily looks aren't everything to some women. I am glad for you, Major. That you have found your true mate at last."

"I think so."

"Of course. Well, after much deliberation I have come to my decision with regard to your friend. Megan was right, it is one of the few decisions I have made that I regret. Although, as a man with the security of his kind in his hand that burden goes along with the responsibility. In this case, however, I feel that sufficient time has passed that I can, perhaps, right a terrible wrong."

I was surprised but pleased with his decision.

"Thank you on Megan's behalf. I take it you have your own idea how that could be managed?"

"That is why I am calling you. I wondered if there was anything more you wished to add to Megan's... request. I would speak to her personally, but I feel the two of us have been in contact as much as is safe. She is young and does not need to know the details. To a child, it is like making a wish and then discovering it has come true. The why and how are not important."

"Thank you for that. I agree and yes, I did have an idea. Or at least one was suggested to me."

"I see. Well, perhaps I should hear it. I am most interested in how Darius seems to have fallen off the radar of late."

"How long ago?"

"Perhaps young Megan had this all planned a while ago. As you know I keep my finger on the pulse of our world although I do not keep a watching brief on everyone, as some believe. This is Marcus' domain and he guards it jealously, but he was willing to say that a certain person seemed to fade from the world about three months ago."

"And how often does Marcus report to Caius?"

If he reported on a regular basis then our story would not work.

"Actually he doesn't. Marcus and Caius are not on good terms, haven't been for a very long time. Caius has grown complacent, he only asks for reports once every five years or so. His own spies report even less often."

"Then our story might work. I doubt Darius has been seen by anyone who matters."

I explained Peter's idea to Aro who, after thinking about it for a moment, agreed that it might work and agreed to begin his work on Caius within the next few days.

"I have no idea how long this will take but we must be patient, Major."

I agreed and he promised to be in touch if, and when, Caius took the bait and decided to act.