Online Predator Chapter 56

After Bella had finished eating breakfast, and with no sign of Jasper returning, she drove over to the Cullen's to visit her father. When she arrived, she sat in her truck and re-read Jasper's tweet. Clearly he was struggling, clearly he had reverted back to a medium he had become comfortable with.

Bella didn't know if Jasper had her tweets on alert, but as she looked at her profile she noticed she hadn't tweeted in ages. Usually it was several tweets a day, then Jasper came and took some of her attention away, and then life got crazy. For the first time in a while, Bella felt the words surging forward. She wasn't sure if Jasper would read them, but these words weren't for him, they were for her.

clumsy_af: My father is set to die and there's nothing I can do about it. It was bound to happen one day, but I thought we'd have more time. I'm fortunate, I know he'll be with me forever, but at what cost?

Bella sent her tweet. She hated that she still didn't know what becoming a vampire entailed. Yes, Charlie would live forever, but what kind of life would he have? Would he be forced to fight like Jasper? Would he integrate himself back into the community like Carlisle? And what about her? When she became a vampire, what would life be like for her? What kind of life did Jasper want to lead now that he was free?

She decided to ask him that one particular question over a message.

clumsy_af: Now that you're free, what do you want to do with your life?

She expected Jasper to either say 'I don't know' like he often did, or for him simply to ignore her. He did neither.

hunting_grounds: I'll never be free

He was definitely struggling and Bella added having a talk with Rosalie to her list of things to do. She needed more information, she needed advice. She wanted to help Jasper heal, not hinder him. She decided not to reply to him until she had something to say. At least he was alive, wherever he was.

Bella knocked on the Cullen's door and Emmett answered. His usual smile was gone and he was frowning, clearly stressed. It wasn't a good sight.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked.

Emmett said nothing, he just went back upstairs to be with Rosalie.

Bella shut the door and walked into the house. Alice and Garrett were sitting together in the living room. Bella watched them for a moment. They were snuggled up in the corner of the couch, in each other's arms. There was an ease there and it made Bella jealous. Things seemed so easy for them and she hoped it was simply because Garrett hadn't been raised in the wars like Jasper had.

Bella stepped away, she had to. Then, she reminded herself that Jasper had been with her all night. He had laid with her, they were in each other's arms too. It might not be as easy as Alice and Garrett's relationship, but it was something. Jasper was here and he wasn't going back... Unless that's where he had ran off to this morning. Bella's chest ached.

She went upstairs. Her father wasn't screaming at the moment and she hoped that was okay. She didn't want her father to be in pain, but she wanted him to be okay. She couldn't lose him now. Bella tried to shake thoughts of Jasper aside, but she couldn't. What would stop him from going back to Maria? He'd done it before.

Carlisle exited the room before Bella could enter and Bella found it odd. Shouldn't Carlisle be in there with his mate, keeping watch or whatever needed to be done? Was he simply giving Bella privacy with her father? Was Charlie dead? Bella's chest ached again. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. He wouldn't be dead, he couldn't.

Bella entered the room and the sight she came across shocked her. Charlie was still lying on the floor and he appeared to be alive, maybe, Bella couldn't really tell, but he didn't look dead. That wasn't the shocking part though, it was Jasper. He was in the room, in the corner, eyes glued to Charlie.

There were a million things Bella wanted to say to him, yell at him even, but she didn't. Jasper wouldn't meet her eyes and she didn't want to push him. At least he was here and not back with Maria.

"How is he?" Bella asked, deciding to follow Jasper's lead and look at her father only.

"Stable."

"Can I move closer or is that not a good idea?" Bella asked.

"You can," Jasper said.

Bella wanted to look at her mate, she wasn't sure why she was following his lead and denying her needs. Before she stepped towards her father, she looked at Jasper. He was staring at her now, with a look on his face that could only be described as heartbreaking. Bella's focus shifted, she wasn't sure what thoughts were making Jasper feel this way, but she had an overwhelming urge to hug his pain away.

She turned away from her father and came over to hug Jasper. He was stiff, unmoving in her arms, but she didn't let it deter her. He wasn't pushing her away and that was a good thing. Bella focused on how she felt about him, how much she loved him, how much she cared for him, how much he made her feel safe, how happy she was. Jasper relaxed for a second, but that was it, one second and then he stepped away, moving towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Bella asked.

Jasper grabbed his phone out of his pocket, typing away. Bella's phone buzzed and she looked at it. For whatever reason, Jasper didn't want to say his answer out loud.

Jasper: The reservation

When Bella looked back up, Jasper was gone. Her chest ached at the thought but it wasn't anything major to worry about. Bella knew where Jasper was and she had no doubt that she would see him again. Carlisle came back into the room and Bella knelt by her father, holding his hand. It didn't feel warm anymore, but not as cold as Jasper's either.

"When will he become a vampire?" Bella asked.

"It should be later today," Carlisle answered.

"And then what will happen?"

"I don't know," Carlisle said, "I want him to be placed straight onto my diet, but Jasper has other ideas."

"Can't we just ask my dad what he wants?"

"It's doubtful," Carlisle said, "newborns don't have that kind of understanding. It will take weeks for him to become coherent enough to answer our questions."

Bella didn't like the sound of that.

"I think the decision should be mine," Bella said, "I am his daughter and you and Jasper can't decide. It's only fair."

"I'll go get the human blood now then," Carlisle said.

"Why?" Bella asked. "I haven't made a decision, I don't have all the facts yet."

"You will side with your mate," Carlisle said, "I know his kind, Bella, you can't go against him, he won't let you. He'll manipulate you into doing what he wants. So, as I said, I'll go get the human blood now."

Bella stood up. "Look, Carlisle, I don't know what kind of life you've lead but you know nothing about Jasper and you know nothing about me or my relationship with him. I'm not meek, I will not do what he says. He hasn't once manipulated me, aside from his initial motives, but even then, I don't think I fell into his traps. Charlie is my father and you won't even admit that he's your mate, so, until you make some kind of progress in that area, Charlie is my responsibility and I will decide what's best for him."

And, with that speech, Bella leaned down and kissed her father's forehead. She squeezed his hand too.

"I love you," Bella said, "and I won't let anything happen to you. Stay strong, Dad."

Bella left the room and went back downstairs in search of Rosalie. As she passed by the now empty living room she remembered that she had last seen Edward in that room looking a little frightful. She sent him a message.

Bella: I'm at your house, are you here?

Edward: No

Bella was starting to wonder if these one word answers were a male thing and not just a Jasper thing.

Bella: Where are you? Can you give me Rosalie's number?

Edward sent through Rosalie's number but he didn't tell Bella where he was. Bella found it odd, but she had bigger things to worry about right now.

Bella: Hey, this is Bella, are you home? I really need your advice

Rosalie: Advice about what?

Bella: Jasper

Rosalie: Where are you?

Bella: Downstairs, near the front door

Rosalie didn't reply and a few minutes later she joined Bella.

"What do you want to know?" Rosalie asked.

"Can we go somewhere else?" Bella asked. "I don't want anyone overhearing."

"Fine." Rosalie led the way out of the house and into the forest.

"How are you?" Bella asked as she focused on not tripping on the uneven ground.

"Fine," Rosalie answered.

"What about Emmett? He doesn't seem like himself."

"What do you expect?" Rosalie said. "Everything's going to hell. Carlisle's mate is changing into a vampire, Alice's mate is a vampire, Edward's mate is apparently a newborn, then that leaves Emmett and me."

"Are you mates?" Bella asked.

"There's no way to tell while we're both human," Rosalie said, "as humans, we love each other and are committed, but I don't know if it's what the others have and I'll never find out. I don't want to be a vampire."

"What about Emmett?"

Rosalie didn't reply and Bella had her answer. Emmett must want to be a vampire.

"Do you think he'll stay human for you?" Bella asked.

"I don't know," Rosalie admitted, "he says he will, but I know how much that life appeals to him. I know he doesn't want to lose his family."

"Why don't you want to become a vampire?" Bella asked.

"Why would anyone?" Rosalie countered. "You're killing yourself, you're dooming yourself to live a life where all you do is drink blood and harm humans. I don't want that. Ever since I could remember, all I wanted was to grow up, marry someone I loved, and raise a family."

"And vampires can't have children?" Bella asked.

"No," Rosalie said, "and why would I want a vampire child?"

Rosalie stopped walking, they were far enough away from the house.

"What do you need?" Rosalie asked.

"I'm struggling with Jasper," Bella said, "he's struggling too. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. He's distant, he likes to run away from his problems, he can be kind and considerate and then the complete opposite the next minute. I don't know. I remembered what you said, about how it won't be easy when he comes back. What am I supposed to do?"

"Have you decided what you like about him yet?" Rosalie asked. "What's drawing you in?"

Bella hadn't really given it much thought since Rosalie last asked her.

"I like how he makes me feel," Bella said, "how I feel safe with him. I like that I know he'll protect me no matter what. I like how he looks physically, how he's strong yet kind. I don't know, I like almost everything about him. I don't see any faults."

"Then what's your issue here?" Rosalie asked. "All relationships take work, Bella, and you and your soldier are only just getting to know each other. If you are seeing no faults then you just need to be patient with him, be understanding. I'm sure he must be going through a lot right now. Forks, life with you, won't be anything like what he's used to. And, if you're that worried about it all, talk to him about it."

"I've been trying," Bella said, "he doesn't want to talk."

"You've asked him questions?"

"Yes."

"Then that's where you're going wrong," Rosalie said. "You need to let him know how important it is to you, you need to tell him how you feel. You can't just ask a question, not to him, you need to give him a reason to answer you. Are you understanding what I'm saying?"

"I think so." Bella wasn't sure at all.

"What's one of your questions?" Rosalie asked.

"I keep asking him if he'll go back to her."

"And why do you ask him that?"

"Because I'm afraid that he'll choose her over me," Bella said, "that he'll decide this new life is terrible and go back to what's known. He's abandoned me once before, so what's stopping him from doing it again?"

"You need to tell him that," Rosalie said. "You can't just ask if he's going back to her, you need tell him how you feel and why you want to know. You need to give him your fears and give him the opportunity to reassure you."

Bella found sense in her words. "Thanks, Rose."

"And if that doesn't work," Rosalie said, "come back to me and we'll figure out a way to make him tell you."

Bella smiled, not at the thought of manipulating Jasper, she would never do that, but at how supportive Rosalie was being. Bella waited for Rosalie to lead the way out of the forest. Bella had gotten enough answers for now and she liked that if anything else arose she could ask Rosalie.

Rosalie didn't move, she was looking at the ground.

"Bella," she said, "you trust me not to tell anyone about our conversations, right?"

"Yes."

"Can I expect the same from you?" Rosalie's eyes meet Bella's.

"Of course," Bella said. "Honestly, as long as there are no vampires around to overhear, your words are safe with me."

"Okay," Rosalie took a deep breath, "I don't know how to say this… I'm terrified actually."

Bella wondered what it could be.

"I…" Rosalie stumbled over her words, "I think I'm pregnant."