I Do Not Own Twilight
Garrett walked into the house and ran up to the guest room he was staying in. He quickly stripped off his clothes and jumped into the shower. He didn't want anyone to smell Bella on him. He knew he should be saturated by her scent because of how closely they had been dancing today. He smiled. He felt he was the luckiest vampire on the planet. His mate was the most gorgeous creature he had laid eyes on.
Once he was finished, he changed clothes then grabbed his laundry from his duffle bag he mixed some of his dirty clothes with the ones he wore today. He flitted downstairs at vampire speed and started to wash his clothes. Esme appeared as soon as he had turned on the washing machine.
"I would have taken care of that for you Garrett. You didn't need to wash your own things," Esme smiled and shook her head.
"Forgive me, Esme." He shrugged, "You probably don't want me breaking your washer but I have been doing my own laundry so long I didn't even think of having someone else do it."
She laughed, "Well it isn't my appliances I worry about. I do live with Emmett, you know. I just like to take care of our guests. I know you nomads don't always get time to rest and when you're here I like for you to relax."
Garrett grinned an idea coming to him, "You are one of the kindest women I know. You have even learned to make human food for your human friend. What's her name?"
"Bella," Esme beamed. "She will be my daughter someday. I do love to cook for her."
"I thought she was going to be changed before the end of summer?" Garrett was feeling angry but also triumphant. He was getting to the bottom of this faster than he would have thought.
Esme frowned, "Oh, I forgot she doesn't know the new plan. We haven't discussed it with the other's yet either so keep this between us, okay!" She smiled brightly at the vampire before her. "Edward spoke to Carlisle and they agreed she needed a few more years for her to have human experiences, go to college, and travel before she is turned. Edward was supposed to have already spoken to her about it. I don't know why he hasn't."
Garrett wanted to sneer at what he was hearing but he maintained his composure in order to learn more. "Whatever Carlisle decides will be the best, I'm sure. What is he going to do about the Volturi though?"
"That's easy. Carlisle will have Alice watch their decisions and just move Bella whenever they try to come for her." Esme was reveling in having someone to talk to when she was working in the laundry room. If she was more human, she would have loved gossiping with the other women at the grocery store or beauty shop.
Garrett smiled again and asked her a few domestic questions in order to continue his charade. Soon it was time to switch his laundry. He was going to wait until it was finished but Esme insisted, she would get it all up to his room. Deciding he needed to figure out what he should do he went up to Jasper's study.
He started to knock on the door but Jasper heard him coming up the stairs and called for him to come in. Jasper grinned as soon as he saw Garrett, "You figure it out yet?" He cocked his eyebrows at the man.
"Yes, and she is what I came to talk about. But not here. Where can we go?" Jasper looked intently at Garrett reading his emotions his grin quickly turned into a frown.
"Follow me," Jasper motioned with his hand as he turned to the window and jumped out. He took off running toward a waterfall he was fond of thinking at. They ran in silence until they could see the waterfall and both men started to scout the area to see if they detected any fresh scents.
"It's nice havin' another soldier around. No one else ever thinks ta scout an area. I always worry about Alice when she goes huntin' without me."
Garrett nodded and frowned, "Did you know that Edward and Carlisle have decided to wait on turning Bella. They want to wait a couple of years according to Esme."
Jasper's mouth fell open and his eyes bugged out. Garrett was relieved because Jasper was clearly shocked by this revelation. Jasper spat, "Why on earth would anyone not turn that girl? She's been beggin' for it for years. Now they want to go against the Volturi! How stupid can they be?"
"Pretty stupid," Garrett nodded and rubbed his hands through his hair in exasperation. "I guess Edward told her, not very nicely, she would never be changed."
Gesturing wildly with his hands Jasper began angrily pacing, "What is their plan to keep her away from that Volturi tracker, Demetri and the rest of 'em?"
"Alice," Garrett said flatly. At this statement he thought Jasper was going to explode.
"They would make my Alice an accessory to one of the few laws we have," Jasper was getting louder as he kept talking. "A law that when broken the person who committed the crime is put to death?" He roared out the last part.
Garrett instantly realizing the Major was about to make an appearance added quickly, "I promised Bella, I would change her before August. I just needed to know where I would stand with you. I could take on the rest of the Coven alone but I don't think I could do it if you were on their side."
Jasper was still clearly angry but Garrett's promise to change Bella way before she had to be changed calmed him down dramatically. "You won't have any trouble from me or Alice. She doesn't know anything about you two yet. The closer Bella gets to becoming one of us the less she is able to get visions of her. I think that's one of the reasons Alice has been so catty to her lately. I told her she needs to lay off and she felt badly Bella had her feelin's hurt but I suspect she is angry she can't see her anymore."
"Really why do you think Alice can't see her?" Garrett smirked very pleased their dancing plan might have a chance of being a total surprise.
"Easy, Bella has a gift. Edward can't read her mind. Neither could Aro. Jane couldn't hurt her either. Lately she has been able to push away the emotions I'm tryin' to project. She has to try to do it. It's actually cute she wrinkles up her forehead and really has to strain. Still, she's able to do it."
Garrett scowled, "What do you mean she's cute?"
Rolling his eyes Jasper smirked at his friend, "I mean she seems like a little sister who is tryin' her hardest to keep up and instead of lookin' tough or strong she just looks cute. Believe me I have no interest in yer girl." Jasper lightly punched Garrett's shoulder. "What're ya gonna do about Eddie?"
Garrett frowned and his head and shoulders sagged. "I'm not going to do anything. She has to call the shots. I have figured out a way to spend time with her as a friend and I won't make a move until she is done with Edward. If she is ever done with him. Right now, it seems like he doesn't have a prayer but who knows the mind of woman."
"Ya got that right," Jasper scowled clearly thinking of something he found confusing about Alice. "But your girl her mind is a mystery to everyone. She's friends with vampires. She forgives the people who try ta kill her. She is one big mystery." He grinned again at Garrett, "You'll have fun with that."
Garrett's eyes lit up and a smiled bloomed across his face, "I know," he said wistfully. "You can tell she has a stubborn streak it will be fun to push those buttons." He grinned at his friend. "I just hope she doesn't mind my past. I've seen much bloodshed in my time and I'm not sure anyone would love that."
Jasper nodded his head in understanding, "Bella knows a lot about my past and she has never been afraid. I told her about it when we thought we were going to fight those newborns a few months back."
"Yes, I heard about that. What happened with them? I never heard the whole story."
Jasper took a deep breath, "These nomads got a whiff of Bella and were gonna play with her. We killed one and his mate came after her. She built the army to destroy Bella but once we caught her the army disbanded. They didn't have any beef with us once their creator was dead. We caught Bree, Diego, and Fred passin' through and they said everyone was pleased as punch to be rid of Victoria. We made sure she had explained the rules, which she had, so we sent them on her way."
Garrett nodded, "How did Bella take all of this?"
"I guess she struggled with anxiety over it when the family was gone since she has been back her main worry is if we're safe. She doesn't care a lick 'bout her own safety which is somethin' you'll struggle with. She's perfectly willin' ta die if it saves someone she loves."
Garretts eyes bulged out and his jaw fell slack. "What's wrong with her?"
Jasper just shrugged and shook his head obviously not having an answer, "She just loves more deeply than anyone I've ever met. Which is why Eddie's still in her life. If it was anyone else, they'd have kicked him to the curb long ago." Garrett nodded thinking of all he had been told.
The two vampires started heading back to the house. Jasper was not happy with the Edward and Carlisle. He considered calling the Volturi, letting them know what their plans were, and what he and Garrett were going to do about it. He didn't want to have to do it but he would if he thought it would help.
The two vampires came to the house and went through the front door. Edward and Carlisle were in the living room engaged in a game of chess, Rosalie and Emmet were snuggling on the couch, and Alice was flipping through a fashion magazine with a picture of a pair of heels on the front.
Seeing Alice gave Garrett an idea. He went and sat next to her. "Alice," he hesitated waiting for her to look at him once she did, he continued, "I wondered if I might ask you for a shopping favor."
At this Alice began bobbing her spiky black head furiously, "Yes! You absolutely need a new look. This all-black nomad thing you have going on is terrible. I can help. We can head…"
Garrett cut her off afraid of where she was going with this, "Actually it isn't for me." She frowned confused but he continued before she could ask. "I met a lady friend last night and took her dancing. I somehow managed to ruin her shoes and I would like to replace them. I was wondering if you would be able to help me replace them. I can give you my credit card and you can do with it what you would need too."
Alice jumped up, "Of course I can shop for anyone! What is her size."
"The thing is I'm not sure, however, she is almost exactly the same size as that human you had here yesterday."
"Oh, she's Bella's size? I am on top of your shopping. I'll pick up some things for you as well. You need more help than you realize," she said solemnly. Jasper started laughing behind him.
"Thank you, Alice, I am happy for anything in black. The nomad life is hard on clothes and black hides blood stains the best."
Alice balked at that statement then sprinted out to go shopping, "Come on Jazzy!" she shrieked. Jasper chuckled at his little mate's enthusiasm.