Chapter 20

I faced the others as they emerged from their rooms and joined me back in the living room. We sat in a semi-circle with how the furniture was arranged so it didn't feel so much like a me against them set up.

"I'm sorry y'all. I didn't purposefully hide anything. It just never seemed like the right time. It's a poor excuse, I know." I looked around at everyone's somber expressions, noting that their emotions were indicating they felt betrayed and hurt. I really screwed this one up.

Peter looked directly into my eyes as he spoke, "You screwed the pooch, Major."

I nodded and looked down. I couldn't disagree. The family didn't like the Volturi, we had broken the law twice now and I willingly invite them to our home and didn't tell anyone. It's not like this was new information to them. Aro had already been here. Granted he didn't know of Charlie during his visit. Guess I had 'screwed the pooch'.

"I know, I'm sorry. I wasn't tryin' to hurt anyone." I looked up at both couples and listened as I heard Bella exit the shower.

"You don't have to be here when he arrives, if you don't want to. This is all on me. Honestly, none of you were mentioned. We only spoke about my relationship, the job, and Charlie. I would understand if you want to take a quick vacation until he leaves."

Char and Peter looked at each other silently and then over to Rose and Emmett who were doing the same. The silent couples only conversation.

"We'll stay, there's safety in numbers," Peter answered and Emmett nodded but Rose looked away. I knew she didn't want to stay. That's why they weren't here when Aro visited.

"Rose?" I asked, trying to get her to speak her mind. "I'll stay for Bella's sake but I'm not happy about it. I wish you would have told us sooner. Given us more time to decide how to approach this rather than just a few hours. When you've known for two weeks!" she screeched a little at the end before turning away in a huff.

Emmett pulled her into him to console her and she curled into him silently crying. She was truly scared of the Volturi. Bella joined us and we talked well into the morning. I apologized multiple times for my poor decisions.

After Bella had lunch and Emmett and Rose snuck off for some alone time, I sat in the den watching some reality show, I couldn't care to know the name of. Their family drama was much like my own. Lies, wants, too much money, and everyone in everyone's business.

"What are you watching?" Bella asked as she joined me on the maroon sofa. We didn't use the den much but it was comfortable and secluded in the finished basement. A tv and sofa on one end of the room and a little used pool table at the other. For as sturdy as humans believed pool tables to be, they were easily broken. It took great concentration to moderate strength when playing pool. I'd have to teach Bella once she was changed, it would help her to learn to control her strength and judge pressure.

We were only cuddled up there for about 15 minutes when I heard the doorbell. Bella sat up when it sounded.

I couldn't help but stare at her in awe. "You heard that?"

"Yeah?" She looked at me like I was crazy.

"Bella, you shouldn't be able to hear that as a human." I continued to stare at her wide-eyed until the doorbell rang again.

"Fine! I'll get it," Peter said from the third floor.

"Did you hear that?" I asked Bella.

"The doorbell a second time? Yes. We better get it." She moved to stand up but I pulled her back down by her hand.

"Peter's getting it. You didn't hear him say he'd get it?" I was still shocked she heard the doorbell even if she didn't hear Peter. He was further away.

"No. You know, Jasper, doorbells are made to be heard throughout the house." She rolled her eyes at me and went to stand again. I let her but I couldn't help but be agitated at her blasé attitude and dismissal.

"Jasper! Your guests are here!" Peter called loudly enough for any human to hear.

Bella was already making her way up the stairs. "Was I not supposed to hear that either?" she quipped snidely.

I growled and joined her on the stairs. "I do no appreciate being made fun of, Bella. You should not be able to the hear the doorbell down here but yes you should have heard Peter yelling for us at the top of his lungs." I glared at her before moving past her to go greet my unwanted guests.

In the entryway stood Peter with who I assumed to be Marcus and to my surprise Carmen Denali.

"Carmen?" I asked looking between Marcus and the petite dark-haired female that stood just behind him with her head down. She felt ashamed where Marcus was feeling very little, he seemed muted to me but I could tell there was a profound sadness in him.

When Carmen didn't respond I looked at Marcus and extended my hand in greeting. "I'm Jasper."

"Yes, young one. I am Marcus and you already know Carmen. I hope you do not mind, she will be staying with me until I return her to Eleazar when I am finished with my visit here." I nodded.

"This is my brother Peter," I said indicating Peter with a nod.

"Yes, we just met. Shall we?" Marcus motioned forward indicating he was not happy to be kept in the entrance.

"Of course," I motioned for him to follow me to the living room. Carmen still hadn't spoken and for the life of me I couldn't figure out what she was doing here and why Eleazar wasn't with her, why she needed to be returned? This was unexpected.

"Please, have a seat. I motioned to living room furniture and Marcus moved as though he was floating to sit on a large chair. Carmen followed and stood behind him, still with her head down. I just stared at her until Peter's hand landed on my shoulder.

"Bella?" he asked.

"Oh, ya. Ummm…" I looked around like she was going to pop out of the walls and realizing she wasn't decided I should track her down. "I'm sorry, let me find her. Excuse me." I walked off back towards the basement where I had left her, a million questions still swirling in my head.

"Bella?" I asked as I began my decent back downstairs to find her sitting exactly where I had left her with her head in her hands. She looked up at me and her eyes were slightly puffy and red but no tears stained her cheeks. She was done crying and I had left her here. I felt like a total ass.

"I'm sorry, Darlin'. I really am. I didn't mean to talk to you like that. I just didn't like the way you put off my question. It hurt my feelings so I hurt yours. I hope you'll forgive me?" I gave her my saddest puppy dog eyes with a hint of a crooked grin I knew she loved. I sent her my love and regret.

"I know. I'm just really moody and I'm sorry. I'm probably about to start my period." She gave me a soft smile.

I shook my head thinking it was crazy how I wound up with such an honest and beautiful woman who was human. Who knew that this was possible?

"Come on." I pulled her to stand. "Marcus is here, with Carmen Denali?" I ended it in a question. Still confused about her presence. Bella looked at me questioningly but I shrugged my shoulders and took her hand leading her back towards our guests.

Bella of course knew of Carmen because Vicky was staying with the Denali's but how Carmen came to be with Marcus? I just couldn't even begin to guess.

We arrived holding hands and feeling much more secure in our love than when I stormed off to meet our guests. She is a bit emotional I have to admit but she's right it's almost that time of the month and she gets a little edgy for a couple days before. I knew better than to say anything, it'd just get me into trouble.

I smiled as we approached our guests Peter had disappeared letting us get down to business I'd guess.

"This is my Bella," I said as I pulled her next to me and introduced her to Marcus and Carmen.

Carmen only briefly glanced up, nodded towards Bella and then returned to looking down. Searching for Carmen's feelings I found only remorse and guilt. I was starting to worry something had happened with her family but Marcus indicated he was returning her to Eleazar so nothing wrong there. As far as I knew Bella and Rose had talked to Vicky a couple days ago and she didn't mention anything out of the ordinary.

I didn't think on it long while I took a seat with Bella next to me. "I'm glad you could come, Marcus. I was hoping you could help educate us about the mating bond?" This is where I wanted to start.

Marcus said nothing but stared at me and then Bella and quickly moved his eyes between us almost as if he was reading something. Not having a clue how his gift actually worked we waited in a tense but not completely uncomfortable silence.

"It's beautiful," he finally breathed in no more than a whisper.

Bella looked at me questioningly but she knew what his gift was. I had explained this. I returned her look with a smile and sent her my love.

"Oh, that's different. What did you just do, boy?" Marcus' eyes were wide with wonder and his emotions bounced around from happy, to sad, to confusion.

"Oh, um Jasper please." I didn't want to insult him but calling me boy was not acceptable, that was what male slaves were called in my human days. I may have fought for the Confederacy but I wasn't in it for the right to own slaves. I was in it to make a name for myself, which I did. And to relieve my family of the burden of one more mouth to feed.

"Yes, of course, I meant no insult, you are just very young compared to most vampires I engage. But please, I saw your bond flash brighter. Did you do something?"

"I sent her my love using my empathy. Would you like me to do it again?" Now we were getting somewhere. He could see my bond, it 'flashed' when I sent her my love. As he nodded his head only once and almost imperceptibly, I did it again and Bella sent me hers back.

"Oh my!" Marcus exclaimed jumping to his feet. "That was better than the last time, it's beautiful, stunning. What did you do?" he asked me. I knew from speaking with him on the phone he was typically not very animated in his speech, this was like a whole other person.

"Um, well I sent her my love and she sent hers back. We communicate like that a lot actually." I smiled at her again and she returned it before we focused back on Marcus. He stayed standing and Carmen continued to stay with her head down but I could feel her shock. I knew she was glancing at him out of the top of her eyes. Yes, he was not normally this animated.

"It's amazing he said stepping towards us and bumping into the table, pushing it towards us. Bella squeaked and jumped though the table did not come close to hitting her.

"Oh, my child I am sorry. I just have never seen anything like it. My bond with my beloved was not nearly as bright as yours and you still being human." Marcus focused on her then, staring at her and all around her. His eyes seemed to trace the contours of her body and I was getting increasingly agitated as she was becoming uncomfortable.

After five long minutes of his staring Bella began to squirm. I put my arm around her and moved her closer to me effectively breaking his spell.

"You are not well, my child," he stated as he stepped back and sat down in the chair he vacated earlier.

"Huh?" was Bella's reply as she looked at me questioningly. "I feel fine."

Marcus was shaking his head before she finished her three-word rebuttal. "You are not." He looked to me. "Do you not see it?"

Bella and I turned to each other and she looked into my eyes feeling bits of fear and confusion. I studied her face, her emotions, her vitals, she seemed fine to me. I looked back to Marcus and raised an eyebrow as I responded, "she seems fine."

"Children," he mumbled softly enough Bella probably did not hear but I did and narrowed my eyes. I was almost 190 years old. I am not a child.

"You have shared venom with her correct?" He asked as he looked over noticing that Peter was now standing off to the side in the kitchen.

I nodded at Marcus' question. He knew the answer, we had discussed it over the phone.

Bella held her hand out to Peter beckoning him to her. He hesitated and then moved taking her hand and sitting next to her, in silent support. I knew though he was now studying her too, looking for signs of illness, that's what brought him down. He loved his little sister.

"What do you mean, I am 'not well'?" Bella finally asked the question that hung heavy in the air. Even Carmen had raised her head to get a good look at the woman next to me.

"Just that, you do not sleep well, you do not eat well, you are dying- slowly," Marcus responded and though his tone was bored, my vampire ears allowed me to pick up the touch of sadness in his voice.

"I feel fine. I sleep and eat just fine. I'm sorry but you're wrong." Bella looked to me and then Peter for support of her statement.

I started to nod but I thought better of it, how much sleep had she been getting? How much was she eating? I looked over head towards Peter as we calculated all of this quickly and found he was right. I hadn't even noticed.

She was sleeping less, she would stay up late with us, get up early. She was eating probably only one meal a day but she had several small snacks throughout. Certainly, it was not the amount she was eating when she was back to her normal healthy self.

Peter's realization and mine hit about the same time but Bella stayed blissfully unaware. She didn't notice. She wasn't tired, she wasn't hungry, she wasn't losing weight, she looked fine, smelled even better. Oh God!

My eyes widened as I looked from Peter to Bella and then over to Marcus. "You mean? Is she changing slowly? Is my shared venom changing her?"

Her head snapped to look at me as her brain began pondering this question herself. Just today I noticed her hearing was sharper than it should be. Wasn't that the minor disagreement we had just as Marcus arrived?

"No." Marcus' word was harsh but final.

"Then what is happening?" Bella asked being the only one to have a functioning brain allowing her to talk.

Panic gripped me. I couldn't lose her! If I was human, I would be having a full-on panic attack, as it was, I could feel the stone heart in my chest racing. I knew it wasn't really, but it didn't detract from the sensation running icily through my bones.

"You have decelerated the process, giving her your venom, but she is not made to be human with a vampire mate. Her body cannot withstand it. Your bond is extremely strong. A true mating bond. It may be the only thing keeping her alive, as yet. Her body, heart, very probably mind, crave you but you cannot share it with her fully or more she cannot share hers with you fully.

"Your bond. I see it as a two-way connection and her brightness to you is dimming, it glows when you send feelings to each other. It is brilliant but there's a darkness in it. Her death may not be imminent but it will occur. There's a piece that cannot be connected because of her human status. She will…" he paused seeming to search for the right word before looking directly into my eyes and saying, "expire."

That word seemed so heavy. I expected him to say die, but expire, the word meant more than just die, it meant a time limit. I looked to Peter holding Bella so close I may have been squishing her a little but she didn't complain. My eyes filled with tears I couldn't shed and he gave me a sad but knowing look. He knew she was in danger he just didn't know why.

"So, what do I do? Change her?" I asked releasing her a little and focusing back on the house guest that was now equal parts unwanted and welcome. Welcome if only he can help me save her.

"It's not that simple anymore, I'm afraid." Marcus looked at her with sadness and I felt longing coming from him.

I pulled her tight and growled at him. His eyes snapped back to mine but did not look angry, just sad.

Char chose that moment to join it probably having heard everything she walked hesitantly at a human pace into the living room. Peter stood and kissed her cheek.

"This is my mate, Charlotte. This is Marcus and Carmen." He gestured to each person as he introduced them. Again, Carmen stayed silent but nodded in greeting. Marcus rose and bowed toward her, a greeting my mate didn't get, which angered me.

Char curtsied cutely not sure what to do with herself and a hint of smile graced Marcus' face before he solemnly sat down and focused back on the matter at hand.

"If, you were to change her now, it may kill her. If you don't change her, she will certainly die. I can see that much in your bond. However, I do not know what the best course of action would be."

Well shit.

"Shit," Peter echoed my thoughts. I nodded in his direction as Bella sat quietly taking it all in.

"I feel fine. I don't feel sick or weak. I don't feel anywhere near death and I love Jasper more than life itself. If it's that big of deal I think he should just change me. I don't know why I would die. There's nothing wrong with me." Her words were sure and her body was confident but her emotions told a different story of fear and doubt.

I turned her towards me, "We will figure this out but don't hide from me." She knew what I meant. I cupped her warm face in my hands and held her eyes. Finally, the mask came down and the fear and confusion leaked into me from her skin like I was siphoning it from her. Her eyes teared up but the tears never fell and as I watched them teeter on her bottom eyelids it occurred to me.

"She could hear the doorbell from the basement today when you arrived. I'm assuming you heard our conversation?" I asked looking at Peter and Marcus but never releasing her face.

"Yes," they both responded. I looked back into her eyes. The chocolate depths were just a little lighter, my brain sorted things quickly. How did I not notice? Her tears stayed balanced on her eyelids but never fell. I realized then that she wasn't blinking. She was staring at me with equal parts fear, love and trust.

"Bella, blink," I ordered and when she did her tears fell. I was almost relieved to see those droplets fall. Almost. I was heartbroken that they did. I cleared them from her cheeks, my thumbs pulling the dampness away, streaking them across her face.

"I love you. We will get through this," I whispered. Sending her my love and accepting hers in return. It was an intimate moment between us. Even though I knew it was being watched by everyone in the room.

She nodded her agreement in my hands and I released her. We both turned to face Marcus.

I asked no one in particular, "What do we do?"

AN: So what do they do? What'd ya think?