Chapter 23:
Between a Wall and a Hard Place
Edward and I had made it back to the states faster than when we went to brazil, he was able to change our tickets for to a more direct route. We took a different route we flight to Mexico and from there a direct flight to California, and from California we flew directly to Seattle. The lay overs were quick and then we took another plane directly to Seattle Edward was very quiet in both fights this annoyed me but I wasn't going to argue again, I plugged on my iPod and ignored him. He knew that I was a bit resent full so he placed his hand over my shoulder and lifted my face I opened my eyes to look at him he was smiling, a shy smile. He gave me a small kiss I didn't move and when he placed my head at his shoulder I closed my eyes again. We arranged for a car service to pick us up at the airport.
"Maghelena and Jasper?" I asked "yes" was Edward's response.
"I knew there was something wrong love you saw it too" I stated. "but please tell me what really happened" I pleaded.
"Well I think that Jasper was having an affair with Maghelena" he said, "do you mean that Jasper cheated on Alice with Maghelena?" I said although I knew that from the begging at the wedding.
"Yes love, that is exactly what happened" he stated.
"Poor Alice she must be devastated; I need to talk to her" I said.
"Bella I don't know where Alice is she isn't in Forks." my love told me.
"Where is she then?" I asked "that is what I've been doing on these past few days, I've been trying to track her down but I'm not very good at it and is very frustrating, plus she knows that I'm looking for her and is changing her course" he finished.
"She's breaking our mental connection" he added. "I popped on her mind last night but she kicked me off because she saw in my head what we noticed in the wedding and we didn't tell her anything, she is very mad at us." he said
"ah this is great! my sister in law is mad at me perfect; Maghelena is so dead I told her to stay away from Jasper, argh! I exclaimed loudly.
"But how didn't she see this herself?" I asked confused. Edward placed my head on is lap, he turned it so that I could see him.
"love don't be upset, you know that when someone is mad they say things that they later regret. so don't worry, she is not mad at you literally" he reassured me caressing my face.
I sighed calmly, he caressed my face again but now he was very close, I could even see my reflection in his topaz eyes. I couldn't hold the grudge any longer so I locked my arms at his neck and reached up, I gave him a sweet soft kiss he was smiling when I finished.
"I really felt rejected Edward" I admitted "I thought that you didn't want me anymore" I told him.
"I'm sorry love, I felt bad too, believe me or not it broke me to see your face every time you tried to get my attention" he said smiling a little.
Edward finally tracked Alice down, and she stopped traveling she told Edward that she was going to meet us back at the house.
He sighed deeply we were going to finish with this situation because it was already ruining our marriage and to say more we only have been married for a month, I knew that as soon as this stupid situation was over Edward and I will be the same again. We arrived at the house Edward went to fetch our bags, I kept walking I only wanted to see Alice.
I stretched my arms to her she came forward and I held her on a warm embrace, I heard her gave tearless sobs. She clung to me I held her tighter, I was the only one who understood her pain, I've been on the same situation a little more than 6 years ago so I knew how she felt.
"Why?" Alice asked her head at my shoulder, "please tell me why?" she said again.
"I don't know Alice sometimes things just happen and there is nothing we can do to help it" I said as I patted her back.
"I don't understand" she stated "believe me Alice I don't understand either" I told her sighing.
Edward was at my side, he also patted her back she then got off my grip and hugged Edward he embraced her warmly.
"I'm sorry" he said "in part is our fault" Edward told her.
"I mean we saw the way they looked at each other at the reception but I thought that I was overreacting, Gabriella saw it too and told me but I told her that it was impossible; so it is my fault Alice" Edward said as usual, he was blaming himself for everything.
"I don't know why he did it Edward, I know Jasper loves me, we have been married for almost 70 years now. Isn't that enough?" she said.
"I don't know Alice we will have to ask them both why they betrayed your confidence and trust and ours, I mean Maghelena is Gabriella's best friend and with this she also betrayed her" Edward was saying.
Everyone joined us in the living room after a quick greeting. "So please Alice tell me everything, from the very beginning" I pleaded, she sighed but started.
"Well the day after wedding Jasper was really weird I mean he wasn't in the house all the time and when I talked to him he was umm I don't know..." she trailed away
"Distracted" I suggested.
"Yes, that is the word, so he was distracted but at the same time some days he was really excited." she told us.
"What do you mean by exited?" Edward asked "well he gave me a little extra love" Alice said smiling a little.
"Oh, ok and then?" I asked "then two weeks after the wedding he went out one day at seven in the morning and came back the next day at the same time.
"when I asked him where he went he said that it was none of my business" Alice said sourly.
"But you didn't see where he was going?" I asked.
"No change in his future at all?" Edward asked.
"I don't know how to explain it; it's like something is blocking my power" she explained sadly.
"Well what else?" Edward asked
"Jasper kept disappearing and Maghelena, I mean nobody knew where she was, because she was supposed to help us move your stuff to New Hampshire, but she only came for two days" Alice said "days in which I saw that she was a little over reactive and helpful around Jasper, even Nikki said that there was something wrong but I was so busy that I didn't see the signs in time" Alice said exasperated again.
"Alice I want you to know that this is not your fault I mean everyone makes mistakes but I'm sure that they regret it, and if they don't… well that will be my problem" I said.
Edward took my hand on his free one and pressed it firmly. "love don't do anything stupid" Edward suggested.
"Edward, this time it will be my way" I said "no highway option"
"Well Alice one more thing, how you found out?"
"Well I was here with Esme, Rosalie, Nikki and Myosotis; we were just hanging out in the house sorting and ordering your wedding presents when I had a vision." Alice explained
"And?" Edward demanded
"Well I saw Maghelena on Jaspers future but I didn't know what that meant I only knew that after he reached her they both disappeared" Alice said on a sad tone. I reached to pat her shoulder she placed her hand on top of mine "everything would be fine Alice I promise" I reassured her, Edward smiled at us.
"But do you have a clue to where they went?" I asked "well they appeared after 3 hours so that must mean one thing…" Alice trailed away
"What?" I asked but instead of Alice, Edward gave the answer.
"They did whatever they wanted to do at the border with the Quileute reservation, Jasper knows that you can't see past them; that was crossing the line, and I don't mean that they entered the wolves land I mean that he used that against you" Edward said
"How did they even get past them?" Emmett asked.
"Paul nearly killed Gabriella last time" he pointed out.
"Alice I'm really sorry about all this Jasper is our brother but what he did was wrong" Rosalie said sitting with Alice on the couch I sat at her left Edward by my side.
"Gabriella, I know how hard this has to be hard for you, you are torn between your friends and I will understand if you side up with Maghelena" Alice told me.
"No, there is no way Alice, I know how you feel remember that I was betrayed before…" I said.
GSWAN
"So I know that it will be hard for you to forgive him look at my example it took me five years to forget…" I said Alice looked down
"Oh no but it doesn't have to be the same with you Alice I'm sure that there is an explanation behind all this" I told her "I hope so Bella because if jasper doesn't love me anymore… I don't know what would I do without him" Alice said
"Alice if Jasper tells you that he is sorry and he promises not to do it again ever, would you forgive him?" Edward asked.
"I don't know brother" she said while I stroked her hair.
"Where is he Emmett?" I asked
"Well when he left he gave us this address" Emmett told us handing us a piece of paper folded in half.
"Come on Edward" I said he followed "here, take my car" Carlisle said handing Edward the keys.
We went out an entered in the Mercedes Edward gave a glance to the address and drove away to town. after twenty minutes Edward parked on what looked like small apartments.
"Here we are" Edward announced taking my hand on the side walk.
"Relax" Edward murmured at my ear. I sighed deeply Edward asked for jaspers apartment number and then we went to face him. Edward knocked at the door jasper opened.
"Hi" he greeted "come in" he added.
"Well you know why we are here" I said.
"Yes, Gabriella" Jasper answered. "Have a seat" he said pointing at the small sofa we sat he sat in front of us in the edge of the metal coffee table.
"What do you have to say in your defense Jasper?" Edward asked
"First of all everybody makes mistakes" Jasper said "nobody is perfect" he added
"This is not the Hannah Montana song" I said raising my voice.
"Gabriella calm down" Edward said.
"Don't you dare to use your power on me, Jasper!" I warned him with a low growl.
"Then relax" he said "I will calm down when you confess" I snapped at him.
"Okay" he said "I have been hanging out with Maghelena these days" jasper said
"That's not true, Jasper we know what you did so please get to the point" Edward said as polite as possible.
"Okay, I had an affair with Maghelena" Jasper admitted finally.
"I cheated" he said.
"We know, but we are here to know why" Edward added.
"Yes, Jasper why?" I asked again
"Well sincerely I have no idea of why, it just happened" Jasper said on his defense.
"'It just happened' that is your argument" Edward stated.
"What else can I say?" Jasper asked
"Well explain to me why did you went to the border line, knowing that your future would disappear and Alice wouldn't be able to see." Edward told him
"Because it was the only way possible" Jasper defended
"Guys you have to believe me when I say that I'm sorry. I couldn't help it; I was attracted to Maghelena"
"I was helping her" he added.
"I mean not attracted, it was like if I had to do it; like if I didn't have a choice. It was pure physical thing I swear" Jasper said pain on his tone.
"It's like I know I was doing it, but I wasn't in control of my actions." He explained.
"Like you were compelled or manipulated" I made sense of the situation. According to Akylah some vampires had the power to compel others to do their bidding, but Mag wasn't from that line of vampires, and this power wasn't something you could develop. There was something deeper going on here.
"So you don't feel attracted to her in any other way?" I asked.
"You won't leave Alice for her?" I asked the real question.
"I swear; this was a one-time only" Jasper explained. "It better be" I told him I wasn't kidding.
"So you would tell Maghelena that what happened in the past few days can't happen again ever" I said.
"Yes, Gabriella I promise" Jasper said.
"Don't promise me, is Alice you have to convince of that jasper" I told him. "You will have to do everything to win her back, and let me tell you she is really hurt" I said "she thinks that you don't love her anymore" I added.
"I know that" he said his head down.
"Well our work is done here we'll go see Maghelena" Edward said
"Um…she is staying in Port Angeles here is the address" he said handing me a paper.
"Where did you get this?" I asked
"She knew that you might want to see her so she told me to give it to you" he said. We said goodbye to Jasper and went our way to Port Angeles to face the last piece of this mess.
Edward parked at the parking lot and took me straight to Maghelena's room she opened the door before we had a chance to knock.
"Come on in" she said politely, Edward and I entered and we sat on the small seating area that her room had.
"Well you know why we are here, so tell your part" I told Maghelena.
"I know that you guys are mad at me but you can't judge me without hearing my point" Maghelena said
"Yes, that is something we know and that is why we are here"
"Well I don't know how exactly but it just happened" Maghelena said.
"Did you and Jasper planned what you were going to say?" I asked
"No why?" she asked.
"Because that is the same thing he said" Edward pointed out.
"Oh well all I could say in my defense is that this is something that wouldn't happen again" she said
"I mean it, Gabriella" she reassured me. That's eerily similar to what jasper said too, now it made me question everything he said to us.
"you don't have to apologize to me, is Alice to who you will have to talk to" I said
"Well of course, I'm really sorry all this was my fault, I dragged jasper into it and I didn't think about the consequences of my actions, I just did it" Maghelena explained.
"But I don't regret it" she finished.
"What!" I exclaimed "you don't regret ruining Alice's marriage? You don't realize how much time would it take to Alice to heal?" I said rising my voice I was losing it.
"Gabriella, calm down" Edward said caressing my face
"Edward, this is too much for me to handle; I can't be on one side or the other don't you see that I'm in the middle of this situation." I said
"I'm the one who is in between friends, I'm Switzerland" I added resting my head against his shoulder, he embraced me.
"I know love; I know" he reassured me.
"Gabriella, sister I'm sorry that you are hurt" Maghelena said.
"My actions have a reason and I'm not justifying myself" Maghelena said
"Is just the fact that I feel alone and Jasper was helping me" she added
"What do you mean by alone?" I asked "Gabriella, I'm older than you and I've lost all my loved ones" she said. "I know I can count on you and the girls, but there are things missing in my existence" Maghelena said her head down.
"I just wanted some comfort, I wanted to feel something" she said.
"Wanted to feel loved and cared for" she said her head down.
"Why did you have to pick Jasper? Why couldn't you find someone that wasn't married" I said.
"I've asked myself that question too. I looked, for weeks before your wedding I seriously did. Then I started interacting with him more and more and I couldn't get him out of my head." She said
"How did you manage to elude Alice? Her power is very strong" I asked.
"I compelled him to do what I wanted" she said.
"Like Akilah does? I thought not all vampires can do that" I said.
"Some of us older ones can, I don't use that power often" she said.
"It's like he was aware of what was happening but I was forcing him to do it" she explained.
"I know that him being on his right mind he wouldn't have even glanced in my direction. I made a mess and hurt a lot of people just for a few moments of pleasure and companionship" she said her head down.
"Do you think that Alice would let me talk to her?" Maghelena asked Edward.
"I'll see what I can do about that" he told her
"So Jasper didn't do this willingly?" I asked.
"No, he didn't" I sighed in relief.
"Thanks Edward" she said.
"I'm very glad that you have Edward, I hope that someday I find a man like him" she said.
"Edward you are very lucky to be with Gabriella she is one of a kind" Maghelena added.
"I know Maghelena, there is no other woman like her in the world" Edward said kissing my forehead
"um…sorry about that" Edward said to Maghelena.
"Don't worry I understand, and someday I will be the same, I mean being loved by a man and I don't care if he is human" she said.
"Well I think we should leave now" Edward said "yes love" I said standing up.
"Bye Maghelena I call you when I have Alice's response" I told her "okay Gabriella, thanks Edward" she finished.
We went out and headed back to forks, I had my head resting on the window shield with my eyes closed. This was a nightmare I wanted it to end. By the time I opened my eyes again we were at the Cullen's house. I went straight to Alice's bedroom, I found her on her bed with her eyes closed.
"Alice" I said "yes?" she asked "can I seat here with you?" I asked
"Yes" she said, I went to sit on her bed she then rested her head on my lap. While I stroke her hair, I told her everything.
"Jasper wasn't on his right mind Alice; he was manipulated by her" I said.
"They say that they're sorry and they want to talk to you personally" I finished she sighed.
"So what is your answer?" I asked after a few seconds.
"Yes, I'm going to talk to them separately" Alice concluded "ok I'll go tell them" I said
GSWAN
After I made those calls it was time to get ready for the night, we stayed at the Cullen's house on Edward's old bedroom. We went upstairs Edward opened the door for me and I entered, the room was like Edward left it the day of the wedding.
The first picture that Alice took of us was on the nightstand, there was another picture besides that one the one at my college graduation with the Cullen's and my friends. Our bags where there also I took mine and took one of my pajamas out I dressed in Edwards bathroom.
I went out and he was waiting for me dressed for the night simple sweat pants he was shirtless; he was already on his side of the bed.
"Come here love" he said I went to his arms he held me.
"Gabriella, quiero que sepas que te amo con todo mi corazón" (Gabriella I want you to know that I love you with all my heart) whispered in Spanish.
"Edward yo también te amo y no solo con todo mi corazón, yo te amo con toda mi alma, con todo lo que soy." ("Edward I love you too and I don't only love you with all my heart, I love you with all my heart, with all that I am") I replied.
I started kissing his neck then his jaw, his cheeks his eyelids every inch of his perfect face, I crawled on top of him and continued kissing him; when I reached his lips, he grabbed my face and kissed me, I kissed him back, parting my lips. He parted his lips and our tongues danced as we fiercely kissed each other.
"I hope that this situation ends soon because I hate to be stressed" I said "I hope so too, because I just want to have you alone in our house in New Hampshire" Edward added.
"What for?" I asked kind of knowing what he was going to say.
"Gabriella, newlyweds usually want to be alone at least for the first few months of their marriage" he said.
"But knowing us and based on what I've experienced with the rest of the family it's probably going to take us around ten years to be able to be in the room with other people without wanting to ravish each other" I giggled.
"Ten years?" I said.
"That's how long it took everyone else, Rosalie and Emmett were the worst" he admitted.
"I can imagine" I said reaching out to kiss him again.
This time I kissed his chest, I was doing this but I wasn't losing it. Edward apparently was because he grabbed my hips and spun us around I was now on the bed and he started kissing my face and neck, he moved his hands to my waist, he found his way through my silk top and started caressing the top half of my body… I stopped him before he got too carried away.
"Edward" I said he growled but continued to touch me allover
"Edward" I said again
"What?" he said a little annoyed.
"Stop please" I said "why?" he asked his lips at my neck.
"Not here" I told him
'not while Alice is hurting' I thought so that he could understand.
"Okay" he said resting his head on my chest he then closed his eyes I did the same, he started humming one of my favorite Spanish ballads.
We stayed that way and waited for the morning and the outcome of this whole situation.