Author's Note: Thanks for all of the reviews- they really are addictive to read. I'm glad everyone is so into the story now. Anywho, part of this chapter is going to be in "Major's" POV because now that Jasper knows Maria is behind this he has to go back to his roots and start thinking like Major Whitlock would think to defeat her, hopefully he makes it in time =/

Chapter 11: Welcome Back, Major

Major's POV

I drove all night, ignoring calls from my family and even Jacob Black. They couldn't help me anymore, I wasn't going to endanger them any further. This was Major Whitlock's battle, and I'd fight till death for Bella. When she had first uttered the word "Maria" to me over the phone I'd panicked. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to defeat her on my own and then I realized something. Jasper Hale couldn't defeat her, I'd have to go back to my old ways, just for a while, to be able to think like Maria does. I loved the Cullen's but they weren't going to be of use to me against Maria, they would be a distraction to me, constantly worrying about their safety. In that moment I knew I had to go to Peter and Charlotte, they were my only hope of finding her, my Bella.

I drove onto Peter and Charlotte's ranch doing about 90 miles an hour. I saw Peter walk out onto the front porch defensively then ease up when he saw my car. I parked and ran to him as fast as I could.

"Hell Jasper, what's the damned rush? The feds after you or something?" he joked.

"I need to find Maria." Was all I said to him as I walked inside their home. He stayed out on the porch, no doubt processing what I'd just said. Charlotte, who was standing in the living room smiled warmly when she saw me. A shadow fell across her face though when she saw the state I was in.

"Jasper? What is it?" she asked concerned. By that time Peter had returned into the house looking anything but happy to see me. "Peter?" Charlotte called to him, desperately trying to figure out what was going on.

"Jazz, please…" he motioned for me to sit down but I refused. "Jazz, what the hell is going on with you? Why would you ever want to go looking for Maria?" he stuttered over her name, afraid of Charlotte's reaction-which wasn't good.

"Jasper Whitlock," she spat, "You wouldn't! Why Jazz?" she pleaded with me. No two people knew just how much Maria was to be feared better than Peter and Char. I had to explain Bella to them, it seemed to take forever for me to word how much I loved her, like I'd been mated to her all my life. They quickly understood though, they'd never judge me for her being human.

"Whoa, whoa, hold it," Peter said, "You need to think about this Jazz," he told me. I lifted an eyebrow.

"What the hell is there to think about Pete? She's got Bella!" I whined.

"After all these years why would Maria want to get back at you like this? It's not Bella she wants man, it's you. You better be prepared for what she has in store for you when you find her."

"Don't worry, I won't have a problem dealing with her," I said bitterly. Peter shook his head,

"You don't sound like the Jasper I know now," he warned, "You sound like the one I knew back then." I looked at him for a brief moment.

"That's what I was going for, I'm going to need to use all my strength against her," I explained, hoping he would understand. He nodded gently, I could tell that he was scared for me…or of me.

"Let me make some calls, I'll see if I can track her for you." He said walking out of the room.

"Jasper," Charlotte whispered.

"What?" I said after a few moments. She was holding something back.

"Please…please don't ask us to come with you on this," she sighed. I hadn't really thought far enough ahead to even think about asking them from help, but she made me curious.

"It's just, that was the darkest time for all of us, I've spent a lot of years with him trying to help us both forget the things we saw and did with her. Instead of living in constant darkness, now it just feels like a distant nightmare and I want to keep it that way. Maybe one day we'll be able to forget completely but not if we go back," she explained and I could feel her shame in denying me. I smiled as genuinely as I could and reached for her tiny hand.

"I would never ask either of you to do that Char, never." That was Jasper Hale talking, but it was true. She smiled sadly at me and stood up, leaving me in the room alone with my thoughts.

Bella POV

I was now covered in bruises, my lip was bleeding, and I was almost certain that my ankle bone was either broken or cracked at the very least. Still, I'd told Jasper what I wanted, that I loved him and that I was going to be a vampire. I'd accepted it because the only alternative was to put Jasper at risk for death, and I couldn't live in a world without him.

"Bella?" Bree's small voice resounded through the room and I rolled myself over to meet her gaze. Her eyes looked alarmed to see me like this. She pulled a washcloth from somewhere and walked towards me with it.

"Doesn't it bother you to be with me while I'm bleeding like this?" I asked her. She smiled at me solemnly as she wiped my face clean.

"I have a lot of self control, that's why Master put me in charge of caring for you, the others would have probably drained you by now," she explained. I shuddered with the fear of what was to come for me.

"Does it hurt when…when you're changing?" I asked.

"It's the worst pain I've ever felt, it feels like you're burning alive but no one will put you out. Eventually you just wish for death but you don't get that either, you just have to burn until your heart stops beating and then you wake up," she said softly, remembering. A few tears fell across my cheek and she wiped them away.

"You made her very angry, you know. You should've just said what she wanted you to say," she said suddenly.

"I know, but I had to protect Jasper, I love him," I defended myself and hoped that Bree would understand.

"There's something I need to tell you," she whispered so low that I had to strain to hear her.

"What is it?" I whispered back.

"He's coming for you. One of the soldiers received a phone call from a vampire that used to fight for Maria, Peter I think, he's told him where to find you, I'm sure he's working with your Jasper so he's probably on his way," Bree explained. I shot up immediately.

"No! She wants to kill him, Bree you have to help me," I begged, though I wasn't sure what either of us could do. Bree shook her head back and forth in horror.

"No, I can't. She'll kill the both of us," Bree whimpered.

"Bree you can't think that way, we'll figure something out," I begged, I could tell I was losing her. She continued shaking her head.

"Please don't leave me here, I need you," my voice was getting louder now.

"I'm sorry," she cried, "I can't."

"Bree!" I called after her but she was already gone.

Major's POV

"I spoke with someone," Peter said as he came back in the room. It had almost been two hours since he started going through his contacts looking for anyone who might know where Maria is.

"And, what did you find?" I urged.

"She's south, in Arizona. She's based out of a warehouse at this address," he pushed a piece of paper towards me.

"You're sure?" I asked.

"It comes from a reliable source but," he paused.

"But what?"

"I can't be sure but, I feel like he's working with her, so there's a possibility that she knows you're coming."

"I was hoping for the element of surprise, but, thank you Peter. You've always come through for me even when I haven't deserved it," I squeezed his arm and turned to leave.

"Uh, where do you think you're going?" suddenly he was in front of me his hand pressed against my shoulder.

"Uh, to Arizona, I can't waste any more time Peter! Maria is torturing her for God's sake! She's my life now."

"I know all that but I have to say goodbye to Char before we leave," he said stepping off. It was my turn to stop him now.

"Pete, you can't come with me," I said, wishing that I could fall to my knees and beg him to come, but I promised Charlotte.

"What are you talking about? You can't handle all those assholes by yourself! It's suicide Jazz," he pointed out and I wasn't too sure that he was wrong.

"Look, I promised Charlotte that I wouldn't drag you all into this, I'm a man of my word," I told him.

"No, right now you're being a jackass, I'm going whether you or Charlotte wants me to or not."

"Pete I promised her!"

"Just go…" we both turned to face the sick looking Charlotte, my heart nearly broke as she tried to force a smile and pretend she wasn't worried about the love of her existence.

"Char, baby," Peter soothed, I turned my back so they could have their moment. "You know as good as anyone that nobody stands a chance with me and Jazz side by side, I'll be home before you know it," he explained to her. I could feel her looking at me.

"I'm trying to convince him not to Char, really I am," I defended myself. She shook her head and let out a stifled giggle.

"If the situation were reversed you'd be there in a second for us, it was wrong of me to ask you to exclude us. Peter needs to go with you, but if you both aren't back here with Bella within the next 24 hours I'll track you down and kill you myself," she smiled and flicked my ear with her fingers playfully.

"Yes ma'am," I said dipping my head like a true southern gentleman.

Once Peter and I were in the car and speeding down the highway and a safe distance from Charlotte he cleared his throat.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked warily. My eyes narrowed, trying to think of something to say. The truth was I didn't know the plan. All I knew was that I had to get to Bella before they turned her into a vampire, I wasn't going to let her die for me.

"Kill them all." Was all I could think of to say to him.