Ch. 3

"Hey Jasper." I said as I stopped in front of him abruptly.

"Hey Bella, I see your emotions are under control."

"Yeah... Sorry about earlier." I replied. "So why are you out here with Edward?"

"Just in case." was all that he said.

"Bella, may I talk to you love?" Edward asked looking ashamed. I nodded and started walking at a human pace back in the direction I had just come from. "Bella, stop." he said as he grabbed for my arm. I stopped and turned to face him waiting for him to speak. "Did you really mean everything you said back at the house, love?"

"Edward.. I..." I started but stopped as soon as I saw his face.

"I'm sorry Bella, I didn't realize that I was controlling you." He moved closer to me, "You know it's hard for me to be away from you and just the thought of you hanging out with other guys was driving me crazy." I hung my head so I didn't have to look at him. Sure he was hurting my emotionally and keeping me from my friends but I still loved him. Or at least I thought I still did. "Do you forgive me Bella?"

I shook my head, "No. Edward you are smothering me... I can't even go to see Jacob because he used to have feelings for me." I could feel his rage start to build and looked around for Jasper not sensing him anywhere near us. Oh shit... what did I do? "Edward, I'm not fully breaking up with you, because I still have feelings for you. But I need space! I want to seperate for a while. I will stay here in the cottage so I'm close enough to you so you don't have pain but we are going to be nothing but brother and sister to the public now do you understand?" With my head still down I rolled my eyes up so that I could see his reaction, wishing immediately that I hadn't said what I had. Edward advanced on me in rage before I could react, "JASPER!!!!!!!!" was all I could get out before Edward had me pinned against the ground.

Jasper was there in a ½ second, "Edward let her up." he said calmly pulling him off of me. Automatically I could feel Jasper controlling Edward's emotions. Edward was struggling against Jasper's hold on him.

"Edward.. stop struggling again Jasper." At the sound of my voice Edward stopped struggling. I turned to Jasper, "I told her I wanted to take a break... I'm going to stay here in the cottage and at the moment our public story is that we are just brother and sister... adoptive."

"I'll let everyone at the house know..." Jasper said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Jaz don't worry I'll still see everyone... and feel free to come and visit me anytime. Oh can you send Alice out with clothes?"

Jasper nodded and kissed my forehead, "I'll do that little sister."

I walked into the cottage and collapsed onto the floor. This is the first time that I felt too exhausted to do anything since I became a vampire. I sat on the floor feeling like crap, trying not to hyperventilate while I waited for Alice. While sitting there, there was light knock on the door, "Come in Alice."

"It's me Bella." Emmett said walking into the cottage. I wiped my eyes and pulled myself together before he saw what a mess I was, cause that's all I would need is Emmett making fun of me. "Are you OK?"

"Yea Emmett..." I said not too convincing. "I'll be fine.. I just need some time away from him to clear my head."

"Well, you won't be totally alone..."

"What do you mean?"

"Jacob is going to stay outside of the cottage just in case and Carsile is having Malachi stay here..."

"Why is Malachi staying..." that's when I heard the loudest crash I had ever heard. It sounded like a piano being smashed in... "Emmett what did Alice see?"

"Well...." I gave him a death glare. "Chill Bella, that sound you heard, was Edward loosing his temper at Malachi and throwing him into the piano."

All the emotions that I had been trying to hide all day came out, first in a low snarl building up to the blood curtailing scream that Jacob probably heard on the reservation. "WHAT THE FUCK IS HIS PROBLEM!" I screamed and then took off at full speed toward the house. I busted threw the front door to the house almost breaking it in my rage. Everyone in the room had a look of shock on their face, everyone except for Alice who probably saw this coming. Alice was hovering over Malachi in a protective crouch checking his injuries. I turned around and locked eyes with Edward, who held up his hands as if that would stop my rage. I walked over to him calmly and raised my hand and bitch-slapped him across his face. Now being the strongest vampire in the family, I had learned to control my strength so I didn't break anything but not this time. I put my full strength behind the smack and when I made contact Edward went flying backwards, threw the wall into the kitchen, just as Emmett walked into the house. I sighed an apology to Esme for the hole and helped Malachi up with Alice on the other side supporting him, and we walked out of the house and back to the cottage.

"Bella, that was amazing!" Alice said as Malachi was resting on the couch. "I mean I saw it coming but still to see it in person was just amazing."

"Thanks Alice." I said with no enthusiasm.

Alice saw my face, "Oh Bella I'm sorry. I forgot that this is probably really hard for you." She hugged me, "Wanna know what he's thinking?"

"Not really Alice." I replied... then I thought about something. "Hey Alice so vampires imprint like Jacob and his pack?"

"I don't know but that is an interesting question. If you want I can ask Carsile for you, but why do you ask?"

"Can you keep this conversation between the two of us?" She nodded, "Well, you know how Jacob describes imprinting? About how once you see the perfect person for you it's very hard to stay away from them and that it hurts..." I paused and she nodded again. "Well.." my voice moved into a really low whisper, "I think that's happening to me... with Malachi."

"How did you come to that conclusion?" she asked matching my same level of whisper.

"How else you you explain my outburst back at the house? You know I never act like that."

"That's true but you have been dealing with Edward's jealously for 10+ years..."

"Yea I should have been able to continue dealing with it... but then Malachi showed up and since he set foot in the house I haven't been able to control it." I smiled in Malachi's direction, who was standing up fully healed and stretching out the kinks.

"So I take it this means you and Edward are over?" Alice asked.

I nodded, "I can't handle him anymore Alice. Do you think everyone will let me stay here in the cottage?"

"I don't see a problem with it, but I will ask the next time Edward goes hunting." Alice said. "Oh, Jacob is here. Want me to explain to him what's going on?" I nodded. She turned and said, "I'll be back later." then was gone.