As always a giant thanks to everyone for taking the time to read this creative endeavor, you all are wonderful and I thank you kindly for the reviews. Now for the mundane part…
Disclaimer: All Twilight characters belong to Stephanie Meyers, while I'm just teasing and bending them for a bit. No profit is being collected from the fiction contained within.
The storyline and non-Twilight characters are my creative fault and mine alone.
The storyline has women loving women, oh my, "Danger! Will Robinson Danger!" If this kind of love scares you, well darling turn around and go back the other way.
All boo boos, snafus and misdeeds within the story are all mine and mine alone.
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Throughout the last part of the discussion Bella had been sitting on the couch in a daze listening to every word, watching everyone's response. In scientific terms she was having an Acute Stress Reaction to the recent revelations or in laymen's terms she was suffering from complete mind numbing shock. A perfectly normal response considering the emotional bombardment she had been under since stepping onto the Cullen's land. It was that last pieces of information that had caused her to outwardly shut down, to fall back on the old Bella, the human Bella who would tuck away her feelings, while she tried to comprehend all that was happening.
It wasn't a splash of cold water or a slap to her face that propelled Bella from her daze; no it was Gabriella's gentle squeeze to her and Alice's hands that did the job. The passivity that had possessed her was blown aside. Ironically, much like the eruption of Mt St. Helena there wasn't much warning to the rage that erupted out of Bella.
All of her pyroclastic fury plumed out of her, "fuck you Jasper Hale!" She yelled at the blond man who was sitting across from her staring at his feet. Leaning as far towards the man she could without losing her grasp of Alice's hand she continued her diatribe at the lanky man. "Fuck you and Edward both to hell for what you did to Alice and me!"
Bella's body was quite literally shaking from the rage inside of her. A small sliver inside her mind knew that the lanky blond man who seemed to be shrinking into his chair was getting a double dose of her anger. Did she care? Oh hell, no she didn't care. As far as she was concerned Jasper deserved everything she was dishing out, even if some of her fuel came from her anger towards Edward.
"Are you hurting Jasper? Well good. You deserve it. I know you didn't care about me, a pathetic human but my God, what about Alice? You betrayed her. You used her. Your own fucking wife!"
Her outburst produced a soft chuckle from Gabriella who whispered in to Alice's ear, "you've got yourself a bearcat, my dear." 'Probably would've made him piss his pants if he were human,' smirking at the idea.
It wasn't merriment to the situation that Gabriella was finding appealing, oh no, her beast was howling with delight at Bella's need to attack those who had hurt her and her mate. The girl in Alice's drawings had revealed someone who by nature was gentle but the conflagration she was unleashing, proved to Gabriella the girl was not one to be cowed by others. A quality, the older woman thought was an absolute necessity to survive in the vampire world.
Alice tilted her head in acknowledgment but didn't remove her admiring focus from Bella who was still holding her hand as she lashed out at the man who claimed to be her husband. 'She's so beautiful, like a lioness protecting her cubs in her ferocity and she's my mate.'
"Bella," Carlisle interjected trying to placate the young woman, while frowning at Gabriella and what he thought was inappropriate mirth to the situation.
Leaning forward in his chair, his expression laced with concern as his golden eyes went from Bella to Jasper. He could feel a wave of calm coating his mind but it wasn't strong and Bella didn't seem to be effected by it at all. Jasper's body was rigid with pain no doubt from the emotions swirling around in the room as well as dealing with his own.
"Your anger is understandable…" he began using his calm doctor to patient voice.
"Don't counsel me, Carlisle," cutting off any further words he might have spoken. "You bet I have every right to be angry as does Alice." Pointing her finger at Jasper, "the only reason I'm not trying to rip his fucking head off right now is because of Esme."
Esme's beautiful face had crumpled into complete and total misery. From her own guilt for not seeing the truth was weighing heavy on her soul.
Oh yes unlike Edward, Esme was sure she had a soul. 'If humans like Hitler, Stalin and Mao Tse Tung were deemed to have souls well then by God so do I even if I am a vampire.' If she had been the soulless monster Edward claimed them to be she knew, 'my heart wouldn't be splintering every time I looked at my sweet daughters. I should've fought harder against leaving.'
There were so many things Esme wanted to do, to try and heal the two girls. Wrap them in her arms, hold them tightly to her chest and tell them over and over how much she loved them. Yet, she was sure the two would reject her attempts, her offerings of love to them.
Esme was soon trembling with her own anger, supplanting her sadness as her eyes turned towards Jasper, 'god I just want to slap him, scream at him for being so selfish. Not just him but Edward, how could they do this? How can you justify crushing the ones you love?'
It wasn't very motherly of her but at the moment she wasn't feeling motherly towards those two boys. At the same time she was also struggling not to turn on her mate, to flay into him because she was sure he had grasped what their sons had done.
"I know you're beast is raging inside of you wanting to lash out at Edward and Jasper," Carlisle began motioning with his hands as if trying to fan down her temper. "But…"
Bella whipped her heads towards Carlisle, "oh, I'm not just pissed at them. I blame you as well for letting it happen."
The older man's body jerked back at from the vehemence of her scathing attack on him, "Bella, I didn't realize…" his eyes widened in shock.
"Bullshit!" A female voice rang through the air but this time it wasn't Bella but Rosalie. "That's utter bullshit. There's no way you didn't have a clue, an understanding what was happening Carlisle. If she," tipping her head towards Gabriella. "Could figure out all this shit without even knowing us, there is no way you couldn't have."
The gorgeous blonde's lips were curled into a sneer as she addressed the man who was her father, who had made her into vampire. Over the years she had always respected the gentle man sitting next to her. He had always been the composed one, the voice of reason but over the past few years Rosalie's opinion of her father had begun to change slightly.
Empathizing with his wives feelings, Emmett struggled internally on whether to let her continue or stop her not for the sake of Carlisle or Jasper but for Esme his second mother.
His mate's temper when she let it go could reach category five hurricane strength and truth be told the giant vampire loved it when his wife let loose. 'It's so damn hot when she gets like this and damn if Bella bear ain't something now she's all mama bear.' He had worried that Edward would smother the fire out of Bella from all his overprotective behavior. As much as he didn't want to stop Rosalie he decided he needed to for Esme's sake because the conflict was shredding her apart
"Babe," he said softly wrapping his arms around her and then spoke the one word that would still his wife for the moment. "Esme."
Glancing at her mother's haggard face, Rosalie tamped down her temper and held back her next tirade towards Carlisle but her mind didn't shut it out. 'Who are you protecting the most? Yourself? Jasper? Edward?' Rosalie snorted indelicately towards him but kept her mouth shut. 'In the end it's always Edward isn't it?' She the turned her body away from the elder vampire and buried her face in her husband's neck.
A tiny grin graced Emmett's mouth when Rose buried her head into him. He knew his wife and he appreciated she was struggling to keep her voice still.
Bella only flicked a quick smile to Rosalie who was now being soothed by her husband before turning her attention back to Carlisle who looked totally undone by his daughter assault on him.
"I respected you Carlisle, I really did but not anymore," she baring her teeth at him as she seethed the words out. "You, who was suppose to be the father figure, the one who said I was like a daughter but in reality I was just your son's toy. When he decided to discard me you did nothing but support him."
"That's not true. I never thought you were Edward's toy," shaking his head. Looking to his wife for support he found only sadness mixed with anger engraved on her porcelain features. "I did support Edward's decision to leave, not because you were his toy, but the woman he loved and who he wanted to keep safe. To have a chance to live a normal human life."
Unable to hold herself back anymore Esme interrupted the two, frowning deeply at her husband. "What about Alice? Did you know what Jasper was doing to Alice? Did you believe that was for the best as well?"
"Esme," Turning to face his mate and seeing her pain he sighed, "not until later, but by then Edward was smitten with Bella and she seemed to return his feelings. You have to understand he was the only one of us who didn't have a mate and well, he was happy. Besides Alice and Jasper fit well together."
The sound of wood cracking was the first response he received from Esme as her fingers crushed the arms of the chair she was sitting on.
Like two laser beams Esme's eyes tore deep into Carlisle, "as much as I want my children to find their mates, to find love, to experience what you and I have, I can't understand your motive. You would deny Alice, for the sake of Edward, no that isn't right."
"God, Carlisle, it's always precious Eddie's feelings. Always trying to make him happy," Rosalie snapped as she jerked her head from her husband's neck to glare at her father. "He's the only reason you changed me in hopes I would be his mate. You didn't give a fuck about me, just Edward." Feeling Emmett's arms tighten around her waist, "and you know what I found my mate," and Rosalie gave her husband a quick kiss.
Gabriella right hand was clenched so tightly into a fist she could feel her fingernails pierce deeply into her palm. It was the only sign of her anger. Years of controlling, not giving away the rise in her beast was being tested because of her protective feelings towards Alice and now her mate Bella. 'This is a fucking twisted mess.'
"I seriously doubt Bella's feelings towards this boy were completely her own. Not to say she wasn't attracted to this Edward in the beginning that's to be expected with her being human." Gabriella's voice was harsh and condemning as she spoke "but I suspect she was also highly attracted to Alice as well. Wouldn't you agree Jasper?" She grounded out.
The curly haired man grimaced at her question. "Yes she was. Bella was attracted to both Edward and Alice. I just tweaked her feelings for Edward made them stronger." Snorting softly, "he knew what I was doing and approved of course."
"My god Jazz," Emmett stared at his brother in complete shock. "This is seriously fucked man."
"Her blood sang to him. He was drawn to Bella like children are to a candy store." Jasper whispered out. "He was desperate for Bella to want him and I wanted Alice." He looked at Bella. "Yet, it was getting harder and harder, I was losing Alice to you."
"Jasper." Esme whispered towards her son. She opened her mouth to say more but faltered and instead laid her face into her hands and sobbed.
Rosalie reached her hand across over to Esme and rubbed her back as she glared at her brother.
"You fucked with my emotions." Bella stated her voice had grown eerily calm. "That explains why after you all left my feelings for Edward changed so easily." Her eyes had turned obsidian black and were glittering out as she stared at him. "You're just like Edward. Trying to force your will, your desires on Alice."
Jasper felt the caustic plumes of anger being directed at him not just from Bella but from Alice as well and they were smothering him. Guilt coated his insides as he took in Alice who was trembling and growling at him. The merry amber orbs filled with love he was so use to seeing were gone, in their place were pools of black tar filled with such loathing Jasper could feel his cold heart shattering.
The beast in Jasper still wanted to roar out, to defend himself, to defend his actions of trying to keep his mate, his wife by his side but all that emerged from his lips was a cry of sorrow and defeat.
Gathering himself, Carlisle stood up from his chair, "enough. I can't allow this to continue any longer."
Whipping her head around so fast that if Rosalie had been human she would have given herself whiplash, she glared at her father and was about to lay into him again.
He raised his hand to stop any protests. "No! I am the head of this coven and I say we are done!" Carlisle barked as he locked his eyes on his blond daughter. "I will not allow anymore of this, Jasper is suffering."
"He ain't the only one," Emmett glaring at his father. "He deserves to be punished for what he did."
"We are done for now." He growled out. Pinching the bridge of his nose he stated in a more composed tone, "I think for everyone's sake a cooling down period is needed. Then we can calmly address the situation and mete out what would be appropriate punishment."
"I would like to leave," Alice's delicate chiming voice broke in before anyone else could respond to Carlisle's declaration. Her body was leaning into Bella's as she continued, "I need time to process," waving her free hand towards the others. "All this."
Alice had enough, anger, hurt for one day, well actually perhaps for several months and she just wanted to get away from it all.
To say hearing Alice's voice diminished her ire would be a lie, but it did stop Bella's next outburst. Not trusting herself to speak Bella gave a nod her jaws clenched tight and turned away from Jasper and focused on Alice.
Seeing her little pixie looking so deflated Bella's first thought was to wrap Alice in her arms and charge out of the room but she squashed the idea. It was just the beast in her wanting to protect the smaller woman. 'Protect Alice.' It was a very appealing notion to Bella, because it would be such a reversal of their relationship. Before it had always been the dark haired pixie guarding her, watching out for her, putting herself in harms way for the mere human girl, but not anymore.
Feeling Gabriella's hand move from covering Alice and her hand, Bella watched as the taller woman stood up and followed her lead bringing Alice with her.
Even though, Gabriella wanted to lay into each of the Cullens, for their, 'refusal to see what was in front of them,' she held her tongue, literally. She also would have gladly administered her own justice to Jasper but she held back. Not for Jasper's sake or for honoring Carlisle as being the head of his coven, no she stopped her desire to rip the man to pieces for the two women next o her. The two had tasted the vilest of betrayals, 'and not the last, but for now, my petite one and her mate have had enough anguish.'
"I agree with Alice. Enough dirt has been turned over, for now." Gabriella said turning her face towards the elder vampire but kept her tone neutral. "It is time for us to leave."
Carlisle kept his own expression passive but inwardly he grimaced at Gabriella's words. The woman he discovered, much to his dismay, was extremely perceptive, she had easily dug around and unearthed the duplicity in his family. He also knew she wasn't going to allow him to stay wrapped up in his own denial of the truth for much longer.
Esme, Emmett and Rosalie all stood up, while the two women held themselves back the giant vampire scooped the two girls up into a bear hug.
"I know you don't remember me yet, Ali, but you will and when you do you'll recall how much you love my hugs." Chuckling softly, "just ask Bella she can tell ya, it's true."
Both girls stiffened in his embrace but slowly they both tentatively returned it, causing the giant vampire to grin. Rosalie sighed softly as she watched the exchange she knew it was perhaps the first step for the girls to accepting them, well at least her husband.
"You're not leaving for good?" Esme asked Gabriella but her eyes were on Alice.
"No ma'am," Gabriella confirmed willing the tension in her body to loosen. "We'll return when Alice and Bella are ready. If you wish to talk to them Carlisle has my number and we'll see how it plays out."
"Please choose to return soon Ali cat, I've missed both my little sisters." Emmett crooned to both of them still holding them tight to his massive chest.
"Honey put them down," Rosalie smirking at her husband patting him on his shoulder.
Once her feet touched the ground Bella went and gave both Rosalie and Esme a quick hug, while Alice just nodded to the two women. Neither of them acknowledged Jasper who hadn't budged from his chair, but his eyes were on them both the whole time.
Alice stopped in front of the elder vampire her. She didn't know what to think of the man before her. He was suppose to be her father, but what she had learned so far made him seem anything but fatherly and she had an excellent example in Conrad Goodwin.
Carlisle sighed as he ran his fingers through his honey blond locks, "I promise we'll continue this as a family but I do think stopping for now is the best for everyone concerned."
Alice tilted her head up towards Carlisle, "yes, you're right we all need time to come to grips with what has been discovered, but before we leave the subject I want it understood I want a divorce from Jasper as soon as possible."
Glancing over at his son, he saw the tormented man nod his head in agreement to the request. Carlisle sighed and also nodded, "I'll take care of it."
"Thank you," she replied with a curt nod before moving away from him.
"Carlisle, as far as the Volturi business goes I'll call you later about it." Gabriella stated briskly to the man. Taking hold of Alice's hand she smiled and softened her expression, "perhaps Bella you can assist Alice and I in finding a place for us to stay a spell."
"You can stay with me." Bella blurted out not wanting to part from Alice for a minute.
"Bella what about your father, Charlie? Is that wise?" Carlisle inquired his eyes moving back and forth from Bella to Gabriella. "Does he…is he aware? You do know humans are not allowed to know about vampires."
"First it's none of your concern Carlisle. You lost any privilege on advising me about vampire etiquette. " Bella unable to stop herself from hissing at the man. "Second, yes I told him the truth how could I not considering my absence and physical changes."
All the Cullen's eyes, accept for Jasper's, whose own eyes were closed, fell upon the sightless woman standing before them. One could say they were all holding their collective breath that is if they truly breathed.
"Why do I feel like everyone is staring at me?"
"Because they are Gabi," Alice remarked stepping in front of her friend.
Bella looked from the Cullens to Alice who was standing protectively in front of the tall woman. She didn't understand what was going on but joined the pixie taking her hand in her own.
The older woman snorted. "Oh don't kick up a row even though I'm an agent of the Volturi rest assured I shan't be informing them about Bella or her father." Hearing the collective sigh of relief Gabriella smirked at the group, "besides, I'm not hired by the Volturi to kill humans just naughty vampires."