The Long Way Home: Brother Against Brother

Alice's POV –

A sense of relief washed over me as the sight of Jasper finding Bella came into view. I hadn't doubted that he would be able to locate her but it was still a relief just the same to know that she was safe and that he would be bringing her home now if I only had the same feeling when it came to Edward. His sudden turn around when it came to finding Bella was short lived and once again he was sulking yet it was somehow different this time I just couldn't put my finger on why.

I pulled the thin curtains away from the window and watched. He stood motionless on the porch staring out into the yard as though he was looking for something. I wondered if he was waiting for Bella to return. What had he known about the vision that I had seen? I wanted to ask him but did I dare approach him.

Admittedly I missed my brother, the brother that he had been. I wanted him back but was at a loss as to how to get that version of him to return. I knew that both Jasper and I had done what we could to make him see reason but all our efforts fell on deaf ears. It was maddening.

Letting the sheers fall covering the window once more I made my way outside to stand beside Edward, I rested my hand gently on his shoulder not knowing what to say but needing him to know that I was there. He turned looking at me with such a haunting expression that I almost shuddered.

Edward's POV –

I shoved my fists deep into my pockets in an attempt at stilling the tremors that had overtaken my frame. My anger at my continual inability to protect Bella was about to drive me mad. How was it that no matter what I did or what I tried to do when it came to safeguarding Bella from harm I failed miserably? Today was certainly no exception. The fury that raged within me when I came upon Jacob manhandling Bella still had me seeing red even now. I wanted to kill him and I wished that it had been me to do that not my Bella. The idea that she would have to carry that with her for all eternity sickened me.

I had no doubt that she would feel tremendous guilt over what had happened out in the woods that afternoon. It wouldn't matter to her that the dog got exactly what he deserved all her tender heart would be able to focus on was that she had killed him. That guilt would be just another factor in the long list of things that I had been responsible for Bella having to deal with.

I heard the soft fall of Alice's footsteps on the wooden porch planks and felt her hand on my shoulder. For a moment I kept my gaze trained forward not wanting to reveal my inner turmoil but then I turned and looked at my sister feeling utterly lost and so very much alone.

We settled into an odd silence. I knew from her thoughts she wanted desperately to talk to me or better yet for me to talk to her but I didn't. I remained quiet not wanting to rehash the same old tired arguments.

I was just about to turn and go into the house when in the distance I saw Jasper and Bella emerging from the forest walking hand in hand towards home. I stopped dead in my tracks my gaze never leaving them.

Jasper's POV –

We were just about to cross over the threshold of the cover of the forest into the open field that extended out from our new home and I felt Bella hesitate almost pulling against me. I could feel her apprehension. If only she would understand that the expectations she set for herself were far too high.

I hadn't a clue where she had come up with idea that she had to be perfect. I know that when I joined the Cullen Family and adjusted to their unusual diet and lifestyle Carlisle or any of my new family told me that they expected perfection. Even when I faltered and nearly attacked Bella at her birthday party, I was never criticized for my shortcomings. Why did she think that anyone would have done that to her?

If she could only see how truly wonderfully she had been handling all of it. She was unlike any newborn I had ever encountered. She had far more restraint than I thought was possible from a newborn vampire. But somehow that wasn't good enough for her. It was such a shame how much she was torturing herself for no reason.

"It's going to okay." I said looking into her fearful expression.

"I wish that were true." She said to me.

"You are being much too hard on yourself. You need to talk to Edward. You need to find out from him the things he's done in this life. It's not fair of you to think that he's holding you to some standard that he himself wasn't always able to uphold."

I watched her stare wide eyed at me. I could only imagine what was going through her mind but the anxiety that I felt coursing through her told me that she had no intention of taking my advice about talking to Edward. I wanted to shake her if for no other reason than in the hope of dislodging the irrational notions that filled her head.

"He doesn't want to see me." She spoke of Edward.

"How do you know that?" I countered her words.

"You didn't see his face, Jasper. He was repulsed by what I have done." Her voice was nothing more than a strangled cry.

"I don't believe that. I won't." I told her. "Edward loves you."

"Not anymore." I watched as her gaze fell to the ground.

Letting out a heavy sigh I was at a loss for words. I didn't know how to reach her, how to make her understand. I could feel the love that Edward still held for her. It was so strong even if he wasn't letting it out it was still there buried deep beneath the guilt he felt for the part he played in the events of Bella's life. "You're wrong." Was all I said to her before taking her hand again and marching towards the house. It was then that I saw Edward storming his way towards us with Alice nipping at his heels.

Edward's POV –

Momentarily I stood halted by what I was witnessing, but it was that sight that propelled me forward with a force from within that I hadn't felt in some time. The picture of Jasper and Bella walking to me hand in hand produced a snarl at the back of my throat.

I didn't care what anyone else thought. I could see with my own eyes what was happening between those two. No one would tell me that Jasper didn't have feelings for Bella and as much as it pained me to think it, it was obvious that Bella was beginning to return those feelings with ones of her own.

I wasn't sure what had finally snapped inside of me but I found myself closing the gap between me and them rapidly. In the distance Alice's voice called after me yet I chose to ignore her knowing full well what was on her mind and I didn't care. This had to stop – whatever was happening between our mates. Mate - that was the first time I had thought about Bella in those terms since her transformation. Could I even call her that now? Had I treated her the way one was supposed to treat a mate? I knew the answer but it wasn't one I was ready to acknowledge yet. So I pressed onward my mind raging all the way.

I could see the startled look on Bella's face when I suddenly appeared before them. Yet it wasn't her reaction I was seeking it was that of Jasper. At first his thoughts held a bit of surprise but then they turned to flabbergasted when I was sure he was feeling the aura that was exuding from my every pore. It pained me to see her grip tighten on my brother's arm with her other hand almost as though she was fearful of me. How could Bella think that I would ever harm her in any way? I shrugged off those thoughts and placed all my focus on Jasper. He was the one I was truly angry with. "How could you?" I spat at him.

I watched him pull back his head as if confused. "How could I what?" he asked me even though he was thinking an entirely different set of thoughts. He was wondering what I was so angry about. He was curious why it wasn't me who had gone after Bella in an effort to comfort her? He was silently cursing me for all the things I had done or better yet hadn't done when it came to Bella. Again I wouldn't allow myself to respond to any of Jasper's unspoken thoughts, but kept my attention centered on what I could see with my own eyes.

"Like you don't know." I announced in a self assured tone. I had not only heard his and Alice's private conversations regarding what I was sure were happening between him and Bella but I read his thoughts as well. I knew what he felt for Bella. I had seen with my own eyes the affection he felt for her. How could he stand before me acting like he didn't understand what I was asking him?

"I'm afraid I don't."

"Jasper?" Bella's soft voice pricked at my ears as she questioned him unsure what was happening between the two of us.

"Everything is fine." I heard him reassure her which only made my anger swell. "Alice," Jasper said looking over my shoulder. "Why don't you take Bella back to the house?" I was certain he could read my emotions and wanted to not expose Bella to the storm that he was sure was about to erupt.

I watched Alice step in front of me. "Bella, let's go home." She said extending her hand to her.

"I want to stay." Bella told her not once dropping her grasp on Jasper's arm.

"So do you believe me now?" I turned questioning my sister directly. How could she deny what was happening right before her eyes? "What more do you have to see to be convinced?"

"There's nothing to see!" she asserted once more.

I watched Bella's eyes as they toggled between the three of us. I had to wonder what she was thinking. I knew by the perplexed look on her face that she was more than a little confused. There was a tug within me that wanted to pull her into my arms and wipe that look of bewilderment from her features however my injured pride would have none of that.

"Tell her Jasper!" I sneered. "Tell your mate that you struggle every day with your want of Bella! Tell her!" I shouted at him.

"WHAT!" he shouted back at me. "That's craziness!"

Immediately Jasper's head filled with his appalled thoughts. He was horrified that I could have thought such a thing. His love for Alice was never ending and all consuming. The idea that he could fall in love with another was ridiculous.

"I love Alice!" Jasper said to me matter of fact. "How could think that I would hurt her that way or you for that matter?" He questioned me flabbergasted.

"I know how intoxicating Bella is." I said. "How could you not want her?" I said almost daring him in a way.

"Because I'm in LOVE with Alice and no matter how much like an ass you have been acting towards Bella lately I know you love her and she you. How could you think I would mess with that?"

"You pushed so hard for her to be one of us. You said that you would change her yourself!"

"Because I knew what losing her would do to you!" He spat back at me. "I was there remember. We all were. We watched what happened to you when you thought you could leave her and that's when she was still alive. I knew you wouldn't survive her death! So I took control and pushed for the only viable solution. That had nothing to do with my wanting Bella and everything to do with wanting to keep my brother a part of the world."

I should have taken Jasper at his word because his thoughts mirrored what he was saying out loud but I wouldn't. There I stood furious and willing to take that fury out on those around me rather than the person who truly deserved that anger – ME.

However I continued to spew my version of how I saw things and Jasper did the same until our voices escalated to the point of shouts that rang through the air.

Emmett's POV –

I stopped short when the voices of Edward and Jasper rang out in the distance. By the sounds I was hearing, I wondered if maybe they had come across Jacob's scent trail that Rose and I had been following for a while now. I picked up my pace not wanting to miss out on the all the fun. I wanted my piece of the dog.

I stopped short though when I came into the clearing and the only sight I came upon had nothing to do with Jacob Black. There were Jasper and Edward shouting at one another with Alice and Bella standing in the background watching the scene unfold.

I didn't like what I was witnessing. Something between my brothers was off and the way they were staring one another down told me whatever was going on was far from over.

I pressed my way between Alice and Bella until I was standing in front of the two warring forces. "What the hell's going on?" I barked at the both of them as they were just about to crouch into a fighting stance.

"This in none of your business Emmett!" Edward growled at me never once taking his eyes off his opponent.

"The hell it isn't!" I countered.

"He thinks I'm in love with Bella." Jasper finally answered my question.

"WHAT?" Rosalie's astounded voice echoed through the air.

Rosalie's POV –

Emmett and I had crossed the wilderness so many times I had lost count on our hunt for Jacob. We had caught his scent more than a few times but not as strong as this last time. I was ready for our inevitable confrontation when the scent trail disappeared. Emmett and I were both frustrated but when he took off again I thought maybe he had picked up the trail once more. So I took off running behind him yet I hadn't expected the setting in front of me.

There stood my brothers pacing around one another looking for an opportunity to strike. I let my eyes toggle between the other members of my family trying to gauge what the hell was going on. But it was Jasper's words that finally brought all of it into perspective.

'He thinks I'm in love with Bella.'

"WHAT?" I heard my voice raise an octave astounded at what I heard fall from Jasper's lips. "Are you kidding me?" I said to anyone who would listen to me.

Rolling my eyes I looked over at Bella who even as vampire was still making trouble for my family. What was it about her that drove the men in my family mad?

"Well?" I said to the two who were ready to pounce on each other fully expecting an answer.

"Rosalie, this has nothing to do with you!" Edward turned speaking to me his eyes full of fury.

"Oh yes it does. You made it my business the minute you decided that you loved Bella and couldn't live without her. You made it ALL," I pointed to the members of our family standing around us, "our business. We have all turned our lives upside down for you and Bella and you stand there ready to fight one of your own because you think he loves Bella. Have you lost your mind?"

"You haven't been here! You haven't seen what I have!" he countered angrily. "He loves her!"

"Of course I love her." I turned and looked as Jasper spoke. "I love her like I love Esme or Rosalie. She's my sister now. Why can't you see that?"

"Because he's Edward." I said truthfully. "Everything is always about Edward, what he wants, what he doesn't want. Get over yourself Edward." I told him. "You get to spend eternity with the one you professed to love more than yourself but instead of enjoying that you're walking around miserable not to mention making everyone else miserable in the process." I was frustrated and irritated and wanted to shake some sense into him.

Bella's POV –

Even with my new heightened senses everything around me was happening at too fast of a pace, before I totally understood what was going on I was watching Edward and Jasper literally stalking one another. Edward was shouting absurdities at Jasper while Alice was did what she could to get me to exit the scene but I wasn't having any of that. Something inside me told me that I needed to stay.

Had I heard Edward correctly, did he actually think that Jasper was falling in love with me? That was total craziness. Jasper loved Alice with everything he had. If anything what Jasper felt for me was sheer pity by no means was it love he held for me. But for one reason or another Edward wouldn't let it go. He continued to push his accusations no matter what anyone said.

But I heard Jasper countered with his own, he told Edward that no matter how he might be acting he knew that he loved me. With those words my head shot up. I was looking for Edward's reaction to that. I wanted, needed to see how he would respond would there be even a little glimmer of acknowledgement on his part. If there had I wasn't able to see it since Emmett and then Rosalie's sudden entrance surprised me.

I hung back once more listening to the exchange between the members of my new family. It was easy to see that Emmett was troubled by what he came upon and well Rosalie was true to form and thought nothing about putting Edward in his place. However none of that did much to calm the rising tensions between Jasper and Edward. I wasn't able to tear my eyes away from them as they continued circling one another each of them waiting for the other to pounce.

It wasn't until Edward jutted forward towards Jasper that I was finally able to move. "STOP!" I shouted at both of them as I pushed my body between the two warring forces. "STOP IT!"