Oh, wow, you guys rule! This story is my most reviewed story ever! I heart you guys!
Just to clarify-I promise Alice wont' ruin everything-but can you blame her for being a little bitter? She's alice, though, and she'll do the right thing.
"Why am I doing this again?" Bella asked me as she hesitated on her front porch.
"Because. I told Carlisle, and it's only fair you let Charlie in on the secret. Then we can spend time together where we're not hiding in the woods, or in Texas, or at my house." She huffed, but nodded her head. The rest of the weekend in Texas flew by-we spent it riding, talking, and Bella made smores. "It's only fitting if we're sitting around the fire wearing cowboy boots. Now hush, or I'll make you eat one!" Now we were back, and still standing in the rain. I looked at Bella and pointed to the door.
"I'm really not getting out of this, am I?" she asked, one hand on the handle. I just shook my head. I was going to wait outside, listening, and then we would see what happens. If Charlie approved, which we both agreed would be a modern miracle, then I would miraculously appear at her door to take her to dinner. If, on the other hand, he flew off the handle, I would be waiting in her room to calm her down. She grudgingly opened the door and went in. I listened as she and Charlie exchanged pleasantries-he asked about her trip, in which she lied very well-surprisingly.
"Dad?" I heard her voice crack.
"What is it, Bells?" he asked. I could hear Bella rummaging around in the fridge-my best guess was she was hiding her face.
"I'm sort of…seeing someone." I could almost see her cringe. Silence. Charlie's pulse picked up, as did Bella's.
"What do you mean? Who?"
"Well…that's the thing. See, When…Edward…left, I went by his house-I left a jacket on the porch one day, and wanted to see if it was still there. But when I got there, one of his brother's was still kind of hanging out." Good girl.
"And?" Poor Charlie-I couldn't help but feel bad for him.
"And I sort of stayed and talked to him for a little bit. We've been talking on the phone a lot," Lie, lie, lie, "and he asked me out the other day. I said yes. And before you fly off the handle, he's really nice, and I like him." All she needed was to stamp her foot and say "so there!" Silence.
"Are you okay with that, Bella? I mean, don't you think it's a little strange dating your ex-boyfriends brother?" Good question-let's here this.
"No, not really. Jasper's a totally different person than Edward. We have a lot more in common, and he doesn't treat me so…protectively."
"Jasper? Is he older than you?" A bit.
"Only by a year. Nothing major. I think you'd like him, dad, really. He's smart-he's going to major in medicine when he starts school next semester. To be more like Carlisle." I heard Charlie sigh and sink into one of the chairs in the kitchen. I could hear Bella starting the stove, and I took it as a good sign. If he looked angry, she'd be hiding.
"Well, Bells, I've got to let you make your own decisions. And if you like this Jasper character, then so be it. I won't fight it. You're an adult, now, as much as I hate to see it, and I trust you." Wow.
"Thanks, dad. That means a lot to me. Really. So…does fish sound alright for dinner?" And we were home free. I'd give her a bit to finish cooking, and then I'd "stop by." I had to admit, I really was surprised with Charlie's reaction. I expected him to be angry at me for staying, and at my entire family for leaving. But I remembered that he didn't really know much of what happened, really, so he didn't see the whole picture. He didn't see how broken Bella was when Edward left. It's something she is very thankful for.
I walked up to the door, knocked twice, and waited. I heard Bella stumble first, knowing it was me and wanting to beat Charlie. She threw it open and grinned widely at me. I smiled back. "Can I come in?"
"Sure. Hey dad-uh, Jasper's here. He said he was in the neighborhood and wanted to know how my trip went." I winked at her, enjoying our secret game. Charlie's chair scraped and in a moment he was in front of me. He looked like any father should-stern and mean.
"Hello, Jasper. Bella tells me you asked her out on a date. Where do you plan on taking her?" She blushed in the background, turning away.
"Actually, I'd like to take her to dinner tonight, if that's alright with you. There's a new restaurant in Port Angeles that I've been dying to try, and a reservation opened up this evening." I couldn't very well say I was taking her back to my place, now could I?
"It's kind of short notice, but if Bella wants to go, that's fine with me. Just have her home at a reasonable hour, please." I knew the please was only tacked on for hospitality. What he was really saying was-"have my daughter back early or I'll shoot you dead." Bella grabbed her coat and was out the door in impressive time. Once to the car I could feel her relax.
"You did great. I have to say, Charlie really impressed me in there. How do you feel, now that we're out in the open?" I grinned at her, unable to keep my joy to myself. She was happy too, I could tell, and a little…worried?
"I feel great, actually. I couldn't believe he bought that! He really is losing his touch. But it feels…nice. Now that the most important people know, nothing else matters, right?"
"Then what are you worried about?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Oh-well, I'm not sure, really. I just have this feeling that it's not as good as it seems, you know? Like something bad is going to happen before it gets better. Maybe it's just past experience creeping up." I thought about it for a moment.
"I see. You certainly have a right to think that, but I think you're overreacting. I'm sure everything's fine." I sent her a nice calm vibe, and she accepted it gratefully. We pulled up to the house just before it got dark.
"So what do you want to do?" she asked as we walked through the front door. "It is your date, after all," she grinned wickedly.
"I thought we could order you some pizza, and just watch a movie. Just hang out. What with the weekend we just had, I thought it would be nice to relax. What do you think?"
"Sounds good! I'm feeling some Canadian bacon and pineapple-let's order it in a bit. And instead of a movie-we do that too much, you know?-why don't we play a game?" Game?
"What kind of game?" I asked cautiously. "Because I won't play anything called Mystery Date or Pretty Pretty Princess." She laughed out loud at my fear.
"Oh, Jasper, you're so out of touch! I haven't played those games since I was like four! I was thinking something a bit more…active." She really wasn't making me feel better. I raised my eyebrows as she walked over to the game closet. Not sleeping left us a lot of free time.
"Well, you have to remember I lived with Rosalie and Alice for a long time. And girls will be girls."
"Good point," she said, pulling something down from the middle shelf. She turned towards me, grinning, and holding the box forward. Twister?
"Are you serious?" I asked, as she opened it and began setting up.
"Oh, yes I am. It'll be fun. And don't be pulling any of your 'I'm a super fast vampire' moves on me today. Time to act human! I think we can call this step seven. Trying something new together counts, and since you got me on a horse, it's my turn!" She had me there.
"Fine. You spin first." I watched as she eagerly spun the wheel.
"Right foot red."
We played like that for a good half hour before Bella, trying to reach her right arm through her left and behind her left foot, collapsed on the ground. I sat down next to her while she laughed at out.
"And I didn't even have to pull any vampire moves on you," I chuckled, mussing her hair. As her breathing slowed, I pulled her face towards mine and placed just the lightest kiss on her lips.
"If you'll kiss me every time I lose, I can think of a whole slew of things that I'm bad at. But let's take a break for right now-I'm hungry." She bounded towards the phone. "Hey, Jasper? Did you know you have a message?" That's strange-I talked to Carlisle just the other day. I couldn't think of who else would be calling me. I got up, joined Bella in the kitchen, and pressed the play button.
"Jasper! I know you don't want to hear from me, but this is important. He's coming back-soon. He can't help himself. I can't nail down a timeline yet, but I'd say within two weeks. I'm trying to catch up, but he's got a pretty good head start. He's going to lurk around town for a few days before he makes an appearance-he won't go home first. I can't see what happens when he finds her. I'm at a pay phone, so you can't call me back. I'm trying, I really am. Keep her safe, Jasper." The line went dead.
She didn't have to say who 'he' was. Edward. I could hear Bella hyperventilating next to me.
"Bella, Bella! Calm down, love. Nothing bad is going to happen. I promise."
"How can you promise that? How do you know? You heard Alice-he's coming for me! And I don't know what to say to him!" That hurt.
"You mean, you don't know if you'll go back to him or not." It wasn't a question. All I could feel was her panic.
"What? No! No, Jasper. I just, I mean, what do I say to him? And he'll smell you, that's for sure. Your scent has to be all over me. What are we going to do?" I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Nothing. Bella, we're not going to stop what we just got started because Edward thinks he can march back in here and scoop you away. Alice said he would lurk for a few days-if he sees you, happy, maybe he won't say anything to you. Maybe he'll just leave." I doubted it, knowing my brother, but it was worth a shot.
"So, you think we can fool him? I don't want him to know right now. Eventually, yes, when we know where we're headed. But I want to focus on us, and not worry about Edward. I say we try." She sniffed indignantly, trying to put up a strong front. But I could feel her terror.
"I think we can. He's coming to check on your happiness. So-be happy. And if that doesn't work…well, we'll cross that bridge when we get there." I hugged her close, running my hands through her hair. I felt something new coming from her-grief. "What's wrong, Bella?"
"That's why Alice left. She saw me coming." She sniffed, and I could feel fresh tears through my shirt. Bella was right-Alice sacrificed herself to make me happy. I loved her for it, and I knew I'd never know how to pay her back.