(25) Apology

Alice turned towards Jasper and she looked grim for once. Jasper inched forward an inch and seemed to contemplate how to word his thoughts. Edward turned towards him and gave him an encouraging nod.

"I don't quite know how to word this." Jasper responded. Alice frowned and was suddenly occupied by the scenery outside the car window.

"What? Is it something bad?" I asked cautiously. Edward squeezed my arm gently to comfort me but my thoughts were scrambled.

"No, the question is not malicious. I just well I thought you had a right to know. I knew Malirosa from long ago. She was an acquaintance of one of the allies I had. I knew her for a few years. I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am Bella." Jasper released guilty signals that suddenly made me feel like jumping out of the SUV.

"Jasper, it's not your fault." Alice whispered and she was torn from his painful admission and guilt for supporting his admittance to knowing the vile Salegrosas.

"Did you know about this?" I turned to Edward and saw his face become a perfect mask. That wasn't the news I wanted to hear. I put my head down and breathed a few deep lung-filling breaths.

"I know that Jasper was familiar with the woman in the store. I wasn't sure if she remembered him. Jasper was sending me thoughts while we were in the store about her power and the cautions to take. We were careless, Bella. Her forceful power overwhelmed us." Edward spoke while lightly touching my arm. I felt the spasms of cold touches on my forearm.

"Are you asking for my forgiveness?" I asked and looked down again. I couldn't bear to look Jasper in the eye and see the pain he was trying hard to conceal. He didn't need to feel guilty not one ounce. He was probably torturing himself internally about this since I was kidnapped.

"Yes, but the question I wanted to ask was about Malirosa." Jasper confessed while Alice seemed to stiffen her body.

"First of all I don't think there is anything to forgive you for Jasper. You knew Malirosa a long time ago and she overpowered all of you. You saved me along with your family. The fact that you risked your lives is an act I will always remember." I felt a tear rolling down my cheek. Alice gave me a tissue to blot on my face.

"I know the circumstances were horrific but I wasn't sure if Malirosa mentioned anything from her past." Jasper murmured. He saw the confusion in my eyes and he began to explain his reasoning. "She was assembled with a group of mercenaries that killed families in villages. They went on a rampage and were utterly savages in their consumption of human lives. They killed for pleasure oblivious to any logic and understanding that they would bring the Volturi against them. Well, the Volturi found out about their exploits it was only a matter of time. They sent three guards from the royal family to take care of the situation. I was fighting in the war and heard of the inevitable massacre of the vampires. I was young, foolish, and heard the stories of the Italian family. Curiosity got the best of me and I went to Mexico."

I was listening to the story on the edge of my seat. Jasper was monotone as he said the story while everyone in the car was silent. The only sound was my erratic heartbeats as the plot thickened. Alice shuddered even though I was sure she knew the ending. Edward held tightly to me and pressed his face against me. Rosalie and Emmett were listening quietly the hair debacle was already forgotten. Carlisle kept looking in the rearview mirror while Esmee sat with her back towards the windshield.

"I didn't know what propelled me towards the danger? I was angry with myself for being a fool and risking my life. I was fearful of the Italian coven the stories were ten times scarier then the truth. I traveled to Mexico crossing the border and sprinting through the small villages. I came to this village north of Tijuana. Coahuila, the city closest to the destined battle with the Volturi. I was looking for food. I went to the Nazas River and waited for anyone I could detain. I saw three human figures walking on the bed of the river. Two adults with a child were crossing and weaving through the water. I sat on the edge of the rocks calculating how to kill them." Edward turned his face towards Jasper a silent warning passed between them. The next part of the story was quickly skipped over.

"I don't understand if the Volturi family was going to kill Malirosa and her coven then why is she still alive?" I asked confused. The logical part of my brain was confusing the story context.

"She disappeared. She left her allies and was gone. I finished with the humans and saw a creature leap off the cliff near the river opening. I stood still wondering what kind of person would leap off a dangerous crevice. It was Malirosa. I knew instantly what her plan was that she was running away like a coward. I didn't stop her. If I stopped her then none of this would have happened. It's all my fault." Jasper said sadly. The admission was hanging in the air.

"Jasper, we aren't blaming you. You didn't know what kind of disgusting person she was." Alice trilled.

"That's where you are wrong, Alice. I did know she was revolting. I let her go because I was too indolent to catch her. I caused a wealth of problems for everyone including Bella. Bella's nightmares are my fault." Jasper proclaimed. That's when I realized Jasper and Edward were two peas in a pod. They held themselves accountable with everything guilt always racking their minds. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry? I could never blame Jasper for what happened to me.

"Jasper, please don't blame yourself! I can't stand it. I am fine everything is okay I don't have nightmares!" I exclaimed. The truth was that I had plenty of other scary events that happened to me to give me nightmares for weeks!

Jasper furrowed his eyebrows still unconvinced leaning back and shut his eyes. The conversation was abruptly ended. I leaned into Edward and saw his golden amber eyes glimpse at me. He was thinking too. I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

"Edward." Carlisle called and switched lanes on the road. Esmee patted my leg and turned towards the front of the car.

Rosalie and Emmett were whispering softly and I couldn't make out the words of their conversation. I suppose I didn't try because my brain was overworked as it was.

Edward ran his fingers through my hair and hummed quietly. Alice kept her eyes out the window thinking about the story probably.

"That's fine, Carlisle." Edward was reading Carlisle's thoughts hopefully we were almost to the last place. My butt was aching from the constant bumping on the road. My legs were stiff from being stationary for a long time.

"I think we need to lighten the mood in this car!" Esmee sighed and turned toward us in the back. "We are too moody. We should be happy that we are here together. I don't want to see sulking faces anymore. As your mother, I command everyone to smile and stop glowering right this instant!"

Alice gave Esmee a warm smile. She sat up straighter and turned in my direction. "No hard feelings?"

"Everyone is being overly dramatic." Edward mumbled and looked into the backseat. "Jasper, if you don't stop being self-loathing, Carlisle is going to stop the car and we are going to beat you up."

"I'm in." Emmett cried and clapped his hands together. Rosalie rolled her eyes and pulled the ugly beret further down on her hair.

"As if you could." Jasper muttered propping one eye open but smirked in response.

"There's only one way to find out." Edward teased and winked at me.

"This is going to be awesome!" Emmett exclaimed and Rosalie swatted his shoulder.

"Boys. That's enough." Esmee said even though she was optimistically happier that everyone was in better moods.

"Sorry, Mom." Edward and Emmett said in unison.

"Are you ready for this?" Alice announced and shook me gently.

"Am I ready for what?" I asked puzzled. I followed Alice's gaze from the backseat window.

"Not again!" I cried.