Here it is the next chapter! I am Sorry I kept everyone waiting. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing Twilight.... Except the movie of course :)
APOV
Waiting for Bella to wake up was hell. For the first time, I couldn't see. I didn't know when she would wake. I couldn't offer Jasper any peace of mind. It was more frustrating than anything I have ever experienced. I couldn't force a vision of it though, so we all sat in the living room for the most part, talking over the events that we walked in upon in the forest. There were a few I wasn't sure why they were here.
The wolf, I didn't understand. I knew he was a wolf by the smell. Why would he be here? I can tell the smell is as bad for him as it is for us, and I could also see that he was unhappy being around so many vampires. But yet he stayed. It was Jonas who quietly whispered the answers to my questions. He said that before Jasper even came back that there was a bond formed between this wolf, Jacob, and Bella.
Jacob had helped pull her out of the misery Edward had left her in. He had become one of her best friends before he became a wolf, and he cared for her as much as we did. He and the other wolves considered her family. Though I understood that, from what Carlisle had explained, they would not cross the treaty line. So why were they now? Jasper had some explaining to do on that part.
Another thing I was confused about was how Peter and some of the others got here, he had brought some of the nomads with him, I just wasn't sure why. When I looked at Peter, about to ask he just pointed to his head and smiled. Peter has always known things, but that is not the part that really bothered me. I assumed he would tell us in time as always. What bothered me was the looks that I saw pass between Jonas and Peter.
They couldn't know each other could they? Other than the looks, they didn't act like they did. It was driving me crazy, but I knew that this was also something I probably wouldn't know the truth about until Bella was awake.
Jonas and his friend Xavier, who he introduced us to when we got back to the house, said that they would explain everything once Bella was awake to hear it all as well. I was still in shock over what I had seen, I had seen the prophecy told, and I knew that she would be capable of great things, but Wow. The power that she had exerted in the forest, it was amazing.
We all knew that she had lost Renee, and between the pain over losing her, and the anger at Victoria for doing it, no one blamed her for losing it. Though no one in the family had any idea what she was capable of. Other than me, they didn't have much of an idea at all as to what she and Jasper were to become.
Everyone was worried about Jasper not feeding and staying so close to Bella, but we rarely talked about it. Carlisle had attempted to talk Jasper into hunting the second day she was out, but Jasper refused to leave her. It was when Emmett voiced his worries out loud in front of Jonas, that the proverbial shit hit the fan. Jonas has always been calm, never angry, but he got pissed as he turned on Emmett.
"You have no idea what you are talking about Emmett. None of you do. Jasper is safer for her than any other vampire, except from what I have seen, maybe Carlisle." He looked at Carlisle with the upmost respect for a moment before turning back to Emmett.
"Now is not the time for the whole story, but I want you to think about something. Jasper is an empath, he fells everything that others around him feel, and I mean everything. That one drop of blood from her finger did bring up someone's bloodlust but it wasn't his." With that he turned on his heel and walked out of the house.
We were all shocked at his statement, it couldn't mean what we thought, could it? I followed Jonas to try to talk to him, but he refused to say anything further. He surprised me in that moment though, grabbing my hand and asking me to stay. I sat down beside him on the forest floor again, not letting go of his hand. I couldn't explain it, but there seemed to be comfort for both of us in that simple gesture.
When I had gotten back from sitting with Jonas, I had the vision I had been waiting for. I was excited. I saw the love in his eyes as he held her when she woke. I knew in that moment that all the hurt I had felt was worth it. I wouldn't change my decision now for anything. I went to tell Jasper right away, that Bella would wake in an hour. Our talk while I was up there, made me realize even more, that what I had done was the right thing.
Jasper would always have a special place in my heart, I had loved him for so long. But now, he was my best friend, I wouldn't have it any other way. When I got back downstairs, I went to sit next to Jonas, I held his hand, because of the comfort it held for me. We all waited through the last hour, anxious and it made it worse than the 3 days that we have already been waiting. I listened for some sign that she was awake and finally got it. Though it was not what I had wanted to hear, I was still glad that she was finally awake.
I looked around at my family and the wolf, who despite the present company he was in looked happy, and saw their eyes light up.
"She's awake!"
JPOV
I looked back down to Bella, and whispered to her, letting her know I would never leave her side, that I loved her and couldn't wait until she was with me again.
Bella awoke just as Alice said in another hour. It took her a few minutes to orient herself, but when she did she fell into my arms. The guilt and remorse coming from her was strong, and I knew why, but I wanted her to know that no one was angry with her. I held her while she cried, telling her it was ok. When she had calmed down enough to control her crying, I pulled her back and looked in her eyes.
"Bella, it is ok Darlin." I felt a thrill go through her as I called her that. "No one is angry with you, and no one blames you. You were forgiven as soon as it happened. You suffered a great loss, we understand." She looked at me with disbelief, then recognition.
"Jasper, can we talk?" Her eyes held something that I couldn't decipher, and there was still sadness coming off of her. I wanted to talk to her, tell her how much I loved her now that she was awake, but I heard everyone downstairs, and felt their impatience. They wanted to see her too.
"We will talk soon Darlin, I promise. But right now there is a house-full of people downstairs that have waited three days to see you. Are you ok with them coming up?" I could feel her fear and anxiety over seeing the family and thought of a better idea.
"How about instead of them coming here, I run you a relaxing bath, and then when you are ready, we go downstairs together." That seemed to bring her a little relief, though the people downstairs were disappointed. She nodded, so I got up and headed to the bathroom.
"Wait Jasper, you said I have been out for three days?" I nodded. "How is Charlie? Is he awake? Did Phil make it here?" Of course, I should have told her, what was I thinking? I walked back over to her and gently held her hands.
"Charlie just woke up this morning. Jacob asked Seth and Leah to watch over him so that he could be here when you woke up. Charlie is very disoriented, and not quite sure what happened, but he has asked about you. If you want to go see him we can. Phil did make it in, and he has stayed by Charlie's side. " I waited for her response.
"Yes I would like to go see him, as soon as possible. Has Phil… Did you tell him about Renee?"
"Yes Bella, Jacob went to the hospital when we heard he had arrived, and told him about Renee. He also told him that we aren't sure what happened. He came back here after he talked to him, so he could be here when you woke up. To be honest, until we have spoken with Charlie we don't know the full story. I just hope that we can get to him before…" I stopped, I saw her eyes flash, and the felt her anger as I was speaking.
"Jasper, I… I need you to calm me." I was surprised. I knew the other day was bad, but… She had told me she needed to feel her emotions, that she didn't want me messing with them unless it was absolutely necessary. But I sent her some calm, and she smiled gratefully.
"Thank you Jasper. I know you are confused, but I want to get to Charlie and Phil now. I will explain soon." I could feel the confusion coming from everyone downstairs, though one in particular was rather strong, though I couldn't pick out who it was from the bedroom. I decided to let it go for now, but we would have to talk later.
"So would you rather take a shower, so that we can leave quicker?" She nodded her head and though I could see it in her face, feeling the love and gratitude coming from her was even better. She started to get up, and then turned back to me.
"Jasper, what am I supposed to wear? I don't have any clothes here?"
"Well Darlin," I loved that thrill that went through her every time I called her that. "Actually Alice went to your house and got you some of your things. Is that ok?" She nodded again and gave me a small smile.
"Go ahead and go take your shower, I will bring your things in and wait downstairs for you." I felt her panic a little. "I will come back up when you are ready. Ok?" Her panic eased.
"Ok, I will call you when I am done." She turned and walked into the bathroom.
BPOV
Though I wanted to hurry to get to Charlie and Phil, I still took my time to enjoy the warmth of the shower. My entire body was stiff, though I assumed it was from the three days of lying in the bed, I knew it was a possibility that the scene in the clearing was also partially responsible.
When I finished in the shower, I did feel better, and was surprised to find that the clothes that Alice had brought for me were more to my standards than hers. I threw on my clothes before drying my hair and pulling it up. I walked back into the bedroom and ate the food that Jasper had brought up, and when I was done I quietly called him. Though I felt better, and he and Asana both told me they weren't, I was still worried about coming face to face with the whole family, wolves included.
As soon as I said his name Jasper was standing in front of me, and I immediately felt relief. As long as he was beside me I knew things would be ok. Though I was still extremely worried about seeing Alice. Would she hate me for being with him? She was my best friend before she left would she still want to be my friend?
"It will be ok Darlin. They are all excited that you are awake. They can't wait to see you especially Carlisle, Esme, and Alice." Alice was she really excited to see me? I guess the only way to find out was to go down there and see. We slowly walked down the stairs and before I could even get to the bottom I was caught up in big arms to where I could hardly breathe.
"Jake… Can't breathe." I heard a few growls, but I wasn't sure where they came from. Jake set me down, and I looked back to Jasper who was just smiling at me, so I knew it wasn't from him.
"Bells! I am so glad that you are finally awake." As soon as he said that the huge smile that was on his face fell away. "I am so sorry Bells, sorry that I couldn't do more. Sorry that we couldn't save Renee." I wrapped my arms around him as I saw the tear fall from his eye. I had tears in my own eyes as I answered him.
"Jake, it is ok. I don't blame you or any of the others. It is not anyone's fault but Victoria's." I felt the anger flash through me. "She will pay for what she did." As soon as I felt the anger, I felt a wave of calm rush through me, and I looked at Jasper appreciatively.
"Jacob would you mind if the rest of the family got to say their hellos and then if you would like, you can go to the hospital with us to see Charlie and Phil." I looked up at Jake, and he released me stepping back so the others could come to me. I was surrounded at once. Esme was the first to get to me and she wrapped her arms around me.
"Oh Bella, it is so good to see you awake." She pulled back and looked at me.
"Esme, I…" She stopped me with a finger on my lip.
"There is no need Bella, as Jasper told you we forgave you the moment it happened. We love you. I do want to say I am sorry about Renee." I had more tears in my eyes, and when she pulled me close again, her embrace held all the love a mother has for her daughter. I knew then that though I had lost Renee, and I would always miss her, I would still have a mother to love me.
"My turn" I heard Carlisle say, and I laughed. I had nothing to worry about Jasper was right. Carlisle pulled me into another warm hug, and I had never felt happier. I finally had the family that I lost back together.
"Me next, me next!" Alice sounded ecstatic. Carlisle released me, and she wrapped me up in her arms, swinging me around.
"You're awake!" She sang, and I realized just how much I missed her. Then she whispered silently in my ear.
"Everything is going to be ok Bella, he loves you, and so do I. The only love between us now is the love of friends. I don't hate you, and never could." As she finished she sat me down grinning so wide that I had to laugh and she winked at me.
The rest of the family, plus a few that I didn't know gave me hugs, telling me they were happy to see me awake, and that they were sorry about Renee. The one that surprised me the most was Rosalie. When she walked up to me I didn't know what to do or think. Then when she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, I thought I had lost my mind.
What she said though, was the most shocking part. "I am so sorry Bella, for everything, but especially for agreeing to leave you. I know that I have never been that nice…" Emmett, Alice, and Jasper laughing cut her off. She gave them a quick glare and turned back to me.
"Ok, so I was a complete Bitch. But maybe we can start again, be friends, and someday," she glanced at Jasper, "maybe even sisters."
"I would like that Rosalie." Confused didn't even cover what I was feeling at this change in Rosalie, but I can't say that I didn't like it.
Once everyone was done with their hugs, I turned to Jasper and Jacob.
"You ready Darlin?" I nodded, and told everyone we would be back soon, as we walked out the door.
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
When we got to the hospital, I started getting worried again. The anger that I felt at the mere inclination of Victoria was not good, and I am going into Charlie's room to hear exactly what she did to him. Was I going to be able to control it? Or would I fly off the handle again? I didn't want to take the chance. I stopped and looked at Jasper.
"I need you to do something for me Jasper." He looked at me questioningly. "I need you to make sure that I stay calm. Charlie is going to be telling us about…" I took a breath to steady myself. "…Victoria's attack and I don't want to go off in his hospital room. Can you do that for me?"
He nodded, and we started walking again, Jacob seemingly curious about the exchange between Jasper and I, but also had understanding on his face. We took the elevator up to Charlie's floor, and ran into Phil as we were getting off the elevator.
"Phil." I wrapped my arms around him, and we were both crying. "I'm so sorry Phil, sorry I didn't call sooner, sorry that you didn't get to say good-bye, and sorry that it happened at all."
He shook his head "It's ok Bella, it is not your fault. Even if you had called as soon as you found her, I probably still wouldn't have made it. She is your mother, you were worried about her and your dad, and I understand that." He hugged me again. "I was just on my down to go get something to eat, Charlie has been waiting on you, go see him. I'll come back in a few hours. But…" He stopped.
"What? What is it Phil?"
"They said that you had passed out after all that had happened, I didn't know what to do, I… I have to get back to Jacksonville soon, so I went ahead and made the funeral arrangements. It is tomorrow. Is that ok?" He felt bad for making the funeral arrangements, without me. To be honest, I don't think that I could have handled even helping with them, so I was glad that he had taken care of it all.
"Yeah Phil, it is fine we will be there." I hugged him once more, and then headed down the hallway to see Charlie.
JPOV
I wrapped my arm around her waist, and Jacob grabbed her hand as we got to Charlie's room. Over the past few days I have gained a new respect for Jacob and from what I can feel from him, he has for me as well. We share a common happiness that neither of us can live without. Bella. He loves her as much as I do and wants her to be happy, and if that means working with me, then he is willing to do so.
Charlie was awake when we walked in, and Bella immediately released us both and ran to him.
"Dad, I am so sorry, I…" She burst into tears again. He wrapped his good arm around her, trying to tell her he was ok. When she finally got herself together again, he looked at me suspiciously. Bella noticing this grimaced, realizing that in all of the time we have spent together in the past few weeks, she had never told Charlie about me. I figured she had her reasons, so I didn't question it, but from the look on Charlie's face, the gig was up.
"Um… Dad, you know Jasper Hale. He um… well see…"
"So this is where you have been spending that extra free time when you are not with Jacob or Angela?" He interrupted gesturing at me.
"Well yeah Dad it is. Jasper and I have been spending a lot of time together lately, and" she stopped looking at me first "are sort of dating." I could feel the uncertainty coming off of her as she said that, so I flashed her a big smile, letting her know that I was good with that terminology.
Charlie's eyes narrowed though, and all he did was grunt at that, though as soon as he did, he grimaced, and I felt his pain. Bella made sure he was ok before giving a short laugh at him.
"Well, it looks like you won't be doing that for awhile. How about we worry about my love life later?" Then getting a serious look on her face she said, "How about right now, you tell us what exactly happened on Sunday?" Charlie grimaced and looked down. He was putting off waves of fear and doubt, and though I thought I understood the reason what he said proved me wrong.
"I want to tell you, but I am not sure if you will believe me, I am not even sure if I believe it myself. Then some of the things she said, I just…" He shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. I noticed then that there was an underlying current of anxiety in his emotions, I wondered what it was from.
"Dad, I can promise you that whatever your story is, we will believe you. I am not sure what she said, but… whatever it was she was probably insane and didn't know what she was talking about." He looked at Bella, as if he believed that she knew more than she was letting on. Truth be told, she did, but she wasn't going to tell him, at least not right now. He shook his head again, but started talking.
"I left fishing with Harry early, so that I could go pick up Renee from the airport, she had wanted to surprise you Bells." He stopped for a moment, tears filling his eyes. Bella squeezed his hand telling him it was ok. Charlie took a deep breath and continued.
"I picked her up at the airport, and we talked about how much you had changed in the past few weeks. Don't get me wrong here Jake, you did a lot for Bells, but I guess now I know what caused the rest of the changes." He looked directly at me, and though I felt his tension and reluctance, he looked at Bella and smiled. She gave him a heartwarming smile, and he continued.
"When we got back to the house I walked in first, calling for you not knowing that you had gone out. I heard laughter from the living room that I didn't recognize, and before I could take a step this… this amazingly beautiful, but also terrifying woman was standing at t entrance to the kitchen. "Bella's not here right now but I am" she said.
Her eyes were flat black, but other than that and her hair color, honestly she reminded me a lot of the Cullen's." He noticed Bella's glance towards Jacob and I, and stopped.
"Is she related to you?" He asked angrily.
"No Chief Swan, she is not." I looked to Bella for help. I wasn't expecting Charlie to be that observant. I didn't know what to tell him.
"Dad, I can't explain it right now. But I promise she is not related to the Cullen's." He looked appeased enough to continue, but I knew he wasn't done with the questions.
"I didn't know what to think, this strange woman in my house, so I tried to be nice, asking her what she was doing in my house if Bella wasn't there. Her next words surprised me. "Waiting for Bella to come home so that I can have my revenge, but since you got here first, maybe this will make her want to find me." The next thing I knew I was flying into the living room and I hit my head on the edge of the couch.
I was disoriented from it, but I heard Renee screaming in the kitchen, and I got up to run back in there. I didn't get far before she was dragging Renee by the hair into the living room. I got up to try and stop her, and she knocked me back down, I believe that is when my ribs got broken. But I tried to get up again to help Renee. She tossed Renee by her hair, and came after me."
I was continuously sending Bella waves of calm, and though I saw a few things shaking, she was doing rather well. "I was worried about Renee, but glad that this woman had let her go. I wanted to try to talk to her, but before I could say anything, she had me pinned up against the wall, scraping her fingernails along my chest. My head hit the wall hard, so I can't be sure of what was said."
He stopped not wanting to continue. He was running through so many emotions right then that he was almost as bad as Bella. "Dad it's ok, whatever it is. Just tell us."
"She said that you and the other Cullen's, Edward mainly, were involved in the death of her boyfriend, though that is not what she called him, she called him her mate. She said that you all had killed him." He started sobbing, and couldn't continue. Bella wrapped her arms around him, and tried to comfort him. I didn't know what to say, and I don't think she did either.
What Victoria had said was inevitably true, but we couldn't tell him that. I looked from Bella to Jacob and back again, none of us knowing what to say.
"Is it true Bella? Is what that woman said true?" He looked up at her, then moved his eyes to Jacob, and then to me.
"Oh…"
"Dad, wait, I… I can't explain right now, not here. There is a lot more to that story, and I will tell you, can you wait, and trust me?" She looked at him pleadingly, begging him with her eyes to believe in her.
"You promise that you will explain later Bells?"
"Yes Dad, I promise."
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
The rest of the afternoon was slightly less emotionally complicated. I still had to keep sending Bella calm, especially when Charlie was able to finish telling us what he could remember. What that Bitch did, I was pissed, but had to keep my own emotions in check for Bella. Though Jacob on the other hand let a few growls through without thinking about it, and I gave him a look each time, to remind him to keep his cool.
We convinced Charlie to tell everyone that it was a stranger that had broken in the house and beaten him and Renee, and that he didn't know why. The first part was easy, it was basically the truth, the second part though took more promises from Bella, though he added in Jacob and I this time. Phil came back soon after, and while Bella enjoyed the time she spent with them, there was still an overlying sadness in everyone.
Before she was ready it was time to go. We said our good-byes and told them we would be back soon.
BPOV
I wasn't ready to leave, but I knew that we had to. As we walked out into the hall, I let the tears fall. Jasper wrapped his arms around me and let me cry, and Jacob rubbed my back. I was amazed at how they were able to be so close to each other, without snapping at each other. I was proud of them both. I just hoped it lasted.
I pulled back from Jasper drying my eyes, and told him I was ready to go. We rode down the elevator, and as soon as we were out of sight he threw me on his back and headed toward the house. I laid my head down on his shoulder just waiting for the time when we would get back to the house.
When he stopped and set me down I didn't think there had been enough time for us to make it home, and from what I could see we weren't. I looked around him and saw the bright red eyes of the person that had taken my mother from me. I took a step to the side of Jasper so that I could see straight into her face.
"YOU STUPID MOTHER FUCKING BITCH!"
So you all know what to do.... I still love Reviews!!! Always, I love to hear your thoughts!!!!! As always... if you leave a review, I will send you a sneak peak of the next chapter ;)
This time though, I need a question answered... In future chapters do you want me to add a Jacob, Edward, Carlisle, Xavier, etc POV? Or are you happy with the four POV's that I have used? Jonas, Jasper, Bella, and Alice. Just curious... I have thoughts running through my head that are undecided. Also if I did another POV, would you want it to continue or be a one time thing?? Let me know your thoughts!!
Thanks for being patient with me:) I appreciate all of you! Til next time.....
