So Bella's gone... I guess if you haven't read the last chapter now you're a bit worried... anyway, how is Jasper going to take the news? I think we can all safely say... not well! Enjoy.

Chapter 29.

"What do you mean she's left the city?" Jasper hissed at the Volturi guard who stood at his door.

"I've been told to pass you a message from Aro. He said Bella had gone to prepare for the next task and she's perfectly safe and won't come to any harm." The guard took a few steps back as Jasper walked menacingly towards him; his growls echoing in the corridor they were now standing in.

In minutes Carlisle appeared next to his son, "Jasper?"

"I was just being told Bella is no longer in Volterra; she's gone to prepare for the next task but I'm not to worry because she won't come to any harm." His voice held more than a little sarcasm and his posture hadn't relaxed since his father appeared.

Carlisle was shocked and he put a hand on Jasper's shoulder; hoping to calm him down. It didn't work. "Would it be possible for me and my son to speak to Aro?" he asked the beleaguered guard.

"I will go and speak with Aro and see if he's available."

Jasper clenched his fist at the prospect of Aro not agreeing to see them and as he took another step towards the guard Carlisle moved in front of him; placing his hands on his shoulders and gripping them tightly. "Not now, Jasper. This isn't his fault; don't take it out on him."

"Why shouldn't I?" Jasper growled; fury building within.

"Now isn't the time." The guard had taken the opportunity to make a hasty retreat as they argued back and forth.

"But…"

"Let's go into my room and we'll wait for him to come back. I'm sure Aro will grant us some time with him." Carlisle had to almost drag Jasper to the room and as he shut the door Esme was on her feet and standing with them. Jasper allowed himself to be swept into her hug as she saw the anguish on his face.

"What's happened?" she asked; speaking to her husband as she hugged her son.

"Bella's been taken from Volterra as part of the second task." Carlisle said; maintaining eye contact with his wife and noticing her arms tighten on Jasper as she realized why he was so upset; her own anxiety about Bella's disappearance obvious on her face.

"Can they do that?"

"They already have but yes, they can. The second task is determined by them so it's completely at their behest." Carlisle said quietly.

"Jazz, she'll be okay." Esme tried to reassure her son; not sure she even believed her own words but hoping to whatever power there was they were true.

"You don't know that. This is Bella we're talking about. Danger finds her." Unfortunately his words were all true and neither of his parents could deny that.

"I don't think they'll let anything bad happen to her, son." Carlisle tried.

"Dad, you have no idea what they have planned. None of us do."

The room was tense as Jasper's anger began to filter through it. There was a knock at the door and Carlisle opened it; hoping to see the guard back with an answer but finding Rosalie and Emmett instead. "Come in, you two."

Rosalie moved quickly to his side; sensing his distress, "Jazz?" she said softly.

"They've taken her, Rose." He whispered and she immediately understood what he was saying. She pulled him towards her and he went willingly. He leant his whole weight against her; unable to support himself as he gave into the despair he was feeling; the hole that was ripping through his chest. Rosalie looked at her parents and husband in dismay as she slowly lowered them both to ground.

"What does he mean?" Emmett said; his fists clenching. "Where is Bells?" Carlisle quickly explained the situation to him and as he did his anger grew.

Carlisle could see his anger and quickly tried to placate it. "Emmett, that isn't helping anything; especially not Jasper. There's nothing we can do about this and even if there was, this is for Jasper to fix, not us."

"But she's our family…" Emmett protested.

"Yes and if we help Jazz in any way he fails the task."

Carlisle's reply stumped Emmett and he stopped as he realized the truth in his words. "So what do we do?" he said; his mood calming in an effort to help his brother.

"Jasper and I are going to try and see Aro this evening. I'm sure he won't tell us anything we don't already know but I think it'll help Jazz a little to speak to him about this. Other than that we have to wait until the task tomorrow. Nothing can be done until then." Despite his words Carlisle was just as frustrated as the rest of the family.

Jasper was growling again as he lay curled up on the floor; Rose's hand brushing through his hair in an effort to calm him down. They all froze as there was another knock on the door. Carlisle opened it and Aro was standing there.

"Carlisle, my dear friend, I understand you and your son wanted to see me?" Jasper was crouched beside Rosalie as soon as he heard Aro speak; his posture would definitely be viewed as aggressive but Aro barely spared him a glance.

"Aro, my son is a little concerned about Bella being taken from here."

"Did my guard not say she'd be well looked after?" he obviously couldn't understand what they were worried about.

"He did but I think it's more the fact she went without saying goodbye; Bella has a tendency to attract trouble; she did even when she was human and we're all a little worried something may happen to her."

"I can assure you both Felix and Demetri are more than able to take care of her. I did say to Felix that Bella was very precious to you and she should not come to any harm." Jasper's growls were now full volume and Aro finally looked down at him, quickly. "Your son and daughter will be reunited presently, I'm sure of it. Please do not concern yourself too much."

"It is difficult for us not to, Aro. We care for her a great deal."

Aro nodded, his attention back on his friend, "As I was reassuring Bella this afternoon before she left. We had a nice discussion as we sat in the grounds; she really is a lovely girl and I can see what it is about her that you all find so… attractive." Jasper sprang forward; quickly moving towards Aro in a gesture that could only be seen as an attack. It was only because all four members of his family jumped to restrain him that he didn't get close enough to make contact. Aro smirked at them all, "I'm sure I don't have to remind you of the consequences of any assistance in the task, do I Carlisle? I'd hate for something to happen which means Jasper has to pay the price of failure."

"We're very aware of the stipulations that have been set out for us, Aro. There'll be no reason for that price to be paid."

Aro swept out of the room and it was just in time because Jasper managed to worm himself free of their grip as the door closed. "Jasper, no!" Esme said as he made to open the door. She wasn't sure he'd pay any attention to what she'd said but he did stop. They all stared in surprise as he dropped to his knees; his arms clutching his stomach; his growls turned to groans before he fell to the floor and huddled in a tight ball on the floor. "Jazz." Esme whispered as she took a tentative step towards her son.

"Careful, dear." Carlisle whispered; his words fading as Esme shot him a glare.

"This is Jasper we're talking about; he won't hurt me." She knew in her heart that her words were true; despite the obvious pain he was in he wouldn't harm his family; he wouldn't hurt her.

"He hasn't been our Jasper for the last half hour or so." Carlisle said gently to his wife.

Esme walked a little further forward and crouched beside where her son lay; she wanted to try and offer him some comfort but what Carlisle had said was holding her back. "What's happening?" she murmured.

"I think he's feeling Bella's absence." He said as he moved to sit next to her. He looked at his other children and saw Rose and Emmett sitting on the other side of the room; both looking visibly upset by everything that'd happened. "Do you remember when he was saying about the bond being in place that one time; that there was a connection between the two of them and the vampire felt his mate die."

"You don't think Bella's dying, do you?" Esme said; panic setting in; her words bringing a growl from her youngest child.

Carlisle took her hand in his; squeezing them gently as he tried to take away her worry from his previous words. "I doubt it but I think this is a similar manifestation of that effect; even though they haven't gone through the bonding process yet. He's missing his mate and I fear it's only going to get worse as time passes."

"He's never going to be able to complete the task if he's like this." Emmett said; realizing the issue they needed to face.

"We're going to have to make sure he's strong enough to do it." Carlisle said.

"How do we do that?"

"He needs to feed; a lot. He needs us to reassure him that everything will be okay and he needs to remember that if he doesn't do the task he won't get Bella back." His last sentence got a further groan from Jasper and his body twitched on the floor; Carlisle was at least a little pleased to see he was able to hear them, even if he seemed unable to respond.

"We're going to need to hunt for him and bring the animal back here. He won't be able to do it himself." Emmett said.

"That might cause a bit of a stir; what if we're seen? It's not exactly a remote area." Esme pointed out.

"We could take him with us." Rosalie said quietly. "Maybe we could drive to where we hunted before we got to Volterra and then once we're away from human eyes we can bring the blood to him."

"That's a good idea, Rose." Carlisle said.

"Will they let us leave, do you think?" Emmett asked.

"I'll go and ask. I can't see why they won't. It's not till tomorrow that we're restricted and anyway we're going to come back; Aro knows that. He knows Bella is too important for us not to come back." Carlisle said. "Try and talk to Jasper while I go and sort this out."

*B-o-B*

By the time Carlisle returned to the room Jasper was lying on the bed; still visibly upset but not appearing to be in as much physical pain.

"Has Aro agreed to it?" Esme asked as she sat next to their son; her hands clasping his.

Carlisle nodded. "Yes. I explained to him that we needed to hunt and Jasper was unable to do it himself so we needed to go out of the city so we didn't expose ourselves to the humans. He was quite agreeable and I think his interest was piqued slightly when I told him how Jasper had reacted to Bella's absence. He seemed quite stunned by it." Carlisle walked over to the bed and looked at his son closer. "How is he?" he asked his wife quietly; scanning the room as he spoke and realizing Rose and Emmett were also absent.

"He's a little better; we were able to move him off the floor without causing him any pain. Rose and Emmett have gone to their room and then they'll go down to the car and wait for us there."

Carlisle crouched beside the bed; his hand brushing through Jasper's hair, "Jazz, we need to go down to the car; are you able to walk down there?" Jasper's eyes opened and he stared into those of his father's; his eyes the blackest they'd been for a long time and the pain he was feeling etched around them. Carlisle held his gaze and wondered if he would respond; he was just about to give up and pick him up from the bed when his son nodded slightly; dragging himself to a seated position and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Carlisle and Esme watched as he got to his feet; both noticing how unsteady he was but they smiled at him as he raised his head and met their gaze. Esme turned and walked to the door of the room and Carlisle hung back; the doctor in him insisting he waited for his son to move first. Seconds later he was glad of his reticence because he watched his son take two steps and then his legs buckled beneath him as he clutched his stomach again. Carlisle didn't hesitate this time and lifted his son in his arms; walking the remainder of the length of the room and out of the door, into the corridor. Jasper was groaning and whimpering as the pain he was feeling escalated once more and as the three of them moved quickly through the building Carlisle began to wonder if Jasper would be able to complete this task; and if he couldn't, what would happen to the family then.

TBC

A/N: Was that the reaction you were expecting? Don't worry he'll become more Major-like soon. Let me know what you think and send me a review. Next chapter tomorrow.