All Character and all things Twilight belong to the ever talented Stephanie Meyer.
A/N - For whatever reason I found this chapter very difficult to write. I was hit with writers block on more than one occasion. Still not sure if I'm completely happy with it.
JPOV
Leaving Bella tonight was as difficult as I'd anticipated it would be. However, I had promised her I'd give her time and I fully intended on keeping that promise. I hadn't left her immediately though. After saying goodnight I'd stayed near her apartment listening as she'd readied for bed, leaving only once I could sense that she had indeed fallen asleep. I almost convinced myself that I'd stayed after she thought me gone to ensure she was safe and secure in bed, but it was pointless to deny that I just wanted to prolong being near her.
Hunt....I did need to hunt. Bella's blood had barely if at all been a temptation for me tonight and it was essential that I ensure it stayed that way. The only possible way to accomplish this was by hunting frequently, even if it meant being away from Bella. I couldn't even fathom the alternative. Hurting her was out of the question, there's no way I would survive if I did.
Hunting near New Orleans was somewhat trickier than it had been in Forks, or Alaska. The dense population made the need for stealth much more essential. As luck would have it, Peter and Char had purchased a rather considerable amount of land close to Lake Pontchartrain decades ago. They had enclosed much of the property in an imposing fence, ensuring they would be no trespassers. I was able to hunt close to home in relative obscurity, unless I was itching for a some big game and a challenge. During those instances I generally ran north to Arkansas, the vast amounts of wooded areas alleviating the worry of detection.
Tonight however, would be a quick hunt close to the house. Peter's reaction to my leaving with Bella tonight had been odd even for Peter and I needed to speak with him about it. Char and I may have teased him about having a definite Yoda complex, but the guy did seem to just know shit.
Pulling up to the security gate I keyed in the code, revving the engine of the powerful bike beneath me before accelerating down the winding road that lead to the expansive ranch style house where Char and Peter lived, as well as the turn off to the smaller cottage I mainly only used when I wanted to be alone. Avoiding the main house for now I took the turn off, parking my bike in front of the log cottage.
Cottage was probably not an apt description for the structure. Two stories, constructed completely of logs it contained a living room decked out with all the technology I would need to keep me entertained; Emmett would be in heaven. For whatever reason there was a also a kitchen, complete with appliances I never used for obvious reasons. The most impressive room was the master suite that dominated the second story. The room was distinctly masculine, the furniture all dark mahogany; from the massive chest of drawers to the king size bed. An ensuite bathroom contained a glass enclosed shower and round bathtub I'd yet to get any use out of. When I'd discussed relocating nearer to Peter and Char they had insisted that I would have a home with them. I'd never anticipated that Char would design and have this haven built for me .
I took off on foot to the north end of the property where he tree coverage just beyond the wall of fence lent me all the privacy needed to hunt. The pickings would be slim, but the Whitetail Deer I was sure to find would alleviate my thirst even though they held no challenge for me. Before long I picked up the scent, increasing my speed until I was within distance to easily take down a few of the herd. After consuming my fill I decided to take my time getting back. Walking at a leisurely although not quite human pace. I thought of Peter and Char who I'm sure were waiting at the main house for me. I could anticipate how Peter was going to react to me pursuing a relationship with Bella, it was Char's reaction I couldn't be certain of.
Char reminded me of a more fired up Esme. She took great pleasure in designing the homes her and Peter had scattered throughout the country much like Esme. Her love knew no bounds and she was fiercely loyal to Peter and myself, her family. However, where Esme was generally the voice of calm and reason for her family; Char was the polar opposite. Piss her off and it was your ass. Peter had been at the receiving end of her wrath more times than either of us could count, generally throwing me under the bus to cover his own ass. I hadn't been exaggerating when I'd told Bella that humans were off limits to Peter as anything other than dinner. She insisted that it was because one shouldn't play with their food. Seeing though as they didn't prey on healthy, beautiful young women; her reasoning didn't hold a lot of weight. Peter and I both thought it had more to do with the inherent differences between human and vampires. Char could compete with any female vampire, the woman was a goddess; but how do you compete with something you're no longer capable of being.......and that was human. I didn't understand her reasoning considering the multitude of things we were capable of as vampires, but we all have our issues.
Fully prepared to receive a healthy dose of ball busting, I was instead met with by an uncharacteristically reserved Peter waiting for me on the rambling front deck of the main house. The cocky grin that so frequently graced his face, noticeably absent. Concern being the dominant emotion I was sensing from him.
"Alright Peter, talk. I'm listening." I knew beating around the bush with him was pointless.
"She's human Jazz."
"Stating the obvious Peter."
"You know she's your mate right?" Ok so he had my attention now.
"How? I mean, I know; but how do you?"
"Come on Jazz, you know as well as I do that I haven't the foggiest fucking clue how I know this shit."
" So if you knew, why the hell all the angst last night when her and I left together?"
"Shall we list all the ways that this could turn into a cluster fuck of epic proportions?"
I didn't want to hear this while still sailing on the euphoria of the night I'd had with Bella. In no way was I naive enough to believe this was going to be easy, that there weren't going to be enormous hurdles for us to tackle. "You don't think I've considered everything we're up against Peter?"
"I don't know Jazz, you tell me."
"Fine, she's Alice's best friend. I know Alice though and she loves Bella, and wants me to be happy. This is barely a concern."
"Ok, next." Peter's face etched in impatience
"The fact that Bella is human. She's fragile, extremely so; but we both know my control is better than it ever has been."
"What about the repercussions for both her and you of her being immersed in our world? Have you considered those?"
"Consider them? I've lived them Peter. This wouldn't be the first time that Bella has been a part of this world. I realize the dangers. Constantly keeping her safe from our own kind that would see her only as prey and not as my mate, avoiding the detection of the Volturi; maintaining my own control so that I don't myself become a threat to her safety; I know the risks Peter."
"So it seems." He conceded. "But what of ending her life Jazz? Is it something she'd even consider and what about you, are you willing or even able to comprehend the human you fell in love with becoming the vampire you'll spend your existence with?"
"She wanted it before, and if that's still the case then yes I'd change her when the time is right. I'd be lying if I denied loving some of her human qualities, but I would give them all up if it meant having her beside me forever."
Peter merely nodded. "So anything else make your list of considerations."
"Yes and it's the one obstacle almost on par with her humanity." This was the one challenge facing us that had the potential to derail everything, yet the only one I had no solution to. "My brother is still in love with her."
"And what of her feelings for him?"
"She says she's over him, I believe her Peter. Bella loves with her whole heart, if she was still in love with Edward she'd never be able to betray him."
"For your sake I hope you're right."
"You and me both. I have to trust how she tells me she feels, and being an empath has it's advantages in this instance. I could sense how she felt about me Peter, and I have few doubts that her feelings run as deep for me as mine for her. She has asked for time though to come to terms with it all and I cannot deny her this."
"Considering she's human, I could see how it would be overwhelming for her." Peter agreed. "Now back to Edward, what if he can't give her up?"
"He gave her up! Edward left her, and as much as I loathe to hurt my brother the repercussions of his actions are his to deal with." I would deal with Edward, and what was sure to be a situation capable of ripping my family apart when the time came. When it came right down to it, I would sacrifice anything and everything for Bella.
"Well Jazz I'm pleasantly surprised to see you've got this all sorted, for the most part."
"No worries Peter, I know what I'm getting myself into; and she's worth it."
"Sorry for going all big brother on your ass last night. I put the blame wholly on the limitations of my ability. I could see that you two were mated and was fairly certain you weren't about to turn her into a midnight snack. However, I couldn't quite determine if you would go into this with your eyes open, or stumble into it and find a way to fuck it up." Peter's large hand clapped me on the shoulder. "You get to break it to Char though that you bagged a human man, cos not even I'm that brave."
"Thanks for the encouragement asshole." We laughed together, all the earlier tension vanishing.
"You'd think that for as long as you two have been at this whole vampire thing, you'd remember that private conversations need to be taken far from the house if you're planning on keeping secrets." There in the doorway stood none other than Charlotte.
Her physical appearance would do little to incite fear, in anyone that didn't know her the way Peter and I did. She was barely over five feet tall, her features reminiscent of her Latin heritage; even the stark pallor shared by all of our kind wasn't enough to completely diminish the natural golden hue she had to have possessed before being turned.
"Now you've gone and pissed her off Jazz." Peter was obviously pleased to not be the culprit this time.
"Please explain to me my all knowing husband, why you would for a minute assume I would be anything but pleased that Jasper had finally found his mate?" Disappointment evident on Peter's face when Char levelled him with a gaze, ripe with disgust.
"She's human baby. Did you overhear that little morsel of information as well?" Was he actually whining?
"Of course I did and what does that have to do with anything? I think Yoda over here is losing his touch Jazz." She flashed a grin in my direction, clearly enjoying putting Peter in the hot seat.
Let me clarify so I understand this clearly." Pulses of irritation were rolling off of Peter. "I'm only permitted to drink from humans but not fu........"
"Peter!" Char's tone was sharp.
"........Yet Jasper here is allowed to mate with one and you're pleased?"
"Jasper is not married to me." Her reasoning was simple
Oh no, I could sense the irritation Peter had been feeling dissipate, and mischief take it's place. One or both of us was going to end up on the losing end of Char's wrath before this was over.
"Hey Jazz, wanna trade?" And there it was, the man had a death wish.
The resounding smack to Peter's head compliments of his loving wife cut off any retort I'd began to form as it was replaced with laughter.
"Ow! Woman that one actually kind of hurt!" Peter rubbed the back of his head where Char had connected.
"Exactly as it was meant to!" Char threw him a thunderous glare, then turned her attention on me. "Jazz, I am over the moon for you. After everything you've seen an experienced in this life, this existence .... You have more than earned the right to be happy, even with a human." Her tone was considerably softer.
"Thank you Char, it means a great deal that you feel that way." I was immensely relieved at Char's positive reaction.
"Once you and Bella are both comfortable with the idea, I would love nothing more than to meet her. It will be nice to have another woman coming around this house, what with the testosterone fuelled antics I have to put up with from you two." Her amused expression contradicting the annoyance she tried to convey at said antics.
"You will meet her soon." I promised.
"I met her last night." Peter must have felt left out of the conversation. "And let me tell you, she is magnificent." I ratified my previous assumption, deciding instead that he just enjoyed pain.
"And yet she only had eyes for Jasper." Char could give as good as she got, which was a large part of why she was perfect for Peter. "No wonder you're pissing and moaning, you Peter Whitlock are jealous!"
"Like hell I'm jealous"
"You keep telling yourself that big boy." Char winked in my direction. "I'll leave you men to your boy talk now, I'm heading into the city."
"What the hell for now?"
"To spend your money of course." She giggled as she dashed around the side of the house, adding insult to injury when she peeled down the long driveway in Peter's new Cadillac Escalade.
"Why do I stay married to her?" Peter grimaced.
"Because she puts up with you." I stated.
The truth of the matter was that despite the shit they seemed to heap on one another, they were truly and deeply in love. Although they would never admit it, there is no way that one would be able to live without the other.
"True enough." Peter sighed, a slight smile beginning to grace his features. Despite the earlier spectacle I could feel the affection he had for his wife. Although it didn't take him long to switch gears.
"Now that Char's gone I can ask you the real pressing question." He grinned lasciviously.
"And that would be." I frowned, dreading what Peter would consider a "pressing question.'
"Did you get into the little human's panties of course?" His brown brows were raised in question.
"We are not having this conversation Peter!" My growl was feral. This wasn't some random conquest we were discussing, this was my Bella. I wasn't about to demean what Bella and I had shared last night by reiterating the events to Peter.
"Jesus Jazz, why so uptight? We're brothers, this is the type of shit we're supposed to bond over."
"There is nothing to tell." I was succinct, leaving no question that this conversation was over.
"Fine, I'll back off. Besides, the only reason I ask is because you're covered in her scent. Must take a whole lot of nothing for it to smell like you've bathed in eau de Bella." Peter dealt me a self satisfied smirk.
"Oh for Christ sakes Peter, she's a virgin." I blurted, infuriated at his insinuations. "I wasn't about to take advantage of her, especially after she'd asked me to give her time to come to terms with her feelings. I promised her that we would only take things to that level once she was certain"
"Sorry man, I never realized.........I'm kinda surprised................she and Edward never............" It wasn't often you could shock Peter.
"No, they didn't and there has been no one else either."
"That's fucking wonderful news Jazz." More than a little taken aback at Peter's enthusiasm until he further explained his obvious glee. " It means that you and little Bella will have a bond she never had with Edward. Not only is she your mate Jazz, she will be only yours in every sense."
"So long as she decides that I'm who she wants Peter." The devastation evoked by the mere possibility that her decision could go another way was staggering in it's intensity.
"Whoa Jazz, reign it in. You're projecting. There is nothing to worry about. You are mated and that is never a one sided event. She will be yours in every way. Besides, have I ever steered you wrong before?"
He hadn't. Peter's gift was sporadic, and more a gut feeling or instinct than an extra sense. One thing his gift never was though, was wrong.
"There is something I don't quite get though. Why now, why did all the realizations of how we feel for each other materialize now and not when we first met, or the subsequent months after. How is it she is my mate now, but wasn't before?" I couldn't shake the doubts that these unanswered questions created.
"Obviously I don't know the exact answer Jazz. However I do have my suspicions." Peter paused for a moment, I'm sure only to prolong my misery before continuing. "It wasn't your time yet. Neither of you were prepared for all being mated entails, especially with your set of special circumstances. " His explanation made sense.
"But now we are? And now is our time?" I needed clarity.
"That's about it." Such a simple explanation really. "Isn't fate a bitch?" Jasper chuckled warmly.
If I were to pick any of the multitude of events that have occurred in my existence to curse fate for, bringing me Bella would not be one of them. In spite of the round about way we'd had to take to get to this point.
A/N - I apologize for any factual errors in regards to New Orleans, or Louisiana in general. I am researching as I go, so hopefully they will be minimal. Also the reviews have tapered off, although there are many still adding this story to their favourites. Please review as well, it lets me know if you like where things are going.