Chapter Five
Jasper
She wouldn't say any more until we were back in Forks when the atmosphere became more and more difficult for me to cope with. Every time Bella came to visit Alice would take me out for a drive or walk or to hunt and eventually I confronted her.
"Are you afraid I'm going to drain Bella now I've tasted her blood? Is that why you never let us meet any more?"
She laughed but it didn't relax me now, in fact it put me more on edge.
"You are probably the safest person for Bella to be around now Jazz"
I sensed a sadness in her words, in her emotions, and it grew daily.
"What's wrong Alice? Tell me please."
"I think you know Jazz, you just don't want to admit it"
"No I don't, I'm confused, everything seems to have changed around me".
"It has I'm afraid, everything changed when you stopped Bella from becoming one of us."
"But you told me to, you said it was the only way to save her life."
"And it was but it still changed things. Jazz you have to go, for now. Things are too dangerous with you here. I can't explain yet but have I ever lied to you?"
"No."
"Then please, leave. Go away for a few weeks. I'll tell you when its safe to return I promise."
"Why won't you come with me?"
"I can't, but it won't be for long."
What could I do but leave?
Emmett
Jasper rang me to check on things about two weeks after he left but he wasn't prepared to talk about Alice or indeed why he'd gone. I wasn't sure what to make of the phone call, he seemed uptight but was that because he was missing Alice or Bella? Alice had dropped several big hints that she'd sent him away to stop something happening between him and Bella and Edward seemed to understand her if I didn't. I couldn't bring myself to ask him about Bella outright although he did ask if I'd seen her and how she was. Afterwards I found Rose who was still working on his Harley.
" I just spoke to Jazz."
She got up wiping oily hands on her overalls and looking so damn hot I forgot what I'd come to talk to her about until she smiled and shook her head,
" Later stud. What did he say?"
" It was really weird, he asked about Bella but not Alice. I almost asked him outright about Alice's insinuations but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Do you think she's right Rosie?"
Rose shrugged her shoulders and looked upset,
"I don't know Em, it just doesn't feel right for him but then again... Did you find out what Alice is up to on the computer?"
" It was only a notion of mine that she was doing something odd but so far I haven't found anything, it's as if she doesn't want anyone to find out, really weird."
That seemed to annoy her and she snapped at me,
"And that's your theory is it? Alice is up to something because you can't find out what that is? Maybe she's right, did you think of that Emmett? Look I know you don't like what Alice is saying about Jazz but look at the facts. He disappeared and he hasn't kept in touch with us, this is the first call we've had and you said it yourself, the only person he asked about was her, Bella Swan. I don't like it either Emmett but I think Alice might have hit the nail on the head about those two. Edward is watching Bella like a hawk, I think maybe he suspects something too. I always said that girl was too good to be true and I'm afraid I might be right. If Alice is correct then it will break Edward's heart, and I may not like the pompous ass but I wouldn't see him hurt by her"
"So you think they are playing around behind Edwards back?"
" Well with Jasper out of the way and Bella's thoughts a blank to Edward we'll never know will we? But I don't trust her Em, not as far as I could throw her with my little finger. You know I think I'll forget about the bike"
She pushed it and it fell to the garage floor with a loud crash, I could tell by her expression that she herself felt betrayed by Jazz. She had loved him like a brother but Rose would never countenance betrayal in any form, especially between a man and a woman, she knew too much about that from personal experience.
I went back indoors and up to our room to finish writing the last part of a new program and as I sat at the keyboard I decided to snoop on what Alice had been doing. This time I finally found a trail and it led to...the sale of a ranch! It had been completed although it was under a fictitious name not that in itself that meant anything, we all used various names in our business transactions but I wasn't as accepting of our sweet sister as the others. I didn't say much but I missed very little and I'd seen her manipulate to get her own way before. Never over anything important but still...
I wondered if this was where Jazz was, at the ranch, but then the next question was why? It was a hell of a long way from Forks and Alice or even Bella. Then I wondered if perhaps that wasn't the point. Was she hiding him away? If she was right about him and Bella why would he let her make his plans for him? The last person he'd want to know where he was going was his ex, but why else would he be so far away or was this to do with Alice and not connected to Jazz in any way. Was I seeing things that didn't exist? I knew I could be way out of line here but what if she was hiding him from Bella? Using some excuse to keep him away from Forks.
If so perhaps I should try to help my friend but I didn't want to make a fool of myself. Maybe I could leave a trail that Bella could follow if she wanted, if she were interested, if he didn't know she wasn't aware of his whereabouts. The more I thought about it the less realistic the whole thing sounded, none of it really added up or made sense, in fact it sounded almost ridiculous even to me but as an intellectual exercise it might be fun and if it wasn't needed then she wouldn't even know I knew about her deals and I wouldn't look like a total Muppet if it all went tits up!
Jasper
Eventually, a few days before Bella's birthday Alice told me the shocking truth. If I'd known earlier would I have acted differently? I couldn't answer that, the die was already cast and it was too late to change the path of my destiny. She'd told me that my actions at the Ballet Studio had changed the future, my future and Bella's. Alice no longer held my heart, it belonged, along with my life, to Bella now. By mingling my venom with her blood in order to save her life I had tied myself to her. That's why Alice kept us apart. If Edward saw us together he would read my thoughts and then... Alice wouldn't say any more but I understood it would be the end for all of us.
"You have to come back Jazz for Bella's birthday party. There's one more thing you need to do then you must leave again"
"Where? Where will I go? What thing Alice?"
"You have to save Bella just once more and then you must leave."
"Save her from who?"
"The family, there's going to be another accident, I can't stop it but I can save her for you and I will. Edward is bad news for Bella. He's making her very unhappy and there's only one way out for her, alive that is. You can save her life but then you must leave and wait for her to find you. It sounds crazy but trust me Jasper, its the only way."
"So what do I do Alice, when I leave?"
"Its all arranged."
"Alice you aren't making any sense"
"I know Jazz but I will. You have to leave as soon as Bella is safe. Come back to the house the evening of the party but don't appear until Bella and Edward are in the house. Is that clear?"
It was as clear as mud but Alice must have had her reasons for what she said, she'd seen something and I trusted her to make things right for all of us.