Chapter 23
Bella
The next morning I was too nervous to eat my breakfast and I had the fastest shower in history. Even then it was two hours before he came in, a worried look on his face. "Bella I just found out, I'm sorry I wasn't here for you. I'll gladly send you home I know you hate hospitals. Is there anything else I can do for you?" I hesitated, "Bella?" He asked. "Carlisle I need to talk to Emmett or Rose please". He looked curious but nodded, I'll get them to call in after school". "Thank you" I smiled. He tapped his clipboard with a pen. "I think I should keep you in until tomorrow. When I asked why he smiled, "I thought you might want a private talk with Emmett and it will be more private here than at home I think". I smiled "Thank you again Carlisle".
The day went so slowly, I tried reading, doing school work and pacing but nothing made it go faster and I was chewing my nails by the time I heard Emmett's booming voice. "Bells where are you?" I put my head round the door, "Get in here before you get kicked out". He ran in and hugged me gently, well gently for him. "Bells I wish we'd known. I'd have come back. You OK now?" I nodded, "Yeah, I get out tomorrow. "Good, I don't like to see my little sister in here". He would never know how much better that made me feel and I kissed his cheek before turning to Rose. "Hi" I ventured. She smiled, "Well life is never dull with Bella. Fighting with wolves is not a good idea". "Yeah I know" I replied. "So Bells what did you want to talk to us about so badly?" Emmett asked.
"I need to contact Jasper". He looked shocked, "Why?" Rose sighed, "At a guess I'd say that Jacob Black stopped Bella getting Jaspers message". I nodded "Yes. I need to talk to him. Can you give me a phone number? I've got to talk to him". I knew I sounded desperate but I was. Rose looked serious, "I'm sorry Bella we can't". I groaned "Please Rose. I need to speak to him". I was close to tears now. "I know Bella, but we don't know where he is. After he wrote you that letter he had a really bad time then he just took off". "Did he...is he...is it my fault?" I asked as the tears started. She nodded, "Yeah but only because Jake and Alice caused it. I shouldn't tell you this Bella, but Jasper he likes you a lot, and he needs something to keep him anchored. He had a very difficult start as a vampire. I'm worried for him" she said, and I saw the truth of that. "How do we find him?" I asked. Emmett laughed, "We don't. No one finds Jazz if he don't want to be found and right now at a guess he don't". "But I've got to Rose please?" I begged. She looked at me with compassion "I'm so sorry Bella but Em is right. We won't find him without help, and the only person who could help us won't". I looked at her, "Alice?" She nodded, "She's gone too but she wouldn't help us in any case".I couldn't stop crying even when Emmett cuddled me and assured me he'd try his best. In the end Carlisle gave me a shot and put me to sleep. The next morning I felt like death warmed up. I was too late, I'd lost my chance with Jasper, he'd gone like smoke in the wind. I felt empty, as if a part of me had gone too.
I spent weeks going through the motions. I managed to get through to Easter with Rose and Emmett's help. They kept in contact with their friends in Denali but no one had seen or heard of Jasper since he left. He had just vanished and the more I heard, the more of me seemed to vanish too. How could I be so affected by a man I'd only seen for a short while, and the closest we'd ever got was a night spent with my feet on his lap. I took to reading the note he'd left me, over and over. Those few words gave me a little comfort and I slept with it under my pillow. I'd refused to go to Phoenix for Easter so Renee visited for a couple of days, not a very comfortable visit. She wanted me to spend the summer with her but I needed to stay here where I could see Em or Rose and know immediately if they got word of Jasper. Charlie was still looking for Jake but I knew if he turned wolf they'd never find him. I was also aware that Billy knew where he was through Sam but I wouldn't say anything. I still felt he hadn't meant to hurt me.
As the summer looked ever closer we decided to go look for him. Rose and Emmett offered to take me with them on their search and Charlie finally agreed seeing how desperate I was. On the last day of term as I walked back to my truck I saw someone sitting on the hood. From a distance it looked like Jasper and my heart beat faster, but as I looked closer he had dark hair and wasn't so broad across the shoulders, he was however pale, very pale. I slowed as he looked over and he put his hands up. "Bella?" How did he know my name? "I come in peace. The name's Peter Whitlock". He looked as if the name should mean something to me. "I'm sorry, should I know you?" I asked warily He shrugged, "Obviously not. I've come to ask for your help". He must have seen my confused look. "Could we talk?" I was suspicious, "Look you know I'm a vampire quite obviously so I won't try to deny it. I also drink human blood just to clear that up too but I really need your help Bella"
"How do you know my name?" I asked him. "Ah all part of the story I need to talk to you about". I was still undecided when he said "It concerns Jasper. I think you know him as Jasper Cullen or Hale" I was astonished, "You know where Jasper is?" He paused, "Well not exactly, but I can get close". "And what exactly does that mean? I snapped. "I told Char this was going to prove difficult. She should have come" he shook his head. "Who's Char?" He looked up again, "My wife, she sent me". I was just getting more confused with every sentence, "I'm sorry I don't understand. What do you have to do with Jasper?" He sighed deeply, "Shit, you don't know his story do you?" I shook my head. "In that case we need more than a chat. Could we go somewhere and talk?" I laughed, "You've just told me you kill humans, and you want me to go with you? I don't think so, unless you can tell me more".