Chapter Thirty Eight

Bella

When I woke up I was stiff again and too hot in Jake's arms so I got up and stretched, looking over to where Rose was on the phone presumably talking to Esme although I could only hear one side of the conversation.

"Yes she's safe and we'll be back soon. No don't tell Charlie anything yet until we know the plans."

"They're with you? Good."

"No they got left behind."

"I know Esme but there's nothing we could do. I'm sure they'll make it back."

I'd never thought of the possibility of anyone not making it back. Surely Edward wouldn't kill a member of his own family, not Emmett or Carlisle!

Jake was watching me with a smile of encouragement and I went to sit beside him.

"So Bella tell me where you've been."

I regaled him with stories of my wanderings with Edward until the pilot called for us to buckle up.

"Where are we Jake?"

"A private airstrip close to Port Angeles so its not too far to drive. We'll go back to the Cullen house first and decide what to do from there."

We didn't have any longer to chat as the plane came in to land and we sorted out customs. Jake took my arm and we walked out to where the Mercedes was waiting and standing beside it Carlisle and Esme. When Esme saw me she ran over with a cry of delight and hugged me,

"I'm so glad you're safe Bella and I apologize for Edwards actions."

I hardly heard her, my eyes were fixed on Carlisle, if he were here then who was back in France with Emmett? I looked at Jake but he was busy talking to two other familiar figures, Peter and Charlotte. With Rose standing with Jake, Peter and Charlotte that only left one possible person...but what was Jasper doing in France?

I turned to Carlisle,

"Who got left behind with Emmett?"

He saw my panic stricken face,

"Yes?"

"But who? I don't understand and where are the other two if Peter and Charlotte are here?"

"The other two? Jasper was never with Alice Bella, you know that. She left us to go to Volterra once she'd fulfilled her mission for Aro. I'm so sorry about that, if we'd had any idea we would have stopped her."

"But Edward told me Jasper and Alice were married. That he, they, wanted me as a weapon against the Volturi. Will somebody please tell me what's going on" I screamed in panic.

Carlisle put his arm round my shaking frame and sat me on the hood of the Mercedes,

"Bella I think you can take anything Edward told you as a lie."

"He told me that he was working with the Whitlocks. That Emmett couldn't make it so Ja... they sent him" I couldn't speak his name.

"No. He got there before Emmett and took you away under false pretenses. We've been trying to find you ever since but you moved too often to get a fix."

"Then Jaspers not married to Alice?"

"No."

"Then why did he send Emmett for me?"

"Because he had to be seen here after you disappeared and Charlie came down on him hard."

"So when I rang Jake?"

"Jake came to us, then they flew out to find you".

"But it was Emmett and Jake who came for me and it was Emmett who got left behind because of a problem with …..who" I shouted the last.

"What's wrong? How could you leave someone behind?" I turned on Jake.

"You left them to Edward, to find their own way and he was hurt. Wait a minute...how could he be hurt? What can hurt a vampire?"

I turned back to Carlisle,

"You have to go back and get them and what's happened?"

I was frantic with worry although I had no idea why.

Jake

I put my arms around Bella and tried to comfort her.

"They told us to go. To get you out of there before Edward turned up."

"You never do as you're told" she snapped "especially by a vampire."

I looked into her eyes,

"I do if it means you will be safe."

"And what about the others? If one of them is ill or something and Edward can read Emmett's mind then he could kill the pair of them."

Peter turned up in time to hear this,

"Hey Bells that's an insult. Edward Cullen couldn't beat The Major even on his worst day."

She whipped round so fast her hair smacked me in the face,

"Who? Oh God it was the Major? So where is Jasper? Too busy to show himself to me? I guess once he handed me over he washed his hands of me."

She stormed into the trees and we all watched her go.

"Fuck me The Majors going to have some explaining to do when he gets back. She's one angry little minx."

"How does she not know Jasper and The Major are the same person?" I asked him

"No fucking idea but it could be interesting when she finds out."

Carlisle's voice cut through our chat

"Jake go and get her back. We need to get her to the house and sort this mess out. For now lets leave her think the way she does. If she thought it was him she'd be causing too much trouble trying to get us out there and I think it's best that they get back on their own, it will cause less of a stir than if we try finding them."

"Do you think they'll get back OK?" Esme asked.

"I hope so but I guess it depends on how bad Jasper is. He wasn't doing well when he left."

"Will he be any better now he knows where she is and that she's safe?"

"It might help but she's further away from him now. He needs to be with her and soon."

Bella

Jake came to find me and dragged me back still seething to the cars. Peter looked at me sheepishly but I just glared and got in to the Mercedes. I didn't speak on the way back nor when we got into the house except to say I was tired and wanted to sleep. Esme showed me upstairs to a small room with a leather recliner and an en suite bathroom.

"I'm afraid this is the closest we have to a bed Bella"

"It's fine"

I said shortly and she took the hint shutting the door quietly as she left.

For some strange reason I felt calmer here. The room seemed peaceful and relaxing and the small shower cubicle was ideal for me. After showering I realized I didn't have my bag but I was determined not to go back downstairs so with a quiet apology to whoever's room it was I opened the top drawer of an oak dresser. Folded up were tee shirts and I grabbed the top one pulling it over my head as I heard footsteps,

"Would you like something to eat?" Esme asked through the door.

"No thank you" I mumbled back and I heard her steps retreat.

The tee shirt was very baggy on me and the long sleeves were hanging below my wrists so I turned them up, as I did so I breathed deeply and a strangely familiar scent enveloped me. I panicked thinking it might be Edwards but it was too spicy for that. I breathed in again and it hit me, this was Jasper's room. It was his tee shirt I was wearing. Why had Esme put me in here knowing how I felt? But I wasn't feeling angry with him any longer, I was feeling warm and content. The Cullens were screwing with my mind, they must be, but for now the peace that started to settle over me was too good to miss so I lay on the recliner and pulled the throw from its back over me. Again I smelled Jasper and it was as if he were in here with me, holding me and lulling me to sleep.