Chapter Thirty

Jasper

I took Bella up to my room while Charlie and Carlisle talked knowing she couldn't hear the conversation but I could and so far it had gone better than I expected. It wasn't easy telling a man that he is surrounded by the supernatural without him getting extremely uncomfortable but although Charlie was confused, embarrassed, and ultimately astounded, he never felt much fear. Bella's father was more courageous than I had expected. We had more of a problem upstairs as Rose came in through the door a face like thunder and furious with me.

"You know what you've done Jazz don't you? He knows, she knows and soon the whole of Forks will know too. We're going to have to move yet again but this time we might not be so lucky, I can see the Volturi coming for us for revealing the secret. Why couldn't you keep it in your pants and find someone suitable."

Emmett followed her in trying largely unsuccessfully to quieten her and I was prepared to let her rant on until the last sentence when I saw red myself. I took my arm from around Bella's shoulder and grabbed Roses instead pulling her close to me,

"Say what you like about me Rose, I don't care but you make such an accusation again, one that makes Bella look bad and I will strangle you with your own tongue."

She had stopped mid word and looked frightened, I had never raised a hands to any of them ignoring the occasional dig in fairness usually from Edward not Rosalie but she could see she had gone a little too far and as Emmett tried to break my grip on her Alice came in and diffused the situation.

"Emmett forget it, you cant break a grip like that, Rose says sorry and we're all friends again OK?"

Rose nodded and turned to Bella

"I apologise Bella it wasn't meant as a slur on you. I chose my words unwisely."

I nodded,

"Its OK Rosalie. I think everyone is a bit tense at the moment. Jasper please."

Bella

The speed with which Jasper had leapt to the defence of my character made me feel really good inside but I knew it was a potentially explosive situation because Jasper meant every word but before I could find the words to diffuse the situation Alice came in and soothed everyone. She grinned over at me,

"Hi Bella, it looks like Charlie's getting the X rated version of our story. I know Jazz already told you so we don't have to pretend any longer. I'm glad, I like my new little sister."

Rose rolled her eyes but she didn't leave the room which I had expected, instead she sank down onto the floor cross legged and leaned against Emmett's thigh as he stood arms folded with a huge grin on his face.

"Yeah, a little sister who doesn't annoy the hell out of me. Welcome to the family Bells."

I couldn't help smiling at his obvious pleasure but I joined Rose on the floor and Jazz joined both of us pulling me back to lean against his chest,

"Rosalie, I know you think I'm a danger and I don't belong. Maybe you don't like me being with Jasper but I wont hurt him and I'll never tell anyone about you or any of your family. I understand that its a secret and why. I'd like to be friends with you too. Try me, I'm really not as bad as you seem to think."

She took a deep breath and studied my face then Jaspers,

"I'd like to be able to tell you that I don't believe you and that I think you are bad for my brother but I can see how happy you make him and I do believe you. Its just hard Bella, living a lie constantly and not being able to relax with anyone outside the family. Especially a human."

"Can we at least try to be friends?"

There was a short silence as Rose glanced at Emmett's hopeful face then looked at me again and smiled weakly,

"I guess we can try, sure"

There was a collective sigh of relief and Jasper cuddled me closer, I could feel his cool breath on my neck and it made me shiver with delight.

Jasper

So the present problem had been dealt with and I could bring Bella home without worrying about Rose but how would Charlie react to his only daughter dating a vampire? I couldn't even begin to imagine so leaving Bella to bond with Rose and Emmett I took Alice to one side,

"So what do you see?"

She closed her eyes and went silent,

"Alice?"

"I don't know, I can't see Charlie's decisions, something keeps getting in the way. Its very strange."

"Alice I need to know."

I knew I sounded desperate and I was, Bella was my world, I couldn't lose her now.

"Jazz, everything will turn out good, just stop worrying. I see you and Bella together."

"I hope so Alice."

She leaned in and touched my cheek with her small hand then snatched it away quickly with a grin as Bella appeared at my side. She didn't look happy with Alice being so close and that warmed me further, she was jealous!

Charlie

I sat eating my cake and drinking my coffee as I processed everything I'd been told, I wasn't sure if I was happy that my suspicions had been vindicated or not, I almost felt I was in an alternate universe where monsters existed and lived alongside humans but I was here and so were they, we shared our world with the fantastic and the dangerous. Esme watched me still smiling while Carlisle sat back and closed his eyes. I put my empty plate on the coffee table and pulled my painkillers out of my pocket shaking two into the palm of my hand.

"Here Charlie"

Esme stood in front of me holding a glass of water.

"Thank you Esme. I'm not used to being spoilt."

She laughed and went back to her seat while I felt Carlisle's eyes on my shoulder.

"How is it Charlie?"

I shrugged then wished I hadn't as I winced,

"Sore and very stiff but I guess I'm lucky to be here so I wont complain too loudly."

He looked at Esme as if asking for her advice on something then sat forward,

"Charlie I couldn't offer this before so I did the best I could with the medical knowledge we have. That shoulder is never going to be as good as it was if we leave it to heal normally but I can do something that will help much more but it involves my vampire abilities."

"You're going to bite me?"

He laughed at my question and shook his head,

"No, no teeth involved Charlie I promise but my venom which if injected into your blood supply would change you is applied directly to the wound it will heal very quickly and leave only a scar."

"Venom? But no teeth? OK I guess I've got nothing to lose then do I Dr Cullen?"

Carlisle

I liked Charlie's humorous answer and his courage not only in coming here with his suspicions but agreeing to let me help him without knowing exactly what I proposed.

"If you'll come with me perhaps we can at least solve one problem quickly."

He got up and followed me up to my study stopping to look at the portrait of me with the Volturi on the landing.

"Is that you?"

"Yes. When I lived in Italy. I'll tell you about my companions one day but for now I think we have already overwhelmed you."

He nodded and followed me in shutting the door behind him and sitting in the chair I motioned him to.

"If you could take your sweater off."

He did so with difficulty and I could see that as it was his range of movement would be seriously compromised if left. I waited until he had folded it and put it to one side then took the dressing off, the wound was still angry but it was healing slowly, the muscle had been badly damaged by the wolf claws but my venom would heal it easily.

"Right, I'm going to get very close to your neck Charlie, if you feel threatened just say so."

He nodded tensing as he felt my breath on his naked skin. I ran my tongue along the wound making sure my venom only touched the wound and heard a hiss as it stung then moved away.

"You can get dressed again now Charlie."

"Won't you be dressing it again?"

"No its not necessary. Would you like to see?"

He nodded and I moved a mirror so he could see where the damaged muscle and nerves had been. Where now there was only a silver scar.

His eyes widened in surprise and he moved his arm experimentally, extending it and lifting his arm above his head then he laughed,

"Now that's what I call good medicine. Thank you Carlisle."