Chapter Thirty Four

Bella

When I saw Charlie and Jasper come across the backyard chatting away I knew that whatever they had talked about dad was still happy to have Jasper around. He smiled when he saw me and I knew he felt how tense I'd been as he put an arm round me,

"Its OK Bella, your dad and I have spoken and he's still happy for me to see you so I'll pick you up for school in the morning. Now I'd better go."

I went out onto the porch to say goodnight and when he finally pulled away my stomach lurched.

"Don't worry Bella I'm never more than a heartbeat away. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."

I watched as he got into his car and drove off through the rain that had once more started to fall. As his rear lights disappeared round the corner I felt my eyes well up with tears, I missed him already.

"Bella come in and shut the door its freezing. I'm just making coffee."

I shut and locked the door then went through to the kitchen sitting opposite Charlie.

"Thanks dad, for being so good about the Cullens"

"Well life will never be the same again Bella. I feel like Dorothy when her house landed in Oz. Still I like the Cullens, always did. I'm looking forward to having some time to chat with Carlisle, imagine all the things he's seen and done over the centuries. And Jasper, well to read about the Civil War is one thing but to be able to talk to someone who fought in it is a dream come true. Anyway back to more mundane things now. I think you'd better ring your mother, we need to keep her sweet if we're going to avoid you going there for Christmas. I take it you would rather go to Alaska with Jasper?"

I nodded eagerly,

"Will you speak up for me dad?"

"Of course Bells I'm looking forward to going myself. For now though I'll leave you to it."

I picked up the phone and dialled Renee's number hoping she might be out but if course she answered almost immediately.

"Dwyer residence"

"Mum"

"Bella? About time, I thought you'd have rung before now. Well? Did you have a good time yesterday?"

"Yes, the ferry crossing was smooth and the gardens were beautiful."

"Did he take you for a meal? What type of car does he drive? What else did you do? Did you see him again today?"

"One question at a time mum. He drives a Mercedes like the doctor and yes he took me for a meal. We went to one of the waterside restaurants."

"Really? They're usually very expensive, was it?"

"I didn't look at the price but the meal was very nice and yes I saw him today. Dad gets on well with all the Cullens."

"Well that's good. Do you have any photo's yet? Tell me you do, I want to see what he looks like. Maybe you'll bring him to meet me soon."

"Mum we haven't been going out long enough for that yet. Anyway I have to go, I need to get my books ready for school."

"Are you keeping up with your school work?"

"Yes Jasper and I worked together a couple of evenings, He helped me."

"Oh he has brains too? They don't usually go together, brains and beauty. How nice. OK Bella give me a ring later in the week. Bye."

"Oh by the way mum Dads feeling better."

"What? Oh...good...bye."

She didn't care about dad, he wasn't important in her world, not any longer.

I went through to say goodnight to Charlie then grabbed my school bag and took it up to my bedroom before having a shower and getting ready for bed. I put my books ready for the next day and then climbed into bed turning on my bedside lamp and picking up my book but I couldn't get into the story instead I could hear the rain which was getting heavier each minute. I remembered what Jasper had said about watching my room from the trees. I knew he didn't feel the cold but I hated the thought of him out there in the rain. Suddenly I made a decision and went back to the bathroom grabbing a couple of fresh towels from the linen cupboard bringing then back into my bedroom then waited impatiently for Charlie to go to bed. I gave him an hour then heard loud snores and knew I would be safe to act. I went to my window and opened it as quietly as I could, the rain came in and wet me as I leaned out and whispered his name,

"Jasper?"

I didn't see anything but I didn't give up

"Jasper?"

I strained to see anything in the heavy rain, had he been lying? Was I making a fool of myself believing his words? Was he in fact at home reading in his room without a thought for me? No, I didn't believe that and I was about to call his name again when a cold wet finger touched my lips.

"Shh, you'll wake Charlie. What's the matter Bella?"

Jasper

I parked up a few streets away and made my way back to my vantage point settling in among the branches for a night vigil. There were no threats to Bella's safety or Charlie's, not even the wolves a far as Carlisle was concerned but I didn't like the idea of them being so closely involved with the Swans. It seemed to me that they were becoming more unstable as time went on. The young men less able to control their wild instincts when they phased. Mostly though I was here because there was nowhere else for me. I needed to be as close to my mate as possible and for now at least this was the closest. I needed to remember Bella was a young inexperienced human so I would have to take things slowly although every fibre in my body yearned to make her mine. The rain got heavier but I ignored it, cold and wet didn't bother me only in as much as it obscured my vision somewhat. I heard her conversation with Charlie and smiled, she was missing me too which was a good sign. I'd brought a book with me but it was just too wet to read so I sat thinking, what would I buy Bella for Christmas? How would she react to the three sirens and what would Edward do. I trusted Alice's visions in the main but I was wary of putting Edward and Bella in the same room. Still there were plenty of us to keep him from her if he was unable to control himself and I really wanted to be with her for the festive season and with the family too if possible. My head whipped up as I heard my name called and smiled, even in her sleep Bella called for me, then it came again and I suddenly realized she was still awake. Was there something wrong? I listened hard but I couldn't hear anything suspicious or scent any enemies.

I jumped down and ran across the lawn then jumped up to her window which was open. She was kneeling on the window seat and getting cold and wet and her voice getting louder so I put a finger to her mouth and sent Charlie a healthy dose of lethargy to make sure he didn't wake up.

"Shh Bella, what's wrong?"

She took my hand in hers which was cold and wet like mine,

"I thought for a minute that you weren't there. Come in please. I hate the thought of you out in the rain."

"I'm not sure I should Bella, Charlie would see it as a betrayal of his trust."

"Please, I won't sleep otherwise."

The look in her eyes pulled me forward to stand in her room dripping water onto the already damp carpet and she handed me a dry towel to dry myself as best I could watching me all the time and making my body stiffen involuntarily.