Chapter Eighty Four
Bella
Somehow I knew that Jasper and Peter were talking about me but I was more interested in what had happened between Peter and my friend Charlotte. She had told me Peter was her mate and I wondered if he had realized the same yet. She looked relaxed and almost radiant but when I asked her she told me she was still breaking it to him gently.
"I'm not sure he's ready to be told he's just found his mate even though I know he feels it. We have to remember these two men have been living a nightmare for a very long time, they don't see the world the same way we do and they certainly don't recognize tenderness and love but they will learn. It looks like you got closer than I did, I knew I didn't have to worry about you Bella. So what are we going to do?"
"Do? I thought we were staying with them, at least I am, I know Jasper will fall back into his old life as the easy option if I leave. Besides...I don't think I could leave him."
"You couldn't, or at least you could, but it would become unbearable after a while. Mates can't be separated for long, not once they acknowledge each other."
"You'll stay too then?"
"Of course but there is the little matter of Charlie and the Volturi, neither of whom are going to be very happy with the situation."
"You think Charlie might come looking for The Major?"
"If you were in his shoes wouldn't you?"
"Well yes but he's trying to kill a vampire, that's impossible isn't it?"
"More or less, fire will do it but we are fast, much faster than a human so the odds are stacked in our favor."
"I have to get word to him then, tell him I'm alive and fine. That he doesn't need to worry."
"A good idea but just how? The Major may not be happy about you telling anyone you're alive. While you are dead you are safe."
Our conversation was interrupted at this point by the guys coming back so I decided to beard the lion straight away.
"Jasper I need to contact my dad. Let him know I'm OK or he'll come looking for me."
"He won't find you Bella, I'll make sure of that."
"But I can't leave him thinking he killed me."
"We already went through this, your only safety lies in people thinking you are dead. The moment Charlie changes his attitude or actions the truth will be easy to work out and the Volturi will be looking to kill you, its just too dangerous."
I shook my head,
"You find a way for me Jasper or I have to leave, find him myself and don't you dare threaten to lock me up."
He shut his mouth before uttering the threat I knew had been about to come.
"OK, but let me think of a way. For now we need somewhere to stay that's better than this for a human."
I took a deep breath before speaking again,
"This is fine, it's out of the way, unlikely to be discovered, after all it hadn't been broken into over the years so why now? Look I know the only thing that can make me safe is for me to become a vampire like you. I guess it was always on the cards. If I'd stayed with Edward I would have asked him eventually. Well now I'm asking you. Don't worry, if things change once I become a vampire I won't be looking to you for anything but I will keep my promise and I can help you better as a vampire."
He was shaking his head, his lips tight in disapproval just as I had known he would.
"Look, the Volturi want me dead because I'm human, if I become a vampire then they lose interest in me. If I become a vampire I can keep my promise so much better and lets face it, staying with you puts me in the target zone so I need to be able to protect myself."
"You have no idea what you are saying Bella, becoming a vampire is a long and extremely painful process and it doesn't stop when you wake up. There's hunger, rage, and confusion to contend with."
"Charlotte coped, I can and at the end I'll be strong and able to look after myself. Please at least think about it. And please see if you can find out what's happening in Volterra and with my dad."
The Major
Listening to Bella I could have been listening to myself, she had it all worked out and she was right but something told me it wouldn't be fair to subject her to the terrible pain, and truth be told I wanted some time with her as a human.
"I tell you what, I can possibly find out some answers, Carlisle has a friend who is a computer whiz. I heard about him and I think I can remember how to contact him."
"That's as good as announcing Bella is alive, good move Charlotte."
She glared at Peter before continuing,
"I can tell him I got free of you and need to speak to Carlisle. While I'm on I'll ask him about Charlie, I knew him so it wouldn't seem out of place and it would put Bella's mind at rest."
"What happens when you don't arrange to meet Carlisle or tell him where you are?"
She glanced quickly at Peter.
"I might have to leave for a while but if it keeps Bella safe it's worth it."
Both Bella and Peter objected at once and loudly although I understood this was possibly the only way to get the information Bella wanted.
Bella
I tried to talk Charlotte out of doing this, what if finding out she was alive made certain people question my own death? Charlotte said she would tell them she had seen my body but that wouldn't help Charlie. It seemed there was just no way to help him without putting myself in danger not that I cared so much except...suddenly I did. I wanted to live because I knew if I died that it would mean goodbye to Jasper Whitlock forever. He would let The Major take complete control of him and that I could not allow.
Peter tried too, explaining he couldn't allow her to put herself in danger but when she asked him quite archly why he couldn't bring himself to say it. If he had said "Don't go Charlotte because I love you and I fear what will happen to me if you don't come back", she would have melted in his arms but he just couldn't make the words appear and she decided it was the only thing to do. I hadn't expected Jasper to say much, his only concern was me and if Charlotte could prevent me from trying to see my dad then he would gladly see her go, it was just the way things were.
The Major
Peter and I both knew he could have stopped Charlotte with a single word but like me he was afraid to allow it to drop from his lips because once out it could never be taken back, our fates were sealed. So instead he sulked while Charlotte made plans with Bella,
"I can't be located too close to you, in case Darius traces the origin of the call. What I'll have to do is to travel far enough that he doesn't click Texas. I'll ask Peter to go with me, we can drive to Spanish Fork, that's far enough. He might guess you're heading for Texas but by that time you'll be gone and please don't tell me where you are going. That way I can't tell anyone."
"Peter?"
He looked at her,
"Yeah?"
"You coming? Or am I going to drive myself?"
"Oh, I have a choice do I? I was beginning to think I was fucking invisible here."
"Stop sulking and come on. We can talk about the future."
"What future?"
"Ours if you like."
He was smiling as they left although I felt awful they would be parted because of me. As I stood thinking how selfish I was being Jasper put an arm around me in comfort,
"It'll be OK, Peter won't let any harm come to her."
"You mean he won't be back?"
"I doubt it, he'll watch from a safe distance, he knows what he's doing Bella, you don't need to worry really, or feel guilty. Now come on, let's talk about where we are going."