Chapter 19

Song for this Chapter: That's Damn Rock & Roll by Eric Church

Y'all need to give a shout-out to Mama4Dukes for being my Beta. I know she spends WAY too much of her time helping me, but I couldn't ask for a better bestie!

Charlotte ended up driving my dad and me home from the park. I was too exhausted to think about driving anywhere.

Peter and Jasper needed time to clear the air between them. Charlotte would get her chance soon enough, but with Dad and me both unable to get our asses home, she took it upon herself to do it.

The ride was quiet. I sat on the porch smoking. Once I got in the house, my dad grabbed several Vitamin R's from the fridge and plopped down in his recliner.

I had to laugh.

I bet this is the longest that his flat screen has ever gone without being turned on.

Charlotte asked about our dinner, but when I told her that lunch leftovers were good enough and that I'd handle them. She left to find her mate and sire.

I hoped the pack wasn't around. I knew mentally that she could smell and sense them, but I was still worried for her safety- old habits and all that.

"So your vampires lied to ya?" Charlie stated as he ate seconds of a reheated pasta dish.

"Not lie, technically. They withheld information. I knew even back when the Kings first showed up that something was off from the way Char hid me from them, and the way Peter never came to check on us."

"See, when a vampire finds their mate, it's very hard for either partner to stay away from the other for very long. When the Volturi showed up for those few days, things changed with Pete and Char. They hadn't spent more than a few hours apart from each other after they brought me home. They haven't been apart that long since. I knew then that something wasn't right."

"But I trust Peter and Char with my life, Dad. I knew that if there was something that I needed to know to survive, they would have told me. I also know that mates can't harm their other half." I shrugged at the end. "I know now that Edward was never my mate. He wouldn't have been able to leave me for so long if we were."

"Alice's ending didn't sound very nice," Dad said cautiously.

"No, it didn't. I tried to get you away from it, but there just wasn't enough time. I'm sorry you had to go through that." I was already fucked up in the head. I hoped this wouldn't affect my dad in any way.

"She's not the first person that's expired in front of me, Bells. It comes with my occupation." Then Dad said, "I just can't get over it being her husband that did the deed. Talk about coldheartedness."

I shrugged, thinking about it.

"I kind of think it might have been a mercy killing dad. Alice hasn't been in her right mind in… Well, probably her whole life. Yes, Jasper ended her when the King asked him to. And yes, they were married, but like I said earlier. Mates can't be away from each other for any length of time. In the past, Char told me how Jasper stayed away from Alice for weeks, even months at a time. I had another inkling then that something wasn't right, but like several other things. I let it go."

"Why didn't you question everything? Lord knows I would have."

"In the beginning, I think I was too afraid of losing them to question much. Also, in the beginning, I didn't trust them with everything, Dad. At the time, I didn't trust myself. I watched their every move. I watched how they were when they were together. I watched how they were if one was alone and the other in the barn. They'd both either look out the windows or barn doors. It was crazy to watch."

"I thought I'd known a lot about vampires when I'd first met them, but my real vampire education has happened since. But I didn't question them when the Volturi came because I knew something wasn't right about that time. Yes, I've thought about it over the years. I'd thought several times to ask about it, but I've always known, for some reason, my friends would tell me if and when I needed to know."

We didn't talk until after the dinner dishes were cleaned up, and we'd retaken our seats from earlier. I was thinking about how those little things added to what happened tonight.

"So what now?" Dad finally asked.

"Now, you and I try to close up our loose ends, I guess. You need to talk to Sue. I need to set my plans into motion. I know you've got some time off, and I thought you might want to see where I've spent most of my time in the last few years. I've also asked to be off work for the next few weeks."

"Time off? I thought you wrote songs when you wanted to?"

"I usually do. I enjoy my privacy and anonymity. But take last week for example. Before coming here to Forks, I was asked to go to North Carolina to work with a specific artist. He'd come up with some song titles-things he wanted special for his upcoming album. He can play the guitar but hasn't worked on one with another writer before. So, after getting there and listening to his ideas. We sat around for several days, coming up with songs made just for him. I don't usually do that, but with the money being thrown at this new project, I just couldn't pass it up. It doesn't happen a lot, but when asked to help an artist. I'll try to do it."

"So you'll get royalties?" His eyes gleamed as he spoke.

"Yep. But I also get a special bonus added on. It's a perk for a specialty writer."

"Bonus?" dad questioned.

"Yeah. They paid me very well for my time and travel, but added on is a 25% bonus, instead of my usual five cents per song played. I'm going to end up getting seventy-five cents per song play. If one of those songs hits the top 40, it'll be worth a week of my time away from home."

"You mean to tell me you don't even get a full penny per song played for your paycheck? And you still make good money at it?"

"Most artists get between 3-5% per album sold, and look how rich they are. Though most artists make their money touring and selling shirts."

"Don't worry, Charlie. I won't let her starve to death." Peter interrupted.

"How'd you get in here? I didn't hear the front door open and I know it was locked," Charlie questioned.

"Oh, I used the key from under the front mat. You really ought to change where you place your hide-a-key, Chief."

Char was standing behind Peter with her arms wrapped around his back.

"Jasper?" I asked, looking between my vampires.

"He needs some time, Izzy. So he is going to Italy as soon as possible."

"The Cullen's?"

"Now that's a funny story. After Alice was turned to ash, the whole coven seemed to fall apart. Each member is questioning the intention of the other. With any luck, they'll be in Maine by the morning, and then they'll be off to Italy as well soon."

"So it's 11:33 pm. What's the plan?"

"I believe if I call Sue, she'll meet me at the station in the morning. Then I'm off to bed. No alarm clock getting up in the morning. And there better not be a car alarm waking me up either." Charlie called Sue, and she quickly agreed to meet him anywhere.

Give me a break, lady.

I took my time changing into a clean pair of sweats. I smoked several cigarettes. Once settled on the couch. Peter and Charlotte came and sat on the floor in front of me, their backs leaning against it.

"We couldn't tell you, Izzy. Neither Char nor I were happy about it, but we respected Jasper's wishes enough to know that he had his reasons. We've both tried to give you clues over the years, but you never seemed to pick up what we were throwing down. Not to mention, neither one of us has ever been told by our maker why he left us the way he did. We were guessing at his reasons for several decades."

"I knew something was off. You and Char can't stand to be away from each other, and when you did stay apart, it showed. Char was antsy and anxious. That's not who she is. You've both been so… Solid? Is that the word I'm looking for?" They both laughed, and I did too.

"We're good, brother." I was playing with a long blonde strand of my friend's hair.

"Are you ready to burn down the rez?" he asked as my eyelids started to become very heavy.

"Yep. Burn baby burn…" I grumbled as sleep found me.

Please, Read and Review! Hugs, RR