A/N: Several POV's this time and a couple of more places mentioned for my Facebook group xx Alexis
Thank goodness, we now seem to be stationary at last. It wasn't as if it was painful, no it was more like being at sea, but with huge waves of lava battering my shield. So thankfully all is calm now and I can relax my concentration on both protecting myself and Jasper. Speaking of Jasper, I sense he's angry, no not angry seriously annoyed and disappointed, but not surprised! Emmett too seems upset, not that I feel him but I can hear him and oh yes, it's Esme once more getting it in the neck. What the hell has she done or not done now? I have never before felt so disenfranchised with a person, well vampire as I am with her since Edward bit me! I can't understand how she can look herself in the mirror these days, but I also don't really care one way or the other.
"Bitch! Damn, sorry Isabella, but Esme just lit out and left us in the lurch" Jasper said in a tone of mild disgust,
I sent him an emotional hug and he patted my hand to let me know he received it. I had no idea what got up Esme's butt this time, but it seemed to be me I guess. Well, since she left two men to look after me it really looks like that. Shit, I was hoping she'd at least shave my legs for me, looks like I'll be hairy for eternity now! I suppose it's not so bad in the grand scheme of things, but you know it would have been nice. I was deliberating how one goes about shaving as a vampire when I felt Jasper's relief and excitement. Whatever was happening was making him happy, for some perverse explanation that was also making me happy too. It's as if our emotions are in sync for some reason, why now? Why him and nor Emmett? I had way more questions than answers and it was starting to irritate me.
"Hello in the house! I believe you are requirin' the services of a lady's maid? My rates are cheap and skills are stellar, if I do say so myself!" A female voice with a southern accent rang out,
Going by Jasper's reaction, this could only be Charlotte Whitlock. I guess Peter saw Esme abandoning us and sent his mate to help me. Now that's what real family do and I am so very grateful to them both.
"Thank God Char! I could do her nails and split ends, but he wouldn't be able to let me do anything more personal" Emmett said laughing,
I was curious why he would say that and even more so when I felt Jasper's embarrassment. It came alongside his complete agreement with Emmett's statement though. I was getting a little annoyed, I hated having things kept from me and they all knew this. Did this all have something to do with the connection I felt between Jasper and I? In the back of my mind I knew I knew what this meant, but it was eluding me and making me frustrated. Jasper shushed me and stroked my hair.
"Isabella don't get worked up about this please, I didn't want to lay more stress on you while you were changin' that's all. But I see it was a mistake, we're not keepin' things from you really" he sucked in a breath as of unsure of himself,
"It's just after you were bitten and before Emmett changed you I realised by the smell of your blood, who and what you are to me! That's why they wanted you dead darlin', before I realised you were my destiny and not Edward's!" Jasper whispered as if afraid I would not react well,
I was so relieved, now every thought I'd had made perfect sense. The zoning in on his especially, the need to protect him and the connection we felt emotionally. Why did he feel that I might not be happy about him being my mate? Yes it's a shock, but it also makes perfect sense and why he was doing everything he could to help me.
"Well Major, off you go please, we ladies have a few things to do. Oh could you and Emmett bring Bella's things in from the truck please" Charlotte says sweetly,
"Sure Char, but first, Isabella this is Charlotte Whitlock. She is my sister and Peter's mate, Charlotte this is Isabella…, okay darlin' this is my mate, Isabella" Jasper replies with a little emotional push from me,
If we're an item then I want everyone to know that fact.
"Relax suga', I've got all the man I can handle in Pete! By the way it's Char and I'll call you Bella okay?" Charlotte explains and I hear Jasper make a small gasp,
Suddenly I'm filled with love and gratitude, as he realised I was staking my claim so to speak. Has nobody done that before, been possessive of him, been proud to be with him?
"Right suga' let's get you sorted out. We'll start with your nails because girl they are rough!" Char said laughing,
She chatted away as she worked on me, I knew my nails were bad so was happy to let here try and fix them. She told me about Peter and how my dad was doing. Then she started on the more personal things and I thanked God for my shield because that shit hurts and I didn't need the extra pain! By the time she was finished Bella understood why Jasper loved Charlotte, she had to be one of his most staunch supporters and therefore would forever have a place in Bella's heart too.
"That's us done and not a minute to soon you have but a few hours to go before you are finished changin' suga'" Char said as she left her in Emmett's hands under Jasper's watchful eye,
RNFSG
I knew it the minute I sent Char off the Chief would decide to finish his change early, damn I hope this isn't a sign off things to come. We barely made it to El Reno when his heart started to speed up and thankfully he listened to me and kept calm. I brought him his first meal but would be takin' him to hunt for his next one very soon. I of course, knew he'd be restrained and in control of most of his faculties quickly. But like all newborns it's always the strength that is hardest to master. At least I had time to move all the best pieces of furniture into the basement, don't need the missus getting' on my case as well. We are only stayin' here for a couple of days and then we'll hit the road once again, headin' towards our good old home state of Texas.
One of the very few places we have there, well the Major has his family home further south. But Char and I prefer our little place in Palestine closer to Dallas and Fort Worth, than his near Houston. I'm gonna start the Chief fight trainin' along the way and I have a feelin' we will be meetin' a few vampires in the near future. Some friends and some not so much, so this will be a test of his strength and gift. But mostly it will put to rest any lingerin' human notions of what is and is not acceptable when it comes to matin'. Sometimes I think that is the hardest lesson to unlearn, we are basically eternal therefore human hang-ups are redundant.
"Okay Chief, let's spar. I'll try not to hurt you to much!" I say laughin'
"Yeah, yeah! Bring it son" he replies and here starts our first lesson,
"I'm not your son Charlie, technically I'm your father!" I say as I hit him head on and throw him back twenty feet,
I see the stunned look on his face and can hear the inner turmoil of his mind. I really hoped that would disappear when he awoke, but no such luck.
"Human age means nothin' in this world Chief, it's just the number your old life stopped at!" I say attackin' again and am pleased he can fight and think logically at the same time,
"But, don't I look older than you?" he says strikin' back and I was right he has some moves that will now be integrated into both our styles,
"Physically maybe a little, but come on even you must feel the difference in your physique? You ain't got that little beer gut no more! Vampirism tends to give everyone an indeterminate look" I tell him as I strike once again and see him use one of my own moves to evade me,
"So how come the boy looked like a boy?" he quizzed,
"In our world there are those who are deemed immortal children. They are dangerous and put to death if found, along with all who made and protect them. Edward was a product of his era, and just a hair's breadth on the right side, but his attitude is on the other side I fear!" I explain and see he grasps my meaning,
"So, what you mean is, even if someone was changed at a younger age than him, in times gone by, they would be perceived as older?" he asked as he spun away from my grasp,
"Yes, it's the idiots like the Cullens that hold on to their human hierarchy! I was once older than the Major, but he is my sire and my leader not the other way around. Age becomes irrelevant, same as status of family or even ourselves. Titles only set us apart now, the rarely mean anythin'. You will often be called Chief, but you ain't no more. Do you see what I mean?" I ask finally turnin' it up a notch and take him down,
"So basically Carlisle's title of doctor only means something in the human world and not the vampire one! Is that why he tries to live in that world? Because in this one he is just another vampire, nobody special" Charlie asks and I nod,
"Gifts are what are prized above all else to vampires and the gifted are sought after. Some to help strengthen covens as strong warriors and some to fight for power!" I say with a little warnin' in my tone,
"Ah, so keep my gift to myself, unless you say otherwise? Plus taking out the boy will be seen as almost a public service!" he asks smirkin' and I know he get's it,
RNFSG
When my cell rang I almost didn't answer, because all I thought was what now! But the shock of hearing Esme's voice sent fear and relief through me equally. She was angry, hurt and confused all at the same time and I knew this was my fault.
"Esme, I'm so sorry. I let you down, I let everyone down and I blame no-one but myself!" I say hoping she will find it in her heart to forgive me my many sins,
"What's going on Carlisle? Why have they all turned against us, no me? No never mind, I know, all those lies, all your lies!" she gasps out and I feel smaller and smaller with every word,
"Where are you Esme, I sense east but not where?" I plead with her,
"I left them and am in Boston at present. I couldn't do anything right in their eyes, because I still believed the family could survive this and now I know it can't. Emmett hates us, Jasper despises us and even Bella has shown her disdain for me!" she sobs and I feel sick to my stomach,
"We have to wait until the services are over, no Rose won't let us leave until they are over is more the truth" I say weakly hating myself a little more,
"Once I've stocked up and retrieved a car I'm heading to the house in Attleboro, meet me there after the memorial. Come alone Carlisle, we have much to discuss and I want it to be our thoughts, our decisions and not his!" she tells me and I know she's right,
"Okay Esme, from now one we do this your way. I will tell Rose and only her, she to is preparing to leave and at least orientate herself near Emmett until he is ready to talk with her. Did they tell you what Charlie Swan managed to do to Edward?" I ask wondering if she knew what had happened here,
"No! I know that fool bit him too, but not much else" was her whispered reply,
"He shot at his eye and it burned, I couldn't believe it. I think he realised that all the blood was Bella's and was beyond livid! Alice set us all up to die and I fell for it and dragged you down with me. Please forgive me, my love, this was never the life I wanted to give you and I wish I had never changed that child!" I say sincerely,
"Yes, we have much to discuss, I have reopened one line of credit, you should be able to guess which. You and you alone can access it, he is on his own. I can barely stand to look at myself, if I saw him I'd do something irreversible" she said and I heard that old steely tone Edward tried to irradiate,
"I understand Esme, I believe Edward will be meeting his fate soon enough and I don't have the will to stop it anymore. His greed and arrogance have brought this down upon himself! I'll see you soon my dearest one" I say before hanging up and I am convinced that Charlie Swan will kill him one day,
"Was that Esme, Carlisle?" Rose questions from behind me and I nod,
"What are you going to tell him?" she asks and I smile ruefully,
"To run and keep running! I doubt it will help, but it might give him hope" I say, not really believing my own words,
RNFSG
To say I was nervous would be an understatement. This whole thing is all so new to me and now I have to take charge and help Bella become the best vampire she can be. Thank God Jasper is here to help me, both he and Char have been helping me understand just how important being a sire is. I really only wanted to save my little human sister, but now it's so much more and I wish Rose was here. Here to give me her strength, but she forsook me when I needed her the most and that hurts so much. But I sense she is moving this way, so I guess the memorial has taken place for Bella and her dad. I step back slightly as I hear Bella's heart start to speed up, looks like it's game on. Both Chat and Jasper have stepped further back and I guess that is hurting him.
But we have no way of knowing how Bella will react on awakening and they don't wish to scare her. Ah, it's stopped and her eyes barely open, like she is trying to glean information before fully joining us.
"Bella, open your eyes little sis, you're safe here" I say quietly and watch as they fly open and she sits up,
"Emmett? Hello my brother. Jasper, Charlotte why are you hiding back there?" Bella said before gripping her own throat,
"Time to hunt Belly-boo, what's you poison?" I quipped only to be shocked when she says,
"Criminals! Charlotte, will you take me?"
"What?" I say slightly horrified,
"I will never bend to the will of a weak fool like Carlisle Cullen. I am a vampire and vampire's drink human blood!" she replies with anger,
"Char, will you please assist Isabella?" Jasper says quietly and she nods and steps up beside Bella,
Wow, I never even thought, but maybe I should have! Jasper and I watched as they left, but she gave him a lingering look.
"You okay with this?"I ask,
"Yes, it's her life, her choice and I would never try to control her like he did you guys. I at least made the choice for myself, none of you were even consulted" he said watching he spot she left from,
Well, this was not quite how I expected things to start, but he was right of course, we never got the choice! I wonder which I would have chosen back then. But really I just followed Rose's lead, so very little was ever my choice. I was beginning to think I'm weak willed, letting everyone make my decisions for me. Changing Bella was really my first time doing something I wanted, because I wanted and for my own benefit. That benefit was keeping my sister alive because I loved her. It looks like I too am learning a lesson here, to be my own man and stop following blindly like a fool! They do say you live and learn and for once I was listening. Looks like this is not just a learning curve for Bella but me too and I was actually happy about it, I had stagnated for to long.
RNFSG
I was really enjoyin' bein' out here huntin' with Bella. She took to it like a duck to water as they say. Her only worry was how the other's took it.
"Emmett was surprised obviously, but the Major seemed as if he was already aware. But this is your choice, your right to choose, so don't worry what they think" I told her smilin',
"Thanks Char, I'm so glad you are here or this could have been a bit tougher. I would have stuck to my guns, but would have hated to force them to come with me!" she told me sadly and I understood,
It's one thing to stand by your own convictions, but it's wrong to expect those who don't believe or want to believe to have to help you. I'm sure Peter told the Major in his round about way that she would like her father be doin' things the traditional way. Hell I'm sure if it had been him who changed her, he'd have given her the choice. I doubt it even crossed Emmett's mind, `he is just so indoctrinated by the Cullen's and their twisted ways. Well that's neither here nor there because she did a lot better than I expected. It was really clean for a first time and calmly executed. I worry that she is bein' very clinical to prove a point and hope it will wear off eventually. But I will say her bloodlust is virtually non-existent, she has no idea how lucky she is.
I have a feeling she may have been using her gift to hold her prey in place and that to is a great thing. I will tell the Major on out return but I am not spyin' on her just givin' her mate and also her sire a heads up to things she probably doesn't even know she's doin'. Now it's time for some straight talkin', girl talk that is.
"Bella, do you know what the Major is to you?" I ask as we rest outside of the city,
"I didn't, but worked it out once you arrived" she replied lookin' a little embarrassed,
"Ah, yes you were a little territorial at first, but he's my sire and my brother nothin' else" I assured her and she sighed,
"This is all so new and didn't start until I was changin'. Suddenly he was all I could sense and I needed to protect him against everyone's emotions" Bella explained,
"I'm guessin' he smelt your blood and it all kicked in from there, but you were otherwise occupied. So now it's time to get used to each other and to get to know each other. One word of warnin' be careful around other males besides him and Emmett. That includes your dad and Peter!" I explained to her and she nodded,
That may seem hard, but males are very territorial, sires in the first year and mates for several years. It's not just them either, because believe me if I touched the Major she would attack me without thought.