Southern Belle

My phone rang at three o’clock the next morning. The caller ID said “Bella Swan” so I answered.

“What’s wrong, Bella?” She wouldn’t just call this early for a chat, well I hoped not at least.

“Just get your sarcastic rear over here now” growled Edward’s voice.

“Jeremy?” I asked confused as to why he was calling from Bella’s phone.

“Yes, now just get over here” the phone disconnected and I stared at it for a good five seconds before jumping out my window and making a beeline for the Cullen house. If Edward was asking me for help then something was definitely wrong.

I ran straight in without stopping to knock and found everyone in the living room.

“What’s going on?” I asked “Jeremy called so this has got to be good” No one said anything and it was then that I noticed that Jasper was sitting on the couch next to Alice and both looked annoyed that the family was keeping them there.

“Something wrong’s with Jasper” said Emmett.

“No there’s not” argued Alice. “He wants to leave so let him.” Jasper didn’t look like he was even hearing what was going on around him.

“Shut up, Demon person” said Carlisle and I was incredibly impressed. “Lydia, try to talk to him.” That was definitely an order, there was no way around that.

“Jazzy” I said bending down in front of him. Jasper just looked right through me as if he didn’t hear a word I had said.

“What did you do to him” I hissed in Alice’s direction. There was an innocent look plastered on her face but even the most gullible of people would have seen right through it.

“Nothing, he’s ignoring you” she said “Isn’t that right, Jasper?”

“Right” he said but the blank look still clouded his eyes and I had a really bad feeling about the situation I was in. “I want to leave with Alice” He intertwined his fingers with Alice’s and stood up in a very robotic like way, knocking me over in the process.

“Jasper” said Esme and he immediately turned his head in her direction. “Are you okay?” His eyes still looked empty but he smiled anyway.

“I’m fine, now if you’ll excuse us. We’re expected in Volterra.” The two tried to walk towards to the back door but were stopped when Emmett grabbed Jasper by the arm.

“Dude” he said turning Jasper around to face him “you can wait till the morning; there’s no need to leave right this second.” There was a definite edge of desperation in his voice; apparently he didn’t want Jasper to leave like this anymore than I did.

“We’re expected” he said glaring at Emmett. “Now please unhand me so we can go.” Looks worth thousands of words passed between them and I knew what was about to happen before it did.

“You’re not going anywhere” said Emmett “Sit down” I would have cheered and applauded if Jasper hadn’t pushed Emmett away, sending him flying across the room.

“What the hell?” asked Rosalie as she bent down to make sure her boyfriend was okay. I didn’t think anyone could hurt Emmett but I guess she thought differently.

“Jasper asked him to move his hand and he did not.” Said Alice “Now excuse us” she took Jasper by the arm and lead him out the back door.

Several confused glances traveled around the room and without saying anything Carlisle and Esme ran after them. I was still sitting on the floor like an idiot but the moment that door closed I jumped up and sprinted toward it. I would not let Alice hurt Jazz; and it looked like she was doing just that.

As soon as my hand wrapped around the door knob two arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back.

“Put me down!” I yelled, kicking and hitting my captor.

“Let them handle it” ordered Edward, his arms tightening around me. I don’t know what happened to his brain so that he thought he actually had the right to tell me what to do but he sure as hell didn’t.

“Let me go Jeremy” I hissed. I started scratching at his arms and hands, not really thinking about anything beyond getting free, grabbing Jasper, and smacking him a few times in order to snap him out of whatever trance or world he was currently living in.

“He’s mad at you” groaned Edward as I elbowed him in the stomach. “If you go out there he’s just going to run away. Let Carlisle and Esme talk him down.” His words held no meaning for me, I was too busy thrashing against him trying to break free.

“Calm down” said Emmett as he touched my shoulder but when I glared at him, he pulled it away as if I was burning.

“Please let me go” I begged “Alice is hurting him, please let me help.” I stopped hitting Edward and looked down at my feet. Too afraid that if I met anyone’s gaze that my sobs that I was managing to keep buried would surface.

“Just relax everything’s going to be fine” promised Rosalie. I heard the doubt in her voice and it sparked something in me. I gave one last pull to try to free myself but failed.

“Please Edward” I pleaded “Please just let me go. Please” I slumped against him, too warn out to remain standing. I felt the fight drain out of me and felt truly dead since the day I was turned.

“I can’t” he said and I could have sworn I heard an edge of regret in his usually hard voice and it broke that last tiny piece of a heart I had left.

“Please” I whispered just loud enough for him to hear me.

“Shh” he turned me around and gave me a real hug. Not like the one he unknowingly gave me after Bella accepted his proposal, but a real one.

“Carlisle will bring him home” he promised. “He’ll bring your Jasper back.”

He didn’t.