CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
PACKING THE BAGS

    JASPER had stepped outside to think about what he'd done. Alice had repeatedly told him that it wasn't his fault, so had Edward, but Jasper wouldn't listen. It was his fault, he nearly attacked Bella because he couldn't control himself.

Jasper sat on the steps with his shoulder leaning on Alice, who comforted him to the best of his ability.

Emmett and Thea sat on the balcony railing, also being there to reassure Jasper that what he'd done was nothing to be ashamed of.

Rosalie stood silently next to Emmett.

Esme and Carlisle are standing inside having a conversation about the situation just as Edward comes back inside the home. His face was covered in guilt and stress, he slightly undid the tie on his suit. He stood silent for a moment, "we should leave." He breaks the tension.

This caught the attention of his siblings outside. Alice was the first to step up, "what?" She steps inside, and Jasper only falls further into his guilt, staying on the steps.

"It's dangerous," Edward admits just as Emmett, Thea, and Rosalie come inside. He looks over to Thea, "You were right. Bella doesn't belong in our world. She's human...she will always be human and it'll never work. She'll never be safe."

Thea loved to hear the fact Edward admitted she was right but now didn't seem like the time to relish on that statement. "Edward..." she only sighs.

Rosalie scoffs, "If you would've just left her alone when she got here, we wouldn't have to do this." She crosses her arms.

"I know." Edward snapped, seeming more guilty of himself.

Carlisle stuffs his hands in his pockets, "Let's just...take the rest of the night to think about this, okay? If you still feel the same way by tomorrow...we'll leave."

Edward just shakes his head, moving towards the stairs as he takes off his tie, "I won't feel differently tomorrow."

Emmett places a hand on Rosalie's back, leading them towards their room. The rest of the Cullens split up with their significant other.

Thea looks towards Alice, they share a pity expression before looking towards Jasper. Their pity only grew more.

"How about you spend the night keeping Jasper company." Thea sighs, moving towards her wife.

Alice frowns, "are you sure?"

Of course, Thea wanted to keep her mate in her arms, but keeping her all to herself tonight only felt wrong, "Jasper doesn't have anyone but he has you. You're his best friend, so if anyone can pull him out of this state. It's you, baby." Thea caresses Alice's cheek.

A sad smile falls across Alice's face. Their fingers interlock, and she leaves a soft kiss on Thea's lips before moving towards Jasper.

Their laced fingers slowly move apart.

✸

     Of course, Thea couldn't spend her night staring at a wall. So she did what she does best. She called Carmilla.

Tanya was the one to answer, "Hello?"

Thea smiles at the sound of her voice, "Hi, Tanya, is Carmilla there? I need to talk to her."

Tanya chuckles, "If I didn't know any better, I'd begin to think you're trying to steal my wife." She jokes.

"Consider her already stolen." Thea jokes back, both of them laughing on both ends of the line. "But just between me and you. Carmilla is way too head over heels to ever cheat on you."

"Is that another one of those scam calls? Tell them I'll suck them dry if they call again!" Carmilla says from the bathroom.

Tanya sighs, "Carmilla, that's not how scam calls work and it's not a scam call, it's your mistress."

Carmilla gasped, but was definitely smiling, "Thea?!"

Tanya snorts, "Just so you know, Thea, she just ran out of the bathroom in her robe." Tanya can say before Carmilla snatched up the phone.

"How's my favorite girl?!" Carmilla exclaims on the other end, her voice full of excitement.

"She's...okay. I think." Thea hesitantly answers.

Carmilla hums, "If you have to think about it. Something isn't right. What's up? Wife problems?"

"Nope."

"Bella problems?"

"Yup." Thea pops the p.

"I'm gonna have to meet this little troublemaker someday." Carmilla chuckles, "What'd she do now?"

"She didn't do anything, surprisingly." Thea scoffs, "But Alice threw her a birthday party."

"I can only assume something went wrong?"

"Jasper lost control. The human was opening a gift and got a paper cut. Jasper...he tried to control himself but..."

"Is he okay?" She asked worryingly.

"He feels guilty. Wish he shouldn't." Thea lays back on the bed, "Now Edward is saying we need to leave Forks because it's dangerous for the humans. Let me tell you, that only made Jasper feel more like shit."

"Oh my...are you all going to do it?" Carmilla questions.

"Probably." Thea shrugs, "I've been told Carlisle and Esme that we needed to leave as soon as I knew that human was going to be trouble. I just hate that  it took all of this for them to realize, you know?"

"How did Bella react to the news?"

"I'm not sure she knows." Thea answers, "but my guess. She won't take it well. Her life practically revolves around Edward, which is so stupid and sad."

"Doesn't your life revolve around Alice?" Carmilla teases.

"That's different!" Thea defends, "Alice is my wife, not my human girlfriend. Bella had an entire life before Edward and she seems like she's ready to throw that all away for him. It's pathetic to watch."

Carmilla sighs, "True. But she loves him, right? She's gonna have to turn her eventually."

Thea laughs at those words, "Edward has made it clear he doesn't want that. He doesn't want Bella anywhere near the vampire world."

"Does she want to be a vampire?"

Thea frowns, shrugging, "I don't know. I think. She didn't seem too happy about turning eighteen. Which is my entire point!"

"What do you mean?"

"Bella is eighteen. She hasn't even lived half of her life and she's ready to throw it away for some obsession she has with Edward." Thea claims, "She has the opportunity to live a great human life, which many people don't get. I sure as hell didn't. When you're a vampire, that's it. You watch those you love grow old, There's no more eating your favorite foods, maintaining stable relationships with those who are human, and living in one place forever. Never settling. Never fully being comfortable."

Carmilla didn't need to ask. She knew on some level, Thea missed being human. Even though Thea has Alice, a part of Thea has always hated vampire life. She's hated what being a vampire has taken away from her.

Thea suddenly shakes her head. Realizing she was basically giving a "you have so much to live for speech." Even though she tried to kill Bella herself.

"You know what? It doesn't matter. Bella is out of our lives." Thea sighs heavily, "I should go. Have a good night, Carmilla."

"You too."

The next morning when Edward still hadn't changed his mind, The Cullens packed their bags that morning.

     ragerwrites,           What do you guys think I have planned for this act? 🤔 any guesses?

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