Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Behind Steel Bars

By Midnight Dreamer

Chapter 09: To see the Unseen

It was late when Isabella returned home.

Stripping out of her day clothes and into her pajamas; she made her way back to her living room. After rooting through her bag she found the surveillance footage Peter had given her from his brother’s house. Retreating back to her bedroom, she grabbed her laptop and settled onto her bed, placing the disc in the drive and waited for it to load.

Peter wasn’t kidding when he said his brother was thorough – the footage went all the way back to two years ago. She watched as the occupants of the house went about their day to day. At first it was mainly just Alice; Alice cleaning, Alice coming and going – with or without shopping bags – and delivery people of all sorts dropping off parcels. Then just as Isabella thought she could take no more, a man entered the house. He obviously was Peter’s brother, Jasper since he was tall, blond and dressed in fatigues. Judging by the date stamped in the corner this was his last leave home before his final two year deployment.

Soon the screen was filled with movement; a party of sorts. The screen was split into 8 sections, showing several areas inside and outside the house. Isabella found it easy to locate Jasper and Alice. Jasper towered over most of their friends; and Alice was so small and vibrant you couldn’t mistake her. Most of the time, Jasper could see Alice from wherever he was standing. You could see the love he held for her in his eyes as he watched her.

Isabella fast-forwarded through several days before stopping on the day of Jasper’s departure. In the footage you could see Jasper, Alice, and another man. Judging by the description she was given at the restaurant, this man was Edward Masen.

She watched as the trio left the house together, most likely to see Jasper off at the airport.

Once again she fast-forwarded through the footage, not stopping until she saw movement on the screen. It was still the same day; just hours later. Shock radiated through her: Jasper wasn’t gone but a few hours and there was his wife all over their best friend.

Moving through the footage the two were together often. Isabella felt sick to her stomach. How could anyone do that to someone they say they loved? Not able to watch anymore of the cheating spouse and her lover, she sped through until she reached the night of Jasper’s return.

Watching intently, she saw Peter pull up in front of the house on one part of the screen, while another part showed Alice and Edward in the bedroom. Like any movie enthusiast, Isabella yelled at Jasper and Peter not to enter the house. But no matter how loud she yelled it wouldn’t change what was to come.

She watched as Jasper searched for his wife while Peter got the drinks from the fridge in the kitchen. Soon Jasper was at the bedroom door. The door opening slowly and Edward jumping off of Alice when Jasper yelled. She saw Peter run from one end of the house to the other, coming up behind Jasper. He was just in time to hear his brother tell the cheaters to get the hell out of his house; Jasper then spun and walked back toward the kitchen, accidentally knocking Peter of balance.

Isabella paused the disc and braced herself for what she already knew was coming. She slowed the speed, going frame by frame. She watched as Alice lost her balance, just as Jasper turned toward her then Edward lunging as he came into view of the kitchen camera. Peter looked shocked but soon snapped out of it as the two men reappeared in the kitchen. Isabella watched in rapt attention as Edward tripped over Alice’s bags and smack his head on the marble counter top, falling to the floor. Alice blaming Jasper, and Jasper yelling back, while Peter called 911. She continued watching as the Police and ambulance arrived. Alice leaving with her lover, instead of staying with her husband. She watched as they loaded Jasper into the back of the police cruiser, and Peter shouting that he was calling Jenks.

Finally stopping the video, Isabella realized Peter and Charlotte were right: none of this was Jasper’s fault.

Closing her laptop Isabella settled into bed further and thought over everything she saw while waiting for sleep to claim her.

****Monday Morning****

The weekend passed quickly. Isabella spent her time with Peter and Charlotte and once again they went over the footage. This time she wrote down dates and times that Alice and Edward were together in the house since they knew Jasper would need this information when he filed for a divorce. Peter had revealed that all women who married into the Whitlock family had to sign a prenuptial agreement; the agreement clearly states that if either spouse cheated, they would receive nothing of the Whitlock money, assets or properties.

It was late into the night when Jasper called Peter to let him know he was finally home. The brothers spoke for a few minutes before Peter hung up. Peter looked thoughtful for a moment before excusing himself so he could go check on Jasper. He didn’t return home to Isabella’s knowledge; she had spent the night in Charlotte’s guest room and, as a light sleeper she knew she would have heard him come in.

Isabella woke the next morning to the smell of eggs, sausage, and coffee. She made her way out to the kitchen and was greeted by a smiling Charlotte.

“Peter crashed with Jasper last night.”

“I figured when he didn’t come home. Is that something that happens often?”

“Sometimes. If one of them is upset the other is always there to help make them feel better.”

“Have they always been like that?”

“Yes, as far as I know. From what Ma tells me, those two were inseparable growing up; that is, until Jasper went into the Marines and Peter went to medical school. But either way, they are still always together. Sometimes Peter stays there or you’ll find Jasper camped out on my couch,” Charlotte chuckled.

“Alice never said anything?”

“Oh, they fought about it often but Jasper always won, of course. He would always say that wives come and go but family is there forever.”

“It must be nice to have someone like that… I never had anyone that close – I am an only child as were both my parents.”

“Well sugar, ya do now. Ya have me and Peter, and I can also say with certainty that you’ll have Jasper too once y’all meet.”

“Thank you, Char.”

“You’re welcome, Bella. Now eat up before them boys get here and eat everything in sight. I swear, they can smell home cooking from miles away! It’s like a beacon or something.” They laughed together while finishing their breakfast.