Full Summary: Bella moved to New York for a change of scenary and a chance at moving on from heartbreak. Her orginal plan was to move in with her best friend but when that falls through she ends up at a boarding house that looks like it came strait from a storybook with quirky house mates that aren't your average, run of the mill people. Never once did she ever imagine that she would end up living with a brooding musician, a jaded activist, a model that could give the ice queen a run for her money, an artist that never leaves the atic, and a pair of Romian twins that have one foot on the side of law and the othe in uncharted ethics...and thats just to name a few! And will she find love in the most unexpected of places or will the law stand in her way?
Warning: This is rated T but only temporarily, in fact I will probably change it to M starting at ch. 2 because of more mature humor and images. It will be rated M for my unfortunate fondness of swearing and the ancient art of loven (which I should add won't come until quite a bit later though there will be romance)! As well as some heavy situations my characters (or should I say SM's characters…) get themselves into.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bella or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers owns them all and always will. I just own an active imagination and a desire to see more of her secondary characters in fanfiction.
Thank you for checking this out I hope you enjoy!
I wonder if some one can die by looking at a light too long? I watched the florescent lights flicker above me, making my already tired eyes water while white dots swam in my vision. I blinked trying to banish them or maybe it was my subconscious's pathetic attempt at trying to bring focus back into my life. I couldn't tell anymore. Either way it didn't work. Dots of colored lights still floated in my sight and my life didn't seem any more focused than it had been a second ago.
My head suddenly felt too heavy for my neck, involuntarily dropping down to rest on the worn vinyl cracked table in front of me.
I just wanna go home!
A dry sob wracked through my body. In a sudden desperate need for something steady to hold onto I reached up and clutched at the table. Closing my eyes, I tried to shut out the world if only for a moment.
That was a BIG mistake.
The instant I shut my eyes everything I had tried to block out for the last couple of hours came rushing into my mind's eye. Flashing by like disjointed snapshots from a film: Blood. So much blood. The look on his face as he….
Noo!
My eyes snapped open and I sat up with a jolt. I wouldn't let myself remember. I couldn't. I was barely holding it together as it was.
Wrapping my arms around myself as if I was trying to hold everything together I started to rock back and forth. I had never been the kind of kid who rocked when they were upset but at the moment it seemed like the only option I had.
I found that if I focused on the movement I was able, if only for a fleeting second to forget the rest.
The sound of the heavy mettle door swinging open deterred me for a instant before I continued my movements, staring purposely down at my lap.
I knew who it was. I could tell from his heavy foot steps and the unpleasant sound of his breathing. A mouth breather. He was the one responsible for keeping me here locked in a cold, bleak interrogation room. The man who wouldn't stop asking questions. You'd think he'd know by now that I had no intention of saying anymore than I already had.
The sound of paper sliding on the table, then the scrape of a chair filled the quiet room while he settled himself.
I waited and continued to rock.
He cleared his throat before finally addressing me "So the daughter of a police chief, huh? Forgot to mention that little bit of information eh?" It was formed as question but it was obvious he didn't expect or want to me to answer them. Not that I would. He some how managed to keep his tone light and noncommittal but with an undercurrent of mockery and frustration. "Guess it just..." he paused in what I concluded to be an overly dramatic pause, "slipped your mind.""
Okay, so definitely not what I had been expecting to hear though I probably should of know he'd find out about Charlie some how or another and sooner rather than later. It didn't really matter now though. His plan had worked. He had gotten my attention, having involuntarily looked up when he announced his 'chief' discovery.
Sitting across from me, his eyes bored into mine with a unnerving intensity. I wonder if they teach that look at the Police Academy.
I in turn studied his features, trying to find any clue as to what he did and didn't know already. The flickering lights over head only added to my tension, filling the room with a rather bleak and ominous atmosphere. I noticed he sat far enough from the light that half his worn out bloated face was hidden in shadow. I bet he did that on purpose.
I waited and stared.
He waited and stared.
Seeming to have decided that our little staring contest had gone on far enough or in some attempt to lure me into thinking I had won this round or something, he looked away clearing his throat while he resorted to shuffling the papers in front of him, before glancing back up to continue his suspicious scrutiny of me. All the time making it clear he had no intention of opening his mouth anytime soon.
Apparently it was my time to speak.
But what could I say? The man had already made it clear that I wasn't 'cooperating' enough, which I could only translate as meaning he knew I wasn't being completely straightforward. But it wouldn't very well do for me to just blurt the raw truth out not that I was even sure what that really was at the moment granted I did have a fair guess. So what where my options? I could always play the infantile though temporarily affective game of silence. However in the end that would probably only delay my departure from the cement cage I currently found myself locked in. There was the option of acting dumb at least until I knew for certain what he wanted to hear or had some idea of what he knew already. How I would get that information I had no idea...
In the end I decided to take an all together different route, the route that led to the art of fishing. Not the kind of fishing my father was so found of course, rather the kind of fishing that in my mind resulted in much better results, at least if it was done right. Unfortunately for me I had never been blessed with the skills needed to manipulate or in this case fish out information. In fact everyone claimed I couldn't even lie convincingly. But it was worth a try right? To be honest I wasn't so convinced myself but I had to at least try.
With this in mind I broke my resolute position of stubbornness and detachment personified, leaning forward all the while making sure my arms were wrapped tight around my chest. There was a very good chance that if I loosened my grip if even for minute, I would fall to pieces and I'm not just talking physical either. Maintaining my cold glare I continued to stare the officer down. Well, at least I tried, God only knew if it was working or not. They were trained for this kind of thing after all and I had no doubt that he'd dealt with much worse then poor little 'ole me. He was a cop in down town New York for god's sake!
Finally breaking the silence, I said in what I hoped was a cool but causal tone"Okay fine. So my dad's a a police chief? That doesn't change what I already told you." I even threw in a shoulder shrug for affect.
Looking at me with a mixed expression of mock patience and authority, my captor said in a tone that was usually reserved for the young and crazy "Oh I know what you told me. I'm just not sure its good enough."
Okay so he definitely knows I know more than I'm letting on. Shit! "I already gave you my personal statement both written and verbal and have been in here for..." I paused making a big deal of looking around as if for a clock. "Well fuck if I know! But it sure as hell feels like a while. What more do you want?"
"What more do I want?" He repeated back to me as if he couldn't quite wrap his mind around the concept.
Yes, I do believe thats what I asked you idiot.
Seeming to have finally come up with an acceptable reply he blurted "What I want is the full story! Yes, yes you gave your statement," he waved a way my silent protests. "but after looking it over I'm not convinced your being completely honest. I even asked a few of my buddies out there and they all agreed it feels like your leaving important details out. Who are you protecting? Because if your protecting him you shouldn't bother, I know his type and in the end the only thing they care about are themselves. "
You know nothing about him! I desperately wanted to scream. Maybe even bang my fists on the table for emphasis, but part of me the reasonable part obviously recognized that course of action would only delay things more. It would be far more sensible for me not to mention gain better results if I remained calm.
So that's what I would do no matter how much I loathed the idea though I certainly wasn't going to go out of my way to be civil.
And I was still fuming about what he had said. How dare he insult some one when they aren't present to defend themselves. In the back of my mind I new he was probably just baiting me but at that moment it really didn't matter.
I was tired, had been through hell and just wanted to get home.
Will the nightmare never cease?
Apparently the answer was yes because no sooner had I thought it when the charged silence was cut off by the loud thump of the door opening.
Taking my time to look over at the source of the distraction, I didn't want to allow myself to hope it was some one come to petition my cause just in chase fate was having one of its cruel moments.
But what met my eyes was most certainly not what I had been expecting.
"S..Stefan?" I managed to stutter out in complete shock. For there framed in the doorway looking completely the part of a brooding European, stood Stefan .
Stefan just shot me one of his infamous 'one eyebrow raised, head nod, smirk' greeting before announcing in his smooth, Romanian accented voice "I think that will quite do officer, since you have taken her statement,game time is officially over." His gazed flicked back to my shock ridden face and said in a tone that had no room for argument "Don't say another word Isabella, unless of course I instruct otherwise."
All I could do was nod my head slightly still completely shocked at the turn of events. I was so weary and dazed I couldn't even find it in myself to protest at his blatant assumption that he could just order me around. I would try and remember to chastise him later.
I could only imagine what my face looked like.
Meanwhile, before my officer could do more than glare at him, obvious distaste radiating off him, Stefan turned to me and in one swift jerk of his arm had me standing next to him. Yet another thing I would have to remember to yell at him later for. Though I do suppose I owe him for getting my ass out of here.
In a voice that dared anyone listening to challenge him Stefan added "Now unless you decide to charge Miss Swan with some baseless claim we well take our leave." As he said this he started to drag me to the door.
"I take it your her lawyer," Mr Obvious the officer unnecessarily stated.
Stefan didn't even bother to honor the question with an answer as he continued to hold me up in an odd mix of support and distaste as he simultaneously led me and dragged me to the door.
"Ms. Swan didn't make it known to me she was requesting a lawyer." the officer added.
I just blinked wearily. I honestly hadn't even thought about asking for a lawyer and it's not as if I had attorneys on my speed dial. Well I did have Stefan and Vlad's numbers but I usually forgot they were lawyers to me they were just my friends albeit rather rude and sarcastic friends but friends none the less.
Stefan saved me the trouble of coming up with an answer with a sharp retort. "Most certainly because she thought she was simply doing her citizenry duty by corporating with the police and giving her witness account unaware that she would be drilled mercilessly and held against her will."
Citzenly duty. Hah! More like I was terrified out of my wits and everything happened so fast it just seemed like a better idea to do what the police wanted.
"Yes well...legally I can hold her here for 48 hours with out arresting her."
48 hours! Holy shit! There was no way in hell I could last that long. I silently prayed for Stefan to work his lawyer magic and get me the shit out of here.
"Under what pretense? For being a hapless bystander? I highly doubt the DA will agree with you on that, but your more than welcome to try and convince them:" Stefan replied coolly hardly batting an eyelash.
Officer just sighed and nodded curtly in our direction.
Stefan seemed to take that as an okay because he wasted no time in pushing me through the door. The moment we were out of the door and halfway down the hall, he released his rather harse grip on me and instead, in a very un-Stefan like move, wrapped his arm around my shoulder pulling me against him in a suprisingly comforting gestures. I found myself relaxing into him more than willing for him to supoort me.
We just stood there for a moment. My head on his shoulder, arms still wrapped protectively around myself as I struggled not to cry as he just held me up.
I managed to contain my tears and mumbled my thanks.
He just nodded, his eyes searching mine. For once there was no smugness written in his expressions only concern. It touched me that some one like Stefan actually cared enough to help. I always considered him and his brother to be some how above me in a way. They just seemed so refined in their expensive Italian suits and their swanky accents.
That remained me, where was his brother?
"Umm...where's Vlad?" I instantly queried without thinking.. They always seemed to be near each other, at times I even thought of them simply as one unit, I just assumed it had something to do with there weird twin bond. Then again they did own a firm together or something like that so I guess it made sense they were around each other constantly for business or whatever they did.
At his questioning look I realized how I must of sounded. Here he was rescuing me and out of the blue I ask for his brother! Talk about soundly ungrateful or like I had a weird interest in Vlad none of which I wanted him to think. So I quickly tried to make amends though it came out much less coherent than I would of preferred "N..not that I'm not glad to see you..I am! It's just you...you and him are always together or that's what it seems like...which I guess makes sense your brothers but..." Thankfully I was cut off with a wave of his hand.
"Shush, Isabella. I know what you mean." he said gently "Vlad is currently talking to Mr. Whitlock, at the moment we are just trying to gauge what the authorities know and have evidence for. We'll go from there."
It took me a moment to realize who he was referring to by 'Mr. Whitlock' and what everything else he said actually meant. When it finally clicked I couldn't help but feel dizzingly sick, my eyes going wide. He was referring to Jasper. Jasper was at the root of all this and as result was going to have to pay. For a moment I had forgotten where I was and what was happening. Now it all came rushing back.
Oh god! My stomach lurched. He's paid so much already. He shouldn't have to go through any more. He saved me...not that the law will see it like that. My head started to ring, I tried to focus until the ringing sound morphed into that of a gunshot echoing in my was if at that sound my body decided it had, had enough.
Everything went black.