The Day Jessica Stanley Saved Bella Swan's Life

I'm playing fast and loose with canon. Just let it happen.

When my mom knocked my bedroom door in that night at close to 10PM I was fully trying to not pass out on my trig homework. But really? It's such a ridiculous subject! I mean, I understand the practicality of needing to know how to do basic math in the real world. I'm not one of those students. But why trig? Why can't they teach us, like, how to invest a small chunk of money or how to compound your interest or the difference between money market accounts and mutual funds and large cap stock? Like, that would be useful, you know?

But anyways, I was pretty face first in the middle of this textbook when my mom comes in with the phone pressed to her shoulder. "Jess, honey, you haven't heard from Bella at all, have you?"

"Uh, school today?" I shrugged. I'd been knee deep in all these stupid new assignments for this year's AP classes to even leave my house. Academia was going to turn me into a social pariah, like whoa. "I've been home since, why?"

My mom held up one finger to signal me to wait as she lifted the receiver. "No. Sorry, Charlie. Jessica says she hasn't heard from her. Do you need me to come by? Are you sure? Okay. Well if you need anything at all, you call. Yes… yes, of course, if we hear anything at all. I'm sure it's all just one misunderstanding."

My mom hung up and like hell if that wasn't the most suspicious conversation ever. I looked at her in a way that indicated she was obligated to dish. You can't just have that kind of one-sided conversation and not tell your only daughter. "Bella Swan's gone missing," she said with a heavy sigh.

"What?" I shouted snapping my trig book closed. "Since when?"

"Since this afternoon?" Mom shrugged. "She hasn't been seen since she left school with the doctor's son and they just picked up and left town."

"What do you mean 'picked up and left'?" I asked. Because that seriously had all the makings of a horror movie plot. Girl leaves with boy, girl goes missing, boy skips town? Like what the hell?

The Cullens left this afternoon and when Charlie got home Bella wasn't there and she hadn't left any note. He got worried and now they're searching all over town for her."

My jaw dropped. Just like they say in all those melodramatic novels. My jaw literally fell as far as it could. Which is pretty far. "If you hear from her, Jess. You need to tell me so we can call Charlie, you understand?"

"Of course," I nodded. And with that she sighed again and turned and left.

I listened as she retreated down the stairs and back to the living room and I allowed myself one moment of total shock value. Why the hell had Bella Swan gone missing? She sure as hell wasn't the type to run off, so that kinda made me worried that her disappearing hadn't been her own choice. And, sure, she was kind of annoying, but that didn't mean I wished her ill or to be kidnapped or something.

I rolled off my bed and took two big steps to my desk, rifling through my bag until I found my cell. I dialed one of the handful of numbers I knew by heart.

"Jess?"

"Lauren?"

"Bella," we both said at the exact same moment.

"How'd you know?"

"My mom's third shift secretary at the police department, remember?"

"Duh," I shook my head. "Do you know what's up?"

"No idea. No one does. Chick up and flew the coop."

"Weird," I nodded slowly. "Call me if you hear anything?"

"Can do."

I hung up and dialed again. "Ange?"

"Hi Jess," Angela sounded a little frazzled and out of breath. "I assume you're calling about Bella?"

"Chyeah!"

"I don't know what's up," Angela replied. "Josh… Joshua. Stop pushing Isaac – that's not nice. Say you're sorry, please?" I could hear Ange talking to her little brother before her attention refocused. "My dad's been over there for a few hours now. I wish I could too, but my mom's out of town and I have to watch my brothers."

"Yeah," I nodded. "I seriously think I'm going to go see what's going on."

"Let me know if you find anything out?"

"Definitely," I assured her before I hung up. I grabbed my coat, my wallet and my keys before leaving my room and tromping down the stairs. Part of me was worried and part of me was fully assured that despite Charlie Swan's being a cop he didn't know two things about his daughter. He was a Grade A non-custodial parent. Which, I might have killed a puppy for, but Bella actually probably should have been watched over. She made some weird-ass decisions sometimes. Like running away or getting herself kidnapped. So, I figured I could help by at least, like, you know, knowing Bella in the first place. We didn't have to be BFFs for me to know that she was obsessed with Cullen or that she had a pretty snippy attitude when she wanted or that she probably had absolutely no self-confidence.

"Mom," I called rounding the banister and peeking into the living room. She was alone, dad must've been asleep already. "Mom, I'm going to the Swan's. That cool?"

"Why, pray tell?"

I tried and totally failed at not rolling my eyes. "Mom, Charlie is great and all but I don't think he knows much about his own daughter. And she hasn't even been here that long. If I get in the way, I'll come home."

"Fine," she caved. "Have your phone?"

"Yes, mom," I replied before slamming the door. It was really dark on the way to the Swan's and it's not like it isn't always dark in a municipality where they pay more money for road signage that lighting up said roads (to which I can only say, what good is road signage if you can't see it half the time?). But it was way darker than usual. No moon, tonight. I parked on the side of the road behind Charlie's cruiser and hopped out of the car with enough time to see half a dozen people in Charlie's yard. There was Reverend Weber and Deputy Steve, Dr. Gerandy my mom's physician a couple boys from the reservation, Billy Black who I could only honestly identify by his physical handicaps and a few other faces I couldn't quite make out.

I knocked on Charlie's door and went inside without waiting for an answer, he and Deputy Mark were sitting at the kitchen table. It looked like Mark was taking notes and Charlie was about ready to keel over and die.

"So the last time you saw her was this morning, Charlie?"

"Well, I didn't see her. I was on my way out of the house and I could hear her going into the bathroom."

Mark scratched that down before he looked up and saw me. "Jessica Stanley, right?"

Yes, right. It's not like you didn't just graduate two years ago Mark. It's not like you didn't stare at my chest throughout the entirety of our shared art class that year. But thanks for the formality.

I nodded. "Jessica is a friend of Bella's," Charlie offered.

"Have you seen Bella at all today?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "She was in school all day today. And she left afterwards with Edward. Like she always does."

"Edward Cullen?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "You guys should seriously give him or his family a call. Between him or that girl Alice, one of them is always with her."

"The Cullens left town this morning," Mark offered in a tired way.

Oh, yeah. That's right.

"That's weird," I offered.

"You're telling me."

I didn't have time to respond before there was a shout from outside. "I've got her!" There was a low and gruff shout. "Charlie, I've got her. She's fine."

Charlie knocked his chair completely over as ran from the house. Mark followed and I stayed at the door. I recognized Sam Uley – and only because Lauren made out with him in a closet once in seventh grade – as he carried Bella's lifeless form out of the woods. Well, hell if that wasn't the most depressing sight in the world.

Charlie struggled to take Bella from Sam – more because I think he was close to passing out with relief and less because he couldn't carry her waif-like form. I held the door open and moved Charlie's over turned chair out of the way as he carried her inside, followed by Mark and Dr. Gerandy. I stepped outside and closed the door, feeling like this was not something I needed to or wanted to watch.

I felt relieved. I'd been so busy talking and doing that I hadn't really allowed myself to feel the worry that I knew was festering inside of me. A girl gone missing is really scary. I'm glad she was okay.

I watched as some of the gathered began to disperse. I watched Sam – since when the hell did he get that big? It must've been steroids, there was no other way – leave with Billy. Reverend Weber stepped inside briefly before coming back saying a pleasant hello and goodbye to me before leaving. I went inside as Dr. Gerandy finished and looked at Charlie. That man was clearly lost. Bella only laid there on the couch, I could see that she was crying silent tears and I heard her mumble "He's gone."

Well, shit.

Cullen had dumped her on his way out of town? What a dickhead.

"Charlie?" he glanced up to me, clearly distracted. "I'm gonna come by tomorrow if that's okay?" He looked confused before I pointed towards his daughter. "Girl time?" He only nodded vigorously after that.

I sent a text to both Lauren and Ange before I pulled away from the Swan's. They found her. She's fine. Cullen dumped her.

I was kind of wondering what kind of break up Bella was. Some girls slept until like 2PM but others would be up at the most godforsaken hours. I didn't want to go over too early, but I also didn't want to waste time because God only knows Bella sitting at the table sobbing over her lost boyfriend was bound to scar Charlie for life.

Bella loved that boy. She, like, loved the shit out of him. And I can't really comment on their relationship beyond that because they were both really tight-lipped about it, he seemed to really care about her a lot too. In his own weird way. God, I can't believe I ever fantasized about that boy… So decided 10AM was respectable enough. Charlie would be up at least.

I stopped at the Thriftway in town and picked up the mandatory supplies – two pints of Ben and Jerry's, my body weight in chocolate and a sleeve of raw cookie dough. I also got an egregiously greasy pizza that would go right to my thighs, but desperate times and all that. Bella didn't strike me as the type, so I left the stash of cheap wine at home. Plus, I don't think the Chief of Police would have approved.

I knocked lightly on the door and when no one answered I just edged it open. Charlie was in the same seat he'd been in last night. And Bella was still on the couch. At least she was sitting upright. The Food Network was on and Paul Deen was adding enough butter to her meal to give Dr. Jarvik a run for his money, but Bella wasn't watching.

"Hi, Charlie," I offered with a small smile. I pulled a single pint of ice cream out of bag I held. "Mind if I…" talk your daughter out of a self-hating, unhealthy, pit of spiraling depression as she tries to come to terms with the fact that she's been dumped by the best looking metro in town?

He didn't make me finish the sentence. He just said sure and mumbled something about the lawn and the gutters and went outside.

Totally out of his element. I rolled my eyes and grabbed two spoons and the roll of paper towels off the counter before I went into the living room. I put the bag on the table and carefully emptied the contents.

"I'm not hungry," Bella offered in a hoarse whisper.

"Trust me," I nodded. "You will be. When you stop hating yourself, and you start hating him. You're going to move into the angry phase and you're going to eat a lot."

"How do you know?"

"It's what we all do, Bella," I offered as I sat back on the floor. "The same thing happened with me and Mike over the summer. It's part of the process."

She only looked at the table without seeing and shook her head. "It's not the same."

"What's not the same?" I offered popping open the pizza box – letting the smell permeate the room and taking a slice. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not like I thought Mike was the 'the one' or anything corny like that, but I did like him a lot. And he totally came out of left field when he broke it off that day. And to be honest? Guys are terrible at break ups. It's like they no the best way to just step on your heart in the process – even though they swear they try to let you down gently."

"I don't think there's any good way to break up with a person," Bella offered, without moving.

"You're probably right," I replied after swallowing a bite of pizza and leaning against the couch she sat on. "That's why post break up binging has become a rite of passage."

Bella shook her head. "I don't think I could ever be angry."

"You think that now, but trust me it changes. Like hell it changes. I mean, you're kinda lucky Bella. He and his whole family left town? I still see Mike on the daily and sometimes I just want to cry and sometimes I want to rip his balls off. At least you don't have that constant reminder."

Bella snorted. "Nope," she shook her head. "Not a single reminder." I angled my head up towards her and quirked a brow. "He took everything with him," she offered. "Everything. All the pictures, the CD he burnt me. I… it's like he was never here."

"What a douche bag," I scoffed as I turned around so I could see Bella more clearly. "He didn't tell you that, did he?"

"No," she shook her head. "I found out last night when I went to my room. I was just going for my pillow and when I noticed stuff was missing I lost it."

"What," I replied, "an ass."

Bella only shook her head and I got confused. "No, I was… I was really lucky to have him for the time that I did. It went on longer than I thought it would. But he… he could always do better."

I slapped my pizza down on the coffee table in disgust. "Bella," I said. "He wasn't your sick and dying child and he wasn't Jesus – the whole 'I was blessed to have him for as long as I did' thing doesn't apply here. He was a douche bag who broke up with you and took your stuff."

"He never loved me," she spoke.

I shrugged. "Maybe he did and maybe he didn't. But that doesn't change the fact that he's a jerk."

"He's not a jerk," Bella defended.

"Bella, what happened last night?"

She looked up at me finally, her eyes wide. "You don't have to tell me all the nitty gritty, just like – the basics."

Bella took a deep breath. "He said he wanted to talk to me. He lead me out into the woods…" Oh god, this did have all the makings of a horror movie "…and he just cut if off. Said he and his family were leaving and he didn't want me to come. He left… and… and I couldn't find my way back."

"He left you in the woods to die!" I shrieked. I had thought she had gone wandering in there herself and gotten lost.

"I couldn't find my way out," she amended.

"Yeah, but that means he had enough time to leave and just know you were stumbling around in the woods lost? Who the hell does that?"

"Jess, you don't understand."

"You're probably right. But the least he could've done was break up with you in your damn kitchen or have lead you back to civilization. Bella, you almost died. He had half the town out looking for you. Your dad almost had a coronary. I don't like Mike, I wouldn't leave him to die. What kind of sicko does that?"

"He left me for my own safety."

"He left you in the woods to die of hypothermia for your own safety? Bella, did you know that the word 'gullible' isn't in the dictionary?"

"Yes, it is," she offered, not really noticing my sarcastic remark.

"Exactly."

"Look, Bella," I shook my head in amazement. "It happens to the best of us, but it sounds like you fell – hook, line and sinker – for the local sociopathic jerk. I mean I totally get it: he's hot and drives a nice car, but it was a mistake."

"I could never see it as a mistake," Bella said, unfolding her legs and letting reach to the floor.

"A lesson learned, then," I chose a different phrase. "But Bella, you can't will yourself back into a relationship with a guy that a) isn't even here and b) wouldn't want it if he was."

"Don't beat yourself up over it," I said with more gentleness. "You're a great person, Bella. And if some psycho wants to fling you around like a yo-yo and then leave you in a really dangerous place like that – than to hell with 'em. Clearly he didn't have your safety in mind. And all the inner groveling does is help keep them on their pedestal. Don't feed the ego, Bella."

She reached tentatively down for a slice of pizza. She folded it in half and observed it while speaking. "That is weird. I mean, I was so thrown off when I he broke it off – and told me he didn't love me. I probably could have found my way back but not when I was so upset. He could've helped me at least back to my yard."

Maybe she was starting to see the light, I thought happily as she took a bit of her pizza.

"That bastard!"

It was a really good thing I didn't bring the cheap wine.

Apparently, Bella was a biochemical lightweight. Because after an hour of stories – mostly about my horrendous break ups with stupid boys – Bella had eaten three pieces of pizza and half a pint of ice cream and had just gone off. Maybe it was all the sugar in her system.

She was now storming around the room, railing against the man. She'd also called his sexual prowess into question and if I wasn't floored by her total 180 in demeanor I might thought it was hilarious. I still thought it was hilarious.

"I mean," she paced back and forth from the kitchen to the TV gesticulating wildly with her ice cram and her spoon. "I was a fantastic girlfriend. We got along great. And I never disagreed with him on anything and all of a sudden he just drops me?"

"Maybe it was another girl?"

"Yesterday, I would've agreed with you," Bella shook her head. "Today, not so much. He didn't get out much."

"Ugh," she groaned as she collapsed into the recliner across from the couch. "What was it all for, then? I spent all my free time with him and his family and it was great and now I'm left here with nothing? Who is he to take away all of that. Sure, we broke up – but that means I can't talk to Alice anymore?"

"What?" I shouted. "He can't do that! Chicks before dicks."

Bella snorted a laugh and sputtered on a spoonful of ice cream. "Ow," she offered covering her face. "That almost came out my nose," Bella groused.

"Ew," I laughed. "That's gross."

Bella looked down into her demolished ice cream and smiled in a sad way. "This is actually really nice. I always felt so weird eating around him."

Red flag! Red flag! "You felt weird eating around him?" I asked. That did not have the makings of healthy habit.

"Yeah," she nodded. "It's weird. Just his family…"

"Is all perfect?" Bella nodded. "Bella," I added and she looked up at me. "You're hardly an atrocity to human kind. You're pretty and skinny as hell and you're smart. No guy should ever be warping the way you eat."

"I missed ice cream," she licked the spoon appreciatively.

I had to stop Bella from leaving Edward an angry voicemail when she was fully drunk of junk food and she even was bold enough to delete his number from her phone. It's the small things like that. Like, I'm sure she probably still has his email or even has the number memorized. Hell knows I could still spout off Mike's number. But it's the principle of the thing, you know? It's like a moral victory.

I left Bella's around 2PM because I at least had to go pick up my missed work from school. Bella was officially in a sugar hangover, but at least not breaking anything or completely depressed. Baby steps. I shut the front door and Charlie had a ladder propped against the side of the house. He was indeed cleaning out the gutters. God that man was clueless.

"Coast is clear for now, Chief Swan," I smiled up at him. "Call me if you need anything."

Today I took a look at my stats page (something I haven't done since I was writing TR two years ago) and almost threw up in my mouth. There are a lot more people than I thought looking at my BS out there. Guys, you're morally obligated to tell me if my stuff sucks or not.