Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer, nor do I own anything Twilight. I just borrowed her characters. Anything else recognizable also belongs to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Warning: While I will keep this story fairly light there will be some violence, language and adult situations. Please read with caution.
Chapter One: Anniversary
I really hate moving. Like really, really hate it. Good thing that I have only moved three times in my whole life. I hate having boxes everywhere. It's overwhelming. Jake is not even helping like he promised. What an ass. He is just here because I promised him food.
I was sitting on the floor next to a box unwrapping pictures. Today was unpacking day and my first real day in my new apartment in Seattle. It was a gorgeous penthouse in downtown Seattle with breathtaking views of the city.
"I can't believe it has already been a year, Bells." Jake was flipping through an old photo album he had picked up out of the box I was unpacking.
Yes the box that I was unpacking, not him. Le sigh. Yes, I just said le sigh. Things sound more dramatic when you add le to them.
"Really? A year already?" I played it off like it hadn't occurred to me that today was the anniversary.
Because if you pretend it didn't happen, then it really didn't, right? Le sigh.
"You're telling me you already forgot about it?" He looked up at me confused as he tossed the album back into the box.
Really, Jake? You couldn't be bothered enough to put it on the bookshelf?
"Jake, there is not a day that goes by that I haven't thought about it in some way." He's sprawled out on my couch. It is quite a sight. Jake is at least six feet five inches and my couch, well… not so much. His head is propped up on one armrest, one leg flopped over the other arm rest and the other leg is stretched out on the ottoman.
"Hmmm… Every day?" He pulled his ridiculously large body up so he is sitting and facing me.
Not really every day but pretty damn close. It is sort of hard to forget something so traumatic, my friend.
"Well, something always reminds me." I glare at him. If looks could kill, I am pretty sure I just killed him at least five times before he opened his mouth again.
"Bells, I am sorry. If I had known James…." His voice trailed off when he noticed me flinch at his name.
James was my first and only serious boyfriend…ever. And he turned out to be crazy. I should have seen it coming; I mean all of the signs were there. James was beyond obsessed with me and when I finally had enough of the obsessive possessiveness, I broke things off. For a normal person, that would have been a sign that I was no longer interested but he had convinced himself that we were soul mates. He almost had me convinced too. That is until he really lost it….one year ago today.
Lost it is an epic understatement.
Jake scooped me up into a bear hug, crushing me to his chest.
"Bella, I am so sorry. I'll never mention him again. I don't know what I was thinking." Jake spoke with tears starting to form in his eyes.
That is just it Jake, you never think. Well, except that one day. Ok, I will give you credit for that. You did save my life.
I hug him back for about a minute before I try to pry myself out of his grasp.
"Jake, put me down. " I tried to sound stern but it's hard when you have those big, brown puppy dog eyes staring at you and they are tearing up. They always warm me inside. "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. After today, I will never give him the satisfaction of being in any of my thoughts again. One year seems to be more than enough." I force a smile.
Who was I kidding? There is no way that I could ever forget….any of it.
Jake set me down gently just as Alice burst through the door but still clung me to his chest.
Ah Alice.
Alice is my overly animated, always loud pixie…I mean best friend. And now she is my roommate too. We've been best friends ever since I could remember.
"OH. MY. GOD. BELLA! You will never guess what happened to me today!" She shrieked as she set down her ridiculous amount of bags by the door then spun around to face us. "Oh no, what's wrong?" Her face quickly changes to worried.
"Today is the anniver…." Jake started but Alice jumped in.
"Oh no! What a horrible friend I am! I am sooooo sorry! I completely forgot!" She ran over and flung her arms around me.
A Bella sandwich….I get these often with these two.
"Alice, I'm alright, really. Jake was just flipping through an old album and we realized today is the anniversary." I mumbled into the side of her head. Alice was squeezing me tightly. For someone so tiny, she sure has a strong grip. "Alice, I can't breathe."
She promptly releases me. Thank god.
"Well what can we do to get his dark cloud out of our lives…" She thought out loud. She does this often. I've learned the hard way to not answer her when she thinks out loud. And the only way you know she is thinking out loud is because she whispers. It is the only time she ever whispers.
She danced around in circles tapping her bottom lip as she thought. Alice, my amazingly perfect, little friend. She was just barely over five feet and maybe a hundred and five pounds. She was growing her short spikey hair out so she really did look like a pixie now. She was beautiful and graceful, something I don't think I could ever possess.
"I've got it!" She shrieked. My poor ears were really in for it now that we are living together.
Remember to get more ear plugs when you run to the store.
"Give me that album." She demanded. Jake handed her the album that he had tossed into the box and she began pulling out every single picture he was in. Then she practically dove into the box I was unpacking and pulled out a smaller box. The James box. In that box was every memento from our relationship. I had taped it shut when I packed my stuff up at my dad's but I just couldn't bring myself to throw it away. James was a big part of my life for almost three years. I think quite possibly my first love. Panic started to creep in….yes I know, not logical.
"Alice, what are you doing?" I was trying to hide the panic that was forming in me.
"Bella Marie Swan, we are having a séance and will rid our lives of this crazy." She stated calmly, not yelling but still at least two octaves higher than necessary, as she shook the box at me. She placed the pictures on top of the box and set the box next to the balcony door. Then she pranced back to her room and returned with a box of her candles, a trash can and a lighter.
"Bella, go get all of your candles. " She ordered, not even looking at me as she worked.
"All of them?" I wasn't expecting an answer because I already knew that she did indeed want all of my candles.
I looked at her hesitantly and then at Jake. He gives me a sympathetic look and shrugs. We have also learned that it is pointless to argue with Alice. She always, always wins.
Really it is not fair. I have yet to figure out how she manages to always get her way.
I walk back to my room and look for the box with all of my candles and bring it back to the living room. By the time I return, Alice has the lights turned off and now lit candles are scattered around the room. She runs over and grabs the box from me.
"Alice, what exactly are we doing?" I ask hesitantly.
"I already said we are having a séance. Remember? Like the one we did for Jessica when Mike left her at the alter? Now will you please fetch me a bottle of wine?" This last part is a command, not a request.
At least she said please. I really hope this is nothing like the séance we had with Jessica. All we did was get drunk and burned things that reminded her of Mike. Actually, it was kind of fun.
This time Jake follows me into the kitchen. He grabs the wine glasses and a bottle opener as I get a bottle of wine out of the wine cooler.
"Bells, I think she has really lost it." Bless his heart, he looks worried.
Bless my heart, I am worried. I am not ready to part with the memories in that box. Some of them are really great. A very irrational part of me believes that if that box is destroyed then I will not be able to recall any of the good memories with him.
"You know as well as I do that once Alice gets an idea in her head that there is no use in trying to change it. What is the worst that could happen? She's probably just going to burn the stuff." I shrug and a shudder goes through my insides.
I really hope that burning this stuff is it, even though I, in no way, am ready to part with them. No matter how fucked up that sounds. I also really hope that Alice didn't drink that tea again, the tea that made her seriously mental last time. I need to remember to throw that stuff out…
I glance around the kitchen frantically and wonder if Alice has already unpacked it.
We wander slowly back to the living room. Alice has our balcony covered in candles now too and soft instrumentals are playing on the surround sound.
Oh dear lord. We're gonna be going to crazy town. We didn't have music last time.
Alice jumps up from her spot on the floor where she was cutting James out of all of my pictures. The trash can is already filled with the scraps.
Holy shit, she works fast.
"Thank you, helpers." She says sweetly as she snatches the wine and glasses from us.
We follow her out onto the balcony. She has our tiny fire pit going and three cushions are carefully sitting on the floor next to it, forming a circle.
"Alice, have you been drinking that tea again?" I ask seriously, but Jake explodes with laughter.
"I'll have you know that that tea is amazing. And, no I have not had any since that one thing that we never speak of." She shoots us her evil eye then pours out three glasses of wine.
Alice still gets embarrassed from it; I better store that little fact into my memory vault because Alice VERY rarely gets embarrassed.
The thing that we never speak of that happened, happened last August. Alice and I were shopping in Seattle and we came across an herbal shop. Actually, I am pretty sure it was a cannabis shop, but what do I know? Heh. Anyway, the hottie working there convinced Alice that he had some tea that she just had to try. She bought it and once we were back at my dad's house in Forks, we made some. I am pretty sure I was fine the whole time, just relaxed but Alice started acting really strange. She giggled at everything and when my dad came home, she flirted up a storm. Like more than usual. I convinced her we needed to run to the store and get some stuff to make dinner. I left her just inside the store for no more than two minutes while I ran back out to the parking lot to get a shopping cart. As I approached the doors, I heard hysterical laughter and screaming coming from inside. Once inside, I saw Alice lying in the crate that was holding the watermelons screaming that her babies were cold. I couldn't help but bust out laughing. The poor cashier was in tears clinging to his sides. I pulled Alice out of the bin as she looked at me mortified finally realizing how crazy she really looked. But that wasn't the last time she drank that tea, even if that is what she claims. That was just the event that we don't talk about. I don't talk about it because I can't without laughing until I cry and Alice doesn't because well, it was embarrassing.
"Sit on a cushion and cross your legs." She orders us. And of course, we obey.
We are totally her bitches. I look over at Jake and shrug.
Alice runs into the house and comes back out with her wool shawl draped across her shoulders and her hair hidden underneath a bandana. I try to stifle my giggles. She sits on the empty cushion.
Oh, dear god. We are really in for it. She dressed up.
"Ok. Ready? Well maybe a toast first. To Bella, her new freedom and to us, her amazing best friends." She holds out her glass to us so we clink ours to hers.
Jake and I down our wine in one gulp while Alice just takes a sip. Being small, she often gets drunk way too fast.
"Ohmmmmmmmmm…ohhmmmmm…." Alice starts to chant with her eyes closed, arms up and fingers pinched together.
I look over a Jake and he mouths, "Let's just give in" before he copies exactly what Alice is doing.
I need new friends. Mine have gone to loony town. I giggle.
After a few moments, I give in too and we chant for a few minutes. Jake and I continue to chant but Alice has stopped. I can hear shuffling but I refuse to open my eyes. Then I hear hiss in the fire and Alice starts talking, softly at first, I almost don't hear her.
"This is for you being an incredibly sexy dumbass." Another hiss. "This is for you being stupid." Another hiss. "This is for you going crazy." Another hiss. "This is for you trying to keep our Bella from us." Another hiss. "This is for you stalking Bella." Hiss. "This is for you kidnapping Bella." My eyes shoot open.
I watch in shock as she is throwing picture by picture into the fire. Hiss.
Well, burning things was what I had expected.
The memories start to flood back to me as I process Alice's words. I am going to be sick.
Hiss. "This is for you beating Bella." I stand up and Alice looks up at me with tears streaming down her face.
"Bella, trust me. This will hurt now but we'll get everything out and then we can finally be free of him."
I sit back down. Jake hands me another glass of wine. He also has tears streaming down his face. I gulp that one down too.
These memories are really painful for my friends. I can't imagine what they went through, seeing as I was thoroughly fucked up at the time.
Alice has ripped open the box and gasps. I look over at her confused. She was with me when I taped that box up so nothing inside should be a surprise to her.
"Bella, when the hell did you get his picture?" She holds up a picture of me almost naked, beaten and tied to a tree. All the color drains from my face.
Holy mother fucking shit. Where the hell did that picture come from?
"Look, it says something on the back." Jake points out. She flips the picture over so we can all read it.
'Just know no matter how far you run we will always be together. Love you forever.'
"What a sick fuck." Jake gasps.
"Bella?" Alice is holding me in her arms. I think I just passed out. "Bella?" She pats my face with her tiny hand.
"I…I…I d-don't know." I take several deep breaths as Alice allows me to sit up on my own. "I taped that box up and you were right next to me. You… were… right… there." I stammer pointing at Alice. Because you know, pointing at her sort of puts the blame on her.
Because this totally all her fault. Shit Bella, get a grip.
"Bella, where else was this box?" Jake's voice booms even though he is talking softly.
"I put it into that other box then I wrapped the pictures and put them on top." I am shaking now.
"Did you ever leave that box before you taped it shut and put it in the truck?" He sounds really concerned.
"Jake, I taped it shut, put it in the other box, filled it with wrapped pictures then taped that box shut. Alice and I numbered the boxes but never labeled them then we put them into the truck." I am gasping for air now. I am having a severe panic attack. "We never left that box alone before we taped it shut."
Oh my god. I can't breathe. This can't be happening. How the fuck did that picture get in that box?
"I was with her the whole time. The only time any of our boxes were out of our sight was when the moving truck brought them here. But how would he know what box to put that into? That box looked just like any other and the James box is a plain box that was inside of a box at the bottom. The only way to know would have been to actually watch us pack it…. or open every single box on the truck but he would still have to know what the plain box was. And that doesn't sound logical at all." Alice said in practically one breath. Her eyes are wide and the color has gone from her face.
"Call your dad, Bella. He needs to know." Jake said sternly and pointing at me.
No shit, Sherlock.
"I will. He's going to want to stay with us though, or make me move back." I take a few deep breaths but they are fruitless. I am still gasping for air. Alice keeps rubbing my arm sympathetically.
"Well, maybe some protection will be good. Maybe he got out or something because if he did, we'll need to protect you Bella. He's gonna be pissed. We know he doesn't take rejection very well." Alice chirped at an astonishing fast rate.
I shoot her a 'Don't you think I thought of that' look, pull my arm from her grasp and walk into the house. I found my phone sitting on the counter next to my purse and dialed my dad. I am pretty sure that my heart was trying to escape from my chest, it was pounding so hard. He answers on the first ring.
Of course he does. He's just as paranoid about me as those two nuts out there. Ha, my two nuts.
"Bells, what's wrong? Did he find you?"
"Uh….. No? I don't think so. Well maybe. But dad…."
"Bells, I have to tell you something. Are you sitting down? You need to sit down." My dad mumbles. This can't be good.
"Dad, let me just finish, please. James somehow put a really bad picture into my box that I was unpacking. And….um… Dad? There was a note on the back." I am still trembling but my breathing has somewhat stabilized.
"Bella, what kind of note?"
"I think it said something like 'Just know no matter how far you run, we will always be together. Love you forever.' Or something like that." I say, even though I know that is exactly what it said.
"Bells, James escaped two months ago and no one can seem to find him anywhere. He's vanished without a trace. I didn't want to tell you and have you worry for nothing. But I guess I was wrong. Bells, maybe you should come back home. I can protect you better here."
"What? No, dad. I am not going to let him run my life anymore. If he really wants me, he'll come for me no matter where I am. I can't hide from him. He's a tracker and he'll hunt me until he's satisfied." I let out with anger rising in me.
"Fine. Then I will be there in a few hours." My dad sounds sad and lost. I wish I could just hug him right now.
"No, dad. It won't be good for you to leave your job for God knows how long. The people of Forks need you."
"Alright, fine then. I am going to send a bodyguard to be with you until we get this figured out. Bells, I don't want him anywhere near you."
You've come so far in this last year though, he can't ruin you again. We won't let him.
"Dad, I've got Alice and Jake. I am sure Jake will be more than happy to follow me around for a while. He's like a lost puppy I can't get rid of anyway." I chuckle a little on the inside because Jake really is like a loyal dog.
You don't like dogs, though. Just saying.
"Bells, as much as I love Jake, I would feel better if you had a professional bodyguard. I'm going to make some calls. I'll call you back in the morning. In the meantime DON'T LEAVE YOUR HOUSE." Charlie sounds serious. I guess now would not be the time to tell him that we still need to go to the store for lady essentials.
We could send Jake! That would be payback for not really helping us today. I smirk. Surprisingly, my trembling has stopped.
"Dad, I'm not dumb. I'm not going anywhere until you hire me prince charming to sweep me off my feet." I reply sarcastically.
"Isabella Marie Swan! This is serious. Have you forgotten everything you have been through with this creep?" My dad bellows and I wince thinking back to the hell that was my life just a year ago.
Big. Deep. Breaths.
"You have no idea how bad I remember, dad." I reply dryly.
Yeah, memories that flash up at the worst possible times or even when I am doing something as mundane as brushing my teeth.
"Bells, I am getting off the phone now to make some calls. Make sure you stay with either Alice or Jake or both. I don't want you alone at all. Got that? Talk to you in the morning." Not waiting for my reply, he hangs up.
I stand there numb for a moment.
Let's recap. Alice decided we needed to do a séance to rid us of this asshole, then she brings up all these awful memories that I keep trying to bury, then she finds that picture. This is definitely all Alice's fault.
I march back out to the balcony, ready to unleash on Alice. I find her sitting in Jake's lap hysterical and rocking back and forth.
"She's going to kill me, Jake. I just wanted to make things better, make her finally let go. She doesn't need all these reminders of him. How can she not remember all the horrible things he did to her when she looks at those pictures? I do and I didn't even live them! Jake, I just want my happy Bella back again. I just wanted to help." She was sobbing into his chest.
You can't be mad at her for wanting to help you, her best friend. Double Le sigh.
"Alice, I am not going to kill you." I walk over to them and sit next to Jake, but he pulls me up into his lap as well. "I love you best friend. I'm just in shock. I want to forget him so bad but it's just not working out that way." I hug her close to me as Jake pulls us both to his chest. We sit like this for what seems like forever. Although, I think it might have only been twenty minutes.
I think I could sit here like this forever though. Jake is just so comfortable and warm.
"Alice? Are you sleeping?" I giggle.
"Hrmm? No I certainly was not!" She shrieked, a little hint of drool in the corner of her mouth. I can't blame her though; Jake is abnormally warm and just so dang comfortable.
"How about we move inside? It's getting cold out here and I think I have lost feeling in my legs." Jake mumbles as he squeezes us before promptly pushing us off of his lap.
How rude!
Alice and I stumble up, blow out and collect all of the candles that are on the balcony while Jake puts out the fire in the fire pit. My stomach growls something fierce.
"I didn't know you swallowed a large cat, Bells." Jake jokes.
"Ha ha Jake. Guess it must be feeding time." I glance at the clock and it is only eight o'clock.
Where did the time go? Has it really only been a couple of hours since Alice came home?
"We don't have many groceries yet. Want to get take-out?" Alice said from behind the refrigerator door.
"Well, I did promise Jake food. And my dad wants me to stay in the penthouse until he calls tomorrow with an armed, walking muscle ready to guard us." I can't help but smile at the thought of a hot guy guarding me 24/7 until James is found.
Oh, I hope he is hot. I could really use some eye candy.
"Ugh! He put you on house arrest over a picture?" Alice and Jake shriek in unison.
Oh right….you forgot to tell them that James escaped the loony bin. Ah, here goes…
I look at my hands as I tell them this, "Well, see…here's the thing…"
Yeah keep fidgeting with your hands, that'll distract them. For good measure, bite your lip too.
I bite my lip, "Um…"
"Bella, for the love of God, SPIT IT OUT!" Alice is scary when she really shouts.
"James somehow escaped and no one can find him. He vanished." I let out in one breath and I am pretty certain as one word too.
"WHAT?" Was the response from both of them.
"When were you going to tell us?" Jake booms, the vein above his left eye bulging out of his head.
Why hello angry vein.
"Well, we were having a moment when I came back out to the balcony and it just seemed wrong to ruin it with more news about him!" I said defensively.
They really need to lighten up. We can't let that crazy run our lives forever. Plus, we already have Alice for that and she is all the little bit of crazy I can handle.
"Ok fair enough. We did totally have moment out there, didn't we?" Alice smiles as she walks over to me and gives me a big hug.
Oh my god. Let's stop with the hugging of Bella. Seriously. I smile back at her.
"Alright then. I'll go get us Subway. It's just right around the corner." Jake mumbles as he walks out of the apartment.
Immediately I receive a text.
Jake: Just the usual. K?
Bella: Of course love! Thnxs!
"So, Alice…..tell me your news." I look over at her expectantly.
"Well….I met my husband today!" She squealed as she threw her hands into the air.
"What?"
"I was shopping and I dropped one of my bags and there were these two guys walking the opposite direction. And the really hot one stopped and helped me. When I looked him in the eye, I just knew. Even before he said, 'There ya go ma'am,' with a gorgeous Texas accent!" She pretended to faint onto the couch. Complete with a loud sigh and her arm flung across her face.
Wow. Dramatic much?
"No. Not the Texas accent!" I exclaim sarcastically.
"Bella! I just know it will be him. I just need to figure out how I am going to see him again."
"Yes, that would seem to be a problem, wouldn't it?" I plop myself down into the chair next to the couch.
"He did give me his business card…." She giggled manically.
"And you haven't called him yet? Who are you and what have you done with my Alice?" I poke at her and can't help but join her giggles.
Suddenly, she sits straight up and is dead serious. "You think I should call him now?"
"Well he did give you his card and you usually call within the first hour of getting a guy's number. It has already been a few hours but I think you should wait until tomorrow. Only because you think you will be spending the rest of your life with this guy, you can spare a day." I am still giggling.
"Oh. Well I guess that is a good point." She lies back down. "Bella, you should have seen him. He was so gorgeous I couldn't even talk! I just stared at him blankly!" She throws her hands into the air for a dramatic effect.
"What? Alice at a loss for words? That I would have paid to see." Now I'm rolling with laughter so much so that I fall out of the chair.
"Bella! This is serious!" She shrieks as she jumps off the couch, wagging her finger at me. "I have never been this affected by a guy. And one that I don't even know at that!" He voice is steadily getting louder, if that is even possible.
"OK, Pixie! Calm down." I reach up and pull her down to me on the floor. "So you met your soul mate? That is so awesome. I wish I could meet mine." I whisper to get her full attention, as she gets comfortable lying next to me on the floor.
"Bella, you will. Who knows, I could be wrong." She lets out a sigh.
As if you have ever been wrong Alice.
Jake returns with our food and we eat in silence.
Man, it sure is nice when it's quiet in here. And, as if she could read my mind, Alice starts rambling about how we should decorate the penthouse.
~~*ALBoC*~~
'I got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine…..I got a love and I know that it's all mine, oh, oh oh oh'
"Uggghhh" Why is my phone ringing so early? I slap around my bed until I find my phone.
'Do what you want, but you're never gonna break me…'
"Hello?" I mumble half asleep.
"Bella? Are you still sleeping?"
Well I was…
"What do you want Dad?"
"I told you I would call. There will be a gentleman coming to you shortly, around nine. He comes highly recommended. And he is trained in just about everything." Charlie says proudly in monotone.
"So, he is a hot ninja?" I ask as I roll over and look at the clock.
8:15 a.m. Seriously? He couldn't wait until our standard 'Do not wake Bella until, at the very earliest, 10 a.m.'?
"Bells, it shouldn't matter what he looks like as long as he can protect you."
"Whatever. Thanks Dad." I hang up and march my happy ass into the bathroom to start my morning routine. Surprisingly, I take a shower, dress, blow dry my hair and am left with ten minutes until my super ninja is supposed to be here. I do what any sane person would do…I turn on the TV and find cartoons. I would be eating cereal out of the box too but we haven't gotten any groceries yet.
There is a loud, solid knock on the door and I jump. I glance into the mirror in the entry way before I open the door.
I look hot. I encourage myself, even though I am only in a white t-shirt, my black yoga pants and my hair long and messy.
I open the door slowly as my heart races. I look up at the most beautiful specimen of beefcake. He's tall, over six feet tall, dark blond hair, piercing blue eyes and muscles everywhere.
"Hi." I say shakily.
"Isabella? I'm Emmett, your personal body guard for the next few weeks." He says with a goofy grin.
"Just Bella, please. Come in." I pull the door farther open so he can come in.
Oh. My. God. I am going to have to remember to thank my dad for my hottie ninja.
We sit on the couch and Emmett fills me in on his job description. I must have zoned out staring at him because he is standing now looking at me expectantly. Shit.
"Bella, the tour?" He must be used to the staring/zoning out deal. Oops.
"Right." I stand up just as Alice comes into the living room in her nightie and inhales sharply.
"Oh, this is my roommate Alice." I say to Emmett, pointing to Alice. He looks over at her and chuckles.
"Bella, a word, NOW." And Alice retreats back to her room. I look up at Emmett and give him the 'Just a minute' look. He nods.
I run back to Alice's room, to find her throwing clothes out of her closet. "Alice, what is going on?" I ask, truly confused.
"Who is that out there?" She hisses.
"That is my hot ninja protector." I say proudly. "His name is Emmett."
She exhales loudly. "Bella that is the guy that was with my soul mate!"
A/N: I'd love to hear what you thought.