BPOV
If there's one thing I've learned in the past 4 years, it's that nothing in life is a given. One careless shrug of your shoulders, you can throw everything off balance. You're heading down one path and in the blink of an eye, everything changes. Everything you thought you knew is different and everything you thought you had is gone. There's a very thin line between reality and insanity, everyday I walk that line, teetering between one side or the other. That's how I ended up here, for the past three years, I've spent too much time on insanity's side.
I sighed to myself, feeling my eyes begin to droop. This was the worst part of the day, nighttime, when I had to sleep. That's when I saw him, that's when I saw everything. I could handle the looks people gave me, I could handle the whispers, I can even handle being here in this place. The dreams however, are a different story. If I wasn't there already, they were driving me crazy, making me hurt, making me crave the vices I knew I couldn't have, and making it obvious in here was probably where I belonged.
"Come on Bella! Hurry up!" I heard his voice call back to me. "You've got to see this, it's amazing." I tried to pull myself back, it was a dream, I knew it was a dream. The small amount of sanity I had left tugged at my unconscious mind, begging me to wake up.
"Geez Jake, give me a minute!" My sanity lost and I was trapped. "Not all of us are expert woodsmen like you." I chuckled, tripping over another branch before I saw him.
"It's about time!" He grinned offering his hand. "Now look at this place!" He pulled me forward with him into the most beautiful meadow I had ever seen.
It was April, and everything was coming back to life. There were wildflowers, every where you looked, lush grass. The trees and forest formed almost a perfect circle, like it was holding the magic in.
I smiled up at the sun beating down on my face, warming me after fumbling through the damp woods. Sunshine was rare here in Forks, and my whole soul seemed lighter on days like this.
"Oh my God. It's perfect Jake." I breathed.
"I know! It's amazing!" He smiled, looking around.
"How did you find this place?" I asked, my eyes still scanning, awe struck.
"I was just hiking and…SHIT! Bella do not move!" His hand gripped me tighter, but I didn't have time to focus on the pain.
"What the fuck?" I muttered, spinning to follow the quick wisp of wind that had just blown past me.
"Bella. Do. Not. Move." Jake warned again, his whole body was starting to shake.
"Who the hell are you?" Startled, I asked to the beautiful wild looking women now standing just a few feet from us.
"Ah, Bella, your name certainly suits you." Her face turned into and menacing grin. "You don't know how long I've searched for you. Once I caught your scent in town last month, I knew I had to have you." She took in a deep breath. "I didn't think it was possible, but it seems you smell even more lovely." She took one deliberate step forward, giving one glance beside me, evaluating Jake.
It was then that the fear set in. I didn't know who this woman was, what the hell she was talking about, or…what she was. She was close enough now for me to really get a look at her. Her hair, fire red and blowing wildly around her face with the breeze. My body started to tremble when I saw her eyes. Blood red.
Only one thing made sense at them moment. "JAKE RUN!" I screamed and darted for the wood line. I turned, reaching the trees and realizing I was alone. "JAKE COME ON!" I yelled in a broken, terrified voice.
He just stood there, his whole body trembling. "Get out of here Bella." He called back to me, not bothering to turn around.
The woman took another step forward, and my eyes popped in horror watching an explosion of what had been Jake's clothes. He landed on his feet…his paws. Loud growls making the ground shake escaping the russet colored beast now standing where my best friend had been.
The woman and beast both launched into the air, the earth shattering sound when they collided made me gasp and jump back further, my back pinned into a tree as my eyes took in the horror.
"JAKE!" I shot up, gasping for air.
My eyes shot around the room, I rubbed my arm, trying to ease the faint burn, and relaxed just slightly with a deep breath at the sight of the sterile white of everything around me. I waited for a minute, and when no one came in, I knew it was ok to let go. The staff had grown bored with my night terrors months ago. No one bothered to investigate my screams anymore. I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I needed this, I needed to hold myself together. My best friend was gone, my best friend was something I couldn't understand. He died saving me from something that I couldn't speak of. Speaking of what she was…what Jake was, is what landed me here with the crazies to begin with. I missed my friend, I missed the sunshine that he brought. I let the sobs rip through me, crying myself into the peaceful comatose state I had learned to depend on to get me through the nights. When I managed to calm down, I lay back in the pillows, the worst was over now.
EPOV.
"Come on Eddie, you know I'd never ask if it wasn't important."
"James, I know, but I'm sorry. I just can't do it." I looked up at my friend, standing on the other side of my desk pleading down at me. "I've already got three more patients than I should have, my scheduled is packed, Kate can barely get the cases I already have worked into my schedule. Then the wedding planning on top of it, I just don't think I can do it. I'm sorry." I shook my head and finished signing the papers in front of me.
"I don't know what else to do for her." He dropped himself into the chair in front of my desk, looking defeated. "I can't even explain it to you. Nothing about this girl is insane." He looked past me, searching for an appropriate description. "She's had a rough three years, I don't even know how she's alive. But she's not crazy. She lost someone close to her, and she's created this delusion to cope. I just can't get her to let go of it." He shook his head.
"What's the delusion?" I asked, starting to get a bit curious.
"Well, she says a vampire attacked her. Her best friend was with her, and she says he transformed into a werewolf right in front of her, to defend her. The friend killed the vampire protecting her but the fight killed him as well." He searched my face, waiting for my reaction.
I held it together for a minute, waiting for the punch line. "Werewolves and vampires?" I asked, my body shaking with laughter now. "Ok, James, you're right, she's definitely not insane!" I tried to calm down my laughter seeing he wasn't amused.
"I know how it sounds Eddie, but you just gotta hear her talk about it. The detail to it, how insistent she is on it. I've been working with her for almost a year, and not once has a detail changed, she hasn't swayed on it at all. You know it doesn't work that way. People start to work through things, holes in the delusion start to poke through. I can't help her." He sighed.
"This is really that important to you?" I asked, hating myself for the hell I was about to create in my life.
"It is." He nodded.
"When are you supposed to see her again?" I asked.
"In about ten minutes." He grinned, knowing I was giving in.
"Well fuck." I groaned, picking the phone on my desk.
"Yes Dr. Cullen?" My secretary answered.
"Hey Kate. Now don't shoot me for this, but I need you to reschedule my next session, I'm going on a consult for Dr. Hale." I cringed waiting for her response.
"Oh for the love of God Edward." She hissed. "When exactly would you like me to reschedule for because there isn't an open five minutes for the next six months."
"I know it's tight Kate, but I can't help it. I know you'll work you magic, you always do. Thank you!" I kicked in my charm.
"You know you're giving me a raise right?" She giggled.
"Thank You." James mouthed, I just raised an eyebrow.
"Yes of course I am Kate." I grinned, hanging up the phone.
"You owe me for this." I laughed, breezing around my desk, and picking up my coat before we left.
We pushed our way through the halls, nodding and half smiling at all the nurses, giggling and waving shyly as they passed.
"You're going to break all their hearts you know?" James snickered as the elevator doors closed.
"Huh?" I asked, lost in thought over this case he was handing over to me.
"The nurses, they're going to be devastated when you finally marry that gorgeous fiancé of yours." He laughed.
I just rolled my eyes as the door opened to the psych floor.
We pushed out, and made our way down the hall.
"In here," He nodded and opened a door on our right.
"Good afternoon Bella!" James cheerfully greeted. "I want you to meet someone. This is Dr. Cullen, he's going to help me with your therapy." James motioned for me to come in.
I stepped in, and started to introduce myself but my breath hitched when my eyes found her. Even in the plain hospital pajamas and her hair pulled into a messy bun, she was breathtaking.
"Umm, Hello Bella." I regained myself and held out my hand as I walked towards the couch she was sitting on. "It's nice to meet you." I smiled.
Ah, and there you have it...the start of a story I've been tossing around for quite some time now. The updates I'm hoping will come on a regular basis, probably weekly...key word in all of that being 'hopefully'! Of course, please let a review, let me know what you're thinking!