Chapter four is here! Read and review please! This chapter is basically just Bella catching up with the others, and a big JasxBella thing at the end! Enjoy (:

Cheers,

Rose

Chapter 4: Old Friends

"So, Bells." Emmett said as he flopped himself onto the couch next to me.

"So, Emmy." I replied back and he smiled.

"Oh, Bellsey, I missed you so much. What's new? Got a boyfriend? Why didn't you come back to visit after our birthday party?" He was rapid-firing questions at me and I held a hand up to shush him.

"I missed you too. Nothing's new. No, no boyfriend. I couldn't after mom…" I trailed off and he pulled me into a hug.

"Oh god, Bells, I didn't even think about… I'm so sorry, I totally forgot." He apologized profusely until Edward cut him off,

"Forgot what?"

Emmett and I looked at each other before speaking,

"Nothing." He said

"I found my mother's dead body rotting on the couch." I spoke at the same time, my comment causing Alice and Edward to gasp, and Jasper, Emmett, and Rose's eyes bug out. "What?" I questioned and they just shook their heads. "So… where's dad?" I said trying to break the tension.

Emmett took a minute to snap back to reality before he answered, "He's at work." I tried to keep the look of confusion off of my face as I had no idea what he did for a living.

Of course, Rose noticed immediately that I had no idea what Emmett was talking about and came to my rescue, "Yeah, I mean chief of police; damn that's a lot of work! I mean, he's out 'till all hours of the night!" She looked directly at me for the last sentence.

"Hey, that gives me an idea!" Alice said suddenly, "Why don't we stay over? Yeah, that way, we can get more caught up. Ooh, and we can play games!" She began bouncing up and down.

"Sounds great! Oh, Bells, I totally forgot! Let me show you your room!" Emmett said suddenly.

"Oh, that's okay I can manage. Same place, right?" I said and he nodded, confused on why I didn't want him up with me. I brushed past Edward and Jasper who looked at me with shock at my coldness.

Lugging my bag upstairs, I went into my childhood room that still held trinkets and toys from over the years. I sat down on the green, black, and white-flowered bedspread after I closed the door and looked around. Even though there were still objects from when I was young, it was clear Charlie and Emmett had done some updating to the room, the walls going from purple to a light shade of green. I felt my eyes well for the first time since before the plane and started to sob silently into my hands from three different things. The first was the realization that, at last, I was home and safe. The second being that I was safe for now. At least until Phil came for me. That thought made me cry even harder and I tried to bite my knuckle to stifle the sobs ripping from me. The last thought was that I was in an insane amount of pain and I needed to find some sort of pills to help the physical pain, and a blade to help the psychological. I tiptoed to the bathroom across the hall and closed the door behind me. I took a lightning fast shower, not caring that I was using men's shampoo and got out to search through the medicine cabinet. After coming across a bottle of Advil and taking some, I snuck back to my room and began emptying the contents of my bag into the drawers of the bureau and changed into a different pair of (unintentionally) ripped jeans, a long-sleeved red and white striped shirt, and no shoes. Going back down the stairs, I walked into the living room and asked people if they wanted dinner, seeing as it was already 6:30.

"Darlin', you don't have to do that!" Jasper said at the same time Emmett said, "Hell yeah, I want dinner!" Laughing, I patted Jasper on the shoulder and said it was no trouble and went into the kitchen to make the meal.

About an hour later, everyone had finished eating.

"Hells, Bells! That was the most amazing spaghetti I've ever had! You sure you didn't want any?" Emmett exclaimed while I picked up his empty plate and brought it to the dish washer. I smiled at him and nodded, making up an excuse that I ate on the plane before Alice spoke,

"Let's play a game!" We all groaned, no doubt remembering the games Ali used to make us play when we were younger. "Oh, come off it! It's just truth or dare!" She turned to me, "Please, Bella? Come on, it'll be…" She trailed off and her eyes grew wide and she pointed to my necklace, "You… you still have it?" she whispered and stepped closer. I nodded and she pulled me into a tight hug that made me wince (again).

"Oh my god!" Edward said "I can't believe you still have it!" he smiled as Ali pulled back.

"Okay, Pixie. I'll play your game." I said to her. She glared at me when I said the nickname but didn't comment and led us all into the living room. Jasper sat on one end of the couch, I sat next to him, and Alice was on my other side. Across from me was Emmett with Rose perched on his lap, kissing each other. Well, I guess I know her relation to the group now. Edward was on the floor against the wall next to them, looking on in disgust. I smiled slightly at his expression and leaned back into the small couch, one of the welts on my back screaming in pain. Jasper, noting my discomfort spoke quietly,

"Darlin'? You okay?"

"Yeah, Jazzy, don't worry. Just from my fall a few days ago." I said with a fake smile as I looked up into his eyes. It looked like he didn't believe me, but he didn't get a chance to question it because Ali spoke next,

"Ready to play? I'll go first; Bella, truth or dare?"

"Truth, I guess…" I said with uncertainty.

She smiled, "Were you telling the truth when you told Em you didn't have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

"Wait, seriously?" Rose interjected, shocked.

"Yeah..? Why are you so surprised?" Now, it was my turn to be shocked.

"Because you're freakin' gorgeous!" She exclaimed.

"Oh. Well, I guess it's my turn next?" I changed the subject quickly, "Jazzy, truth or dare?" I turned to him.

He stared directly at me, as if trying to read me, and spoke, "Dare"

"Kiss Edward."

"Fine." He shrugged. Moving to get up, I stopped him,

"On the lips!" I said causing Emmett burst out laughing.

"Disgusting!" Edward yelled. Jasper sighed, looked at me, and conceded,

"Guys. It's Bella's first night back, and we do as she says." He stalked up to Edward, pulled him up by his collar, and smacked a big one on his lips.

"Dear god!" Alice yelled while laughing after Jasper ran out of the room to wash his mouth out. He returned with a glass of water, gingerly handed it to Edward, and retreated back to his place on the couch. Turning to me, he said,

"Darlin. You so owe me for that one." I laughed with the others until Jasper spoke again.

"Emmett. Truth or-"

"Dare." Emmett said with confidence while trying to puff out his already massive chest.

"We'll be right back!" Jasper said while jumping up and dragging me with him to the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"Making Emmett's dare. And you're going to help me."

"Okay, so what do we make?" I asked. He grabbed a glass from the cabinet and pointed to the fridge,

"Could you get the horseradish, lemons, and hot sauce from in there?" He questioned with a devilish smile. I laughed, nodded, and got the items out. While we were mixing them, he began to ask me questions.

"So, fell down the stairs, huh? You always were the clumsy type." He laughed while he cut a lemon in half. If he only knew how false that was, I thought to myself. I had grown out of the clumsiness and managed to stay vertical unless I was pushed. Squeezing the lemon, he stirred at the same time then handed it to me so I could smell it.

"This is rank!" I said laughing, "It's perfect!"

We walked back into the living room and Jazz handed Emmett the glass. "Drink the entire thing."

"No problem, man." He said. He threw back the glass and drank it all before he could register the taste. He set it down, wiped his lips, and looked up. "Easy as…" he stopped talking and sprinted to the bathroom and turned on the sink. We started laughing again when we heard him rinsing his mouth out. Coming back into the room, he sat down and said, "You guys are douches."

We played games and caught up with each other until around 3 am, at which point they insisted I looked brain dead and sent me upstairs to sleep, saying they would make breakfast in the morning.

I was running through the woods and heard rustling behind me. "You'll never get away from me, Isabella. I will always find you." I heard a chilling voice say from behind me. Multiple "Bella!"'s were yelled and I turned to see my friends tied and on the ground.

"You have to go, Bella!" Alice said with tears in her eyes.

"Bells, run!" Emmett said while trying to free himself.

"Bella, he's coming! Leave, now!" Edward cried out

"Darlin, get out of here! It's not safe!" Jasper pleaded with me, eyes boring into mine. All of a sudden, Phil appeared behind him.

"Phil." I gasped as he pressed a knife up to Jasper's throat. Phil glared at me and spoke calmly and even-toned,

"You'll never escape. I'll kill your little friends one-by-one, and I'll make you watch." He moved to Alice's side and stroked her cheek as she flinched away, "I'll make you watch as I take poor, sweet, little Alice and then slice her throat," He moved back to Jasper and drew the blade across his throat, blood seeping out, "Just like this."

"Jasper!" I screamed running over to him. I clutched his lifeless body to my chest and rocked back and forth. Phil and the others disappeared and Rose stood in front of me.

"You can trust me, Bella." She said as she vanished into darkness like the others. Still rocking back and forth with Jasper, I sobbed into his hair.

"JASPER!" I screamed as my body wracked with more sobs than I thought possible. "Jasper… no, no, no, no… Jasper? Jazzy? Come on Jasper, no… please… no…" I whispered to him as I alternated between sobbing and speaking.

"Bella?" someone whispered.

"Jazzy?"

"Come on, Darlin wake up!" he called to me.

"Bells? Please, sweetie, wake up!" I heard Emmett say. All of a sudden, I was being shaken.

"Bella? Oh thank god." I opened my eyes to see Emmett peering over me. I shot up, falling out of bed and panting heavily, scrambled back until I hit something behind me, tears flowing freely from my eyes. "Bells?" Em asked nervously, "What's wrong?" I knew Emmett wouldn't hurt me, I knew that, but that didn't stop the fear from rising within me. Em stepped forward slowly and I shuffled back into the corner and let out a scream, causing Rose, Ali, Jasper, and Edward to run into my room. I curled into the fetal position and rocked back and forth while I let out a strangled "Stay away from me!"

"Bella?" Edward whispered while trying to come closer, a hand extended. I turned my face into the wall and continued my rocking and sobs continued to rack me. Feeling a gentle hand on my shoulder, I let out a yelp and looked up to see Jasper watching me with concern. I sat huddled for a minute while a stared at him and launched myself into his arms, knocking us both to the floor. Pulling me up to stand with him, I stayed latched to his side. "Darlin?" he whispered while brushing hair from my face and cupping my chin with his hand. I shook my head and wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into his neck. He picked me up bridal-style and walked past the others, down the stairs, and to the couch, setting me on his lap and allowing me to curl into him more. The others silently entered the room and sat as far from me as they could, watching until I spoke finally.

"I'm sorry." My raspy voice whispered, "It looks like I ruined your shirt, Jazz." He chuckled slightly and looked at my teary eyes and pushed some loose strands behind my ear.

"Want to talk about what happened up there?" He asked me gently.

"No, not really." I replied. I took his hand in mine, "Thanks, Jazzy." He looked at our intertwined hands and nodded.

"Bell?" Emmett asked sounding scared. I looked up at him and slowly got up from Jasper's lap and walked over to him. Stopping in front of him, I pulled him into a tight embrace and apologized profusely. Hushing me, he pulled me closer and I felt tears hit my bare shoulder. Crap. Bare shoulder? I pulled back at the realization of what I had stupidly changed into before bed, the only pajamas Phil usually allowed, a white, barely ripped (but ultimately unnoticeable) tank top and flimsy, too-short pants. I scampered out of the embrace and attempted to go up to my room, but was stopped by Rosalie.

"Bella," she began, "What happened?" I looked at her with pleading eyes and turned to the others.

"I had a nightmare." I said simply.

"Well, duh! Why were you screaming Jasper's name?" Alice asked.

I sighed, defeated, before speaking, "My limp wasn't from falling down the stairs. I… I was hit by a car."

"Oh my god! Who was it?" Alice said sadly.

"It… I'm not sure who it was." I lied to my best friend seamlessly.

"Thank goodness you're okay!" She said while giving me a hug that made me flinch. Again, no one noticed except for Rose about the flinch and the lie. "Wait, then why were you screaming his name?" She questioned.

"He was in my place when the car came." Again, I lied.

"Oh, Bella." She said sadly.

"Hey, I'm fine now, guys. What time is it, anyway?" I asked, noting the darkness still outside.

"Around 4:30 or so." Jasper spoke from his place on the couch.

"Oh my god! Go back to bed! Everything's fine now, nothing to worry about." I said while heading to the stairs, "Goodnight!" I said with fake cheer as I ran up to the bathroom and vomited. Again, I searched the cabinets for something stronger than Advil and came up with Vicodin. Bingo. I popped two and went to bed, but I wasn't going to sleep tonight.

"Bella?" Jasper whispered from the doorway, "You awake?" I sat up and nodded, inviting him in. He came in and quietly shut the door behind him and sat on the bed. "Are you okay? Honestly, are you okay?" I shook my head 'no' and he took my hand in his. "Please tell me the truth about your dream? I know it wasn't that. Why were you so afraid of Emmett?"

I shook my head and said, "I'm not ready right now." He nodded his head sadly and moved to leave the room until I let out a "No!" causing him to turn back to me. I took in his sullen expression, "Can… will you stay in here tonight? I mean… I don't think I'll be able to sleep, and by the looks of things, you won't be able to either." He nodded and I lifted my sheet, inviting him over. He came under and sat up against the headboard, staying silent until I was ready to talk. "You were killed, but not by a car." I began.

"By who? Was it Emmett, is that why you were scared of him?" He questioned me.

"No. It was… someone I knew, someone from Ohio." I said, my voice shaking.

"Who?" I just shook my head and let the tears fall again. He pulled me into his side and asked, "Was it the same person who gave you cigarette burns?" He took my silence as an answer of 'yes' and said, "Oh, Darlin."

I tried to lighten the mood by saying, "Damn it, Jasper! Now you've got that song stuck in my head!" He chuckled softly and pulled me tighter against him.

"Will you please tell me?" He asked so softly and with so much care, that I did.

I told him it all.

"That sick son of a bitch!" Jasper said loudly.

"Shh! Jasper, please! I'm not ready to tell Emmett or the others yet! I promise I will, but on my own time! Okay? Jasper, look at me," I pulled from his arms and knelt, my knees against his side, and grabbed his face with both my hands, forcing him to look me in the eyes, "Jasper. Do not tell them, no one can know, especially not Emmett, okay?" I began prattling off lie after lie. "Phil is in jail." Lie. "I'm safe." Lie. "There's nothing to worry about, I'm going to be okay." Lie.

"I won't tell him." He said before pulling me back onto his chest. He began tracing my cuts, bruises, and burns. "Bells, you have no idea how sorry I am."

I shook my head, stopping him, "There's nothing to be sorry for. It's all over now. Phil won't come after me anymore, and I'm over it."

Biggest lie of them all.

Okay, so I feel like this was kind of a messy chapter, but I hoped you guys liked it! By the way, the song mentioned it "Oh, Darling" by The Beatles. So, Jasper knows. I understand, it's all happened fairly fast, but stay with it, there are (more) twists coming! I intend to have Rose come in soon, but I'm still deciding on what her past will be (whether or not it'll be like how the book had explained everything with Royce). And, no worries, I'm going to try and incorporate Emmett, Alice, and Edward more, as well as some happier stuff (or semi-happy, whatever). Please review!

Cheers,

Rose