A/N: To those of you who are fasting, Ramadan Mubarak! And to everyone else, have a safe and pleasant week ahead. :)


Chapter-7


Scottish Highlands


Placing her hand over his mouth, she wraps the other hand around his arm and pulls hard. With an audible click, the dislocated bone slides back into the joint, and he screams, the sound barely muffled by her hand.

She whispers words of reassurance to his ears as she almost cradles the little boy in her arms, waiting for him to calm down. Once the tension leaves his body, she makes a sling for his arm and binds it tightly so he will not be able to move it.

"Now, Douglas," she says in a chastising tone. "I do not want to see you climbing any trees anytime soon; or you will hurt your arm even worse, all right?"

The boy nods emphatically. "Yes, Mistress Isabella," he mumbles.

Smiling down at him, she ruffles his hair affectionately. "Good lad. Now go before it grows dark out."

He slides down from his stool and starts to walk toward the door to her apothecary before stopping and running back to her. "What is it, laddie?" she asks, leaning down to face him. Without answering her, he plants a sweet kiss on her cheek and grins. "It does not hurt anymore. Thank you."

As she watches the boy run outside, she smiles. This is the best reward for her work.


"Isabella!"

She looks up from her workstation at the sound of her friend's voice. "Rose! It is good that you are here. Will you please help me with this salve?"

Taking off her cloak, Rose comes to stand next to her, reaching for the pestle in her hand. Isabella begins chopping the herbs into fine pieces for Rose to crush and asks, "How is your sister doing?"

"Better, thanks to you," Rose answers. "She said she does not feel any pain from the birthing anymore."

"That is good news. And your wee nephew? Is he doing good?"

A smile comes over Rose's face at the mention of the bairn. "Oh yes," she says happily. "He has made his tummy all round from feeding."

Isabella laughs at her description of the babe. "That means he is going to be a fine lad," she remarks.

For a few moments there is silence aside from the thunk-thud of the mortar and pestle before Rose speaks again. "There is something I wanted to tell you though."

Isabella looks up from her work and notices the crinkle on her friend's forehead. "What is it, Rose?"

Rose's beautiful face turns into a grimace as she answers, "Father Aro. He came to bless wee Alec and ..."

"And?"

Sighing, Rose continues, "Old Sue, Janie's mother-in-law, told him about how you helped her deliver the bairn with very less pain. He said it is unorthodox for a mother to give birth without pain. He says Janie should have to feel the pain to pay for Eve's original sin."

"What bollocks!" Isabella swears loudly. "He is getting too old for his job, I figure."

Rose giggles. "Do not let anyone hear you curse like that."

Rolling her eyes, Isabella says, "Yes, heaven forbid, a woman dares to speak her mind! Father Aro's eyes will jump out of his head."

Both ladies bursts into peals of laughter at the thought. It is at that moment when a shadow casted by several armed men darkens their threshold.

One of the men steps forward and says, "Isabella Swan, we have a summons for your arrest."


A/N: So … that's the healer for you. ;)

Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.

Thanks for reading.

As requested by a very dear friend, from now on, you'll have a small teaser of the next chapter. Here's the teaser for tomorrow -

He points toward the door of the house. "The entrance is through there," he says. Nodding, Edward gets off of his horse and starts to walk in that direction, prompting his men to follow his footsteps.

See you tomorrow.

Take care.

Ann