Warning: This story is rated M for language and lemons and instances of sexual abuse.
Disclaimer: Twilight is the creation of Stephenie Meyer, I just amp up the angst and throw in some lemons...rated M for just that reason. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Hey guys, any paragraphs or lines of dialogue completely in italics are dreams, flashbacks, or hallucinations. (Either visual or audio)
EPOV
It was a long night. I went back to the apartment with Alice around 1:30am, and thankfully the cops were gone, but soon after I got in, Eric knocked on the door. I opened it and let him in, walking back over to one of the two small pools of blood on the floor from where Bella had landed. "Okay Edward, what happened tonight?"
"Bella's boyfriend beat her up. I don't know how long it's been going on, but I walked in and got him out and called the cops. She's in the hospital, they'll probably release her tomorrow, or later today, whatever."
"Are you guys going to need the keys changed?" It seemed Eric was trying to help in the small way he had the power to.
I shook my head. "He didn't use a key to get in, but I'll ask Bella if it'll make her feel safer. That's the main thing, making her feel safe and keeping her calm."
Eric shook his head. "I hate to do this, but I'm going to need the two of you to fill out a form. It doesn't have to be super detailed, but I need the basics for the housing office, it'll be confidential. If I drop it off, will you have Bella fill out one too?"
I nodded as I moved to the second spot on the floor. "I'll fill out mine, but I'm not going to push her to do hers right away, I'll wait until she's a little better, but I'll get her to do it too."
Eric looked around the room, avoiding my eyes. "Alright, I'll let you get some rest. If you need anything, call me."
"I will." I didn't look up, but I heard him turn the lock before he closed the door. A few minutes later, Alice emerged from Bella's room.
"I stripped and made her bed, and put all of her laundry in the hamper except this." Alice held a small mesh container. "I'll do her unmentionables and bring them back so it won't be awkward for you."
"Thanks Alice." I used the rag to wipe the floor, which was now clean, and threw the sponge in the bucket and took off the rubber gloves.
Alice stepped up behind me and knelt down next to me, pulling me into a hug. "I'm proud of you Edward, what you did was heroic."
I hugged her tighter as the tears started to roll down my cheeks. "I thought I was watching her die. God Alice, I was so fucking scared."
Alice stroked my back, trying to calm me. "Edward, she's okay now. She's coming home tomorrow and she'll be fine."
I didn't respond, because I wasn't about to betray Bella and let Alice know just how far from over this was for her. I let Alice out and cleaned up, before going into my room and trying to go to sleep.
It was 9:30 according to my alarm clock when I heard the knock on my door. I got up and opened it to see a physically and emotionally drained Emmett standing in front of me. The look on his face made my heart leap into my throat and my stomach drop. My hand flew to my mouth, not even wanting to think the words. Emmett looked up at me and his face immediately came to life. "God, no, Edward she's fine." He held his hands up trying to prepare himself if I dropped. I finally took a breath and he relaxed a little. "Sorry man, I came by to see you before you headed to the hospital."
"Sure Emmett, come in." I gestured behind me and he walked in. We sat on the couch and he stared down at his feet, taking a deep breath before he started.
"I fucked this up on all sides. I'm sorry for yesterday. I'm sorry that you got left to deal with this because I was too wound up in my own shit to see it was happening again."
I stopped him, because besides the fact that either of us blaming ourselves wouldn't help any, I was completely lost. "Emmett, you realize I'm totally clueless over here, right?"
Emmett looked up at me again. "Our parents got divorced when Bella was two, she doesn't really remember them together. We moved with our mom for a while, but then she married this musician and wanted to go on tour with him, so we moved back to Forks in time for Bella to start Junior High. We lived there for four years, and then at the end of the summer before Bella started her junior year, her best friend committed suicide. By that point our mom was single again and back in Phoenix, so we went to live with her again. I'm the only one who has been there all along and all I did was make it worse. I knew what she was like back then, and I didn't even notice it last Friday."
"Emmett it's not your fault, I didn't notice it at first either, and the only reason I started to was because she only left her room to go to class or fix food for me." I shook my head thinking that even while she was suffering, Bella managed to try and take care of me as best she could.
"I talked to Bella last night, after you guys left. You really looked out for her. You got her to eat, which is the biggest thing with her when she gets like that. I'm glad she had you, especially yesterday. I don't even want to-"
I put my hand on his shoulder, willing him to stop. "Don't even think it. She's okay, and she'll get through this somehow. Did you call your parents?"
"No, she won't let me. She's afraid they're going to come up from Phoenix and try to put her in a hospital or something."
"Wait, I thought you said your father-"
Emmett laughed. "Our parents are ass backwards. They have two children who need a stable life, and they play musical homes, we're adults and on our own, and now they get back together."
I shook my head, now I'm starting to get some of Bella's comments about her parents. "How is she?"
"She jumps out of her skin at every noise. And she spent all night asking for you. Your dad and her psychotherapist and psychiatrist all agreed that having you with her was one of the best things, because you seem to be able to keep her calm. They're going to let you stay with her until they release her. That's the other reason I came, was to tell you that as soon as you're ready, you can visit her. I'm gonna give her space for a few days. She isn't angry at me like she was, but it's probably better that she gets some more perspective before I make things worse again. Tell her to call me when she wants to see me, and tell her I love her." Emmett ran his hands over his face, trying to wipe the exhaustion and emotion off of his face, before standing up. "I'm going to leave you be now. Call me if you need anything."
I stood up with him as I walked him to the door. "Will do Emmett, and don't beat yourself up, Bella knows you love her. She'll come around." Emmett shook his head and walked down the hall without another word.
Once he was gone, I jumped in the shower and got dressed quickly so I could get to the hospital and see how Bella was doing.
BPOV
I just got to the part of the novel when Mr. Knightley left for London, I was so involved in the book that I didn't hear the door open, and I didn't know that there was someone there until a pair of big brown hands clasped my shoulders and his words hissed in my ear. "You're mine, never forget that." I struggled against him, but my body was weak and heavy, and then I felt the sharp shooting pain.
My eyes flew open as I looked frantically around the room, calling out and crying. My door burst open and Dr. Cullen and Edward came in, Edward immediately coming to my side, trying to calm me. "Shh, Bella it's okay, it was just a dream. You're safe now."
I shook my head, trying to calm my breathing to elevate the throbbing in my chest as my ribs protested against the movement. "I'm not…he'll find me."
Edward shook his head and put both of his hands lightly on either side of my face, keeping me still without restraining me. "He can't get you. Bella, they caught him. Jake is in jail." I froze. It couldn't be true; Edward was just saying this to keep me from losing it. I looked over at Carlisle and he nodded.
"I found out from Sam, the head of the Peace Officers. When he heard about what happened and the suspected drug use he called the police himself. Jake got picked up an hour ago, and with all the evidence against him, he won't be getting out for a while."
I took a quick breath and let it out. "He's really in jail?"
Edward nodded. "Yes. And you won't be alone; someone will always be with you. Between the five of us we'll have you covered, so please relax. If we're going to spring you today, you need to show the doctors that you're ready to be released." Edward smiled and my breathing finally returned to normal.
Dr. Hayner and Dr. Gonzales both came in just then. Edward went to move but my hand caught his as it left my face, he settled back in, holding my hand in both of his. Dr. Hayner approached and looked at my chart on the computer, while Dr. Gonzales came behind Edward. "It's alright; he's my friend and roommate, so you can talk in front of him."
Dr. Gonzales smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Bella, we're going to start off with some pretty intensive therapy. It's best in situations like this to get you talking about the events as soon as possible so that they can be dealt with; instead of letting them rule your life. Now I know you'll be on bed rest for a few weeks, so in the beginning we can do our sessions at your apartment. It may even be more beneficial to do them there, because it's where the trauma occurred. But as soon as you're well enough, then we'll move them to my office. Is that okay?"
I nodded and then looked at my hand where it lay firmly in Edward's grasp. "How often?"
"We're going to start with three times a week. It will allow us to move at your pace while not letting too much time pass. How about Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6pm?"
"That's good, not like I have anywhere else to be." Dr. Gonzales put the appointments into her blackberry and smiled.
"I'll see you tomorrow then, take care Bella." Dr. Gonzales was a sweet motherly woman, and I felt a little bit at ease with her, which I guess is a good thing considering the fact that I was going to be telling her my deepest, darkest secrets.
Dr. Hayner looked up from the computer screen and sat on the edge of my bed. "Well Isabella, you seem to be having some pretty bad nightmares, so I'm going to give you something to help you sleep as well as the lexapro. Now it's important that you take the lexapro everyday, no skipping, do you understand?"
I nodded. "Yes."
"I'll check in with you next week, but if there's a problem before then, call me." I nodded again and he began writing on a prescription pad, pulling off two sheets and handing them to me. "Have those filled on your way home so that you can take the sedative tonight, and start with the other in the morning." Dr. Hayner stood up gingerly, so as not to shake the bed, and left the room. Carlisle walked to stand by the head of my bed across from Edward.
"Bella, we're going to release you in a few hours, but I want to go over some things with you before then."
"Okay Dr. Cullen, shoot."
"First, you have to limit your movement, you can move from the bed to the couch for a change in scenery, but no walking around. I know it seems difficult, but it's only for a few weeks. Next, we're sending you home with some pain medication, but you have to be careful with them, because they can make you very drowsy, don't take them with the sedative, its one or the other at night. If you have any difficulties beyond what you're already experiencing, a pain in your abdomen, or any change in the severity of anything, let me know, because that could mean a more serious problem. You were very lucky with your injuries, but there is still the potential that something could develop over the next week or so, so don't try to tough it out. Edward will give you my personal number so you can get a hold of me any time. Do you have any questions?" I looked up into his pale blue eyes and shook my head for what felt like the hundredth time today. He looked over at Edward and motioned towards the door. "Son, can I talk to you for a second?"
EPOV
I walked out into the hallway with my dad. "What's up?"
"Edward, I know you care about Bella, but I don't want you to let your schoolwork suffer because you want to take care of her."
I looked at him like he was unbalanced, wasn't he just telling me yesterday how proud he was of me? "Dad, she needs me. And I'm not doing it all alone. Alice and Jasper and Rosalie offered to help, and Emmett too when she's ready to talk to him. Plus, staying home with Bella will be the best thing for my course load; I won't be out partying, so I'll have plenty of time to study. Look, mom's making some food that I can just throw in the oven so Bella and I don't starve while she's on bed rest, and I wanted to pick up a few things before I swing by to get her, I'm going to poke my head in and say good-bye. I'll see you later."
I walked into Bella's room and told her I'd be back in a little while and then headed out to do my shopping.
BPOV
Edward had been gone for a while and I was getting anxious, I was starting to hate how dependent I felt on him, because in the end, he wasn't going to be able to reciprocate my feelings. As if he heard my mind calling out for him, my door opened and Edward walked in. "Hey, you ready to go home?"
I grimaced a little, trying to make it look like it was from my movement, but I don't think he bought it. "I'm ready to get out of here."
The nurse came in with my discharge papers, which I quickly signed before climbing into the wheelchair and going out to the elevator. "Do you have to see my dad before you go?" Edward looked down at me as we waited for the doors to open.
"Nope, I'm all set." We rode down to the parking garage and the nurse pushed me out to the car where Edward opened the door and helped me into his Volvo. He walked around the car and slid in, quickly making his way out of the garage and onto the street.
We were back at Masen quicker than I would have liked, having only stopped at the pharmacy. As Edward parked next to my truck on the 5th floor near the elevator, I started shaking. They all knew…they had to…my entire building had heard what happened…and with Jake being arrested, they now knew that he had been raping me…my entire building knew…my friends knew…Emmett knew. They would be judging me…I was stupid…weak…I let this happen to myself…I deserved it.
My mind continued to race as Edward took my hand and rubbed small circles on the back of it with his thumb. "Bella, what is it?" The concern in his voice ran through me like a current, stunning me and halting my thoughts.
"They all know." I spoke in barely more than a whisper.
Edward turned in his seat taking my hand in his, running his right hand over my hair. "Bella, they don't matter, and if anyone is crazy or stupid enough to try to make you feel bad, then let me know and I'll handle it. None of their bullshit matters, you're alive and well and back home, and I'm going to get you through this. Now let's go inside and get you into bed, I'm sure the car seat isn't comfortable." I nodded and Edward got out of the car and came to my door but didn't open it. "Wait here, I'll be right back." I looked at him, feeling the panic rise again and he quickly continued. "I'm just going to the crap closet; I won't even let the door close all the way." I relaxed and he ran through the door and came back a minute later with his computer chair, rolling it to the car. I shook my head as he rolled it out of the way and opened my door. "I don't have a wheelchair, so I thought this is the next best thing." He reached down and helped me out of the car and into the seat, closing and locking his car before wheeling the chair to the wheelchair vestibule. He pushed the button and we quickly got in and watched the doors close. When we got to our floor he pushed me to the end of the hall, I was starting to feel ridiculous, but then he unlocked the door and my breath caught. Edward turned the chair to face him as he knelt in front of me. "It's okay, I'm here." I took a breath and smiled weakly, cueing him to move forward. He pushed me through the apartment, stopping only to double lock apartment door, and into my room. He sat a pair of pajamas on the bed and helped me stand up.
I looked over at my nightstand and saw some bamboo in a ceramic pot. "Edward, what's that?"
He looked over and smiled. "It's a bamboo plant; they're a symbol of longevity. I wanted to get you flowers, but they'd only last a few days, so I thought about getting you a plant and decided it was perfect because all it needs is water, so you can take care of it yourself while you're stuck here." Edward looked around quickly and then pulled a wedge pillow from the closet. "I got you this so you could sit up in bed without hurting your ribs, and I had the girl at the store pick out girlie magazines, and I put some chick flicks on my Netflix queue, and-"
"Edward…I don't…thank you. For everything." The tears welled up in my eyes and he gently took my face in his hands and kissed my forehead. Edward took the chair and made his way to the door as I tried to pick up the shirt he had sat on my bed. As I bent, I felt a sharp pain and instantly gasped. "Edward?" He stopped and turned to face me. "Can…do you think you could help me change, I can't bend, it hurts."
Edward smiled and walked over as he unzipped my sweatshirt. This was not the way I thought he'd see me naked for the first time. "Bella relax; just think of me as a future doctor if that helps." So. Doesn't. Help. I lifted my arms and Edward pulled my long-sleeved shirt over my head and put it on the bed, next dropping down to his knees to lower my sweats. He looked up at me and I blushed a deep red and nodded as his hands hooked into the waistband of my underwear and pulled them down as well, helping me step out of both. I stood before him completely nude, and he didn't seem to notice. I wasn't sure if I should be grateful for his class, or hurt that he wasn't even trying to sneak a peek, in the end I settled on grateful. He grabbed the clean underwear and pants and knelt in front of me again. I placed a hand on his shoulder to steady myself as he helped me step into both and then pulled them up my legs one at a time. There was nothing sexual about his touch, but having his hands on my legs, gently brushing against the blotches and discoloration felt nice, like they would face under his touch. When he stood up again I saw a brief flash of pain in his eyes, this was difficult for him. Seeing me like this, now that he knew, to have to see the damage that went along with the stories was taking its toll on him. He slipped the shirt over my arms and down my torso, reaching to pull my hair out of my shirt, so that it flowed down my back. "I'm going to put in one of the dinners my mom made, you hungry?"
I nodded. "I'm famished." Edward picked up my dirty clothes and put my sweats in my hamper, but put my underwear in a small bag hanging from it. "What's that?"
Edward looked up with a smirk on his face. "I can handle laundry, but I'm not risking your 'delicates' to my newly acquired skills, so Alice said she'd do them."
He walked back to me and helped me get into bed, tucking me in before leaving the room, the door cracked slightly so he could hear me if I needed him.
EPOV
I was almost to the door when she called to me. "Edward?" I let go of the chair and turned to face her. "Can…do you think you could help me change, I can't bend, it hurts."
I smiled and walked over, unzipping her sweatshirt. I had dreamt of undressing her, but not like this. She tensed and I felt like shit for even thinking like that with everything she's been through. "Bella relax; just think of me as a future doctor if that helps." I pulled her shirt over her head and fought to keep my cool. The bruises were worse than I could have imagined. Every shade they could be, she was tie-dyed by them. Her arms were marked with his hand prints and her stomach had the shape of his boot from where he had kicked her. I put her shirt on the bed and dropped to my knees to lower her pants. Her legs were bruised as well, although not as bad as the top half of her. Her thighs were the worst and my blood boiled knowing what that meant. No one deserved this…especially not Bella. And if I was ever given the opportunity someday, I'd show her just how she should be loved. I looked up at her, not sure if she wanted me to take off her underwear, or wait until one of the girls came by later. She blushed and nodded, she was embarrassed, and I decided to finish this as quickly as I could, so as to save her any more mortification. I pulled down her underwear and helped her step out of them. Sitting them on top of her shirt, I picked up the underwear and pants and knelt in front of her again. Bella placed her hand on my shoulder as I helped her step into her clothing and then pulled them up her body one at a time. Feeling her skin under my fingers was amazing, but I had to remind myself that she wasn't mine, she was my friend and she needed me to be there for her without my own hang ups. I tried to hide my feelings but I caught a quick tightening of her face and knew she saw it. Damn it Cullen, pull it together, she doesn't need you making her feel worse. I helped her on with her shirt and then fixed her hair. "I'm going to put in one of the dinners my mom made, you hungry?"
She nodded. "I'm famished." I picked up her dirty clothes and sorted them so I didn't have to worry about it later. Bella saw me put her underwear in the bag for Alice and asked, "What's that?"
I smirk at her. "I can handle laundry, but I'm not risking your 'delicates' to my newly acquired skills, so Alice said she'd do them."
I helped lower her into bed, sweeping her legs up once she was sitting, and tucking her in before walking out with the chair, leaving the door cracked slightly so she could call out to me.
Well there you have it…hope you liked this chapter…it took me a while to get out, but I'm proud of it. Please leave me some love…I really enjoy hearing from all of you!
