Chapter 9
Fix You
Jasper Whitlock POV
Glancing over the clock, I don't even hide my smile.
Ahh, it's my favorite time of the day. Therapy sessions with my Bella. I'm so proud of her and her progress this last month, I believe I can have her released from here in about six months. The reports I'm writing to Dr. Wallace are impressive and she's very proud of my work with Bella. I remember when they told Bella that her parents were dead (compliments of a Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock) and the feeling of freedom Bella felt. I smile at the memory, and I also had Jenks take care of all the legal stuff regarding Bella and her parent's life insurance.
What she doesn't know is that I've put all of that money away for her and am taking care of the bills from the hospital. It's my honor and duty as her Mate to take care of and provide for her, and I'm more than happy to do it. For Bella.
The knock on the door brings an even bigger smile to my lips, and I watch as the door opens, revealing the head orderly, Steve, with Bella following him. The smile slips off my face with the lust and smugness he's throwing off. My frown deepens when I see the look on Bella's face. Pale as a ghost and eyes slightly wide and wild. He smiles as she closes the door, and I hear him whistling down the hall without a care in the world. The fuck is that fucker so jolly about? I then turn to my Angel walking in the room, "Hello, Bella. How are you today?"
She doesn't even acknowledge that she heard me, because I don't think she did; she just walks over to the leather chair, but there's something off. Her walk seems like it's pained, and when she sits down, she lets out a quiet hiss...like she's sore. I extend my gift to scan her emotions, and they hit me like a tidal wave. Disgust, regret, sadness, hurt, guilt, self-loathing. This immediately sends my Mating instincts into frenzy, as I wonder what threat could have made Bella feel like this. "Bella?"
She snaps her gaze up to me like a scared gazelle, "W-What?"
I frown, seeing her nervously play with her hands, "What's wrong?"
Panic, nervous, guilt, sadness, "N-Nothing, Jasper. I'm...fine." she stutters out, and I notice she's not sitting in her normal position - leaning back and hugging a knee to her chest. She's sitting straight...a little too straight.
"What did you want to talk about today?" I ask and her eyes widen as they lock to mine.
More panic. What the hell is going on with her? "I don't...really want to."
"Why not, Bella?"
"I...I don't know, Jasper. Please, don't be mad at me." she whispers, eyes already glassy with tears and I immediately stand up and walk over to her. I crouch in front of the chair and take her hands in mine, feeling her shaking. I then am hit with a scent, that's very familiar to me, yet not. Blood. I glance down to Bella's jeans, and I see blood staining them, a spot where blood should only flow from every month, which happened two weeks ago. Being a vampire and smelling so much blood, I'm able to differentiate the scent of menstrual blood and blood from a wound. I quickly avert my gaze and look into Bella's sad eyes.
"I'm not mad at you, Darlin'. It's okay if you don't want to talk, but you know you can tell me if something is bothering you." I tell her and she nods, a stray tear slipping down her cheek which I reach out and brush away with my thumb,
"Thank you, Jasper."
We spend the rest of the session in silence, while I continually glance up to Bella, who's reading one of the books from the small table. Her emotions swirl from sadness, disgust, self-loathing, panic, anxiety. I don't like feeling this from my Bella, so I subtly send her tiny waves of love, building it gradually until a knock on the door tells me our session is over.
When Bella leaves, I sit in my desk, trying to analyze Bella's behavior. The blood is too potent to be from her menstrual cycle. Unless she's cutting herself again, but I don't think Bella would cut down there. Her emotions were all over the place. That fucking orderly was shooting off lust like he was in a god damn strip club.
Sighing and feeling an emotion that I don't like - fear - I pick up my phone, "Hello?"
"Edward, can you come to work with me tomorrow?"
Without hesitation, he answers, "Yes, of course, Jasper. May I ask why?"
"I need your gift."
Edward Cullen POV
I don't know why Jasper needs me to read Bella's mind, but it must be important, especially with how desperate he sounded on the phone. I'm very curious to meet this girl, too. Jasper always seemed so cold when we first met him, so distant and secluded. I guess living in a house full of mated couples could do that to you. It must've been hard feeling our love and our lust when we make love to our Mates. I'm happy for my brother, and I've seen Bella through his thoughts, but I'm interested in meeting her and seeing her with my own eyes. I wonder what her mind is like. Jasper's mind is very organized and military like, I wonder what her mind is like.
His thoughts constantly revolve around Bella, much like Emmett, Carlisle, or even me. I imagine it must be hard for him, however, ignoring his instincts to claim her, and love her. I understand how broken she really is, and I'm proud of him for wanting to help and heal her. My brother is incredibly strong.
I walk with Jasper into the hospital, making up some excuse that I'm shadowing Jasper, since I would like to become a Clinical Psychologist. All it took was a little vampire "dazzling" and some trust projected from Jasper. We sit in his office, waiting for his Mate to arrive and I'm interested in seeing what this girl is like.
I take a seat in one of the leather chairs near the wall as there's a knock on the door, before a frail brunette girl walks in the room. Her eyes light up when they see Jasper, despite her pained expression on her face, before she turns to me and widens her eyes. "Hi, Bella. This is my brother, Edward. Do you mind if he sits in today? We don't have to talk about anything, don't worry."
She flicks her gaze back and forth between Jasper and I before nodding, taking a seat on of the leather chairs, a slight hiss escaping her lips as she sits down, straight as a board. I then realize something.
Nothing.
I can't hear her thoughts.
I stare at the girl, completely dumbfounded as this is a miraculous happenstance. I think that maybe I'm not focusing hard enough, so I concentrate on Bella, seeing if maybe I can dig deep into her thoughts, but it's just dead noise.
A hiss escapes Jasper's lips, too quiet for Bella to hear, who has picked up a book and is now reading it, her face looking nervous. I look over to Jasper and see him frowning at me, murderous eyes. Why the fuck are you glaring at Bella? You're scaring her!
"I can't hear her." I reply, using a decibel too low for Bella to hear me.
Jasper frowns, What?
"I can't read her mind. It's just...nothing."
The rest of the hour goes by quietly, Bella reading from a book while Jasper works on some paperwork, continually glancing up to Bella, with longing eyes and loving thoughts. I can hear all the love he has for Bella, and how he takes her as she is, because she's perfect for him. I have to smile every time I hear a thought, and think about how it's just like Alice and I. It doesn't matter that Bella is a human, or "sick," Jasper loves her just the same.
Jasper sighs and looks at his watch, before glancing up to Bella with loving eyes. So beautiful...mine...soon.
"Bella, our time is up for today." Jasper gently says, before there's a knock on the door and a blonde orderly opens it. I then frown as I see him sweetly smile at Bella, while I read his mind.
Bella crying...she's naked...his hand is over her mouth...thrusting into her...Bella hitting him...restraining her...Bella closes her eyes tight...blood trailing down her legs..."Oh, sweet little Isabella wants to talk now. Too bad I can't make you scream. Don't want to wake up everyone else with our good time..."..."See you soon, Cupcake."
A low growl escapes my chest as Bella follows that disgusting pig out of the room. At first I hope that it could just be a sick, twisted fantasy or something, but reading minds, I've learned that there's a difference in the clarity of fantasy and memories. His thoughts were as clear as day. That was a memory, and he raped Bella. That's why she looked in pain. He savagely raped her. Jasper turns to me with wide eyes, Edward, what is it?
Now I have to tell him that man raped his mate. How am I going to stop him from tearing him to pieces in front of all of these humans? I guess I'll just have to wait until we're home and he can go to a forest and destroy a couple of trees. "Not now. When we get home."
Jasper pleads with me, "Edward..."
I shake my head, "Jasper, please. I can't tell you now. Just wait..."
Jasper narrows his eyes at me for a couple of seconds, before nodding his head, his jaw still clenched. I sit back and try to keep myself neutral, not wanting to alert him of the problem earlier that I should. I'm not looking forward to telling him this. At all, but I have to. Bella needs to go get a rape kit, and, God forbid, a pregnancy test if the sick savage didn't use a condom. Oh, that would send Jasper over the edge and he would probably go on a rampage, slaughtering us all. I get a sick feeling in my stomach just thinking about it.
The title of this chapter is inspired by the song "Fix You" by Coldplay
Next chapter, all hell breaks loose. Just a warning, some violence in the next chapter. Figured I should warn you now. Oh, and Bella is not Edward's singer in this story. That would just be unfair with throwing that on top of all Bella's other shit going on, don't you think?
- Wonderland xo Writing -
