A/N: OMG, the crap is going to hit the fan people… I hope you like it. Let the dramz begin!
BPOV
After doing a crap load of shopping I dragged my sorry butt into the booth at Merlotte's where Sookie and I decided to grab lunch. She had the day off, in my opinion the last place I would want to be was my work place, but hey! It's Sookie and it's a small town.
The red head, Arlene, was our waitress. She scrunched her face into the fakest smile I had ever seen. She apparently didn't really like Sookie all that much. Or maybe it was me, but who really cared?
"Hey there, sweetie! What brings you in here on your day off?" She said as she pulled out her order pad. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. Hadn't I just thought that?
"Well, it's close to home and Bella and I just had a long day of shopping, so we decided to stop in. Besides, don't you spend most of your nights off here, Arlene?" Sookie went for the jugular. Arlene's eyes widened and I snickered. She shot a glance at me and I started chewing on my finger nail.
"What can I get you ladies?" All business now, someone was definitely not happy to see us. We placed our orders, two cheeseburgers and fries, Sookie got an iced tea and I got a coke.
While we waited for our food I stared out the window into the parking lot. The sun was beautiful, and the trees were amazing the way the moss hung from them, proving how hot it could get in the summer time. It was nearly a perfect mixture of Forks and Phoenix with the abundance of trees but the heat and sun of the south. I wondered if there truly was a good enough reason to return.
I loved Charlie, and I loved the Cullens, especially Edward, but if there was going to be this huge revelation and they could be out and about I wondered if they'd just come and stay with me here. It would be easier than to adjust to Forks again when they knew you were a blood drinking monster. Start fresh, something that really appealed to me.
Of course, I'd have to finish school. I couldn't imagine not getting a high school diploma, but weren't there schools here in Bon Temps? Not to mention, how many times had the Cullens graduated? They wouldn't miss repeating it again, would they?
And then the way Edward was with me on the phone. I never would have expected him to have to think about coming to me. He and his family had done it before when I was in Arizona, what was the difference here? Especially when they'd have a safe place to be out of the sunlight? I dropped everything, risked my life for Edward when Alice and I went to Italy, and we weren't even together then. Shouldn't he be willing to do the same for me?
"Penny for your thoughts?" Sookie's sweet voice permeated my thoughts and I sighed. I looked away from the window and settled on her face. She seemed concerned.
"Just thinking of a bunch of random stuff." I replied. She nodded and I had the urge to go on, so I gave her the rundown on everything I had just ran through in my mind. We paused when Arlene brought us our drinks and then Sookie spoke.
"You know it's always your choice, no matter what. You have to do what makes you happy. Maybe I can make it a little easier for you. You've got a place back home, but you'll always have a place here, so no matter what you choose you won't really be alone." She smiled and I felt the sting of tears, so I blinked them away.
"I just can't believe he has to think about coming here. I never would have given it thought to go to him, ever. I mean, does he really love me the way he says he does?" I sniffed. Realizing I was on the verge of a small melt down I took a sip from my pop. I held it with my bad hand, the cold soothed the ever present throbbing.
"You should let Eric help you with your hand." She suggested.
"Nah, this isn't my first rodeo, Sook. If you got a hold of my medical chart back home you'd think I was into extreme sports or something." I laughed a little.
"Still, if he's willing to take the hurt away you should let him, don't you think? Although… Bill said something about a blood bond. Why don't we go out to Fangtasia tonight and hang out with Eric and Pam?" Sookie offered.
I raised an eyebrow as I munched on the food Arlene just brought. This was after I sniffed it and checked it for spit. "Don't you have to be 21?"
"You aren't drinking and you're a guest of the owner. I'll call him and see what he says." She shrugged.
"OK." I smiled. "It might be a nice distraction. I just can't get Edward out of my mind. There's just something not right about him needing to think about coming to me when I didn't even question it when I went to my potential Italian death. I was beating a dead horse. And Eric was sexy. Why was I even still worrying about it?
After we had finished lunch and headed back to the house I decided to check my email. Perhaps Edward emailed me or Alice. I thought about calling my father, but I wasn't ready yet. He'd come, guns blazing, to bring me home. That wasn't where I wasn't to be at the moment.
I had an email from Alice but no one else. And no calls yet from Edward. That just pissed me off. I shrugged it off and opened her email with a smile.
Bella!
Oh, it's so good to know you're truly OK. I hope you're healing well, Edward told us all about what had happened. As you can guess I saw most of it, but it hurt me not knowing where you were.
Edward says you need time before you come home and that you'd like to have us come to you for a while. I understand why everyone is so worried about the prospect, but I don't really want to wait any longer to see you. I keep trying to talk Edward in to making it down there, but he is still unsure. He doesn't want to alert THEM of where you are and he doesn't want to run the risk of being seen.
He really misses you, Bella. Don't keep doubting that. And your ideas to sooth your pain with another vampire isn't wise either. You are Edward's mate, Bella. He will never love another, and I don't think you could, either. Besides, I see something interesting happening in your near future. Not really happening to you, but a new special friend of yours, so be careful of your actions. ;-)
I'll call you soon, and Edward should be calling sooner. Probably once you read this. He'd do anything for you, Bella, but not when the consequences outweigh the need to see you. You understand. Especially since you're 100% safe.
Love you!
Alice.
PS: Jasper says hi, and so does Em.
I stared at the email for a long time. Alice was hypocritical now, too. She was the first one to want to rush to Italy. She was the first one to readily put me in danger. Now, now that it had something to do with her whole family - MAYBE - she wasn't willing to be so drastic. Because I was safe. What the fuck?
I took a deep breath and hit reply. What did I really have to lose at this point?
Alice,
Miss and love you guys too, but this isn't fair. I gave up everything, I risked everything, for Edward. Just because I may be completely safe you're not willing to do the same? Fine, I see exactly where I've always stood. Just as I thought. You all never really, truly cared about me. You were just having fun with your human toy. This just gives me more reason to want to stay here.
Make up your minds, but remember, consequences happen with everything.
Bella.
I shut the computer after hitting send and cried. I cried for my dad, knowing how much he missed me. I cried for my so called family and friends. I cried for my so called mate. And then I got pissed.
"Hey, what's the matter pretty girl?" Jason walked in the back door and I sniffled and looked up at him and smiled.
"What timing!" I laughed. "Just down I guess. And pissed."
"I got some old bottles in the shed and a shot gun. Wanna let off some steam?" Jason wiggled his eyebrows.
"Jason Stackhouse!" Sookie exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. "You don't call, write…" And she wrapped him up in a hug. Jason wiggled out with a blush.
"Awe, hey, Sook. Anyway, the offer stands…" He looked at me strangely and it dawned on me that he didn't know my real name.
"Bella." I nodded.
"Right. Anyway, I'll be out there if you're interested."
"I can't. My hand is all tore up, and I don't think shooting a gun would make it feel better." I sighed.
"Well, I still have bottles, and I think I might have a baseball bat." He winked.
"Stress relief, Jason? I don't think so. Besides, you're here to do the lawn." Sookie grinned and Jason frowned, said he'd see us later and stomped out of the house. I just laughed.
"He's nice. I can't believe he was concerned." I reflected. I never would have thought a muscle head like that would be able to care. But then again, Emmett had one of the biggest hearts…
"God I wish I drank." I grumbled and plopped back down in my chair.
It was a few hours later, we had friend chicken, mac and cheese, corn bread and some green veggies I couldn't stomach. We were getting dressed, Sookie was wearing a pale yellow summer dress and I had purchased a blue eyelet sun dress and some flats to match. I put my hair up in a pony tail, because even though it was mid September it was still hotter than Hades. I had to admit, my average pale skin was pretty unique and quite pretty in this part of town, since everyone seemed to like the sun. And when I added smoky eyes and red lips I could have passed as a model. OK, maybe not, but in my mind I could.
We got into her little yellow car, which I actually liked, and headed into Shreveport. When we pulled up to a plain, grey building that looked a lot like a ware house I got a little nervous. But the sign on the front that said Fangtasia made me feel a little better. It even made me giggle.
"I did the same thing, but I guess when you're 1,000 years old it's the small things that make you laugh."
"A thousand years old? Seriously?" I could feel my eyes bugging out of my head. I guess I never really thought about him being older than like maybe thirty. Even that seemed a little old. For me, anyway. But hell, I wasn't getting any younger and I was already a year older than… No, I wasn't going to dwell on him tonight.
We got out of the car and headed up to the front door, where there was a line and Pam at the head of it. She saw us heading her way and she smiled and nodded, crooking her finger indicating we should head straight to the head of the line. Her eyes raked over me to the point where I felt a bit uncomfortable, but I ignore it. I should just be flattered, really.
"Sookie! You bring me our new friend. Go on in and Long Shadow will direct you to Eric's office." She smiled and pinched my cheek. Not the one on my face… I yipped and jumped a little. She laughed.
I wasn't sure what I expected, but this wasn't it. Fangtasia was the exact picture of cheesy gothic décor. Black and red. That was it. But near the back of the bar there was a small stage like area with what could only be described as a throne in the center of it. I wondered what that was for.
Sookie must have noticed my ogling and she smiled. "That's where Eric sits when he wants to give the patrons something to talk about."
"What a big headed, egotistical…"
"Sex God?" I jumped - again - out of my skin when Eric laid his hands on my shoulders popping up behind me out of nowhere.
"Jesus CHRIST!" I shouted.
"It is so sexy when you curse." He grinned and I sighed. He was so pretty!
"Don't DO that!" I begged, my heart finally going back to its rightful place in my chest.
"I am sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, lover." He purred. Really? "And where is your escort, Sookie?"
"It's a girl's night, Eric." She smiled. "Gin and tonic for me and a coke for Bella, please."
"Bella, mind if I bring you with me to the bar?" Eric asked. I smiled and took his arm. The people trickling into the bar were glaring at me. I didn't really care. "I hear you've remembered everything. Are you doing well with it?" He lifted my wounded hand and sniffed it, his fangs peeking out.
"I'm not too happy about it, but I do remember." I sighed and then winced when he put a small bit of pressure on my hand.
"Come." He said, and directed our drinks to Sookie's table nearest the stage. I followed behind him, nearly jogging to keep up. We ended up in his office and he shut the door. I knew I shouldn't be in a room alone with him, simply because I knew what I wanted to do with him. But, at the same time if I was willing how much did I really love Edward?
"So…what are we doing in here?" I said, just above a whisper.
"Blood bond… It's already begun because I gave you my blood when I saved you. I will give you as much as you need, whenever you need it, but that means I will be able to feel you and know where you are at all times. The more we do this the more potent it becomes. You may be able to feel me the same way. Especially if I ever take any of yours. The bond can be short term or long term, depending on the amount of blood and the amount of times we share it. You need to know this before I offer you more for your infected hand."
"My hand is infected?" I winced.
"Yes. It will only get worse. We could get you an antibiotic, but this would be faster and absolutely effective." He nodded.
"Will this make me love you? I mean, will I feel for you because of the blood? Will my emotions and stuff be my own?" I have read entirely too many smutty novels.
"It will heighten your libido, but it won't necessarily make you love me. You'll be drawn to me, but it's your choice what you want to do with it." Eric said, not looking at me. I could tell he was trying to act like it didn't matter, but that made me think it did.
"And you'd just be doing this to make me better, right? Not to trap me or something?" I eyed him. "I mean, I still have Edward to think about."
"I swear, no strings attached." He smiled. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes glazing over, but it was so slight and quick I could have been mistaken. So I nodded. He bit into his wrist and I began to drink. The feeling of it going through my body was amazing, and it made me kind of want to hump his leg.
As I moaned a little from the feeling and taste the door swung open. "Master…" Pam sounded odd.
"Bella?" Oh shit! I swung around, knowing there was blood all over my mouth and Eric's arm was wrapped around my waist. Edward stood there in the door, his eyes ablaze, with Pam's arm twisted at an odd angle behind her.
Fuck my life…