chapter 9: Hospital

Bella POV

The dog had just left and I had been in the same position ever since. Unmoving, looking straight up at the starry sky. My ears were ringing and in my head the man's voice kept playing like a broken record. I have no idea how much time passed until a howl that sounded powerful among the trees sprang me into action. Without moving too much I turned my head to the left where the battle between man and dog had taken place. What I saw made me crawl as far away as possible before the bloody mess that was my attacker before I threw up. My purse had fallen near me and trembling i picked it up and retrieved my cell phone. I dialed 911. A man picked up almost immediately.

"911 what is your emergency?"

"I... I... was attacked"

"I'm sorry I didn't hear you, speak up please"

"I was attacked"

I whispered. The bored tone of the man changed immediately

"Where are you sweetie?"

"The park"

"Which park?"

"I don't know"

tears had began to leak from my eyes

"it's ok sweetie. What's your name?"

"Bella"

"ok Bella, tell me what you see around you"

"Trees, benches and a small statue"

"What does the statue portray?"

I described it as much as I could in the darkness and the man told me he understood where I am and he'd sent a car immediately. I was too tired to reply and the black spots came more and more and i closed my eyes hugging my knees. Soon sirens were heard and blue and red lights lit up the darkness. I didn't move. I heard people and I cowered even more.

I felt a hand on my shouldered and I whimpered

"Bella?"

A soothing female voice asked. I nodded. I didn't think i could speak at that moment.

"My name is Liz Forbes. I'm the sheriff. You're safe now."

I nodded again

"Is the man who attacked you still here sweetheart?"

Without a word I lifted my arm and pointed to the ... mess on my left. The woman said something and more footsteps approached and passed me.

"Holy shit!"

"Brian!"

The woman was quick to scold the man who had obviously just found the remains of my attacker.

"Can you open your eyes for me sweetheart?

Slowly I obeyed blinking a lot. in front of me, blocking my view was a woman in her late thirties with short blond hair and a few worry lines. She was dressed in a police uniform. her expression reminded me too much of Charlie and without thinking I threw myself in her and wept like a baby. If she was surprised she didn't show it and hugged me back

No POV

Living in Mystic Falls her whole life Liz Forbes had seen a lot of things. Not only the normal robberies, drunk kids, druggies and even a few rapes on the outskirts of the town. The past month though she was forced to admit that the stupid legends of the older people were resl. Vampires did exist. One was around and had killed more than a fair share of the town's population. She had been chasing it and after one very long month, tonight the vampire had been apprehended. By one Damon Salvatore.

Watching him push a stake though it's heart shocked her. She was a cop and she was used having her gun and badge for protection. But staking someone? She wasn't sure if she could have done it and he made it look so normal, every day like. She didn't like him and she sure didn't want him dating her daughter but tonight he had proved his loyalties to the town.

She sent the body of the vampire with one of her trusted deputies to burn it at the crematorium of the old church and was about to return home to her drunk daughter when her radio went off. With a groan she picked it up. Lukas, the deputy on call tonight said a girl had been attacked at the old park near the cemetery. She told him she'd go and he should send one more car instead of himself - seriously a womanizer like Lukas with an attacked girl? Recipe for disaster.

Making an illegal u-turn she headed for the park using one of the old shortcuts she remembered from her teen years. Her lights hit the form of a trembling person that was cowered in itself. Liz's heart broke at the sight and quickly picked her radio and exited the car. The girl seemed to be alone so she approached her. The girl was silent except for a few sobs and only nodded to her questions. When the back up cruiser pulled in she asked the girl if the attacker was still around, fat chance, she knew but it was procedure. It seemed that what she had thought was a dead animal was the attacker. She motioned for the deputy to go check it out and was fast to scold him for his foul use of language when she saw the girl cringe. Making sure she was blocking the view she removed the girl's hands from her face and watched as her eyes blinked open.

The girl was half naked. Her blouse was tore open, blood slowly dripping on her stomach, bare torso and more blood from a wound on her neck. A bad bruise on her left cheek and black lines from crying that ruined the makeup made up for the girl's appearance making her look so young and alone. When she threw herself at Liz's arms all the woman could do was hug her back and hold her close. She removed her police issued dark blue jacket and covered the girl in it protecting her from the cold air. Slowly she hauled the girl up refusing Brian's help knowing that it wouldn't be welcome and would frighten the girl even more. Still holding the girl liz limped towards her car and gently placed her inside.

"Brian I'm taking her to the hospital. Wait for the doctor on call and gather what's left of him and meet me at the station 'k?"

"yeah boss"

Brian loved to tease her by calling her boss when he was ten years older than her. He had an accident that caused him the chief's chair and she was promoted ahead of him. Joining the girl in the car she headed to the hospital. Lukas had called ahead and they were met at the ER doors by a female nurse who took the now numb Bella in and showed her to what would be her room. Liz cornered the doctor who told her she had to wait outside.

At the room Bella was laying on her side clutching to the jacket the woman had put around her for dear life. She knew she was in shock and for the first time since she was a little girl she wanted her daddy. The woman or rather her jacket smelled like her daddy and that comforted her. A middle aged blond doctor came into the room and started checking her for injuries. He pushed a set of pills down her throat and Bella numbed even more. She felt detached as if she was watching a movie. She answered the doctor's questions, saw him more than felt him stitch her arm where the dogs claws had pierced her skin just inches higher than the place James bit her. The nurse came in next and placed her legs on stirrups as she gave her an exam to see if she was raped. Apparently her panties were no more and handed her a pair of pink scrubs to wear as the police would need what was left of her clothes. The blond woman came in next asking her questions about the attack. She seemed shocked to find out that a dog saved her life, the attacker had told her what he planned on doing to her before he killed her and she shivered at the memory. Soon her eyes drifted closed thanks to the IV that pumped fluids to her body.

The doctor shook his head and went outside to join the sheriff.

"how is she?"

"numb, thankfully. I gave her a set of sedatives to help her sleep tonight. What happened to her?"

"According to her testimony she was at the park when the man came out of nowhere. She tried to fight him off but he was bigger and stronger and hit her. Then this large dog appeared and fought him off. From her story I don't know whether to find and put this dog down or give it a medal and a job"

"she does have a cut from canine claws you know"

"Seriously? No dog could have done what happened to this man Noah"

"I don't know Liz, maybe it's a rabid dog? We should wait till morning; the sedatives should wear off in about 4 hours and take her statement again. Do you know who she is?"

"no but he boys did find her purse. Hopefully she has a driver's license or id"

After bidding the doctor goodbye Liz left and returned to the station. No matter how much she wanted to go home she had a ton of paperwork about the vampire and how it'd be put under and now this girl. Caroline and their fight over the alcohol would have to wait. Again.