Rating: M

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer own all of Twilight

A/N…Lots of angsty stuff over the next couple chapters but they will be stronger for it. Thanks to my beta girls T & A who, even though they have their own RL, they always manage to take care of me. J & J, thanks for being my friends. Good night, Scarlet.

CHAPTER 10

Bella

"Jasper, call 911"

"NO!" I scream.

"Why the fuck not, Isabella?" He shouts back at me.

"Edward, please don't yell at me. I don't want the cops here. I don't want to deal with them. I'm too far from home and I don't want to do this here. Please?" I plead with him.

"I'm sorry, but we need to talk about this. He can't be left to do this again Bella. Are you alright though? Let me look at you." He looks me over and gently touches my head and face searching for more injuries. "Fuck Bella, what did he do to you? Em, get me a damp cloth. Jazz, I need an ice pack."

"I don't want to be naked in front of you guys, Edward." I cry into his chest.

"You're not, baby. You're wrapped in a blanket and are completely covered." He was comforting me, being so kind and gentle, which causes me to start crying.

"He hit me hard. Damn, it hurts. Is it bad? Do I look bad?" I look up at him and can barely see out of my right eye. Edward's eyes start to water.

When I look up at Emmett and Jasper, they look helpless. Here I am lying on the floor, half naked, with a bruised face and my eye practically swollen shut.

"So much for first impressions, eh guys?" I say to them, trying to lessen the tension in the room, making them chuckle. "Hi, I'm Isabella… Bella Swan." I say, especially for Edward's benefit, recalling our first introduction.

He gets the joke, smiles and says, "Guys, meet Isabella Bella Swan." And he wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. I know he is crying and is hurting for me. This just brings him into my heart that much deeper.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella. I'm Jasper and this thug right here is Emmett." They are both looking at me helplessly. "Is there anything we can do for you or get for you, Bella?"

"Would one of you run upstairs and grab me a shirt to put on?" Jasper is right on it and runs upstairs, returning with a t-shirt he found on the chair. Emmett and Jasper turn around while Edward helps me put my t-shirt on over my head, taking care not to touch my face.

Edward then hands Emmett the towel and asks him to rinse it out with cold water while he wraps me back in the blanket, "God knows what we would have walked in on if we had been just a few seconds later." He says to me quietly.

He is nearly breaking my bones he is holding me so tight. He is really hurting for me. Making my heart swell and break at the same time.

"Would one of you get my cell phone out of my sock? I hid it there in case he tried to take it from me." I ask and Jasper reaches under my pant leg and hands it to me.

"I want to read your text, Edward" Edward looks down for a second and then opens my phone, showing it to me.

E: almost there. i'm falling for you girl

I couldn't help it then, I start sobbing and all the boys are desperate to help me but are totally helpless.

Edward had sent me a message. A message to give me hope, something to hold onto to.

"Thank you all so much. I won't lie, I was scared to death when I saw him standing there with that knife. I think he just wanted to use it to cut my clothes off of me but I wasn't sure." I can't help the sobs that are escaping me now.

"Edward, I can't even think about what would have happened if I hadn't run you off the road that day." I continue to sob and he gives me another bone crushing hug.

"He's gone now, baby. Let's get you cleaned up. How's that sound? Hmmm? Jazz, would you open a bottle of that Chardonnay Reserve in the fridge? I think we could all use something to drink." Jazz jumps at the prospect of having something to do. Emmett goes to the bar and pours three stiff shots of Jack Daniels for them.

"Can you stand up, Bella? You need to get changed. I'll take you upstairs and you can wash your face, okay?"

"Okay. You aren't leaving are you?" I look out at Jasper and Emmett.

"No, we'll be right here." They say, watching me climb the stairs.

"I'm hungry too. If you guys want to stay for dinner, can you see what's around to eat?" I say as I walk up the stairs toward my room.

Edward helps me to my room and asks if I need any help. "Under normal circumstances Edward, I would love for you to undress me, but I'm not feeling the love today if you know what I mean."

I give him the best smile I can come up with. He lifts my chin and tells me I am beautiful, which is the kindest thing he could say to me since I know I am a complete and utter bruised up mess.

"Thank you Edward. I'm going to take a hot shower and then I'll be down in just a few minutes. Please don't leave until I come down, okay? Please stay for dinner with me, if you all want to."

He gets that sad look on his face again and holds me to him closely, whispering in my ear, "Baby, I am not leaving you alone tonight, that is a promise."

Oh, thank God. I felt a visible relief come over me hearing him say that. I did not want to be alone in this house tonight.

I go into the bathroom to survey the damage to my face and jump at seeing the nasty black eye and bruise on my cheek. Fuck! I look and feel like shit. I drink an entire glass of wine in three huge gulps and a shutter wracks my body because wine is meant to sip not chug.

I step into the shower and feel the soothing hot water run over me. It feels so good to wash my hair and body. It's as if I am washing Jacob off of me. I think about how close I came to dying. God only knows how far Jake would have gone. I am so grateful that Edward and his brothers made it here when they did. I get out of the shower and apply the lotion that Edward likes all over my body.

I find my long sleeved thermal PJ top with matching bottoms and gently comb my hair, leaving it down because it hurt too bad to touch my scalp. When I make it back downstairs the guys are huddled around the kitchen counter and I know they are discussing what happened. I don't even want to know what they are saying.

The boys have made a simple, but flavorful feast of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, one of my very favorite comfort meals. When they see me at the bottom of the stairs, Jasper walks over and gives me a gentle hug and tells me that he's happy I'm okay and wishes he could have met me under better circumstances.

Emmett walks up to give me a hug as well and whispers in my ear that Edward is a mess and that he hopes Jacob is never seen again because he doesn't want to have to bail Edward out of jail.

Edward then walks up to me and places his hands on my shoulders and looks at my face. Not saying a word, he wraps me into his arms as if he won't ever let me go.

I thanked all of them and ask for another glass of wine. I can't wait to dig into the nice meal they made. I love a warm, gooey grilled cheese sandwich.

"When I was a little girl, my mom used to make me tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on cold winter nights like this." I take my seat at the dining table and notice that someone has built a fire. There's something comforting about being in a cozy room with a fire. I look at it and smile then glance around the table at all the boys to see who did it and they all smile back at me. I guess it doesn't matter. I dig into my warm cheesy sandwich. Perfect!

After a long silence, I hear myself gasp. "Oh shit!" I say outloud. "Rose is going to have a cow. She hates Jacob anyway but she is going to flip when she sees my face Edward." I reach over to hold his hand. Rose is very protective of those she loves and there is no safe place for Jacob now. She won't kill him but I don't even want to know what she will do.

"I guess this puts a kink in our plans for tomorrow and Saturday, huh? Maybe we can think of something else to do?" Emmett says, quietly contemplating other ideas.

"Not really. We were going to stay here for dinner on Saturday anyway, presuming you all still want to come over. If this has been too much for you, I totally understand." I know this is way too much drama for the normal person, but for three gorgeous, eligible bachelors to walk in on this kind of mess, would be too much I would think.

They all jump in saying, "hell no" they were still good as long as I was.

"As far as tomorrow night, I won't be going out. I don't want to go out in public looking like this so the girls and I will probably hang out and get shit faced in the hot tub."

Emmett jumps up and shouts, "Hells yeah. A hot tub party with a bunch of beautiful babes! What time Bella baby?"

I start to laugh but when I look over at Edward he is looking at something on the floor. He gets up and goes to the end of the couch, picking up whatever it is. I stay where I am but the guys go over to him to see what it is. When Edward walks back over to me he starts running his hand through my hair. When he touches the side of my head, I flinch. He starts looking through my hair and then wraps his arms around my head and holds me close to his stomach. I pull away from him and stand up.

"What? What is that Edward?" I ask. I look at Emmett and Jasper and they just look down at their dinner.

"EDWARD GODDAMN IT, WHAT IS IT?" I yell and grab his hand and find a huge chunk of my hair. I must have a bald spot where Jacob pulled it out. My eyes fill with tears as I look at him. I sigh and sit back down at the table, drinking my soup.

"Bella, I am telling you now, that if I see that motherfucker again I will kill him." Edward threatens.

"Stop it Edward. You will not do this." I stand up to look at him. "I will not have you or your brothers getting into any trouble with the law on my behalf do you understand me?" I say looking around the table at everyone.

"You all saved me tonight and I am so very grateful you came when you did but your involvement with him must end here. I will take care of it when I get home, if Rose doesn't do it first. Heaven forbid. I almost want you guys here tomorrow when she arrives just to keep her under control once she sees me."

"I am not leaving your side until they get here Bella." Edward goes to the kitchen to pour me another glass of wine

"Bella, he's pretty shaken up. He won't leave you until he is sure you aren't in any danger." Emmett says low enough for just me and Jasper to hear.

Jasper looks at me, holding my shoulders, "Our brother has fallen for you little girl and that means you have a protector for life and with him, so comes us."

Emmett steps next to Jasper and wraps his arm around his shoulder. Then Edward steps up and does the same.

"It's the 3 Musketeers." I giggle, holding my hand to my heart.

I hear the three of them vowing to protect me and can't hold the tears back any longer and I start to cry again for the umpteenth time tonight. I can't believe I have fallen in love with these three wonderful men.

"I hold my friends near and dear to my heart," I say to them clenching my fist to my chest. "Once you are in here, there is no escape. Rosalie and Alice were the only ones in here and now the three of you have taken up residency. You are there for life, I hope you understand that." I say to all three of them and to seal the deal, all three come over to me and kiss my cheek, except for Edward. He gets a special kiss.

Edward tells me that he wants to shower and change out of his ski clothes and asks the guys to stay with me while he runs home. "Sure, we will." Emmet says.

"Will you be alright, Bella? I won't be long." He assures me.

"Hurry back, I'll miss you." I say, throwing my arms around his waist. He gives me a quick kiss and leaves.

Once he leaves, I make the dreaded call to Rosalie.

"Hey Rosie. You got a minute?... Yeah, no, I'm not feeling too hot. That's why I'm calling…. No, no…. I still want you to come but I have something to tell you…. No, Edward is great, it's all good there…. his brothers are sitting here with me though." I look over at them and they shout out their hellos to Rosie.

"Well, can I put you on speaker? Okay you are talking with Emmett and Jasper too."

"Hey guys." Rose shouts out.

"Hey Rosalie." They say in return.

"I put this call on speaker in case I need help with my story. The reason Edward isn't here is because he is rather pissed off right now and I don't want to upset him any further."

"What the fuck is going on Bella? Should I be scared?" Rose belts out.

"I had a visitor come and see me today. Jacob found me on the mountain this morning."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" She yells. "What the fuck does he want?"

Emmett and Jasper look at each other laughing at her vernacular. I whisper to them so Rose can't hear me "See… what did I tell you? She is going to be pissed."

"Going to be pissed, Bella? I already am pissed. What did he want?" She heard and responded.

"He came here to reclaim what he felt was rightfully his apparently. He found me on the slopes with Edward this morning but we were able to get rid of him, or so we thought." I close my eyes recounting the events.

"Someone either gave him the address where I was staying or he followed me home but when the doorbell rang…" I pause, "Rose, I swear to God I honestly thought it was Edward because he's the only one that knows where I am but when I opened the door Jacob forced his way in." By this time I'm starting to lose it so Emmett takes over.

"Hey Rose, this is Emmett. Bella sent a couple of 911 texts to Edward. We didn't get the first one but when she sent the second one we got here as soon as we could."

"That mother-fucking-fucker. Bella, did he hurt you?" She asks but I can't answer her.

"Bella? Did he put his fucking hands on you?" She demands. "Answer me goddamn it." I am sobbing again at this point.

"Emmett? Answer me goddamn it." Rose shouts.

"Yes Rose. He beat her up pretty bad. Her eye is swollen shut, she has a black eye, her left cheek has a nasty bruise and he pulled a good sized chunk of hair out….." Emmett pauses not wanting to say the rest in front of me.

"What else?" She demands further.

Silence.

"What else, Emmett? Take me off speaker and tell me." Emmett takes the phone outside and tells Rosalie what they walked in on and then comes back into the house.

"Bella, we are back on speaker with Rose." Em says.

"Bella, I am getting Alice and we are leaving tonight. We will be there around midnight."

"No Rose, it's alright. Please, don't drive so late. It's been snowing and the roads are icy. I have Emmett and Jasper here with me right now and Edward is staying with me tonight. He just ran home to change out of his ski clothes. You are already leaving first thing in the morning as it is. I will just see you as planned, okay?"

"Emmett, Jasper? Do you think this is alright?" Rose asks them.

"Hi Rose, it's me, Jasper. I think this is a good plan. We are here right now and Edward will be with her tonight and we are only 20 minutes away. Edward won't leave her until you and Alice get here, that is a promise."

"Fuck, are you telling me it took 20 minutes for you guys to get there and she was alone with him that whole time? Bella, sweetie, I love you so much. I am so glad they got there when they did." She is crying now too.

"I love you too, Rosie."

"Hey Rose," I say, "I know we had plans to go out tomorrow night but I'm not feeling up to doing that now. I was thinking, as a thanks for being my knights in shining armor, that a drunken hot tub party is warranted. Are you game?"

"Fuck yeah! Bikini optional?" Gotta love Rose.

A/N… Okay, the drama isn't quite over yet. I have received a lot of comments about Jacob and although he ran into the night, he will get his. Also, Edward and Bella have had their hearts broken in major ways so they are very protective of their hearts. What they are going through is a learning process. Hang in there with them….good things come to those who wait.