"The Devil You Know"

Chapter 12

Bella and Elena sat quietly in the living room having no idea what to say to one another. There was no going back and changing anything, Elena knew that. She also knew that Bella really did care for Klaus and he seemed to care for her. She wanted Bella happy, but this still was the man that had killed Jenna and who almost killed Jeremy…not to mention, he had killed her too.

Bella felt the same way except the guilt weighed on her. She felt like a sick masochist; loving someone that had caused her best friend so much pain.

Finally Bella couldn't take the silence anymore.

"What do you want to know?" Bell asked.

"Tell me about Edward," Elena said quietly.

Bella told her the whole story everything up to him leaving. Elena sat patiently and listened, but something was eating at her, it was telling her that the story didn't end with Bella in the woods.

"Bella," Elena said and took a deep breath, "Did your ties to Edward have anything to do with your parents' deaths?"

Bella nodded, "James had a mate…Victoria. She came for me; in her mind it should be a mate for a mate, but instead she found my dad, mom, and Phil at home." Bella said and she stood up too to look out the window. "Phil and mom had come down because they were worried about me; I wasn't myself. I was down at the reservation with Jake and the pack and I knew something was off, but I brushed it off. I was finally getting back to being normal that day with them. We were laughing and they taught me how to cliff jump; it was like I was feeling alive again. When I pulled up to the house, it was twilight and the feeling of something was wrong came back."

.*.*.*.*.*.

Two Years Ago - Forks, Washington

"Dad," Bella called out, walking into the dark house. "Mom? Phil?"

No answer then the smell hit her full force…rust and salt. Bella clutched her stomach and covered her mouth to keep herself from throwing up as she reached for the light switch.

The moment the light turned on Bella froze…blood was everywhere. Renee was lying on the stairs; her throat completely ripped out. Phil was lying at the entrance to the kitchen; his face was slashed and he was slashed across his chest. Lastly Charlie was in the living room, his hand still on his gun, but he never had the chance to get a shot off. Charlie's heart had been ripped out of his chest.

Bella couldn't move she just stood there looking at the three bodies over and over until finally she felt someone place their arms around her and she screamed bloody murder.

"Bella calm down," Jake said restraining her as she kicked and screamed as he pulled out of the house.

Sam came over to help Jake hold Bella down as Billy called the cops.

.*.*.*.*.*.

Present Day - Mystic Falls

"I was sedated for two days," Bella said, still looking out the window. "Victoria couldn't get to me so she decided to rip apart the most important people to me."

"Did you kill her?" Elena asked, still in shock at all the gory details of Bella's family's deaths.

"I didn't," Bella said, "The pack did. Vampires aren't the only supernatural creatures I've ran into. Jake and the pack are kind of like werewolves, except their change isn't as violent, it isn't triggered by killing someone, and they have always been able to change at will."

"How?" Elena asked.

"It's hereditary, passed down from generation to generation and it's only activated when Cold Ones are near." Bella explained, "You wanted Jeremy safe, well he's at the safest place he will ever be at. The pack would know immediately if a vampire was near and they don't ask questions when it comes to vampires on their territory."

"Well I feel a little better knowing that." Elena said mildly relieved. "Bella what is it about that bite and how you can go head to head with a vampire?"

"Well I'll tell you what Jake's sister told me," Bella said and turned to face Elena, "She's a researcher in the supernatural. She thinks that I already had some freaky thing going on with me which is why Edward couldn't read my mind and none of these vampires can compel me. So when I was bitten even though Edward sucked most of the venom out, some of it still lingered in my system. For the last couple years she thinks it's been manifesting and finally activated something like a mutation gene in me. I have a lot of their qualities; senses heightened, speed, strength, agility, etc. but I can control when I use it. She showed me how and that's another reason I didn't come back right away after I went to Forks. I started noticing the changes and I knew I needed to get them under control."

"Guess we have more in common than we ever thought we would," Elena said laughing dryly, "You dated a vampire that dumped you; I dated a vampire that dumped me."

"You are stuck deciding if you love an asshole, so am I," Bella said.

"So you do love him," Elena said, "Damon heard you."

"I do," Bella said, "So the lion fell in love with the lamb…what a stupid lamb…what sick masochistic lion."

"Bella?" Elena asked confused.

"A conversation I had a long time ago." Bella said and sighed, "Elena I have to be honest with you. I don't know how I feel about all of this; I'm so confused and I don't know what to do. Klaus helped me in a way you can't understand. It was before he came here and undid the curse, but you're my friend and he killed Jenna. Jenna was the cool older sister I always wanted."

"Bella what are you saying?" Elena asked, "Are you choosing him?"

"NO," Bella said, getting angry, "What I'm saying is I don't know what to feel or think. I need time, I need to step away and figure things out."

Elena only nodded, "You're right," she said, "I don't blame you, I've been there. Take what time you need and just know when you're ready I'll be here."

Bella nodded and walked out the door.

.*.*.*.*.*.

Bella was walking home when a car pulled up next to her.

"Bella," Klaus said getting out.

"Leave me alone," Bella said not even stopping.

Klaus blurred in front of her, "Please get in the car."

"NO," Bella said and started to walk again.

"Bella you're going to freeze," Klaus said, trying to reason and caught her arm, "You're lips are already turning blue. Please if not for me, then for your friends…they need you."

Bella didn't argue and merely nodded. Klaus removed his coat and placed it on Bella's shoulders and helped her in the car.

"You looked beautiful tonight," Klaus said as they drove to Bella's house, "I couldn't keep my eyes off you. You also seemed to impress my family as well, especially my mother."

"Well then my mission in life is fulfilled; I impressed the people who have been trying to kill my best friends." Bella said sarcastically.

They rode the rest of the way in silence and it felt like an eternity before they arrived at Bella's house. Bella didn't wait for anyone to open her door; she opened up the door and marched toward her house. As she unlocked the door, she felt someone grab her and turn her around,

"Klaus what are you doing?" Bella asked seeing Klaus looking intensely at her.

Klaus didn't answer; he just crashed his lips to hers and pulled her close to him. Bella tried to fight him off, but she couldn't deny her heart and instead wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

Finally they broke apart with Bella breathing heavily and lightheaded.

"Bella," Klaus said leaning close, cupping her chin in his hand, "Whatever you choose know that before you I had no heart; I threw it away a very long time ago, but somehow you found it and brought it back to me, but I don't deserve it. My heart will always belong to you; no one will ever know me like you do."

Klaus kissed Bella's forehead and walked away. Bella walked into the house, shut the door, and slumped to the ground allowing the tears she had been holding back to flow down her cheeks.

.*.*.*.*.*.

Two hours later Bella was just hopping out of the shower, still crying. She noticed her phone flashing and read the text message.

I'm okay just turns out I don't have any insurance. Going to just tape my hand, it will be okay ~ Matt

"Damn it," Bella said and put on a hoodie and flip flops while grabbing her keys.

.*.*.*.*.*.

Ten minutes later, Bella was walking into the grill and she saw Matt and Rebecca at the bar.

"Just leave me alone," Matt said walking away.

"Rough night," Damon said coming to stand next to Rebecca.

"I knew I should have killed him." Rebecca said jilted.

"Oh goody," Bella said coming up behind the both of them, "Another name to add to my list of who's asses I'm going to tear apart."

"Is your name on that list since you are sleeping with the enemy?" Damon asked, grabbing a bottle from behind the bar.

"First off," Bella said grabbing the bottle from Damon, "Don't grab shit from behind my bar, secondly tell your ego to take a walk not every woman is attracted to you and I'm at the top of that list, thirdly you don't know a damn thing so take whatever problems you have out of my bar, because I don't have time to deal with a vampire that's feeling sorry for himself. Finally here's some advice, you don't want to lose Elena then start trusting that she is capable of making decisions on her own. This is her life and she has every right to decide things especially like tonight with Esther. She had every right to confront the woman that tried to kill her so stop trying to control her, otherwise you will lose her and you'll be more pathetic than you already are." Bella said and walked away.

"Can I kill her?" Rebecca asked and Bella flipped her off.

"No," Damon said, "The only thing she's guilty of is telling the truth and the truth hurts." Damon poured him and Rebecca a shot and they took it. "So Rebecca I think you need someone more durable than Matt."

.*.*.*.*.*.

Bella walked over to Matt, "Get in my car." She said.

"Bella, I said I was okay," Matt said, shocked to see her.

"Don't argue, get in my car." Bella said and then she headed for the office.

"Bella," Roger said from behind the desk, "I thought you decided to take the night off."

"Roger," Bella said ignoring his comment, "I asked you a year ago to file some reports so that all the workers could have health insurance…why didn't you do it?"

"It was an unnecessary expense," Roger said whimsically, "It would cost more than it was worth."

"Do you own this bar?" Bella asked.

"NO, you own this place," Roger said.

"Did you hire the people here or finalize the order shipments or do anything other than over-see the place?" Bella asked.

"Well no," Roger replied.

"Good now that we have that cleared since I own this place and I handle all of the business when I tell you to do something you do it. I could care less that the insurance would cost more; I wanted my employees to have it because they needed it." Bella said.

"That's why there's individual health insurance Bella," Roger said acting as though she was an ignorant child, "Look you understand a lot of things, but when it comes to this, I know more about it so don't worry."

"I'm not worried," Bella said smiling, "You're fired."

"What?" Roger said yelling.

"I said you're fired. This is my bar and I'm your boss, when I tell you to do something you fucking do it no matter what you personally think. The other reason you're fired is because I'll be damned before I allow some glorified overpaid babysitter to tell me how to run my business." Bella said, "Now hand over your keys and get the hell out."

Roger stomped pass Bella, muttering curses as he threw down his keys on the floor.

Bella picked them up and headed out to the bar.

"Hey Tori," Bella said.

"Yeah boss," Tori replied.

"You're promoted," Bella said and handed her the keys.

"What happened with Roger?" Tori asked.

"He didn't do what I told him to do and decided he thought he knew how to run my bar." Bella replied simply, "Think you can do what I want you to? It's a pay raise and easier work."

"Yes," Tori said excited, "Thanks Bella."

"Just don't let me down," Bella said, "Look find someone to cover Matt's shift tomorrow, his hand's broken and also there's some paperwork I need you to fax off. It's in the filing cabinet; have all the employees fill it out and fax it to the number on the folder."

"You got it. Tell Matt get better." Tori said.

Bella walked out to her car where Matt was waiting.

"Why did Roger stalk out of the bar all pissed?" Matt asked.

"I fired him," Bella said.

"Why?" Matt asked shocked.

"Because a year ago I told him to have you all fill out paper for health insurance and he never had you do it." Bella replied.

"Where are we going?" Matt asked, deciding to let the Roger thing go.

"To the hospital," Bella said, "On your paper work when you applied for the job you listed me as yours and Vicki's guardian since your mom is well ya know. Anyways my health insurance covers me and any people I'm guardian of so we are going back to the hospital and you are getting a cast."

"You are just full of surprises," Matt said smiling.

Bella smiled back, "You have no idea."

.*.*.*.*.*.

"Well Mr. Donovan in a few weeks you'll be throwing the ball in no time." The doctor said as he finished the cast, "Also for the next couple days no heavy lifting to let the cast settle."

"You got it doc," Matt said.

Bella drove Matt back to the grill to get his truck then she followed him home.

"You know I can take care of myself," Matt said stepping out of the truck.

"I know," Bella said walking over to him, "But I just wanted to make sure you got home okay."

"You wanna come in?" Matt asked.

"Sure but only for a minute." Bella said and walked in.

Matt and Bella sat down in the living room.

"You know I promoted Tori," Bella said. "Once your hand heals, you feel like getting a promotion too?"

"Bartender?" Matt asked, "Really what about the alcohol commission?"

"I'll handle them," Bella said, "It would mean more tips."

"You know we don't hate you right Bells?" Matt said suddenly.

"You guys may not, but I do." Bella replied, "If I had come back sooner, none of this would have happened."

"You don't know that," Matt said and moved to sit closer to Bella, "You can't spend your life looking at what you should have done. There's no changing anything that's happened."

"So where do I go Matt?" Bella asked, "I love him, he makes me feel like I'm everything…Edward never did that; he always tried to keep me in a bubble."

"It's okay that you love him," Matt said, "Look it seems to me that you've seen a side of him that none of us knew he had."

"Doesn't change anything though Matt," Bella replied, "He killed Jenna, he killed Elena, and he's tried using all of you to get what he wants."

"But you still love him," Matt countered, "I don't know what to tell you to do Bella, but there is one thing you can't do."

"What's that?" Bella asked.

"You can't run away from the situation you're in. I know you did that before, but this time you can't. You have to deal with this and make a decision. It won't be easy; nothing we deal with ever is, but you have to make the decision that's best for you no matter what anyone thinks." Matt said nudging her, "Your life is just that…yours. You decide how to live it and who to live it with."

"How is it that out of all of us you have the clear head?" Bella asked.

"That's the beauty of being first off single, and secondly I'm just that good." Matt said laughing.

Bella nudged him back and he hugged her.

"No matter what you decide Bella, I'll always be there for you." Matt said and Bella squeezed him hard.

"At least I know I'll always have you." Bella said, tears starting to fall.

Matt pulled away, "Hey," he said grabbing her chin, "You'll always have all of us. Friends don't abandon each other no matter what happens or who they choose to be with." Matt wiped away her tears, "Go home and get some rest boss, out of all of us you need it."

Bella nodded and Matt walked her to the door.

"Take the day off tomorrow," Bella said giving Matt one last hug, "I got your shift covered."

"Thanks Bells," Matt said.

Bella got in her car and the moment she walked into her house, exhaustion washed over her. She slowly climbed up the stairs and the moment her head hit her pillow she passed out.

A/N: Hey everyone surprise update! Good news my big paper has been turned in and now I am just awaiting the grade. Who knows if it's good you might get another update.

Thank you Dark~Supernatural~Angel and AllyDLV for your pure amazingness and wonderful advice about anything and everything.

Review you guys and have a wonderful week!