Bella

The door was barged open with lightning speed. I knew that it wasn't because he was dying or because it was fatal, no, it was because he was Jasper Hale and everyone knew that. He was practically shoved on table when I brought him to the hospital, which he objected to. Then they rolled him in like the president. He complained and protested as doctors swarmed around him like bees. I was able to grip a metal rail and lean over him.

"It's nice to know you'll be okay." I said, a watery smile on my face.

He watched me, slightly wide-eyed, "Bella…"

"Okay, inject." One doctor said, raising a ready syringe.

I shuddered as the doctor looked at me for my consent. I didn't know why exactly, but I nodded. Whatever it took to make him better. The doctor went back to work and Jasper gnashed his teeth together as they prodded his arm, "No!" He practically growled, "Bella!" He reached a hand towards me. I knew I was betraying him in the worst way possible as I stepped away. "Bella!" The needle slid through his skin. His eyes met mine and I watched warily as the eyelids drooped. I swear, I heard him mutter my name one more time before he fell under. Immediately, all the nurses prodded and checked through his body while rolling him away. When I tried to get passed the nurse, she held me back, shaking her head.

I bundled up in Jasper's giant hoodie and said, "Please, he's my boyfriend. This is all my fault. I just have to…"

"Sorry, ma'am. You can visit another time." She shut the double doors behind her and jogged down the long corridor after my unconscious Jasper. I stood there for a while, knees pressed together, hands disappearing into his jacket, and looking utterly hopeless. God, this was my entire fault, truly and completely. I was such an idiot, allowing everything to go this far. If I had told the school that I was dating Jasper, Lauren and Leah would've given up by now and none of this would've happened.

"Bella! Bella!" I turned to see Victoria and Alice making their way towards me; Alice nervous and wary, wringing her fingers and Victoria red and frustrated, her hands in fists. I grimaced and shook my head at them before turning around the corner. I had no idea where I was going, I just wanted to be away from those two. After Victoria had practically screamed to the high Heavens that she wanted to demand what was going on between the two of us, Alice had cried out big tears and whined my name. I left in a taxi quickly; there was no way I was going to listen to that. "Bella, don't you run away from us!"

My arm was gripped tightly in a feminine hand and I yanked it from Victoria's constricted grip and snapped at her, "What, Tori?"

"What, Tori? What, Tori? Is that all you have to say to me?" She instantly hissed venomously, her hair swirling around her wildly and trying to stare me down.

"Go away." I muttered at her. Alice flinched away at my tone.

"No!" Victoria gripped my wrist hard, "You do not get to tell us that! You do not just get to lie to us for who knows how long and then fucking tell us to go just because you're the liar!"

"You don't understand…"

"No, I understand fully. You lied to me! You said that you hated that guy! And what did you call him? Your boyfriend! Boyfriend, Bella! And you fucking love him? How hypocritical of you. Bagging on Alice when you've fallen for a Hale." She was shouting at that point.

My eyes narrowed into slits, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"I did it for you!" She suddenly exploded, her hand twisting around my wrist and it ached under her strength, "Do you think I really like James? Do you think I actually want to be with a guy like that?" She screamed at me, releasing my wrist to grip her wild hair in her hands, practically ripping it from her skull.

Alice whimpered worriedly and backed away from both of us with teary eyes.

"W-What're you talking about?" I whispered, completely flabbergasted at her anger. I had never seen Victoria so out of control, so livid at me or Alice, so upset at something I didn't know.

"I love Edward." She grounded out slowly with flaming eyes and mine widened as she glared hard at me, "And you took him away from me. After everything, after all I've done for you! And you kiss him right under my fucking nose!" I couldn't get over my shock. It was impossible. Victoria was constantly insulting Edward and always talking about James. There was absolutely no way she could…love him. How absurd. And she wasn't making no sense. How had I stolen him? He had kissed me! This was all completely fucked up.

I could see all the nurses and patients had paused, now watching with wide, curious eyes. Obviously, they were waiting for us to explode on each other. I couldn't imagine myself attacking Victoria though or her the other way around. Was this friendship a lie to her though? Was she just pretending with me? And was Alice going along with it? I could feel tears sting my eyes and I darted my gaze to my shy best friend and she glanced away nervously. That was enough for me. I steeled my gaze and Victoria gnashed her teeth together.

"Ever since middle school, I've protected you. And then you had to bat those big brown eyes and practically stole all the fucking guys away. Edward is such an idiot!" her eyes filled with tears while I watched with shock, "Over the summer, I…I was going to confess…I just…I saw him with you during sophomore year and…you guys were laughing and kidding around…I couldn't do it." She laughed, hysterical at this point, "You're perfect for him," tears rolled down red face, "But you gave it all up for a fucking Hale!" She shouted again, advancing on me. My eyes widened as she took a few steps towards me, "I hate you!" Alice screamed and Victoria lunged.

I wasn't prepared. I had never gotten into a fight before. I squeaked when her hands knotted into my long hair and shoved me against the wall. She screamed over and over, "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" A second later, her hands were yanked from my tresses and her arms were pulled behind her back, locking them there as she thrashed and screamed. I flinched against the wall as the doctors all held her wiggling, cursing body down. Her red hair covered her crimson face. One nurse hesitantly walked around the building crowd to grip Victoria's arm. The teenager shrieked again as the needle pierced her skin. Alice blubbering in the corner, gripping her white board tightly. I watched as Victoria slowly calmed, sagging against the floor with small whimpers. Drool eased from her mouth and her eyelids fluttered. They hoisted her up and carried her from the hallway.

I leaned against the wall with wide eyes and my mouth opened in shock. I still couldn't process she had done that. I could see the anger, the primal urge to rip my throat out in her eyes. I turned my gaze on Alice. She opened her mouth and closed it at least five times before she wrote sloppily on her board, 'I'm so sorry.'

My throat felt tight, "Me too." I turned the other way, cuddling snuggly in Jasper's jacket. I inhaled his scent over and over, trying to calm myself. My best friend had just attacked me and Alice couldn't even defend herself. I licked my dry, chapped lips and ran a hand through my messy hair. I slowly slid down the wall, feeling everything way down on me, hitting deep in my chest. I heard the soft shoes hitting the ground and looked up to see my mother. She had her hair tied back and a grim frown on her lips.

"You're going to scare the other nurses." She murmured.

"I don't care." I replied in the same tone.

She offered a tiny smile before taking a seat next to me on the linoleum floor. She sat there with me for about thirty minutes in silence before she flipped through her clipboard and sighed, "I know his room number. They should be done by now. Especially because he's a Hale." When I didn't reply, she smoothed down my hair, "I'm…I saw what happened between you in Victoria. She'll get over it."

"Yeah," I said vaguely, but there wasn't a hint of emotion in my voice. My mom frowned.

"Love makes us do stupid things, Bella. You should know." She stood fluidly, handed me a short sticky note then continued on her way. I glanced down at the number: 327. I walked slowly to the stairs, taking them two at a time, though I stumbled half the time and finally made it to the third floor. I pushed past the double doors and found the door. I took a deep, shaky breath and shoved the door out of my way.

I heard the beeps first and that my eyes water almost immediately. His face looked peaceful though. His mouth was slightly parted for air and his hair was tousled. The tan complexion was back and his skin was slightly flushed. He looked much better than I was imagining. Then my eyes fell on his left arm. It wasn't wrapped in one of those hard casts that I had many times, but more of wraps around his arm. Thin, white fabric that was more a protective skin than armor. It was wrapped all the way down to his fingers, but other than that, he appeared fine. I hesitantly shifted in the room, testing the floorboard before taking another deep breath and walked into the room fully. I touched the soft, warm blanket covering his feet and legs. I rubbed up to his chest and felt his heart thump tranquilly against my hand. Then I touched his lips and brushed down his hair.

When I sat down in the chair beside his bed, I looked down at my lap, allowing the shame to sweep over me. "Sorry, Jas." For hours, I sat there, watching him sleep and his eyelids flutter. He muttered something and shifted in the bed. When my bladder felt like it was going to burst, I had to leave. I quickly went to the bathroom and watched my hands. I put my messy hair in a ponytail and moved back to the room. The door was cracked open and I was sure I had closed it behind me. I caught a look of Jasper's blond head moving slightly and a taller figure over him. I quickly hid on the wall, slamming my back flat against it.

"…understand though, don't you?" It was a familiar voice. Someone I didn't hear a lot. Carlisle. So he had probably heard and came to see if his fake-son was okay? That was good. So Jasper's family wasn't all bad, I guess. I leaned closer, listening intently to their murmuring voices, "You know what your grandfather said. And I can't believe you let it escalade to this."

Jasper didn't reply.

"Are you even listening? You do know what this means don't you?" Carlisle snapped venomously. I flinched away at his tone.

Jasper shifted in his bed; I could hear the metal creak, "I'm not a fool, Carlisle. I know what this is."

"Have you told her?"

I froze. Were they talking about me? No. They couldn't be.

"Told who, uncle?" Jasper questioned dryly.

"The girl, Jasper! The girl who seems to follow you around and Marcus can't get a handle on her. You know he hasn't found out who the hell she is and why you're so attached to her."

"I'm not attached," Jasper retorted calmly, "I'm in love with her."

There was a short, tense silence before there was the sound of shuffling paper. I leaned around slightly to see Carlisle had smacked a manila folder onto Jasper's bed. Jasper stared down at it curiously and picked it, flipping open the file slowly. His eyes scanned across the paperwork quickly, fluttering back and forth and flipping the pages hurriedly. Every page that was turned, his eyes darkened and hardened until they resembled hard stones. I had never seen him so angry. He threw the binder up in the air and the paper scattered everywhere. My eyes widened as Jasper glared hatefully at uncle, who wasn't shocked at his nephew's outburst.

"You've been stalking us? Her?" He breathed out between clenched teeth.

"I have to ensure your safety, Jasper."

"Bullshit! You don't give two fucks about me. But when I actually find someone, you rat my ass out to my grandfather!" he took a deep breath to steady himself then spoke out slowly, "How long?"

"Since you left Italy."

"Fuck!" Jasper snarled in rage, fisting his hands in his hair before leaning back in his bed. He winced when his arm hit the fabric hard. Carlisle sighed and shook his head.

"You need rest. You have two broken ribs and a pretty deep muscle bruise in your lower back. Two of your fingers are fractured and your entire arm is sprained." He picked up his briefcase while I cringed at every new injury stored in my brain, "And all this," his uncle turned away with disgusted look on his face, "for that girl. I hope she's worth it."

My heart thudded in my ears as Carlisle started walking towards the door. I was too shocked to move. He moved the door aside and his eyes met mine. I couldn't find anything to say and just stuttered uselessly. He shook his head after a while and turned the other way, shrugging on his trench coat. I stood there for another few seconds before I bent down to the doorway and picked up one sheet of paper. It had my name on it, a copy of my birth certificate, and a baby picture, right when I was put into the nursery with the other infants. I shuddered and grabbed another paper. It was a photo of Jasper and me; I looked very frustrated and he was smiling, patting my head as I fumed. All of them, pictures and words, some of them I could comprehend and I was seventeen in the twelfth grade.

"Hey." I heard the croak and glanced up to see Jasper watching me with a heated gaze. When he saw my hectic gawp, he sighed, "Bella, I never meant for it—"

"You're okay." I marveled over him. He frowned and his eyebrows merged, "I'm glad." I said with a small smile, my eyes stinging once again.

He stared at me for a few seconds before offering a gentle, pained smile of his own, "Yeah, I'm fine." There was a short pause as I stacked the documents together and placed them back in the binder, handing it back to him. He allowed it to fall into his lap then looked back up at me curiously, "You aren't mad?"

"Actually," I crossed my arms under my chest, nestling deeper in his baggy, baggy jacket, "I am."

He tensed visibly, "Which part?"

I took the long steps forward to reach the right side of his bed and punched his shoulder as hard as I could. He winced away and cursed lowly while my knuckles throbbed. Jasper tried to reach his hand up to rub his new injury, but pause when he saw the bandaged limb. I took a deep breath and let it go, "I'm not angry about the secrets of your family and your stalking relatives. I'm mad because you're so stupid."

"W-What?"

"God, Jas! You could've died!" I cried. He chuckled, pressing the heel of his hand against his forehead, pushing back his hair, "It's not funny!" I insisted before my expression softened, "I was so worried. I thought you were really hurt…I thought…I would lose you." I murmured.

"I was scared too," he muttered quietly, "I moved you out of the way, but I didn't have enough time to grab onto the edge. So I fell for you." He reached up his right hand and cradled my head, fitting through the loose strands, "Are you hurt?"

"No." I removed his hand from my skin and sat on his good side, "Thanks to you." I said bitterly.

He cracked a wry smile, "Love you too, Bella." Then he winced and snuggled deeper into his hard pillow.

"Get some sleep, idiot." I whispered, glancing away from him.

He gripped my hand, "Don't leave."

"Yes, sir."

XOXO

"Bella," I turned in my seat to see Leah standing there. She was closer than I would've liked and her face was clear of any makeup, her hair tied back. I had never seen her like this. Her hazel eyes flashed with concern and frustration, "I-I'm sorry. I think it went too far last week."

"You think?" I questioned sarcastically, taking a seat in my Art seat.

"Bella," she begged me, "Just hear me out. I'm worried about Jasper, that's all. And I know Lauren is too. She's been suspended for two weeks for reckless endangerment."

"Good." I nodded, assorting my paints in brightest to darkest.

"Please," she whispered, leaning closer, "just tell me, is he okay?"

"He's fine." I replied in the same tone, "Just a few broken ribs and fingers. He should be fine. He's an idiot though."

"And you love him for that." She retorted.

"Yeah," I nodded again. It must've been obvious if Leah could see it.

She tried to smile, "Well, I guess…see you later."

"Yeah." I waved her off and she turned away, returning to her station. The chair next to mine slid out loudly, causing me to jump in my seat, but I refused to look at her. She plopped forcefully in her seat and stared right at me. Alice obviously couldn't take a hint. No matter how much she widened those big, blue eyes, I wasn't going to forgive her. She knew that Victoria loved Edward and Edward loved me. Why did she keep this from me? Sweet, little Alice.

She scribbled something on her board while I blatantly ignored her, 'Won't you even look at me?' She pleaded with me as I read the board out of the corner of my eye. She pouted when I didn't reply and erased it. I turned away she whirled it back around with another plea. The class started and I ignored Alice all through the period.

When the bell rang, I stood without another word and hurried out of the classroom. As soon as I left the room, though, I smacked into a slim body and jolted when I saw the wild red hair. I stared into the dark brown eyes of Victoria. They looked dead, tired, dark bags under etched into her pale skin. Her skin looked ashen and her hair was around her in wild curls. Her clothes consisted of a baggy Braves shirt and loose jeans. I had never seen my friend like this. She stared at me for a few seconds while I tried to convince myself to not punch the fuck out of her, just for the hell of it, but she opened her dry lips, "Bella…"

"No thanks." I walked around her and headed to my next class.

XOXO

"W-What?" I glanced around with wide eyes as Jasper stared at me with a curious gaze. When he said he would be getting out of the hospital soon, he gave me an address with a big grin while I denied like a child. Finally, when he slipped into a deep sleep, I snatched it from his hand and memorized the address. I looked around the big, luxurious apartment room. The living room was attached to the pristine kitchen and the bedroom was in the back, along with the bathroom. What the hell…?

"So you came, huh?" he leaned against the wall, his glasses shining in the dull light.

"W-What is this place?" I questioned, something slightly akin to awe in my voice.

"My house." He answered calmly.

"Seems like it."

"What're you here for?" He asked in that same monotone, "To visit me?"

I blushed and glanced away, "You know why." Then turned back to him, "Why're you living here? Alone?"

He sighed, "It was pretty tense at home, so I came here." Then he turned on me, a small smile on his lips. He pressed me against the wall, "Why'd you come alone? Are you okay with me doing anything to you?"

I didn't have time for this. I pressed my hand against his forehead and felt it sizzle against my skin. I glowered at him, "You're an idiot! I knew you were still sick! Why in the hell did you force yourself out of the hospital?"

He rolled his eyes and looked away, "It was boring in there. And Bella wasn't there when I woke up, so I left."

I fumed, "I'll get some ice water!"

"I'm fine. I can—"

"JUST LIE DOWN!" When his eyes widened and he tilted his head to the side in curiosity, I couldn't help but soften up, "Please. Just…just get better, Jasper." I managed to get him on the couch, since he refused to get into bed for some odd reason. Finally, I placed the covers over him and drowned a towel in cold, cold water before putting that on his heated forehead and cooked some tea, "Are you eating right?"

He opened his mouth to reply.

"Lollipops don't count." I snapped at him.

He glanced away.

"Fine," I said. I stood and started towards the kitchen, "I'll make you something to eat." He allowed me to do so without complaint. I finally decided on some chicken noddle soup and mixed in the chicken broth, cut up the meat, added some veggies, and boiled it. Then I walked back over to him, grimacing when I saw the sweat sticking to his skin. He sat up with a grunt and I shook my head, placing my hands on his strong shoulders, "Y-You must be burning up. Here." I unclasped one of the buttons and felt his piercing stare.

I looked up to see him gazing down at me with a heated expression. The glasses just added to the effect. I tried to steel my gaze as he moved forward, leaning closer and closer with that vivid stare. I bundled up his shirt and shook him roughly, "What the hell are you looking at?"

"Testy." He murmured in monotone.

"Just look out the window, Jas!"

"Fine, fine." He stared out in the setting sun as I finished undoing his buttons. When I got to the last one, I moved the shirt aside and stared down at his bruised chest. One bruise was pretty deep and right under his chest, right on the rib, probably where I landed. I pressed my hand gently against it, watching his face for any kind of pain. He just continued to look out the window with a dull expression. Sighing, and summoning up my courage, I gripped the edges of his sleeves and tugged the shirt off. His strong, lean arms were exposed and his flat, toned abdomen was taped up from my view. I had forgotten his ribs had been shattered. "Don't look that way." He said.

"What?" I shot my eyes up to him to see his smoldering gaze was back on me. I bit my bottom lip and threw the sweaty shirt away, "Don't look that way either."

"I can't help it. Bella brings out the worst in me." he said with a small smile, his eyes amused now.

I grabbed the other white shirt next to the couch and he lifted his arms weakly so I could tug it over his head. When I slid it down his body, he sighed with relief and thanked me softly. I nodded, staring down at my lap.

I owe him one again, I thought to myself, I used to think he was a guy who was always fooling around and a giant pervert, but he always pulls through at the end. He may annoy me endlessly, but I love him and he protects me when I need it. And I can't do a thing for him…

"Sorry." I whispered.

He looked confused.

"I'm relying on you a lot, Jas. I try to help, I try to stay out of your way, try to tell you I can take care of myself when I obviously can't. In the end, this is the only thing I can do for you. I'm becoming a burden."

He suddenly leaned down and his lips captured mine a fiery kiss and it had nothing to do with his fever. I kissed him back timidly, allowing him to swipe his tongue across my lips and I allowed him entrance. Before it could get too heated, I pushed him off. He smiled and placed a hand on my head, tousling the hair softly, "You're too sly, Bella."

"Shut up. And don't kiss me. You'll give me a cold." I said, though I yearned for more of his taste.

He just continued to beam innocently, "I love you, too."

Tell me what you think of this chapter. Took me three tries to write it. Ugh. I despise Carlisle. O_O

-Sonny