Melinda's POV
All night I worked in the kitchen restlessly. I had no choice, lacking the ability to sleep and all, but baking always helped me clear my head. Poor Bella. With Croy still alive, I had to get her home even faster. I was out selling on the streets before the suns golden rays even touched my shoulders. I was just leaving my usual hotspot when I noticed the Mason butler walking out of the Apothecary.
"Jasper! Jasper, what are you doing here?" he took off his hat and bowed before answering in an exasperated tone.
"Master Edward and his mother are not well. I fear that they will be in the hands of God before the day is out." My basket dropped and bread spilled everywhere. "Oh my, allow me to assist you," Jasper prepared to kneel down and help me but I stopped him and speedily gathered my dropped merchandise.
"No, no, I'm just fine. Please, just go home and care to the Masons." He nodded and without further prompting boarded his fine ride. I waited for him to be out of sight before dumping my basket into the nearest garbage can and bolted for the cottage.
I rushed into the kitchen to find Bella leisurely munching on a brioche.
"I am never leaving this room again!" She sighed, referring to the heat caused by the oven.
"Well you had better," I said urgently, "I hear Edward isn't doing too well." Bella choked for a moment before dashing out of the room. I could feel the gust of wind left from her exit a moment later as I stood there. I sighed in relief.
"I hope she gets to see him." Then it was decided: Bella could wait no longer. She needed to get home and fast. I looked around the room one last time. The house couldn't very well burn down while I was away so I took an old pale of water and doused the flame in the bread oven. I puttered for a moment, a very quick one, really. (Super speed rocks) Then, finally comfortable, I dragged one of the chairs to the center of the room, where there was most space. I sat down and closed my eyes. Okay, now how does Croy do this? I relaxed and let my body go limp. I shut my eyes tighter and tried to imagine where it was we had first gotten Bella. Damn it Kora! How could you force me to go but leave me with no memory of it! After a while of nothing, I become frustrated.
"Damn it! Come on!" I fumed then with a smack it came to me: a great white house in the middle of a forest. Forks, Washington, 2008. No sooner had I thought it than I was standing in the middle of a spacious family room with a solid wall of window and a piano in a corner.
"Sweet, I actually did it!" The next thing I knew I was pinned down by three vampires, and a fourth towered above me. In a stern, smooth voice, he asked,
"Who are you? How did you get here?" At first I was a little in shock but soon I recognized him.
"Doctor Cullen!"
"Yes," his tone had no emotion. I tried to clarify.
"It's me, Melinda Bower. Remember? I provided bread at the Chicago Hospital in 1918!" Carlisle's brow wrinkled as he scrutinized my face and it finally clicked.
"Of course: Melinda! Esme, Alice, Jasper, it's alright, let her go." They obeyed and backed off, they were obviously still wary of me.
"Carlisle," said a small woman next to him in a quiet voice, "You know this girl?"
"Yes, yes," he exclaimed cheerfully, "She lived in a bake house with her… 'Niece.'" Carlisle's expression became strange. "Of course, she was human so she wasn't actually your niece was she?" I shook my vigorously. "No," Carlisle mused, "No, she was quite extraordinary. She knew about…us…and she greatly affected me." It took me a moment to understand why Carlisle was being so serious suddenly. Finally I gasped,
"Oh my god! You remember her! You actually remember Bella!" As the words left my mouth a figure dashed down the stairs in a mad rage.
"That's it!" he roared, "Who said it? Who said her name?" I just gaped at Edward as he fumed and the Cullens just pointed at me in blame. His eyes swerved to my face and he became even angrier, though his voice dropped to a quiet, deadly level.
"You- you were one of the ones that took her!" He lunged for me but one of the Cullens, a second male, held him back as I pulled back in fear.
"Edward," Carlisle commanded, "Get a hold of yourself! I see that she took Bella, but I believe that she helped her too!"
"Carlisle, are you mad?" the boy struggled to restrain the squirming Edward.
"Edward, don't you recognize this woman? She worked in Chicago the year I changed you!"
"It's true," my voice was high with fear as one of Edward's claw-like hands barely missed decapitating me. "I-I took care of Bella there!" Edward's eyes became like saucers and his body went limp. Rubbing as my throat where he had grazed it I continued, "Croy, the man who ordered for Bella's capture, took Bella to Chicago, not knowing you were there. I never approved of his methods of capturing girls and turning them into his immortal sex toys," he flinched, "so I protected her. For about two months Bella worked with me and, well,"
"Met me…" Edward concluded, not really seeming to be in the room with us. The boy released Edward who stumbled for a moment and looked at me with dazed eyes.
"She's alive?" he whispered. With a wide grin I breathed,
"She's alive!" A weak smile inched at the corners of Edward's mouth. "I can take you to her," I said gently.
"She's alive," he repeated. I felt as if my whole body were beaming with light.
"Road trip anyone?" I chirped. Edward looked ecstatic and was at my side in a second.
"Come on!" he urged everyone. One of the girls looked up stairs uneasily.
"Is there a problem?" I asked. The girl bit her lip.
"Edward," she said quietly, "we can't very well leave him." Edward's face dropped.
"Of course, of course not." He hit himself on the forehead with the ball of his palm. "Oh, God what was I thinking. Can you just take me?"
"I could, but I think it would really help her to see all of you." They nodded understandingly. Suddenly Edward shot to his feet.
"And that includes Emmett!" In a flash he was gone and after a minute of standing in an uncomfortable silence, with all the Cullens looking very unsure, he returned with a sulking, very buff man. I assumed this was Emmett. His black T-shirt was tight against his skin and defined every muscle. His jeans were black and made to look washed out at the knees. His eyes were a little dark in color, but I suspected he'd be fine.
"I'm Melinda," I offered my hand, "I am hoping to take you to go get Bella." My tone was gentle and he seemed to consider my hand before taking it.
"Emmett Cullen. Why couldn't you bring her here?" His face was so grave and serious; it just didn't seem to fit him somehow. I pondered that for a moment.
"Well, for one thing, I didn't want to shock her too much, you know? Let it sink in," for some reason, at Emmett's question all the Cullens seemed wary of me. I figured that it was the first time most of them had considered the question. They still didn't trust me. "Also, I don't like using my powers with Bella too much. You know, it's just…weird." They nodded a little. Oh yeah, they knew. "So, now that we've taken care of the interrogation, are you guys coming or not?"
The boy who had held Edward back piped up,
"How do we know that you're not just taking us somewhere dangerous as opposed to where Bell really is?" I rolled my eyes.
"Okay, seriously, you guys really aren't worth the trouble, so get off your freaking pedestal, okay? Plus, do you really want to risk missing a chance to see Bella? That did it for them and they all huddled a bit closer, though Emmett eyed me skeptically and kept his arms across his chest.
"Okay, now I haven't done this in a group before, so, bare with me!" I closed my eyes and focused on the little cottage, just a few minutes before Bella would come home from the hospital. I took a deep breath and as I let it out I could feel at we traveled through the strange tunnel of time and space. The next thing I knew, we all abruptly clattered into the kitchen.
"Yes!" I cheered, jumping happily. "I did it, I did it. Stir the pot! Stir the pot!" I sang. After my happy moment passed, I became serious.
"Okay. Now I don't want this to sound like a bad surprise birthday or anything, but for the sake of shock and such, I kinda want you guys to stay inconspicuous when she comes in. Let me break it down for her, and then come in. It'll be fine, just take a few extra minutes." Just then we could hear sniffling and clumsy steps on the road coming to the house.
"Bella!" Edward exclaimed, making as if to run for her. I caught his arm and stopped him.
"Nuh-uh, pucker lips! Do what I told you! Into the little room, now!" Still a little skeptical, they did as instructed.
Edward's POV:
As we were all huddled into that ridiculous room, I couldn't help but be filled with joy.
"I've missed her so much," I said, dropping onto the bed to sit beside Alice.
"I know," she rubbed my shoulder.
"This room smells like her doesn't it? It's crazy!"
"Yeah," Jasper laughed, "I was just noticing it. How long did they say she had been here?"
"Two months," we all chorused. Among all our voices I picked out Emmett's with ease. It was dark and miserable. I knew what it felt like when your soul mate is dead, or at least when you think they're dead.
"Emmett," at my voice he looked up from the ground, his expression so dark it was almost angry, "You okay?" He nodded and in a subtle tone added,
"It'll be good to see Bella again." I smiled slightly and nodded. Just then we heard the front door open and close. We held our breath as we heard Bella's sobs. I wanted so to go comfort her, but I remembered my instructions. The girl was right. It would be too much if we just appeared. I listened still, on the edge of my seat.
"How's Edward?" Melinda's comforting tone came easily through the door. Totally forgetting all I had been told, Melinda's reference to me took me completely of guard, as did Bella's uncontrollable sobbing in response. I could feel my still heart aching.
"Sh, sh, it's okay," Melinda comforted. Bella gave a snuffle and tried to elaborate.
"Carlisle," we all shot glances at Carlisle who just shrugged, "Carlisle just took him to his place. I bet he'll be changed by…" A terrible sob cut her off. "Oh God, I just miss him so much!" before Melinda could even start her introduction, I could stand it no more and burst into the room, the door practically slamming into the wall.
"Bella it's alright! I'm here!" I couldn't help but grin. Melinda rolled her eyes dramatically as if to say, "Well there goes my plan!" Bella, on the other hand, just stood motionless for a moment, her eyes wide. Her eyes were red from crying but the tears ceased immediately. Like a zombie, she shuffled towards me, one hand raised towards my face. It was a little unsettling, but I was so happy to see her. Yes, the ridiculous skirts were a bit odd, but it was Bella! Finally, she reached me and her soft hand touched my cold cheek. I raised one hand slowly and put it over hers on my cheek. She seemed happy for a moment before her face lost all emotion and she barely whispered,
"Fuck," after that, she passed out in my arms.
Well, Bella's Breaths R Numbered, i hope that you and everyone see the kind of romance thing I'm hinting here. I haven't decided if they'll just be friends or become serious but please tell me your opinion or if you have any questions, let me kno by review or PM.