Chapter 14

Hey all, who was that I wonder that ya'll just met? Anyway, not to get sentimental for a bit, but I realized I first started writing this during my internship back in 2012, and I'm starting to write it again 2016... the year I graduated... Anyway, enough about me getting old (but apparently my crappy grammar and cliff hangers remained the same!). For those who have been keeping track, I was trying to begin the story at the new moon, making this much nearer to the half moon, which will be important in a bit. Again, I don't own Twilight, only Sula's character is an original idea.

Airbags weren't implemented in cars widely until the '70s, a fact which Bella could remember her school teacher back in Arizona often ramble on in class about the difference in safety when airbags were invented.

"In my days, you got in a car accident and kids were like to go through the window and die. And that was it. They had this stretch of road by the high school where kids died every year because they didn't have airbags, cars got crushed like cola cans back then. Now, cars have all these new-fangled safety features, but you can't get expect the kids to be any smarter than they were back then. Different cars, same stupidity." The teacher would then use this monologue as a warmup for her larger lecture on the downfall of western civilization and the education system.

Billy's truck, now Bella's, had been outfitted with airbags in '82 in order the pass inspection. All the while the mechanic had lamented that he was 'ruining' a perfectly good truck that had been going solid since '53, and in his opinion didn't need to be changed. But apparently it did need to be changed as Bella lay covered in gashes from the glass and with a massive bruise on her forehead, her airbag had gone off late.

Bella regained consciousness slowly, her eyelids flickering as they detected light. She opened her eyes, her head feeling foggy, and black spots seemed to explode in front of her vision. She could barely feel her body and for a moment she panicked thinking she was paralyzed. But after what felt like hours, but was only a few seconds, she realized she could feel herself moving, being carried. She could feel her arms, curled into her sides, pressed against something soft. Her feet jiggling slightly as they moved with the rhythm of someone else's strides, and her head was pressed gently against someone else's chest. The momentum of being carried, along with a steady heartbeat that wasn't Bella's, allowed Bella to orient herself as she came to. For a few minutes she focused only on the rocking motion, and the steady heartbeat, as her own heart began to beat frantically as she tried to piece together what had occurred. And after a few more seconds, the pain began to return. Bella's breath came out in sharp gasps as the pain suddenly overwhelmed her. Her body hurt, her arms felt like thousands of tiny insects were gnawing at her flesh, and her head throbbed worse of all. She tried to move her head but at first she could only roll her eyes. She was in the forest, being carried slowly. It was then, she realized with panic that she wasn't being carried to an ambulance, and Charlie wasn't by her side. Someone was carrying her into the woods. Bella tried to open her mouth and make a sound, and she could feel the metallic taste of blood, her blood, on her lips. She barely made more than a whisper, but whoever was carrying her must have heard. A hand, which Bella now realized was attached to a pair of arms that was carrying her bridal style, stroked a thumb briefly over Bella's side to reassure her of its presence. Bella tried to turn her head towards the arms that held her, and gave a whimper of pain. Her neck hurt almost as badly as her head, and for a moment Bella's vision went dark as she almost passed out again from the pain.

When the throbbing of the pain dulled, she tried to turn her head a fraction once more, this time moving her eyes too. The light was too bright, but Bella could make out the figure's silhouette, spiky hair illuminated in ring of sun.

"A-a-a.." Bella whispered, her voice scratchy and thick with pain. But the figure wasn't Alice, it didn't smell like her, and the strong arms wrapped around her were nothing like Alice's petite ones. As they continued to walk through the forest they paused briefly in front of a steep incline in the terrain. As the unknown figure began to climb the outcropping, they shifted Bella in their arms, and Bella gave a cry. Her neck hurt so badly she wondered if it was somehow broken, and she saw spots again from the pain. Each step up the outcropping hurt Bella as her neck shifted with the motion of the stranger carrying her. The pain was so overwhelming that Bella didn't even remember, but she passed out.

Bella awoke again to the sound of labored breaths, and the same rocking motion that meant she was still being carried. How long had it been? A drop of something wet hit Bella's hand, and she opened her eyes, trying not to move her head. Blood. Her hands were covered in it, staining her skin, but a fresh drop was currently sliding slowly down her balled-up fist. It was then that the smell hit her, blood, she hadn't realized it had been so strong until now. The stranger's clothes, a fur vest of some kind, was also drenched in it. As a piece of her hair fell in front of her face, Bella realized her hair was matted with dry blood too. Was this why she was passing out? She had lost too much blood. But aside from the throbbing of her head and neck, and the stinging of her arms, she didn't think she had been hit that badly. It must be someone else's blood. How could someone that injured carry her? Bella looked up once more, the bright light casting a shadow on the bent head of the stranger, the only sound Bella could hear was the gasping labored breaths. As they passed under a tree and Bella's eyes adjusted, she saw spikey white hair and a heavily scarred neck which glistened with a sheen of blood and sweat.

"Y…ou…" She muttered, before she passed out again. What seemed like hours later, she remembered being awakened briefly to a pair of concerned golden eyes, and a frantic voice that seemed to echo endlessly before Bella finally understand what was said. "Alice." She murmured, and closed her eyes once more.

Bella awoke to the sounds of the steady beeps of machines and low voices around her. A hospital, she thought, and for a moment as she lay with her eyes closed and recalled being carried through the forest she wondered if it was all a dream. Her eyes opened, feeling heavy with sleep, and she was met with a dim room and a plain tiled ceiling. She glanced to the side, aware suddenly that something was wrapped around her neck to prevent her turning her head. She was definitely in a hospital, an IV in her arm and machines by her bedside, but the curtains were closed. Her body felt numb, Bella guessed she had been given painkillers. Looking down at her arm she tried to wiggle her fingers, and succeeded, but her arm was covered in fresh white bandages. She could hear people murmuring in soft voices on the other side of the curtain, and Bella opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, the curtain slid open and Alice appeared. It was as though an angel had suddenly descended into the dim room, and Bella barely noticed that the corners of her mouth lifted into a smile. But that brief feeling of relief was replaced with concern as Bella looked at Alice more closely. Alice looked tired, the dark circles under her eyes much more prominent, and her hair looked limp and listless. She gave Bella a weak smile, but her eyes welled up with tears the longer she stood by the curtain, clutching it as though it were a life raft.

For a moment neither of them spoke as they just looked at each other. Bella noticed how dark Alice's eyes were, a dull brown color, and how colorless her skin looked under the lights. Alice seemed to be assessing Bella too, her eyes wandering to each bandage that covered Bella's arms, her lips quivering slightly as they settled on her bruised face.

"Hey," Bella finally said, when she couldn't take it anymore, and her voice seemed to resonate in her head, making her wince. At the motion Alice moved closer, hovering at the foot of Bella's bed, but she still didn't speak, just gazed at Bella with wide teary eyes.

Bella shifted slightly, unsure of what to say to Alice. She hadn't seen her since the night they had gone out shopping, and she didn't know how long it had been since Alice had gotten back. As if Alice could guess what Bella was thinking, she spoke in a small wavering voice.

"You, uh, you've only been out for a day. We got in yesterday and Carlisle got a call that you had been in an accident. We came as soon as it happened." Alice still looked like she was about to cry, but Bella noticed that she also seemed to be fidgeting, as though she wanted to reach out and hug Bella.

"What-what happened? Where's Charlie?" Bella asked, still feeling a slight ringing in her ears when she spoke.

"Chief Swan was just here, he just went home to get a change of clothes and some food. Carlisle said he needed to get some rest and would watch over you until he got back. It's seven in the morning."

Alice glanced back beyond the curtain, as though someone was waiting behind it, not wanting to be seen.

"Why don't I get Carlisle, and he can check on you." Alice said quickly, and before Bella could speak Alice gave her a last searing look and then quickly whipped around the corner. Bella barely watched her leave the room when she heard two pairs of footsteps, and Alice was back with Carlisle on her heels. Unlike Alice, who looked like she had recently risen from the dead, Carlisle looked as pleasant as ever. He met Bella's eyes and gave her a gentle smile, and then turned and touched Alice on the shoulder.

"Alice dear, would you mind running down to the cafeteria and grabbing Bella a juice? She's still on the IV and will need to stay on it for a while longer, but a little juice should be fine." He said cheerfully and Alice nodded glumly. Next to Carlisle she really looked deflated, and when she turned to Bella, Bella could see how pale and pinched her skin looked.

"What flavor would you like Bella? They have apple, grape, orange, lemonade…" Alice said in a small voice, and probably would have gone on naming all the kinds of juice under the sun in that sad voice, but Bella cut her off.

"Orange is fine, Alice. Thanks a lot." Bella said and flashed her a quick smile, which Alice did not return. Carlisle waited until Alice's footsteps had retreated before checking Bella's chart on his clipboard and watching the monitors for a moment before looking down at Bella.

"How are you feeling?" He asked kindly. Bella was about to answer 'Fine' when she realized that there was no way she could be fine. She had been in a car accident, she had hit a person. She had….

"The other person, the person I hit, are they okay?" She blurted out, and Carlisle gave her a puzzled look.

"What other person?" He moved forward slightly, his face surprisingly calm. Bella gaped at him, her forehead stinging slightly as her eyebrows raised.

"The person I hit with my car. I…" Her voice broke slightly as she continued, "Did I kill them?" She looked fearfully at Carlisle and caught a strange expression on his face a fraction of a second before it returned to the same calm expression.

"To my knowledge Bella, you were alone in the accident. You and your truck were found on the highway and brought to the hospital. I was informed by Chief Swan and returned immediately, but by that time you had already been stitched up and were given some sedatives to let you sleep off some of the pain. Aside from some cuts and a severe concussion you have no major injuries, are you feeling alright?" He asked, but Bella shook her head, regretting it immediately as pain shot through and black spots formed over her vision. She gave a gasp, and Carlisle moved forward quickly, cool hands gently probing her temple.

"I'm afraid you still have a concussion, as well as received some whiplash so your neck will be quite sore for a while. I suggest moving as little as possible, are you in much pain? I can up your dosage but it will most likely make you fall back asleep." Bella almost nodded, but remembered to reply instead,

"I think I'll be okay, am I allowed to eat?" Carlisle pulled back for a minute before returning with a flashlight and some flash cards.

"In a few more hours, before we give you another round of painkillers. I can call Chief Swan and let him know you're awake and send some staff up with some food. I just want to see how bad your concussion is, so would you mind looking into the light and then answer some questions I have?" He said, and when Bella nodded he leaned forward again and shined a light in both her eyes before giving a slight nod.

"Your eyes are reacting to light well, are you still feeling okay?" When Bella held up a ginger thumbs up he gave a gentle smile before sitting by her side.

"Do you know what today's date is? Do you remember where you were going before your accident?"

"The twenty-fifth, and yesterday I was driving to the store to get butter. I was driving to La Push when," Bella frowned slightly, somehow it didn't seem right that someone had found her and brought her to the hospital right after the crash. The memory of all the blood spattering her windshield and the solid impact of someone's body against her car, Bella could still feel it. And then there was the memory of someone carrying her through the woods, no she was sure it was real.

"when someone ran out into the middle of the road and I swerved," Bella gulped, "but I still hit them. There was blood everywhere." She looked straight into Carlisle's eyes, and at such close proximity there was no mistaking a flash of recognition. There had been someone else there, and Carlisle knew it. Bella could feel her throat suddenly constrict and her stomach squirm with the same dread she had felt that night with Alice on the docks.

"Did… did I kill them..? Is that what you don't want to tell me?" She whispered in a hoarse voice, and she could almost taste blood in her mouth and feel the impact of the body against her truck again reverberate through her body.

"No." Carlisle said firmly, and he looked conflicted for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, and his eyes looked tired, but was interrupted when Alice returned. She was carrying an orange juice and a cup of yogurt and seemed to be attempting to look cheerful.

"Here you go Bella, and I also got you some yogurt from the cafeteria. You might have trouble chewing so I think the yogurt will help." She said, and smiled for the first time since before the docks, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Thanks Alice." Bella said quietly, and glanced back at Carlisle, but he seemed reluctant to continue talking. He stood up and made a few notes in her chart before looking back down at her, his smile sincere but his eyes studying her.

"Well, you seem to be doing okay considering your concussion. I would recommend you stay another night, and of course no strenuous activity or driving for a bit. Most of your cuts should heal naturally, we only had to give you a few stitches where we had to remove glass, but they shouldn't leave scars. Try to relax, and if you need anything just press the button on the side of your bed and one of the nurses or I will be right with you. I'm going to call Chief Swan and let him know you're awake." He turned and walked a few paces until he hovered by the curtain and turned, his face partially in shadow.

"And Bella, I understand that you may have a great deal of emotional stress, you went through some very traumatic events in such a short period of time. If you need to talk to anyone, and don't want to talk to your father or myself I can recommend an excellent counselor." He gave another sincere smile before leaving, his white coat sweeping out of the room.

Alice stood by Bella's side table, fussing with laying out the food and pouring Bella a glass of water, her eyes not meeting Bella's. Bella wasn't really sure what to say, she couldn't tell if Alice was upset with her, or whether she was upset about something else. Her mind flitted back to the moment at the dock, the dream of Alice killing the men, before she forced herself to stop thinking about it.

"So, how was California?" She asked awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Alice still didn't look at her, but Bella thought she saw her lip quiver. There was a pause where the only sound was the beeping of the machines around Bella before Alice turned and placed the water pitcher down.

"California was fine." She said, and looked at Bella with the same gloomy expression. Bella waited for further explanation but Alice could offer her none, and silence continued to fill the space between them. Bella fingered her blankets anxiously and glanced around the room briefly before looking back at Alice. Alice seemed to be standing stiffly and looking pointedly at the chart by Bella's bed, still not making eye contact.

"Are you mad at me?" Bella finally asked, breaking the silence and dreading the answer. Alice's head jerked up quickly and Bella wouldn't be surprised if Alice now had whiplash too. Her face morphed into horror and her mouth made an 'O' shape. Her eyes, which were almost black under the florescent lights seemed to well with tears, and all at once she began to talk rapidly.

"Oh no Bella, of course I'm not mad at you! I was just so worried because I left after the night we were attacked and I wanted to talk to you, I did, and I just didn't know what to say. And I wanted to make sure you were okay but then we left and I wasn't sure if you even wanted to talk to me. I mean I understand if you don't ever want to see me again after I nearly got us hurt, and I'm so sorry about that. I really am." She paused, her face twisted in anguish and her lower lip quivering. Bella had a feeling that Alice had been waiting a while to say this, and clearly judging by her agitated state it had been tormenting her.

"And then I heard you were hurt and I got so scared! I mean what if the last time we ever saw each other was when were almost assaulted on a dock?! And then I was thinking that I should have called you or come back to see you, and then when I did come back you weren't waking up and I was… terrified…" Alice finished as Bella watched open-mouthed. Alice had been this worried about her? Bella had thought that Alice was, like her, trying to forget the night they went shopping and she felt suddenly guilty about her dreams of violent Alice. The girl who stood in front of her quivering and looking on the verge to tears certainly wasn't the monster of her nightmares.

"Alice…" Bella said softly, and she was surprised to find her own eyes had misted with tears. She hesitantly lifted one arm, intending to reach out to take Alice's hand, but Alice leapt at her. In an instant Bella was enveloped in cool arms and the heavenly scent of lilac. Alice's soft hair tickled her nose, and for a moment Bella sat shocked. Alice barely held her, careful not to touch Bella's bruised body, but after a moment Bella wrapped one arm over Alice's slender back and gently rested her head against Alice's. They lay for another moment before Alice pulled back and sat by Bella's side, looking a great deal more relaxed.

"Hey," Alice said, smiling weakly. Bella squeezed her hand reassuringly, trying to convey how much she cared for Alice, how grateful she was to Alice, and how much she realized she missed her all in one touch.

"Hey."

Charlie arrived breathlessly a few minutes later, and Alice quietly excused herself. She and Bella had talked more about their Thanksgiving and the week before break, both carefully avoiding the topics of the night shopping and of the car accident. Bella didn't realize how relieved she was to see Charlie until he hurried into her room, his uniform rumpled and his face unshaven.

"Bells." He breathed, as he quickly made his way to her side. Alice had already stood up and gave Bella's hand one more squeeze before leaving with a quick nod at Charlie.

"Hi." Bella said in a small voice as he sat by her bedside, his hand reaching out to hold hers.

"How are you feeling? Does anything hurt? Do you want me to get you anything?" He said, looking intently at her and rubbing his rough hands over her bandaged ones.

"I'm fine, well I guess not fine but I'm okay." She said, and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"The hospital called me after you had already been admitted, but god Bella you don't know how scared I was. Your truck was completely totaled and you were unconscious for so long." Charlie whispered hoarsely, and Bella felt herself coming close to tears.

"Sorry I made you worry, honestly it just happened so fast and I tried to stop."

"Well the important thing is that you are okay. Dr. Cullen tells me that aside from the concussion most of the injuries are minor, but you'll need to keep wearing that neck brace for the next few days. They're going to give you some pain meds, so you'll need to take it easy for a while because Dr. Cullen says they can make you quite drowsy. The cuts will heal on their own, and so will the bruising, but I'm afraid we can't speed up time so it may be uncomfortable for a while." Charlie said bracingly, and when Bella looked downcast he gave her a smile.

"It could have been a lot worse, I'm just glad you're alright." He said firmly, and Bella gave a one-shoulder shrug of assent. She wondered if Charlie, like Carlisle, knew about the person Bella had hit but for some reason had agreed not to tell her. She decided to broach the subject differently, watching Charlie close for a reaction.

"Charl-Dad, who found my car?" Charlie seemed more thrown by Bella's term of endearment then by the question, and Bella watched him closely for any hint of deception.

"Uh, well apparently some of the kids from La Push, some of Jacob's friends, happened to be out cliff diving and saw your accident. By the time they got to you, you were already unconscious so they brought you to the hospital. Your car was completely totaled, it's at Billy's place now." Charlie didn't have the same guarded look as Carlisle had, but Bella knew in the back of her mind that she wasn't found by some kids in La Push, so someone had lied to Charlie just as they were lying to her. What reason would Carlisle have to lie to the Chief of Police? Bella couldn't think of a single good reason, which only left her more confused. She leaned back on her pillow, wild theories and memories of the day before racing around in her head.
"Bells? Are you alright?" She had almost forgotten Charlie was there, and blinked as he leaned in and hovered anxiously.

"Yeah, just tired." She mumbled, and it was true. After the brief rush of waking up in the hospital, seeing Alice, and discovering that no one seemed to be acknowledging that she had probably killed a person, she was exhausted. If there was even someone there, Bella thought, what if she had imagined the whole thing?

"The painkillers they have you on are a little strong. Maybe you should drink some juice and then just get some rest? I'll stay here until you fall asleep, and then I'll be back in a few hours after I stop by the office." Charlie said as he raised the juice box towards Bella. Bella went to reach for it, before she realized her body was so tired she could barely lift her arms. Charlie seemed to understand so he raised it to her lips and held it as Bella took a few sips. The orange juice tasted like nectar, and Bella hadn't even realized that her mouth still tasted like blood until it was washed away. A few more gulps and Bella felt her mind focus, and yet at the same time her eyes were closing.

"Get some sleep, kiddo, I'm right here." Charlie said in a low voice, and Bella could feel herself slip into a semi-conscious state until she could barely feel her limbs or the scratchy blanket and then finally, she was asleep.

It was a crisp day, the sparkling water enticing but ice-cold, nature reminding residents of La Push that winter was still upon them. But to the two boys wrestling on a rocky cliff, it could have been summer. Both were shirtless and covered in a light sheen of sweat, and the calm of the forest behind them was broken with their booming laughter. One darted forward, wrapping his burly arms around the other and the two grappled, moving forward towards the cliff.

"Dude, cut it out. If we fall I'm pretty sure we'd both die," said the one with shorter hair, but he was grinning and didn't miss his opportunity to shove his opponents face in the dirt. Quickly, the longer haired boy reached up and wrapped his tanned arms around the short-haired boy's legs, knocking them both over close to the edge.

"Please, we could just wolf out and barely feel a thing." A sudden howl echoing through the woods made both boys sit up, smiles gone.

"What do you think that's about?" Jacob grumbled, brushing the dirt off his shorts. Quil ran his fingers through his hair and shrugged, but his playful demeanor was gone.

"Probably nothing, maybe it's those leeches. Then we can finally show them who's boss." Jacob just rolled his eyes and undid his belt buckle as he began walking toward the forest. Quil stopped to toss a rock over the edge of the cliff before following him. As the two walked deeper into the shade of the trees they quickly stripped and tied their shorts to their legs with their belts. The howling rang out again, more insistent, and Quil rolled his eyes.

"Better not keep his royal furry pain-in-the-ass waiting." Both boys flexed and suddenly exploded into a mass of fur. Two matching snarls rang through the silent forest. Two squirrels chittered their disapproval as they scurried up a tall pine, away from the fanged beasts that were once harmless boys. The wolves stretched and then raised their heads to give answering howls, and were answered immediately by their alpha.

"Jacob, Quil, what took you so long." A voice said, echoing in their head as though someone had spoken directly into their ears. The smaller of the two wolves looked up at his larger companion, a russet colored wolf, and rolled his eyes.

"Nothing, just had to move away prying eyes. If you weren't so old you'd know that kids these days have cameras on their phones." Quill's voice resonated between the link shared by all the wolves.

"I know what a camera phone is. We have a serious issue. Seth smelt blood." Jacob straightened up, and he glanced over at Quill, who swished his tail nervously.

"Paul, Jared, you two run perimeter. The rest of us are meeting by the highway, that's where Seth smells it." In Jacob's mind, he could see where his Alpha was crouched, on a ledge overlooking the road. He could feel his other pack mates entering the link and watching with him, as Sam's eyes scanned north. As one the pack could smell it, blood.

"It's not human." Embry said nervously, and Jacob could scent his fear. Sam could too.

"Not entirely, no, but there is a human there. They could be hurt." Sam said calmly.

"It wouldn't be a leech would it?" Seth said, and then sneezed as he inhaled a load of dirt. He was crouched on the ground by a creek-bed, observing the highway from the east. Jacob could smell the rich earthy tones through the link, and he stifled a sneeze.

"How stupid are you? Leech's don't have blood…. Right?" Paul said, and Jacob rolled his eyes.

"No, they don't. And it wasn't a stupid question, there was no need to treat Seth that way, Paul." Sam said, and as he rose Jacob could sense his other pack members begin to move. "But we've been on patrol since the Seattle Ripper case, and we would have scented any non-human moving through our territory. It's either a leech, or a friend of the leeches if it came in from their side." Sam was running now, and after a moment two smaller wolves, Embry and Leah, darted out from the undergrowth and joined him.

"Jacob, Quil, approach slowly, whatever it is may head your way if we cut it off. Seth, maintain your position. Jared and Paul, I want that perimeter done now." Sam said, and as though a candle was extinguished, the link was broken and Jacob was left alone. Knowing Quil would follow him, the two massive wolves began running south, ears pricked for any sound of danger. Despite their size, they moved almost silently, their giant paws churning the damp earth. In the silence following the broken link, Jacob was allowed to once again revel in his wolfs form. Speeding along on his motorcycle was one thing, but running through the forest as a wolf was exhilarating. His heart thumped in his chest, and his tongue lolled to the side, but each stroke of his powerful legs propelled him so far, that walking on two legs seemed like wading through shallow water. His eyes flicked towards any sign of movement, but he didn't have to watch the ground as he ran, he trusted his body's instinct. His ears could pick up the moles rooting around in the earth, and the birds up in the trees. And his nose, he could smell traces of animals long gone, smell his pack mates, and smell the ocean in the distant. He almost forgot about the intruder, as he raced alongside Quil, his body carrying him without the slightest hesitation over logs and around trees. Sometimes, Jacob privately thought, he couldn't remember ever being a man when he was a wolf.

"I see it. It's right along the turnoff for Port Angeles. It's a car." Leah interrupted, and Jacob was snapped back to his senses.

"There are tracks leading into the woods. Whatever it was that hit the car was definitely hurt. I don't think it was a leech." Leah said, and Jacob could see from her perspective a rusty truck wrapped around a tree. The blood stains on the road were distracting, and the smell of the burnt rubber and oil was nauseating, but he recognized the car, he recognized her scent.

"Bella!"