Blame my kids school year winding to a close, my son getting his cast off, my mother's insanity, people constantly calling me for medical advice that I am nowhere near qualified to give, or my new friend, dear old writer's block, for the delay.
If there are any big mistakes, be a darling and point it out to me please.
I still own nothing copyrighted, duh.
By the time we load up and make it to the hospital to visit Rosalie, the police and fire department have issued a press release stating that the fire at the school was due purely to an exposed electrical line in a storage room filled with outdated textbooks and student files. The local news and radio stations in the area also keep replaying the school's superintendent's message that there will be a general assembly at the middle school's gym tomorrow night to discuss how classes are being shuffled around so that class can resume as soon as possible. Jasper, Emmett, and the other boys immediately placed bets on how long it's going to take for us to actually make it back to school because of all the weird shit happening lately.
"Never a dull moment since you Swans moved into town, that's for damn sure," Rosalie sighs after we do our best to recount the day's events.
Of course my big lug of a brother chooses that moment to stick his foot in his mouth. "What's life without a little excitement Rosie? Everyone needs some fun every once in a while."
Her vivid violet orbs lose their precarious luster and turn hard as agate. "Oh please forgive me for being such a spoilsport Emmett Swan, I didn't mean to ruin things for you. It's just that maybe the recent rape and attempted murder by my now deceased ex boyfriend has turned me off to all the shit you consider exciting."
You could hear a pin drop inside of the small room despite it being stuffed with eight crazy teenagers. I ignore the warning bells going off in my head and tear my gaze from Rosalie to peer at my brother. His hazel eyes are wide as saucers and his dimpled cheeks have lost all of their color. To be honest, it looks like someone has ripped his heart from his chest and just showed it to him.
I'm on my feet in an instant, extending a hand out towards my sibling, "Come with me brother bear."
Emmett's head swivels towards the object of his affection. "I'm sorry Rose, I didn't mean to upset you. I was just trying to joke around, lighten the mood a bit. I w-won't bother you anymore."
Before she or anyone else can form an answer, he takes my hand and pulls me out the door after him. Jasper gives me a questioning look as I enter the hallway, to which I can only give an uncertain shrug to. I can hear the room explode into chatter as I close the door behind us.
My older sibling retreats into himself as we walk, not saying a word until we reach the parking garage. I nearly have a heart attack when an inhuman roar rips out of the young man and he shoves his hands into his short curls, the power with which he yanks on them making me cringe. "Why can't I do anything right? The harder I try to show her that I care, the more I fuck things up!"
He unceremoniously drops to the dirty concrete and the space echoes with his choking sobs as I kneel down to hug my distraught brother to me. I can't help the ripple of pain that courses through my body as his tree trunk sized arms clamp around my torso, but I force back the gasp that accompanies it. There is no way in hell that I'm going to let him see my discomfort when he needs me so much.
As he cries, I feel a familiar tingle begin to grow more pronounced, so I look up and scan the area for its source. I stop when I finally spot him inconspicuously leaning against his truck, his azure pools trained on us as he smokes a cigarette. A movement to his right distracts me and I have to strain in the dim light to make out Edward's lithe form as he whispers something in my boyfriend's ear.
Edward notices that I'm looking at them and offers a sympathetic smile before lifting an eyebrow in silent question. 'Are you alright?' I know he's wondering.
I answer with a sad smile and a subtle nod then give Emmett a tug, "Let's get you to my truck Emmy bear. I know Seth has an extra set of keys for it so one of the others can drive the jeep home."
"Okay Bells," he rasps, moving like an old man as I help him to his feet, "I'm sorry you had to deal with that."
"That's what family is for, you big lug, no need to apologize," I tell him truthfully while guiding him to where the pick up is parked. He is so caught up in his sorrow that he doesn't even notice that Edward and Jasper are still observing our trek across the lot. I wait for him to get situated in the cab before walking around the front and getting into the driver's side. Sparing a sidelong glance over my shoulder as I back out, I see the two other boys getting into their vehicles.
They follow us as I navigate the beast into town, even pulling into the parking spot next to us as I make a pit stop at the grocery store. Emmett peers over at me, his expression quizzical. "I'm going to get back up which happens to be disguised as frozen, creamy sweetness. Aren't you coming with me?"
His lips curl upward into a tentative smile as he pushes his door open, "Sure sis, besides, you're going to need me to carry the back up and all the accessories that go with it."
Once in the store, we each grab a cart and head off in separate directions, our goals firmly firmly ensconced in our brains from years of making this kind of shopping run. Emmett will be gathering the sprinkles, bananas, syrups, and whatnot to top off our sundaes while I actually retrieve the aforementioned treat along with more frozen fruit, whipped topping, and an assortment of cones and edible bowls to shovel the ice cream into.
As I am used to making purchases for six people, the six half gallon boxes holding the same amount of different flavors doesn't even begin to register on my weird scale, but the one or two disgusted looks in my direction make me bristle simply because I can't seem to escape the herds of roving judgmental pricks no matter where I live.
I do my best to ignore the uneasy feeling that has lodged itself in my stomach as I continue on my quest, but stop dead when I catch a glimpse of an all too familiar face standing at the end of the aisle. Same flinty blue eyes, similar beat up leather biker jacket, but his ratty hair is now brown instead of a sweat darkened wheat.
"James," I hear myself whimper just before my world explodes into hues of scarlet and for the first time since that night, I'm not paralyzed with fear when I think of him and his friends. Yes, I'm scared, downright fucking terrified to be honest, but I'm also extremely pissed off. One of the only logical thoughts that come to me as my feet propel me after his lanky form is to dial Emmett's cell phone number.
"You ready Bells?" my brother's gentle tenor stops me in my tracks, the red in my vision shattering making me realize what stupid a thing I was in the process of doing.
"Em, I saw James, here, in the store, but he has brown hair now," I grind out, suddenly aware of my complete vulnerability at this moment.
"Where are you?" Emmett growls, all warmth erased from his tone, "I'm coming to get you right now baby girl, it's going to be fine, I won't let him lay a hand on you."
I look around until I find the aisle sign, "I'm standing by a bench beside the little girls clothing section, halfway between the grocery aisles and the electronics section. I left the cart back in the freezer aisle though."
"Don't fucking worry about the food Bella," he snorts and I can imagine him rolling his eyes incredulously, "I can see you now, I'll be coming up from your right...oh shit. Renee?"
I spin around wildly, searching for my older sibling's hulking frame. I find him just in time to see a woman with long red hair dart around him and disappear into the afternoon crowd. He watches her retreat for a few seconds before shaking his head and storming over to me. I can feeling the anger rolling off of him in waves as he grabs my arm and begins dragging me towards the nearest exit.
"Who was that woman Emmett?" I prod while he yanks my keys from my back pocket and directs me to the passenger seat. I wait until he's behind the wheel to push again. "Was that really Renee?"
He gives a curt nod, "The bitch said that her name was Victoria, but I could see it in her eyes Bella, she recognized me. It doesn't fucking matter though, we have to call mom and dad and tell them that you saw James. Be ready Bells, we might be moving again."
I can't even bring myself to answer him, instead letting my mind go blank. That might have worked any other day, but flashes of James, his friends, and my son's shining face force their way in, causing a few tears to fall.
I hardly register him hissing into his phone while weaving through traffic. I almost bring up the key point of Edward and Jasper fighting the other vehicles on the road to match our frantic pace, but let it pass when he growls Edward's name before commanding that everyone needs to meet at our house if they aren't still at the hospital with Rosalie.
After we hit the last stretch of the road leading home, my brother presses the gas pedal to the floor. I respond to his action by tightening my seat belt and squeezing my eyes closed so that the blurring scenery doesn't finally coax my stomach into violently rebelling. An involuntary squeal is ripped out of me when he hits our gravel drive doing some obscene speed and I feel the truck bed fish tail behind us. If my son becomes an orphan because he feels like driving like a maniac, I'm going to kill him.
Within a few seconds of our vehicle rolling to a stop, my door is thrown wide and my favorite scent in the world wafts through my senses just before Jasper's arms envelop me and gently pulls me from my seat. Without a moments hesitation, I thrown myself against his chest, my panic and fear finally causing me to burst into broken sobs.
"What's wrong with her?" Edward's tone is rife with concern as my boyfriend holds me close, "Is she hurt?"
"No princess, she isn't hurt," Jasper mutters over my head, "She's just scared shitless right now. Let's get her in the house, then we'll go from there." I feel his lips in my hair, "Come on sugar, we have to get you inside."
Another ripple of fear runs through me, washing away the last sliver of anger I had been using to keep the terror at bay, "Please don't leave me Jasper," I choke against the panic that threatens to swallow me whole.
"Never," he declares, not lessening his grip on me as we enter the house, which is buzzing with activity.
"I've called the Cullen's, you and Alice will be staying with us until one of your parents can come to escort you home," Sue informs Edward when she breezes into the living room, "Jake will be staying at your house too because Billy wants him to be somewhere that has a security system."
"I don't think James will be after any of them," I simper, internally cringed at the annoying whine my voice has taken on, "Where is Gavin?"
"I think it might have something to do with protecting little Alice as much as giving the boys something to do aside from starting up a mob to go tear that fucking creep limb from limb Bella," she retorts and leans over to kiss a part of my cheek that isn't buried in my boyfriend's shirt, "Gavin is napping in me and your dad's room, so you don't need to worry about him for the moment."
"Allen and Mischa are on their way back from the hotel," Emmett proclaims as he stomps back towards the door, "Jake, Alice, and Seth are also on their way with Rose, I guess the doctors came in and discharged her after we left."
"Come on Bella, why don't I take you up to lay down with Gavin for a little bit," Jasper murmurs and begins guiding me up the stairs after I nod in silent consent.
When my baby boy's angelic features come into view, it takes Jasper's arms around me to stop me from sprinting to him and scooping him up. My instinct to protect my son squelches my overwhelming fright when he sighs and rolls to face me, his eyes still closed to the world.
Jasper let's me go and my feet swiftly carry me to the edge of the bed, where I proceed to toe my shoes off and carefully lay down beside Gavin. As I drink in the pure, uplifting light that emanates from him, Jasper soundlessly moves around to the other side and slides in behind my son. I immediately reach out for his hand, which he offers freely, and together we form a protective barrier around the most precious thing in my life.
"I won't let anything happen to him, or you," the beautiful man across from me declares after a long moment of silence, "You and him have become the center of my universe and I won't let anyone or anything take you from me."
"Thank you," I press a kiss to his knuckles then sigh contentedly when he strokes my cheek, "I love you."
His smile makes my heart skip a beat, "I love you too."
We fall into a much more comfortable silence this time and I'm glad that no one comes up to bother us as they get home. We're quiet for so long that I actually begin drifting off when he speaks up once more. "If you are willing, I want to try Bella."
I open my eyes to see my son snuggled up to Jasper, his little head resting on my boyfriend's chest. "Try what Jazz?"
"I want to try and be the dad he deserves," he answers, never looking up from the child resting on him, "I can't promise that I won't screw up and make a ton of mistakes, but I love you and him too much not to at least try to be the person you both deserve. Even if something ever happens to me and you, I still want Gavin to have a real father, and not just in passing. I want the whole thing, legal papers to adopt him, his temper tantrums as he grows, teaching him how to ride a bike, all of it. I grew up without a dad, so I now how it feels and I never want him to have to go through that."
"Yes," I answer wholeheartedly and scoot closer so I can wrap my arms around both of them, "I want it too. All of it."
"Does that mean you'll marry me too?"
Yeah, I stopped it there. I need something to bring you guys back lol