Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended. I don't own these characters. This story is not meant to violate the rights held by Stephenie Meyer.

Break in the Clouds

The next morning, Bella entered Grove Mall determined to hand in her resignation at the end of the day. Tonight, she was also going to ask Carlisle for a divorce.

She'd been too upset and alarmed the previous night; besides, Carlisle had been asleep by the time she got home, and he'd left early this morning.

Going up the escalators, Bella looked around herself, feeling skittish and jumpy – all as a result of last night. She didn't want to think about seeing Jasper; she didn't want to think about him at all. She just wanted to leave this place behind her and forget it ever existed.

A tug on her heart reminded her of Edward, but, truthfully, she couldn't let that man alter her decision.

He was married, anyway. Perhaps he'd find another woman to keep on the side once Bella hit the road.

It hurt to think about, which meant she was too attached already. Mostly, she reminisced about the night they shared together at that motel. It had been so different. . .

As she reached the third floor, she frowned when Angela was behind the counter at Smoothamin C. Again.

Bella had called Rose every day, but still no word.

"Hey!" Angela popped her bubble gum and waved at Bella. "Payday tomorrow – yay!"

Bella faked a smile and got to work. Not that there was much to do; she soon ended up with her phone in her hand, and she decided to check the Grove app for a bit.

0903014, welcome to Grove Online

When she checked her private messages, she found it odd that her folder was empty. All history had been cleared, and Bella wondered if there was a glitch in the software or whatever it was. Returning to the discussion board, she thought about asking if others had the same issue.

0102111: Shut up! LOL. Ok, ttyl, ppl. And btw, it's buy 1 get 1 free on the Brandon's jalapeño burger today.

0516226: Oh my God, have you guys heard the news about Rosalie Hale?

Bella frowned. She wasn't sure who the sender was, but . . . 0516 meant EP. Did she know anyone with those initials?

Oh, it could be Esme Platt. She was a few years older than Bella and worked in a jewelry store on the second floor.

2004045: All ears here. I've tried calling Rose all week. (This is Tanya.)

0102111: Gossip! I can stay online for that!

0516226: She's dead! The cops broke into her apartment last night and found her dead!

Bella dropped her phone, a wave of dizziness and nausea overcoming her.

#

Edward heaved a sigh, having walked the first floor for a few hours now and still no sign of Jasper.

Contacting Emmett on his radio, he requested a trade. It was lunch soon, anyway, and Edward needed to see Bella. He'd seen her earlier when she arrived, but Lauren had been with him at the time, so he hadn't been able to leave.

"OK, on my way down," Emmett responded in his meek voice.

With impatience rolling off Edward in waves, he made his way up to the second floor and then the third.

A teenager, Angela, was behind the counter when Edward walked into the small smoothie shop.

"Is Bella here?" he asked, looking around.

The girl didn't look up from her gossip rag and pointed a thumb over her shoulder. But just as Edward was about to round the counter and go to the backroom, Bella appeared.

"Hey . . ." His greeting died out when he saw the redness in Bella's eyes. She had been crying. "What's wrong?" He walked over to her, not caring about anything except Bella right now, whose eyes were rapidly filling with more tears.

"I—I . . ." She was trembling, and Edward's worry grew tenfold. "I . . . she, Rose . . . everything is just—" She whimpered.

Edward didn't know what she was trying to say, but he figured they could use some privacy. Bella looked like she was seconds from falling apart. So, Edward cupped her elbow and ushered her out of the shop and toward the elevators they rarely used. But they would offer more discretion that the escalators could.

The ride down to the first floor was quiet; Bella could barely breathe, much less tell Edward what the problem was.

Once outside, he saw a handful of Grove employees near the smoking zone, so he walked Bella over to his truck instead. Dropping the tailgate, he helped her up and then sat down himself, one arm around her shoulders.

"Tell me what's wrong, baby," he whispered into her hair. When he brushed some hair away from her face and Bella was wiping her eyes, he saw a bruise on her wrist. "What's this?" His spine stiffened and he gently grasped her arm. "Bella." He swallowed, clearly seeing the shape of fingers in the purple marks. "What is this?"

Had Carlisle hurt her?

At that moment, Jasper's old truck came into view as he parked a few spots over, and Bella's trembling got a whole lot worse. Her eyes grew large in fear.

The second Jasper exited his truck, he looked up and froze at the sight of Edward and Bella.

Edward frowned, his eyes flicking between the two. "Wh . . ." Then there was an edge in his voice when he spoke next, because a dreadful feeling in his gut told him this wasn't gonna be pleasant. "Bella, can you tell me what's going on?"

"Bella," Jasper called, cautiously walking closer. "I only came to apologize."

Something snapped inside Edward when Bella's only response was more shaking and a broken sob.

Without knowing what was really going on, Edward hopped off the truck and started toward Jasper.

"Look, man . . ." Jasper halted and put up his hands. "I don't know what this looks like to you, but—"

"What it looks like?" Edward repeated, clenching his fists. "It looks like Bella's scared of you. It looks like Bella's got bruises. It looks like you've got something to apologize for. Care to tell me what the connection is?"

But Jasper didn't. Instead he took off in a run.

Edward spat out a curse and followed.

Fanfiction written by AnotherPen, beta'd by InFlight75, pre-read by LAchick85 – we usually go by other names in the fandom.