Chapter 29: She's special
A/N: Characters (excluding original characters created for this story) are all Stephenie Meyers' creations, I'm just torturing them. I don't own them. I do however own the storyline. Thanks to my lovely beta (FE71SH) for looking this chap over for me. Please take the time to leave some words if you really loved it or really hated it!
*****
Bella stood right in the centre of everyone's attention, confidence radiating off her. They were all gathered, discussing where to go next and wondering about Bella and I when we arrived back at the house.
Alice smiled at me, "Thank you, Bella. I can see how hard that was for you."
"Actually, Alice, it helped ease a lot of my guilt."
Eased her guilt? What does she mean?
"May I?" Bella held up her hands, indicating that she wanted to show Alice a memory.
Alice nodded, her face and thoughts reflecting her absolute trust in Bella's decision. Bella rested her hands in the air beside Alice's temples and called up the memory of the last conversation she'd had with Alice's past self, showing Alice the request not to know. Alice nodded. "Maybe one day I will ask you to tell me what happened – tell me though, not show me."
"Whenever you are ready. Until then I act on your authority to keep these memories hidden."
"Bella?" Emmett called out. Bella turned to look at him. "Alice told me about what you can do. About going back and looking at memories and stuff."
Bella nodded.
He smiled at me, "Bella, I want you to do me." He waggled his eyebrow. Everyone around us began to laugh seeing the humour in what he was saying. I couldn't laugh – not while seeing the images in his head.
"You want me to do you?" Bella asked, a laugh in her voice.
Emmett nodded his head, his smile broadening.
"After all the tension, the stress, that I have been in for the last few days and you want me to do you?"
He laughed. "Hey come on – all that stress is because you were looking at the pixie's memories. A girl's life is always full of drama. My life was drama free, baby."
"Yeah, right up until you got eaten by the bear," Bella laughed. I joined in the laughter this time.
"Hey, I could've won that fight still, if Rosie hadn't interrupted."
Rosalie rolled her eyes at him.
"R-ight," Bella said, not trying to rein in her laughter.
"Come on, do me Bells, please?"
"Fine, but if I'm not going to interrupt the bear while it chews on your ass."
"That's fine – that's Rosie's job anyway."
Bella moved a little closer to Emmett before pushing her shield out to cover Emmett. "Think about a memory," she said to him.
His thoughts cut off from me for a second before Bella shifted, then both their thoughts were open to me. I would have been shocked or disgusted by the memory Emmett had decided to play for Bella – except I knew Emmett too well. I had seen these same images many times, although not in quite so much detail. Bella's visions were still so much more vivid than anyone else's. I really didn't need to see Rosalie naked form roughly riding Emmett, or watch as he ran his hands along her buttocks and his tongue along her sternum. Bella left the memory as quickly as possible.
"Emmett! That's just wrong."
He grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"What did you see?" Alice asked.
"I wanted to show our little sis a thing or two that she can try out on Edward."
Less than half a second later Bella walked up to him and placed her hands next to his head and shared some memories of her own with him. To say I was floored was an understatement. She showed him many small flashes and the feelings that accompanied them made me more than hard.
"Remember," she said. "I'm not your little sister anymore. I'm older and wiser."
Everyone laughed at the stunned look on Emmett's face. He sat for another few seconds with a blank look before jumping up and giving me a thump on the back. "Nice!"
Finally the Bella I knew and loved returned, embarrassment taking over her features. She sat on the couch cringing into her hands. I sat beside her and wrapped my arm around her.
"I want another turn," Emmett asked.
Bella shook my head without raising it from her hands.
"Oh, no fair, Bella," Emmett said. "Do me again, please. I've got lots to show you. I promise I'll behave."
Everyone chanted a round of "go on". I squeezed her just a little tighter.
Did they make you do this sort of stuff too? Bella thought to me.
"Still do," I laughed, "and worse. I'm regularly treated to slideshows like the one you saw."
"Fine," Bella said to Emmett. "But keep it clean."
Bella shifted into another of Emmett's memories. I knew the story he was showing her well – the story of the stag he killed just before the bear arrived. I felt for Bella immediately when she smelled the stag's blood. She still needed to hunt and I could feel the fire in her throat reflected in my own. Bella shifted back to present moments before the bear decided to begin the deadly wrestle with Emmett.
"Enjoy?" Emmett laughed.
"Some of us have important things to do, not waste all night watching you get mauled by a bear," Bella said in a reproaching voice.
Bella leaned back into me for a few moments, with a smile on her face. Her entire demeanour had shifted from earlier. She was my Bella again, the perfect mix of strength and weakness, determination and acceptance. She turned to Carlisle at last. "Carlisle, can I speak to you alone for a little while?" she asked. I wasn't offended by the alone part – I knew she included me automatically, we were two halves of the whole. "I just need a little while to call Jacob first."
Carlisle smiled. That really is an amazing talent she has. It occurred to me that he knew more, much more, than he was letting on. "Yes. I'll be waiting in my study when you're ready."
Bella nodded and Carlisle left to go wait for us. Bella pulled down her shield, opening her thoughts to me but revealing nothing just yet. "Edward, can you call Jacob for me?" I'm not sure who at La Push knows the real story about me, and who thinks I am dead. I don't want to give Billy a heart attack if he doesn't know I am actually alive.
I nodded, successfully stifling my laugh that she always worries about everyone else first.
"Hello?" Jacob answered.
"Hello, Jacob. I hope you had a pleasant flight?"
"It was fine. It's nice being home."
"That's good. Bella wants to talk to you, she didn't want to ring herself just in case someone else answered," I told him.
"No problems."
I handed the phone to Bella. "Jacob, I've got a big favour to ask."
"Uh, huh, and what might that be?"
Bella continued, her thoughts still open but guarded. "I need you to sign the house over to Carlisle."
"Sure, sure. But that's not really a huge favour, I figured that was going to happen anyway."
"Yeah, but that's not all I need."
"Okay, what else do you need?"
How can I explain to Jacob that I want him to watch out for Cain, that I want Cain to move to Forks and live in Charlie's house? I really want him to understand and at least listen to my idea.
"What?" I said, outraged. I didn't understand how she could even be considering what she was considering. Forgiving Cain was one thing – moving on was healthy for him and Bella. But to offer him that? "You're giving your house to the person who tried to kill you? Who would have if...if..." I stammered, I couldn't even find words to express how I felt. I heard Bella's pain and hurt at my reaction. I didn't want to hurt her – even if I couldn't understand what she was thinking. "Sorry, love, I just...don't get it."
"I can't go back to that house," she explained. "Ever again – even if we return to Forks we will be in the seclusion of your old house. I don't need the money from the sale of it. What I do need though is to know that I have helped Cain out, even just a little."
"What are you two talking about?" Jacob asked through the phone.
"I'm talking about helping Cain to move on, but I need your help to do it. I'm going to need you to use the rest of the money in my bank accounts to support him and hire him a lawyer and just generally be there for him."
"Bella," Jacob growled, "He tried to kill you! Don't you get that?"
"Of course I do, I'm not stupid. But I also know that he has issues, serious issues, some of which were made worse by me. I feel guilty that I even gave him the opportunity to think there was anything between us. I want to do this, to know that because I lived someone else will have a better life."
"So you want me to manage your money to help out the kid who killed you?" I didn't need to hear Jacob's thoughts to hear his outrage.
"Pretty much, although I'll do the managing and arrange all the details, you'll just need to sign everything because it's all in your name now."
"I don't have to be happy about it do I?" He asked grudgingly.
"No." Bella laughed; then she looked at me. "Are you okay with this?"
I sighed, I couldn't tell her how I really felt – and in truth there was a part of me screaming that her nature, her goodness, was what drew me to her. "Bella, love, how could I ever be unhappy with anything that is a result of your good nature. But how do you know he won't hurt anyone else? He is very messed up, I think he needs to spend some time in a professional institution."
"He's got a point, Bells," Jacob agreed.
"I'll make sure he does, and you'll be there to do the same, Jake. That's why I want him in Forks, so he'll be close to at least one of us. We're moving from Fairfield at the end of next week so I don't want to leave him here."
"And what about the murder charge?" I asked.
"We'll lean on the DA, between Jacob and Carlisle asking for leniency and if we promise to get him help and arrange emancipation from his father, at least. People have done much worse and gotten away with it."
"And what about his father? You going to help him too?" Jacob said with a bit of venom in his voice.
"His father can go to hell with Alice's," Bella whispered.
"Huh?" Jacob asked.
"Don't ask," I said to him. I didn't want to explain the stress and strain of the last few days.
"Fine I won't," Jacob replied. "You know Bells, one day you'll owe me for all the favours."
"You still owe me for imprinting," Bella joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
"Yeah," Jacob laughed. "One day that excuse will grow old."
"I know, but I'll milk it for what I can before then."
"Don't I know it," Jacob mumbled but there was still humour in his voice.
"So are the three of us on the same page?" Bella said. "I mean obviously there are still some finer details but we're all agreed."
"You promise you'll deal with it if he goes off the rails?" Jacob asked again.
"Yes."
"And you're sure about this?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes."
"Just wanted to clarify out loud, love."
Sorry, she thought to me. Then she spoke out loud, "Okay, well if that's settled I need to talk to Alice quickly before seeing Carlisle."
She hung up the phone from Jacob. I saw Alice's vision of Bella calling her name and knew she would be at the door instantly.
"Alice?" Bella called.
"What is it?" She asked, opening the door before Bella had even got to the L.
"What's going to happen with Cain?" Bella asked.
Alice concentrated on trying to get a vision of Cain. I saw a flash of him on a plane and then in a taxi passing the 'Welcome to Forks' sign. "He's going to move to Forks." Alice said. "But why...?"
Bella cut her off with a hug. "Thanks, Alice."
I guided Bella into the bathroom to practise her speech into the mirror. I shut the door and took a deep breath, hoping she was doing the right thing.
*****
"How can I help, Bella?" Carlisle asked, being as professional as possible under the circumstances. I could hear in his thoughts that he knew what Bella was about to ask and he could barely contain his excitement at being able to witness her talent first hand again – he'd already seen it once today. He was thrilled to see the circle complete itself.
"I want to help Cain," Bella said. "And I have an idea how I might be able to do it. I just need to borrow your memories for a while first."
Go ahead, he thought and indicated with his hands that Bella should proceed. Bella sat across the desk from him and I felt his thoughts disappear an instant before the memory, and Bella's experience of it, opened up to me.
Cain was lying on a hospital bed; monitors attached all over his body. Bandages covered his wrists and his face was still swollen from where he had impacted the wall as Jacob had thrown him across the room. There was a nurse stationed in the room watching over him. Carlisle was at the end of his bed reading the chart. I put my hands to his forehead sharing with him the memory of our conversation so he would know what was happening. He nodded imperceptibly to me, then he leaned over to the nurse and asked her to leave him in the room alone for a few minutes. She started to argue but Carlisle just said, "Five minutes, please. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt himself."
The nurse seemed to consider Carlisle for a minute then nodded and exited the room.
"Bella, what do you need me to do?" Carlisle asked, low and fast so Cain wouldn't hear. I didn't answer him, I couldn't. Instead I walked over near Cain and lay my hands beside his head. I wouldn't be able to remove his memories like I could for Alice. I would need him under my shield for that. But what I could do was help him out, show him my plan.
I concentrated hard on the memory I prepared after getting off the phone with Jacob and both Edward and Jacob reluctantly agreed to my idea. I pulled up my memory of my face in the mirror and showed him what I said.
"Cain, I know you've had a hard life. I know your father beats your mother and you. And I know you thought I was the one who would be able to save you from all that but I'm not. In the end you are the one who needs to stand up for yourself and for your mother. You need to file a report to the police about what your father did to both of you. I can't promise it will make it all better but that is where you need to start.
"Also, I know you blame yourself for what happened to me, but I don't. I am happy now. I am with my loved ones and am fulfilled in a way I never could have been if you hadn't done it. My only regret is that you were hurt so much in all of this, caught between myself and the person I did love. I want to make that up to you.
"There is a new life waiting for you in Washington if you want it. A house in Forks, a scholarship to Forks High School for you to repeat your junior year and for your senior year as well as assistance for college. I will have lawyers contact you shortly to discuss emancipation from your parents and also to help your defence for any charges brought against you in regards to me, but I will also have someone pressuring the DA to drop the charges. There are two conditions for all of this. First you need to start counselling – which will also be paid for. And the second is that you live a good life, be good to other people and break the cycle.
"Let Carlisle, Dr Cullen, know if you want to accept this offer. He won't think you're crazy. He will know exactly what you are talking about.
"Jacob will watch out for you and watch over you. I know this is all going to be overwhelming for you, that you won't understand, but just think of me as a guardian angel. I will be watching out for you now." There was a threatening undercurrent to my voice as I said the last sentence. I had practised the speech a few times to get that right. I wanted him to know that if he chose not to accept my offer and live his own life I would be watching, if he hurt someone else I would ensure he was stopped. That threat to Cain, the promise I made, was the only reason Edward and Jacob agreed to my plan.
Bella shifted back not waiting for a response. She shifted straight into another memory, of the phone call to Jacob just an hour earlier. Carlisle took his cue to leave. She's very special, Edward.
I nodded. I knew that. Even without her talent Bella was so special.
I heard Bella shift back to the present.
"I am proud of you," I said as I wrapped my arms around me. "It's a very good thing that you're doing. Better than what I would have done to him."
"I know," Bella kissed my cheek. "You would have torn him to pieces if Carlisle hadn't been there."
I didn't even bother to try to deny it – she had seen my face in the memory of the day Cain had shot her, had it not been for Carlisle I would have killed Cain.
"So..." Bella said to me, "it's Friday now. Neither of us need to be anywhere until you are needed at school on Monday."
"That's correct," I said.
"Well, I was just thinking that's an awful lot of time to fill. However will we do it?"
"Mmmm," I hummed against her neck, "I'm sure I can think of a few ways."
She grabbed the back of my pants and pulled me into her, closing the gaps between our bodies. "Oh, I can too," she said.
I nuzzled my face into her neck, kissing along her perfect collarbone – not even a hint of her old injuries remained. She dropped her head back and allowed me better access. I felt my excitement growing. She pulled her hands off me and wrapped one around my hand, she led me through the study door and I was expecting to go to our room. She moved suddenly, running towards the back door, yelling, "Let's go hunt."
I followed, growling at her, "And you accuse me of being a tease."
"Yeah, I do," she laughed.
A/N:- Well, that's it.... Epilogue to post next and then Student Liaison is officially done & dusted.
HOWEVER... as I mentioned before Life's Lesson is about to begin very very soon. In fact, I will be posting the Prologue (which is already written) shortly after I post the epilogue\s for Student Liaison. You will see why I was hesitatant to post it before Student Liaison was finished soon ;)
