Crash Into Me: Chapter 34
Jasper gently pulled on the door to Bella's room slipping inside quietly. For the first time since finding her at Hampton House she looked at peace. His eyes scanned the machinery she was attached to. All he was able to make out was a monitor of some kind and an IV.
Jasper pulled a chair from the wall up to the bed. He rested his hands on hers giving a silent prayer of thanks. Knowing that while Riley had physically destroyed her, he had not violated her was a great relief to him. He was sure that it would ease Edward's mind as well, that was if he ever got the chance to tell his friend.
Jasper rested his weary head on the edge of the bed. He barely knew Bella Swan but there was something about her that made him want to get to know her better. It wasn't just that she was his best friend's girlfriend. There was more to it than that. Something radiated from inside her pulling people to her like a magnet. Her presence in Edward's life had been remarkable. In Jasper's mind there was no denying that Bella had been the reason, whether Edward would admit it or not, that he hadn't run straight to Tanya when his world fell apart for the millionth time. Even through the betrayal he thought Bella committed against him, she was still a guiding force in his mind forcing him to seek out another way of handling things rather than running for his familiar escape routes.
Jasper heard the door swing open behind him. He fully expected to see Carlisle entering the room but it was wasn't in fact it was Riley Biers who was standing in the room with him. "What the hell do you want?" he asked clenching his jaw in a vain attempt at keeping his temper in check. His eyes darted to Bella knowing full well that she was sedated but didn't want anything to upset her none the less.
"I wanted to see how she was doing."
"Like you really give a damn!" Jasper returned louder than he expected to hear his voice.
"I know you don't believe me – hell I can't blame you for that but I love her. I didn't mean to hurt her," Riley cried.
Jasper felt Bella stir beneath the touch of his hand. He didn't wait a second at ushering Riley from the room. Riley Biers was the last person on earth she needed to see right now. "You're damn lucky she's okay!" Jasper spat. "You did a hell of a job on her though. She's got some broken ribs, a concussion…" Jasper watched himself grabbing Riley by the collar of his jacket without much control over his actions. Every ounce of his pent up rage was spilling over the brim. Riley almost laughed out loud thinking here we go again. This time however he didn't even put up a fight.
"Jasper – ENOUGH!" Carlisle's booming voice came from out of the distance. "This isn't going to solve anything." Jasper watched Carlisle walking towards him with another man he recognized only from his picture the picture that Edward had showed him days before. It was Charlie Swan, Bella's father.
"Maybe not!" Jasper countered before he could stop his mouth from forming the words. "But it sure as hell would make me feel better." He never once let Riley go. Riley caught sight of Bella's father and then to his horror he saw his own father stepping out from behind Charlie Swan
"I think I have some things to discuss with my son," Howard Biers said sternly.
"SOME THINGS TO DISCUSS? The words Jasper was hearing were unbelievable. "DISCUSS? He tried to rape Bella – hell he beat her so badly that she landed in the hospital – he ran down my best friend with his car – Edward might not ever wake up and you think that you have some things to discuss? Is that all DISCUSS?" Carlisle stood watching as Jasper had reached his breaking point finally sobbing.
"Easy Jasper," Carlisle said grabbing for him as his body slid against the wall, "Mr. Swan, Bella's in this room. She's been sedated but you can go in and see her." Carlisle motioned to the door.
"Thank you. Don't think this is over yet, Howard," Charlie's words were ominous as he entered Bella's room.
Riley's eyes darted from Bella's father back to his own doing his best to gauge the exchange between the two men. What he saw looked less than promising. In all the years that he had known Mr. Swan, Riley had never seen him conduct himself in such a manner. Charlie and Howard had a long reaching history. They had first been prep school roommates and then college fraternity brothers. In the business world both men had taken their separate paths but however when Charlie Swan started his own firm Howard Biers was his first contact when he set up shop. Always there had been an incredible kinship between the two, but currently Riley saw none of that. It appeared as if there was suddenly a wall that divided the two men.
Carlisle and Jasper stood to the sidelines watching father and son dance around one another neither sure of how to even begin. "Let's give them some space," Carlisle whispered.
"Not on your life!" Jasper countered adamantly.
"Really Jasper, let's go. I think they have the right to do this in private."
"NO WAY!" Dean spat no intention of going anywhere. He owed it to Edward and to Bella to make sure beyond a shadow of a doubt Riley didn't weasel out of a single think he had done to either of them.
"Jasper," Carlisle sighed heavily, "This isn't helping."
"You know how this is going to work," Jasper sounded stressed running his fingers through his hair, "He's gonna get off fucking scott free," Jasper was speaking the only truth he had ever seen a truth that was a way of life on the streets where he came from. On many issued he and Edward didn't see eye to eye but he knew all too well that rich kids never paid for their crimes.
"Jasper," Carlisle angrily pulled him away from the pair. "I know how you're feeling right now. I understand it and I understand how badly you want him to pay for what he's done. He will – believe me when I say he will. I have already put a call into a detective friend of mine. I told him all there is to tell. He expressly assured me this wouldn't be swept under the rug." Carlisle made his best attempt to allay his fears.
"What if Bella's father wants it swept under the rug?" Jasper countered.
"It's highly unlikely that that's going to happen.
"You can't be sure though," Jasper offered losing his patience again.
"All I can tell you is the police are going to do an investigation. They need to talk to you, Bella and Edward when and if -," the remainder of his words couldn't push passed the lump in his throat.
"Carlisle, do you know something more about Edward's condition? Something more than you are telling me? I mean if you know something you have to tell me." Jasper's voice raised an octave higher with the thoughts his mind played in the cavity of his brain.
"I don't know anything more than before. I can just appreciate how bad things truly are. Let's face it Edward's in critical condition. You have to understand the gravity of that don't you?"
Jasper looked away momentarily. The biting reality forced tears to spring from his tired eyes. The possibility of losing his long time friend was a real one yet this was the first time that he had let himself think of that. His time since the accident had been so wrapped up in taking care of Bella that it had left very little time for him to think of much else.
"Let's head back to the waiting room with the others," Carlisle suggested.
For once Jasper didn't hesitate; he let himself be led away from the two men. The waiting area was jammed full of kids from the center. Every available space was occupied along with the floor and every noticeable windowsill. Among the faces Jasper saw Tanya and James. The idea that either of them had the audacity of showing their faces escaped him. They were as much to blame for this mess as Carlisle and Bella had been.
Tanya exploited the weakness she knew Edward possessed, drove it home in fact. Jasper knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if she had just left well enough alone none of this would have happened. They both saw Jasper and made their way through the crowded room to him.
"What's the word on Edward?" James was the first to speak.
"He's in surgery. That's all we really know at the moment. We're all just waiting and praying." His calm demeanor surprised him. All Jasper's mind was screaming at the moment was how he wanted to rip them to shreds yet all he did was stand there stoic. What did it really matter now? What was done was done and nothing – neither his anger nor his want for revenge would make what happened to Edward or Bella go away. Nothing was going to turn back the hands of time.
James knew his friend well enough to sense by his posture that things were looking bad for Edward. In the past years James and Edward had been closer than Edward and Jasper but all along James knew that Jasper had always been Edward's true best friend and the straight laced one of the three. He knew he had always been the wildcard of the bunch where as Jasper had always been the one keeping the other two out of trouble, that was up until Edward's parents died and he ended up with Caius.
Caius' entry on the scene brought a different perspective to things. Edward began letting James and the life he led be his escape from the horrors of his own existence. Jasper had done his best to pick up the pieces after each mistake that the pair made but at some point he had just lost hope on the both of them.
"I'm sorry man," James said resting his hand on Jasper's shoulder.
James was full of regret for the part he played in Tanya's scheme. As for him putting the moves on Bella that first night Edward brought her around he was having his doubts about that as well. Too little too late he thought to himself. Tanya had been so jacked off finding out that Edward was dating some rich girl from the hill she practically lost it. The idea of it all disgusted her and she had James talked into helping her before he even knew what hit him.
"What the hell were you trying to prove by trashing Bella?" Jasper spoke calmly but the fury in the depths of his eyes gave his true anger away.
"We just were looking out for him. We didn't want him to get hurt," James suppressed a humorless laugh as he looked around at the hospital waiting room he now stood in.
"NO!" Jasper pointed to Tanya, "I was talking to her. What were you trying to prove with that stunt of yours?"
"It wasn't a stunt!" she countered. "Edward had a right to know who the hell he was dating!"
"How did you know he didn't know?"
"Isn't it obvious that he didn't?" she retorted a smirk crossing her lips. It took every fiber of his being not to reach out and slap the silly expression from her face. "He didn't have a clue. Did you know that? So don't tell me I'm the one who did something wrong!" The point she was attempting to make was completely lost on Jasper.
"DON'T TELL YOU YOU DID SOMETHING WRONG?" Jasper echoed, "YOU BLEW APART HIS WHOLE GOD DAMN WORLD!" His voice boomed off the walls of the small room. A hush fell over its occupants as they waited to see what was to come next. "WHAT DID YOU THINK THIS WAS ALL SOME SORT OF JOKE? He's in there fighting for his life and if you had just kept your fucking mouth shut – I mean he would be okay – Bella wouldn't have been almost raped and beaten half to death….."
"What? What did you say about Bella?" a strange girl asked him.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" he spat at her.
"Jasper, this is Rosalie. She's a friend of Bella's." Alice easily came to the rescue.
Jasper looked this girl from head to toe yet never really seeing her. He hadn't meant to blurt out that information about Bella. It wasn't anyone's business but his anger at Tanya made him take leave of his senses. Before he could address Rosalie's question, he saw Tanya walking about.
"HEY WAIT A MINUTE – I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!" he yelled. James grabbed his arm stopping him from running after her. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
"Jasper let her go. She didn't mean for any of this to happen anymore than I did. I am as much to blame. I didn't have to agree to show Edward that picture. I could have denied everything when he asked. I didn't. I didn't 'cause I was pissed that he was ready to fight me over some chick. That never happened between us before. I thought that it would serve him right to be knocked down a peg or two."
Jasper stared at him in disbelief unable to comprehend his words. This couldn't have been the same guy him and Edward had grown up with. Jasper couldn't wrap his mind around the thought that James would take his friendship with Edward so lightly. Breaking free of James' grip, Jasper shook his head as he walked off in the opposite direction of Tanya.
"Is someone going to tell me what's going on?" Rosalie questioned searching the sea of faces around her. Carlisle went to her in an attempt to explain.
Riley and his father found their way to a pair of chairs in the corridor both sitting in silence for a long while. Howard Biers was the first to speak. "Son, could you please tell me what the hell's going on here? I mean I get this whacked out call from Charlie. Something about you trying to rape his daughter – and beating her up? Tell me this is some kind of mistake. Then to make matters worse I now find out that you may have been responsible for a hit and run," Howard was wringing his hand as he spoke doing his best to put order to all the disjointed information he had. "Please tell me that this is all some incredible misunderstanding. Tell me that Charlie doesn't know what he's talking about." Mr. Biers' voice was willing his last statement to be true. Riley hung his head low illustrating that all his father now knew was indeed true. "Well son, let's get one thing straight," he paused, "no son of mine is going to jail. Whatever we have to do to fix this we will."
Riley didn't know whether to be thankful or fearful of his father at that very moment. He was sure that the deck was stacked against him. He sat silently gathering his thoughts on how and what to tell his father. "Dad," he began, "I really need to tell you what happened," his voice revealed the anguish he was feeling at the past events. His mind traveled a backwards path to the image of Edward lying before him in his hospital bed; to Bella's face as she fainted into Jasper's arms. No matter what his father had in mind those pictures weren't about to disappear. "I did it. I did everything that you were told," he choked on his tears knowing they would only serve to further enrage his father. "I didn't mean for this to get so out of hand. Really I never meant to hurt Bella or her boyfriend….."
"Boyfriend?" Howard Biers was puzzled. "You're telling me that that kid from Port Angeles – he's Bella's boyfriend?" Riley nodded. "Well, seems like the Swan's all date below their class," he commented under his breath. The statement confused Riley. He didn't understand what his father was getting at. "Don't worry about what you did. You aren't going to take the fall for some piece of trash." Howard Biers' plan was already taking shape in his mind.
Charlie Swan sat in silence beside his daughter's bed. It was deathly quiet in the room. The only sound resonating throughout was the faint beeping of the monitor that took Bella's blood pressure every fifteen minutes.
Dr. Lathem had been in to discuss her condition with him. Charlie was relieved to learn that ultimately she would come out of all of this unscathed. The broken ribs, concussion and bruises would heal, yet what concerned the doctor the most right now was the erratic way Bella's BP was behaving. Keeping it in check was difficult at best. Presently it was running dangerously high and their best efforts to stabilize it hadn't yielded the results he had hoped for.
Charlie's thoughts were swimming in his head. So many things to think about; so many things he wished he could go back and erase starting many years before. There was Renee's beautiful face before his eyes. She had been his everything yet somewhere along the way life had gotten in their way. The ambition in him had turned the qualities that he had fallen in love with about her were turned into weapons to be used against her. He had lost count of how many times in the last years he had longed for another chance, a chance to right so many wrongs. Rather than learning from his mistakes Charlie had in turn started the same ritual with his daughter throwing himself into his business world and did what he thought was best protecting Bella from everything that had stolen her mother from them.
"Bella, I'm sorry," he choked stroking her hand, "Were did I go so wrong with you? I did everything in my power to keep you safe but it wasn't enough." Charlie cried. "You don't know how much I wish Renee was here right now. She'd know exactly what to say – exactly what to do for you. She was wonderful at things like this. She just instinctively knew what to do." Charlie smiled tears glistening in his eyes. "I miss her Bella. I miss her so much. I know that you think I forgot about her, thought that the moment she left us I wiped her from the world you knew. That's so untrue. I could never have forgotten the woman who gave me such a beautiful daughter. Bella, you are the very image of Renee. I was such a fool putting so many vain things ahead of her, ahead of us. There were so many things that I never had a chance to tell her. I don't want that to be the case with you too…" Bella lifted her hand reaching out to touch her father's cheek wet with tears. "Bella?" he gasped, "Oh Bells," Charlie's voice quivered not knowing where to begin suddenly so self-conscious of his words.
"How's Edward?" she asked wetting her parched lips with her tongue. Charlie reached for the pitcher of water pouring her a glass.
"I'm so glad you're awake. Maria and I have been so worried about you," he returned ignoring her question as he lifted her head enabling her to take a needed drink of water.
"How's Edward?' she repeated trying to sit up. "I have to know how Edward is." Her eyes searched her father's looking for any sign as to the answer to her question. "PLEASE – PLEASE TELL ME!" her voice struggled against her tears.
Instantly the alarm on the BP monitor sounded. A sound so shrill that it sent chills down Charlie's spine. A whirlwind of activity encircled Bella's room suddenly as he was ushered out the door. He stood helplessly watching through the thin strip of glass as the doctors and nurses went to work calming Bella and to bring down her blood pressure. Charlie dropped his head in his hands as Jasper came upon him.
"Mr. Swan?" Jasper said pensively, "Is everything okay?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean? What's wrong with Bella?" Jasper felt his own pulse quicken. The doctors had assured Carlisle and him that Bella's injuries were serious but nowhere near life threatening, yet from the ghostly color of her father's face Jasper couldn't help thinking all bets were off.
"Her blood pressure is extremely high. Dr. Lathem explained that the medication they have given her so far has done nothing to bring it down. She woke up while I was sitting there and immediately started asking about Edward. She wanted to know how he was. I didn't know what to say so I just didn't answer her. Well that only upset her more. The monitor sounded and they sent me outside,"
Before Charlie could say anything more Dr. Lathem addressed him, "Mr. Swan."
"Yes?"
"We have given Bella another sedative,"
"Why?" Jasper questioned before Charlie was able to speak.
"That's our only option at the moment. Bella needs to remain calm and it's obvious that she's not going to do that at the moment."
"She was asking about Edward Masen. Is there any news about his condition?" Charlie asked.
"I haven't heard anything more than that he's still in surgery," the doctor remarked nonchalantly as he continued on about Bella's treatment, "I plan on trying a combination of two drugs to see if that will help bring her pressure down. Until then I plan on keeping her sedated. It's in her best interest."
"Is she still awake now?" Jasper asked.
"Yes, why?"
"I'd like to see her if that's okay?" His eyes implored both men.
"Visitors are the last thing she needs right now," Dr. Lathem spoke sternly looking in the direction of Bella's father.
"Please – I won't do anything to upset her – I promise. I'm Edward's best friend and I have been with her through this from the beginning. I did my best to take care of her before she collapsed. I think I just might be able to help here," Jasper pleaded with them. "She's scared as hell for Edward. She wants some answers – we all do. I know I can keep her calmer than you think."
Charlie eyed the young man before him. For the first time in many years he surrendered his views of the dividing line he saw the world by knowing that this person in front of him was clearly right. It was glaringly obvious that Bella didn't trust him. Suddenly he felt for sure that Bella would feel more secure with Edward's best friend at her side.
"Please, yes please go be with her," Charlie said much to his own amazement. Maria smiled at her long time boss knowing that he had just taken his first tiny step back into Bella's life.
"Thank you," Jasper shook his hand before turning and entering Bella's room. He positioned himself on the corner of her bed. She was fighting the effects of the sedative but it was getting the better of her. "Hey," he smiled at her.
"Hi," she weakly smiled back, "How's Edward?" she immediately questioned.
"Easy now," Jasper touched her gently, "I promised your dad and the doc out there that I wouldn't do anything to upset you. We haven't heard anything more about Edward. He's still in surgery. That's all we know for now." Bella expression showed she had hoped for better news. "Listen, things are going to be just fine. Right now all you need to worry about is yourself. Your blood pressure is through the roof. You have to relax and stay calm….."
"But,"
"No buts, this is serious Bella. If you can't do it for yourself then do it for Edward. Just think about the times that are ahead of you guys." Jasper saw what resembled a faint smile pass across Bella's battered face.
She resisted the fluttering of her eye lids as the sedative was beginning to achieve its desired effect. He sat there a while longer watching the easy rise and fall of her chest as she settled into a deep sleep. No matter the amount of bruises it wasn't hard for Jasper to see how beautiful Bella was or why Edward had fallen in love with her. It was so much more than just her outward beauty. Jasper's silent pray was that Edward would be granted the chance to continue to do so.