Bella's POV

Ever since we had broken free I hadn't left Jasper's side. In the car his head was in my lap. When Carlisle carried him inside his house I hovered nearby until Jasper was placed on the bed, then my hand went into his. Jasper had slipped into unconsciousness the moment Carlisle showed up and I knew it was because he felt safe with this man. It was good, but also bad. I liked that he wasn't suffering anymore, but I hated that he was unable to respond to me.

I remember looking up from Jasper and noticing Carlisle and Esme in the doorway, she was whispering something to him and helping him put on some rubber gloves. I didn't understand why rubber gloves were needed, but I didn't question him. Carlisle came into the room and stood by Jasper, but he faltered. He was eyeing me cautiously.

"What is your name?" Carlisle asked me and I only realized then that I hadn't supplied it.

"Bella, my name is Bella."

"Bella, dear," Esme said, walking into the room. "I know you want to be with Jasper right now, but how about you come with me and grab a shower and some clean clothes." I wanted to protest, but she kept on speaking. "Come on, dear, when you come back I'm sure Carlisle will have some answers for you."

I brought Jasper's hand to my lips and kissed the back of it before leaning towards him and whispering in his ear.

"I'm here, Jay, I'm not leaving. We're finally free, remember that."

I didn't want to leave him, but I knew that I must. I had a feeling Carlisle wasn't going to start his examination with me still in the room. I followed Esme to the guest bathroom and she drew me a bath. She helped me out of my clothes and I looked in the mirror. I had lost weight, not much, but it was noticeable. I also had dark bruises on my sides from Royce's punches. I looked at my face. I looked so dirty and tired. I had another bruise around my left eye and as suspected my eyebrow had been cut open and there was dried blood on my face.

Esme gave me a hand into the water and then asked if she could wash me, I didn't deny her. I had never grown up with my mother, though my older sister Jane did look after me. Jane, a smile came across my face. Royce was dead, he was finally dead. He couldn't hurt anyone, not any more. I hated that Jasper had to kill him, but there was no other way. Esme's touch was warm and welcoming and I stayed in the bath much longer than I intended to. When I finally got out and dried off, I stepped into some sweats and I felt better instantly. It was so good to be free.

We walked past the door where Carlisle was examining Jasper and Esme kept going, leading me to the kitchen.

"Let me get you some food," she said and I noted then that she didn't seem to speak much.

She guided me to a chair, but I just couldn't sit down, I had been sitting down for days. I stayed standing even though my body ached, but it was better than having to sit down again. The food was served up, but I took no note of it. I was starving and I ate it all quickly and had three glasses of water along with it. I was slowly starting to feel like myself again and I liked it. I was so happy we had escaped and that Royce and Felix were dead, though I had no idea who killed Felix. The only person it could have been was James, but I knew James would never do that. I wanted to be happy, but I couldn't, not until Jasper was well again.

I couldn't take the separation anymore and I headed back to the room. Carlisle stepped out just as I got there and closed the door behind him.

"How is he?" I asked and Carlisle shook his head.

"Not good, Bella. I've got him set up on an IV drip to help replenish all the fluids he's lost and get him feeling a bit better, but there's not much else I can do. His wounds are mainly superficial, but they will take time to heal. He's still unconscious, but that's normal at the moment. Let him rest, Bella."

"But I need to be with him."

"Okay then."

Carlisle stepped aside and I walked into the room. Jasper was just lying there, looking pale with an IV in his arm. He looked so small. I lied down on the bed next to him and fell asleep.

We had been free for two days now, almost three, and Jasper still hadn't woken up. I didn't know anything medically and Carlisle wasn't telling me anything, but I could tell this wasn't good news. The longer Jasper was unconscious, the worse it would be in the long run.

I had been paying attention to the news coverage on our little escape plan to see if any details had been released about us, but so far there was nothing concrete. They mentioned our names, but nothing more, so I wasn't worried. But today's information put me on edge.

"Further details just coming through, it has been revealed that Isabella Swan is dead… It is not confirmed and no body has been found as of yet."

They were saying that I was dead. Dead. It's weird listening to the news and hearing that the world thinks you're dead, but you're really just living. It's odd and I found I didn't like it. I didn't want my family to think I was dead. I needed to call Charlie. I grabbed Carlisle's phone, but chickened out at the last second and dialed Peter's number instead. He picked up, but he didn't speak.

"Peter?" I questioned him softly.

"Bella? Bella is that really you? Are you okay?" Peter's franticness worried me greatly. This wasn't a call I should be making.

"Yeah, Pete, I'm okay," I tried to reassure him, but my heart just wasn't in it. I was okay, but Jasper wasn't. Why hadn't I taken Royce and James down before this happened?

"Jasper, he's with you right? He's okay right?" Peter sounded so scared. What was I supposed to tell him when I knew that the truth would crush him?

"Peter," I started, but stopped. Shit, I couldn't tell him this. "Yes, he's with me," I lamely settled on. Peter didn't speak. I just needed to bite the bullet, lay it all out for him. "Listen, Peter," I said, trying not to break down, "it's not good, Pete, it's not good."

"Bella?" he questioned me once again.

"It's Jasper, Peter, he's… I… Just…" I couldn't do this. I couldn't tell him the truth. How was I supposed to tell him about the torture, about Jasper's new scars, about the fact that Jasper's been unresponsive for days? I just couldn't do it.

"Bella, please just tell me," his small voice washed over me. I needed to tell him.

"He's…" I started but stopped once again. I just couldn't bring myself to tell him. "I've got to go, Peter. I need to be with him, he can't be alone, not any longer. Goodbye."

I hung up the phone and held it against my head, breathing deeply. Why did I call Peter? I couldn't tell him that his best friend wasn't in the best shape. I just should have kept quiet and called my father liked I had planned. I dialed my father's number, hoping to reassure him that I was alive and well, so that I could get back to Jasper's side. I didn't like leaving him alone, not even for a second.

"Bella?" my father's frantic yet hopeful voice came across the line and that was it, I couldn't hold it any longer and I broke down. "Please, Bella, talk to me. I need to hear your voice. I need to know you're okay."

"I'm okay, dad," I promised him.

"Oh, Bella, I'm so glad. Where are you?"

"I don't know, a friend of Jasper's, he's a doctor, dad."

"Yes, Jasper… Peter said he was dead."

"You're with Peter right now?"

"Yes, Bella, but is Jasper dead? I kind of need to know."

"No, dad, but it doesn't look good."

"Oh, thank god. Geez I never thought I would say that about the kid, but thank god. Peter, he's not dead," I heard my dad talking to Peter. "Yes, I'm sure, I'm talking to her right now. She said he's alive, but it doesn't look good. Bella, where are you? What hospital are you at?"

"We're not at a hospital, dad."

"Okay, so when are you coming forth?"

"We can't come forth, dad, Jasper killed Royce," I whispered. I felt as though I was betraying Jasper.

"No, he didn't."

"Yes, he did, dad, I was there. I saw him jam the knife into Royce's throat."

"Bella, listen to me, okay? James killed Royce. Royce's official cause of death was blunt force trauma and James confessed to kicking his head in. Jasper did not kill Royce."

My sobs became louder. Jasper didn't kill Royce? This was good news, but in a way it didn't matter, none of it did.

"Bella, did you or Jasper kill Felix?"

"No, dad, he was dead at the back door when we escaped," I said between sobs. I just wanted to be with Jasper right now and nowhere else.

"Bella, tell me where you are, I'll come and be with you."

"No, dad, I can't. I need to be with Jasper right now, please."

"Bella-" Charlie started, but I cut him off.

"Goodbye, dad."

I hung up the phone and went straight for Jasper. I pulled open and door and took my usual spot on the bed, lying down right beside him.

"Please, Jasper," I sobbed into his side. "Please wake up. I need you. We're free now, we're free. Please, Jasper, please wake up."

I wiped my wet eyes and snotty nose on Jasper's ripped shirt and I wondered why Carlisle hadn't taken it off him yet.

"Gr-gross," I faintly heard and I jumped up.

I hovered above Jasper's face and just stared at him. His good eye was open, but he couldn't get it to focus on me. He was awake.

"Hey," he said more clearly this time and my smile grew. He tried to smile back, but failed, and I watched on as the darkness swallowed him again, taking him back into the land of unconsciousness.

"No!" I screamed into his shirt, sobbing louder. Why couldn't I just have my boy back?