Disclaimer: All characters are not mine. No copyright infringement was intended. Thank you to Stephenie Meyer for creating Edward and Bella for our enjoyment. I just like playing with them, making them my own … even for just a little while.
Okay, so I wrote the previous chapter in like two hours. That's the fastest I've written a chapter in almost three years. Yes, it's short. Yes, it's got another cliffhanger (don't throw sharp objects at me). But, we found out what happened with Bella. Very simply, Jake was driving a POS van with next-to-no traction control, in the snow and ice, with some psychopaths following him. He could have slowed down, but he needed to get Bella out of there.
Think of Princess Diana … how she died …
But, Bella will not die (nor will Jake). Do you all know me? HEA, baby! There's going to be bumps along the way. Leave me your thoughts. Thanks for reading (and sticking with me!)
Chapter Forty-Two
Masen
With Seth, we drove to Brooklyn. I'd called Charlie and he was coming with me to Rochester. Seth used his police connections to find out where Bella and Jake had been transported after their car accident. Jake was airlifted back to the same hospital where Rosalie had her baby. He was in stable, but critical condition. Bella was also taken there, but in an ambulance. Her injuries were not life-threatening, but still serious.
What worried them the most was the fact that she wouldn't wake up after she was extracted from the rental van. She was still unconscious. I prayed she was okay. I needed her. She was my other half. She was my soul mate and the woman who would rule by my side. I was nothing without her.
I couldn't lose her. I refused to lose her.
Arriving in Brooklyn, Seth ran up to get Charlie from Linda's apartment. They both came down. Charlie was disheveled. His hair was messy and he was a bit confused. "You okay, Charlie?" I asked.
"My daughter is in some hospital in Rochester. I'm far from okay," Charlie snapped as he got into the car, struggling to buckle in.
"Do you need your medicine?" I asked, feeling the sting of Charlie's anger. With steady hands, I helped him buckle up and he grumbled under his breath.
"I'm waiting for it to kick in," he said, giving me a sheepish look. "Sorry for being grumpy. My baby girl was in an accident and there's nothing I can do about it. And thank you for helping me with the seatbelt."
"We'll be in Rochester by morning. I wanted to fly, but with the weather being as crazy as it's been, Luc couldn't get clearance to land. It's still snowing. We're driving," I explained. "You can get some more sleep in the car."
"I don't think I'll be able to sleep until I lay eyes on Bella," Charlie said, his hands shaking and shifting uncomfortably next to me. "Do they know why Jake was in the accident? What happened?"
With a sigh, I handed him my phone. I showed him the various articles from the tabloid sites, online magazines and local news media. Pictures of Bella's engagement ring were clear as day as she was photographed with Jake as he hugged her, consoled her and protected her. The past few days had wrung my fiancée through the emotional blender. Jake was being a friend – only a friend. In the pictures, there was no obvious affection, only friendship.
An unnamed source said that they'd heard Jake and Bella 'go at it' in a broom closet. There were even a few photos of Roger Hale from the back. The article said that when Bella wasn't with Jake, she was flirting relentlessly with an older man. "It's all lies," I sneered.
"Damn right, it's all lies," Charlie spat. "How can people print this bullshit?"
"Freedom of the press," Seth and I answered. We shared a look in the rearview mirror, hating that such filth could be passed on as the truth.
With a heavy sigh, I continued, "However, what was printed was slanderous and we can sue them for defamation of character. I've also got a friend of mine who works in the DA's office who is going to help me get the animals who'd chased them, causing that accident and bring them to justice. He can't do anything, but he has connections with the judicial system in Rochester. They will be prosecuted to the highest extent of the law, even if I have to try them myself."
"Is there news about the accident on here?" Charlie asked, handing me back my phone.
"Not officially on the media. There are a few pictures of the aftermath," Seth replied. "Because of the cause of the crash and the fact that paparazzi were at fault, they wanted to hold off before releasing a statement."
"Do you know anything, Seth?" Charlie whispered.
"It's bad. Essentially, ten paps were determined to get the picture," Seth explained. "They wanted definitive proof that Bella had cheated on Masen. They followed Jake out of the parking garage, causing an unsafe, high-speed chase on dangerously slippery roads. Jake is a great driver, well-trained thanks to his time with the FBI, but with the van he was in, he struggled. One of the paparazzi cut him off and Jake rear ended him, flipping the van and sending it careening down the highway and ending up on the shoulder. Jake's side had collapsed, pinning him inside. Bella was easier to extract."
"Both are alive," Charlie whispered. "Right?"
"As of now? Yes. I don't know the full rundown, but Jake is the more seriously injured of the two," Seth said.
"Shouldn't Leah be coming with us?" I asked.
"She's coming with our parents. She's also calling Jake's dad, Billy, who lives in La Push to see if he can fly out," Seth said. "They'll be here later tomorrow afternoon, once all the arrangements have been made."
"See if he can fly out?" Charlie asked.
"Billy Black has a slight case of agoraphobia and aviophobia," I answered. "He's terrified of crowded places, like the city and airplanes. Billy was a cop, but was injured on the job. He retired and he moved himself out of the city, driving across the damn country to La Push in the Pacific Northwest. Now, he acts as the police chief for the tribal force of the Quileute people. He's great grandfather had Quileute blood or something. So, he organizes them, providing them with training. He rarely leaves the house, though. Only to go shopping or for tribal meetings. Billy had to be heavily medicated in order for him to attend Jake's college graduation. Jake loved his dad for coming, but hated that he was so looped up."
"What's the probability that Billy will come?" Seth muttered.
"Slim to none, unless Jake is on death's door," I sighed. "Jake's got twin sisters, Rachel and Rebecca. Rachel lives in Forks, works as a nurse at the local hospital. Rebecca washed her hands of her family years ago, for some unknown reason. Neither Jake nor Rachel talk about her."
The rest of the drive was pretty quiet. Charlie did drift off. His medication made him sleepy. I was checking my phone for updates from James and news from my parents, who were both planning on flying out in support of me and Bella. Mother was a bit standoffish, while my father was worried for me and for Bella. Emmett wanted to come, but he couldn't get leave from the air force. Plus, he was still not welcome in the states.
We arrived at Strong Memorial Hospital just as dawn was breaking. The drive took longer than anticipated. I gently shook Charlie awake. He was confused, but okay. We walked into the hospital. Charlie asked for Bella and we were led to a private medical suite. Bella was on the gurney, strapped to a bunch of machines. Her beautiful face was covered with cuts and bruises. Her right hand was encased in plaster, but my eyes were drawn to her left leg. It was twice its normal size.
"Mr. Swan?"
Charlie turned, seeing an older man standing just inside the room. "Yes? I'm Charlie and this is my daughter's fiancée, Masen."
The doctor nodded, looking at me. "Your Highness," he murmured. "I'm Dr. Snow."
"I'm not … not here. I'm her fiancée," I growled, sitting down and taking Bella's hand. "Where's her ring?"
"We had to remove it to run tests on her," Dr. Snow answered, walking to a plastic bag. He reached in, plucking a smaller bag from inside and handing it to me. "Her ring and pendant are in there."
I nodded, taking the ring out and sliding it back onto her hand. I kissed her palm, brushing her away from her face. "What happened with her? Will she be okay?"
"I can only discuss this with family," Dr. Snow said tersely.
"He's family, Dr. Snow," Charlie growled. "What's wrong with my little girl?" He kissed Bella's forehead, glowering at the doctor. "Tell me, please."
"She's in stable condition. She's got a concussion. She hit her head against the dashboard," Dr. Snow explained. "On top of that, she has some bruised ribs, a sprained wrist and probably the most serious of her injuries is her leg." He lifted the blanket, revealing a large brace around her leg. It started at her shin, traveling to mid-thigh. "She has a torn ACL. It will require surgery to repair. We'll have to wait until the swelling goes down, but it can be done laparoscopically."
"Why is she asleep?" I whispered.
"She was brought in unconscious. We ran a brain scan and she doesn't have any injuries. The best thing for her is to rest," Dr. Snow explained. "We're closely monitoring her to ensure she doesn't fall into a coma."
"How long will she be here?" Charlie asked. "And is her privacy a priority? You saw the accident that was caused …" His hands clenched into tight fists. "Those monsters spread lies about my little girl and this is the damned result."
"I can assure you, Mr. Swan, that her identity will be kept a secret. I'm sickened about what happened to her," Dr. Snow muttered. He shook his head, blinking to me and barely containing his snarl. "I promise you that no one will …"
"You better believe it," I snapped. "If one word about her condition is leaked to the press, you will be slapped with a lawsuit sooner than you can breathe 'malpractice.' Same thing goes for the man who was brought in with her."
"Understood, Your Highness," Dr. Snow nodded frantically.
"Stop with that. I'm just Masen," I sighed, kissing Bella's hand. "I'm her Masen." I stared at her, trying not to cry. "Come back to me, cherie. I love you."
"We both love you, sweet pea," Charlie breathed, kissing her forehead. "We'll be here for you. Always."
xx AMDFT xx
I was being shaken. "Masen! Wake up!"
"Later," I grumbled, waving whomever was trying to wake me up. "No. Sleep."
"Mase, please?"
I blinked my eyes open, seeing Leah. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her face was drawn. "Leah? Is Jake okay?" I asked, my voice raspy. "When did you get here?"
"A few hours ago. I spent two hours on the phone with Billy," Leah sighed, blinking to Bella and then to Charlie. "I know you want to be here for her, but can you come with me? I need a friend. So, does Jake."
I tugged out my phone, checking for any messages from my parents. Shortly, after we arrived in Rochester, Emmett texted me that my parents were en route to the states. I didn't know when they were arriving, or where they were going to land, but they would be here at some point within the next twenty-four hours. "Just give me a second."
"Okay," she said, ducking out of the room.
I walked over to Charlie, who was snoring in the recliner. I hated to wake him, but I did. I spoke to him quietly. He smiled at me and told me to go. I gave him a brief hug before kissing Bella's forehead. She sighed, snuggling into the pillows. I hated to leave her. My best friend needed me, too. I met up with Leah and we walked up to the ICU. "What did Billy say?" I asked.
"He was torn," Leah sighed. "He wanted to come, but he …" Leah shook her head. "I love Billy, but he needs therapy. Years and years of therapy."
"How's Jake?" I asked.
"He just back from exploratory surgery. He had internal injuries," Leah replied. "Broken arm, two broken legs – one is a spiral fracture – a concussion and broken left arm."
"A spiral fracture?" I breathed.
"His right leg is in some sort of metal contraption, holding his leg together," Leah breathed. "They also had to remove one of his kidneys and his spleen."
"Fuck," I growled. "Those vultures caused this. They couldn't leave well-enough alone. They spread lies about Bella and Jake, putting them into this awful position." I shook my head. Anger simmered through me and I wanted to make them pay. I wanted them to feel the pain they caused.
"Masen," Leah said, tugging on my jacket arm and into an empty room. "I know you're upset. You have every right to be. As much as you want to rage, you have to be strong for both Bella and Jake. They're going to have a long recovery." Leah's eyes filled with tears and she choked out a sob. I pulled her into my arms. Leah fell apart and I held her as she sobbed for her fiancé. She pulled back, wiping her cheeks. "I'm sorry. You're dealing with a lot."
"So are you. I'm sorry, Leah. I'm a dick," I growled. "You were impacted by this bullshit, too."
"I have no doubt that you will bring the reign of terror down on those parasites. I remembered how much of a badass you were in law school," Leah snorted, wiping her cheeks. "Come on. Harry and Sue want to see you."
We walked up to the ICU. We were buzzed in and ushered to Jake's cubicle. I barely recognized my best friend. He was so broken. No part of his skin was not covered in bruises or scrapes. His chest rose and fall mechanically with the breathing machine. It was so weird to see him so still. "Oh, Jake," I breathed.
"He's a hero, Mase," Leah murmured. "He's Bella's hero. He's my hero." She sat down next to him, threading their fingers together. "They put him in a medically induced coma so his body can heal."
"How long?" I asked.
"I don't know. It's a wait and see situation," Leah muttered. "He will wake up, but not until he's ready."
"He'd probably be better if his father was here," another female voice sneered. "Coward."
"He's not a coward, Mom," Leah growled. "Billy was fucked up when he was shot. You didn't see the injuries Billy had to recover from. The man was practically trampled in that crowd. If need be, Billy would come out here. He'd have to be drugged, but he'd be here. Give him the benefit of the doubt, Ma."
Leah's mother, Sue, scoffed, stepping into the hospital room. "Mrs. Clearwater, Billy Black was caught in a huge stampede at the Garden, after someone shot off a gun," I said. "Or what was perceived as a gun, but was some fireworks. There was no part of his body that wasn't broken. I'd have panic attacks if I was put in that position."
"I have panic attacks in big crowds," Leah said, "and that didn't happen to me. Back off, Ma." She blinked to me. "I'm sorry, Masen. My mother has a tendency to run off her mouth. I get that from her." With a scowl at her mother, she sighed. "Behave. Masen is dealing with his own set of bullshit."
"My apologies, Masen," Sue said, giving me a sad smile. "I'm just pissed."
"We all are, Mrs. Clearwater," I agreed. "And there will be hell to pay." I took a deep breath. "I know that you all are worried about Jake, but can I get a few moments with him? Alone?"
"Of course, Mase," Leah said, brushing Jake's hair back from his forehead. "Love you, baby." She left the cubicle, taking her mother with her.
I sat down next to Jake, looking at him and my heart shattering. "Brother," I whispered. "I'm so sorry for what happened. I'm sorry that you were caught in the middle of that bullshit …" I closed my eyes, feeling tears build up behind my lids. "You protected her when I couldn't and now? You're in here. I don't know how to fix this. Jake … you're the best friend I've ever had, other than Bella. I hate that you're hurt. I hate that those animals felt the need to spread their lies and chase you through a god-damned snowstorm to get the perfect shot, proving the 'affair' between you and Bella." I took his hand, staring at his sleeping face. "I will make them pay, Jake. I swear."
My cell phone vibrated and I took it out. Charlie sent me a text, saying that Bella was coming out of whatever she was in. I leaned down, kissing Jake's cheek. "I'll be back, Jake. I promise." I left the room, hugging Leah and Sue before going back to Bella's room. Charlie was standing outside, wringing his hands. "Is she okay?"
"The doctor is doing some cognitive tests," Charlie answered. "She was agitated when she woke up."
"Understandable," I muttered, wanting to be in there with her. A few moments later, Dr. Snow came out. "Is she okay?"
"She's alright. In pain, obviously, but she remembers what happened, her name and everything," Dr. Snow smiled. "You both can go inside."
"Thank you, Dr. Snow," Charlie murmured. We slid into the hospital room. Bella was sitting up, her eyes bleary. "Sweet girl …" Charlie shuffled to her and took her hand. "My sweet, sweet girl."
"Hi, Daddy," she whispered, her voice raspy and worn. It sounded like she'd screamed a lot. "I'm sorry …"
"Don't even think about apologizing. It was not your fault," Charlie whispered, cupping her cheek.
Charlie blinked to me and I sat down on Bella's other side. She saw me, her eyes filling with tears. "Masen, I didn't do …"
"I know, cherie," I breathed. "You need to calm down." I sat down on the bed, sliding my arm around her shoulders. She gripped my shirt, sobbing and moving closer to me. "Bella … please … I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that you were put in this position. I'm going to do everything in my power to make it better."
"Just hold me, Masen," she sniffled. "Love me. That's all I need."
"I'll do that forever, Bella," I vowed, kissing her forehead. "I love you." She didn't respond. I looked down, seeing she was already back asleep, her face relaxed. "Always."
A/N: We found out about what happened with Bella and Jake, along with information about Jake's dad. The good news is that both Bella and Jake will be okay, physically. Up next, Esme and Carlisle arrive with the cavalry. Leave me your thoughts. Thanks for reading!
