Chapter Fifty Six

Rose

I left them alone shocked by Bella's enmity although thinking about it she had been treated badly by all of us except Emmett who always stood up for Bella even when it got him in trouble with me. Now she and Jazz were together I had to find a way to make my peace with her or lose my best friend. Jazz and I had been close almost from the first and the thought of losing him was more than I could bear so I had to find a way to apologize to Bella and hope she would accept it.

I decided to speak to Carlisle, the only other member of the family to stand up for Bella towards the end. We had all been blinded by our regard for Alice. She had seemed the one who was being hurt the most by Bella's arrival but perhaps we should have stopped to look at the situation a little more closely. Family ties had proved to be a bad thing in this case. As I left I saw Carlisle talking to the guy he had told us was Bella's father, a member of the Volturi so the family, or at least some of us had shown ourselves in a bad light to them too.

Carlisle

Avon was content to leave his daughter here with Jasper who had made a very good impression on him unlike some others of the family. How he knew of Bella's treatment at the hands of Alice and certain others in the family was a mystery but he did and I knew he eyed Rose and Esme especially with suspicion and barely veiled contempt. He was too cultured to speak of his feelings but made them very clear even so.

"I have to return to Volterra Carlisle but I feel it would be in Bella's best interests to stay here with Jasper and under your medical care however I must say that I am unhappy at the way my daughter has been treated by some and I am relying on you to ensure it does not happen again."

"Of course Avon. I can only apologize for those who were unkind to your daughter, I have spoken to them and I think they will be looking to make their peace with her over the next few days."

"Well good luck with that, Bella knows what she wants and she doesn't suffer fools gladly, I think you might find yourselves being given a very hard time.

"No more than we deserve I'm afraid. Will you be expecting Bella to join you in Volterra eventually?"

"No Carlisle, my daughter lives her own life although I am sure she will visit once she is well enough."

Rose

I waited until Avon left and then asked Carlisle to take a walk with me, there was no privacy in the motel room with Peter and Charlotte, Garrett, Darius, Edward, Esme, and Emmett still there. I had expected the Whitlocks to go once Bella was awake and obviously going to recover but they along with Garrett and Darius seemed reluctant. Did they think Alice might try something again? I didn't see what she could do now Jasper had made his feelings for Bella crystal clear but then she wasn't the type to hide away licking her wounds so it was something else to speak to Carlisle about. We left the others but Emmett caught up with us halfway across the car park and I thought his presence might afford me some moral support.

"Carlisle I just had words with Bella, she's very angry and hurt about our treatment of her earlier, well angry at me anyway, and I want to know what I can do to apologize. I hate the thought of losing Jazz but I think that's what will happen if I can't make things up with her."

"I think you're right Rosalie."

I waited but he didn't say any more so I took a deep breath and continued,

"I tried apologizing but I don't think I worded it very well and now I don't know what to do. I thought you might have some advice for me."

Carlisle

I thought Rose's problem wasn't unique to her, in fact Esme was going to have the same trouble. Edward had redeemed himself somewhat by going with Jasper to rescue Bella from Alice but I didn't expect even him to get an easy ride. For Emmett I think it would be much easier as he had never said anything against Bella and had in fact shown her a lot of kindness while she was stuck in the house with Jasper and then the rest of us. Emmett was watching me but when he understood I wasn't going to say anything he added his words of wisdom.

"If I were Bella I'd tell us all to go to hell and she still may. You and Esme were real bitches to her and after all she did to keep Jazz safe. She tried really hard to make it easy on everyone else but no one made it easy for her."

"You did."

He looked at Rose and nodded,

"Yeah, I was just grateful, for what she was doing for my friend but even I could have done more. I guess I was afraid of your reaction which doesn't make me much of a man does it?"

"I don't think arguing amongst ourselves is going to help the situation Emmett. All we can do is to apologize and hope she forgives us in time."

"Will she be going back to Volterra once she's healed?"

"Apparently not, I expect she and Jasper will decide for themselves but I doubt they will stay with the family under the circumstances."

"Yeah and I don't blame them."

Rose

Carlisle hadn't been much help but then how could he be? I had caused the situation between Bella and myself and it was for me to get myself out of it. Making a decision I turned back,

"I'm going to see Bella and beg her to forgive me, its all I can do. I'll see you both later."

The closer I got to their door the slower my pace and by the time I reached to knock I was so nervous my hand shook.

"Come in."

It was Jasper's voice and from the tone he knew who it was the other side of the door. I peered in,

"Would it be possible to have a word with Bella?"

He started shaking his head,

"I think shes been upset enough already Rosalie."

"No, its OK, come in Rose."

Bella sounded weak but determined and I stepped inside shutting the door behind me.

I walked over to the bed where Bella lay as I'd left her, with Jasper sitting beside her holding her hand.

"What did you want Rosalie?"

"I wanted to apologize unreservedly for my behavior towards you. I shouldn't have followed Alice blindly, I should have understood just how hard things were for you and tried to help."

"But you didn't."

I shook my head feeling ashamed of myself,

"No, I didn't and all I can do is ask that perhaps you can find it in your heart to forgive me eventually."

"Is that it?"

"Yes, I don't think any more words would help but I truly am sorry Bella. You were extremely brave and it was very hard for you to lower all your defenses to help my brother. I don't think I could have done what you did."

I waited as she mulled over my words before answering me,

"Well, thank you for the apology, I'm sure it was hard for you to admit you were wrong but don't expect us to be friends, I'll be looking to see if you really meant those words."