Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight, TVD, or Shadow Hunters. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer, L.J. Smith, and Cassandra Claire. I do own the original characters made up for this storyline. Thank you.

Writer's Note: Thank you armywife for your review! Bella definitely is experienced some trauma and is showing her misplaced anger. I hope she gets help soon too. As always, thanks for all the support! Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review!

[1 month later: Damon's Bar]

"You've been drinking a lot more," Damon said, as he cleaned a glass. Bella was sitting at the bar, her laptop shut and her glass of bourbon sitting in front of her already half drunk.

Bella sighed. "Well, I've just been stressed lately." She said and took another drink of her bourbon. It was true that she was a bit flustered with all the projects lately and her work at the institute. She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to sustain herself for long. After what happened with Klaus, Simon, and Jace, she had been keeping her distance. Jace was still being Jace and Simon was still Simon. She hadn't seen Klaus since that night, but it was probably for the best. He was busy anyways with other business prospects, that he didn't have a lot of time to just show up at the club anymore. If you asked her sister, Elena, she would tell everyone that Bella was spiraling. That she was doing all the wrong things, and not sorting through her emotions very well.

Jace walked into the bar. He had a serious look on his face, and that just made Bella put all her walls up. "Damon, I need to talk too you."

Damon nodded. "Sure." He said and the two disappeared in the back for a moment, and the part-time bartender took over briefly. His name was Angelo. He was nice, Bella thought.

"Edward's case got messy real fast." Jace said.

"Wait what?"

Jace pinched the bridge of his nose. "There was some mishandling of evidence. The judge has no choice but throw out the DNA from all eighteen crime scenes."

"Fuck. What the fuck happened?"

"Something was mislabeled. An honest mistake, you can't blame the crime guys for this, but it's exhausting and all we must go with is the assault and rape of Bella in her apartment. That girl that got killed, can't even use the DNA evidence from that. Luckily, the DA is trying two separate cases against him. Bella's case is different from the other one." Jace said and brushed a hand through his hair. "What's worse is that Bella will have to testify."

Damon shook his head. "No. She can't get up there and face that monster."

"Good news is the psych came back as him being mentally capable of standing trial. So, he can't plea insanity anymore." Jace said, trying to find some optimism in all this darkness.

"What about bail? Tell me that they aren't going to release him?"

Jace sighed. "His appeal went through, and he's out on ROR. I don't know why the judge allowed this. Bail should have been set regardless, but that defense attorney is insanely convincing. There has to be something more at play."

"So, he's out."

"Yes. There's a restraining order in place, and Enzo is going to be watching the loft." Jace felt a bit defeated, but also angry at the same time.

"Fuck. This isn't right." Damon let out an exasperated sigh.

Jace agreed with Damon. It wasn't right, and usually Jace had all the faith in the justice system, but right now, it was failing Bella, and he didn't like that. He looked at his watch. "I'm going to take her home, and talk to her about what's going on."

"She's been drinking for a while. You might want to wait and have that conversation when she's sober."

Jace didn't like that she was drinking so much. Since everything that happened with Klaus, she had been increasingly pulling away from everyone. "Yeah, I'll talk to her in the morning, but for now, I'll get her home. Thanks man." He said and walked back out to the bar. Bella was gone. Damon was right behind him and they looked at each other, the look saying it all. They were worried.

"Angelo. Where did Bella go?" Damon asked.

"She left. Said she had to meet someone." Angelo said, filling up a pint for a patron.

"Shit." Jace said and left the bar, searching for her. He called her phone, and she didn't answer. That made him feel even more panicked.

[Pandemonium]

Bella took the uber to Pandemonium. She wanted to drop in for a couple drinks, and she was meeting the guy that she was talking to on the hookup app she downloaded.

"You're here on a Thursday," Magnus said, raising a brow, and smiling at her.

"Well, I wanted to grab a couple of those zippers, and I'm meeting a friend." Bella said with a smile.

Magnus smiled. "Well, enjoy biscuit. Drinks on the house," he winked.

Bella smiled. "Thanks Magnus." She went to the bar and ordered a zipper and looked at her phone. Jace was trying to call her. She sighed and declined it and grabbed her drink once the bartender handed it her. She walked over to one of the high-top tables and waited. A few moments later, in stroll her friend.

"Bella," his voice called to her. It was a deeper voice, and the man was beautiful. His sunkissed skin showed his native roots.

"Quil." Bella said with a smile.

Quil smiled at her, flashing his perfect white teeth. "Wanna split?"

Bella downed her drink. "Mhm. My loft isn't far from here."

Quil followed her out, getting into a cab and the drove towards the loft.

Once there, Bella led him up to the door, punched in her code, and pulled him inside with her. They went straight to her bedroom, and from that moment on, his hands didn't leave her body. They pulled at each other's clothes, getting naked fast. Quil was strong, and very toned. His muscles rippled under her touch as she groped him with her hands.

He rolled a condom on, and then he was throwing her on the bed, and thrusting inside her, a little rough, but Bella didn't say anything. Their mouths collapsed together, kissing hard, and then his hand fisted in her hair, and he pulled lightly as he drove into her. He moaned as the pleasure ripped through her. He paused only long enough to get her on her knees, and he drove into from behind, the tightness of her cavity sucking him in, and making him growl almost. His hand still twisted in her long hair, as he pulled on it some as he continued to thrust.

Bella moaned out again, so close to her peak, but then he was thrusting harder, a little too hard, that the pain snapped her out of her pleasure cloud, but she didn't say anything, again. He eased up a little on his own, as he met his own climax, pumping his hips a few times, before stopping. He pulled out of her, and then discarded the condom in the trash can next to the bed.

Bella rolled on to her back and pulled the sheets with her. She looked up at Quil, his body looking like an Olympian god.

"Thanks. That was fun." Quil said, as he pulled on his clothes. "Hit me up if you wanna go again sometime." He said, and then he was gone.

Bella sighed, frustrated that she didn't get to reach her own climax, but it wasn't something she couldn't remedy herself. She got up and walked to her bathroom, and slipped into the shower, letting the hot water roll over her body, while she toyed with herself. The frustration was relieved a few moments later.

She got out of her shower, pulling her robe around her, and wrapped her hair in a towel. She left to go to the kitchen and pulled down a glass and poured some whisky in it, and swirled it around a little, staring at the deep amber liquid. The beeping on the keypad, had her looking up. Jace.

"Hey." He said, looking her over. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

Jace nodded. Enzo told him that she got home and was here with a man. The guy left fifteen minutes later. He didn't know what to say or think. "You left the bar abruptly without saying anything. I was just. Worried."

Bella looked at him, lifting the whisky to her lips and took a drink. "I had to meet a friend at Pandemonium, but you knew that already."

Jace looked at her, confused.

"I saw Enzo's car parked outside. I know Edward isn't in jail." Bella said, and set her glass down.

"Bella…how did you."

"Because he called me. He threatened me, and I hung up on him." Bella said, remembering the chilling phone call earlier in the day.

Jace frowned. "He can get arrested. Violating a- "

"I don't care. He's going to get off and that's it. I'll have to live with that."

"But you shouldn't have to. We'll get him put away. We won't- "

"You can't protect me." Bella cut him off, looking at him with her dark eyes. "You can't be here every day. Jeremy and Simon are on tour. Elena basically lives at the hospital."

"I can be here."

"I don't want you to." Bella said, her voice firm.

Jace looked at her, a little stunned. "Bella…"

Bella finished her drink and set the glass in the sink. "I'm going to bed. If you follow me, you better be willing to do one thing." She said coolly.

Jace didn't know this version of Bella. She was drunk, non-caring. He didn't like this. He watched her walk to her bedroom and shut the door. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He didn't know what to do, but he knew that he wasn't going to leave her alone like this. He loosened his tie, and just sat on the couch. He took his phone out and sent a text to Damon.

[Jace]: She's not herself. I'm pretty sure she just brought a random guy home.

[Damon]: Is she still drunk?

[Jace]: Yes. Very much. I don't know what to do about any of this.

[Damon]: I'm going to let Elena know. She needs to be aware of everything going on.

[Jace]: Yeah.

Jace sighed and tossed his phone over on the couch beside him, and rubbed his hands over his face. He cared so much about her. Why couldn't she see that?

In the middle of the night, Bella's screams, jarred Jace awake. He rushed into her room and saw her writhing in the bed. Nightmare. He went to the bed, and got in, and tried soothing her.

"Bella…shhh. It's okay. Come on, wake up baby." Jace coaxed, and then Bella woke up, her eyes focusing on Jace's face in the dark of the room.

She threw her arms around him, her mouth connecting with his, as she kissed him. Tears streamed down her face, and she sobbed.

Jace held her in his arms, rocking her gently as she cried. "Shh…it's okay baby. It's okay." He continued to coax. "It was just a dream." He rocked her for a few long moments before she shifted, and leaned up, kissing him again. She pressed her body against him, her hands untying her robe and slipping it from her shoulders.

"Bella…" Jace said between kisses. Her hands moved over his chest, pulling at the hem of his undershirt and tugging it over his head. Her hands skimmed over his bare chest to his pants. He stopped her. "Bella, slow down."

"I don't want to slow down Jace." Bella said and then kissed him again, lifting his hand to her bare breast.

Jace stopped her again, firmly placing his hands on her hips. "We need to talk about this."

"I don't want to talk." Bella said, looking at him, frustrated.

"You can't bottle everything inside." Jace said softly. "I'm here for you, but I need you to communicate. What's going on?"

"Nothing," Bella said and pulled away from him now, shouldering her robe back on, pulling it tight. She got out of bed. "Just go home Jace."

"Bella I-"

"Go home." Bella said it again, but this time she was angry sounding.

Jace shook his head, getting out of the bed, pulling his shirt on. "You are not alone. Stop acting like you are."

"I'm sorry, did you get raped not once, but twice, one of those times being in your apartment, and then you were stabbed, and left for dead? Must have missed that memo."

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Jace argued back.

Bella turned and looked at him. "I'm okay. Everyone keeps acting like I'm just going to break at any moment but-"

"But what? Bella you just scared the hell out of me with your nightmare and your screams. You're bringing home random men and-"

"Don't finish that sentence. You don't know me Jace Herondale. I'm dealing with things my own way. You don't own me and-"

"But I love you." Jace said it simply and it shut her up. "We had something Bella. We were working on things together, and after Klaus, you shut me out. I want to help you."

Bella looked away. Her chest was constricting, and a lump formed in her throat. "Go home," she croaked, holding back the tears. "I don't need you here. I finished the Zodiac project two weeks ago. There's no need for us to keep seeing each other."

"You don't honestly think that do you?" Jace was taken back. He confessed his love for her, and this was her reaction.

"I think…" Bella turned and looked at him. "That I need you to just leave this alone. I need you to not love me because I'm not worth it. I'm damaged goods, and for a person of your reputation and career…I'm not the ideal partner. You deserve someone stronger and deserve someone that isn't going to bring you shame. So, yes, I think there is no reason for us to see each other."

"You're wrong. You don't get to decide what's better for me. I know you Bella, and this right now, isn't you. You're hurt, and you need help. You keep shouldering all of this alone when you have family and friends around you that will help you and love you regardless of what is going on. I love you Bella, that's not going to change." He said, looking at her with a pleading look. "Just let me help you."

Bella didn't say anything. She only walked away, leaving her bedroom to walk into the kitchen, but Jace was behind her. The dark figure in the loft stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Sounds like a lover's quarrel." Edward's voice was unmistakable. He had a gun raised. "Can't have a case against me if you're dead." He said with a sly smirk.

"What happened to you? Why are you like this?" Bella asked, shaking her head, holding back the tears.

"How did you get in here?" Jace asked, easing up beside Bella.

"That's not important. What's important is, I'm going to kill you Bella, and disappear. I'm thinking…South America as my new home." Edward's smile was sickly.

Everything happened so fast. Jace charged Edward, but the shots rang out, twice. Bella hadn't realized that she was screaming, until Jace was laying on the floor, bleeding out. The gun had been kicked away, towards Bella, and she bent, picking up the gun, her hand shaking slightly, but she steadied herself, remembering her time in the range with her dad. Edward wiped his face, the blood from his busted nose from the elbow Jace threw at him, trickled down to his chin.

"You're not going to shoot me," Edward said cockily, but he was wrong. Bella pulled the trigger, shooting Edward in the chest twice before he looked at her stunned, dropping to the floor.

Bella went to Jace's side, tears flooding her eyes. "Jace," she called, her voice tight, and barely coming out as a whisper. She put her hands over the wound, trying to stop the blood that was just pouring out.

Jace lifted a hand to her face. "Hey." He said, sounding weak. "You're okay?"

"Jace, I'm sorry. Please, I'm so sorry. I'll let you in, I promise, I'll tell you everything, I'll work on fixing myself, I'll do anything, just don't die. Please god…don't die."

The door busted in and Enzo came in, gun drawn, along with Caroline. "Oh shit. Dispatch, I need am ambulance rolled to 262 Washington St. Loft 202." He dropped to the floor, pulling his jacket off, and padding the wound.

Caroline rushed to the bathroom, opening cabinets and finding tampons and rushed back with them. She opened them, and Enzo removed the jacket briefly so she could jam the tampon in the hole.

Jace cried out in pain. "Fuck. That hurts." His chest was hurting, and he was sure that he was shot there too, but they were paying more attention to his abdomen. "My chest."

Caroline ripped the front of his shirt to see. "No, no, you weren't hit in the chest." She said, and then she focused on Bella. "Are you okay? Come on," Caroline went to her, and pulled her away from Jace. She was covered in blood. She searched her over, seeing the stain right above her hip. "You were shot, lay down." She ordered, and Bella complied, going into shock. Caroline moved the rob away to look at the wound. "There's no exit. Enzo, we need that ambulance fast."

"Jace." Bella croaked out. "Jace don't die on me."

Jace coughed a little, looking over at Enzo. "She was shot."

"Yeah mate, she was shot. We're going to get you both to the hospital and get you both checked out." Enzo said and looked over at the deputy checking on Edward. "How is he?"

"Dead." The deputy said. "Center mass, twice."

Enzo nodded and heard the ambulance pull up outside. The EMTs got there, helping Jace onto the gurney, and rolling him out. Caroline helped the other EMTs get Bella loaded up and stabilized before getting her in the ambulance beside Jace. Bella looked over at Jace, tears sliding down her face.

"Don't die." Bella whispered.

Jace looked back at her. "You either. I love you." His voice was weak, and he felt lightheaded. He knew it was from blood loss.

"I…I love you too." Bella said and then darkness took her.

[Five weeks later]

Bella opened her eyes and looked around. She felt foggy and couldn't think straight. She was in the hospital. Elena was curled up in the chair next to her, and Jeremy was on the couch. She moved her hand, and the weight of it seemed daunting. She finally managed to hit her call button, and a nurse appeared, shocked. "She's awake." The nurse said, still in shock.

Elena opened her eyes, looking at Bella, tears coming to her eyes immediately, and then she was on her feet. Her voice woke Jeremy up, and then he was on his feet too. "OH my god, you're awake." They were all crying.

A doctor came in, along with a couple other nurses. Bella looked at them, trying to gather the strength to speak, but her throat was sore.

"You've been in a coma. Five weeks." The doctor supplied when Bella looked at him with a confused look.

Bella tried to swallow. "Water." She managed, her voice severely hoarse.

Elena looked at the nurse, who was already leaving to get a cup of water for Bella.

"I want to go through some routine tests." The doctor said. "Let me know if you can feel any of this." He said and moved to bottom of her bed. He lifted the blanket and pricked her foot.

Her foot jerked in response and Bella frowned, nodding. The doctor nodded and pricked the other foot, getting the same response. "Good, good. That's really good. That was the biggest worry."

"Jace…" She croaked out again.

"He's okay," Elena sniffed. "I just texted him. He's coming now." She wiped at her face. "I love you Bella. I can't believe this happened."

The nurse returned with the water, and Elena helped Bella take a long drink. A few moments later, Jace was there. He was relying on a cane as he moved into the room, and the others parted for him, to give him space to move.

"You're awake." Jace murmured and reached down with his free hand and stroked her face.

"You didn't die." Bella said, her voice weak, and tired sounding.

"I didn't baby, I wouldn't leave you…" He murmured.

Bella nodded. "I'm…"

The doctor spoke up. "It'll take some time, but we'll get you out of here as soon as we can. There's some more testing you'll have to do, obvious therapy to strengthen your legs, arms."

Bella nodded, understanding. She moved her hand, reaching up for Jace's hand. She lay it over his. "Get rest."

"I don't want to leave."

Bella nodded. "Sit down."

Elena moved the chair closer so Jace could sit. She looked at Jeremy, going and hugging him. That was the scariest moment of her life, when she got the call that her sister had been shot. She was scared the first time Bella was attacked. The good thing, Edward was dead now. He couldn't hurt her again, and that made her feel better. But the damage was there. Bella was not the same, and she knew it. Damon had texted her five weeks ago and told her about what was going on. How Bella was spiraling. She hated that she hadn't seen it, but now she was there, and she was going to help her sister get back to normal, or as normal as she could.