Jasper could feel the sheer relief Bella was experiencing as soon as the brace on her neck was taken off. He could only understand through his gift the kind of discomfort she'd been feeling this whole time with it on, but it was enough for him to grit his teeth and seethe in silent resentment for the one responsible for this entire mess. But Jacob Black wasn't the only one stirring problems, it seemed, as Charlie's voice reached not only Jasper's ears but everyone in the room.

He tried his best to calm Edward, but it proved to be a difficult feat when Emmett and Esme were also on edge. Alice had been silent the entire time, glancing between Bella and Esme as Carlisle spoke to the man.

Bella hadn't heard her father, though, and as far as Jasper was concerned, he was glad for the most part. The last thing Bella needs is to be upset while she recovers...

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Jasper nodded a thanks to the doctor and nurse that walked out of the room:

After Dr. Davis excuses himself, Emmett made sure to talk to Bella about anything other than the elephant in the room—a rather unavoidable subject that would have to be discussed eventually.

"How's it feel to be free?" Emmett asks curiously as he eyes Bella's bruised neck with a small smile.

Bella fidgeted as she nodded, her own smile didn't quite reach her eyes, "Good. Free. I can't wait till I can walk around too."

"You'll be up and running around soon enough."

"Oh, she's itching to do just that," Jasper added teasingly. He was glad when Bella's sadness wavered before effectively being forgotten as she frowned at Jasper. "What? It's true!"

Before any of them could say another word, Charlie's voice was loud and clear—cutting through the silence in the room—even though he's still down the hall.

"I uh, I thought about sending her to Renee...she'll be better at this than me, I think."

Esme stood up quickly and excused herself as she made her way towards the hallway. The determination and anger towards the man amplified with every step she took but somehow, being the angel that she is, Esme managed to reign in her disdain for Charlie.

The wave of anxiety that filled Jasper took the empath by surprise as it wasn't merely Edward's emotions taking over the room now—it's was his own emotions too.

Does he want to send her away? In her condition? What is he thinking?

"Maybe we can take a short walk outside later, Bella. I heard the garden is nice." Emmett chimed though he glanced between his brothers cautiously, clearly bothered by what he'd heard as well.

Bella tried her best to smile as she nodded, but Jasper knew she only did it for Emmett. To not show him how she was truly feeling inside. Miserable.

But it was no use trying to hide it from him—not when Jasper could feel all the hurt and wavering anger inside his little sister's beating heart.

"If I'm being released soon, shouldn't Charlie be here by now?" Bella wondered as Edward pushed her wheelchair down the hall. Emmett and Jasper were still close by as they walked ahead of them.

"He's here. Carlisle's just talking to him."

"About my...condition?" Bella couldn't help but use the term with disdain as she spoke the words. As if it were an insult.

"Amongst other things," Jasper murmured, ignoring the pointed glance Edward was giving him but it didn't stop him from speaking the truth. Jasper knew that the only way to help her adjust to this was by not making her a victim. Taking away any sense of confidence and security that she barely had now wouldn't help Bella.

"W-what things?" Bella's hand opened and closed several times as she looked in Jasper's direction. The empath placed his hand over her shoulder gently to help her pinpoint where he was standing. She smiled slightly at his gesture though her anxiety was still high.

Edward folded his arms across his chest, "Carlisle and Esme want to make sure your father can be supportive of you. That's all, love."

Bella bit her bottom lip as she looked down at her hands on her lap, "If I go home...He could show up."

"He won't get anywhere near you again, Bella." Emmett declared without an ounce of uncertainty lacing his voice. His brothers couldn't help but nod. Bella couldn't hide the uncertainty and fear in her eyes even if she wanted to, and when unshed tears shined in them for a second, she took Emmett's hand and squeezed it. Emmett smiled warmly at his little sister, "I promise."

Bella flinched when two hard knocks on the door echoed in the room, interrupting her deep thoughts before they could take a dark turn.

"Can I come in?" Charlie asked hesitantly with his gruff voice.

Edward was doing his usual routine of playing the sleeping boyfriend on the couch by the window but his presence alone was enough to comfort her, if only for a little bit so Bella nodded, sitting up slightly on the bed.

She remained silent as she paid attention to the sounds of Charlie's footsteps as he stepped into the room. The slow, hesitant steps echoed as his shoes hit the tiles. The groan of the leather chair by her bed helped her realize he'd taken a seat beside her.

"It looks like Dr. Cullen has taken good care of you. He told me Dr. Davis did a great job treating your injuries."

The silence that stretched on between them made Bella breathe out the next words, "Why are you here, dad?"

"You're my daughter, Bella. Regardless of our disagreements, you'll always be my daughter and I love you." Charlie breathed out.

"You didn't...believe me." Her hands closed around the blanket, clutching it as tight as she could to keep herself from crumbling.

"I didn't say that-"

"You're not denying it," Bella stated with frustrating certainty, "you're not even trying to listen to me."

"There will be time to talk about that later, Bells. Right now we need to talk about what's going to happen once you get out." Charlie murmured carefully, most likely not wanting Edward to listen to their conversation. Little did he know, Edward could hear every word and it only made it that much harder for the young man to feign sleeping when he was silently seething. "I called Renee and she said she'll take care of you while you're recovering."

Bella frowned. She leaned forward as her heart began to skitter around in her chest, "What? W-why do I have to go with her? Why can't I just stay h-here?"

Charlie sighed, making her feel as if this whole conversation were a nuisance, "Because I can't always be home to take care of you, Isabella. That's why. Besides considering the situation and the stress of it all, I figured it would be for the best."

"No."

"Bella-"

"No! I'm not leaving Forks. I want to stay here..." the beeping of the monitor sounded off faster and faster—indicating that Bella's heart was beating too fast now.

"Yeah well," Charlie shakes his head, "It's either that or you go with the Cullens."

Those words made her heart slow exponentially.

Bella blinked the tears in her eyes away. Surprise registering as soon as she processed his words.

"W-what?"

"Carlisle offered to take you if you didn't want to go with your mother. Since you're old enough to make your own decisions now," the way he said it held a hint of bitterness and it made Bella's heart constrict, "you can go with them."

The silence that followed was deafening, not even Edward's soft breathing could be heard as Bella and Charlie stared at each other.

She swallowed down the tears that built up in her throat as she fidgeted with her hands, "Go with them? You really don't...you don't want me to go back home with you?"

Charlie didn't respond for a long time. For a moment, Bella wondered if he would change his mind, feel guilty for his words that hurt more than the injuries on her body.

This wasn't an option he thought of...this was the Cullens' doing because they knew Charlie didn't want her. He had planned on merely sending her away-

The sound of a leather squeaking made her ears perk up. Footsteps approached her before they stopped and walked away again.

"It would be for the best of you don't come back home for a while. Carlisle will take care of you better than I can."

When Charlie turned and walked away from his daughter, he didn't realize just how deep Jacob's venomous lies had seeped into his mind already.

"Dad? Wait-" she let out a shaky breath as she reached a hand out only to find empty space. There was no hand to hold her and comfort her this time. No Charlie to ease her pain as he had when she had nightmares every night after Edward left her.

Now it was her father's turn to leave her behind.

Bella stared after her father until she couldn't hear his footsteps in the hall.

"Bella," Edward inched closer, taking her hand and wiping away the tears she hadn't realized were falling.

"He doesn't want me?" Her voice sounded so fragile, broken as it quivered. "He doesn't want me..."

Edward climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around her, careful to not hurt her back before tucking her close to his chest. He wouldn't stop holding her long after her tears stopped and she fell asleep in his arms.

Dreams of Jacob and her father plagued her until she woke up the next day and was greeted by Carlisle and Esme—ready to take her to their home.

To her new home.

But even if she had the Cullens to look after her—the fear would always be there.

The worry that Jacob would come back never lessened and Bella feared she would always feel this way.