Hey! I bring to you another chapter of this crazy story.
I feel like this fic is being way more emotional than I had originally planned, but it is also being more realistic than what I had originally planned, and I like it. I am glad you like it as well.
I hope you like this chapter as well!
The Butterfly Effect.
Chapter 11: Family.
While Felix ran to the Hospital, Demetri took it upon himself to let Aro know what had happened with the human. He wasn't sure how the old man would react. Until now, his reactions have been out of the ordinary when Bella was concerned. He shrugged and knocked on Aro's office.
"Come in" he called. When Aro saw Demetri he quit everything he was doing and paid attention. It was unusual for him to bring any kind of news. It was usually Felix. "What brings you here?"
"I came to inform you that Bella had an accident." Aro's eyes opened so widely it was comical. "She got run over by a car. Felix just texted to say that she has some scratches and a bumped shoulder. It will heal in a matter of weeks, perhaps a month." Aro's eyes went back to their normal size, although Demetri could swear, he saw some amusement in them.
"Thank you, Demetri. You may leave." Demetri nodded and left to find his wife.
Aro shook his head lightly and smiled amused. This human girl would be the death of him. She was so precious, if he hadn't already agreed in front of everyone to a timeline, he would transform her immediately. But even his tyrannical impulses recognized that she had ties to sever and she had to find closure with her human life.
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Two hours later, Bella was discharged and allowed to go home. Felix never separated himself from his girlfriend's side and gently helped her to get to the car. She fell asleep on the short ride, grimacing now and then uncomfortable and not used to the pain on her shoulder. He smiled amusedly, only Bella would get in that kind of trouble. But he hated to see her suffer.
When the car was parked in its spot, Felix silently got off the car and gently carried his girlfriend to her bedroom. He removed her shoes and jeans, marveling on her underwear and gently tucking her under the covers. He kissed her forehead, barely touching it and went to his room. She had scared him. For one second, his mind panicked thinking she had left them without saying goodbye, that she had regretted her decision and couldn't face them. But after that second passed, he was all action, recognizing how stupid it was. If she had any regrets about her decision, she was not the kind of person to run away.
He checked on her a couple of times during the night, gently caressing her head and face. She was so beautiful. His night was long, and Bella slept in until mid-day. He was surprised by it. Bella was never a late sleeper. But he guessed that nearly getting a concussion after having been ran over by a car had those effects.
He put some breakfast together for her. Something he had seen her eat a couple of times. He loved her he didn't want to poison her by plying chef. He smiled amusedly to him and carry the tray up to her room. She would fuss, say that she wasn't invalid, that it was her shoulder that was bumped, not her legs. He rolled his eyes in anticipation of her words.
He knocked on her door and came inside when she allowed it.
"Good morning sunshine" Bella quirked an eyebrow from her spot on the bathroom door. He shrugged. "It rubbed on me" Demetri usually greets her like that. "How are you feeling?" He left the tray on the table and stood there waiting for her to come out of the bathroom.
"I'm way better. My head doesn't hurt anymore. Which is great. Because I couldn't handle another day with that pain. My shoulder is sore, which I expected." She replied while walking towards him. "Good morning." She kissed his cheek and sat on one of the sofas reaching for the tray. "Thank you for breakfast. I could have done it" He rolled his eyes. At least she didn't give him the speech he was preparing to receive.
Felix waited until she had finished eating her sandwich to ask the question that was pressing him since yesterday. Bella could see it. After she finished, in a bold move she sat on Felix's lap and kissed him deeply. He was surprised for a second, frozen in place, but quickly returned the kiss. He broke the contact when he heard her groan in pain. "I tried to lift my arm. Not a good idea." She shook her head with a smile. He caressed her cheek and kissed her gently once more.
"May I ask what was it you needed to think so intently yesterday?" He was curious and wanted to help her unburden her mind. He wasn't asking this to reprimand her for being run over. It could have happened to anyone and it was something unavoidable. He was asking to help her as he had done a few times before.
She told him about her day road trip with Heidi, Alice's call and Heidi's and her realization that she was intentionally avoiding any contact with the Cullens to the point that it hurt when Alice called. Felix understood. But he was surprised.
"Last time we talked about them you told me you wanted to reach out. What happened between then and now?" Bella shrugged. Her face neutral. She wasn't sure. Her mind was a mystery even to her. "Do you plan on calling them anytime soon?"
"I was planning on calling them today before I got ran over." Felix chuckled.
"I'm glad you can joke about your accident now." He rolled his eyes. " Do you want me to be with you when you call them or do you want to be alone?" Bella knew that he wouldn't be offended if she wanted to be alone. She pondered about it and decided that she wanted to face them alone. But she wanted him near if that was possible.
"I want to face them alone. But I want you near. Does that make sense?"
"I can be in my bedroom or I can stay behind the camera. Wherever you need me." Bella blushed hearing that comment inevitably thinking about the condom joke Heidi had made a few days before. She had never been intimate with anyone before, and she was desiring it, although she hadn't discussed it with Felix.
Felix raised an eyebrow curious as to why she was blushing. She shook her head. She would die of embarrassment relieving that conversation. "I'll look for you in your bedroom when I finish." She decided. He nodded and kissing her forehead (again, barely touching it) he retreated to his bedroom. He understood she wanted space and that she needed to face this alone. He would be there for her, however she needed him to be.
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Bella breathed in and out a few times before hitting the videocall symbol on her conversation with Emmett. She didn't have to wait long. He answered almost right away. His smile was huge when he saw her but disappeared quickly when he noticed her scratched forehead covered with a small bandage that was covering the stitches on the wound. He didn't say anything about it, and she didn't volunteer any more information.
"Hey, Bells!" he greeted her enthusiastically, grinning again, wider this time. She found herself smiling back and giggling. She really loved his sunny disposition. "How are you?"
"Hey, Em." She greeted back. " A bit bruised. But I'll survive." He chuckled while shaking his head. "Are you alone?" He shook his head again.
"I'm with Esme. The rest is hunting." She didn't know whether to feel lucky or unlucky at this turn of events.
"Can you put her on the call as well?" He nodded and she saw him standing up and walking to one of the windows, he waved at Esme and she rushed inside. She had heard her voice, but she wanted to respect her privacy with Emmet. She was glad she had called for her as well.
"Dear child. What on earth happened to you?" Bella laughed at Esme's greeting.
"I was riding my bike yesterday when this guy passed a red light and hit me with his car. He ran me over, in fact. I got 5 stitches on my forehead and a bumped shoulder." Emmet laughed long and hard with every fiber of his being. Esme smiled indulgently. "ok. A few more bruises over my body. But nothing bad." That only made Emmett laughed harder. Esme scolded him about his manners, but that didn't make him stop laughing. Bella didn't resist it and giggled as well. "Nice, Em. Really nice."
"Apart from being run over. What else is new?" Esme asked softly smiling at her daughter. Bella blushed again, thinking that her news was basically 20 meters away from her, in the room just across from hers. Would this be a good time to let them know she had fallen in love with one of the high-ranked guards of the Vulturi? She decided to be honest. She wasn't ashamed of that.
"I have a boyfriend." The word sounded extremely stupid in this context. She felt that Felix surpassed that category. But it was hard to explain, and this wasn't exactly the moment to do it.
She thought she saw Esme's smile saddened or decrease, but she immediately composed herself and Bella wasn't sure she saw what she thought she saw. Emmett was moving his eyebrows up and down in a very suggestive way that had Bella rolling her eyes, and miraculously, not blushing.
"It's Felix" She saw Emmett stopped joking and become a statue. Esme's eyes also grew wide with surprise. An uncomfortable silence fell between the three of them and she was starting to feel self-conscious. "Please, say something."
"Is he treating you well?" Esme's question was not what she expected.
"What?" She asked out of reflex and immediately added " Yes, of course. He treats me wonderfully." A soft smile spread across Bella's face. She wondered how much of the conversation was Felix actually listening. How much of the noise passed the sound-proofed barrier.
"Are you sure?" Emmett asked crossing his arms, making his muscles appear bigger.
"One hundred percent."
"Are you happy, Bella?" Esme asked.
"Very much." She smiled widely but grimaced when she felt the stitches pull. She instinctively raised her arm (her bumped arm) and cursed hitting the bed with her good arm. Emmett laughed at her. Esme hit him in the back of his head. She composed herself and breathed in and out to calm the pain and her nerves. "I was calling because I wanted to apologize…"
"Bella." Esme interrupted her. "You don't have to."
"I want to, Esme." She added quickly. "I left without saying goodbye or explaining why. I feel like I disappointed you." A solitary tear escaped her left eye.
"Bella. We understand. Alice and Edward both filled us in on your decision. We respect it. And we support you. We knew that you would talk when you felt ready to talk." This time it was Emmett who consoled her. She sobbed with a smile on her face. Happy that they weren't mad at her. "Stop crying Bella." he looked uncomfortable as if he wanted to do something, Bella noticed. Emmett desired, not for the first time, that he could trespass the technology. He had always loved Bella, and he saw her as a little sister. She might not be his blood, but she was still his little sister.
"We love you, Bella. And you're still my daughter." Bella gasped surprised at Esme's declaration.
"I am?"
Esme laughed softly. "Of course, sweet girl. You're the daughter that lives abroad and many hours ahead of us. But my daughter nonetheless."
Bella nodded at that woman who she came to see as her second mother, her role model. She was extremely grateful to have such a big family. Her Cullen family and her Vulturi family. She felt extremely lucky and thanked the stars for putting Edward on her way all those years ago. They would make her transition into this new life easier.
"I love you too, Esme." Esme smiled affectionately at Bella.
"What about me?" Emmett pretended to pout. But then he smiled showing his dimples. Bella always laughed at that silly smile. This time was no different.
"I love you too, brother bear." He nodded enthusiastically.
"Don't you forget about it." His message implied more than just a funny comment. He was secretly telling her to remember him during her change. They had explained to her how it was a little traumatic for the mind, and how it was hard to know how each person reacts to it. Emmett and Jasper remembered some about their lives. Rosalie, Carlisle, and Esme remembered everything. Edward's past was blurry except for his parents and Alice didn't remember anything.
"I won't. Send my love to the rest" She quickly said goodbye and hung the phone. Feeling more energized and relieved. As if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Heidi had been right. She was hurting and she needed this. They were her family as well. With that positive energy boosted into her system, she went in the search of her boyfriend. She giggled to herself. Great reception she had given him after a week away.
She came in unannounced into his bedroom and found him spread on his bed reading a book. She was too hyped to care about what he was reading. He stared at her as she climbed the bed lying next to him. She returned the stare. "You're…cheery." He hesitated with the word. Putting his book on the night table he turned to lie on one of his sides to stare easier at her.
"I feel relieved. They are also my family, and it wasn't right to avoid them." Felix was happy she had made her peace with the Cullens. The fact that he wanted her for himself alone, didn't mean he wanted to sever all her ties with her past…perhaps, only with that ex-boyfriend who had proposed to her. He felt extremely annoyed at him.
"Also?" He wondered out loud before he could stop himself.
Bella turned her head, locking her stare with his. "You, Demetri, Heidi, and Alec are my new family. My second family." Felix was very surprised. She had come to peace, then, with her new life. He knew better than anybody that blood family does not make you family. He kissed her deeply for that. And she returned the kiss equally enthusiastically.
He snaked one of his hands underneath her shirt, caressing her waist and making her sigh delighted. Her pulls on his head with her good arm were driving him crazy. He left her mouth, allowing her to breathe, but continue his journey through her collarbone and her neck, where her pulse was beating. She was enticing, fascinating and beautiful. Bella pulled on his head directing his face towards hers again. He wanted so much more, but she was injured, and he didn't want to hurt her.
"I love you." She whispered when he broke the heated kiss.
"I want to do it. I just don't want to worsen your injuries" He replied thinking that her comment had come because she felt rejected. Sweet, wonderful, guy.
"I want to, as well. But not with one arm and worried I might knock my head and break the stitches. With my luck, that is highly probable." He laughed hard and long. Crazy, wonderful, girl.
That decision didn't deter them from any more hot-make-up session. He was very careful with her injuries, and she was very careful not to lift her bad arm in a reflex movement. She needed to get Heidi to go shopping. If there was one thing she wanted to do before her transformation, was have sex…no…make love with Felix. And every time she wore lacey underwear, she felt sexy and bold. She had decided she loved feeling that way and she wanted to feel more of that. Heidi would make a great company on her buying-sexy-underwear endeavors.
What do you think?
How did Felix learn that particular lesson about family?
A small teaser of chapters to come:
Bella's phone beeped with an incoming text. It was from Alice. She immediately opened it, smiling amused at the contents. "I can't believe you called when I wasn't home! Call again, soon"
