Carlisle settled Bella onto the couch in the living room. He propped a pillow under her leg and knee then settled Esme's afghan over the girl. The final touch was an ice pack for her healing hand. "How's that honey?" he asked.
Bella gave him a brave smile and said, "Perfect, thank you."
She had awoken a little while ago and agreed with Carlisle that it was time to get everything out in the open between them all. This meeting was also to be the reunion between Alice, Jasper and Bella. Carlisle was proud of her for not putting it off.
He stepped back and took his seat next to Esme. Alice and Jasper had taken up spots on the floor – an attempt to put Bella at ease by situating themselves in a more vulnerable position. Yes – they were vampires – but the body language would still work on the very human Bella.
The room was silent save for the crackling of the fireplace until Alice couldn't take it any more. "Hello, Bella. I've missed you." she said in an uncharacteristically uncertain voice.
Jasper winced when he felt the magnitude Bella's reaction. Carlisle had been correct; he had only scratched the surface of Bella's emotional state earlier.
In an almost dead tone of voice, Bella responded, "Hello Alice." She didn't take her gaze off the logs burning in the fireplace. No one missed the watery sheen that now gleaned in her eyes.
Jasper was next, "Bella, I feel I owe you a deep apology for my actions and the consequences they brought."
This time Bella turned her head. She took care to look only at Jasper and not make eye contact with the girl she once called best friend. Alice winced.
"I failed to control myself, and almost took the life of a young woman whom I respect immensely. That is a shame I will carry for eternity," Jasper continued as he felt a small tendril of fear surfacing in Bella's emotions.
Bella shook her head in immediate denial, "It isn't yours to carry, Jasper. I accepted the risk when I learned of your nature. I knew to be careful around you all. I stepped into your home, your sanctuary, and failed to take care."
"It was a papercut, Bella. The fault was mine." A disbelieving Jasper insisted. "If it will help you feel more comfortable, I can move to the other end of the house and still contribute to the conversation," he offered.
Bella looked at him as if he had just grown a second head, "Your presence here doesn't make me uncomfortable, Jasper. If anything, it does the opposite."
Jasper cocked his head in curiosity, he felt her sincerity and could find no deception, "I don't frighten you after having attacked you?"
Bella shook her head, "I trust you Jasper." She insisted, "Your reactions to me have always been genuine." She gave a little smile, "Yes, even when you attacked me. You've never lied to me."
Jasper sat back stunned and Carlisle gave a little half smile, "I told you Jasper."
Cocking his head, Jasper questioned, "Yet you felt fear when you looked at me, Bella. I'll admit it isn't strong, but it's there still."
Bella blushed and looked down at the blanket. Picking at a piece of lint, she then forced herself to meet his eyes and give him honesty in return, "Carlisle said otherwise, but you must be upset I've brought trouble down on the family. Again."
Understanding why she felt that way, Jasper reassured her, "As I know Carlisle told you, my first reaction upon hearing of Victoria, was to create a plan for your safety." Pausing, he gave some thought to his next words, "Bella, do you remember what I told you in Phoenix?"
Bella did, so she nodded her head.
"It was true then; true when we picked up our lives and moved for your safety, and it's true now." Jasper made sure he had full eye contact with her, "Bella, you ARE family. The moment Victoria came for you, she came for my family. I'm not even remotely upset that you made your way here with her after you. I am upset that we weren't there from the beginning. That your journey was ever necessary. That she got even a single chance to injure you."
Jasper spoke with such passion, that it had an immediate impact on Bella. A few tears slipped from her eyes. She wiped them free. She didn't need to say anything in reply, for Jasper knew he'd gotten through to her when that sliver of fear dissipated.
Carlisle and Esme watched the interaction with pride in both Bella and Jasper. He had come a long way from the man who had argued for her death after Edward's intervention with the car accident. Bella truly was someone special to them all, it wasn't easy to earn Jasper's trust, let alone love. Yet Bella had.
Carlisle gave Bella a moment to absorb her conversation with Jasper. When he turned to her, his smile dimmed. He hadn't missed her implication that others had lied. "Sadly, that leads us to the more difficult subjects. Bella, as you know already, Esme and I have caught Alice and Jasper up with the events of the past six months." He paused as a sob came from Alice.
"I didn't see any of it Bella, I'm so sorry. I was a fool to make that promise – I thought I was helping you both!" she confessed.
Bella stiffened in her seat. Alice's pleas seemed genuine. But she had seen the Cullen's ability to act first hand. And Alice had a way of getting whatever she was after. Instead, she looked to Jasper.
He could feel her emotions. Desire to trust warring with caution and mistrust. A yearning streaked with known betrayal. "I give my word of honor, Bella. Alice did in fact make that promise to Edward. And she never would have concealed such visions from me. I'll give you complete honesty – I would have not wanted to violate Edward's order to leave you to a human life. But never would I have stood aside while knowing you were being hunted. The very fact that not a single one of us was there is your evidence that Alice never saw."
Bella curled in on herself. The tears come to her eyes and she balled her left hand into a fist. Once the pain subsided enough, she whispered her acceptance of Jasper's testimony. Jasper himself looked confounded at her strange way of reacting to his words.
"That brings us to two points I want understood by this family, with Bella as witness." Carlisle took control of the conversation again.
"The first is for you Alice: I want it understood that should you ever cut a member of this family out of your visions, without coming to me first, that you are directly violating my trust in you. I say that as both the head of this family and the head of this coven."
He looked pointedly at Alice, who meekly replied, "I understand, Carlisle."
Turning to Bella, he spoke a little softer, "The second point I don't expect you to believe immediately Bella, but I will continue to repeat it as often as you need to hear it." Firming his voice, he said, "Isabella is, and always has been, a full member of this family. It is past time we respected her as such. This family is through making decisions in Bella's name. I could not have done her more harm than when I allowed Edward to force his decision on Bella last fall. One which we all knew she would disagree with. I was arrogant enough to believe that as her mate, Edward knew what was best for her. No longer. Any decisions that affect Bella, she will be involved in. There will be no withholding of information from Bella. There will most certainly be no lying to Bella. She has been a full member of this family from the beginning and it is time we treated her as such, regardless of her status as a mortal. The others will be informed of the same expectations when they are called home. Am I clear?"
He received a confirming nod from both Alice and Jasper. He didn't miss the rejection of his statement that flashed across Bella's face, nor her visceral reaction to Edward's name.
Walking over to her, he took a seat on the edge of the couch in front of her and placed his right palm over her heart. "Breathe Bella." He encouraged. Rubbing his left thumb over her chin, the two sat there until the pain eased up. Once her breathing normalized, he looked at her with sympathy, and he said, "It's time for those tough subjects."
She had tears slipping down her cheeks but nodded.
"First Bella, Sweetheart, I know you don't believe everything I said just now, but I promise I will prove it to you. Can you believe that much?" he asked.
Hesitantly, Bella answered, "I think so, yes."
He gave her a hopeful smile. Then he tapped his finger where his hand still rested over her heart, "As for this, Bella. There is a very specific reason this is happening, and I owe you my utmost, deepest apology for it." Speaking vehemently, he said, "I never imagined it a possibility for you, let alone you capable of withstanding it."
Bella's look turned to confusion. Carlisle continued, "Bella, when a vampire separates from their mate, for any reason, we experience a pull. Put enough distance or time between the mates and that pull grows stronger until it becomes outright pain. It's our bodies way to tell us we aren't meant to be separated. It's a reaction that ensures it cannot be ignored. Esme and I experience it often when I work back to back double shifts. Alice and Jasper when she goes on an extended shopping spree. Emmett and Rose whenever Emmett puts his foot in his mouth." That last one brought a little grin from Bella. Her confusion cleared to comprehension.
She shook her head, "I understand what your saying Carlisle, but that's not what is happening with me. We aren't…he isn't…"
Carlisle shook his head, "You are Bella. That is precisely what is happening."
Bella shook her head in denial, she looked at Esme, who gave her an affirming nod. Alice, who grinned. Jasper who said, "I wouldn't have believed it possible in a human – if I hadn't felt what you experienced just now – but Carlisle is exactly correct."
Bella teared up, "No…No! Stop it! It's barbaric! You're all the worst sort of cruel!" She tried to shove Carlisle away from her with her good hand but he simply caught it in his.
"I am not lying to you Isabella," he stated with authority.
She spat out, "Then your wrong, flat out wrong."
He gave her a knowing look, "I'm not wrong, Bella. Not about this, and sadly I don't think I'm in error about what I've been suspecting either. Not with you denying this truth so adamantly."
He gave her a minute to calm on her own. Reaching up, he caressed her face. "I'm going to tell you what the family has always believed transpired. What Esme and I believed took place until you turned up, with your trust in us so completely shattered that you were confident I would leave you to die. Then you can tell us what really happened. Ok, Sweetheart?"
Bella gave a jerky nod. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear this, but knew the conversation needed to occur.
Carlisle looked at her with half torn eyes, "I must admit, I'm apprehensive of what you have to tell us. Terrified my theory is correct."
This time it was Bella who took on a look of compassion, Bella who reached out and cupped Carlisle's face. She had come far enough that she truly believed Esme and Carlisle loved her. They had had not a clue of the hell she had been left in.
"It'll be ok, Carlisle." She softly reassured him.
He shook his head, "Not right away, Bella. Not if you confirm what I suspect. But I promise you this, Isabella. I will not stop until I've repaired the damage he's done."
With that, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and started his tale, "After he returned from bringing you home, he called a family meeting. He was unrelenting that he would not risk your soul by turning you. After the days events, he believed your continued association with us would lead to your untimely death. He insisted if we truly loved you then the only option left was to leave you to a human life. He was going to step aside and allow you to find a human to love and lead a life with. No one could change his mind."
Pausing, he looked at her with openness, "I'm sure you already know some in the family agreed with this decision."
Bella nodded, "Rosalie would have and…" she trailed off and turned her head.
Jasper winced when she looked right at him, but he sucked it up and gave her the truth, "I had almost killed you Bella, continued to fight the desire to yet do so. I also believed it for the best."
Bella looked at him with sympathy and forgiveness, "I can understand that Jasper."
Carlisle continued, "You remember the silent conversations he and I often hold?" he asked as gently as he could.
Bella winced, but nodded.
"We shared one of those regarding my concerns for human dangers to you. In the end, I capitulated to leaving as I was fully aware Alice was tuned to your future and would foresee any such events. He was cognizant of that."
"I meant what I said earlier Bella, you have always been a full member of this family. And you were when I issued the verdict that we were to leave. I did so because I knew Edward well enough to know he would not change his mind. It was decided the family would leave immediately to allow you and Edward privacy for him to explain his decision to you. He would stay long enough for you to gain acceptance and then follow."
Testing her, he asked, "Are you comprehending so far?"
Bella nodded, "You all left to give me a gift of safety."
Carlisle squeezed her hand again, "Yes, and with complete faith that you would be told the truth. Edward reported back that you venomously disagreed yet understood."
He waited out the mate-pull reaction and wiped the tears from her eyes when she finally looked up again. He didn't ask, he stated, "But that's not what happened, is it Bella?"
Her eyes welled with tears and she shook her head. All the she was able to get out was a very whispered, "No. It's not."
Carlisle's face took on a look of abject torture as he watched Bella fight to explain. Instead, despite her best efforts otherwise, she crumpled into a sobbing ball and threw her arms around Carlisle for dear life.
He carefully scooped her up and sat down on the couch with her on his lap. He held her as she sobbed out all the hurt and anguish she had suffered. Esme came over and sat beside them, rubbing Bella's back.
Jasper forced himself to sit there and suffer through what he felt he had inflicted on Bella. He waited for a signal from Carlisle that it was too much for Bella but it didn't come. Instead, her cries began to soften and she eventually transitioned to sleep.
The four vampires all sat in silence. Each beginning to comprehend what Edward must have done, and yet knowing when Bella finally spoke the truth it would be worse than they imagined.
Esme spoke, concern edging her voice, "You don't think this was too soon for her do you Carlisle?"
Carlisle adjusted his hold on Bella, using his body like an ice pack over her broken wrist and ribs. "No Esme. She's had a full day of rest since the surgery. She couldn't go on much longer with the falsehoods he has her believing."
Esme nodded in understanding, "Alright then." She reached up and ever so lightly rested her hand against Bella's bruised forehead. "These nasty things are finally starting to heal," she noted.
"Yes," agreed Carlisle. "I noticed the same with her legs when I helped her out of bed earlier."
"Now we need to work on putting some weight back on the poor dear," Esme said as she leaned forward and picked up Bella's forgotten cup of tea, "I'll go make sure a fresh pot is ready for when she wakes up. It'll be soothing for her. And perhaps she'll enjoy a slice of coffee cake."
Esme returned with a tray weighted down with coffee cake, a full teapot and a fresh cup. Bella had begun to get restless and she noted the look of concern Carlisle wore. Alice beat her to the punch though, "Is she in pain Carlisle?"
Carlisle glanced up to find three pairs of eyes on him and furrowed his brow before looking back to Bella. "No, it's too soon for the pills I gave to her have worn off." He began a soothing stroke on her back and explained, "I think it must be a bad dream."
Esme wrung her hands, "Except for the hospital, she hasn't had any since she's arrived."
Carlisle looked at her sadly, "This is the first since that she's slept without the stronger medicine."
Jasper spoke up then, "I suspect Carlisle is correct Esme – Bella is giving off a wave of fear and loneliness."
They allowed her to continue sleeping until the whimpers began. Then Carlisle decided it was enough and gently woke her. Bella's trademark blush lit up the moment she realized she'd been sleeping on Carlisle.
He laughed and rubbed her back, "Nothing to be embarrassed about Bella." Turning serious he said, "I needed to hold my daughter as much as she needed to be comforted."
Bella smiled shyly and Carlisle shifted her back onto the couch, aware she needed some space to fully wake.
As Bella sipped on the tea and enjoyed a generous portion of Esme's cake, she thought back through what Carlisle had revealed. She believed him. There wasn't one ounce of doubt in her that he had spoken the truth. Carlisle and Esme had left Forks believing Bella had been told the same thing they were. And she forgave him. She never would have agreed with the decision Carlisle had made, but she could understand it. Just as Carlisle had expected she would. Then she remembered how she had treated them since she had arrived. Very quickly she grew horrified.
The tea cup began to shake in her hand and her breathing picked up. The four vampires who had been giving her space immediately turned her way. Esme took the hot cup from her hand and set it down. Carlisle rubbed her arm and said, "Breathe slowly Bella."
Their care and concern only seemed to worsen the situation. She grasped for gentle hearted Esme's arm and started to desperately say, "I'm sorry, Esme. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I swear I didn't."
Esme, bewildered but realizing the girl needed comfort, wrapped her in her arms and began rocking her, "Shush, Bella. It's ok, everything is ok."
Bella shook her head in denial and repeated her apology. A confounded Carlisle looked to Jasper who surprisingly gave an unconcerned shrug.
"She was feeling understanding and compassion. Sorrow and forgiveness. Then realization hit her, followed by horror." Being a devilish teenager at heart, he grinned, "I'd say Bella finally believes you now."
At his explanation, Bella apologized to Esme again, this time with a bit more clarity, "I'm so sorry for pushing you away Esme, for pushing both of you away."
Her heart strangely singing and cracking at the same time, Esme kissed her on the head and said, "No Bella, I suspect you had every reason for your mistrust when you arrived. It's all right baby girl, everything is all right."
As the understanding hit Carlisle too, he reached out and laid his hand on Bella's back. He assured her, "You have nothing to apologize for Bella. We were the ones who walked away without a goodbye."
With Bella calm and reassured, Alice decided the poor girl could use a moment of privacy. She wasn't sure Bella would accept her offer yet, but made an effort just the same. Gently, she asked, "Bella, would you like to freshen up?"
Bella, now completely trusting in Carlisle and Esme again, was still unsure of Alice. Part of her wanted her friend back, while the other part wondered if she had known what Edward intended and allowed it to stand. She looked to Esme for guidance.
Esme gave her an encouraging nod, so Bella shut down her misgivings and accepted Alice's offer.
The Pixie promptly beamed in reaction, bounced to Bella's side but heeded Carlisle's instructions in carrying her to the restroom. She helped Bella as needed and gave her space for the tasks she was able to do alone. The two girls didn't speak, but a peaceable silence was shared between them.
Jasper thrilled in the cautious waves of hope rolling from Alice. It was the happiest he'd seen his mate since that fateful party.
Slowly, Carlisle said, "There is more to discuss, but she is going to be ok." With full confidence for the first time since she'd shown up, he said, "Isabella is going to be just fine."
Carlisle disappeared into the kitchen and returned with fresh ice packs. When Alice reappeared with Bella, they made her comfortable on the couch, this time angling her into the corner. Using the couch itself and some supporting pillows, Carlisle settled the ice packs along her broken ribs.
Giving him a slight smile, Bella thanked him.
Intending to give Bella a break from emotional topics, Carlisle turned the subject from Edwards' actions to one that had them all curious.
He sat with Esme, pulling her into his side and asked, "Alice, can you still not see any of our futures?"
Alice's eyes blanked over for several minutes. When they cleared, she shook her head in denial.
"Everyone in this house is a blank spot. It's as if we don't exist. Yet, I can still see Rose and Emmett and him of course." Alice made sure not to use Edward's name in front of Bella.
"Hmm…" said Carlisle.
Bella cocked her head in curiosity, "Why is that?"
Alice, gratified Bella was speaking to her, said, "I really have no idea Bella. But it seems to be related to you, or perhaps to Ithaca – I could see Jasper and myself until we chose to come here."
Bella absently rubbed at the cut on her forehead. Carlisle noticed and made a mental note to provide her with cream later.
"I wonder…" Bella said softly to herself.
"You wonder what, Bella?" Jasper asked, for her could feel her brimming with curiosity.
Turning to Alice, Bella requested, "What can you see of Charlie?"
Alice's response was her eyes once again blanking. When she blinked, she looked surprised. Carlisle leaned forward, "What is it Alice?"
Alice jumped up, full of pent up frustration. She began pacing as she explained, "I should be able to see Charlie perfectly fine. It hasn't been that long!" She tossed her arms in the air to punctuate her statement. Continuing, she explained, "I can see choppy bits of Charlie's day. Enough to know he's safe, but it's mostly just snapshots of him traveling at different times of the day, or grabbing his car keys over and over again."
Bella tapped her chin thoughtfully, taking in this new information. Out of curiosity, she asked, "Can you see Lauren or Angela?"
Alice immediately looked and then harrumphed. "Perfectly fine!" she almost spat out. "Lauren is painting her nails a horrid orange, and Angela is playing a game with her brothers."
Then Bella asked, "How about Jake or Billy?"
Alice stopped her pacing and turned to look at Bella, "I'm not very familiar with them…"
"But you have seen them before, right?"
Alice nodded, "Of course, several times whenever Billy decided to drive a wedge…"she let her sentence run off but Bella knew the instances she meant.
Avoiding those memories, she encouraged, "See what they are doing." Softer she said, "See if Jake is ok."
Alice's eyes blanked once more. When she came back, she was bewildered, "Bella's right, I should be able to see them. Not clearly, but something. They are both the same blank we are."
Jasper looked at Bella when he felt her curiosity morph into certainty. "You have a theory Bella."
Blushing with everyone suddenly looking at her, it was Carlisle Bella chose to direct her response to. "You didn't know the pack was in Forks when you left, did you?" She already knew he didn't based on their previous conversations, so she didn't wait for a reply.
"What if Alice can't see the wolves?" Bella asked.
Carlisle's face took on a thoughtful look. He was quiet while everyone watching him thinking. Finally, he said to Bella, "That explains Billy and Jake, but not Charlie or us…"
Bella shook her head, "The wolves are protecting Charlie. That was the promise Paul gave me in return for willingly leaving."
Nodding, Carlisle asked, "Ok, then that explains Charlie…" he left his statement open, inviting Bella to speak the rest of her theory.
Bella smiled. She looked like the cat that ate the canary. Jasper couldn't help joining her, enjoying the pleasant emotion.
"It does explain us Carlisle. Alice can't see me."
Carlisle looked bewildered at her statement. Cautiously, Esme spoke up, "Bella dear, you aren't a wolf."
Bella grinned wider and looked at Esme. "Esme, decide to go visit Emmett and Rose please. Alice, check her future."
Humoring the seemingly crazy human, both women did just that. Alice's head popped up in shock, "I can see Esme!" she announced.
Bella nodded and then instructed, "Esme, now decide to take me with you on the visit."
The little Pixie began hopping up and down in place. Excitedly she said, "All three of your futures just disappeared but now I can see our futures!"
In awe, Carlisle looked at Bella. It would appear she was correct. "Alright Alice, calm down." He looked at Bella, "How…?"
He could tell Bella had a theory for that too, so he thought through what he knew out loud, "You're not descended from the tribe, but even if you were, you are not a wolf. Alice could see Jake when he was fully human."
Bella nodded her head in agreement, "So what changed…"
Bella watched. She could see the lightbulb go off in Carlisle's brain. He smiled, "I'm amazed you figured that out Bella."
Alice harrumphed and pushed her fists into her hip, "Would you two like to share with the rest of the class?"
Bella couldn't help it, she giggled. And then groaned, "Oww, Alice – broken ribs here – don't make me laugh."
Four vampires lit up with smiles to see a bit of the Bella they knew coming out. With a grin, Alice tapped her toe and said, "Still waiting…"
Carlisle smiled, "Alright Alice, settle down before Bella thinks you like her ribs hurting. Bella removed the venom from the two wolves who were bitten." He explained.
Esme and Jasper both immediately took on looks of clarity. Alice, who was more used to seeing things in images, and wasn't present for Bella's original telling of the tale, was still confused.
"How does bleeding a wolf make Bella one?" she asked.
Esme smothered a chuckle behind her hand. A grinning Jasper said, "She isn't a wolf, Allycat – she must have ingested wolf's blood when she sucked the venom out."
Bella shrugged when Alice turned to her, "It's the only thing that makes sense."
Alice turned to Carlisle in consternation. "So I'll never be able to see Bella again?" she demanded.
Carlisle chuckled, "I'm sure the effect will wear off Alice. I just don't know how long it will take."
Bella sobered. Softly she said, "I guess I owe you an apology Alice."
Sitting on the edge of the couch in front of Bella, Alice asked, "What for?"
"Since you can't see the wolves, I guess you never would have seen either attack, even if you'd been looking. You certainly wouldn't have seen me searching for you all," Bella explained.
Alice thought through what she had been told of the attacks. She shook her head with sadness. "Both Laurent and Victoria had you cornered before the wolves showed, didn't they?"
"Yes," was all Bella said.
"I had visions try to come through at what was probably those events. As well as others. And the glimpses I'm getting of Charlie tell me I would have seen the parts of the attacks that didn't involved the wolves." Shaking her head, Alice sadly admitted, "No Bella, I let you down. Plain and simple."
A tear slipped down Bella's cheek, but she reached out with her good hand and squeezed Alice's. Jasper felt a fragile trust begin to develop between the two women.
After a few moments, Bella indicated that Alice should go sit with Jasper. She looked around the room at the people she was becoming to believe in again. She knew she couldn't keep Edward's actions to herself anymore. Parts of her wanted to – the part that didn't completely trust Alice, the part that knew this was going to bring pain to Esme and Carlisle. She recognized that she wasn't strong enough to carry his words alone any longer. So she began her tale.
"He was standoffish for the three days after my party. Not his normal self. He didn't let on that you all were gone. Then when I came home from school on the third day, he was there; waiting." Bella wiped a stray tear from her eye.
She looked directly at Carlisle and said, "He took me in the woods behind Charlie's house. There, with the house still in sight, Edward…" she had to stop and gasp for breath, then forced the rest of the words out, "he told me I was nothing to him, had never been anything but a novelty to you all. A fun distraction from the monotony of your lives and a better way to blend in with the humans."
Carlisle's face truly looked made of stone now. It was set in a look of pure rage and Bella shuddered. She knew it wasn't directed at her, but she sought solace by turning her gaze to the fireplace. "Edward…"pausing to gasp again, Bella would swear her reactions to his name were worsening. Picking back up when it subsided, she said, "asked me to essentially not do anything stupid and assured me he would have plenty of distractions from his memories as time healed my pain and I moved on. He..he…Edward denied he had ever loved me and then left me there in the woods."
Bella could not believe the pain coursing through her with this admission. She was gasping for air, trying to hold her bruised sides together with her arms.
Carlisle pushed aside his anger as his concern for Bella grew. Going to sit with her, he again placed his palm over her heart. Bella's reaction to Edward's name seemed worse this time. Bella clasped her own palm over his.
As the pain eased, she admitted, "I tried to follow him. Sam found me that night, collapsed on the forest floor." Carlisle understood Bella was telling him this was when the exposure incident occurred.
Nodding his head, he said, "I figured it had to have been something like that. Given the timing."
Looking at him apologetically, Bella said, "He told me you all left. That you were tired of my human drama and didn't care to even say goodbye."
Carlisle let the anger rumble through his chest, "Edward has a lot to answer for."
This time Bella's body almost convulsed at the sound of his name. The pressure of his palm seemed to help her for she clasped his hand tighter against her chest. He attempted to soothe her, but the day had been too trying and she couldn't calm. Turning to Esme, he requested his medical bag.
She brought it to Bella's side and using his free hand, Carlisle selected a mild sedative and syringe. Expertly preparing it one handed, he injected just enough through the port still in Bella's skin to calm her.
As the sedative took affect and Bella's breathing eased, he felt something move against his palm. Carlisle instantly snapped his eyes to the spot. He pressed harder, and the movement came again. Bella looked at Carlisle with confusion, she had felt it too. She gasped as Carlisle pushed painfully hard, his hand forming into a cup.
"What?" was all she managed to ask before she found herself laid out on a flat surface in an unfamiliar room, Carlisle's hand still uncomfortably pressing above her heart. Her broken ribs protested the abuse.
The bewildered family had followed them in, but Carlisle ignored everyone as he tore the front of Bella's shirt open.
Jasper immediately averted his eyes. Alice cringed at the site of motley bruises that yet covered Bella's torso. Carlisle didn't give Bella a chance to process the restyling of her top before the wand from the ultrasound machine was pressing against her chest. Still Carlisle did not remove his hand.
After a few moments, he paused with the wand aimed just under his hand, in a direct line to Bella's heart.
Bella watched as Carlisle viewed the screen and his jaw became a firm line. She supposed the look he was wearing should scare her but the sedative kept her from really caring much. She felt mostly like she was watching a movie. Except for the still protesting ribs.
Carlisle began issuing orders and Bella watched as a bottle of liquid, two syringes and an empty glass vial all appeared on a tray beside her. Then Carlisle commanded, "Everyone outside."
The room empty, he finally he turned to Bella. "Honey, I need to draw a sample from your chest. This won't be entirely comfortable, but I need you to hold still for me, ok?"
Bella nodded her head, she supposed she should care more, but her newfound trust in Carlisle was holding solid despite his strange behavior and this sedative really was some good medicine.
Curiously, Carlisle still did not move his hand, with the exception of securing the ultrasound wand with his thumb. He began speaking to her as he worked.
Picking up an alcohol wipe and cleaning the same spot where the ultrasound was imaging, Carlisle told her he was going to inject a topical anesthesia before using the empty syringe to take the sample he was after. Bella watched in a detached fascination as she felt the lidocaine needle pinching her chest. When the second, much longer, needle pierced her, it didn't hurt at first. Yet Carlisle warned her to hold still and pushed until she was sucking her breath in. Glancing at the screen for a distraction, she saw the needle actually appear on the screen and pierce something moving there. Whatever it was, it was not her heart for it began to be vacuumed into the needle itself and then she felt Carlisle extracting it from her chest.
Carlisle finally lifted his hand, and directed Bella to hold a piece of cotton over the protesting mark in her chest. "Sorry about that Bella."
He picked up the empty glass vial and injected the contents into it. Then he held the vial up in the light.
Carlisle's face still did not look happy. Bella said, "That's not normal is it?"
Looking at her and back at the vial, Carlisle confirmed, "No Bella, that isn't even close to normal."
Both their eyes turned back to the vial Carlisle held, where two thick streaks of red appeared to fight to keep a separate silver streak sandwiched between them.