A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story in their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list. It truly means a lot to me.

Chapter 22- This can't be happening!

Bella's POV-

"So, this is him?" Carlisle tentatively asked, glancing between Paul and I, an unsure look on his face, the ever-present calmness having evaded him, leaving in its place a mask of doubt and confusion.

"Yes," I unapologetically sighed, nodding my head briefly. "Carlisle, he is…important. You have to save him."

They did not need to know the details, the fact that he was important to me was enough a motivator in the situation. Carlisle was a talented doctor- everyone knew and accepted that, and now it was time for him to prove that to me.

Of course, he did not have to prove anything to the dumb human in the situation, but knowing him as much as I did- or as much as I would like to believe that I did know him- he would give his best, doing everything under the sun possible to save his patient. That was just the kind of person and doctor he was!

"Oh dear!" I heard Esme gasp all of a sudden, pin-drop silence settling over the room for some unclear reason. I turned to look at her, her eyes glassy, giving me the indication that she was about to cry any minute now.

Strange!

"Bella, Jacob, please, if you could…." Carlisle motioned towards the door; hesitance visible in his body language, as he shifted at his place in discomfort. "I would prefer not to have any disturbances while I treat his wounds."

"I am not leaving you alone with him!" Jake protested before I could, with me enthusiastically nodding my head in agreement. "You may be a doctor and everything, but you are still our mortal enemy." Jake waved a hand in air, making his point exceptionally clear, the tension in the air thick enough that you would need a knife to cut through it.

"I agree," I quipped, my head bobbing up and down in complete agreement. "I am not leaving the room."

Especially not when someone who could easily kill another with the snap of his fingers, was in attendance.

Nope. Not happening.

Carlisle sighed, shaking his head in visible exasperation. "Fine, if that is what you wish. But it won't be a pretty sight, let me warn you on that. There will be blood, much more than what you see right now. His several bones are broken, I will have to re-attach them properly. He will cry out in pain, and there will be not much that I will be able to do to stop that. I could try to give him morphine, but I am not sure how effective it would be with his high body temperature. If you are willing to witness all of this, I have no complaints. You may stay."

I cringed to myself, looking down at my feet. I did not wish to leave Paul alone- especially not when there was a vampire in the room- doctor or not irrespective, but taking in the sight of all this blood and gory….

I was already exceptionally close to puking my lunch out.

I don't know how much more I could tolerate of this… this absolute goriness.

It was disgusting!

I was so not prepared to see any of his internal organs, imprint or not!

"I will stay back." Jake gave me a pointed look, his eyes telling me to just run out and not look back, an offer I was heavily thankful for at the moment.

"You sure?" I asked, you know- for you have to ask such difficult- courtesy based- questions in life…

Jake waved me off, mumbling a barely there 'go', with me running out of the room before one could even mutter the G that comes in go.

Esme, for some reason, decided to follow me out, the two of us waiting by the tree-line of Jake's house, Jake having fought with Sam to get Paul shifted, and of course, to have Carlisle treat him. Sam had opposed the decision with all he had in him, but Jake was the actual alpha, and every important decision for the pack would henceforth be taken by him, a benefit that was rewarded once the true alpha had accepted his responsibilities and duties. The elders hadn't appreciated this sudden change in dynamics- I don't know who disliked it more- Sam or them, but what was done was done, and Paul's survival was now Jake's responsibility.

"Bella," Esme whispered, staring at the trees that surrounded us, pulling me out of my random musings.

I hummed in response, waiting to hear what she had to say.

"I would change you, if that is what you still want."

"Excuse me?" I frowned at her; my mouth wide open in disbelief. Had she just said that, or were my ears ringing?

It had to be the latter, obviously?

She wouldn't actually have offered that….right?

I could hear a loud growl from the inside of the house- Jake, but I ignored it, too confused to even concentrate elsewhere.

"I want my son to be happy." She continued, refusing to look at me and meet my eyes. "I don't care who thinks what. I will change you."

I gulped, her penetrating eyes boring holes into my very soul, a look of determination clear in them.

"I will take you to him. You will be happy. Both of you will be. The others will come to accept it with time. You are made for one another. I now know this. I should have fought harder. I should never have agreed to leave you behind. Look what happened!" she cried out, on a completely different train than the one she was supposed to be on.

"I…I don't understand…"

"He is a shape-shifter!" her tone was heavily accusatory, her hands flying all around in disbelief. "He is important to you? He has trapped you, my dear innocent Bella! He has lied to you, taken advantage of your sweet heart and trusting personality. Edward will set him alright. We need to go to him. You are his mate. You are going to be his wife. You both will be so happy together. I can't wait to plan your wedding…."

"Esme, just stop!" I shouted the words out, my eyes wide enough to reach my hairline. "Are you fucking stupid?"

"Bella…"

I ignored the delusional idiot, too enraged to bother with unneeded things like politeness.

"Your son left me. He told me that I was a distraction, a distraction that he no longer needed in his life. It is over between us. I don't want to be with him any longer, and neither does he."

She sighed, overly melodramatically, shaking her head to the moon and back. "Oh dear! What was Edward thinking? Of course, the world would take advantage of your innocence! And look what happened!"

"I am…sorry. What?"

Had she just said what I had heard?

"He lied to you, sweetheart." She offered me a sad smile. "He still loves you. You can finally be together. Oh, I am so happy." She clapped her hands in excitement, a wide grin on her face.

Okay. So, it was official.

Esme Cullen was one crazy woman.

"You are delusional." I whispered, far too amused by the situation to think rationally.

"Did you say something, sweetheart?" Esme smiled wide, dumb enough to not use her senses to her advantage.

"Nothing particular…" I shrugged, trying impossibly hard to hide the smile on my face. "It is just ironic, I guess. And definitely a glimpse of fate's cruel sense of humor!"

"What do you mean?" she gave me a confused stare.

I sighed, nodding my head, deciding to clear her confusion, "Back in the day, when I had wanted Edward to stay, all he wanted to do was leave me. I had begged to be changed. I was hell-bent to become a vampire, but not one of you wanted to be on my side. And now….when I don't wish to be one, the opportunity finally pops up? It's just cruel, I guess…"

"You don't want to become a vampire?" her voice was low, unsure and confusion filled.

"No." I shrugged, playing with the hem of my shirt. "I am happy in my life. Sure, it is mortal and everything…."

"But you are a human!" she spat the words out in utter disgust, waving her hands in air in sudden urgency. "You could be a vampire; imagine the possibilities?"

Um.

What?

"Esme, I thought Carlisle…"

Wasn't he completely opposed to bringing people into this 'lifestyle', unless they were dying, that is?

"Oh, screw him!"

Well, okay.

"Why would you want to be that when you could be this?" she pointed towards herself in glee. "Oh, you will love being a vampire, Bella! I just know it. It is so much fun. And you would make the perfect vampire!"

Er. Hadn't she heard a word of what I had just blabbered?

"Esme, I am truly touched that you think so…but I really don't want to…."

"You will change your mind once you wake up with Edward by your side." She waved my concerns off, smiling wide. "I will see you in three days."

What?

No.

Damn it.

Why does every vampire I meet suddenly want to make me one of their kind?

First, Laurent, and now, Esme?

What the hell is wrong with them?

What the hell is wrong with me?

Second time in less than twenty-four hours?

This has to be a record somewhere.

"Oh, sweetie, I am so happy." The delusional woman took a step ahead in my direction, my mind blank as I half wondered why Jake hadn't appeared by now; he had to have heard the entire conversation, my eyes shutting as cold lips touched my soft, vulnerable neck, silencing me from protesting any further.