i
Charlie had hovered over Bella for several hours after getting her home. She had a bit of a concussion, and the doctor wanted her monitored. Charlie had sworn to it, almost a little too serious about it. Bella didn't really care about it all that much, but she didn't dissuade her father from doing it if it also made him feel better. (She worried for a half second about the fact that she wasn't going to be able to make dinner, but not much else). Her dad was in cop mode the moment they made it home.
"What happened, Bella?" Her dad's voice was full of frustration and concern. He'd never seen her this hurt before. Sure, she was clumsy and had a bad habit of getting herself hurt, but something like this? He hadn't seen broken bones before.
Bella had fractured her scaphoid bone, (whatever that was, she couldn't remember it from biology), so her wrist was unfortunately stuck in a cast. "How am I supposed to take my notes, now?" It was the first thought she had had when she saw it. She was so tired of getting hurt, and she was tired of Edward Cullen, who she blamed for the whole predicament. Tyler should have been careful, but Edward should not have shoved her the way he had.
Charlie was clearly buzzing with worry, and it leaked into his voice. "I need you to be as detailed as possible." He was still being interrogative, and she was sure he wouldn't drop it until she told him as much as she could.
Bella sighed. She'd give him everything, especially if it would keep her dad from murdering poor Tyler. (The kid could be annoying sometimes, but weren't all teenage boys?)
"Tyler had an issue with his van. He's an experienced driver, as far as I've heard, so I don't think it was negligence. I'm pretty sure one of his tires blew out and he didn't really have control over it anymore." Her father glared at her trying to defend the boy, but he just nodded in response. Bella figured there was more that he wanted to know, so she went on, "I had gotten to the parking lot late because I unfortunately overslept. Normally I sit out front with my friends before we all go in, but because I was late, they had already gone inside. Because of that, it was just me, a few other students, and the Cullens. Normally that wouldn't be an issue, but…" Her voice trailed off, and a shiver crawled over her. Her arms flared up with goosebumps, and she took a shuddering breath.
In her moment, her father watched with curiosity, and fear. Bella might have some issues, but she wasn't an easily scared kid. When she was younger, she was a very brave child. It was something he had always been so proud of and worried about. With her lack of fear, she often wanted to try things, whether they were dangerous or not. This look, one he had seen on victims of violent crimes, sent his mind into a dizzying array of thoughts. What could have possibly made that look paint itself onto her face?
"I kind of have a small issue with one of the Cullens; Edward. He's in one of my classes and he makes me super uncomfortable. He stares, dad. So intensely. He just glares with this blind rage. And then he talked to me the last time we had a class together. He talked to me as if he wasn't wishing me dead in his thoughts only the day or so before. So, because of him, I didn't go straight into the building as I would have." Bella frowned down at her hands. She was so angry. She wasn't sure why it was so intense, but she was angrier than she had been in a long time. (The last time it was this bad, her mother had let one of her boyfriends put his hands on her, if only briefly. Bella had been scared out of her wits and had screamed at her mother for having put her in that position).
"He was glaring at me, and he was suddenly next to me. All I hear is Tyler and a few others yelling as his car comes at me. I was standing next to my truck, right up against it. Out of nowhere, Edward shoves me, and hard. I tried to catch myself on the pavement, and my wrist got hurt there, along with my head and ribs." Bella attempted to ignore the hurt that she became more aware of as she spoke of it. "And, Dad, there was something so weird about this. I was so much farther from the truck than I should have been if he had pushed me. And it had been for nothing because the van hadn't even hit my truck. He basically threw me, and got me hurt, for nothing."
Bella tried not to let herself get overwhelmed as she told him, but she was so exhausted from it. Edward Cullen scared her, so much. He didn't even do much of anything, but something was so terribly wrong with him, and her instincts, and her brain, were trying to tell her something that her eyes could not properly see.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier, Bells?" Her dad put his hand on her left arm, finally settling himself next to her. The two weren't great at emotions, but he knew how to approach consoling her. His voice always got soft, and the hard lines that had etched themselves into his face softened. Now the Cop left Charlie and left behind Dad. "Do you need me to do anything?"
That was another thing her dad was good at. She wanted options, and he always gave them to her. Even when she was younger, he asked for her opinions and took her responses seriously. It was something that meant so much to her. Bella felt her chest ache, and tears finally spilled from her eyes. "I don't know, Dad. I don't know what to do."
Charlie took her tears in, frustration bubbling in him. Whoever this Edwin-fucker was, he was not touching Bella again. He pulled her in for a tight hug, being mindful of her injuries, and propped his chin on her head. If there was one thing he could do, especially as her dad, it would be keeping her safe. He would do it to the best of his ability.
ii
Jacob had done his absolute best not to speed his way into Forks, but it was hard. His father had remained pensive in the seat next to him, and his calm helped Jacob if only a little. Bella was hurt, but Billy was sure it was only minor. How Bella had gotten hurt, at the beginning of her school day no less, he wasn't sure. Apparently, it had happened that morning, and Billy decided they'd visit after Jacob was done with school for the day. (Jacob had been mad at first, he should have gone and seen her right away! His father assured him that she'd need to rest right after, and Charlie had needed some time with her first. Jacob ached in some small way; he couldn't pinpoint the reason). So Jacob obeyed the traffic laws and made his way to the Swan residence.
Jacob had nearly sighed in relief when he turned that corner and spotted her house. The tension was slowly leaving his arms, which were locked from the death grip he had on the steering wheel. He let a deep breath fill his lungs as he parked the car. (For a moment he had to remind himself that he could not just charge in there, as he needed to help his dad. Shame filled him up for a second). He popped up his dad's wheelchair and helped him settle into it. He assisted him onto the porch, and then knocked on the door. Jacob was sure he had knocked too hard, although he had tried to restrain himself. Unfortunately, it felt like he was a little out of control.
Almost the second Jacob finished knocking, the door was opened by Charlie. He looked rough, and Jacob felt a little shocked. (Charlie had been there his whole life, and he had only seen the man upset a few times. It was never good when he was). Something was wrong, and he could see it just by looking at the older man.
"Come on in," Charlie said, his voice rough and thick with something foreign to it. His eyes were red-rimmed, and his frown was harsh. Jacob knew he wasn't mad at them, but it still struck him a bit.
Jacob followed the man in, letting his dad in before closing the door behind them. Charlie went straight to the living room, despite the fact they normally congregated in the kitchen for non-sports-related things. It was very quiet in the house, something that Jacob hadn't really experienced before. The Swan house, at least when he was there, was always so lively. Whether it was the games, or holidays, or the hangouts he had had when he and Bella were younger, it had always been so full of life and noise. Right then, though, it was silent; it was a somber quiet that suffocated him.
Jacob had never been good with negative emotions. He wanted to enjoy life and be happy. He liked to make other people happy too, especially Bella. Her laugh was something else. "I could bottle her laugh up and carry it with me," he had always thought to himself. It was a point of pride, getting her to laugh. He had been through some nasty experiences, but he had dealt with them, or so he thought and gone on with his life. He hated dwelling on things that brought him down. (Deep inside, though, he was angry and sad, and he hated that life happened the way it did. Things would have been so much better if Bella didn't have to deal with Renee, and if his mom hadn't died).
Jacob thought of this as he finally stepped into the living room. He spotted Charlie first, who wasn't sitting in his usual spot. The man normally sat in his oversized recliner in the corner, but instead, he was sitting on the couch that rarely got used by anyone other than Harry or Jacob himself. Curled against him, swaddled in a blanket like a young child, was Bella. Her hair was a mess, and she looked exhausted. Her father, who hugged her only sometimes, was holding her tightly as if she was a kid again.
Jacob was surprised at it all. Bella hadn't been the most affectionate physically when she was younger. She shied from hugs, (which Sarah had ignored to some extent and Bella had just given up on avoiding), and she always showed her feelings through actions and words. Jacob had been the opposite. Words weren't exactly his strong point, so he would make things for people, or just straight-up hug them. (Bella had at some point excluded him from the expectation of no touches, and he had reveled in it). To see Bella wrapped in comfort with her father had sent a shock through him. Everything was wrong about this, and it made his dread breach the surface that he had tried to keep it under.
He settled into Charlie's recliner, not sitting all the way back yet. He wasn't comfortable, so his body wouldn't let him rest all the way yet. Jacob was single-mindedly focused on the need for answers, and it showed in the bouncing of his legs, the tight grip of his hands in each other, and the flat stare he gave the two on the couch.
Jacob was unsure of how to broach the topic of Bella's injury, or the state of the Swans, who were clearly in distress. Luckily his father decided to speak first. (Jacob was always grateful when his father talked first; the man knew how to respectfully speak on things. He was the unofficial chief, and it was an important skill. Jacob hoped to have it one day).
"So, Chief," his father started, "What happened?"
Charlie looked over at Billy, his face still deadly serious. Bella barely stirred beside him, tucking herself further into the blanket. Charlie gripped her with his right arm, just a smidge tighter, and sat up a little straighter to make the conversation easier. The man glanced at Jacob briefly, and then back at Billy before speaking.
"There was a car accident, a minor one, at her school today. Unfortunately for her, she was at the epicenter of it all." Charlie looked down at her, letting his hand smooth down her dark hair for a moment, trying to calm himself.
Jacob frowned at the news. "Why is she always being targeted by such bad luck?" Jacob thought to himself as Charlie collected his own thoughts.
"The kid was driving into the lot when one of his tires blew out, out of nowhere. His van went careening towards Bella, who was still by her truck. It stopped before hitting her, but it had a little blame for her getting hurt. One of her classmates shoved her out of the way, and she landed wrong. Her rib and head got hurt, but her wrist took the brunt of it. It's broken, and it'll take a while to heal. If it goes back to normal at all is still up in the air." Charlie took a breath, leaning his head against the back of the couch. "The worst part is this all should have been avoidable.
"It's this stupid classmate of hers that caused all of it. If she hadn't been having trouble with him, she wouldn't have been by her truck." Charlie glared at the ceiling, and Jacob felt a grimace work up his face.
"Was it Edward, by chance?" Jacob asked, looking straight at Charlie.
Charlie popped his head back down immediately, looking at Jacob in surprise. "Yeah, how'd you know?"
Jacob sat back a bit, trying to think about how to tell him what he knew without exposing his distaste for the whole family. Charlie had always been a tolerant person, someone who tried to get to know people before making up his mind, and he didn't want Charlie to direct his disappointed look at him.
"A little while ago, Bella told me that she had been having an issue with him. It wasn't a lot, and it was just that once that she really let it out, but yeah. She hadn't mentioned anyone else being an issue." Jacob scratched at the back of his head. "The guy really freaked her out, and she just needed to vent."
Charlie sat up all the way, pulling his arm from Bella, and settled his arms on his knees. He was focused entirely on Jacob now, the small-town cop in him showing through. "Can ya' tell me what you know?"
Jacob glanced at his dad, trying to figure out what was okay, and not okay, to say without directly asking. Billy gave the tiniest of nods, and Jacob knew then that he could say whatever he had to say. Charlie was dearly trusted, and his dad knew best. (Charlie had done good for the community, and he had always made sure justice was accurately served, never letting the biases of the community sway his decisions. It had made him a good cop, and a better friend).
"So, some of what I got to say might be a little weird, but I need you to take all of it really seriously for me. I'm gonna give you some background on the Cullens, and then I'm going to tell you what happened with Bella, what I know anyways." Jacob pushed himself further into the recliner, settling himself in for what he had to say.
"The Cullens aren't allowed on the Rez. I know it might seem weird, as outwardly they seem to have no issues. However, they have a long history with the tribe, one that might be hard to really believe. These are old legends, and they mention them by name, something you should consider before responding.
"The Cullens are Cold Ones. Cold Ones are ancient creatures, some are older than the cultures that exist on the continent, than the very people. They live long lives, and because of that, and their needs, they lose whatever humanity they might have had at some time." Jacob kept his eyes on Charlie, who was frowning a bit. "They are beasts of thirst, and it is this that causes them to kill humans. They cause fear in some of us, an unnatural feeling of fear because they're a predator that tickles a long-forgotten instinct."
Jacob felt a bit of pride at his better explanation of it all so far. When he had told Bella, he had been leaving out so much, and he didn't have the same thick feeling to his words. The feeling that gripped his listener was important, and it was there now.
'The legends say that the Cullens are a group that does not feed on people, but on animals. The family was smaller back then, and they had a truce with the tribe. The tribe knew how to slaughter them, but we kept the peace because they promised to leave humans alone entirely. They left a long time ago, but they came back recently, with a larger family.
"I'm telling you this because when Bella first met Edward, who had been there at the signing of the treaty, he had made her extremely scared. He glared at her the whole class, and he didn't talk to her once. Bella had said that she felt so deeply scared of him that she feared he would kill her. She cried when she told me how he made her feel.
"No matter how you feel about the legends, there is something wrong with the Cullens and it shows in all their interactions. You've met them, you've got to have felt it, at least a little?"
Charlie's frown was deeply etched into his face, but the question seemed to shake his guard. The man, gripping his chin tightly, seemed to come to a realization before looking between Billy and Jacob wildly.
"Dr. Cullen always bothered me. I've needed his assistance a few times, and it was this weird feeling that made my skin crawl, and I could never point out why," Charlie said. "I dunno how I feel about the legends, but I do agree that they're a little unsettling."
Jacob nodded, and Billy remained still. Jacob was sure his dad was thinking about how he'd broach the subject again later; try to convince Charlie of what even Jacob was skeptical about.
Bella stirred on the couch, wriggling a little as a noise was pulled from her chest. Charlie shook a bit, trying to let the conversation's heaviness roll off of him. The man stood, and Jacob watched as he walked to the kitchen. Jacob turned his head back to look at Bella who was sitting up. Her face was scrunched in pain, and she struggled to sit up all the way. (Jacob desperately wanted to go to her and hold her to his chest. He wanted to take her pain away and remove the problem entirely).
Charlie came back into the living room with a glass of water and a bottle of pills gripped in his other fist. "Hey Bells," he started, "You've gotta take these, hun. Doctor's orders. They should take the pain away."
Jacob sure hoped so, as looking at Bella's pained expression caused an ache to sweep across him. His desire to help her grew as he watched her struggle to swallow down the glass and pills. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to let his feelings simmer in the background so he could focus on her. When he opened them again, he realized his father was looking over at him.
He shot Billy an inquisitive look, trying to discern the expression his father had. Billy was looking at him with soft acknowledgment of something, something Jacob didn't understand. He frowned a bit when Billy looked away and back at Bella and Charlie.
Jacob was worried about a lot, and the looks his father had started giving him were only one item on the list. His recent growth spurt that made his bones hurt, and his growing appetite were also on the list. He had been surprised by the extra two inches he had gotten in the last month. Something he couldn't wait for Bella to notice, as he enjoyed her reactions. (He also enjoyed that she was now so much smaller than him. He would be able to grip her and encompass her entirely-). Jacob shook off his thoughts. He needed to cheer up Bella if she was up to it. No need to worry right then.