This one is all in Bella's POV, loves. Enjoy! As always, SM owns all and no copyright infringement is intended.
"Hey, kids. Wake up!" Charlie's voice was louder than necessary in the cramped hospital waiting room. Bella squinted to block out the overhead lighting as she pulled her face away from Paul's chest. Haggard and grouchy, Charlie Swan was hung over. He was also off the clock, and Bella had told him not to come.
"Hey Charlie," Paul groaned as he stretched his arms above his head and rubbed his tired face. None of the seats were large enough to lie down on, and they had fallen asleep sitting up with Bella in his lap. Charlie glanced over his daughter wearing Paul's clothes and harrumphed.
He sat across from them and asked, "Have they told you anything yet? I called the station, but nobody had any fucking clue what was going on there, either."
They each turned to the door as someone cleared their throat. Charlie's face fell in recognition before the man ever said a word. Tall and heavyset, the balding doctor looked familiar. Flashes of the night Sam carried Bella out of the woods came to mind. In the memory, her wet clothing peeled from her cold flesh as thick round fingers gently probed the expertly placed stitches in her forearm.
Then, like now, Charlie snapped, "What the hell is going on?"
Officer Greg reappeared at the doctor's side and said, "We need to speak with Isabella privately, Charlie."
"The hell you do," Charlie grumbled. "Not until I know you're not taking her back there to ask her about a crime or identify somebody." To the doctor, he hissed, "You know what she went through, Jerry. Her mind can't handle that shit. Not with people she knows." Charlie turned on Greg and continued, "So, why the fuck did you drag my daughter here in the middle of the night?"
Greg sighed as he exchanged a glance with the doctor. Each sighed in resignation, knowing Charlie Swan would not budge. He said, "Come on, both of you. Your friend will have to wait here, though."
Paul placed a quick kiss on Bella's temple and helped her off of his lap. She asked, "You'll be alright here, won't you?"
"My legs are asleep anyway," he said, earning an affectionate smile from her. He smiled back as if she had just brightened his whole day. She blushed as he chuckled and said, "Go on Sweet Cheeks. I'll be here when you get back."
Charlie scowled at his young friend and grumbled, "Sweetcheeks, Paul? Really?"
Paul teased, "It's that or Sugarti-"
"Paul!" A red-faced Bella interrupted as she looked toward Greg, who waited in the doorway. He was trying not to laugh and failing miserably.
Charlie rubbed his face in exasperation. His words dripped with sarcasm as he said, "Sweet Cheeks it is, I guess." Under his breath, he added, "For fuck's sake." He stalked out of the waiting room as Bella snorted.
"Behave," she warned Paul quietly. "You might be his pal, but he'll still shoot you." Paul tried to muffle his laughter as she followed Greg and Jerry into the hallway.
The doctor led them to a small room in the ICU and paused outside the door. He said, "I hate this, but we need you to identify a patient. He's currently on life support and was brought here without identification. The only thing that he had on him was a letter addressed to you, Isabella."
Charlie asked, "How was he found, Doc?"
"Unconscious, near death, and lying on the side of the road with extensive injuries. Some of them are congruent with a hit and run, but not all of them. With the amount of heroin in his system, I'm suspicious of a deal gone bad. I believe he was viciously beaten, run over, and left for dead. For the time being, he might as well be. Walking again is out of the question. Will he ever breathe on his own? Possibly. Cognitive brain functioning? Only God knows. As of right now, he's showing little signs of brain activity. Perhaps when some of the swelling goes down. He's somewhat stable, for now. We have done everything we can do here. Soon, he will travel by helicopter to a different hospital that is more equipped for his needs. He will need long-term care if he survives, and we need to reach his next of kin to figure out how to make that possible. Getting his spine stabilized and stopping internal bleeding was necessary before anyone could see him. We needed to be sure you would be here between his getting out of surgery and leaving in the helicopter since you are our only possible lead in identification. I'm very sorry you had to wait so long."
"I don't care about the wait," she said. Bella's stomach rolled with the information. This poor soul, whoever he was, had been through hell. Bella could sympathize. She was lucky her injuries from James weren't any worse. She shuddered at the memories. Bella peeked through the glass door but could barely see the patient's face between the Halo holding his head in place, tubes down his throat, and multiple bandages.
Bella asked, "Why didn't anyone just run his fingerprints? He's probably in the system, right?"
"His hands were pretty mangled," the doctor admitted. "It's another reason I suspect a drug deal gone wrong. He may lose them. If his family wishes to keep him on life support, that is."
Bella barely remembered this doctor from that long-ago night, but she felt the same uneasiness with him now. He was trying to save this man's life, but he was blatantly violating the HIPPA act by spewing everything about this perfect stranger to Bella and Charlie. A ploy, no doubt, to play on her sympathy and convince Bella to look at the patient. His voice was monotone, emotionless. Bella had a sneaking suspicion that he viewed the patient as just another addict as he scowled through the glass door. Jerry had been an ER doctor at Forks Hospital for years. If he didn't recognize the patient, who would?
Timidly, Bella asked, "Will I be able to tell who it is by his face? How bad does his face look? I don't understand who it could be." She looked over at Charlie, trembling. Horror makeup and cheesy movies were one thing, but real injuries made her physically ill. "If there is a lot of blood, I'll pass out. I just need to warn you all now."
Firmly, Charlie said, "You're not going in there. If this person is from around Forks, I'll recognize him before you, anyway." Bella nodded. Charlie was used to this type of situation and worse. He could handle what her traumatized mind could not. She didn't even mind that he had called her out on it in front of the whole waiting room. Bella was not ashamed anymore to admit that sometimes she needed him. Charlie would always be her fiercest defender where her mental well-being was concerned. He'd never fail her again.
Bella stepped away, reluctant to look any closer as they went inside. Jerry shut the door before allowing her father a closer look. Bella jumped back as Charlie began yelling and was grateful Jerry had anticipated his reaction. Bella got the distinct feeling that it wasn't the first time this scene had played out between the small-town police chief and surgeon. It should have come as no surprise that Charlie knew the patient. Charlie knew everyone.
The door slid back open as he lumbered out of the room, rubbing his eyes with his palms. Charlie demanded, "How did he get out of custody already?"
"I'll let you know as soon as I find out," Greg said. "I need to inform his family now that we have an ID."
"I'll head over there shortly," Charlie grumbled.
"You don't have to do that," Greg said. "I'll send Pat to escort them here in a few minutes. You're off this weekend. Go home."
"No, I'll wait right here," Charlie said. "I've been working with his family over this kid's bullshit for years. I fucking accompanied him to court last week, and he was supposed to be in state custody as of Tuesday. There has been an egregious error somewhere. When I find out how he got here, someone's head will roll. This news needs to come from me. They're going to be devastated enough."
Bella swallowed hard as she asked, "It's Riley?"
"Yeah, baby. It's Riley," Charlie said. "I only recognized his tattoo. He looks really bad, kiddo. You wouldn't have known him. I'm glad I came up here."
"I'm sorry you had to see him like this," Bella said sympathetically. Do you want us to wait with you? Maybe you shouldn't drive."
"I'll be fine, Bells. Come on. Let's get you and Paul home."
"Wait, Dad," Bella said, turning back to Greg. "You said there was a letter for me?"
"Yes." Greg opened a black clipboard and removed a clear evidence bag. Bella took a deep breath, grateful it would remain sealed since dried blood stained almost a third of it. The envelope had Charlie's mailing address and bore a stamp as if he had been on his way to send it. The yellowed paper, worn corners, and bends in the cardstock indicated he had carried it around for quite some time. His handwriting was surprisingly legible in very tiny, impeccable cursive.
"He's left-handed," she mumbled.
Jerry asked, "Is that so?" The first hint of a sense of humor split his face into an amused smirk. He asked, "How can you tell?"
"The slant," she said.
Jerry nodded, concurring. He said, "Muscle tone on his left side is greater than his right. I noted that he is left-handed in his chart. I hoped it might help to identify him."
Bella scoffed at the tiny date wedged in the upper right corner and asked, "Four years ago? I can tell it's old, but four years?" Greg nodded. Bella looked up through the glass into the ICU room and asked, "Riley? What the fuck, Dude."
She couldn't explain how much it disturbed her that he had carried his words around on his person for four years. Four years he spent remembering her when she didn't know he existed. It made her skin crawl. She took a deep breath and tried to focus.
Isabella,
You don't know me, but I know you. I know about you, anyway. I remember you from school, although you paid me no mind. I know your secrets, too. Like Edward was yours, Victoria was mine. I believe she's dead. Victoria left one day and never came back. She promised me she would never do that. The love between us was real but no match for her grief. She confided in me. Her desire for retribution was all-consuming. Since you are still alive, her death is the only explanation.
I was never part of her plan, Isabella. I couldn't be what she expected. I could not change as she expected, and, in the end, she refused to change me as I asked. She wanted me to grow older and have human experiences. It would give her time to mold me. Mature me, she said. Victoria warped my mind, drugged me, and tried to control every aspect of my life from the moment we met. They are too alike, Victoria and Edward, with their red-headed tempers, jealousy, demands, and violent delights. You thought no one saw the spell he had you under, Isabella, but we did. We all did. Imagine my surprise to find myself in your shoes.
People think I'm crazy now, and I guess that's fine. Who would believe us? We know things we shouldn't, and neither of us should still be alive. I loathe an existence in a mundane world when I know there is so much more. Love does not discriminate between humans and monsters. I hope you have healed better than I have.
If he ever comes back for you - Run. You won't survive a seco-.
Anything else had been washed away by blood, an ironic result considering the tiny vampire-shaped wound his words had reopened. Riley loved Victoria? Bella scowled in disgust. Riley's condition and everything else happening couldn't be a coincidence. She didn't want this! She didn't want to see the Cullens or their connections returning to ruin more lives, including her own. Bella swallowed hard as she handed the card to Charlie and turned to walk away. She needed to get out of there before she broke down.
"Bella, wait," Greg called after her. "I need to know what this is all about? It sounds like a damn threat. The only reason we're not filing stalking charges is he is in a fucking coma, and that letter is four years old."
Charlie stared at his daughter, silently imploring her to speak carefully. While he knew the truth about the Cullens, Greg and the other officers did not, could not learn the truth. Bella needed to twist the meaning behind Riley's words and how. She brushed away angry tears with her thumbs and said, "That letter is comparing our exes as the abusers that they were. We had mutual connections, but I never knew he existed until a few weeks ago. That's all there is to it. I think he just never had the heart to reach out."
As Charlie finished reading the letter, he said, "Now wait a damn minute, Bells. Greg is right. This letter sounds like a threat. How can we know for sure the Camaro incident wasn't Riley? How did he even get down here? He had to drive something that day at The Diner."
Bella asked, "Nothing from the car? Still?"
Greg shook his head no and admitted, "VINs are all filed off."
Charlie said, "Riley told me he thinks that car was coming for him."
Sarcastically, Greg said, "Or he wanted you to believe that it was so he didn't look suspicious."
Charlie's hands went to his hips as he scowled at Greg and asked, "Do I look like a fucking rookie to you?"
Timidly, the other officer said, "Now, Charlie, I don't mean any disrespect."
Bella snapped, "None of it matters, guys. Okay? Look at him." She gestured through the glass door at the broken man on life support. "He's not a threat. He and I both suffered mental trauma because of that family. He's talking about surviving their influence. You can set that fucking letter on fire for all I care, but his condition has nothing to do with me. I'm going home."
Charlie called her name like a summons as if reprimanding Bella for her tone.
"We can talk later, Dad," she said firmly as she pushed open the ICU doors. "Please do what I'm doing. Go home and go to sleep."
Bella found Paul snoring in the waiting room and couldn't help but smile. He looked so innocent with his head tilted back, and his mouth hanging open. Jacob is right. Paul is loud. Bella was glad they both slept on their sides.
As if he felt her staring at him, Paul's head shot upright as he said, "Huh?" He blinked a few times as he looked around sleepily.
"Come on," Bella said. He rubbed his eyes with one hand and reached for her outstretched hand with the other. He remained silent as they walked out to the truck through the humid early-morning air.
As he climbed into the truck, Paul asked her, "Are you alright?"
Bella forced a smile at him and nodded. "Yeah. It was Riley, Paul. The guy from The Diner?"
He frowned as he pulled his door shut and turned the ignition. "What happened to him? Why was it necessary to drag you here in the middle of the night and then make you wait hours to find out?"
Bella said, "He was in surgery. He's on life support, and they're flying him out soon. He has a lot of injuries. The doctor thinks it was a drug deal gone wrong. Riley had a letter for me in his pocket."
Paul scowled and asked, "Really? A letter?"
"From four years ago," she said, staring out the windshield. She repeated what all was said to the best of her ability. She wasn't surprised that Paul thought it sounded like a warning. He insisted that Jacob would as well. By this point, Bella couldn't disagree. Despite what she had said to Greg, there were malicious hints behind Riley's words. He blamed her for his losing Victoria, of which Bella was certain. She confessed how she had spoken to Greg about the letter, hoping the officer would back off.
Paul squeezed her hand and said, "You handled that well, Bella. I'm proud of you."
Bella laughed and said, "That sounded like a Charlie line."
Paul cackled and nodded sheepishly. He said, "I'm glad Riley hadn't been dumb enough to mention words like vampire or werewolf in the letter. What little Riley had said was incriminating enough. For anyone who knows the truth, at least."
Bella said, "Billy needs to know about this whole situation. I'm assuming Charlie will do it when he goes home. Jacob will be mad I didn't call him, especially since the whole 'vampire in my house' issue. I think Charlie believes Riley is responsible for the Camaro. He could still have ties to them or other, more dangerous vampires. It does worry me a bit. I don't want them here." After a long pause, Bella finally admitted, "I don't think it was a drug deal, Paul. It feels off."
Paul frowned and admitted, "Me too."
The tip of his tongue poked between his lips as he became lost in thought. Bella remembered all he had done with that tongue just a few hours before and turned her face to hide her blush. Paul side-eyed her with a smirk but said nothing for once.
As a yawn overtook her, Bella began seriously contemplating going home. She was keeping calm now, but the moment she fell asleep, she knew the nightmares could begin. PTSD did not have convenient timing. Neither did the warnings that came embedded in said nightmares.
Tentatively, Bella warned, "Paul? I might have bad dreams. Maybe I should go home."
"Do you want to go home?" He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
"No," she said. "I just know how I can get. I might talk or scream or cry. Hit. I blackened Jacob's eye once."
Paul snickered and asked, "Yeah? When was that?"
"Last year," she said. It healed before anyone saw it. Damn wolf genes."
Paul asked, "Not to pry or anything, but who all knows you and Jacob have slept together? I know only Sam knows about the imprint, but I'm curious."
Bella was surprised by the sudden turn in the conversation. She admitted, "Sam and Embry know. They walked in on us one time. That was how Sam figured out the truth about the imprint. Jake almost attacked them when they interrupted us. Sam said he knew then because the wolf came so close to the surface. Quil swore we belonged together for a long time. He has probably been giving you hell about me, huh?"
Paul laughed and said, "Of course he has. He tried to weasel in on our plans last night."
Bella shook her head, grinning. "He means well. We got closer before he phased. You know, both ignored by Jacob and all of that bullshit. I think he suspects about the imprint, too. He's never said a word, though. He respects my privacy, and I love that about Quil."
Paul said, "I'm pretty sure there's nothing that any of us wouldn't do for you, Bella. You're pretty goddamn special." Bella frowned as he passed up Jacob's and continued to his house.
"Are you sure? I told you, it could get ugly," Bella warned him.
Paul squeezed her hand affectionately and said, "There is nothing ugly about you, Babe. If you freak out in your sleep, we'll deal with it. Something tells me that we'll both sleep a little better together."
Butterflies fluttered through her chest as she took in the man next to her. Bella thought over the previous afternoon and everything he had done. Bella knew from the moment Leah told her what Paul said to Shari that she needed to tell him how she felt. Still, Bella remained terrified of doing so. As they pulled into Paul's driveway, Bella shut her eyes, trying to force enough courage to speak. His name squeaked from her lips as Paul opened the driver's side door. Though she couldn't see him, she felt him pause, waiting.
Tears welled behind her closed lids as she rushed out, "The reason I called that night was to tell you that I think I'm falling for you … and I'm really fucking terrified."
Bella couldn't open her eyes. If she did, her tears would escape and give the depth of her emotions away. Bella knew Paul could hear her racing heart and probably smell her fear. Yet, she couldn't move as an awkward silence fell between them.
A warm hand slid across her thigh, and Paul said, "Bella? Baby? Look at me."
Bella shook her head no. "I can't," she choked out. "Just give me a minute, and we can pretend I didn't say anything if you want. I just need a minute." She felt his other hand slide across her cheek and turn her face toward him.
"Bella, please, look at me, sweetheart." Paul sounded as anxious as she did. She took a deep breath before slowly opening her eyes. As she feared, fat tears zoomed down her cheeks and dripped from her face to his hand on her thigh. He did not attempt to wipe them from the back of his hand as he lifted it to cup the other side of her face. He leaned in to brush his lips across hers as his thumbs wiped tear trails from her cheeks.
Paul said, "I'm scared, too, Bella. "I've never wanted a relationship before. I couldn't even fathom the idea of it. Not until you. I told you last night that I would take whatever you give me. I meant it."
Bella's heart pounded, and the woosh of her pulse thrummed in her ears. The worst part of having anxiety was simply panicking because she realized she was panicking. She took deep breaths to keep from doing so now. Falling for Paul was both easy and painful. Bella couldn't bring herself to tell him her biggest fear - the reason she was still keeping him at arm's length despite wanting to cling to him for dear life. She could never be sure that he wouldn't imprint and leave her.
Or, Hell, just leave because he doesn't want me anymore. Bella remembered her first day at Forks High School and how Jessica called her the shiny new toy. Would that end up being all she was for Paul? He had never had a real relationship. She choked back a sob as she wondered if they would fuck around a few times before he got bored and moved on.
Besides, what if I end up hurting him? The imprint pull was becoming more difficult to thwart, and it was part of the reason she and Jacob had both stayed so busy. They would be alone together eventually. The connection left her reeling when they were together, wanting to lose herself in him. Bella had not woken up foggy-brained since the last time she slept next to him, the night Paul stayed with Shari.
Paul's eyes had never left her face as she waged an internal war. His half-hearted smile was sympathetic as if he understood her mind was overwhelmed. He said, "Baby, it's okay. Everything is okay." He rubbed her upper arms languidly as he tried to soothe her unspoken fears.
Bella confessed, "I know how I feel, but I don't know if I'm ready. I never expected to want more, Paul. Nothing that I have expected from you has been right. I still don't think I'm ready for a serious relationship, but I want to be with you all the time."
His hand slid up in her hair and gently caressed her scalp. The sensation was immediately soothing as she let out another slow, deep breath. Paul said, "We can take things as slow and easy as you want, sweetheart. I don't know how it happened, Bella, but things have changed for me. We can hold off on labels. We can just enjoy time together and see how things go.
Bella sighed, looking away as she considered it. They needed more time to get to know each other. They had screwed so much up already between her indecision and Paul being surprisingly noble. She said, "I think I would be okay with that. For now, anyway."
Grinning, Paul said, "For now. We can just take shit day by day. Do what feels right."
"Okay," Bella said. She slumped in her seat, feeling heavy and tired after such a long, emotional night.
Paul asked, "Are you ready to go inside and sleep?"
Her voice was nearly a whisper as she said, "Please?"
He teased, "Mmm, Baby. I love it when you say please." Bella's face flushed with embarrassment as she cackled and pushed open the passenger door. While walking to the front entrance, Paul mimicked her, "God, Paul, Please!" Still laughing, she shoved him ineffectively. Paul laughed and said, "Bella, I thought I was going to bust a nut right then. That shit was hot." He paused after opening the door and leaned down to kiss her quickly. He said, "I'm sorry we didn't get to finish."
"It was just my luck," Bella admitted. "You should probably know that I fuck up everything I touch. Fair warning."
Paul shook his head and said, "No, Babe. You're so much better than you realize." When he leaned down to kiss her a second time, Paul fully captured her mouth. Bella sunk into his kiss as Paul scooped her into his arms, He nearly stumbled, kicking his shoes off as he made his way through the house. Paul laid Bella on his bed and climbed in next to her. His touch was gentle, comforting, and warm against her skin. Bella closed her eyes in contentment as she clung to him and need not wait long for sleep to claim her.
