Hello, everyone! Thank you for your continued support with this story. I know it's a slow burn, but I appreciate your patience. Don't worry, though! It will be worth it! ;)
Fran, Mr G and Me, and Monica03-thank you for all of your help. Any mistakes you see are my own.
SM owns everything Twilight.
For a moment, I'm underwater, weighted down with concrete shoes.
A roaring thunder pounds in my ears as I watch, frozen, as Rose is slammed against the brick wall. Royce's hand comes down on her throat as she attempts to scream.
Panic seizes me, and I begin to shake so hard my teeth rattle.
At this time of night, there's no one walking the streets, doing their shopping. There are no groups of people just wandering aimlessly around town. Not with the disappearances that have been happening. Apparently, we're the only ones stupid enough to go walking around at night.
Why had I been so stupid? Why didn't I look at our surroundings before walking this way? Why didn't I insist we take the car?
I spot a few people down by the movie theater, but can I make it there and back before Rose is seriously injured?
There's no way I can take the chance. I can't leave her alone with this creep.
Knowing no one is going to help us, I shake off the paralyzing fear and focus on the pained look on Rose's face.
I have to help her. I can't fail her.
Without a second thought, I rush forward, delivering a firm kick to the back of his knee and a punch to the side of his head at the same time.
Immediately, his leg buckles and he releases his hold on Rose, groaning as his knee cracks down against the pavement. Rose collapses to the ground, coughing and gasping. I attempt to pull her up, shouting for her to get up and move.
She tries, but as soon as she's up, she falls, still coughing and wheezing.
Just as I lift her, she's shoved into the wall, and I'm knocked back a few steps.
Royce steps in front of me with a smirk, slowly shaking his leg. "I … don't … heh, heh … You are a feisty one."
Suddenly, he lunges for me, his arms outstretched and fingers grasping before I can understand what he's mumbling about. Jumping to the side, I sidestep him easily, elbowing him in the back of the head. My arm immediately throbs, but I push past it, running back to Rose.
"We have to get out of here," I say, my eyes zeroing in on the bruises already popping up on her neck. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I help her stand, and we make a run for it.
A hand in my hair violently yanks me backward, and I scream out, feeling my hair get ripped out of my skull like a wax job. I hiss and turn, trying to elbow him wherever I can reach before he twists my arm behind my back and somehow flips me over his shoulder.
What the hell? How did he do that?
For a moment, I just lay there motionless on the cold, wet ground.
My eyes bulge as I attempt to breathe, but it seems like I've forgotten how. My lungs burn, and my chest aches. Darkness swims around the edges of my vision, but I remind myself I need to stay awake; I need to breathe.
Finally, the automatic action clicks in, and I gasp in heavily. The cool air, tinged with the smell of mold and garbage invades my lungs. It's a sickening smell that makes my stomach roll, and I gag as I take in the first few breaths.
Despite the sickness clutched in my stomach, I take in lungful after lungful, trying to fight off the darkness whirling around me.
My head throbs in sync with my heart and I feel a groan escape my chest, but I hear nothing but silence and wonder if I've died. I stare up into the cloudy sky with the buildings around me, reaching up like outstretched arms, and I know I'm not.
If I were dead, I wouldn't be seeing this, I'm sure of it.
Suddenly, sounds come rushing back, seemingly louder than ever.
Rose's shout makes the pounding in my head throb harder. A second later, Royce is standing over me, his foot poised over my face. Before I can comprehend that I need to move, Rose tackles him down to the ground.
Staggering to my feet, I watch Rose deliver punches and kicks with a look of fierce determination and anger on her face. She watches him carefully, studying his movements and therefore is able to detect how he's going to move.
Vaguely, I notice she's murmuring something as she fights, but it's too low for me to hear.
I want to jump in and help, but I know I'll be more of a hindrance than a help. Instead, I wait on the sidelines, ignoring my aching body and prepare myself to jump in, should she need me.
When attempting to land a punch on the underside of his chin—which I know would knock him out—Royce dodges it, sending Rose tumbling to the ground. I reach out and attempt to balance her before rushing forward, hoping I can knock him down long enough so we can run out into the street and hopefully get some help.
With a firm punch to his nose, I watch as he staggers back, touching the blood dripping down his chin and gazing at his fingers. He looks confused and almost mesmerized by the sight; staring at them in concentration as if they hold the secrets to the universe.
Confused, but willing to take advantage of his distracted state, I take slow steps backward, reaching for Rose. Immediately her hand grasps mine, and we look at each other, sharing a matching glance of confusion.
What the hell is wrong with him?
Not wanting to find out, we continue backing out of the alley, keeping our eyes on the guy studying his bloody fingers. Rose lightly jerks on my hand, nodding once toward Royce, before taking a glance over her shoulder.
Before I can shout, Royce has snapped out of his trance and is charging at us.
With an almost inhuman roar, he pushes Rose to the side, and she falls on the ground, her head knocking against the concrete. I can barely scream out her name before I'm pushed against the unforgiving brick wall, wincing as my head hits it. "You," he says, his voice low and gritty. He pauses, swallowing thickly as he shakes his head, his narrowed eyes darting everywhere around me.
I'm closer than I ever want to be to him, but it allows me the chance to see his face. Now, I definitely know something isn't right. He's perspiring heavily, large beads of sweat rolling down his face like tears. His eyes are completely dark, way too dilated to be normal. The skin underneath his eyes is a dark purple, standing out against his ghastly complexion.
There's a tremor in his hand as he squeezes my throat, and though it's not hard enough to cut off my air supply, it's enough to make me uncomfortable.
I wriggle, hoping to get enough space between our bodies so I can kick him, but he slams me back. Luckily, I move my head forward, so it doesn't make contact with the wall again.
"Shut up! I'm the one here, not … it! Shut up! I … here!" He screams, spit flying from his mouth. His eyes are darting all over the place, his free hand swatting away invisible flies. He mutters under his breath before shaking his head, his eyes now focusing on me.
I grimace as he leans toward me, shaking his head. "You are going to be fun to play with. Perhaps better than Rosalie. She was a fighter, but you've got more … spunk." His free hand slides down the front of my body, and I swallow back the bile threatening to erupt. "I won't be interrupted here, unlike the last time."
I want to dispute his words, but so far, no one has come out to investigate, even though we've made plenty of noise.
"Get off me," I spit out, trying to hit him wherever I can. But with my position, I can't deliver a firm enough punch.
He laughs. "I'm gonna have some fun."
"Oh, yeah?" I grunt, still wriggling as much as I can. "With what? A board game? Cards? Because it sure as hell isn't with anything you have."
His lip curls up as he backhands me across the face. Blood fills my mouth as I bite my tongue and a warm trickle bursts from my lip and down my chin. The taste reminds me of the bet Jasper had made against me when I was five; he had dared me to fit as many pennies in my mouth as I could. In the end, I had managed to get twenty-one coins in before I threw up.
I had never tasted anything so horrible until I got a tooth knocked out a few months later when I thought using my roller skates in the house was a good idea.
It was then, I had something to compare the penny taste to.
Blood.
Ever since then, it always brought up that same sick feeling.
My mouth waters as Royce smirks and makes a move to rip my shirt.
To give himself more room, he takes a few seconds to position himself, and I see my opportunity. Cocking my arm back, I aim for the underside of his chin and give it all I have. The awkward snap of his neck and head causes his body to fall heavily to the ground.
How does that feel, asshat?
I turn, aiming for Rose, but Royce reaches out and grabs my ankle, gripping it tightly. I fall onto my palms, the skin breaking open.
What does it take to keep him down?
Turning to look behind me, once again, I see Royce doesn't seem very coherent; he's shaking his head; a puzzled expression on his face as he locks eyes with me. His confused gaze shifts to my leg as I attempt to kick myself free, but he tightens his hold to a painful level.
I groan out a muffled scream as I feel the bone of my ankle shift slightly, which motivates me to kick at him harder. I have no idea if a messed-up human can break an ankle this way, but I don't want to find out.
Royce's eyes stare at something over my shoulder, a slow uneasy grin appearing on his face as he nods and pulls me toward him. My hands flail outwards, attempting to grasp at anything to keep me where I am, but there's nothing but concrete.
My fingernails scrape against the ground, the painful pressure causing my nails to tremble and push upward with each inch of uneven gravel. I feel the hardened surfaces begin to lift, a stinging pain shocking up through my fingers and into my hands.
Screeching, I spin onto my back, putting all of my effort in fighting off Royce as he drags me.
His hands harshly grasp my legs, my thighs, and my hips, going upward with unforgiving gropes. His fingertips reach the hem of my shirt, pulling at it as an animalistic grunt leaves his lips. Leaning down, I bite down on his hand, feeling his flesh give way under my teeth.
He howls in pain, twisting away from me, I turn to the opposite side and kick behind me, hearing him howl again as he curls into a ball away from me, whimpering.
A burst of wind and a sudden roar has me freezing, looking up in shock as Royce is picked up by the collar of his shirt and tossed to the opposite side of the alley, into the darkness. Above me stands a tense individual, their hands balled into fists, breathing heavily.
My eyes adjust, and the person standing above me becomes clearer.
Edward.
Slowly, I stand, swallowing thickly and trembling at the sight of him. His eyes are black as the night around us, his jaw taut, his lips curled slightly over his teeth. His hands are clenching and releasing at his sides as he takes in deep breaths through his nose.
Thank goodness that look isn't directed at me. I think I'd wet myself if he ever looked this pissed at me.
"Edward—" I start, his name coming out shaky with nerves.
"Bella," he says, my name tense and sharp. "Take Rosalie and go."
"What are you going to do?"
"The less you know, the better," he says, a sinister edge to his voice, his eyes never leaving Royce's unmoving form.
Despite the hammering of my heart and everything within me telling me to run the other way, I step in front of Edward, looking into his eyes.
"Don't do anything you'll regret," I say, shaking my head slightly. "He's not worth having on your conscious."
He looks surprised for a moment before a burst of laughter leaves his lips, startling me. I jump, and he frowns, his hand reaching for me, but he drops it when he sees me flinch.
"I haven't given you much reason to trust me, but don't fear me. I would never hurt you."
I give a little nervous laugh. He's right; I have no reason to trust him, but I can't control the fear soaring through my blood at this moment. Though I'm not sure how much of the fear I have is directed toward him, or the fact that Rose and I were attacked and she's still unconscious.
Plus, my fingers are throbbing from being raked across concrete; I can only imagine what they look like.
Royce groans and Edward stiffens, pulling me behind him. Swallowing thickly, I yank my arm from his grasp, squeezing my eyes closed as my body flares in pain where Royce had grabbed me earlier. Edward's touch wasn't as harsh or demanding as Royce's had been, but at the moment, all I can see and feel is Royce.
Edward doesn't seem to notice my reaction as steps in front of me, his eyes narrowed into slits at the scum near his feet.
"How sweet," Royce grumbles, blood coming from between his lips. "You two … will burn together with the rest of them! You little bitch … I'm the one here!"
"Shut up," Edward snarls. "You're finished."
"I'm not scared," he slurs. "I'll have her. Just like …"
Before he can finish, Edward has bent down, slamming Royce's head into the brick wall, making me jump. He leans forward, whispering in his ear. Whatever he says has Royce's eyes widening as he begins to struggle in vain against Edward's grip.
Edward pulls him back once more, and I scream out his name. As much as I hate Royce, he doesn't deserve death. He deserves to pay for his crime and not get off easy.
Edward looks at me from over his shoulder, and I shake my head, a desperate feeling bubbling up in my chest.
"Don't do it. Please." My voice is small and weak, the words shaking as they fall from my tongue.
With a heavy sigh and pained expression, Edward steps back, his eyes darting to something over my shoulder.
Emmett is at Rose's side, kneeling next to her, a worried and panicked expression on his face as he tries to wake her.
Edward steps toward me, his hand reaching out. Once more, I flinch, and he hesitates, instead holding his arm out ahead of him, escorting me toward Rose and his brother.
Kneeling next to Emmett, I grasp Rose's hand and move my fingers toward her wrist, feeling the steady pulse thrumming under my fingertips.
"She hit her head," I tell him. "Her pulse is strong, though. I think she'll be okay."
He nods once, his face grim. "You okay?"
"Yeah. We need to call the police." I wave toward Royce, now on his back as he shakes and cries, mumbling incoherently, his pallor paler than before.
Emmett's expression turns dark as he stalks forward, kicking Royce in the side. "I told you to stay away from Rose. I told you to stay away from Bella."
He reaches down to pick him up, and I scramble up to stop him. Shaking his head, Edward steps in front of me, holding his hands out like I'm a frightened animal.
"Stay here, please," he whispers, looking down at me with a pensive look on his face, along with something else I can't quite place. I blink in surprise at this, trying to figure what this look means, but suddenly the world around me starts to spin as my head throbs viciously. My stomach rolls and I stagger backward, feeling my feet trip over Rose's legs.
Quickly, Edward reaches for me, sliding his arms around my waist and pulling me against him. Realizing our closeness, he pulls back slightly but doesn't let me go. Instead, his fingers gently massage the tops of my hips and lower back, staring intently at me.
For a moment, all I can feel is Royce's bruising touch. Clenching my eyes closed, I shake my head back and forth rapidly, my heart thundering in my ears as I attempt to push my assailant.
"Bella, open your eyes. Look at me," a strong but gentle voice commands.
Still locked in hurtful touches, I continue to shake my head, pushing with all of my strength.
Rough brick scratching my back has my eyes popping open, gasping breaths escaping my mouth. Edward stands in front of me, hands outstretched but not touching.
"You're safe now, Bella. I promise you."
Not comprehending his words, I continue to gasp, my vision and the world around me shaking violently. Momentarily, I wonder if we're having an earthquake, but it's not until I start descending toward the ground that I realize I'm the one shaking.
"Breathe, Bella," Edward urges forcefully. "Breathe."
My lungs start to burn, and the edges of my vision begin to go dark. A low, frustrated growl meets my ears, and I look at Edward in shock, wondering why he's so pissed. Looking at him, however, I see he's merely worried, not angry.
"Watch my chest," he tells me, taking in a slow, steady breath. "I won't touch you, okay? But watch me. Copy me."
Over and over he takes in deep, steady breaths, waiting until I comply before continuing.
Slowly, things begin to calm and ease, and I feel extreme lethargy sweep through my system, making my body fold in on itself like a cooked noodle.
"I'm so tired." My words are weak and sluggish sounding, but it's all I can manage with the pain radiating from head to toe.
"I know," he murmurs, stepping closer to me. "Can I … can I wrap an arm around you? To support your weight?"
As soon as I nod, Edward is there, enclosing his arm around my waist and shifting all of my weight onto him. Unable to do anything else, I lay my head against his shoulder, allowing my body to droop heavily.
Surprisingly, I don't feel uncomfortable or awkward. It feels … comforting.
It must be shock. Right?
"You're a bastard!" Emmett snarls, throwing Royce into a grouping of garbage cans, the metallic clang of them hitting the concrete makes me cringe and my head throb. The low keening wail that leaves Royce as he falls has me cringing further into Edward's side.
Edward's arm tightens around me slightly as he shifts us, so his back is toward his brother and Royce, but I don't miss the dark low chuckle that rumbles through his chest.
"Bella?" Rose croaks. She calls my name again, her panic increasing as she becomes more alert.
I gasp and maneuver out of Edward's grip, rushing toward her, gathering all of the strength I can muster.
"Are you okay?"
"I feel horrible. Everything … spins," she groans. She tries to stand, but I push her back down, quietly telling her she needs to stay put. "Ow. Careful; everything on me hurts," she whimpers. "What about you? Are you okay?"
"I'm okay."
A look of disbelief flashes over her features. "Yeah, right. You look so pale like you're gonna vomit at any moment and you're bruised to all hell!" Moving my shirt aside, her eyes widen at the limited sight of dark welts already popping up on me. Her breathing stutters as she takes it all in, ending on my hands. "Oh, Bella, your hands," she softly says, gently caressing my bleeding fingernails.
"Emmett, stop!" Alice's voice shouts, startling us. From the entrance of the alley, she rushes past us in a blur, jumping on Emmett's back, whispering furiously in his ear.
"He deserves it," Emmett growls, attempting to get her off, but she holds on, shaking her head and whispering something else as Edward comes to stand on his other side.
Jasper comes skidding to a stop next to us, gasping for breath as he falls to his knees, his eyes wild and frantic as he takes in our appearance.
"What happened? Are you guys, okay? Talk to me!" Jasper places one hand on each of our shoulders and pulls us closer to him while trying to scoot us away from the alley and toward the sidewalk. Rose whimpers at the touch, hissing as she jerks her shoulder back.
Lurching away from him, my back scratches against the brick wall, the pain in my body intensifying to an alarming degree. Jasper's hand remains frozen mid-air, shock, and confusion filling his face. At his side, Rose gazes knowingly, a sad smile on her lips.
Emmett's curses and the loud, metallic clanging echoing throughout the night followed by the subsequent groans and cries have the world shaking around me once again. Underneath the wheezing cries leaving my lips, I hear my name being called, the upset tone doing nothing to help calm me.
Placing my hands over my ears, I fold my body in half, leaning my head between my knees as I breathe deeply, focusing on how Edward had helped me earlier.
Vaguely, I feel Rose scramble up and hear Jasper's protests and his fading voice as he follows after her.
Now that I'm alone and I'm not as crowded, I release the full-on sob bubbling up my throat. I cry into my knees, turning to the side as I vomit, ending my sickness by coughing violently, expelling everything I've eaten this evening.
Taking slow, deep breaths, I find my nerves settle and even out with each passing second.
It's then I hear Rose's shouting.
Rose stands stiffly in front of Emmett, her hands on his chest as she attempts to push him backward, but he doesn't budge. He remains still, his hands balled into fists at his sides, his eyes focused on Royce's prone form. Edward and Alice stand on each of Emmett's sides, holding on to his arms.
"Please don't, Emmett. He's not worth getting in trouble for. Please, don't do it." She stares up at him with teary eyes, her voice cracking and hoarse, but she manages to push out the words. "Please. Just step away. Walk away. Walk away with me."
Emmett regards her words for a moment before grunting and stepping back, guiding Rose away from Royce and toward Alice.
Gently, Alice places a hand on Rose's arm and whispers something to her. Rose nods and steps back, but she flinches as Emmett kicks Royce's stomach, emitting a deep groan from him. Emmett chuckles darkly, leaning down to whisper something to Royce.
His words are too low for me to hear, but whatever was said has Royce laughing, spitting blood from his mouth.
"It won't stick. I'll be back."
"You're not as smooth as you think you are. There's something you have that'll get you locked away, and I'll find it, I promise you."
Royce mumbles something before shouting his next words. "Never … never find it." He pauses, spitting out a cackling laugh. "I have it locked away … a special presentation of all of my victories … and failures," he slurs, his head rolling back and forth on the ground. "I'll be back to watching my victory! You'll never take me! I'll be back for all of you! You'll all pay! "
Rose gasps, shaking her head; her wide eyes trained on Royce, who smirks at her. A second later, she begins to sob, covering her face as a gut-wrenching wail leaves her. I start to slide up the wall, wincing as the rough texture scrapes up my back further, but I push through it, my focus solely on Rose.
Jasper, being closer, draws her to him, his arms encompassing her. She clings to him tightly, her hands fisting his shirt as she buries her face in his shoulder. Jasper's face pales, and his mouth drops open, his eyes wide and horrified.
I hear Rose ramble something about a video, but I'm too far away to make out what else is being said.
Jasper holds her tighter, whispering in her ear and prompting her nod.
They start to leave, but Emmett steps in their path, holding his hand out to Rose.
Suddenly, Jasper's demeanor shifts.
The worried and anxious look is replaced by one of frustration and slight hostility. He glares at Emmett, turning Rose away from him as he shakes his head firmly. Emmett's jaw clenches, and he turns away, facing the opposite wall. Jasper doesn't seem to care, his focus only on Rose.
Weird. What's up with that?
I can't focus on that, however. Soon, the dark alley is illuminated with red and blue flashing lights a second before Edward announces their arrival.
"The police are here." Edward's eyes land on me, still leaning against the wall. Slowly, he walks over, his hand twitching at his side like he can't decide what to do with it. After a moment of deliberation, he holds it out to me.
For the longest moment, I look from his hand to his face before I swallow back the apprehension, reminding myself that he isn't Royce.
Hesitantly, I place my hand in Edward's, watching his fingers delicately sweep over my bruised ones. Smiling tightly, he leads me to the police car nearest the sidewalk and steps back as Jasper, and a stiffly- walking Rose come to stand next to me—the latter still clinging to his shirt with white knuckles.
Her face is blank and emotionless, her eyes staring straight ahead at nothing at all.
"Talk to her," Jasper mouths, nodding toward her frozen form.
"Hey, Rose," I murmur, gently sweeping my hand down her arm. She twitches, her body jerking toward me. "You're gonna be okay, you hear me? This is it, what we've been waiting for. Royce is going to jail."
A commotion from my right draws my attention to the police officers handcuffing a thrashing Royce, leading him away, past the crowd of onlookers who have started talking among themselves. A few of them are looking at Rose and me, their fingers pointing between us. I ignore them, turning my head away, so I don't get angry at their whispering and gossip.
Edward, who is standing on my other side, tenses, his head snapping up and looking toward something over my head.
"Em," he says. When he gains his brother's attention, he gestures and they both turn to stare, their faces glowering and tense.
I follow their line of sight, trying to see what has them so pissed off, but I see nothing out of the ordinary.
At first.
In the back of the curious crowd stands a man half-hidden by the shadows. It's hard to make out the specific details of his face, but there's one thing I can see very clearly.
Even in the dull streetlights lining the road, I can see his eyes are a deep ruby, shimmering in the darkness like a cat.
A cold chill slivers down my spine and I take half a step back, bumping into Jasper's side.
"Bella? You okay?" He steps into my line of sight, placing his hands on my shoulders.
"Yeah," I say, a humorless laugh escaping me as I look for the odd man I had seen, but he's nowhere to be found.
"What are you looking at?"
Edward steps up to my side, seemingly as curious about my answer as Jasper appears to be.
I point toward where I saw the guy. "That guy—"
"What guy?"
"There was someone standing in the back of the crowd. He had creepy red eyes."
Edward looks in the direction I point, his nostrils flaring. "You were seeing—"
"I was not seeing things."
He huffs. "Someone having red eyes? Come on." He pauses for a moment, thinking. "They were probably just contacts. They come in a lot of colors nowadays."
"Contacts," I repeat, my voice dull. "Really?"
"Really. I wear them all the time."
I raise an eyebrow at this, pondering the truthfulness in his words. Somehow, I doubt he's been wearing contacts all this time, but I could be wrong.
"Hmm." I eye him skeptically for a moment. "There's a lot of weird things about you, Edward."
"Like what?"
"Too many to name, but I'm thinking of starting a list."
He tries to look exasperated, but I can see a smile pulling at his lips. "Everything you think is strange has a reasonable explanation, I can assure you."
"Isn't that what someone strange would say?"
His smile grows into a full grin as he shrugs a shoulder. "Perhaps."
I give a small smile in return but immediately wince as my lip throbs.
"You need to have that looked at," Jasper remarks, looking at me with concern.
"Where's Rose?" I ask when I notice she's no longer standing with us.
Jasper points behind him. "Giving her statement. I was asked to give her some—son of a bitch!"
My eyebrows shoot up at the anger in his tone and the glare he's currently giving to Emmett, who is standing beside Rose, his arm loosely wrapped around her blanketed shoulder. In her hands, she's holding a cup of something, slowly sipping as she nods and speaks to the police officer. To my surprise, she doesn't seem to mind. In fact, it looks as if she's leaning into him slightly.
"What's your problem? I thought you liked Emmett."
Jasper shoots an uncomfortable look at Edward but continues "I do. I just … don't like how he demanded I hand her over to him. She's not property. She's extremely vulnerable right now and doesn't need someone putting a claim on her and trying to get to her while her defenses are down."
"Do you think that's what he's doing?" I look at Rose and Emmett again, and while their position looks intimate, I can tell it's more of a comforting gesture rather than a romantic one, but I keep this observation to myself.
"I don't know, but wrapping an arm around her? Whispering to her? She's made it clear she doesn't want anything to do with him. You'd think he would support her decision instead of getting close to her when she's not herself."
To his credit, Edward doesn't get angry or lash out at Jasper. He gives him an understanding look and turns away, apparently choosing not to get involved. It's a good strategy and very respectful toward his brother, but a part of me wonders if Jasper doesn't have a point.
I want to question Edward and see if he agrees with Jasper, but I don't get the chance. An officer walks up, a notepad in hand.
"Miss Swan? We need to get your statement."
"Su-sure." Immediately, I close my eyes and clench my teeth. I thought I was past this, having been calm for the past ten minutes, but apparently not.
Twenty minutes later, I've given the police my statement. I had to repeat myself multiple times, since I stuttered, and had to be talked down from a handful of panic attacks during my recounting of events. Luckily, the officer was extremely understanding and helped me through it, talking gently and guiding me back on track.
By the time I'm done, exhaustion begins to settle into my bones like lead. The muscles in my legs are shaking with the effort to keep myself upright. Unconsciously and blindly, I lean against the person nearest to me. When I look up, I see it's Edward, standing stiffly with his jaw tight as he looks at me, but he doesn't say anything.
Regardless, I step away with my heart in my throat and head for Rose. Upon seeing me, she steps away from Emmett, who doesn't look particularly thrilled but remains silent.
His eyes narrow and his jaw juts forward, his lips in a thin line. My eyebrows raise high on my forehead, and involuntarily, I shiver, taking a step back, wondering if he's going to attack.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Edward glide past me, standing in front of his brother, hissing something too low for me to hear.
I want to watch this interaction play out, wondering what the hell Emmett's problem is, but Rose steps into my line of vision, looking at me from head to toe.
Carefully, she hands me a cup of water, telling me to sip it slowly. Bringing the Styrofoam to my lips, I take a cautious taste. The cool liquid feels good against my parched mouth, and before I know what's happened, the cup is empty, and my stomach clenches uncomfortably.
"Are you okay? No BS answers," she tells me.
Doing a half shrug and nod, I attempt to smile, hoping to set her fears to rest, but she sees right through me.
With a heavy sigh, she brushes the hair out of my face, her fingers pausing over a particularly sensitive area as she pulls me in for a hug. I rest my head on her shoulder, shooting Emmett and Edward a curious glance as they hover around us, their spat seemingly forgotten as they gaze around us vigilantly. Before I can comment, a woman in a blue uniform walks up to us with a bulky bag in her hand.
"Hi, I'm Darla; an EMT. I need to check you ladies out."
"Can't we just go home?" Rose asks but immediately winces as she shifts on her feet.
"That's why you can't go home," Darla pointedly says. "Come on. I'll help you to the ambulance."
"Why can't we go to our family doctor?"
Before Rose can reply, Emmett begins arguing with her. I want to tell her she needs to go too, but I think both of them are doing a sufficient job for me.
"I have a headache," Rose snaps, rubbing her temples. "Can't you just be quiet?"
"All the more reason to be looked over," Emmett tensely replies.
"You're not the boss of me." Rose's eyes narrow and her jaw clinches, the tendons of her neck sticking out. Heavy breaths come from her nostrils as she fumes; if she were able to breathe fire, she'd look like a dragon.
"Just in case something is wrong. Think of your health; you were unconscious and hit your head," he counters, unaffected by her mood.
"Please, Rose. For me," I quietly beg.
Rose immediately turns sheepish. "Fine. Will you be okay?"
I nod and watch as she rigidly wobbles off toward the nearest ambulance.
Darla points to another ambulance, telling me to go there to be looked over. I nod, but have no plans of doing as she requests. Rose is the main priority, but apparently, I have no choice. Edward softly slides his hand under my elbow, pulling me toward the ambulance, his eyes, now a lot darker than they were earlier, scan the area as we walk.
With the way he's hovering like a mother hen, I'm tempted to tell him to back off, but as much as I hate to admit it, Edward did save us; there was no way I could have fought Royce off long enough to get Rose and myself to safety, so I should thank him.
As I start to speak, another EMT, whose name tag reads Brian, comes over and gives me a quick look over. Edward watches with rapt attention and takes a half-step forward whenever a particularly sensitive spot is touched.
"You're pretty badly bruised, and the knot on your head is something that needs attention. Unfortunately, there's only so much I can do here, so you'll need to go to the hospital," Brian says, stepping back.
Edward steps forward, his hand barely brushing by my knee. "My father mainly works at Forks General. Is there any way Bella and Rosalie can go there?"
Normally, I would be pissed he's speaking for me, but I do like the idea of seeing Dr. C, as opposed to some stranger who will spend five seconds with me and probably be as gentle a cactus. Plus, I know Dr. C will be thorough and look after Rose and me properly.
Brian shakes his head. "No, I'm sorry. They need to be looked at immediately."
"I'll call my father, then; he'll come here."
Brian sighs, looking agitated, but he manages to conceal it in his voice. "What's his name?"
"Carlisle Cullen."
The irritation fades, replaced with a fond and friendly smile. "Oh, Dr. Cullen? That won't be a problem at all."
"Why wouldn't it be a problem for Dr. Cullen to come to PA?" I ask once Edward and I are alone. "Is it normal for doctors to work at multiple hospitals?"
"My father works at the hospital in Port Angeles as well as Forks. He does consults and helps out when it's needed."
Wow. I if I had any doubts about Dr. C's abilities they'd be gone now. You don't work at two hospitals in the same area if you're not good … especially for consults.
"Cool." I pause and clear my throat awkwardly. This is the perfect time to thank him for his help, and I have no idea how to do this. In theory, it's easy; you say "thank you," and the other person says, "you're welcome." Despite the simplicity of the situation, I still feel awkward and nervous.
What the hell is wrong with me?
"Thank you ... for … you know." I wave my hand toward the alley, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. The whole in the bottom gets bigger as I wriggle my finger in it, but I don't stop. I'm burning these clothes anyway. Plus, it's a nice distraction for me as I rush out the words. "For showing up when you did. I appreciate it."
"Yeah, well … just be careful and aware of your surroundings next time. Darkened alleyways aren't a good thing to walk by."
Warmth fills my cheeks, and I fight the urge to look down at the ground like a scolded child. On the surface, it seems like he's just being helpful and giving advice, but the angry expression on his face says otherwise. I breathe deeply, trying to remain calm but with the roaring in my ears cheering me on to tell him off, it's hard to do.
I'll admit, it was very stupid of me not to pay attention to where we were, but I don't need it pointed out to me.
"I didn't ask for this," I say slowly, trying to remain calm. The scab on my lip cracks open again and starts to bleed, dripping down my chin. "How was I supposed to know he would attack?"
"You pay attention to your surroundings!"
"Okay, I get it. I'm a huge fuck-up. You don't have to be such an asshole about it."
Edward's eyes zone in on my bleeding lip, and I don't fail to notice how he grimaces at the sight. I wipe my chin with my sleeve and fold my lip under my top one, the tart taste of blood hitting my tongue. It's not really pleasant, but at least Edward looks a little more comfortable.
"What's going on?" Alice inquires, her eyes narrowed at her brother. Jasper follows behind her and comes to stand next to me. He reaches for me, but wavers at the last second, looking unsure and frightened. Putting his mind to rest, I muster up enough strength and pull him into a hug, closing my eyes at the feeling of calm he releases.
"Oh, nothing," I answer, flippantly. "Edward's just pointing out the obvious."
"Which is?" Jasper hedges, looking between the two of us.
"That I'm a colossal screw-up."
"That's not … I don't … you took it … never mind," he growls, stalking away.
Huffing in disbelief, I turn toward Alice and Jasper. It doesn't escape my notice that's she's standing awfully close to him … so close the backs of their hands are touching.
It does surprise me, however, that Jasper doesn't seem to mind. In fact, he appears to be pretty comfortable for a guy who, up until yesterday, was noticeably uncomfortable whenever Alice was in a five-foot radius.
When Jasper looks my way, I raise an eyebrow and pointedly look at Alice, who looks so saddened, like someone just died.
The teasing words and questions die on the tip of my tongue. Reaching out, I poke the arm closest to me.
"Hey. You all right?"
Slowly, her head tilts toward me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as her bottom lip trembles.
"Oh, Bella. I'm so … so sorry."
I shake my head in confusion, wondering what she could possibly be sorry for. "What for?"
"For what happened."
Still confused, I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.
Why would she apologize for this situation? There was nothing she could have done to prevent it … unless she knew about it beforehand, which is highly unlikely. From my perspective, she never had any contact with him … and I doubt he had any with her.
Royce never looked her way longer than two seconds.
"Why—"
"Why are you apologizing?" Jasper questions, beating me to the punch. "Royce did this, not you. Did you know about it before it happened?"
"No! I had—" she trails off, a hint of frustration in her voice as she shakes her head while massaging her temple. "No. I didn't know about it."
Jasper stares at her for a long moment, his lips pinched tightly together as he thinks.
"Okay, then. There's nothing for you to feel bad about," I tell her before Jasper can say whatever is on his mind. From the intense look he has, I don't think it would be anything good.
While the words are comforting, Alice doesn't seem to take any relief in them. In fact, she looks more frustrated and upset than before.
I try to think of something to say to make her feel better, but I doubt anything will. Instead, I squeeze her hand once and smile, hoping to put her at ease.
"Well, let's not stand around here," I say, stretching lightly, but immediately regretting the action. "Let's go to the hospital and get Rose checked out."
"You need to be looked over more thoroughly too," Jasper argues.
"Sure. Come on."
Jasper jogs in front of me, blocking my path.
"I know what that means. You're going."
"I'll be okay. Now, can we go check on Rose?"
He shoots heavy looks of disappointment and annoyance at me, but I ignore him—and Alice, who is wearing a matching expression—sidesteps him, heading for the ambulance Rose is being helped into by Emmett.
"You okay?" I question.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Emmett staring at me, but when I look at him, he walks off to speak to the EMT before nodding and running off to his car.
Weird.
"No. My entire body aches and I feel really sick to my stomach," she says with a grimace, rubbing her stomach. "Plus, my head hurts like a bitch. I want to go home and get this night over with already."
"You going to the hospital?"
She nods, rolling her eyes. "Yeah. Come on," She says, patting the space next to her. "You're coming too." I start to argue, but she cuts me off. "Yes, you are. That asshole threw you all over that alley, and you threw up. Get in here. Do not make me drag you inside this ambulance, Isabella Marie."
I make a face at her, mimicking her words. I'm not really concerned about myself. After all, if I had been more vigilant, then I wouldn't be in this situation, would I?
"She's right, Miss," Brian says, cutting in. "You need to see a doctor as well. Dr. Cullen will be coming in to examine you."
Jasper smiles in triumph. "Ha! Four against one. Get in there."
"Fine, fine. I do feel as if a freight train hit me."
Jasper helps me into the ambulance, laughing at my scowl and ignoring my grumbles of being able to get in on my own, though I know it's the farthest thing from the truth. Once I'm inside and sitting beside Rose, who wraps a gentle arm around my shoulders, I look up, noticing Edward standing a few feet away.
The expression on his face startles me for a moment; there's not a hint of anger or frustration. Instead, there seems to be … worry?
No, that's not right. He was pretty pissed. It must be a lack of light. I'm sure he's scowling at me.
Remember his words and the tone he used, I scowl in his direction, hoping he'll melt with the force of my glare. Brian, who shuffling things around in the ambulance, catches my sour look and follows my line of sight, chuckling lightly under his breath.
"He shouldn't take his frustration out on you, but just take it easy on your boyfriend, all right? He's only worried about you. It's hard-wired in the male brain to act like a jackass when we're scared. Or least that's what my fiancée tells me." He ends with a chuckle, a fond smile on his face as he continues replacing items around us.
Rose looks between Edward and myself inquisitively, raising a questioning eyebrow. I shake my head and sputter, finally being able to adamantly spit out that Edward is not my boyfriend.
"Huh. Coulda fooled me," he murmurs. "All right. We'll be going shortly."
Before he closes the door, Jasper and Alice step up, and one look at their faces tells me they heard my less than eloquent response to Brian's assumption.
Underneath the worry clearly painted on Jasper's face, I can see amusement shining in his eyes and a smile starting to twitch on his lips. I level him with a hard stare, not in the mood for his teasing. Plus, Jasper has done tons of embarrassing stuff, and I have a truck-full of information ready to disperse, should I need it.
Catching my look, Jasper's amusement fades away, and he gives an apologetic look, leaning toward the two of us.
"We'll follow you."
Rose and I both nod and soon enough, the doors are closed, and we're on our way toward the hospital.
"I see they've gotten closer," she murmurs, a slight note of unpleasantness in her tone, both of us wincing as the ambulance hits a pothole. "When did that happen?"
I shrug. "I don't know. I caught them talking in Port Angeles; I don't know what they were talking about, but it didn't seem good. He still feels uneasy about her."
"Uneasy, how?"
Again, I shrug. "That's all he's told me."
She hums, lost in thought. "And he's fine with Emmett and Edward," she says. I say nothing because it's clear she's talking to herself as a contemplative expression crosses her features. She mumbles something to herself, her lips pursed and her fingers tapping an irregular rhythm against her thigh.
Moments later, she snaps out of her trance and gives me a slight, pained smile. "Well, he should take his time and ease into it. If he feels there's something off with her, then he should listen to it."
I eye her with suspicion, wondering why she's adamant that Jasper not rush into things. It could be Rose just being Rose, but I think there's something else there. "Is this a protective sister thing or something else?"
"I just don't want him to get hurt," she quickly says.
I stare at her, watching her fidget and grimace for a minute before she blurts out the rest of her confession. "And Uncle Charlie and I have a bet going. We both think they'll end up dating. If Jasper waits until the end of next month or later to ask her out, I get twenty bucks. If he does it before then, I have to wash Uncle Charlie's car for a month."
Chuckling, I shake my head and laugh more when I picture the look on Jasper's face when he finds out about this bet.
I'll need to remember to have my camera out. It'll be hysterical!
Rose chuckles with me, no doubt picturing the same thing I am. When our amusement dies off, Rose changes the subject.
"Why did the EMT think you and Edward are in a relationship?"
"How should I know? He was standing next to me and all of a sudden, people think we're in a relationship."
It's not the first time that's happened, though. What's up with that?
Her eyes narrow. "Really? That's all?"
"That's all," I reply easily, not wanting to get into the matter further.
Ignoring her skeptical staring, I give her an inquisitive look of my own.
"What was up with you and Emmett? You two were awfully close."
To my surprise, the apples of her cheeks turn deep pink, and her eyes fall to her lap. "He was … being nice. Protective." Her sweet smile fades, and just as quickly as it came, it's gone, replaced by a frown. "I saw how he was with Jasper and you; I don't like him looking at you two like that."
"Like what?"
"Like he was angry with you. Well, just angry in general."
Reaching out, I grasp her hand. "I'm sure it's nothing. He's probably just shaken, you know?"
She nods but doesn't appear to believe me. To be honest, I'm not sure I believe me either. His reaction to Jasper, who wanted to comfort his twin, was way out of character for his easy-going nature. I don't think Emmett would hurt Jasper, but why would he be so adamant he should be the one to comfort Rose?
Jasper was right about one thing; we're her family, and right now, she needs us.
As for me, I have a feeling Emmett blames me; I'm sure Edward had shared his thoughts on the situation and how he found us. I have no doubt Edward told him we were walking past the alleyway on a dimly lit sidewalk. Add in my constant antagonizing of the slimeball, I'm sure he feels it's my fault.
What's worse is, I know he's right.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter!