Jasper

I open the door slightly and stare at the broken girl. She hasn't moved since I last came in. She's still curled in a ball on the far side of the bed, her back to the door. I look over at the dresser where I left a small plate of food earlier.

"You haven't touched it." I fight to keep the frustration out of my voice. I'm not surprised that she hasn't touched it; she never touches it.

I walk over to the bed and sit on the edge softly. There is no reaction.

"It's been a week, Bella. You need to eat something."

She doesn't reply.

Since crying that first night here, she's been nothing more than a shell. Every so often, she will get up and use the bathroom, but her movements are lifeless, and performed out of necessity rather than choice. There has been no other interaction with the world. She curls herself into a protective ball and shuts herself off. I pick up the plate, feeling beneath it. "It's still warm, Bella. Do you want it?" She doesn't reply, not that I expect her to. "Alright, I'll be back in a moment."

Taking the plate with me, I leave the room. Emmett's face falls when he sees the full plate, even though he already knows she hasn't eaten anything, we would have heard it.

Emmett has visited twice a day, for an hour each time. He sits in her room and does anything he can to bring her back to life. He reads, he jokes, he tells her stories of the family; she responds to nothing.

I walk past him and into the kitchen to dispose of the uneaten meal. So much food has been wasted, but I can't bring myself to care. We've tried giving her so many different things, but she's not interested.

Thankfully, if we leave a glass of water next to the bathroom sink, she drinks it. Filling a small glass and collecting a few snack foods, I return to her room and close the door behind me.

"I know you can hear me, so I want you to listen," I say, placing the cup and plate on the side table. "This can't continue, Bella, it isn't healthy. You have a choice. ither eat those, or we are going back to the hospital."

Hospitalizing her is something we've discussed a few times. We agreed that we would help her ourselves unless it is absolutely unavoidable. The last thing she needs is to think that have given up on her, too.

Calling Carlisle for advice wasuggested, but we all knew that he wouldn't be able to keep this from Edward, and him showing up now would not help. It has to be Bella's decision when she wants to inform him, if ever.

So, I stand and wait for her choice.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me which you want to do," I tell her gently, yet firmly. She has to know that I'm not bluffing. I'm thankful that Alice is out hunting, since she wouldn't agree with me forcing Bella in this way.

Over the next ten minutes, I keep my eyes trained on her. There are many small movements which I recognize as attempts to interact. I continue to wait.

I try to follow her emotions, but she has suppressed them so much that there is barely anything to feel, only numbness. It's almost painful to feel such an all-consuming negative emotion.

Ever so slowly, she unfolds herself. I keep my eyes trained away from her so she doesn't feel the added pressure, but I can see her out of the corner of my eye. Her movements are laboured and stiff. She doesn't look at me. nstead, a shaky hand reaches out to grab the packet I left out. I gave her some crackers and an apple, knowing that they are easy and bland enough to not make her sick. Being cooped up in an apartment for a week left a lot of time for research. Specifically, research into human recovery.

My heart sores as she takes a mouthful, chews a few times, and then swallows with great difficulty. The crackers must be dry, because she coughs and rushes to grab the cup of water. In her haste, she fumbles and knocks it off.

In a second, I'm across the room catching it, water still inside. "Here," I say passing it to her still coughing. I keep hold of the glass as she drinks, realizing that her hands aren't steady enough to support it herself.

She nods to me, and I place it back on the side and sit down on the bed next to her. I don't say anything as she continues to nibble on the crackers, even taking a few bites from the apple.

Having clearly eaten as much as she can stomach for now, she turns around and returns to her protective ball. "Thank you."

I place my hand briefly on her shoulder, hoping she realizes what an achievement she has made.

"It's only early afternoon. If you want to join us watching TV, you're welcome to. If not, I'll be back at dinner." I smile when I receive a small nod. "Do you want the door open or closed?" I'm trying to avoid questions which she can answer nonverbally.

Her voice is very small and scratchy. "Closed."

"Alright, see you soon."

Walking towards the door, I send another glance at her, taking in her gaunt frame. We are going to get her better, no matter what it takes.

The next few days pass in the same way. Every meal, I take in a plateful of food, slowly increasing the portion size, and sit with her while she chokes it down. She's becoming more cooperative, and it takes less time to convince her each day, but she is still acting like a robot.

Today, I have decided she is going to get out of that room.

I knock on her door. "Good morning, Bella." She's sitting on the bed, legs crossed with her head down, staring at the comforter. She doesn't reply. "Breakfast is in here."

She looks up at me, shocked at the change of routine. I smile at the slight flush in her cheeks and confusion I feel from her.

"You can bring it in here if you want, but you can come get it."

I walk out and return to the couch, where I wrap my arm around Alice. The simple sandwich has been left on the table a short distance from her door, behind us, so she can move without being seen.

A morning news show is playing, but neither of us are paying attention. Our focus is on listening for movement next door. There is nothing.

I wait patiently for half an hour. She doesn't appear. I make my way back into her room.

"Bella, you need to come and get the food, please." She stares past me. As usual, her emotions are a lifeless void. "Bella," I chide. There is still no response.

I have a choice; do I approach this forcefully, or gently? One could potentially damage the relationship further, while the other may make me seem like a pushover. I wouldn't be a pushover, but I can try to reason with her.

Closing the door behind me, I sit on the bed and lay back next to her.

As expected, she doesn't react at first, but after a few minutes her curiosity takes over. Subtly, obviously trying to hide her interest, she glances over at me.

With a smile, I wave at her. She jumps back to her original position with a scowl. I smirk.

I think about what Emmett does when he sits with her. Emmett has never been one to enjoy silence, and always tries to fill it with some form of laughter. He's always doing something when he's here.

Alice is the same, she can talk for hours to that girl. Never a silent moment. Throughout the years, I have learned more about fashion than any man should be subjected to, but I love her, so it doesn't matter.

But no one has been in here and sat, other than when I bring food. It isn't something that had occurred to us to do; we'd never had much of a relationship before, and any reasonable person would be terrified after I tried to take a snap at her.

"I wanted to apologise," I say, breaking the silence. "What happened at your birthday party, well, it shouldn't have happened."

She snaps her head to look at me. "Wh-what do you mean?" Success! I managed to get her talking!

"I mean that I apologise for my behaviour at your birthday party all those years ago. I won't make excuses for my actions, as there are none which could justify such an atrocity."

"It was never your fault." She looks back at the bed.

"Regardless, I regret that I may have been the cause of your now precarious situation."

She jumps from the bed, fuming.

"I knew it." Her voice is still hoarse from lack of use, but she is throwing her words out with as much anger as she can. "You're doing this out of pity. Well, I don't want it. Thanks to you I've lost the tiny amount I had left. So just butt out of my life!"

She moves towards the door, but I stand in front of it before she gets there.

This wasn't how I was hoping this would go. Her body doesn't need to cope with any more stress. Maybe it's necessary, though. There is obviously so much pent-up emotion, even if she has hidden it.

"I won't leave. No matter how much you scream or curse or lie, I won't leave. This is something you can come back from, Bella. You're strong and incredible, you just have to realize it for yourself."

"No! I don't need to come back from anything! I need you to let me out of here!" Her fists go to her hair and she starts to pull at it. Unfortunately, her body is so malnourished that clumps start to come out.

"Get out of the way!"

"No."

"Move!"

"I won't move."

"You bastard, get out of the fucking way!"

"I've already told you I won't."

She continues to scream at me, her insults becoming gradually more colorful and derogatory.

Eventually, she cries out, "Why won't you just leave me alone?!"

"Because you matter, Bella. You may not see it right now, but you do. Somehow, someday, you will realize that, and I won't be leaving until you do." My voice is calm, which only angers her further.

"You never cared before. You always kept your distance. Go back to doing that! Go back to not giving a damn. Go back to being absent from my life!"

I ignore her comments. They are made in anger and desperation. Outside, I can hear Alice becoming agitated, and I hope she doesn't try to intervene; she doesn't need this crap thrown at her again.

"Why do you even care?! What do you get out of this? A clear conscience? Brownie points from the family? I don't care! Now get out of my way!"

"I care because I know how awful you are feeling right now. You're lost and scared. The past is horrific, and you can't bear to go back, yet the idea of a better future is terrifying. You don't want to trust anyone, because whenever you've done that in the past, you haven't only been let down, but ripped apart. You want to disappear and the pain to stop beyond anything else. You want to hate the world, but you can't, because you blame yourself. You want it to be over. I know, Bella, and I don't even need to feel it."

She stares at me, dumbfounded.

I walk over to her and gently pry her fingers from her hair. "I know, Bella."

A tear falls down her cheek. I can see the battle inside of her. Part of her is so desperate to reinforce her mental walls, to keep herself safe in a way she knows. But the other part longs to let go, to not be alone in the terrifying world that is her head.

Just as I think she is going to let me in, she spins away from me with a scream. "Nooooooo! Leave me ALONE!"

She grabs the light off of the side table and makes to throw it. I catch it easily. The same happens with the picture frame, the bag of clothes, the phone, the pillow. Anything within reach is thrown at me.

I don't try to stop her. There's no point in trying. So long as she doesn't get hurt, she may as well let her anger out somehow. We can pay for any damages.

"Stop trying to help!" She's still screaming nonsense.

I hear Alice move. Too quiet and fast for Bella to hear, I say, "It's fine, don't come in." She moves away from the door and back to the couch.

Some time later, someone knocks on the front door to complain about the noise. Bella doesn't hear it; she is too caught up in her rage.

Finally, she starts to calm. There is less energy in her attacks and she's starting to sag. I slowly walk closer to her and take her hand.

She's too exhausted to continue fighting.

I lead her into the bathroom where I close the toilet lid and sit her down. Wetting a washcloth, I pass it to her so she can wipe her face.

"I'm sorry," she babbles. "I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. I've made such a mess. I'm sorry."

"I know, it wasn't your fault." She continues her rambling without notice of my words.

Her face is a swollen hot mess with bloodshot eyes, but the cool water seems to be helping. Even now that she's calmer, tears continue to trickle down her face.

"It's going to be alright, Bella."

I can hear Alice tidying up the bedroom somewhat. It won't look the same as it did before, but hopefully it will be tidy enough to not upset her further.

"How do you know?" Her voice is barely a whisper. "Everything you said, it's what I could never put into words. How did you know?"

"I promise I'll tell you, but not right now." She looks like she wants to argue with me but doesn't have the strength.

I pass her a cup of water which she gulps down. I refill it twice more before she starts to sip it slower.

"Do you think you can eat a bit? Something easy. A yogurt, maybe?"

She ponders this for a moment. Just when I think she is going to refuse, she nods.

Together, we walk through the bedroom and into the kitchen. I smile at Alice who has hidden herself in the shadows.

"Help yourself to anything," I tell her, gesturing towards the fridge and turning to get her a spoon. I'm trying not to watch in hope that it will help her confidence.

When I turn around, she has a cherry yogurt in her hand and looks lost.

I pass her the spoon and move to sit at the small table. "Come join me."

She eats slowly, and by the end is nearly falling asleep in it. I help her back to her room where the bed has been freshly made. She's asleep as soon as she lays down. Gently, I tuck the blanket in around her, and I feel Alice come up behind me.

"I'm so sorry," I say. Only now am I starting to realize what I must have put her through in those early days. Of course, I knew, but to experience it is something else. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

Alice wraps her arm around my waist and guides me out of the room. "You don't give up on family."

She's right, you never give up on family, and whether she accepts it now or not, Bella is a part of our family.