"What else are you waiting for? For the entire town to be slaughtered?"
"Edward, please."
"No! I don't understand why we're keeping this, this creature! Why are we endangering the lives of everyone around us? Bella's life?"
"Because it's the right thing to do. And Bella is still alive and well. For him to withhold his hunger around a human… either his control is absolutely remarkable or this is something else entirely. The fact that she wasn't torn to pieces the moment he caught her scent-"
"Enough!" Edward snarled. He got into Carlisle's face, raising his finger and jabbing it into the air. "If that thing escapes again, I don't care how much you want to save it, I will personally see to its destruction- do you understand?"
Carlisle stiffened, his face going hard as marble in the face of his 'son's' challenge.
"He is very sick," the doctor said instead.
Edward bared his teeth and began to pace across their elegant kitchen, too fast for a human to track. "Bella is not to come anywhere near here. If any of you allow her inside, you will deal with me personally."
From upstairs, Emmett's snort was barely covered by Rose's amused shushing.
Glaring, Edward turned and stormed from the house, the faintest sounds of chains rattling echoed from the basement and only fueled his rage further.
"Bella."
Bella couldn't get his scent off of her mind. Rainwater and mesquite- the most pleasing, gentle combination she'd ever had the fortune of experiencing.
And the way he'd snarled so ferociously- among such perceptive creatures as a vampire, surely she hadn't been the only one to notice that it wasn't anger driving him, but rather fear? Surely…
But they'd been so rough with him, treating him like an animal, the people she'd hesitantly begun to call family. Ever gentle, reliable Carlisle, sweet Alice, her boyfriend… they'd turned into utter strangers yesterday night.
God, he'd been so skinny, so malnourished. Were they feeding him? Were they-
"Bella!"
Bella jerked, her books tumbling from her locker to clatter onto the ground.
"Jesus, sorry." Mike bent down and began to straighten her books into his arms, red flushing into his cheeks.
"No, that was my bad." She accepted her disorganized books with a polite, albeit strained smile and shoved them back into her locker, shutting it with a click and turning back to the teenage boy.
"I was, uh, calling your name for a while."
"Sorry, didn't get much sleep last night." She shifted her backpack and shifted from foot to foot. "Is there something you wanted…?"
"Oh, right," he chuckled, flustered. She wished he'd give up on his little crush. It made her uncomfortable, almost like she was doing something wrong. She wasn't unintentionally leading him on, was she? She hoped not…
She was already making her way out to the parking lot, eager to head home after a mind-numbing day of lectures- not that she'd heard even half of them, too preoccupied with thoughts of her brief, cuddly visitor. Mike trotted at her side like an eager puppy.
"Uh, me and Jess and the rest of the gang are gonna go out to the movies. Did you wanna go?"
"Probably not," she muttered, her mood dropping at the sight of the man leaning against her truck. "I'll talk to you later, ok? Thanks for the invite," she waved at Mike.
"Right, yeah. See you."
Edward's crossed arms made him look like a petulant teenager, the somber glare only adding to the effect. "Is he still pestering you?"
She ignored him, fishing her keys from her pocket and pointedly staring at his chest, willing him to move. She did not have the energy to deal with this right now…
His jaw tightened. "I'm not sure it's safe for you to be driving when you're being so emotional."
Before she could snarl out her frustrations at him, her keys were snatched from her hand in the blink of an eye. Gaping, she watched as her boyfriend smugly opened her truck and sat himself into the driver's seat.
No way…
She gripped the air in front of her, gaping speechlessly for a moment as the frustration swept through her veins like a tidal wave, building in her before cresting into a barely restrained shriek.
Turning on her heel, she walked quickly away. No way was she going to get into that truck with him- absolutely no way. How dare he?
A hand pulled on her arm, nearly wrenching her backwards.
Utilizing the tug to her advantage, she whirled around and threw her hand into his stupidly perfect cheek.
He didn't even flinch, even as she gasped and doubled over her throbbing hand.
"Bella," he simpered. "You're only proving my point."
"Damnit, Edward," she hissed.
"Where were you going?"
"I'm walking home."
"You're acting irrationally-"
"Don't even start with me," she snarled, standing up straight and pretending her hand wasn't throbbing in pain.
Edward looked around the parking lot then down at her disapprovingly. "The children are staring."
"Where is he?" she whispered heatedly, knowing he'd hear her.
"Who?"
"Edward…" she began, her voice breaking as her fury closed her throat. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so angry… aside from last night, when he'd hauled her away from Jasper and into her room against her will.
It was too much, him doting on her and dictating her will as if she were a doll to be played with. Edward used his strength against her, knowing she had little say in the matter.
And she was fed up.
"Where is he?" she asked again, stressing each word.
Edward looked mortified- good, he should. His delicate little girlfriend had never behaved this way before.
"If you're speaking of the feral-"
"Jasper."
"The feral," he said again, topaz eyes growing darker. "Then it is kept securely away from the rest of society. It won't be coming anywhere near you again, you need not worry."
"I'm not worried for myself," she declared, drawing back. Who was this man standing in front of her? Had he always been such a stranger? "I'm worried for him. For Jasper. Are you even feeding him? He was so weak… I could feel every bone in his back."
Edward huffed and crossed his arms again. He looked as if he were about to deny her but then he finally relented. "We are keeping him weak so as to make him more manageable. If he was at his full strength, there'd be a massacre. We wouldn't be able to stop him as easily."
"So, what, you're just going to watch him starve?"
"If I had my way, yes. But," he sniffed, "Carlisle thinks he'll be able to reason with it. Make it come to terms with its past- save it from its madness."
"That's… that's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard," Bella murmured, raising a hand to cover her mouth as tears threatened to leave her.
Edward smirked slowly. "I agree-"
"There's no way to reason with a starving man. Let alone one on the brink of death. Carlisle's only committing cruelty…"
Edward's eyes darkened further. "I think it's time we head home. You've obviously not gotten enough sleep."
He reached forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards the truck.
But Bella was distracted with thoughts of the gentle, sweetly-scented male. He was withering away and the Cullens were content with watching him turn into a pile of bones… She'd seen it, when he was standing across from her, looking into her eyes for both reassurance and acceptance, silently seeking her comfort- he was a good person. Simply… lost.
She had to do something. But what?
The click of the door handle brought her out of her stupor and with a jerk she realized Edward was herding her into the passenger seat.
"No," she startled, pushing back and refusing to move another foot.
"Bella, please. You're being ridiculous."
"No, Edward," she said again, pushing back against him when he nudged her forward another step.
"Bella."
"No!" she screamed.
The ambient sound of chattering students leaving the school for the day stopped as they all turned to watch the fighting couple.
Using the attention to her advantage, she squirmed against his hold and yelled again. "Let me go!"
Edward, with no other option, immediately let her go and took a step back, raising his hands.
Tossing her hair over her shoulder and straightening her backpack, she resumed her hasty walk.
"I don't want to see you for the rest of the week," she hissed under her breath as she hightailed it across the damp lot.
Seeing a familiar car pulling out of its spot, she hurried into a jog and waved her arms.
"Mike!" she called, grinning when he came to a stop and rolled his window down.
The sounds of Angela, Jess, Tyler, Lauren and Eric called out to her in a friendly hello.
Mike smiled happily as she approached.
"I changed my mind," she smiled apologetically. "Is the invitation still on the table?"
Angela leaned past Mike from the back of the car. "Of course it is, silly. Get your butt in here!"
Bella pushed her way into the crowded car and pretended to ignore the scathing glare being sent her way from across the parking lot.
She had to find a way to help Jasper and she couldn't do so with Edward hovering over her.
The jam-packed car was filled to the brim with laughter and teasing and shouting.
Before heading to the movie, Mike swerved into a diner at the last second under Eric's hysterical shouting for food and proclamations that starvation was imminent.
Once seated, Angela turned and bumped her elbow against Bella's.
"I'm glad you decided to come along," she murmured, her words going unheard by the rest of the chattering group as they played with the salt shakers and gossiped.
"Yeah," Bella agreed weakly.
"Are you ok? You seem kinda… off."
"Just have a lot on my mind, y'know? Sorry."
"Nothing to worry about. We all have our crud to deal with."
Bella shared a smile with her friend then resumed her introspective thoughts.
If she could somehow get Jasper the blood he needed… but how?
Plan A… sneak into the Cullen house, because where else would he be?, and offer herself up. The only ending to that was her being sucked into a husk, good intentions or not, or she'd be turned. Neither of which she was really prepared for.
Plan B… was there even a plan B? She could kidnap someone. Force them to the Cullen's house and then… who was she kidding?
"Sick scar, dude." Eric was mooning over a slightly raised, white slash running across Mike's forearm.
"Isn't it?" The baby-faced boy looked proud of it, raising it to the light to better show it off.
The girls made the appropriate noises of disgust.
"Got it when I fell off my bike back in elementary school."
"Into what, a barrel of glass?"
"Gravel, but close to it. Yeah, six stitches and I had to get a transfusion."
"Gnarly…" Eric whispered, awe-struck.
Bella jerked as if she'd been electrocuted.
Of course. Of course! She felt brilliant, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. A transfusion.
A plan began to form in her mind. It was risky and certainly not guaranteed to even work in the first place…but if it would save Jasper's life then she would do everything she could, no matter the risk.
How strange, to be so free, so on the edge.
It was exhilarating.
She opened the door quietly, padding into the darkened bedroom and whispering, "Charlie…"
Her father snorted and shifted in his bed, then continued snoring away.
"Charlie," she said, this time a bit louder.
"Sng- huh? Bella? What is it?" He sat up and blearily turned on the lamp beside the bed.
"I, uh… the knife slipped. I was just making breakfast…"
"Jeses Christ, Bells!"
Her father reached forward and held his hands over the severe cut marring her forearm.
"Keep pressure on it, Bells. Hold tight, let me grab my keys."
"Ok," she nodded slowly, ignoring the sanguine liquid dripping from her elbow. Just ignore it…
But that rotten, coppery stench- she fought the gag filling her throat, closing her eyes against the dizziness.
She hadn't meant to cut so deep… oh well.
"C'mon, Bells. Let's get you to the hospital. You don't need your bag, sweetie…"
She waved his concern away and allowed him to herd her into the cruiser.
"Nothing to worry about, just a few stitches. Keep the bandages clean and a steady dose of advil going and she'll be fine." The once-soothing voice of Carlisle now made her want to fidget. It was disconcerting how quickly an opinion could be changed of someone. He meant well, she reminded herself.
"Thank you, Doctor," Charlie replied stiffly, most likely shaking the blonde man's hand.
Bella made sure her eyes were shut tight, breathing softly through her nose.
"Not a problem. I'd suggest letting her get a few hours of rest before bringing her home. There's breakfast being served in the cafeteria if you're hungry- it will be a while before she awakes."
Of course, Charlie could never resist breakfast. He left with Carlisle, the door swinging shut behind them and leaving only the sound of the heart monitor behind.
Bella waited a good two minutes before peeling her eyes open, wincing against the harsh fluorescent lighting.
She sat up slowly, looking down at her newly acquired wound. Thank goodness it was all wrapped up in gauze or else she might be prone to another spell of queasiness.
She had to move quickly- Charlie could put down a meal faster than most. Sliding from the bed, she took a moment to reorient herself before moving to take off the heart monitor covering her index finger, pausing in the very last moment. Wouldn't do to have the alarm blaring.
Shifting to the side as far as the tangle of chords would allow, she reached toward the outlet and yanked the monitor's plug from the wall.
Disentangling herself, she trotted across the room and grabbed up her backpack, slinging it over her gaping hospital gown.
Peering through the cracked doorway, she scanned the halls. Empty- good.
She trotted outside, her heart pounding with adrenaline. Now, where would they keep it? This door?
The man and his nurse looked up sharply.
"Oh! Sorry," she cringed, closing the door and her mind to the image of the old man receiving a sponge bath.
This one?
A broom fell forward as she opened the door. She barely caught it, pausing at the sound of approaching footsteps. She hurried inside the closet, just barely shutting the door.
A pair of nurses chatted away, pausing beside a door just opposite of her hiding spot.
Using a key card, one of the nurses unlocked it with a soft beep. They went inside, reemerging several minutes later.
They were halfway down the hall when Bella dashed across the hall, just barely catching the door before it shut.
Shelves were close to bursting with supplies, from syringes to medication. Perfect. She looked on every shelf, between every canny, dropping boxes of gauze in her haste.
Where is it, where is it… Ah… The giant fridge at the end of the room. That would make sense.
She opened it in a burst of frigid air, shivering softly. There must be hundreds of little red packets, all neatly labeled according to their type. A brief tendril of nausea raised in the back of her throat but she tamped it down. Now wasn't the time.
Unzipping her bag, she grabbed the little plastic bags and shoved them by the handful into it. He'd need a lot…
She filled the bag until she could just barely close it, frowning at the minimal reserves left in the freezer. Hopefully, no one would be needing blood this week…
If she thought about it, she was saving lives. A fair trade, in her opinion.
Stealing back to her room, she threw herself back into her bed and rearranged herself, settling her racing heart.
Ok… she had the blood…
Now how in the hell was she going to get it to him?
Sorry, no J/B interaction for this one- next chapter for sure! Y'all are the greatest creatures on this green earth, know that? The response to this story is absolutely incredible!
Hope you enjoyed strong!bella- she ain't need no man.
So, I've come to accept that I will one day be an old cat lady. If you'd like to watch my steady descent into madness, come visit me on tumblr (ivachism) and meet my lil Dexter ;)