A/N: I got off work a little early today so I decided to give you guys something. This chapter doesn't really enhiance the plot much. I just really wanted to write it. I thought it would be nice to see Bella's part of Chapter 11 from Edward's side. I hope it doesn't annoy you guys.
CHAPTER 12 BACK TO NORMAL
EDWARD
Edward sat in the living room in silence with his family for an hour. He finally got sick of their pitying glances and worried thoughts and went back to his room. He looked at his angel asleep peacefully on the bed. He couldn't fathom how anyone would want to hurt something so beautiful. He sat beside her and began stroking her hair.
He felt guilty because part of him wanted her to be hurt bad enough where Carlisle would make her stay again. That way he knew Jacob wouldn't be able to hurt for a couple more days. He laid next to her stroking her hair for another hour or so before her chocolate brown eyes fluttered open
"Hi." he whispered.
"Hi." she said her voice hoarse from all the crying.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"A little sore." she replied then her stomach growled. Edward chuckled slightly. "And hungry, I guess."
"Good." Edward laughed. "I mean the hungry part because Esme made sure there was still plenty of unexpired food downstairs. Can you walk?"
"I think so." she answered.
"Good because after you eat Carlisle wants to check and make sure he didn't do permenant damage." Edward answered. "Then he wants to find out what happened."
Once again, Edward felt guilty. He could hear the pain and coldness in his own voice. He didn't want her to have to deal with that to. She needed to heal not worry about his pain and worry about her going back. She seemed to know what he was thinking because she said reassuringly,
"I'm done with him. I'm not going anywhere."
Words could not express the happiness that suddenly filled Edward at hearing those words. He did the only thing he had wanted to do for over a month now. He threw his arms around her and pulled her close. He was surprised and even happier when she reciprocated his actions.
They went downstairs, hand in hand, a few minutes later. Esme had eggs waiting on the table for her. The family was waiting in the dining room too. He knew they all noticed that he and Bella were holding hands. He released it when she started to eat but he wasn't ready for the contact to end, so he placed it on her leg. Eventually, he wrapped it around her shoulder.
He could hear variations of the same question in all of their heads. "What was going on between the two of them?" He also noticed that they were all burning to ask Bella what happened. They all refrained because Edward had told them to, while Bella was asleep.
The only one whose mind wasn't burning with curiousity was Rosalie's. Hers was full of worry which surprised Edward. It surprised him even more to find that the worry was for Bella. Her thoughts were a little crazy though.
"What if they are back togther? Was Bella ready for another relationship? I know how hard it is to trust after something like that. I still have a hard time trusting people after it happened to me. What if she runs from him like I did from Edward? What if she doesn't think she deserves him anymore? Maybe, I should talk to her. But would she even listen to me? We've never been as close as her and Alice."
Edward broke out of his sister's internal monolouge and flashed her a reassuring smile. He had no idea that Rosalie actually cared about Bella that much. Like she said, the two had never been very close.
Once Bella finished eating, Alice cleaned up as Edward led Bella up the stairs, his arm around her waist now. He hoped that she wasn't getting uncomfortable with the contact. He just wanted everything to feel normal and the contact for more normal than breathing. When they reached Carlisle's study, Edward knocked.
"Come in." Carlisle called. Edward opened the door and led Bella inside. "Bella, it's nice to see you awake. How do you feel?"
"A little sore." Bella answered. "But okay."
"Good. Why don't you tell me what happened?" Carlisle answered. He was looking at Edward's arm around her waist with great interest. When he looked up at Edward he thought,
"So things are going well?" Edward smiled at him.
Carlisle gestured for them to have a seat. Edward let go of her waist but grabbed her hand again as they sat down.
Edward listened trying to contain his anger as Bella told him about the almost beating Jacob gave her when she first got to La Push. She told them how they fought and he tried to strangle her. Edward had to keep telling himself that Bella needed him to be with her to keep her safe. She didn't need him running off after Jacob. Sam would take care of that.
Bella told them that she had an epiphany while he was strangling her. She told them how she realized everyone was right. Edward tightened his grip on her hand when she said she was scared that he was going to kill her. She said that he stopped at the last minute and apologized. She explained how she told him that she was done with him.
Once again, Edward had to fight the urge to kill Jacob when Bella explained how he reacted to her telling him they were done.
When she finished,Carlisle didn't say anything. He just got up and looked at her arms and neck.
"Can I see your stomach?" he asked. Edward let her hand go so she could pull up her sweater.
When he saw the huge bruise on the right side of her stomach, Edward had to remind himself, once again, that he needed to stay there with Bella not go after the mutt. Carlisle poked her rib cage but Bella didn't make any sounds of pain.
"Well, it looks like you just have a few bruises. I want you to come into the hospital tomorrow though." Carlisle said when he was done. "I don't think you have any ribs that are cracked or broken but I want an x-ray just in case."
Bella nodded. Edward grabbed her hand again and squeezed it.
"I'll make sure she goes." Edward said.
"I know you will." Carlisle said. "I'm glad she has you to help right now." Edward just smiled at him. "Now, I'm sure the rest of the family is waiting to hear what happened. And you can tell them that you're alright."
Edward and Bella headed back downstairs, hand in hand, again. The family had moved to the living room and all turned when they walked in. Edward couldn't stop the questions from coming out of their mouths. Edward had a feeling that she didn't want to talk about it again. The only thing she told any of them was that she wasn't going back.
Edward and Bella sat on the couch next to Alice and they started having talking about random things. About fifteen minutes later, Alice caught Edward's eye and thought
"I forgot, Sam called while Bella was asleep. The pack searched all day and they couldn't find Jacob anywhere."
Edward nodded.
"Aren't you gonna tell her?"
Edward shook his head.
"She deserves to know!"
Edward shook his head.
"If you aren't gonna tell her then I will." Alice blurted out.
Edward cursed his sisters big mouth. If she hadn't opened it, he could've gotten away with not telling Bella.
"Alice, she doesn't need to know, right now." he said.
"What don't I need to know?" Bella asked.
"Nothing." Edward answered.
Things were difinately back to normal. Edward was being protective of her. She simply gave him one of her, I'm not afraid looks and stared him down.
"Fine." he said after staring at her for a minute. "Jacob took off after Sam stopped him. The pack can't find him."
Things were inded back to normal. Edward saw no fear or alarm in Bella's eyes at the news. She simply snuggled herself into his shoulder and held him tighter. Her tighten his grip on her tiny frame, slightly and kissed her forehead.
An hour or so of talk later and she had fallen back to sleep. Edward carried her to his room, laid her down, and kissed her forehead. He went back downstairs.
"Alice, can you call Charlie and tell him Bella's staying another night?" Edward asked as he went back in the living room.
"Already done." Alice replied. "But she may want to go home tomorrow night. Charlie might start to think that we're holding her against her will."
Edward chuckled but nodded.
"Carlisle wants her to go into to the hospital and get a few x-rays just to make sure nothing's broken. I'll drop her off afterwrds." he said.
"So what exactly is happening between you two?" Rosalie voiced all of their thoughts.
"I don't know." Edward answered. "All I know, is it feels like everything is back to normal when I'm holding her. And I can feel her relaxe in my arms. I guess will have to talk when she is less exhausted."
His mood came down a little when he talked about this. Maybe, that was all she needed him for at the time. What would happen when she got over the Jacob thing? He felt Esme's hand on his shoulder.
"It'll all work out." she thought.
"I know." he said.
A/N: I know it's kind of repetative but there were a couple points I felt I needed to get out. Let me know what you think.
