Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight and all recognizable characters and situations contained therein. All original content contained in this story is property of the author. Story is rated M and may contain Graphic language, violent content, mild to moderate drug use, descriptions of domestic violence, and sexual situations.
A/N: This chapter contains a scene of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a serious situation, it is not meant to be taken lightly, and it is not meant to be romantic in ANY way.
**Bella POV after the fight**
Emmett goes to his locker room to get changed and have a quick look over done by the ring doctor. His family has gone back to the house already. Standing outside the door I send a text to Paul's phone and quickly delete it from my sent messages.
My dad calls, and I reluctantly pick up, "Hey Dad."
He sounds worried, "Hey Bells. Uh, I saw the fight. Watched it over at Billy's."
I ask, "Yeah? So you know we won then."
He takes a deep breath, "Yeah. Look, Honey, I'm worried about you. What's been going on down there? Bells, truth be told you look like shit. I want you to come home."
Sighing, I reply, "I lost a little weight Dad. That's all. I'm not going to leave my fiancé, the man I've been with for almost 6 years, for no damn reason. I'm not Mom."
I can almost see him shaking his head, as he replies, "Bella, leaving a relationship that very obviously does not make you happy anymore doesn't make you like your mom. I understand that you feel like you've made a commitment and you want to honor it, but you're not married yet. Walk away while you still can. Please Baby Girl. Come home."
I'm about to reply when the door opens and Em comes out, he's grinning from ear to ear, and holding the belt that still has the placard with Paul Dixon's name on it. I smile at him, and say to my dad, "I know Dad, thanks so much for calling to congratulate him. He just came out of the locker room, I'll pass it along. Love you Daddy."
I hang up the phone, and Em wraps an arm lightly around my waist, and we head out to the lot. The Cullen's had of course sent a limo, and we get in the back of it. There's a full bar, and Em pours both of us a drink as the car gets moving.
He hands me a tumbler full of straight scotch, and I ask, "Why Mr. Cullen, are you trying to get me drunk?"
He laughs, and it's so good to hear him laugh again, I feel almost normal as he says, "Well I thought that's why I put the ring on your finger? So I wouldn't have to get you drunk."
He pulls me over to sit on his lap, his mouth running along my neck, his hands running over my sides. He whispers in my ear, "You've lost a lot of weight, honey."
I nod, "Your mom and sister put me on their diet. That's what you wanted, wasn't it?"
I can feel him shrug behind me, "I thought it was. Now I'm afraid I'll break you in half though."
Oh God… he wants to have sex with me. I feel more than a little horrified at the thought. I can tell him I'm on the rag… Usually that's enough to ward him off, it's worth a try at least.
Taking a gulp of my drink I hiss a little as it burns it's way down to my stomach. Turning slightly, I plant an innocent kiss on his cheek, "Sorry baby, it's that time."
He shrugs, "I think I can deal with it this time. It's been too long."
"Well who's decision was that?", the words escape before I even think about them.
His hands tighten on my hips, "It was mine, does that show you a pattern? I'm the man in this relationship, Bella. I make the choices."
The partition in the limo is up, there's two ways I can play this. I can refuse, and deal with a pissed off Emmett for the rest of the night, and God knows how long after, or I can go along, and hope that it's a new start for us.
**The next morning still BPOV**
I wake up with Em's arms around me for the first time in a long time. It doesn't feel the same. Just like sex with him hadn't felt the same. Maybe my dad and Paul are right. Maybe I should just accept that I'm not happy anymore. Maybe I should go home.
Em's arms tighten, and I slip out from under them making my way to the bathroom. Getting dressed quickly, I grab my phone, and slip out of the house. It's early, barely 6:45, and I head for the pool.
Sitting down beside it I let my feet drop into the water, turning my phone on I see that there's a message on it from Paul's phone, 'Hey Bella, I saw your message on my phone, just wanted you to know that I'm alright. I was out of it for the first 6 hours or so but I'm okay now. Well, except for the fact that the damn nurses wouldn't let me sleep.'
I text him back, 'I'm glad you're okay. Sorry you can't sleep, but that's protocol with a concussion, isn't it?'
A few seconds later my phone lights up, 'Yeah, I guess it is.'
I kick my feet back and forth through the water, as I reply, 'I've been thinking a lot about what you've been saying. I think, maybe you're right. Maybe I should go home.'
A couple of seconds later he texts back, 'Well thank God. She sees sense. Let me know if you need any help.'
I start to reply, when Em steps out of the shadows, "Bella? Who are you texting with?"
Shrugging, I answer, "I'm not texting with anyone. I just figured I'd come down here with my phone, and sit by the pool."
His brow furrows, as he replies angrily, "Bullshit. Give me your phone."
Having had just about enough of his split personality, and maybe hoping that if he sees how upset I really am by everything that he'll come back to himself, the sane rational part of my mind that's been keeping my mouth in check since the day after the first fight flees. All of a sudden I'm narrowing my eyes at him, and I snap at him, "No. Look, I've been taking a lot of crap with a smile since your first fight with Paul Dixon, and I'm sorry Emmett, but I'm done with it! I'm done with your mother and your sister shoving diet pills down my throat, I'm done with letting your parents tell me how to live my life, I'm done with your mood swings, and I'm done being told what to do. You're my fiancé, you're not my father."
He comes up to me, and grabs the phone out of my hands, he scrolls through the messages, his face contorting in fury as he snaps, "You've been talking to HIM?"
He reads more, and throws my phone down on the ground as hard as he can, and pulls me to my feet, yelling in my face, "Answer me Bella!"
He has a tight grip on my arm, and I try to pull away, "You're hurting me!"
He squeezes tighter, and snarls in my face, "You have the fucking nerve to cheat on me? You have no idea what hurt is! Now answer me, how long have you been fucking him?"
Trying to stay still, I choke out, "I haven't fucked him! I've been here! Practically under surveillance 24 hours a day! We're just friends."
Emmett snorts in disgust, "Yeah right. Dixon doesn't have female friends. Tell me the truth Bella!"
He grabs my hips painfully tight, as I futilely try to push him away from me. I cry out, "I am telling the truth! I haven't ever been alone with him! How could I have had sex with him when I've been here? Emmett please!"
He looks into my eyes, and starts rambling, "Maybe you're telling the truth, but I bet you wanted to. Didn't you?"
Confused now, I ask, "Wanted to what? Fuck him? Em you're out of your mind! Baby I"
Blinding pain crashes over me, as his fist connects with the side of my face, quick jabs that I can't count, I don't know how many times he hits me, I hear screaming, barely conscious of the fact that it's my mouth the noise is coming out of, and my legs give out. One minute I see Em standing over me, and the next someone is hitting him, pushing him back and away, and yelling words I can't hear.
My left eye is closed, nearly swollen shut, and I hear an angry male voice telling him that if he doesn't back off that he's going to call the police, and then the news. Sick shame rolls through my stomach at the thought. I choke out, "No! Please!"
The next thing I know someone is lifting me in their arms, the arms are wiry, muscular but not overly so, and I see a flash of blonde hair. Relaxing I know that it's Jasper. He yells at Emmett, "Stay the fuck away from her! I swear to God Emmett, I'll go to the police, right after I kick your sorry woman beating ass, and then I'll go to the association!"
Emmett backs off, and I hear him say, "You guys have 30 minutes to get your shit and get out. You're not welcome here anymore."
He storms off towards the main house, and Jasper carries me back to the guest house. He sets me down on the couch, "How much stuff do you have here?"
Stiffly I answer, "Nothing really, a hoody, the tee shirt and pants I'm wearing, and a pair of sneakers. Em told me not to bring anything. They replaced all my stuff."
He goes into the bedroom and comes out a few minutes later with my own hooded sweatshirt, a pair of socks, and my shoes. Jasper puts them on me, as I lay on the couch, feeling like an invalid. Looking down at him, I ask, "Why are you doing this? You're going to lose your job. What about Alice?"
He shrugs, "Fuck them. They've done nothing but hold me back for years now. Alice treats me like a fucking pet. The same way Cullen treats you. Now, can you walk?"
I stand up, and a wave of nausea crashes over me. I stumble, and he sweeps me up, "I guess not. You probably have a level 1 concussion, and your face is going to look like hell. I have a car here. Where can I take you?"
Blurting out the only word I can think of, I answer, "Home."
He nods, "Forks. Sounds like a plan. It'll take at least a day and a half to get there. It's like 20 hours by car with no stops. I'm going to put you in the car and go get my stuff. I'll give you my phone. If anyone comes to the car who isn't me I want you to call 911."
I nod and he carries me out of the guest house, through the grounds to the long driveway. He puts me in the car and hands me his phone, "Don't talk to them. Just call 911 if they come near you."
I nod, and he disappears into the night. How had this happened? How had my life turned into a lifetime movie of the week? Really it's my own fault. I had ignored the signs for weeks, and then expected that things would just be okay.
Jasper gets back to the car quickly, throwing a duffle bag in the back seat and climbing into the driver's seat. He looks over at me, "You ready to go?"
I nod lightly, and he starts the car. Pulling out of the drive the gate closes behind us, and even though I'm in a lot of pain, I can't help but smile. I haven't felt this free since before the first fight that Emmett had with Paul.
Thinking his name hurts, and I let the tears roll down my face. Jasper sees, and he tries to help, "Don't cry, darlin, I know it hurts, but give it a few weeks and you'll be good as new. You'll be happy to see your daddy won't you?"
Oh God, I hadn't even thought about Charlie! Shaking my head frantically until it feels like it's going to fall off, I say, "No! Shit!"
I moan in pain, and Jasper hands me a couple of pills, "I grabbed these from Carlisle's stash. It's nothing major, just Tylenol with Codeine in it. It'll help your pain."
I take the pills and the bottle of water from the cup holder and swallow them down, before saying, "We can't go to Forks, Jasper. My dad can't see me like this!"
He nods, "Okay. I can understand that. How bout this, we'll just drive like we're going to Forks. We'll figure out something else later on."
Looking out the window at the sun, I answer, "I guess that sounds good."
**3 Hours Later**
We've driven in silence for the last 3 hours, finally Jasper breaks the silence, "What happened, Bella?"
I shrug, wincing in pain as my bony shoulder lightly touches my swollen face, "I wish I knew. Em's been borderline crazy since the first fight. I thought that winning would fix it, but obviously it didn't."
It hurts to talk, but I keep going, "He pretty much demanded that I move down here, and then he demanded that I have Alice and Esme put me on their diet because I was getting fat."
Jasper cuts me off, "That's the roids, Bella. You were never fat."
Shock overcomes me, and I blurt out, "Paul said the tests all came back negative!"
Jasper shrugs, "Yes, well when you have the kind of money that the Cullen's have you can pay for those tests to come back negative. In my bag I have evidence that Emmett is, and has been, roiding since the day after the last fight. They have no idea what I can do to them."
Sitting back in my seat I ask him, "What about Rose, Jasper? Is she still with them?"
He sighs, "She is. I told her what happened, and she claimed you deserved it because you've been fucking around."
He licks his lips uncomfortably, "Not that you'd deserve any of what you've been though if you were, but were you fuckin around Bella?"
I shake my head, again wincing at the pain, though thankful that when not moving it's decreased to a dull ache thanks to the medicine Jasper gave me. I answer him, "No. I have been talking to Paul Dixon, but not romantically. Just as friends. I've only ever had a private conversation with him in person once, and it was on the beach at La Push. We only talked."
Jasper nods, "I didn't think it sounded like you. To be honest it sounded more like Rose. Just so you know, she's been bangin Emmett some of the time he's claimed to be trainin."
Even though I'm happy to be away from Emmett, knowing that he cheated on me with his brother's girlfriend pisses me off, and upsets me, but I answer, "I can't even say I'm surprised. I don't think I'd even be surprised if you told me he killed a puppy at this point."
Jasper chuckles darkly, and pulls off into a rest area. He goes in the back, and pulls out a camera, "come into the bathroom with me. We need to take some pictures of your bruises. Knowin Cullen, he's goin to change his mind about lettin you go. When he does you'll need the pictures to file for any sort of protection order."
I nod meekly, "Okay."
Following him into the men's room, he checks the stalls and locks the door behind us. I close my eyes and he takes a few pictures of my face. Taking off my hoody I let him take pictures of my arms. He gestures to my hips, I guess noting how stiffly I had been walking.
Sighing, I avoid all eye contact, and roll down my sweat pants. He makes comforting noises as he takes the pictures. Finally he says, "Alright Bella, we're all set. I just, I can't believe how much he's changed."
I nod, and make my way stiffly back out to the car. Something chirps, and he reaches into his bag, and hands me my phone, "That must be a pretty strong case. Cullen threw it pretty hard and it barely cracked the screen."
Looking down I see the hairline crack, it'll probably spider-web at some point but for now I'm happy to see that I can still text and stuff. Seeing I have a text message from Paul I open it, 'Hey, just checking in to see how it's going. Have you told him yet?'
I text him back, 'I'm actually on my way back to Forks with a friend. It's a long story. Did they let you out of the hospital yet?'
It takes a few minutes, but he replies, 'Yeah, I'm on a plane up to SeaTac now. I have a headache, but other than that I'm fine. Me and Dad are gunna spend the night in Seattle, and 2mrw. we'll take a flight back up to PA.'
I reply back, 'That's great. Jas and I are planning to stop tonight 2. Is it okay if I call you?'
He replies back, 'sure thing. Ttyl.'
I send him back a quick goodbye, and Jasper speaks, "You like him, don't you?"
Shrugging, I wince from the movement, and he hands me another couple of pills, "Take these, it's just about time for another dose."
Taking the pills from him with shaking hands, I pop them in my mouth, and wash them down with the water. He looks at me out of the corner of his eye, "I'm not going to hurt you Bella. I was only askin if you liked him because you got a little smile on your face while you were texting, and I noticed who the text was from when I picked your phone up."
Relaxing a little, I reply, "I don't know how I feel about him. He's been really nice to me, but I don't really know him. And honestly Jasper, no offense, but how stupid would I have to be to get involved with another boxer."
He smiles ruefully, "We're not all like Emmett. Not all of us would resort to cheating after a loss, and I like to think the majority of us would never hit a woman. Dixon seems to be a man with a lot of honor and pride, he also seems to have one hell of a support system. He wouldn't be the type to stoop to cheating."
Confused, I ask, "What do you mean about the support system?"
He concentrates on the road as he talks, saving me from uncomfortable eye contact, "Well, Dixon has his dad, his friends, and essentially the whole town of La Push in his corner. So when he loses he has a lot of people telling him that he'll get him next time, and making him feel good about himself when he's feeling down. Emmett doesn't have that. The only person who was honestly in his corner Bella, was you. His parents equate losing with sin, and that's pretty much the only thing they consider a sin so you can probably understand that they're not the most sympathetic or supportive people in the world."
Chuckling darkly, I reply, "Well, yeah. Carlisle and Esme always seemed about as supportive as a pair of cobras."
He nods, "Actually the cobras are probably more supportive."
