Chapter Three

I awake with a start, I had been dreaming again, the same dream where I was back in forks, at Charlie's house. I breathe deeply to calm myself down. Jake is so close that his heat has been all I needed all night. It takes me a moment but I realise I had fallen asleep on the couch. Shit I badly need a shower and food. I push Jake to get him off me. He opens his eyes and looks at me. His eyes are so intelligent it's hard to believe he's such a dumb dog. Sighing I get up, with difficulty, Jake decides not to move. Stretching my legs I walk to the TV, the house is so quiet, I turn it to the music channel. Turning it up full, I open the window next to the TV. Alice's car is pulling into the parking lot, it's boot so full it can't even shut properly. Jasper's in the front seat. I wonder where Emmett is. Jake is pushing his nose into the back of my knee.

"Jake stop it!"

I walk to the kitchen, in the fridge there is a whole lot more beer, a new bottle of vodka and the most amazing unbelievable sight, there is meat. Not Fakin' Bacon or tofu crap disguised as meat. But actual bloody, came from a living animal kind. Not even just a little bit, but there is bacon, steak, even hamburger patties. I guess Alice really loves this guy. That or she's got a real craving for animal, doubtful. I grab four beers, deciding that beer for breakfast will be good for me. I like the numbness of alcohol. I think that if I carry on drinking the way I have been I might actually develop an addiction or something. Right now I really couldn't care less. I open my beer and take a huge gulp, it goes down pretty well especially for 10am. Sighing I look around to see if Alice made breakfast. She didn't, what I do notice is another box of beer on the floor, subtle Alice. I think she may have decided to have a few drinks and dinner to welcome the boys. It's a good idea I could really use some fun. And what the hell why not start now. I take another drink of my beer as I walk to the lounge. Glancing out the window I see Emmett has pulled up now, he has his tank of a four wheel drive packed with their stuff. All three of them are talking standing at the back of the cars trying to decide what to bring in first. I figure it might take them a while. Our apartment is on the top floor. That's 13 floors for them to drag their shit up. Laughing out loud I think how long it's gonna take, remembering how long it took me and Alice. I tidy the couch I was sleeping on and kick Jake off it. As I wander to my room, I stop at the spare room that is now Emmett's. Alice has taken out our spare boxes, which reminds me of the few I left in the lounge last night. I find them in my bedroom along with my suitcases. I open the one that holds all of my clothing, digging through I find my long black dress. It's one of my favourite pieces of clothing also the only dress I own. It has thin straps that cross over at the back, it's so long that I mostly have to pick it up when I walk but it is so comfy, and perfect to wear on a day like today I change and leave my hair out, putting on a few of my long silver necklaces, Including one with a huge butterfly on it. It's the one Charlie brought for me on my last birthday. Sighing I go into the bathroom to check my hair and face. I look like I just woke up, obviously. I run my hands through my hair which helps, it sits nicely, curling round my face. In the light you can see all the different colours in it, reds and browns. I put on a bit of make-up mainly to make myself look more alive and to cover up the dark circles under my eyes. I leave my feet bare, checking my recent pedicure I had done. One of the days I was lying in bed, Renee dragged me out telling me if I didn't come with her she was going to spend the whole day in my room tidying and making a nuisance of herself. We ended up going to her favourite spa getting a mani-pedi, so not my thing but it made her happy, and my French manicured nails do look pretty good. Walking back into my room I check myself in my full length mirror realising that it's about as good as it will get.

Jake's in the kitchen looking at his empty food bowl when I go in there, I decide I better feed him. He's watching me hopefully as I get him his biscuits, which smell horrible. I fill Jakes bowl and before I'm even done he's eating, huge mouthfuls and so fast it doesn't even look like he's chewing. Stupid dog will choke one of these days. I drag one of the dining chairs up to the cupboard so I don't have to stretch so far in my dress, I almost tripped getting the biscuits out. Standing on the chair I look through the cupboards, thinking I might throw together something for the guy's. Jake has obviously finished his food he's whacking the back of my leg with his head again. I hear the front door open, I guess they decided what to bring up first.

"Bella, you here? "

"Yeah Alice in the kitchen"

"Hey roomie . . . yuss beer!" That was Emmett, I couldn't help but laugh at him. I heard them all start talking, and the sound of beer bottles opening. I wasn't listening I just found the bag of chips, which are at the back of the cupboard, damn, ok no I can reach. Suddenly I feel a hard whack on the back of my leg, they react by going out from under me, and I end up falling backwards towards the, concrete tiled floor.

"Jake! Fu- " I hit the floor with my arm and head, then the rest of my body follows. Shit. OK, I'm fine, I think. Jakes standing over me smiling, fucking dog.

"Bella? Bella are you-" Alice was coming up the hallway."Shit . . . are you alright? What happened?"

I try sitting up, but my head is spinning, somehow my arm twisted behind my back and it's so numb I can't feel it properly. Great, I end up back on the floor. "Humph" Is about all I can manage.

"Emmett!" I fade out or lose consciousness, whatever. I wonder if I'll pass out and stop breathing. I wonder if I'll die. That's probably a bit dramatic. I feel strong arms lift me off the floor, muscles flexing underneath me. I keep going in and out of consciousness, the next thing I know I'm on the couch I woke up on this morning. My head is pounding.

"Bella?" It was Emmett, it takes a long time for his voice to get through to me. I open my eyes, I don't remember shutting them. Alice and Jasper are at the back of the couch watching me, while Emmett is at my side a worried look on his face.

"I'm Fine" My voice sounds weak even to me. I try again. "Really I'm OK "

I sit up but my head is still spinning, I think. I look at Alice she has a really strange look on her face.

"Fuck I just fell I'll be fine, It was the damn dog"

"Bella we should take you to the hospital, Jasper take my keys and pull the car round, Emmett can you carry her or maybe, Bella do you think yo-"

"Alice, I'm Fine" I cut her off "I didn't even hurt myself, my head is spinning a little, just give me another beer I'll be fine." This comment earns a grin from Emmett.

"Bella look at your arm" I glance down, remembering I had hit the floor with that first and at an odd angle. I also remember it got twisted funny. That's when I saw something odd, my wrist was bent weirdly and something was sticking out oddly.

"What the hell, shit is that my . . . " I moved my wrist that was a bad idea, the adrenaline from before evaporated and a searing sharp pain shot through my right arm. I hear a horrible sound and I black out.

Something heavy is on my arm. That's the first thing I notice. The smell is the next. It smells clean, it's horrible and makes me want to gag. The noise is the next, squeaky shoes on the floor, people talking in hushed tones. Hospital. That's where I was. I didn't even need anyone to tell me that. I just knew, the sounds and smells confirmed it. I opened my eyes to find myself on a bed in the emergency room with a cast on my right arm, it's heavy and white and new. My head is still throbbing slightly but I have had worse. Like almost every day since I hit the bathtub. I look around to see if I can see Alice, Jasper or even Emmett, none of them are here. I stand up and stretch my legs being careful not to move my arm too much. I see a doctor watching me, who smiles and starts coming towards me. He looks familiar; I've seen that hair and smile before.

"Bella, I'm Dr. Cullen, you took quite a fall. The way you fell and landed on your arm has broken your wrist, which as you can see we have cast. We thought you might have a slight concussion, but Dr. Hart confirmed you didn't. So as soon as you have signed some paperwork you are free to go."

"Do I know you from somewhere? You look really familiar, but I can't seem to remember."

"You're one of Charlie's daughters aren't you?"

It clicks, he's the penguin suited guy from the picture "Yeah"

"I thought it was you, I heard what happened, I am so sorry for your loss Bella. Charlie was, well he, you know was a great guy. I really owed him for finding my son when he did, I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't."

"Yeah he was." It was all I could manage. Dr. Cullen was so genuine, I almost believed he cared. "So uh what do I have to fill in?"

"Just some paperwork, if you'll follow me. We also need to make another appointment for you. Oh, and your friends are in the waiting room."

I walked out the swinging doors of the emergency room, fifteen minutes later into a much smaller uglier room with a dozen chairs in it. There were a few people watching the TV that is in the corner of the room, others are reading or just staring into empty space. Alice and Jasper are sitting in the corner talking to each other quietly. Emmett's at the vending machine trying to make the machine take his money, and talking to some guy I assume he knows.

"So I think I need that Vodka now." Alice runs over to me about to give me a huge hug but stops herself not knowing how to get around my cast and slung arm. Instead she gives me a kiss on the cheek. Jasper watches her smiling at me. Then from out of nowhere I'm off the floor while Emmett's giving me a huge bear hug, so carefully it seems impossible for a guy his size.

"I was so worried after you passed out at home, we brought you straight here, OH ! ! Did you recognise the doctor?"

"Yeah he was the one who donated to dad's work"

"He was so nice, even better looking in person" I can't help but laugh at Jasper's slightly hurt looking expression, Alice follows my gaze.

"Awww Jazzy, you know, I love you." She smiles at him and gives him a huge kiss. It's the first time I have heard her say it out loud, even if she was slightly joking, the affection in her tone was obvious. They are slightly more serious than I thought, but I am so happy for her.

"Get a room you two." Emmett teases them but they really are the most adorable couple.

"Can we go, I was serious when I said about the vodka."

"Do you think that's a good idea tonight Bells?"

"Yes Alice actually I do."

Emmett turns back to the vending machine, towards the guy he was talking to before, who has the most epic bronze coloured hair and green eyes.

"Yo! ... Edward, ready man?" Bronze haired, green eyed guy, Edward, nods and follows us to the lift. Jasper, Emmett and Edward all start talking animatedly about the nights events, planning who to ring and how they are gonna get back to their old flat to get the rest of their stuff and moving it all up to the apartment. I ignore the conversation, feeling tired. I lean against the wall and slide to the floor. This stupid lift is taking forever to get to the ground. Suddenly all I feel are eyes watching me, I look up to see four pairs of eyes trained on me.

"So who wants to sign my cast first ?" I try to take the attention off the fact I'm on the floor. It works they all end up laughing at me, the only one who shows they might still see something in my eyes is Alice who only smiles at me with a sharpie in her hand.

"Me, but you're gonna have to wait till we get home. I think the best thing to do is for you three" She looks at the three boys, "To go get the rest of the stuff from the old flat Bella and I can go back home and make lunch and wait for everyone else to show up. Do you mind Edward?"

"Sounds like a good plan, I've got Esme's car so we should be able to fit all of the instruments in the back, if not we can make a couple of trips."

I suddenly wonder what the time is, last I remember it was just after ten. "Hey what's the time?"

"It's only like 12"

"Ohk, so just one question, if you guys had time to grab your stuff from home, how come no one thought to grab me some shoes" I teased tugging up my dress a bit to expose my bare feet.

Alice smiles at me cheekily and starts digging in her extremely oversized handbag. She produces my favourite pair of her heels, my sunglasses, cell phone and strawberry gloss. This girl never ceases to amaze me. It was all I could do not to cry, she really knew me so well, was my best friend, my only sister. Instead I cracked up laughing, jumped up and hugged her awkwardly with one arm. Slipped my shoes on, applied my strawberry gloss, donned my sunnies and checked my cell messages. Thank god, by the time I was done we were at the car park.

"You truly are the best sister ever Alice"

"I know, we'll meet you guys at home" she yelled over her shoulder at the boys who were jumping into Edwards's car a few spaces down.