Uploaded early as I'm away this weekend!

Bella

"Please, I understand you're stressed and anxious, but shouting won't help anyone," he replies, gritting his teeth.

"I wouldn't need to shout if you had something remotely useful to tell me. Have you even considered his diabetes? If he hasn't been killed already, then the lack of medication surely will."

He doesn't answer. In this state of anger, there isn't anything useful that can be said.

I walk over to them, taking in the tense look on Rachel's face. "Did you drive here?" She nods. "Come on in, I'll get you a drink."

Taking her arm, I lead her into the house and situate her on the couch. "Can I get you anything else?"

"No, thank you. I just can't quite believe what's happened."

"Have you spoken to Rebecca?" I ask, curious as to where the other sister might be. From the brief mentions, I know that she's living around an hour away.

"I've not been able to get in touch with her, I think she's off on holiday. Speaking of which, where even is Jake?"

"I've not seen him today, but he'll be around somewhere." I go back into the kitchen and set the water to start boiling. It doesn't take long and I hand her a steaming mug of coffee and head outside to offer drinks to anyone else.

When I come back in, Rachel is sobbing into her mug.

I move over towards her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry," I reassure hoping that my words won't prove to be false, "We'll find him." There's nothing more that I can do as she continues to sob and I wish I could join her. The cathartic release of emotion is something that actually results in some form of beneficial weight lift afterwards, instead of the panic-fuelled rage that I seem to end up in which simply leaves me exhausted.

As we're sitting there, my stomach betrays me by rumbling, hard.

Rachel looks up and gives a shy giggle just before her stomach replies with a twisting screech.

"Is there even any food left here?" she asks me.

I shake my head, disappointed that I hadn't thought to pick up more groceries on the way over. "I mean, if you want some strange concoction, you'll probably find something, but it might have some free fuzzy garnishing. I'll go see if there's anyone still at home that can spare some."

"Thank you, Bella."

Standing up and making my way out of the small living room, I notice the lack of people outside. Usually there has always been at least a handful of people finding new places to look or questioning people. It's eerily silent. Surely if there had been news someone would have come to tell us, or we would have heard sudden movements.

I go to a house nearby that I see has the lights turned on. Once again being careful not to fall in the mud, I waddle over and rap my knuckles on the door.

Someone else I don't recognise comes to the door, and mentally I make a note to get to know more of the reservation people, even if only for Charlie's benefit. They open the door a moment later. "Hi, I'm Bella Swan." Their faces soften, apparently recognising my family name. "The Black's are all out of food, do you have anything that Rachel could have?"

"Of course, I've recently finished making a big vat of stew for the searchers, so I'll dish you up a bowl of that." She leaves the front open as she heads back to get a bowl.

It doesn't take her long to return and she hands me the large thermos with a smile.

When I return to the house, I hear raised voices, one of which I'm easily able to identify as Jacobs.

"Well, maybe you should have done more!" Rachel shouts.

"What did you expect me to do? Set alarms on the doors?!" Jacob responds just as loudly.

I rush inside to see both parties furious with each other, I also see the clear trembling signs of Jacob being close to phasing. I can't remember if Rachel knows the truth behind the legends, but I know that she's far too close.

"Rachel, step back," I say, faking a calm tone. If she heard me, she doesn't respond, continuing to rain her tyranny down on Jacob. Putting the thermos on the side, I rush over to her and grab her shoulder intending to pull her backwards.

All I know next is a fist coming towards my face and then a sickening crunch as Rachel punches me in the nose and I slump down on the floor.

"Rachel!" Jacob shouts. He starts to move towards me, but I put my hand out to stop him. Even in this dazed state, I know that he needs to keep away.

"Jake, just go calm down," I mutter past the blood running down my face.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry Bella, I don't know what happened." She moves closer to me and tries to pull my hands away from my face. "Jake, go get…" she trails off as she looks around and realises that Jacob has gone. "Where did that fucker go? Running off yet again. Useless hunk of meat!"

"It's fine, can you get me a towel and then I'm just going to sit here a while."

She nods and hurries off into the kitchen, returning with a dishcloth moments later which I hold to my nose, wincing at the shooting pain.

The scent of the blood is making my stomach churn, not to mention the dizziness coming from the blood loss and lack of food. Breathing through my mouth, I focus on taking slow, deep and steady breaths.

"Bella, you're white as a sheet," Rachel says. She goes back into the kitchen and returns with the pot of sugar and a spoon. "Here, have some of this, unless you think you can manage the stew?"

I stare at her in disbelief, she really just wanted me to eat sugar. That won't help. As I open my mouth to respond, I feel a sharp pain through my face and cry out.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. What can I do?"

Steeling myself with a deep breath through my mouth, I reply, "Ice pack. Sweet tea."

She nods and goes away to sort what I've asked.

While I'm feeling terrible right now, I know that this will be nothing compared to the reaction of Edward when he finds out.

I close my eyes. Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Given the amount of pain I'm in, much more than an average bloody nose, I suspect that I may have broken it, which means I'll need to see a doctor. I could just call Carlisle, but then Edward will find out and I can't help desperately hoping that I can somehow keep this from him.

Rachel returns and helps me hold the ice pack in place as I gently sip on the heavily sweetened tea.

By the time the mug is empty, my head is feeling a little clearer and the blood is starting to slow. Keeping hold of the cloth, I stretch my arm up, sore from being huddled on the floor.

I look over and see Rachel still sitting on the floor next to me, worry all over her face. "I'm fine," I mutter through the pain, "but I do need to get this checked."

She immediately stands up and looks around. "I'll take you, where's the keys?"

"Don't be silly, I'll ask someone else. You need to be here."

"I said I'm going with you. This is my fault and it's not as though I'm doing anything helpful here."

Even though I really don't want her to come with me, especially since her stress isn't helping me stay calm, I can't come up with a good excuse to refuse her and I don't really have anyone else who can take me. Nodding slightly, and then instantly regretting the movement, I let her pull me to my feet and guide me out towards her car. I briefly recognise her calling to the cop in charge where she's going and to call her with any news.

I wish there is a different, minor, road we could take back to Forks. I suspect that Edward will be waiting at the border to follow me home. Though, given what I said, it might be possible that he's just left again.

Thinking about Edward makes my head hurt and I relax back into the car chair and let the rumble of the engine lull me back into the dark hole.

"Bella," Rachel nearly shouts in my face. "Bella!"

"Shush," I say, batting her worried face out of my space. "I'm awake."

"Thank god! I was about to go get someone. I thought you might be concussed or something, but I don't remember you hitting your head. Well, the main bit anyway."

"I'm fine," I say, trying to sound reassuring. "You can stay here." She looks as though she's about to argue with me, but then sits back with a sigh.

I climb out of the car. My head had dropped while I was out of it and the blood is freely running down my face again, so I press a clean part of the cloth back to my nose.

Walking inside, a moment of dread hits me.

At the other side of the reception area I can see the distinctive blond hair of Carlisle.

I wonder if there's time to walk away. He's talking to a group of people so surely he's currently distracted? There's no point, not really. Where else could I go for help?

Sighing and keeping my head down, I shuffle over to the reception desk.

"Hello dear," the smiley lady behind the desk, Martha I read, says. "I can see what the problem is, so if you could just fill in this form, someone will be over to see you in a moment."

I reach over and take the offered clipboard and pen from her. "Thank you," I mutter, trying not to draw attention to myself.

Having completed these forms several times before with my clumsiness, it doesn't take very long to work my way though. Just as I'm attaching the pen back at the top, a familiar person sits down next to me.

"Dare I ask?" he says, a slight chuckle in his voice that doesn't reach his eyes.

"Not much to say, just don't tell him yet."

He places a hand on my shoulder and takes the clipboard off of me. "Come on, no need for you to wait."

Reluctant to potentially continue the conversation, I stand up and follow him down the corridor and into a small curtained off area where he gestures for me to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I'm just going to move this," he says, placing a bowl in my hands and moving the cloth away.

I scrunch my eyes closed as I feel the blood start to run again and so I jump when his cold fingers touch either side of my nose. "Sorry, I'm just checking it."

Smiling slightly, I say, "It's fine, it hurts, but your fingers are nice and cold."

"So I've been told," he smirks. "I think it is broken, but there's nothing out of place that I can see so I think you'll be alright this time. I'll get you some clean gauze and an icepack to hold on it until it stops bleeding."

He's barely gone a moment and I can't help being thankful for the quick turn around and understanding.

"Now, this doesn't look like the standard Bella Swan door fiasco."

"It was just a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding around the Quileute's?" he responds quickly, suspicion in his voice. While I've only ever known Carlisle as a peaceful man, I've seen his fierce protection of his family.

"Nothing like that, and it was nothing to do with the pack. I tried to break up a fight and ended up getting hit. She's in the car if you want to check."

"I believe you, but there is a reason we're nervous about you on the res alone. Edward has been trying incredibly hard to support you, but you must also understand his concern, especially if you arrive back with what I think is going to be a rather spectacular black eye."

I groan loudly then remember the last conversation we'd had. "I might have blown it. I, umm, I said some things I didn't entirely mean."

"But were on your mind regardless?" I nod again. "I can't do anything now, but I can speak to him when I get home. I'm sure the situation isn't as dire as your panic is leading you to believe. I do want to talk to you about something else though."

I look up at him, confused by the change of conversation direction.

"Before we do though, why don't you come and get some clean clothes, I think that nosebleed has stopped."

Dropping the soiled material into the cardboard pot I've been holding, he takes it off of me and leads me back through the ward. As he passes, he grabs a blue scrub top and passes it to me. "The bathroom is just there," he points towards a door with a small female drawing on it.

Quickly, I go in and change my top, wishing I'd brought a bag with me.

As I come out of the bathroom, he's stood leaning against the wall flicking through some notes in his hand, but when the door closes he looks up and smiles at me. Gesturing to follow him, he leads me down the corridor towards his office.

"Have a seat."

I look around his office for the first time. It's clear that Esme had been a large influence here, everything from the soft colours and beautiful decorations to the small lamps dotted around. The curtains are drawn closed blocking any sunlight from entering, but it doesn't feel dark.

Taking a step around the desk, I smile at the various family photos. "They're beautiful."

"That they are. Though, I'd like to have other photos here, but it's hard to explain marriage photos for teenagers who aren't officially married."

"Do you have an album?" I ask, stalling for time.

"Esme does, I'm sure she'd be more than happy to show you them. Some of them date back to the origin of the camera. It's a shame we can't document memories, there are some things in our past that you would have found fascinating to see, but that's a conversation for another day." He gestures towards the chair and I force myself to sit down. "What happened this morning?"

"What do you mean?"

"You seemed, I don't know, out of it. Is that what you were telling me about, the hole?"

"I suppose," I say vaguely, not really wanting him to know more.

"And do you still feel it now?" I nod, not wanting to think too hard about it in case it sucks me in again. "This is more than just the mating bond, Bella. Ideally, I would have asked you to speak to a colleague of mine, but given the complexities of the situation, I don't think it wise. This isn't an area I've done much practical work in, but I know the theory and I know the options. As counselling is out of the question for now, would you be open to trying some medication?"

"I don't understand," I reply, forcing myself to be honest and not just brush off his concern.

"I think you're suffering from depression and panic attacks. Initially I thought it was due to Edward being away from you, but that wasn't the case this morning. There are several options you could try and see if they help you at all. No need to decide now, just let me know if you'd like them to try. We can discuss the best option and you're in control of this."

All I can manage is to nod at him. The seriousness in his voice worries me and also frustrates me. Of everyone in his family, he doesn't have to deal with this sort of mental crap. Maybe I just need to pull myself together more and get on with life.

"Have a think. I need to get back on the ward, so I'll see you out."

We both stand up and he wraps his arms around my shoulders holding me close. "We all love you. I can never make up for the hurt caused by the family's decisions, but I truly hope you'll let us help you."

Smiling, he guides me out of the office and back towards the parking lot.

Rachel is waiting in her car, just as she'd promised, and we sit in an awkward silence on the return to the reservation, both of us too tired to make conversation.

As we pull in and climb out of the car, four police officers rush over and surround the vehicle.

"Are you Rachel Black?" one of the men asks approaching her.

"Yes, is there news? Have you found him?" The anticipation in her voice leaves no room to doubt her anxiety.

Before any of them answer, the female comes up behind her and restrains her arms behind her back attaching a pair of cuffs. "Rachel Black, you are being arrested on suspicion of kidnap. You have the right to remain silent…"

Plot twist! If I get enough reviews, I'll upload an extra chapter next week so you don't have to wait as long. Looking forward to hearing what you all think!