AN-Italics = some ones thoughts. Bella's history will be coming in little bits, I Wanted it so instead of her just sitting down and reminiscing her WHOLE child hood she has sort of flash backs that link in to what's happening. And yes Bella keeps zoning out but she's a thinker , she relies on her thoughts and I don't know about you but I find myself zoning out quite a lot when I'm lost in my out mind. My mother even says that I'm off in the land of the fairies when it happens because sometimes I just don't register what's going on. In this chapter Bella's temper gets the best of her, in front of the wrong sort of people. This needs to happen for what I need to happen in the upcoming chapters. I know she is OOC but I always wanted Bella to be a little firecracker. Her wit hasn't really shone through yet but I needed to lay down how angry she can get and the consequences of that anger.
Disclaimer- I OWN NOTHING :)
Third person P.O.V
Bella was crouched over on the porch watching as the sun had slowly risen. She was still in her blood soaked clothing. The Blood had crusted and flaked in some places. Last night had sort of blurred in her mind. She couldn't make out anything really. She knew bill had come. She knew the police had come too. They had questioned her but all she could see was her Nana's white, blank face. Where had her smile gone? She always smiled. It didn't seem right. Nothing was right anymore. She wished she could off just closed her eyes and re opened them to find Nana shaking her awake for breakfast. No matter how many times she tried though, every time she opened her eyes Nana was still on the floor.
Sookie had come and wrapped her in a knitted blanked. It was multi-coloured and smelled of Gran. The two women had sat together for a couple of hours before Sookie had gone and talked to bill. That was hours ago and Bella was still sat there, hardly moving. Rising on shaky legs Bella stumbled into the house. She couldn't be in these clothes anymore. She couldn't look down and see the blood. Her Nana's blood. She lurched up the stairs and got in the shower. She couldn't tell you how long she spent in there. She knew however that she had scrubbed so hard her tanned skin was now bright pink. Even after cleaning herself off, Bella didn't move. She just stood and let the water rush over her. Hoping it would wash away what had happened.
After getting dressed in a simple tank and jeans, Bella made her way down stairs to sit with Sookie at the dining table."Bill said that ... that if either of us needs anything that all we had to do was call." Bella played with the dining table clothe. Of course he would offer that. Maybe that was his plan all along. Kill Nana to get back into Sookie's good graces as he helps her heal. No. Bella thought, she couldn't just go around blaming people. There was so much ... blood. If this was a vampire kill, there would hardly be any, least of all to cover half of the kitchen floor in some form of outtake from a horror movie. A flash of Nana dead appeared in Bella's mind and she gagged. Clenching her hand on the table she tried to steady herself.
What had nana ever done to deserve this? Nothing. The elderly woman had a heart of gold. But that's the thing isn't it? Good people die and the ones that are left are the scum of the earth. This just proved that. Nana's killer was somewhere out there. Happy as a clam. Bella swore she would find out who done this. She would string him up and watch him flail around.
Jason had still not come home. He didn't know what had happened. Bella found herself silently crying again. Jason was going to be heartbroken. Knowing Jason as well as Bella did she knows he was going to do something he would later regret. When Jason was hurt, he turned that to anger and lashed out. Bella just hoped it wasn't at her.
The morning came to pass and it was time for people to start coming around to act like they cared and knew what Sookie , Bella and Jason where going through. What a load of bullshit. Bella thought. They couldn't possible know. Grandmother Adele was the world to Bella. She hung the moon in the sky and gave the sun its shine. No one could possibly understand how much duller Bella's world would be now. Just shades of grey without her Nana to add colour.
Bella was sat with Sookie at the kitchen table while people just waddled around the room. This was a good chance to see if anyone knew anything. Bella closed her eyes and concentrated. Like a tap peoples thoughts started to trickle through until she could hear them all. She really wished she hadn't. They were all thinking about how in some form or another that this is what happens when you get involved with vampires. A few of them even had the audacity to think that Bella had something to do with grandma's death; because of how it happened the same day she arrived. Her hands shot to the table and clenched the hard wood. From what she could gather Andy had let slip to, Oh all the towns folk he could and let them know Bella could read minds just like Sookie. That explains all the odd looks she's been getting from everyone.
Trying to rein in her anger Bella closed her eyes and tried to breathe deeply. Bella had unfortunately inherited the famous Stackhouse temper. Short fuse with a shit ton of TNT, as Jason had once said about her temper. A hand grasping hers made her eyes shoot open. Sookie's face came into focus and Sookie sent Bella a reassuring smile. A large woman with peroxide hair came toddling over to them. Bella didn't like the look of her.
"oh...err... , you shouldn't have." Sookie said indicating to the dish of what looked like to be some sort of bake. Bella just watched on. She had a feeling this was going to take a turn for the worst. If anything could get any worse she thought. In a thick accent that seemed to be the norm for the people of Bon Temps replied. "You poor children, I'm so sorry for your loss." Bella shook her head. One she wasn't a child no matter how short she was and two why do people always say that? How is saying you're sorry meant to help anything. It doesn't. It just makes the person look caring when in reality; said person will get over it in a week or two.
Sookie and carried on talking as Tara carried away the weird looking dish over to the counter. I heard they almost cut of her head, I don't see any blood. Maybe I should have got here sooner; I should have bought my red velvet cake instead. looked around the room as if to see if she could find any left over blood.Bella swung around to look the large lady in the face. She was this close to losing it. One more thing and Bella was pretty sure she was going to blow. How dare that inconsiderate Blonde bitch think something like that? Was that why she was here? To see a crime scene! Bella started to shake. The only thing stopping her from launching herself at was Sookie, who was sending her a look that told her to keep calm.
Sookie excused herself and walked away. Thankfully this made the blonde woman waddle away too. Bella couldn't put up with her shit. Not right know. Bella stayed seated at the table Just looking at the people mulling around. How many of these people actually knew her grandmother? Or were they here like the other woman to get the gruesome details. Bella's Nana deserved more than this. She deserved to have the whole world weeping for her loss. Just one more bright soul lost Bella thought.
The next thing Bella realised was that Sookie was shouting. "Maxine Fortenberry, you PUT THAT PIE DOWN RIGHT NOW!" Sookie then went charging over to the woman and snatched Nanas pecan pie from Maxine's thick hands. "This is grams pie!" Sookie yelled again as she headed to the back door cradling the pie. Everyone stopped and stared. Bella rose from her seat and made her way over to Sookie. She wrapped an arm around her blonde cousin and pulled her close. Bella couldn't handle seeing Sookie break. She was so full of sunshine , it was hard to imagine her as anything else.
That's when all the thoughts hit them both. The one that stood out to Bella was Maxine's. Poor girls are as crazy as bed bugs. Tara had grabbed Sookie and started leading her to the bedroom up stairs. Bella stood stock still. Everything that had happened. The Cullen's, her so called parents, Maxine. They all moulded into one entity, Crushing Bella under the weight. She felt something snap inside her. The windows surrounding the kitchen exploded in a rain of glass. Cups and plates followed afterwards. It made a symphony of sound. People had ducked to miss the shrapnel, so no one was prepared when Bella launched herself at Maxine. Bella drew her fist back and let go. Her fist met a satisfying crunch of the woman's nose. Someone Grabbed Bella and started to drag her upstairs. "SAY THAT OUT LOUD, I DARE YOU! YOU INSIPID BLONDE BITCH!" Bella's voice had been so impossible loud that it shook the kitchen slightly.
Bella was finally dragged into the same room her cousin was in. Sookie had raced over and held Bella by the shoulders looking her squarely in the face. "Bella I know your angry, but you can't let loose it like that! What would happen if the wrong person found out about what you could do? I lost grams, I can't lose you too!" Sookie said as she smoothed the deep brown strands out of Bella's face. Bella finally broke and started crying in her cousins arms. "I'm sorry ... I didn't mean too. It just happened. I heard what she thought and I couldn't deal. I just wanted her to shut up." Bella whispered as she clung to Sookie. Her voice breaking in places. The two girls sat on the bed holding each other.
Lafayette and Tara just looked at each other and sat with the two girls. Bella wiped here eyes and spoke. "I'm sorry for losing my temper like that" Her voice cracked a little from all the crying she had been doing over the last day. Tara just shrugged her shoulders "Don't be sorry for yelling at the snoopy old bitch, either of you. She's been sticking her nose where it doesn't belong for years. And she needed a good old smack to the head anyway. Good punch by the way Bella; pretty sure you broke her nose." Tara smiled at Bella and the brunette couldn't help but return the gesture.
Sookie started to shake her head "grams gone, she's really gone. I ... I don't know what I'm supposed to do." Bella pulled Sookie close and leaned into her. "We don't have to do anything. We just need to get by. Family above all remember? That's what Nana taught us." Bella whispered to Sookie. Sookie smiled and pushed some of Bella's hair behind her ear. Nana was all about family. Bella thought. Shame it never sunk into Renee's or Charlie's head. Sometimes she could still here them telling her that if she was really their daughter she wouldn't be such a freak. Shaking her head to get rid of the memories Bella zoned back in to reality.
Lafayette was handing two valiums to Sookie. "Put these on your night stand encase you two change your mind. I'm going to go check on the circling buzzards." With that Lafayette climbed off the bed and went to leave. Sookie grabbed his wrist. "Lafayette can you take this down stairs for me?" Sookie lifted up Nana's pecan pie and handed it over. Lafayette smiled, put his hand on Sookie's shoulder "I will guard it with my life." Lafayette Strode from the room and the three girls cuddled up on the bed.
Bella had dozed off on the pillows. The dream she was having was weird. She thinks it's a dream. Everything is dark and it's so dense that she can barely see her hand. She's running but it seems like she's going in slow motion. No matter how hard she tries to pump her legs it just makes them slower. She just knows she has to get to the middle of this maze. How she knows it's a maze she doesn't know, but it's like it's ingrained on her brain. Some one important was going to die any second. She needed to get to the middle. The dark fog started to clear and she could see the outline of the hedges of the maze. They seemed too green. She sort of wished for the darkness to come back.
Still running Bella whipped around a corner and came to the middle. There was a giant sun symbol that she had never seen before. However she did know the little symbols surrounding it. They were Quileute. They stood for the cold ones. Bella's breath came out in huffs and puffs. Then she spotted him. He was blurred and no matter how hard she tried he wouldn't come into focus. She could see his eyes though. They were an endless abyss of wisdom. Of life it's self. He reached a hand out towards her and she thinks he was smiling. Bella went to reach for his hand when all of a sudden brilliant blue flames engulfed him. Sizzling away flesh and bone and sinew. Bella tried to race towards him but she couldn't move. Her legs were glued to the spot. All she could do was watch as he turned to ash and blew away in the wind.
The slamming of a door awake Bella with a start. Jason had come barging into the room. Bella jumped up when he went charging at Sookie. When Jason threw his hand back Bella jumped in the middle. The hit landed on her cheek with a sickening sting. Bella crumpled to the floor, shocked. Tara sprang up and pushed Jason back. But it didn't stop him. He pointed his finger in Sookie's face and started shouting "It's all your fault, Grans dead because of you! It should have been YOU! " Jason jerked forward as if to grab Sookie but Tara grabbed him just in time. She man handled him to the doorway. Oddly Bella thought that for someone not much bigger then her or Sookie she was quite strong.
Jason started spewing about vampires. And Tara pushed him back. "Well that VAMPIRE was there for them when you weren't! You ought to be ashamed of yourself! Is that how your grandmother raised you?! To try and beat on your sister and smack down Bella who you class as your sister?!LOOK AT YOU, I don't even recognize you anymore! Get the hell out of here! GET OUT!" Tara started to shove him through the door. He seems to realize just what he had done then. He flicked his eyes to Bella for a second and looked pained. Tara had finally shoved him threw the door and slammed it.
Tara helped Bella stand as Sookie still seem to be in shock. "You okay Bella?" Tara asked as she checked over her cheek. It wouldn't bruise but it would swell a little. Bella was slightly dazed. It had all happened so fast that her mind just wasn't linking everything together yet. Sookie reached over to the night stand and handed Bella a valium. Bella looked at it as if it was a new discovery, then placed it into her mouth and swallowed. Sookie did the same. Slowly like a film fading to black the world started to disappear. Bella laid down and cuddled up to Sookie. Thinking it might be good if the world just stayed black.
When Bella woke up it was morning. The sun was shining and Bella for once hated it. What right did the world have to shine when everything for Bella was falling apart? It should be storming outside. Like it was inside her. Bella got up and toddled into the bathroom. She showered and wandered back into the bedroom in some sort of off mode. Bella creaked open her wardrobe door and looked through her clothes. She needed something black for today. She was tempted to wear something bright and colourful. Something to reflect how bright and warm her Nana was. She didn't think the town would like that though. She picked out a simple black velvet skater dress with a white collar with some black flats. Bella brushed her hair out and left it down for once. It was left dangling down to the small of her back in big loose curls. Nana always liked her hair down. Nana said it made her look like a cherub.
By the time Bella was done, it was time. Walking with Sookie to the graveyard seemed unreal. Was she dreaming again? She hoped so. Sitting in a seat and staring at the oak coffin made Bella even more convinced this wasn't real. Her Nana wasn't in there. She couldn't be. She would pop out any second and joke about how gullible Bella was. Then they would all go home, eat Nana's cooking and the world would carry on.
Sookie put a hand on her shoulder. Bella swallowed deeply before turning around to face her. "I tried to ring Charlie and Renee, but they said they were busy. Something about a church group in Texas." Bella sighed. Of course they won't come. They don't care. Never have, never will. Renee would just try and turn it around so it was all about her anyway... and Nana doesn't deserve that. This is Nana's day. Bella thought. "It's okay sooks, you know what would of happened if they came. Its better this way. Everyone who loved Nana and that Nana loved is here, that's what matters." Sookie simply nodded to her cousin.
Bella blocked out most of what was happening. Especially the woman who was singing at the podium. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the coffin. It was pulling her in and no matter how hard she tried to deny it. Nana WAS in there. This WASNT a dream. Nana wouldn't be coming back from this. That hurt like a dagger to the heart. Bella watched as Sookie took the podium and started her speech. But she could see that she was starting to flounder. She looked around and then figured out it must of been peoples thoughts. When Bella had re focused on Sookie she noticed the short blonde was already running across the graveyard.
Soon Jason had taken off after her. The reverend stepped up and asked if anyone had a few words. Bella stood up shakily and made her way to the front. Standing there Bella took a few moments to collect her thoughts. Clearing her throat and snatching her eyes away from the coffin Bella spoke.
"My Nana was one of a kind. She was so... Strong, yet gentle at the same time. She would open her arms and her house to anyone in need and not even blink an eye. The world needs more people like that... She would pick me up when I fell down. Held me when I cried. She chased away the monsters in my closet when I was scared." Bella's hands started to shake and her eyes glazed over. But she had to do this. This was the last chance she had at telling her grandmother how much she meant.
"I looked forward to every summer holiday because I was coming home. Not to Bon Temps, or Louisiana. But to my Nana. Because that's what she meant to me. She was my home. The one person I could rely on. Who always had my back. She raised me. And I hope where ever she is right now that she knows I'll never forget. That she will never really be gone because she lives in my thoughts. My heart and in my actions. No matter how much I wish, she won't come back but I can keep her memory alive. We all can. By just a little thought every now and again. Because Adele Stackhouse will never be fully gone, she's touched too many people to be. "
It all got too much for Bella and she stepped back. Brushing away the fallen tears. She walked away as a woman she knew to be Tara's mother stepped up. Bella took her time wondering back to the house. She wanted the darkness back that the valium brought. She just wanted numbness for a few seconds. Sitting down on the grassy ground. Bella could finally breathe. Reaching out to pick up some dirt. She concentrated on the energy inside her and pushed it out and into the dirt. Like someone had pressed fast forward a pink rose had sprouted out of the dirt within seconds. Vines and stems, until finally a Pink bloom that blossomed. Nana loved roses. It always made her smile when little Bella would grow roses out of the dirt in her hands.
Bella Had learnt the trick from watching a nature documentary. They had fast forward the growing of a flower and ever since then Bella could fast forward growing any plant. She didn't even need a seed. She just had to have seen the flower in real life and she could replicate it. She needed to touch where it was growing though. She didn't know why she had to see things before she could do anything but she thought it must have been a quirk. She couldn't copy anything that had been told to her or she read about she had to see it with her own two eyes.
Placing the rose in her hair, she left to walk back into the house. When she got there she saw her cousin crying eating the pecan pie. Slowly walking over she sat with Sookie and simply held the hand that wasn't holding the fork. When Sookie was done Bella wandered into her room. It used to belong to Jason but Sookie had changed everything when she heard Bella was coming to stay. Not bothering to get changed Bella laid down and drifted into slumber.
hate it when i'm reading a story and the author writes a note saying so many reviews for the next chapter. It grinds my gears! So if you want to leave a review please do , i like them but if you don't then fair enough. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
