A/N Thanks to CrissYami for the review last chapter. I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does. Oh, and I was wondering, what do you people think about a companion story (or maybe just a chapter or two in here) from Jasper's point of view? I wouldn't start the companion story right away, but maybe around Christmas Break or when this story gets finished? One more thing… please review, those things motivate me to write more.
Normally, I don't have dreams. I guess that goes with the whole being a writer thing. I put my dreams down on paper. When I do dream though, it normally has something to do with my day. The night after my incident, I dream of Jasper Hale.
In my dream, I'm back in the hospital lying in a bed. Jasper is staring at me intently from the end of the bed, like he is sizing me up. His eyes are gold in my dream, and I think to myself how lovely they look with his hair. He slowly reaches towards me, and then pulls back with a jerk. He looks frustrated and grips the metal bed frame. When he lets go, the shape of his hands is indented in the bed. He seems resolved, his jaw set.
Finally he says, "Stay away from me Elizabeth." Then he shoves off without another word, striding down the row of curtains. I get up to follow him, and this is when I realize I'm dreaming, because my leg is no longer in a splint. Regardless, I run after Jasper. I figure it's going to be one of those endless hallway things where I can never catch him. Surprisingly I catch up to him very fast. I reach out to grab his shoulder, but before I can he whirls around and grabs my wrist. Then he seizes both my shoulders and pulls me incredibly close, so close that his lips are at my ear.
"Stop, Elizabeth," he whispers. "Or I might kill you." His voice sends shivers down my spine as I watch him walk out of the double doors of the emergency room.
I wake up groggy with one thing on my mind, my dream. It seemed so vivid, almost like it had happened real life. Under normal circumstances, my dreams are outlandish, and involve me having super powers, close encounters with the supernatural, and everything that isn't real. But this dream…Ugh, it gave me shivers. Not to mention Jasper had never, ever told me he might kill me. That is more similar to Shane in my story. I don't need fantasy to mix with reality at the moment. I've already got enough problems on my hands.
I quickly get dressed. It is difficult and uncomfortable to wear my jeans over my leg brace, so instead I pull on some shorts. Hopefully it doesn't get too chilly. I might have to butcher some pants or invest in a decent pair of sweats to get through the next couple of weeks. I pull a sweatshirt over my t-shirt to try to balance the temperature out.
As I hobble down the stairs I am surprised to smell food. I head to the kitchen to see who is home. Surprisingly, it is my mother.
"Oh, Lizzie good morning sweetheart," I deftly avoid an advance for a hug, though it is much harder with crutches than it would be normally. My mother frowns slightly. I appreciate her coming to take care of me, but it is hardly necessary.
"Mom, what are you doing here? Shouldn't be at the hospital with Jace and Mark?"
"Well dear," Mom says, "Your father called and reminded me that you probably shouldn't be driving with your leg. So I came down to give you a ride to school." She hands me a plate of bacon and pancakes.
"Mom you shouldn't have," I tell her, more for my sake than hers. "Jace and Mark need you more than I do. I could've just called one of my friends from school and had them come pick me up."
"Oh." My mother nods and flips a pancake, coming across downcast. Now I feel bad because she is trying to pull a guilt trip on me. I resist the temptation to tell her it's okay, I can't risk getting close to her.
The rest of breakfast goes by quietly, as does the ride to school. We pass by our wrecked SUV and the whole front end is almost wrapped around the tree, but all in all it doesn't look that bad. Actually what I mean is it could've been worse.
School is an entirely different story from the peaceful car ride. All car accident victims except Edward Cullen receive rapt attention. It is like the day everyone found out my dad is a "millionaire" only worse. People ask Bella and me over and over again what happened during our accidents. Bella's explanation is simple, Tyler's car slid, she was in the way, Edward, who was standing next to her the whole time pushed her out of the way and saved her. Again, the apparent hero of the story does not obtain anybody's interest. My story is a little more complicated. I mean sure telling them that Jace hadn't paid attention to the road and smashed into a tree was fine, but how am I supposed to say that Jasper Hale magically appeared out of the woods and saved the day by calling 911? I can't. At least without sounding crazy or betraying Jasper's trust. So I say that I had my cell phone on me and called 911 and that was the end of it. It makes it sound so much lamer than it actually was.
During lunch, it appears that Bella has successfully recruited another person to follow her around. The boy, whose name is Tyler, sits at our table rather nonchalantly, though it earns him glares from Eric and Mike. I feel kind of bad for Bella; it's obvious she doesn't want the attention.
In other news, no one at the Cullen table glances our way. They just sit and talk to themselves. It frustrates me. Isn't Jasper concerned that I'm going to tell everybody that he just randomly walked out of the middle of the deep woods and rescued me? In street clothes nonetheless, not something you'd use for walking, jogging, or hiking. I wait almost the whole lunch period for at least one of them to look our way, but I get nothing. Finally I decide to take matters into my own hands. I get up ten minutes early to go to class. Instead of taking my normal route I plan to pass by the Cullen table and get Jasper's attention. Talking to him about what happened yesterday before class is better than not talking about it at all. As I approach his table he looks up. I give him a knowing expression and wave my left hand in a motion to follow me, which is difficult with crutches. Then I keep moving as though nothing has happened.
The whole way to the psychology room I don't know if he's trailing me or not. If he is good, if he's not, well hopefully when he comes on time the whole class doesn't hear our conversation. I slip awkwardly through the classroom door and don't look back until I'm in my seat. He's there of course, standing in the doorway like a supermodel. I smile and pat the desk behind me. He looks like he's analyzing me and flicks on the lights before he glides over and sits behind me.
"Hi," I say, trying to be friendly. I'm not here to chew him out. I just want to know what's going on.
He doesn't respond, of course, so I look down at his hands. They're strong hands, like ones you'd see on a farmer, minus the calluses. Though, there are strange little lines that almost look like human bite marks. They're easiest to see when he moves his hands in the light.
"So," I sigh, "I want to know what you were doing in the woods yesterday. And don't tell me you we're just strolling through them for fun. You had less than an hour until school started, and there's no way that was anywhere near your house."
"I don't need to tell you anything," he smirks.
"Why not?" I ask, he's being a jerk right now.
"Because, you'll tell your friends. I can't let that happen," he states darkly, and I recall in my dream how he said he might kill me.
"Well, let's see," I retort, does he really think I'd rat him out when that's obviously what he doesn't want? That's not what a friend does. "I have told everybody who has asked me anything about the accident that I called 911 by myself. I didn't tell them that I saw you, that you called the emergency services, or that you apparently heard me tell you to stay with me. I think you owe me an explanation."
"I didn't hear you say anything," he states frigidly. "I was too far away. I just stayed to make sure the ambulance actually made it to you without crashing as well."
"That's another thing," I comment, "What do you have against being so close to me? This," I motion to my current position reclining exactly a desk length away from him, "doesn't seem to bug you as much as this." I lean towards him until I'm only a few inches from his face. He instantly backs up, moving the desk with him. It shrieks as he moves it across the linoleum floor.
"Don't do that," he growls we both shift back into our original positions.
"Why? What aren't you telling me? There better be a good reason why I'm covering for you." He says nothing.
"You know," I threaten, "I could just go and tell everybody everything."
The corners of his lips jerk, though he holds back the expression.
"You wouldn't do that."
"Why not?" I counter. I could certainly tell everybody that there was more to the Cullens and Hales than they thought.
"Because you are a good person. You wouldn't risk exposing my family just for your own gain." I'm shocked at this comment.
"How do you know that?" I try to retain control over, the conversation, but that's not happening. He knows something about me, and I don't know how he got the information. It makes me nervous.
He smiles; he understands that he has the upper hand now.
"I'll keep that to myself," he's toying with me. I'm not a threat anymore; he can tell I won't be giving out any information about him or his family any time soon.
I turn around in a huff. I'm losing the game of cat and mouse that we're so evidently playing. I'm not even sure who the cat is and who the mouse is anymore. I decide to throw him for a whirl.
"You know," I say even though I'm facing forward. "I had a dream about you last night. You said you might kill me."
A quick peep over my shoulder shows me that he's gone rigid. The comment clearly bothers him.
After school my mom picks me up and drives me to the hospital to visit my brothers. Mark has to stay one more night to make the concussion has fully gone away. Jace has woken up and has asked for me a couple times, though Mom says they have him on some sedatives and painkillers to keep him from feeling too much pain.
Upon our arrival we are greeted by the good-looking Dr. Cullen, who is glad to see I have adjusted to using crutches. He says Jace has been waiting up for me and that Mark wants to see my mother again. I encourage Mom to go visit Mark and ask Dr. Cullen to take me to Jace. He obliges.
"So," I inform Dr. Cullen as we head to Jace's room, "Did you know that your son was a hero in yesterday's events?"
"Yes, I know Edward pushed Bella out of the way-" he starts.
"No," I cut him off, "Not Edward. Jasper."
Dr. Cullen's lips pull into a tight line and his brow furrows slightly. Clearly, Jasper had not bothered to tell anyone he was involved in yesterday's incident.
"No, I didn't know that."
"Well he was there, just not quite as implicated as Edward. He was the one who called the emergency services. I didn't have my cell phone on me. In fact, my cell phone was in the back seat, so there was no possible way for me to call. There were no other cars around either." I hint that something fishy is going on.
"Oh, well that was nice of him."
"Yeah, but that's not the intriguing part. Does your son go for strolls in the deep woods often Dr. Cullen?" I inquire.
"Frequently," he responds defensively, "Why do you ask?"
"Because, Jasper walked out of the deep woods in street clothes with his cell phone to call 911."
"Hmm, that sounds like something he would do. Hardly strange though." The good doctor is bluffing now. It unmistakably disturbs him that I know this.
"I never said it was strange Dr. Cullen, just intriguing." I smile a mystery smile, one that says I know more than you think.
"Okay," Dr. Cullen eyes me warily. "This is your brother's room. Have a nice day Miss Monarch."
"You too, Dr. Cullen." I lean up against the doorway to support my bodyweight and wave good bye. Then I enter Jace's room.
Jace is hooked up to at least three or four machines, and I am surprised that his whole body is not wrapped up in bandages. I'd say currently at least one half if not ¾ of it is.
When I crutch in, Jace smiles. You can tell the movement hurts him though, because in the next second he's wincing in pain.
"Hey, gimpy" he croaks, "Long time no walk?"
I roll my eyes; of course Jace is going to make fun of me, even if he is bed ridden. His voice kind of freaks me out though. It is very throaty and almost scratchy sounding. Then again, I suppose that's what happens with a punctured lung and broken nose.
"Well you are looking pretty good yourself, are you trying to start a new robotic trend?" I shoot back, pointing to all the apparatus that's monitoring him. I sit down in a chair across from his bed.
"You know Liz," he interjects as I lean my crutches up against the wall, "You can come sit next to me. I don't bite like those monsters in our bedrooms." He grins and I sigh and at turtle speed relocate myself next to him.
"I doubt you could bite me even if you wanted to," I mutter as I amend my position in the seat to be more comfortable. I end up wincing when I put too much pressure on my bad leg.
"Hurt your kicking leg did you?" he's now observing me with more brotherly concern.
"Yep, but the doctors and nurses said it should be back to normal in a month or two. Plus it's not like there's anywhere to play soccer in this Podunk town anyway." He smiles at my poorly concealed distaste for Forks. Just because I try to bear it doesn't mean I have to like it.
"FYI, Jace," I remark, "You should stop smiling, I see you wince when you do. I don't want to put you in anymore pain."
He rolls his eyes at me now, an effective movement, seeing as it doesn't cause him any discomfort.
"What? I'm honestly afraid that if I poke you you're going to go into cardiac arrest or something."
"Yeah, right," he snorts. "Here," he offers me his hand "You can hold it and I won't go into cardiac arrest."
I eye his hand suspiciously. I'm openly going to freak out if anything goes wrong while I'm in the room.
"Come on Lizzie," he taunts, "Are you chicken?"
After a minute or two of deliberation, I reluctantly agree.
"Fine."
I slowly reach out and grasp his hand. He convulses as soon as I get a grip and I yelp and almost fall out of my seat.
Then Jace starts laughing his ass off.
"You should've have seen your face," he chuckles, "That was priceless."
"Jonathan Matthew Monarch," I shrill, "That is so not funny."
"Oh yes it was," Jace retorts and continues chuckling. It's an odd airy sound he makes when he's laughing. I don't think he has time to wince in between laughs. I take a deep breath to calm myself down.
"Well," I grumble, though it's a bit breathy, "I would say I'm going to get you back, but I think that deer handled this situation nicely."
All of a sudden a nurse bustles in.
"Are you alright?" she questions Jace, looking at the machine that I suppose monitors his heart.
"Yes," he replies, still chuckling.
Then the lady turns her attention to me. I recognize her as one of the nurses who helped with my leg yesterday. Nurse Conway, I believe.
"Elizabeth, dear," apparently she recognizes me too, "I think it's time we let your brother get some rest."
I nod and start carefully getting up, teasing Jace along the way.
"See Jace now look what you've done." The nurse looks rapidly from me to Jace when I say this, having no idea what is going on. Then she ushers me out of the room.
"Love you bro," I throw back over my shoulder.
"Love you baby sister," he attempts a cooing voice but it comes out sounding terrible.
"Idiot," I mumble under my breath. I love Jace to death, but is the incessant teasing really necessary?
The visit with Mark is much quicker and soon my mother and I leave for home. All in all it was an interesting day.
The next day goes by rather typically. I wake up; go to school hang out with friends. The Cullens don't look at us again, and Jasper doesn't talk to me in Psychology. I hypothesize that he is trying to ignore me. Coach Clapp reminds us that our projects are due Monday, and I have a free pass to do nothing in gym. Then Mom comes to pick me up again. She suggests we go visit Jace and Mark again.
"Not today Mom," I object. "I love them both to death, but I still have to do some catching up on homework."
Unexpectedly, my mother agrees and we go straight home. I am surprised when I see the Ferrari in the driveway. It's the car my dad's company bought for him. Why? I don't know. All I can comprehend is that we're going to need a replacement for the SUV and the fact that my dad is home. The latter excites me a great deal.
I get out of the car as quickly as possible and speed crutch up to the door. I nimbly (well what I now consider nimbly) flick down the door handle and open the door. I catch a glimpse of my mom smiling; she knows why I'm excited.
"Daddy?" I call and the sound echoes through the big house.
"Lizzie?" he stalks out of the kitchen, and when he sees me his smile is blinding.
"Sweetheart," He comes and hugs, somehow managing to pick me up and twirl me around. "It's good to see you."
"You too Dad," I giggle as he sets me down and picks up my crutches for me. Then a little head of brown hair peeks around the corner.
"Mark?" I question. The head evolves in my little brother who comes to hug my waist
"Hi Lizzie," he says with a toothy grin.
"Hi sport, how's your head?"
"It's fine." He knocks on it with his fist to prove his point. Then my mom comes in.
"Mom!" my little brother's focus totally switches to my mother.
"Mark, you're home!" she picks up Mark and swings him around like my father swung me. Then he leads her away, leaving me alone with my dad.
"Have you seen Jace yet?" I ask my dad as I start moving towards the kitchen. I intend to devour a large snack and then spend the rest of the night catching up on homework.
"Yep," my father nods. "He's in big trouble."
"I wouldn't punish him too much dad. He's already gotten more than he deserves. I would've reacted the same way he had at the time." I try to lighten Jace's load.
"We'll see," my father responds. "So how's school been?"
"It's been fine," I reply. If I mention Jasper my father will tease me that he's my boyfriend, which he most certainly is not.
"Jace told me you have a new boyfriend, Jasper Hale?" Or I could just leave to Jace to tell my father every aspect about my life.
"Jazz," the nickname rolls over my tongue before I can stop it, "Is not my boyfriend. He's a person of interest in a current investigation."
"An investigation of what?" My father questions as I pull out a bowl of cereal. The cereal will serve as a satisfactory snack.
"Himself," I smile and laugh at how funny that sounds, "He's a very different, intriguing boy, but he'd never consider having me is a girlfriend." My grin transforms into a frown at my own words. "But he's a possible future friend, if I can just figure out why he's so different."
"Well what's so different about him?" My father thinks he has an explanation for everything, but I doubted he will have an explanation for Jasper.
"Oh nothing important," I lie.
"Hmm, well if he doesn't guard his secrets well, you'll have him talking in no time," my father laughs. "You just look so innocent I doubt anybody could resist you."
"Right," I reply sarcastically. Then our conversation turns towards other things, particularly the fact that my father will be staying home for the rest of the weekend which is totally awesome. He also tells me that our shopping trip is still on, though he jokes that he'll probably end up pushing me around in a wheel chair. I go and do my best to catch up on homework. Then the evening ends on the light note with all of us gathered around the new TV my dad brought home, watching America's Got Talent.
The next day at the end of Psychology class Jasper Hale throws me for a loop.
"So we're still on at your house tonight?"
I nod without thinking, because my mind isn't focused on him, it's concentrating on the weekend with my dad. Then when I realize what I've done an hour later at the end of gym class, I slap my head, hard. I'm such an idiot sometimes.
Tonight is going to be very interesting. I'm not sure how my family will react to Jasper Hale.