AN: thank you so much for reading
Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer's owns everything Twilight.
Return to the Zoo
Charlie and Sue stayed with me that night. They asked me questions about my likes and dislikes, and any other question they could think of, well anything that had nothing to do with my mother or any of the things I've been through. Charlie seemed stunned as to how many places I lived, but I could see the pride shinning in his eyes when I told him I was a senior in high school. I thought it was something he knew, but he had said he just assumed I was a junior based on my age. That pride turned a little smug when I told him what classes I was taking. It was a good night.
I woke up the next morning with soft whispers coming from the corner of the room, I saw Dr. Cullen and chief... Charlie talking. That was one thing I asked and Charlie accepted, I wasn't in a position to call him dad yet, but I asked if I could call him Charlie, and he agreed. To make him feel better I told him the name I gave my bear, that earned a chuckle from Sue.
Dr. Cullen seemed to notice me awake first and smiled at me. Charlie followed his gaze and a wide grin, very similar to Emmett's spread across his face.
"morning baby girl, did you sleep okay?" I nodded, and felt a slight flush to my cheeks at the name he used for me.
"Well we got some good news, Dr. Cullen here did us a favor and ran the DNA test to confirm what we already knew." I smiled, Charlie had explained in great detail the night before that he knew I was his and reassured the only reason for the test was for legal purposes. Sue had echoed his sentiments, saying that we had the same eyes and facial expressions. "Anyways, they came back positive, so I've contacted Victoria and am in the process of getting that temporary order fixed."
The man looked like he was going to burst with excitement at any moment. I could understand, I mean he had his child that he thought he lost, while we had a very long way to go, I was still here and he could see me and hold me, and that was all he really needed.
"Bella," I turned my head to Dr. Cullen, "I'm going to keep you in the hospital for a few more days, until you can take your pain medication orally, and are able to walk on your crutches." He gave me a look that Charlie didn't see, and I understood it immediately, he knew I hadn't been using them.
"Alright you two, I'm going to leave, but I'll be by to check on you later." with that he turned and left the room.
"Okay baby girl, with that said this is the plan, no arguments." I looked at this man in front of me and smiled and nodded for him to continue. "Sue is out looking right now for stuff for your room, and she said that she will pick up a few clothes for you too, but will wait to get the majority of stuff until you can go with. Second you will be using your crutches and be going to physical therapy as often as it is required." I nodded, obviously Dr. Cullen passed on Edward's information about my lack of crutches to Charlie.
Suddenly Charlie's face lost the lightheartedness of his little speech. "Bella, Sue and I talked last night after you were asleep about how to tell Emmett. He was away at some football thing celebrating the end of the season and was going to stay with Edward anyways when they got back. I called and left him a message to come meet me here at the hospital once school was out." I nodded because something clicked in my mind that with everything that happened last night I didn't fully piece together. I had a brother, Emmett Swan was my brother, suddenly this afternoon couldn't come fast enough.
Ж
Charlie was in and out of the room all day, taking calls with social services and Victoria. I could tell when he would get off the phone with her, or most of the time he would leave her a message, he would always come back in grumbling under his breath.
It was a quiet day overall, when he wasn't on the phone, we just talked. Charlie discovered that I didn't know how to drive. He looked at me shocked and began sprouting out plans that as soon as my knee was healed he was taking me out.
Charlie was in the middle of teaching me how to play Texas hold 'em when there was a rather loud knock on the door. The sound caused me to jump and squeak. Charlie got up and walked to the door, he poked his head out to see who was there.
"Thanks for coming down, come on in." he said to the mystery person.
"No problem Pop, what did you need, mom sounded cryptic when I talked to her and she told me what room to meet you in." Emmett Swan said as he entered the room. He stopped his stride when he saw me laying in the bed, but apparently my appearance didn't seem to hideous to stop him for long.
"Hi Isabella" he said and then looked at Charlie questioningly. Charlie directed him to sit in a seat, as Emmett pulled out the chair just as Sue knocked on the door and came in. She walked over to where he was sitting and took his hand.
"Emmett, your father and I need to talk to you about something, and it concerns Bella as well, which is why we asked you to meet us here."
Emmett just nodded, seemingly confused about this whole scene. It appears that Charlie drew the short straw on who needed to actually say the words to him.
"Emmett, I know we've told you before about when your mom and I were apart." Emmett nodded acknowledging that he did indeed know this information. "Well I know we never really talked a lot about that time in great detail. You know that we were both in other relationships. Okay, so... Jesus, this is hard to say. Okay, so do you remember when we had the conversation about safe you know and proper you know control." Charlie rushed the last sentence out and was rubbing the back of his head uncomfortably while a slight flush overcame his face.
"yeah pop I remember, but ah, what does this have to do with Isabella." he looked to me warily.
"I'm getting there, so do you remember me telling you about Renee." Emmett's eyes lit up at the mention of this.
"Yeah, you said you dated her and she got pregnant. You told me she got an abortion, and that was the night you and mom started really talking again." I was surprised that Emmett knew such intimate things about his parents, but then I've never been privy to a normal parental relationship.
Charlie continued until he dropped the bombshell, I stared intently at my blanket so I didn't have to see Emmett's reaction to being told the foster freak at school is his sister.
"The thing is son, she lied to me, she...sh...she" Charlie couldn't even finished what he was saying as the anger and frustration became overwhelming for him once again. Sue being the loving woman I could see she was went to comfort him, while finishing telling his tale.
"Emmett, what your father needs to say is that Renee never got the abortion. Bella was born 7 months after she told your father she had it done."
The room was quiet for an immeasurable amount of time. With each second that ticked by and no one said anything my fears began to take hold. I started to worry that if Emmett wanted nothing to do with me would I be sent back to the group home, what happened to the promise Charlie made me last night. If they did keep me and Emmett wanted me gone would he do what Jessica did, would he be worse. It was one thing for him to protect me at school in gym class, sort of a welfare service to the little people of the school, but now that I was being thrust into his home life what would he do. He's bigger than Jessica and oh god, I couldn't even begin to think of all the physical ways he could hurt me.
I began to hyperventilate and the silence was broken. Charlie was at my side in a second trying to calm me, Sue was up calling for a nurse, and I made a mistake and looked at Emmett. His face was pure rage, gone were the kind eyes, the generous smile with dimples; sitting in front of me was the scariest person I've ever seen. Seeing his face continue to redden to almost a shade of purple and the muscles of his arms constrict from the force he was fisting his hand only brought more panic to me. Charlie seemed to notice where my focus was and started telling Emmett to calm down.
"Emmett, your scaring her, you need to breath or leave." Emmett sat stoically almost as if he didn't hear Charlie's words.
"EMMETT! Calm down or get out NOW!" Charlie's loud voice seemed to bring Emmett out of whatever trance he was in. The nurse appeared and started putting the oxygen mask on me. Emmett was on his feet and over by my side. I flinched as he brought his hands to my face, but that didn't deter him. He placed his hands on the side of my face much like Charlie had done the night before.
"Bella, I need you to breath with me okay." He whispered, he rubbed my cheeks as Charlie continued to rub circles on my back to help sooth me. Emmett's eyes changed to something familiar, the kindness I saw the first day, and the same emotion that Charlie's had, but slightly altered, I was in no position to put a name to it at this time.
Eventually I was able to calm down enough where I didn't need the mask. The two men didn't leave their positions as the nurse removed the mask and said she was going to call Dr. Cullen.
Once she was out of the door Emmett started talking.
"I'm sorry Bella, I'm not upset okay, I'm not upset, in fact this explains a whole lot of shit. I just, I started thinking of everything, what Jazz said and Edward, and just the bitches in gym and whoever the fuck took you." he was looking me in the eyes willing me to believe his words, the sincerity I saw could not be argued. "I'm not upset with you, okay." I nodded as best I could with him holding my face.
Dr. Cullen chose that moment to enter the room.
"Emmett, Charlie. Hi Bella, is it okay if I talk to you for a few minutes alone." I looked to Charlie and Emmett and saw reluctance to leave me, that made the hope that was growing in my heart expand. I nodded, and watch as both slowly left the room throwing cautious glances back at me until the door was shut.
"Bella, I think we need to talk about what happened." he didn't wait for me to talk or acknowledge what he had even said. "I know a little about your history, what the doctor's found when you called the police about your mom, and I have seen the scars the few times that you've been in here. I'm taking from your reaction to Emmett today that a lot more happened to you then you've ever let on. I'm not going to ask you about them, but I am going to ask that you talk to someone. I'm recommending to Charlie that you go see a counselor, in part to help you adjust to the new living arrangements, and also to help you heal from the past." I was shaking my head, I didn't need or want to talk to anyone. "Bella, I know this isn't what you want, but I don't think you want to have an anxiety attack in public. I'm just recommending this, it's up to you and Charlie what you decided to do. I do need to ask if this is the first time something like this has happened?" I nodded, "Okay, then I'm not going to give you a prescription unless this happens more and frequently alright." I nodded again, because I didn't want medicine.
Ж
I was released from the hospital on Friday afternoon, Charlie had allowed Emmett to miss school, so he spent the day with me while Charlie and Sue prepared the house for me. The beginning of our time was awkward, neither really knowing what to say to the other. I had seen the deck of cards on the table and asked Emmett if he could finish teaching me Texas hold 'em, and that was all it took. Conversation flowed between the two of us, he confided in me that he felt a little weird that his little sister was in his grade, and taking more difficult classes then him. My face lit up when he called me his sister, and even more then that when he was talking about the school situation he said he was proud that he has a smart one; he elaborated and said he will need to use my intelligence at some point to try and put one over on Edward, something about a prank war that has been in place since freshman year.
My discharge orders were simple, take pain medications as instructed, go to physical therapy, and rest. With that Charlie and Emmett loaded me in Sue's car. When I say loaded me up I mean Emmett scoffed at the wheelchair that was brought to my room and scooped me up and carried me to the car. I saw Charlie and Dr. Cullen's concerned faces but laughed at the situation, it was my way of telling them I was okay.
My room was amazing. It was at the top of the stairs, it wasn't large by any means, but it had a full bed, my own dresser, a walk in closet, and it was decorated in lime green and black, the color's I had told Sue I thought went well together, I didn't realize at the time that was why she was asking. I had a desk with a small laptop sitting on it. I began to cry when I saw my charlie bear sitting in the middle of the bed surrounded by pillows, because I finally felt like this was mine this was home, and that is a feeling I've never experienced before.
The rest of the weekend seemed to be determined to be family bonding. We played board games, watched movies, played card games, cooked and just hung out together. I don't think the smile left my face the entire time. For the first time since I can remember my nightmares didn't even make an appearance.
It was Sunday around noon when Charlie came into the living room to sit with me, Sue was cooking lunch and Emmett was out getting Rosalie. He had said he wanted to introduce her to me before school.
"Bella, I need to ask you about something, but I need you to know that this is completely your decision okay." I nodded waiting for whatever he had to say, this was the most serious sounding I had ever heard him this weekend.
"I know that your last name is Dwyer, and from what we gathered your mother changed her name after she had left Forks. I was wondering if you would be okay with changing your last name to Swan. I have the paperwork from the custody issue that includes changing your name that I need to finish filling out. If you don't want to do it now or ever I understand, but I wanted to give you the choice before I sent the final documents in."
I stared at him for a moment thinking about what I wanted, in reality my mother was never a Dwyer, and I never felt half of the love and emotion that I did with the Swan's in one weekend then I did with Renee in all the 16 years I lived with her.
"I would like to be a Swan if that's alright." The smile that radiated off of Charlie looked as if someone just told him he won the lottery. He hugged me with as much strength as he dared, and started shouting to Sue that I said yes.
Emmett chose that moment to enter the house with the beautiful blonde following him. Charlie told Emmett that I said yes and he started joining in the celebration, Rosalie looked a little confused as the two men were jumping around. Emmett was able to calm down some and grabbed Rosalie's hand and brought her into the living room and in front of the couch where I was currently sitting. Her eyes widened as the saw me sitting here.
"Rosie, I would like to introduce you to my little sister, Bella. Bella this is my girlfriend Rosie." Emmett stated with the only grin to rival Charlie's, Rosalie's eyes about bugged out of her head at the mention of "sister." She began to stutter, trying to get anything out. I will admit to being a little shocked at watching this woman have a hard time making sense of what Emmett had said.
"Wow, um" she looked at Emmett then back to me "I didn't know that your parents were foster parents, but I got to tell you I'm glad, because I wouldn't wish living with the Stanley's on my worst enemy, well that's a lie, I would."
"Rosie, my parents aren't foster parents, Bella's my sister. I told you a while ago about the 'discussion' I had with pop about all the lovin' and how he told me about the woman who aborted his baby when him and my mom were apart." Rosalie nodded, and Emmett continued "well turns out the bitch lied, she kept the baby and now my little sister is here."
"I know it's a shock, it's one to me as well." I shrugged, unsure of what else to say. Sue called Emmett into the kitchen and Rosalie took a seat next to me.
"I got to say I was happy when I heard that you were found, and then to add this information on top of it, I'm at a loss for what to say. I meant what I said though, I'm glad you are out of the Stanley's house, that bitch grates on my last nerve." I chuckled a little at her comment.
With that the ice was broken, I went to bed that night as a Swan and with a friend.
Ж
Monday morning I woke up to Sue, shaking me gently. She had agreed the night before to help me get ready for the day. Once I was dressed, Emmett carried me down the stairs and helped me into his jeep. After I was in he bolted back to the house and came out holding my crutches, one in each hand raised in the air as in some kind of victory.
"Betcha thought I forgot, but don't worry little Bell, I have the memory of an elephant."
"Yeah, and soon you'll have the body of one if your eating habits continue." Emmett broke into laughter, and I was proud of the fact that in the short time living here I had developed a comfort. Maybe it wasn't smart given my history, but with everything I had been through I wasn't going to waste my time being skeptical.
We pulled into the school lot near the administration building where Emmett helped me to the office. We had the paper work to show so my name could be changed in the system. Emmett was almost squealing like a little girl hyped up on pixie sticks when we told Mrs. Cope what we needed. The poor woman looked like she was about to have a heart attack when she heard the news. She went about what she needed to do and then gave me a note to give to my teachers explaining the situation. Emmett left me to go to my first class, since he had to move the jeep back to the student parking lot.
Since we had left early and I was closer to my classroom then I would have been had I entered through the normal parking lot I was the first one in the room. I gave the teacher the note and he looked a little shocked to say the least but indicated he understood. I went to my seat, and laid my crutches down. A few minutes later the door opened and I knew who walked in without ever looking up, I could just feel. He approached our side of the room slowly and slid into his desk.
"Hi Bella, I didn't know you were going to be here. Jessica said you were sent back to Seattle." For the first time in this class I turned my head to look at him, I think my new last name gave my confidence a boost.
"Well I was, but some new information came out that Jessica isn't privy too, so nope I didn't go back." I shrugged, I didn't know if Emmett wanted to me to tell anyone especially his friends that I was his sister. I knew he was excited, but I never really asked what he did actually want me to do. Edward just nodded, I could tell he wanted to ask what the information was but was interrupted by a very similar shriek.
"WHAT THE HELL, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GONE!"
"ENOUGH, Ms. Stanley you will apologize to Ms. Dwy- Swan, this instant"
Well that ought to do it, thanks teach.
Everyone who was in the room froze, looking at me trying to figure out what the hell just happened, but before anyone could say or do anything, the bell rang and the teacher gave Jessica a pointed glare and she mumbled an apology, and he continued with the lecture for the day.
By the time the lunch bell rang rumors and mummers were going around, but again no one dared ask me. I was hobbling my way to the library when I passed Rosalie in the hall.
"Hey Bella." I smiled and kept on going, "where are you going?"
"The library." she looked confused for a moment before something clicked.
"I've never seen you in the cafeteria, do you always go to the library." I moved my head up and down in acknowledgment. With a huff she grabbed my arm and started directing me towards the lunchroom. "Well not anymore you don't, Emmett hasn't shut up about having you sit with us at lunch all morning. Plus I want you there, you can help me calm the little pixie."
Have you ever had that feeling when you walk into a room and you just feel like an animal trapped in a zoo, simply there for the entertainment of children. Well that is how I felt when Rosalie opened the doors and the whole thing stilled.
AN: alright I'm going to beg- please review and let me know what you think! I am not above bribing- I will send a preview of the next chapter.