AN: This is a short chapter, but I figured you guys wouldn't mind as this is the 3rd update in the space of a week.
Thanks to storytime, fallunder, Humble4, april666king, sujari6, ellaryne for reviewing, and thanks to pastiche lethe and babylopez2008 for pre-reading/beta-ing so quickly.
As always, let me know what you think.
Enjoy...
Edward
"Are you crazy?" Rosalie exclaims.
"I didn't know what else to do!" I pronounce each word as clearly as possible so she could get them through her thick skull.
After the incident in the woods, I did what I thought was the right thing, and carried Bella back to my place. She didn't put up a fight. In fact, she didn't do or say anything. She almost looked… lifeless.
It scared me.
"Calm down, the pair of you," Carlisle scolds us. "Upstairs right now is a very frightened young girl who needs our help. You two fighting over something that's already happened isn't going to change that."
He's right. I thought I was protecting her. Could I have done her more harm than good? I shouldn't be blaming myself though. I actually think Alice is more to blame than I am.
What was she thinking?
"Alice?" I ask. "Why did you leave it so late to tell me, or anyone? It's like you were trying to cover up your vision. She could have died before I got to her."
Or she could be one of us, her thought slips out.
"What?" I can't quite believe what I just heard. "Are you crazy? You didn't tell anyone just so she could turn into one of us? Are you really that selfish? I thought she was supposed to be your friend!"
Edward, you need to calm down. I won't tell you again, Carlisle thinks.
"Hey, you need to watch your tone," Jasper warns me. He defensively puts his arm over Alice's shoulder.
"Jeez… I like Bella, I do, but that's just harsh, Alice," Emmett backs me up.
"I just wanted the vision to come true," she cries. Her thoughts return to a red-eyed Bella.
"Hang on," Rosalie interrupts. "Can we forget about that for a second and get back to the real issue now? She knows! She knows there's something different about us, and after that nomad's little show of almost taking a bite out of her, it's not going to take her very long to figure it out. That is, if she hasn't done so already!"
Maybe we should just kill the girl, Jasper thinks.
His thought causes a growl to erupt from my chest. I immediately prepare myself for a fight. I find myself willing to protect this girl from anyone, even from my family… and maybe even to the death.
"Stop!" Esme yells.
I freeze where I'm standing, trying to calm myself down. Jasper also tries to calm me as he mentally apologises. It starts to work.
"Bella has gone through enough, don't you think? I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate our family fighting over her," Esme tells us.
Carlisle adds to Esme's argument. "She must be in a state of shock right now. We need to establish that she's okay before we can do anything else. Esme, can you please call Charlie and inform him that Bella is staying here for dinner? That should buy us some time"
Esme nods and walks out of the room to use the phone.
"I want everyone to give her some space," Carlisle continues. "Jasper and Emmett? Maybe you should try tracking this nomad again? We don't want her to come back for Bella, if that's what she chooses to do."
The guys agree and head out of the house in silence. I can sense from their thoughts that they're both determined. Emmett thinks of Bella as a sister, and Jasper, well, I guess it's down to his army training when he was still a human.
"Maybe I should go too?" Alice asks, hesitantly. "You know, put my visions to use."
"Can you even be trusted anymore?" I snap.
She looks at me like I've just slapped her across the face.
"Go, Alice," Carlisle commands. Alice leaves us alone and heads out to join my brothers.
That was a little harsh, Edward, Carlisle thinks.
"I'm staying out of this," Rosalie says as she leaves the room.
I always knew that she was selfish.
"What about me?" I ask my father.
"You can wait down here," he replies as he heads up to my room where Bella is resting.
I bet that's easier said than done.
Bella
I can't…
I didn't…
That couldn't have…
"Bella?" I think I hear someone ask.
It sounds like a man's voice.
Who…?
"It's Carlisle, Bella. I just wanted to see how you're doing. Is that okay?"
Where am I?
I don't understand.
"Can you tell me what happened, Bella?" I hear the voice ask.
Is that… Dr Cullen?
I feel a cold object on my forehead. I think it's shaped like a hand.
Is someone touching me?
They feel cold.
The Cullen's are cold.
Edward.
Edward…
"I'm right here, Bella."
Edward!
He saved me. He's here to save me.
I feel someone touch my hand. I cling on to it, and the feeling it provides me with.
"It's alright, Bella. You can hold my hand as hard as you need to. You won't hurt me," Edward's voice tells me, soothingly.
So I do, and as hard as I can.
He saved me. He'll protect me from…
From…
"What's happening?" I hear Edward ask. He sounds worried, and maybe slightly desperate.
"She's having a panic attack," Dr Cullen says.
Is Dr Cullen here?
"I'm going to sedate her. It's for her own good, Edward."
I think I feel something on my arm.
Am I dreaming?
Edward
"It's okay, Edward," Carlisle soothes me. "Her mind just needs to process what happened to her. She almost died today. That's a lot for anyone to deal with. She's incredibly strong."
I stay sitting on my couch. Bella's head is in my lap, using me as a pillow, while she sleeps off her dose of sedative.
Carlisle is right; she has been through so much.
"She was so…" I start, but I'm unsure of how to finish. I begin to stroke her hair. I find it calms me and helps me to think things through.
"I've never seen anything like it," I try again. "Her eyes were open, but not focusing on anything."
"Yes," my father replies. "Her mumblings too, were quite interesting."
She said my name, several times. It's strange how happy that makes me feel, even though she was so distressed when she uttered it.
"Do you think she'll be okay? Did I do the right thing today?" I ask. I need to know.
"Yes, of course, Edward. Just give her some time."
Carlisle packs up his instruments and leaves.
I've got nothing but time.
I'll be here for as long as she needs me to be.
Bella
I wake with a start.
When did I even fall asleep?
I think I had a nice dream though. Edward was there, which was kind of weird, but it felt right. I think we were in a meadow of some sort.
Wait…
"Bella?"
His voice makes me jump.
"Edward?"
He's standing in the doorway. I take a moment to look around.
Where the hell am I?
"May I?" Edward asks me as he points to the seat next to me.
I nod, and he walks over to me. He sits on the couch, by my side.
We're silent for a moment, neither one of us knowing what to say.
Where do I start?
"Are you hungry?" Edward breaks the silence before I do.
Hungry?
My memory flashes up an image in my mind. A crazy, red-headed woman…
"I guess you could say I'm a little… hungry," her shrill voice says.
I jump out of my seat.
"Bella?" Edward asks, wearily. He also stands up from where he's sitting.
"Stay away from me," I say as I back away towards the door.
What the hell happened today?
"Please, stop," he begs me.
He looks so sad.
But earlier… my memory flashes up another image for me to see. It's one of Edward, running in to the crazy woman, knocking her over with a deafening sound, almost like thunder.
I remember…
A sob escapes from my throat as Edward steps closer to me. I feel a tear or two run down my face.
I reach the door way and stop when I hear his words.
"I would never hurt you, Isabella," he tells me, almost pleading with me. "I feel very protective of you."
Why would he feel protective of me? I'm nothing special.
There's something that I need to know.
"What are you?" I hear myself ask.
Edward stops in his tracks and stares at me. He looks reluctant to tell me.
I think I know the answer anyway.
"You must know…" Edward says, with a quizzical expression on his face.
I nod, slowly. I don't want to make any sudden moves.
"Say it," Edward demands, "out loud… Say it."
I take a deep breath, because I know that once I say it I won't be able to take I back. It'll be out there in the open. I can't look at him while I utter the words. I look down towards the floor and stare at my shoes.
"…Cannibal. You're a cannibal. So are the rest of your family. The woman who attacked me earlier must have been one too."
It's the only logical explanation I have.
I look up when I hear a sudden burst of noise.
It's coming from Edward, and he's laughing uncontrollably.
AN: Thoughts? Hit me with a review :)
Until next time?