Fallen Angel:

Chapter 3

Sometime in the early morning, Jasper was pulled from his thoughts as he sat there, quietly keeping an eye on Amy. Amy was having a nightmare. Mumbling incoherently and weakly swatting at something that only she could see. Jasper stood up and took her hand gently, pulling it into his hands. He smoothed her hair away from her face and softly crooned to her. After a few minutes, Amy's features relaxed into sleep once more.

He stopped before going back to his perch to see if he could read her mind while she was asleep and was amazed at the wealth of information he was able to access while she was asleep and relaxed. She was deeply traumatized by something that had happened just a few months ago. Something about an uncle, and memories that were coming up. Jasper made a few notes on a peice of paper and put it in his pocket.

'My sweet lady, I'm so sorry that some man hurt you so deeply. Would it suffice that I could track him down for you and make him answer for his crimes against your body, I would do so. And make sure he never hurts anyone ever again. It would be my absolute pleasure to do this for you.' Jasper was slightly taken aback at how fiercely he wanted to protect her. Could it be that he was imprinting on her?

He shrugged to himself and tried to put the idea of imprinting out of his head. That was something that those mangy wolves did, not distinguished vampires like himself. It was probably just his overactive imagination working on him again. He couldn't be sure. Ever since he touched her on the bridge, it was like his ability to read people, to change their moods, anything was gone. All that was left was his ability to telepath with people.

He turned to the door expectantly to see Carlisle standing there. He didn't say anything and Jasper knew that he had heard Jasper's oath. He shrugged again. He didn't care. He wouldn't put anyone in danger, but he would make sure that justice was served. Carlisle rolled his eyes, something he had not done in a very long time. Well, not since he acquired "Kids". Jasper smirked at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Jasper. How is she? I could feel the change in her mood down the hall as I was walking here. She's asleep once more, that's good. It seems to be true sleep now, not one with nightmares." Carlisle walked into the room and beckoned him to the doorway. Jasper hated to leave her side. He shook his head and settled in the chair again. Carlisle pulled him up from the chair and pushed him out to the hall.

Jasper quietly growled, earning a raised eyebrow from Carlisle. Jasper refused to apologize, Carlisle knew that he was sorry but wouldn't apologize right now. He should punish Jasper for it but he had other things on his mind. Like the bulletin that came across his computer that had gone out to every hospital from coast to coast. He didn't believe it when he had read it, though only Amy would be able to confirm it.

He held out the paper that he had printed off to Jasper. Who scanned it quickly and scoffed."So she's a runaway. She said that she will be an emancipated minor when it goes through. I get the impression that someone, maybe an uncle raped her recently. If that's the case, the uncle will die. No, Carlisle I won't turn him. We don't need a rapist in our midst. He deserves to hurt for what he did, but I won't do anything until Amy confirms it for me."

Carlisle rolled his eyes again. He should have known better than to assume that Jasper would just simply let it go. He also knew that once the others found out, that person whoever he was, who had hurt Amy would be good as dead. None of them would show him mercy. Not that he deserved it to begin with. Carlisle was actually willing to break the rules that he put in place for his family to follow for something like this.

Their attention was drawn to the small commotion inside Amy's room. It sounded like she was awake and talking to someone, but there was no one in the room with her. Jasper had turned her phone off and plugged it in to charge. He hadn't wanted anyone calling her disturbing her while she rested. It was far enough away that they would have heard her if she had attempted to get out of bed for it.

"No. I don't want that. Stop it. It hurts. God it hurts. Please." Amy was crying. In the throes of another nightmare. Carlisle walked in and listened. Jasper returned to the side of her bed and took her hand again. She started punching at something. Jasper just held on and held her closer. She started crying harder. Jasper sat down on the bed and pulled her into his lap. He held her against his chest and crooned to her, hoping it would settle her down some. Suddenly she stiffened and started to hyperventilate.

"Let go of me. Jesus let go of me!" She started struggling to get out of his lap and he scooted her off onto the bed and stood up. He sat down on his earlier perch and watched her. She curled herself at tightly as she could, which wasn't very tight considering she was so groggy. Jasper took a closer look at her. There was something odd about her behavior. It took him just a moment to figure what was out of place.

She wasn't even awake. He turned and looked at Carlisle who was looking at her with a pensive look. He shrugged and went back to his office. Jasper resumed his perch and waited, willing to battle the nightmares away as they came. He had a feeling that she was going to be having more. He didn't want to confront her with the paper and decided to hide it and put it off until he was able to talk to Carlisle.

The next morning, Amy awoke to find herself alone. There was a note taped to her handrail and she picked it up. ' Sweet lady, I'll be back soon. I went to get your assignments and books. I'm sure the school will give me the combination to your locker. I have a couple errands to do and then I will be back to visit. In the meantime, eat something. You're too thin. Love, Jasper.' She smiled at his sweetness and set it back on the table.

"Good Morning! How are you doing? My name is Denise and I will be your nurse for the day shift. Breakfast trays should be coming up shortly. Is there anything I can get you at the moment?" Amy nodded and expressed the desire to go to the bathroom. Denise grabbed her crutches and helped her to the bathroom, where Amy let out an unabashed sigh of pleasure. When she was done, Denise got her settled in bed again just in time for the trays to come up.

While she ate, she thought about the weird turn that her life had taken and the events that had brought her to this point. She left home because her parents refused to believe that her uncle had raped her and had been abusing her for years. They accused her of making it up and being mentally unstable. That had hurt at the time, though now, it was like a fly at a picnic. Slightly annoying but ignorable.

She had meticulously planned her departure. She had contacted an attorney first off, and had petitioned to become an emancipated minor. That had REALLY set her parents off. To say that they were pissed, was an understatement. She had started to squirrel away some cash, though she was sure that several times her parents were starting to become suspicious. It helped that she'd had a job. It gave her income to use.

She had decided to leave in the middle of the night, when both her parents were asleep. She had packed a big suitcase, and two huge duffle bags. She'd hated not taking all of her stuff, but she would go back for it when she went back for her hearing for emancipation. Most, if not all of it was legally hers anyway. She'd worked her ass for it. At that time, she would hire someone to help her load and drive everything to Washington.

She hated not being at School. It was like she was going to get caught and recieve detention. Not that she didn't have a viable excuse. Carlisle had told her that he would call the school and explain the situation. She wondered how that conversation had gone. She didn't care much for the administration of the school. They thought she was strange and in need of therapy and kept trying to force her to meet with the school shrink.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a knock on the door. There was a short, squat man standing there. Amy didn't recognize him, yet the hairs on the back of her neck stood up was a bell going off in the back of her mind, screaming DANGER! She finished her food and pushed the tray back a little before reaching for her call light. The man can into the room and smiled at her sticking his hand out which she ignored.

"Can I help you Sir or do you have the wrong room?" The guy pulled out a notepad and pen, that's when it hit her. The guy was a reporter. Before the guy could answer her, the nurse came in to see what she wanted. Amy noticed that the IV had been removed sometime the night before. Denise checked her vitals before looking at her. She could see that something was wrong and was willing to bet that it had something to do with the guy in the room.

"Yes Dear? What did you need?" Amy smiled at her for not using her name, and relaxed for just a moment. The guy was still in the room and he gave her the creeps because he had yet to say anything at all to her. She felt safer with Denise in the room and settled against her pillows. Denise checked her cast briefly and reported healthy, pink toes. Amy nodded and smiled. This was a good thing.

"Do you know when Dr. Cullen will be in for rounds today? I'd really like to speak to him. Also, could you tell me if you've seen his son Jasper? He's supposed to be bringing some of my stuff by and I'd like to talk to him as well. Also could you please help me? I don't know who this guy is but I suspect that he is some kind of reporter. I don't want to talk to him, nor do I want my picture taken." Denise smiled and patted her hand.

"Dr. Cullen should be in within the next 20 minutes. He said he really needed to speak to you as well. As far Jasper, I don't know- He should be in school right now, but maybe he's coming here to give you your stuff. Then again, he could have gone up to volunteer in the Nursery. He goes there frequently. Anything else?" She whispered this to Amy, and turned to look at the man who was creeping closer.

"Can I help you with something Sir? This is a hospital, in case you have forgotten. I will not have you running around this floor harrassing my patients and upsetting them. So I will have to ask you to leave. Now before I get security. The guy glared at the nurse and shouldered her aside. The nurse turned to pick up the room phone to call security. The guy shoved a microphone in Amy's voice and started firing questions at her.

"Amy, Mike Scarpa with the Washington Tribune. What can you tell me about why your parents have reported you missing? Why did you run away from home. Who is this Jasper fellow you were asking the nurse about and What can you tell me about the Emancipation petition that you filed against your parents five months ago?" He waited eagerly for her answers of which none were forthcoming, she simply rolled her eyes. The guy got out a camera.

"Oh no you don't! You will NOT take photos of anyone in my hospital! I have already called hospital security now please leave peacefully." Denise tried to shield Amy as best as she could with the guy dodging about trying to get a decent shot. Amy pulled the sheet up over her face, trying to make it difficult for him to get a picture as well. The guy was shouting obscenities at the nurse. Suddenly there was a booming voice.

"Just WHAT is going on in this room?!" Amy peeked out. She'd met him last night. Edward. With him was Dr. Cullen. Hospital security was right behind them. They escorted the guy out and the nurse turned to see if Amy needed anything before going back to her duties. She let out a long, slow deep breath. Her attention was drawn to the chair that Dr. Cullen had just sat in. She forced herself to meet his stare.

"Good Morning Dr. Cullen. Hi Edward. How are you both today?" Edward just looked at her broodingly. Amy dismissed him and his brooding with a simple thought and turned her attention to Carlisle. He was frowning. This was bad. Before he could say anything, Jasper appeared and knocked on the door frame. Amy was glad to see him, He could help difuse the tension in the room just by being there.

"Amy, Hi, Sorry I didn't get back earlier, I had a couple personal errands to run. But I got your books and assignments for the next 3 weeks. As well as a couple of your teachers phone numbers so you can call them for instruction on the projects, one of which is in our psychology class and I'm your self appointed partner. I hope you don't mind." Jasper didn't miss the the smirk on Edwards face. He flipped him off and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Amy. I'm sorry that that reporter got in here. Had I thought about it, I would have given the nurses a heads up and he wouldn't have gotten in here to harrass you. Did you tell him anything?" Carlisle leaned forward and took a paper out of his back pocket. He tapped it on his fingers before giving it to Amy who opened it slowly. When she did, she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Amy, We aren't accusing you of anything, but we'd like to know. Please talk to us. We might be able to help you, but only if you trust us." Carlisle sat back and waited. Amy sat up as best as she could and looked at the paper again. The picture her parents had chosen was at least four years old. She looked Fatter in the picture, with stringy looking hair. She rolled her eyes and glanced at Jasper.

"I'm not a runaway. Everything I told you about the Emancipation was true. I will be emancipated in another month when I have to travel home for the hearing. I left for my own reasons. One was to get as far away from my parents as possible. We don't get along, haven't for some time. I was tired of them using up all of the money that I worked hard to save up for college for their own needs and wants."

"Ok, but why else did you leave Amy? I know that there had to be a good one for you to turn your back on your family. They did love you didn't they?" Edward deliberately provoked her. He heard Jasper and Carlisle both telepathing that it was a bad idea but he was stronger than Jasper and knew exactly what had happened. He only wanted her to admit it so she could heal. Amy pointed a finger at him.

"I'm sorry Edward, but you don't know shit about me or my family. Your brother rescused me off the bridge and your father patched me up. I am grateful for that, but that does not give you the right to come in here, make assumptions and act like you can read my damned mind. You know nothing about me or what I've had to live." It took alot for them to remain impassive when she said what she said about reading minds.

She had no idea how close she was to the truth. As long as she didn't nail the truth on the head, they were ok with that. Jasper leaned closer to difuse the situation. he didn't want her to shut down on them. He wanted to help her. He tried to sooth her feathers. Edward at least had the decency to look repentant. He looked at Amy again. Carlisle hushed him with one word. Edward settled down and was quiet.

"Amy. Would you tell us why else you left? You had a small nightmare last night and you mumbled some pretty incriminating stuff. Not that I think you are a criminal, but please, let us help you. You obviously have your reasons for coming this far from home. Share the burden with me please. Let me in." Amy pursed her lips and sighed. She WAS tired of hurting and carrying the burden alone.

She looked at Edward." Edward, would you please shut the door for me? I would appreciate it, and pull up the other chair when you're done. I don't want anyone in the hall hearing what I'm about to say." Edward did as she asked and pulled the chair up settling in it quickly. Amy smiled and looked at them. She knew much more than she let on. She just hoped that they didn't hate her for it.

"I know you all are different. I know that you can read minds." When she said that, Carlisle sat up straighter."