A/N: Hi everyone. Sooooooo... first of all, HUGE apologies for how long this took. Time really got away from me. Between my baby girl who seems to be growing up way too fast, working far too many hours, and other random life stuff I won't bore you with, all things Twilight sort of took a back seat. The irony is, as soon as I started writing again, I realized how much I'd needed it. If I'd taken more time to relish in the pure joy of the characters we all love so much, maybe things wouldn't have seemed so overwhelming. I think finishing this chapter may have actually lowered my blood pressure. :)
Secondly, to everyone who's taken the time to review, thank you! I'm sorry if I haven't responded personally, but know that each one gave me a little boost of encouragement, and there were some days when I really needed it!
Finally, thanks to shasta53 for beta-ing... sorry I worried you. It won't be so long next time, I promise! :) Onward!!!
Wager – EPOV
If you're just going to sit there all distracted, you should have stayed home. I snapped myself out of my current train of thought – one that was, unfortunately, focused on the profession of love Jacob was probably uttering to Bella at that very moment – only to find Emmett glaring at me.
"I thought we'd all decided this trip was necessary," I argued. If it hadn't been, I would have stayed home, and Bella would be withme right now instead of with that filthy, mangy...
You know I'm not worried about the fight, Emmett grinned. I'm just here for the extra meal. I rolled my eyes, but a smile crept onto my face. No matter what lay ahead, Emmett could always eat.
"You might not be, but Carlisle certainly is," I said quietly. As much as I hated to admit it, and although I would always remain the picture of confidence around Bella, I was concerned as well.
Yeah, well he worries too much.
"That may be true, but is it possible you don't worry quite enough?"
Highly unlikely.
I sighed. "I know you think we're strong enough to fight off an army of unknown numbers and strength, and I hope you're right, but what if we aren't ready for them? What if something happens to one of us? To Rose?"
His smile didn't waver for a moment, but I could hear the brief flash of panic in his mind. He could put on a brave front all he wanted, act casual and aloof morning til night, but I knew Rosalie was his world. Emmett had given me a hard time about my pleas to the Volturi, called me over-dramatic, but if something took Rose away from him, he'd be on the next plane to Italy himself.
"Doesn't matter," he said aloud, trying to shake off his brief flicker of doubt. "There's nothing we can't handle."
"Let's go," Jasper shouted, stopping me before I could argue any further. "There's a herd of elk about a mile off. Race you?"
"That's what I'm here for," Emmett said with a smirk as he took off running.
Normally, I would have followed after my brothers, passing them up in no time, but Emmett had been right. I was far too distracted, and decided it was best to keep to myself. Since Bella was spending the day in La Push, everyone except for Rose, who was keeping an eye on Charlie, had come along. Carlisle and Esme were spending most of the trip by themselves. Esme was Carlisle's sanctuary, his safe harbor, and with all he'd been worrying about lately, he needed her comfort more than ever.
Alice was, as usual, already a few steps ahead of Jasper, which left me alone with nothing but the noise of my own thoughts. At the moment, my thoughts were focused on one thing only, and they happened to be screaming it rather loudly.
Jacob is telling Bella he loves her! I wanted to believe it wouldn't matter, that her heart would still be mine, but I'd be a fool to think it wouldn't have at least some affect on her.
I saw the way she looked at him, how her eyes lit up when she saw him waiting at the border for her. I knew how miserable she'd been when they weren't spending any time together, and how upset she'd been with me for trying to keep them apart. Worst of all, I heard his name slip from her lips from time to time when she was sleeping. He was in her life and in her dreams – and after today, she would know exactly how he felt about her.
Not that I didn't think she already knew, to some extent. The boy was about as subtle as a flashing neon sign. Still, it was different to think someone's in love with you, and an entirely different thing to actually hear it.
So, why aren't you with Em and Jazz? They're playing a little game of who can bring down the biggest elk. I thought you'd want to join them. Alice was standing next to me, smiling, and I struggled to shift my attention to her.
"Are they now?" I said, attempting a smile. "And you didn't want to join them?"
"You know how much I hate playing games if I know I'm not going to win."
"Right, I forgot."
Her brow pulled together in concern. What's up with you today? she thought, sitting down next to me.
"As if you don't already know," I muttered. She pursed her lips as irritation flickered across her face, and I realized that what was bothering me was something beyond her sight. "Oh," I said apologetically. "I guess you wouldn't have seen this one coming."
"The mutt?" she asked, frustrated.
"Who else?" I sighed. "I mean, it's not like I blame him. I'd fight for her, too. I have fought for her. I just... I can't stand the thought of him pledging his love to her, begging her to chose him instead."
"Ah. Your sulking makes a bit more sense now. And here I thought you were just missing her and worrying like usual."
"For once, I wish it was only that."
"Edward?" she said slowly, pausing until my eyes met hers. "You do realize you have absolutely nothing to worry about, right?"
I took a deep breath. It was hard to admit it out loud. "I'm not so sure."
"Oh, come on," she scoffed, all traces of seriousness vanished. "After all this time, after everything you two have been through... when she's on the brink of getting exactly what she's been wanting from the very start, now you doubt her? I may not be able to see her reaction to that mangy hairball, but I can guess with a fair amount of confidence that it won't end well for him."
I laughed along with her, hopeful for a brief moment before my insecurities had time to resurface.
"I'd like to think so, and most of the time I have complete faith in her feelings for me, but Alice, I left her. The whole time I was away, Jacob was there for her. She loves him, I know she does. Sometimes she talks about him in her sleep. She misses him, worries about him, wants him to be happy."
"But she chose you. She's chosen you time and again. Yes, you left, but when you came back, how long did it take for her to forgive you?"
"She gave me forgiveness I didn't deserve."
"No arguments there."
I rolled my eyes. Alice had always believed in Bella's love for me, long before even I had. Truly, I wanted nothing more than to accept her assurances, and put my fears out of my mind for the remainder of the trip. It was impossible, though, as I replayed the words I knew Jacob was speaking to Bella at any moment.
"What makes this all so much worse is that there was a time when I might have said Jacob was a better fit for Bella." I was staring at the ground, speaking more to myself than to Alice. "Before he changed, if he was just a kid in love – if he was safe for her, a part of me might have wanted her to pick him. I'd do anything to protect her, even watch her love someone else. But he's no better for her than I am. He and his pack are a threat to her safety – even if he is considerably more in control than I fathomed possible."
I laughed under my breath and Alice raised an eyebrow at me.
"It's actually rather ironic," I continued. "The fact that he's adapted so well to his new lifestyle, the amount of control he has over his transformations... it's the only reason I can stand to let her be with him. And I'm pretty sure a lot of that control stems from his feelings for her. He can't bear to think he might be a danger to her, so he works that much harder to make sure he isn't. As much as it pains me to say it, I know how much he loves her. Where Bella's safety is concerned, I trust him. I despise him, but I trust him."
"And right now, he's confessing his feelings, and asking Bella to chose him over you."
"It's nothing that I don't deserve."
"Maybe," she said, then smiled kindly and took my hand. "But isn't that the nature of love? It's undeserved. That's what makes it such a gift." Alice stood up then, her eyes daring me to question her logic. "Now, the sooner you finish hunting, the sooner you can get back to Bella. I'm sure she'll be anxious to tell you all about her amusing trip to La Push."
I wasn't as certain as Alice seemed to be that Bella would want to talk about what happened, but I knew in that moment how necessary it was. Assuming Bella turned Jacob down – which, for my sanity, I had to believe – I wanted her to know that I understood if his confession had made her question her options. She had to know I wasn't upset with her, that honestly, I would expect nothing less. The important thing was that she knew what her heart wanted. As long as I was still who she wished to spend forever with, we could put everything else behind us.
Alice hunted with me over the next hour. I tried to concentrate, but my focus simply wasn't there. When I couldn't stand it any longer, I asked if Bella was home yet.
She scowled at me. "Well, I haven't seen anything, so I would assume not. Relax, okay? Remember why you came today in the first place."
"I haven't forgotten. But if the point was to prepare me for the fight, in whatever way possible, then I think it's time I headed home. I'm strong in all the ways Carlisle intended by insisting on this trip. My mind is what I have to prepare now – and it's not doing me one bit of good being away from her."
Frustrated that her positive words hadn't seemed to do much good, her thoughts launched into a steady stream of insults. After a few moments, though, her silent tirade ended in something that resembled acceptance, and really, that was all I could ask for.
"You'll tell the others?" I hedged. "I mean, you'll make them understand why I had to leave?"
"Consider it done. I've already seen their reactions. Em and Jazz aren't going to let this one go easily. Carlisle, however, will smile and make some offhanded comment about the whims of young love."
"Thanks," I breathed.
"What kind of a sister would I be if I wasn't willing to make excuses for my pathetic, love-sick brother?"
With one last nod of understanding, Alice waved me away. "Go. Wait at the line like I know you want to."
"Thanks," I repeated, already running
I'd noticed Bella had forgotten to take her phone with her, so I was expecting to get a call from Jacob at some point. Although I knew it was possible he would simply drive her home himself, I was letting myself hope she would prefer I picked her up. I wanted to think all his confession would do would be to create an awkwardness between them that Bella would be anxious to get away from.
I knew it would show far greater patience and sensibility to wait for her call at home, but as soon as my car was in sight, I knew sensibility wasn't going to win this time. I was inside the Volvo, engine revving, as I clutched my cell phone expectantly. I'd barely pulled out of the driveway when it rang.
"Bella?" I answered immediately. "You left the phone... I'm sorry, did Jacob drive you home?"
"Yes," she muttered, irritation saturating her voice. That was definitely a good sign. "Will you come and get me, please?"
"I'm on my way." My brief moment of excitement over my perceived victory quickly dissipated when I realized there was more to the edge in her voice than just frustration. There wasn't even a hint of the awkwardness I'd allowed myself to hope for, and her request for me to pick her up sounded more pleading than I could have imagined. "What's wrong?" I asked nervously.
"I want Carlisle to look at my hand. I think it's broken."
On another day, under different circumstances, I might have lovingly chided her on being more careful. Somehow, though, I could hear that this injury wasn't the product of Bella's usual carelessness. When she fell or bumped into something, there was always an air of casual indifference in her voice. A day in the life, so to speak.
Not today. Today, her voice was ice cold.
"What happened?" I asked, my knuckles clenching as I imagined all the ways that filthy beast could have harmed her.
"I punched Jacob," she said dryly, offering no further explanation. Not that I needed one. Whatever her reason, I was sure he deserved it. Considering the events that had most surely unfolded, I could say with confidence that punching Jacob was a wise choice, and I was proud of her for acting so prudently.
"Good," I assured her. "Though I'm sorry you're hurt."
She laughed quietly, then sighed. "I wish I'd hurt him. I didn't do any damage at all."
"I can fix that," I said lightly, sure she was joking and trying to play along.
"I was hoping you would say that." There was absolutely no trace of humor in her voice. I was so stunned that, for a moment, my foot let off the gas. Since when did Bella grant me permission to harm her best friend?
"That doesn't sound like you," I said gently. Although I couldn't entirely explain the feeling, I was almost afraid to ask the next question. "What did he do?"
"He kissed me," she said without hesitation, her tone biting. If there were still blood in my veins, it would have been boiling to the point of explosion. It felt as if acid were rising in my throat, a burn completely different than the familiar pain of thirst. As if of its own volition, the engine raced and charged forward, my hands gripping the wheel as my foot pressed to the floor, urging it to go faster than it already was.
The only thing keeping me from jumping out of my own skin at that moment, was the knowledge that Bella was upset with Jacob, and had called me. Obviously, the kiss had been entirely one sided. However, that also meant it had been against Bella's will, which only made me more furious.
"Is the dog still there?" I asked. I thought I'd heard he and Charlie speaking in the background, but how could Charlie have allowed him to stay after what he'd done?
"Yes," she answered, and my rage spiked. Jacob had kissed Bella without her permission. Why was he still in their home? Why was he still standing?
"I'm around the corner," I told her. As my car came to a screeching halt outside her house, I had every intention of fulfilling Bella's wishes and finishing what she had started. It took every ounce of strength within me, but I waited outside while she informed Charlie her hand was swelling. My fists clenched, almost painfully with the effort it was taking to restrain myself from breaking the door down... and then breaking Jacob.
Yet, when she opened the door, the moment I saw her kind eyes – no fury, only love for me – I knew taking care of her was the only thing I needed to worry about. Dealing with Jacob could wait.
"Let me see," I said softly, lifting her hand with more care than I'd ever taken with her, fragile as she'd always been. It was the first time I was grateful for my icy skin. I could see the relief on her face as I touched it softly. There was a fair amount of swelling, and I could already feel a bruise forming below the surface.
"I think you're right about the break. I'm proud of you. You must have put some force behind this."
"As much as I have. Not enough, apparently," she added sulkily.
I kissed her hand lightly, letting my cool breath wash over her injury. I wanted to take all her pain away, and as I looked into her eyes, I felt a flash of excitement that soon, she would not be so delicate. When she was changed, she could punch that mongrel properly. In the meantime, however...
"I'll take care of it," I said with a slight smile, calling, "Jacob."
If he'd had a thought in his thick skull up to that point, I hadn't heard it. My every sense was focused on Bella. Now, though, she was watching me expectantly, and Jacob's stare was boring into me.
"Now, now," Charlie warned.
Yeah, leech. What are you gonna do to me with Charlie here? Not so tough when Chief Swan is watching, are you?
"I don't want any fighting, do you understand?" Charlie said, glaring at me as Jacob grinned. "I can go put my badge on it that makes my request more official."
I felt Bella sigh at my side, whether from disappointment or embarrassment I wasn't sure.
"That won't be necessary," I said calmly. Bella, however, was not calm. I heard her heart start racing.
"Why don't you arrest me, Dad?" she snapped. "I'm the one throwing punches."
Charlie nearly laughed, and I suddenly remembered how irritating the whole situation was. Why was he still acting like I was the bad guy? I should have been standing in line behind Charlie to make Jacob suffer for his actions.
"Do you want me to press charges, Jake?" he asked sarcastically.
"No," Jacob said, grinning. "I'll take the trade any day." Not like it hurt, anyway. And even if it had, I still have the memory of Bella's sweet lips on mine to take the pain away.
I cringed, silently reminding myself the importance of restraint, composure. Pummeling Jacob wouldn't solve anything. Except that it would make Bella feel better... and I'd never wanted to wipe the smirk off his face more than at that second.
"Dad, don't you have a baseball bat somewhere in your room? I want to borrow it for a minute," Bella said, snapping me out of what was likely a very dangerous train of thought.
"Enough, Bella," Charlie said with a tone of authority that really would have been better directed at Jacob. Did he honestly think him such a great person that his actions deserved no consequences? What would he think if he knew Jacob spent the majority of his time these days running around on all fours, hunting vampires, and sharing thoughts with the rest of the Quileute boys?
I felt Bella's anger escalating next to me, her body temperature rising as her glare shirted between Charlie and Jacob.
"Let's go have Carlisle look at your hand before you wind up in a jail cell," I said calmly, pulling her closer.
"Fine," she mumbled, sinking into my embrace and effectively silencing my lingering thoughts of revenge.
Jacob's mind was babbling insults, and Charlie's was his usual dizzying medley of conflicting thoughts. I still couldn't understand his nonchalance about Jacob. Where was the over-protective father figure I knew him to be? Then, I heard it; a shift in the tenor of his thoughts. It happened when he saw the way I has holding onto Bella, gently guiding her through the door and down the stairs. Something registered, if only for a moment, and I could hear that he understood. I was Bella's protector. I was taking every precaution, bound and determined not to let anything hurt her more than she already was – and Jacob was just standing there with a sly grin on his face.
Charlie glanced at Jacob, a flicker of irritation passing over him, followed by an uncharacteristic wave of guilt. Had he been defending the wrong person? As quickly as it had entered his mind, however, it disappeared. Too long had he been fighting for Jacob, standing up for the boy he deemed worthy to date his daughter.
Bella and I were already outside when Jacob finally managed to pull his thoughts together and form a coherent sentence. He was walking toward us while Charlie warned him not to.
You're seriously just going to walk away? Aw, I was looking forward to this. Can't show your strength in front of Charlie... you'd have to pretend you weren't a freak for a few minutes. It would have been a welcome change.
I couldn't show my strength, but Jacob couldn't phase. I would have him out of sight before Charlie's eyes could focus on the scene before him. As furious as Bella was, however, I knew it wasn't what she really wanted. I kept walking, tightening my grip on Bella just slightly to stop myself from doing something she would regret. I helped her into the car, making sure she was comfortable before turning to Jacob.
"I'm not going to kill you now, because it would upset Bella," I said calmly.
"Hmph," she sighed dejectedly. I smiled at her, wondering if she knew how happy that small sound had made me.
"It would bother you in the morning," I assured her, touching her cheek, thrilled by her smile and the heat in her skin beneath my fingers. Jacob was trying to keep his thoughts from me, but from what I heard, that exchange hurt him more than anything else she'd said. I turned back to Jacob, his expression seething.
"But if you ever bring her back damaged again – and I don't care whose fault it is; I don't care if she merely trips, or if a meteor falls out of the sky and hits her in the head – if you return her to me in less than the perfect condition that I left her in, you will be running with three legs. Do you understand that, mongrel?"
Jacob rolled his eyes but I could hear a trace of fear as he processed my words. He knew I could break him like a twig, and without Bella urging me not to, I had no reason to keep my impulses in check.
"Who's going back?" Bella murmured from the car.
Though I wished I could turn and smile at her again, I didn't want to break eye contact with Jacob. He needed to know that I was absolutely serious.
"And if you ever kiss her again, I will break your jaw for her."
Wow, jealous much? Can't handle a little competition? His cockiness had returned, but I could hear every thought as it jumped through his mind. He was afraid – not just of me, but that he might have actually lost Bella over his juvenile stunt. I saw it; the moment he kissed her and the thing he himself didn't want to admit – Bella hadn't reciprocated the kiss, even for an instant.
"What if she wants me to?" he asked. Please want me to, Bella.
"Hah!" she laughed. Jacob kept his gaze fixed on me. He couldn't stand to look at Bella furious with him any longer.
"If that's what she wants, then I won't object," I assured him. "You might want to wait for her to say it, rather than trust your interpretation of body language – but it's your face."
Jacob smiled as he imagined Bella running up to his house. The door opened and she flew into his arms, kissing him the way he wished she had today. As if Bella could see his delusion as clearly as I had, she muttered, "You wish."
"Yes, he does," I said softly, feeling a brief moment of pity for him. I could only imagine the pain of loving Bella without having her love in return.
The image he longed for so deeply vanished, and he focused his glare on me once more. "Well, if you're done rummaging through my head, why don't you go take care of her hand?" You may have her now, but forever is a long time. As soon as she figures that out, you might not look like such a prize.
So, Jacob was banking on Bella getting bored with me. I suppose it was something to be considered. He was right, after all. Forever is a long time. Eternity was a hard enough concept for me and my family to comprehend, and we'd had countless years to ponder it. Bella was only human. I'd wondered many times if she really knew what she was asking for.
Still, I had promised I would stop trying to make her choices for her – and she had chosen me. Me, my family, this life. She'd made up her mind, and if I let myself be truly honest, I'd grown rather used to the idea. Bella was mine, now and forever. I wasn't about to let her go.
"One more thing," I said, looking straight at Jacob. "I'll be fighting for her, too. You should know that. I'm not taking anything for granted, and I'll be fighting twice as hard as you will."
"Good," he said, unshaken. "It's no fun beating someone who forfeits." Then, he sent another slew of sought after images toward me, some less than decent, and smiled casually as I cringed.
"She is mine," I growled. "I didn't say I would fight fair."
"Neither did I."
"Best of luck."
His smile widened, and he nodded slightly. Filthy leech... Bella will come to her senses soon enough. "Yes, may the best man win."
It never ceased to amaze me how easily Jacob could forget his own abnormality. Was a wolf really so much better than a vampire?
"That sounds about right... pup," I said, happy when I saw a favorite image of he and Bella tainted by the thought of him phasing before her eyes. Even in his mind, she disappeared as he ran off after his pack.
Trying his best to smile through the pain only I knew he was feeling, Jacob turned to Bella. "I hope your hand feels better soon. I'm really sorry you're hurt."
Bella didn't respond. She wouldn't even look at him. I'm an idiot, he thought, his eyes glazing over.
Yes. But loves turns us all into fools. I knew that better than most.
Jacob was already gone by the time I reached the car. "How do you feel?" I asked her.
"Irritated."
"I meant your hand," I laughed.
"I've had worse," she shrugged. That was putting it mildly. I felt a stab of pain as I remembered the far worse injuries she'd sustained at the hands of James. All because of me.
"True,"I said quietly, trying to push away my guilt.
I'm not sure whether I was more relieved or concerned that Bella didn't seem to want to talk about the day's events. I'd seen the highlights through the medium of Jacob's thoughts, but it occurred to me about halfway home that I still didn't know how she'd responded to his confession of love. I assumed it had happened in the moments before his unbidden kiss. Had it been a last, desperate attempt, or had Bella given him reason to think she wanted him to kiss her?
The curiosity was eating away at me, but I didn't want to say anything to upset Bella more than she already was. When he arrived home, Emmett was helping Rose work on the Jeep – well, not so much helping as holding it up while she did all the work. It was a good thing he didn't seem to have any self-esteem issues, since Rose was better than him at basically everything.
Well, this oughta be good, Emmett thought, watching as I carefully helped Bella out of the car. I glared at him, silently begging him to drop it, but Emmett couldn't be stopped.
"Fall down again, Bella?"
Bella's glare put mine to shame. "No, Emmett. I punched a werewolf in the face."
He was startled for a moment, trying to figure out if she was serious. Then, he burst into a fit of laughter.
Well, what do you know? The girl's got a spine after all, Rose thought, still under the car. "Jasper's going to win the bet," she said. I could tell she was grinning.
Emmett's laughter stopped. No. Just because she's got a bit of a temper doesn't mean she's going to go all homicidal.
"What bet?" Bella asked, her brow pulling together as she watched Emmett.
"Let's get you to Carlisle," I said, hoping futilely to distract her. I faced Emmett, my eyes fierce, a growl too low for Bella to hear rumbling in my chest as I shook my head at him. Not now. Please.
"What bet?" she repeated, turning toward me.
"Thanks, Rosalie," I snarled under my breath, still trying to move Bella into the house. I knew I'd have to tell her, but maybe it could at least wait until we were inside with Carlisle. She would be upset, and there was no one better than Carlisle to talk to her about this particular issue.
"Edward..." she continued. I sighed, attempting to stall a little longer.
"It's infantile," I started. "Emmett and Jasper like to gamble."
"Emmett will tell me," she said, struggling to look back at him.
I held her tightly as I chose my words carefully. "They're betting on how many times you... slip up in the first year."
"Oh," she breathed quietly. It took a few seconds for the full weight of what I was saying to set in, but then I felt her shiver. "They have a bet about how many people I'll kill?"
"Yes," I sighed. "Rosalie thinks your temper will turn the odds in Jasper's favor." Where was Carlisle when I needed him? His personal success would remind her that slipping up wasn't necessarily a guarantee. I refused to get involved in their childish bet, but if I had, my money would be on a perfect scorecard for her. I would watch her, help her. I could keep her out of temptation's way.
She was still watching me, horrified. "Jasper's betting high."
"It will make him feel better if you have a hard time adjusting. He's tired of being the weakest link," I said, trying to take the focus off of her.
"Sure. Of course it will. I guess I could throw in a few extra homicides, if it makes Jasper happy. Why not?" Her tone was flat, but I could hear the hysteria that was bubbling right under the surface. She would be hyperventilating in a a few moments if I couldn't get her mind off of it.
"You don't need to worry about it now," I said, hugging her tightly to me. "In fact, you don't have to worry about it ever, if you don't want to."
Bella made a pained sound and I realized that in my panic, I had forgotten about her injured hand. I quickly hurried her into the house, where Carlisle was already waiting. Alice was standing beside him, an extremely prideful expression on her face as she looked at Bella.
I couldn't see it until you two were alone, she thought, beaming at me. Told you you didn't have anything to worry about. Sure wish I could have seen that punch, though. The look on Jacob's face must have been priceless.
I smiled back, more than a little proud myself, then walked with Bella into Carlisle's office. He had everything he needed to examine her hand there. I would never admit it, and I hoped it never occurred to her, but before Bella, Carlisle had never kept many medical supplies on hand – just a few things for when he brought his work home with him. There had never been any need. Now, his office was practically a second hospital.
"It's a very small fracture, and it should heal fairly quickly," Carlisle told her. "I'd still like to put a cast on, but if you're strongly opposed, a brace should be sufficient. If you promise to keep it on all the time, that is."
"I promise," she said, blushing, then muttered, "Can't believe I'm the one in the stupid brace..." I had a feeling her embarrassment was starting to outweigh the physical pain.
As Carlisle carefully secured the brace to her hand, a strange expression crossed Bella's face. I worried that she was hurting and offered to get her a pain reliever, but she shook her head and assured me she was all right. I looked to Carlisle, and he shrugged his shoulders unobtrusively.
She doesn't appear to be in much pain. She's able to hold her hand fairly steady and her pulse hasn't increased as I've added pressure. She's fine, Edward. She's just had a long day.
I watched him for several minutes, the way he meticulously cared for her injury. After all these years, helping people was still his greatest joy in life. A hint of a smile tugged at his lips as he finished.
"There," he said softly. "You'll be as good as new in no time."
I looked back at Bella, expecting her to be watching Carlisle the way I had been, but her gaze was fixed on me. She muttered a quiet "thank you" to Carlisle, but her attention was clearly elsewhere. She was staring at me with a strange longing I'd never seen before. It seemed Carlisle felt the tension in the air as well, because he disappeared without another word.
"Bella?" I asked, suddenly nervous. "Do you want me to take you home?"
She shook her head, eyes never leaving mine. I took two steps, closing the distance between us, and hugged her gently. When I went to pull away, she muttered, "no," almost silently, and pressed herself to me, holding on even tighter than usual. Silently, with her uninjured hand, she took hold of mine, and pulled me toward my room.
I didn't ask what was bothering her. We didn't say another word the rest of the evening. We simply held each other – and I was left wondering what secret thoughts she was hiding, and what I could do to take that look of unknown sadness from her eyes.