Congratulations to all the participants of NaNo! Each and every one of you humble me. A big thanks goes out to AlltheOtherNamesAreUsed for betaing this. She let me return the favor and had me beta her new story, a nice and kinky 5-chapter short, due to post soon. Put her on alert, because you'll love it.
Disclaimer: All new characters and their names were chosen only for the purposes of this story, and do not intend to depict, parody or otherwise comment on anyone who happens to bear the same name.
~*~ Chapter Twenty-Three ~*~
The next few weeks after the road trip passed quickly. The first week had been spent unpacking and getting situated. Carlisle was gone to work at the hospital almost immediately. Esme and Maggie were touching up the weak areas of the house, which included everything from sanding down scratched wood flooring to picking out paint colors. Refitting the house to suit Esme's vision was a noisy activity, but Maggie and Esme were kind enough to cease activity when Bella slept at night.
Jasper and Alice weren't quite so thoughtful. It was their fourth night in the house when Bella first heard the noises they were making. Initially, she didn't know what was going on, and when it sunk in she blushed strongly enough that she could feel the heat in her cheeks. Bella buried her face in her pillow and willed herself to ignore the sounds and go to sleep. It didn't occur to her until the morning that Alice and Jasper were fully capable of controlling the noises they made, and they probably hadn't wanted to. After all, Bella's presence in the house shouldn't keep them from doing what they'd normally do, and Bella wouldn't have wanted it to. In fact, they were probably louder normally. Bella's thought was confirmed the following morning when Maggie whispered warningly "that was mild" in her ear. Bella could only feel grateful that they hadn't really let loose.
Despite the nightly breaks, the vampires easily turned the once-empty house into a home. Curtains went up along the large windows, which every room on the first floor boasted. Cabinets in the kitchen, painted ghastly blue by the previous owners, were replaced with naturally-stained cherry wood. All three stories in the house had white and cream walls, which Bella had to admit was uninspiring. She pitched in to help Esme and Maggie repaint each room, and chose a pale green for her own.
Bella had never lived in such a large house. It was in the rural outskirts of Middlebury, and had four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and two garages, not to mention a mountain view on the side of the property that wasn't enclosed by woods. Esme in particular seemed to enjoy being able to look at the Green Mountains through the living room windows.
The house wasn't the only thing Bella had to adjust to. College life couldn't be more different from high school. Bella remembered her first day at Forks High. She'd had to carry a slip and get the teachers to sign it to prove she'd shown. Middlebury had no such restriction. No one was checking up on her to make sure that she did what she was supposed to do. She was completely responsible for herself, and while she'd thought she knew what that was like with all the liberty Charlie had given her, she was completely unprepared for the freedom of it.
The Middlebury campus was large. It even had extensions miles away, like the Bread Loaf campus, where the freshman barn dance had been held during orientation. Bella hadn't wanted to go and made the token effort to dig in her heels, but Alice and Jasper had dragged her anyway – almost literally. Alice's technique was persuasion and a little manipulation, but Bella had simply no defense when Jasper had hauled her over his shoulder and carried her out the door to the Lexus.
The barn dance – it should be noted that the "barn" was about double the size of their house – had proven to be more social than any of the other activities Bella had engaged in up to that point. It was one thing to sit in a big meeting and have faculty welcome the class, but it was another to get to engage in no other agenda than music and food with all her new classmates.
After the first few minutes, Alice and Jasper had left Bella to mingle on her own. Bella had found herself part of one group after another, from a pleasant chat with a Russian girl to listening to two guys debate whether Senator Obama would run for president in 2008. Bella oscillated between feeling comfortable and feeling out of her league. A lot of the Middlebury students came from affluent backgrounds, were children of alumnae, and spoke a hell of a lot more quickly on intelligent subjects than Bella felt even capable of keeping up with.
Classes had started on Monday, September 11th, and Bella was excited about beginning her college career. She was going to get to learn and study about literature from all around the world, and she had so many authors' works to study. Before she graduated Bella had to be able to read in more than one language. She couldn't wait to begin, to choose which specialty she liked best. And with all that eagerness of the day, the evening had afforded her something grounding to the world outside the college campus with the candlelight vigil in the Town Green marking the 5th anniversary of September 11th.
It was Wednesday, and Bella had just emerged from her Literary Theory course. She was striding away from the classroom when a tall blond boy approached her. Well, young man, really, as Bella quickly judged him to be an upperclassman when she got a better look at him.
"Isabella Swan?" he asked her, an inquiring smile on his face.
Bella extended her hand. "Just Bella, please."
"Matt." He took her hand, and his grip was strong. He was well built; Bella immediately pegged him as an athlete. She hoped he wasn't trying to recruit her into playing a sport, because he'd have to be disappointed. "Matt Dillingham. I'm your leader for OINK this weekend."
Bella blinked at him. "I'm sorry, what?"
"The OINK, I'll be one of your two student leaders. The other is my friend Ramesh; you'll like him."
"I'm sorry, I'm going to need you to back up. Did you say 'oink'?"
Comprehension began to dawn on Matt's face. "Oh, sorry. We usually say the acronym. The Outdoor Introduction for New Kids. It's the wilderness orientation trip."
Bella continued to stare at him blankly.
"Sponsored by the Middlebury Mountain Club… backpacking, rock climbing, local natural history… whitewater kayaking. None of this is ringing a bell with you, is it?"
Bella's eyes had grown wide. "This is required of all freshmen?" Her voice began to rise in panic.
"No," Matt said, truly flummoxed. "You have to apply, pay the fee."
Relief swamped Bella and she took a tentative half step backward as she shook her head. "You must have me confused with another freshman. There's no way I'd sign on for something like that."
"Isabella Marie Swan?" Matt started rummaging through his bag and pulled out a folder. He flipped through it until he found what he wanted. "Your application came in on June 20th, emailed. Fee was paid by your father, Charles Swan." Matt looked up again, and whatever he saw on Bella's face made him put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you're in the beginners' group. No whitewater kayaking. You don't have to do the trip at all, if you don't want to."
Matt's blue eyes were full of understanding, and Bella felt her initial panic begin to ease. "I... well, no, don't take me off the list. At least not yet. I think I want to talk to my Dad first. Is there a phone number I can get back to you at?"
"Sure, I'll give you my cell." Matt gave her shoulder a slight squeeze before letting go, and Bella put his number in her Blackberry. "We'll need to find someone to fill your slot, so if you decide to back out, the sooner you let me know the better. I hope you'll come, though."
Bella looked up from her screen to see his face. It was attractive, and he had a comforting smile. Bella was already beginning to feel silly for reacting the way she had; the fact that he was trying to put her at ease made her feel even more foolish.
"I'll be there to look out for you," Matt continued. "You can trust me to make sure that nothing's too rough, and even help you enjoy it."
"Well, I guess with a recommendation like that I'll have to consider it."
Matt smiled and nodded. "Call me." Their eye contact was broken when he turned and trotted off.
Walking out of the building and toward the dining hall, Bella was quick to call Forks. Charlie answered on the third ring. "Bells! How's the birthday girl?"
Bella gritted her teeth. "Fine, Dad, apart from the panic attack I had when I got your present."
"What?" Her father sounded genuinely surprised, and Bella realized he might have mistaken her sarcasm for a comment about a genuine gift he might have sent.
"OINK, Dad. I'm talking about this outdoor adventure you've signed me up for."
"Oh. I thought you would have learned about that before now."
"Honestly, I wish I had. Why did you sign me up for it?"
"It'll be good for you."
"Good for me?" Students were walking all around her, and Bella had to twist to avoid colliding with a pair heading in the opposite direction.
"Get you out of doors, making new friends." Charlie's voice took on a positive, encouraging tone. "It might not be something you'd do on your own, but indulge your hard-working old man."
"Rock climbing, Dad. Aren't you worried I'll break my neck?"
"Nope." Charlie's response was quick. "It's a school-sponsored event. They'll look out for you."
"Well, I suppose Carlisle would put me back into shape if anything did happen." Bella stopped outside the entrance to the dining hall. It would be rude to be talking on her cell while gathering her food.
"Considering that you're living in his house, I don't think he'd be allowed to treat you, Bella."
"Oh." Charlie had a point. "I hadn't thought of that."
"You shouldn't depend so much on the Cullens."
"I don't. I'm paying my own way, aren't I?"
"That's not what I meant. Go on the trip this weekend, Bells. Spend some time learning and bonding without any vampires around."
Bella paused. "That's why you signed me up, isn't it? I thought you liked them, Dad."
"I like them, Bells. I just want you to have a life outside of the Cullens. Meet some people."
"I have!" Bella pulled a random name from the kids at the barn dance. "Like Liam, or, uh, Matt." Okay, technically, Bella might not have met Matt if Charlie hadn't signed her up for OINK. At least not this soon.
"Liam and Matt, huh?" Charlie asked wryly.
"Stop it." Bella chuckled. "Ugh, alright, I'll do it."
"Good. I always wanted to get you outdoors more. Maybe you'll come fishing with me when you next come to Forks."
"Don't count on it."
The smile was clear in Charlie's voice. "Have a good birthday, Bella. I love you."
"I love you, too, Dad."
Bella disconnected and went into the hall. Once she was seated and eating her lunch, she took out her phone again. Pulling up Carlisle's number she sent him a short text.
(~*~)
At the campus rendezvous spot Saturday morning, Bella recognized two of her fellow OINKers from the Bread Loaf dance: Anna, the Russian girl she had chatted with, and Liam, who had been part of a group of three that she'd met up with at the drinks table. Anna was tall and muscular. Her features were sharp, but beautiful, and long brown hair cascaded down her back from the simple twist she'd put it into. Liam was pretty average: medium height, sandy hair and a chin that tilted slightly upward, Drew Barrymore-style.
The group totaled eight altogether, headed by Matt and his fellow sophomore Ramesh Rana. The other three were a dark-haired, round-faced boy named Barry, and two girls that looked like they belonged on the pages of a fashion magazine – apart from the fact that they were wearing Middlebury sweats. Actually, they were all in Middlebury clothing. It was an odd sort of coincidental unity. Bella looked down at her own Midd pants. Alice had left them on her bed the day Bella found out about OINK. Bella shrugged as she put on her backpack. Ramesh had just finished explaining the contents of each pack, going over what they would need for their two-day hike up a mountain.
Bella staggered for a second once the weight of the pack made contact with her back. She got control again fairly easily. Still, Matt came over to assist her. "Here, let me help you with the straps," he said.
His hands were quick and gentle, securing all the buckles –some of which she hadn't noticed- and tightening the straps. "This should be snug but not too snug," Matt said, giving the bands over her shoulders a slight tug. Bella felt the pull towards him, but managed to stay on her feet. "How's that?"
Bella nodded, then gave Matt a wry smile. "Beginners' stuff, huh?"
"Pace yourself; you'll be fine."
Matt moved away to check on the girls, Aimee and Lizbeth, who seemed to have everything all set. He left behind him a slight wisp of his soap. What was that, Irish Spring?
"Alright, everyone, let's go!" Ramesh called cheerfully. So far, the guy had kept an almost permanent smile on his face. Bella found it a little infectious.
Anna appeared by Bella's side with a smile. "Ready?" she asked.
Bella glanced down at her legs. They'd all started with stretching out, and she was feeling a little limber. Bella gave a quick nod. "As much as I'll ever be," she said.
They started walking.
(~*~)
Bella really, really wanted to have Matt's backpack. More specifically, she wanted the water pouch stuck into it. All he had to do was turn his head, and suck the water out of a tube. Instant hydration without a hitch in his step. Stupid designer backpack.
The day had started off mildly clouded over, but now the sky was clear. The temperature wasn't actually as warm as it felt to Bella, her exertion causing sweat to bead on her brow. They were heading northeast, toward Mount Abraham. Or maybe they were already on Mount Abraham, Bella wasn't sure. Either way, the walking was steep and the backs of her calves felt it.
Bella paused, letting the rest of the group get a little ahead of her. She twisted to pull her water bottle out of the backpack's side mesh pocket. It took her two tries, but she managed to snag the already half-empty bottle. Bella took a gulping sip, her peripheral vision filled with green leaves and yellow sun as she tilted her head back. Unlike back in Forks, the leaves had only just started to change color. There were touches of yellow trim on the maples, and one tree up ahead had a small shock of orange at the very top. All in all, it was rather pretty.
Bella stuffed the water bottle back in its spot and starting walking again, catching up with Anna who had stopped to wait for her. Anna reminded Bella a lot of Angela back home. She was sweet and kind, but unlike Angela, Bella could sense that Anna had a spine made of steel. Only a couple minutes later, Ramesh called a halt.
"This is a good place to take a quick break. Stop, refresh yourselves, take a leak."
Bella looked around the woods. She did have to relieve her bladder, now that the idea was put in her head. "In the woods?" she asked.
"Walking will get uncomfortable if you hold it in," Ramesh answered.
"How far until we camp?" Liam asked.
"A few more hours."
There were a few groans from the freshmen as they all unbuckled their backpacks, but several did take advantage of the woods, Bella included. Barry wandered over to where Bella and Anna sat munching on energy bars. "Want some?" he offered, holding out his package of peanut M&Ms.
"Sure," Bella answered, holding out her hand. They made a bit of a mess, so when Barry switched to Anna, he held her hand over his while he poured the candy. She smiled up at him.
"What's your last name, Barry?"
"Watt."
"She asked your last name," Bella explained, thinking he had trouble with Anna's accent, though truthfully her accent was very slight.
Barry rolled his eyes, but the smile he gave Bella let her know it wasn't directed at her. "It's Watt. Barry Watt."
"As in the light bulb?"
"Exactly as in the light bulb."
Bella crunched her peanut and then swallowed when his meaning sunk in. "No way. You're not saying you're related to James Watt?"
"Direct," Barry said with a smile, popping an M&M into his mouth.
"Let me guess, your major is mechanical engineering," Anna said.
"Might be, except that Midd doesn't offer that major. I'm Poli Sci."
"Oh, so am I."
"Sweet." Barry sat down, so as not to keep looming over the girls. "And what are your full names?"
"Bella Swan."
"Anna Lebedev."
Barry broke out in a grin. "Seriously?"
Anna smiled and nodded. Bella frowned. "I don't get it."
"Lebedev, my last name." Anna gestured to herself. "It is Russian for 'swan'."
"You're the Swan Girls." Barry was highly amused. "Excellent."
Soon they were packing up and setting out again. The path Matt and Ramesh led them on was becoming more wooded, and Bella was grateful for the shade. It also made her feel a little bit like she was back in Forks, on her way to a Cullen baseball game. Twigs snapped under her feet, and Bella had to be careful not to trip on tree roots.
The trail changed, narrowing, and instead of just walking between trees, the eight of them were making their way through two large, moss-covered boulders. It was like the mountain had deliberately shifted apart to create a path for humans, and other creatures, to pass through. The years in Forks had made Bella feel accustomed to living in a forested area, but finding herself caught between two large rocks, it finally struck her that she was doing something different, something new. Charlie had been right: this was good for her.
Ramesh and Matt help guide conversation along by having the group play a get-to-know-you game of 20 Questions, pausing to point out areas of interest and share back stories. The game was somewhat fun, though Bella couldn't quite say she learned much about anyone from it. Observation was a better teacher. Aimee and Lizbeth were already fast friends, paired at the hip. Liam was affable, but on the quiet side. Barry was outgoing and eager, and Bella was already building a rapport with Anna. Ramesh was definitely the most extroverted of the group, spontaneously bursting into song or twisting his gangly body into a graceful two-step.
Matt stood out in the group. He was a natural leader, self-confident, and able to put everyone around him at ease. He had the kind of charm that could be felt across the room, even though you weren't aware of noticing him. If she got the chance, Bella intended to engage him in conversation once they set up camp.
It was a few hours before sunset when they finally stopped for the night. The chosen spot was a reasonably large clearing – some wood, some rock and enough space to set up the two tents Matt and Ramesh had been toting. The six freshmen promptly set about doing just that, since dinner supplies would not be broken out until it was done. The girls got the green tent; the boys got the blue.
Dinner consisted of canned beans and soy dogs roasted over a fire. Matt handed each person a two-pronged stick. They gathered in a circle around the fire Ramesh had built, sitting on their backpacks like Bella, or a handy collapsible camp chair that a handful of them were lucky enough to have included in their packs. Anna and Barry sat on one side of Bella, while Matt and Ramesh settled down on her other.
"Having a good time so far?" Matt asked her.
"It's not too bad." Bella gave a small smile.
"I couldn't believe it when Matt told me your father had signed you up without knowing. Does he often play tricks on you like that?" Ramesh asked.
Bella shook her head. "This was a first. He's a bit of an outdoorsman, my father – 'outdoorsman' meaning that Sundays are spent fishing instead of praying at church."
"You're not doing too bad, then, for your first hike," Barry commented.
"Yeah, I've walked through woods before, but nothing like this. I ache in places in my legs that I didn't even know could ache."
"You should stretch them out after you eat," Matt said. In the darkening light, the fire gave a golden hue to his blond hair.
"I will," Bella agreed. "So, did you two do the OINK last year?"
"We did," Ramesh answered. "Matt's like the brother I never had. We couldn't be closer even if he did bat for the same team as me. We've been roommates since the beginning. Same interests, same classes."
"Having the same major helped," Matt added.
"Oh, really?" Bella looked between the two of them, trying to come up with what they both might be studying. "What is it?"
"Theatre," said Ramesh.
"Theatre," Matt said with a confident nod.
"Theatre?" Bella blinked at him. Then she blinked at the ground and started laughing quietly, her shoulders shaking.
"Something funny, there, Bella?"
Bella lifted her head and showed the wide grin on her face. "Theatre! I did not see that one coming," she said, tossing up a hand to appease them. "I'm sorry. I was just expecting something like, computer science or biochemistry."
"Theatre happens to be a great social medium as well as a visual art. Ever heard of The Laramie Project, or Angels in America?" Ramesh said.
Bella shook her head. "No, but I do remember seeing my middle school's production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."
Matt shook his head. "Ramesh, we've got to educate this one."
"Well, educate me after I've eaten," Bella said, taking her soy dog out of the fire and getting up to find a roll.
Once everyone had finished eating, and Bella got in her stretch, Ramesh called out, "Okay, let's do an OINK photo! What do we have to work with?"
"An OINK photo?" Bella was stumped.
Matt leaned over and spoke to her softly. "It's somewhat a tradition to spell out the word 'OINK' using whatever we have on us and then take a picture. One year the kids used their water reflections."
"So, the more creative, the better?"
"Exactly."
"Isn't it a little dark to be taking a picture?" Lizbeth called out.
"You just have to think a little bit more outside the box." Ramesh gestured with his arms as if he was holding one.
"I've got an idea," Liam said. They tried using their cell phones and flashlights to form the letters, but there wasn't enough to make all four.
Barry tried to set up some twigs that formed the letters and then backlight them, but the twigs wouldn't remain upright. "I guess you aren't an engineer after all," Anna laughed.
It was Lizbeth who came up with the solution. With a roll of duct tape she'd pulled out of her pack ("Duct tape is the solution to everything") she formed the letters and stuck them to the inside of a tent. The four girls then went in and shined their flashlights on the letters, while Ramesh took the picture from outside.
The OINK photo actually took up a lot of time and everybody turned in not long after. There was just enough room in the tent for four sleeping bags and their mats. Bella chatted with Lizbeth and Aimee for a bit before falling asleep.
(~*~)
"Bella."
"Bel-la."
The overlapping voices made Bella stir. She was content in dreamland and didn't want to wake up, but the voices were gently persistent. Bella opened her eyes and found Matt's and Ramesh's faces inches from her nose.
"Gah!" Bella let out a mild shriek and jerked backward.
The boys sat back on their heels, laughing. More laughter from outside the tent could be heard. Bella scrambled away from them, making a klutzy mess of it from the confines of her sleeping bag. This, of course, made Matt and Ramesh laugh a little harder.
Bella glared at them, and said the first thing she could think of. "This is the girls' tent."
"This is the you've-slept-in-too-long tent." Ramesh reached out and lightly tweaked her nose. "Rise and shine, Bella." He left the tent.
"We want to get to the lookout spot by 10, so that we can have plenty of time for the trip back," Matt gently urged.
Bella nodded. "I'll be right out."
Most of the dried fruit was gone by the time Bella joined everyone for breakfast. She ate some orange rinds, and then picked through the granola bars. It was pretty quiet and laid back, mostly because everyone else was dragging. Liam moaned his desire for coffee, a sentiment that Aimee echoed. The brief spurt of energy everyone got from Bella's wake-up surprise was already gone. Some were disappearing into the woods, others brushing their teeth with water from their bottles. Bella sat comfortably beside Lizbeth.
"So, are you into cars?" Lizbeth asked.
"Um, not particularly," Bella answered.
"Is anyone in your family, like a brother or something?"
"No, I'm an only child. My dad's just into sports and my mom's interests tend to change with the season, but they've never included cars. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, well, my brother and I are both collector car hobbyists, and we've gone down to the Carlisle Events in Pennsylvania a few times. I thought maybe that's what you were talking about in your sleep."
It took a second for Bella to realize that she was holding her granola bar in her mouth and hadn't bitten down yet. She did so and slowly chewed the oats and honey.
"I thought she was talking about clothes," Aimee chimed in with a shrug. She sat down in the space between Bella and Lizbeth. "My mother is always buying from that collection."
"Why would she be saying 'purr' if she was talking about clothes?" Lizbeth pointed out.
"I thought I heard her say 'more'."
Lizbeth laughed. "So of course you thought clothes. Besides, does Bella look likely to ever have Carlisle on her?"
"Hey." Aimee cautioned her friend, darting her eyes in Bella's direction. "Don't be a snob."
"Oh, sorry, Bella, I didn't mean that the way it sounded."
Bella finished off another bite of granola. "It's okay. I have no idea what you're talking about anyway."
"Sorry, I just wondered if you were another hobbyist like me," Lizbeth said. "I shouldn't have brought it up."
Bella shrugged. "I'm sorry I woke you by talking in my sleep. I guess I do that sometimes."
"Do you know what you were dreaming about?" Aimee asked, and this time it was Lizbeth that shushed her friend for being impolite.
Volunteering the information that she knew someone named Carlisle would create the wrong impression, so Bella merely answered truthfully that she didn't know what she'd dreamed. It felt a little weird to hide his name; yet creating curiosity about the Cullens was definitely something she wanted to avoid. Aimee and Lizbeth chattered away on other topics, occasionally interjecting with possible meanings for Carlisle. Bella was free to ignore them.
She packed up the trash from her granola bars and moved to help Anna disassemble their tent. Liam and Matt were doing the same with the boys' tent, and each of them found a chance to send a smile her way. It wasn't long before everything was put together, backpacks were strapped on, and Ramesh was leading the eight of them forward again. Anna and Barry were just behind him, and in the middle Aimee and Lizbeth were singing Belinda Carlisle. "Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth? Ooh, heaven is a place on Earth!"
Behind Liam, Bella let out a long sigh. Bringing up the rear just behind Bella, Matt gave her a companionable nudge with his elbow. His blue eyes were twinkling; he was amused by the girls, but understood that Bella was feeling a little exasperated. Bella decided to take the hint and smiled back at him.
The further they went, the more landscape Bella could see. The destination was not the top of the mountain, thank God, but Matt and Ramesh were leading them to a lookout point that wasn't too far beyond where they had set up camp. AS more gaps appeared between the trees, Bella could tell that they were getting closer. And before she knew it, they were there.
The ground beneath her feet was the solid rock of the mountain. It was the size of a professional baseball diamond, and extended at a slight incline from where she stood. Ramesh, Barry and the girls were ahead of her, spreading out across the space. Aimee turned around slowly in a 360.
"Wow," she said.
Liam gave Bella a slight nudge with his elbow, and smiled at her over his shoulder as he passed.
"Alright there, Bella?" Matt asked.
"Yeah." Bella gave a quick nod and she walked out with Matt to see the view.
It was worth it. At a higher elevation than the ground she had just climbed over, Bella could see the tops of trees descending around and to the side of her. Beyond them were the hills of Mount Abraham, as well as the other Green Mountains, and above it all blue, blue sky. The clouds cast shadows on the green of the rolling peaks below. Bella could imagine what it was like to be under one of those shadows, in a day that was partly cloudy instead of sunny. She felt as tall as the sky.
They all did a little exploring around their lookout. In some directions no vista was visible at all. There was more of the mountain they had not yet hiked, but they wouldn't be going any higher. Along the edges where they hadn't come up were some steep declines, not meant for the casual hiker.
Bella didn't think that she would ever be anything more than just that, a casual hiker. However, she definitely saw the appeal behind exploring nature. Somehow, it made Bella feel stronger, and a bit more connected.
"Glad you came?" Matt asked. Everyone was sitting down, munching. Barry was picking small rocks and tossing them out at the trees, occasionally there'd be a small thunk noise.
"Absolutely."
The peace of the area was soothing. Occasionally you could hear a bird call out, or see one in the distance. It was mostly quiet, though, apart from the natural noises of their own movements. Several more pictures were taken, some group, some individuals, some just of nature, before they all got ready to go.
Bella assembled her gear and put her pack back on. Remembering that she hadn't stretched her legs, Bella put one foot out, shifted her weight to her back leg, and started to stretch her hamstring. She should have known better.
The pack put her off-balance and she tilted over. Bella tried to put her arms out and shift her weight again, but gravity was pulling her down, and she wasn't going to keep herself upright. Bella let go, figuring on the pack cushioning her fall.
She hadn't accounted for the sudden drop causing her to roll. Even then it would have been fine – her body with the backpack didn't exactly create good torque – if she hadn't been within a few feet of one of the declines. Bella kept on rolling, and then bouncing, down the side of the mountain.
Dirt and stone smashed against her arms, legs, the side of her face. Bella scratched and scrambled at the earth, trying to find something to grab onto. Her legs hit a tree trunk, and that should have stopped her, but her torso kept going and now instead of sideways, she was going down face-first – not that she could really see what was ahead more than a few inches. Bella tried to grab at the tree, but she was already beyond it.
There was more plant-life and Bella did manage to grab something flexible and leafy. It was well rooted and Bella was able to hold on tight while her lower body kept moving. She flopped once, her body hitting the ground hard again, but she finally stopped falling.
Her legs couldn't find a purchase, though. From her thighs down, Bella felt nothing but air underneath them. Heart pounding, Bella tentatively moved her right leg, and the plant in her hands gave a bit. Bella cried out at the sudden drop. It couldn't have been more than half an inch, but it felt like a lot more. Bella concentrated hard keeping her grip, and she began to notice how sweaty her palms felt. Just noticing made her feel like she was going to slip.
The scuffle of rocks above her got louder, and suddenly strong hands were gripping her wrists. "I've got you!" Bella looked up into Matt's wide blue eyes. He'd thrown himself forward onto his knees and was clutching her with both hands. "Look at me, Bella. I've got you."
"I can't feel any ground under my legs," she said to him.
"Don't worry about it. Just keep your eyes on me." Matt's gaze was steadfast.
Bella listened to him. She stopped her panicked breathing and just watched his face. He was concentrating hard, keeping both hers and his own weight up on the incline, but he kept his eyes deadlocked on hers. It was oddly intimate, staring into someone's eyes so intently, faces so close. Bella could pick up on two or three tiny freckles on Matt's left cheekbone that she hadn't noticed before. They were hidden well in his tan skin, just barely speckling the skin next to his straight nose. Matt had the kind of face that girls back in Phoenix would sigh over.
Bella suddenly noticed the top of Anna's head just behind Matt. She was above his shoulder and then on his side. Bella was completely perplexed as to what she was up to, until she realized that Anna was releasing the straps to Matt's backpack, getting it off him. It figured Matt's pack had quick-release shoulder straps. Smart, clever, blessed designer backpack.
"Good thinking, thank you," Matt said, and his face moved further away from Bella as he leaned back, shifting his weight to make them both more secure. There was more scuffling and Bella saw Ramesh and Barry arrive. "Guys, can you-" Matt began.
"On it," said Ramesh and he moved toward Bella. "Barry, get her other side."
Together, Ramesh and Barry each grabbed underneath Bella's arms.
"Alright, Bella," Matt said, "we're going to pull you up until you can get your knees on the ground. Ready?"
Bella nodded.
They pulled, and together they got her up past her knees. Bella let go of the plant, a tiny tree that had just started to grow, and scrambled onto the steep ground. The boys let go of her.
"You alright?" Ramesh asked.
"I think so." Bella took a couple tentative steps. It hurt above the knees where she'd made contact with the tree. "Just a few bruises."
"You're not limping." Matt put his hand under her chin and tilted her face up. "You've got a scrape on your cheek, but it's minor."
Behind her, Bella heard Barry whistle. She didn't want to turn around to see him look over the edge. "Is this where you tell me that I could have plummeted to my death?"
"Nah, it's not that far down. You could have broken a few bones, though. I'd say it's a good thirty feet."
Bella decided not to share the fact that she would've gone down headfirst if that blessed baby tree hadn't been there. She hoped she hadn't killed it. Anna came round and put an arm out to support Bella. "Come on," she said. "Let's get you back up there."
The trip back up was a lot slower than the one down. Back at the lookout, the girls called down to ask what had happened. All three of them, including Liam, looked at Bella anxiously once she'd arrived.
"Oh, God," Aimee said anxiously. "You really look mussed up."
"Thanks."
"Yeah, when people look like that after going for a tumble, it's usually for an entirely different reason." Ramesh grinned. Matt slapped the back of his head, but Bella laughed.
"I probably wouldn't be this sore if it was the other kind."
"Not if it's done properly." Bella expected Matt to smack the back of Ramesh's head again, but he left that one alone.
"Are you going to be okay to get back?" Liam asked Bella.
"Yeah, no worries."
"You sure?" Matt asked her with concern.
"Positive. Let's just get back, because what I really need right now is a nice shower."
So they set out. It wasn't that bad. She'd only suffered scrapes and bruises, and Bella was sure that the ones on her legs would probably be record making, but she was good. Despite taking it slow and careful, the trip back down went faster than the trip up had. Matt kept by her side the whole time, and Bella had no reason to complain.
(~*~)
It was late into the night – closer to early morning – when Carlisle arrived home. He'd just come off from a double shift; in fact he had been working double shifts six days a week since he'd started. The long hours that hospitals put new staff through was one of the most satisfying times for Carlisle, because he got to be on scene as much as possible. Not that it didn't have its drawbacks: once again the cycle of interested females had begun.
As he passed through the living room to the stairs, Carlisle gave a nod of greeting to Alice and Jasper, who were cuddling on the couch. Carlisle had taken the third floor as his office and it was his intention to head straight there. However, once on the second floor he paused outside of Bella's door. Through it, he could hear her soft breathing as she slept. The sound was very welcome and reassuring. It had become a habit of his to listen for it when he returned from his shifts at Porter Medical, though he didn't usually stop outside her bedroom. The last night without her here had made the house seem emptier.
Opening his cell, he scrolled through his messages until he found the one he was looking for. He hadn't answered the text Bella sent him Wednesday afternoon. Though Carlisle had looked at the three simple words several times, particularly since she'd been gone on her orientation trip.
I miss you.
The message was especially poignant to him, as Carlisle hadn't made it home for her birthday. He'd compensated by having a bouquet of fresh flowers in every room, waiting for her return after classes, with Esme delivering his apologies for not being there.
Inside her room, Bella began to thrash as though she was having a nightmare. It only lasted a couple seconds, and then she seemed to calm. "Matt," Bella murmured on a sigh, and Carlisle heard her turn onto her side.
The whispered name was enough. Carlisle closed out of the screen and returned the phone to his pocket. He moved away from her door and continued up to his solitary studies in his office.
A/N: OINK does actually exist, though I admit to taking some creative liberty with Bella's weekend trip. On my profile I've linked an album containing 29 photos of the real deal, which I took some visual inspiration from. I'll also remind everyone that Matt's image can be found there, too. ;)
I wish everyone a happy and fun holiday season!
Next Chapter... Bella's new circle of friends solidifies, there'll be more of Matt and Carlisle, and something unexpected.