EDITED, RE POSTED JAN 22
Title: Twisted Twilight
Author: Midnight
BETA: Moonlite
Synopses: A different version of Twilight. What if Renee never married Phil, but John Reed, a local cop. John is actually an alcoholic, and is abusive to Bella and Renee. It's after a brutal attack, that Bella decides to go to Forks to live with her Father. As Bella's life experiences have changed, so has our beloved story. See how!
Rating: T
Chapter: Ten
Chapter Title: Sick Day
Warning: Includes mention of violence, and rape.
Author's Note: About Bella getting sick; it's because she was outside at lunch where it was cold and damp and I figured that her getting sick would just be her luck. Besides, it makes things more interesting; you'll see why :P
I apologize that this ones not the normal long length, but I wanted to get it posted for you all, the next will flow better any ways.
Special Thanks: -Azn-Grl-Twilight-Fan-, lilangels0108, Romance4ever, SquallCullen, Whit7, Blackgrrl92, Crystallized Hope, Drama Kagome, iluvSparklyVampires, Sally, PyroWhore, Gothic Saku-chan, A is for Angel, rerose1975,ktline, mikan kisses, Stargirlrox-hearts-Avatar, Nova, Em, RoryAceHayden147
Mike ignored me in Biology, presumably afraid of me. Angela asked me twenty times if I was okay, before escaping to her own seat. By the end of the class, I felt so ill I knew I had to go home. Apparently the cold and wet outside had done it's number on me. Reluctantly, I walked out into the rain, and chased after Mike.
"Mike, wait up!"
"Hey," He waved, timidly.
"Look, I'm not feeling well at all. I'm going to go sign out, then go home. I'll try to make it tomorrow morning, but if I'm not feeling well, then it's probably better for me to stay home. I'm really sorry." I smiled as apologetically as I could, hoping it was convincing. The truth was I was glad to have an excuse to get out of the trip.
Now with Edward hanging around, everything else seemed boring.
Not to mention beaches are supposed to be warm, and sunny.
"That's okay; you should focus on getting better. I'm going to walk you to the office, make sure you're okay." His chin pointed out as he said this, clearly proud that he was doing the 'gentlemenly' thing. I smiled and nodded, not wanting to crush him any further.
Ms. Cope was very receptive, probably still remembering yesterday. "Well, because you're seventeen, I'm going to have to call your dad."
Funny- she didn't need to call him yesterday. Apparently Edward worked more miracle then he noticed. But I was tried and cranky to argue. Instead I just sat down in the fake leather-padded chairs.
"You going to be okay if I leave?" Mike asked, looking down at my with a sympathetic look.
"Yeah, I'll be okay. Go to gym- have fun. Without me there you should be able to survive without much injury." He smiled, the same type of smirk that Edward always gives me, but it wasn't anything near the same. It just made Mike's face look lopsided.
"Alright, I'll tell coach what's going on."
"Thanks." I gave him a wave, and watched him leave. I sighed in relief as the door closed.
"Hello, Charlie. It's Ms. Cope from the school," she paused, then chuckled. "No, no- Bella hasn't hurt herself, she's just not feeling very well. Would it be alright if we send her home to get some rest." She paused again.
"Bella, your Dad wants to know if you want him to come pick you up?" I shuttered at the thought.
"No, I'm okay to drive. Tell him I said thank you, though." I kept my voice even and polite.
"She say's she okay, Charlie. Alright, I'll sign her out then. Okay, you take care. Bye-bye." She hung up the phone, and looked back over at me. "Your dad said that's fine, and that he'll bring some soup home with him. I'll look after getting you sign out, you just go home and take care of yourself, okay dear?"
"Thanks Ms. Cope," I said well standing. As soon as I was out the door, I chuckled to myself; the thought to Charlie 'mothering' me well I was sick was humorous. I'd have to call him when I got home, and tell him not to worry about the soup. All I wanted was to sleep.
When I walked into the house, the phone was ringing. I attempted to ignore it as I trampled into living room to crash on the couch, but just as the answering machine was about to pick up, it started ringing again. After about the fifth time, I ripped the phone closest to me off the receiver, and mumbled, "Hello?" There was a defiant edge to my voice.
"Bella, you're okay." It was Charlie; he sounded relieved.
"I'm sorry; I feel asleep on the couch and the phone woke me up. And yeah, I'm okay. Sorry if I scared you."
"I'm just glad you're okay, kiddo. What kind of soup do you want me to bring home?"
"Don't worry about the soup; I just want to go to sleep. But thanks for the offer, I appreciate it."
"You should eat something, Bells." He sounded concerned.
"I ate at lunch," I lied, "quite a bit, too. And I'll eat when I get up, don't worry."
"Are you sure you're okay? I could come home early, no one would mind." He said, his tone serious, "I already asked." he added in a slightly embarrassed voice.
"Honestly dad, I just want to sleep. Not much to watch, besides I'm sure you've got a lot to do. I'll be fine, and I'll see you when ever I get up, okay?" My voice was soft, obviously weak from exhaustion.
"Alright sweetie, you just get some sleep." And that's just what I did.
Around four am, I awoke in my room, in my bed. Which was interesting, because I remembered falling asleep on the couch. I wiggled my toes, and discovered that my shoes where gone. I pulled up the blankets; my coat was gone, my sweater too, but I was still in the same pair of jeans and the same t-shirt. My socks had been changed though.
On the bedside table, a box of Advil cold and flu medication with a cup of water.
I would have remembered changing my sock; particularly because these socks where from my old friend, Leanna. She moved away with her step mom the year before I left. A small smile formed on my face, and I wiggled my toes again.
Charlie must have put me up here. I wonder how he managed to do without waking me though? More importantly, how had he done so without pulling something.
Then again, maybe he had. I would feel terrible if he did.
Mind you, if it was Edward, he wouldn't have a problem carrying me up here. Feeling a little achy, I reached over to the Advil. A small note was sitting beside it.
You've got a small body, so do not exceed more then two at a time, and wait at least five hours before taking anymore. If you don't feel better in a couple days, see your doctor. Feel better.
My heart stopped. I waited in silence as realization filled my body. My mind racked for the name, the name I already knew, yet couldn't grasp.
Then, clear as day, I remembered the first lab we did in Bio with the onion root.
That was not Charlie's writing; he had terrible hand writing. I knew that elegant script.
It had to be Edward Cullen's. Had he run into my dad at the store? I thought he was out of town. Was he just standing by, watching- waiting? I'd always known he was different; not quite human. Yet- he was so human. So caring.
I smiled at the thought, then I pulled the blankets back up around me, and rolled over. Within minutes, I was asleep again.
When I woke up the next morning, it was actually after noon. My head was killing me, my stomach twisting and turning. I groaned inwardly, then forced myself to sit up. My whole world blurred for a moment, then slowly clearing. A soft pounding in my head increased from pressure, then faded a moment later.
Very slowly I stood up, and made my way over to the bathroom. "Bella, hunny- is that you?" Who else would it be?
"Hey dad," I called down, my voice groggy.
"How are you feeling?" He asked as he magically materialized at the bottom of the steps.
"Like hell." He nodded awkwardly, and turned his head to the left. I could hear the basketball game playing in the background, the low announcers voice calling every move.
"Do you need anything?"
"No, I'm okay. But thanks. Get back to the game." Charlie smiled and nodded. It was amazingly convenient how he didn't hover. As soon as he was out of sight, I stumbled into the bathroom.
And laughed at my reflection.
My skin was ghostly pale, with a soft blush on my checks. My hair was messier then normal, sprawling out in different directions. Huge circles were forming under my eyes, and a nice glaze over the eyes themselves.
I washed my face, brushed my teeth, ignored my hair, and crawled right back into bed. Downstairs I could hear very soft voices murmuring about something; Charlie had company. A gruff laugh followed something Charlie said, and instantly I knew- Billy Black was over watching the game with him.
"......Cullen....." What about the Cullen's?
"Edward Cullen saved Bella's life. Perhaps you should let your old grudge go, Billy." Charlie sounded upset; I wonder what brought this up?
"I don't want to fight about it, Charlie. I'm just saying; keep an eye on them. You know how we feel about that family down on the rez."
"All too well." Charlie's voice was stern, and ended further conversation. Interesting; they didn't like the Cullen family down on the reservation; I wonder why?
Before my thought wandered too far, a cold fever chill ripped down my back. I rolled over to the other side of the bed, attempting to get comfortable. The cold medication was staring me in the face. Meaning that letter wasn't a dream.
Shaking, my hand rose up and patted the top of the table. The rough paper was harsh on my skin, causing my hand to jump back. My chin dropped in awe; how did he get in here? How did he know? Wasn't he camping?
Curiosity took the best of me when I woke up next, around one am. I stumbled over to my computer, and turned it on. It zoomed to life with ease.
As soon as the Internet was connected, I researched Goat Rock. The information I read confused me; no actual camping spots, unless you wanted to go back country camping. Not to mention the area was supposed to be very rocky, and had a lot of bears. It was very popular during bear session.
What was Edward doing bear hunting? It was the only logical explanation; the place had no trails, and no family activities. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't picture Edward with a gun. It didn't feel right.
It felt unnecessary. After all, I had seen Edward crush a van with his hand.
My stomach turned slight, and a chill ran down my spine. But it wasn't because of the cold, it was because I was tripping into something I wasn't supposed to know. Figuring something out, that was supposed to be a secret.
Because if Edward was going with Jasper and Emmet, then they must be the same.
I wandered back over to my bed, and sat down. Everything I'd noticed, was falling neatly into place. Like a puzzle. The dark looks from his siblings I'd receive, the lack of concern when we were in the accident, how Dr. Cullen just brushed the whole thing off, their unnatural similarities even though they weren't all related.
And Billy Black's distrust towards them; he wasn't trying to fight my dad- he was trying to warn him. Edward was trying to warn me. Was their some connection between the two? No- he had said 'down on the rez' which meant it was all the Quileute people.
It was connected- it had to be. Everything was too perfect not to fit together.
I flew back over to the computer, and searched Quileute legends. Not wanting to just clicking at random, I decided to look for a book to start with. My old English teacher used to always tell me that if it was on paper, from a reliable source, then it's much better then some random web site that I can't verify.
I spent a moment searching, and found a whole book store in Port Angeles. Pleased with my victory, I wrote down the address, and stuck it in my wallet.
But what surprised me more then anything- was that it didn't matter what Edward and his family were.
Wanting to distract myself from the flow of thoughts in order to get more sleep, I grabbed my old headphones and CD player from the desk. I ran through the pile of CD's sitting on the desk, and pulled out one that Leanna had given me for Christmas a few yeas ago. It was one of her favorite bands, but they used a little too much bass and shrieking for me tastes. I popped it into place and lay down on my bed. I put on the headphones, hit Play, and turned up the volume until it hurt my ears. I closed my eyes, but the thought seemed to still seep in. I turned up the volume a little more, and pulled the pillow over the top half of my face.
I concentrated carefully on the music, trying to understand the lyrics, to unravel the complicated drum patters. By the third time I'd listened through the CD, I knew all the words to the choruses, at least. I was surprised to find that I really did like the band after all, once I got past the blaring noise.
And it worked. The shattering beats made it impossible for me to think- which was the whole purpose of the exercise. I listened to the CD again and again, until I was singing along with all the songs, until, finally, I fell asleep.
I opened my eyes to find a familiar place. Aware in some corner of my consciousness that I was dreaming, I recognized the green light of the forest. I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks somewhere nearby. And I knew that if I found the ocean, I'd be able to see the sun. I was trying to follow the sound, but then Jacob Black was there, tugging on my hand, pulling me back towards the blackest part of the forest.
"Jacob? What's wrong?" I asked. His face was frightened as he yanked with all his strength against my resistance; I didn't want to go into the dark.
"Run, Bella, you have to run!" he whispered, terrified.
"This way, Bella!" I recognized Mike's voice calling out of the gloomy heart of the trees, but I couldn't see him.
"Why?" I asked, still pulling against Jacob's grasp, desperate now to find the sun.
But Jacob let go of my hand and yelped, suddenly shaking, falling to the dim forest floor. He twisted on the ground as I watched in horror.
"Jacob!" I screamed. But he was gone. In his place was a large red-brown wolf with black eyes. The wolf faced away from me, pointing towards the shore, the hair on the back of his shoulders bristling, low growls issuing from between his exposed fangs.
"Bella, run!" Mike cried out again from behind me. But I didn't turn. I was watching a light coming towards me from the beach.
And then Edward stepped out from the trees, his skin faintly glowing, his eyes black and dangerous. He held up one hand and beckoned me to come to him. The wolf growled at my feet.
"It's okay." I said softly, petting the wolf's fur- it was surprisingly soft. "It's supposed to be this way, Jacob."
"Trust me," Edward said, staring darkly at the wolf.
"Stop fighting." I ordered. Neither listened. The wolf launched himself across the space between me and the strange creature, fangs aiming for the jugular.
"No!" I screamed, wrenching upright out of my bed.
My sudden movement caused the headphones to pull the CD player off the bedside table, and it clattered to the wooden floor.
It was a little after nine am. Not wanting to fall back into the twisted sleep, I grabbed my bathroom bag and headed off towards the shower.
I turned on the tap, and stripped down. The water was perfect as I stepped in, washing over me, washing away the dream. I took my time, washing slowly, and shaving carefully. But it still didn't last as long as I would have liked.
Sighing in defeat, I pulled myself off and wrapped a towel around myself. I tip-toed out of the bathroom to my bedroom and looked out the window- Charlie's cruiser was gone, so he must be fishing again.
I dried quickly, pulled on a pair of jeans and a black shirt. Then treaded my way back to the bathroom to blow dry my hair.
Suddenly I realized I was feeling better. No weakness, no head ache, no stomach pain, I wasn't even tired. Apparently I just needed to sleep for two days. A strong, sudden longing to go outside over too me.
I bounded down the stairs, pulled on my rain coat without checking the weather, slipped into my boats, and escaped out the door. The green forest was beckoning me towards it, so I ignored my truck and journeyed onto the trail. It was overcast, but not raining yet, which was about as good as weather got around here. It didn't take long until I was deep enough in the trees that I couldn't see the house or the road. Only the soft squish of the damp earth under my feet and sudden cries of the jays kept me company.
There was a thin ribbon of a trail that led through the forest here, or I wouldn't risk wandering on my own like this. My sense of direction was useless in a place I didn't recognize. The thin trail lead farther, and farther into the brush, mostly going east as far as I could tell. It snaked around the Sitka spruces and the hemlock, the yews and maples. I only vaguely knew the names of the trees around me, and all I knew was due to Charlie pointing them out to me from the cruiser window in earlier days. There were many I didn't know, and other I couldn't be sure about because they were so covered in green parasites.
I followed the trail as long as my new found energy would carry me. As that started to ebb, I slowed. A few drops of moisture trickled down form the canopy above me, but I couldn't be certain if it was beginning to rain or if it was simply pools left over from yesterday, held high in the leaves above me, slowly dripping their way back to the earth. A recently fallen tree- I knew it was recent because it wasn't entirely carpeted in moss- rested against the trunk of one of her sisters, creating a sheltered little bench just a few safe feet off the trail. I stepped over the ferns and sat carefully, making sure my jacket was between the damp seat and my clothes wherever they touched, and leaned my hooded head back against the living tree.
This was the wrong place to have come. I should have known, but where else was there to go? Something inside of me was telling me to leave; I shouldn't be here. Now that there was no longer the sound of my soggy footsteps, the silence was piercing. The birds were quite, too, the drops increasing in frequency, so it must be raining above. The fern stood higher than my head, now that I was seated, and I knew someone could walk by on the path, three feet away, and not see me.
I shifted on the bench, and stared off into space. My mind wandered to Edward. My speculation for what he was. I'd have to go out to Port Angeles to get the book- do more research. There was one thing I was sure of, if I was sure of anything. The dark Edward which Jacob was fighting in my dream was a reflection of Jacob's fear; but I wasn't afraid, as I know the truth. Proof of that was when the wolf lunged, I screamed in fear for Edward, not at him. I didn't want him harmed.
I had the only answer I really needed; I cared for him. I don't think I ever really had a choice, really. I was already in too deep. Now that I knew- if I knew- I could do nothing about my frightening secret. I was so sure I'd completely shut myself down to every man, ever- and here I was, falling for him. But it didn't disturb me, like I thought it would when I imagined the day I felt something, for someone. I thought about his voice, his hypnotic eyes, the magnetic force of his personality- I wanted nothing more then to be with him right now.
As the sky was growing darker, I realized how much time I'd actually spent out here. It must have been hours; I'd left probably around ten, and now it was starting to really get dark. I stiffly stood up, and trampled back over to the trail. I followed it hastily, as the pervious voice telling me to leave returned. Nearly running through the trees, I pulled my hood to my face, and was surprised by how are I'd actually come out here. I was starting to wonder if I was leaving the forest at all, or just treading farther into it's confines. Before I could become too panicky, though, I began to glimpse some open space through the webbed branches. And then I could hear a car passing on the street, and I was free. The lawn stretched out in front of me, the house beckoning me in, with promises of warmth and dry socks.
With my luck I was going to end up sick again.
Inside the house, I was relieved to find it was only a little after one. I went upstairs and changed my socks, put on a sweater, and pulled my hair into a pony. I sighed once, then sat down to work on my task for the day: a paper on Macbeth due on Wednesday. I settled into outlining a rough draft contentedly, more serene that I'd felt since... well, since Thursday afternoon, if I was being honest.
That had always been my way though. Making decision was the painful part for me, the part I agonized over. But once the choice was made, I simply followed through-usually with relief that the choice was made. Sometimes I'd feel despair, but anything was better then struggling with the decision was ridiculously east to live with. Dangerously easy.