DISCLAIMER: The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Edward, Jasper, and Emmett train Bella in fighting and in self-defense.
Training 3
I was sitting on a rock, resting my chin in my hand, watching over my wife. She was wrestling with Emmett while we waited for Jasper to join us. Bella and Emmett's laughter and taunts rang out in the small clearing.
Bella was going to need all the confidence she'd built up in her other two training sessions to make it through this one. I was feeling more apprehensive than normal. This was going to be the first training where our brothers started to hit back. I had never been so thankful for Jasper's gift. I had a feeling that he was going to be spending a large part of our time today calming me down.
"Here, Picky, Picky!" Emmett called, waggling his fingers at Bella. "Take a shot. I promise to take it easy on you."
"Every time you say that, I can tell you're lying, Em!" Bella giggled, lunging at him.
Emmett barely got out of her way. "Psych!" he laughed. "You thought I was going to fake left, but I faked right."
"Yeah, yeah," Bella said, waving a hand at him.
"Who's winning?" Jasper asked, appearing beside me.
"Neither of them. They're spending too much time taunting each other," I chuckled.
Jasper smiled before becoming serious. I knew what he was going to ask before it even left his lips. "Are you ready for today?" he questioned.
"Not even a little," I sighed.
"I know this is tough on you, Edward, but this training really will give her confidence," Jasper said.
"That's what I keep telling myself," I replied.
"Jazz is here!" Bella chirped. "Guess I'll have to whip your butt some other day, Em!"
"Like you could, Picky!" Emmett laughed, hugging her by her neck.
"Alright, you two!" I said, standing up. "Playtime is over. It's time to be serious."
"What am I learning today?" Bella asked, walking over and standing next to me.
"We're going to continue practicing punches. However, Jasper and Emmett will be fighting back today," I informed her.
She looked at me warily. "So soon?"
"This is the natural progression of training. If you're not ready, though, we can have a few more basic lessons," I offered.
"No, it's not that. I just didn't think you would be ready so soon," Bella said.
I sighed. Here I was worrying about my beautiful wife, when she was here worrying about me. It was just another example of how she loved me more than I deserved. And it made what we were about to do infinitely harder to accept.
"I doubt I'll ever be ready, but I will do my best. Please forgive me in advance if I am unable to stop myself from interfering," I told her, staring into her golden eyes.
"Of course," she said, kissing the tip of my nose.
I gave her a quick hug and forced myself to become her trainer again. "Bella, assume the fighting stance. You'll be fighting Emmett first."
'Don't worry, Edward. I won't use my full strength today.' Emmett
I nodded my thanks to him.
"Bella, after you throw your first punch, Emmett will retaliate. You'll need to block him, all while continuing to throw punches. Jasper and I will be grading you on your stance, how many times you block Emmett, and how many punches you are able to land," I explained. "Are you ready?"
"Yes," Bella answered. Her lips were drawn into a thin, white line; her eyes were focused and determined; her stance was perfect.
"Go, Bella," I told her.
She threw her first punch and I was pleasantly surprised to see she had put some force behind it. Her blow landed high up on Emmett's right shoulder.
Jasper leaned over to me and whispered. "Her confidence is high today. She's not worried so far."
Emmett struck back, aiming for her shoulder in return. Bella was able to block him by throwing up her left forearm.
"Nice, Picky!" Emmett chuckled.
Bella's next punch struck Emmett in the chest. He staggered just a bit, but immediately fought back, trying to clip her on the jaw. Bella ducked down, keeping both of her arms in front of her face.
"Bella," I interrupted.
She stood up and faced me.
"I understand why you did that, but unless you plan to attack while in that stance, you are putting yourself in danger. Emmett could have kicked you over and then you would have been on the ground," I explained. "Remember, you want to stay on your feet as long as possible."
"Okay," she replied.
Bella got back into her fighting stance. She jabbed Emmett right under his chin with her right hand and then punched him in the middle of his chest with her left.
"Excellent, Bella!" Jasper cheered, breaking up the fighting again. "That kind of quick punching is what I was explaining to you last time. By quickly throwing out those punches, you give Emmett less time to retaliate."
Bella took up her stance again. She smiled at Emmett and he grinned wickedly at her. Bella threw her punch and socked Emmett in the left shoulder. He returned her punch, managing to hit her in the stomach. She stumbled backward, grimacing, but didn't make a sound.
I started walking forward, but Jasper grabbed my arm and pulled me back next to him, filling me with a false calm. He glared at me and I forced myself to back down.
Bella immediately returned to her stance, throwing a punch to Emmett's lower stomach and then blocking his attempt to strike her. I relaxed even more, knowing she wasn't hurt.
"Let's pick up the pace, Picky!" Emmett laughed.
I went to say something, but Jasper put a hand on my arm again.
"Edward, let's just see what happens," Jasper said calmly.
I nodded my head, not liking this one bit. But I trusted Jasper's judgment. That's why I had asked him to help me in the first place.
Bella and Emmett traded blows, moving slightly slower than vampire speed. The punches became fiercer as the two of them started growling at each other. I realized that Emmett had turned this into a competition and he was no longer holding back.
"Jasper, send him some calm right now before I rip his foolish head off," I snarled.
"She's holding her own, Edward. Just wait," Jasper cautioned.
Emmett threw a punch, clearly aiming for Bella's jaw. She faltered in her step, leaning her head forward. Emmett's fist connected with her left eye. They both cried out; Bella's was a cry of pain while Emmett's was of fear. She fell to her knees on the ground, cradling her face.
I ran to her side and knelt down next to her. I pulled her hands away from her face and checked her eye. It was slightly swollen. As happy as I was that she would never know bloodlust, it was times like this that I wished she was a little more like a normal vampire. I carefully kissed the injured skin around her eye.
"Edward, I was going for her jaw. I swear," Emmett said quickly. 'Holy shit! Edward's going to really rip my arm off this time. Oh, crap!'
"Calm down, Emmett," Jasper soothed, washing all of us with calm feelings.
Bella sniffled, holding onto my forearms. "I lost my footing."
"Edward," Emmett called in a small voice.
"It's okay, Emmett. I'm not going to do anything to you. We all knew this would happen eventually," I told our brother.
"I'm okay, Em," Bella sniffled. "It was my fault. I lost my balance and leaned forward."
"And now you see how easily that puts your head and face at risk?" I asked.
She nodded, keeping her eyes locked on mine. "How long do you think it will take for my eye to be normal?" she asked.
"I would say five minutes at most. Emmett realized where his punch was going to land at the last second and held back as best as he could," I told her.
"Good. I want to keep going," she said, giving me a small smile.
"Was there anything in particular that caused you to be off-balance?" I asked.
"I think I was too eager to throw my next punch. Emmett had moved back a little and I was leaning in to reach him," Bella replied.
"Always let your enemy come to you, Bella. It gives you control over where the fight leads your body and at what pace," I cautioned her.
"Fighting is very technical," she mused.
"Yes," I laughed. "I suppose it is in some ways. But remember that it is also about heart, confidence, and determination."
Jasper and Emmett came over and sat down beside us while we waited for Bella's eye to return to normal.
"This is so inconvenient," Bella whined, pulling at the grass in front of her. "Couldn't I be a picky eater and still heal the same as you guys?"
"Apparently not," Jasper chuckled.
"It's okay, Bella," Emmett said. "It was time for Jasper and me to switch up anyways."
"You're only saying that because she was holding her own out there," Jasper commented. "I know you got serious there at the end and she was still doing really well against you."
Emmett threw me a quick look, probably worried that I was going to beat the crap out of him.
"I already know about it, Emmett," I said. "Jasper convinced me to let you live."
"You knew and you actually let us keep at it?" Bella asked, staring at me in awe.
"Like I said, I'm trying," I shrugged.
Bella wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. "You're doing much better than trying."
"I'm glad you think so," I laughed.
We sat in silence for the most part, Bella and I holding hands. Jasper was thinking of different attacks he was going to use against Bella. His plans seemed okay so far. Emmett was muttering under his breath and repeating the words in his head.
"Em, what are you saying?" Bella asked.
"No," I groaned, letting myself fall back into the grass.
Bella looked down at me. I just shook my head. It was too late.
"Well, Picky! I'm glad you asked," Emmett said cheerily. "Edward, Jasper, and you have been into the poetry thing lately so I found one that I liked."
"Let's hear it!" Bella said, leaning closer to Emmett.
Emmett cleared his throat dramatically.
"Walk the plank," says Pirate Jim.
"But Captain Jim, I cannot swim."
"Then you must steer us through the gale."
"But Captain Jim, I cannot sail."
"Then down with the galley slaves you go."
"But Captain Jim, I cannot row."
"Then you must be a pirate's clerk."
"But Captain Jim, I cannot work."
"Then a pirate captain you must be."
"Thank you, Jim," says Captain Me. (Shel Silverstein – Pirate Jim)
"What'd you think?" Emmett asked, smiling happily.
Bella, ever the tactful one, managed to keep a straight face. "That's very good, Em. It's nice and simple. It … um … shows how determined the person was to become a captain. I don't know that a real pirate would have been that patient, but we'll never know."
"Look at that," Jasper said. "Your eye is healed, Bella. We should really get back to training now."
I smiled, thankful for Jasper's quick save. Once Emmett got started on one of his pirate tangents, it was hard to stop him. I was in no mood to hear him talk pirate today. I stood up and helped Bella to her feet.
"Bella, you and I are going to spar now," Jasper informed her.
"Can we start out slow?" she asked.
"Of course," Jasper replied. "I'll let you set the pace."
I turned Bella by her shoulders so she was facing me. "Remember what I told you about controlling the fight. Don't go to Jasper, make him come to you. Take small steps backward so it's easier to keep your feet firmly planted on the ground while punches are being thrown. A real fight will not allow you the luxury of slowing down when you want to."
"Okay," Bella said, nodding her head.
Emmett and I moved away, giving them plenty of room to fight. Bella took up her fighting stance and took a deep breath.
"Start whenever you're ready, Bella," I told her.
She threw her first punch at Jasper, aiming for his chest. He easily blocked it and tried to get her shoulder. Bella managed to block him, but stumbled a bit. She quickly righted herself, but Jasper was already on the offensive again. Bella wasn't able to block him and took the hit in her abdomen.
Emmett grabbed my arm hard, holding me in place. Bella winced, but stood tall. I relaxed and Emmett let go of me. Bella threw another punch at Jasper, this time connecting with his left ear. Jasper smiled proudly, even as he tried to hit her. She managed to block him and took a small step backward.
"Did you see that?" Emmett crowed with excitement.
"Ssh!" I warned him. "Don't break her concentration. Whisper if you have to talk."
"She stepped back," Emmett said, keeping his voice low this time, even though his excitement was still clearly evident.
Over the next few minutes, Bella and Jasper traded blocks as she continued to take small steps backward, and to the side, leading Jasper in tight circles. She was probably hoping to get him to lean in, but I doubted Jasper would do it. He'd been a fighter for far too long.
A soft growl came from Bella as she took a small step forward. She had changed from a defensive position to an offensive one. I could hardly believe her confidence. She quickened their pace, going nearly as fast as Emmett and she had gone earlier.
"Edward, she's doing great, dude!" Emmett whisper-yelled.
The words had barely left his mouth before they were washed out by Bella's cries of pain. She had tried to block Jasper but missed. His punch had connected with her left shoulder, causing her to cry out. Jasper tried to calm me, but I ignored him.
I ran to Bella, immediately noticing that her shoulder didn't look right. I gently touched it and she whimpered. It was dislocated.
"Bella, I have to pop it back in," I told her, trying to keep myself and her calm. "It's going to hurt, and I'm sorry for that."
Moving as quickly as I could, I popped her shoulder back into place. She leaned into me, sobbing against my shirt, her hurt arm cradled between us.
"Edward, do you want to take her to Carlisle?" Jasper asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"She's fine," I told him, fighting hard against my temper. "It was only dislocated. I'm going to take her hunting in a minute."
"Do you want us to stay?" Emmett asked.
"No. Go back to the house. We're done for the day," I said quietly. I kept my eyes closed and my head rested against Bella's. It was the only thing keeping me from losing my temper completely.
I doubted I would be able to do this anymore. She'd been hurt twice today and each time, I had felt like I was the one who'd been hit. I couldn't take hearing her sobbing like this, knowing she was in pain and that I couldn't fix it…that I had helped to cause it.
"Come on, Jazz. Let's let Edward cool down a little," Emmett told him. "Besides, you promised me a re-match on that ninja fighting game."
Our brothers left without another word. I hummed Bella's lullaby to her until she calmed down. When she was only lightly sniffling, I started talking to her.
"Are you okay, love?"
"My arm still hurts a little bit, but I'm sure I'll be fine once we hunt."
"Would you prefer me to go and get you something and bring it back to you?"
"No, Edward. That's very sweet of you, but if I'm going to do this correctly, then I'll have to get back up when I get knocked down."
"That's true. But you also need to remember you are slightly different from us. We may need to slow things down just a little for you." I added in my mind that I thought we should just quit altogether.
"I don't need you to remind me I'm different, Edward. I already know that. That's sort of the reason for the training in the first place," she snapped.
"I didn't mean to offend you, Bella."
"I'm not offended. I'm just aggravated. You sound as if you're trying to get me to stop training on my own so you won't feel guilty about wanting me to stop."
"Is it really that easy for you to see through me?" I asked, stunned at her accurate observation.
She lifted her head and looked at me. "No. But I know you. And the way you dismissed Jasper and Emmett…Edward, I know this is hard on you, I really truly do see that. But I need you to also see that this is important to me. And necessary, no matter how much we wish it wasn't."
"Bella, I just feel so…helpless," I admitted, dropping my eyes from hers. Her pain would always be my greatest weakness, just as her love would always be my greatest strength.
"I know," she whispered, putting her hand against my cheek. "I'm sorry this is hurting you. Is there anything at all I can say or do to make this easier on you?"
"Just try not to get angry with me for feeling this way," I pleaded.
"Edward, I would never get angry at you for this. When I said I was aggravated, I didn't mean I felt that way about you. I feel that way because I'm not doing enough to keep from getting hurt," she said, hugging me as best as she could.
"Bella, this is the first time you've ever fought in this manner. It's impossible for you to be perfect at it right away. Just focus on your training and I'll deal with my feelings, Bella. You don't need to worry."
"Like that's possible!" she chuckled. "It's like me telling you not to be jealous of Newton!"
I laughed with her, hugging her tightly. She had once again managed to make me feel better when I was supposed to be making her feel better. Bella never stopped amazing me…I doubted she ever would.
