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Forever Bound
Chapter Sixteen – Fix You
The room was in a stunned silence.
Tears were beginning to pool in Rosalie's eyes. As soon as Emmett noticed, he pulled her tightly into his arms. Edward could instantly see that, although they had only just met, their relationship was forever.
"What happened to you Rose?" Jasper whisper, looking as shocked as the rest of them.
Rose took a deep breath, "When I was fifteen, James Hunter moved to our village. He began to court me. My parents allowed him to because he was from a well off family, despite the fact that he was three years older than I was. He had been courting me for three months, when one night we went out for a walk and he tried to assault me. We were walking down a dark alleyway when it happened. He suddenly pushed me against the wall and began to kiss me roughly. I was confused at first, especially since he had previously stated that he had wanted to save our first kiss for a special moment. I began to panic when he started to pull at my dress. I tried to push him away but he wouldn't stop. He ripped my dress off my shoulders and I began to scream," Rose's voice began to crack but she continued, "He slapped my hard around the face, causing my mouth to fill with blood. He yelled, "Shut up you stupid bitch or I'll make it worse!" I was so terrified. I kept trying to fight back but he was too strong. He had torn my dress off completely and I was just in my petticoat. I was so scared; I knew there was nothing I could do.
All of a sudden, James' weight was off me and he was suddenly engaged in a fight with a policeman. They were punching one another and yelling. I heard the officer shout at me, telling me to run. I stood still, I couldn't move. He yelled it at me again and I broke out of my daze, running as fast as I could. I ran all the way home in just my undergarments. It was November but I knew I could not stop. I did not even feel the pain of the cold against my skin. By the time I arrived home, all the candles had been blown out, so no one saw me come in. I ran into my chamber and did not come out for days. My parents and Jasper wondered what was wrong, but when they heard James had left the town, they thought that was what caused me to become so distressed." Rosalie had tears streaming down her face and was finding it hard to talk, but they all knew she had not finished yet. "I found out a week later that James had killed the policeman that saved me. He had stabbed him. I sent flowers to the family, but I did not have the courage to find them and apologise, tell them it was me he had saved. I was too much of a coward. For months, I could not function. I ate, slept and went to my tutor. It was only a year after the attack that I was finally able to m-move o-on." Rose could not continue a moment longer and broke down weeping into Emmett's arms.
Emmett wrapped his arm around her and began to soothe her, whispering things in her ear that no one else in the room could hear. It was such a private moment Edward felt the need to turn away.
He gazed around at the others in the room. Alice was in tears and although Jasper was comforting her, he could see the tears in Jasper's own eyes, and the anger on his face. Esme was crying silently in the corner and Edward could not blame her; two of the girls she cared most about had been violently attacked, escaping only by sheer luck.
"Why did you not tell us Rosie?" Jasper whispered, looking heartbroken and slightly betrayed.
"I did not want to worry you. And I did not want to admit to myself that I had been so stupid; that I was to blame for that man's death." She sobbed.
Jasper stood up and moved over to Rose, glancing at Emmett who nodded and shifted Rose into her brother's arms. He stroked her hair and wiped her tears away, before he made her look into his eyes. "You are not to blame. Of course you were not to blame Rose. He is a monster, a poor excuse for a human. You were not to blame," he reiterated.
Edward moved over to Alice, trying to give the family their privacy when he heard a scream coming from upstairs.
Edward bolted out of his seat and up the stairs before anyone else had chance to react. He burst into Bella room and found her sobbing in bed, hugging her stomach. He ran over to her.
"Bella, what is it? Is the baby still okay?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her.
"I-I had t-the same dream." Bella cried, gasping for breath and burying her head in Edward's chest.
"Shh, shh. Calm down sweetheart." In the back of his head, Edward noted that this was the first time he had used a term of endearment with his wife, "It is okay. Everything is okay. You're safe. The baby is safe," He prayed he was not lying about that, "James cannot get you here. We will not allow him anywhere near you. He would have to get through all of us before he could touch a single hair on your head. Emmett would be at the front of the queue and we both know how well he can defend himself," Edward tried to lighten the mood.
It seemed to work a little as Bella choked out a small laugh.
They sat together in silence once more before Bella caught sight of the time.
"Edward! Why did you not wake me? It is almost midday and I am still in bed! What must everyone think?" Bella tried to move out of bed, wincing slightly as she used her arm for support.
Edward put a stop to her plans immediately and gently pushed her back down. He got off the bed and pulled the blankets tight around her body before tucking them under the bed, ensuring that she would not be able to leave it.
"You are not going anywhere Mrs Cullen." Edward informed her as she began to try and shake herself out of the covers. "Everyone has been informed of your situation and expect you to stay in bed." Bella began to protest, "Bella, all we care about is your health and safety. You must stay in bed to get better. Think of our child." Edward knew that would win him points.
Bella huffed but settled back down onto her pillows. "Alice needs help planning the wedding Edward. It is in only eight days yet there is still so much to do. Would you please send her up here, I would like to know what I could do to help as I lie here." Edward let out a large sigh. Bella was always so selfless, but today was the day that she was allowed to only think about herself.
"I'm sure Alice would love to come up to see you Bella. She is very worried about you. However, I believe wedding plans will be the last thing on her mind after all the revelations she has heard today." Edward told his wife gently.
"What revelations?" Bella asked, clearly quite confused.
"Well as I have previously stated, I have told them all about the events of last night. Alice came barging in, demanding that I wake you but I refused and she demanded an explanation. I believed it would be easier to tell them all at once instead of one by one. And then—" Edward cut himself off. He was not sure how Bella would react to Rosalie's surprise.
Unfortunately, like his parents, Bella had caught his mistake. "And then what? What else has happened?" She asked, clearly agitated at not knowing the whole truth.
"Well, err, when I told everyone what had happened, I informed them of James' name and Rose appeared to react to it. When we questioned her about it, she, err, she revealed that he had tried to attack her four years ago." Edward rushed through his explanation, hesitating a few times.
Bella gasped and tears pooled in her eyes. "Did he manage to assault her?" she asked quietly.
Edward instantly shook his head, not wanting to cause her any more worry than necessary. "No, a policeman pulled James away from her and told her to run. Unfortunately he was not as lucky and James stabbed him before running away."
Bella did not react and Edward did not push her for one. She sat there in silence while Edward stood over her.
"What is going to happen now? With James I mean?" she finally asked.
"Well, we shall inform the police of the attack, and now that we have Rose's information, surely we can get a conviction. He will not get away with it I swear to you Bella." Edward promised passionately.
At that moment a knock sounded on the door. Edward looked towards Bella, asking silently if he should allow the person outside to enter. Bella nodded and Edward moved to open the door. Aurora was waiting outside.
"Good afternoon Mr Cullen. Carlisle requested that I examine your wife," Aurora greeted.
"Yes of course, Bella is just in here. Please call me Edward."
"Of course." Edward led Aurora into the room before he went to open the drapes, allowing the sunlight to enter the room for the second time that day.
"Good afternoon Mrs Cullen. I understand you had quite a distressing evening last night?"
Bella nodded and Edward saw the light dim in her eyes.
Edward remembered the last time Aurora had come to confirm Bella's pregnancy and decided to make the choice he knew Bella wished he would. "Excuse me ladies. I am sure Bella would be more comfortable if I waited outside. I will let myself out; please call me once you have finished."
Edward had only taken a step forward when Bella began to protest. "Edward, please do not leave. Please stay."
Edward halted, secretly touched that Bella had requested him to stay. "Are you sure?"
Bella nodded enthusiastically, "Please. I want you here." She replied quietly.
Edward grinned at her and made his way over to her. He stood next to her head. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear.
"You're welcome. It is your child too." Edward took her hand and knelt down next to her. No matter what the news, they would face it together.
-o-
Aurora left the room quietly, leaving husband and wife to themselves.
Bella had tears streaming down her face, which was buried in Edward's arm. Edward was stroking her hair.
Both had large grins gracing their faces. According to Aurora, their child was alive and well.
She had been ordered to stay in bed for at least a week, to ensure the safety of the child and recuperation of her health. Edward had smiled slyly at her at this, proving that he was right earlier in morning. She had stuck her tongue out at him, causing Edward to burst out laughing. The tension between them had disappeared completely; Edward had only wished it had happened under pleasanter circumstances.
"Edward?" Bella raised her head to look him in the eye, "How shall we celebrate Christmas tomorrow?"
Edward was quite confused. "How do you mean?"
"Well, I am not allowed to leave this bed. I will be unable to spend the day downstairs with yourself and your mother and your father." Bella explained.
"We shall think of something. You will not be spending Christmas alone up here. Besides, we have something else to celebrate; your safety and the safety of your child." Bella smiled thankfully at him. "Now I shall ride into town and inform the police of both attacks."
"Must you go?" Bella asked, sounding upset, "Can Emmett not go?"
For some reason, Edward felt a warm sensation rise in him at Bella's obvious want for him to stay.
"As much as I would like to stay with you, I believe I should go because I was there during the attack. I will request those waiting downstairs to keep you company while I am away." Edward tried to comfort her.
Bella nodded and dropped Edward's hand, allowing him to leave her. His hand felt very cold without hers around it.
"I shall be back as soon as I can Bella. I promise you," Edward leaned in and kissed her head before taking his leave.
-o-
An hour later Edward left the police station, assured that an officer would soon be over to both Tanya's and Bella's house to confirm the story, and then hopefully arrest James.
He climbed onto Theodore's back and began to ride out of town. He reached the crossroads; if he took the left road he would return home in almost five minutes. If he took the right road, he would soon reach Tanya's home.
He took the right road.
-o-
Edward jumped of Theodore's back and handed him to one of the stable boys.
He knocked on the Denali's front door and waited for it to open. A few moments later, Jarvis opened it.
"Good afternoon Mr Cullen. How may I help you?"
"I am here to see Miss Denali." Edward informed the butler.
Jarvis stepped aside and allowed Edward to pass. "I will go and retrieve her for you sir."
"Thank you Jarvis. May I wait in the sitting room?"
"Of course Mr Cullen." And with that Jarvis made his way up the stairs.
Edward made his way into the sitting room and sat down in front of the window, looking out onto the gardens.
"Miss Denali for you sir," Jarvis announced before he bowed and left them to themselves.
Edward stood up but did not move forwards towards her. "Good afternoon Tanya." He greeted.
Tanya made her way across the room and slapped him hard across the face.
Edward clutched his cheek and looked questioningly at Tanya, completely confused at her action.
"What did you do to my fiancé Edward? Were you so jealous that you felt the need to beat him to a pulp for committing nothing but asking for my hand?" Tanya yelled at him.
Edward forgot the pain in his face, "Committed no act? He tried to assault Bella!" Edward shouted back at her.
"You lie! James has told me that all he did was take Bella on a walk. She had been trying to catch his attention all evening and when they were alone, her patience came to an end and she kissed him."
"Tanya, he is the one lying to you! She was begging him to stop and he ignored her!"
"Edward, how can you believe your wife over myself? She was the one who threw herself on my fiancé!"
"I believe her because I was there! I pulled him off her myself. He was pulling her dress off! She has numerous cuts covering her body and she was at risk of losing the baby! Tanya, you are in danger!" Edward cried.
"I am not. James would never harm me!" Tanya yelled at Edward.
"How can you say that?" Edward asked incredulously, "You informed me just last night that James would have no problem killing me if he discovered the relationship between you and myself."
"That is—" Tanya quickly stopped speaking and covered her mouth.
"That is because what Tanya? What are you hiding Tanya?" Edward asked, staring at her intently.
"Nothing." Tanya refused to look him in the eye.
"Tanya," Edward warned, leaving no room for excuses.
"I know he will never hurt me Edward." She insisted.
"How do you know that?" Edward insisted, wanting to know the truth.
"Because I know his past," Tanya whispered quietly.
"What about his past?"
"I know what he did to Charles Swan."
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Sorry for any mistakes.
School starts again tomorrow so updates may be slower, sorry.
Until next time :)
