Chapter 27 - Where is Safety?

At the end of the day, the goals are simple: safety and security.

Jodi Rell

Bella's POV

It was dark when I woke, and I wasn't sure where I was or who held me close. All I did know was that it felt like there was a brick resting on my chest. Taking a deep, raspy breath, I squashed the rising panic—there would be time for that later.

"Edward," I called out in a hoarse voice.

The arm around me tightened, but whoever it was didn't respond. Was it Edward? Again, I suppressed my panic as I recalled what he said some time ago about being hard to wake up. Jasper was the only one that I knew of who had successfully woken him.

A harsh, hacking cough left me, and I was tired and weak by the time it had subsided. Sticking with the hope that it was Edward holding me, I called out again. My voice was weaker than the first time, barely a whisper.

Yet again, the arm tightened around me slightly. It had to be Edward.

As I was thinking about how I could wake him up, the door creaked open, and the person entering the room was shadowed by the light in the hallway, so I couldn't tell who it was.

"I heard you coughing," a female voice whispered.

I sighed in relief as I recognized the voice of Esme. She walked around the bed to the side I lay on, placing the back of her hand on my forehead.

"Still a little feverish, but that's to be expected. Let's get some more medicine into you."

I nodded. "How sick am I?" I asked, pushing Edward's arm off me and sitting up. Surprisingly, he didn't try to wrap it back around me.

"Pneumonia, I'm afraid. We had to take you to the hospital in order to reduce your fever."

"Really?" I recalled waking one other time. Edward had leaned over me and told me something, but I couldn't remember what. There had been some mention about Jacob, too—I shivered, suddenly cold.

"Are you cold, love?" Edward asked groggily, raising up and looking at me.

Swinging my head to the side to look at him proved to be a bad idea. I brought up my hands and held my head in an attempt to stop the room from spinning. "Ugh!" I exclaimed, feeling nauseous once the sensation ended. "How are you awake now?"

Edward glanced over at Esme and then back at me. "Did you try to wake me?" he asked, rolling onto his side and cupping my cheek with his left hand.

I glared at him a moment, still not believing he was awake. "Yes," I croaked out before another coughing fit shook my body. I was out of breath when the fit was over.

"Here," Esme said, handing me a small cup with a clear liquid in it.

After swallowing the foul liquid, I made a face. I really hated the alcoholic-taste of cough medicine, even though it made me feel better in the long run. I took a couple of sips of water from the bottle Esme handed me after taking the medicine cup back. "What woke you up?"

Edward exhaled before answering. "I put a temperature-monitoring spell on you. I didn't want you to get too cold or spike another high fever, hence the spell."

I didn't understand.

"The spell woke me, love," he added, lifting his hand to caress my face again. Leaning forward, he kissed my cheek. "Since you're awake, there's something I would like to ask you."

"Go ahead."

He sighed. "There's the possibility that Jacob won't be charged."

My lip started trembling.

He went on. "No matter what you say, it's his word against yours, and the FBI doesn't know who to believe."

My eyes welled up.

"I want to take you somewhere you'll be safe, but I don't know anywhere he won't be able to get to you. Do you?"

His eyes never strayed from mine, even when I closed mine momentarily to think. His thumb brushed away the tears that spilled as I thought. A memory surfaced as he continued stroking my cheek.

Mom and Dad were sitting in the living room, talking quietly when I got home from school.

"Bells," Dad called as I went by on my way to the kitchen to start an English paper.

Turning around, I entered the room.

"We need to talk," Mom said, motioning to a chair.

Uneasily, I sat down. "Did I do something wrong?" I asked. I didn't think I had, but I was a teenager, so you never knew.

"No, sweetheart," Mom replied. "There's just something we need you to know."

Swallowing, I told them to go on.

"Your mother and I will not always be around. You're growing up and will soon go off to college," Dad said.

I nodded, not sure where he was headed.

"There may come a day when your way of life is threatened, and you'll want to go somewhere safe, protected," he said.

"Why would anyone threaten me? I've told no one, and I'm always careful."

My parents sighed in unison.

"It doesn't matter how cautious you are, Bella. Magic leaves a residue, and there are some people that can see what is left behind," Mom explained.

I nodded, remembering that fact from an earlier magic lesson. "Still, who would want to hurt me?"

Dad looked away and out the front window. Jacob was coming up the walk. "Someone who wants your powers," he said, facing me again.

That hit home. "Okay. If that day comes, where do I go?" I asked, knowing that was the point of this whole discussion.

"Scotland," Dad answered.

"And into the caves you used to play in before we moved here," Mom added. "Our druid ancestors will protect you and anyone you take with you."

Opening my eyes again, I found Edward still watching me. "I know a place," I answered, yawning. "There are a set of caves I used to play in near the keep in Scotland. We'll be protected there."

Edward's POV

I smiled, dropping my hand. I knew she would have an answer. "You need rest, love. Lean against me and try to fall back to sleep."

It didn't take long for her breathing to even out. Scotland. The location she came up with should have surprised me, but for some reason, even before she said it, I knew we would be going there. The question was: how I was going to get us there? I had a private jet, but we still needed passports, and I doubted Bella's was still valid.

It was two hours later that I placed another spell on Bella. This one would alert me if she started to stir, and I slipped quietly from the room.

"Yo, bro," Emmett called when I entered the living room. "How's Bella?"

"Resting peacefully," I answered, swiping a hand down my face as I sat on an ottoman. I was relieved that she seemed more coherent but worried about her reaction to my news about Jacob.

"Eric still wants to talk to her."

I nodded, figuring as much. "He can when she wakes again," I said. "After that, she and I are leaving."

"And going where?" Jasper asked.

I hadn't known he was in the room.

"Scotland," I answered. "She says there are caves near the ancestral home that we'll be safe in."

"That you would, lad," Malcolm said, coming from the kitchen with Mom and Dad. "But how do you plan on getting her there?"

I closed my eyes and sighed. "I haven't a clue. It's too far to magically transport us there, even if she was well enough to help in the endeavor," I answered. "I'm open to ideas."

We all sat in silence for about an hour before Emmett spoke. "You know, you do have a private jet?"

"I thought about that. Passports are a must, and Bella's might be expired," I said.

Malcolm took something out of his pocket, handing it to me. "Her passport is valid. It was renewed two months before she was taken," he said. "Up until a month before she was found, I always carried it with me when in Seattle, but—" he lifted a hand, not going on.

"Thank you," I remarked with a slight smile. "What can you tell me about the caves?"

We sat there and talked for some time, and Malcolm answered my questions, telling me about the tunnel system, that there were several comfortable havens, but the most important thing was that the caves were imbued with ancient druid magic.

"Anyone who enters the caverns uninvited is stripped of any and all magical abilities they possess," Malcolm said.

I can see why Bella suggested the place. A tingle went up my spine as I was preparing to ask another question. "Bella's stirring," I said. "Go ahead and call Eric, Emmett."

After excusing myself, I headed upstairs. Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed when I entered the bedroom.

"Why me?" she stated rhetorically, coughing into her hand.

"I wish it was me who was sick instead of you, love," I remarked.

She turned and glared at me over her shoulder. If looks could kill, I'd be a pile of ash.

I sighed, moving around the bed to sit next to her. "Sorry, Bella. I do wish you weren't sick, though."

"That makes two of us," she said in a low, raspy voice, resting her head on my shoulder.

My right arm went around her, holding her close to my side. "An FBI agent wants to take your statement," I whispered.

She stiffened. "I c–can't. There's so much I don't remember, and what I do remember I can't tell anyone."

She had told Carlisle and me what little she remembered; I had to agree she couldn't answer the agent's questions. They weren't going to go away, either. "Stick to the truth," I said. "Well, as much of as you can. Like you said, you don't remember everything."

"Then what?" she asked.

"You and I are going to Scotland. I have my pilot on standby."

Bella's POV

Edward had stayed by my side as I answered all the questions Special Agent Eric Yorkie had. It was hard spinning the truth of how I managed to get away from Jacob, but it was the only way to keep my secret.

Now, I was sitting in Edward's private jet, looking out the window. Edward was taking me to what we both hoped was safety. Somewhere Jacob wouldn't be able to find me. I counted on the legends being right about the caves, and my ancestors would protect the both of us.

I still felt horrible, a little feverish, but was able to hold a glamour spell long enough to get through airport security. I sighed, turning from the vast darkness to study the interior of the plane. It was mainly tan and cream, with leather seats and glassy-top mahogany tables dotted throughout. I had chosen a seat lacking a table, so I didn't feel crowded.

My head was starting to pound again, and I wasn't sure if I could take anything.

"How are you feeling, love?" Edward asked from across the aisle as if he sensed my distress.

"Like my head is going to explode," I answered.

An "hmm" came from Edward as he consulted his watch. "You can't take anything for another hour or so."

Groaning, I gripped my head, silently wishing I were dead.

"However, some green tea might help." He unbuckled and headed to the rear of the compartment, and I watched as he disappeared behind a tan curtain before moving to one of the tables.

It wasn't long before he returned with a tray holding two tea cups on it and placed one in front of me. The infuser was on the saucer.

"I don't know how strong you like your tea," he said, taking a seat across from me with his own cup. He had also brought out what looked like almond biscotti.

After placing the infuser in the hot water, I idly lifted the basket up and down. Green tea wasn't my favorite, but its healing properties were what I needed. Once I thought a sufficient amount of favor had been steeped into the water, I removed the strainer and took a sip. It had the bitter, grassy taste I remembered.

"It's not my favorite," Edward remarked after I made a face. "Try breathing in the steam instead of drinking it."

Holding the cup under my nose, I did as he suggested. The response wasn't immediate, but my headache slowly started to fade and my chest loosened—maybe that was what caused the pounding in my head. A sigh left me. I eyed the biscotti; my stomach rolled sickeningly.

"There wouldn't happen to be any crackers in the galley, would there?" I asked as my stomach flip-flopped again.

He didn't get up. Instead, he flipped his wrist and a package of peanut butter crackers appeared. Not exactly what I wanted, but peanuts had helped settle my stomach in the past. "Thank you," I said with a smile.

A/N: Despite a family medical emergency last week, I was able to crank out this chapter. I want to thank my wonderful betas for their assistance in editing this chapter.

Scotland? Thoughts?