Chapter 2: We Fell Through The Ice
A/N: **IMPORTANT** - Make sure you saw last chapter or you'll be mighty confused. I think was having problems.
Dedication: To darling Melly. We survive Cella's insanity only by leaning on each other.
Disclaimer: If Jasper and Bella were listed amongst the things I own, my taxes would look different so I guess they're not mine.
"We've tried to wash our hands of all this
We never talk of our lacking relationships
And how we're guilt stricken sobbing with our
Heads on the floor
We fell through the ice when we tried not to slip,"
The Freshman, Verve Pipe
"Hey!" Bella protested, hurrying after Jasper.
He ignored her, taking long, quick strides across the room and outside. He let the front door of the police station slam shut in her face.
Before she could follow him, Angela's soft voice stopped her. "Maybe it's a better idea if you let him cool down a little."
Bella paused with her hand on the door, considering this. She was irritated – no two ways about it. All that would happen if she caught up with him would be more yelling. It was counterproductive. With a quiet growl of frustration, Bella let her hand drop.
For a few minutes, Bella just sat in one of the chairs in front of Angela's desk, thinking. To her credit, Angela merely sat quietly, doing whatever paperwork and not asking Bella anything. This both irritated and impressed Bella, albeit the latter grudgingly. Logically speaking, anybody would have a million questions after what had just occurred. Hell, Bella herself had a million questions for Jasper. But Angela remained silent, not trying to get any additional information out of her.
She decided, finally, that it was best to retreat for the moment. She would give Jasper room to think, calm down - whatever it was he needed to do. She'd need to take some extended time off work to fix this problem.
Choice made, Bella got up and exited the Forks Police Department, feeling better that she at least had a plan.
~0~
Bella got home to find that Alice had camped out at her apartment, waiting for news.
"He wasn't... mean, was he?" Alice asked, wringing her hands unconsciously.
Bella felt a rush of anger toward Jasper. She hated seeing Alice so nervous and timid. This guy had obviously done a number on her. "He wasn't happy about it, but no he wasn't mean."
Alice studied her face and sighed. "You're a horrible liar, Bella. Just tell me what happened. Exactly what happened."
The more that Bella told her friend, the more worked up Alice got. "It's not a big deal. Really."
"Bella! He threw you in a jail cell!"
"Just for a few minutes," she placated. When Alice stopped pacing long enough to glare at her, Bella rolled her eyes. "Look, we figured he was going to be difficult, right? I'm going to go back. Give me a week and I'll go back."
"No," Alice said firmly, shaking her head. "Don't go back. I'd feel horrible if... what if he hurt you this time? I mean, if just saying my name made him do that in a police station..."
"You said he never hit you," Bella replied, narrowing her eyes at Alice and trying to gauge if she'd been lying all these years.
"He didn't," she said quickly. "But it's been years. I mean...people like that - they escalate, don't they?"
"You talk to Edward too much," Bella said softly, trying to calm her. "Yes, I'm sure it's possible that he would have escalated to that point... with a girlfriend. I'm not going to date him, Alice. I'll make sure to keep to public places, without jail cells, if it'll make you feel better."
Alice stopped pacing then and pointed a finger in Bella's face. "Promise."
"I promise."
~0~
Bella pulled up to the Pacific Inn Motel in Forks in the late afternoon. She'd gotten a later start than she wanted but couldn't really complain. Knowing that she'd be gone for a week, her boss had her working to the last minute.
It was the off season and she knew that Forks didn't have many visitors - tourists or fisherpeople - so Bella hadn't bothered to get a reservation. Sure enough, the Pacific Inn Motel displayed a bright vacancy sign.
A bell chimed as she walked in the door of the lobby. A woman about her own age with cornsilk blond hair and a plastic smile came from the backroom. "Good afternoon," she greeted. Her name tag identified her as Lauren.
"Hi. I'm looking for a room, possibly for a week."
"Oh," Lauren's smile quirked. "That's a rare request around this time," she said slowly. Bella knew Lauren was waiting for her to fill in the blanks but, well, she didn't want to. The other woman's fake smile faltered just a bit as she cleared her throat. "License please."
Silently, Bella passed Lauren her driver's license. At first, the other woman just glanced at it - then she did a double take. Her smile vaporized like plastic thrown in acid - shrinking and shriveling as her lips pursed. Bella furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as Lauren leveled her with a malevolent glare. "I'm sorry. It looks like we're all out of rooms."
For a few tense moments, Bella simply blinked at the hotel clerk. "Are you kidding me?"
Lauren smirked, nastily. "If I was a comedian, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be here," she snapped.
Pretty sure you would as you'd probably suck at that job too, Bella retorted mentally. "Right...you just told me you don't have many people renting rooms."
"For a week," Lauren corrected. "And it looks like I was mistaken. We're all booked."
Trying to keep a hold on her temper, Bella pointed to the sign outside. "It says vacancy."
Still glaring, Lauren leaned down, flipping a switch that Bella couldn't see. The 'no' sputtered to life.
"Oh, for heaven's sakes," an exasperated voice came from their right. Bella hadn't noticed, but there was a woman who'd been lounging in the waiting area of the lobby. She came up to the desk now, an admonishing look on her pretty, heart-shaped face. "Lauren, you know you have rooms. What is wrong with you?"
Lauren's face fell a bit and she looked back and forth between the stranger and Bella. She leaned in close to the stranger and hissed out between clenched teeth, "Esme, that's Bella Swan."
"I'm well aware of who she is," Esme said in a clipped, no-nonsense tone.
"She's right here," Bella cut in, thoroughly irritated.
Esme turned to look at her, an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry, dear. I didn't mean to be so rude." She rustled through her purse before producing a business card. "My name is Esme Evenson. I run the Miller Tree Inn. Why don't you come rent from me? I'll give you a good deal on a room - see if we can't change your mind about Forks's hospitality," she finished, sending a pointed glare at Lauren. The blond haired woman crossed her arms.
"Um, thank you," Bella said, a little confused as to everything that had transpired. She took the card from Esme's hand.
"I just have a few minutes of business to finish up here, and I'll be along. If you'd like," Esme continued.
"No, that sounds good. Thanks again," Bella said, offering a genuine smile to the slightly older woman. She turned back to Lauren, trying to keep from outright scowling. "Can I have my license back please?"
With a huff, Lauren tossed the license on the counter and turned on her heel, retreating to the back room she'd come from.
Bella left after Esme had given her instructions and assured her she'd only be a few minutes. She tapped restlessly on her steering wheel as she drove, trying to sort the things she'd just found out.
Obviously, Jasper had told his story. She might have guessed that the good townsfolk of Forks would be on his side. Why wouldn't they be? Hadn't Alice said how she kept Jasper's rough, manipulative behavior a secret. She hadn't had a lot of friends. He had.
He'd told her that without him, she would be alone.
By the time Bella pulled up to Miller Tree Inn she was fuming again. She was going to settle this for Alice once and for all - get her friend some closure.
As she'd promised, Esme pulled up only a few minutes after. She still had on a friendly, open smile as she led Bella up the stairs of the Inn. The Miller Tree Inn was actually a large farmhouse. There were eight rooms, not including Esme's room and office on the bottom floor. Each had it's own bathroom. The room that Esme set Bella up in was the Sunset Room. It was one of the smaller bedrooms but still held a king size bed. Honestly, that was all Bella needed. As promised, Esme offered her the room at an insanely discounted rate.
Finally, Bella couldn't help but address the elephant in the room. "So...you're aware of who I am - obviously."
Esme glanced up from where she was carefully filling out the ledger. She tilted her head at Bella and took off her reading glasses. "Honey, there aren't a whole lot of people in Forks who run in this social circle that don't know who you are."
Bella scoffed under her breath. "The police officers and inn-keepers social circle. Noted."
"Not exactly," Esme said with a soft chuckle. "I just happen to run with that crowd, so to speak. Well - not really run with them. I suppose I'm like the older sister - not always cool, but they love me all the same, and I love them."
"You love Jasper, then," Bella concluded.
Esme nodded carefully.
"And yet, you're being very nice to me...despite the fact you have to know what I'm here to do." Esme grimaced and Bella apologized. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to understand."
"Don't be sorry, dear. The difference between me and Lauren Mallory is that I haven't caught the fever," Esme laughed. "I love Jasper like I'd love my own son, or brother. But he's the most eligible could-be-a-bachelor in a small town. Lauren isn't the only one that imagines that he wouldn't be as jaded as he is now if it wasn't for his wife." She grimaced. "I'm afraid that young woman is quite villainized amongst the single young ladies of Forks, especially."
Bella took a deep breath and signed the paper that Esme handed her with a little more force than necessary. "They have no idea the kind of hell he put her through," she muttered, and then sighed at herself when she saw the look that crossed Esme's face. "I'm sorry," she apologized again. "You've been very kind to me. I don't mean to disparage your friend."
"That's one of the reasons why I take the rumors that are rampant in this town with a grain of salt," Esme said, patting her hand reassuringly. "I didn't know Jasper back then...when Alice was here I mean. I didn't live here. All I know of Jasper is that he helped me out of a very bad situation, so I'm inclined to think well of him. You, however, have a different reality than I know of."
"You're a rare breed of people," Bella said kindly. Truthfully, Esme reminded her so much of Edward's older brother, Carlisle. Hmmm. They looked to be around the same age too...
Esme smiled again. "I do try."
~0~
As evening fell, Esme was in the little kitchen area of the Inn making dinner. She'd explained to Bella that dinner was always served here for whoever cared to join her. Even though Bella was the only renter currently, dinner was going to be made for several people whether Bella decided to go to Forks's diner or not.
And Bella wasn't allowed to help, either.
So, Bella found herself at the stool by the counter, watching with a sort of fascination as Esme moved about the kitchen. Bella liked to cook but had only rarely ever had someone cook for her. The roasting meat and fragrant rice filled the kitchen with smells that made Bella's mouth water.
Esme also proved to be excellent company as well. They kept to neutral subjects like where they'd grown up and why they'd moved to Washington. Bella found out that the other woman had moved to Forks originally with her husband, Charles Evenson. She didn't say what had happened except that they were divorced.
Just as Esme finished cooking, both women heard the sound of a car pulling up close to the Inn. Esme's eyes shot up toward the side door entrance, widening for an instant before she dropped them back down to the counter. She cleared her throat as she finished putting some steamed vegetables in a serving dish. "Bella, I absolutely didn't plan this but you should know - during the off season, people in that social circle we talked about have a standing invitation to join me for dinner."
Bella had barely processed what Esme was talking about when the side door opened and in walked a towering, bear of a man. He was good looking - broad shouldered with curly black hair and a devastatingly adorable grin. He instantly pulled Esme into a hug that completely engulfed the much smaller woman. "Oh, my God that smells good."
But Bella didn't have time to see much more than that because right on the bear-man's heels was a man that she was, unfortunately, very familiar with. He was still dressed in his uniform.
Bella still felt the urge to rip it off him. It was so disconcerting to feel attraction even as she felt repulsion. Of course, it helped that in the next second his pretty features twisted into an angry sneer.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jasper demanded, his eyes finding her the minute he walked in the door.
Before Bella could snap back, Esme extricated herself from bear-man's grasp in order to level Jasper with the same glare she'd pointed at Lauren earlier. "Jasper Whitlock. I know damn well your manners are better than that."
"Esme-" Jasper began, but Esme cut him off.
"All of you listen to me right now. Only those that can keep a civil tongue are welcome at my table. If Miss Swan is welcome here then I think she's being a bit more polite than you are, isn't she?" she said in a 'that's final' tone.
Bella resisted the urge to stick her tongue out. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but you can't bully the whole town into being nice to me," she said quietly.
Esme's lips quirked, sullying her fierce expression. "Maybe not, but I can demand that people play nice at my own table," she directed at Jasper.
For a minute, Bella thought that the disgruntled officer was going to turn tail and run. Then he took a deep, calming breath and nodded his head at her. "I apologize for my rudeness. I was just surprised to find you here."
Some of the palpable tension in the room seemed to drain. "So this is Bella Swan, huh? Well, you don't look anything like the rumors say." Bear-man grinned then, a wide grin complete with disarming, boyish dimples. "Most of them, anyway."
"Oh, really?" Bella asked, too curious for her own good. "What do the rumors say?"
"Depends on who you ask," he responded sitting at the counter next to her.
Bella arched a single eyebrow. "How many versions are there?"
"Emmett," Jasper said warily.
"Emmett McCarty by the way," Emmett greeted, holding out his hand. Hesitantly, Bella stuck her hand out, fascinated by how it disappeared into Emmett's like Esme had disappeared when he hugged her.
"If you ask Jessica Stanley, you are a banshee woman. Messy, dull brown hair, lifeless eyes and a shrill voice," Emmett continued.
"I don't even know a Jessica Stanley," Bella murmured.
Emmett straight out guffawed. "That doesn't stop her, believe me. Now, Mike Newton was inclined to be much more charitable. Unfortunately for him, I know who Zooey Deschanel is, so I know when it's her he described. I guess that means it's safe to assume that you didn't flirt and flash your boobs at him either."
Bella started to choke on her drink. "What?" she demanded between coughing fits.
Emmett had to hold his sides he was laughing so hard. "I thought not. To be fair, that man has not been laid in a long time."
"Alright, alright," Esme interrupted, chuckling. "Help me get this food on the table, boys."
Jasper jumped up so fast he almost stumbled. "Come on, Emmett," he commanded, leaving no room for argument.
Diverted at the thought of food, Emmett went for the roast. "Holy shit, Esme," he cried out as he opened the oven. "It's a good thing my parents taught me not to touch the stove or I'd have jumped right in here. Jesus that smells good."
They'd all settled down at the small table off to the side of the kitchen. Esme said there was a larger one for when they were filled to capacity, but this would do on most nights.
"So," Bella began nonchalantly, "were there any other rumors about what I was supposed to look like going around?"
Jasper dropped his fork.
"One," Emmett said, his voice dripping with innocence though anyone could see the smile he was fighting.
"Hey, Emmett. Is Rosalie going to be joining us?" Jasper interrupted before the other man could speak again.
One thing was for sure, Jasper sure did know how to focus Emmett's attention elsewhere. Bella was tempted to ask him again just to see if the officer would resort to yelling 'tits and ass!' before he let Emmett answer.
"You know she's not coming, dude," Emmett answered, looking perplexed. "I told you she was working on a project behind old man Dowling's back." He rolled his eyes and shook his head lightly, but there was a fond smile on his face.
"Should she be on her feet this much in her condition?" Esme asked, worry tingeing her tone.
Emmett snorted around a mouthful of food. "Try telling that to her, I dare you."
"What condition?" Bella asked, hoping she wasn't being too nosy. She felt more concern than outright curiosity.
"We're having a baby!" Emmett crowed, his eyes lighting up. "My Rosalie is seven months along now."
"Well, congratulations," Bella couldn't help but laugh at the deliriously proud poppa. "I don't know you well but you with a baby is a terrifying idea, I have to admit."
This time it was Jasper who laughed. He tried not to, that was obvious, but then he leaned his forehead on the palm of his hand and chortled. His gentle, rich laughter was, again, a counterpoint the to the mental image that persisted in Bella's mind.
Emmett just laughed, looking back and forth between his friend and Bella. "I like you," he said decidedly to Bella. He fixed Jasper with an apologetic look. "Sorry man. Is that against the bro code?"
Jasper shrugged, becoming overly interested in the task of putting a thin strip of roast beef in a roll. "I have nothing against Bella," he said softly. He glanced up so she could see his eyes. He seemed sincere.
"Well," Esme's quiet voice cut into the thick atmosphere that had arisen between Jasper and Bella. "I'm sure there'll be plenty left over. I'll wrap up some dinner for her."
"She'd like that," Emmett said gratefully. Then he waggled his eyebrows like the brat he was. "Unless I finish everything off, first," he said, leaning in toward Esme conspiratorially.
Esme rapped his knuckles in a chastising fashion with a serving spoon.
Toward the end of the meal, Emmett looked up at Esme with that mask of innocence that Bella was already beginning to recognize. "So Mae," he started, using his favorite nickname for her, "didn't you need to use me for my size again?"
Bella blinked, trying not to pervert that comment and failing. Esme just rolled her eyes. "Yes, there's a light bulb at the top of the stairs that's out. You know I have trouble getting to it even on the step stool."
Emmett pushed back from the table. "After you m'lady," he said, bowing.
A nervous, cloying kind of fear started in the pit of Bella's stomach at the prospect of being alone with Jasper. It wasn't that she was afraid of him per se, it was just that they didn't have a history of playing well with each other.
Esme looked worried for a moment before she looked determined. She nodded and let Emmett pull her to her feet, and then followed him out the door.
Neither of them spoke at first. It was like watching a storm gather off the ocean – black clouds gathering and moving in the static charged air. They weren't eating anymore, but neither of them looked up from their plate.
"I'm sorry about Lauren," Jasper said finally, not looking at her as he slowly gathered all the rice on his plate into a neat pile. "She was around, you know...when Alice left. She knew us. She harbors her own resentment for the way Alice left, but she shouldn't have treated you like that."
Bella scoffed lightly. "This is what you wanted her to come back to? Old friends who would look at her the way Lauren looked at me?" She stared at the top of his head as he continued to look down at his plate. "A husband who would throw her in a jail cell just to keep her in one place?"
That made his head come up and he frowned. "Look, I already apologized for that."
"Yes, you did. That's not the point I'm trying to make. Why in hell would Alice come back here?" she asked, her voice not unkind but still pointed. Effectively, her words stabbed him deep and he looked away so she wouldn't see the pain in his eyes. "She's moved on. Why won't you let her go?"
Silence stretched on between them like the clock on the last day of school before summer; it was endless. Then, as if she hadn't spoken those last words he looked at her. "Tomorrow's my day off. I'm going into the Olympic National Park, have you been?"
Bewildered, Bella answered before she could catch up with the swift change of subject. "No."
"Well," he said, standing, "if you're going to be in town for a while, you are more than welcome to accompany me."
He must heard Esme and Emmett coming down the stairs because they reappeared as he took his plate to the sink. Though she was still shocked at his sudden invitation, Bella didn't miss the look of relief that flitted across the older woman's face. She must have half thought she'd come back to find they'd killed each other.
Bella was quiet as she picked up her plate. She got as far as the counter before Esme descended upon her. "Oh for goodness sakes, dear. You're a guest here. No. Helping."
With a sheepish smile and a blush, Bella relinquished her hold on the dinner plate, quieting any protests. She had a point after all.
Jasper and Emmett hugged Esme, thanking her for dinner and promising to be back soon. Right before they left, Jasper looked at Bella raising an eyebrow.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Bella just nodded. Jasper nodded back and said simply, "Nine A.M." and then he was gone.
Emmett surprised Bella by pulling her into a body engulfing hug. Before he left he whispered something in her ear that made her heart skip two beats out of sheer surprise. He cackled at the shocked, pale look on her face as he strode out the door.
Though it confused her to no end - especially as she felt equal parts elation, surprise and horror at it - Emmett's words echoed in her head for the rest of the night.
"Jasper told me you were beautiful."
A/N: jadedandboring is my hero. If you haven't read the Kubler Ross Model and its sequel, Tie Me Here In Time, you should. Freally.
So sorry about not responding to last update's reviews. Speaking of which, so sorry about the delay in updating. My mojo abandoned me straight up for a while there…but it seems to be back. I try to update my stories every week and a half.
Let me know what you're thinking!