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Chapter 26: I Just Want to Talk
Bella's POV
Edward dropped me off at home. The rain that had abated earlier was back. I kissed him chastely before exiting the Volvo and running for the house. I slipped on the third step of the porch but caught myself on the banister before any damage could be done. Once under cover from the rain, I turned back and waved as he drove away. I went inside and shook off the excess water before walking to the living room. Charlie and Sue were in his chair watching some game on ESPN. I giggled at the picture, because it made me think of a couple in their late teens or early twenties rather than forties. They looked up at my giggling. Sue looked at Charlie and seeing his deer-in-headlights look, giggled with me. I took a seat on the couch and sighed.
"You're home earlier than I expected," Sue said from her perch on Charlie's lap.
"I just wanted to watch the sunset. It was gorgeous. You don't normally see that in Forks," I answered.
"We watched it from the porch swing. It was beautiful. I even got a few pictures that do it a little bit of justice."
"Could I get a copy of them?" I asked as I looked over at her.
"Sure. I'll e-mail them to you." She looked over at Charlie with a silent question in her eyes. They seemed to have a silent argument which Sue ended up being victorious over. "I need to get to bed soon. I have to be at work early in the morning." She looked back at Charlie with a stern look, and I knew where this conversation was headed.
"Bells," dad said. "Sue's going to stay over tonight." He didn't meet my eyes when he told me the news. I fought to suppress my smile.
"Okay." I put on the most innocent voice I could. "Is she staying on the couch, or do you want me to give her my bed for the night?" Sue covered her mouth to hide her smile.
"Well." He scratched his head then rubbed his stubble-covered jaw. "That's not what I mean. Sue won't need your bed or the couch." I pasted a confused look on my face by scrunching by brows and tilting my head to the side.
"Is she sleeping on the floor?" Charlie's face turned red, and Sue lost it. Her snort spurred my own and soon we were both laughing loudly. Charlie scowled at both of us.
"That's not funny. You could have helped me out." Sue placed a hand on his cheek and kissed him softly.
"Sometimes honey," she said, "you're just too gullible. She didn't mean any harm. I told you she's a big girl and can handle it." He blew out a breath.
"So did Edward bring you home?"
"Yes." I didn't know where this came from or was headed.
"You really care about him, huh?"
"Yes, I do. He's very important to me."
"He's a paramedic right?" I shifted in my seat a bit uncomfortably.
"EMT actually; like Seth. He took the test to become a paramedic and passed. He hasn't decided if wants to start working as one or stay as an EMT so he can keep working with his brother."
"He seems smart and like he's got a stable life." I pulled my legs up to my chest.
"Yep." I didn't know what else to say.
"I like him. I think he's a good guy." Oh. Oh! He was giving me approval to date Edward. I had to smile at his round of about way of doing it.
"Thanks dad. That means a lot to me." He grunted in acknowledgement, clearly not 100% comfortable with the subject. Sue stood up.
"I really do need to be getting to bed. I'll see you in the morning Bella. I'm making breakfast at 6:00 since your dad doesn't work tomorrow. You're welcome to join us if you want." I smiled at her as my dad stood up too.
"Thank you, but I'm probably going to sleep in. I don't get to do that too often."
They both gave me a hug before going to bed. I didn't watch them disappear up the stairs or into his room. I could be okay with it, but I didn't want to imagine what was going on behind closed doors. I looked over at the clock. Even though it was only 9:15, I felt exhausted. Flashbacks always drew a lot of energy out of me. I drug myself off the couch and up to my room. I dressed for bed and crawled in under the covers listening to the rain pelt the roof. It wasn't five minutes before my phone began to ring. I rolled over and retrieved it from the bedside table and answered on the third ring.
"Hello," I answered, knowing it was Edward. He liked to say goodnight.
"Bells." I froze at the voice. "Bells, I want to talk to you."
"No. No. I can't talk to you, Jacob." I went to pull the phone away from my ear, but he pleaded.
"Please, Bells. Please, listen to me. I just want to talk. That's all."
"You did all the talking I could handle years ago. I'm learning to move on. Don't mess this up for me."
"Learning to move on? Bells, I don't want you to move on. We belong together." I sat up against the headboard.
"No we don't. You hurt me. No one should have to go through that. No one deserves that."
"Listen. I know things got carried away a few times, but I can do better. We can do better."
"No. I won't go back to that. I won't let you put me in that situation again."
"Bells, you're being ridiculous. Now, you're going to meet me somewhere so we can talk."
"No, I won't. Don't contact me again, Jacob." I hung up and tossed the phone next to me. I pulled my legs to my chest and slightly rocked back and forth. The phone rang again, and I jumped. I couldn't talk to him again. I reached for the phone and slowly looked at the display. Edward. "Hello." I tried to calm my voice.
"Bella?" Edward asked. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Why do you ask?" The sincerity in my voice was fake, and he knew it.
"Baby, your voice is shaking. What's wrong?" I paused not wanting to tell him, but I knew if he ever found out, he'd be hurt I didn't tell him.
"Jacob," I whispered.
"What do you mean? What about him?" I paused again. "Is he there? Did he come over?" I could hear the anger in his voice rising.
"No. He called. I answered the phone without looking at the ID. I thought it was you. You always call at night."
"I'm so sorry, Bella. Are you okay?" I let out a shaky breath.
"I think I am. He told me he wanted to talk, that we belonged together. I told him I didn't want to talk. I told him that I didn't deserve what he did, and I wouldn't put myself in that position again."
"That's great, baby. Really. That's a huge step. You did wonderful." I slowly felt the tension start to leave my shoulders. "So, are you ready for bed?"
"Yep." I slid back under the covers. "I'm already changed and in bed."
"Are you wearing those penguin pajamas?" His voice was teasing.
"Hey! I happen to like those pajamas. As a matter of fact, Alice and Jasper go them for me on a ski trip. Don't make fun of them." He chuckled.
"I'm not making fun of them. I think you look very nice in them."
"Well, sorry to disappoint, but I'm not wearing them. I'm just in an old AC/DC shirt. Nothing too exciting." I got confused when he groaned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I really enjoyed tonight. Well, the part before the flashback." I flushed just thinking about earlier.
"So did I. I can't believe I was so forward though."
"Baby, you can be that forward any time you feel like it. I thoroughly enjoyed feeling your soft skin and warm lips so close." I moaned a little just thinking about it. "So, you'll be over for lunch tomorrow, right?" His voice was a little strained, but I let him change the subject.
"Of course. I'll be over around 11:00. I'm going to spend a little while with Charlie first. If there's anything you need, just call me. I can always run by the store before I come over." The last of my sentence was probably indecipherable through my yawn.
"I'll keep that in mind. Why don't you go to bed and get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay. Buona notte."
"Buona notte, il mio angelo."
I woke the next morning at 8:00. I guess after waking up at 6:00 every morning for the last long while, this was sleeping late. I got everything together to go take a shower. The hot water felt great on my back. The taut muscles slowly relaxed under the pounding of the hot spray. I tried not to stay too long in the shower and hurried through getting dressed. I threw my hair into a high ponytail not willing to spend the time to fix it. I found my way downstairs and into the kitchen. Sue had left some bacon, sausage, and eggs in the refrigerator for me, including a note on top wishing me a good day. I smiled at the sentiment.
I warmed the food and ate at the dining room table. When I was done with my breakfast, I heard the front door open. Dad yelled for me, and I yelled back that I was in the kitchen. He came in and handed over his keys. I looked at him curiously. He was giving me his truck for the day so I didn't have to worry about getting a ride to the Cullen's or anywhere else I needed to go. I thanked him and we moved to the living room. The next hour was nice. We spent time just talking and catching up on each other's lives.
"Can I ask you something about what you showed me yesterday?" he asked softly after a pause in conversation.
"Sure," I answered. I knew he would have questions. I would answer as honestly as possible.
"Have you ever thought about getting it fixed?" Fixed? I didn't know what he meant. He must have seen my confusion, because he clarified himself. "They have doctors, plastic surgeons, that could fix the scars. They can make them go away or at least lighter."
"I haven't really thought about it. I've had them for eight years. I guess I've resigned myself to living with them. I've learned how to hide them."
"Well, I want you to know that if it's something you want to do, Sue and I want to help." He finally looked away from the television. "We'll pay for it. Just say the word." I smiled.
"Thanks dad. I'll let you know." He nodded and turned back to the television.
We continued to talk for a while. I asked him to tell me about Sue and damn if he didn't talk on that one subject for thirty minutes. They had reconnected after she moved back, and he drove to the Rez to check out a bonfire. Some of the locals complained about the noise so he went down to tell them to keep it down. He found Seth drinking and decided to take him home to Sue rather than let him spend the night in jail. He had been right that going home was worse punishment than jail. They stayed in touch after that until dad finally got the nerve to ask her out. My cell phone ringing interrupted us. I answered it quickly.
"Hello," I said.
"Bella," Alice chirped at the other end. "Could you do me a huge, huge favor?" I laughed at her pleading tone.
"Probably, what's up?"
"So I decided I wanted to make my green bean casserole as a side dish. It's the only thing I really know how to make, because it's all you've ever taught me. I want to help, and to do that I need fresh garlic. I don't have fresh garlic. All Esme has is garlic salt and garlic powder. I found where she keeps the garlic cloves, but she's out. So I was wondering if you would be a doll and go to the store. I don't need that much, just two cloves. Well, you already know that since it's your recipe," she said all in one breath.
"Yes, Alice. I'll go to the store for you. Dad gave me his truck for the day. I'll leave in about ten minutes, so I should be there in about twenty-five to thirty minutes."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you." I laughed at her enthusiasm.
"You're welcome. Is that all you need?"
"Yes."
"Okay. I'll see you in a bit."
I hung up and told dad Alice's dilemma. He laughed and hugged me as I stood to walk out the door. I gathered my wallet and his keys before running to the truck. It was Forks however, and the rain wouldn't stop for those that ran. I was still wet by the time I got in the truck. I buckled my seat belt, then backed out slowly. I drove to the only store in Forks then ran inside. I made my way to the right aisle and picked up a head of garlic. I paid out and chatted with Sandy as I did. She had worked at the store for longer than I lived in Forks. She was always so nice. Once the garlic was bagged, I walked outside, and to my great relief, it was only drizzling lightly. I ambled to the truck slowly. I heard my name and looked over my shoulder. I froze mid step when I saw the long black hair pulled into a ponytail away from his dark bronze skin.
"Bella, wait!" Jacob yelled. I turned back around and walked quickly to the truck. "Bella! Do. Not. Walk away. From. Me." The venom in his voice made my blood run cold. I started jogging, but before I could reach the truck, I felt his hand clench around my upper arm. I stopped and was spun around as he jerked my arm. "I just want to talk."
"Let go, Jacob," I said. "You're hurting me."
"Are you going to listen to me?" I nodded. His grip loosened, but he didn't let go. "Bella, I miss you. I want you to give us another chance. We're perfect for each other." I closed my eyes to try to stave off the shivers.
"Jacob, please don't do this," I whispered. His grip tightened a bit.
"You never should have stopped taking my calls. Why would you do that?"
"How can you ask that after what you did?" His jaw clenched.
"What do mean? What are you talking about?"
"The night of the bonfire, Jacob. You…you…you raped me." His face turned angry, and his grip became too tight. "Please, stop. You're hurting me."
"I never raped you. You wanted it."
"I did not. I told you to stop. I told you I didn't want it." He shook me hard. I felt the tears gather at the corner of my eyes.
"Don't lie, Bella. That's ridiculous."
"I did not agree to that. You forced me. Now, please let go. It hurts." I felt the tears fall.
"Don't be a bitch. You fucking asked for it. You begged me to."
"To hell I did." I was stunned when he slapped me so hard my vision blurred. I dropped the bag and grabbed my stinging cheek.
"Hey!" I heard someone yell. Jacob and I both snapped our heads back toward the voice. Seth was walking toward us. I let out a sigh of relief. "Let her go, Black." His voice was cold and stern.
"This is none of your business, Seth," Jacob spat.
His grip had loosened while his focus was on Seth. I yanked my arm from his grip and turned to walk away. Before I got three steps, I felt his fingers wrap around my wrist. I pulled my body forward to disentangle our limbs. I wasn't expecting him to wrench my arm backwards. I screamed and felt overwhelmingly nauseous as something popped out of place. I fell to my knees and vomited. My whole left arm felt numb. I turned in time to see Seth punch Jacob in the face.
I stood up and stumbled to the truck as fast as I could as I tried to ignore the pain. I could hear them both yelling at me, but I locked the door as soon as I got in and drove away, the garlic long forgotten. The road became blurry as my tears smeared my vision. I almost missed the turn off to the Cullen's. I drove slowly, the roughness of the driveway jarring my arm and increasing my discomfort. After what seemed like an eternity, the house came into view.
Edward's POV
"Buona notte, il mio angelo," I said before closing my cell phone. I sighed hoping what I said was okay.
I had really enjoyed feeling her that close to me. Even though it had caused a flashback, it still had been wonderful until that point. I didn't want to minimize what she had gone through, but I wanted to make her understand that what she felt, what was happening was natural. I didn't want her to get scared away from it just because she had a bad experience. I wanted her to understand that it was okay to feel that, feel wanted and beautiful and sexy and God, it'd never felt that good before. I digress. The only way I knew how to do that was to keep her mind on the good part of the experience. Hopefully, I was doing the right thing.
I woke early the next morning and padded down to the kitchen. Mom was pouring herself a cup of coffee. She held it up in question, and I nodded. She poured a cup and added the sugar and milk. I smiled that she remembered how I took my coffee. We drank in silence until we both felt more awake. Dad joined us when we started our second cup. We all sat at the bar while dad and I read the paper. Mom got up to clean her coffee cup then came back to stand next to dad, a hand resting on his back.
"Sweetheart," she said. I looked up at her from my paper. "I gave Sue a tour yesterday, and Alice and Bella went with us. I saw Bella looking at your piano. She asked if I was the one that played."
"Really?" I asked.
"Yes. Why didn't you tell her you play?" I furrowed my eyebrows and thought back.
"I think I mentioned it once in passing. You know I haven't played in a while. I guess it just never came up again," I said with a shrug.
"I mentioned that your mother taught you to play. She seemed a bit stunned. Do you talk about your parents with her?"
"Not really." Dad looked up and tuned into the conversation. "You both know I'm okay with my past. I don't ignore it. I just don't always talk about it."
"Son," dad said. "I think this is something you need to discuss with Isabella. I know you don't intend to, but it could seem as if you're not sharing everything with her. She's shared a hell of a lot with you. She's trusted you with her most guarded secrets. Some people have bad experiences in Foster Care and with adoption. She may think you don't trust her with that part of you."
"That's not it at all," I said adamantly. "I trust her with all of me. I just don't resent my past."
"We know, sweetheart," mom said as she covered my hand with hers. "Now, let Bella know that." I nodded. They both stood up and gathered their jackets and umbrella. "We're going to visit Charles and Makenna. We should be back around noon. You know where the food is, and if there's anything you need, just give us a call."
"I got it, mom. I'm not thirteen anymore." She smiled and patted my cheek.
"I know. I love you. We'll see you later." I kissed her cheek and hugged dad.
I went into the living room and switched the television on for background noise while I finished reading the paper. I thought about what they had said. I hoped Bella didn't think I was hiding things from her. I wasn't. My parents' death had been hard, but it was a stage in my life. The group home had been bearable. It wasn't a joyous time in my life, but it wasn't horrible like the stories that people always told. Then Carlisle and Esme adopted me, and I gained a brother. They helped me with the grief and pain of losing my parents. Eventually, the past was the past. I missed my parents, but their memory didn't cause grief. I guess I could see their point. I would talk to her about it.
I looked over at the piano that sat quietly in the corner. I hadn't played in a long time. Inspiration hadn't come in a while. Well, that wasn't true. For the past two months, a melody had been running through my head. I laid the paper on the coffee table and walked over to the piano. I pulled out the sturdy bench and reverently lifted the cover. The sleek ivory and onyx keys gleamed from the overhead light. I tenderly lay my fingers on the cool keys. They rested underneath the pads of my fingers. I caressed it delicately before pressing ever so slightly on Middle C. The sound reverberated around the room in perfect pitch. Then, before I realized it, the sounds of "Für Elise" in A Minor filled the room.
The notes filled me, and I closed my eyes to enjoy the sensation. It's been too long. I continued to play even after the piece ended. It morphed into Fugue for Solo Guitar, BWV 1000 in A Minor. I had always found it especially soothing when played on the piano. From there I couldn't name which song came next. They flowed together, never ceasing. It could have been thirty minutes or three hours later when someone tapped on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and turned my head without stopping the music. Alice smiled at me.
"That's beautiful," she said. I smiled and nodded in thanks. "I don't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to let you know we're about to start cooking. I called Bella and asked her to pick something up from the store. She should be here in about half an hour." I nodded again and turned back to the piano with a smile. I couldn't wait for her to get here. I wanted to play for her.
I must have been playing for hours. Mom and dad left around 7:30 that morning, and they had already started cooking lunch. As the song came to a close, I started picking at the melody that had been playing in my head. I heard Emmett yell that he saw a truck coming up the driveway. It had to be Bella. I bet she had borrowed her dad's truck. I let the notes trail off and stood from the bench. I saw Rosalie sitting on the couch. She smiled and complimented my playing but was drowned out by Emmett's yell.
"EDWARD!" his panicked voice yelled.
I immediately ran for the door. He beat me to it since he was closer and threw it open. When I breached the door, I stopped at what I saw. Bella was swaying as she walked from the truck. Her face was red, tears streaming from her cheeks, and scrunched in pain. She was walking tenderly and holding her left arm to her body. As I hit the first step, she stumbled and fell. She screamed as she fell on her right side. I jumped the rest of the stairs and ran to her side. Emmett was right in front of me. I dropped to my knees and saw her shoulder. It looked square and was clearly dislocated.
"I tried," she said through gasps. "Too tight but wouldn't listen and hurt with yank. Said no. Didn't know was just-"
"Shhh," I soothed as I ran a hand over her hair and wiped away her tears.
"Bellaboo," Emmett said. She turned to look at him. "Your shoulder is dislocated. I need to put it back into place."
I looked up as an old Camaro drove into view. The man driving threw the car into park and got out. I had never seen him before but knew immediately who he was. Bella had mentioned that Jacob was Quileute. I had met a few people from the reservation while I was here visiting and knew by the bronzed skin and jet-black hair it was him. How dare he follow her. How dare he do anything to her. I stood between him and Bella. I knew Emmett would take care of her. I was going to guarantee he didn't get anywhere near her.
"What are you doing here?" I asked with as much venom in my voice I could manage. Bella's cries didn't lessen.
"I followed her from the store," the man answered his eyes never leaving Bella. I moved to block his view, and he looked up at me. "I stopped Jacob, but she got in the truck and drove off before I could stop her. I was worried she would get into an accident. Her shoulder needs to be set. Please," he took a step closer. "I'm an EMT. Let me help her." He wasn't Jacob. I knelt back down and took her right hand into mine.
"So am I, and my brother's a paramedic. We can handle this." I helped Emmett pull her up into a sitting position.
"Seth?" Bella choked out. She was looking at the stranger.
"It's me Bells," he said as he walked forward hesitantly.
"Edward," I heard Rosalie and turned toward her. "I called your dad. They're less than five minutes away. I told him I think it's a dislocated shoulder. He wants to talk to you." She handed the phone over to me.
"It's a posterior dislocation. It's been about…" I looked up at Seth.
"Ten," he answered without question.
"…ten minutes. She's in a lot of pain. We need to get it reset, but we're going to need meds."
"I have cyclobenzaprine upstairs in my safe. I'm pulling into the driveway now. Get her inside and on the couch. We'll give her the muscle relaxant then we'll reposition the ball."
"Baby, we're going to get you inside." She was still crying.
"It hurts Edward. It hurts so badly," she said between sobs.
"I know. We're going to fix it. Just give us a little bit of time." Emmett grabbed her waist and hoisted her up. We walked her into the house. Seth followed.
When we lowered her slowly to the couch, mom and dad came in the front door. Dad went straight upstairs while mom came over to Bella. She sat down next to her and whispered in her ear. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but it seemed to be calming her. Dad returned fairly quickly. Mom went into the kitchen and hurried back with a glass of water. He gave her 200 mg. I helped her with the glass, her hand shaking so severely she couldn't hold it steady. It didn't take long for the relaxant to take effect. Mom continued to whisper something to her, and her sobs quieted even further. Dad probed her shoulder a bit then up and down her arm. She winced and whimpered every once in a while. I sat on the coffee table holding her hand in mine.
"Isabella, I need to reposition your shoulder," dad told her gently. Her eyes grew wide in fear. I stood and bent forward to be directly in front of her face. She looked at me, the tears still falling.
"I know you're scared, and that's perfectly acceptable," I said softly as I brushed the tears from her face. "But I also know you're in a lot of pain. Your shoulder needs to be put back into place. When that happens, it's going to relieve the pressure and pain. I know this is scary, but I'm right here. You're not alone. It'll be okay." She took a deep, shuddering breath and nodded. Dad positioned his hands on her arm. Bella looked around the room when her eyes fell on Seth.
"You punched him," she said. "I saw it."
"I did," Seth said with a chuckle.
"Is your hand okay?" He smiled wryly and flexed his fingers.
"I'll be fine."
"I'm sorry. I should-" she screamed as dad popped her arm back into place. After a few pants, her body went limp. I stopped her from falling over and lay her down carefully.
"I want to know what happened," I told Seth.
"She just passed out from the pain," Emmet told Rosalie as I laid Bella down on the couch. "She's going to be okay. All we can do now is wait for her to wake up."
I went to the bathroom and ran a washcloth under warm water. I returned to the living room and wiped her face clear. Mom sat on the arm of the couch and stroked Bella's hair. Jasper sat in the armchair with Alice on his lap. Rosalie went to turn everything off in the kitchen, and Emmett stood by Seth with his arms crossed. I motioned Seth to the empty armchair and turned back to Bella. I wiped away the tears that were still appearing from her eyes.
"What happened, and who are you?" Emmett asked in his 'no-bullshitting' voice.
"I'm Seth Clearwater," he answered. "Sue is my mom." It clicked then. Bella had mentioned him before and a sister if I remembered correctly. "Bella and I have known each other for a few years now.
"I was at the store when I heard some yelling. I looked over to see Jacob slap her." My hands clenched into fists. "I yelled at him to let her go. It was enough of a distraction to get him to loosen his grip on her arm. She started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm and yanked her back." I felt sick to my stomach. Alice gasped next to me, and Jasper pulled her up into a hug. "We got into a bit of a scuffle. While we were fighting, Bella got in her truck. I followed her because I was worried she would get into an accident. I just wanted to make sure she was okay."
"We need to call Charlie," Jasper said. "There's a witness. He won't get away with it this time."
"I'll call," I said. Alice handed me Bella's cell phone, and I found her dad's house number. He picked up on the second ring. "Chief Swan, this is Edward Cullen."
"Hey Edward," he answered. "Please, call me Charlie."
"I, uh. I need you to come over."
"Is everything okay?" I paused.
"No. No it's not." He rushed to answer.
"I'll be there in ten minutes." The line went dead without a goodbye. I hung up the phone and placed it on the coffee table.
We sat around the living room in silence. What do you say when your girlfriend is attacked by her abusive ex-boyfriend? Seth had asked to stay. He wanted to make sure Bella was okay before he went to find Jacob. I sat on the floor next to Bella and held her hand. I wanted her to know she was safe when she woke up. Not five minutes had passed when the door began to open. I stood up so that Chief Sw-Charlie would have room next to his daughter. He was going to be upset and need to see her himself to assure himself she was okay.
"Bella?" he asked softly. He ran a hand over her hair. "Bells?" He let out a shaky breath. "What happened?"
"It was Jacob," Seth said. Charlie whipped around.
"Seth, what are you doing here? Never mind. What do you mean it was Jacob?"
"I was at the store. I heard yelling, and when I looked over, I saw Jacob hurting her. I yelled at him, but he managed to dislocate her shoulder."
"How the hell did he manage that?" He sat on the edge of the couch her hand still in his. I moved to sit at her feet and pulled her legs into my lap. I needed to touch her, even if just to reassure myself.
"I distracted him, and she pulled away. When he realized what she was doing, he grabbed her arm and tried to yank her back. I pulled him away, and while we were struggling, she drove away. I followed her here, because I was worried she would hurt herself. She shouldn't have been driving." Charlie closed his eyes and breathed heavily.
"Charlie," dad said, and Charlie looked up. "Can I check Bella? I want to make sure everything is okay."
"Sure, sure. Of course." He stood up so dad would have room. He paced between the door and couch before pulling out his cell phone. I didn't want to eavesdrop, but he spoke a bit loudly. "Lois, who's at the station right now?...Okay, could I speak with him?...Hey, Bryan it's Charlie…I need you to make an arrest for me…Jacob Black…Yes, I'm sure…Assault and battery…My little girl." His voice was strained when he said that. "Call me when you have him." He hung up the phone and returned back to Bella's side since dad finished examining her. He looked at dad expectantly.
"She seems to be fine," he answered with a smile. "She's going to be sore and probably in a lot of pain, but nothing feels broken. When she wakes I have some pain medication for her, and we need to get her in a shoulder immobilizer."
"Thank you, Carlisle."
"What's next, Charlie?" Seth asked.
"I need to start filling out paperwork, and someone will need to interview you, get your statement."
"Why don't we go down to the station and do that?" He stood up and waited for Charlie. He looked back at Bella.
"I don't want to leave her. She may need me."
"She needs you to do everything you can to get him behind bars. She'll feel safer when he can't reach her." Seth lowered his voice. "This will protect her, Charlie." Those were the magic words.
"Okay." He stood up after kissing her forehead. "Follow me to the station." He hesitated as he looked back at her.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said to him. He looked at me for a moment. "I'm not going to leave her side. I'll keep her safe for you. I promise." I saw something shift in his eyes before he nodded and walked out. I moved back to her side and picked up her hand.
Dad sat a pill bottle and glass of water on the coffee table. I looked over to see the label. Vicodin. I heard the television turn on, but kept watch over Bella. Seeing her hurt, and at the hands of that bastard, made me ill. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of it. She deserved to be handled with the gentlest touch, the softest caresses, and the upmost care and love. My heart swelled at that thought. God. She was more than any man could ask for, and she chose me. I don't know what I did to get her, but I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize it.
It was about thirty minutes later when she started to stir. I held her hand in my left one and stroked her cheek with my free one. Her eyes fluttered lightly then she groaned and gasped. I waited for her to gain her bearings. Her breathing was fast and unsteady; her whole body tensed. She scanned the room quickly, eyes darting in every direction. Finally, her eyes settled on mine, and I smiled. She calmed a bit. I could see in her eyes when the pain registered. Her right hand shot up to touch her shoulder.
"What happened?" she asked as a tear leaked onto her face. I brushed it away with my thumb.
"You had a dislocated shoulder," I answered. Everyone was listening at this point. Mom and dad had pulled chairs into the living room so they could stay with her as well. "Dad had to pop it back into place. You passed out after that." She froze then began to shake.
"He-I-He said-I tried-" I stopped her by placing a finger over her lips.
"We know." She looked at me confused. "Seth followed you here to make sure you were okay. He told us what he saw. I called your dad, and he came over." She looked around the room for him. "He and Seth went to the station. There's paperwork to be filled out. He'll be back as soon as he can."
"He told me he wanted me back." She whispered, and I clenched my jaw. "He told me it wasn't rape. He said I wanted it, that I asked for it, begged for it. I didn't Edward." She rushed to defend herself. "I never did that. I never begged. I never asked for it. I told him no. I told him no. I told him I didn't-"
"Shh, shh, shh." I tried to hush her, get her to calm down. "I know, love. I believe you. There's no need to defend yourself. We know you wouldn't do anything like that." I continued to stroke her cheek. There was an angry red mark that looked like it would probably bruise.
"It hurts." Her face was set in a grimace. I reached for the bottle and glass of water.
"I have some medicine for you to take. It'll help with the pain. I need you to sit up though." Emmett came over and propped her up. He sat behind her and rubbed circles on her back.
"Is anything else hurting, Bellaboo?" he asked. She slumped back against his chest.
"My cheek hurts and my knees. I fell pretty hard on them twice," she answered. I handed her one pill and the glass of water. I didn't know her tolerance for narcotics so I wanted to err on the side of caution.
"Lay back down and rest. We'll take care of you." He laid her back down gently. We waited a few minutes while the medicine began to take effect. She was a lightweight. Within five minutes, she was giggling at nothing. Her body had relaxed, and her eyes became glazed over. "I can't get to her knees in these jeans. Mom, do you have some sweats she can wear?"
"Yes," she answered and stood up. "Rosalie, Alice, and I will help her change, and she'll rest in mine and Carlisle's room. It'll be more comfortable and still close by."
"Love, did you hear mom?" I asked. She smiled at me sublimely and nodded.
"You're going to make a great doctor, Edward," she said as she patted my cheek. "You'll be just like your dad; so will Emmett. All the nurses and patients' mothers are going to have trouble staying on track." I heard Alice giggle and looked up in time to see her cover her mouth. Bella heard and giggled along with her. "Honestly, baby. Your little patients are going to love you."
"What does she mean?" my mom asked while trying to hold in a smirk.
"You should tell them. They deserve to know."
"What do we deserve to know?" dad asked. I sighed heavily.
"Let me carry her to the bedroom. When mom comes back in, I'll let you know."
I picked her up lightly and walked to my parents' bedroom. I laid her gently on the bed. She already looked close to passing out again. I had to chuckle at that. It's a good thing I only gave her one pill instead of the standard two. She grabbed my hand and pulled me close. I sat down next to her and leaned down. She let out a long breath before talking.
"I feel funny," she said then started giggling.
"I know. Mom's going to help you get changed. We'll look at your knees and clean up any scrapes, then you'll be able to go back to sleep."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Thank you for being here, for caring, for protecting me. You mean so much to me."
"You mean so much to me too, and Bella, I'd do anything for you." Mom walked over with a pair of sweats and a large t-shirt. "I'm going to go back to the living room so you can change."
"Okay. Be sure to tell them about the three Dr. Cullens," she said in what she thought was a whisper. Mom couldn't hold in her giggle. I stepped out of the room and shut the door. I took a seat on the couch next to my father. Mom came out less than a minute later.
"What is it? Is something wrong?" I asked concerned.
"No. Bella insisted I come out here for your news," she answered with a smirk. "So, what is this news?" I scooted over so she could sit next to me.
"I was waiting till dinner tonight to tell you, but since she insists; I applied to UW's Med School. I always knew I wanted to go into the medical field. Because of Tanya, I thought I wanted to be an oncologist. After she died…I just couldn't bring myself to do it." Emmett and Jasper got up and left the room when Alice yelled that Bella was dressed. I appreciated they would let me talk in private. "I thought if she couldn't be saved, what good would becoming an oncologist do.
"I know that's not the right attitude, but at the time, it's all I could feel." I clasped my hands in my lap. "Bella and I had been talking about her writing. She's so talented mom. You would love some of her work. As you know, she's a teacher as well. We talked about why she was teaching, what she really wanted to do, that kind of stuff.
"She turned it back on me, wanted to know what I truly wanted. I've always wanted to be a doctor like you dad." I looked up to see him smiling brightly. "I wanted to be a pediatrician. Tanya's cancer got me so off course. Anyway, I decided to apply so the option was there. I was accepted. Two weeks ago, I decided to go. I'll start classes with Emmett in the fall." Before I could take another breath, mom pulled me into a tight hug. After a stunned moment, I hugged her back.
"Oh, sweetheart," she said, and I could hear tears in her voice. "I'm so very proud of you." She pulled back and caught my face between her hands. "I truly am. I always thought you would follow in your father's footsteps. Bella was right. You're going to make a great doctor."
"Son," dad said. I turned to look at him and could see moisture in his eyes. "Is this what you want?"
"It's what I always wanted," I answered truthfully.
"Then I'm very proud of you. You've always had a way with kids. This is perfect. It really is." I nodded. "Is something wrong? You don't look completely happy about this."
"I am happy. I really am. I just…" He smiled at me encouragingly. "I'm worried about what this will do to Bella. I remember the stories you and mom always told us about your days in Med School. It's hard. I'll be spending hours at the library, and once we get into a hospital, the hours will be even longer. She deserves someone that's going to be there, be stable. I won't be able to give her that."
I trailed off at the end. That's why it had taken me two weeks to make a decision. I worried about what this would do to our relationship. Then once I made the decision, I kept putting off telling everyone. That would make it real. That would mean I was really doing this to her, flaking out on her."
"You love her," I heard mom say. It was more of a statement than a question. I looked over at her curiously. "You're thinking long term. You're thinking more about how this will affect her than you." She smiled softly. "You love her."
"I love her," I confirmed.
The words rolled off my tongue with an ease I never thought possible. The truth of it hit me full force. I love her. I love her. I love her. A smile slowly spread across my face. I felt like it had snuck up on me. I felt something very strong for her from the first moment we met. I didn't expect I'd ever fall in love with someone in less than three month, but Bella was special. She was kind, caring, and selfless to a fault. She was passionate about whatever she chose to pursue. I loved that she was just as happy sitting on the couch watching a movie as when she was seeing Disney World for the first time. I loved that she made me want to be more- a better man.
She challenged me in ways no one else had, not even Tanya. And if that wasn't enough to convince me, I only had to listen to my body. When she would smile at me or just stand near, my heart raced. When she looked at me with pride in her eyes, my heart would swell. Sometimes just being with her made my chest so tight; it felt like there wasn't enough room to hold everything in. I was brought out of my reverie by mom's giggle.
"My baby's in love," she said with amusement. I blushed and looked down. "Oh, don't do that. Embrace it."
"I do love her, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm worried about what this will do to her."
"Edward," dad started, "you have to talk to her. You're in this together. You should talk about your fears with her. She deserves to know. If you start to pull away because you're worried about her and she doesn't know your fears, she'll think you're pulling away because of something she's done.
"She's an adult, son. She's perfectly capable of making decisions. It's her decision to be with you and support you in your endeavors."
"You're right," I finally accented. "I just don't want to lose her."
"I don't think that's something you have to worry about," mom said and patted my arm. "If she's not in love with you already, she's damn close." I gaped at her. Only twice in my life had I ever heard a curse word leave her mouth. She laughed at my expression. "Sweetheart, it's true." It took me a moment to recover.
"I sure hope so."
AN: Y'all are amazing. There were 25 reviews for last chapter!!!! Well, a Jacob interaction was bound to happen. Forks isn't that big after all. It could have been worse, so thank goodness for Seth. Are you glad Edward finally told his parents about Med School? He finally admits he loves her! It's kinda been expected. He's pretty transparent. Now, when will he tell Bella?
Review, and I'll send you a sneak peek of the next chapter.