Summary - "Bella is an average girl, struggling with her homosexuality and her life at home. Can the love of not one, but three vampires help show her that she shouldn't be afraid? A/B/R/V".
A/N: Re Edited
Rating- Older Teen to Mature (For later chapters)
By: WDG and Lash_Larue
Beta: SomeRandomBastard
The Garden of Four - Chapter Four - Bruise
"You haven't met my sisters, have you Bella?" Alice asked as they took their seats.
"No, and thank you for..." Bella fell silent.
"You're welcome, and don't let that bitch get to you. Now then, this is Rosalie," Alice told her, indicating the stunning blonde, "and this is Victoria," Alice pointed at the equally beautiful redhead, "this is Bella Swan," Alice finished.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Rosalie said formally.
"Charmed," said Victoria, inhaling deeply. Bella saw a flicker deep in those tawny gold eyes.
"Why would you do this? I mean, I'm grateful, but you don't even know me, none of you," Bella questioned.
"Because Lauren is a bitch, and it's fun to piss her off," Victoria told her.
"And Alice has a hunch about you, she thinks we'll all be good friends," Rose added.
"Please don't tease me," Bella said quietly, "not like that, I mean, if you're going to tease me too I'd just as soon go back to Lauren. I don't care what she thinks, but -"
"She's not teasing you, Bella, I do kind of have a hunch about you. I just sometimes get feelings about things," Alice promised her. Tears started to well up in Bella's eyes.
"Why would you all want to be friends with me? I mean, look at you, you're all perfect. I'm just a clumsy girl who can't even stand up for herself." Alice gently laid a hand on Bella's where they were clasped on the table. Bella shivered a little at the touch, and felt the pleasant shock travel up her arms again.
"Please stop that, Bella, you're with friends now, just give us a chance to prove it, please. And you're far more than just a clumsy girl, I can tell. You're different, and I think you're really special." Bella turned to stare at her, and Alice smiled. Bella felt her heart start to gallop, and all three of the Cullens could hear it.
' But you don't have a clue just how much different,' Bella thought miserably.
"And I know you didn't hurt your back lifting something," Alice said gently, "but now is not the time to talk about that. For now, just please believe that we're your friends. Say, would you like to come over to our house after school?"
"I not sure my Dad would let me," Bella said candidly.
"You let me handle the Chief, okay?" Alice told her.
Lauren was watching them closely, and her jaw clenched tightly at the sight of the four of them together.
Chemistry was funner than usual, the experiment was interesting, and Bella was pleased to find that Alice was as smart as she was beautiful. By the end of the class Bella was beginning to feel that the pixie-like girl really did want her for a friend.
'Having Angela and Alice and her sisters for friends is a pretty good start,' Bella thought as she gathered up her books. 'Maybe Forks won't be so bad after all.'
A part of Bella worried a little about how attracted she was to Alice, and Rose and Victoria too, if she was honest with herself, but she needed friends more than she feared being found out. Besides, somehow she didn't think the Cullens, or Angela for that matter, would hate her for being what she was. Not like her mother did anyway.
Alice went partway with her to gym, and Angela met up with them and walked with her the rest of the way.
"Wow, Bella, the Cullens have never asked anyone to sit with them before," Angela told her as they walked.
"I think they did it just to spite Lauren," Bella fibbed a little. She didn't want it known yet that the Cullens really seemed to like her, she couldn't explain that to herself, let alone anyone else.
"Well, it surely did that," Angela told her, "she's afraid of the Cullens, I guess everyone is, at least a little bit."
"Why? They seem nice to me," Bella asked.
"I don't really know, maybe it's just because they're all so beautiful and smart. Or maybe it's the way they keep to themselves all the time, or they did until you got here, anyway." Angela gave Bella a happy smile, and it went right along with the happy butterflies Bella had had in her stomach ever since Alice had touched her shoulder.
Bella's run of good luck even continued in gym class, as the period was devoted to the rules of racquetball and badminton. Bella suppressed her dread of both subjects, especially racquetball. The idea of being in an enclosed space with a high-speed projectile was terrifying to her. But that was for another day, and she was pleasantly surprised to see Alice waiting by her truck when she reached the parking lot.
"Hi Bella," chirped Alice, "come on, let's go speak with your dad in his den, shall we?"
Bella was a bit less than enthusiastic about the prospect, but she couldn't bear the thought of wiping the bright smile from Alice's face, so she fired up her truck and headed for the police station. Alice chattered happily the whole way, and by the time they arrived Bella was happy herself. She just couldn't help it, Alice was contagious.
"Hi Chief Swan," Alice said as she bounced up to his desk, "I'm Alice Cullen, do you remember me?"
"Alice... oh, sure, I met you and your family at the fund raiser for the Children's Wing at the hospital. How's your family?"
Bella was amazed at the warm smile that brought crinkles to Charlie's eyes, he didn't seem to think the Cullens were scary.
"Everybody is fine, Chief Swan, I'll tell them you were asking about them."
"You do that. Bella, Alice's dad Carlisle is a surgeon at the hospital. We're very lucky to have him here, he's a brilliant doctor. He could work anywhere in the world, but he and his wife Esme like this small town. Forks may not have a lot of things, but we have a top-notch surgeon." Alice smiled at the compliment.
"We stopped by to see if it's okay for Bella to come out to my house for supper and to study, we have chemistry together. She won't be out late, I promise, but I could really use her help. She's really smart, Chief Swan," Alice told him.
Once again Bella's heart tripped a little, because the look that came over Charlie's face was unmistakably one of pride. He might not approve of Bella's sexuality, but it did look like he loved her. It also appeared that Alice had him wrapped around her little finger, because he didn't hesitate to say yes.
"That's fine with me, and don't worry about fixing supper either, Bella. I'll go down to La Push and have dinner with friends, maybe catch a ball game. Not too late now, okay?"
"Sure Dad, thanks," Bella managed to get out.
"Thanks Chief Swan," trilled Alice. The crinkles appeared again, and Charlie made a show of looking around the office.
"Tell you what Alice," he said confidentially, "as long as nobody is around, you can call me Charlie, and say hello to your folks for me. Bella might as well meet your dad anyhow, from what I remember she'll be seeing him soon enough at the E.R."
"Da-ad," protested Bella.
"Scoot you two, I've got bad guys to catch, have fun," Charlie sat back down and picked up a thick file.
"How did you do that?" Bella asked Alice when they were back in the truck.
"Animal magnetism," Alice said casually, "head east, I'll tell you where to turn."
Bella fired up the old truck, pulled out of the parking lot, and followed Alice's instructions.
Before long they were outside of Forks.
"Take the next right," Alice told her. Bella did, and soon the trees closed in on either side of the road.
"I thought Forks was the sticks," Bella commented, "but you guys live in the woods, huh?"
"Well, not exactly, but you'll see, slow down, turn's coming up, slower... turn right here."
"There's no here, here, just trees," Bella protested.
"The driveway's narrow, and it's not paved. It's there, trust me."
For some reason Bella did trust her, and as she eased off the road she saw tire tracks in the thick grass of the shoulder, and a narrow trail leading into the woods.
"Just go kind of slow," suggested Alice.
"No problem," Bella promised, peering anxiously ahead. "How long is your driveway?"
"About a mile, Carlisle likes privacy and quiet when he gets home from the hospital."
"I guess," muttered Bella.
"Just one more turn," Alice said after a fair while twisting through the trees.
The old truck rounded the corner, and -
"Holy shit!" exclaimed Bella. The truck had emerged into a neat meadow, and smack in the middle of it was a large white house with huge windows. "Not exactly a cabin, is it?"
"It's home," Alice admitted, "just park out front." Bella did, and the motor had scarcely died when Alice was opening Bella's door and extending her hand to her. "Come on, I know everybody is dying to meet you!"
Bella couldn't see why they would be, but once again Alice's enthusiasm was impossible to resist, and Bella found that she was much less nervous than she had expected to be.
The door opened as they climbed the stairs, and Victoria ushered them inside where the rest of the family was awaiting Bella's arrival.
"You know Rose and Victoria of course," Alice began, "the big moose over there with the curly hair is Emmet, the tall blonde with the brooding good looks is Jasper, the one with the messy hair is Edward, and over here are my father Carlisle and my mother Esme." There was a chorus of 'pleased to meet you's', and Bella decided that she had imagined the brief frown that had clouded Edward's face.
"I'm happy that you came to visit, Bella," said Carlisle as he extended his hand to her, "I know your father of course; he's a fine Chief of Police, we're lucky to have him."
"Thank you, he says much the same about you, Doctor Cullen," Bella replied as she shook the firm but chilly hand.
"Carlisle, please, Bella, and Esme for my wife, you'll make us feel old with 'doctor' and 'Mrs.'.." Carlisle's smile was almost as infectious as Alice's, and Esme's was if anything even more impressive.
"You have a beautiful home, Esme," Bella complimented her.
"Thank you Bella, may I show you around?" Bella nodded, and Esme placed her hand on Bella's back to guide her. The touch was gentle, but it was directly on one of the cuts that had yet to heal, and Bella could not suppress the hiss of pain that escaped her teeth. Carlisle's face knitted in concern.
"What's wrong, Bella?" he asked in his doctor voice.
"Nothing, just a little sore from lifting stuff when I moved, that's all," Bella lied.
"Don't believe her Dad," Alice said plainly, "she tried that on me and I don't buy it." Bella turned to Alice in dismay. "Sorry Bella, but I wouldn't be a friend if I didn't help you. Let Carlisle take a look, okay?"
"There is a sort of ridge there Carlisle," Esme confirmed.
"It's nothing really," Bella protested.
"Of course we can't force you to Bella, but I have to tell you that as a father myself, I'll have to tell Charlie about this."
"No! Please don't tell him!" Bella was terrified of Charlie finding out what her mother had done to her, he wasn't happy with her being gay, but he'd never stand for her being beaten.
"Let dad look at it Bella," Alice said softly, "Esme and I will come with you, he's got an office upstairs. Please? I'm worried about you."
It was impossible to doubt Alice's sincerity, and besides, Bella was a little worried herself, the cuts were feeling worse. She nodded silently, and Alice, Carlisle, and Esme went with her up the stairs.
"Okay little brother, give, what's eating you?" Emmet demanded when the four had disappeared up the stairs.
"I can't read her," Edward said, shaking his head in wonder, "not at all."
"Damn," said Rosalie, "I guess Alice is right, Bella isn't exactly an ordinary human girl..."
"I'll wait out in the hall while you and Alice get her ready, Esme," Carlisle said. Bella appreciated his sensitivity; he was a doctor, yes, but still.
"Is it just your back, Bella?" Alice asked.
"Yes."
"Okay, I'll get a button-up shirt and you can wear it backwards if you're shy."
"Thanks, that might make things easier," Bella told her. Alice was back almost before Bella noticed that she had left.
"Here," Alice said, "Do you need help with your sweater?"
"No," Bella said quickly, but the hiss that escaped her lips when she tried to pull it off gave the lie to that, and Alice and Esme wordlessly helped pull the sweater off over her head. Their eyes met as Bella's back was exposed, and an angry light appeared in both sets of eyes.
"That bra strap isn't helping matters much, is it Bella?" Esme asked.
"Not really," Bella admitted, "but I kind of need to wear it.
Based on what she could see, Alice agreed, but she forced herself not to stare at Bella's full breasts, true the were full and perky yet average in size.
"We'll let Carlisle tend to these cuts, and then I'll find you something that won't aggravate them so much, Bella," Esme told her, "you're a bit better endowed than Alice or I, but Rose should have something, from when she was younger that should suit." Bella blushed fiercely, Alice thought it was cute.
"I can't take Rosalie's clothes," she protested.
"Please," Alice countered, "she's a clothes whore, her and Victoria both. They've got more lingerie than Victoria's Secret, and they've got all of that too." Alice stepped in front of Bella and held out the shirt, and Esme unfastened Bella's bra. Alice couldn't help but peek during the brief moment that Bella was exposed, but Bella didn't notice. 'Beautiful... ' Alice thought.
"I'll go and fetch Carlisle," Esme told them, and she left the room.
Carlisle of course knew that they were done shifting clothes around, he had heard everything, he also knew that the wounds on Bella's back were infected; he had smelled it as soon as she drew near him. Alice had in fact kind of set this whole thing up so that Carlisle could check on her.
"Let's have a look then shall we?" Carlisle said as he entered the room. His face grew grave as he examined the deep bruises and the clumsily bandaged lacerations. "How did this happen, Bella?"
"I fell into a trash pile," Bella said quickly.
"I'm afraid that I don't believe that Bella," Carllisle said calmly, "these injuries are the result of a beating, and not with someone's hands. I must tell you that I am not legally obligated to report injuries of this kind to the police, But I can tell your father because you are a minor."
"No! You mustn't! Please!" begged Bella. "Charlie would go crazy!"
"I cannot take a chance on this happening again, Bella, I'm sorry."
"It won't happen again, she's in Florida-" Bella fell abruptly silent. There was the sound of crumpling metal, and Alice hastily concealed the metal basin that she had just crushed in her hands.
"Your mother did this?" Alice asked incredulously.
"It was my fault, really -"
"It was not," Carlisle said sharply, "there is no possible reason for this, Bella, none. I don't care what you think you did. Don't you dare blame yourself." Tears were pouring down her face in earnest now, the kindness they were showing to someone they scarcely knew just set things free inside her.
"Please don't tell dad," Bella gasped out between sobs. Alice caught Carlisle's eyes and held them, he nodded minutely.
"All right Bella, I won't tell your father, and I pray he never finds out or I'm going to be in a world of trouble. But I have some conditions."
"Anything," Bella agreed instantly.
"These cuts are infected, it's not too severe yet, and I don't think it is one of those resistant strains, but it needs regular treatment and watching. And you're going to require help with this until they heal. And I'm afraid there will be some scarring, nothing to bad though."
"Don't worry Bella," Alice said, trying to be cheerful, "they'll be sexy scars, they'll look like you used to have wings or something." Even under these circumstances, Bella felt a thrill for Alice to say something about her was sexy.
"So I think you and Alice had better study together daily for a while, Alice can help you tend them and you can come out here every few days or anytime Alice thinks you need me to see them. In a couple weeks they'll be closed up nicely."
"Thank you," Alice said fervently.
"Now for the bad news, I'm afraid this is going to hurt a bit."
Bella didn't care, she was thinking of the touch of Alice's hands on her back. A little pain was a small price to pay.
The End of Chapter 4