AN: Bella follows Jasper's orders and goes to town to see him. She meets Carlisle and they discover quite a bit about Bella's abuse.

Chapter six: Doctor's Orders

Maria, December, 2010...

"My God, Bella, that was a fabulous breakfast," I said excitedly, nudging Bella's shoulder, making her smile as we drove to town.

I had to compliment her on the food she had prepared this morning. I wasn't a cooking fan but I could help myself in kitchen.

However, Bella was master of it all. It made me curse the ridiculous mother she had. I wanted to smack that woman. How could she sit by and let her daughter's talent go to waste on a bastard of a son-in-law?

"I just wanted to make something nice for you guys," Bella shrugged.

"Nice?" I chuckled. That was beyond nice. "That's something I would've eaten at the Four Seasons!" She laughed and it made me smile because I didn't know what my son had in store for her today.

Before Jasper left for his medical practice this morning, he told me to bring Bella to him today. He said that he and Bella had already discussed it and she was okay with it. It made me want to ask what they talked about, but I refrained. I was just happy that Jasper was giving this a chance.

He seemed a lot less moody than this morning, and it made me do an internal cheer. Things must have gone well last night and he got to break up with Alice.

About damn time!

"So, you can do more dishes like that?" I asked Bella, glancing at her as I pulled onto Main Street and took a right at the second light, making my way to Jasper's office.

I loved that my boy was a doctor. It ran in his blood. My father was a doctor, my little sister, Esme is a psychologist and Jasper's granduncle on his father's side was a physician as well.

Jasper was a kind soul with a big heart; he always wanted to help others. The way he wanted to help Bella now.

I wasn't sure what he was up to, but I supposed he wanted to run tests and speak to her. And I would be there for her, helping her through it.

When I pulled into the parking lot, parking my car next to Emmett's truck, I had a thought. Could I get Esme to work with her too? Bella had been through a lot of trauma over the six years she spent with James Carter. She was going to need help sorting that out, if she was going to learn to live again.

Would Esme be willing to take Bella on as a patient?

I'd have to ask, but that was if Jasper hadn't already beaten me to it.

I'd be paying for Bella's therapy of course, because she needed to see that the world wasn't only filled with monsters like James. There were also people like myself and my family along with the person that helped her. We all cared.

"Well, we're here," I declared, killing the engine. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I want to do this. I want to stay," Bella said.

Abuse was the hardest thing to talk about. To sit there and share your experiences with strangers was damn near impossible. You may want help, but because you've spent all your time thinking that no one could help, you kept it all bottled up inside.

However, Bella saying that she wanted to do this, to let Jasper question her and run tests on her, was saying a lot. It was showed great strength.

I was so proud of her.

Bella stayed close as we walked into Jasper and Emmett's practice together. I knew that the guys had just spruced up the office so I was looking forward to seeing the new decor.

The waiting area was packed with patients, some looking genuinely sick while others looked hardly sick enough to be here. Judging by the done up hair, makeup and the short skirts these women were sporting, they didn't need to be anywhere near a doctor's office.

Emmett walked out of his office, waved at me and called in the next patient. I smiled back at my future son-in-law, while the other women swooned. I shook my head and made my way over to Nurse Harper.

"Is it always like this?" I asked her.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Every day. Sometimes, I have to run their little asses out of here."

I laughed. I loved Althea Harper. She was a no nonsense woman like myself. Althea was in her fifties, African American, voluptuous, and proud of it.

Her words, not mine.

Althea was one of my good friends. We had met at the hospital when I walked in that fateful night I ran away from my ex and met my future husband, John Whitlock. At the time, Althea was a candy striper who held that same no nonsense attitude she continued with throughout the years.

"So after you run them out?" I chuckled, knowing where this was going because it was a complaint of Jasper's.

"They are back the very next day," Althea finished for me, laughing while she took Bella in.

"Hi there, pretty girl, how are you?" she said, turning her attention to Bella.

I moved out of the way, letting Bella face her. While Althea leaned back in her chair waiting on Bella's reply.

"I'm good," Bella smiled, making me sigh in relief. I didn't want her to fear Althea. "But I think I'll be better after one of your bosses help me out."

"I think you would be too," Althea smiled back while Bella continued to impress me.

We stayed at Althea's desk, laughing at her jokes until Jasper walked out of his office with an elderly patient behind him.

He looked at us with a wide grin, his eyes falling on Bella's, and mine and Althea's looking between the two of them. We chuckled softly but didn't say a word.

I don't think I have to wonder where the perfect girl for my son would be coming from or when she would show up. I think she is already here. That would be my little secret for now. Let's just say a mother knows best.

Jasper called Bella over and I stayed with Althea.

"Did you see that?" I asked her anxiously.

"I've never seen him look at a woman like that before! Who is she?" she questioned excitedly. Althea hated Alice. She thought that she wasn't good enough for her boss, and Althea loved Jasper like family. So she felt protective of him.

"Her name is Bella Swan. I found her outside of town," I told her. "Her car was stolen."

"And the starving?" Althea always got straight to the point.

"A bad life," I simply said. I wasn't sure if I should be sharing Bella's past yet.

But Althea was no fool. "Bad huh? Hmm! An abusive life, you mean. Some bastard wanted her to look that small. The poor thing, I hope she listens to Jasper and Emmett."

"I hope so too."

Emmett came out of his office and joined whatever conversation Jasper had going with Bella. She didn't look nervous until Emmett entered the equation.

Jasper noticed so he called me over, probably out of reassurance. Maybe he needed my help in wanting Bella not to be afraid of Emmett and his bulky figure. Emmett was built like a body builder and I could see how it could be a bit intimidating at times. So I said goodbye to Althea, and walked over, integrating myself in the middle of the situation.

Whatever Jasper thought, was right. She was a little scared of Emmett. The minute I walked over, she fused herself to my side.

"Hello, I'm Emmett McCarty. I'm Jasper's future brother-in-law," Emmett said, giving Bella a warm smile, and holding his hand out for her to shake.

Emmett's smiles were so infectious. You couldn't help but be happy around him. While he could be a serious guy sometimes, he was also a jovial person who knew how to put you at ease with as much as one sentence.

"Hi, Dr. McCarty," Bella said formally. "It's nice to meet you." As she said this, she took his outstretched hand and shook it, bravely taking a step away from me.

"Rosie told me about you," he said to Bella while Jasper and I watched their interaction. "I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't," Bella chuckled softly.

"That's good to know," Emmett concluded. "Well, Bella, I'm here at Jasper's request and I would like to work with you as well. We need to do something this…" He gestured at her too thin figure. "…issue." Emmett looked very concerned.

"I want to work with you all too," Bella admitted. "At least, until I get back on my feet. My car stolen outside of town and I have nowhere to go. Well, I do, but I can't go there yet."

Well, that's new. She had somewhere to go. But where? I suppose Jenks will let us know if Bella doesn't.

"Alright then, darlin'," Emmett said with a wide grin, making her give him a smile. That's Emmett! "That's good to know. Now, you'll be working with Jasper today, and he's gonna start a file on you and then we'll all take things from there."

Bella nodded and Althea walked over as Emmett went on, "We're gonna help you, Bella. Everything will be fine."

"Thank you," Bella said to us all; tears welling up in her eyes.

Jasper opened a file on Bella at his practice in case of emergencies he said. Emmett helped with a few things and then he and Althea left to go and deal with the other patients.

Jasper asked Bella a few questions but nothing too invading. He was taking his time with her.

Bella answered all she could, and when she couldn't, Jasper simply moved on. I knew he wasn't satisfied, but my glare made him back off.

My son could be an inquisitive individual sometimes.

When Jasper was through, he announced that we were going to see Carlisle at the hospital.

"You called Esme too, didn't you?" It was more of a statement than a question and judging by that little smirk on his face, I knew he did.

Jasper had been busy this morning.

Althea and Emmett told him they would hold the fort for the rest of the day and Bella smiled and told them goodbye while something in me feared that she was just putting her best foot forward.

"What do you think?" I asked Jasper as we walked to my car with Bella ahead of us. Jasper would be travelling with us to the hospital.

"She's trying her best not to freak out, but she needs to understand that it's okay to," Jasper said as if he was reading my mind.

But if Bella was trying to be okay with everything, how will she react to the next part?

We drove to the hospital in silence, and when we finally arrived, it was just as Jasper and I had surmised, Bella has been putting her best foot forward.

When she realized that we were really here and she had to do this, she became a bit hysterical. She started to cry and wouldn't get out of the car.

It took a while, but Jasper talked her into it. Whatever he said must have been very soothing. He could be an understanding man.

Jasper told her that he and I would be with her the whole time. We weren't going anywhere. We'll be with her through it all and Bella seemed mildly comforted by that, because it was enough to get her out of the car.

Bella cried and apologized to Jasper profusely, wanting him to know how sorry she was for freaking out. But Jasper dismissed it, telling her some of what he feared, in hopes that it would ease some of her worry and make her smile.

It worked.

A couple of minutes later, we all walked through the emergency doors and were greeted by Carlisle at the front desk and he introduced himself to Bella. She was visibly shaken, but she was trying to hold it together. Maybe my son's words were ringing in her ear. God, I hope so.

We headed to Carlisle's office, and Bella clung to me the entire way. And I held her just as strong. I knew what it felt like to walk these halls, how nerve wracking it felt to be under these fluorescent lights and feel judged by the curious looks you get as you moved by.

I hated that feeling and I wanted to spare Bella a bit of it if I could.

Carlisle led us inside his office, and in there, we had a brief discussion before Bella bravely started to question him.

"How have you worked here?" she asked. I loved that. She was fighting for control. She was trying to get her nerves under control to get through this.

Bella was a brave young woman.

Carlisle smiled, showing that he welcomed her forwardness. "I've been here a while; a couple of years actually. Jasper and Emmett work here too."

Bella glanced at Jasper questioningly. "You work here?"

"Yes," Jasper chuckled. "I take a couple of weekend shifts to help out when they're short staffed. So does Emmett."

"Okay," Bella said quietly.

Carlisle and Jasper talked around Bella and me for a while, deciding the best treatment for her, but Bella wasn't to be left out. It seemed that once she was comfortable, she would let her voice be heard, and would tell them what tests she knew of and didn't like.

But she doesn't know Jasper, and he could be very convincing. That boy was charming as well. Once that smirk lit up his face, it was over for his unsuspecting victim. I've seen women positively swoon when my son spoke to them.

It was an amazing sight and I could see it working on Bella right now as he explained about the benefits of having certain tests done and Bella agreed right after.

I gave him a look as we walked out.

"What?" he whispered smugly. "I'm good."

"Oh shut up," I muttered. He got that charm from his father. I swore half the shit John got me to agree to, when he turned on that charm! The man was good and his son wasn't far behind.

Catching up with Bella, I ignored Jasper's laugh from somewhere behind me.

Carlisle led us to a private room, and Jasper handed Bella a hospital gown, and showed her the bathroom.

Esme soon after and once Bella was changed and came out, Jasper helped her up onto the exam table and Esme introduced herself to Bella.

Bella stiffened when she heard Esme was a psychologist but Jasper talked her down once again. Esme cocked an eyebrow at me and I excused myself to follow my sister outside when she whispered for me to do so.

"It's been happening since she woke up and spoke to him last night," I told Esme when she asked about Bella's reaction to Jasper. She said Jasper had already given her a rundown of things, but it stunned her that Bella had only been with us for almost 48 hours and yet, she responded to Jasper with trust.

"I can't believe she trusts him," she said incredulously, more to herself than me. "A man!"

"I'm not sure what it is," I said, answering her anyways. "All I know is that Jasper can get her to do whatever he wants right now. She shows fear sometimes, but she covers it well."

"Does she flinch when he talks sometimes?" Esme asked.

"Yes," I replied. "But Jasper calms her."

"Yes, but the fear for him is still there. He'd have to do something and it'll resurface in her. He thinks the same thing too. He told me of his resemblance to her abuser…" I loved that Esme didn't even want to call James, Bella's husband. "…and how she fainted."

"I think she suffers from PTSD."

"Jasper does too," Esme said. "He told me about the screaming."

"I heard," I replied. I did and I got up, intent on going to Bella's room. But when I opened my door, I saw that Jasper had already beaten me to the punch and a couple minutes later, the screaming stopped.

"So you think that there is something similar in the control James used and Jasper's alleged control over her?" God, I hoped not.

"In a way, yes," Esme said sadly. "The control she lived under is playing out here. She doesn't see Jasper as James all the time, but the stigma is there. Now, if she's work with me, I can help her distinguish the difference."

We re-entered the private room as a nurse finished checking Bella's vital signs and hooking her up to an IV. Then it was Carlisle and Jasper's turn.

Carlisle and Jasper went through the typical examination with Bella while a gynecologist and a nutritionist were called in. When Bella heard that a gyno had been called in, she got nervous. I tried to calm her, telling her that Zafrina was one of the best and also Jasper's friend from medical school, but it did very little to help.

When Zafrina walked in a couple minutes later, Bella could hardly deal with her presence in the room, but again, Jasper was her saving grace. He talked her into letting Zafrina examine her and I held her hand the entire time.

Bella flinched and cried through her time with Zafrina while she apologized and did her job. I wanted to yell and scream at everyone for supposedly hurting Bella, but I knew that Jasper was right. This had to start now. We had to know what we were dealing with. Also, we were helping Bella take back her life, starting with her health.

But the more tests are done, the more I wanted to hurt James. And from the hardened look on Jasper's face when he returned to the room with Carlisle in tow. I wasn't the only one. Zafrina told Jasper he would have the results in a couple of hours, and left the room with a tear in her eye.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Jasper told her solemnly and she nodded, wiping her tears away.

Then, the questions came.

After a small snack, which I had to convince Bella to eat, because she claimed that she wasn't hungry though I know that breakfast was long ago and I was starving but I understood.

James must have kept her on a strict diet. My ex had tried to do with me. He would make snide comments about my eating habits or my weight when we were together.

But where he failed with me, James succeeded with Bella.

Rat bastard!

Carlisle took a step back after letting Bella know what would be next and then it was Jasper's turn.

He pulled the stool close to Bella's bed and took a seat. He smiled at her reassuringly, and she gave him a timid one in return.

"Hi, Bella," he said calmly, probably hoping it'll coax her into talking.

"Hi, Jasper," she croaked.

"I know this has been hard but we are here to help you," Jasper assured her. "All of this…" he pointed at the medical equipment around her. "…and all of us…" He pointed to me, Esme, himself, the nurse, and Carlisle, "…are here to help you."

"Why?" Bella asked softly. The sound of her small voice made me want to cry.

"Because we want to," Jasper said. "You've been through enough. It's time to move on. Do you want to move on, Bella?"

She looked at all of us, her eyes skeptical and riddled with fear, but her answer gave me hope. "Yes, Jasper, I want to move on."

"Good," Jasper smiled.

He picked up her chart with a sigh and began, "Bella, how did you get that bruise on your side?"

Bella stiffened at his question and didn't answer. But Jasper wasn't fazed by her silence. He glanced up at her, holding her gaze until she looked down at her lap, but Jasper continued to stare at her. "Bella?"

Still, no answer.

"Bella?" he said again, moving to touch her hand, and she jumped at his closeness.

But, she didn't move away or let go of his hand which she had gripped. A strange look marred my sister's face as she looked on.

"What is it?" I whispered to Esme.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," she said softly, her eyes fixed on Jasper and Bella. "It's very odd, how she demonstrates a small amount of relaxation in regards to Jasper."

I glanced at Bella and Jasper in time to notice my son lifting Bella's hand and lacing their fingers. Esme sighs.

"What is it?"I ask her.

"He cares for her," Esme said. "That might be a problem."

"How so?"

"Jasper is a very passionate man. His love knows no bounds," Esme sighs. "If they embark on anything more than a friendship, he could endanger her by wanting to confront James."

I nodded, and opted not to answer because Bella was already finding her into my heart, and I wanted to send James to hell for what he had done to her.

We decided to focus on Bella, hoping that she would answer Jasper. Carlisle asked the nurse to leave the room, telling her he'd call her back in when needed.

He was trying to make Bella feel comfortable enough to talk. So I decided to help.

"Bella, do you remember what I said in the car?" She looked at me as did Jasper. Actually, all eyes were on me.

"Yes," she said in a quiet tone that I could barely hear.

"Well, these people, we can trust," I said with conviction. "These people will walk to the end of the earth for us, just to get us better. They did it for me, please, let them do it for you."

I wasn't sure my little speech would help, but Jasper's smile made it worth it.

Bella held my gaze, whimpering, as tears pooled in her eyes. She gripped Jasper's hand tighter and began to sob. We let her cry, and when she could finally speak. "My husband, James, he hit me there."

Jasper wrote something down. "Was it the first time?"

We had heard this but I knew he wanted to hear these things from her and get them on record. We didn't want to push her, but we needed her to talk; to tell us things so we could fully understand what happened to her.

"No," Bella said. "It happened many times before."

"I'm sorry," Jasper whispered.

"Don't be," Bella said harshly. "You didn't do it." The mood change was to be expected though. I knew what that felt like. How out of control it feels the first time you realize that you can talk back without getting hit.

"No, I didn't," Jasper said, rolling with the punches. He was handling himself well with her. "But my concern is the damages this…"

"Abuse," Bella sneered. "It's okay. You can say it. Abuse. And I'm not stupid for staying. I wasn't in love. I never loved him!" She hissed. "I was just dumb and couldn't speak up for myself."

Her tears started to flow again as Jasper interjected, "My aunt over here…" He pointed to Esme. "…as you know, she's a psychologist and she can help you to do that. She can assist you in learning how to speak up for yourself. She can drive away your fears if you let her help you."

Bella looked thoughtful, the tears streaming down and soaking her paper gown, as she nodded. "I'm sorry for getting mad at you," she told Jasper. Again, another mood swing. She still feels that something bad will happen if she doesn't apologize right away and act meek. Weakness and submission must have been want James loved.

"It's more than fine," he smiled and then told Bella what they would be doing next.

Bella asked about Zafrina and Jasper told her the results would be in soon and that she shouldn't worry. He would help her get through whatever she heard.

The day went on turning into late evening as we went from blood tests for just about everything to x-rays, an ultrasound and an MRI exam, so that Jasper could be assured that Bella could withstand the health regime he wanted to put her under.

Carlisle and Jasper left no stones unturned.

I took a break to call home and check on things. Sue told me all was well and asked about Bella, wishing her the best.

A few tests came back immediately and Bella was healthy on those. Her blood samples showed no abnormalities. Her x-rays showed old breaks, angering my bristling son, and her exam from Zafrina and ultrasound also showed no abnormality though Bella seemed surprised by that.

We didn't ask and Bella didn't share.

However, I overheard Jasper and Zafrina talking in the hall while Bella took a short nap, and went there, including myself into the conversation.

"What do you mean?" he asked her, grimacing when I stepped closer to them. Zafrina was about to say something, but stopped when she saw me.

"What?" I asked her. "I'm gonna get the information out of Jazz any way so talk."

Zafrina laughed while Jasper sighed sadly and explained before Zafrina went on, "She said something had happened to Bella."

"I expect that he raped her," I told the two of them.

"I do too," Zafrina said without a hint of surprise in her tone. "Bella looks like a fighter so I think he would have to force her into submission from early on."

"I was thinking the same," Jasper added.

"So what happened?" I asked them.

"Bella has had an abortion." I gasped when Zafrina said it. My hand flew to my mouth and I wanted to scream. How much did this girl have to endure?

Jasper placed an arm around me, keeping me grounded. "Maybe he doesn't like kids," Jasper said, pulling me closer in his arms.

"Maybe not," Zafrina said.

They talked a little before a call from Jenks interrupted us. I moved away and answered him. When Jasper came over to me while Jenks told me about Bella's biological father, I stopped him and told him to share this with Jasper.

Charlie Swan was the chief of police in a rainy little town called Forks, in Washington. He must be the place Bella said she had where she could go, but with the fear of putting Charlie in the line of fire when it came to James, she opted to run.

Jasper

After speaking with Jenks, telling him to dig up more; especially about Bella's mom because I want to know why Bella couldn't have gone to Charlie long ago and I had a feeling her mother was keeping her away with lies, Mom and I re-entered Bella's room.

The nutritionist came in. She and Carlisle worked a diet plan for Bella, wanting her to focus on protein in order to regain some healthy weight.

By the time we drove away from the hospital, the clock read eight pm. Bella was fast asleep in my mother's lap, and I was starving.

It had been a busy day for me. I learned a little more about Bella, and it was enough to make me wish she could stay in town forever. I didn't want her anywhere near that psycho ever again.

"So what are we doing about food? 'Cause I'm starving," Mom said from the backseat.

"Me too," Bella said weakly, alerting us that she was awake. I smiled a little, feeling triumphant that Bella had admitted that she was hungry.

I knew she had an eating disorder. Possibly, it wasn't intentional, but with the strict regime that she had to be under to be so underweight, one developed.

I watched her closely this morning at breakfast and if I hadn't coerced her into eating, she wouldn't have.

Bella had a caring nature, which was both a blessing and curse in her favor. She would take care of everyone around her, neglecting herself in the process, and I hoped Esme could free her of that.

I was happy she agreed to working with Esme on getting her life back.

"Alright then," I replied, driving to my favorite burger joint, Whataburger.

When we got there, I turned Mom's car into the drive thru. My truck was already back home because I had called Rose earlier on when Bella was with Zafrina and Sue brought her to town to pick it up.

I ordered enough burgers and fries for everyone, both in the car and at home while adding a Strawberry shake for Bella. She looked like she liked strawberries. This morning when I pushed a bowl of fruits in front of her with her breakfast, she paid particular attention to the strawberries in there.

After I paid, I took our food, smiling at the girl in the window who winked at me while Mom scoffed from the backseat and Bella lightly chuckled. I steered the Mercedes back on the road, the two of them no mind and headed home to the ranch; a home that now included Bella Swan.