Chapter 10: Waking up

I was in pain. My belly hurt, my feet hurt, my arm hurt, my head hurt. My mouth was dry and my tongue felt like the sole of a well-worn shoe. I tried to shallow but there was nothing to shallow. I opened my eyes slowly to be greeted by white blank walls. Hospital.

I've been in enough hospital in various cities to recognize one. The IV next to my bed and the lighting board on the wall that the x-ray of a skull were simply clues. I sat up trying to remember where I was.

"Easy there love"

I jumped nearly a foot in the air and my head snapped to the door where a man in a lab coat stood.

"I'm British, we call everyone love"

He joked. I smiled in spite of the cheesy line.

"I'm Doctor Jones"

"Like the song?"

"Aren't you a little young to know the song?"

He grumbled under his breath. The tag on his coat read 'N. Jones surgeon. Mystic Falls hospital, Virginia' So it wasn't all a bad dream and I wasn't in Phoenix.

"Do you remember why you're here Isabella?"

"Just Bella. And yes, I do remember. How did you know my name?"

"The police found your ID in your purse"

I nodded. Doctor Jones told me about my injuries and they were a lot if I say so myself. A small cut on my upper thigh where the guy ripped my panties, never recovered by the way, cuts and abrasions on my feet when I scrambled away, a cut down my stomach from when he cut my blouse, a bump on the head when I fell after he slapped me, a bruise on the cheek from said slap and last but not least a cut from the dogs paws. That one I remember getting. According to the good doctor nothing would leave a mark and I had to return in a week to check the bump and remove the stitches.

I agreed and was about to hop off the bed and leave when I was informed that the sheriff wanted to go over my testimony. I sat back and started munching the breakfast a nice nurse had brought in during my talk with dr Jones. Gah, is thee a law that makes hospitals serve yuck food to the patients? I gave up on the bread from a century ago and instead sipped my chocolate malt that came with its paper box that had an expiration date on.

Later than I would have wanted Sheriff came to my room. She looked tired with heavy bags under her eyes and smeared makeup. I wonder just how many allnighters she pulled recently.

"Good morning Bella. I'm Sheriff.."

"Forbes. I remember"

She gave me a tired smile and motioned to the chair. I nodded and she took a seat gratefully.

"I would like to go over last night's events if you don't mind. You said you were talking a stroll though the park and took a seat because your feet were killing you, correct?"

Wow, I can think really good lies when I'm stoned. Who knew?

"Yes. Me and high heels don't go very well together"

"You took a seat and ..."

she trailed off letting me fill in. OK let's stick to the truth and hopefully it'll match my story from last night.

"He came up behind me. Put his arm around me and the knife to my neck. He pushed me to the ground. I was too stunned to move"

My eyes trailed to the pattern on the blanket as my mind return to last night

"He cut my top and touched me. His hands were sweaty and I jumped to action. I kicked, scratched him, and he slapped me. He told me what he would do to me. How he liked that I was feisty. I have mace in my purse but it was knocked away from me. I felt him touch me under my skirt when this howl got my attention. I was about to try to fight him off again but this dog came out of nowhere and pushed him off me. It attacked him, it slashed him open. When it was done with him it turned to me. I thought I was going to die. I had sat up but it pushed me back on the ground and leaned over me. I closed my eyes but I felt it's tongue on my neck and then it was gone. Sometime later I called 911 and you came"

I blinked forcing my brain to return to the present.

"It's just a formality but how did the dog look like Bella? If it's sick we may have to find it"

Suddenly I wanted to protect it.

"Black, big almost like a wolf. Its eyes glowed under the moon. I had hit my head already I'm not sure..."

I trailed off and she nodded.

"Ok, I'll take you home now. Where are you staying?"

That's a good question. Lie or truth?

"I'm passing though; I've been staying at the Salvatore's"

"As in Damon Salvatore?"

My eyes flashed with him pushing a stake in Lexi's heart

"The one and only. I know Stefan actually. I came for his birthday"

"Oh! When is it?"

"yesterday"

As my clothes were still at the police station I was told to keep the scrubs I was in and sheriff Forbes returned me my purse. According to dr. Jones they hadn't called my family as I am a legal adult and they kept me as a precaution and I was happy about it. I was given a pair of flip flops and the nurse insisted on me using the wheelchair. As soon as I sat on it a small ball of white fur jumped on my lap and started licking my fingers. At my blank look the nurse laughed.

"She came in with you last night. Refused to let you out of her sight also"

I pet the small dog and looked into the bright blue eyes.

"It's a he"

Sheriff Forbes then led me to her cruiser and we headed to the Salvatore's. On the way she made small talk about how I know the brothers and the years of dealing with Charlie in me told me she was looking for dirt on them. I bit my tongue and said that Stefan and I used to go to the same summer camp. She believed me, I think. We pulled on their front door twenty minutes later and she insisted on walking me to the door. Damon answered the door, his eyes widening as he saw me.

"Bella? What happened?"

huh he sounded sincere. He moved to put his arm around me, probably because I was swaying

"don't touch me"

The small dog in my arms hissed lightly as I whispered and Damon backed off. Sheriff told him what happened last night. I ignored them both and headed to the living room after thanking her for the ride where I all but collapsed on the couch. Soon I was joined by Damon who looked angry. I wasn't about to talk to him and I got up to head to the room I shared with Lexi to pack my things. I needed to think where I'd go now.

"sit down"

"fuck off Damon"

"Who did this to you?"

"why do you care?"

"why wouldn't I?"

"Do you want an honest answer or just a polite one?"

"Bella sit down and talk to me"

"You killed Lexi Damon. I saw you. You went on and on about how Stefan had to go out and mingle with the humans when all you wanted was a scapegoat."

"What? Wait you were there?"

"No I was in another universe that just happened to overlook this one"

"damnit Bella, Lexi's alive. I didn't kill her"

"And I wasn't attacked last night"

Damon stood up, picked me up bridal style and zoomed us upstairs to my room where Lexi was laid in the middle of the queen size bed. Stefan was kneeled to the floor fast asleep

"Lexi?"

"I told you she's alive. Yes, I needed a scapegoat and yes I did hurt her but I'm not completely heartless"

Damon spat.

"I'm sorry. I just, I saw you and I ran. I ended up in the park"

I stopped there knowing that the sheriff had told him the rest of the story. I headed to take a shower in Damon's room as being near the bloodthirsty vampire Lexi would be when she'd wake up wasn't such a good idea.

"God I look like a battered wife"

I murmured at my reflection when I finished my shower and was getting slowly dressed. I pulled on a pair of grey yoga pants and as I wasn't allowed to wear too tight clothes over the small gash on my stomach I pulled a simple white not too tight tank top over my pink polka dot sports bra. I put my flip flops on but instead of downstairs my feet led me to the queen sized bed with the black silky sheets. I was out like a feather in minutes.

Dream

Two days later I stood with Damon and Stefan in their living room saying goodbye to Lexi.

"Call me as soon as you get there, ok?"

"Bella you act like my mother"

"Your mother's dead"

She stuck her tongue out at me

"Anything happens to her, I'll put a stake in your heart, and I won't miss, on purpose"

She spat at Damon. he simply nodded to my and Stefan's amusement. She was going back to Georgia today. She needed to lay low and missed Lee. I wanted to stay here. I felt I needed to stay here and I had no idea why.

End dream

I opened one eye to see all three vampires sit on the foot of the bed.

"How are you feeling Bella?"

"It was just an attack Lexi"

I said in the same bored tone she used when we talked about being staked by Damon. After a stare down Stefan spoke

"How can you be so calm?"

"I've always been very good at repressing unpleasant things"

I heard myself say to another over protective vampire after another almost attach by a wannabe rapist. Lexi must have seen something in my voice because she gave a glare to Damon and an elbow in Stefan's stomach. I moved forward to hug her and made her promise she'd call and email me. She made me promise back and she climbed on the cute little yellow Smart and drove off into the sunset.

Tomorrow I'd start school, start working at the Grill and move into the studio above it and who knows? Maybe I'll find the pair of haunting black eyes I've been dreaming of since the wolf.

A/N: No, it's not the end of the story, just the end of part one...