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Song for this chapter – Love Bites by Def Leppard
Thanks for dannibags for suggesting this story, for correcting my errors, and for being awesome. Piesmom for making sure that everything is good before it's début.
Bella has to find a way out of her situation. After last night's events, she knows that being around Kate and Edward would hurt too much. She doesn't care about following another band and Renee … wellshe could go back to that situation. Let's see which one she chooses.
Chapter 12
Love Bites
BPOV
I woke in the early in the morning with Tink wrapped around me. It was nice to have another body beside me, showing how much they cared, but it wasn't the one I wanted to be wrapped around me. I slowly, but gently pulled myself from her embrace and sat up on the side of the bed. An episode of dizziness washed over me and caused me to stay still for a minute until I was able to gather myself enough to move.
Once the dizziness passed, I rose from the bed and headed towards the bathroom. Noticing Jasper asleep in the bed beside of Tink and myself, I didn't want to wake either of them and have to deal with the questions I knew they both would have for me. I hadn't set out last night to kill myself, but I did want to numb the pain in my chest. I had never done anything drug related like that in my entire life. I had taken the occasional toke and drank whenever it was socially acceptable, but for the most part I had been responsible about those things. I never liked the high I would experience while smoking and drinking, and it would always leave me sick feeling, like my world was spinning. It wasn't something I had liked to do.
In the bathroom, I took my shower, but as I stood and thought about the things that happened last night, I knew I didn't want to stay here, but did I want to go with Jasper and Tink? They would be leaving in a couple of hours for LA. I didn't want to go back to LA really, not unless Edward was there. But with everything that had happened, I didn't want to go to LA if there was some chance he would eventually be there with the others. In that moment, I made a decision I never thought I would.
Climbing out of the shower, I quickly gathered everything I needed and walked into the room. Both Jasper and Tink were still asleep. So I reached into Tink's purse and pulled out the money she was planning on using for Christmas. I felt bad about doing it, but I needed out. I knew she would understand. I pulled a sheet of paper from the notepad on the table in the room and quickly wrote her a note.
Alice,
I'm sorry … for everything. Just know that I couldn't stay where I was no longer welcome. I know that I could have flown back to LA with you guys, but I needed time to find myself before I decided my next move. So, it was best for me to leave before everyone found out what happened.
I never set out to hurt myself last night because of the situation, but I needed to feel the numbness I knew the pills could bring. I feel like everything has been ripped out of chest. Don't tell him what happened.Let him think I moved on with another band or something. Hell, tell him I already headed toward the airport. I don't care, but I don't want him to think it hurts as bad as it does.
I don't know where I am going or when I will be able to send the money I took from you, but I will. Tell Rose bye for me … I don't want to stick around and run a risk of seeing him with her again.
Thank you for being my friend and for being there when I needed you. Don't worry, I will be fine … I will always find my way.
I love you,
Bella
I grabbed the notepad and wrote a note to Edward, pouring my heart out in my words. A small part of me wanted … hoped he felt the hurt I felt inside of me. I knew it was wrong, but I needed to do it. I needed to tell him the things I couldn't and have my closure on this chapter in my life. Once I walked out the doors of the hotel, I would never go back. I would never allow myself to fall in love with someone to only have it ripped apart when they didn't feel the same.
Folding Edward's letter, I left it underneath Tink's and let her know to make sure he got it. I wasn't about to try to find him to give it to him. Maybe something about writing the letter was to feel like I had everything off my chest really. It wasn't so much about whether or not he really got it. Tink would either make sure or throw it in the trash and I couldn't be bothered by which one she did after I was gone.
Pushing my things on my shoulder, I headed out the door and out of Edward Cullen's life.
~AASS~
It took a couple of days to finally get myself back on the west coast, but I did what needed to be done. Once the bus pulled into the station at the Seattle Bus Depot, I quickly inquired about how much longer it would take to get to Forks and if there was a bus that would be able to take me to the town. The lady at the ticket counter said it would be another two hours by car, but no bus would be heading in that direction. She pointed to a map located in the information center and said that might help me navigate my way around.
I stood for a little while in the Depot looking over the map and wondering how in the world I was going to make it. Spotting the pay phone at the station, I walked over pulling change out of my pocket and searching through the phone book for a number to the Forks Police Department. Maybe I could reach my father there and have him come to pick me up from the station, but if I couldn't reach him, I wouldn't have other options available to me other than to walk the miles to Forks.
Locating the number, I shoved my change into the payphone and listened as the phone rang.
"Fork's Police Department, this is Sue. How can I direct your call?" the voice asked.
"Sue, this is Isabella Swan … Charlie's daughter. Um … I was wondering if he is in."
"Sorry, dear he was called out about ten minutes ago, but I can give him the message you called when he gets back," she said as the phones rang in the background.
"Do you know when you will be able to give him the message?" I asked, rubbing my hands across my face. Things didn't seem to working out in my favor at the moment.
"I can radio him, but he's in the middle of a crisis over at the diner. It seems that Waylon doesn't want to pay for his dinner again, and Gladys isn't allowing him to leave," she sighed.
"Don't bother him; just let him know I will be in town … there's no number he can call be back at, but just let him know."
"Will do," she said before hanging up the other end.
Hanging up the phone, I walked out of the bus depot, determined to get the Forks. If I saw another pay phone along my way, I planned on calling the station again, if it became too much for me. I knew the next miles were going to be the hardest for me, but it was what needed to be done.
Walking through the streets of Seattle, I was about a mile from the airport when a black Mercedes pulled alongside. I couldn't see inside the car because of the dark tinted windows. I continued to walk, not knowing who or what was inside the car.
"Miss," the male voice called from behind me. I didn't turn around and picked up my pace, scared half to death.
"Please Miss, I'm a doctor at the hospital here in Seattle, and I can't in good conscience allow a young woman like you to walk these roads alone."
Stopping in my tracks, I turned around and gazed at the man. He looked older and had apparently stepped out of his vehicle, but had left the door open to follow me. He was still a couple of feet away, but I could clearly make out his white lab coat. He was tall like Edward with blue eyes and blonde hair. He didn't look to be a serial killer, but I still wasn't for sure.
"If you don't want to ride with me, I will gladly call a taxi or something for you to get you wherever you're going," he said, running his hands through his unruly mess of hair. Something else Edward had in common with this stranger, or I was comparing every person who crossed my path to Edward. I sighed to myself. I needed to not think of him because he sure wasn't thinking about me, that much was obvious.
"I'm going to Forks. My father is the police chief there, and if something happens to me, he will be looking," I said sternly. This stranger didn't know that I was lying. My father probably thought I was still in California with my mother and wouldn't even know if something happened to me, but I wasn't about to give this information away.
"Charles Swan," he asked, looking me up and down.
"That would be him," I replied, hoping that he didn't know the relationship I had with my father was basically nonexistent.
"Your father's a good man. I've known him for years. I'm Carlisle Cullen and before you ask … no, I am not related to Edward Cullen of The Midnight Riders."
I shrugged, not really caring if he was or wasn't related to Edward, but having the same last name, I'm sure people asked all the time. I would have potentially wondered, but it was nothing uncommon to find people with the same last names that were not related. I stood there for a minute, and if he knew my father, maybe he was an upstanding citizen. I walked over to his car. Quickly, he walked around and opened the passenger side door, allowing me to climb in his car. I prayed what I was doing wasn't a mistake.
He walked around the front of the car after shutting my door. I quickly pulled the seatbelt around my body as he climbed into the driver's and pulling out on to the highway.
"So, you're heading to Forks?" he inquired as he drove down the road.
"Yes, are you sure you want to take me? Isn't Forks like two hours from here? At least that is what the woman at the station said," I muttered.
"It's about two hours, but I don't mind. Like I said when I stopped … I can't in good conscience allow a young woman to walk the roads; it's just not safe for you. Not to mention that it's going to take you much longer than two hours to make it to Forks. Trust me, this is the better option."
"Thanks," I whispered. I turned towards the window, pulling my body close to the door just in case I needed to make a quick exit from the car. It wasn't my intentions of jumping out of a moving car, but if he made the first move on me, I knew I wouldn't hesitate.
~AASS~
The ride with Dr. Cullen wasn't that hard. He was quiet the majority of the ride and other than the fact that some of the ways he would look at me or smile would remind me of Edward, I never dared to ask if he really was related to him. It wasn't any of my business anyway.
I climbed from the car when Dr. Cullen pulled in at the Forks Police Station. I don't know how long it would have taken me if he hadn't seen me.
"Thanks for the ride, Dr. Cullen," I said, leaning in the door.
"You're welcome," he said as I closed the door to his car.
Walking up the small stairs of the Police Department, I prayed that Charlie wouldn't be mad that I was here. I crossed my fingers and prayed that everything would work out for the best.
I stopped at the desk when I first entered, noticing a Native American woman sitting behind the desk, typing on the computer in front of her.
"Excuse me," I said, trying to get her attention.
"Is Charlie in?" I asked as she looked up from her computer and gasped.
"Isabella," she said, holding her hands to her mouth.
"Oh my god, Isabella." She jumped from her chair and ran around from behind the desk pulling me into her arms.
"You look so much like Charlie," she cooed as she hugged the ever loving crap out of me. It was a little nerve racking, having this strange woman pulling me into her arms. I lightly patted her back, hoping she would eventually let go.
"Oh, Isabella, you just missed your father," she said pulling away from her embrace, but had pulled my hands into hers.
"If you could just tell me which way to go, I don't mind walking," I said, hoping to get away from this situation.
"No way, let me call Seth … he would gladly give you a ride to your father's house." She walked behind the desk, quickly picking up the phone, and speaking to someone, who I assumed was Seth about giving me a ride to the Chief's house.
Sue finally introduced herself as Charlie's girlfriend and Seth was a deputy on the police squad, who was her son. I thanked her for everything and walked out to wait on the stairs of the police station for Seth's arrival. There wasn't anything wrong with Sue … she really seemed nice. I was still a little worried about whether or not Charlie would be as happy as Sue was to see me.
The deputy wheeled up, stepping out of his car, and motioned me over to the passenger side of his cruiser. I climbed in, just happy that he wasn't placing me in the back seat. I hadn't ever been arrested before in my life, but I had heard the stories about how uncomfortable the back seats in these cruisers are if you were in trouble. I didn't think Charlie would be all that happy to see me to begin with and sitting in the back seat could have potentially made it worse for me. The deputy walked around the car after shutting my door, climbed behind the wheel, and pulled from the police station.
"So, you're Charlie's daughter," he said, looking out of the corner of his eye.
"Yes," I said.
"He's going to be surprised you're here. He wasn't exactly expecting you," he said, looking over at me now, narrowing his eyes at me.
"I wasn't planning on coming for an official visit. Otherwise, I would have called first … let's just say things aren't working with my mother," I huffed. Seth looked only a couple of years older than me really, and I wasn't exactly enjoying his line of questioning at the moment.
"The woman at the station is my mother … she's been dating Charlie for years now." I assumed as much since she introduced herself as his girfriend when she had greeted me at the station.
"They don't live together … but he has spoken to her about your situation in California and was often torn about having you here. I pray he was right about you," he said, looking away from the road once more before turning into a small forest covered subdivision.
"I'm nothing like my mother," I muttered. I don't know what happened when the two split, and I really didn't want to rehash some of the horrible things Renee had ever said about Charlie. When I would be allowed to speak to him on the phone, things usually seemed fine, but I was all too aware of the true nature of my mother.
"Let's hope you're not," he said before pulling into one of the driveways. The house was relatively small, white in color. You could see the police cruiser in the driveway and a small light glowing from one of the windows in the small house.
I didn't say anything else to Seth. It wasn't like he was entirely unfriendly, but he wasn't exactly like his mother either in the way she had welcomed me in the office. Seth climbed from the car and walked over to my side, opening the door for me once again. I didn't complain or argue, not wanting to be like my mom, that everything he had done to put me in the car was unnecessary. Hell, I wasn't aware if I would have been able to enter the vehicle without his help at this point.
As I climbed out, Seth grabbed my hand, stopping me from walking up onto the porch.
"I'm not trying to be mean, Isabella. I just don't want anyone here hurt because of your presence. If you think you are going to come in and ruin everything or poison everything you touch … you shouldn't even walk onto that porch. Just say the word and I will personally put you on the first bus back to California."
"I'm not my mother," I sneered, pulling my hand from his. I stepped around him and headed toward the porch. I stepped up on the first step when the door opened and Charlie stood in the door way. He looked torn, saddened, and worried. A part of me could understand his apprehension. I was a totally stranger and a part of Renee, the woman who had apparently made his life a living hell with the way Seth was warning me already.
"Isabella," he whispered.
"Charlie," I replied. Charlie nodded his head and stepped to the side so I could enter his house. He waved Seth off as I stepped into his living room.
"Sue said you were coming … I didn't believe her at first," he said, rubbing his forehead with his hand.
"I hope I'm not intruding or anything," I said. It wasn't my intentions to make waves for Charlie or ruin any potentially relationships. I didn't have anywhere else to turn where I felted truly wanted or safe even.
Charlie offered me something to drink and asked if I would explain why I was on his doorstep in the middle of the night. I didn't sit as he went to get me a glass of water, but I did see all my pictures out on the mantle from my years in school. I made sure to send him a picture every year no matter what because I had always felt like he needed some evidence of what he was technically paying for. Renee would bitch that I shouldn't even made sure to buy the pictures, but I would so he would have something.
"You've become a beautiful young woman over the years," Charlie mused from the doorway of the living room.
"I had to argue with Renee just to make sure you received a picture. I always wanted you to know where your money was going and what I looked like."
"I appreciate it, and I'm so sorry that Renee has treated you the way she did," he said, looking down at the floor.
"I survived," I said, still looking around his house and moving to look at pictures of Charlie and Sue. There were pictures of what looked to be my grandparents and Charlie. There were also a couple of pictures of Seth and another little girl that I didn't know.
"How long are you going to be here?" Charlie asked, stepping over to me and handing me my water.
"Depends on how long you would be willing to keep me," I said, looking into the same chocolate brown eyes I saw in the mirror every morning.
"Does your mother know where you are?" he asked.
"No," I whispered. I hadn't given Renee much of an explanation when I left, and I had taken the remaining money. I was actually shocked she hadn't already called Charlie. I had been gone for at least two months, but she would have gotten another payment and not even batted an eyelash as long as the money was coming in and she could have her liquor.
"Did you run away?"
"Something like that," I said, looking up into his eyes, hoping he could see that I couldn't go back … that he was my last hope. My last chance at putting my life together so I could move forward. I wasn't ever going to meet my potential in California with Renee, and Edward was just a means of getting out from under Phil and her control. However, now I didn't have a choice … it was Charlie or a card board box on Highway 101.
"Please tell me … he didn't hurt you? Did he?" he asked, begging me not to tell him his worst fear about my mother's boyfriend, I knew. I could see it in his eyes.
"No, but it was getting worse," I whispered, looking down at the floor. At this moment, it wasn't much different than the time Edward asked if Phil had ever touched me. I could see the fire in Charlie's eyes and knew that if I would have breathed a word about anything that he would surely make a trip to Cali to personally whip Phil's ass. So, I was thankful once again that I had left before it had gotten to that point. However, now I had to worry about what Charlie might be thinking about the things that had happened while I was with Edward. I prayed he would never ask about where I had been for the past two months and who I was with. I don't think Charlie would have been all that happy with Renee or me with that one either, but maybe he would understand.
"I don't have much …" Charlie said, looking around his house "… I have two bedrooms here. One was supposed to be yours when you were a child, and your mother and I were still married. I've never changed the room, and it doesn't have a bed for you, but I could get Sue to get you something more stable and reliable as long as you are planning to stay awhile."
"I can sleep on the couch until we get everything figured out," I said.
"You're more than welcome here, but I will have to contact your mother." I nodded. I suspected he would.
"Go ahead, get settled on the couch, and we will discuss this in more detail in the morning," he said, motioning toward his couch.
Charlie gave me a quick tour of the house and allowed me to place the small bag I had in the room that still housed a crib for an infant. He wasn't lying about not moving anything in the room. It looked like it had never been touched.
"If you would have called and let me know you were coming, I would have gotten everything together so you would have something more appropriate to sleep on," he said, rubbing his forehead again.
"I'm sorry … I should have called or something, but … I had nowhere else to turn," I said, lowering my head once again to the floor. I felt like shit for doing this to him.
"Look at me," he demanded.
"I will help, and I told you over the phone if you ever needed me to let me know. I would do anything as long as you allowed me into your world and let me know how I could help. Never doubt that … I would never leave you out in the cold."
"I know," I said; that was the reason I was here. He had always been sure to make me feel like I was welcome, even if my mother tried to underhand everything he ever said and always made it sound like he never wanted me. I always had hope he would, but sometimes her words would cut through and make everything I did always that much harder because of the doubt she had given me about him.
After the quick tour, I changed in the bathroom and hurried back down to the couch, where Charlie had laid out blankets and pillows for me to use. I thanked him and crawled onto the couch. Once the lights were off and Charlie was gone to his room, I lay back staring at the ceiling for hours thinking about Edward and the band. Had Alice given him the letter? Did he hear the news about my accident? Was he even remotely worried about me at the moment? Did he wonder where I had gone? Did you even truly care?
Eventually, I cried myself to sleep.
~AASS~
The last three months with Charlie were hard at times. Sue had helped me to get the bedroom upstairs better accommodated for a young adult instead of an infant. Charlie worked a lot to make ends meet around the house. I tried to help as much as I could, but he wouldn't let me take the same responsibilities that I had with my mother, which in turn forced me to spend the majority of my time in the house alone.
Christmas came and went without to much fan fare. Sue and her kids came to the house, and Charlie bought me a couple of things that I needed, but I couldn't return the favor, having spent the majority of the money I had taken from Renee and Alice while living on the road.
Charlie never really hovered or asked me to many questions about where I had been or how I had come to show up on his doorstep in the middle of the school year or the middle of the night. In some ways, I thought that was a blessing because I was still a little worried he would have some issues with the things I had done, but for the most part, he didn't seem to really care.
After Christmas, Charlie asked if I planned on staying in Forks beyond the New Year. When I told him there wasn't any other place for me to go, it wasn't long before he enrolled me at Forks High School to finish out the remainder of my senior year. I didn't have to much more to do, and with the fact that California was so ahead school wise, I was able to skate by, having learned the majority of the lessons there.
The only problem with going to school and trying to blend in was that I was constantly alone here. It only got worse when the people around town would gossip about my mother and my presence. It seemed everyone thought I would turn out just like her and avoided me at all costs. I couldn't really blame them in a way. I knew some of the stories running around town. However, I didn't even care about anyone here. It wasn't like they mattered in the grand scheme of things. There were only a handful of people I truly cared about and they were miles away with someone other than me.
~AASS~
February turned out to be the best and worse month of my entire life. The worst part was when I caught the flu and couldn't quite shake the illness that invaded my body. I felt worse than when I had taken all those Quaaludes trying to drown out my life. I began to wonder if something was seriously wrong with me when it finally passed, but I still felt like someone had run over me with a Mack Truck.
I finally gave into Charlie and Sue's demands to see the doctor because I still wasn't feeling any better, and I had to know if something was wrong, especially after the incident in New York.
As I walked past the window of the little record store on the corner, I saw his face. The face that I hated to miss and the face that I longing to see. He must have taken the solo record deal. The billiard in front of the story advertised the coming out date of his solo album. I remembered the date on the board and headed straight to the doctor's office.
~AASS~
After my doctor's appointment, I slowly made my way back to the police station. Sue was sitting behind the desk when I walked in.
"How was your visit?" she asked, looking up from her computer. I shook my head back and forth, still trying to process the information the doctor had given me during my visit.
"Um, is Charlie here?" I asked. I wasn't going to tell Sue without first informing my dad. Hell, I didn't know how he was going to process what was going on with me or what he would even do.
"Oh, Isabella," Sue said, running around the desk as the tears poured from my eyes. I didn't even realize I was even crying, but Sue noticed.
"I don't know what to do," I said, finally processing the news.
"What will Charlie want me to do? I can't, Sue … I can't," I muttered.
"Shh … sweet girl, it happens. Your father will understand, and he will help, but I will help you talk to him if you want," she said, pulling back to wipe the tears from underneath my eyes.
I nodded because I didn't know how I was going to break the news to him.
A/N: All right … so this story has deviated from the original Almost Famous format, remember in the movie they do not have a HEA … which I said I would change and I plan on doing that, but you have to be patient. Plus, I am trailing it into the song Shooting Star which means that things are going to get really rough, but hang on. So, remember these things as we move along here. Remember, that this story will continue into 'One Hit Wonder' which will be the sequel. What do you think happened to Bella? Do you think Charlie will be accepting? As always don't forget to show some love and if this story ever disappears, you can find me on fictionpad.