I've purposely made Bella ignorant to how bad everything really is. She is in for a rude awakening! I'll get into it now.
CHAPTER 9
Today was the day. Edward was supposed to return with my mother and Phil. It was still early morning so by my calculations, I would have until tonight before I would start searching myself. I had purposely avoided any type of media and any talk around the house of the fast approaching apocalypse. I couldn't let myself think Renee was dead. I had stopped the thought and made excuses for the bad feeling I kept feeling. But, maybe it was time to face the music.
"Carlisle, have you spoken to Edward?" I asked for the umpteenth time.
"No, Bella. You were the last one to speak to him." Bless Carlisle, he never got angry with having to repeat himself.
I busied myself training with Jasper for most of the day. Just simple stretching to increase my flexibility and blocking on coming attacks. I was thoroughly worn out come eight o'clock that night. Where was Edward? I decided I needed to face the truth. Carlisle was the best person to ask, so I was going to find him. I knocked on the door of his study.
"Come in, Bella." He called out. I let myself in and sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk.
"What can I do for you?"
"This virus that Dr. Greer created... Did he do it on purpose?"
"You mean, did he creat the virus for this outbreak to happen?" Carlisle asked. I nodded my head slowly.
"No. He brought the virus to the medical board and tried to get it approved for testing. It was purely his own creation. Quite a smart man actually." Carlisle shook his head.
"They refused him?" I asked.
"Yes. They deemed it too dangerous to test." I put two and two together.
"But he did it anyway?"
"Yes. Unfortunately, he fled the research facility once the four corpses became reanimated. No one knows where he is." Well, that explains that.
"What is the government doing about this?" I asked.
"Why do you think Charlie has stayed on the Rez?" Carlisle asked. Actually, I hadn't thought about it.
"It's out if the chiefs hands, Bella. The military are handling the situation now. The humans were told to seek cover and stay there or run inland. We have managed to stay out of the light of the military by picking off the one's that go under the radar." I chewed over this new information for a minute.
"Why were you so hesitant when I mentioned going and getting Renee?"
"Because we are over run, Bella. Your mother was in the first place that got hit." Came Edwards voice from behind me. I jumped. Edward was back! I jumped up, expecting to see my mother I'm tow, but she wasn't there.
"Where's Renee?"
"Bella," Edward began.
"NO! Where is she?!" I yelled.
"She's gone." Edward said, putting his head down. This wasn't happening.
"How do you know? She was probably hiding. You didn't look hard enough! I'm going to get her seeming you are incapable of doing something so simple. You could have followed her scent. Get out of my way!" I yelled, pushing past Edward, running down the stairs. Jasper caught me at the bottom. I tried to fight him off, but he held me too tight.
"Let me go Jasper! I need to get to Renee!" He wouldn't budge.
"Please, listen to Edward." Jasper pleaded.
"No! He is wrong." I screamed, tears running down my face.
"Bella, please, there isn't any way to put this delicately. I found Renee and Phil. But, they had passed on already. I'm sorry."
"No!" I yelled again.
"It's true. I was hesitant to go because it was one of the first places that were hit. I knew before you asked me to get her that there was little chance she wasn't already dead or infected."
"What are you saying?" I demanded.
"She and Phil... They were infected." Edward answered. His head still cast down. I let out a feral, throaty scream. My world fell from beneath me. I pushed Jasper away from me again, and this time he let me go. I picked up the closest thing to me, being one of Esme's crystal vase's, and threw it at the wall, shattering it into tiny, beautiful, sparkling shards. I dropped to my knees. My worst fears were confirmed. She was gone. Jasper knelt on the floor next to me, pulling me in his arms. He cradled and rocked me while I sobbed and cursed. Everyone was standing there, stunned at my outburst. They all eventually left, leaving me to my grief. Edward took Jasper's shift to patrol so Jasper could stay with me.
I must have fallen asleep on the ground in Jasper's arms, because I awoke under the covers in his room. I heard the shower going in the the adjoining bathroom. Jasper must be in there. I went to sit up but immediately laid back down. My head throbbed from last night. Last night. The memories came back full force. A silent tear escaped my eye before I wiped it away. I couldn't let myself get caught up in the grief. I had to keep training, I had to tell Charlie. I had to apologise to Edward.
"Here, Bella," Jasper said, sitting on the edge of the bed. I sat up and he handed a glass of orange juice and some aspirin.
"Thanks Jasper." I said with what I thought was a smile. It felt more like a grimace.
"How are you feeling?" Jasper asked, smoothing back my hair.
"Like I got hit by a train." I answered truthfully.
"Maybe we could take a break from the training. Peter rang and said they would be here tomorrow, but if you aren't ready, I'll tell them to hold off."
"No, tell them to come. Life goes on, Jasper. If anything, what happened last night has given me more determination to fight. I need to keep moving." I said forcefully.
"Only if you are sure."
"I'm positive. I need a few human moments and I'll join you down stairs. I need to apologise to Edward." I said, carefully getting out of bed. Jasper kissed my forehead and wrapped me in his arms.
"Call me if you need me."
"Thank you, Jasper. And I don't just mean now, I don't know what I would have done without you last night." He smiled and kissed me gently on the lips.
"Anytime." He said before leaving me to my human needs.
After a long, hot shower, I slowly walked down the stairs. I got to the bottom and called for Edward. He appeared beside me seconds later.
"Yes Bella, did you need something?" He asked quietly. I gestured for him to follow me out to the front porch where Jasper was already sitting. Jasper handed me a lit cigarette and walked back inside. I turned to Edward, but he was looking at the ground.
"I just want to apologise." I started. He snapped his head up.
"For what?" I took a deep breath.
"For saying all those things I said last night. I didn't mean them, and I'm sorry."
"There is nothing for you to apologise for. Your reaction was to be expected. I'm sorry I let you hope." He whispered.
"No, the fault is mine alone. If I hadn't have been so blissfully ignorant, I would have known your attempt to save Renee was futile. I sent you on a goose chase." I said, putting my head down.
"Again, Bella, there is nothing to forgive. Besides, the drive there and back gave me some much needed peace from the constant buzzing of voices. I should be thanking you."
He said, smiling his signature crocked grin. He was trying to lighten the mood.
"Renee... Was she...? Did you...?" I couldn't get the words out.
"No, I couldn't. Walking corpse if not, I couldn't kill her." I wasn't sure to be relieved or horrified. I just nodded my head at him and wandered back inside. It was time to ring Charlie and break the news.
"Bella, come have some breakfast." Esme called out from the kitchen.
"I'm not hungry." I called out, making my way into the kitchen. Esme smiled at me as I walked in.
"I only made you something small, you need your strength." She had me there.
"Sure Esme," I managed a smile,
"I'll give it a try, but I'm really not all that hungry."
"That's all I ask." Esme said, putting her hand on my shoulder, and leaving me to my breakfast of pancakes. They did smell good.
Jasper walked in and sat beside me, placing a kiss on my temple. "Do you want me to ring Charlie?" He asked.
"I think it should be me who calls him, but I think he already knows." I whispered.
"Maybe you shouldn't tell him, he might ask questions, and be suss on why and how you know." Jasper said, rubbing my back in soothing circles.
"Your right. I'll leave it be for now."
"Do you still want to train today?"
"Yes, it will keep my mind off things. Once I've managed to get most of this food down, we'll get to it. I said, forcing a smile.
"What ever you want, Bella." Jasper said, kissing the corner of my mouth.
"I'll meet you outside." I nodded my head and watched him walk out of the kitchen. I took a deep breath. I made a vow to myself there and then that I would mourn for my lost mother when the world was done with the walking dead. Now was the time to avenge her, and to do so, I had to keep moving. I washed up my plate and headed outside to Jasper. I wouldn't shed another tear in his presence again.