Hello, everyone! We get a little taste of a different perspective, and a better look into what exactly Bella does as far as her power is concerned!
Enjoy!
Carlisle's POV
"Time of death, 6:05," I murmured, lifting the sheet up to cover the elderly man who had just passed after suffering through another dangerous heart attack. Slipping my gloves off my hands, I exited the room, allowing the nurses present to finish up clean-up and things of that nature. I wandered out into the pristinely white halls, making my way towards the lobby to pick up the man's files from the desk to begin writing down the information of his death.
I reached the desk, leaning against it carefully, distributing my weight so as to not disturb the wooden surface beneath me.
"Hello, Dr. Cullen," Rachel, the receptionist, greeted. "What can I do for you?"
"Hello. I need the file for Carter Masen," I told her, watching as she clicked away on her computer's keyboard for a moment.
"Ah, yes. He passed away, didn't he?" she wondered politely, reaching down into the draw to her right, skimming over the files there.
"Unfortunately, yes," I sighed, hanging my head ever so slightly. It always saddened me when one of my patients died. I wholeheartedly understood that I could not save everyone, but it felt as though there had been too many deaths under my watch recently. From car accidents to health issues, people were falling left and right it seemed. It was grating on my nerves having to tell so many families that they had lost a loved one. It made me think of my own family. Extently invincible or not, I still felt a decent amount of fear when it came to my family and the issues of true death.
Shaking my head of those darkening thoughts, I strained back to the present, listening to Rachel's reply. "Poor man. He was such a nice gentleman. I'll be sure to call his family immediately to inform them of his death." She handed the requested folder over. "Is there any-."
Her reply was cut short as the phone on her desk gave out a shrill ring. She reached for it with an apologetic smile, and I hopped the folder on the desktop, pointing down the hall as I began my leave. She nodded to me, speaking into the phone.
"Forks Hospital, how may I help you?" she asked. "Um, yes, he is. Just a moment...Dr. Cullen?" she called.
I turned back to her, lifting an eyebrow. "Yes?" I walked back to the desk.
"It's your son Emmett, it seems that there has been a family emergency," she said, my mind immediately going to Bella. Her first night, and there were already issues? What are the odds...
"Indeed. I can take it." I reached a hand out for the phone, and Rachel passed it over, standing from her seat to begin filing away the files that a nurse placed on the desk as she past by. "Hello?" I asked into the phone, leaning my back against the wood.
"Carlisle, it's Bella," Emmett stated, his voice wavering between fear and ultimate protection.
"What's happened?" I asked calmly, my thoughts taking a turn for the worse. I felt prominent protection running within the venom in my veins, my fatherly nature already coursing out to Bella. She was human, fragile, and I was already prepared to do anything I could to take care of her.
"She was attacked by a demon. Jasper was with her, and he seems fine, but Bella has these burns on her wrists, neck, and ankles. She needs help quickly. Jasper is requesting your return," Emmett replied.
I nodded, knowing her could not see me. "I'll be there soon. Tell Jasper to get Bella in my office. I'll bring supplies for burns. Make sure Bella is comfortable, place cool water on the burned areas, and go ahead and give her some pain medicine. Esme should have some in one of the bathrooms."
"Got it, Pops. See you soon."
The line went dead as he hung up, and I reached over the desk to hang up the phone, pulling away to begin jogging to my office. I held the folder in my hand as I rounded the corner, noting that no one was near to catch me. I took off at full speed, reaching my office door in seconds. I stepped inside, grabbing my bag that rested on the floor beside my desk. I reached into one of the cabinets behind my chair to get some first aid supplies. I closed the bag, disappearing out of my office. Once again running at full speed, I rounded the corner, slowing as I got in view of the front desk.
"Tell Dr. McCartney I had to make leave," I told Rachel, rushing past her.
"I will!" she called as the door closed behind me.
I ran out into the parking lot, pulling my keys from my pocket as I did so. I clicked the keys, my car unlocking as I neared it. I hopped in, throwing my bag into the passenger seat. I pushed my key into the ignition, my car revving to life with a gentle purr. I carefully maneuvered my way out of the lot, making a right onto the street. I quickly got out of the way of the tiny amount of civilization and pressed my foot down on the pedal, pushing it to the floor until I was zooming down the street. I took each curve with care, my protective instincts flaring out of control as I entered the heavily wooded area that held my home. I slowed as the driveway came close, but the momentum continued as I swung onto the gravel, kicking up rocks as I did so. The car fishtailed, soon righting itself as I flew through the curves.
Soon enough, the house was in view, and I screeched to a halt in front of the steps to the entry door, not bothering with the garage. I grabbed my bag, stepping out of the car as I turned it off. Closing the door, I saw my stunning wife waiting at the top of the stairs, her face weary and slightly panicked.
"How is she?" I asked as I reached her, immediately wrapping my arm around her waist as we walked inside.
"She said she's doing better. Jasper's is keeping cold water on her wounds, and Emmett gave her medicine as soon as he got off the phone with you. She and Jasper are waiting for you in your office," she replied in her beautiful voice.
I nodded to her, turning my head to press a gentle kiss to her cheek before stepping away from her, hurrying up the stairs. I reached the door of my office, walking in without a second thought. The sight that greeted me, though pleasant, was not at all the one I anticipated. Bella was laid out on the couch pushed up against the wall, Jasper leaning over her protectively. His hands fluttered over her continuously, a damp rag in his hand with a bowl of ice filled water sitting on the floor by his leg. Bella's eyes were closed peacefully, her hair fanning around her in a dark halo. I walked around them, knowing that there was already more between the two of them. The way Jasper fussed over her, I already knew that he loved her.
I set my bag on my desk, popping it open to pull out some burn cream and bandages. I grasped the products in my hands and padded over to my son and daughter. I passed the objects to one hand, laying my free hand on Jasper's shoulder as he wrapped the rag around Bella's neck, and I slid to my knees beside him.
"Son? Let me take care of her," I breathed.
He nodded solemnly, scooting to the side and back slightly, though he was still close enough to rest his arm on the couch behind her head. I breathed in, scooting closer to Bella as her eyes fluttered open, the color of her irises stunning me momentarily. They were so unique and hard to notice, completely captivating. I gave her a smile, which she returned, and scanned over her body with my eyes. I looked over each reddened area, seeing which were worse and which would heal within a few days. Taking note of all the injuries, I denoted that her wrists were the worst, though I could not see her neck as the rag was still resting there.
"How are you doing, Angel?" I asked her softly, the nickname rolling off my tongue with the careful tone of that of a father. I reached forward, taking the rag carefully in my hands to pull it away from her skin. She winced slightly as I removed it.
"A little sore, but it's a lot better since I took the pain medicine." She paused, a short lived, almost incredulous laugh rolling out between her lips as I brushed my icy hands over the skin of her neck gently. "I wasn't expecting to need your assistance this soon, Dr. Cullen. I was hoping I could get a few free days first," she joked as I leaned down for the gauze, moving to her wrists.
I released a low, short chuckle as I began rubbing the burn cream over her skin. Her skin immediately began to make a quiet sizzling sound as the cream began to pull the burn out of her wounds. Bella gasped in turn, her eyes closing briefly. I noted how Jasper's hand tightened into a fist on the couch, his jaw clenching harshly.
"Sorry," I muttered. "This is going to sting, but it should go away soon. It's pulling the burn out as well as placing medicine into the wound so it won't burn anymore."
"It's okay," she sighed between her teeth, glancing away from her wounds, her eyes gazing into mine a moment. I reached down for the gauze, unrolling it and cutting it to the proper length before wrapping her wrist, repeating the process on her opposite wrist. By the time I had finished my inspection and dressing of her ankles she seemed to have become used to the light burning sensation caused by the cream. It was not until I moved to her neck that her eyes widened slightly as my hand drew close to her skin.
"This is going to hurt worse, isn't it?" she asked quietly, her voice childlike.
I sighed, squeezing a little more cream onto my fingertips as I glanced up at her neck, the claw outline throwing me for a loop and causing anger to course through my veins at the thought of whatever it was that had caused the wound. Jasper felt it, and his eyes shot to mine, locking with mine for a moment in a knowing manner.
"Yes," I stated simply. There was no need to step around the problem, she would feel the effects either way.
She nodded carefully, whispering, "Jasper..."
Jasper was on my other side in the next second, his hand wrapped around hers. I glanced at their entwined hands, seeing how carefully Jasper clutched at Bella's ivory skin, the way his eyes sparkled with the pure emotion of a man that had found new love. I saw Bella's ice spark in the same manner, but it dimmed as I pressed my fingers to her skin, her mouth parting with a gasp as the sizzling began. Her head tilted back as I rubbed the cream over her skin, covering every inch of the claw print. Her arm tightened into outlines of prominently feminine muscles as her hand gripped Jasper's, holding onto him like an anchor.
"I know, Sweetheart," I breathed, quickly spreading the cream and reaching for the gauze. I lifted her head gently, wrapping the bandage around her neck with care, using medical tape to secure the gauze.
She squeezed her eyes a moment, the sizzling sound diminishing into nothing before her eyes opened again. Her breathing was a little heavier than normal, but that was to expected given the pain that she was in moments ago. I picked up my supplies, making to stand, but her hand gripped the sleeve of my long sleeve button up, halting my movements. I looked at her, our eyes meeting instantly, mine expectant.
"Thank you, Carlisle," she muttered, looking at me with beautiful gratitude and love.
I smiled, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to her cheek. "You're welcome, my daughter. Now, you need to rest." I turned to Jasper. "Will you take her to her room? Make sure she is comfortable."
He nodded. "Of course." He reached his arms under her, carefully lifting her to his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck, cuddling close as they disappeared through the door.
I watched them go with slight fascination, amazed by how quickly their relationship had developed, not that I was worried. Jasper was raised a man, and I knew that his intents were nothing more than gentlemanly. I stood to my feet, placing the items in my bag, closing it and dropping it to the floor beside my desk. I moved around my desk, sitting my seat and leaning forward on my elbows. I opened my mouth, but I was interrupted as Alice walked in, smirking lightly at me as I smiled at her, shaking my head.
"I knew you were going to call for me," she said with laughter in her voice, tapping her temple with a single finger.
I chuckled. "Yes, I should have known. Then, you know what I am going to ask?" I questioned expectantly.
She nodded. "Indeed, but I want you to ask outright. I want to hear the words instead of 'see' them, so to speak."
I smiled. "Are Bella and Jasper mates?"
Her lips curled, her teeth flashing brilliantly. "Yes, they are! Isn't it wonderful?"
My smile dropped into that of one filled with contentment as I heard the news. Alice ran to me, pressing a kiss to my cheek before skipping out of the delightedly. I shook my head as the door clicked shut behind her. I leaned back in my seat, turning slightly so I was facing the window, my hands clasping together behind my head.
"Wonderful indeed."
Jasper's POV
Bella held onto me tightly as I carried her the few feet from Carlisle's office to her bedroom door. I held onto her just as tightly as I pulled the door open, stepping inside her room. I kicked the door shut behind me, moving to her bed. I laid her on the bed, quickly laying beside her and pulling her into the circle of my arms again. She curled into me, burrowing herself into my chest with her arms curled up between us. Her wrists were pressed to the area of skin at the top of my chest, her arms spreading the fabric where I had purposely not buttoned my shirt. Her skin against mine felt like pure heaven, the heat rushing over my skin deliciously. She sighed against me, and I smiled, lifting a hand to run it through her hair. We laid perfectly still for a few minutes, our breath mingling together in a swirl of fire and ice, each particle dancing together wonderously. As time passed, Bella slowly pushed away from me, moving her head up on the pillow so her face was even with mine. Our eyes met, and it seemed as though we could do nothing but stare at one another.
And so, we did.
We stared for what felt like hours, our eyes never leaving one another's. The crystallized navy and grey color of her irises danced against my golden ones. The longer I stared, the more those miraculous irises appeared to fill up with flames that danced over her eyes, sparking at me from a distance, burning me straight to the bottom of my soul. Slowly, I moved. I lifted my hand to her cheek, caressing her skin. My fingers burned with electricity and heat as I touched her. Her eyes were engulfed with flames.
"Can I ask you something?" I whispered, almost imperceptibly as a thought occurred to me. Through my words, I felt confusion and amazement at the ability to still think in her presence. I would have been more than happy for my mind's own silence, all sound ripped away by the friction her gaze alone cause me to feel.
"Yes," she breathed just as quietly, her voice passing between her lips like silk, dancing over my senses like lush velvet.
"The demon...you told him that I was no concern of his..." I trailed off, hoping she would understand.
She must have because her reply was the exact answer I was going for. "Demons are vicious creatures. I was protecting you. Therefore, it marked you as prey, a piece of work it could take revenge on to hurt me." She paused, her eyes finally moving from mine, the trance I had been held in slipping ever so slightly. "An intelligent maneuver..." she revealed lowly, gazing at the hands she still had pressed to my chest.
I moved my hand, grasping her chin with my fingers carefully, lifting her face to mine. Not one of my better ideas given that her eyes scrambled almost every semblance of thought that rotated in my head. If not for the vampiric side of brain, all would have been wonderously silent.
"Was he going to use me in that?" I wondered, then clarified, "Revenge, I mean."
She nodded, stopping immediately as her neck burned at the friction of the gauze, her face tightening for a short second. "It was. You know, when I pushed you into the corner?" It was my turn to nod. "It was going for you, not me. I switched our positions so it grabbed me instead of you."
I lifted an eyebrow. "But, why? I could have come out with minimal damage. Why did you let it hurt you?" I asked, persistent yet feeling no anger at her ridiculous choices. It was her decision, and while I would have gladly allowed the thing to grab me, I knew that it was in Bella's nature to protect others versus herself. That was one thing about her personality that I had picked out as soon as we met. Her sense of caring exuded from her, so much so that it was impossible to miss. It was also a quality to love.
"Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to go that badly. Normally, when demons do not get their target, they either move away, give up, or disappear until revenge can be taken in proper measures. I was expecting one of those results, but instead, I got this." She lifted her wrist briefly. She exhaled, irritated, and carefully shook her head against the pillow case. "I was not expecting him to be that powerful, either. Not to mention, you know what I told you earlier. I'm not as powerful as I used to be. It's been years, but it can take ages to rebuild my spirituality up enough to be able to beat demons without a hitch, most of them, anyway."
"Are there ways to speed up the process?" I asked, feeling a plan form in my mind. I could tell that Bella loved her gift, her ability. However, I also knew that Bella needed to recover before anything else happened, physically and mentally. The demon attack today was a close call, and there was nothing I could do about it. If there were ways for the healing to move in a quicker manner, we could work together to heal her, no matter how long it takes. All the while, she could teach me how to defend myself, and her, from demons while she recovered. At least then she would not have to worry or fight so hard. We could get through this together.
"A few, but most of them are a little unorthodox. Realistically, there's only one way for me to heal properly and speedily without causing my entire psyche to collapse. That would be disastrous," she replied quietly.
"What is it?"
Her eyes met mine, all emotion gone. I was shown a perfect poker face from Bella Swan, and I did not particularly like it. Her entire face void of emotion, every part of her body shut down to outside emotions as well as her own, it was unsettling.
"An exorcism."
My eyebrows pulled together in question. My background for these types of things was limited, but I did know what an exorcism did, and I could not see how on earth this would help her case at all. "Aren't exorcisms meant to get rid of demons, though? As in, possessions? Unless this is a sick joke, I'm positive that you have not been possessed, Angel."
With those words, emotion waved down her face again, a smile lighting up her face as she gave a sweet giggle. "Yes," she said, the airy laughter still present. "But, in my case, the exorcism would be for cleansing. There was different types of exorcisms, one made specifically for those with gifts like mine. Though I've heard of it, I've never actually gone through it. I'm not entirely sure it will work. The whole point of it would be to cleanse my mentality, release me from my past demons. Only, the process can go either way, which is the exact reason why I have waited this long to undergo it."
"What do you mean?" I wondered, taking in every word of our conversation for future reference.
"Well, I have talked to plenty of people that have gone through with the exorcism. Only, there have been varying responses to the process. I have talked to many that have said that the process went without a hitch, but I have spoken to others that have actually lost their abilities over it. It scares me to lose think that I could lost my gift." She glanced away, her eyes and body giving away the fear within her. It struck me to my core, and I longed for the fear to disappear. She was never to feel fear. I wanted her to feel nothing but happiness, as long as I could help it, at least.
"Is there ever a time when you would consider it?" I asked, not pushing the subject of wanting her to go through with the process, but simply inquiring.
She was silent for a few seconds as she mulled over my questions, no doubt debating the pros and cons within her head. "Possibly," she answered finally. "Only, it would take a lot to make me actually want to. I still have time to heal. Despite what you may think, demons are actually a rare occurrence. Most of the time, I deal with everyday ghosts that are lost and cannot find their way home. There are sometimes some rather colorful ghosts but other than those few exciting ones, my gift can be pretty boring. I do take what I do seriously, though. It's just, most of the time, my mental state is not preoccupied with harsh afflictions to demons. I've come across powerful ghosts, poltergeists mostly, but they move on pretty quickly if you ignore them." She shrugged slightly, the bed shaking with the movement.
I smiled, chuckling lightly for I could not help it. She was so blase about it all. I pulled her close to me carefully, minding her wounds. She quickly snuggled into me happily, breathing in as she pressed her face to my shirt, taking in my predatory scent. I smiled, loving having her so close. Minutes past in silence again, and I listened to Bella's heart as it slowed into a sleeping rhythm, and I knew Bella was soon to be out like a light, today's events finally catching up with her.
"Let me heal Jasper. If I need to, I will contact an exorcist," she whispered, almost speaking to herself. "Take care of me, and I will get better. Sometimes, that's all it takes..."
Her voice trailed away as her body gave into the slumber that overruled her body. I looked out the window for a moment, watching the sun's rays filtered through the treeline. I tilted my head down, pressing a kiss to her silky hair.
"I will always care for you..."
I was still amazed by how quickly we had advanced into the relationship we had. Though there was no official tone to it, it still held such a concrete certainty that I could not deny it. I had even heard Carlisle and Alice's very brief conversation on the topic, but I chose to ignore it. Sure, Alice was rarely wrong, but I was not going to take the chance on this opportunity. With my luck, she would be wrong, and I would be thrown into a whirlwind of pain. Already, with the thought of Bella leaving me, it hurt so much, so much so that it was almost shocking. I could not mess this up. That was the reason I had not told Bella I love her. I did not want to push us, force her into a relationship that I was not even sure she wanted yet. Yes, we were close, that was easy to see. Yes, we had kissed, but so do other couples that throw around the words "I love you" as if they are a part of everyday language. I was not like that, my world did not work that way. Love was meaningful and powerful and not to be wasted. Not like it would be wasted on Bella, but time was to be treasured. And with this angel in my arms, my time with her would be treasured. Every second was golden, every minute a speck of solid silver, every hour a sparkling bronze.
I was pulled from my thoughts as Bella moaned quietly in her sleep, shifting against me until our bodies were flush together. I felt her lips press a gentle kiss to the exposed skin of my upper chest, and I gasped quietly, shocked at the emotion and raw fire that sparked within me at the simple gesture. My entire body shivered enticingly at the heat, my eyes falling closed. With the rage of desire in me, I felt like such a horrid man because of the emotions that flew through me. Bella was young, no doubt inexperienced, and here I was, thinking of things not worth thinking around Bella. Especially not now. Nothing was official, nothing was set in stone. Emotions like these were exactly the reasons in which I had avoided taking the next step. It would be too soon, too quick.
As her body pressed against mine, my emotions calming again as Bella removed her lips for my skin, something happened that I would not soon forget. Bella's breath hit my chest as her lips parted, and she spoke in her sleep.
"I love you, Jasper..."
Those words, those sweet, scintillating symphonic words that she spoke ran all over my skin, dancing around me like music notes.
Could it be true?
I contemplated this as I watched the sun disappear through the trees, stars gleaming through the window.
I love Bella Swan.
She loves me.
Again, I wondered, could it truly be true?
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