Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Twilight or the Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and LJ Smith. I do own the original characters created for this storyline. Please support the official release.
Writer's Notes: Thank you Roxy, Des and Delia for tour reviews! A special thanks to Des for her request for this story. Thank you for being an amazing sounding board for the story. A special thank you to Roxy. I appreciate you so much and your dedication to being my editor for most of my stories. Literally couldn't do this without any of you. Thank you everyone that is following along already. I hope everyone enjoys!
[Two Weeks Later]
Bella was feeling better about herself. The bruises were faded, but the crescent scars remained. Those would never heal. It was the permanent reminder that she was terrorized by Edward. She had come to terms with it. Damon helped her see that now. Now she was afraid that Edward would find her and he would hurt her again. She was wary of being touched by others, she found it hard to be touched. She didn't tell Damon or her mom about what all Edward did to her. She didn't want to upset them any further. She would deal with those internal scars that Edward left her. School was a nice distraction. She didn't know how it happened, but she ended up eating lunch with Elena, Caroline and a girl named Bonnie every day. Stefan was there as well as Matt Donovan. From time-to-time Tyler would pop in to eat when he wasn't too busy being the manwhore that he was. Or that is what Caroline called him anyways.
Bella was adventuring out more. She liked to sit and draw in her free time. She spent time at the park there in Mystic Falls just to get fresh air and be alone. She welcomed the loneliness now. It gave her peace to be by herself. She hadn't slipped backwards into another catatonic state. She was starting to recognize her anxieties as they came to her. Damon and Renee are still worried about Bella. Damon had to remind Renee not to be so overbearing because it would just overwhelm Bella and make it harder for Bella to tell them whenever she was feeling like she was sliding back into a depression.
For now, Renee was listening to Damon, which was a good thing.
Bella sat in the park under a tree as she drew in a sketchbook. It was sunny outside and hot, but she still wore long sleeves, no matter how hot it got. She covered her scars with her sleeves and she would feel uncomfortable with anything else. People were there in the park, just walking around with each other. There was someone playing frisbee with their dog. It was relaxing for Bella despite it being a public area. She sketched quietly, an image of a wolf stalking in the night. She didn't know why she was so drawn to wolves; she just was. She had always loved the animal since she was little or at least as far as she could remember.
Her phone rang, startling out of her bubble and she pulled it from her pocket and answered. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's almost dinner. I'm at the Grill with Damon if you wanted to join us." Renee's voice filtered through the phone.
Bella didn't realize that it had gotten late. "Oh. Yeah. I'll be right there." She said and hung up. She gathered her things, putting them in her bag and stood, shouldering her pack and started walking out of the park. She heard her phone ping again and she slipped it out of her pocket to see who messaged her. She ran into a hard body and she bounced off them. She started to lose her balance, but hands trapped here where she stood, steadying her on her feet. "I-I-I'm so sorry." Bella stuttered, in surprise.
"It's quite alright. I wasn't paying attention myself." The voice was lilted, an English accent prevalent.
Bella looked up at the man that had steadied her. He had curly dark blonde hair and ocean-colored eyes. She felt odd, looking up at him. A sort of warmth filled her and all she saw was him. "I…."
"Klaus Mikaelson." He introduced. He felt drawn into her. Her eyes were alluring, like blue mystical spheres. Her skin looked soft, no blemishes, she was perfect and her dark hair was down in tumbling waves. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Bella blinked a couple times. "Bella… Lockwood." She said.
Klaus smiled; he was charming. "You… you are different." He murmured. He didn't know why he had all these feelings suddenly, but he wanted to stand here and talk to her forever.
Bella swallowed and brushed her hair behind her ear with her fingers. "Um. Okay." She finally looked away, her phone ringing again. "I have to go. Sorry." She said and she moved around Klaus and walked quickly from the park towards her SUV.
Klaus watched her go, curiosity filling him. He smiled to himself. What was this feeling?
Bella parked at the Grill and waited a moment. She sat there, thinking about Klaus Mikaelson in the park. Why was he different? She felt different now, like there was some sort of weight that had lifted off her somehow, but she pushed it away. She shook her head as she got out of the SUV and went inside. She found her mom and Damon sitting at a table with Mason, she went over and sat down next to Damon, across from her mom. "I'm sorry I didn't realize how late it was getting." She spoke.
Matt came over to the table. "Hey guys. What can I get everyone to drink?"
"Coke is fine. Thank you, Matt." Bella said and Matt was a little stunned that she spoke so clearly.
Damon smiled. "Bourbon Matty. Thanks."
"Same for me." Mason said with a nod.
Renee smiled at her daughter. "Water. Thank you, Matt.,"
Matt smiled back at everyone and nodded. "Coming right up." He said and disappeared to fill the drink orders.
Damon brushed a hand over Bella's back, patting her gently. "You seem like you're doing well today."
Bella actually smiled a little. "I feel good. I… I don't know how to explain it." She said with a little shrug.
Renee was glad that Bella was looking better. It was all that a mother could dream of, was that her daughter would be happy and healthy, it seemed like Bella was starting to get back to normal after everything she went through with Edward. "Well, that's good. Good days are good."
Damon smiled at Renee and then looked back at Bella. She did seem like something was different. "Hey, I was thinking about maybe a weekend at the boarding house. Give us time to get to know one another. I missed out on seventeen years. I'd like to make up for some lost time."
Bella looked at Damon, their eyes meeting. She didn't look at people usually, especially in the face, but she looked at Damon now. "Oh. Sure. I suppose it's important." She nodded and then looked towards the door as she sensed something odd and then there Klaus was, walking through the door. She watched him, like he was moving in slow motion into the Grill. He was wearing a white button up shirt, the top few buttons were unbuttoned, exposing his chest somewhat. His eyes were still so dazzling and he was taller than she realized. To her, he was the only person that was there in the Grill now. She didn't realize he had walked over to the table and she was just staring up at him now.
Klaus smiled, the smile reaching his eyes as well. He found her amusing and since this was the first time in Mystic Falls in over five centuries, he was inclined to figure out who Bella was and why he was so entranced with her. "Well, we meet again. Fancy meeting you here."
Bella's icy eyes never left Klaus's. She was infatuated to say the least. "Oh, well it is a small town." she said with a nod.
Klaus looked around the table at the wary gazes of three others. "My apologies. I'm Klaus Mikaelson." He introduced.
Damon narrowed his eyes. Mikaelson. "Well, Klaus, we were about to have dinner. So- "
"Ah lovely. Don't let me intrude. It was nice meeting you Bella." Klaus said her name dripping off his lips pleasantly before he moved away from the table to go towards the bar.
Bella's eyes followed him, not realizing that she was staring after him, her lips slightly parted. Her heart rate had spiked as well and she was just in a trance now.
Renee laid her hand on Bella's. "Bella, dear, what's wrong?"
Bella snapped her attention back to her mom. "What? I'm sorry." She shook her head and then cleared her throat. "Um. What were we talking about?"
Damon and Mason exchanged glances. Damon had heard Bella's heart pounding in her chest and the way she stared after Klaus was strange. He knew what Klaus was and who he was. Klaus's reputation was daunting and he didn't like that he was in his town. He just knew that Klaus was up to no good, but he focused his attention back on Bella. "Staying at the boarding house. I was thinking you could pick a room and have it… decorated the way you want."
Bella smiled a little. "So visitation on the weekend with my dad? That sounds pretty… normal." She nodded. "Alright."
Damon looked at Renee and then back at Bella. "Honey… are you okay?"
Bella frowned. "What? Yeah, of course I'm okay." She said and then Matt returned with the drinks. "Oh, Matt, can I get the double cheeseburger and fries, I was thinking also the fried mushrooms as well."
Matt was like a deer caught in the headlights as he stared at Bella. "Uh…"
"What?" Bella looked around the table and then back at Matt. "Did… did I say something wrong?"
"No. No, that's good. Sounds good. I'll definitely get that order in." Matt said and set the drinks down on the table. "Uh, everyone else?"
"Burger and onion rings like normal." Mason said with a nod.
"Cobb salad for me." Renee said with a polite smile.
Damon shook his head. "Not hungry. Thanks Matty." He said with a nod.
Matt smiled and nodded. "Got it." He said and disappeared again.
Everyone was looking at Bella, curious why she was suddenly talking more and seemed more lively. What had happened? What had changed?
