Moonlight in Forks
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.
Rosalie and Carlisle
"Is she sleeping?" A musical voice asked.
Bella's eyes flew open.
Rosalie Cullen was standing at the foot of her bed, looking like a vision of beauty. Her long, golden hair was done up in a complicated chignon. Expensive diamond earrings dangled from her perfect lobes; a dazzling choker circled her slender neck. She was wearing a short black dress, the hem barely reaching mid-thigh, showcasing her shapely legs to their best effect. She certainly wasn't dressed for someone visiting a sick patient in hospital, that's for sure. She looked like someone whose plans had been interrupted by an unexpected emergency.
"She's awake now." A nurse came into view, one that Bella didn't recognize. She must have just come on shift. "Who did you say you were again?" She asked Rosalie curiously.
"Just a friend." Rosalie said airily.
"Mmmm…" The nurse looked the cool blonde up and down, her eyes taking in the expensive clothes and jewelry. "Well don't stay too long. Bella needs to rest and she can't do that with the cast of visitors she's had in the last few hours."
"I'll only be a few minutes." Rosalie met the nurse's suspicious gaze coolly.
"Fine." The nurse muttered. "I'll be back to check on you again soon, sweetie." She said to Bella.
"Thanks." Bella answered faintly as she watched the older woman leave the room. Her head was spinning. She felt confused, disorientated. The last memories she had were of Edward, ignoring her requests to leave, and getting one of the other nurses to administer a strong sedative. She stared mutely at Rosalie, waiting for her to speak.
"I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing here." Rosalie said eventually.
"Yes."
"Alice called me." Rosalie revealed carefully. "I was the closest, I was on my way to a function nearby. She told me she saw that Edward was bothering you." She paused, frowning slightly. "Well, he's gone now. I got him to leave. He shouldn't have been here in the first place. I promise we will take better care in future to keep him away from you."
Bella tried to sit up, but it just made her feel dizzy. The aftereffects of the strong drugs were taking their time to wear off. She felt fatigued and groggy. "He was more than bothering me, Rosalie. He was stalking me. He's obsessed. No matter how many times I tell him to leave me alone, he convinces himself otherwise. This can't go on."
"I know." Rosalie agreed quietly. "I'll talk to Carlisle."
"That's not good enough." Bella tried to inject some conviction in her voice. She hated feeling so damn tired. "Edward won't listen-and Carlisle has done a poor job of reigning him in. He indulges Edward too much. He won't let himself believe that his favorite is capable of – "
Bella fell silent when the door to her room was pushed open and Carlisle himself walked in. His blonde hair was perfectly coiffed, each light strand glimmered under the harsh overhead lighting. He was handsomer than any movie star, but he was pale, paler than normal, and tired looking, with dark circles under his eyes.
"Bella, I do share your concerns." He said wearily.
Bella gave Rosalie a baleful glance, annoyed that the ice princess had failed to divulge that Carlisle was just outside the room. She turned her attention back to him. "So, you say." She accused. "Then why is Edward still bothering me?"
"He loves you, Bella. He is finding it difficult to let go." Carlisle said, walking over to stand beside Rosalie. Automatically he reached for the clipboard attached to the end of the bed, examining Bella's medical records. "How are you feeling? Does your head still hurt?"
Carlisle moved to the side, leaning forward his cool fingers probed lightly along Bella's skull. He noticed when she winced. "Still tender?"
"Not really." Bella snapped. "I'm just flinching from the cold."
"Ah, yes." Carlisle withdrew, wearing a rueful smile. "I apologize."
"You keep on saying you're sorry." Bella bit back. She knew she sounded rude, but didn't care. She just wanted him to do what he had promised in the beginning-control Edward and get the hell out of Forks. "Where is Edward now?"
"He's with Emmet outside in the Jeep." Carlisle glanced to the side at Rosalie, who stared haughtily back at him. He sighed heavily; his head slightly bowed as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I don't want you to worry anymore, Bella. I will have a stern word with him. We'll make him see his actions were wrong."
"That is not good enough!" Bella retorted. There was no heat in her voice, she was just so exhausted. "You need to leave. All of you."
Carlisle was suddenly preoccupied with the clipboard in his hand. Rosalie shook her head, looking annoyed. Carlisle's delay in answering told Bella all she needed to know.
"You're not going to leave yet, are you?" She said flatly.
"It's not that simple." Carlisle flipped a few pages on her medical chart, still not looking at Bella directly.
"Why?"
Carlisle finally reattached the clipboard to the magnet at the end of her bed. "There are a few issues we need to sort out first."
"What issues?"
Carlisle hesitated, which just seemed to fire up Rosalie's wrath. "Just tell her, Carlisle." She urged impatiently.
"Yes, of course." Carlisle agreed, seemingly oblivious to Rosalie's sharp tone. "Alice has discovered that the Volturi are monitoring us from afar. She cannot fully see their intentions, but it is our guess, that they are spying on us to make sure that…well…that the promise you made to them in Volterra is fulfilled."
"I made no such promise! That was all Alice and Edward!"
Old fears began running through Bella's head. She knew she was scared when the bad memories cut loose their chains and invaded her confidence, eroding the person she had built since those dark days. She felt her thoughts tumble into that abyss and the rope ladders of her finite control burn along with them. She knew she needed to regain control of herself, otherwise those fears would consume her completely.
"Now we are aware, we are keeping careful watch." Carlisle promised. "That's the reason why I have been a little distracted, allowing Edward to slip past my notice." He sighed, shaking his head.
Rosalie gave him another impatient glare. "We've been going about our daily activities as normal to fool them. And so far, it's working. We're sure they will leave soon once they realize there is nothing to see. And don't worry about Edward, we'll all pull together to keep a better eye on him."
"Yes." Carlisle affirmed, his voice sounding more certain. "Please, do not trouble yourself about him again."
"We should go." Rosalie urged as she checked the time on the wall clock. "I'm late for the function."
"Yes." Carlisle offered Rosalie his arm. "Take care of yourself, Bella." He gave her a kind smile. "If you need anything?" He let the question hang in the air, not really expecting an answer, before escorting Rosalie out of the room.
The sickening stench of vampires reeked all the way down the hall to Bella's room. Jacob felt his heart clinch in his chest as he increased his pace. He tried to sort through the differing smells, trying to ascertain which of the Cullens had been here. He knew Edward was one of them, his scent was the strongest, as well as the foulest.
Fear and anger beat a steady rhythm in his chest as he hastened to Bella's room, nearly taking the door off its hinges as he barged inside. To his immense relief he found her propped up in bed, with Renee and Charlie sitting on either side of her. He felt his dread slip slowly away to the recess of his mind.
"Hey, you." He greeted her huskily.
"Jake!" Bella cried, holding her hands out towards him. She was just so glad to see him. He loped over to her and took them, injecting his warmth into her chilled skin. "I'm so glad you're here."
"You really should play harder to get, baby girl." Renee teased.
"Ren!" Charlie admonished her, giving her a reproving look. "Hi, Jake."
"Hi, Charlie." Jacob didn't even look his way. His gaze remained firmly fixed on Bella. He leaned in to kiss her, wincing slightly at the strong smell of leech permeating the room. He was desperate for Charlie and Renee to leave, but didn't know how to eject them without being rude.
Thankfully Renee saved him the trouble. In her own intuitive way, she seemed to sense his inner conflict. She got up and pulled Charlie up with her. "Why don't we let these two lovebirds have some alone time?" She suggested.
"Why?" Charlie grumbled, rising to his feet. "I just got here."
"Oh, stop complaining." Renee said cheerily. "I'll shout you something from the canteen."
"That'll be a first." Charlie muttered grudgingly.
Renee flashed him an exasperated as she hustled him out of the room with her.
"I could kiss your mom right now." Jacob said to Bella when they were finally alone.
"I'd rather you kiss me instead." Bella laughed.
Jacob smiled as he leaned in. His lips were warm and soft. They parted slightly, allowing Bella's tongue to slip inside. They continued to kiss for several minutes, letting the emotion of their reunion speak through their tender touches and kisses.
After a while Jacob pulled back, enjoying the flushed look on her face, her slightly swollen lips that his passionate kisses had provoked in her. She was so beautiful. He could just sit and gaze at her beautiful face all day. It was only the lingering stench of leeches which spoiled the perfect moment.
"Edward was here." Bella revealed as if reading his mind. "And later on, Rosalie and Carlisle."
Jacob's jaw muscles tensed. He gritted his teeth, unable to keep his reaction under control. "I smelt them." He told Bella. His grip on her hand tightened, shame washing over him. "I should never have left you here unprotected. I thought you were safe with your parents, that he wouldn't dare to even attempt to come in here as long as you weren't alone."
Bella sighed. "You can't be everywhere at once, Jake. So, stop blaming yourself. Dad got called into an emergency at work and Mom bumped into an old friend and got waylaid. Thankfully Alice alerted Rosalie and Carlisle. They turned up and took Edward away." She then explained to him in full detail what had happened after that. "Alice says that the Volturi are monitoring their every move, and they must carry on as normal so as not to arouse suspicion."
Jacob frowned, absently playing with Bella's fingers. He didn't believe the little psychic's latest prediction at all. If there had been other vampires hanging about, he and the pack would have been aware of them. They had seen no sign or evidence of that at all. Of course, the Volturi leeches were a lot more tricksy then the Cullens, but still they would have left some trace and they would have found it.
Jacob didn't say anything to Bella just yet, wanting to wait until he had spoken with the rest of the pack, just to double check that they hadn't missed anything. Instead, he told Bella about his run in with Sam and what had been decided about Leah.
"Uley is the reason I was delayed." He said darkly. "If it wasn't for him ambushing me into that damn meeting, I would have been here to deal with Cullen myself. He can't be allowed to get away with it, Bells."
"Who? Sam or Edward?" Bella asked quietly.
"Both."
"Jake, you have to be careful. You can't let your anger cloud your judgement. You have to be smart about this. I don't want any infighting within the pack because of me." Bella looked up at him with limpid eyes, begging him to let his anger go. "I feel guilty enough as it is."
"You have nothing to feel guilty about, honey." Jacob rushed to reassure her. "This is all on Leah." He felt his resentment toward the she-wolf simmering in the background, but did his best to hide it. "And don't worry, I'll behave." He promised with a grin.
Jacob leaned down and kissed her again, wrapping his arms around her, making Bella feel snug and warm. She could breathe more easily because he was there, holding her together. She could cope with whatever life threw at her if he was right by her side.
A/N-thanks for reading!