.

Chapter 86

Edward

"A whole hospital! You guys are out of your minds!" Bella accused me as we stood in the parking lot in front of her Honda.

Becky's mood was so incredibly upbeat for the day's events that Bella couldn't resist making her opinion known about the clinic purchase.

"Carlisle was left with virtually no choice," I chuckled.

My angel rolled her pretty eyes and of course didn't believe a word I said. But basically, it really was so. Mr. Kubiczek had been on the verge of dismissing Carlisle.

"Are you going to drive with me or are you really going to get on your motorcycle in that mood?" I then asked with a raised eyebrow.

Bella grumbled inwardly, I could see it clearly in her face.

She was so sweet when she was mad.

She took something out of the Honda's side pocket and then stomped sulkily past me towards the car.

I couldn't help chuckling, unfortunately, and heard a disdainful snort from her.

We drove home in silence.

"Are you really mad at me?" I then asked in the driveway, with my most charming voice and a captivating gaze, bracing my elbow on the armrest and resting my head on my hand.

I smiled wryly as I waited for a response.

Bella melted. As expected. However, that usually only worked when she wasn't really mad in the first place.

We kissed for a long time, not thinking about the fact that we were still in the car. But I was unfortunately distracted by far too familiar voices of thought, already waiting for us in the house, and becoming more and more impatient.

"Esmé, Rose, and Alice are here," I said and we went inside.

Of course, the three of them already knew all that had happened today. They were upset and very worried about Becky, but also about Jake.

We sat down with them on the sofa and reported how Jake and Becky were actually doing.

"... As far as I could tell from Becky's thoughts, I don't think we need to worry TOO much about her right now. She's a strong woman and knows exactly what happened to her, but knows just as well that there's nothing, she can do about it. Becky is not willing to let it get her down," I came to the end of the essential point.

"She can't just tick this off! Whether she wants to or not," Rose muttered softly to herself, looking down at her hands.

They cramped and she tried to release them, as well, so that the images of her own experience did not overtake her.

I gently took her hands in mine.

Her judgment, unfortunately, weighed heavily on the subject, and so I went over Becky's present-day thoughts more carefully again.

"Maybe you'll be right about that," I relented a little. "Maybe she's just telling herself the she'd strong on the inside, but just Jake's presence has a lot of influence on Becky. It calms her down. She knows very well that as long as Jake is there, absolutely nothing can happen to her. He has shown her today that his love is not dependent on her physical or emotional condition. That he will stand by her. In good and also bad days. Every person, human or vampire, reacts differently to a situation. Maybe that's exactly what Becky needs to deal with this blow. How that will look in the long run remains to be seen, of course. I think it's too early to make a guess."

Rose looked at me for a long moment.

She thought about how she was alone at the time. Only Carlisle, Esmé, and I were there, but she had not wanted to speak to any of us. But this was no wonder. She had also just gotten to know us, under very mysterious circumstances, and she had to come to terms with her new existence as a vampire. She was busy enough with that until she had taken revenge in her own way. Only after that, emotions and thoughts about it emerged. When I told her that it wasn't her fault, that she had nothing to be ashamed of, that she hadn't done anything wrong, she immediately became caustic, wished me to go to hell for eavesdropping on her private thoughts, and thus choked off any conversation at the outset. It was only a few weeks ago, when she had found out about Samantha, that that had changed and we had talked about her last evening as a human.

"And how is Jake doing with it?" asked Rose sympathetically.

I told how unemotionally - as far as he was concerned - he had gotten through the morning, about his outburst in Carlisle's office, and how he had spent the rest of the day taking loving care of Becky. He was doing relatively well, except ...

"... I'm pretty sure Jake is going to freak out if he runs into Mike somewhere by accident. Four of us had to hold him down so he wouldn't have gone off on Mike earlier."

"Mmm ... mmm ... Jake is pretty strong as a human. That's already surprised Seth, too," Leah added.

"It's already kind of weird. What calms Becky down makes Jake go crazy. The fact that it was Mike. Just that makes Becky take it in such a way that she doesn't really feel like a victim. She was not chosen at random. He got what he wanted and so the topic is more or less off the table for her. Except that she really wants to hold him accountable with the law for this ... And that's exactly what's bothering Jake, that he specifically had targeted Becky," I considered even further, which had occurred to me in the course of Becky's - strictly speaking - far too good humor.

We talked for a long time about today, if there was anything we could do to help, until both my angels began to yawn.

My family then said farewell and the three of us went upstairs.

Bella was straightening the blanket over us when Leah knocked again. She had a few more questions that she wanted to have answered before she slept and let herself fall onto our bed.

Whether it wouldn't be reckless to leave Jake and Becky alone in the hospital. What if Mike came back again? Tonight, or even tomorrow if we were all working or in school. What Becky would do if she ran into Mike and things like that.

I reassured her and said that Jazz and Em were in the hospital to be on the safe side and we would see about everything else tomorrow.

I got another glass of water for Bella from the kitchen and when I came back, my two angels were already asleep. I smiled.

Leah had only come over to us because she didn't want to be alone.

Carefully I pulled the second quilt out from under her.

Fortunately, I didn't have to worry about anything ever happening to Leah like it had to Becky. It would take another wolf for that to happen, that Leah wouldn't have a chance to fight back. But the only wolf between here and La Push was her brother.

I tucked her in and gave my princess a gentle kiss on the temple.

On the other side of the big bed, Bella immediately snuggled up to me.

Leah waived her running practice the next morning and Bella and I hurried up as well.

We were going to stop by the kids before work/school.

We packed a few odds and ends for Jake in case Becky was staying in the hospital and immediately drove off.

Jasper sat in Carlisle's previous office - with the door open - to keep the hallway in his gaze. He had finished with the contracts and was just on the phone with Alice.

He saw us, said hello, and mentally informed me that no one had been up here, but that he didn't know what it had been like for Em.

A nurse just came out of Becky's room again.

Completely taken aback, she had immediately pulled the door shut again. She didn't know how to react to what she had seen in there. She had neither expected this, nor had one prepared her for it in any way.

"What are they doing in there?" wondered Bella, whispering and shaking her head.

Before I could answer, however, she was already walking toward the door herself. She stood still smiling against the wall when she saw them. They were cuddled up in bed, still asleep.

Jake in his sweatpants, Becky in one of Jake's T-shirts.

Leah just came through the door with two cups of coffee.

She wanted to wake the two of them up in the way that was normally at home.

She also stood still and let this loving image affect her for a moment.

Bella then woke Jake first, endeavoring to be gentle.

Me with coffee was apparently not nearly as interesting and uplifting as Becky in his arms. As soon as he opened his eyes, an incredible smile spread across his face. That I had never seen before, because I had not woken the two up until now, if Becky was with us.

"You don't look at me like that in the morning, even though I have coffee with me!" I complained.

He grinned at me, stuck his tongue out at me, and explained in his thoughts that I probably couldn't kiss nearly as well as Becky.

I questioned this on principle, but would rather not put it to the test!

He gently kissed Becky across her face to wake her up.

She smiled as much as he did and I also soon saw why they were both in such a good mood.

After Becky disappeared into the bathroom shortly thereafter, whimpering softly to herself again, I knew I didn't have to reprimand Jake for this much-too-early erotic adventure last night. He already indicted himself.

Becky didn't let this pain show otherwise, though, and was in pretty good spirits.

She was aware that the sex last night was probably anything but beneficial as far as her physical condition was concerned. She had heard and read that many girls did not let themselves be touched for months or even years after a rape and even wondered what could be wrong with her. But she didn't care at all. She had needed it. As she assumed, in order not to go crazy. The thought that Jake wouldn't want to touch her now, or that she would object to his hands that had only ever been warm and gentle, scared her. Yes, it had hurt, but seeing the trust and affection in his eyes while doing made her forget the quite bearable pain. It was not so bad now!

I shook my head - at least in my thoughts.

But despite last night, Rose might still be able to be right. Time would bring it to light.

Meanwhile, I examined - with my eyes only - Becky's other injuries as far as I could see.

Her eye already looked better. The swelling was already subsiding and the color had changed to a pretty dark purple. All the abrasions and scratches I could see were already beginning to heal, even if a human might not recognize it yet. But it would certainly be a few more days before there was nothing left to see.

Becky now gratefully picked up her cup as she sat back on the bed - in Jake's arms.

"The service here is excellent!" she grinned, carefully sipping on the hot drink.

"That's always the case with us, " Leah replied, slightly confused.

Becky didn't understand what Leah meant.

"I respect Jake and Becky's privacy and don't disturb both in the morning!" I explained.

"Well, if you have coffee with you in the morning, feel free to bother us," Becky took a bigger sip from her cup.

I promised to provide them with coffee in the future as well.

Would I ever understand why humans were so obsessed of this stuff?

"Are you guys staying?" asked Jake when the coffee service discussion was over.

"That depends entirely on you," I replied.

"Basically, we can't do anything except keep you company. Then we'll probably just get on your nerves," Bella said and continued to tell what we had considered during our breakfast at home.

None of us wanted to leave her alone, but equally none of us wanted to impose. We didn't know what Carlisle had planned for Becky today. Whether or not she might have to be examined again. Whether she would just sit around here waiting to heal. Whether she would be allowed to go home or not. Besides, Becky's parents had said they would come here this morning. Strictly speaking, however, we were also not responsible for Becky, but rather her own parents. Or even Jake. One could certainly argue about the order between parents and Jake.

In short, we were sent away.

Becky thought it was sweet of us to want to stay, but she thought it must be pretty boring however. We would have more fun at work and at school. And she wouldn't run away.

Before we really went, I visited Carlisle.

An administrative assistant accompanied me the last few meters. She knocked softly and I chuckled to myself when I then saw Carlisle.

He was lying in a relatively uncomfortable position on a sofa, had thrown a blanket makeshift over him, and gave a rather convincing image of an overworked and overtired man. He startled when the lady moved closer to him.

He would personally check on Becky soon and especially take a close look at her hand. Cindy at least wanted to talk to Becky, but wanted to spare her an examination if possible.

I told him that Jake and Becky had slept together tonight.

For purely medical reasons.

Carlisle was admittedly surprised that Becky felt this desire so soon after the rape, which again rather pleased him from a psychological point of view.

She seemed to trust Jake, and that was exactly what needed to be maintained not only toward him, but in general. On the other hand, however, he was concerned about the injuries to her genital area. He would speak with Cindy and, if necessary, issue an explicit lovemaking ban.

"I guess it was the ointment's fault!" I defended my son a little.

Carlisle hung his head and smiled.

I also spoke briefly with Em.

Mike had actually been here last night. However, he just stood indecisively in the parking lot for some time, smoking a lot and drinking beer. Emmett had considered calling me to listen to his motives after just standing around in the area, but then he had left again. Em would therefore stay here today and supervise the hallway from Carlisle's - previous - office. The room was on the third floor. It was therefore unlikely that anyone would break in from the outside.

I took Bella to work and continued to drive to school with Leah.

The kids' circle of friends now asked us directly what had gone on yesterday. There was little doubt now that Jake and/or Becky had something to do with Mike's arrest. Neither of the two was here.

I was considering whether to tell them the truth when a voice of thought crowded into my head.

Mike! With his father!

The two drove up in an elegant and very expensive Mercedes.

All of us who knew the truth looked toward them with suspicion.

I clenched my hands into fists.

Even if Becky was doing pretty well, it didn't let what this guy had done to her fade away.

Snootily, he stomped past us after his father bestowed a cold gaze on me, which I returned threateningly.

They went right into Mr. Taylor's office and I eavesdropped intently.

"Arnold," the latter said tonelessly.

"Charles," Mike's father replied.

Mike was told to wait outside the office and to behave the hell himself.

He did. The former, at least. Otherwise, he was pretty much driving Cathlyn up the wall.

"You're withdrawing the suspension!" demanded Arnold Hanks.

He wasn't asking or requesting. It was an order.

"You're crazy!" returned Charles Taylor only contemptuously.

The friendship of their youth had dissolved a long time ago. Only a certain mutual respect had remained.

"Anything else would be a guilty verdict!"

"Are you telling me now that Mike is an innocent?"

"Mike is only under suspicion so far! Maybe he made a mistake ..."

"Maybe? A mistake?" the principal now cursed angrily. "You're saying he accidentally attacked the poor girl!"

"Come on, Charles!"

"No way! Your boy messed up. You know the rules and Mike has already done too much wrong at this school for me to skip this now! Just a few weeks ago when he was fighting, I should have kicked him out of school! Be glad it's only a suspension so far."

Arnold Hanks stood up from his chair, stepped to the window and considered how to proceed. Thereby his gaze fell on our group and on me and I stared at him downright disgusted.

The bell rang and it emptied around me, but I stood still.

"Tell me, Charles, who is that exactly?" he inquired.

The principal stepped up to him and looked down at me.

"Stone. Edward Stone ... His father is a doctor at the hospital."

"I offered Becky's parents money if they withdrew the charges. However, this fellow doubled my offer without hesitation ... What does he have to do with Becky?" he asked.

The principal, of course, immediately remembered that I was going to marry Jake's mother and that Jake, in turn, was involved with Becky, but at the same time the same thought occurred to him that Jake had yesterday. That Arnold Hanks would cling to anything that could save his son. Bella and I were a thorn in his side, but the one had nothing to do with the other for him. In his opinion, an abuse weighed a lot heavier than an unconventional relationship. Therefore, Mike would have to bear the consequences for his actions, whereby he tried to avoid the question a bit.

"Well, Arnold. At this school, the law of the strongest no longer applies, as it once did in the past. You owned the school and only your rules applied. Even the teachers were afraid of you ... But today a different wind is blowing here and your son simply messed with the wrong people. The Black twins are very popular and the whole school knows them and their friends. It's a tight-knit community. And Edward Stone and his siblings are now part of it ..." the principal explained.

"The Black twins, mmm ...?"

"What's going through your mind?" he asked mistrustfully.

"They only have a mother, however, if I'm not mistaken. What does she actually do?"

"Work for Benedict."

"Benedict Prescott? The school's biggest nerd?"

"In the past he was a nerd you shoved in the locker. Today, he owns the Prescott Institute and is an influential and wealthy man."

A brief moment of silence.

"Maybe I should renew my acquaintance with Benedict sometime!" considered Mike's father.

"I'm warning you, Arnold! ... Your boy raped a girl and don't tell me it wasn't like that. After all, this is not the first time that such a thing has been said. Your son will have to pay for that. It's abnormal and makes me doubt whether everything is still running smoothly in the boy's head. But if you now want to threaten or bribe all kinds of people so that he can escape his punishment, you're off your rocker. There has to be an end to it sometime!" Charles Taylor now replied almost threateningly, but Arnold Hanks didn't really take note of it.

"Good day, Charles," he said condescendingly and confidently left the office.

And I sat down in my car.

Thanks for reading!