Back to the Start
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.
Aftermath
Exhausted as she was, Bella pulled herself into the cab of her truck. She was sobbing again, overwhelmed by all that had happened to her. She had come out to the truck for some time alone to collect her thoughts. She loved that Charlie was being attentive, but his constant questions about the accident and Edward Cullen's role in it, were too difficult to answer. She didn't know what she was supposed to say without revealing too much. She longed to tell him the truth, nearly had on several occasions, but she couldn't tell him about Edward without revealing Jacob's secret. She wouldn't do that, not without discussing it with him first.
The cut on Bella's forehead had been considered minor, the wound was stitched up at the hospital, and she had been sent straight home with the usual advice about concussion. She hadn't wanted to hang around just in case she crossed paths with any of the Cullens.
Meanwhile Edward had been hauled into the police station by Charlie after the accident for questioning. His parents were contacted as he was still considered underage. To Charlie's immense frustration, Carlisle had arrived with the mysterious Jenks in tow. Now he was lawyered up, Edward Cullen refused to answer any questions on Jenks' advice. He sat across from Charlie silently, looking the picture of innocence, replying no comment to everything.
"You know we have ways to check if you were speeding." Charlie fumed.
"My client has nothing more to say." Jenks – a middle-aged African American, with short black hair, dark skin and moustache – looked at Charlie smugly. "Now, as you have no immediate proof that my client was driving over and above the speed limit, we are free to leave."
"No proof yet." Charlie scowled, glaring at the man in the expensive suit.
Jenks smiled deprecatingly. "I believe your daughter was a passenger in the vehicle?"
"So?"
"And she hasn't made an official statement yet?"
"Not yet, but she will, once she's released from the hospital." Charlie snapped.
"Well, until she does, and you have further evidence to back up your outlandish claims, then I think we are done here, Chief Swan."
"We are not done!" Charlie rose from his seat, letting his emotions get the better of him.
"My client attended this interview voluntarily, Chief Swan. He is not under arrest. No charges have been laid. Or likely to be in the near future. Even your own daughter has not corroborated your bizarre theory that my client is nothing but an exemplary driver. So, if you'll excuse us, we'll be leaving now."
Throughout the interview, Carlisle had remained in the background, mutely watching proceedings, looking completely unruffled. His confidence that Jenks would get his son off Scott-Free made Charlie's blood boil. Yet, there was simply nothing he could do. Jenks had him tied him up in knots. His only evidence was the Volvo, which he had immediately impounded, but had mysteriously gone missing after being towed away. Even if Bella made an official statement, it would be her word against Edward's. He was in a no-win situation whichever way you looked at it.
Bella turned all this over in her mind as she fought to compose herself. Charlie was fighting so hard on her behalf, but she was giving him nothing to fight with. She knew he didn't understand why she was so reluctant to make an official complaint against Edward, and was frustrated with her evasive answers about why she had been in the car with him in the first place after complaining about his excessive stalking. But now she knew what Edward was, how dangerous he could be, mixed with worry about how all this could affect Jacob if she revealed too much, just added to her dilemma.
A sudden longing to see Jacob, to feel the comfort of his arms around her, engulfed Bella. It was late, the sky was already dusky, she shouldn't be driving, but she needed to see him right now. Decision made, she fiercely shoved down both stiff locks before digging her keys out of her pocket. The roar of the engine felt comforting and sane. It helped control her tears as she began to back out of the driveway.
Bella didn't even reach the end of the drive before Charlie appeared on the front porch, alerted by the sound of the truck's engine. He shook his head at her grimly, motioning for her to get out of the truck.
Bella had an urge to just ignore him and drive off, but she knew she couldn't do that to him. Reluctantly, she edged back onto the drive and switched off the engine.
As she climbed out of the truck, she was still a mess, but she was calmer. At least the tears had dried up. She slouched as she walked over to join Charlie on the front porch.
"Bella, where did you think you were going so late?" He demanded.
"To see Jacob." Her voice was unsteady.
"At this hour?"
"I know its late. I just really needed to see him." Bella hung her head.
"I'll drive you up there myself tomorrow if you want." Charlie offered, seeing how disconsolate she was. "I just got off the phone to Billy. Embry turned up at their house a little while ago. He's with Jake right now. So that's a load off my mind."
Bella nodded, still avoiding Charlie's gaze. She was glad for Embry's sake that he had Jacob with him. He needed his support right now, much more than she did. She had to stop being selfish and monopolizing Jacob's time. He had enough on his plate without her adding to his burden just because she was feeling a bit low.
"Bella, honey, what's going on?" Charlie asked cautiously as he held the front door open so she could go in the house ahead of him.
Bella hesitated, glancing up at him, a burning desire to unburden herself and tell him the truth coursing through her. But once again her loyalty to Jacob and Billy, her promise to keep the secret, stilled her tongue.
"I'm just tired, Dad. It's been a long day."
Charlie's eyes were tight. He knew she was just making excuses. "What happened today, Bella? Why were you in Edward Cullen's car?"
"Can't you just drop it, Dad?" Bella said impatiently. "I already told you."
Charlie folded his arms across his chest. "You've told me nothing."
"Please, Dad, I can't handle another interrogation." Bella begged. "Can you just forget you're a cop for one second and just be my dad?"
His daughter's emotional plea cut Charlie to the core. "Is that what you think I've been doing?"
"Yes…no." Bella hedged. "I don't know."
"I'm trying to look out for you, Bella, honey." Charlie shook his head, his eyes moistening. "Do you know what it felt like for me, seeing that car wrapped around a tree, and finding out you were in it? I've never been so scared in my entire life. You were lucky to get away with only a minor cut."
"Dad." Bella whispered, shame and guilt consuming her. "I'm so sorry."
"And then to find out that you got in the car voluntarily with that obsessive creep who has been stalking you?" Charlie put his hands on his hips. "I don't understand, Bella. What is going on with you? Why put yourself at risk like that? And not to mention the giant wolf…. you were lucky it didn't try to attack you." He fell silent, shaking his head again as he pictured the giant beast in his mind.
Again, Bella wished she could tell him the truth, or part of it anyway. She was too shaken up still to think clearly. "I know its hard for you to understand…I just knew the wolf wouldn't hurt me. I felt safe around him."
Charlie's eyes narrowed. "He attacked Cullen."
"They always say animals' sense those who are trustworthy, right?" Bella smiled weakly.
Charlie wasn't in the mood to be appeased. "It may have acted docile around you, but its still a dangerous animal, Bella. There may be more of them. Wolves run in packs. The rangers have reported sightings of these wolves, thinking they were bears. Then they came upon their tracks, just like I did today, and said they were all wrong for a bear…I mean wolves just don't get that big…. but now I've seen the evidence with my own eyes, I can't deny it."
"So?" Bella felt her anxiety beginning to ramp up again. "They're not doing any harm."
"But they might do, especially if they're coming that close to human habitation, like that one did today." Charlie mused. "I'll need to call into the station, get a hunting party together. I'll call Harry. He's a good tracker. He might like to join."
Panic set in. Bella grabbed hold of Charlie's hand, blocking his access to the phone with her body. "No, Dad, you can't hunt the wolves. Just leave them, please."
Misunderstanding her intention, he smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "You don't need to worry about my safety, kiddo. I'll be careful." He held onto her for a minute, before stepping back. "Why don't you go on up to bed. You look tired. We'll talk again in the morning."
Stricken, Bella watched as Charlie picked up the phone and called the station to report what he had seen. Terrified that something might happen to Jacob, she fled up the stairs, fumbling with her cell as she called Jacob. It went straight to voicemail.
"Embry! Embry, you need to wake up!"
With one hand on the wall to keep his chair steady on the wet floor, Billy hurried over to Embry, reaching out to touch his burning shoulder. The boy had been in the shower for over an hour, not responding to Billy's calls when he checked on him. Thankfully he had left the bathroom door unlocked.
It took several minutes for Billy's panicked voice to cut through Embry's stupor, and even longer for it to produce any movement on his part. Finally, his eyes cracked open, and his head turned, ever so slightly, towards the sound of Billy's voice.
Billy's eyes were wide, his face contorted with worry. "Oh, thank God, boy. Are you hurt? Can you stand? You should be in bed resting. What are you doing on the floor?"
"It hurts. It hurts everywhere." Embry groaned. There was no part of him that didn't hurt anymore. It took a moment for him to remember how movement worked, and then he ponderously lifted himself to his feet. Billy hovered anxiously by his side, hand half extended, although there was no way he could have caught Embry if he actually fell.
Embry, fine tremors still wracking his body, stumbled his way out of the bathroom to Jacob's room. He collapsed on his bed, throwing an arm over his face. "My mom." He moaned. "I need to see her."
"Soon, son. I promise." Billy tried to soothe him.
Tiffany had been so relieved when Billy had called to tell her that Embry had finally turned up at their house, but upset when he explained that her son needed some time out and would be in contact soon. Embry had taken his transformation much harder than either Jacob or Sam. He had phased back into his human form quicker than Sam had, but had been constantly fretting ever since about his close call with Bella, blaming himself for the Volvo careering off the road. That, added to his worry and guilt over keeping such a huge secret from his mother, was stressing him out.
"Jake is with Sam patrolling Forks, keeping a close eye on Bella and Charlie. So don't worry. When he gets back, you can talk some more. Just rest now." Billy advised in the same soothing tone.
Embry choked down a sob. Sleep. He yearned for sleep. Maybe it wouldn't make him feel better, but at least he could be miserable in peace. And maybe, if he were lucky, if he went to sleep, he might wake up and realize it was all a sick dream.
Billy closed the door carefully behind him as he wheeled his chair into the hall. He passed a hand over his forehead, only to find it was trembling. Jacob had told him about the Cullen boy kidnapping Bella, Embry's near miss with the Volvo, and Charlie seeing him in all his glory when he rushed to Bella's aid.
Things were escalating so fast, and though he had promised Old Quil to stand firm, he felt shaken by the severity of it. He had no idea how any of this was going to play out. With their secret coming so close to becoming exposed, the planned meeting with Carlisle Cullen could not come soon enough.
A/N-thanks for reading!