BPOV
PRESENT TIME
"Come on, darlin," Jasper says softly. "Let's get you home to rest."
I nod, letting him help me up from Edwards grave and walk me back to the car where we drive home silently. Twenty minutes later finds us sitting in the driveway of our house, Jasper turning off the car and climbing out to come around and helping me out as well. As we make our way inside, my stomach churns and I am quickly running to the small hall bathroom to vomit my breakfast back up. Jasper comes walking in with my toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and a cup of water.
"You did great today," Jasper tells me confidently as I clean myself up. "I'm proud of you, no matter what. Edward would be proud of you, no matter what."
I turn to face Jasper to see his blue eyes looking at me with such conviction and love in them, it hurts and makes me begin crying. Why am I so weak? Three years and everything has rushed back to me as if it just happened yesterday. I'm swooped up into Jaspers arms and walked to our bedroom where he sits on the edge of the bed to kick off his shoes and carefully slips off the low-heeled ones I chose. Never letting me go, he positions us in the middle of the bed where he pulled back the blankets and pulled them up to cover us up.
"I'm sorry," I cry.
"Don't be. Never be sorry for this," he tells me softly kissing my forehead while I press my body hard against his as if he'd disappear. "I love you, Isabella Cullen, this will never change that. Never, you hear me?"
I sob harder as I cling to him. "I love you, too," I manage to get out.
-O- -O-
"Okay, Isabella," the retched attorney says when we begin back up the following day. "Why don't you continue with your story now that you got some rest."
"It's not a story," I tell him. "It's the truth, but I will continue. Thank you."
THREE YEARS AGO
"This is the police!" I hear someone shout downstairs as I continue rocking Edward in my arms, kissing his head.
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
"Wake up!" I cry out. "Please, Edward! Just wake up for me!" I know he's dead.
"In here!" Someone shouts. "Ma'am?" I gasp as I notice we aren't alone anymore; I begin to drag Edward back towards me on the bed crying harder. "Ma'am, I'm with the Chicago Police Department, we're here to help."
"You promised you'd leave!" I yell. It's Demetri! "Leave us be! Go!"
"Ma'am," the man says gently, holstering his weapon. "Listen to my voice carefully… do I sound like your attacker? I'm with CPD. We're here to help."
At this point I'm all but clawing at Edward to get him away from the new intruder panicking at the thought of going through tonight again. "Please," I beg him shaking my head.
Another figure walks through the room making me scream in pure horror. Felix!
"No, his name is Emmett, he's my partner," says the one in the front of the bed trying to calm me down still. Did I say that out loud? "Yes, you did. Can you tell me your name?"
"B-Bella," I cry still trying to create more space.
"Okay, Bella." He then speaks into his chest something I don't understand as I notice the Felix look alike leaves the room. "Bella, we need to look at Edward there."
"You're not going to touch him!" I growl at him. "You've done enough!"
"Bella," he says soothingly, "my name is Peter. I'm with CPD remember? We must look at Edward to make sure he's alive, I sent Emmett out so you're more comfortable."
Someone else walks slowly inside- no two someone's, women. Safe.
I'm not sure how they managed to get Edward from me but when I realize that he's not in my arms anymore, but getting touched by Felix Jr. I lose my shit.
"Don't hurt him! Leave him alone!" I scream but my body can't move due to paralyzing fear.
"Bella, listen to me!" Peter CPD shouts at me. "We have to get Edward out of here, Emmett will be gentle with Edward, I promise. Charlotte and Alice aren't strong enough to lift him."
I'm still panicking and as I see the last of Edward, Felix Jr. comes walking back in which forces my body into action, but it forces me into the corner of our room. I begin throwing everything in sight that I can.
"Someone get me Jasper in here!"
I don't know how long I've been pressing my body up against the wall in the corner of the bedroom trying to make my mind become less jumbled. Someone appears in my vision, someone who for some reason or another makes me feel somewhat calm.
"Hello, Bella," the man with striking blue eyes says softly. "My name is Jasper Whitlock." I try to blend in with the blood smeared wall. "I understand my friend Peter has been unsuccessful in reaching you," he motions to the mess around the floor and the broken glass I'm standing in. "You need to be checked out by medical professionals." I shake my head, panicking once again feeling as if I can't breathe. "It's okay, Bella. I need you to calm down for me, okay? Can you try to do that? I know it's difficult, but try to do what I do, yeah?"
Deep inhale. Longer exhale. Repeat. Deep inhale. Longer exhale. Repeat.
He smiles a sad smile. "Good, that's good," he nods all the while moving in closer to me which forces me to a different part of the wall. "No, no, no. It's okay. You need covered up; can I cover you up?" I suddenly notice the blanket he's holding in his hand that came from the couch downstairs.
Deep inhale. Longer exhale. Repeat. My body is getting heavier as more time passes. How long has it been?
"Okay," I whisper not recognizing my own voice.
"Yeah? Good," he slowly shifts the blanket to open up. "You look like you're cold, are you cold, Bella?" Jasper says, moving closer to me little by little. "It's a bit chilly in here actually," he continues until the blanket is wrapped around me. "The is that better?"
I hardly notice the small pin poke of a needle going into my arm until it's too late. The look on his face is apologetic and then my body begins to sag and his arms wrap around me securely, yet ever so gently and I find myself clinging to him tightly.
-O- -O-
JPOV
"How bad is it, Dr. Lee?" I ask as soon as he steps out of the hospital room.
"Perp did a number on her," he tells me motioning me across to his office. "Mrs. Cullen has three broken ribs, a punctured lung, several deep cuts from various different knives, sprained wrist, bruises every square inch of her body…" Dr. Lee shakes his head sighing heavily sitting down in his chair while pulling up her file to print for me. "Five different semen samples have from retracted from her rape kit. She was raped vaginally and anally."
Red. I see red. The bastard she was cradling to her raped her and she was trying to hold and protect him! It might not have been his choice! Whatever happened, he had a choice! That's his wife! Was. Shut up!
"Are you okay detective?" Dr. Lee looks at me closely.
I clear my throat. "One of the five was her husband. He was found deceased in her arms when CPD came."
His lips draw a fine line. Me too, buddy.
"What else?"
"She's come back negative for HIV, STD, the works luckily," Dr. Lee continues on. "We don't have to worry about pregnancy as it seems she's had a full hysterectomy some time ago. With how violent the rapes were… she's had to have multiple stitches inside and out, but she'll heal from it physically."
The printer begins shooting out the pages for me as I sit back in the chair closing my eyes with a sigh. For some reason, as soon as I stepped foot through that bedroom door and laid my eyes on that bloodied up broken angel, I felt an instant connection to her. This case is going to be the end of my career as I know it and I don't mind one bit.
"Here you go," Dr. Lee hands me the papers.
I automatically go through to the pictures to see everything with my own eyes and just as I look over the last one, alarms set off from across the room. Bella. Dr. Lee is out of his office door with me hot on his heels and into Bella's room where she's thrashing around while two male nurses are trying to restrain her.
"Release her this instant!" I roar at the two idiots. "She's a traumatized rape victim and you're traumatizing her more!"
Dr. Lee sends them out of the room with a look of fury as I quickly make my way over to her bedside. "Shh, shh, shh," I coo at her softly leaning down to her level as not to hover. "It's okay now. Calm down, you shouldn't move around too much, they've already patched up a punctured lung, let's not make it two, yeah?"
Tears are flowing out of her at an uncontrollable rate making my heart ache for her even more. Slowly, I reach up and gently wipe away the falling tears.
"She ripped out her IV, I need to get another placed," Dr. Lee informs me.
"I can do it," I tell him. "She trusts me."
"Have you done one before?" he questions unsure.
"Not for a long time but if you talk me through it, I can manage," I wipe some more tears and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Would that be better for you?"
Bella nods as a strangled sound escapes her.
"Good girl," I smile before turning my attention to Dr. Lee. "Get me the equipment and get me a bed in here please."
Luckily, he doesn't hesitate my request.
Bella keeps her eyes on me the whole time Dr. Lee is giving me instructions on how to place the new IV. When I find a good vein, I clean the spot really well and carefully blow on it to dry the alcohol down so it doesn't burn when I insert the needle. I glance up at her just before I shove the needle into her arm and make quick work of finishing up. When I go to stand up to dispose of the used equipment, Bella's heartrate spikes once more and she tries to reach for me making me quickly sit back down.
"Hey, hey, hey," I try to soothe. "I'm not going anywhere. You need to keep calm so you can heal, darlin." Dr. Lee instead grabs the used equipment from me along with my gloves as I gently hold Bella's hand in mine, rubbing soothing circles.
"Bella," Dr. Lee directs to her softly grabbing her attention for half a second before she her eyes return to mine. "I need to check to make sure any of your stitches didn't pop open," she's automatically shaking her head with eyes that plead at me to help.
"Darlin, Dr. Lee isn't going to hurt you. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you," I say to her in hopes she calms down.
"I know you've been through unimaginable things, Bella," Dr. Lee tries again, "you're strong and you've proven that against my nurses," he lets out a light chuckle. "I'll be as quick as I can, but I don't need you to get an infection on my watch. If you'd like I can also give you a mild sedative just to help you relax, would that be alright?"
This time it is I that is pleading with my eyes. "I'll be right here with you; I'm not going anywhere."
With a slight nod Dr. Lee begins to work quickly as promise by first hooking up her IV once more and injecting a sedative into it that works wonders as her grip in my hand loosens. I glance at him as her eyes close.
"This will have her out for a couple of days," he admits. "She's never going to heal with the state she's in."
A/N: Let me know what you think!
-bellacullen166