Chapter Six
The morning alarm went off, as normally scheduled, but that wasn't what awoke me this morning. It was the screeching and panicked feelings emanating from my mate. I immediately jumped up and snarled, my natural instincts to protect my mate overriding my logical thinking.
Once I realized that it was just the alarm, I pulled Bella to my chest and purred.
"It's okay Bella," I told her as I leaned over and turned the alarm off. "It's okay."
Once the noise of the alarm stopped, she stopped screeching and let out a deep breath. I'd have to turn the alarm off, or else we'd be waking up like this every morning.
"Edward," Bella said as she looked around in confusion. She turned to the spot on the wall and cocked her head to the side. After examining it for a moment, she extended her hand and copied the same movements as I did.
The alarm turned on once more, but instead of screaming, she hunkered down and covered her ears. I quickly reached over and turned it off again. A moment passed and she reached over to turn it on again.
We went a few rounds of her turning it on and me turning it off until finally, she turned it on herself, then turned it off.
"Oh," She let out as she began to play with the screen.
I smiled at her childlike curiosity. I imagine she'd had this reaction to all of our technology.
Bella let out a screech when a hologram of Alice's face suddenly appeared. She scuttled behind me, cowering down in fear.
I growled at Alice. "Why are you disturbing me?"
"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you two weren't doing anything you shouldn't. The pod said you were awake, but you hadn't left your bunk."
"We're fine. Bella was just playing with the alarm." I hissed. "Did you need something important?"
"Nope. Just checking on you two," She said. "Since you're awake, can I borrow Bella?"
"For what?"
"Well, she needs to eat, probably needs to relieve herself, and I want to start proper medical treatment for her. All of her tests came back and now we know exactly how to help her."
"Give us a moment. You frightened her." I said before turning off the communication system.
I lifted my arm to look at Bella, who was still cowering behind me. I smiled at her. After a moment, she smiled back and started to relax.
"We need to go see Alice. She says she can help you."
"Alice?" She repeated before pointing to the screen.
"Yes, Alice," I beamed before patting her head. "You're really picking up quick."
"Alice." She said again.
I chuckled and twisted so I could climb out of the bunk. Once I was out, I turned to help Bella out. She poked her head out and watched me. I lifted my arms to help her out.
"Bella out." I said to her.
She growled at me and ducked her head back in. I laughed and pulled myself up to look at her. She was huddled in the corner of the bunk, surrounded by pillows. She let out another hiss.
"Bella come," I said, "We can't stay in here all day. This place is for sleeping."
"Bella stay," She growled back.
My eyebrows raised in response. "Bella come."
"Bella stay."
I sighed. "Bella eat?"
Her eyes narrowed as she considered this. She let out a sigh and crawled towards me. I hopped down before extending my arms out to her. She climbed into my arms, allowing me to carry her.
Before we left the bunk, I checked to make sure that the hallways leading to my quarters were blocked off so no one would frighten Bella.
I walked us to the infirmary where my father, Alice, and Jasper were eating breakfast. There were two cover trays for Bella and me on the table. Bella of course growled at everyone.
"Hey, be nice Bella," I told her as she moved behind me and continued to glare at everyone.
"Yeah, be nice. I got your food," Alice said as she uncovered Bella's tray. "And I kept it warm for you."
I looked under my arm at her. "Bella, tell Alice thanks."
"Alice thanks." Bella repeated after a moment.
All of them gasped.
"She repeated what you said?" Alice asked in amazement.
"She mostly repeats what I say. And she'll answer me. She knows a lot more then she lets on." I stroked her hair back and brought her forward.
"Bella eat?" I asked her as I grabbed her tray from Alice.
"Bella eat." She said as she grabbed the tray from me and found a comfortable spot on the ground. She looked up at me. "Edward eat? Edward Bella eat?"
"Edward Bella eat." I said as I grabbed my own tray and sat beside her on the ground.
"Wow," Alice said. "That is so incredible! I'm going to need to do an exam on her voice box. This is an amazing discovery."
"That is incredible." Dad said as he walked over Bella, who was making a large mess by eating with her hands. He kneeled down so he could start to examine her. She growled softly at him but didn't take her attention away from her food.
"We discovered," Dad said as he checked her temperature, "That she is allergic to the metal we use to make our utensils. Which is why she wouldn't use them."
"Oh," I said, making a mental note to find her eating utensils that were made without metal.
"Your temperature has normalized," Dad smiled at Bella. "That's a good thing. I also have something for you."
Bella had no idea what he was saying to her. She just continued to eat. She started eyeing him when he walked over with a pair of long flexible casts. I grimaced, knowing she was probably going to fight.
"Look Bella," Dad said as he stretched out casts. "These are going to help fix your legs. You'll need to wear them for a few weeks. They aren't uncomfortable. They'll probably help your legs feel better. I know you're blocking a lot of pain."
She placed the tray to the side and watched carefully. When he gently grabbed her ankle, she jerked away from him.
He paused and began tapping her hand. After the third tap, Bella squealed happily.
"What are you doing?" I asked, unable to hide my smile as Bella's face lit up with pure joy.
"Her mother used to comfort her in several ways," Alice said. "We were able to find several nerves in her nervous system that respond to this kind of stimuli. We can safely assume that her mother would tap her palm to comfort her. Another one of her comfort spots is her back. I think her mother used to rub her back to put her to sleep."
"That's useful to know." I said.
"Can I put these on you?" Dad asked her as he grabbed her ankle again. This time, she didn't fight him. He was able to successfully slide the cast up to her upper thigh.
Bella looked down at her leg in wonderment as she started flexing her toes. Alice now kneeled down beside her and started feeling her leg.
"I bet that feels so much better, huh Bella?" Alice asked her. "You poor thing, you had so many breaks. She'll probably be in these casts for several weeks."
"How do I keep them on her?" I asked. "She gets easily frustrated. I'm afraid she'll rip them off."
"As long as we can keep the casts on her for a minimum of nine hours a day, she'll heal. It'll take her longer, but what's important is that she heals." Dad said as he slipped the other one onto her other leg.
Bella stared down at her legs, wiggling her toes and giggling. I smiled at her.
"Does that feel better?" I asked her.
"Better," She said as she rolled her ankle.
"Her language skills are incredible," Alice said. "I want to do a complete brain scan on her."
"If she would sit still," I said as I tapped Bella's hand. She made another delighted squeal that was music to my ears.
"Well, hopefully with this new concoction dad and I came up with, she'll fall out like a rock."
Alice pulled out a large needle. Bella was unsuspecting, but I let out a growl.
"Relax," Alice said. "This is a mixture of vitamins she is in desperate need of."
"Why not give her food with the vitamins she needs?" I asked as I pulled Bella into my lap. Her messy hands dirtied my tunic, but at that moment, I didn't care.
"Because she needs rapid results. Ingesting it is fine, but it will take a while for the vitamins to take effect. She needs vitamins now."
"Here Alice," Dad said as he took the needle. "I will administer it."
"Why? I can be just as gentle as you?"
"You're going to be working with her on improving her cognitive functions, it's best she likes you." He said. "And she'll need these vitamins every three days until I see an improvement. Edward would you mind lifting her tunic? I need to give it to her at the base spine. It's her most sensitive spot. Thin skin, a large vein, and a very fast flow. It's the perfect spot."
"I'm sure she will absolutely love you after this," I said sarcastically.
"Yes I'm sure," He chuckled before saying. "I'm sorry Bella—"
Bella gasped and started hissing wildly before spinning around in my arms and trying to take a bite out of my father. I rubbed the spot where she got her shot gently and purred for her, but she was too angry.
"I'm sorry Bella," My dad said, smiling softly at her. She hissed in response.
"She will probably need a nap in a few minutes, once all of those vitamins hit her system." Alice said.
I nodded and stroked her head gently. As predicted, Bella yawned. She shook her head, but the overwhelming sleepiness was taking over. She slowly closed her eyes and let her head fall forward against my chest.
I placed a kiss on top of her head, stroking her back gently.
"Edward, do I have your permission to run some tests on her?" Alice asked. "Now that we know she does have some phonological skills, I want to see where I should start her working on those skills."
"That is fine, but nothing invasive, please. I don't want to do anymore damage." I said before letting out a heavy sigh. "I want you to take really good care of her Alice."
"Are you going somewhere?" She asked after a brief pause.
I inhaled. "I am taking a few men to search the surrounding areas. I'm stopping all construction until further notice."
Jasper gasped. "Wait, have you gotten permission from council to do this?"
"No, I am going to call them now before I get everyone together." I said as I stood and laid Bella on the bed. I looked at Jasper. "Get yourself ready, you will be coming with our group."
Jasper nodded. "Just give me the signal. I'll get everything prepared."
"Thank you." I said. "If she wakes, then, just do what you can to calm her. Food, music, holograms, I don't care."
"We'll take care of her Edward," Dad smiled, squeezing my arm. "Don't worry. Just please take care of yourself."
"I will be fine dad, I'm the commander. Nothing can hurt me."