Bella's eyes fluttered open. A familiar, comforting scent awakened her senses as she was welcomed by the morning sun; its rays cascaded through the ceiling to floor windows. The windows that she quickly recognized that belonged to one family in particular.

Laying on her side, she turns her attention to the man sitting in the mahogany chair beside the bed she was currently in. Jasper's golden eyes were focused on the book in his hands as he said, "I'll never understand how you like this book so much."

As he lifted it, Bella read the spine of her favorite book. Her mouth felt dry as she croaked, "Wuthering Heights is a classic...besides, you've only read a few pages."

"This is my second time reading it now, believe it or not. I wanted to see what the fuss was about," Jasper's lips quirked up until he looked up and saw Bella's eyes were filled to the brim with unshed tears. Putting the book in the nightstand, Jasper leaned forward as he rested his forearms on his knees, "Bella..."

"I'm sorry," she blurted out, covering her face with her hands before the tears could slip down her face. Pulling her legs up to her side, Bella ignored the sting of pain on her hips as she whispered again, "I'm sorry, Jasper. I didn't mean to..."

"What are you talking about? Bella," he couldn't resist placing his hand over hers, feeling the warmth of her hand seeping into his cold palm that, in comparison, must feel like stone to her.

He gently moved her hands away from her face and waited until she opened her eyes, looking at him like a scared fawn who'd been injured. In a way, that's exactly what Bella was right now. A sad, defenseless fawn hunted by a ruthless predator.

Jasper shook his head, "Why are you apologizing? We're the ones who should be apologizing to you."

"If it hadn't been for me, he would have-"

"No. What he did was unforgivable, Isabella. Nothing you could have done justifies how he treated you," Jasper cut her off with conviction, his gift flowing out of him and into her, healing her broken heart with affection that all the Cullens felt for her. That only seemed to make Bella cry harder, "None of us blame you for what happened. If anything, it should be me who has to apologize for putting your life in danger."

"Edward—" she flinched as soon as she said his name, and it didn't go unnoticed, "—w-where is he?"

Jasper wiped away a stray tear that rolled down her cheek; the sensation that coursed through him couldn't be compared to anything he's ever felt before when a strange tingle began the moment he touched her, "...He's gone. Until Carlisle speaks to you about what you want to do."

"What I want to do?"

A knock at the door barely brought either of them out of the tense gaze they were locked in, and it was only when Carlisle greeted Bella that Jasper finally let his hand drop away from her cheek.

His cool touch sent shivers over her skin, and for some inexplicable reason, Bella wished he could cup her cheek again...

"Good morning, Bella," Carlisle said as he walked in with his black medical bag in his hand. His eyes, though warm and kind, held a great sadness as he looked at the girl who was supposed to be his son's, true love. Now she was Jasper's mate, linking her to the family in every way possible. Making her the closest thing to a daughter. Standing at the foot of the bed, granting Jasper a nod, he asks, "How are you feeling?"

Bella hesitated for a moment before looking back to Jasper warily, "Good..." Obviously, Jasper knew she was lying and frowned, sharing a reproving look with her before she caved in, "A little sore."

"Yes...I would imagine so," Carlisle nodded as he took a seat on the edge of her bed, placing a gentle hand over her forehead to feel her temperature, "Esme and Rosalie helped you change out of your clothes last night, do you remember them being in here with you?" He waited until she nodded with uncertainty, clearly having been too shocked to pay attention to her surroundings at all, "I didn't want to look over your injuries until I had your consent, but Esme did notice the bruises on your waist, and I wanted to check them."

Bella looked down to her hands, the light fading in her warm brown eyes as if she were no longer here but somewhere far away. Back in the forest, pressed up against the tree trunk moments before Edward's hands touched her.

"Would you like to talk about what happened, Bella?" Carlisle cautiously asked as he noticed Jasper tense.

Bella shook her head before sitting up and leaning against the soft pillows behind her, biting back a grimace when a spot between her thighs burned as if something had scratched her. And then she remembered Edward had pressed his knee between her thighs hard enough that her jeans must have rubbed her against the harsh material. "I should...probably go home. Charlie must be-"

"Alice told him you were spending the night last night. So you're more than welcome to stay as long as you'd like. Before that, however, I would hope you don't mind letting me look over your injuries. Only what you're comfortable with, and if you aren't, then I can take you to the hospital, and a female doctor can check instead."

"No!" Bella grimaced as she shot up from the bed, wrapping an arm around her waist to support herself—unaware that both Carlisle and Jasper reached their hands out to catch her if she fell off the edge.

"Bella," she stiffened as she turned and caught Jasper's concerned gaze as he pleaded in a low tone, "Please let Carlisle help you. For me?"

For him...

Despite the pain in her chest, the sight of Jasper practically begging her to accept help made her want to ease the sadness in his eyes. Bella didn't want Jasper to hurt any more than she was, and she knew being this close to her now was probably dealing a whole lot of hurt his way.

"O-okay. But you can...go if you're uncomfortable," she said hesitantly as she looked up at Jasper through hooded lashes.

Feeling the ball of nerves that she was, Jasper worked to ease her mind, "Do you want me to leave?"

Shutting her eyes tight, she gritted her teeth when fear and guilt coated every inch of her senses—until they were gently brushed away until they no longer weight down on her small body.

She can't bring herself to look at him or Carlisle, but it was her turn to plead now, "Stay..."


Carlisle was as gentle as ever while examining Bella's bruises. The worst of them were slowly creeping up against the pale skin of her waist. It was clear what had caused the bruises there. Edward's fingerprints flourished against her body now. A somewhat permanent reminder of what he'd done yesterday. The lack of remorse in his amber eyes moments before he disappeared only followed her.

"The good thing is there's no bleeding under the surface," Carlisle said as he pulled Bella's shirt back down over her stomach, "Applying a salve and a cold compress should help with the bruising."

She managed to focus solely on Carlisle, or at least she tried to because she was highly aware of the man in the corner of her eye.

Jasper had been kind enough to keep his focus solely on the forest outside the window, leaning against the wall as he gave Bella the privacy she needed to feel comfortable being examined with him in the room.

She didn't know why she'd wanted him to stay. Why she needed him close when the thought of anyone getting too close frightened her. Edward had made sure to ignite that foreign fear...

Maybe it was because of his gift.

Maybe it was because he was the strongest member of the family, and she knew Jasper would keep her safe for some reason.

Maybe it's because he knows just how broken you are now.

"Is the pain unbearable?"

As soon as Carlisle said his next words, Bella found herself whipped her head back to look at him. The alarm in her eyes wasn't unnoticed.

"W-what?"

As politely as he could, Carlisle motions towards Bella's leg, and suddenly embarrassment flushed her skin until her cheeks and ears were warm with a blush.

"Esme...saw?" Once again, she flicked her gaze between Carlisle and Jasper when shame was the next emotion to start. Her hands clutched the covers.

Carlisle's sympathetic nod made her feel ten times worse. But not for long. The lukewarm touch of calm made Bella look to Jasper, who was now watching her with a stoic expression. Had it not been for the kindness of his gift being shared her way, Bella would have assumed he was furious.

"My jeans...they hurt me..." how could she even begin to explain what Edward had or hadn't done?

Carlisle leaned forward and looked Bella in the eyes, "Bella, did Edward-"

"No! He didn't do—" Bella's words caught in her throat. She already knew what Carlisle was going to ask her, and she couldn't bring herself to hear it because the uncertainty that lingered long after she spoke her words with a conviction still remained. "—h-he wouldn't do that. He...wouldn't..." But he could have. So easily. And you wouldn't have been able to stop him.

Tears filled her eyes as she came to the stark realization that she wasn't sure what Edward would have done if she hadn't shoved him away, had yelled at him to stop.

"Bella?"

"I'm fine," she tried to reassure Carlisle and Jasper as she pushed the words out, "it just stings. It's nothing."

Carlisle weighed her reaction carefully before asking, "I won't push you to tell me what Edward did, but if I give you something for the pain, will you please take it?"

Seeing the worry lacing the kind man's eyes now, Bella couldn't bring herself to turn Carlisle down, "Yes, I promise."

A knock at the door brought them out of the check-up, and the sound of Esme's soft voice instantly prickled Bella's skin as she whipped her head up and found the kind woman's eyes already on hers.

"Good morning, Bella," Esme said before she noticed there was a tray of food in her hands, "are you hungry? I made you a late breakfast."

As if on cue, Bella's stomach growled the moment she caught the scent of pancakes and bacon.

"Why don't you boys go hunt? Emmett and Rosalie are downstairs waiting," Esme mentioned as she walked past Carlisle before she looked to Jasper with reassurance laced in her voice, "Alice will stay here with us."

Jasper looked to Bella, noticing how she watched him with concern, and stood up from his chair. He set Wuthering Heights down beside her as he asked, "Do you want me to stay?" He could sense Bella's anxiety rise slowly, but like a wave, it rolled away with his help.

Bella shook her head and made a poor attempt of a smile that almost resembled a grimace, "N-no, it's okay. You should go hunt."

Hoping to ease her worries that were sure to come back as soon as he left the house, Jasper whispered, "I won't be far. If you need me, I'll be here."

Bella's tired eyes followed Jasper as he crossed the room and stepped out into the hall with Carlisle excusing himself shortly after, "We won't be too long, Bella. If you need anything, let Esme know, and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Thanks...Carlisle."

Carlisle's kind smile didn't quite reach his eyes either, but Bella couldn't bring herself to try and fix what was wrong. She knew what was wrong. Carlisle's son left the family behind and hurt her, all because she was human. Because she's nothing compared to them...

"Bella." Esme's kind voice brought her out of the spiral, and it was only when Bella noticed Esme's saddened expression that she noticed she was crying. Tears ran down her cheeks freely now, and her face warmed with mortification. In her haste to wipe the tears away, Bella placed her hands over her face, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to-"

Esme's cold hand reached out for them and pulled her hands away, "It's alright, Bella. It's okay to cry."

Those kind words...

They were her undoing as Bella bowed into herself and cried silently into Esme's shoulder as the woman pulled her close, rubbing her back as she trembled, "You're safe now. You're with us, my love."

Bella's muffled sobs carried throughout the house, and she had no idea the strength it took for Jasper not to walk back upstairs and sit with her until she no longer felt this pain. She had no idea just how much he wanted to take all her sadness and pain away and return it tenfold to the one responsible.


Thanks for reading x

Sorry for the inconsistent updates but I promise I'll try to start updating once a week!