Impasse
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.
Ambush Partie Deux
"Hello, Bella." Rosalie said softy.
Bella stared incredulously at the beautiful blonde's perfect face. Rosalie looked unusually hesitant, which only confused Bella further.
"Um…hello?" She replied, her voice an octave higher with surprise.
"Do you mind taking a walk with me, Bella?" Rosalie continued, her breathtaking face still looking unsure.
Bella's stomach twisted nervously as the one Cullen she was sure hated her moved closer to her side, sliding her arm through hers as if they were best buddies. Or maybe Rosalie just wanted to make it appear that way. Bella tried to come up with a reason why the stunning blonde would want to be seen in her company, but her mind came up blank.
"I just want to talk, that's all." Rosalie confirmed when she noted the alarm on Bella's face.
"Um…sure, we can talk." Bella mumbled, trying to keep her voice steady, and failing badly. "As long as we stay within the school grounds."
Rosalie laughed lightly, and it sounded like a chorus of bells. She seemed amused by Bella's caution.
"I have no intention of kidnapping you, Bella. I'm not my brother."
Bella grimaced at the mention of Edward.
"You are so rarely alone. I'd figured I'd better make the most of this opportunity."
Bella's hands twisted and untwisted in front of her. Even though Rosalie had inferred that she only wanted to talk – she was still a vampire – just as dangerous as Edward or any of their kind.
"Please don't think I'm going to hurt you, Bella." Rosalie said carefully, as if privy to Bella's thoughts. Her voice was gentle, almost pleading. "I know that I've hurt your feelings enough in the past, though you might not remember. But I was hostile for a reason." She tugged on Bella's arm gently. "Come with me. Let me explain."
"Don't worry about it." Bella muttered, not knowing what else to say. "You're right, I don't remember."
Rosalie laughed again, sounding amused again. "You really are so strange for a human."
Bella glanced at her wildly- that was exactly what the mysterious redhead had said when she had accosted Bella in her own house.
"Oh…I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that."
Rosalie smiled at the shocked tone of her voice, and then sighed as she began to stroll slowly down the now empty corridor.
"How much do you actually remember about us, Bella?"
Bella shrugged. "Not a lot – only that you're all vampires."
"And that's it?" Rosalie seemed surprised by this admission.
"Yes."
"Oh dear, I rather thought that you had remembered more than that. At least I got that impression by the way Edward was acting all superior early this morning. You really shouldn't have got into the car with him, you know. That was a silly thing to do."
"I already know I'm an idiot. I don't need a lecture from you." Bella retorted irritably.
"Wow!" Rosalie laughed again. "You are finally showing some gumption. I like that. The knock on the head really has had a positive effect on you."
"Knock on the head?" Bella echoed suspiciously.
"During the accident."
"I think we've both established I don't remember anything about the accident or what led up to it. If indeed it really was an accident."
Rosalie looked at Bella and smiled; it was a harsh, bitter – but still stunning – expression.
"Yes." She said without preamble. "You're right. What happened to you was no accident."
They had reached the front of the school now. Bella paled, nausea rising in her throat as she tried to contain the tremors that suddenly rippled through her body. She didn't want to hear anymore. She had been deliberately trying not to remember the horrifying details of that night, because she wasn't ready to face the truth yet. But it seemed that Rosalie was determined to make her confront it whether she was ready or not.
"Don't." She whispered fearfully.
"I'm sorry, Bella, but I refuse to pussy foot around you like the others. Its time you learned the truth for your own safety, if nothing else." Rosalie propelled Bella outside against her will. And there was nothing she could do to stop her.
The fall breeze carried fine drops, each one a promise of the rain to come. As the newly chilled air moved the clouds, Bella closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm her nerves. The breeze moved through her hair, tousling it into buoyant curls, and pinking her cheeks.
"Please don't say anymore." She pleaded in a low voice.
But Rosalie was relentless.
"You were attacked by a vampire that night – his name was James. He was the cause of your injuries. He decided to kill you after catching your scent and seeing how protective Edward was over you. He was a tracker – and his encounter with you suddenly made it the most exciting sport he ever had."
"Stop!" Bella choked. "Please stop!"
The gruesome images that had been haunting her nightmares for weeks began to worm their way back into her subconscious mind. She gasped, fighting for breath as she tried to push them back.
Rosalie stared straight ahead; her face impassive.
"You fled to your old home under the protection of Alice and Jasper, while the rest of us stayed behind to protect your father and stop the other members of his coven from helping James. But he outwitted us. He lured you away by telling you he had kidnapped your mother. Believing the lie, you fell into the trap, later discovering that your mother's voice was taken from an old home movie. James attacked you, broke your leg and infected your hand with vampire venom. You must have questioned that odd scar on your wrist surely?"
Bella bent over, waves of nausea only adding to her misery. Her brain felt like it was going to swell beyond the capacity of her skull as the horrifying images of that tortuous night began to flick through her mind like some kind of sickening slide show. The scar on her wrist began to burn, and she wrapped the fingers of her left hand around it, clenching her teeth together to stop herself from screaming.
"Edward managed to drain the venom out of your system before it was too late. We destroyed James, though the other vampires of his coven, Victoria, and Laurent, ran off and survived."
Bella felt the nausea rising in her throat as she clutched at her stomach. It lurched and gurgled as she stared blearily at her feet. Now all the odd things Edward had said in the hospital began to make some kind of gruesome sense.
"Stop talking. I don't want to hear anymore!" She pleaded thickly.
Rosalie finally took pity on Bella. She forced Bella to stand upright, placing one slender hand on her hot cheek. "You almost became just like me." She said, gesturing to her glorious immortal body. "You should be thankful that my obnoxious brother has some morals, otherwise your fate would have been sealed according to Alice. She saw you becoming a vampire and – "
Rosalie broke off when Bella finally succumbed to her sickness and vomited all over the school steps.
Bella stumbled, half blind, away from Rosalie. The beautiful blonde made no attempt to stop her as she staggered back inside the school. Her head was spinning, the images of James' attack tormenting her, sending her spiraling. She barely made it to the office before she was accosted by Edward.
"No!" She groaned. "Stay away from me!" She held out her hands to ward him off, but he ignored her frantic gesture and put his arms around her.
Having no strength left to fight him off, Bella gave up and went where he led her.
"I'm sorry about Rosalie. I didn't have a chance to stop her. She made the decision to speak to you at the very last minute so Alice didn't have time to warn me of her intentions." Edward turned his head and glowered at the absurdly lovely blonde vampire who was tailing them. "Go away." He hissed. "You've already done enough harm. Carlisle warned us what might happen if we forced the truth on her. Now look!"
"If you expect me to feel awful, Edward, I don't." Rosalie answered coldly. "You gave me no choice but to interfere. You were never going to leave her alone despite all the false promises you made to Carlisle – and Alice is no better."
Edward grimaced, he changed direction, towing Bella along with him as he headed toward the parking lot.
"Where are you taking her?" Rosalie demanded suspiciously.
"I'm taking her home." Edward practically snarled. "She's very distressed."
"I'll take her."
"You will stay away from her from now on. You've caused enough trouble."
"Edward." Rosalie began.
"No." Edward's brusque tone was not generous.
"Bella?" Rosalie asked softly.
Bella's eyelids fluttered as she gazed blearily in Rosalie's direction. She felt dazed and confused, her delicate stomach threatening to erupt again at any moment.
"What?"
"I'm so very sorry, Bella. I feel wretched about every part of this. But I had to make you see, to make you understand. You do see that, don't you?"
The beautiful blonde's words were awkward, stilted, but they seemed sincere. Either way, Bella was too out of it to fully comprehend them.
"Just stay away." Edward insisted again.
Bella felt her stomach lurch. She moaned, the sweat breaking out on her clammy skin. She felt herself being lifted into a pair of hard arms and then carried out into the open air.
The next thing she was aware of was the gentle thrum of a car engine. She must have passed out, because it seemed like seconds later and Edward was carrying her from his car. Bella's eyes rolled in her head. At first, she thought she was still at school.
And then she heard Charlie.
"Bella!" He shouted from some distance.
"Dad." Bella mumbled, trying to shake off the sickness induced torpor.
"Shh." Edward whispered. "It's okay, you're home and safe. We don't want to make your father suspicious."
"I can't believe you have the nerve to show your face here." Charlie bellowed at Edward; his voice much closer.
"Dad." Bella groaned. Charlie didn't seem to hear her.
"What's wrong with my daughter? What the hell have you done this time?" Charlie demanded.
"She wasn't feeling very well, Charlie." Edward said calmly. "That's why I brought her straight home. Please let her rest."
"Don't tell me what to do, you little prick!" Charlie yelled. "Give her to me. Get your hands off her!"
Edward reluctantly passed Bella over to Charlie. "It'll be okay, Bella." He murmured as he finally gave up possession of her.
Bella managed to drag her heavy lids back to stare up at her enraged father with bleary eyes. "I feel like I'm falling apart."
They were in front of the house. The front door was flung wide open. The cloud cover overhead was too thick for Bella to tell what time of day it was now. She guessed Charlie must have left work early.
"Its going to be alright, Bells." Charlie promised her, calming down now that he had driven Edward away.
"I'm sorry, Dad." Bella cried, panicking.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, kiddo." Charlie assured her as he carried her inside the house. "Jeez, you're burning up. I'm going to call the doctor."
Bella's open eyes only made it as far as the stairs. The last thing she felt was Charlie's hands tentatively prying her fingers loose from his shirt as he lay her gently on her bed, before leaving to make a hasty call to Dr. Gerandy.
A/N-thanks for reading!