Bella listened on, unamused at the start of conversation as Jessica and Mike dished out the latest gossip churning out from the small town's rumor mill; today it was all about the Cullens. Honestly Bella could see why everyone was interested in the mysterious family that shook up the town about a month ago, they were all beautiful, modelesque even, and they kept pretty much to themselves which did nothing but add to the mystery. Bella also knew what it was like to be the new one in town and have everyone's eyes on you; it sucked.
"...and like they're all together !" Jessica finishes, obviously scandalized by the idea.
Bella frowns, "Yeah, but they're not actually related, you said so yourself, besides it's none of our business." Bella concludes.
Jessica shrugs as she leans against Tyler's van. "It's just a little odd is all." She mumbles, smiling a bit as Mike hums in agreement. Bella rolls her eyes, really she couldn't care less about who was hooking up with who. "Anyway," Jessica continues unperturbed, "...Edythe and Emmett are a couple and then Alice and Jasper, though I don't think Rosalie's with anyone…" Bella raised an eyebrow at the information, it was new to her, though she wasn't surprised that her assumptions had been wrong. She'd always just assumed Emmett and Rosalie were a thing seeing as how close they appeared to be in public, and she had thought Edythe to be the single one seeing as how she always seemed to be just off to the side of their little family group. Though, Bella thought, maybe Edythe was just opposed to PDA.
"Too cold to handle." Mike laughed at his own joke, Bella didn't find it funny.
"Just because she's not interested in you ?" Bella tilted her head, awaiting an answer to her question, though she received none as Mike blushed and looked down to the ground. Bella smirked.
Her small victory was short lived however as Jessica came to his defense. "Well, she'd be crazy not to be interested in you, Mike, and really Bella, you can't say that she isn't kind of bitchy, I mean she is your lab partner."
Bella raises an unamused eyebrow, "Yeah, she is, and she's always been polite when we've talked. Plus, she's smart as hell ." Her eyes widen to emphasize the meaning behind her words.
Jessica's eyes narrowed at not being backed up, but it was Angela who piped up. "Have you guys talked a lot? I have her in my math class, and I swear she's always the first to finish any assignments or tests, like genius level finishing early."
Bella sends the girl a small smile in thanks. "We've never spoken outside class, or about anything other than class, but she seems nice enough to me." Angela nodded, and Bella let loose a sigh of relief as the conversation moved on to the Homecoming dance that was coming up in a month's time. Bella easily tuned out at the mention of dates and dresses, so not a conversation she wanted to participate in.
A flash of blonde hair in the corner of her eye had Bella turning to find Rosalie Hale walking toward her. Bella straightened up, ignoring the shocked gasps of her friends as the blonde came to stand right in front of Bella. "Bella." Rosalie greeted her coolly, not codly, just with her usual aloofness. "I wanted to make sure you did your part of the assignment for Mr. Banner's class."
Bella nodded, though she frowned thinking back to the two part assignment her teacher had given out last night; one part for each partner. "It's definitely done, though that last essay question kind of threw me for a loop." Bella traps her bottom lip between her teeth, worrying about possibly affecting Rosalie's perfect grade in said class.
Rosalie frowned just a bit as she looked down at Bella. "Perhaps...I have to go to the library during lunch to check out a book for an English assignment...we can go over it then." Rosalie paused, glancing back at her family once before refocusing on Bella. "If you want that is."
Bella smiled up at Rosalie, in an unconsciously charming sort of way. "That'd be amazing actually." Bella laughed lightly as her friends gasped, not so quietly, when Rosalie gave her a small smile in return. "We both know you can teach the class anyways, and I wouldn't want to mess up your grade." Bella admitted offhandedly.
Rosalie frowned, for just a second, before her aloof facade fell back into place. Though Bella couldn't truly know if it was a facade, she had a feeling it was. "See you later then." With a firm nod, Rosalie turned and rejoined her family as they walked toward the entrance of school. Bella watched until they had disappeared behind the double doors.
A long whistle broke her focus and she turned to see an amused Angela who looked like she too had been watching their retreat. "So you don't talk outside of class, right?" Bella glared, betrayed by her friend as the rest of the group giggled at Bella's expense. She had never been so grateful for the bell as it allowed her an escape from any further teasing.
Lunch came all too quickly, and Bella found herself nervously entering the library in search of one Rosalie Hale. It sounded odd, even in Bella's head, though to be fair her life has never truly been normal. The librarian notices her presence with a glance before she's back focusing on the thick book laid out before, so Bella continues deeper, heading toward the tables set up near the back. So far so good, she thinks to herself, her fingers absentmindedly dragging across the spines of the shelved books. She had always loved books and the many worlds they offered up for her to escape into.
The sound of a clearing throat brings Bella back to the world around her. She turns and sees Rosalie seated, rather elegantly, at the table in the corner. Bella offers up a sheepish smile at Rosalie's expectant look, but she doesn't offer up an apology or explanation, instead she takes the empty seat in front of the blonde and fishes the assignment from her backpack.
"Do you like reading?"
Bella looks up from her paper, expecting Rosalie to be staring at her, but she's staring at the bookshelf Bella had been standing at before, curiosity burning brightly in her golden eyes. Bella looks at the bookshelf too, a wistful smile coaxing her lips up. "I do, I mean, I did…" Bella trails off as she looks away and back to Rosalie. The blonde watches her intently now. Bella sighs and shrugs her shoulders. "It's hard to enjoy the story when you already know how it ends, even harder when you know not everything ends happily ever after."
Rosalie's eyebrows furrowed together, her head cocking ever so slightly to the side as she considers Bella's words. The silence is awkward for Bella, not knowing if Rosalie is the type to take things at face value or if she's the type to dig deeper, it's the latter that freaks Bella out the most.
"Anyways, this is the part where I had the most trouble." Bella continues on, releasing a breath as Rosalie seems to drop whatever she was thinking so hard about in favor of helping Bella through the assignment. Bella is beyond grateful, both at the avoidance and the help.
By the time they've finished there's only a few minutes before the bell will sound, ending the lunch period. She's famished but it's ok because spending an uninterrupted thirty minutes with Rosalie left Bella in a better mood, better than she could remember feeling in the past year. They exited the library together, wordlessly agreeing to head to Mr. Banner's class together, and when a freshman boy drops his books at the sight of Rosalie, Bella gives a loud laugh.
"Poor guy." Bella grins as they pass the now blushing boy. Rosalie scoffs and for some reason Bella finds even more amusement in that than she did at the flustered boy. "Is that the natural reaction you get, people making a fool out of themselves? Do they often just fall to their knees and worship at the altar of 'Our Lady Rosalie'? Wait, is it that your stunning self just sends them into a fit where they forget everything that isn't you?"
The longer she goes, the more ridiculous her accusations become, the more she can see that aloofness start to crack and the remnants of a smile start to peak from the corners of her lips and the shine in her eyes. Bella laughs, because she can see a little bit of pride hidden there too, like it pleased Rosalie to have Bella wax on about all the ways the human population fawned over her. "Oh my God! Does everyone just fall in love with you on sight?"
Rosalie doesn't look at her, but her lips tilt up into a self-satisfied smirk as she finally responds to Bella. "Not everyone." Bella is unconvinced and she laughs again with a shake of her head. "What, you don't believe me?"
Bella shakes her head again as they come to a stop in front of Mr. Banner's class. Bella peers inside, noticing a few students milling about. She leans in close to Rosalie, like she's sharing a secret, when really she just doesn't want to be overheard, feeling a need to protect this playful side of Rosalie, like it wasn't meant for everyone to see.
"I find it hard to believe that someone wouldn't fall for you if given half a chance." Bella smiles softly, as she backs away from a stunned Rosalie and into the class. If it takes Rosalie a little longer than it should to follow Bella to their table, Bella doesn't mention it, but her smile doesn't fade an inch for the rest of the class period.
It's not until the end of the day, as she exits the school to find the sky in a downpour does her mood dampen, just slightly. Of course the world would literally find a way to rain on her parade. She sighs, watching the other students pour into their cars or the cars of their parents as they get picked up. Bella waits under the school's roof for a few more seconds, mentally preparing herself for the wet walk home. She takes the steps down and out into the rain, but halts as the rain suddenly disappears from around her.
When she looks up there's a red umbrella above her and the person holding it is standing very close. "What are you doing?" Bella shouts above the sound of the rain pummeling the tin roofs and pavement around them.
Rosalie rolls her eyes, and it's so perfect Bella wonders if maybe Rosalie's practiced the move in the mirror before. "You'll catch your death out here." Rosalie doesn't offer an explanation.
Bella shrugs, pulling her backpack more firmly over her shoulder when it starts to slip. "I've walked home in worse." And she has, rain, sleet, snow, she's walked in it all before. Rosalie frowns, and Bella sees the same look appear on her face as the one in the library. Bella shakes her head and steps out from under the shelter of Rosalie's umbrella. "Don't worry so much!" Bella shouts back at her, pausing before turning her back completely on the blonde. "I'll be okay." Bella's words are punctuated by a flash of lightning, followed by the loud clap of thunder.
And Bella throws her head back, laughing at the suddenness of it all. "See you tomorrow, Rosalie!" Bella doesn't turn back around as she makes her way off campus, but she doesn't need to look to know that Rosalie watches every step she takes. She just knows.
The house is dark when she gets home, Charlie's police cruiser still absent from the driveway and a note taped to the fridge.
'No food. Went fishing.'
Bella scoffs and rolls her eyes, knowing damn well that 'fishing' really meant that Charlie would be too drunk to drive home from the reservation tonight and that she probably wouldn't see him until tomorrow night, if she was lucky. She crumples the note and throws it behind her, not caring if it made it into the trash can or not. Just like the note said, the fridge was bare, so she grabs her box of cereal from the counter and trudges up the stairs, eating a dry handful as she goes.
Safely inside her room, she sets the cereal box on her desk before making quick work of removing her wet clothes. Then she grabs a towel and heads back out to the hall in search of a hot shower, but instead she finds another note taped to the mirror.
'No hot water until tomorrow.'
A frustrated growl escapes her throat, her frustration boiling over until she's ripped up the note and left the mess scattered about the floor as she retreats to her room with a slam of the door. Perfect, just perfect, she thought angrily as she redressed herself in a pair of sleep pants and sweatshirt. Swiping the box from her desk, she lifts another handful to her mouth before a loud knocking sounds from the front door. Grumbling around her mouthful she makes her way downstairs.
"I'm coming!" She retches the door open, her surprise making her choke on her next words as she sees just who has decided to visit. "W-What?"
Chapter 2: Unexpected
Summary:
Here's the next chapter. If you guys like the story so far then I'll continue it. Let me know.
Chapter Text
Bella stood in the doorway, shocked into silence as her eyes darted from her biology partner to the woman standing next to Rosalie, holding some type of tupperware close to her chest. She looks at Rosalie once more, her voice barely above a whisper when she speaks. "Um...what are you doing here, Rosalie?"
"I'm sorry dear, where are my manners?" The woman smiled sweetly and extended her free hand out to Bella. "I'm Esme, Rosalie's mother." Bella grasped Esme's hand in hers, shaking it and then frowning at how cold it was.
It must be freezing outside, Bella thinks to herself before shuffling further inside the house and opening the door wider. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Cullen, um, why don't you come in. It's freezing out." Sure enough, a shiver shot down Bella's spine as the wind burst past the bodies blocking the door and entered the house.
They enter and the three women stand awkwardly in the foyer, Bella still confused over the turn of events. "We're so sorry to intrude, Bella, but Rosalie told me that you walked home in this storm and I just couldn't not check on you, make sure you got home safely." Esme explains. Bella looks at Rosalie again, quirking her eyebrows up in question. Why was Rosalie talking about her with her mother? Rosalie merely shrugged, her face impassive and not giving anything away.
Bella turns back to Esme. "Right, well I appreciate the house call, but really I'm fine, like I told Rosalie, I've walked in worse." Bella laughs, trying to expel the awkwardness clinging to the air around them.
It doesn't work as Esme frowns, gives Rosalie a stern look, then smiles back at Bella as though she'd never looked at Rosalie in the first place. "Be that as it may, Bella dear, I've brought you some homemade chicken soup. I don't want you getting sick." Esme smiles and offers up the tupperware to Bella.
Bella hesitates. "That's really unnecessary, honestly, I was just about to eat dinner anyways." Bella offers, halfheartedly gesturing to her right toward the kitchen.
Rosalie scoffs and Bella snaps her eyes to the blonde. "Right, that's why you're about halfway through a box of cereal?" Bella's eyes narrow at Rosalie's sarcastic tone, her annoyance lighting a spark of defiance down deep in her belly.
"Oh, now you got something to say?" Bella mumbled under her breath, unaware that the other two heard her perfectly clear. She glared at Rosalie quickly, before turning to an awaiting Esme. "Thank you, Mrs. Cullen. I'm sure it's amazing." She quickly took the tupperware from Esme.
Esme beamed at her, and Bella felt her annoyance give way to something calmer, something she wasn't used to feeling while in the presence of a parent. She felt as though just by taking the offered food, she'd done something completely right in Esme's eyes. It was weird, so Bella dismissed the thought, and the feeling.
"There's plenty for your father as well...is he home? I'd love to introduce myself. It seems only right, seeing as you're Rosalie's first friend here in Forks." Esme made a show of peering behind Bella, as though she were looking for Charlie, but Bella was more focused on the horrified and furious look Rosalie was now sporting as she looked down at her mother in disgust.
A small laugh starts to bubble up in Bella's throat but she's quick to swallow it down as Rosalie turns to look at her instead of Esme. Though Bella can't seem to hold back the smirk that stretches across her lips, and the harder Rosalie glares at her, the more Bella smirks. "Charlie isn't here at the moment, he's down at La Push, fishing or something." Or something, Bella rolls her eyes internally.
Esme doesn't seem too bothered though, as she continues on with the conversation, thankfully ignoring the looks being thrown between Rosalie and Bella. "Next time then. Well we should get going, Rosalie do be a dear and leave Bella the house phone number, in case she needs anything before her father returns. It was nice to meet you, Bella dear. Rosalie, I'll be waiting in the car." With that said, Esme leaves the house, leaving Bella to stare after her as she holds the door open; leaving Rosalie to stare at Bella.
Bella doesn't speak until Esme is safely inside the expensive looking car taking residence in Bella's driveway. When she does, she turns to Rosalie with a sly smile. "Hmm...my friend has such a nice mom...it makes sense that you're adopted."
Rosalie gasps at the implication, seemingly shocked by Bella's words. "Just what are you getting at, Bella?"
Bella shrug nonchalantly. "Obviously the niceness gene wasn't passed down to you." Bella snickers at Rosalie even as the girl crosses her arms, stealing Bella with the infamous glare that Rosalie is known for wearing around the school. Instead of a nasty comeback, which Bella was totally expecting, Rosalie shoves a hand inside her purse while her other hand seizes Bella's arm and pulls it closer. A pen is pulled from somewhere within the purse and before Bella can protest, Rosalie is inking something on her arm. Bella looks at Rosalie after seeing the number slowly appear on her arm. She watches as gold eyes retrace the writing before she slowly brings Bella's arm up higher, blowing on it softly to dry the ink.
Bella's heart stutters in her chest, eyes growing wide as a new shiver makes its way down Bella's spine. Bella's throat dries up and she licks her lips, failing to think of a snarky comment to break the tension. Instead it hangs around them as gold eyes drift up to lock onto stunned browns. Rosalie smirks. Cocky, Bella thinks. Then her arm is released and Bella traces her retreating figure until Rosalie is just about to enter the car, and that's when Bella looks down at the scrawl written across her forearm.
'You're an idiot.' Is written clearly below a set of numbers that Bella presumes to be the Cullen's house phone. Bella laughs uncontrollably as she looks up, finding that Rosalie is already looking at her, seemingly not caring that she was getting drenched in the rain.
"Maybe I am!" Bella shouts out above the thunder and rain. She can see the slight shake of Rosalie's head, before the blonde disappears from view. Bella watches them leave, a new round of laughter bubbling up every time she looks down at her arm. Maybe she was an idiot, for laughing so freely at Rosalie's discomfort, for not being afraid of the death glares thrown her away. Maybe she was an idiot for accepting such a strange, but not unwelcome, act of kindness from the Cullen family. Maybe she was an idiot for all of it, but as her eyes caught the elegant script once more, Bella grinned just like the idiot Rosalie claimed her to be, and she just couldn't bring herself to care.
The soup had been delicious and Bella all too eagerly finished it up the next morning before setting off to school. The weather had cleared up just enough, though a dark overcast was still present and the wind blew cold through the trees, scattering even more leaves onto the damp ground as she walked. The hot water had been on when she woke up, so she was able to get in a warm shower before school, though the scribble on her arm only half disappeared as she washed. Bella found that she didn't mind it so much as she peered down to her exposed forearm where 'idiot' could still be seen. It made Bella smile like one every time she saw it, which is why she kept her sleeve rolled up even as she entered campus.
The parking lot was mostly filled, Bella never liked arriving too early, and she waved to her friends as they called her over to their usual meeting place at Tyler's van, but she stopped as she found the Cullen's waiting by their cars as well. She met Rosalie's raised eyebrow with a shake of her head and instead of going to her friends, her feet carried her over to the stunning blonde instead. Bella wasn't too upset at the change in course, not upset at all really.
"Hey." Bella greets awkwardly, before shifting her backpack around and pulling out the tupperware. "I figured your mom might want this back." Bella grinned as she held out the tupperware to Rosalie. Rosalie took it and quickly tossed it into the back of the large green jeep Emmett liked to race through the parking lot when he drove to school.
Rosalie looked her up and down, and Bella shifted her weight, unsure about the scrutiny. "Well...she didn't kill you."
Bella frowned, "Is your mom usually a bad cook or something?"
Emmett snickered loudly behind Rosalie, not even quitting when Edythe delivered a swift elbow to his side. Rosalie rolled her eyes, but was interrupted as she opened her mouth to reply. "We wouldn't know," Alice said, bobbing up to stand next to Rosalie. Bella frowned even more, "She doesn't cook often, we're all on different schedules, you know how it goes, not every family sits down to dinner together." Alice laughed, but her comment triggered a gloominess to settle over Bella's mind, and attitude.
"Right." Bella scoffed, looking away as Rosalie and Alice frowned at her. "Well tell her thanks for me? It was great." She shuffled to the right, but then changed her mind and started to walk toward the school entrance. "See you later, Rosalie." She threw it over her shoulder, not bothering to wait around for a response. Suddenly, she wasn't in the mood for idle chit chat or playful back and forth with Rosalie. She just wanted to be left alone. Bella didn't even stop to notice how confused her friends were, or the looks they were throwing in the Cullen's direction. She just didn't care anymore.
Her mood hadn't seen any signs of improvement by the time lunch rolled around, so instead of bothering herself with the overcrowded cafeteria, Bella found herself hiding out in the girl's bathroom down the hall from Mr. Banner's class. She sat atop the counter, her feet swinging out in front of her as she tried, in vain, to relax before seeing Rosalie again, and that's how Edythe found her. Bella sighed deeply as the copper bob came into view, already knowing who it was.
Bella didn't acknowledge her presence though, instead she chose to stare at the corner of the ceiling, waiting patiently for the girl to do what she came here for and leave. Luck, it seemed, wasn't on her side today.
"The girl's bathroom really is a cliché hiding place, don't you think?" Edythe sounded beyond amused at finding Bella there, even going so far as to smirk at Bella through the mirror as she ran a hand through her hair. Bella didn't answer, believing it to be rhetorical, but the silence stretched on and Bella looked up to see Edythe watching her, waiting for her answer.
Bella shrugged, taking a glance around the room as she spoke. "Completely, though just because it's cliché doesn't mean that it doesn't work or that it doesn't have it's merits." Bella looked back at Edythe as watched as the girl seemed to chew over her words.
Finally, Edythe grinned at her. "Just because something is cliché doesn't mean it's not worthy?" Edythe stares at her curiously, and Bella starts to feel as though her answers are being silently judged. "I guess I can see that, good answer, Bella." Edythe gives her a crooked grin, golden eyes lightly up in the shitty bathroom lighting. "Oh, by the way." She pauses halfway in the doorway to look back at Bella. "Rosalie was looking for you."
Bella frowns, her back straightening just slightly at the mention of her lap partner. "What for?" Edythe answers her with a shrug, but the knowing glint in her eyes and the amused smile on her face gives Bella a completely different answer than a shrug of 'I don't know'. "Hey, wait, Edythe!" Bella calls after the girl's disappearing form as she jumps from the counter, rushing after Edythe to find exactly what Edythe had been hinting at. Her path was intercepted however, as she rushed through the bathroom's door only to be stopped dead in her tracks by a hard body.
"Shit." Bella frowns as she regains her balance, luckily only stumbling a bit and not falling to the ground. She looked up expecting to have run into Edythe, but was surprised by a different Cullen, though as she looked around she could see Edythe at the end of the hall already, laughing at Bella's expense. Bella glared at the girl but only received a wave in return as Edythe disappeared around the corner. "Your sister is an annoying know-it-all." Bella turned her glare on Rosalie, though it softened almost immediately when a quiet, but beautiful laugh escaped Rosalie's lips. Bella found herself unconsciously smiling in return.
"You have no idea." Rosalie whispered conspiringly. Bella laughed then too, as she imagined the two sisters going ahead over arguments and withheld information. Bella sighed wistfully, her thoughts turning toward what it was like to have a family like that. "I was actually just looking for you, Bella." Rosalie admitted.
Bella raised an eyebrow in the direction Edythe had disappeared in. "I know, though I can't say what for." She laughed lightly, turning her body slightly and taking a few steps toward Mr. Banner's class, of course she waited for Rosalie to follow her before continuing. Rosalie rolled her eyes. She probably knows Edythe said as much, Bella thinks.
"I was wondering if you had any trouble with the assignments last night, well that, and Esme wanted me to ask if you might want to come over for dinner sometime." Rosalie huffed out the last part, unknowingly making Bella wince.
"No trouble." Bella said easily, then paused, choosing her next words carefully. "Can you tell your mom thanks, but no thanks? I appreciate the offer and everything...but she doesn't have to go out of her way like that." Rosalie frowned, so Bella continued as she tried to get out of the offer without hurting anyone's feelings. "I mean you guys don't exactly eat together, right?"
"Right." Rosalie looked away, letting the awkward silence creep in and hang around them. Bella chews on her bottom lip, unsure if she's hurt Rosalie's feelings or possibly offended her, but before she can think of something else to say the bell sounds above them. Bella looks at the bell in both relief and annoyance, when she turns back to Rosalie, she finds herself standing in the hall alone.
Great, Bella, just great, Bella chastises herself as she goes to take her seat next to Rosalie. The blonde doesn't even look in her direction and Bella sighs again. It's going to be a very long class.
Chapter 3: People Talk
Summary:
AN: Thanks so much to everyone reading this and a special thanks to those who reviewed and left a comment, they really make my day and encourage my writing process. You guys are awesome! This is the one where things start to get interesting. You'll get more of an insight to Charlie, and Bella's relationship with her parents. Oh and I guess in the last chapter I wrote *lap partner instead of lab partner chalk it up to a Freudian slip lol this story is unbeta'd btw.
Chapter Text
Bella winces as her shoes squelch through the slushy ice that covered the ground as she made her way across the parking lot toward her friends. She doesn't glance over to where the Cullens usually park, even if she wants to. She's stubborn, so is Rosalie, and the two have been giving each other the cold shoulder since Tuesday, it was now Friday and neither showed signs of cracking. Bella knew it was a bit ridiculous, of course it was, but Rosalie had started it and Bella promised herself that she wouldn't be the first to speak up. In her mind, that would mean that Rosalie had won, won what, she didn't know.
Really there was no reason for their little fight, if you could even call it a fight, all Bella had done was reject a dinner invitation. Was that really the cause for the cold shoulder? Bella didn't think so. Honestly, the more the week dragged on, the more Bella thought that maybe Rosalie and her weren't friends, they'd hardly spent any time together, or talked, so to her it made sense. Maybe, Bella thought, maybe this was just how Rosalie was with strangers. Maybe the whole house visit was really just because Mrs. Cullen was concerned about Rosalie's classmate. Maybe now that Bella had declined to hangout further, Rosalie felt like she'd been let off the hook. Maybe Rosalie really had just been being nice to protect her grade in the class and Rosalie's mother was just seeing a friendship where none was.
All of it was very confusing for Bella, and the more she chewed it over the more her anger had dissipated into a moppy acceptance that this was just how things are. Bella had genuinely liked being around Rosalie, there were times when they worked on an assignment, or talked about class, and the world would literally melt away until the only thing that existed was the two of them and whatever they worked on. It reminded Bella of reading her favorite book, nothing existed, the pressure she put on herself to do well in school so she could escape this shitty town, her poor excuse of a father, the abandonment from her mother, all of it just stopped and Bella felt like she could breathe again. Rosalie made her feel light, and it was something Bella had started to come to expect, to enjoy. Really she only had herself to blame.
"Bella!"
Her head snapped up, eyes automatically connecting with the horrified gaze of Rosalie. Bella frowned, confused, and then she felt the impact.
Carlisle frowned down at his patients' records as they appeared upon the screen. His frown deepened when he came to the emergency contact portion, it was blank, completely blank.
"What's wrong!? I thought you said it was just a minor break and a concussion!" Rosalie hissed the words too low for any human to hear, though the words reverberated inside Carlisle's head as he looked at his daughter calmly.
"She is fine, Rosalie, which you would know if you only went to check on your-" He stopped at the icy glare he received, but then continued. "-your friend ." He took the tablet, still frowning at it as he made his way down the hall and toward Bella's room.
"Well then what were you looking at?" Rosalie asked, suspicion heavy in her tone. Carlisle sighed as her eyes lost the last bit of golden hue and settled into pitch blackness. He'd tell her to go hunt, but he figures she'd just ignore him.
"You are correct, Carlisle." Edythe's amused tone reached them before they turned the corner, finding her leaned against the wall opposite Bella's door. Carlisle hummed, more preoccupied with Bella's records than he was in listening to Rosalie hiss at Edythe, honestly the two fought more than a married couple.
"What do you mean she has no emergency contact?" Edythe frowned as she listened to Carlise's thoughts. "She only turned eighteen in September...maybe it's not there because everyone knows how to get ahold of her father, he is the police chief." Edythe reasoned out loud.
Rosalie growled, ready to throw an insult at her sister, when Alice skipped into the hall holding a hot plate of food. "What is everyone coming here?" Rosalie glared, knowing the food had to have been from Esme.
Alice shook her head at Rosalie in a disappointed kind of way. "No, they didn't want to overwhelm Bella, plus Jasper was having a little trouble with all the emotions flying around right now." Alice gave Rosalie a pointed look, but Rosalie just looked away with a scoff. "Back to the conversation at hand though, I think you'll get your answers if you just ask her Carlisle...or Rosalie can always go and ask Bella herself." Another glare was sent at Alice. "Right, that's what I thought...I'd do it in private and don't make any guesses, just flat out ask. I've seen Bella reacting badly otherwise."
Carlisle nodded and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you, as always, Alice." He smiled gently and then went to walk into the room, though he stopped as footsteps echoed behind him. "You're not coming with me, Rosalie." A low, dangerous growl sounded from deep within Rosalie's throat, and Carlisle sighed. "No, Rosalie." Rosalie bared her teeth, not moving an inch. Carlisle frowned at her, "That's exactly why you can't come in, you need to get a hold of yourself."
"She's...hurt…" Rosalie managed to rasp out.
Edythe laughed from her spot still leaning casually against the wall. Rosalie snapped her head in Edythe's direction, and Edythe just smiled crookedly while tapping her head, indicating that she had heard perfectly well, and exactly, what Rosalie had just been thinking. "Just a friend huh?"
Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "All right, that's it, Edythe, stop riling up your sister. You know Rosalie is having a rough time right now."
"That's her own fault." Alice piped up, trying to be helpful. Carlisle frowned at the three of them, if he wasn't undead then he'd surely have a headache right now.
"Enough." He spoke calmly, but sternly, in a way only a father, or coven leader, could. The girls straightened up before him, though Edythe was still grinning and Rosalie was still growling way too low for the humans to hear. Alice...Alice just stood by his side, unperturbed, and waiting expectantly for her turn to enter the room to deliver the food Esme had tasked her with delivering. "Rosalie, you need to go hunt. Edythe, go with her, and Alice-" He looked down to where Alice had been standing and then groaned as he heard Alice excitedly telling Bella all about the food Esme had made, of course Alice's patience had run out. "You two, go hunt."
"I'm not leaving." Edythe said, confusing and shocking both Carlisle and Rosalie. "Alice is almost done." Sure enough they could hear Alice ending the conversation inside the room. "Emmett is waiting in the parking lot, they can take Rosalie, but I'm staying." Carlisle frowned, but waited as Rosalie and Edythe seemed to have a serious conversation through looks and thoughts. Finally, Rosalie's shoulders slumped and she took a few steps so that she could envelope Edythe in a rare hug. Carlisle eyebrows shot up to his hairline at the scene. "I owe you." Edythe whispers as the two finally part.
Understanding and pride blooms in Carlisle's chest as he finally connects the dots. He smiled softly as Alice wordlessly exited the room, looped her arm through Rosalie's and tugged his upset daughter toward the exit. Carlisle waited until they were out of earshot, then he turned back to his eldest, laid his hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead. "You're a good sister, Edythe."
Edythe smiled at him and squeezed his hand on her shoulder. "I owe her everything, you know that, Carlisle...I can't even imagine what my life would look like had she not saved Emmett…" Edythe frowned at the thought. Carlisle frowned, thinking, if only Rosalie was as sure with her mate as she had been in saving the boy in the forest who turned out to be her sister's mate. Edythe nodded along, agreeing with his thoughts. Carlisle smiled, squeezed her shoulder once more and watched as Edythe retook her post, eyes ever watchful on Bella's door. Then, Carlisle entered the hospital room, not for the first time thinking just how blessed he was to have such a loving family.
Carlisle smiled gently as Bella's head jerked to the side at his entrance, the girl immediately winced as the suddenness of the action no doubt caused some discomfort. "I see Esme's been busy." Carlisle grinned as he stood by Bella's bedside, looking at the meal his wife had sent over. Bella blushed, the fingers of her uncasted arm picking at the sheet covering her body. She opened her mouth and then promptly shut it again, her eyes traced over the food on the table before her. Carlisle frowned as her eyes became glassy and he would have chalked it up to the morphine, but then he could smell the salt. It seemed Bella was trying not to cry.
Bella clears her throat, takes a heavy breath and when she looks back up at Carlisle there's no sign that she had been so close to tears. "She'll make me fat." Her voice broke near the end, making Carlisle think that maybe this simple act from Esme meant a whole lot more to Bella than the girl was willing to show. Carlisle frowned again, thinking of the emergency forms once more.
"Do you mind if we talk for a moment, Bella?" He asks, waiting until she nods before continuing. "I went looking for your emergency contact, to arrange for your father to pick you up and to discuss aftercare with him concerning your arm and concussion, but it was blank. I was wondering why that was?" He explained, but was direct as Alice had advised him to be. He studied Bella's face as a flurry of emotions passed through her eyes and Carlisle wished Jasper had stuck around or that Edythe had access to her thoughts so that he had some clue as to how to help her.
Bella let loose a shaky sigh, her shoulders slumping forward as she seemed to curl in on herself. "Charlie, he um he took me in after Renee took off with some baseball player when I was sixteen, but uh-" Bella stopped, took another breath and looked Carlisle dead in the eyes. "They never wanted kids, never wanted to get married."
They never wanted you, Carlisle could hear the hidden message in Bella's tone.
"They never hit me." Bella stresses abruptly, and if Carlisle hadn't had centuries of playing human under his belt, he was sure the growl stuck in his chest would have reverberated around the room and given away his family's biggest secret. "I was under no delusions about our relationship when I moved in. I'm welcome to stay until I graduate from high school, and then his parental obligations are done. At least he's doing that much...I mean Renee couldn't even bother to tell me about her leaving until she dropped me off at the airport with a bag of my things." Bella let out a wet laugh, and Carlisle's unbeaten heart seemed to squeeze painfully in his chest. "Anyways, I'm eighteen now, so really I don't need him to be around for any medical purposes. You can just go over what you need to with me."
Bella waited, trying not to hold her breath as she watched Dr. Cullen processed everything she had said. She knew that legally there'd be no ramifications against Charlie because there was nothing illegal being done, so she felt safe enough to admit that much. What she hadn't admitted to was just how horrible of a mother Renee had been, that she'd pretty much always been on her own when it came to things like this. She had practically raised herself before Charlie, though at least Renee always paid the bills on time and made sure there was food in the house, not that she really cared, but doing so made it that much easier for Bella to not need anything from her. Charlie was too drunk most of the time to remember things like that, not that he was ever at the house much in the first place, he mostly used that house like a crash pad on the nights when he did make it home.
She had been telling the truth about there being no physical abuse, but mentally she knew she was a wreck after growing up knowing just how unwanted she was. She could remember month-long stretches where her parents hadn't said more than two words to her. Bella had learned to live with it, and she had learned to take care of her own needs. She had some sort of job ever since she was thirteen, and the only reason she hadn't been working lately was because of the small inheritance her late grandfather had left her for when she turned eighteen, something neither Charlie nor Renee had known about, and Charlie was so out of it these days that he had failed to notice, for all he knew Bella still worked and bought most of her meals.
Bella often thought about the day the lawyer approached her during her shift at Newton's outdoor supply store. She had been shocked, of course, Renee had only mentioned him once before. Bella had overheard Renee telling a friend that Charlie's father had been the reason they had stayed pregnant and gotten married in the first place, and that Grandpa Swan had been the one to care for Bella up until his passing when Bella was three. After he died, Renee had promptly filed for divorce and fled the state. Bella didn't know how she had ended up going with Renee but she had always suspected that it was because Charlie flat out refused to keep her, and that the child support Charlie paid had more to do with it than any kind of want to have Bella there. Bella had often wondered what it would have been like if Geoffrey Swan had lived long enough to raise her completely.
"I understand."
Carlisle's voice broke her from her thoughts, almost having forgotten he had been there with her. Bella took a deep breath, so beyond grateful that Dr. Cullen wasn't pushing or wanting to make a big deal of things. He sighed, and Bella found herself shocked when he took a seat on her bed, resting a cold hand upon her uncasted one. "Your arm only had a small break, barely more than a fracture so the cast will likely be removed in three months' time, so long as it's healing correctly. The concussion is mild, though you should still avoid too much light or noise, and limit your screen time for the next twenty-four hours. Normally I'd release you to the care of a relative and advise them to monitor you for signs that it's worsening. I can release you, however it's my opinion that you should stay here for the night so that I can monitor you." Carlisle finished, squeezing Bella's hand and then awaited her response.
Bella contemplated her options, but her head was killing her and she really didn't feel like making the trek across town to home. "I'll stay." Bella consented quietly and blushed when Dr. Cullen smiled at her with something like pride in his eyes.
He squeezed her hand again, "Good, good. Now," He paused, releasing her hand and standing from the bed. "Any other questions?"
Bella thought for a moment, before realizing one very important thing. "Rosalie...is she around?" Bella didn't like the way he smiled at her, it was almost like the way Edythe smiled at her, like they knew something she didn't.
"She was here earlier, I'm sure she'll be back in a few hours when you can have visitors and you've settled into your room upstairs." Bella nodded, mumbling a low thanks, and Dr. Cullen made to leave the room. He paused, looking back at her and grinning something mischievous. "She was quite distraught, you know? I heard a little rumor that the boy who had run into you and knocked you down had an unfortunate reaction to some choice words Rosalie had said to him...something about needing a new pair of pants I believe."
Bella grinned down at her hands, that lightness she got when around Rosalie blooming something fierce in her chest at the thought of Rosalie defending her, even if it had all been just an accident. "A rumor huh?" She looked back up at him, her eyebrows raising in disbelief.
Dr. Cullen chuckled and shrugged. "People talk."
Bella laughed quietly at his retreating form, laying back into her bed and closing her eyes, the smile staying firmly upon her lips. She could only imagine the rumors she'd come back to on Monday at school. There was no way that word of Bella's accident wouldn't get around or that a certain Cullen, or rather Hale, came to her rescue and verbally assaulted the boy until he pissed himself. Bella chuckled again, burying her face into her pillow, trying in vain to hide what she was feeling from the rest of the world.
Chapter 4: Dancing Around The Truth
Summary:
AN: Thanks so much for your comments! They're a blessing, truly. I know it's been awhile and I hope there are still readers out there enjoying this story. More is on its way, it just takes me a while to put it all together lol. Anyways, this chapter is full of ooey-gooey mush and fluff. Don't worry, Bella won't be completely clueless for long but that doesn't mean she's just gonna give into Rosalie's charms right away lol.
Anyways long AN for a short chapter. Next one will be up soon!
Chapter Text
Bella had been moved, quite quickly, up to a regular room on the second floor and just as fast she fell asleep, exhausted by the day's events. When she did wake up, the room had grown darker and she could see that all the blinds had been closed, most of the lights were off save for the bathroom, but the door was partially closed so the light barely illuminated the room. Bella uncurled from laying on her side, her hand shooting out to grab her phone on the bedside table to check the time, but stopped and glared at the cast on her left arm. With a sigh she shimmies herself further up the bed until she's sitting upright and grabs the phone with her right hand. 4:18pm glares back at her.
Bella drops the phone into her lap, her hand coming up to rub at tired eyes. She'd slept for most of the day and yet, she could still feel the tiredness lingering at the edges, trying to seep back in and carry her off back to dreamland. The clearing of a throat softly breaks the silence, and Bella stills, her eyes shifting to the chair to the right of her bed and she finds it occupied by her lab partner. Huh, guess Dr. Cullen was right, Bella thinks to herself as her lips lift in a little smile as their eyes finally connect.
The smile drops when Rosalie doesn't return the gesture, Bella breaks off the eye contact for a few moments as she takes in the girl's appearance. Ever the supermodel, at first Bella can't see anything different, until her eyes drift back to Rosalie's face. Rosalie's eyes, dark from the lighting in the room, are tired, exhausted. The look in Rosalie's eyes seems to represent perfectly how Bella feels inside. Bella watches her in the calm silence that fills the room, and ever so slowly some sort of tension seems to be released from Rosalie's body. Rosalie bends down and retrieves a medium sized bag from where it sat next to her chair.
Wordlessly, Rosalie pulls the food tray so that it hovers above Bella's crossed legs and begins to unpack the bag. Bella waits with a patience that, in the past, usually seemed to escape her. The first thing she pulls out is a medium sized bowl, then a larger plate and finally two plastic bottles, one filled with water and the other looked to be apple juice. Rosalie still doesn't speak, instead she unfurls the plastic wrap, revealing a dressed green salad in the bowl and a steak and garlic bread on the plate. Bella's mouth salivates as the smell hits her nose.
When Rosalie pulls a rolled napkin from the bag and then goes to put the bag back on the floor, Bella reaches out to the slice of bread only to have her hand gently moved away. Bella frowns at Rosalie, mouth opening up to protest but Rosalie simply, gently, shakes her head and Bella waits again. Rosalie unrolls the napkin, the fork and knife clinking together gently, and what she does next confuses the hell out of Bella. She frowns, trying to stop the rush of emotions inside her from spilling out into the space between her and Rosalie. It was such a simple thing, Rosalie cutting up the steak into bite sized pieces, but so unexpected.
Of course Bella would have had trouble doing so herself, but she was almost positive that she could have managed on her own...but Rosalie was saving her the trouble. It's like she cares that it would have been difficult for Bella, like she didn't want Bella to have been inconvenienced. Bella's breath stuttered in her chest. She cares, Bella realizes as she releases the breath stuck between her lungs and throat. Rosalie doesn't look at her or say anything until the whole steak is neatly cut. When she's finally done, she sets the knife on the table, and Bella's patience runs thin.
"I hope you don't plan on feeding me." Bella chuckles under her breath. "I do have one good hand." She says, holding said hand up and wiggles her fingers in Rosalie's direction.
Rosalie gives a soft smirk, but Bella can see how the mirth doesn't quite erase the darkness in her eyes. "You should consider yourself lucky, most mere mortals would trip over themselves to receive such a blessing." Bella's eyebrows shoot up, her mouth gapes comically until she hears a little laugh tumble from Rosalie's lips.
Bella's lips stretch wide and she laughs as she remembers just how she'd teased Rosalie about this before things got weird, and a warm, content sort of feeling settles in her fingers and toes, slowly growing to encase the rest of her, as she thought about Rosalie too remembering their conversation. For some unknown reason, it made Bella happy to think that Rosalie remembered.
"Oh my Lady Rosalie, how I worship thee." Bella draws sarcastically, teasingly.
Dark golden eyes seem to light up within the dim room, and when Rosalie lifts her chin in a cocky manner, Bella waits for whatever ridiculous thing Rosalie is about to throw her way. Rosalie doesn't disappoint. "I knew it was only a matter of time before you fell in love with me."
Bella guffaws loudly, her head bobbing down toward her chest as she tries, and fails, to reign it in. "Oh my god, Rosalie Hale!" Bella laughs even more as Rosalie grins down at her. "You're just so…" Bella drags it out, unsure how to express just how 'so' Rosalie is.
"I know...I am just so..." Rosalie concludes, her grin morphing into something so soft as her gaze seems to soak up the image of Bella laughing. "...but not as much as you."
She releases the fork to Bella's waiting hand, making Bella's heart skip a beat as their fingers brushed, and Rosalie's smile ticks just a bit wider as Bella blushes. Bella takes her time enjoying her meal, content to do so in the comforting silence that settled around the two girls. Rosalie sat in her chair, a magazine in her lap and Bella ate, both content with the small glances shared between them, and if the warm, gentle smiles never left their faces as they shared each other's company, well neither girl seemed to mind.
It was fifteen minutes till the end of visiting hours and the scene currently on display in room 221 was enough for Dr. Cullen to rethink entering the room. A chorus of laughter spilled out from the room and into the hall where Carlisle stood, the joyous sound warming his cold heart as he listened to his daughter being open and full of life like he'd never heard or seen before, and all it took was the attention of the human inside the room. A smile breaks across his face as he listens in to the conversation once the laughter dies down. Sure he feels a little like an intrusive parent sneakily going through his daughter's diary, but the warmth radiating from the two unaware girls was something he couldn't bear interrupting, not just yet.
'Oh my god, Rosalie!' Bella gasped out, laughter still clearly in her voice, but more contained than it had been. 'Poor Jason, it's not like he meant to run me down.'
'That's besides the point, Bella. He and his buffoons deserved everything they got.' Rosalie was deathly serious, but that only caused Bella to chuckle slowly at her.
'It wasn't enough to just pop their football with your ridiculously expensive heels, but you really felt the need to verbally assault them until Jason pissed himself?' Bella challenged, and for a moment the room was silent save for the heart monitor.
'The big oaf got off lucky…he's almost as big as Emmett! He could have seriously hurt you.' Rosalie continued to protest.
Bella laughed, Rosalie scoffed, and Carlisle could imagine the standoff happening within the room's walls. 'It's not like he ran me over with a car, he just ran into me…honestly, if it wasn't for my supreme clumsiness I probably wouldn't have even been hurt.' Bella tries to reason.
Rosalie huffs, 'Still not the point. You were hurt because of his carelessness therefore he deserved his consequences, end of story.' There's a pause, then, 'Now everyone will know what happens to them when they mess with my…friend.'
'How honored am I to be deemed worthy enough to hold the attention of the Goddess incarnate, Rosalie Hale.' Though the comment could be taken as sarcastic, and funny, Bella's tone was soft, and she sounded just a little bit in awe.
Carlisle hears the hum and for a second it seems Rosalie is willing to let the comment drop, but then she responds in her usually cocky way, though the bite usually present is absent as she talks to Bella. 'Careful Bella, it almost sounds like you've finally fallen for my charms.'
Bella lets loose a howl of laughter and Carlisle takes the lull in conversation as his que to enter the room. He smiles brightly as he finds Rosalie comfortably perched on the bed by Bella's knees, the rolling food tray between them loaded with school books and papers. "How's the homework going, girls?" He smirks as Bella blushes, obviously embarrassed at being caught not doing her work. Rosalie just rolls her eyes, flicks a strand of blonde hair over her shoulder while she starts loading the books back into her book bag.
Carlisle bites back a laugh as Bella frowns at Rosalie's movements, before giving a soft sigh and peers back up at Carlisle. "Visiting hours over?" Bella guesses, giving a little smile while her fingers start their nervous pattern of picking at the bed sheets.
"Indeed it is, sorry to be the bearer of bad news." He winks down at her, and Bella bites back a grin as she looks at Rosalie.
"Guess I'll see you Monday then?" Bella asks nervously.
Rosalie scoffs and Bella's head bobs up at the sudden harsh sound. "Please, I'll be here tomorrow…we still have work to do." Rosalie grins conspiring at the end, like they will be doing many things, but working was probably not one of them.
Bella's answering smile is blinding, making Carlisle laugh at the momentarily stunned Rosalie, and though it was too low for Bella to hear, it snaps Rosalie from her stupor and she growls at Carlisle, making his smile widen in glee.
Bella, of course, is oblivious to the interaction and continues on as though nothing has happened. "Such a good friend ."
Rosalie stands from the bed and the mood takes on a bittersweet note of saying goodbye when it's the last thing they wanted to do. "I will be here tomorrow, and you better be in no worse condition than you are now, is that understood?" She levels Bella with a pointed stare, one that left other mortals, and a few nonmortals, in a state of surrender, but Bella only grinned.
"What? Am I gonna fall out of bed in the middle of the night, hit my head and slip into a coma?" Bella sasses back. Rosalie freezes and Carlisle can smell the fear slowly growing within her at the thought of Bella somehow hurting herself while Rosalie wasn't here to protect her.
"She'll be just fine, Rosalie. Alice has seen it." Carlisle says softly, trying to soothe his daughter's worry. Rosalie tilts her head in his direction signaling that she's heard his words and Carlisle can sense the fear fading.
"In no worse condition, is that clear, Bella?" Rosalie questions firmly as she stares down the girl in the hospital bed.
Bella watches Rosalie for a moment, her eyes growing soft as she drinks in the sight of a slightly worried Rosalie. "I promise, Rose." The nickname falls easily from Bella's lips and lands hard within Rosalie's dead chest.
"Good." Rosalie delivers a blinding, full smile onto Bella, both vampires intently aware of the rapid beating of Bella's heart at the action. Carlisle would laugh at the dazed and dazzled girl if it weren't for him being in much of the same state. He'd never seen Rosalie smile like that, so full and wide with unabashed joy…he was as stunned as any vampire could be. "See you tomorrow, Bella." Rosalie smiles as she struts from the room, still holding Carlisle and Bella enraptured by her presence.
Carlisle recovers first as he turns his attention to Bella. The girl still stares at the door where Rosalie had disappeared from, an adoring smile on her lips and she whispered, "See you."
Carlisle chuckled as Rosalie let loose another laugh as she continued down to the elevators, obviously having heard Bella perfectly clear from down the hall with her vampiric hearing. He looks back to Bella, and when Bella finally breaks her daze to look up at him, he raises an amused eyebrow.
Bella shrugs, unperturbed at the doctor's amusement. "That's one hell of a daughter you got there, Dr. Cullen." She mumbles in offering.
Carlisle chuckles as he checks her blood pressure, finding mirth in the way Bella's heart seems to fluctuate under her thoughts. "That she is, Bella, that she is, and please, it's Carlisle. You are Rosalie's friend after all."
Bella smiles to herself, peering once again at the doorway as if she could still see Rosalie there. "Rosalie's friend ." She utters quietly, too quietly for human ears, but Carlisle hears her loud and clear. He bids her a goodnight and leaves with a quiet click of the door behind him. He makes his other rounds to check on patients before settling in his office, content to stay the night and take watch over Bella. He hums happily, taking out his phone to inform his wife, his mate, that he wouldn't be home. It chimes in his hand with a text from Alice saying that they know and wishes him a good night, a second chime sounds, this time a message from Rosalie with a simple 'thank you.'
Carlisle grins, presses the call button and awaits for the other person to pick up. When Esme answers Carlisle goes about explaining everything he'd witnessed as Esme ooh'd and awe'd over their daughter's unwitting undoing. "She's everything we could have hoped for, Esme, everything that our Rosalie needs."
They continue long into the night, only pausing when Carlisle has to do rounds and checks on Bella, both parents overjoyed at the fact that finally, finally their family might be complete, whole.
Chapter 5: Bloom
Summary:
Finally an update, I know, sorry =)
Chapter Text
Ruthless, stubbornly loyal, gorgeous; all these words had been used to describe Rosalie Hale throughout her lifetime. Of course, Rosalie has many defining qualities but she liked to think that at her core, these three truths held firm and were at the root of all her actions. She was simply gorgeous, denying it would be like a fish denying its need for water to survive. Being beautiful had shaped her existence more than anything else, it warped her worldview as a human and ultimately had been her death warrant as a double edged sword.
Her ruthlessness was something that came with her new life, something born of hate and revenge, but it served her well even now. Simply put, Rosalie doesn't take anyone's shit. She says what she means and means what she says. Her morals are absolute, she viewed herself as an absolute. Feelings weren't something considered when she spoke, or acted. If it needed to be done, Rosalie did it. It was why even though Emmett was the strongest in the family, Rosalie was the protector.
Her family had shown her true loyalty, true understanding. They had fought hard to become a cohesive unit, to find happiness, and Rosalie would destroy anything to protect that. What she would not do was give up their safety for her own selfish happiness because being vain and selfish was only ever something Rosalie projected, not something that truly resonated within her heart no matter how dead it was.
Thinking on it, she supposed these were the reasons it had taken her so long to dare reach out and touch the blinding grace that is Bella Swan. Bella's illuminating light had been clear in Rosalie's mind from the very first moment she'd seen Bella and it was a temptation Rosalie had all too willingly pushed aside in favor of fear; but that was over now and how could it not be when Bella looked at Rosalie with those intoxicating brown eyes?
Rosalie is stubborn, luckily it only made her decision all the more resolute. So when Saturday morning came she announced her entrance to the living room with a soft clearing of her throat, her mind expertly silent and her decision only just fully realized. Alice's gasp was merely matched by a perfectly raised blonde eyebrow, daring her sister to ruin the moment because this is a defining moment, at least it is for Rosalie. The mark of something changed in an immovable object by an unstoppable force.
"I am assuming all responsibility for the risk that comes with having Bella in my life but I will not ask the same of you all."
"Well that's not very romantic at all!" Alice immediately complained, making the room chuckle.
The thing was though, that it was the best Rosalie could do, admitting the importance of Bella before even openly courting her didn't sit well with Rosalie. Besides that was a conversation she wanted to ruminate on, perhaps a private conversation with Carlisle and Esme would need to be had, but now wasn't the time for such a grand spillage of Rosalie's emotions, least of all in front of all of her siblings.
"Taking responsibility for those you care about is never not romantic." The line would have been expected if Esme or even Carlisle had said it, but surprisingly Rosalie's support came from Edythe.
Rosalie said a silent, but very sincere, thank you to Edythe, her sister barely incliningly her head to show she was listening. They had always had a weird relationship, Rosalie respected privacy greatly, Edythe had a problem with that for obvious reasons, but it was also the busy body nature Edythe had which was the root of her mind reading powers, that grated on Rosalie's nerves. Also, Rosalie had been a literal vain demon for the first few years of her newborn life and that had grated on Edythe's goody-two-shoes nature. That had all changed after Emmett, everything had changed after Emmett. Then everything had shifted again when Alice and Jasper joined, now everything would change again.
"Everything is about to change for the better!" Edythe announced. Rosalie rolled her eyes without spite at the obvious intrusion of thought. She was grateful for the reassurance, though she'd be loathed to admit it.
Carlisle clapped his hands once as he smiled upon them all, but his eyes warmly caught Rosalie's. "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have our full support in this Rosalie, and might I just say that I trust you to do what's right for all of us involved, now-" , he made a show of checking the watch on his wrist, "I believe visiting hours start in 15 minutes, and yes, she'll be released today. Let's say around lunch time?" He grinned conspiring at Alice as she hurriedly checked the future. When she nodded with a grin, suspicion grew in Rosalie. "Excellent! Then you can take her to lunch before you drop her off at home; right Rosalie?"
Rosalie gave him her deadliest glare, inwardly smirking in satisfaction as the siblings at least reacted. Of course her glares just bounced off her parents but that wouldn't stop Rosalie from delivering them. "Let me make this perfectly clear to everyone here. You are not to involve yourselves in my situation with Bella unless I explicitly ask you to. In fact, no one will be making any more contact with Bella until she actively inquires for it. Understand?"
Again Alice's pout was the loudest thing in the room, so she grumbled, "No fair."
Jasper just laughed and held his wife closer, indulging her pouts with a kiss to the forehead. The show of affection tinged somewhere deep in Rosalie. "Not to worry darlin'. She's gonna love you either way." He winked at Rosalie from over the top of Alice's head, sending his support to his 'twin'.
Emmett grinned as he held Edythe's hand. "She's so going to love me more. I'm Rosalie's bestie, I've got first dips for double dates."
Edythe and Rosalie immediately shared twin scoffs of protest while, again, Alice gasped out dramatically. "You take that back right now Emmett Cullen or I'll hide your video games!"
This time Emmett gasped out and sat forward to point an accusing finger at Alice from across the room. "Absolutely bogus dude! It's best friend law so I don't have to take it back. It's the law Alice! You can't break the law!" He defended furiously, then, "And if you go anywhere near my video games, I'll...I will-"
"You'll what, Emmett?" Alice confidently challenged him upon realizing he had nothing to say.
For a moment everything was quiet. Rosalie and Edythe shared a look, wondering which idiot would back down first. Rosalie had places to be after all. Finally, Emmett's usually childish face morphed into the sort of look Rosalie wore when she was about to shatter somebody's soul. Maybe her bestie was spending too much time with her. Rosalie ignored Edythe's 'you think' look.
"I'll save Bella every single time that she doesn't want to go shopping with you, and don't even try to deny it. Edythe told me that you've been upset over her dislike of shopping for a week." Emmett dropped his bomb.
Edythe's eyes grew wide as Alice's fury was all on her at once. "You told him!" She popped up to stand on her toes. "So much for our Wonder Twins Power Pact!"
Edythe stood then, eyes black as she hissed at Alice in embarrassment. "You made me do that stupid pact and it doesn't have anything to do with this."
Alice covered her mouth with a cry before placing her hands on her hips and standing firm in the face of Edythe's glare. "Take that back right now, Edythe."
Rosalie grabbed her keys from the hook by the door, smiling at Carlisle as he waved her off, it'd be awhile before anything happened, it usually was when Alice and Edythe got into a mind battle. Edythe would read Alice's mind and see her visions while Alice would use her premonitions to counter Edythe's arguments. Sometimes they would go back and forth for days without actually having to say a verbal word; they really were the wonder twins.
Esme walked Rosalie to the door, squeezing her hand gently just before she left. "We love you, Rosalie. Remember that this is a good thing."
Rosalie paused and bit her lip in hesitation. "How can you know that, truly?" It was a question that Rosalie desperately wished to be answered.
Esme only looked at Rosalie in that sad but kind knowing sort of way that only mother's could do and she cupped her daughter's cheek. "Oh Rosalie, one day you will know exactly why it simply is, and I think that day will be very soon."
Rosalie sighed, she hated parental advice served up in riddles, but she did love Esme. "I'll be home later."
Esme smiles warmly and lets her go. "Of course Sweetheart, take your time."
Oh how that was a laughable thought, time, she had plenty of time. She had once hated how much time she has left on the earth, now in a cruel twist of fate, a new idea is starting to form from the dark trenches of Rosalie's brain; was forever going to be enough now that she found Bella? The thought was both dangerously tempting as it was frightful, especially for someone like Rosalie to entertain.
When Rosalie arrived at the hospital she paused, just for a moment, before she entered the building. It wasn't nervousness that delayed her because Rosalie didn't do nervousness, but rather it was a stab of uncertainty that stopped her feet and startled her heart. Rosalie wasn't delusional nor did she have some God complex, and she knew everything wouldn't magically come together just because Alice had seen them together and happy in the future with Bella as a vampire. Alice saw many versions of the future, and on very rare occasions something would happen that not even Alice could predict.
The future is a subjective thing and Rosalie could not allow herself to get so caught up in what could be that she made herself unaware of the now. At this moment Bella did not know of her importance in Rosalie's life. Right now, Rosalie and Bella are barely friends and even though Rosalie was eager to change that, she could not bulldoze her way into Bella's heart. Love was to be a work of art, an enticing dance, friendship and courting was the way in which they learned the steps.
'Good God.' Rosalie grimaced at her own thoughts, she'd always been a secret hopeless romantic and was ever so grateful that Edythe wasn't here to read her thoughts. Not that she was embarrassed by her want to woo Bella, she'd just never been so openly soft in front of her family. Bella, it seemed, was already causing a change within Rosalie. Thinking about it caused Rosalie to smile and continue into the hospital. She had an answer to an age old question and it felt like a precious secret that only she was aware of.
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Change, beautiful, wonderful change. In truth, Rosalie had already fallen for Bella and it wasn't just from their fleeting moments, it was also from that affection that grew from afar as she watched Bella in school.
Rosalie hummed, amused by her own thoughts as she entered the elevator. Perhaps it made her sound a little bit like a stalker, but it wasn't like she had crossed any lines like climbing through Bella's bedroom window and watching her sleep at night. No, Rosalie could never invade a person's privacy so gregiously. Rosalie just paid special attention whenever Bella was around, her vampire senses had never felt like such a gift than it had in the past two months of her life. Rosalie listened when Bella spoke, not to know Bella's business but to understand what Bella thought, her opinions, her sense of humor, her values. Everything that made Bella who she was, was in her words, and if her words weren't enough, Bella's face always gave away what she really thought. Those expressive brown eyes were far too truthful to be called fair.
Yes, Rosalie Hale had indeed been paying attention to Bella Swan, in fact Bella had been Rosalie's sole focus, no matter how much Rosalie had denied it at first. How foolish she had been to disregard a mate bond as though it was an optional thing. Then to resent it as though it was something forced, something manufactured. That insistent pull she could feel between herself and Bella had caused Rosalie to take notice of someone's existence for the first time in 81 years, ever since she first took notice of a strong young man with the face of a long forgotten child in the woods dying from a bear attack. She hadn't regretted saving Emmett that day, just in the same way that she couldn't regret loving Bella.
Rosalie had been quite stubborn indeed.
Chapter 6: Let's Be Friendly
Summary:
AN: Omg another update! Thanks for sticking with this story guys, LMK if you're still digging it =)
Chapter Text
Bella had been extremely nervous for Rosalie's visit, but thankfully the morning had consisted of easy chatter and the completion of actual homework. Noon came quickly and before Bella knew it she was signing her release papers and trying to dress herself in her room's bathroom. She was currently fighting a losing battle with the jeans she'd worn to school yesterday as she hadn't bothered calling Charlie for a new set of clothes, leaving her to maneuver around the restrictive material all with a broken arm. With a pride shattering thought, Bella quickly came to the realization that it was possible that she would need Rosalie's help. What made matters worse is that Bella could very clearly hear a small chuckle from behind the door every time she bumped her elbow and knocked her knee, and she could already picture Rosalie's smug smile on the other side of the door.
Of course, Rosalie had graciously offered to help Bella get dressed, they were friends after all; Rosalie being particularly insistent on the friend part. Bella, to her own credit, had quickly shut that down because she was fairly certain she could not live through the embarrassment of THE Rosalie Hale seeing her so vulnerable, but also Bella wasn't fucking stupid and Rosalie Hale was a living goddess. So no, Bella was currently choosing to wage war against denim than have Rosalie that close to her in such an intimate state of undress, no matter how much of a friendly spin Rosalie put on it. Sure they were friends, very new friends at that, but Bella had always been aware of her attraction toward Rosalie, so best not to cross any lines.
Suddenly, to her horror, the door to the bathroom was opening and without hesitation Bella threw her body against it so it snapped shut loudly. Her heart beat so loudly in her ears that she couldn't hear anything else for a few seconds...then she could hear it as clear as day; Rosalie full on belly laughing at Bella's expense.
Bella blushed furiously. "Are you fucking serious?!"
"Oh Bella! You are truly too cute!" Rosalie continued to laugh, though it sounded far more controlled now. "Do you really think I was just going to barge in?" , more laughter, then, "I was just going to ask if perhaps you wanted the spare pair of gym clothes I keep in my car. They're clean. I got them while you were off in Narnia there."
Now Bella truly felt foolish, of course Rosalie wasn't going to just barge in on her, what was she thinking? "Shit..." Bella cursed her life in a whisper. "Ah yeah, Rose, that sounds great. Thanks." Bella hurriedly and awkwardly accepted the clothes through a crack in the door.
"It's no trouble, Bella."
The clothes were a soft pair of white joggers that fit Bella well, even if they were a tad long, and an equally white cashmere button up with oversized sleeves. Bella didn't dare put it on because she wasn't dense, this was not something someone wore to the gym, it felt expensive, far more expensive than a pair of joggers. She opened the door and walked out to confront her friend.
"You do not wear cashmere to the gym!" She accused after finally meeting Rosalie's eyes as the door swung fully open.
Rosalie stood there leaning against the edge of the hospital bed as though she had been waiting for Bella to come out that way all along. She smirked at Bella, and damn it if it wasn't equally as infuriating as it was hot.
"You might be surprised by what I wear to the gym, Bella." There was a pregnant pause where Bella didn't know what to do as she was struggling to figure out if she had actually heard a flirty undertone to Rosalie's words or if it was just her imagination. "However, you are right that I haven't worn that sweater to the gym, but it was in my car and the sleeves are big enough that they'll easily go over your cast." Rosalie continued, seemingly oblivious to Bella's internal self interrogation.
Bella looked down to her hands as she held the sweater. "Are you sure? What if it gets stretched out?" Bella looked up then, shyly. "It's a nice sweater."
Rosalie smiled as though Bella had just handed her keys to a golden kingdom. "I'm glad you think so. It happens to be a favorite of mine, now put it on. I don't care if it gets stretched." Bella obediently obliged even as she rolled her eyes. Rosalie was right, the sleeves were just big enough to go around the cast of her left arm, and God was it soft.
"I was right."
Bella's eyes sprung back up to find Rosalie analyzing her body with a critical, but approving eye. "What are you supposed to be right about now?" Bella couldn't help but challenge.
Rosalie answered her with a clearly satisfied smirk. "Many things, Bella, many things."
Golden eyes were flat out daring Bella, but for what? A challenge? A smart remark? Agreeance? Bella narrowed her eyes, not wanting to back down but also not knowing how else to react. Rosalie seemed to be further enthralled by her reaction however as the blonde took a step and closed the distance between them, her hands buttoning the sweater closed. Bella's heart skipped a beat as a tension built in the air.
When she finished Rosalie moved away with a wink and started gathering the rest of their things. Bella was grateful for the break in eye contact as she was finally able to fill her lungs with much needed oxygen. Her heart was truly out of control as it hammered against her ribs and she was sure that she was blushing as red as a tomato, but damn it if Bella didn't feel high. Having Rosalie that close to her, with that intense look in her eyes had sent a rush through Bella like she'd never felt before. Her hands shook with adrenaline as she tried to reign her body back in. Bella couldn't be friends with Rosalie if her mind exploded everytime Rosalie got within breathing distance.
Bella closed her eyes and took a deep breath, thankful when Rosalie's back was still turned toward her. "All packed up?" Bella asked as her voice found her again, and she took a few steps around the bed so that she was in front of Rosalie.
Rosalie smiled charmingly back, making Bella's heart do that little flip thing again. "All packed." Rosalie confirmed as she held both their book bags. Bella reached for hers only to have Rosalie literally slap her hand away and move from her reach.
"I am perfectly capable of carrying my backpack, Rosalie!" Bella complained as she marched after the blonde who led them from the room and into the hall.
Rosalie's smirk never wavered as she looked back at Bella, her shining blonde hair falling over her shoulder. "Of course, you're beautifully capable." Rosalie countered making Bella stutter and trip after her.
"R-Rose!"
"B-Bella!" Rosalie mocked with a laugh. She had stopped to wait for the elevator and so Bella finally stood next to her. "I want to carry it for you, are you really going to deny a Goddess, Bella?"
Bella finally stopped fighting the smile that threatened to encompass her face, and blushed as she looked at her friend. Then she rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh and very dryly said, "What a world it is when a mere mortal shall have a goddess worship them instead."
Rosalie bumped her shoulder as the elevator door dinged open and they started to step through. "What a world indeed."
The world had shifted and Bella found herself caught up in a different type of gravitational pull as she breathed in the new atmosphere around her. The small lavender room in Charlie's house was electrically charged as it provided the two giggling young women with a protective place to let down their guards and truly start to know one another. Bella rested her back against her headboard, her legs crossed in front of her as Rosalie laid on her side across the foot of the bed as though she'd done it a thousand times before. Bella was not used to having people in her private space and she had been hesitant when Rosalie had asked if she wanted to hangout more after they'd grabbed a bit to eat, but now that Rosalie was here it was like she was always supposed to be here.
It didn't even matter that Rosalie was currently trashing one of Bella's favorite musicals turned movies. Bella was just honestly happy, and it'd been awhile since she could say that.
"The whole premise of the movie was that Sophie wanted to find out who her father was and that part of the story is never resolved."
Bella ignored Rosalie's laugh and her smirking eyes as she gave the blonde an outraged look. "That was not the point of the movie! Oh my God Rosalie, the whole point of the movie was about self discovery and taking a chance on not only yourself but love! Sophie was searching to find herself, not a dad. Harry was able to admit he was gay. Bill finally took a chance in a committed relationship and to top it off Donna and Sam were able to finally take a chance on each other! Not to mention it's set to the best soundtrack ever!"
Rosalie was nodding seriously as Bella made her argument and as Bella finished she watched as Rosalie made a show of thinking over what Bella had said. "ABBA is an awful band though."
Bella shot forward, eyes wide and mouth agape with surprise. "You're shitting me." They stared at each other in silence but Rosalie was the first to break her mouth twisted up into a devious smirk cluing Bella in that yes, Rosalie was indeed shitting her. "You jerk!" Bella grabbed a pillow from next to her and chucked it at Rosalie.
The blonde easily caught it and put it behind her head, making a show of turning on her back and getting even more comfortable in Bella's bed. "If you change your mind, I'm the first in line." Bella watched in awe as Rosalie started lightly singing the lyrics. "Honey, I'm still free. Take a chance on me. If you need me, let me know, I'm gonna be around. If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down."
Bella sighed, her heart too full in her chest that she felt heavy under its weight. Was there anything Rosalie couldn't do? Bella was having a hard time reigning in her crush, so instead of facing Rosalie, Bella laid herself down on the bed so that her head rested next to Rosalie's and her feet were at the headboard. "I didn't know you could sing." Bella whispered. "That's possibly my favorite scene in the movie."
"Mine too...Bill and I have a few things in common when it comes to our fear of love." Bella didn't look but she would swear that she could hear the sad smile in Rosalie's words as she spoke.
Bella hummed. She could understand that, but while her parents had taught her many things about love, fear wasn't one of them. The moment hadn't turned heavy with Rosalie's confession instead it seemed to further lessen the gravity holding Bella steady and so she found herself giving her own little admittance about her views on the subject.
"I-'' Bella started, stopped and then started again. "I think love is rare, not everyone gets to find it, not everyone gets to feel it but I also think that it can find you and save you when you need it most. My parents, well they're not so good at the parent part, and I spent most of my life feeling unwanted, but I had one person who loved me, and remembering how my grandpa loved me reminds me that it's not me who is unlovable, it's them that are incapable of loving. Remembering that and remembering him saves me all the time."
Bella took a deep breath as her secret was given voice and lingered around the room. Then there was a small shuffling sound next to her, Bella peaks and sees that Rosalie has brought her hand up to lay next to Bella's head, her hand open and fingers awaiting Bella's. The simple gesture of connection is enough to break and reset a long earned hurt deep inside of Bella and though her fingers shake, Bella holds Rosalie's hand like the lifeline it is. Neither speak for a moment as they both stare at the ceiling, comfortable enough to be able to sit with their own thoughts as they lay there holding hands.
The sudden slam of the front door had them both springing up straight as Bella looked on in terror towards her closed door. "Fuck! Charlie's home." Bella dropped Rosalie's hand and stood, pacing in front of her bedroom door until she spun to face a concerned Rosalie.
"I don't understand, Bella."
Bella could see the concern and the suspicion in Rosalie's eyes, and she wanted to reassure her friend but she didn't have time. "I know you don't and I'll explain I promise, just please Rosalie, please stay here until I come back, please? I'll explain everything once I deal with Charlie. Please."
It unnerved Bella to be begging but she'd do anything to keep Rosalie from seeing what was currently going on downstairs. Finally Rosalie crossed her arms and sighed. "I don't make any promises if I hear shouting."
Deciding that it was the best she was gonna get out of the blonde, Bella reached forward and touched Rosalie's elbow softly and tried to give her friend the best 'it's okay' look she could muster. "There won't be any shouting. I'll be right back."
Bella hurriedly shuffled out her door and closed it quickly behind her as the sound of shattering glass could be heard from the kitchen. Bella groaned and ran down the hall to the stairs, taking them down two at a time. When she finally skidded around the corner she could see Charlie standing in the middle of the kitchen. The lights were still off downstairs and the sun had started to set so Bella flipped the switch and watched tiredly as Charlie blinked in confusion as he looked at her.
"Thoughts yous were in the hospital." He slurred, his boots crunching over the broken glass carelessly as he reached for another glass from the open cabinet.
"I was released this morning." Bella answered as she leant against the doorway.
Charlie filled his glass with water from the sink and gulped down half of it before he spoke. "Good thing that Jackson boy didn't get hurt too, Forks ain't got a shot against the Paladins if he's not quarterbacking. No uses in both of yous getting hurt."
Bella scoffed under her breath, the dude's name was Jason, Charlie probably had money on the game and he couldn't even get the star player's name right. "Why don't you head on up, I'll clean this up." Charlie nodded and walked past her, his cup gripped drunkenly to his chest. She stood there listening as he made his way up to his room and when he slammed his door shut Bella sighed and got to work. She wasn't wearing shoes, but if she was careful it should be an easy clean up. Bella reached for the broom only to gasp in shock as an alabaster hand shot forward and snatched it from her grasp.
Bella whirled around to find Rosalie already sweeping up the mess on the floor. "I told you to wait in my room!" Bella pointed an accusing finger toward Rosalie.
Rosalie looked up at Bella as she crouched down to sweep the glass into the dust pan. "I told you no promises."
Bella scoffed. "Only if there was shouting, clearly there was no shouting."
Rosalie shrugged as she deposited the shattered glass into the garbage can then quickly tucked the broom and dustpan back into their spots. "Does that happen often?"
Bella took an involuntary step back at Rosalie's question, instinctively she wanted to brush it off, downplay it but as Rosalie just watched her with concerned eyes Bella found her guard once again dropping for Rosalie.
"Charlie's a functioning drunk and has a gambling habit, sometimes he comes home and drops a glass or bumps into the furniture, but he leaves me alone. If anything he's just a really bad roommate." Bella tries to change the mood by giving a little smile with her bad joke, that only seemed to pain Rosalie though.
The blonde pinches the bridge of her nose and steps forward until there is virtually no space between Bella and herself. "I don't do well with trusting the behaviors of a drunk man, so promise me that if anything changes, if one day Charlie starts acting like more than a bad roommate, you will call me. Promise me that, Bella Swan."
Bella breathed out a shuddering breath as she watched a dark shadow cross behind Rosalie's now dark gold eyes. There was something in those eyes that spoke of a known danger, some kind of scar from Rosalie's past. Bella nodded, taking a deep breath as Rosalie pulled her in for a crushing hug.
"I promise, Rose. I promise."
Chapter 7: Show Me Your Teeth
Summary:
Enjoy the next chapter guys and don't be too worried about Charlie.
Chapter Text
A war waged itself inside of her head, a war between protecting someone precious to you and not viciously slaughtering a man just because he was a massive trigger to her own trauma. She had left Bella's house after a quick goodnight but Rosalie had only been away long enough to stash her car down the road and then she had ran back and hidden herself amongst the treeline behind Bella's house. Rosalie wasn't here for Bella, though in a way she'd argue that she was, her true focus was the man currently snoring in the room on the opposite side of the house; Charlie. Black eyes didn't stray from his window as she seriously debated the best way to protect Bella from her very own father. Was murder too far?
Rosalie prided herself on many things, though the biggest boast she had of her undying life was her self control. She'd argue that her record was as clean as Carlisle's because while she had viciously murdered three men, Carlisle had sired over half of their family, and Rosalie herself was the only one to have never drank from a human. Even Emmett and Alice have slipped once or twice in the years the family has been together, even Esme, especially Edythe. Now, her control was starting to waver as memories of her own trauma echoed loudly in the back of her mind. The only real question Rosalie had was if she could actually get away with causing the disappearance of Fork's Chief of Police?
If Rosalie could get away with killing Royce and his buffoons then surely one police officer wouldn't be much of a challenge, but then what of Bella? Some instinct inside Rosalie desperately wanted to keep her human safe from any and all perceived threats, however killing Charlie could have very real consequences for Bella and though Rosalie hated to admit it, she knew her human wouldn't be okay with flat out murder, no matter who it was. Bella hadn't let the absence of her parents turn her into a cruel and jaded person. In fact, it seemed as though Bella's compassion and sympathy had only grown in the absence of parental love and guidance. It's what made Bella into a truly good, caring, soul.
There was also the fact that Rosalie knew she had absolutely no right to make such a vital decision about Bella's life. What kind of betrayal would that be to her? Could Bella possibly reject the mate bond, choose to live her human life away from Rosalie, only to die and take Rosalie's very soul with her? It was Rosalie's biggest fear and she had it even before Charlie had burst their bubble. So, what was Rosalie to do? Sure tonight she planned on standing watch to make sure nothing happened, but what about after tonight? Rosalie would not let herself become some sort of controlling and obsessive partner that dictated Bella's decisions all under the guise of keeping her safe.
A soft vibration interrupted Rosalie's inner monologue and without taking her eyes from Charlie's window she answered her phone and brought it to her ear.
"I cannot believe you murdered Bella's father, Rosalie Hale! How are you going to explain this?"
Alice didn't even give her a chance to say hello before she started berating Rosalie. Rosalie, though she knew it was wrong, felt satisfaction at the fact that she had apparently defied an almost certain future. "Well you can't be right all the time, right Alice?" She confidently spoke, then. "Check again, Charlie is still breathing."
There was a pause, and then, "How is that possible? I saw you do it, he was dead, Rosalie."
Rosalie rolled her eyes, listening closely as Charlie turned fitfully in his sleep but didn't wake. "I was only thinking about it." She said it so casually that you'd think she was talking about which pair of shoes to wear, not the ending of a life.
"You were thinking awfully hard about it." Alice accused, though she sounded far more chipper than she was when Rosalie had first answered the phone.
"Are you alone?" Rosalie's sudden question caused Alice to pause, and with her enhanced hearing Rosalie could hear Alice running in the background of the call. Rosalie waited patiently.
"I am now, though I'm sure Jazz wouldn't have said anything."
Rosalie smiled, of course Jasper had been with Alice but she was grateful Alice respected her wish for privacy all the same. "I hope I didn't interrupt a date."
Alice laughed, "You'll pay me back later! Now, tell me everything."
Rosalie easily recounted the end of the evening and when she was done Alice was silent for a long while as she searched the future for all possible outcomes.
"It's weird." Alice started, "I can't get a good picture of Charlie but that's probably because his excessive drinking clouds his active decision making. I can see him on duty and I can see him drinking but then everything blurs. Bella is different though, I know you said you don't want to be spoiled by my visions of her, so I'll just say that I still see the same outcome as my original vision; the two of you happy and her with gold eyes."
The relief Rosalie felt was immense but still she had to be positive that Charlie wouldn't be an issue going forward. "Will you help me keep an eye on him, Alice?"
"Of course, Rosalie! I already saw you asking." Rosalie smirked, of course the pixie had seen it. Alice continued, chipper as always. "I also think it'd be prudent to have Edythe and Jazz give Charlie a thorough reading, they shouldn't be too hindered by Charlie's intoxicated state."
This too had crossed Rosalie's mind but she'd been hesitant due to the potential breach of Bella's privacy. Not that Edythe could read Bella's mind, but Jasper would be able to feel everything Bella felt should Bella be close enough. "This is all becoming so much more complicated than I originally thought."
Alice chuckled into the phone. "I mean, maybe if you hadn't barred me from looking into Bella's future we would have seen this coming." Rosalie was not going to agree with her sister and so she stayed silent. "Oh, and did you know that her full name is actually Isabella? Isn't that so pretty, Rosalie?"
Rosalie actually rolled her eyes, of course she knew, everyone knew that, so what was Alice getting at? "That's not a secret, Alice. I assume she goes by Bella because she prefers it."
"That wasn't my question, dear sister." Alice commented with a laugh before the call ended. Rosalie sighed tiredly, the fact that Alice was acting as though Charlie wasn't a problem, was a problem for her. The nonchalant attitude did nothing to quiet the flashing red warning sign in her head. Even so, Rosalie got comfortable in the nook of the large tree, eyes ever steady on Charlie Swan's window.
Rosalie left the outskirts of the Swan's property when Charlie left for work just before sunrise. She briefly toyed with the idea of showing up on Bella's doorstep and surprising her with breakfast, however Rosalie knew her eyes were impossibly black and her patience was bordering on nonexistent so she disregarded the want of seeing Bella in favor of taking the day to hunt and collect herself. After the short run home Rosalie walked in to find her siblings gathered in the living room awaiting her arrival.
She came to a sharp stop, arms folding across her chest as her gaze drifted from Emmett's and Alice's excited smiles to Jasper's thoughtful face then finally settling on Edythe's knowing glare. Rosalie sucked in a breath behind gritted teeth, trying very much to reign in the viciousness that wanted to claw to the surface. For what could possibly be the first time in the history of the Cullen's, Rosalie didn't unleash a verbal beat down onto the siblings for discussing Rosalie while she wasn't present, instead she gave an irritated huff and flicked her hair behind her shoulder and she turned toward the stairs.
"You know what to do; I need to shower." Rosalie had barely gotten into her room before her siblings burst into action; Edythe and Jasper heading off to get any information they could from Charlie, while Emmett and Alice take Rosalie hunting, this way Alice would be able to relay any visions she had about the situation and Emmett would be there to keep Rosalie grounded. Rosalie sighed in relief as she stepped under the spray of the hot water, this felt like such a big move, almost like a forceful intrusion into Bella's life, and Bella didn't even know. Hell, Bella was unaware of so much now that it weighed heavily on Rosalie's heart. Bella deserved to know.
'Fuck!' Rosalie thought as she slammed her head back into the tile wall. 'Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck'
Sunday had passed all too slowly for Bella, who had spent most of the day moping around the house in Rosalie's chunky white cardigan because it was the only one that could fit over her cast. It's not like she enjoyed being surrounded by the blonde's overwhelmingly strong rose petal and warm sugar scent, and it definitely wasn't because she felt like a sinking stone in the weight of Rosalie's absence, at least that's what she told herself whenever she got caught up absentmindedly enjoying the perfume that clung to the soft fibers of the cardigan. Of course, it didn't stop Bella from overthinking her friendship with Rosalie and the slight panic she was having over her small crush on her new friend.
When Bella awoke on Monday morning she was resigned to her fate and yet fully delusional in her belief that her growing crush would not affect the friendship Rosalie was offering, but she had a plan. Her first step in remaining platonic toward Rosalie was to give back the white cardigan, no matter how much Bella hated to do so. Friends borrowed each other's clothes, girlfriends held sweaters for ransom and Bella was not, and would never be, Rosalie Hale's girlfriend. So as it came time to leave for school Bella begrudgingly slipped into one of Charlie's old zip-ups and carefully packed Rosalie's cardigan into her backpack. She felt uncomfortable in his clothes, it didn't fill her with comfort or protection like she thought other children probably felt when wearing something of their father's, instead she felt suffocated and like she wanted to crawl out of her own skin.
Her initial revulsion was almost enough for Bella to change her mind, but she suppressed it, wrote it off as an effect of her general distaste toward her parents and headed to school anyways. Bella set off on her usual path down Maple, a left on Roanoke, cut across the small park and then straight down Main until she hit the high-school. It was a mundane root and Bella used the quiet of the morning to clear her head of the worries that had plagued her at home. In the grand scheme of things Bella knew that having a crush wasn't the end of the world, and surely it wasn't the first crush to ever be had on Rosalie.
Bella couldn't help but to feel sorry for all the souls that came before her that had fallen under Rosalie's charms. Bella didn't call Rosalie a Goddess just out of jest, she truly believed the blonde was some kind of reincarnation of a Greek Goddess, probably Aphrodite. It was her personality that really put the final nail in the coffin for Bella though. Rosalie has this way of making Bella feel like she was the first interesting person Rosalie had met. Rosalie always gave Bella her full attention, and when Rosalie jokingly flirted with her or just smiled at her, Bella's heart stopped
Bella sighed as she rounded the chain link fence surrounding school grounds. Her eyes immediately went to where the Cullens usually parked and was met by a pair of brilliant gold eyes and a blinding smile. She was pathetically screwed, she was meant to be focusing on not developing further feelings for the blonde, not falling helplessly by a mere smile. Bella knew she was fucking fucked.
Bella hesitated in her steps toward the Cullen clan, she'd meant to deliver the sweater and say a quick hello, but it was intimidating to have the siblings' attention when she was sure to make a fool of herself just by being in Rosalie's presence, but then Rosalie was meeting her halfway and calming Bella's raging worries. Bella smiled at Rosalie as they finally came to a stop a few feet away from the rest of the Cullens, but Rosalie didn't smile back, she was glaring at Charlie's hoodie as though the piece of clothing had personally insulted her.
"What. Are. You. Wearing?"
Bella couldn't help but to feel offended by the sheer confoundment and disgust that laced Rosalie's tone. She huffed as she pulled her backpack around and hastily grabbed the white cardigan from her bag and all but shoved the item into Rosalie's crossed arms. Rosalie took the garment, her face now shifting from anger to confusion. "It's not like I could wear that for three days in a row!"
Bella's mouth snapped shut as the realization of her own words sunk in. Her face growing red as that same realization started to show in Rosalie's eyes as the blonde's expression once again shifted but this time Rosalie looked smug.
"Oh, Bella." Bella closed her eyes and pinched the top of her nose as Rosalie's giggling flooded her nervous system. She was exhilarated to have caused such a fond sound out of Rosalie, however Bella was also very much embarrassed by her accidental confession. Rosalie's obvious amusement was doing nothing to help on both accounts. A sound of shifting clothing made Bella reopen her eyes to find Rosalie pulling her chunky tan crew neck knit sweater over her head and then she handed it to a very confused Bella as she pulled on the white button up cardigan over her white undershirt.
Bella looked at Rosalie's expectant look, then down to the knit crew neck, and then back to Rosalie. "What? Oh, do you need my help undressing?" Rosalie smirked even as Bella gasped.
"Rosalie Hale!" Bella scolded through a deep red blush as she frantically looked around the parking lot. No one was close enough to hear Rosalie's comment, but they sure did have everyone's attention after Rosalie's little fashion show.
"Isabella Swan!" Rosalie joked back but Bella had trouble hearing anything that came after the use of her full name. Instead she dropped her book bag and changed in a daze. She hadn't known that Rosalie knew her full name, though it's not such a surprise when living in such a small town, but damn did it have an effect on Bella's heart. It felt like a full minute before it started to beat in her chest again, and by then Rosalie was looking as smug as ever as she fluffed Bella's hair out from the collar of the tan sweater and fixed a few wrinkles.
"Good, you look so much better in my clothes." Rosalie commented as she gently took Charlie's zip-up from Bella and unceremoniously tossed it behind her to a somehow expecting Alice.
"Hey, you can't just throw it away, it's Charlie's." Bella tried to reason.
Rosalie scoffed, picked up Bella's backpack and threw it around one of her shoulders. Bella rolled her eyes at the gesture. "I can if I want to…but I won't. Alice will just put it in the car until after school. Then if you absolutely must have it back, you can."
Bella smiled despite herself as they started walking toward the school's entrance. "I really don't want it back." Bella admitted it quietly as she looked up at Rosalie through her lashes.
Rosalie gave her an incorrigible smile. "Good. You look better in my sweater."
God Rosalie had no idea just how her words were affecting Bella's heart. Bella felt like she was flying high and had no fear of crashing, her crush like a full fledged flame brought back to life when it had been snuffed to embers. Maybe there was hope, maybe Rosalie smiled at Bella like that for a reason, oh Bella could only hope.
"Hey Rose?" Bella gathered her courage and made full eye contact. "Nobody calls me Isabella." It wasn't a correction and it wasn't said as such. It was a statement that sounded more like a confession.
Rosalie's smile turned into a gentler one as she matched Bella's intensity. "You're the only one who gets to call me Rose."
Hope. Bella felt hope at Rosalie's words, and though she knew it made her a fool, Bella grinned like a mad woman. Bella's smile didn't even falter when Rosalie scoffed and gave her a playful bump to the shoulder.
Chapter 8: Helplessly We Fall
Summary:
1, 2, 3..here we go! Are you sure you're ready guys?
Chapter Text
The population of Forks High was in hysterics over what they had witnessed between Bella and Rosalie, and by the time lunch rolled around the rumor mill was churning out the wildest theories. Her favorite was that she and Rosalie had been secretly dating since the Cullen's came to Forks, but Rosalie was too far in the closet to come out. It was wild that anyone could believe that Rosalie Hale, living embodiment of the Goddess Aphrodite, was scared of anything. Rosalie was not a coward, Bella didn't know everything about Rose but she was sure of this.
There was also a rumor that she and Rosalie had a friends-with-benefits type situation happening, but Bella was in love with Rose and Rosalie was just stringing Bella along. This rumor was more in the realm of real possibilities, if it wasn't for the fact that Bella thought better of Rose's character. Bella had a feeling that Rosalie only ever did the things she wanted to do and that included choosing where to give her attention. Bella was just happy to be the one chosen at the moment. However the stories were getting more outlandish by the hour and Bella found herself equally amused as she was exacerbated.
"Well, well, well…isn't that a nice sweater?" Jessica's overly sweet tone was an immediate mood killer for Bella as her exacerbation finally won out over her previous amusement and she found herself rolling her eyes before she could help it. Still Bella continued to switch out her books from her locker for the ones in her bag before turning to face her nosy friend with a half-hearted smile.
"Hey Jess, what's up? Did Mike finally ask you to Homecoming?" She had hoped to bypass any questioning about Rosalie by steering the conversation toward Jessica's favorite subject; Mike Newton. She took a step back in hopes of heading to lunch. "He does know that he only has three more weeks right?"
Jessica's face lit up with excitement and she seemed about ready to go on a tangent and land right into Bella's trap. Bella grinned, thinking she had successfully diverted her attention, but then Bella's smile fell as Jessica seemed to zero in and refocus; her excitement turning to smugness as she crossed her arms and leaned against Bella's now closed locker. Bella sighed before leaning against the locker closest to her, copying Jessica's position.
"Just spit it out, Jess, I don't wanna spend the whole lunch period here." She relented, thinking about how much time she had left between classes.
Jessica pouted for a whole two seconds before her excitement finally spilled out into one stupid question. "I only wanted to know what kind of material it was made out of because, like, it's really nice!"
Bella stared at her friend in complete bewilderment. "W-What?" Bella stuttered in confusion, her mind truly blank from being caught off guard.
Jessica shrugged innocently and pushed herself off the locker, dancing her way around Bella. Bella spun with her, suddenly feeling as though she were being circled by a shark as Jessica's smile morphed into one that was more condescending than sweet. Finally Jessica stopped and said, "You should check because I'm most definitely sure it's made out of girlfriend material."
Bella let loose a dramatic gasp and before she could stop herself she reached out to hit her friend upside her head. Jessica expected this though, as one did when friend's with Bella Swan, and ducked out from her reach. She squealed all the way down the hall and to the lunch room, not caring about the looks she was getting or the furious, blushing Bella she had left behind.
Bella on the other hand was torn between chasing her friend down and possibly making a scene in the now full cafeteria or she could be a grown up and ignore her friend's childish antics. Bella sighed and ran a hand through her hair, slightly tussling it to the side as she tried to control the whirlwind of emotions inside of her. When she was sure her blush had faded she quickly made her way to the lunch room.
The room was full, to no one's surprise, though Bella could see that Jessica had just managed to sit down at their usual table, already in full gossip mode. Angela caught her eyes from across the room, questions and slight outrage alight in her eyes, and Bella felt reassured just by that so she made a show of smirking and circled a finger around the side of her head to show Angela, silently, just how crazy Jessica was. Angela covered her laugh with a cough and turned back to the table. Bella smiled as she grabbed a pre-made salad from the line, at least she could always count on Angela to have her back in the friend group; well, most of the time.
Turning away from the line, Bella halted as a very close Rosalie now stood in her path. Everything stopped as she was met with a pair of very intense golden eyes. For merely half a second the two were frozen in time, and after that it was like time moved in fast forward and four very important things happened within the span of seconds.
First, like the fool she was known to be, Bella saw the salad container drop from her hands. Second, too fast for anyone but Bella to see, Rosalie caught the plastic container midair like fucking Spiderman. Third, their eyes met, Bella fully in shock and Rosalie calm as a cucumber. Then the forth and most important thing happened; Rosalie smirked, her face a mask of confidence like she was expecting a challenge. It was that look in her eyes that was enough to snap time and space back into place, and the world came back into focus for Bella.
'What in the actual fuck was that?'
Bella's mind spun as she tried to comprehend what she had just witnessed. Rosalie's hand had been nothing but a blur and if it wasn't for the solid truths that Bella knew to be true, that she had dropped the salad, watched it fall and that it was now it was in Rosalie's hand as though it magically appeared, Bella could have brushed it off as a trick of the mind. Like maybe Rosalie had just grabbed the item from Bellal; however that smirk and the challenge in Rosalie's eyes told Bella that what she saw was correct…and Rose seemed to be waiting for Bella to make the next move.
Curiosity burned so brightly in Bella that she seemed incapable of action and she looked to Rosalie for help. It's comical almost, this revelation or declaration or whatever it was that Rosalie was doing had caused Bella's world to turn upside down and all Bella could do was look at her in search of a lifeline to make it all make sense. Bella felt utterly helpless, her wide eyes staring at Rose in terror as she felt herself becoming consumed by the need for Rosalie to tell her everything was going to be alright. The desperate need Bella felt for Rosalie's comfort made her feel sick and far more vulnerable than she had ever remembered feeling.
A cold hand took Bella's free, and forgotten, hand that still hung midair. Bella blinked, her eyes no less wide and every bit as scared as she let Rosalie pull her from the lunchroom to the open hallway outside. The cold air from outside hit her like a slap in the face, her chest aching as it filled her lungs with a harp intake. Bella might have been panicking and she knew it was not about the most pertinent subject, which was not helping matters at all.
"Bella, you need to calm down. The bell is about to ring and you cannot freak out in a hall full of humans. Bella?"
It seemed all pretense had dropped with Rosalie and the use of the word humans had broken through Bella's panicking haze and sunk in. Humans. If they were humans, then what was Rosalie? Bella blinked as the bell rang and the hall filled with eager students. You could feel the collective murmurs as they passed Rosalie and Bella who were still standing in close proximity, their hands still interlaced. Some milled around as if hoping to catch a snippet of conversation but neither girl spoke, nor did they move from their positions.
Bella was looking at Rosalie with new eyes. It seemed like for the first time her brain was allowing her to recognize all the signs that there was something different about Rosalie. She was beautiful beyond the point of perfection and Bella had never seen Rosalie actually eat anything; even when Rosalie took Bella to lunch after her release from the hospital, the blonde hadn't ordered anything but a glass of water that she never touched. Rosalie's eyes had changed from black to dark honey to bright gold and Bella had never, not once second guessed it. The most glaring oddity came with Rosalie's hand still in Bellas. Rosalie was always cold when she touched Bella. Bella had been too blinded by her crush to ever question that had been, effectively popping her bubble.
The hall cleared after another few moments, but still neither girl moved, like both were scared of what happened next. A small amount of courage sparked to life in Bella's heart as she looked at Rosalie. The blonde had lost her previous confidence and now her face was nothing but stoney apathy, but Bella could see something else that looked like resignation in her eyes. It wasn't a good look on Rose. Bella squeezed Rosalie's hand, noting that though her skin was soft and pliable, the underlying structure of her bones felt hard as stone. Bella didn't let the continued epiphanies deter her.
"So uh should I be surprised that you're actually Aphrodite?" Bella gave a lopsided smile as Rosalie started to relax her shoulders. "Because, like, I'm not surprised at all. Yup, this is me! I am not surprised that my best friend is actually a living breathing Goddess." Bella paused as Rosalie's face cracked with a small tilt of her lips. "Should I bow?"
Finally the tension was eased as Rosalie dropped Bella's hand to knock their shoulders together. Bella swayed slightly in exaggeration and held her shoulder like it hurt. "Whoa there, remember I am but your humble, mortal, servant my Goddess, you mustn't crush me. Who else would tend your temple?'
Rosalie rolled her eyes but seemed more relieved now that Bella wasn't outright rejecting her. "I always control myself around you. You're never in danger."
Bella gulped, easily catching the hidden meaning behind Rosalie's words. Whatever Rosalie was, she was dangerous, but not to Bella. "That's good, I fear a Goddess's wrath."
"You should."
Bella frowned. "What does that mean?"
Rosalie sighed, then she turned her head down the hall, her head tilted slightly to the side and eyes locked on an unseen target. Before Bella could ask about it, Rosalie's focus was once again on her. "It means that we have to have a real conversation Bella, and it has to be about everything, like me, like Charlie…like us."
It was that last bit that actually scared Bella. No, it terrified Bella. Everything was fine and dandy back when the world made sense, when Rosalie was just a beautiful friend that Bella had a crush on, now Rosalie wanted to throw around words like us and maybe confirm that little bit of hope Bella had been holding onto? The reality that maybe, possibly, Rosalie felt the same as Bella was something Bella had never truly believed in.
Right, Rosalie was still waiting for an answer, so Bella did what she did best, she went into avoidance mode.
"Look Rose, nothing has changed okay? But I think maybe I need some time before we have that conversation. It's just so much." Bella tried her best not to hurt Rosalie's feelings but it was true, she needed time to think, but Rosalie was the same she had always been, at least Bella thought she was.
"Sure Bella, take your time; but in the meantime, nothing will change between us?" Rosalie asked, and it unnerved Bella to see Rose look even a little bit unsure.
So Bella gave Rose her best smile and bumped her shoulder. "We're good, I swear. Now let's get to class before the teacher blows a gasket."
Rosalie seemed to accept this and Bella was happy to follow her to class, her salad dumped along the way. Bella's stomach grumbled and she couldn't decide if the churning was from an empty stomach or the pending doom she felt toward the lingering conversation and unanswered questions that loomed over her head.
Chapter 9: The Precipice
Summary:
AN: Sorry for the long absence, I'm doing my best. Hope those still reading like this chapter. lmk if you want.
Notes:
Bella's a bit conflicted, and maybe just a tad desperate. Rose has all the answers, if only Bella would ask.
Chapter Text
"You're staring again."
Bella blinked herself back to coherence as she sat at her shared work station in biology. She had no idea what the teacher was talking about, because yes, she had been staring at Rosalie to the point of tuning everything out, and this wasn't even the first time it had happened this week. In fact, it was almost too common of an occurrence and was now bordering on stalking.
"Was not."
Bella quickly, and frequently, denied as she softly took her eyes off her lab partner and turned back to the teacher in order to somewhat hide the small smile that threatened to take over her face. Rosalie huffed next to her before Bella felt Rosalie shift her body closer and then the familiar contact of Rosalie bumping her shoulder. Bella blushed as Rosalie kept their shoulders pressed together, the coldness that always radiated from her friend seeped in causing a shiver to run up her spine.
They still haven't talked, and Bella knew it needed to happen, but she was still reeling from the fact that Rosalie was becoming someone very important to her. There hadn't been intent to befriend her blonde lab partner, Rosalie had always been a beautiful daydream and Bella had been happy just to exist within her orbit. Now as they stood on the precipice of something more, Bella was all too aware of Rosalie's pursuit. It scared her to think that Rosalie seriously wanted more from her.
Still, Bella was trying hard to keep to her word that nothing would change between them when in reality everything had changed in some way. It had been a week of shared classes and secret looks. They had unspoken conversations with their eyes, their actual conversations had an electrifying undertone to them. All Bella had to do was ask and the live wire would burn them both. Bella was afraid of the after part, because it felt important and she wasn't convinced that she could handle it.
Then, all it would take was another look from Rose and Bella knew that she wanted to know. This whole new world was opening itself up to Bella and it invigorated her thirst for knowledge; and God did she want to be a part of Rosalie's world.
"Bella?"
Chills erupted over Bella's body as she felt Rosalie's whispered breath against her ear. "Hmm?" Bella offered, holding her inner panic off by the skin of her teeth.
Rosalie chuckled under her breath, still very much attached to Bella's side, and Bella cursed internally and crossed her legs in what she hoped was a casual way, trying to unstick the side of her thigh from Rosalie's.
"Let me drive you home."
Before Bella could respond the bell was ringing and Rosalie was standing next to her, Bella's backpack in her hand. Sometime during the week Bella had stopped protesting about the new habits and started just accepting Rosalie's borderline chivalrous behavior, borderline because Rosalie was still Rosalie and did what she wanted with or without protest from Bella. It was almost as if they both knew that Bella actually liked being semi doted on by Rosalie.
Bella nodded as she caught Rosalie's eye and they exited with the rest of the class. "So, am I finally meeting your siblings or are we running really fast to your car and peeling out of the parking lot?" Bella joked though she had begun to wonder when it would happen.
Rosalie sniffed and flicked her golden curls over her shoulder, making Bella sigh at the sight. If only Rose wasn't so pretty. "Well I promised to go into Port Angeles with Alice and Edythe after school to do a bit of shopping…I was going to cancel to spend time with you but I suppose I can share you for a few hours."
Bella balked, "Hours? Shopping with you and your sisters? Trying on clothes?" The thought alone was enough for Bella to come to a stop at the top of the stairs outside the school entrance.
Rosalie laughed. "Hmm, you look like you'd rather do anything else." Bella gave her best pleading eyes, but it was a mistake as Rosalie's smile widened into a smirk. "Too late now," Rosalie pointed toward where the Cullens parked and Bella could see her siblings clearly waiting for them. Alice was literally bouncing on her toes and clapping, "I mean you could make a run for it."
Bella weighed her options then sighed heavily as Alice stopped bouncing and placed her hands on her hips as though she were offended that Rosalie had even given Bella the option. "I don't think I'd get very far."
Rosalie grinned and looped her arm over Bella's shoulders, pulling Bella tight to her as she started to lead the human toward her siblings. "Smart girl, as if you actually have a chance of getting away from me now."
Bella rolled her eyes and tried to bump her hip into Rosalie's as they walked, but it only made Rose pull Bella in tighter. Bella smiled as she wrapped her arm around Rosalie's waist. "Way to make me sound like a hostage, Rose." Rosalie giggled quietly but said nothing else, they both knew Bella was all too willing to be here with Rosalie.
The walk over was enough for Bella to start feeling insecure, not because the family were mysterious immortal beings but because they were Rosalie's family and she wanted them to like her. Thankfully, she was saved from any potentially awkward introductions as Alice literally jumped at Bella the moment Rosalie had pulled them to a stop in front of the outrageously good looking group.
Though Alice was tiny, the momentum of her jump had caused Bella to detach from Rosalie's side as she was forced to catch the girl or end up flat on her ass in a pile on the pavement. Giggles reverberated throughout the tiny body as she clung to Bella, and though Bella could hear Rosalie protesting, and someone with a thick southern accent apologizing, she couldn't stop her own giggles from surfacing. So there Bella stood, arms tightly wrapped around Alice as she clung to Bella like a deranged koala bear, both of them now giggling like mental patients.
Bella tried to stop, god help her she did, but the pure innocent joy that seeped from Alice was like a soothing wave crashing over Bella's turbulent nerves. It was so different from Rosalie's electrifying touch that the pure shock had knocked Bella completely off kilter. Bella closed her eyes as their laughter started to die down and she could feel another forgotten piece of her shift and connect, like she had been an incomplete puzzle before and every one of the Cullens held a different missing piece. The feeling was as humbling as it was scary.
When Alice finally pulled back enough to meet Bella's eyes, well she must have seen the conflict behind those brown eyes, because she smiled brightly and patted Bella on the cheek gently, seemingly completely confident that Bella could hold her up, which she did.
"Don't worry Bella, we've only missed about a century together and we've got plenty of time to make up for it!"
Bella blinked, a century ? She looked at Rosalie finally, curiosity burning in her eyes as Rosalie smirked at her, though the blonde still looked slightly frustrated at Alice's continued attachment to Bella's body. Bella smiles softly at Rose and the blonde relaxes slightly even though she crosses her arms and gives an irritated huff. Bella turns back to Alice. "The wait must have killed you." Bella's smile turned to a conspiring smirk as she gave her smart remark, or at least she thought it was clever seeing as they were immortal.
Once Alice detached herself from Bella's body Rosalie was quick to retake her place with Bella tucked snuggly under her arm. That's when the introductions started.
"Everyone, this is Bella. Bella, you know Alice, next to her is her mate, Jasper." The tall blonde said a polite hello in a thick southern accent while Alice hung contently off his arm. Rosalie continued to her other sister. "Edythe, you've already met as well, and the big lug next to her is my best friend, and her mate, Emmett."
Emmett immediately started to complain about not being invited, but Bella was still wondering about Rosalie's use of the word mate. Sure Bella knew that the two pairs were together, everyone in town probably knew, but mates implied something a whole lot more permanent .
"I still don't get why I can't come on your girls trip."
Bella watched Rosalie's face as her lips morphed into a wicked smile. Edythe stopped what was sure to be a sarcastic retort by holding up a hand and used the other to pinch the bridge of her nose with an irritated sigh. "For the love of-Of course we're sure he's a male! And no we don't need to check!"
Rosalie smiled innocently, batting her eyes as they got comically wide. "Oh Edie, I would never suggest something so crass."
Bella nudged Rosalie's side, and though it did nothing to the blonde, it did gain her attention. "You're such a liar, besides I am a girl, Emmett, and I would do just about anything not to go shopping."
The siblings seemed to all smirk at her in unison and they fell deathly quiet. Bella glanced quickly up to Rose, trying to dissuade if she had unintentionally crossed some sort of taboo or offended someone, however Rosalie seemed far more intent on smothering Bella from behind.
Her arm around Bella's shoulders slowly slid down and across Bella's clavicle, carefully avoiding Bella's chest, as she wrapped the arm around Bella's neck. Her other hand, seemingly backpack free now, wrapped itself around Bella's waist and pulled Bella the step back so that Rosalie's front pressed firmly to Bella's back. Finally, Rose rested her chin on Bella's shoulder and leaned in as if to tell a secret.
"Sweet, sweet Bella," Rosalie purred, "I'm not above being bribed." Bella's heart was off to the races once again thanks to the living goddess that is Rosalie Hale, but Rose wasn't quite satisfied with just that. "I'm sure that anything you have to offer in exchange would be just devine ."
The amount of blood that rushed to Bella's face was nothing compared to the butterflies in her stomach and the combination made her fear that she'd drop dead right then and there from a heart attack and for that reason, and that reason only and without her permission, one of Bella's arms shot up and grasped the arm around her middle, thus unintentionally keeping them locked in the embrace. For a few precious nanoseconds Bella was able to savor the feeling of having Rose so intimately pressed against her, but then the sound of a car horn made reality set in and her body went stiff with embarrassment.
Bella's eyes slammed shut as wave after wave of panic hit her, this was not the type of shit she was supposed to be thinking, or doing in front of everyone in the whole school, it could get back to Charlie. She could feel Rosalie's body tense around her like a steel vice. Rosalie's vampire instincts were reacting to the stressed pheromones that Bella was unknowingly pumping into the air. Slowly, as though Bella were this fragile thing, Rosalie started to rub her thumb across Bella's collarbone and then the strangest thing happened. It starts as a soft rumble against Bella's back until it develops to a full on purr that she could feel vibrating throughout her entire body, and like it was novacane it flooded her nervous system until her heart slowed and she was able to come back into her own mind. Bella finally opened her eyes to see that the Cullen siblings were nowhere to be found and she sighed out the last of her worry as her body melted back into Rosalie's hold. Amusement flooded Bella as she realized just what was going on.
"So do all immortals purr or is that just a super secret Rosalie power?" Bella joked, though it seemed Rosalie was above pretending to be embarrassed as the purr seemed to intensify.
"My kind all have the ability, mainly to soothe our âme soeur." Bella didn't know which was sexier, the fact that Rose could speak French or the way the blonde was currently ghosting her nose from the back of Bella's ear down to her pulse point where she hovered and breathed deeply before letting out a moan so soft and delicate that Bella could instantly feel herself getting wet. All the warring emotions are starting to make Bella feel as though she was on the world's best and worst roller coaster.
Feeling tired, and emotionally vulnerable, Bella did the unthinkable, right there in the middle of a now semi deserted high school parking lot. She turned around in Rosalie's arms until they were face to face, looked Rose deep in her now dark umber eyes and did the one thing that they both had been desperately waiting for.
"Rose, I'm ready."
Chapter 10: Beasts Are About
Summary:
Here's the update finally! We're finally getting to the good parts! Thanks to everyone who reviewed it means so much!
Chapter Text
"...I'm ready."
Bella waited, breath held tightly in her lungs, her heart pounding furiously in her chest, waiting for her world to be absolutely rocked with the dramatic reveal. That is until she saw hunger in eyes that usually shine with flirty playfulness, and the way Rosalie's wicked lips were giving her a condescending sort of smirk. In fact, the word predatory was currently flashing in Bella's mind, what is worse was that instead of warning bells going off in her head, butterflies erupted in her stomach. A predatory Rosalie was a fucking hot Rosalie.
"Rose?" Bella asked once more, nervousness trying to creep in again as she fought off the dirty, dirty thoughts currently running through her brain. Her body, as it subconsciously tried to protect itself from Rose's intimidating figure, took a staggered step back which turned out to be more of a shuffle as Rosalie didn't seem all too concerned about releasing Bella from her grasp. No, Rose was far more intent on keeping the space between them as minimal as possible, so when Bella took an automatic step back, Rose followed. They shuffled backward that way, Bella like a deer in the headlights and Rosalie like a snake ready to strike, until Bella's back hit Rosalie's red Mercedes.
"Bella, do you know the author J. Sheridan Le Fanu?" The question wasn't enough to break whatever enchantment Rosalie had cast over her, but it was random enough for her brain to actually register it.
Bella nodded almost instantly, because yes, she was very familiar with the name. "That's who wrote-" Bella's brain seemed to short circuit here as two things happened at once. First, it was Bella's realization that J. Sheridan Le Fanu was responsible for writing Carmilla. A vampire story that predated Dracula and had heavy, heavy lesbian subtext. So, yeah big realization of where Rose was heading with this, but it was really the second thing to happen that rendered Bella speechless.
Rose leaned in so that her cheek pressed firmly against Bella's and her lips rested at the top of Bella's ear as she started to purr while simultaneously she quoted the very book Bella had been thinking of. "You must come with me, loving me, to death; or else hate me and still come with me, hating me through death and after. There is no such word as indifference in my apathetic nature."
Bella racked her brain for anything to say but what could she say to a beautiful vampire who was quoting beautiful words right into her ear, especially as she held Bella's body captive with her own. She just could not get over how Rose's words were affecting her. The revelation of Rosalie being a vampire should have at least been a little bit shocking but It wasn't, mostly because Rose had always been inhuman in Bella's mind, it never had made sense that Rose was an ordinary human like Bella. There was also the fact that Rose had already semi spilled the beans so Bella had prepared herself for anything.
The sensation of Rosalie's body pressed against her own was making Bella focus on all the wrong things. Her hands itched as she wanted to place her hands on Rosalie's waist and hold her there to relish the closeness. She wasn't concerned for her safety as Rosalie tilted her head down so that Bella could feel her breath upon her neck. Chills erupted over her skin and the only thoughts running through her brain was that she could never hate Rose. Never. Bella couldn't even think of the consequences of Charlie finding out about this little scene that was playing out in public.
"I can hear your heart racing." Rosalie took another deep breath with her nose now fixated on Bella's pulse point. Then, in a breathy tone, she asked, "Are you afraid?"
She could have asked this out of genuine concern, if it weren't for the amusement coating her words. Yes Bella's heart was racing, and yes, she hadn't yet spoken, but it wasn't because she was afraid and Rosalie seemed to know this. Bella realized, she's teasing. Bella took a deep breath.
"Only if we're still going shopping."
That did it. Rosalie's head tilted back as she let out a boisterous laugh, something that seemed so out of character for the blonde bombshell and yet it suited her perfectly. The sound made warmth blossom in Bella's chest and when Rosalie encircled her arms about Bella's neck, pulling her in close as she continued to laugh in Bella's ear, Bella's hands finally did what they wanted and returned the embrace by winding around Rosalie's waist and keeping them there.
The purr in Rosalie's chest started up again making Bella giggle. Rosalie flexed her arms, and Bella could now sense the power behind the blonde's hold. Bella couldn't remember a time when she felt so safe. "No, we don't have to go shopping today, but just know this means we'll both have to make it up to Alice."
Bella laughed though she was more focused on keeping her hands from drifting from their safe place at the small of Rosalie's back than Rosalie's actual words. She even had to stop herself from asking Rosalie if she'd always smelt so good or if the blonde had recently changed her perfume.
"That's fine." Bella murmured, a bit distracted by the fog that was slowly creeping over her mind as she continued to be assaulted by the feel of Rosalie's body and the smell of her perfume. Bella truly felt like she'd been drugged.
Rosalie's small laugh sounded more like the confident and slightly mocking Rosalie she'd come to know. "Will you do something for me, Bella? It'll get Alice off our backs and it'll make me very happy."
Bella perked up at this, and the fact that Rosalie leaned back enough so she could watch Bella's face. Bella nodded, "Of course." She hadn't needed to think about it because of course she wanted to make Rosalie happy and if it meant that Alice wouldn't be upset over the canceled shopping trip then that just made it better.
Rosalie smirked in that slightly evil but definitely hot way of hers and Bella swallowed deeply.
"I want you to meet my family."
Bella had insisted on showering and changing her clothes before heading over to the Cullens house, no matter how many times Rosalie assured her that she looked, and smelt fine. Bella knew Rose could hear everything, she'd gathered that much in the past weeks, but smell too? Lord help her. So Rose dropped her off with a kiss to the cheek and a promise to collect her around six. Something else might have been said, but Bella was having trouble staying calm under the lingering effects of Rosalie's small affections, and then there was the realization that this was going to be the first time she hangs out with Rose without any pretenses, and for it to be with the whole Cullen family present was, honestly, a bit of a let down.
Bella hadn't envisioned the 'after' part of the reveal like this but beggars couldn't be choosers, and she still planned to get all her questions answered.
So caught up in planning her line of questioning, Bella didn't hear the front door slamming as she excited the shower, but then the unmistakable sound of heavy boots rushing up the stairs slammed her back to reality. She hurried to wrap her robe around herself and exit the bathroom before Charlie got to the landing, of course luck wasn't on her side and she opened the bathroom door to find a surprised, and sober, Charlie taking the last step.
They both stood there awkwardly, Bella wondering why he didn't just brush past her with a mumbled word like usual, and why did he look worse sober than he did drunk? Bella watched as Charlie's eyes shifted nervously from her left, to her right eye and then to the floor. His hands must have been quite sweaty as he kept wiping them on his dark khaki pants and his face was flushed. Bella obviously got the bad blushing habit from him, she had thought he always looked red from the alcohol.
Bella shifted to her right toward her room. Charlie finally looked back up at her movement. "Haven't had a drink today."
Though his sudden admission confirms her suspicion about him being sober, it was strange for Bella as Charlie never really discussed his habits with her. Bella felt awkward, so she shrugged. "I'm going to a friend's house…you still have a bottle in the freezer."
She felt helpless saying it, of course he only spoke to her because he couldn't find his alcohol and when Charlie's shoulders sag, she assumes it must be in relief; it makes Bella angry. Without another look, she goes to her room, ignoring the way Charlie mumbled her name at her departure. She didn't have time for Charlie's bullshit.
She was still trying to shake her anger as she got dressed in a simple pair of faded blue jeans that she cuffed at the ends and a white tee. After sliding on her white vans, she sat at the edge of her bed willing her anger to simmer down, she still had fifteen minutes until Rosalie was set to arrive and didn't want the Blonde to catch on to her mood. Rose made it clear that she didn't like Charlie nor did she trust him, not that Bella could blame her, Bella didn't want to add to the list of reasons why.
Deciding that the less interaction the better, Bella went to her closet for a sweater so that she could wait out on the porch. Her fingers skimmed over her plethora of hoodies, but they stopped on the soft, slightly oversized white button-up cardigan that Rosalie had insisted she keep. She didn't think much of it as she slipped into Rose's sweater and almost as if she was compelled, she brought the collar up to her nose and breathed in the scent of Rosalie that lingered there.
The deep rose petal scent mixed with sugared cranberries and a hint of vanilla bean. The smell warmed her up more than the actual cardigan did, almost as if Rose was standing behind her, arms wound tightly around Bella, like she had done earlier. It soothed Bella's smoldering anger that still threatened to lash out and quieted the unkind tapes that played in Bella's mind. Bella never really understood that feeling of home being one's safe place or refuge, but she guessed that this was what everyone had always talked about because when she was surrounded by Rosalie she'd never felt safer or more cherished. It was a precious feeling that Bella craved.
Now smiling, Bella shifted over to the mirror to put her slightly damp hair up in a top-bun. When she was done she linger momentarily as she caught sight of the shine in her brown eyes. Before Rosalie her eyes had been dull, murky, Bella had thought them ugly. Now, looking in the mirror Bella saw someone who knows what happiness is; Rosalie looked good on her. Holding on to that feeling, Bella exited her room and descended the stairs quickly. She expected Charlie was in the living room, halfway through the bottle and so was thrown off kilter as she rounded the bottom landing and headed for the front door. Charlie was in the kitchen, cleaning?
Bella pauses mid-step, her head jerking back as she frowns at the scene. She searches Charlie's immediate surroundings to look for the bottle, but nothing. Charlie had the radio on low, cleaning the kitchen and humming softly to himself. Who was this man because surely it wasn't Charlie Swan. Charlie must have felt her eyes burning into the back of his head, because he turned and didn't look surprised by seeing Bella frozen halfway to the door.
Charlie took a deep breath, his shoulders straightened out and he smiled in a soft way that hurt Bella's heart. "Have a good time, Bells."
Bella staggered back as though he had physically slapped her in the face. There was a time, back when Bella was ten and had spent a week with Charlie because Renee had gone on a cruise. It was the one and only time that Bella had seen her father sober for more than a day. Charlie had entered a recovery program that summer and was a month into it when Renee randomly dropped Bella on his doorstep as she made her way to Alaska for the cruise. It was a week Bella had desperately tried to bury because it was perhaps the best week of her life. Charlie had been kind and attentive, he took her fishing and hiking in the woods. He even got her a birthday cake so that they could celebrate her birthday early, by more than a month, and they spent the whole night eating a huge tub of ice cream as they watched Disney movie after Disney movie.
He had called her 'Bells' the entire time, something her late grandfather had only called her. He had been a father, until the last night. Charlie had gotten a phone call from Renee, she remembered that because he had slammed the phone down and cursed Renee's name. Then Charlie started to become a strange mix of mad and sad before ordering Bella up to her room. He'd drank the night away as Bella laid terrified under the blankets, listening to him fighting with himself downstairs. He hadn't been able to look at her the next morning, and Bella had been too scared to speak to him. He didn't say goodbye when Renee returned for her.
Charlie looked at her with tired, defeated eyes and nodded to whatever he'd been thinking in his head. "I'll leave a light on for you."
Bella didn't know what to do, her throat was so tight that she didn't dare speak so she gave a nod and forced her legs to carry her to and out the door. She immediately plopped down on the first step, enjoying the slight fog that had surrounded the town. The air was cool at the back of her neck and it felt good in her lungs as she took intentionally deep breaths. Bella felt untethered like gravity had let go of her and abandoned her to space. She didn't understand what was going on in her little world, and couldn't comprehend the changes laid out before her.
Bella heard the purr of the engine first, then watched as Rose pulled into the drive next to Charlie's cruiser. When the blonde stepped out of her car, Bella pictures the white knight appearing from the smoke on his faithful steed, but it doesn't quite match. When Rosalie narrows her eyes and starts marching toward Bella, Bella figures out why the pictures don't match. Rose isn't a white knight full of gallantry, she is not the type to sacrifice who and what she loved for the greater good. Rosalie was the villain of the story, the one willing to burn down the world to save who she loved and not give two fucks about it.
Rose said nothing as she reached her hand out to Bella, Bella took it and allowed Rose to pull her to her feet. Golden eyes captured Bella's gaze for a few long minutes until the fire behind them softened and she reached her hand out to cup the side of Bella's neck, her thumb stretching out along Bella's jaw.
"Hello, Beautiful."
Bella closes her eyes as Rose connects their foreheads, a fresh wave of Rosalie's scent washing over her and tethering Bella back to earth. A small piece of Bella's heart broke and sewed itself back together all at once as the realization hit her for the very first time.
Oh, Bella thought.
Bella was silent on the drive, Rose let her sit in the passenger seat not bothered by it as she waited for Bella to break the stillness. When Rose turned off the highway onto a densely wooded private road, Bella finally spoke.
"Thanks for being on time."
One of Rose's perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose and a small half smile peaked at the corner of her lips as if she was infinitely amused. "Vampires are always on time, Bella."
Bella smiled and rolled her eyes as she turned her head to look at Rosalie. "I'll add that to the growing list then: superhuman hearing, check, superhuman smell, check, perpetually punctual, check."
Rosalie laughed, "Nice alliteration."
Bella mockingly stuck out her tongue. "What else?"
Rosalie tapped the steering wheel and took a glance at the sun that stubbornly hung above the horizon. Bella watched her wondering what she was seeing. "I suppose we can keep the family waiting just a bit longer."
Bella wondered what she was speaking of until Rose pulled the car over and disappeared in a flash. Bella blinked and suddenly her car door was being opened by a cheeky Rosalie. Bella grinned as she took the offered hand and gasped when Rosalie shut the door behind her and stepped into Bella's personal space.
"Trust me?" Rosalie whispered and brought her silver flip phone up to her ear. Bella nodded deftly making rose give her the slightly evil smile that always made Bella go weak in the knees. "Emmett…tell Alice to stop snooping, we'll be there when we get there…now, Emmett! Okay, just take my car home…no we won't need it…oh my god, this is me hanging up."
Bella contained her giggles until she heard the snap of the phone closing. Rosalie sighed as she hugged herself to Bella's body and rested her head in the crook of Bella's neck. "You think it's funny now but just wait until you're the target of their inquisition."
Bella giggled again but didn't confirm the slight fear she felt at the thought. Instead she asked, "Where are you taking me, Rose?"
Rosalie stepped back with a secret sort of look on her face, and smirked. "Oh mortal, tell me your wishes and I, of pure Goddess intent, shall see it through."
Bella blushed. "Rose." She mumbled with a slight blush. Rosalie chuckled and clicked her tongue before reaching down and scooping Bella off her feet bridal style. "Rose!" Bella half screamed as she hurriedly wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck.
"Still trust me?" Rosalie challenged.
Bella buried her face just a bit deeper into Rosalie's neck and held on tighter. "Always." Just like that, they disappeared from the lonely road and into the forest.
Chapter 11: A Whole New World
Summary:
AN: long chapter guys, are you ready?
Chapter Text
A Whole New World
The wind was fierce against Bella's face even as she tucked herself closer to Rosalie. She couldn't guess the speed at which Rosalie ran but the world around them was a blur of greens and shifting sunlight. Rosalie carried her as though she weighed nothing and the grace she had in her movements made Bella feel as if they were floating rather than running. It was a miraculous feeling and Bella found herself giggling with adrenaline.
Rosalie started coming to a stop making Bella open her eyes to check their surroundings. They stood at the edge of a great wide open clearing surrounded heavily by dense forests on all sides. To Bella's surprise there were still a few rays of strong sunlight highlighting the short grass, it looked mystical as what was left of the fog started to fade.
Bella wasn't all too surprised that Rosalie hadn't let her down yet, even as she proceeded to walk into the meadow. When they were just outside a sun's ray, Rosalie hesitated and placed Bella to her feet softly.
"I'm the apex, Bella. A perfect predator against my prey. Humans fall helplessly under my charm and it's meant to be their end. I am obsessive, borderline possessive of what I count as mine. Nothing can match my speed, my senses, my strength. I thirst for blood. I do not sleep, or eat or drink anything but blood. I am immortal and can't die except at the hands of my kind and fire. We have rulers, Vampire Royalty, we mustn't break the laws. No human can know of our existence unless they are a mate, are to die or be changed under the penalty of death. My family drinks animal blood, I have never drank from a human, but I've killed."
Blla felt her eyes grow wide at the confession, but Rosalie wasn't done. "It's a story for another time, but you need to know this, Bella, know all that's at risk and know I've chosen this, but you must choose it too." Rosalie looked up at the quickly dying light and stepped back.
Bella gasped at the light glow that came from underneath Rosalie's skin. She was incandescent, a star fallen from space. "Of course you look like a freaking angel." Rosalie smirked, but let the comment go, much to Bella's relief. Still, something about what Rosalie said bugged her, and as the sun finally set Bella stepped back into Rosalie's space and looked up at the blonde. "What's the reason then?"
Rosalie smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she looked into those impossibly brown eyes of Bella's. With an over dramatic sigh, Rose relented. "Well of course I'm bringing you to the family as a snack."
Bella gasped and smacked Rosalie's arm as hard as she dared. "Rose! How dare you! I'm walking home!" Bella turned and tried to march away from the laughing vampire but Rose quickly caught her uncasted hand in a soft but unbreakable grip.
Bella turned back around and tugged her hand back, gasping as she fell flat on her butt when Rose let her loose. Bella looked up to scold the blonde but Rosalie was nowhere to be seen. Bella scrambled to her feet and searched the field. "Haha Rose, very funny!" She called out knowing Rose would hear.
"I'll give you a 30 second head start, Bella. The house is to your left, the highway directly in front. Make a choice."
The field rang with the sound of Rosalie's voice and Bella's heart quickened, it seemed Rose was in the mood for games, fine, Bella was always good at thinking on her feet. Her feet sprang to life as she headed straight but then cut left just before the treeline. She couldn't see Rose but she could hear the boom of laughter at her back as she ran toward the Cullen house.
Emmett wasn't used to being patient when it came to his vampire life unless it had to do with Rosalie. Even though Rosalie was responsible for saving his life, and for finding his truest love in Edythe, she had been a hard won friend. Rosalie taught him that having patience was worth it and being Rosalie's friend was worth all the hard fought battles to break through her walls. Then to see this little human come along and do it so effortlessly, well to say Emmett was impressed would be an understatement. He wanted to be Bella's friend so badly it hurt, he was technically the youngest of the family, something his siblings loved to hold over him. Perhaps this was his chance to actually be a big brother, not just the biggest brother.
So yet again, here he was sitting on the front porch waiting patiently for his best friend to finish whatever she was doing to impress Bella, so that Emmett could finally impress Bella. He had arrived with Rosalie's car safely and promptly sat on the front stoop, stubbornly wanting to be the first to greet the pair. That had been exactly twenty-three minutes and thirty-one seconds ago.
Bella quickly became aware that Rosalie was indeed teasing and the game could have ended seconds after she started to run in the forest clearing, but that didn't make it any less fun. She had no idea where she was because everything looked the same to her in the dying light, it was almost dark but it didn't make her fearful. Bella knew Rosalie's eyes hadn't left her, not once, she could feel Rose's gaze like it was a physical thing. She had managed to keep Rosalie's cardigan clean but her white vans would never be the same. Sitting on a fallen log, she sighed as she looked down on them.
"Don't worry, I'll replace them."
Bella didn't jump as Rose rested her chin on Bella's exposed shoulder; the vampire's cold skin felt wonderful on Bella's overheated body. "You don't have to do that. I'm perfectly capable of buying new shoes." Of course she was, she still had the thirteen-thousand in savings from her Grandpa. She dipped into it now and then, but was saving the bulk for leaving Forks after she graduated high school. Would she do that now that Rose was in her life? Was it still her plan to just disappear the day after graduation? Bella didn't know anymore.
"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"
Bella blinked, and turned toward Rosalie who was now sitting on the log next to her facing the opposite direction. The blonde looked happy, and Bella didn't want her mixed emotions breaking that so she gave her best smile. "Just thinking of all the awkward moments I'm about to get myself into being the only human in a group of Vampires."
Rose smiled softly, her thumb swiping over the back of Bella's right hand as she watched Bella closely. Bella hoped she couldn't see through the front she'd put up.
"What happened before I got to your house? Charlie was home early."
Bella's smile was officially wiped off her face as she looked at Rose, how would she know Charlie was home early? "Rose, you're not keeping an eye on him are you?"
Rosalie shrugged, looking none too bothered. "Of course not. I did have Edythe and Jasper follow him around for a few days. Edythe can read minds you see, though not yours, and Jasper is an empath. Oh, Alice did look into the future a few times." Bella felt, and probably looked appalled because Rose continued. "I told you that I didn't trust him. No one invaded your privacy, I made sure. I just couldn't risk him being an actual threat to you. None of them gave me details, just the assurance that he wouldn't harm you. So technically, I didn't do any stalking. If you want to know more I'm sure they'd tell you."
On one hand Bella was annoyed that Rosalie had basically stalked Charlie and didn't trust Bella when she told Rose that Charlie wasn't the type to beat children, just ignore them. On the other hand, Bella had come to trust Rosalie wholeheartedly, so she believed the blonde's intentions were true and that her privacy was respected.
"No more using your siblings as your own personal spies, okay?"
Rosalie smirked, not looking ashamed at all. "No more spies." It sounded more like 'we'll see' to Bella and she was quickly getting the idea that one had to choose their battles when dealing with a 'justified' Rosalie, because surely that's how she felt, Bella could see it.
Bella leaned against Rose's arm, grateful that the vampire was strong and steady next to her, even if she was gonna be a handful to deal with. "Charlie was sober when he came home, told me so himself. I-I thought, no I think he's on a sober trip. The last time I remember him sober was eight years ago. I was ten."
Rose stayed quiet for a few moments. "Please know that you are always welcome where I am. You don't have to deal with any of this alone. I'm here for you."
Bella laughed and tilted her chin up to look at Rosalie. "Even when I'm old and decrepit and need help getting off the couch?" It wasn't that she didn't trust Rosalie's words, but really, how long did she have with Rosalie until the inevitable happened? people change their minds, do vampires? What if Bella didn't end up being changed, would she have to die? The thought of dying scared Bella so much more now that she had something worth living for.
The look in Rosalie's eyes changed to something more fearsome, like the thought of Bella aging didn't sit well with her. Bella's stomach flipped with nerves. "Bella…I cannot allow you to die. Please forgive me for that selfishness, but I will not allow it. You're…too Important to me."
Bella's heart clenched painfully in her chest. Back in the clearing Rose told her that no human could know of Vampires unless that human was a mate, which she still had questions about, was to be changed, or was to die. Evidently Rosalie too disliked the idea of Bella's death. Bella was relieved but it left a bigger question, would she be changed because Rosalie had grown attached or was it something more. Bella didn't know if she wanted to be changed just because she was a momentary interest. She was getting in deep with her feelings over the blonde, could she handle being around forever and not being with Rosalie? Could she allow herself to give Rosalie her forever, even if it was just as friends?
The more Bella stared into Rosalie's eyes the harder her conviction became. Even if she couldn't be Rosalie's mate, she couldn't stand the thought of not having Rose at all. To give up her mortality to be in Rosalie's life could seem idiotic to others, but honestly to Bella it was starting to make perfect sense. Besides in Bella's mind, she didn't have all that much that she'd be giving up in exchange.
'You must come with me, loving me, to death; or else hate me and still come with me, hating me through death and after. There is no such word as indifference in my apathetic nature.'
Rosalie's quoted words ran through her head, and Bella began to understand the depth of them. For whatever reason Rosalie was choosing this, whatever this was between them, she chose Bella. Rose had said she was obsessive over those she counted as hers and now that she had chosen Bella there was no turning back for the blonde, so maybe Rosalie too thought that whatever this was between could be more.
Bella also knew, at some level, she had already chosen Rosalie too even if it was on a deeper level than Rosalie, otherwise she wouldn't be here right now. So maybe, just maybe Bella's plan for her future could be different now, it was a daring thought but also an exhilarating one.
"If wanting me in your life makes you selfish then I must be selfish too."
Bella's words hung heavy in the air around them. There was so much left unsaid between them, a lot of uncertainty on Bella's part, but she was at least sure of what her heart was trying to tell her. Rosalie grabbed Bella's uncasted hand and helped her off the log. They walked at Bella's pace through the trees, Rosalie gently helping Bella through the terrain now that it was dark.
"If I can't replace your shoes, then can I get you a car?"
Bella stared at the smirking blonde with shock. "No you absolutely can't buy me a car."
Rosalie's smirk widened and she hummed in false thought. "Right, it doesn't make sense since you have me to drive you around…what about a condo, maybe a small house?"
Bella laughed and shook her head. "How is that any better than the car?"
Rosalie nodded. "True, you have my bedroom after all." Bella choked on her own words, why was Rosalie so flirty, but Rose ignored her and kept going. "Maybe we'll get a private island, eventually we'll need some peace and quiet away from the family."
Bella was in complete disbelief at how casually Rose talked about spending money, and about a future together, but was it a future where they were truly together?. But a fucking island? Bella stopped in her stride causing Rose to stop too. She sighed as she looked at the blonde, it was almost pitch black outside but Bella swears she can still see the way Rosalie glowed while in the sunlight.
"You can buy me shoes."
Rosalie grinned in victory, sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight, and wrapped her arm around Bella's waist. She kissed the top of Bella's head and continued their walking. "I knew you'd come to your senses. Now, about the car…" Bella just shook her head and listened to the blonde as she laid out her argument, more interested in the way Rosalie's thumb swiped over her bare side under the cardigan and shirt she wore.
I'm never going to be able to say no to her, Bella thought helplessly to herself as they continued toward the house.
Over the many years that Carlisle had been a father to Rosalie, he dared to say that he had only seen a handful of moments where his daughter appeared to be completely happy and unburdened by her past. She had been accepting of her life as a Vampire, after a few rebellious years, but he knew she yearned for what her life could have been, maybe at times even yearned that if had never happened at all. She was so lonely in a Coven full of mates, the fact that she truly loved her family only went so far.
As Vampires, they only truly yearned for two things: blood and a mate, both of which were essential to a Vampire's existence. The rest of his family had been too lucky in finding their other halves. The Denali sisters were all over a thousand years old and only just last year did the youngest, Irina, find a mate in a nomad named Laurant. Tanya and Kate were still searching. To live mateless was like living with a piece of you gone, nothing quite felt right, almost as if you had a phantom limb.
Carlisle had hoped that when Rosalie brought Emmett to the house to save him that maybe he had been her mate. It wasn't to be though, as Edythe was Emmett's mate. He had asked Rosalie about it once, if not the bond of a mate then why did she so frantically save his life? Rosalie was in a melancholy mood that night and told him of a human child from her human life and of his mother. Carlisle understood that Vera and little Henry had perhaps been the only time human Rosalie had been happy.
Carlisle was firmly of the opinion that even in her human life Rosalie had been yearning for the sort of connection only a mate could provide, his daughter just hadn't known it, how could any mortal comprehend such longing. All his children were so precious to him and he wanted nothing but their happiness. At times, some have believed he favored Edythe the most because he relied on her gift so heavily or because she was the first, it wasn't true.
Out of all his children, Carlisle had the softest spot for Rosalie, his Kitten. He wasn't allowed to call her that except in their most private moments but that's what she was to him, a precious ball of fluff surrounded by sharp edges, and fangs, and claws.
Carlisle hears Edythe's small laugh from the corner of the room and shakes his head. Edie knew better than to share private thoughts, at least most times, besides who knew what Rosalie might do if Edythe dared even think about calling her Kitten. Edythe missed a key on the piano and it was Carlisle's turn to give a little laugh as he looked up and caught the terrified eyes of his eldest daughter.
The sound of slow footsteps and a steady heartbeat reached Carlisle's ears and he perked up in his chair but waited inside as he'd been told, only Emmett dared to wait for them out front, he knew Rosalie would forgive him for bombarding Bella first.
"She's here!" Esme cheered from the kitchen before appearing at Carlise's side. He grabbed her hand lovingly and smiled up at her. They couldn't be more overjoyed that Rosalie was finally bringing Bella home.
Emmett bounced off the front step and landed feet first on the ground as he saw his best friend and soon-to-be little sister exit the treeline and step into the spotlights on the garage. He watched their approach and was delighted to see a full blown smile across Rosalie's face, one that didn't dim as the two approached him. He wanted to rush over to them and pick them up in a great big bear hug because it made him so happy, so that's what he did.
Bella was so struck with how beautiful Rosalie looked at the moment even in the slight yellow light coming from the garage. The blonde picked a leaf from her hair, scoffing at the offensive thing for even daring to mess with her perfect hair, though it was just a bit wind tossed from chasing her. Rosalie's golden eyes still swirled with a type of savageness that excited Bella. In short, Rose looked like what she should be; wild and free. Rose caught Bella's eyes and smirked at catching her staring.
"You really shouldn't look at me like that."
Bella laughed in confusion, but really she wanted to know. "And just how am I looking at you?" She knew what she was starting to feel, but what did that look like to Rosalie? Did Rosalie know what Bella's look meant? Did Rosalie know Bella was enchanted because perhaps Rosalie too was enchanted by Bella?
Tension suddenly encompasses the air around them as yellow eyes darkened. Bella could feel the way her body wanted Rosalie to step into her space, like she often did. She wanted Rosalie to press against her like the blonde did in the most unexpected moments. She wanted, god, Bella wanted for so much, but it didn't happen.
Before Rosalie could make any sort of movement, Bella felt herself being swept off her feet and surrounded by huge, stone muscles as someone pulled her up and into the biggest bear hug of her life. Her vision went spotty as he hugged just a bit too tight causing a 'oof' sound to escape her lips.
"Emmett you fuck! If you break her I will castrate you!"
Bella breathed in deeply as she was immediately let loose and stood on her feet at Rosalie's vicious threat. Even Bella winced for the poor guy. "Damn Rose…you can't…blame the guy…for being…excited." Bella managed to say in between deep breaths.
Rosalie looked at her incredulously. "You must be joking. Bella, you can barely breathe right now." Then she turned back to Emmett like a snake ready to strike. "Her arm isn't even healed yet, if she so much as has a bruise then I'm going to delete your fucking gaming profile off all your damn platforms!"
"Daaaamn!" "I'm sorry!"
Emmett and Bella shared a look at their shared exclamations. Bella felt so bad for the guy that she knew she had to stop Rose before she actually went through with her threats. The fear in Emmett's eyes was enough to tell her that Rosalie didn't make empty promises. Plus, that boy that pushed Bella to the ground still couldn't look at Bella without breaking into a cold sweat and he flat out ran when he saw Rosalie.
Bella approached the angry vampire without fear, encircled her arms very carefully around Rosalie's waist and laid her head on Rosalie's shoulder softly. "Rose, really, I'm perfectly fine. Emmett was just excited. I would rather he be a bit overexcited than to treat me like a porcelain doll."
Rosalie turned her glare on Bella at her words. "You're human. You are fragile."
Bella rolled her eyes and ignored how hot Rosalie looked when she was thoroughly pissed. "No shit, Sherlock. But I swear to everything that is holy I will not tolerate being treated like glass. You just chased me through the forest with my cast on. I think a hug from Emmett is just as safe."
Though Bella could still see a stubborn sort of will in Rosalie's eyes, it was Rosalie's mouth that gave her away. Perfect pink lips curved into her signature evil smirk. "Fine Bella, if you're okay with being around Vampires as they actually are, strength, senses, instincts and all, then I'll be sure to act that way too."
The way the blonde looked and spoke to Bella had Bella thinking she had just stepped into something that she wasn't quite ready for, but it was too late to let her pride say so. "Fine. You should."
Rosalie's smirk widened as Emmett started to subtly shake his head at Bella in warning. "Are you absolutely sure about that Bella? You want to see me in my natural state?"
"No she doesn't." Emmett's insistence was promptly ignored.
"That's what I said." Bella insisted instead.
She didn't expect the laugh that Rosalie let loose, a strong combination of savage amusement and cruel intention. Fucking hell, Bella should not think Rosalie was hot like this but she did.
"Your wish is my command."
Rosalie spun away from Bella, her words still hanging in the air as she appeared at Emmett's side and pushed his shoulder so hard it created a shock wave and broke the sound barrier. Bella watched in amazement as she covered her ears as Emmett's body flew up over the garage only to land somewhere in the backyard with a loud thud. Bella blinked and Rosalie was in her space, nose touching nose. Bella's heart beat skyrocketed in tempo as she stared at the dangerous creature in front of her.
Rosalie took a deep breath and groaned so sweetly that Bella squeezed her thighs together to try and stave off the oncoming arousal. When Rosalie opened her eyes again they were darker, almost copper or dark brown, her sweet breath washed over Bella's face. "Hmmm." Rosalie hummed.
"Was that necessary?" Bella managed to whisper, even though her throat was suddenly parched and other areas were considerably more wet than they had been.
Rosalie smirked wickedly. "Yes it was. He should know better than to touch what's mine without permission."
Bella's breath caught in her throat. "That's kinda possessive, I'm yours, like I'm an object?"
Rosalie rubbed her nose over Bella's. "Never an object, but yes, Bella, you are mine nonetheless, and if someone hurts you, I hurt them back, no matter how slight the wound."
"Jesus fucking christ, Rose." Bella breathed out and closed her eyes for just a moment. When she refocused, Rosalie's eyes were more playful than anything. "It's just not right that you can make vampire possessiveness look hot. It should be a big red flag."
Rose laughed, and this time it was genuine and sweet as she nudged her nose once more against Bella. Then she pulled back and tugged Bella along as she continued to the house. "Oh Bella, you've no idea what you've gotten yourself into."
Bella couldn't have agreed more with Rosalie. She couldn't fathom what she had signed up for, but she had a feeling that she wasn't ever going to regret it. No matter what happens, she'd always choose Rosalie.