Bella POV
I was tucked in a rather spacious bed, with a thin-layer of a silk blanket wrapped around me, when I came to it. My leg was propped up, along with my head, and it felt safe, and rather reassuring. No one really did it for me. I tried to recount how I got to this very unfamiliar place, but all I remember was fainting when Aro proclaimed that they would essentially help me live again.
It felt reassuring that they would want to try and help me live. They all seemed so willing to help me, but how much are they willing to- stay by my side through the tears and the days where it seemed that breathing was too hard. Through the days where I just want to end it, to simply try to relieve through the suffering, the pain and the pressure that resides in my chest, and my heart. How long were they going to try and help me, and eventually give up when they realize I am just too high-maintenance? When it becomes too apparent, when I am just too much for people.
I know it seemed unlikely that the Volturi would do that. There's just that small part of me that doubts them. Everyone back in Forks- even Charlie, just eventually gave up when it became apparent that my behavior was too much, too depressing for them. How much pain and grief circled inside me like a raging storm, begging everyday, for someone to heal the gaping wound inside me, for someone to heal what Ed- no, he did.
"What did he do?" I heard an unfamiliar voice ask. "To make you like this."
Heat rose up to my cheeks as I realized that I wasn't alone in here. I looked over at where the voice came from and a vampire with dark brown hair pinned back into following curls. She had pale skin and a very warm smile that seemed to warm my heart. She was rather friendly, almost reminded me of Jessica, and hopefully, not also, because of her talking.
"Sorry, who are you?" I asked.
"Sorry, I'm Chelsea. They asked me to keep an eye on you while they are dealing with an important matter on hand," The vampire told me. "But seriously, what did he do?"
"Who?" I asked, before the realization finally dawned on me and I knew who she was talking about.
"He broke up with me in a forest, claiming he wanted to protect me from vampires and their lifestyle," I told her. "Very ironic considering what happened to me."
I don't know why I was telling her this, but she seemed genuine and wanted to help me.
"He broke up with you in a forest?" Chelsea said, "Damn… He's lucky that we have him or else, I'd hunt his arse down. Granted, I don't know much about human life or breakups in general besides in romcom movies, but why would you want to break up with someone in a forest? Human life is already so fragile, but you're endangering someone in a forest, where there are predators other than us around."
I let out a small laugh at that. A small, genuine laugh that I haven't done in so long, in how many months now?
"What I really don't understand is why you are hung up over him. Why did you allow yourself to let him do this to you? It seems to me that you are hung up over the idea of love, because for once, someone paid attention to you and claimed that you were special to them. You loved the idea of being in love, but refused to see how toxic he was to you."
Tears blurred my vision, that I simply refused to let them fall. It wasn't because those words hurt me, but maybe, it's just because I didn't realize how naïve and stupid I was. I was always too busy being the caretaker to my mom, and how my dad tried to make it up to me, when he had the time, but he was also caught up because mom left him. I didn't realize how much I was always trying to give people I cared about the attention I needed that they never gave me, that the one person who gave me the attention and told me I was special, hurt me in irreparable ways.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry," Chelsea apologized. "Master Caius would probably have my head if he realized that I made you cry."
"No, no, it's fine," I told her, blinking away tears, "I just realized how much I needed to hear those words. No one had ever told me something like that before."
"Well that's a relief," Chelsea said.
Silence filled the room after that when I struggled to find something else to say. I didn't know what else to add, and I barely just met her. This was all completely new to me. Luckily, a knock was heard on the door, and Caius walked in the door.
I watched as Chelsea backed away from the bed, without another word.
"Leave us," he ordered.
Chelsea flitted away without saying another word. She closed the door behind her, leaving me and Caius alone. Caius brushed the hair away from my face, his red eyes staring into my brown eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"I'm fine," I told him.
"Are you sure?" He asked. "Any pain? I don't want to see you in pain, or rip open your stitches."
Blood rushed through my cheeks, making me blush. It was very caring that he actually cared, but it was very strange to see someone to care about me, to actually make sure that I was alright.
I shook my head no.
"She's dead," Caius said.
I didn't say anything. I felt relief, like something leaving my body, anxiety or dread, I don't know. It was just a relief that Victoria couldn't harm me again, that I didn't need to worry about her ever again.
"Did you make her pay?" I asked in a small voice.
Caius nodded, "The guards had fun with her until they got bored. I got the satisfaction of torching her… I promise you, nothing- nobody will ever touch a strand of hair on your head or I will make them pay."
I nod.
Suddenly, my stomach rumbled and my blush deepened. Caius let a small chuckle and said,
"Let's get you something to eat, okay?"
Story is on Ao3, under Fire is Everywhere
Update (2/19/23): Completely revamped, more character interactions, detail, but very much less cringe.