Show Me Your Teeth
AN: Enjoy the next Chapter guys, and don't be too worried about Charlie.
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.