Tears blurred her vision. Through all the pain, Bella could only watch as Peter and James ripped each other apart. The snarls, the vicious fangs, the way they moved too fast for her eyes to track—it was all terrifying. A dizzying whirlpool of violence she'd never seen before.

When James gripped her arm, bringing his mouth to her wrist, all she could do was scream. Terror of being changed against her will making her sob until he was once again ripped away from her by Peter.

Blood seeped from her leg where a shard embedded itself into her flesh. She tried to stop the bleeding, but only more seemed to paint her hand a vibrant red. There was so much of it.

She was sure she'd lose conciousness from it when she felt cold hands gently land on her shoulders. Bella screamed, trying to push the hands away, pushing herself back as best she could with her one good leg until she heard Carlisle's voice.

"Bella, Bella! It's me, love. I'm here."

Her heart pounding against her chest. Her breaths labored as her eyes quickly searched for his familiar, gentle face. When she found Carlisle kneeling beside her, followed by Esme on her other side, all she could do was burst into tears. It was instant. A weight suddenly being lifted off her shoulders. A balm to her soul.

"Dad...Mom..." she rasped, her whole body trembling. "You're really here?"

Both her parents looked on the verge of breaking down at the sound of her voice, the innocent question that tore their hearts apart.

Esme cupped Bella's face, saying through her own unshed tears, "We're here, Bella. We're here..."

She felt them both wrap her up in a tight embrace as she cried, gripping the back of their jackets. Not caring that she was probably getting her blood all over them.

"Where are you hurt, sweetheart?" Carlisle asked when he pulled away, assessing the blood staining her hands and clothes.

"My l-leg." Bella whimpered when Carlisle tore a strip from the hem of his shirt before sliding it under her leg.

Pain shot through her when she felt a hand apply pressure on the gash. She must have screamed again because Carlisle apologized to her while he tended to the injuries on her leg as best he could without his medical bag.

"We have to get her to the hospital. Now." She heard Carlisle tell Esme, but her attention flickered away from them. A wave of dizziness sweeping over her, her focus wavering as her gaze did. Shadows played around the corners of her vision, shards of glass illuminated by moonlight spilling in through the windows. Flames sparked to life somewhere in the studio and her head tilted to the side.

Familiar silhouettes seemed to become one with the flames as they all moved around the fire.

Jasper's face appeared in a blur as he knelt beside her, shielding her from the flames behind him. His amber eyes pained as he looked at her. His lips moved, seeming to say her name but no sound came.

As Jasper picked her up in his strong arms, holding her like a delicate piece of porcelain, the last thing she saw was a stoic man standing with his back to her.

Her lips moved, but she couldn't hear her voice. Still, she knew exactly what she said before her eyes slid closed.

Peter.

Bella stood in the middle of the forest.

Twilight was painting the crisp greens and browns of towering trees and twisting branches a pale, soft blue.

There was a deer grazing beside a shallow stream. Its head whipped up, looking at her as she stood across the stream from it.

In the blink of an eye, it was gone. Running between the thicket and disappearing.

The growl of a predator echoing around her made her heart leap in her chest.

But when she looked for the source of the sound, there was nothing.

Then she realized, the sound came from her.

Faint whispers welcomed Bella when she awoke.

A soft beeping sound of a machine came next, followed by a heaviness weighing her leg down as she shifted in her bed with a soft groan.

Her eyes fluttered open, looking around a blurry dimmed room where only a lamp had been left on at a table to her right.

"Bella?" A soft voice said her name, making her look around until she found her mother's beautiful face. She was wearing the same thing she had on the last time she'd seen her before going out hunting with the Denali's. Her caramel brown hair pulled into a loose braid that fell over her shoulder.

"Mom?"

Esme smiled with relief, placing a delicate hand on her arm. She was careful not to touch the IV sticking out of her forearm, but Bella felt it tugging on her skin all the same.

"Oh, sweetheart. I'm so sorry." She whispered, gently brushing a loose strand of her hair away from her face. "We never wanted you to experience..."

Bella closed her eyes at the sound of her mother's pained voice. The lament in it.

"I'll go get the doctors." She heard someone say, catching a glimpse of a nurse slipping out of the room they were in.

Movement to her right made her look to find Edward was sitting on a couch, opening his eyes before standing and walking around the bed opposite Esme. He moved faster than usual, reaching her within the blink of an eye.

"Hey, you." Edward murmured. "How are you feeling?"

"Hey..." she leaned into his touch when he placed his hand atop her head, gently ruffling her hair. "Where are we?" She asked, her voice husky at the same time she realized how thirsty she was.

"We're at the hospital in Port Angeles." Edward said, circles seeming to mar the skin under his dark eyes. He looked tired. Something she knew was impossible, and yet...

Esme quickly brought a cup of water up to her lips, already seeming to know what she needed without her needing to say them. Edward and Esme helped her sit up slightly. Even such a simple movement made her body ache.

Bella looked down to find her leg was encased in a thick cast, from her ankle to just below her knee.

Her eyes fluttered closed just so that she wouldn't remember how it had been broken. An impossible attempt when she heard the sound of bone snapping, her own scream piercing through the studio-

"Bella." Carlisle's voice chased the horrors she was reliving away as soon as she heard him.

She looked toward the door as he hurried to her side. Normally, Carlisle was the definition of calm. Now he looked the same as Edward—exhausted. Almost frantic as he made his way to her.

Edward stepped aside to let their father reach her. Carlisle's hand took hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, "How are you feeling? Any pain?"

"It hurts." Only problem was, Bella didn't know where the pain started. She wasn't sure if there was an end to it either. Her whole body felt heavy, every breath taken was an effort, and her vision felt fuzzy. "What's wrong with me?"

Edward and Esme shifted, looking between her and Carlisle. Both tense and communicating through their gazes alone, just as they always have.

"I'll get you something for the pain." As Carlisle administered a painkiller intravenously, he said, "You lost a significant amount of blood after...everything. Your leg was broken as well as four of your ribs. You also..." his words faltered. It was so unlike him to stumble over his words, however, it seemed as if her father was having a difficult time getting them out. As if it pained him to tell his youngest what had been done to her.

"Don't be sad, dad." She took his hand in hers to give him some semblance of comfort. Carlisle gave her a sad smile when she gave it a squeeze. Sparking an old memory of when she'd been in the hospital as a child and offered to give him a blanket because he'd been so cold. "I'm ok."

"You are. You will be." He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. "You suffered a skull fracture too so you'll have to stay here for a few days to make sure you're well enough to go. I'm afraid it will take time until you can make a full recovery."

"Where is everyone else?" She asked, having difficulty processing everything when another wave of dizziness hit her.

"They're all in the waiting room. The nurses kicked them out after they all tried to sneak in here. I can go get them once you feel up to having more visitors." Carlisle said though his voice sounded farther away now.

"Okay," she murmured as exhaustion washed over her again. She wondered if Jasper was able to reach her from wherever he was now, easing her into a state of total relaxation. Slowly making her succumb to much needed sleep. "I think I'm still tired..."

She was asleep before Carlisle could say another word.

That night there were no nightmares, no seizures filled with bloodied sights awaiting her, no more fear.

Only peace in knowing that she was back where she belonged.

Her heart was still beating.

Strong and rhythmic despite everything her body had been put through.

Peter could hear it from under the walkway that led to the main building where she was currently sleeping, safe in her room surrounded by her family.

It's been a few days since she was hospitalized, and yet Peter felt that every passing hour felt like forever while she recovered from what James did to her. Everything Peter couldn't save her from.

But she was alive.

Breathing.

Human.

That was more than he could have wished for when his gift told him where she would be after being taken.

It was more than enough.

Thunder rumbled from somewhere far away, the occasional flash of lightning streaking through the clouds. Even then, he didn't miss Jasper's footsteps as the empath pushed through the double doors and stepped out onto the walkway.

Peter kept his focus on the darkened skies as Jasper approached him, only stopping once they were standing side by side.

"I thought you'd left without saying goodbye." Jasper murmured.

Peter's gaze sliced toward his best friend before looking straight ahead once more, "I thought that would have been something you wanted."

The two hadn't been on the best of speaking terms ever since Peter revealed the truth about his connection to Bella.

They'd been through so much together since the Southern Vampire Wars. So much that Peter thought such a bond filled with death, war, and brotherhood could never be broken. Until one human girl came into existence.

Now it seemed that their loyalty to each other stemmed solely around that young girl and her safety.

For now, at least.

"How is she?"

Jasper said, "Better today. Carlisle says she'll be able to go home tomorrow. Now all we have to worry about is keeping her off her feet."

"A battle in and of itself, I'm sure." Peter drawled which made Jasper chuckle.

Eventually Jasper said, "You got to her before we could. That's something I'll never be able to repay, Peter. Thank you for saving my sister."

Peter turned to face him, this time looking him in the eye. A silent exchange full of wariness and loyalty, both tied together by nearly two centuries shared between them.

"It wasn't even a question. I'd do it again if I had to."

Jasper seemed to assess his friend. Carefully studying his emotions as if they would reveal something else to him. What Peter's intentions truly were with Bella. However, there was nothing to be uncovered.

Peter was as honest as he could allow himself to be when it came to his mate. He was not in love with her like other vampires who fell in love with their mates after finding them. In fact, he wasn't sure what love was nor what it felt like to be in love to begin with.

Bella was a child in his eyes. An innocent who'd been dragged into their world through no fault of her own.

Peter's desires stemmed from wanting to protect her because of this incessant pull he felt towards her. A refusal growing somewhere deep inside his corrupt soul that wouldn't release its hold on him. Peter wasn't sure if what he felt towards Bella was genuine or if it was because of this bond he had no control over.

And yet, he couldn't say he did not care about her.

Because he did.

Now his part in her life was over. He'd protected her. Prevented her from being changed against her will. Now she could carry on with living her life as all humans did. She could finally find a life of her own without the fear of a supernatural death looming over her shoulder.

That had been his purpose all along, and he accepted it.

Perhaps now he could move on too.

Jasper finally clapped his hand over his friend's shoulder, "I know. I'll always be in your debt for that."

"How about you just be my friend again?" Peter asked, a small grin invading the corner of his lips.

This time Jasper smiled, "It's a deal then."

One more chapter left in Part One of BB!