Ch 4: I Love Her

Jake.


"No Charlie, it's not like that. I love you, I do. I just can't do this anymore."

"Renee, you CAN do this! What about Bella?"

"I have thought this over and over Charlie. I'm not happy in Forks. You have known this for a long time. Bella will be fine. She is a strong girl and doesn't need me nearly as much as you think she does. Stop being so dramatic!"

"DRAMATIC? YOU ARE CALLING ME DRAMATIC?", Charlie was screaming now.

"Stop, Charlie just stop," Bella's mom was crying and standing in the middle of the room looking at the floor. I looked down at Bella beside me. Her face was contorted but there were no tears. We huddled close together in the closet taking care to not be discovered.

A few minutes ago we had been in the living room drinking sodas and watching television. Oh yeah, and I got my first kiss. From Bella. I had finally gotten the courage to ask her if I could kiss her. She had giggled and her face turned the cutest pink. Then, she closed her eyes and leaned in slowly with her lips all puckered up. I met her half way and I swear there were fireworks. The kind you see on movies. I wanted to ask her to be my girlfriend but didn't get that far.

We both jumped when we heard the front door slam open and closed. Charlie and Renee were back from their trip to town and it didn't sound like things went well while they were out. Bella hated when her parents would fight. That is how we ended up here in this coat closet.

Renee slowly started towards their bedroom and Charlie dropped to his knees.

"Honey, we can work this out. I need you, Bella needs you. Please don't leave us." I had never seen a grown man act this way before. Bella was perfectly rigid beside me. I reached for her hand and held it. I don't think she held mine back but that was okay. I just wanted to make this better for her somehow.

Bella was a good friend. We had been playing together as far back as I can remember in my 12 years. Her dad, Charlie, would come up to visit with my dad, Billy on the reservation and Bella and I would be sent out to play while they would drink and carry on about the game and whatever else grown ups do when they toss the kids out of the house.

I didn't mind in the least. The inside of my house was small and I saw a lot of it. The best times were always when Bella would come to visit and we would play hide and seek in the woods or skip rocks down by the river. I looked down at the small hand I was cradling in my own. Bella was my best friend forever. I am going to marry her someday, I thought.

"I have found someone else." The words were cold and sliced though the thick air. "I'm leaving Charlie and there is nothing you can say to stop me. You know this isn't the life for me. I wasn't cut out to be saddled with a child in some back woods town in Washington. You knew this years ago but I promised you that I would stay to take care of Bella until she was older. Well, she is older and I'm going to take care of me now. I'm not giving up my life to make you and Bella happy. You should be glad I stayed this long putting up with this boring routine and you being gone all hours of the day and night-"

"Don't put this off on me Renee, I work my ass off to provide for you and Bells," Charlie cut her off. I could see through the slatted doors that he was shaking. The anger in his voice scared even me. And Bella's mom just stood there like it was no big deal. I squeezed Bella's hand. There was nothing to do but stand there and watch this horrible scene play out right in front of us.

"I'm done, Charlie. It's over. I have to go. I have a plane to catch."

At some point Charlie had risen from the floor. "What do I tell Bells?" he asked her in a tone that told me he was giving up. "How do you want me to explain her mom leaving her without even saying good bye?" Charlie was defeated.

There came a knock at the door. Renee opened the door to one of the men who carried suitcases. As the man entered the room Renee crossed the room to stand in front of Charlie. "I'm sure you will both be fine. Tell her I will call her soon."

Renee led the suitcase man to the bedroom she and Charlie shared and passed him several pieces of luggage through the doorway which he quickly moved out the front door on a large cart. "I'll follow you out,' she said to the man. Turning to look back at Charlie one last time, she smiled. As if everything was going to be okay.

I kept looking at Bella. She was scaring me. Not once did she look at me. She didn't cry either. She just stood there staring straight ahead. I squeezed her small hand again and still no reaction. I could barely hear her breathing. The whole thing was scaring me, not just Bella. I wished my dad would come. Dad always knew how to calm people down and make things better again.

I wanted to be anywhere but here. The closet was getting stuffy and we had been standing here for what felt like years. If my dad would just come and see what was happening and maybe we could get out of here and not be seen. I wanted to take Bella outside where the air was fresh, away from the grown ups who couldn't get along. I wanted to take her somewhere safe and keep her there so no one could ever hurt her again. It felt as if the hair on the back of my neck was standing on end.

I thought of all the things I would need to protect Bella from when she was my wife.
I won't let her get sick. Anyone who is sick will have to stay away. I will keep away all the strangers so she doesn't have to meet any bad people. We will live on the reservation where I know everyone. I will keep her safe from anything and everyone that might want to hurt her. I will work hard to make sure she is happy, I vowed silently.

The sound of the front door clicking closed set about a turn of events that would alter my life and my dreams forever. I felt Bella move slightly beside me. Everything happened so rapidly. There was a great crash in the room in front of us and I wasn't quite sure what had happened since I had been looking down at Bella. Before I could figure out what the loud crash was Bella had made up her mind to act and was on the move.

The closet doors were thrust open with as much force as little Bella could manage. Her face was twisted up in a combination of hurt and rage. She had dropped my hand and was now standing in the middle of the room staring up into the eyes of her father. Charlie's face looked funny like someone had taken an eraser and taken all the color off his skin.

"Bells, baby, Im so sorry. I had no idea you were in there. Oh baby,…" Charlie was mumbling things like 'I love you' and 'Im so sorry baby' over and over. I watched as he reached for Bella to draw her in for a hug. What came next I will never forget.

Bella let out the most blood curdling scream. And she didn't stop. She screamed and screamed and screamed again drawing a deep breath each time. I'm sure everyone in the neighboring cabins could hear her. She shoved against her father with all of her weight which wasn't much since she was only eleven and no match for a grown up.

Confused, Charlie let her go and stopped trying to touch her.

I moved forward and watched as the tears began running wildly down her face. Charlie's failed attempt to hug Bella didn't deter me. I would take her hand and lead her away from here. I don't know where but I will find my dad and he can help. Maybe she can come live with us.

I reached for Bella's hand. The reaction I got was not what I expected. Swinging to look me full in the face she shoved me. Hard. I didn't fall down but I did have to take a few steps back to regain my balance. Her next words ripped my heart from my chest.

"I HATE YOU! BOTH OF YOU! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Bella spun so fast she stumbled forward towards the door. Before Charlie or I could react she had flung the front door open and was gone. Charlie stood there helplessly and at that moment I think I hated him too. He looked so messed up. Behind him on the floor was a picture that used to be on the wall, shards of splintered wood and pieces of glass everywhere on the floor. That must be what I had heard break just before Bella busted out of our hiding place.

I ran from the room and down the hall. I knew Bella didn't mean it. Sometimes she is like that. Girls are crazy. I may not be very old but this much I know.

Of all the places our families had gone to spend vacation this was probably my favorite. It wasn't a big fancy hotel or lodge. It didn't have a bunch of stuffy people walking around in button down shirts and ties. In fact, there weren't many people here at all. Bella's family and my family each had our own cabins. There was lots of room inside but it was best outside. Bella and I had taken out kayaks yesterday in the small lake and we went hiking the day before. Our parents only allowed us to go on the trails close to the cabin, the ones with the wooden walkways. We were not allowed to go on the trails that were dirt paths.

I searched the community building where we checked in, taking care to look in the kitchen and on the roof. The roof we had discovered the first day Bella and I got here. It was like a porch with railing and every thing. There were chairs up there to sit in and you could see for miles. We spent our first evening up on the roof. Bella looked so beautiful standing there at twilight. There was a bit of sweet sadness on her face as she watched the fading sun. Someday, I would build a house for us with a porch on the roof. A place I could bring her to watch the sun rise. She could stay in the warm sunshine all day and would never be sad again.

Giving up on Bella being anywhere indoors, I set out on the wooden paths we had been so happy to explore a few days ago. Every so often, I would call her name out. If she was hiding and heard something she might not come out if she thought it was Charlie. I walked for a while. I don't know how much time had passed. I figured I should head back, she was probably back at the cabin already and I didn't want to get in trouble with dad for being out so long. I didn't tell anyone I was coming out here so that alone was enough to get me in trouble.

As I got closer to the cabin that Dad and Sue and I were staying in I saw people standing around in front. Dad spotted me first and called me over to him.
"Son, have you seen Bella?'

I shook my head no. I looked my dad in the eyes and my stomach dropped. Bella hadn't come back yet. I looked over to where Charlie stood talking to the man and woman who worked in the community building. "Billy?" he looked to my dad with his eyes full of so many emotions I don't know how he fit them all in there. He looked so sad and worried and scared. My dad shook his head from side to side keeping eye contact with Charlie. I knew what he was asking. And I had no news to offer.

Tears welled in my eyes and I did my best to blink really fast to make them go away. Quiluete men don't cry unless someone had died and even then the men of our tribe were strong. I gulped really big swallowing back the saliva that filled up in my mouth. My stupid mouth was always watering. I drooled in my sleep too, sometimes completely soaking my pillow, but only dad knew that.

I followed the adults as everyone moved to the community building. Once inside my eyes found a clock and saw that several hours had passed. I had been on those trails longer than I thought.

Bella. My Bella was gone. Missing. I blinked back the tears again. I will be strong for her.

Another hour passed and there was no sign of Bella anywhere. It was getting late in the day. Charlie finally was able to get the local authorities to come. I wanted to go out and look for Bella some more. It would be dark soon and she was still out there. All the stupid adults were doing was standing around with maps and making notes. I tried to slip out the door but my dad caught me. He forbid me to leave the building. There was nothing for me to do so I went to the roof and stared out into the shadows that were replacing the last rays of light from the setting sun.

I hated twilight.

My best friend was missing and we were running out of light. If only there were a few more hours of light then maybe she wouldn't be out there lost in the dark. I shuddered. Thinking about my Bella lost to the shadows of the night sent chills through me. Our best times, and my best memories, were of Bella and I tromping through fields of wildflowers in the broad daylight, swimming in the ocean up at the reservation with the hot sun beating down on us or riding bikes on the local trails.

We did none of these things at night. No, twilight was the time of day when the fun ended and we would have to go home and wait for the sun to rise again before our adventures could resume. Twilight was the worst time of day ever.

Below, I could see several groups of men had assembled in the parking lot. I could make out clearly what was being said below. They were forming search parties and had certain areas they were covering.

Alone on the roof I slid to the ground with my back to the railing and my eyes glued to the last rays of sunlight as they threatened to disappear over the horizon. My heart betrayed my wishes and a lone tear slipped down my cheek. My eyes were closed and I could feel it as it dipped lower and lower until it rolled off my jaw and landed somewhere on my lap. I don't know where it came from but somewhere inside me I moaned in my misery, unable to hold it back the sound escaped my lips and came out sounding more as a howl. My head was pounding and it felt like my chest was being squeezed. It was difficult to breathe. I found myself half panting, whimpering as I help back the tears that threatened to break my resolve. I was Jacob Black. I was Quiluete. I was strong. And I would stay strong because Bella would need me when she returned.

Carlisle.

I moved downstairs as quickly as I could, maintaining the illusion that I was human. Moving at my given immortal speed would have been preferable; humans are so slow. I don't know how Edward got himself involved in whatever situation I was about to submerse myself in but we were going to have a talk later, that was certain.

His last words , 'But the dog-' echoed in my head. I didn't give this any thought until I was half way down the stairs and then I smelled it. Dog. I shook my head. This cant be good.

From what I could gather of the scattered conversation in the lobby, a young girl had wandered off in the woods and had injured herself. I immediately began my assessment listening for respiration and heartbeat. Entering the ER, I located the girl. Pulling back the curtain I was not prepared for what I saw. The nurses were busy with removing her shirt and cleaning her wounds. She had a nasty gash on her temple and a nice cut on her shoulder that would need a stitch to heal properly.

The smell of her blood registered and I froze. I recognized this scent.

I have over the course of time learned to tune out the smell of blood. I am very lucky to be able to do this. Most vampires can not. Primal urges can be very strong and without the ability to tune out the scent of human blood I would never had become the doctor I am. Working in a hospital there is blood everywhere. Over the years, I trained my senses to not to pay attention to the different odors I had to deal with on a regular basis. I should have paid more attention. When I was talking to Edward in my office this girl's blood was present in the room. I was sure of it. The only way that would have been possible is if Edward had come in contact with her blood.

In all my eternity, I can count on one hand how many times I felt as if time actually stood still for me. My eyes were fixed on the bright red abrasions that stained the girl's neck. I was frozen. I don't know how long I stood there. That's the funny thing about vampire time. One minute to us could be ah hour to a human. Quick thought process and the ability to move faster than the human eye could see, gave new definition to what exactly could be accomplished in a mere 60 seconds. 'Edward definitely has some answering to do'.

I ordered IV fluids and finished my assessment determining there were no internal injuries and the girl was stable. I ordered a few x-rays although I already knew nothing was broken, for appearances sake. She was still asleep but she was responsive. She would wake when she was ready. The child needed to rest. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent. Her should length brown hair was matted and the nurses were busy plucking out leaf litter and debris. She was just a twig of a girl, angular and she could use a few high calorie meals. Other than that she appeared to be healthy.

I could not shake the uneasy feeling that had come over me. There was another scent here and I knew it well. Dog. I first smelled it coming down the stairs and it only grew stronger the closer I got to the emergency room. Coincidence? More than likely not. This had turned into quite the night. Nothing Edward does happens without complications, I sighed.

My senses alert, I went to see the family who I could hear shuffling anxiously in the waiting room. The room reeked of the foul canine odor. Being around dogs made me nervous. Nothing I would admit to, of course. It was written long ago and was embedded in the stars. Vampires and dogs were enemies. The best way to deal with a dog was to not cross his path and vice versa. Both were killing machines, designed to destroy the other. When those paths were crossed, it never ended well for at least one of them and the outcome was always uncertain. There was no way to determine who would walk away and who would be destroyed.

"Charlie Swan?" I called flipping thru the paperwork the nurse had handed off to me.
A middle-aged, medium-framed man with slumped shoulders and red, watery eyes crossed the floor to meet me.

"How is she Doc?" he asked his voice cracking. He was visibly upset.

"She is fine. I'm Dr. Cullen and I will be seeing over her while she is here. Let's have a seat." I extended my hand and he took it firmly in his. Trembling, Charlie Swan followed me to row of empty chairs along the wall.

"We're still waiting for some tests to come back but I'm sure she is going to be fine," I started. "The tests I ordered are merely precautionary." I looked down at the chart, another deliberate habit I acquired. Humans don't have the capacity to remember details as well as vampires.

"Can you tell me what happened?" I ask watching him closely for his reaction. I already knew from the chatter both in and out of the waiting room that everyone assumed she had gotten lost in the woods. There was much more to this and I had to get to the bottom of it.

Somehow, Edward had gotten himself tangled up in this mess of a girl and by doing so he had inadvertently put our family at risk. Yes, Edward and I were going to have a long talk. He has been running amuck for too long now. The boy needed to find his place in this world. If he was going to interact with humans he was going to have to be more careful. And if he was going to keep saving lives he was going to have to stop hating himself for being a 'soulless, heartless monster' as he referred to himself.

Charlie took a deep breath and began, " Bella and her friend witnessed a fight between Bella's mother and I," pain streaked across the troubled man's face. Hunching his shoulders forward he continued, "Bella's mother has decided there is more to life than what we have as a family and she left." Charlie's voice cracked and I gave him a moment to compose himself. Speaking in almost a whisper he stared at the floor between his feet. "Bella heard the whole thing and she watched her mother walk out. Bells was upset and she ran out before I could stop her. We have been looking for her ever since."

I thought carefully about what he had said as the pieces began to fall in place. I felt Charlie tense beside me. Suddenly he looked up at me defensively.

"Look Dr. Cullen, We don't fight in front of Bella. What happened today was totally unexpected. She was hiding in a closet and we had no idea she was there until it was too late. Bells is having a hard time. I don't know what happened to her out there. She was found by someone on one of the search teams. I don't know who it was. I tried to found out but no one seems to know who brought her in or how she got here." Charlie took another deep breath. The man was having a hard time keeping his emotions in check.

"I know these things happen," I reassured him. "Kids can be difficult to keep tabs on." I half smiled, thinking of Edward. "We are going to keep your daughter and monitor her through the night. When she wakes up tomorrow maybe she will be able to fill in the details about the time she was gone for us. I think the best thing for her now is rest."

I gathered details regarding the time she disappeared and how long she had been missing making notes. I needed to be able to fill out a full report on the incident for her chart.

Ethically, I was obligated to file a report any time suicide is involved in a case. I knew she had tried to kill herself and Edward had stopped her. Without Edward the child would be dead. My son who swears he has no heart and no soul had saved the life of an innocent. The abrasions on her neck however, that was a different matter.
There was nothing I could write in my notes to indicate suicide. There was nothing I could say that wouldn't implicate Edward's involvement.

I thanked Charlie for answering the few questions I had and went to make arrangements to get Bella in a room for the night. Once she was settled in, Charlie would be able to sit with her. I left orders for at the nurse's station that I was to be notified immediately if the child were to wake up or if the family should need anything.

I went back to the waiting room to fill Charlie in on the instructions I had left at the desk and the preparations being made for his daughter upstairs. The room was so thick with the smell of dog I had to hold my breath. My senses were instinctively on high alert. I scanned the room. There were only a handful of people in the room and I quickly sized up each one. There was no dog here. I can smell him, my senses screamed at me.

Quickly giving Charlie the rundown, I turned to go. I knew there was a dog close by and I had no desire to meet it tonight or any other time for that matter.

I felt a light pressure on my sleeve and stopped in my tracks. The smell of mutt was stronger than ever and I knew before looking I had found the source. Suppressing a guttural growl before it could escape I turned to face the enemy.

Before me stood a boy, young and dark-skinned. Strong angular cheek bones and broad shoulders in combination with his dark hair and color of his skin, this was the source of the offending odor permeating my nostrils. This slip of a boy was indeed destined to be my enemy. But today, he was just a boy. He had not reached the age yet when he would turn. More than likely he had no idea what his future held for him, what he would become.

"Dr. Cullen?" his voice was deep and scratchy.

He had not turned yet, he would turn soon, I observed listening to his vocal chords strain. "Yes, how can I help you?" I replied coolly with as much of a smile as I could manage. He obviously had no clue what I was.

"Is.. Is Bella going to be okay?" He looked me straight in the eye. I glanced in Charlie's direction and he started in our direction.

"Don't be bothering the doctor now, Jacob," Charlie intervened. "You should get ready to leave. Sue is on her way to pick you up and take you back to the cabin. She should be here any time."

Glancing at Charlie, Jacob squared his boyish shoulders in what I can only guess was an attempt to appear more grown up. Puffing out his little chest, he turned back to me. Placing his hand on the sleeve on my white coat he looked me deeply in the eyes.

I watched him curiously as he looked one more time at Charlie returning his eyes to my face. Looking up at me with his big, brown puppy eyes he drew himself up to stand as tall and proud as a 12 year old boy could. The whole production was quite serious and the look on Jacob's sober young face let me know whatever he had to say, he meant business.

"I love her, doctor. She is my best friend. And, someday she will be my wife."

_____

AN:

Hmmm… we kinda left ol Roise hangin, don't worry she is fine. We will catch up with her in the next chapter or two.
I had a lot of fun writing from a 12 y/o pov. The words are smaller and the phrases simpler. I love that sweet little boy at the end even though Im Team E all the way.
Will be coming back to present day soon.. we have some loose ends to wrap up soon and maybe a few more unanswered questions to put out there so I can keep it interesting~
Hope you all are enjoying this as much as I am.
~TheDarkSparkles aka BABs
Twilight is all Stephenie Meyer.