Intrigue
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 15
Like a shadow, he lingered in the corner, ignored by the other occupants of the room. Whether it was purposefully done or not, he really couldn’t say. Still, it didn’t change the fact that he might as well have not come here at all.
But he had.
Because she’d asked him to.
And god knew, he’d do anything for her…
After the shattering of her mental block, it had taken the Cullens a further 3 days to descend on Seattle.
It had taken her an entire day after that to call on him.
When she had, she’d been equal parts calm and hysterical, toggling from one to the other without warning as she sat or paced.
He did what he could, though she remained distant, and the heart he’d thought nonexistent took yet another hit.
Her problem?
Seems the Cullens wanted to see her, and she didn’t know what to make of that.
But now, here they were…
And he watched…
Esme’d been first, as he knew she might. “Oh Bella,” she said, enfolding the rigid girl in a motherly hug, “I’ve missed you so. Can you ever forgive us for leaving?”
Bella hadn’t known what to say to that. It showed in the empty look on her face. “It’s good to see you, Mrs. Cullen,” was all she’d said.
Carlisle had been more subdued, with a benign smile and an outstretched hand, which Bella shook. “Bella, you’re looking well.”
She dropped his hand, gave a nod. “Dr. Cullen.”
She’d tensed as if being tazed when Alice had snatched her into a hug next. “Oh Bella, we’re back now, and everything’s going to be okay. You’ll see. We just bought a hou…”
“Stop. Just…stop,” she’d said, jerking out of Alice’s hold.
And then there were three: Emmett, Rose and Edward, who’d lurked at the periphery, hands stuffed in pockets and amber gaze locked on the girl he’d left…and crushed in the process.
He’d read Jasper’s thoughts. Knew the damage she’d endured, not only from him, but the wolf, and it seemed he didn’t know where to begin again with her.
Emmett was warmer, sending sad smiles when she’d deign to look at him, but she didn’t greet or approach, so he remained by his mate with hope-filled eyes.
Rose was as she always was; looking like she’d rather be elsewhere while never glancing even once at the human.
All in all, the visit was a disaster, ending shortly after it began, and when they’d all filed out, she’d turned to Jasper, still watching from the corner, and asked him to leave.
With a heavy heart, he’d done so.
It was 3:00 am, and he was kicked back on a rooftop, smoking a cigarette after having just slaked his thirst, when his phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Jasper…” She’d been crying.
“I’m here, Bella.”
“Can you come over?”
It took him two minutes, and she fell into his arms the moment the door closed.
Gently, he held her against him, his arms holding her close as she wet his shirt with warm tears.
He wasn’t sure the cause, but he was grateful of the outcome.
“What happened, darlin’?”
Hands tightened on his shirt as she stilled. “Edward.”
Like a shadow, he lingered in the corner, ignored by the other occupants of the room. Whether it was purposefully done or not, he really couldn’t say. Still, it didn’t change the fact that he might as well have not come here at all.
But he had.
Because she’d asked him to.
And god knew, he’d do anything for her…
After the shattering of her mental block, it had taken the Cullens a further 3 days to descend on Seattle.
It had taken her an entire day after that to call on him.
When she had, she’d been equal parts calm and hysterical, toggling from one to the other without warning as she sat or paced.
He did what he could, though she remained distant, and the heart he’d thought nonexistent took yet another hit.
Her problem?
Seems the Cullens wanted to see her, and she didn’t know what to make of that.
But now, here they were…
And he watched…
Esme’d been first, as he knew she might. “Oh Bella,” she said, enfolding the rigid girl in a motherly hug, “I’ve missed you so. Can you ever forgive us for leaving?”
Bella hadn’t known what to say to that. It showed in the empty look on her face. “It’s good to see you, Mrs. Cullen,” was all she’d said.
Carlisle had been more subdued, with a benign smile and an outstretched hand, which Bella shook. “Bella, you’re looking well.”
She dropped his hand, gave a nod. “Dr. Cullen.”
She’d tensed as if being tazed when Alice had snatched her into a hug next. “Oh Bella, we’re back now, and everything’s going to be okay. You’ll see. We just bought a hou…”
“Stop. Just…stop,” she’d said, jerking out of Alice’s hold.
And then there were three: Emmett, Rose and Edward, who’d lurked at the periphery, hands stuffed in pockets and amber gaze locked on the girl he’d left…and crushed in the process.
He’d read Jasper’s thoughts. Knew the damage she’d endured, not only from him, but the wolf, and it seemed he didn’t know where to begin again with her.
Emmett was warmer, sending sad smiles when she’d deign to look at him, but she didn’t greet or approach, so he remained by his mate with hope-filled eyes.
Rose was as she always was; looking like she’d rather be elsewhere while never glancing even once at the human.
All in all, the visit was a disaster, ending shortly after it began, and when they’d all filed out, she’d turned to Jasper, still watching from the corner, and asked him to leave.
With a heavy heart, he’d done so.
It was 3:00 am, and he was kicked back on a rooftop, smoking a cigarette after having just slaked his thirst, when his phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Jasper…” She’d been crying.
“I’m here, Bella.”
“Can you come over?”
It took him two minutes, and she fell into his arms the moment the door closed.
Gently, he held her against him, his arms holding her close as she wet his shirt with warm tears.
He wasn’t sure the cause, but he was grateful of the outcome.
“What happened, darlin’?”
Hands tightened on his shirt as she stilled. “Edward.”
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.
