The Other Swan

Chapter Ten: Bella meets Cullen's Officially

It's been a few days since Alice and Rosalie helped me get a dress. Carlisle and I haven't been on a date yet, but I've been trying to get comfortable with the idea of going out somewhere in a dress. Carlisle hasn't pushed me into going on the date, he knew I wasn't ready. I stared at my shoes, feeling like I need the metal razor against my arm. I clenched my hands, not wanting Carlisle to find more cuts on my arms. Charlie and Bella were on the couch, talking about something. I knew they wouldn't notice me slipping upstairs. I was tired of being this way, tired and sick of worrying everyone who cared about me. I closed my bedroom door behind me and went to my dresser, pulling out the razor. As I prepared to make the first cut, I heard a knock on my door. 

"Jade, it's me. Can I come in?" Bella was outside my room, not knowing what she had stopped me from doing. 

"What do you want, Bella?" Bella didn't speak for a moment, then I heard her voice. 

"I just wanted to make sure you're alright. You seem a little more distant than normal." I looked down at the razor in my hand and sighed silently. I put the razor back in the drawer and shut it. 

"I'm fine, Bells. Just tired." 

"Okay, um Edward told me he wanted me to meet his family officially. Do you want to come?" I thought about it and decided it might be good for me to get out of the house.

"Sure, yeah. When is Ed gonna be here?" 

"In two hours, I think. I'm gonna go eat. Do you want anything?" I smirked, know Bella's reason for eating here when the Cullen's had probably started cooking already. 

"No, thanks. I need to finish some homework and layer music." 

"All right, I'll come tell you when Edward gets here." I heard her footsteps go downstairs and I rubbed my face with my hands, sitting in my desk chair. I turned to my desk and pulled out my beats. I turned on my laptop and plugged in the beats. I started layering and tried to fix any hiccups in the layers. I finished one and went on to the next, listening to it first before picking a song to layer over it. I was just finishing the first layer when a knock sounded. I paused the music and removed my beats. I got up and opened the door to see Bella. 

"Edward's here. I know he's early, but you still you want to go?" 

"Yeah, just give me a few minutes." I shut the door and went to my computer, turning it off. I hurried to get ready and made sure to pull on black elbow sleeves before leaving my room. I shut the door behind me and walked downstairs, my arms itching. I heard Bella talking and turned into the kitchen. Ed was leaning against the counter and Bella was sitting in one of the chairs, talking to him. 

"I'm ready. When are we leaving?" 

"Right now."

Edward pulled Bella off the chair and headed for the door. I followed them, scratching my forearms lightly. Edward helped Bella into his car and turned to me. 

"If you try and help me in too, I will slap you. I don't care if I break my hand." Ed chuckled and I moved around him, getting in the back. 

"What if they don't like me?" Bella asked, looking at Ed. I rolled my eyes and snorted. 

"Only you, Bella. A house full of vampires, and you're worried that they won't like you." Bella shot me a glance out of the corner of her eye and I raised an eyebrow. 

"I mean, if they don't like you, the worst thing they could do would be to feed from you." Bella looked a little green as I said that and I chuckled. Ed was smiling and shook his head, his eye's connecting with mine in the mirror. 

"They'll love you, Bella. If they can put up with me, they can put up with you." Bella relaxed and faced the front again.

* time skip brought to you by the TARDIS *

Edward pulled his car into the driveway of the giant house and stopped the car right behind a black Mercedes. Ed turned off the car, got out, and was around on Bella's side before she could move. I got out as Ed opened Bella's door. We walked into the house and I immediately noticed a painting hung on the wall. Ed and Bella continued walking and headed into a room where a TV was on and someone was speaking in Italian. I heard a slight squeal and nearly got tackled by a blurred figure. Air rushed out of my lungs as tiny arms wrapped around me tightly. I recognized the haircut and choked out a few words. 

"Alice, can't breathe." Alice released me instantly and at the same time, Jasper put a hand on my shoulder as I struggled to get my breath back. 

"I know you love me, Alice, but for God's sake, can you remember I'm only human before you try to break my bones?" 

"Come on, I think they almost have the food for you and Bella ready," Jasper said, letting go of me as I straightened back up. 

"Well, food for me. Bella already ate at home." Alice took my hand and drug me towards the room Edward and Bella had gone into. Jasper followed us and we walked into the kitchen.

Rosalie looked furious, Emmett was trying not to smirk, Edward looked embarrassed, Carlisle was watching Rosalie cautiously while Bella looked slightly afraid. I noticed Rosalie had glass bowl in her hand that had a type of salad in it. Her grip tightened on it and the glass shattered, sending glass and salad both to the floor. Rosalie stepped towards Bella and I reacted. 

"Rose, stop it." Every head snapped towards me and Rosalie looked momentarily shocked. Alice tightened her grip on my hand and then released it. 

"Hey, Jade. What's up?" Emmett said. Rosalie huffed and left the room, glass crackling under her feet. 

"I-," Bella started to say something until Emmett interrupted her. 

"Don't worry about it." Alice went over to Bella while Jasper stayed behind me. 

"Alice," Edward started, stepping slightly in front Bella. Carlisle looked at me while Alice moved to hug Bella. I walked over to him and he hugged me. 

"Whoo, you do smell good," Alice said and I smiled into Carlisle's chest.

I felt his hand run through my hair and pulled my head back gently. 

"It's okay, Jasper, you won't hurt her." I took Carlisle's hand and pulled it out of my hair so I could turn my head. Edward looked like he was going to die of embarrassment and Bella looked uncomfortable. 

"Little embarrassed, are you, Eddie?" Edward glared at me as I smirked. I felt Carlisle's chin rest on the top of my head and I leaned against him. 

"I'm gonna show Bella the rest of the house." Edward took Bella's hand and took her upstairs. 

"Alice, if an opportunity to do that again comes, I wanna be there when it happens," I said, smiling. Emmett cleaned up the glass as Alice and Jasper left. Emmett went off to look for Rosalie leaving Carlisle and me alone. 

"How are you feeling?" he asked. 

"Fine, a little tired. Nightmares don't help." His arms wrapped around my back and pulled me closer to him. 

"Have you been taking the medicine I gave you?" I sighed and shook my head. I felt him move back and looked up at him. 

"I can't force you to take the medicine, but your father can. I don't want to do that to you, but I will if I have to," Carlisle said, his eyes a darker shade of amber than usual. I leaned into him again and flinched when my right forearm hit his chest.

"Now I know something's wrong," Carlisle said, taking my wrists gently and moving so he could look at my arms. He moved the sleeves up my arm and he pressed gently on the healing cuts. He touched one of the deeper cuts and I inhaled sharply. He looked at me before pulling my sleeves back down and took my hand, leading me upstairs. He led me to his study and shut the door behind us.