HEART. ❪ new moon ❫²

𝐱𝐢𝐯. THE AFTERMATH

The two of them made it to the bottom of the staircase just as a key was put through the front door. Bailey and Paul looked down the black hallway, as the door unlocked before it opened. Bella stepped through the front door, and only the street lamps from outside illuminated her from the back. It was so dark she hadn't seen them.

Paul looked at Bailey while Bella fumbled to find the light switch. Was that girl crazy? He thought to himself. He was sure he'd smelled and heard Jacob outside with Bella why would he ever let her come in alone? Why didn't he take her somewhere safe? Paul stiffened when at that moment the vampire's smell was close, extremely close; it was in the same room. He pulled Bailey toward him as the light flickered on. 

Bailey clung onto Paul's shirt. Bella froze her hand had still not found the switch so it wasn't her who'd turned on the light. They all saw someone standing in the room with them, waiting. Unnaturally still and white, with large black eyes that stared directly at Bella. 

Bailey tilted her head to the side. She was as tiny as ever and Bella hurled herself at her. 

"Alice, oh, Alice!" Bella cried as she slammed into her. 

"Bella?" There was a strange mingling of relief and confusion in her voice.

"You know this bloodsucker?" Paul whispered to Bailey. 

Bailey nodded noiselessly. 

"A Cullen?" He asked. Again, Bailey replied with a nod. 

She watched Bella lock her arms around Alice, gasping to inhale as much of the scent of her skin as possible. Alice moved them to the living room and sat them on the couch, pulling Bella into her lap. 

Bailey followed, Paul too as he still hadn't let her go. 

"I'm... sorry," Bella blubbered. "I'm just ... so happy ... to see you!" 

"It's okay, Bella. Everything's okay." 

"Yes," Bella bawled. And, for once, it seemed that way.

Bailey stared at the two of them as a new feeling bubbled inside of her. Seeing them together, hearing those words come from Bella. It wasn't fair. Bailey turned away, displeased by their affectionate reunion. She looked at Paul, who was glaring cautiously at Alice. He didn't need to be here and if he stayed any longer he might just run the risk of breaking the treaty. She could feel him still shaking as he held onto her. Well, he was holding onto her shirt instead of her body for sensory reasons. 

Bailey tapped him, but he still wouldn't look away from Alice, whom he deemed to be a threat. Bailey tapped him again and his eyes flickered to her. No words needed to be exchanged, not that Bailey was talking right now. He peered into her blue eyes. 

"I'm not leaving you with that thing," He didn't bother whispering. Alice would hear him either way and he didn't care if Bella was made aware of his hatred for the Cullens either. 

Bailey looked away from him, she exhaled and then held her thumb up as if to communicate that everything was fine. 

"I'm not—" he was about to repeat himself but then Bailey pulled out her phone and waved it in front of his face. He frowned. She really wanted him to leave and he knew he needed to respect her boundaries, it didn't matter how much he disagreed with her decision.  

"You better call or text me like every five minutes—no, every two minutes. If I don't hear from you I'm coming back to kill the bloodsucker." He said, again not caring that both Bella and Alice could still hear him. 

Bailey nodded and held her two thumbs up this time, looking at him with a vacant expression. 

Paul looked at her. He wanted to hold her tightly and whisk her away, far away from here. Maybe they could go back to his place again and pretend like everything else didn't matter. But he knew he couldn't do that. He bent down closer to her height. Bailey watched and froze when he kissed the top of her head.