Death? It's peaceful. Easy.
Daniella was leaving. She was fading away. Until a hand shot out from the darkness, grabbing her own, pulling her back. It was Jasper. He had saved her. A sudden bright light flashed, bringing her back from the dark.
But life...life is harder.
Daniella's eyes shot open as she gasped softly. She squinted at the bright lights of the hospital room she was in. Her hand reached up feeling the tube of the nasal cannula feeding oxygen in through her nose. Daniella's brows scrunched together at the uncomfortable feeling.
Before she could pull out the tube, a hand pulled her own away. Dani looked over and saw the tired face of her mother, Renee.
"Mom?" Daniella's voice was soft and raw from not being used for so long.
"You're awake! Oh god, your awake." Renee spoke, her voice was filled with relief. Dani was bandaged up from the cuts of the broken mirrors. Her wrist was in a cast, surely broken from the force of James' grip. Daniella was in bad shape and she knew that the minute she shuffled on the bed. Her entire body flared up in pain, and bruises littered her skin from head to toe.
"Jazz?" Daniella's disoriented voice asked, looking to her mother in question, "Where's Jasper?" She mumbed, trying to sit up fully in the uncomfortable hospital bed.
"Hey, don't move around to much. He's in the hall with the rest of the Cullen's. They never leave, ya know." She spoke, seemingly guilty of the fact. Dani sighed relaxing down into the bed as she listened to her mother's continued explanation. "Bella's in the hall with them and your father is in the Cafeteria." She concluded. Daniella was confused as she looked at her mother. Bella was okay? She was discharged? How long has it been since...James?
"How...What-what happend?" Dani asked, tilting her head questioningly at her mother.
"You were at a hotel when Bella caught up to you. She was trying so hard to talk you back into going to Forks. You both fell...down two flights of stairs and through a window. You were almost gone Daniella." Renee sniffled, "They say you hit your head multiple times. That-that your brain was beginning to swell up. Daniella, they had to put you into a coma so you could heal." She let out a few tears. Dani was quick to wipe them away, tears of her own forming as she realized the extreme of the situation.
"How long..?" Daniella asked.
"Danie-" Her mothers tone was hesitant. Dani cut her off before she could finish.
"Mom. How long?" She asked, her stubborn personality unwavering. Renee was quiet for a second before she looked up to her daughter. A bandage wrapped around her head and one on the crook of her neck. Bruises scattered around the visible areas of her body, as well as the non-visible. Small cuts here and there and a cast around her broken wrist. It tore her heart apart to see her so broken and laying in the uncomfortable hospital bed. After a long moment of silence, Renee sighed and responded.
"Two and a half weeks..."
Dani let out a breath of disbelief. Two and a half weeks? Had it really been that long? She layed her head back down on the pillow and thought over everything that happened, she knew that what her mother was telling her was a cover story. So she did her best to go along with it.
"Sounds like us, huh?" Daniella muttered, shutting her eyes momentarily. They opened at the sound of Renee's phone beeping.
"Phil's been worried about you two. He feels terrible, but he just got signed to the Suns." Renee was happy, and Dani wouldn't have it any other way.
"That's really great, mom." The soft, lazy smile on her face showing how tired she really was.
"Honey, you'll love Jacksonville. You'll have your own room and bathroom-" Daniella's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she shook her head at her mother.
"Mom, I-I want to stay in Forks." She spoke, cutting her mother's ranting off, "I-I have Dad and..and friends. I can't.."
"And Jasper?" Renee asked, a knowingness in her motherly voice. Daniella diverted her gaze from Renee to the, suddenly, really interesting sheet laying loosely on top of her. The slight shrug of her shoulders confirmed what Renee already knew.
"Ya know, your dad doesn't like him." Daniella's eyes lifted to connect with her mother's, "He blames him for what happened, why you left."
Daniella let out a small breath before asking her mother's opinion.
"I think he's in love with you." She smiled, Daniella couldn't wipe away the growing smile from her own lips at the confession.
"Thanks, mom." Dani spoke, "Do you think you could find dad? I need to apologize. I said some awful things that I shouldn't have." Guilt filled Daniella's voice to the brim as she spoke the words.
"I'm sure he doesn't care about any of that. He only cares that you're safe, but I'll go get him." Renee responded. She got up and kissed Daniella's forehead before leaving to find Charlie.
After a while, the door opened. Charlie looked into the room to see if Daniella was still awake before fully walking in and shutting the door behind him.
Daniella smiled a small smile at the sight of her father, lifting a hand weakly in his direction. Charlie was quick to walk over to the edge of the bed and take her cold hand in his warm one, sitting on the thin mattress as he watched his daughter through sad eyes.
"Hey, Dani. How ya feelin'?" He asked in a gentle manner. Daniella smiled at the fatherly side of Charlie. They rarely get to see this part of him. Like he's afraid of being rejected by them. It was heartbreaking to say the least.
"Like I fell down some stairs and out of a window.." Daniella muttered, the faintest hint of a joking smile lingering on her face. Charlie let out a chuckle at the young girl's response. Daniella sighed, guilt building its way into her mind. "I'm really sorry, Dad." She said.
"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry ab-" Charlie was cut off by Daniella's voice.
"No, dad. I do. I said horrible things to you and I shouldn't have. I didn't mean them. I love going to the diner and eating dinner and cobbler, while Isabella tells you to watch your health. I love watching the games on TV, while you yell at it everytime your team messes up. I love living with you. I love you, dad and I'm sorry for what I said." Daniella spoke, tears threatening to make their way down her cheeks.
Charlie was no doubt in the same state. He sniffed as he leaned down and hugged his daughter close, being sure not to hurt her in the process. He kissed her temple as she let out a shakey breath.
"I love you too, sweetheart. And don't you think for a second that you are not welcome at the house anytime you want. It's your home now too." Charlie responded moving some hair out of her face with loving eyes. Daniella smiled as she looked at her father through tired eyes. "Get some rest, honey. Your mother and I are in the waiting room if you need anything."
Daniella nodded, and watched as he left the room sending her a small, fatherly smile as he closed the polished, wooden door.
Not even a second later the door opened once again, catching Daniella's attention. She couldn't push back the tears that formed in her eyes at the sight of Jasper's worried ones. His expression used to be so emotionally vacant, but lately it's become rare to not find an emotion shining in his eyes.
He was by her bed side in a flash, laying a gentle hand on her cheek and rubbing the soft skin with the pad of his thumb. Daniella, subconsciously, leaning into the loving touch of his cold hand as her eyes fluttered shut. She felt a soft kiss press into her forehead as she opened her eyes to look up at the beautiful blond above her.
"Is James..did you all..?" Dani asked softly.
"We took care of it, and the woman, Victoria, she ran off."Jasper responded. She let out a breath of relief as her eyes fell shut for a moment. When she opened them, she spoke with a soft smile.
"I'm alive right now because of you." She said.
"You're in here right now because of me." Jasper stated, his tone filled with self-hatred. Jasper could feel how much pain Daniella was in and it was all because of him that she was feeling any of it. "That's the worst part, Daniella. Thinking I..I couldn't stop-"
"But you did. You did stop, Jasper." Daniella whispered, wrapping her hand around his wrist to add some kind of comfort.
"You were gone, Daniella." His voice was soft, almost broken with emotion, "Everyday, for two weeks, I would see you. So fragile, vulnerable. It was pure torture. I thought I lost you again." His eyes held tears that begged to be let go. To roll down his cheeks in a steady stream of emotion, but they couldn't. They wouldn't. "I can't lose you again, Daniella. I just can't stand this happening..." He was quiet for a while before speaking up again, "You should go to Jacksonville, Daniella. Live with your mom and Phil. So I can't put you in danger like this anymore.."
"What?" She was breathless as she spoke complete denial in her tone, "No! I want to stay. I want to be with you, Jazz. I don't- I can't just..." The panic rising in her chest was unmistakable as she furrowed her brows in confusion. He wanted her to leave? To stay away from him? She couldn't understand why he wanted this. Was she not good enough for him? Did he finally see what she did? An unlovable, worthless person that didn't deserve a guy like him? She couldn't force away the sob that left her lips unwillingly.
"Shhh. Hey, I'm right here. I'm not leaving you. I'm here.." He spoke, climbing into the bed next to her. Wrapping an arm around her waist as he pulled her closer to him, being as gentle as he could with the broken girl. He nuzzled is nose into her hair and closed his eyes as she held onto him, curling up to him while trying to make sure he doesn't disappear.
"You can't just say things like that, Jazz." Daniella mumbled, "You can not just disappear from my life now...Not after everything. I love you, Jasper Whitlock. And if you leave now, I won't just lose you....I'll lose a part of myself." Daniella admitted, she was completely vulnerable to Jasper now. "You are the only thing that can really hurt me now, Jasper. I really hope you understand what that means to me.."
"I do. I understand, baby. I'm sorry." He spoke his voice barely above a whisper, but she could hear him and his emotions loud and clear from how they were laying. "I love you, Daniella Swan. You are everything to me now. Nothing will ever change that."
A/N: Once again, I have failed you as a writer.
Please forgive me and my absence from updating. I'm trying, honestly! However, this book is coming to an end and I am the biggest procrastinator on the planet. I think it's because I'm having such an amazing time writing this book and talking with all of you. Thank you all so much for your patience and comments. It means a lot to me.
My plans for the next few chapters are to clear up any confusion.
So,
Comments? Question?
I, also, plan to answer a question that so many have, suprisingly, found the answer to. Thank you my lovelies for jusy being you!
-xoxo Jaye