{"id":109,"date":"2024-08-13T13:49:46","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T13:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109"},"modified":"2024-08-13T14:14:25","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T14:14:25","slug":"chapter-02","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 02"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 02<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bella had to admit, the first step she set in \u201cthe compound\u201d, she was amazed by the size of it. It looked like an apartment building or a building with a community garden, although the garden was more of a big patio. It was spacious and impressive. There was a set of stairs that lead to the first floor and you could walk around the corridor to get a good view of the patio below.. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The room that Klaus had arranged for her was as big as her home in Forks that she shared with Charlie and it was filled with antiques. It was essentially as if she had stepped into a movie, a period drama, it was all so gorgeous and ancient. She was afraid that the bed would collapse if she slept on it, but it didn\u2019t. It was big and sturdy and the mattress was just right. She didn\u2019t have a lot of time to look around from her place on the bed because as soon as her head hit the pillow, she\u2019d been out like a light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She woke the next morning because someone knocked on the door and she was embarrassed about the fact that she hadn’t even bothered to change into her pyjamas before going to bed. It would be a miracle if she didn’t suffer from the worst bed hair ever and managed to find a hair tie in her pocket on the way to the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Good Morning, dollface,” Kol greeted her with a wide smile on his face while he held up a tray with food. “Slept well? I’ve taken the liberty to get you some breakfast. Fried eggs with bacon, a yummy ham sandwich, some tea, orange juice and best of all… Beignets.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A dessert for breakfast?” Bella sleepily smiled. “Thank you. It’s a brilliant way to start the day.” she stepped aside to let him in. “Can you give me a few minutes so I can freshen myself up?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Why? You look alright to me.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s very kind of you,\u201d Bella snorted as she turned around to fetch some things from her bag. \u201cBut I\u2019ve slept the best I have in ages in my own clothes and I feel a bit grimy. I won\u2019t be long.\u201d She continued as she walked into the bathroom and didn\u2019t fully close the door. Kol counted the minutes and exactly five minutes after she\u2019d gotten in, she exited the bathroom, looking refreshed in a change of clothes and a big smile on her face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was quick.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWas it?\u201d Bella smiled at him and giggled when he pulled out a chair for her to sit on at the table in the room for breakfast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d have thought you\u2019d take a nice, long and relaxing bath in that gorgeous bathtub in that bathroom. Isn\u2019t that what girls do?\u201d He sat down in a chair next to her and relaxed as he watched her eye the food on the tray. \u201cI\u2019m not going to put stuff on your plate, darling, you\u2019re not a child.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella went for the ham sandwich and took a bite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m curious,\u201d he eventually said after she had slowly eaten half of her sandwich. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you close and lock the door just now? I\u2019m a complete stranger, I\u2019m a guy, in your room and you just leave the door open. If I didn\u2019t have any honor, I could have done something to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI pretty much always leave the door open,\u201d Bella said as she carefully placed the sandwich on her plate and took a sip of her orange juice. \u201cI\u2019m sorry if it offended you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt didn\u2019t offend me, love,\u201d Kol smiled at her. \u201cBut haven\u2019t you heard of \u2018stranger, danger\u2019? You need to rely on yourself to make decisions for yourself. Take advantage of the next few days where you don\u2019t have to listen to the rules they<\/em> have set for you. Take your life back, even if you decide to go back to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I have to go back to him,\u201d Bella said kind of confused. \u201cI have to finish school and then there\u2019s the matter of the Volturi\u2026 even if Edward and I no longer— they\u2019d still come because I know of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou always have a choice,\u201d Kol wanted to point to her half eaten sandwich to prompt her to continue eating, but he figured that the Cullens were in control over her food too and he didn\u2019t want to do the same. She\u2019d get hungry eventually. \u201cTake it from me, life is full of choices with endless outcomes. But for every problem, there is a solution. I can\u2019t begin the many times I\u2019ve been at odds with Nik. Mostly Nik, actually. I\u2019ve made some bad decisions in the past, but I was usually able to fix them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She listened to his words and thought about what he had said. If she\u2019d leave the Cullens, they wouldn\u2019t stop following her, trying to get her back or even worse; they\u2019d kill her and she didn\u2019t want to do that to Charlie. She didn\u2019t have a choice. None. \u201cAnd sometimes it\u2019s best to just let it happen for the safety of others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen why do you want a break from them, ey? My brother has opened his house to you, he\u2019s ensured your safety because he knows what they\u2019re like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, you\u2019re right, it was a bad and impulsive decision on my part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol grabbed her hand when she wanted to get up from her chair and pulled her back in. Maybe it was a little too much to confront her over breakfast about this, but she started it. \u201cWas it? Or is your subconscious trying to tell you something?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked at Kol\u2019s hand and then looked at him. \u201cLet me go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. Not until you answer me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet me go. Please.\u201d Bella pleaded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMake me,\u201d he snapped rather arrogantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d She started to jerk her arm trying to get his hand off of hers, but he wasn\u2019t letting go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not immortal or anything. Make me.\u201d He tightened the hold he had on her hand. \u201cWhat are you? Weak? Maybe I should find that marble prince of yours and tell him he needs to marry you soon so he has more reason to bully you around. Although you\u2019re honestly pathetic<\/em> right now, but that\u2019s how he likes them, isn\u2019t it? Weak and pathetic. Easier to manipulate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStop,\u201d Bella said with tears in her eyes as she looked at him. \u201cYou\u2019re being an ass.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol snorted. \u201cYou\u2019re not telling me anything new, love, my siblings tell me that on a daily basis. Since I\u2019m not immortal anymore, Nik can\u2019t even shut me up without killing me.\u201d Not letting go of her hand, he got up from his chair as he turned hers around with his foot and grabbed her other hand, pinning both hands to the chair. \u201cI\u2019m not letting go of you, you\u2019d have to make me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was dangerously close to her now and she squeezed her eyes shut. She didn\u2019t want to see this. Whatever had gotten into him was scary and he really wasn\u2019t letting go of her no matter how much she struggled. \u201cPlease, stop\u2026\u201d she said with a whisper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can see now why Edward wants you so much, you\u2019re nothing but a doormat. You\u2019re nothing without him, aren\u2019t you? You need a man to tell you what to do, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStop!\u201d Bella cried out as she felt a force coming from within her, almost as if she released all of her pent up frustration and anxiety and found Kol\u2019s hands away from hers. When she opened her eyes as to take a peek if he was still there, she found him on the other side of the room, grinning like a maniac. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOw, that hurt,\u201d he grinned as he got to his feet, brushing off the debris of the dresser she\u2019d seemingly thrown him into. \u201cRemind me not to piss you off for real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She just stared at him in shock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t mean it, I promise,\u201d he said as he walked back to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou magically threw me against the dresser, that\u2019s what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry! I— Are you okay? I\u2019m so sorry, I didn\u2019t—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol snorted and gently placed his hand on her shoulder before he sat back down next to her. \u201cI\u2019m alright and you don\u2019t have to apologise. It\u2019s my own fault, really. I pushed you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou were mean.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, but you\u2019ve learned three lessons now,\u201d he said with a grin on his face before he held out his hand to use his powers to get a beignet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did you do that?\u201d Bella stared at him with big eyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe opposite of what you just did to me. You wanted me away from you so you pushed me away. I want the good tasting beignet, so I have it come to me. But what three lessons have you learned?\u201d He took a bite of the pastry as he looked at her. Maybe seeing him eat would make her think to finish the sandwich she had nibbled on earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She blankly stared at him as she rubbed her hands. She could still feel his hands on hers and it was annoying. Edward or Jasper always put their hands on her to calm her down or make her do things and Kol wasn\u2019t either of them. He was sweet and only trying to prove his point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne; you sure have a lot of thinking to do about your future with that beastly marble Ken-doll,\u201d he said slowly. \u201cAs I said, every problem has a solution, no matter how bad. Which brings us to two; you\u2019re stronger than you think.\u201d He nodded towards the smashed dresser. \u201cYour magic might not work outside of New Orleans, but I can tell you have a strong will working for ye\u2026 and three\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re an ass?\u201d She quipped, a smile appearing on her face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he agreed with a playful smile on his face. \u201cBut at least I\u2019m honest about it unlike some people. But what I meant is that it\u2019s alright to stand up for yourself and if needed, do bodily harm to protect yourself. Surely, with a copper as a dad he taught you some sweet moves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, but with Ed—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol shushed her. \u201cNo excuses, love, he might be stronger than you and harder to hurt, but you have every right to kick his arse if need be. It\u2019s time to look out for number one.\u201d He took another bite off his beignet and was relieved when she once again picked up her sandwich. \u201cSo, museum today?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded as she continued to eat. \u201cAs many as possible.\u201d She was glad Kol had dropped the subject, she still wasn\u2019t happy what he had done, although she had to admit, unknowingly flinging him across the room had been really cool. She could understand why someone, an outsider, would think the way they did about the whole situation, but it was simply impossible to be completely out of the Cullen\u2019s grasp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She already feared the worst upon her return. They might do something irreversible to people she loved and there was nothing she could do about it other than to accept it. And that sucked. She could do as Kol said; kick Edward or whomever, but could he promise they wouldn\u2019t retaliate by breaking her neck? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol smiled widely. \u201cWell, hurry up then, we have a lot to do in not enough time. First order of business though, is to get you a phone of your own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked at Kol as she finished her sandwich and her glass of orange juice. The main reason why she didn\u2019t want to have her own phone was that she was currently not carrying enough money to buy one. She had been given fifty dollars to spend on her own while in New Orleans and Edward would decide to pay for things she\u2019d otherwise need. \u201cMy phone still works, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you certain?\u201d Kol smiled wickedly. \u201cI had some time to kill when you were in the bathroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t!\u201d Bella said panicked. \u201cDo you have any idea what you\u2019ve done?!\u201d She flew off her chair and headed to her backpack to get her phone out and felt the color drain from her face as she tried to switch it on but it didn\u2019t work. \u201cNo\u2026\u201d she whispered as she opened it up and a substance that looked like sand fell out of her phone. Upon closer inspection, she noticed it was the battery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe breaking her battery hadn\u2019t been one of his brightest ideas, although he was certain that it had been for the best. Porcelain could have put stuff on her phone – apps – to track her every move, even if it was turned off and he wanted Bella to be free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol could see how her heart shattered and how close she was to a panic attack and it was his bloody fault. He didn\u2019t know what to say when Bella started to unravel in front of him. She was clutching her phone and rocking herself back and forth. Kol felt no better than Edward right now. Elijah had stressed the importance of leaving her be and not to take things away from her or make her do things against her will because that\u2019s what she usually gets at home and he had crossed a line. Big time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When his sister Rebekah angrily barged into the room, Kol didn\u2019t know how fast he had to get up and get to the other side of the room, as far away as possible. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I didn\u2019t think it would matter that much\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it, isn\u2019t it?\u201d the woman bit at him as she sat down next to Bella and calmly took her hands into her own. \u201cYou do not think! You might get off easily if the chip in this bloody device still works!\u201d She then looked at Bella, making sure that she was looking at her. \u201cTake a deep breath, it\u2019s going to be alright, little dove. My brother is getting you a replacement phone even if it has to be his own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took a while before she calmed down, there was this unknown woman sitting next to her, holding her hands and nothing else. \u201cI am so sorry,\u201d she whispered before looking around the room. Kol was gone. \u201cI\u2026 it\u2019s just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d the blonde said kindly. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to apologize. How about you and Kol forgo on your trip to the museums and how about you and I go do something fun such as doing something ridiculously girly and go to a spa and relax.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t\u2026 I\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNiklaus\u2019 treat. Just to get your mind off of things,\u201d she interrupted her and let go of her hands to caress a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. \u201cMy name is Rebekah, I\u2019m them lot’s sister and I apologize for Kol’s behaviour.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella slowly nodded as she looked at her. The woman – Rebekah – was absolutely beautiful and reminded her of Rosalie, if only just slightly. She appeared to be a lot kinder, though, which was a startling contrast to what she was familiar with. “But if I don’t have my paper done by the time I leave, I will fail the class.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“History of New Orleans, yeah?” Rebekah smiled widely. “We’ve got you covered, I promise. Museums are nice and all that and…” From the corner of her eye she noticed the dresser that lay in shambles. It had been one of Elijah’s favourite items back in the day and it was beyond repair. “What happened here?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Kol.” Bella replied with a small smile on her lips. “Apparently I am capable of doing magic and pushed him in there.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“That is – truly splendid,” Rebekah said appreciatively. “Well done, you!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella wasn\u2019t one to do extremely girly things as going to a spa. Even when she was little she simply liked to sit down with a good book and read to relax instead of playing outside with friends from school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tripping over her own feet on occasion was also one of the reasons; it wasn\u2019t funny to faceplant into the pavement or a pile of dog poo. It grew old very fast. But she had to admit, Rebekah made whole spa experience fun by telling her stories about days past. If only she had been allowed to write it all down while getting a massage!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They went for ice cream on their way back and Bella could have sworn she saw Emmett and Rosalie standing in the distance, keeping an eye on her, which reminded her of her phone. \u201cOh shit, the phone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t fret, I\u2019m sure that when we return, Kol will be apologetic up to the point of grovelling and he will attained a new phone for you,\u201d Rebekah said calmly and gently rubbed Bella\u2019s back. \u201cYou do know us girls don\u2019t need men to take care of us, right? Nor to tell us what we can\u2019t and can do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck and looked to the ground as they walked back. \u201cI know. I know all of that. It\u2019s\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cComplicated?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKol mentioned you feel like their prisoner. Why aren\u2019t you trying a prison break?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s comp—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cComplicated,\u201d Rebekah said with a nod and sighed. \u201cDo you even still love that Edward guy? I mean, surely you must, if you allow yourself to be treated the way he and his family are treating you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sighed again. No matter how she wanted to drop the subject, Rebekah didn\u2019t seem to want anything of it. Maybe it was a good thing to talk about it, it wasn\u2019t as if she could tell someone back home. New Orleans was a long way from Forks and there was a great possibility that her new friends weren\u2019t ever going to visit her or for her to go back to New Orleans. \u201cI\u2019m not a victim,\u201d Bella eventually said, thinking it over. \u201cI know very well that what they\u2019re doing is wrong. Sure, I loved Edward. I mean, he\u2019s handsome, he\u2019s this old soul and his hands\u2026 oh god, I couldn\u2019t wait for him to touch me with those hands and fingers,\u201d she smirked at the thought. \u201cHe took care of me, I liked that too. I mean, he made sure I didn\u2019t get hit by a car in the school parking lot and he saved me from a group of boys when I was out with my friends\u2026 he wasn\u2019t even supposed to be there, but for some reason it felt\u2026 safe. It was nice to be taken care of instead of being the one who takes care of everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid you know he was a vampire back then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy friend Jake had some suspicions, especially since his father disliked Edward\u2019s father. Jake\u2019s Quileute and their legends talk about vampires and he told me. I was even asked to sit in around the campfire for \u2018story night\u2019 and the legend was being told. At first I thought the whole tribe was insane because vampires\u2026 it\u2019s the thing from stories, it couldn\u2019t possibly be real, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebekah smiled at that. \u201cOf course not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut stories and legends have to come from somewhere<\/em>. So I did my research and I figured it out. Edward always tried to deflect me when I brought it up and eventually started to entertain me by asking me about my theories and I told him I thought he was a vampire.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hazard a guess that that was the point where he fully let you into his life?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded. \u201cHe even admitted it was hard for him to be around me because my blood smelled too good for him to resist. That I was his singer and that every vampire has one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s ridiculous. Blood is blood,\u201d Rebekah huffed. \u201cWhatever they\u2019ve been smoking, I don\u2019t want it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere was a thunderstorm one night and everyone gathered up to go and play baseball out in the rain because it was the only time where they could use their strength and speed to their fullest. Vampire baseball was fun while it lasted, a couple of nomads strolled in and they thought it was amusing how protective the clan was over me, the only human, and wanted me dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do have to admit, in the past, the thought of being around humans without them being a source for food, was appalling. Fragile beings. I would have wanted the same, to be honest. I can\u2019t begin to count the times I wanted to sink my teeth into Marcel when he was growing up, simply for him being around us all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shuddered at the thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, don\u2019t worry love, Niklaus doesn\u2019t want you harmed,\u201d Rebekah reassuringly smiled at her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUp until that baseball game, everything had been amazing with Edward and his family, and then things changed. I nearly died because one of the nomads lured me away but Edward yet again saved me while my body was burning with venom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEw,\u201d the vampire shuddered at that. \u201cThat\u2019s right, the Cold Ones are venomous. Oh, the horror. Gross. Why didn\u2019t he just kill you? Surely with so much venom inside of you you\u2019d have turned?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe wanted me to lead a full human life and not frozen at 17. I\u2019m actually glad I\u2019m still fully human. Yes, I\u2019m fragile and I am clumsy but to live with him? Forever? No offense to you, Rebekah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNone taken, little Dove. There are times where I wonder that myself when dealing with my brothers,\u201d she smiled at her. \u201cBut the good far outweighs the bad. I\u2019ve seen things you cannot even begin to imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, but with Edward and his family?\u201d Bella countered. \u201cThings only got worse from there, I was aware about how they were treating me, Edward even dumped me once, wanting me to be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe did?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded. \u201cAnd I was stupid enough to take him back because I was scared shitless that the remaining nomads would hurt my dad or my wolf friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut you didn\u2019t need to fear them, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shook her head as she stuffed her hands in her pocket. \u201cIf I leave now, chances are they will hurt or kill someone that I love. They may have isolated me from my friends, and somewhat from my father, but it doesn\u2019t mean that they wouldn\u2019t hurt them if I\u2019d do anything. And it\u2019s not as if anything can be done about it. They\u2019re super strong and they can\u2019t be hurt unless you have super strength yourself and are able to rip them apart. And even then you\u2019d have to set them on fire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can see your predicament,\u201d Rebekah said, surprised by the girl\u2019s fighting spirit. She wasn\u2019t a meek little lamb, not when she wasn\u2019t scared or afraid something bad would happen. Her spirit was definitely broken, sure, but at least she was aware that things weren\u2019t right. \u201cBut why does that not make you a victim?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause\u2026\u201d Bella started and then shut up. She didn\u2019t have a choice in the matter, she had to stay or suffer the consequences. She wasn\u2019t a victim because she\u2019d been so stupid to fall in love with Edward. \u201cI\u2019m not. I have to stay, it\u2019s my own fault. And it\u2019s tiny breathers such as these that keep me sane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019re right, you\u2019re not a victim,\u201d Rebekah said with a nod. \u201cThe situation you\u2019re in is not your fault, Bella. It\u2019s theirs. They have been trying to groom girls ever since they originated. If anything, you\u2019re a survivor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked up to her as they were rounding the corner onto Bourbon Street. It had felt good to tell Rebekah her story, it felt liberating and she felt a rush of confidence run through her body.\u201cI have to. I don\u2019t have another choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you could do anything, you would, wouldn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would rip them apart, shove their arms in their mouths and their feet up their asses,\u201d Bella said without thinking and then winced before looking around to see if anyone else had heard that. \u201cOh, that sounded so bad\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, no,\u201d Rebekah laughed. \u201cThat was exactly what I wished you\u2019d say because you should never, ever, allow anyone to pull you down like that. You should not suffer any longer. When you get home, you should tell all of this to the Chief of that tribe of wolves and have them take your revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t. I don\u2019t want them to get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou said they were wolves, surely they\u2019re strong enough to tear a Cold One apart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd the Cullens are strong enough to hurt them in return. I\u2019m sorry, Rebekah, but I hate it when other people have to fight my battles, especially when they could get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI admire your heart, Bella,\u201d Rebekah said solemnly. \u201cLet\u2019s get inside and see if Kol has indeed acquired you a new phone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol had indeed bought her a new phone. He boasted that he could have gotten her a new battery but he figured there would be things on her old phone that the Cullens could use to keep track of her and he wanted her to have a clean phone. He\u2019d not only bought her a new phone but also brought her a box of pastries to show her how sorry he was. Kol promised not to do it again, but Bella wasn\u2019t sure if she could take his word for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was sitting in a comfortable chair in the court yard with her notebook to write down from what she could remember from the conversation she had with Rebekah at the spa about the history of New Orleans. At first glance, she was alone, but she knew someone was keeping an eye on her, after so long with the Cullens, she had developed some sixth sense for it. Whomever it was, she wasn\u2019t really bothered by it. She\u2019d do the same thing if she took a stranger into her home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was just about to take a bite out of her second pastry when her phone rang. Glancing at the number, she immediately picked it up. \u201cHi Charlie,\u201d she greeted her father with a smile on her face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHiya Bells, how\u2019s it going?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNew Orleans is fantastic,\u201d she replied enthusiastically. \u201cThe whole atmosphere of the city is amazing, you\u2019d love it here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know, I like it here. It\u2019s nice and quiet.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re such an old man,\u201d she grinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to remind me of that. How\u2019s the trip going?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m learning a lot about New Orleans\u2019 history. It\u2019s amazing how much of a history a city has, it\u2019s completely different from Forks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll bet. Just make sure you\u2019re getting home safe, alright?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m still being minded, Charlie. We\u2019re coming back in a couple of days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEdward here told me you ran away.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course he did. Bella audibly sighed as she rubbed her eyes, spreading icing sugar all over them. She tried to rub it away with her sleeve as well as she could as she thought of an answer. Edward was obviously already in Forks. There\u2019s no way that she could have seen Emmett and Rosalie earlier. \u201cI didn\u2019t. You know the school system, the teacher wants us to learn about the history of New Orleans and she doesn\u2019t even know much herself. She\u2019s a bad guide. I prefer to do things on my own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust be safe, sweetheart.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, if anything happens, you taught me well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Is everything alright between you and Edward? He said you broke his heart yesterday. He couldn’t sleep last night because he was worried about you being alone in a big city.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella tried hard not to let out a huff. Edward was such a drama queen. A manipulative bastard. It didn’t surprise her that he had gone straight to Charlie, he was her achilles heel. “I’ll make it up to him when I get home in a couple of days. I didn’t mean to upset him.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Have fun, Bells, I’ll talk to you soon.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After hanging up on her father, she switched off the phone and continued to write in her notebook, trying to remember what Rebekah had told her, but her mind was flooded with how Edward was going to make her pay for ‘upsetting him’. She was breaking so many rules that it was going to be virtually impossible for her to return and have a life. She was probably going to get stripped off all of the freedom with restrictions he had given her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She grew frustrated with herself as she knew she had to leave him but couldn’t, out of fear that everyone would get hurt, including herself. Bella felt how an energy built up inside of her and before she was aware of what was happening, the box of pastries flew across the courtyard. “Shit!” she said, partially cursing, partially in shock as she ran towards the mess to clean it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe it hadn\u2019t been such a good idea to give you a box of pastries right before you\u2019re supposed to have dinner with me and my siblings, love, but to toss them aside like that?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked up to Kol from her position on the floor. He had this self-absorbed smirk on his face as he was leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed over his chest. \u201cIt was an accident,\u201d she said as she continued to clean up the mess. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, but it happened, you should be proud of yourself!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo is this going to happen whenever I feel like I want to hit someone?\u201d Bella said as she dusted herself off and got to her feet. She then turned to Kol and crossed her arms over her chest, mirroring him. \u201cBecause if that\u2019s the case, I hope your brother has a damn good insurance because I might break more stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all about control, which would be impossible for you to learn now seeing as your emotions are all over the place,\u201d he explained. \u201cI mean, we could try, but I can tell you have a lot of anger and frustration stored into your body. We need to get rid of that first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol shrugged. \u201cThey\u2019re your emotions, not mine. You have a surplus of them, you need to get rid of some of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKill someone? I don\u2019t know,\u201d he said with a shrug. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s have dinner, you can meet my brother Elijah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bella was amazed by how well she had slept for the second night in a row. Usually she felt extremely uncomfortable when she slept in a strange bed or all alone, but she seemed to be doing quite well. She was in a strange house, filled with strangers – most of them were vampires – but she felt liberated, somehow. It was nice to fall asleep without someone watching her or lay in bed with her and cooling her off which made it impossible for her to fall asleep for a long time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She closed and locked the bathroom door when she went to clean herself up, even though she was all alone in the room. It felt odd, somewhat claustrophobic, but it felt good. And the bathtub looked amazing as well. Rebekah had told her the day before that there was nothing wrong by taking a long bath and soak, to think about things or just to doze for awhile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella only went back into the room to get her notebook and a pen before going back into the bathroom as the tub filled up. Soon, she spent the next half hour soaking and writing on her paper, finding the experience relaxing. She was all by herself and she had fun without being judged or being told what to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When she was all dressed and in the process of cleaning up the bedroom, a polite knock was heard on the door and she half expected the door to open and the person just barging into the room. When it didn\u2019t happen, she walked to the door and opened it, revealing Elijah. She had met him the night before during dinner and he seemed the calmest of the siblings. \u201cIf I didn\u2019t know any better, I\u2019d say you and your siblings pull straws early in the morning to see who\u2019s going to take care of the teenager residing in the guest bedroom and you lost today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood morning to you too, Miss Swan,\u201d Elijah greeted her with a smile. \u201cI\u2019m glad to see you in such good spirits this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood morning,\u201d she smiled. \u201cAnd I am, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was thinking maybe you and I could go for a stroll through New Orleans today. It is far more than the French Quarter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSounds great,\u201d she grinned appreciatively at him and turned around to get her bag. She nearly tripped over her feet while doing so but was glad she hadn’t fallen over. That would have been embarrassing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elijah took her for a tour through the Garden District after hopping onto a street car. She had been there two days previously when they met at the cemetary – something she still thought of as being creepy – and hoped he wouldn\u2019t take her there again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He told her of how he and his siblings arrived in New Orleans somewhere in the 1700\u2019s out of Europe and basically saw the city turn into what it was right now. They helped build the city and Bella could have sworn she saw some pride on his face, which made her smile. She had already noticed that despite the Mikaelsons seemingly being thrown together with their various personalities and their probably bloody history, that at least they achieved something with their years on the Earth, unlike the Cullens, so a little bit of pride was well deserved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After lunch, Elijah took her to the public library to dig through old records. He admitted it wasn’t one of his favourite ways to spend the time and he had kept records of his own, but he wasn’t keen to allow anyone to make copies out of it, mostly because it held his personal notes as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It could of been awkward to see pictures of him, Klaus and Rebekah in old newspapers as they hadn’t aged one bit but it wasn’t. She was surprised, however, that the family allowed old images as the one she had found to exist. What if someone would find out their secret? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She found one image dating somewhere in 1821 where the three were with what looked like a young Marcel and another person and she was intrigued as the siblings didn\u2019t look all too pleased and the headline of the story was ‘Forty-six people found murdered by escaped negros.’ <\/em>\u201cWhat happened here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2026 was a nightmare I\u2019d really wish to forget,\u201d Elijah sighed as he looked at the article. \u201cAnd partially my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowso?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNiklaus had saved Marcel from slavery and a life filled with abuse the year before. He seemed to have lost interest in him in 1821 and from then on I took him under my wing, I educated him, I started to teach the boy everything I knew and I didn\u2019t see Niklaus had grown jealous. He undaggered Kol, much against my wishes.\u201d Elijah pointed at the strange man standing next to Klaus. \u201cOur brother Kol is a handful now, but he was even more so when he was a vampire. He was wild and reckless, he could enjoy himself a little too much. He was also the one who could make Niklaus even more volatile than he already could be. The two of them started to paint the town red, quite literally. We are photographed here as we watch how those bodies were carried out of the building and how the families grieved. Rebekah and I thought it would be a lesson for both Niklaus and Kol that this wasn\u2019t a proper way to go about things. In the past, their carelessness had caused us having to move when we\u2019d only just settled in one place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait, they<\/em> killed those people?\u201d Bella had a shocked and surprised tone in her voice, but Elijah wasn\u2019t impressed. Kol and Niklaus had done a lot worse back in the day, but he wasn\u2019t going to tell her that. She knew how vampires worked, didn\u2019t she? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re vampires, dear,\u201d Elijah smiled at her. \u201cWe drink blood to live.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, but Kol and Klaus murdered all those people?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSadly, yes. Kol recently divulged there were bodies up in the attic as well, the count was more around sixty—\u201d When he saw the incredulous look on her face, he stopped. \u201cA lot has changed over the last few hundred years, Bella. I can\u2019t say that we\u2019re living on the straight and narrow, as we do not. We try to keep a low profile as much as possible, it took Niklaus hundreds of years to finally learn that lesson, and even then, his emotions sometimes get the better of him. But he has myself and Rebekah to keep an eye on him. We\u2019re a family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about Kol?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about him? He used to be irrational, reckless, careless and too wild to keep around, we had him in his coffin for most of the time and every time we let him out, we realised the mistake we\u2019d made. He\u2019s too much of a child.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella\u2019s jaw fell open. \u201cHe\u2019s your brother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, but our hands were full with Niklaus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow.\u201d She sounded appalled and shocked at the same time as she closed the books and started to put them on the library cart to bring them back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMake no mistake, Miss Swan, we used to be a great part of society and every family has skeletons in their closets. Kol was not one to be reasoned with, no matter how many times we tried to temper him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you\u2019d just neutralize him for a few years and hoped he learned his lesson?\u201d she huffed as she gathered her things. \u201cIt\u2019s rather a convenient thing, isn\u2019t it? Get tired of one sibling and just give them a timeout lasting years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that simple\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, it is,\u201d Bella was furious as she stormed out of the library, followed closely by Elijah. \u201cYou were telling me earlier how humans are precious and how you like them and you were saying that family is important. How does not giving your brother the love and attention he needs – craves<\/em> – fit into that? Yes, Kol might be a bit\u2026 unpredictable but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not to be reasoned with. Whereas Niklaus, Rebekah and I value family over everything, Kol sees everything as a game and if he\u2019s on the losing side, he\u2019ll switch sides. He doesn\u2019t take responsibility, he—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe is a kid,\u201d Bella breezed as she continued to march back to the Abattoir. \u201cYes, he\u2019s over a thousand years old but since you had him daggered for the most part, he never grew up. No wonder he has a violent past, he wanted your attention and all you did was dagger him because he was a pain in the ass,\u201d she continued. \u201cIt must be agony for you now that he\u2019s human and you can\u2019t dagger<\/em> him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elijah watched in amusement as she walked the wrong way but didn\u2019t say anything just yet. He appreciated it when a woman spoke her mind like she did. He found it refreshing, especially since she hadn\u2019t been around them for that long. It showed she was more observant than he or his siblings had imagined. He could understand that from a human<\/em> point of view that she was right, but he and his family hadn\u2019t been human for so long and there was only so much of Kol either of his siblings could take. And she was right, now that he was human, it was harder to quiet him, which was the reason why he didn\u2019t live with them. He or Niklaus could easily lose their temper and accidentally snap his neck out of habit. And despite not really agreeing with Kol from time to time, both Elijah and Niklaus did not want to kill their own brother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t say anything for a long time mostly as she was still fuming and trying to calm herself down and he didn\u2019t want to cause her to lose herself in the presence of others. She was an angry young woman and he understood why, but something needed to be done because Claire witches were powerful and to not have said power under control could be disastrous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow about we go left on the next street, Miss Swan?\u201d He calmly suggested, which was followed by a huff and her turning left with her firmly stuffing her hands in her pockets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they had discussed Bella the previous night, Rebekah had divulged Bella either had to be a good actress or wasn\u2019t a threat to them. She, and Kol, were agreeing with the latter, but both he and Niklaus had been wary, even though it was Niklaus\u2019 doing that the girl was in their lives right now. He had thought it would be fun<\/em> to antagonize the Cullens by taking their human pet for a couple of days but hadn\u2019t thought of the fact Bella could have been a plant. Clearly, she wasn\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLeft again, please,\u201d he prompted her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, taking Bella in had everything to do with her treatment by the Cold Ones. Elijah sinceriously hoped that in the next few days, the girl would have enough confidence to end things with Edward for once and for all. Maybe, if the girl would show Elijah and his siblings more trust, they could do something more to help her. It was certainly a matter to discuss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He quickly shot Kol a text message to meet him and Bella halfway. The girl was determined to give him the silent treatment and although it didn\u2019t matter to Elijah, he wanted her to get her mind off of it and Kol was the right person to do so. He had become more agreeable as a person lately and more in touch with the world around him, and the girl seemed to favor him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they approached LaFayette Square, Kol was waiting for them with two coffees in his hands, obviously one was for himself, the other for Bella. \u201cWow, Elijah, what did you do?\u201d Kol scolded his brother as he handed the spare coffee to Bella, who gratefully took it and took a sip of it. \u201cDid you kill a puppy in front of her to show her how masculine you are?\u201d He then looked at Bella. \u201cI\u2019m sorry love, we\u2019ve been trying to teach him that puppies are a no-go area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella simply stared at Elijah until he walked away. She then turned to Kol and gently touched his arm. \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor what, darling?\u201d He asked as he put his arm around her and started to walk with her. He had something in mind that would definitely cheer her up. \u201cHe should be the one who\u2019s sorry, he\u2019s obviously upset you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am sorry for the way your siblings have been treating you. It\u2019s not fair.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol\u2019s smile seemed to falter a bit which he tried to hide by taking a sip of his coffee. \u201cYou\u2019ve been talking about me, ey?\u201d he joked. \u201cI thought so, my ears were burning!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shrugged. \u201cElijah took me to the public library to scour through some old newspapers for my paper and we got talking. I just don\u2019t understand why he was so blas\u00e9 about how he and Klaus treated you. Immortal or not, it\u2019s just wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGlad you\u2019re on my side with that, Love,\u201d he smiled at her. \u201cIt feels good to know someone who thinks the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded. \u201cNow, how are we going to fix it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol started to laugh. \u201cLove, we can\u2019t. Don\u2019t you think I\u2019ve tried? It\u2019s the Holy Trinity and no one else. They\u2019re just stuck with me now because I\u2019m no longer immortal. We can\u2019t change my position in my family or how they treat me, but instead, we can change everything wrong in your<\/em> life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella huffed. \u201cI told you, we can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I told you, for every problem there is a solution. Think about that.\u201d He gently squeezed her shoulder. \u201cEnough of the serious stuff. Let\u2019s have some fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, alright, I do need to ask you something though,\u201d she stopped walking as she looked at him, hoping he wouldn\u2019t be mad. \u201cI\u2026 don\u2019t get mad, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI promise, what\u2019s on your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCould you please stop calling me love<\/em>? It\u2019s freaking me out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol blinked. He had expected something else, but a simple pet name that everyone used was the problem? How? Why? \u201cWhy?\u201d he echoed his thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEdward calls me that\u2026 it\u2019s \u2026\u201d Bella shuddered. \u201cPlease, try not to call me that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll try,\u201d he smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. \u201cYou should have said something sooner, I would have tried earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She shrugged. \u201cI didn\u2019t really dare to ask\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, but Darling, don\u2019t be afraid to speak your mind. The time where such was frowned upon is long gone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah\u2026 but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re free as a bird. At least for these couple of days, until you decide what to do. Don\u2019t be afraid of speaking your mind,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt\u2019s very sexy when a woman does that.\u201d Kol then winked at her and started to walk into the direction he wanted to take her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol took her to the zoo, and it was actually kind of fun especially since he liked to tease the animals by making rocks float when nobody was looking or have a big cat chase its own tail. If she had to be honest, she\u2019d seen better zoos, ones that had kangaroos for example. Ever since she\u2019d been a child, she loved the kangaroos. And zebras, Kol said it was because she was a girl and girls love horses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella had a great time regardless, if just for the company, talking about absolutely nothing and making fun of the animals. He then took her to a restaurant on St. Peter Street in the Quarter where they had a delicious pizza and ice cream for dessert. Kol insisted on bringing back something called \u201cFrosty Paws\u201d, which was a dessert for dogs but perfectly edible for non-dogs too and he wanted to give it to his brother Klaus, who, upon receiving the gift, was visibly not amused but didn\u2019t lash out since Bella was standing next to Kol. Kol made it worse by barking as he walked away from Klaus and she had to stifle a giggle, simply because it was hilarious and in good spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella invited Kol into her room as she spread out all the copies which she had gathered at the public library and continued to make notes in her notebook while laying down on the floor. She was going to have to work it all out when she had access to a computer when she got home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStop it,\u201d she laughed when Kol threw a pillow against her. \u201cI\u2019m working here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019m bored.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy is that my problem?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou invited me into your room, remember?\u201d Kol pointed out as he laid down next to her, facing the ceiling as he had been observing her from his chair, she was a work of art. \u201cYou\u2019re supposed to entertain me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She put down her pencil and leaned her head onto her hand as she looked at him. \u201cAnd how am I supposed to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. We could play a game?\u201d He smirked at her. \u201cHow about two lies and one truth? We have to figure out what\u2019s the lie and what\u2019s the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat does the winner get?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEternal glory?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDeal. You first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol sucked in some air as he was thinking. \u201cMy siblings think I\u2019m the most amazing brother ever,\u201d he snorted as Bella had a smile on her face. \u201cI thoroughly enjoyed my time in Europe and I\u2019m not afraid of anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe second one,\u201d Bella replied with a nod. \u201cThat was easy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour turn, Dollface.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI used to own a red pick up truck,\u201d she said after a moment of silence. \u201cI just love wearing skirts and dresses and I\u2019m failing school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Kol looked her over as he licked his lips. Bella was a regular human being, not too thin and she had a great arse which was accentuated by her jeans. \u201cIt\u2019s a shame you love to wear girly clothes because those jeans look stunning on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella hit him on the chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOuch!\u201d he laughed. \u201cNo, you used to own a red pick up truck. What happened to it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t safe enough, apparently. Some bored vampires smashed it to pieces to demonstrate how unsafe it was. Pissed me off. Pissed Charlie off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would have broken their fingers just to make sure they\u2019d never do it again,\u201d Kol muttered. \u201cIt\u2019s your stuff. They should have left it alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSays you who destroyed my phone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I apologized for that and got you a new one,\u201d Kol pointed out. \u201cI\u2019ve learned my lesson. I\u2019m not going to do it again,” he added honestly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella could tell he was being sincere, it was just a feeling she had deep inside. She smiled at him. \u201cI believe you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He rolled to his side to get a better look at her and was quiet for a moment. “You know, from the look on my brother’s face this afternoon, I suspect you gave him hell.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I did.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“You should do the same with the Cold Ones,” he started and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You don’t have to do it alone, you know. Them lot don’t want me around anyway, I could come with ya.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She knew he was right, she was perfectly fine and able to stand up for herself but didn’t out of fear for the safety of others. “What about my dad? The pack?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The way I see it is that that pack of yours are more than capable of taking care of themselves. Didn’t the legend say they were created specifically to deal with the Cold Ones?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Yeah, but…”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“You can’t save everyone, Cuddles, sometimes it’s best to think of yourself.” Before Bella could say anything in return he bopped her on the nose. \u201cYou\u2019re great, Bella, you\u2019re a positively agreeable young woman and they\u2019re only going to ruin you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNope, don\u2019t want to hear it.\u201d Kol shook his head. \u201cYou\u2019re a fiery dragon, it\u2019s time to act like one. Just don\u2019t start breathing real fire and set this house alight because I don\u2019t think Niklaus would be thrilled about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella giggled and then nodded. \u201cAlright, I\u2019ll try.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no trying love, you either do or you don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella bit her lip as she looked at him and thought for a moment. \u201cOkay Yoda, but only if you\u2019re really coming back with me because if I go back alone I won\u2019t be able to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr you could just stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella snorted and shook her head. \u201cAs much as I\u2019d like to, I\u2019m not leaving Charlie there and I\u2019m still in school. He\u2019s still responsible for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeems like you\u2019re more responsible for him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s my dad. He doesn\u2019t know how to dad very well but he\u2019s my dad. You\u2019ll like him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey now,\u201d Kol playfully grinned. \u201cI didn\u2019t know we were that far in our relationship to meet the parents!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella snorted. \u201cParent. Charlie. As long as you\u2019re on your best behaviour, he won\u2019t shoot you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are guns in the house?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you truly want me to come home with you, Poppet?\u201d Kol asked her again. He knew he had offered it and she had something along those lines as well, but he wanted to be sure. He didn\u2019t want to give up his life here in New Orleans, even if it was far from being perfect, but a change of scenery and some distance from Niklaus was quite alluring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella blushed. \u201cYou said it yourself, you could come with me and\u2026\u201d she stammered. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind, I think it would be a great idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Kol approved with a smile and a nod. \u201cI\u2019m up for an adventure. First thing in the morning I\u2019m going to enroll into your school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She blinked at that. \u201cYou\u2019re what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re at your school, right? Those Cullens? Oh, hey, we should ask Rebekah to come with. She loves high school and<\/em>, believe it or not, she\u2019s strong enough to fight those Cullens if need be. I\u2019m not certain how my witchy powers work outside of New Orleans, you see. They might fizzle out like yours will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was baffled as she listened to Kol and saw the excitement in his eyes. She sat up at the same time as he did and he was actually constructing a plan which held possibilities. She could finish her school at least because if she didn\u2019t, Charlie would get angry, and then do whatever she wanted, free from the Cullens. It was only a month or so that she had left in school. She just wondered why he\u2019d do something like that for her. Or why Rebekah would, seeing as Bella was just someone random. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She got jostled out of her thoughts when Kol called for Rebekah, who was in the room in an instant. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to shout, brother,\u201d she said annoyed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to give you a headache,\u201d Kol smirked as he got to his feet and started to tell her his plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebekah listened with a smile growing on her face. \u201cWill there be arse kicking?\u201d She asked excitedly when Kol finished talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t get it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, I do, now, will there be arse kicking? Sparkly arses to be exact?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProbably. I’m sure at some point in one of them will need reminding of manners.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m in.\u201d Rebekah grinned. \u201cOh, this is going to be fun<\/em>. High school and arse kicking, two of my favourite things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 02 Bella had to admit, the first step she set in \u201cthe compound\u201d, she was amazed by the size of it. It looked like an apartment building or a building with a community garden, although the garden was more of a big patio. It was spacious and impressive. There…<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":96,"parent":98,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-109","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChapter 02 - MeekoBuggy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chapter 02 Bella had to admit, the first step she set in \u201cthe compound\u201d, she was amazed by the size of it. It looked like an apartment building or a building with a community garden, although the garden was more of a big patio. It was spacious and impressive. There... Continue reading\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-13T14:14:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1150\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"575\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"47 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109\",\"name\":\"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-08-13T13:49:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-13T14:14:25+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1\",\"width\":1150,\"height\":575},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Buggy\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=14\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Sanctuaire\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=98\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Chapter 02\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/\",\"name\":\"Meekobuggy's stories\",\"description\":\"fanfiction, blogs, and random thoughts\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy","og_description":"Chapter 02 Bella had to admit, the first step she set in \u201cthe compound\u201d, she was amazed by the size of it. It looked like an apartment building or a building with a community garden, although the garden was more of a big patio. It was spacious and impressive. There... Continue reading","og_url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109","og_site_name":"MeekoBuggy","article_modified_time":"2024-08-13T14:14:25+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1150,"height":575,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"47 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109","url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109","name":"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1","datePublished":"2024-08-13T13:49:46+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-13T14:14:25+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1","width":1150,"height":575},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=109#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Buggy","item":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=14"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Sanctuaire","item":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=98"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Chapter 02"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/","name":"Meekobuggy's stories","description":"fanfiction, blogs, and random thoughts","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=109"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":132,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/109\/revisions\/132"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/98"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/96"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}