{"id":120,"date":"2024-08-13T13:58:42","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T13:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=120"},"modified":"2024-08-13T14:19:00","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T14:19:00","slug":"chapter-05","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=120","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 05"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 05<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

It had surprised Bella that things between her and Kol hadn’t changed simply because they kissed. She had been afraid of that, seeing as Edward became possessive after their first kiss and Kol was unpredictable according to his siblings. Bella didn’t see it that way, Kol liked to keep everyone on their toes and he tried to be the best person he could be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had felt him slipping out of bed when it was still dark outside and she had to admit, him going on a fishing trip with Charlie was amazing. Not so much that she had to miss Kol’s company but because it showed how much Charlie wanted to care. There was no doubt Charlie – and maybe Billy too if he came long – would interrogate Kol and he would pass with flying colors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebekah waltzed into the bedroom a few hours after Charlie and Kol had left and removed Bella’s sheets before opening the curtains and tugging on Bella’s foot. “Rise and shine, little dove, we’re going shopping and if there’s still time left, we’re going to pamper ourselves at the spa.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella groaned at that as she practically rolled out of bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“And maybe we should get you some new sleep attire too…”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There’s nothing wrong with a pair of boxers and a shirt,” Bella said with a yawn as she motioned for Rebekah to leave the room so she could get dressed. It took her half an hour to get dressed and down a cup of coffee to be completely awake while Rebekah impatiently walked through the house. The moment she put her cup down, Rebekah pulled her out of the door and stuffed her in the car before driving off towards Port Angeles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a lot to do in a short period of time. You are going to wear a dress because you are graduating and you\u2019re a lady,\u201d Rebekah said as she sped out of Forks. Bella quietly told herself Rebekah was lucky that the local cops didn\u2019t like to do speed traps. \u201cWhile we\u2019re on the subject of ladies\u2026 what are your intentions with my brother?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you mean, my intentions?\u201d Bella said confused. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs much as I despise my brother on occasion due to his habit of going up against me and my other brothers, he is my brother. Even now when he\u2019s stuck in this body until he grows old and dies. I do not wish to see him hurt for the short period of life he still has left.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella frowned at that. \u201cShort? Humans have an average lifespan of 80 plus years, your brother still has a long way to go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebekah smiled at that before continuing. \u201cMy brother is over a thousand years old, love,\u201d she said. \u201cGranted, he spent most of those years boxed up\u2026 Elijah told me about your spat with him about this. The thing was, it was easier to box Kol up than Niklaus, regular daggers don\u2019t work on him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNope, still not liking that,\u201d Bella shook her head. \u201cI get it that he\u2019s a thousand years old and 80 years seems like nothing, but trust me, it\u2019s a lot when you have to do everything at normal speed,\u201d she defended herself. \u201cAnd I do not plan on hurting him, Rebekah. I\u2019m more worried he\u2019ll end up losing interest and hurt me.\u201d It was out before Bella realized it was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A faint smile appeared on Rebekah\u2019s lips as if she was thinking of something. \u201cYou have nothing to be afraid of, Bella,\u201d she said quietly. \u201cHe\u2019s different with you. He\u2019s likable, he\u2019s careful. Maybe he did get a false start the second time he was human and now that he\u2019s on his third\u2026 I think he\u2019s decided he needed a change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThird?\u201d Bella blinked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t tell you, did he? That he died because our other brother Finn had hexed him and there was no turning back while he was still alive?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She shook her head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was terrifying when he died. And sad, really sad. Mostly because Niklaus finally accepted Kol as one of us, a part of the terrible threesome\u2026 Always and Forever, is our thing. Kol said he wasn\u2019t afraid, he smiled, but\u2026\u201d Rebekah sighed as she kept her eyes fixed on the road. \u201cI\u2019ve lost a lot of loved ones over the last thousand years, but none hit me harder than Kol\u2019s passing… Davina, the witch he was involved with, was beside herself. She even caused a scene during Kol\u2019s consecration and burial\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Rebekah,\u201d Bella said, not really being able to relate. Yes, she missed Seth, but to lose a relative that was so close to you was something else entirely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile Kol was dying, Davina tried to stop the hex or stop Kol from dying. And she failed. Which is not her fault, we didn\u2019t blame her. Davina couldn\u2019t bring him back or stop the hex as Finn was still alive back then. Bastard had a habit of jumping into other bodies when feeling threatened, just like our darling mother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe told me about her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight piece of work she was. Every few years or so she manages to slip back into the land of the living to make our lives hell, wanting to correct the wrong she did by making us immortal. She\u2019s right, of course, we haven\u2019t exactly been angels and we have been living for a long time but\u2026\u201d Rebekah slightly shrugged. \u201cKol had put me into another body as a prank while we were trying to take on Mother for the last time and he always promised to put me back. After he died, I lost hope, but if I have to be honest, I didn\u2019t mind being mortal again because it was an opportunity for me to finally have the life I\u2019d always wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut you\u2019re back to being immortal now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh yes,\u201d Rebekah said with a small smile. \u201cYou see, Davina and I turned Kol\u2019s old lair upside down, surely he had kept notes of his run-ins with other covens across the globe and maybe he had the solution all along. At the same time, my brothers went after Finn as he had come back to New Orleans. We even turned to a witch in Mystic Falls, her ancestry is as long and old as the witches of the French Quarter. She warned Davina and I that magic requires balance and that she had learned the hard way not to interfere with death. Dead is dead\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI kinda understand that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, so do I, but Kol didn\u2019t deserve to die. He didn\u2019t deserve to be hexed by his own brother. Davina and I wanted to bring him back at all costs. And after a while, we succeeded.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Rebekah shrugged. \u201cThe details are quite foggy but the next thing I remember is waking up in my box, in my own body, with Kol fuming over me, berating me that I shouldn\u2019t have done this and that the ancestors eventually allowed him to return because not only me and Davina, but apparently Kol as well, were stubborn idiots. I paid the price by being returned to my own immortal body and Kol and Davina were punished by having their love for each other erased from existence. After he finished berating me, he left New Orleans for a few months, too angry and too distraught to face any of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI suppose Kol is the one who paid the dearest; he eventually will die again. We offered to bite him, but he\u2019d rather be human and I don\u2019t blame him. So this is why I asked you what your intentions were with my brother. Because he deserves to be happy and not suffer from heartbreak.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRebekah, I—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know, little dove,\u201d she smiled at Bella before looking back to the road ahead of them. \u201cThere\u2019s no pressure, none at all. Right now, you make him happy and he has a good influence on you as well, so all is good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella thought for a moment and then snorted. \u201cIt\u2019s that you\u2019re stronger than I am, Rebekah, and currently driving but otherwise I would have smacked you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou want to give your brother the best human life experience ever. This means you can\u2019t interfere in his life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, you are. You\u2019ve just told his recent story to the girl who\u2019s kissed him and then tell her that if she breaks his heart that it will be bad news. I get it, you want to protect him and make sure he\u2019ll be alright but he\u2019s still young. I am still young. Anything could happen and if there\u2019s potential heartbreak, so be it, but for now, it\u2019s not my intention to break his heart because things seem to be moving in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cI\u2019m only eighteen years old, Rebekah. If you expect me to make the decision now to stay with your brother forever you\u2019re crazy and no better than the family of my former boyfriend. Things need to naturally evolve and that takes time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t have any time, Bella,\u201d Rebekah said as she slammed on the brakes while parking the car. \u201cHe only has this lifetime to make something of himself and it has to be perfect. He deserves it to be perfect! He deserves to grow old with someone he loves, have children, the whole dance that comes with mortality. Because he\u2019s the only one of us who can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly,\u201d Bella pointed out. \u201cRebekah, haven\u2019t you noticed that in your whole thousand years that we mortals are fucked up beings but in the end, everything comes together as it should? Who knows, maybe Kol will get fed up with me and dates a string of girls after me. And when he\u2019s fifty, he can have his midlife crisis and have a girl half his age.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you implying he\u2019s promiscuous?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m saying, he\u2019s human. And we humans are flawed. We\u2019re not perfect, but we try our hardest to make something out of life without interference from other people. Kol can have anyone he wants, he has a beautiful soul and your mother picked a great body for him to inhabit. You don\u2019t have to be afraid that he\u2019ll end up alone, he\u2019s got everything working for him,\u201d Bella replied with a calm tone of voice; she didn\u2019t want to anger the vampire even further. \u201cAnd I told you, I understand you want to protect him, but humans are not as fragile as you think.\u201d She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t worry about him, he\u2019ll be fine.\u201d Bella then got out of the car and shut the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you done?\u201d Rebekah asked as she had gotten out of the car herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you?\u201d Bella could tell Rebekah was still pissed, but Bella felt even worse and all of a sudden found this whole idea of them helping her to get free of Edward completely crazy. She scolded herself in silence, the time of being a victim was gone. She was a victim of the Cullens, but no longer. It was weird to realize that because she had always refused to see herself as a victim.  She’d thought she willingly stayed with Edward. But she hadn\u2019t. She had done it out of fear. And she sure as hell wasn\u2019t going to allow Rebekah to make her a victim again. She was a survivor now, she could stop this before it even started. \u201cYou vampires are all the same,\u201d she muttered as she shoved her hands in her pocket after adjusting her backpack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExcuse me?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI totally get it,\u201d Bella said as she turned around to look at Rebekah. \u201cYou\u2019re older, you\u2019ve seen more, you want to protect your brother, I get it. But the way you make it sound is as if you want to make me or Kol into a person we\u2019ve yet to discover for ourselves. You make it sound as if you want to mold me into something I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re mean.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAm I? Really?\u201d Bella shot at her. \u201cKol and I only kissed. Yesterday. We have no idea where we\u2019re going to end up and we made a deal that we were going to see where it goes because he knows I\u2019m not ready. Especially after just two weeks. You sounded like you want us to get married already and make each other happy, but newsflash, Rebekah, things like that don\u2019t happen in the real world.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just don\u2019t want to see his heart broken!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah well, neither do I but we\u2019ll never know what will happen in the future, will we?\u201d If it was possible, steam would have started to come out of her ears just like in the cartoons. \u201cJust because you\u2019re in a rush to make his life perfect, have you even given it a thought that maybe it\u2019s better to back off and see what happens first? It\u2019s his life, not yours.\u201d When Rebekah just stared at her with her mouth open, Bella continued. \u201cLook, I know you mean well, but please, allow him to find his own path in life. If he needs your help, he\u2019ll ask for it. Don\u2019t guilt trip me into a relationship with him because he\u2019s had a difficult time so far because that will make you like them. We all have baggage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut we\u2019ve been so rotten towards him and\u2026\u201d There were tears in Rebekah\u2019s eyes and Bella felt sorry for her. Maybe she had been a little bit harsh, but she simply didn\u2019t want to end up being treated the same way as Rebekah and Kol tried to help her free herself from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know, Rebekah,\u201d Bella said knowingly as she leaned on the car with a small smile on her face. \u201cBut life is too short to try to right the wrongs of the past. All you can do now is move forward and do better. Be his little sister, not his prison.\u201d The smile grew wider on Bella\u2019s face. \u201cBe my big sister.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebekah let out a squeal of happiness as she rounded the car and hugged Bella tightly. \u201cLet\u2019s go shopping, little sister,\u201d she smiled widely after she let go of her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thing Bella hated about shopping the most was the endless visits to the fitting rooms. She must have tried on several dresses before she felt comfortable in one Rebekah liked as well. She didn\u2019t quite understand why most girls seemed to like shopping; clothes had to be practical and last for a long time. The odds of wearing that dress more than once were astronomical and basically a waste of money but as Rebekah said; you only graduate once. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They didn\u2019t really have time to do anything else and when they arrived back home, Bella could tell Charlie had started the barbecue because of the smoke that rose from the back garden. \u201cIt looks like they\u2019ve caught plenty of fish,\u201d Bella said as she got out of the car and took her bags. Rebekah had also told her to buy new underwear that looked less \u2018boyish\u2019 but were still extremely comfortable and Bella herself bought a few new tops and jeans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, good, you\u2019re here,\u201d Kol said as he came running towards them, looking slightly panicked. \u201cCharlie\u2019s friend opened the wrong fridge. He didn\u2019t say anything, probably because his son is a shifter but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn it, brother,\u201d Rebekah said with a wide grin on her face. \u201cWill you be so kind as to help us with getting our bags inside?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Kol replied as he grabbed the remaining bags from the car as his sister walked off. \u201cDid you have fun?\u201d he asked Bella.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs shopping fun?\u201d Bella retorted with a snort. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t pure torture if that\u2019s what you mean. She got you a suit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Kol whined as he followed her into the house. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomething about us girls dressing up and you\u2019d look out of place,\u201d she flashed a smile at him as she set down the bags on the dining table. \u201cHow was your day?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour dad grilled me about our family,\u201d Kol replied wincing. \u201cAnd since the best lies are the ones close to the truth, I replied that our family is well-respected, well off and that I have a brother who tries to keep us all in check while another brother likes to break the rules after the death of our parents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat about sums it up,\u201d Bella laughed as she poured the both of them some juice. \u201cDid you get to ask him what you wanted to ask him?\u201d She had sort of suspected Kol would try to pry some stories out of her father and if she had to be honest, she didn’t mind. He had gone fishing with her father and that made everything alright in her book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCuddles!\u201d he tried to sound shocked but there was this huge smile on his face so he was joking. \u201cHow dare you think such a thing of me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Kol grinned. \u201cHe even showed me a picture of yours that he keeps on him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Bella said horrified. \u201cThe one with pigtails?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh yes,\u201d A big smirk was plastered across his face as he took a sip of his drink. \u201cVery adorable. You should definitely put your hair in pigtails when we go to school on Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Bella shook her head as she walked out of the door to the backyard. \u201cHi Billy,\u201d she greeted Jake\u2019s dad before giving her father a hug, holding him tightly as she did. \u201cHow dare you show him that picture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie gaped at her, surprised he was found out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe told me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he replied with a smile on his face. \u201cBut that day was one of the best days ever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrue and it\u2019s okay, just slightly embarrassing,\u201d she smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek before letting go of her father. \u201cHow was the fishing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe caught most of it. Must be beginner\u2019s luck.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May wasn\u2019t the ideal time to put up the barbecue and grill some fish and meats, but Bella loved it. She could tell Billy was having a hard time being around Rebekah. She hadn\u2019t compelled him out of respect for him and she suspected he was good at keeping secrets himself. She merely explained that she wasn\u2019t here to hurt anyone he loved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much to Bella\u2019s surprise, Jacob arrived as well and he had a healthy appetite that Charlie couldn\u2019t help but commenting on. Bella wasn\u2019t much into any sport activity at all, but when Jacob and Kol teamed up against Rebekah and her to play soccer, there wasn\u2019t much that the girls could do but to accept and horribly lose. Not only did she really have to shape up a bit because her lungs and legs felt as if they were on fire, she also really had to do something about her falling over and tripping over her own feet while moving at a higher speed than normal. Or fall into other people. Fifteen minutes in, she fell on her ass and decided not to bother getting up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know,\u201d Jacob said as he sat down next to her in the wet grass. \u201cI prefer you like this. All human with a beating heart and some color on her face.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Bella chuckled as she playfully punched him in the shoulder. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to tell me nearly every time we see each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He grinned as he gave her a playful shove. \u201cAre you going to beg Rebekah now to turn you into one of them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of her siblings then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, who are you and what have you done to Bella?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m still me,\u201d she chuckled as she elbowed him in the side. \u201cI just\u2026 gained some much-needed perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven if it means you\u2019re never going to get rid of your clumsiness?\u201d Jake grinned, happy to hear that his friend finally got the idea out of her head to become a vampire. Just the sheer thought of her being one made the hairs on his body stand up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s what makes me me, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d she said with a shrug. \u201cI can live with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs long as you have someone around to catch you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She sighed as she looked over to Kol for a moment before looking back at Jacob who had this huge smile on his face. \u201cWhat? You and I won\u2019t work, you know that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019ve never given it a real chance anyway\u2026 it was always Edward this, Edward that. And now that you\u2019ve dumped him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJake, no.\u201d she tried to interrupt him but he continued anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sad you didn\u2019t choose me but I\u2019m sort of glad you found someone else who makes you happy, even if it feels like it\u2019s moving too fast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow do you know?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease. Us wolves have nothing else to do but to keep an eye on you and those Cold Ones, we see a lot of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re following me?\u201d Bella didn\u2019t know whether to feel angry or relieved or surprised, even. \u201cJake!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey! Just because you have new friends doesn’t mean we have to trust them, but we do. So instead of two wolves, we have one wolf on you when you\u2019re in Forks. But it\u2019s clear there\u2019s something between you and him. And for what it\u2019s worth, you deserve it. I may not like it, but you deserve it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUgh. To hear you speak like this is so unlike you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He snorted. \u201cLook, Bells, you deserve to be happy. From what I\u2019ve seen, he\u2019s a good guy and should you decide to move away to get to know him better, then you should go. We\u2019ll make sure Charlie\u2019s safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t ask that of you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhich is why I\u2019m telling you, loca.\u201d He grinned. \u201cBesides, we\u2019re all convinced that when you leave, they\u2019ll come with you and your dad will be safe anyway so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust a feeling,\u201d he said with a shrug. \u201cSo, you just do whatever your heart tells you to do and everything will be fine. Even if it’s not what I want.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou want me to leave?\u201d Bella said after a moment of silence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, but you have to do what you want. And I know that graduating is your short term want, and after that, we\u2019ll see. If you do whatever makes you happy, then I\u2019m happy. Even if it involves you moving away and get in touch with a new side of you.\u201d Okay, so he was lying. He didn’t want Bella to leave but making her stay would be bad, wouldn’t it? It wouldn’t make him a better person than Edward. No, if he gave her enough room to move, maybe she’d stay anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella smiled as she hugged him. \u201cYou\u2019re the best best friend ever, Jake, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s me, forever stuck in the friend zone\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sighed as she got to her feet and walked over to Billy. She sat down next to him and looked around if Charlie was present, but he had gone for a moment. \u201cTell me about vampires again?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Billy blinked at her. \u201cVampires are bad, Bella, you know that. They survive off of blood and have been known to slaughter entire civilizations. You shouldn\u2019t involve yourself with vampires. As I told you when you started to date the Cullen boy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella smiled at him. \u201cThank you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut Kaleb isn\u2019t a vampire,\u201d he pointed out with a smile on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBilly!\u201d she whined as she threw her hands up in defense before burying her face in them, it was better to hide from the real world than to hear anyone else tell her what she didn\u2019t want to hear. On the other hand, however, it was great that at least Billy and Jake were accepting of Kol, although she had the feeling Jacob had something to hide. Bella knew she was going to figure it out eventually, and it would probably be as simple as Jacob not wanting her to leave Forks and stay with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as much as she loved Jacob as a friend<\/em>, what he wanted was not going to happen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

It was funny how the weeks leading up to her finals had flown by so quickly. It had been made easier by the Cullens dropping out of school – it wasn\u2019t as if they needed school anyway. They were probably up to something, but Bella didn\u2019t care. She was glad for the reprieve so she could focus on her studying although Kol had made it a challenge, to say the least. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every day he\u2019d think of something that threw a wrench in her self-made studying schedule. It usually started with him telling her that she studied too hard for her finals and that she didn\u2019t need that much studying as she was a bright cookie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebekah had offered to teach Bella some sword fighting as distraction from her studies and the Cullens. She refused, afraid that they\u2019d scare Charlie into a heart attack, so Kol came home one day with staves. He thought Rebekah had been on to something and Bella needed a way to learn how to defend herself at least a bit against other people if she\u2019d be hanging around in New Orleans. That way, she wouldn’t have to rely on  her, currently still unstable, magic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was sporting a few new bruises, but she was surprised how quick she picked things up. Both Kol and Rebekah were great teachers and didn\u2019t mind her falling flat on her face every so often when she lost her footing again. As long as she didn\u2019t have to move her feet, she was pretty decent after only a few lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A part of Bella was glad that Ren\u00e9e had canceled her trip to Forks as her new husband Phil was dealing with a broken leg, but another part of her was relieved. Even with the Cullens laying low, Bella found it still too dangerous for her mother to come over. She had to admit, she was missing her mother, but for now she was safer where she was, and her safety was more important than Bella missing her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite all the distractions that the siblings provided, she had a good feeling about her finals and after her second day of finals, she took them to the ice cream parlor for a well-deserved treat. While Kol and Rebekah had found a seat outside, Bella was inside to order. She was in the middle of her order when someone bumped into her. Before she could register what was going on, she had been taken out of the ice cream shop and brought somewhere else by someone cold and strong as hell.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When she finally realized what had happened and who was to blame for this, it was too late. She got tossed into some place with a locked door, and Esme was standing in the corner with her arms crossed over each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat the hell!\u201d Bella breezed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCalm down, Bella,\u201d Esme said with a gentle tone of voice. \u201cPlease. I just want to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, if you wanted to talk, you would have started a conversation at the ice cream shop.\u201d Bella looked around for something she could use to hit Esme with into letting her go, but the room was bare. She was not going to hit Esme with her hands because she had learned her lesson when she had kneed Edward in the groin. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with you people?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m worried about you,\u201d Bella was wondering if Esme had ever been angry, the woman seemed to be incapable of doing that. \u201cDo you have any idea what you\u2019re putting my family through? Haven\u2019t we always been kind to you? Are you on drugs?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot this again,\u201d Bella was frustrated and started to pace around the room as if she was a caged animal. \u201cYou have to let me go, Esme.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am only trying to understand, Bella. You\u2019ve been acting strangely after your trip to New Orleans. Jasper….\u201d her voice was thick with sadness. \u201cWas slaughtered right in front of you. You\u2019ve been ignoring Edward, and you haven\u2019t come by the house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you people understand that I don\u2019t want anything from you? That I don\u2019t want Edward anymore? That I\u2019ve finally come to my senses on how you\u2019ve been treating me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esme pursed her lips. \u201cI see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve obviously brainwashed you or they cursed you while you were in New Orleans, unprotected by my children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnbelievable\u2026\u201d Bella muttered to herself. \u201cYou\u2019re really not giving up, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe care about you, Bella,\u201d Esme said quietly. \u201cMaybe a few hours alone will do you some good.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment Esme opened the door was the moment Bella tried to make a run for it, but why was she even trying? The vampire was faster and stronger than her and with a simple push, Bella almost flew through the air and got knocked against the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She must have passed out or something because when she came to, the light that had shimmered through the cracks in the wall had disappeared. There was no light in the room either, and that was freaking her out. Not being able to see your attacker was always a bad thing. Bella\u2019s head was throbbing, she felt thirsty and hungry, and it was cold. When she got to her feet, the world seemed a little bit wobbly but she managed to steady herself and made her way to the door and much to her dismay, it was still locked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What else did she expect? Esme would go soft on her and regret taking her? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella then remembered she had her phone on her and hoped that she’d be able to get reception. She felt around her pockets and sighed when they were flat and empty. Of course, Esme had probably taken it from her while she was out cold. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grumbling, she tried to find the wall and used it to guide her around the little room. Maybe she could find something to help her do something at least. She didn\u2019t freak out – who wouldn\u2019t freak out when taken away by a supernatural being you can\u2019t do anything against because of their tough skin? – Because she knew what she was up against. Esme wouldn\u2019t hurt her, at least not intentionally, as the Cullens wanted her back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of freaking out, however, Bella could feel herself becoming angry, and that wasn\u2019t a good idea either. While she knew that she wouldn\u2019t get hurt, it still wasn\u2019t a wise idea to poke the bear with a stick and hope it wouldn\u2019t lash out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When she had made her way back to the door, finding nothing in her path to help her, she sighed.  She made her way to the wall with the cracks to see where Esme had taken her, maybe if she could see something familiar in the darkness she could call for help or something. Vampires had super hearing, right? She knew that Jake had it, probably only in wolf form so maybe she could get lucky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was glad she didn\u2019t get her hopes up in seeing some light or anything she could identify in the darkness. It was almost as if she was in some bubble. She started calling out to Rebekah, Kol – Kaleb – and Jake but after a while, she found that it was leading her nowhere. Surely they were looking for her, right? At least Rebekah and Kol? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the door opened, Bella nearly jumped ten feet in the air, she hadn\u2019t expected that. In walked Esme, carrying a gas lamp and she set it in the corner, but all Bella could do was to keep an eye on the woman. \u201cPlease let me go, Esme.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Bella, I can\u2019t do that,\u201d Esme said with a kind voice and retrieved a carefully wrapped plate of food out of her bag. She also produced two bottles of water which she set down next to the light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure you can. Just allow me to walk out that door.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esme looked at her with a smile on her face. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t yell as you did, Bella, it\u2019s bad for your voice. They won\u2019t be able to hear you. Nor find you, not even your witch friend can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCarlisle and I were well aware of Alice\u2019s true identity when we took her in even if she hadn\u2019t offered the information herself. We suspected she was on the run from someone or something, and it didn\u2019t matter to us. Alice has always been special. After Jasper\u2019s death\u2026 she went to retrieve a box with items from the past, saying that they contained magic for various ends. She placed two in this area; one to conceal and one to stop sound.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella felt the panic rise inside of her. What Esme was saying was that there was no way out for her. No one was going to be able to find her, end of. There was a little bit of hope that Rebekah would ask Jacob for help seeing as he had a well-developed sense of smell. She knew that Rebekah had a heightened sense but would that be enough? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou must be familiar with Dark Objects, Bella, seeing as your witch friend planted them all over your house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella huffed. \u201cWhat do you want from me, Esme? Keep me as your human pet or are you going to turn me after all?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou and Edward are destined to be together and yes, eventually we will turn you. But not right now, you\u2019re too angry and as a newborn you could kill us all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are not destined to be together! He\u2019s a controlling, manipulative asshole, and you\u2019re not better!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d Esme smiled at her. \u201cEnjoy your late dinner and make sure you drink. I\u2019ll be back soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella couldn\u2019t help but watch as Esme closed and locked the door again. Once she was sure that Esme had left, she took a good look around now that the gaslamp was giving off some light to see. She was in some bunker, and the reason it was so cold was because it was half way tucked into Mount Olympic because that was the only bunker she could think of. Unless Esme had taken her to Canada. Bella sure hoped not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust great,\u201d she muttered to herself and despite her being hungry, she didn\u2019t want to eat whatever was on that plate. However, she knew that she had to drink something. She sat down in front of the lamp and stared at the plate. The clingfilm couldn\u2019t hide the fact that it was one of Esme\u2019s infamous salads and Bella shuddered at the thought of having to eat that again. Grabbing one of the bottles, she could see that it had already been opened once, which was nice. At least Esme had thought about Bella\u2019s inability to open bottles from time to time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The water was nice, it was probably going to cause her to have to go to the bathroom which was non-existent at the moment but she had to drink something. If she wanted to survive this, she had to drink. She didn\u2019t want to sleep that night and spent the night thinking about her future while making sure she didn\u2019t down the water in one go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was she really going to move to New Orleans? Sure, why not? It was a lot warmer than Forks; it was where her family originated, and she liked to find out more about that and the witch stuff, and most importantly, Kol was there. Maybe she was this stupid young girl who left one boyfriend for another in a short amount of time but wasn\u2019t that what she was supposed to do? Live and see where life would take her? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol was simply amazing; he made her discover sides of herself that she didn\u2019t know she had. He excited her and yes, he had a playful mean streak but that was mostly in jest. His pranks could be cruel, not towards Bella though, his sister always seemed to be on the receiving end of it, and she endured it. Bella wished she had Rebekah\u2019s confidence though, the girl didn\u2019t seem to be fettered by anything and simply marched on through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the sun seemed to come up, Bella couldn\u2019t resist not eating anymore. She was going to give herself a good talking to when this was all over. She was the worst kidnapee ever, but she hadn\u2019t eaten the whole day yesterday, nervous for her last day of finals and her stomach had started to make these stupid growling noises. The food was there for a reason; she had to eat it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esme\u2019s famous salads usually contained a few leaves of lettuce, a handful of wildflowers and a chopped up apple with some cheese. Bella wasn\u2019t surprised to find all that when she removed the cling film from the plate. She picked on the apple for a bit, rethinking her decision to eat something and decided that the apple and cheese would do as the lettuce and wildflowers had already started to wilt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She settled against the wall so that the cracks could continue to bring in the cold air and keep her awake while she hoped that she was going to be out of her prison soon. By now, she realized that Charlie would be worried. Charlie would come looking for her. He\u2019d mobilize the police force, and he\u2019d come looking for her. No need for supernatural beings, he\u2019d come. He had to. He was her dad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She woke up with a jolt when she could feel her being pulled to her feet. \u201cEsme.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m here,\u201d Esme said kindly and caressed Bella\u2019s hair. \u201cHow are you feeling? Better?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded. She was a little bit sleepy, but Esme was here now. All was good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood girl,\u201d she smiled as she handed her a new water bottle. \u201cDrink this, it\u2019s time for you to come home. Would you like that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, of course.\u201d Bella managed to smile at Esme before curiously looking at the bottle of water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not leaving until you\u2019ve drunk the whole bottle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d Bella said as she greedily started to drink the water. When she finished, she wiped off her mouth and proudly smiled at Esme. \u201cCan I use the bathroom when we get home?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, love,\u201d Esme lifted Bella in her arms. \u201cHold on to me, we\u2019re going home. Edward can\u2019t wait to see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEdward?\u201d No, that wasn\u2019t right, was it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, we were all worried about you, sweetheart,\u201d Esme said as she carried Bella out of the room. \u201cYou caught something while you were away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did?\u201d Bella yawned as she settled her head against Esme\u2019s shoulder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not out of the woods yet but it\u2019s time to come home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGo to sleep, before you know it, you\u2019ll be home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cold air hit her like a truck and all of a sudden she felt as if she was drunk. Bella giggled as she tried to get out of Esme’s arms, wanting to experience walking while drunk. Who knows, maybe she wouldn’t fall over for once. Reverse psychology and all that. Or was that physicality? She doubted that her falling over would have had anything to do with Einstein\u2026 or was it Freud? Or both? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI said, go to sleep,\u201d Esme made sure she didn\u2019t squish Bella but held on a little bit tighter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe she doesn\u2019t want to, love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKol!\u201d Bella smiled widely and made use of Esme\u2019s surprise to roll out of her arms and to land safely on her feet. She then smiled proudly at Kol for not falling flat on her face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, no,\u201d Esme said as she reached for the girl but she had already found her way into Kol\u2019s arms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHi Cuddles,\u201d he smiled at her and held her tightly. The girl was out of it, just like Rosalie had told them she would be. It had all made sense, but that didn\u2019t mean that it was wrong. Rebekah had taken pleasure in ripping off Rosalie\u2019s head and burning the remains. He looked at Esme and managed to cast a spell to keep her in place. \u201cDark Objects, I\u2019m impressed,\u201d he said with a nod. \u201cI suppose Mary-Alice learned a trick or two.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGive her back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSee, I can\u2019t do that. She voluntarily came over to me, that means you have no say in the matter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esme smiled at that. \u201cGo on, ask her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol shrugged and looked down at Bella, who was clinging on to him with the biggest smile on her face. \u201cYou\u2019re in no shape to answer questions, are you, Cuddles?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love it when you call me that,\u201d she said with a giggle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He smiled at that and caressed her hair. \u201cWould you rather stay with me or go home with Esme?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEsme said I had come down with something. She cured me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, answer the question, sweetheart. Would you rather go home with your friend or me, Edward can\u2019t wait to see you,\u201d Esme tried. Kol registered that she sounded desperate. He had every faith that Bella, even in her drugged state, would make the right decision as she had made the decision to leave Edward while she was on a lower dose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella huffed. \u201cKol, of course. If that\u2019s okay with you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not okay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course it\u2019s okay,\u201d Kol said as he could see the confusion on Bella\u2019s face. \u201cIt\u2019s your choice, isn\u2019t it? She asked for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, it\u2019s not okay,\u201d Esme said sternly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, of course it\u2019s okay,\u201d Rebekah said as she came from another side of the building. \u201cI\u2019m impressed, we were unable to find you, you had your remaining children keeping the wolves busy and blondie was keeping an eye on us. Did you know that she didn\u2019t even want Bella around? That she thought she was better off without you lot so she could live the life that Rosalie badly wanted for herself?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Esme didn\u2019t reply, Rebekah continued. \u201cOf course you did. Any good mother would know their children\u2019s deepest secrets. After a little bit of persuasion, Rosalie was more than happy to tell us where you took Bella. Hurts, doesn\u2019t it? To be betrayed by the one you love?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m confused,\u201d Bella whispered to Kol. \u201cIs it okay or not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay, Cuddles,\u201d he chuckled as he caressed her hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella giggled again. \u201cCan we go home then? Esme cured me; I\u2019m fine now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella\u2019s eyes grew big as a big brown wolf rounded the building followed by several other wolves. \u201cPuppies!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wolf snorted before looking at Esme and bared its teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan I pet the puppy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, Cuddles, we\u2019re going home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut the puppy\u2026\u201d Bella pouted at Kol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can pet the puppy later, come on, the car is close by.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol was glad that they had compelled Charlie to go and camp out on the reservation the moment they had realized that Bella was missing so that the house was empty, and Charlie was safe amongst the wolves. Bella slept on the way back in the car, but the second that Kol turned the engine off, she was awake again and getting out of the car. \u201cDon\u2019t wander off, Cuddles, we\u2019re going inside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d she said as she walked towards the front door and tried to open it. \u201cIt won\u2019t open.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPull, don\u2019t push,\u201d he said in a gentle tone as he had caught up with her and opened the door for her. Whatever they had given her – even Rosalie wasn\u2019t sure as it was something Carlisle had developed specifically for Bella – he hoped it was out of her system soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had been missing for a couple of days, and she may not feel like it at the moment, but graduation was only in a day or two. Kol sinceriously hoped she\u2019d be back to normal by then. \u201cGet to the kitchen, Cuddles, it\u2019s time for some real food and some acidity in your stomach.\u201d He hoped that the drug would be something compared to Rohypnol. If she started to feel better by drinking orange or lemon juice, he could whip up a magical antidote for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rosalie had also mentioned something about Bella being more susceptible to outside influences while on the drug, and he desperately hoped that Esme hadn\u2019t caused any long lasting damage. And as much as he wanted this to be over with – for her sake -, he knew it was a matter of simply waiting it out and look after her as well as he possibly could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sat down on a chair and watched as Kol pulled something out of the fridge and popped it into the microwave. \u201cNo salad?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChicken. A whole roast chicken, just for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, and you\u2019re going to eat it once it\u2019s done.\u201d He watched her as she leaned on the table and rested her head on her arms with a smile on her face. It was so tempting to take advantage of her drugged state; to satisfy his need, to have her do things against her will. To interrogate her about her real feelings for him, to want to know everything there was to know about her. The old him would most definitely have done all the above, not caring about privacy. But Kol wanted Bella to stay Bella; a cute and vibrant little thing that his heart yearned for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella drank the orange juice he set down in front of her and then realized something; she still had to go to the bathroom. \u201cCan I be excused? I need to use the bathroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to ask,\u201d Kol chuckled as he watched her get up from her chair. \u201cDo you need help?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you must.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Bella quietly muttered to herself as she walked towards the bathroom. Upon her return, she eyed the whole chicken that was on the plate on the table. \u201cThat\u2019s too much, what about you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not hungry, Cuddles, it\u2019s all yours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella giggled and cocked her head as she looked at Kol for a moment. \u201cYou\u2019re gorgeous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know I\u2019m very gorgeous thank you very much, look at this face, how perfect is it?\u201d Kol grinned as he sat down in front of her. \u201cAnd you\u2019re very beautiful yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She giggled again and then started to pick on the meat of the chicken with her fingers before carefully started to eat. \u201cEdward won\u2019t like it that I\u2019m eating this entire chicken.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol groaned as he ran his hand through his hair. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to speak to him if you don\u2019t want to, Cuddles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cEsme could have said a lot of things, it doesn\u2019t bloody mean you have to agree with all of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re angry,\u201d Bella observed as she started licking her fingers as she looked at Kol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, she didn\u2019t just go there, he thought as he tried to look anywhere but at Bella. Even drugged up she managed to tease him so very much. The thought of those fingers touching him\u2026 He swallowed hard before pinching his leg underneath the table to distract him as he looked at her. \u201cI am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat did I do? Can I fix it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, Bella,\u201d he smiled at her. \u201cI\u2019m angry at Esme.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut why? She cured me, didn\u2019t she? She was nice, and she was taking care of me. She gave me water to drink and food\u2026 Esme missed me very much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCuddles, we\u2019re not having this conversation right now. Eat your chicken.\u201d Kol said sternly as he felt the anger inside of him grow. He hoped that the wolves were true to their word and that they\u2019d kill Esme for kidnapping Bella. It was bad enough that they\u2019d probably have to start all over again when it came to her independence, although secretly he wished she\u2019d snap back once the drugs were out of her system. He set down another glass of orange juice, but this time with a splash of lemon in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not thirsty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care. Drink. It\u2019s good for you.\u201d He had told himself not to tell her what to do but he didn\u2019t have a choice right now. Was she like this when she was with the Cullens? They\u2019d just boss her around, and she obliged without any major opposition? Figuring it was best not to engage in a conversation with her right now, he watched her eat and drink, and when she had eaten most of the chicken, Kol smiled at her. \u201cWell done. Now, how about you take a shower and get changed into your PJ\u2019s, Cuddles? Settle in for a movie marathon with Rebekah?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, someone has to take care of you girls,\u201d Kol said with a wide smirk and watched Bella as she took the stairs. The moment she was out of earshot, he grabbed his phone and called his sister, hoping that she wasn\u2019t on her way home just yet. He needed her to pick up a few ingredients at the nature store so that he could feed it to Bella to help her body get rid of the drugs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half an hour later, Bella walked down the stairs clutching her duvet and wearing her pajamas. \u201cI feel like crap,\u201d she sulked as she plopped on the couch and snuggled under her duvet. \u201cI threw up in the shower\u2026 sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s okay, Cuddles,\u201d Kol said as he sat down next to her. \u201cGlad you\u2019re feeling better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I don\u2019t. I\u2019m sick. Esme can help me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he said as he caressed her damp hair. \u201cYou\u2019ll be fine. Bright as rain tomorrow evening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s what I hope, for your sake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella snuggled up against him while still snuggled up in her duvet and closed her eyes. \u201cDon\u2019t think I can stay awake for movies\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s okay, Cuddles,\u201d he said softly and put his arm around her. \u201cYou\u2019re safe now, that\u2019s all that matters. Get some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love you,\u201d she said with a yawn before instantly dozing off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Chapter 05 It had surprised Bella that things between her and Kol hadn’t changed simply because they kissed. She had been afraid of that, seeing as Edward became possessive after their first kiss and Kol was unpredictable according to his siblings. Bella didn’t see it that way, Kol liked to…<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":98,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-120","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChapter 05 - 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 05 - MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chapter 05 It had surprised Bella that things between her and Kol hadn’t changed simply because they kissed. She had been afraid of that, seeing as Edward became possessive after their first kiss and Kol was unpredictable according to his siblings. Bella didn’t see it that way, Kol liked to... 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He did realize that it could have been the drugs talking and that he shouldn\u2019t get his hopes up so much, but at least\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":926,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=926","url_meta":{"origin":120,"position":1},"title":"Chapter 08","author":"Buggy","date":"August 21, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Chapter 08 Bella didn\u2019t even want to stay in Rome for a few hours, but she had to because Kai needed to be well rested. They had come up with a plan to deal with the Volturi while on the plane and it was deliciously evil. Bella loved it. She\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":922,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=922","url_meta":{"origin":120,"position":2},"title":"Chapter 07","author":"Buggy","date":"August 21, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Chapter 07 \u201cI\u2019m telling you, she\u2019s going to kill you.\u201d \u201cYou already said that.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m just saying,\u201d Kai shrugged as he took a bite out of his food. \u201cSo when is she going to wake up?\u201d \u201cI already answered that,\u201d Kol replied frustrated, ready to take a bite out of\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":672,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=672","url_meta":{"origin":120,"position":3},"title":"Chapter 16","author":"Buggy","date":"August 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Chapter 16 Charlie blinked at her. \u201cAre you-- are you sure?\u201d \u201cUhuh,\u201d Bella said a little bit unsure. \u201cDid six pregnancy tests, too. Just for shits and giggles, we never believed they could actually be positive\u2026\u201d He hummed as he gently put his hand on her stomach. \u201cThe way Hades\u2019\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":113,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=113","url_meta":{"origin":120,"position":4},"title":"Chapter 03","author":"Buggy","date":"August 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Chapter 03 Rebekah insisted they\u2019d start the drive back the next day and had found them an amazing convertible that would be comfortable for all three of them. Bella objected to it for a moment, it was at least a two day drive if driving without stopping for sleep and\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":627,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=627","url_meta":{"origin":120,"position":5},"title":"Chapter 06","author":"Buggy","date":"August 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Chapter 06 Bella wasn\u2019t sure what quite happened when she regained consciousness, all she knew was that she wasn\u2019t in Mystic Falls anymore. It took her awhile to register it, but it looked like Charlie\u2019s home in Forks, but not. Something was off. Sitting up from her spot on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/DivineHappenstance.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/120","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=120"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":138,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/120\/revisions\/138"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/98"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}