{"id":697,"date":"2024-08-18T21:07:32","date_gmt":"2024-08-18T21:07:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=697"},"modified":"2024-08-18T21:20:13","modified_gmt":"2024-08-18T21:20:13","slug":"chapter-02","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=697","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 02"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

\n\n\n\n

The man came back with a bowl of her water and oats and had something to eat for himself, too. He handed her the bowl and a spoon while he sat down on the cot and started to eat. \u201cNow, what\u2019s your name, darling?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo one, sir,\u201d she replied as she brought the bowl to her lips and took a swallow of it. It didn\u2019t taste like home, but she had to eat it. She had requested it and there wasn\u2019t anything else that she ate. She needed to get used to this. Or perhaps her punishment would be death, too, then it was alright not to get used to this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI call shenanigans. Tell me your name,\u201d the man said as he took a bite off his bread and sighed happily. \u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t want anything else for food? This sandwich is pretty decent!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, sir,\u201d she replied softly before shaking her head. \u201cNo sir, water and oats,\u201d she took another swallow from her food. She hadn\u2019t had any in days, perhaps even weeks, and the last time Sam had taken it from her. She needed to take it easy or she\u2019d throw up and then be punished for that, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, Bella, pleased to meet you, I am Kol Mikaelson.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mikaelson. Klaus had called himself that. Were they a family like the Cullens? She hadn\u2019t seen any medical equipment around and she didn\u2019t smell antibacterial soap, either. Not that her room was clean and free from bacteria, that was hard to achieve with a wolf in there and the occasional dead vampire. And of course, whenever she had to pee or do her stool. Just like the wolf. Which is why she was usually hosed down before her examinations. Before the experiments, before everything. Her current situation was a lot cleaner, though she had spotted some rats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you a victim of those Cold Ones too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victim? No. Nobody was a victim. The children weren\u2019t victims either, they were helped. Bella helped just the extreme sad ones to leave. She shook her head. \u201cRen\u00e9e is the birthgiver, Doctor Carlisle and his family and scientists helped me grow. Trained me. I am one of them.\u201d Bella liked Kol\u2019s energy, while she sensed that his emotions could get all over the place, she had a feeling he had a better handle on them than Klaus, his brother. \u201cI was supposed to keep Hope with me.\u201d And the more she talked, the more they\u2019d believe that she\u2019d be the leader of them, wouldn\u2019t they? They\u2019d punish her and leave her family alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd instead she kept you with her,\u201d Kol grinned. \u201cUs Mikaelsons are a crafty bunch and that little devil might be worse than all of us combined.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHope would have a good life with us, sir,\u201d Bella replied, not understanding his reason to grin or to be joyful. \u201cShe would have been trained and well taken care of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChildren need their family, Bella, taking them away from them is a bad thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs it? Doctor Carlisle made them better. Stronger. Flourish,\u201d Bella countered as she took another swallow from her food. \u201cAnd when they\u2019re of age, they get sent to other places to serve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about you, then? You\u2019re no longer a child, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am defective, sir. It was safer for everyone if I remained where I was. Even the big bosses are afraid of me,\u201d she said sadly. \u201cI would have gladly served and on occasion I can.\u201d She put her bowl down then, only half empty. \u201cBut I failed. Again. Hope was too strong for me, I wasn\u2019t my best. Had Klaus returned me to Edward, I would have been punished severely, perhaps even destroyed. But he didn\u2019t want to return me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re here so Nik can interrogate you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd punish me.\u201d Yes. She had resigned herself to the idea that death was imminent. Perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol nodded then. \u201cKnowing my brother, he\u2019d likely kill you, but he doesn\u2019t know your story, does he now? You told me. Why did you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella thought for a moment, eyeing her bowl, wondering if she should eat more of that, too. \u201cYou truly wish to know why I am here. What happened. You are curious and not angry. Or sad. Or filled with hate. Your behaviour is strange, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you wish me to be angry?\u201d The moment he realized she\u2019d been telepathic he had shut down his mind and made sure he had at least some control over his emotions. Despite what she was saying, she was a victim in all of this as well, but that she was raised to believe otherwise. That what the Cullens were doing was alright. Nik needed to know this, badly, or this girl could end up dead, and it would be a shame. She was innocent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t wish for anything, sir.\u201d She quickly replied, slightly spooked. \u201cBut you asked and I gave you an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, do you know what kindness is?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nodded then. \u201cDoctor Carlisle calls his experiments kindness. He prides himself to be kind. Emmett says that kindness is when they don\u2019t have to punish me and Jasper says I\u2019m being kind whenever I help a child escape.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy would you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey were extremely sad and hurting my head, they didn\u2019t belong with us. I would release them in Jasper\u2019s custody and he\u2019d find their people for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highly unlikely. \u201cSo you know what they were doing to those children was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot wrong, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She wasn\u2019t tripping up. She truly believed that what she had been taught was the truth. Was this girl even salvageable? \u201cKindness is what you did, releasing those children,\u201d he said as he looked at her. \u201cKindness is me asking you what you want to eat and then bring it to you. Kindness shouldn\u2019t ever hurt. As a human, it should make you feel all warm inside when you experience kindness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t feel anything, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes you do. I can tell you\u2019re sad because Nik is hunting down your family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy people. The Cullens are a family, but not to me,\u201d she quickly said and shook her head. \u201cAnd I am not sad. They have abandoned me and I\u2019m alone. Should my people die, I\u2019ll be truly alone. It\u2019s my punishment, sir. Should Klaus return and choose to kill me, then I welcome it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy? Because you fear what will be next in your life? The future is exciting, Bella. The world is a big place, so much to see, so much to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am dangerous. Defective, sir. I\u2019m a good girl.\u201d She then thought for a moment and pushed her bowl of food away. \u201cI don\u2019t deserve more. I failed. I should not have vocalized my thoughts. Exposed my people. I should not have done that. I\u2019m a bad girl.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His heart broke then as he nudged the bowl back with his foot. \u201cBut wouldn\u2019t that be my fault, then? I\u2019m asking you questions and you feel like you can answer them with me. So basically I have made you fail.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo sir.\u201d She had a feeling that her people would escape Klaus Mikaelson\u2019s clutches and they\u2019d come for her knowing that she was with him. She couldn\u2019t allow herself to get complacent and form thoughts, let alone speak them out loud. Her food had been good, but it had been wrong. She hadn\u2019t earned it. She should have resisted Kol\u2019s line of questioning, but somehow couldn\u2019t. She hadn\u2019t slept in a while, perhaps that was it. But had she deserved sleep? No. Not anymore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He let out a cry of frustration and squatted down in front of her, moving the bowl into her lap. \u201cBella, I want you to finish this food, do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd when chef brings you another bowl in a few hours, you will eat that too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes sir\u2026\u201d More food? She was going to explode! If Sam had been with her, she could have allowed him to eat her food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood. Now, I\u2019m going to wait for Niklaus to return and have a chat with him to see if we can move you to some warmer accommodations. You don\u2019t deserve to be down here. You deserve kindness,\u201d he said as he made sure she was eating before he left, leaving the door open again. Bella was her own prison, why need a door?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was hard watching the Forks center burn to the ground, and she sincerely hoped that the two traditional vampires had freed all those children in there, first. She wasn\u2019t worried about her<\/em>, due to her vampire hearing she heard the two men talking about her<\/em>, the younger admitting that he brought something home with him. To interrogate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were burning the place to the ground because the Cold Ones came after his daughter and the other\u2019s niece, so the two men must be brothers, Myriam concluded. If someone loved someone this passionately, she<\/em> would be safe, for now. Myriam had other things on her mind, such as tracking down the Cold Ones who escaped and pay a visit to the Phoenix center, because she realized that these guys didn\u2019t know about it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Niklaus<\/em> and Elijah<\/em> were all joyful in deciding to go and kill some wolves. Good, that meant that Myriam could leave and catch up with the Cullens. Kill them all, extract Jasper. And ruin the Phoenix center, the least important one of the two here in America, but still worth destroying. It\u2019s what Myriam wanted, it\u2019s what she had been training for and it was her fucking duty. But first, she needed to make sure that these two vampires killed Ren\u00e9e and Charlie. If not, Myriam was going to take them with her so that her parents could handle the sorry excuses for humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t that Myriam hated Cold Ones. No, absolutely not. She hated the bad ones, which was about 75%, or perhaps more, of the Cold One population, including the all mighty Volturi. They were the ones who had set this in motion centuries ago, and it was Carlisle Cullen who revolutionized everything within the organisation and took things a few steps further. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the beginning, Aro Volturi wanted the gifted children. Not to break his own law of creating immortal children, he instructed a few of his vampires to raise the children and then they\u2019d turn them upon coming of age, to go and work for the Volturi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the middle, gifted children were drying up, or, were better hidden, and the Volturi had a dry spell until Carlisle Cullen joined the Volturi. He had been a promising young doctor when he was turned, and he found that with his immortality he could learn more, do more and perhaps create more. It all started off with employing alchemists, snatching regular children and trying to make them special. Then, witches joined him, dark witches and warlocks. Werewolves. Traditional vampires. Despite the dry spell, the organisation grew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partially to the end, about 22 years ago, Carlisle and his coven met Ren\u00e9e and Charlie Swan, not the best kind of people despite one being the town\u2019s sheriff and the other a deranged hippie, but then again, who expected a sheriff and a hippie of child abduction? Murder was never proven, either. The Forks center was filled with normal children who were getting treatments, but Ren\u00e9e and Charlie came with a great offer; Carlisle was allowed to create and modify embryos using Ren\u00e9e\u2019s eggs and Charlie\u2019s sperm. And, after many tries, 2 years later, Ren\u00e9e was pregnant with a souped up baby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last twenty years were the golden age. Believing the child had been a mistake, they reverted back to child snatching and went all over the world in search for special children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Up until now. Myriam had wanted to burn the center herself; it was what she came here to do and to get her<\/em> and Jasper out, but she\u2019d been too late. Myriam had finally been ready to do this on her own, and others took it out of her hands. She had been dismantling similar centers all across the world, killing the Cold Ones attached to them as she went along, looking like someone who couldn\u2019t possibly be in two places at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her parents, a lovely set of Cold Ones, thought it\u2019d be poetic to appear as a victim of the Cold Ones as she slaughtered them, and she always choose her<\/em>. Whenever Jasper managed to get her a picture, she used her, <\/em>as a reminder that she<\/em> hadn\u2019t been lucky, and Myriam had been. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myriam\u2019s parents were fantastic. They were funny, loving and they didn\u2019t mind to train hard, something Myriam had demanded the moment she could speak. For a human, she\u2019d been extraordinary strong and she\u2019d wanted to be a warrior like Xena: Warrior Princess or Robin Hood, to help those who couldn\u2019t help themselves and this was even without knowing her own story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Myriam turned 18, she asked to be turned. She didn\u2019t want anything else for her birthday, she simply wanted to be turned. To become stronger. Faster. To help more people, and that was what she had done for the last two years or so. Free the children. Kill the Cold Ones. The only thing that she missed about being human was the food. Human food was good, so good, especially ice cream and pancakes, but her tastebuds were dead now. All she could taste was sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was going to need an army to defeat the Volturi, but it was fun to make serious dents in their organisation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was likely that the Cullens were going to Alaska to lick their wounds and to regroup before going to Phoenix. While the need to kill them was strong, she couldn\u2019t help but wonder if she<\/em> would want to help killing them. Take her revenge and take her life back. Sighing, she sent Jasper a text to come home, and headed to Phoenix. And after that? She was going to track down the traditional vampires to get her <\/em>back, no matter the costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNik, we need to talk,\u201d Kol said as he watched his brothers walk into the courtyard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot now, Kol,\u201d Klaus shot at him, annoyed, as he marched to his study. \u201cNow is not the bloody time!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, then you\u2019ll have to make time,\u201d Kol followed him and blocked his path. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me about the girl in the dungeons? See, I thought I was going mad when I heard an extra heartbeat in the Courtyard, thinking it\u2019d be likely a rat of some sort. Until Chef came to me telling me that the girl hadn\u2019t touched his food. You should have told me, before you left.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not your problem, Kol, she is a means to an end and I will release her once I\u2019m done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe tried to take Hope. Your release will be her death.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNonsense,\u201d Klaus huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. \u201cI will not lay a finger on her if she tells me what I want to know, but she was uncooperative two days ago so I decided to put her in the dungeon, talk to Elijah, and he mentioned he knew about some Cold Ones up in Washington, you know the rest of the story.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeems like you\u2019ve already taken care of the problem, why not release her now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus sighed then. \u201cIt\u2019s true, I could have gone down to release her immediately upon my return, if it hadn\u2019t been for this,\u201d he pulled a folder from underneath his shirt and handed it to his brother. \u201cBefore Elijah and I tore the place apart, I wanted to know about her and we went looking for information. I found more than I bargained for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol only had to look at the first page knowing that this was Bella\u2019s file, every detail of her life and how to take care of her written down as if she was some sort of labrat. \u201cGood,\u201d Kol said as he handed the file back. \u201cNow I don\u2019t have to convince you she\u2019s another victim.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cShe and I talked, quite happily, until she realized she was talking too much and shut down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cI\u2019m not. Her name is Bella, she knows how to use her words and she loves water and oats. I doubt she\u2019d ever had anything else, to be honest. The way she looks makes me think she\u2019s a victim of war, of concentration camps or our experimental period in France. Oh, and her worldview is skewed, that\u2019s a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus handed Kol the file back. \u201cWell, seems like you found yourself a project, brother,\u201d he smiled. \u201cNow I can truly focus on finding the Cold Ones as they\u2019ve absconded once Elijah and I arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo! Nik, I have things to do, whores to see\u2026 I was going to join Rebekah in France!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd now you have a little bird in need of your help. Help her, or kill her, it\u2019s your choice,\u201d Klaus shrugged, already knowing what his brother would choose. Ever since Kol had been a human and then returned as a vampire, he had changed. He saw the world differently and enjoyed it more. He had gone through the pain of losing Davina – Klaus thought that Kol was overreacting, but who was he to judge? – and came out stronger. Klaus had always thought to put a dagger into Kol and forget about him for centuries, again, but family was important. Hope deserved to know all of her aunts and uncles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol narrowed his eyes on his brother. He couldn\u2019t believe this, he was supposed to party, go out, have fun, not worry about Nik\u2019s problems and now he was responsible for Bella. Well fuck. \u201cFine. But she\u2019s getting her own room, she\u2019s not staying down in the dungeons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat room would you think is suitable? The one next to yours, perhaps?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He sighed as he made his way down to the dungeons, he wasn\u2019t surprised that in the last 24 hours, Bella hadn\u2019t tried to escape through the open door. A stink of vomit and excrement wafted in his face as soon as he opened the door and he took a step back to clear the air a little. There was no way he was going down there. \u201cDarling, it\u2019s Kol, are you okay down there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cY-yes sir,\u201d Bella didn\u2019t sound okay. The smell wasn\u2019t okay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBe a dear and come to me, just follow my voice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI-I\u2019d need to be hosed down first, sir\u2026 I\u2019m afraid that my body failed to keep everything on the inside\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hosed down? Seriously? He fought the urge to look through the file, he\u2019d rather not know. Stuffing it inside his trousers, he sighed. \u201cJust come to me, it\u2019s alright if you\u2019re a little smelly.\u201d He sure hoped she knew how to use the shower or how to take a bath. She was even paler than the day before, he noticed as she emerged from the dungeons, hesitating, not daring to look at him. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s get you cleaned up,\u201d he said as he gently pushed her with his finger on her shoulder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His room was on the ground floor, right off the Courtyard. Annoying when there was a party, but it was the only place where he wouldn\u2019t disturb his siblings. The room next door to him was free, and while he didn\u2019t fancy having Bella so close to him, it was for the best. This way, she was out of everyone\u2019s way too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He opened the door and smiled at her. \u201cWelcome to your room,\u201d he said as he lead her inside. There was a mini den with a sofa and a table, a small kitchenette, a bedroom and a bathroom. Like all the other rooms in the compound it was a mini apartment, this happened to be the smallest. \u201cIf there\u2019s anything not to your liking, tell me and I will have someone change it for you,\u201d he said as he nudged her towards the bathroom. \u201cGo take a shower and clean up, I\u2019m going to see if I can find some clothes you can wear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he returned, he was surprised not to see any water damp coming out of the open door of the bathroom, but he could hear the shower running. When he peeked around the corner to check and to grab Bella\u2019s dirty clothes to burn them, he was shocked to find out that she was standing under the cold water alone, still fully clothed, standing still. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He needed his sister. There was no way that he was going to instruct Bella on how to take a shower or a bath, and have her undress in front of him. No. Absolutely no way, that would be perverted and disrespectful. If his sister would help out, she could quickly check Bella over for cuts and bruises that needed to be tend to, or do a quick magic spell to see about her health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFreya!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Freya helped. It took Kol to tell Bella to cooperate with Freya, but Freya helped her to take a nice, warm shower. She showed Bella how to wash her hair, and use the body gel, and left her alone for a couple of minutes while she went out to talk to Kol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs it normal of Klaus to bring a charity case home?\u201d She wondered out loud. She, too, had no idea that Bella had been down in the dungeons for two days. \u201cBecause this girl\u2026 wow. What a mess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol sighed as he leaned against the doorpost. \u201cHow bad is she?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe needs to gain a lot of weight. Get her strength back. Detox. Seriously detox from whatever they were giving her for years and years. It\u2019s all layered. I did a quick magical sweep, but it\u2019s not just magic, it\u2019s something else they used on her,\u201d Freya sighed and ran a hand through her hair. \u201cKlaus said you have her file that he brought back\u2026 can I see it? Maybe if they listed all the ingredients I can start whipping up some antidote to help her get rid of everything faster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He pointed at the table. \u201cFeel free to take it with you after she\u2019s done taking a shower, the more help, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can ask Keelin if she\u2019s willing to check Bella\u2019s blood?\u201d Freya suggested before going back into the bathroom, Bella was still standing still underneath the warm water. \u201cWhat do you think? Better?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella wasn\u2019t sure. The warmth reminded her of Sam, though, so it was nice. But to undress to be hosed down with water? That was silly. She watched as Freya – Kol\u2019s sister – turned off the water and then handed her something big and fluffy, and she couldn\u2019t help but stare at it. \u201cHow am I to wear this, ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not. You\u2019re going to use it to dry your hair and your body,\u201d Freya said as she grabbed another towel and used it on herself. \u201cLike this, see?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella started to mimic Freya\u2019s movements and ended up scrubbing herself raw with the towel on her arm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, no,\u201d Freya quickly grabbed Bella\u2019s hand and gently moved it with the towel over her skin. \u201cGentle. The towel is a tool to soak up all the water on your skin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut how do I wear this, ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t. I brought you some comfy clothes, nice and fluffy and warm. I\u2019m afraid your clothes will be incinerated seeing as my brothers have an intense sense of smell that even washing powder won\u2019t be able to cover up the things on your clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, ma\u2019am, I truly am\u2026 I didn\u2019t want to offend\u2026 but my body rejected the food and I— I failed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey,\u201d Freya dropped the towel and made Bella look at her. \u201cIt\u2019s not your fault. You have a different diet than we\u2019re used to, and you likely haven\u2019t had any food for a very long time. It\u2019s only natural that your body rejected what we made you. Don\u2019t worry about it, okay? We\u2019ll find some sort of a balance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut water and oats, ma\u2019am\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot healthy, you need vitamins. Sunlight. Comfort food\u2026 but baby steps,\u201d Freya handed Bella her underwear and her clothes. \u201cGet dressed and explore your room. The bed is extremely comfortable,\u201d Freya smiled at her before leaving the bathroom again and headed straight for the file folder. \u201cDefinitely more testing and then we need to sit down to make a schedule for her,\u201d she told Kol. \u201cBecause without one, this girl is lost.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell\u2026 I\u2019ll help you with setting things up,\u201d Freya smiled at her brother. \u201cEven have Keelin come in for Bella\u2019s blood, but once we\u2019ve done it all, you\u2019re on your own. I\u2019m not going to be some grown woman\u2019s caregiver and I\u2019m sorry, Kol, but it\u2019s about time you men do something out of your comfort zone.\u201d She then laughed. \u201cAnd you know what? I want to bet Rebekah will say the same!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFreya\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave fun, I\u2019m going to do some \u2018light\u2019 reading!\u201d Freya waved at him when Bella exited the bathroom and headed out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook at you!\u201d Kol smiled at Bella as she was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a fuzzy sweater, both a few sizes too big, but it looked adorable. \u201cHow was your shower? Did you enjoy yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was needed, sir,\u201d Bella responded. \u201cBut a hose would have been sufficient and less instructional. You shouldn\u2019t invest time in me, sir.\u201d The clothes were itching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol shrugged as he motioned for her to sit down at the table, on a chair and then smiled at her when he sat across from her. \u201cI have spoken to my brother and he\u2019s decided to be lenient. Yes, it was wrong of you to work with the Cold Ones and the werewolves to take his daughter, he also realized that you didn\u2019t have a choice in the matter and he is more proud of his daughter for catching you instead.\u201d When Bella didn\u2019t respond, he continued. \u201cHe\u2019s burned your former home to the ground and killed some werewolves in the process. The Cullens got away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a glimmer of hope still. They were still alive, surely they\u2019d come to take her back. She needed to be on her best behavior, be a good girl. Have her thoughts as loud as she could make them and make decisions. It was likely that the Cullens were in Alaska by now, but that didn\u2019t matter. They would come for her and take her to the other home where it was warmer. Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNik will of course, do everything in his power to find them, and he\u2019s left me in charge over you,\u201d Kol said as he kept looking at her, wondering what was going on in her mind. \u201cWhat are you thinking of, darling?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNothing, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol hummed then as he grabbed a banana off the table and peeled it before taking a bite. \u201cI think I know. You\u2019re probably thinking that with your people<\/em> having escaped my brother, they will come for you and take you back with them,\u201d he guessed, a knowing smile on his face. \u201cBut, you see, Nik told me that your friends backed off at the mention of his name, so even in that circle of vampires, they know that he\u2019s not one to mess with. I sincerely doubt they\u2019ll come for you and I\u2019m not going to release you so you can go back to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella blinked at that. \u201cYou\u2019re going to keep me, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He nodded and carefully chose his next words. \u201cI\u2019m going to use your words. I\u2019m keeping you here. I\u2019m going to take care of you and make sure that you\u2019ll become stronger, and happy. Just like the children you and your people<\/em> took.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat if I want to leave, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to see you try.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella liked to hear that. If she was stronger, on full strength and not in her weakened state, she would be able to walk out of this building and seek help. Go back to her people. It was going to take some time, and it was going to be a challenge, but she was going to take herself back. They<\/em> would be proud of her, because she was a good girl. The question remained, however, how was she going to get stronger without the syringes with things in them, or her real oats and water? Or the bottle of water with things in them that her birth giver gave her on occasion?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He saw a look of sheer determination come across her face before it slightly faltered. Good, she had accepted the challenge and he couldn\u2019t wait to see what she\u2019d try. He finished eating his banana before peeling another and handed it to her. \u201cHere, eat this. It\u2019ll help you with your stomach aches. It\u2019s really good, and sweet. You\u2019ll like it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another instruction. She gently took the banana and nibbled on it. The texture was that of her oats, but better. She didn\u2019t have to use her teeth much to chew it and could almost swallow it immediately. And the taste, it was unlike anything she had tasted before and before she knew it, she had finished it and had to fight the instinct to lick her fingers. It wasn\u2019t food she was supposed to eat, it wouldn\u2019t make her strong, but this family was different. They had different instructions and different ways. Bella needed to learn them quickly, to make sure that they\u2019d like her and then, when she could use her shield again, she\u2019d go. \u201cThank you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you need to use the toilet, it\u2019s right in there,\u201d he said as he pointed at the closed door. \u201cDon\u2019t throw up or have your bowel movements in your room, but in there. And after you\u2019re done, you push the button and it\u2019ll disappear from the toilet bowl,\u201d he said as he looked at her, wanting to feed her something else but if she was feeling poorly, it was best not. \u201cWhen was the last time you got some sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA few nights ago, sir. I had my eyes closed for a while while Sam kept me warm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho\u2019s Sam?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA defective wolf, sir. He wasn\u2019t aware of his own actions anymore nor could he turn back to his human self.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey had you in one room with an unstable werewolf? How did you survive? That\u2019s insane!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot really, sir, he was my responsibility. My failure,\u201d she replied solemnly. \u201cIf Klaus did burn my home to the ground, Sam is no longer with us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why would she say that? It was likely that he was going to find out the moment Freya had read Bella\u2019s file, but why would she say that? She looked like she couldn\u2019t even push someone out of her way at the moment, let alone hurt someone. \u201cDoes that make you feel sad?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s probably for the best, sir. Sam wouldn\u2019t be able to survive on his own and he was already abandoned by his pack.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interesting, and it made him curious. \u201cWould you be able to survive on your own?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d she replied confidently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had to be able to, if she had been roommates with an out of control wolf. Of course. \u201cVery well,\u201d Kol smiled at her and got to his feet. \u201cThis is your room now. Feel free to walk around or do whatever you want within these walls. If someone wants to come inside, they will knock on the door first before opening it, alright?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Bella replied and watched him leave, closing the door behind him. She took the time to really look around in her new confinement and she wasn\u2019t sure what to make of it. She sat down on the floor instead, never having liked chairs that much anyway, and she was wondering if she was going to share her space with someone else. It was far too big for her punishment and it looked strange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had found the shower to be an adventure, but had quickly learned that this family did things differently than her people. Feeling the water on her naked body was a strange thing, and then the water, it was special, it wasn\u2019t the right temperature, but her body seemed to like it, her aching bones responding positively to it. It was a step in the right direction to become strong again. And then the cloth! The towel! She had to dry herself off before getting into clothes? And while the clothes she\u2019d been provided with were really warm and itchy, she found it strange, did they punish people with items that were actually pleasant?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella knew that she shouldn\u2019t think of warm water and warm clothes as something pleasant. She couldn\u2019t get used to it because she was still going home. Just like the banana, she wasn\u2019t allowing herself to get used to it. She was going to get strong and push everyone out of the way. Not scrambling anyone\u2019s brains, because nobody deserved that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She hated being the one who\u2019d been taken and who had her people still out there. She now understood why some children felt the way that they did upon arriving in Bella\u2019s home. It was foreign and unpleasant, and different. She started to yawn, the room was getting warmer now, and it felt as if Sam was with her. Nice and warm. She laid down on the floor and curled herself up, before giving in to the sleep that her mind and body so desperately needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a pleasant surprise that Jasper joined her in Phoenix, and of course, their reunion needed to be celebrated to the fullest, binging on some lowlives, getting high on blood before having a good romp for a day or two. Something they both had needed for different reasons. Myriam loved blood and sex, Jasper needed Myriam to reclaim him, make him smell like her again and not like the squeaky clean Cullens. It had been one of his toughest jobs, especially since he\u2019d been involved<\/em> in the not so pretty side of the whole organisation, but he\u2019d been the only one capable of doing this. His skillset was what had made him perfect for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It just sucked that he had to pretend to love someone else, to have sex with someone else, while Myriam had to make do with random sex every now and then to scratch an itch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jasper was Peter\u2019s brother, but not even by blood, simply because they had been in the war together, Jasper had sired Peter. Had they all been relatives by blood, this whole situation would be so fucked up, but the moment that Myriam and Jasper felt that they couldn\u2019t stay away from each other anymore was the moment that they told Peter and Charlotte, and surprisingly, they had been okay with it. In their eyes it was better that she\u2019d be with someone they knew rather than some random stranger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They went to town on the Phoenix center. Completely nuts. They freed the children held there, although there weren\u2019t many, killed all the Cold Ones and remaining wolves, and then smashed everything to pieces before setting the place alight. Overkill, but it was so satisfying to let out the rage. And then fuck again. And again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It never crossed her mind to ask him about her<\/em>, but as their emotions wound down over the next few days, she could finally think straight again. \u201cWhy is she with traditionals?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jasper let out a groan as he put his arms around her as they were enjoying the jacuzzi in their hotel room. \u201cBotched extraction, although I\u2019m fairly certain it wasn\u2019t her fault. From what I could piece together was that she<\/em> hadn\u2019t been given food for over a week, and when they wanted her, they gave her food and the mutt ate it. She got her injections on the way to the location and one of the wolves brought one of the children to her to protect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat went wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMagic school. The child was a powerful witch and likely weakened her shield, weakening her in the process and well, the child took her instead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cI know,\u201d Jasper started to laugh. \u201cAs it turns out, the child\u2019s father is none other than Klaus Mikaelson, the hybrid, quite the scary one if you have to believe the stories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI saw him in Forks after they burned the place down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah? What\u2019s your opinion of him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Myriam said thoughtfully. \u201cI mean, it was obvious that the act was a retaliation of some sort, and if someone cares about someone that deeply, then he\u2019s an alright guy in my book. If she\u2019s in his custody, which she likely is, she needs to be extracted, but he could possibly become an ally for us against the Cold Ones, help us to take down the Volturi perhaps, seeing as we\u2019ll need an army for that, and it\u2019s just the four of us now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know, sugar,\u201d Jasper purred in her ear as his hand traveled down her torso under the water. \u201cThe Mikaelsons are quite scary, they are the patriarchs of the traditional line, the so-called Originals. Rumor is that they can\u2019t be killed and you can\u2019t make deals with them because while one may give his word that nothing happens, another member might break that word because they never made that agreement. Klaus Mikaelson is the monster underneath the beds of the traditionals, although another rumor is is that with the birth of his daughter, he has mellowed somewhat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I\u2019m still going to get her back. I can kill other Cold Ones, so why wouldn\u2019t I be able to kill them if I have to?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou could try, but I doubt you\u2019d want him as our enemy. Diplomacy is the way to go\u2026 if you don\u2019t get killed on sight for being a Cold One yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myriam sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder, enjoying his fingers playing with her underneath the water. \u201cWell, I suppose I\u2019ll have to look like her<\/em> to get a shot at it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr perhaps visit a few traditionals to ask what\u2019s the best course of action, you know very well that the Cullens don\u2019t like it when someone shows up to talk them directly when they don\u2019t know the person. You may not be able to kill them, but they can<\/em> kill you. No matter how strong or fast you are. You\u2019re still vulnerable. She<\/em> has a shield and is able to protect you, though.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, but she <\/em>doesn\u2019t even know who I am to her because nobody bothered to tell her!\u201d Myriam said frustrated. \u201cNot even you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy not giving the information she needed, I kept her safe, Myriam. She kept asking me questions, yes, she has a curious mind. But she\u2019s not allowed to form a thought of her own or have her own opinion. Or questions, you know this. If I had told her about you, she would have been confused, which would have resulted in more sessions with Doctor Carlisle and his tools and concoctions created by the shaman or witches.\u201d He nuzzled her earlobe. \u201cYour reunion won\u2019t be easy with her, you two are far too different and she might think you\u2019re going to take her back to the Cullens. Because you\u2019re a Cold One.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen come with me. She knows you. She trusts you and you can help me with the Mikaelsons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be close by. Again, if she sees me, she\u2019ll truly believe we\u2019re going to take her back to Forks or take her to Alaska, and that\u2019s not going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d Myriam let out a breath. \u201cWe can do this. Let\u2019s go and find some traditionals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cWhat, now? I\u2019m trying to have sex with you here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Chapter 02 The man came back with a bowl of her water and oats and had something to eat for himself, too. He handed her the bowl and a spoon while he sat down on the cot and started to eat. \u201cNow, what\u2019s your name, darling?\u201d \u201cNo one, sir,\u201d she…<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":694,"parent":690,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-697","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 The man came back with a bowl of her water and oats and had something to eat for himself, too. He handed her the bowl and a spoon while he sat down on the cot and started to eat. \u201cNow, what\u2019s your name, darling?\u201d \u201cNo one, sir,\u201d she... 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He handed her the bowl and a spoon while he sat down on the cot and started to eat. \u201cNow, what\u2019s your name, darling?\u201d \u201cNo one, sir,\u201d she... 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