{"id":898,"date":"2024-08-21T15:11:47","date_gmt":"2024-08-21T15:11:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898"},"modified":"2024-08-21T15:29:14","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T15:29:14","slug":"chapter-02","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 02"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did not expect you to be here,\u201d the man said as he came closer. \u201cI went to visit the Cullens, but the house is now filled with different people?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh fuck. \u201cThey\u2019re not far,\u201d Bella replied hesitantly. \u201cI could call Edward if you want, Laurent?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m surprised they left you behind. Unprotected. Aren\u2019t you like… a sort of pet?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou could say that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo the Cullens return often?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust because their home is now filled with different people doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019ve gone away, Laurent,\u201d Bella said as she took a few steps back. \u201cI\u2019ll tell them you\u2019ve stopped by, but uh\u2026 I probably shouldn\u2019t tell Edward\u2026\u201d speaking his name nearly made her vomit again. \u201cHe\u2019s very protective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow far away are they?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cL-like I said, not far,\u201d she said. \u201cWhy are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laurent sighed. \u201cI came as a favor to\u2026 Victoria.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crap. \u201cVictoria?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laurent nodded. \u201cShe asked me to see if the Cullens were still protecting you. She thinks it\u2019s only fair that she gets to kill Edward\u2019s mate, given as he has killed hers. An eye for an eye.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fuck! What do I do now? \u201cE-Edward would know who did it and he\u2019d come after you!\u201d Bella threatened him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laurent shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t think he will\u2026 you see, you don\u2019t smell like him. Nor like the boy you\u2019ve been hanging around with. You\u2019re alone. All alone. He left you, didn\u2019t he? You are unprotected and you\u2019re free game. Did he dump you, I wonder? Were you too needy? Too clingy? He didn\u2019t love you as much as you believed, did he?\u201d Laurent sighed then. \u201cVictoria won\u2019t be happy with me killing you, but I can\u2019t help myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Death or having Forks as her prison? Death was better, wasn\u2019t it? \u201cFine. Kill me. Why would I care?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to make it easy for me?\u201d Laurent was close now, his fingers touching her cheek. \u201cThat\u2019s alright. I promise, you won\u2019t feel a thing. It will be quick. Victoria would only make your death last.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella closed her eyes and braced for impact, but she hadn\u2019t expected Laurent\u2019s presence to be taken away from her and when she opened her eyes, he was at the other end of the field and Kol, Rebekah and Myriam were standing in front of her with their backs towards her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDraw straws?\u201d Myriam asked. \u201cOh, wait, we already did! I get to kill him with Rebekah and you can get to explain everything to your new friend, good luck!\u201d she laughed before she and Rebekah ran off, after Laurent, and Bella couldn\u2019t believe the speed they were having.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were a bunch of big wolves running out of the foliage to follow Myriam and Rebekah and Bella wasn\u2019t even sure what was going on anymore. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, great, ponies,\u201d Kol deadpanned before turning around to face Bella. \u201cSee, I knew you were in trouble, but Cold One trouble? I had hoped not. Who\u2019s that bloke? Not the ex?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She stumbled back as she kept her eyes on Kol. \u201cWhat are you? What\u2019s… No\u2026 I don\u2019t even want to know. You should have let him kill me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. Come on, let me walk you home,\u201d he said as he reached out for her arm but she withdrew her arm. \u201cBella\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLeave me alone!\u201d She quickly grabbed her bag and started to walk off, but Kol was following her. \u201cLeave me alone, don\u2019t make me say it again!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr what, darling?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She grunted as she grabbed the pepper spray that Charlie had given her out of her bag. \u201cYou\u2019ll be sorry!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He blinked as he kept following her. \u201cI think you may be holding that wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let out a frustrated cry as she looked at it, discovered Kol was right and turned it around. \u201cStay away from me, Kol. I\u2019ll only end up getting hurt more. It\u2019s fine if you want to stay in Forks, but you\u2019re staying away from me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol sighed and nodded. \u201cVery well, but allow me to accompany you home. With that Cold One in the area and all that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou should have let him kill me!\u201d She huffed as she turned around to keep walking, still holding on to the pepper spray. \u201cThen all of my problems would be gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol let out a breath and shoved his hands in his pockets to pinch himself whenever he felt the need to make a meal out of Bella. Why had he drawn the shortest straw? Myriam was far more patient than he was! \u201cFor you, maybe. But for the rest of Forks? I doubt it. The Volturi will come for your father. Your friends. Perhaps for the entire town.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She let out a snort. \u201cAnd what? You and your family will take care of the problem? Is that it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe could.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd what\u2019s that going to cost me?\u201d She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around again, holding up her pepper spray. \u201cAnother contract? Or maybe you\u2019ll take me as your prisoner? No, thanks. Just leave me alone, I\u2019ve had enough of the supernatural. My problem isn\u2019t yours. Thank you for taking care of Laurent, but you shouldn\u2019t have done that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He pinched himself and let out a breath. Patience wasn\u2019t his thing. \u201cNo contract, and I\u2019m up for a bit of tying up and such but we\u2019ve just met darling,\u201d Kol smiled at her. \u201cWe enjoy taking down sparkly things. We\u2019re good at dealing with trouble. Just let us do what we do best and your worries will be all gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAgain, what will it cost me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNothing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella huffed. \u201cYeah right. I got burned by supernatural beings before, I\u2019m not going to chance it again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI promise you, darling, I\u2019m not going to hurt you. My family won\u2019t hurt you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard that before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust hear me out. You\u2019ll be safe around Klaus. He\u2019s a werewolf and your Alice Cullen won\u2019t be able to see you. You can relax and hear us out. We\u2019re not that different, you and I. We have our own fair share of problems and that\u2019s the reason why we\u2019re in Forks for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cI\u2019m a vampire. My entire family are vampires. Nik is a hybrid, he\u2019s a vampire and a werewolf. Elijah made it a point to look into the family that lived in that house prior to us and he\u2019s very thorough with his research,\u201d he said gently. \u201cAs it turns out, Elijah and Niklaus have encountered the Cullens before, and I knew Alice from the past. I didn\u2019t expect her to become a bunny munching moron, but perhaps all the black magic that she did finally went to her head.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was surprised by the amount of information that Kol was giving her without her asking for it. It was as if he wasn\u2019t worried about their secret coming out. \u201cYou\u2019re not a vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cYou don\u2019t sparkle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re a different kind of vampire. We were created by a witch over a thousand years ago. We drink human blood, not animals. We can live off of animals but it\u2019s not\u2026 it\u2019s gross and makes us weak. However, our bite doesn\u2019t kill. We don\u2019t have to kill if we don\u2019t want to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou feel human.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause for intents and purposes, we are. We heal, and our blood heals others. During lunch today I put some of my blood in your coffee. How\u2019s your foot?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI-it\u2019s fine\u2026 I\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood. Just don\u2019t die today or you\u2019ll turn into one of us. Not that I\u2019d mind,\u201d he winked at her. \u201cLet\u2019s get your truck and go to my place. We\u2019ll explain more if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cHe\u2019s at the reservation, he\u2019s good, I believe he\u2019s going fishing tomorrow and he\u2019s staying with the Tribal woman he\u2019s been seeing,\u201d he replied. \u201cCome on, our cook is making some great food tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou eat regular food?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course! Why shouldn\u2019t we? Sure, we enjoy our blood, but we sure love good food! We used to throw big balls and gatherings back in the day. The more the merrier.\u201d Kol was glad that the pepper spray had disappeared into her pocket, he wasn\u2019t sure what would have happened if she\u2019d actually used it on him. There was no doubt that he wouldn\u2019t have been able to control himself. \u201cI understand that you\u2019re not big on trust, but we Mikaelsons are big on our word. I give you my word that we will not do anything to hurt you and I\u2019ll take you home after to make sure you\u2019re safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Kol shrugged. \u201cYou\u2019re a dead girl walking anyway, what\u2019s there to lose? From my point of view, you only have things to gain. Like your life. Your freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let out a breath and threw her hands up in defeat. \u201cFine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreat, let\u2019s get your truck!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

She felt sick to her stomach as they pulled up to the house. While she had already established that the outside looked different, with most of the windows gone, she still felt as if she could throw up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol helped her out of the truck and smiled. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Myriam did a thorough job remodeling. It\u2019s nice and homey on the inside, just how we like it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMemories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, but this is a new home. I promise. Walls were knocked out, everything got a coat of paint\u2026 it looks more like a home than a sterile environment,\u201d he explained. \u201cI promise. While Myriam and Elijah love to have things neat, myself, Rebekah and Klaus don\u2019t mind the mess much,\u201d Kol said as he headed to the door. \u201cCome on, it\u2019s not that scary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to enter a house where vampires live.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol nodded. \u201cBut unlike the Cullens, we don\u2019t have secrets and are upfront. Come, you\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella took a deep breath and followed Kol into the house. The entrance was now an Entrance, there were wood furnishings and it looked very elegant, it was as if she had stepped into a completely new home as Kol had told her. The house warm in temperature too, and she hadn\u2019t expected that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSee? You\u2019re going to be fine,\u201d he told her as he directed her to the spacious living room. \u201cLook who I brought!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYay!\u201d Myriam cheered as she set Laurent\u2019s head on the mantelpiece. \u201cGreat choice.\u201d Bella just blinked at Laurent\u2019s head, causing Myriam to laugh. \u201cI tend to keep some trophies, but if this one\u2019s disturbing, I\u2019ll put him in a box, gift wrap it and send it off to the Volturi.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat wouldn\u2019t be the first time she\u2019d sent a Cold One back in pieces,\u201d someone replied as he walked towards Bella with an extended hand. \u201cKlaus Mikaelson. Myriam, Rebekah and Kol told me all about you, Bella, it\u2019s good to see you in person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shook his hand and then withdrew it to put them back in her pockets. The living room was spacious but cozy. Again the wooden paneling and wooden floors, the couches looked comfortable and it was an entirely different atmosphere than she was used to experiencing in the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight, you\u2019ll be fine without me for a few minutes, right?\u201d Kol asked Bella. \u201cI need to quickly do something but I won\u2019t be long, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well fuck. She didn\u2019t trust Kol, but he\u2019d been honest and her lifeline and now he was going to do something? What? Did he have to? \u201cYeah, sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myriam took Bella\u2019s hand and pulled her towards the couches. \u201cSit, relax. You had a nice long walk and some excitement. Do you want a stiff drink?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMrs. Mikaelson I\u2019m 17.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd?\u201d Myriam smiled. \u201cAnd please, Myriam,\u201d she said as she poured some bourbon into a glass and handed it to Bella. \u201cYou deserved this one. He could have killed you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd that would have been fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myriam looked at Klaus who had a worried look on his face, the same look that she was currently sporting as well. \u201cBella, there is no need for a death wish, it\u2019s going to be alright.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus sat down opposite of Bella and looked at the girl. Had he seen her before? She was terrified. Bella looked as if she was going to bolt any second. \u201cIt\u2019s alright to be afraid, Bella,\u201d he eventually spoke. \u201cWhen we discovered this house had belonged to a coven of Cold Ones we had hoped that they wouldn\u2019t have done any damage to this quaint little town and yet, here you are. You\u2019re not damaged, no, perhaps not. You\u2019re hurt. You have trust issues. You\u2019re angry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey fucked me over with the stupid contract. There\u2019s no way out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cContract?\u201d Myriam blinked as she sat down next to her. \u201cDo you have it with you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded. \u201cI petitioned the Volturi to claim Forks to myself, exposed what the Cullens had done and they offered me freedom and money, as long as I wouldn\u2019t tell anyone,\u201d she said as she took the contract out of her bag. \u201cI was worried that they might have tricked me after my day with Kol today so\u2026 I reread it again for the millionth time. If I hadn\u2019t actually spilled on it with my water bottle, I wouldn\u2019t have seen the addition,\u201d she said as she handed it to Myriam. \u201cI\u2019m fucked. I\u2019m safe from the Cullens and Volturi in Forks, but Laurent proved that I\u2019m still fair game to others. I can\u2019t go anywhere because it makes this contract void. I wanted to travel the world before starting college, but I can\u2019t go anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myriam quickly thumbed through the contract before handing it to Klaus. \u201cAnd it\u2019s transferable on your family, your future children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo yeah, stuck. And that\u2019s why I wouldn\u2019t mind Laurent killing me. At least it\u2019d be over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot for your dad, or your friends. They\u2019d come for them and likely raise hell here in Forks,\u201d Myriam said, echoing Kol\u2019s sentiments from before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll worry about the contract later,\u201d Klaus said as he took a sip of his drink. \u201cBut if there\u2019s anything we\u2019re good at, is revenge. We know how you\u2019re feeling, Bella, we\u2019ve been through it many times ourselves. We still have trust issues, our anger, but we\u2019re very good at turning that into vengeance.\u201d Yes, he knew this girl, and he and his family needed to tread carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you have trust issues, then why allow me into your home?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are numerous reasons, but the main one is that Myriam likes to help people hurt by the supernatural community, people like yourself, a victim of the Cold Ones. Or even humans who have been hurt by our kind, our family, even. And another reason is that we really dislike the Cold Ones.\u201d And another reason was that she needed their help. This girl had no idea what she was capable of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, I shouldn\u2019t make my problem your problem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDarling, you\u2019re stupidly human,\u201d Kol said as he jumped over the couch and sat down next to her. \u201cWhat are you going to do about the Cold Ones? Pepper spray them to death? That won\u2019t work, you know. They\u2019d have broken you in half before you could even reach for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have a supernatural problem, and we can make it go away,\u201d Myriam smiled at her. \u201cAnd keep you safe in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut why would you want to do that? I\u2019m just food.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh Bella,\u201d Myriam sighed as she pulled the girl against her into a hug. \u201cThose pesky Cullens have really done a number on you, haven\u2019t they? Don\u2019t worry, we\u2019re going to make them pay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m quite sure that Alice is freaking out about now. Or maybe she already freaked out when you started to hang out with the wolves,\u201d Kol grinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWolves?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKnow what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think you should talk to your friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe won\u2019t talk to me because he told me to start living my own life, so you\u2019d better tell me what you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus sighed as he looked at his brother, whom merely shrugged a shoulder in response. \u201cI\u2019m sure Kol informed you of what I am. Your friends on the reservation are shape shifters. This particular tribe utilizes the shape of the wolf. Others use other animals. I believe the one in Alaska is a bear. Isn\u2019t it, Myriam?\u201d For now, it was important that he acted like he didn\u2019t know her, that he hadn\u2019t encountered her before. If he would give just a tiny hint, things could go terribly wrong. It was a good thing that he was good at pretending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYep, and they only get activated when there\u2019s a surge of vampire activity. Mainly Cold Ones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella stared at the three vampires with a blank expression. \u201cWell fuck me, I thought it were just campfire stories.\u201d She then realized something. \u201cThose big wolves were from the rez!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s quite possible that your friend pushed you away because of it to keep you safe,\u201d Kol said with an empathetic smile on his face. \u201cShifters have a hard time controlling their anger, they could shift without warning and attack.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sam\u2019s wife\u2019s face immediately came to her mind and her own paled. \u201cI see. Still, it would have been nice to be able to make an informed decision about being friends with them. Why does everyone feel the need to keep me safe? Don\u2019t I get to have a say in anything<\/em>?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course. You can tell us how you want us to take your revenge on the Cold Ones,\u201d Klaus replied, an amused smile on his lips. \u201cBut frankly, I think that they want to keep you safe because you\u2019re so deliciously human.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr, likely in your friend\u2019s case, he truly cares about you,\u201d Myriam replied. \u201cIn the Cullen\u2019s case, it was likely to get you to join them eventually.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to be a vampire,\u201d Bella admitted softly. \u201cBecause I\u2019ve always felt different. They made it look so effortless on the surface, but when you look deeper\u2026 it doesn\u2019t seem like being a Cold One is a good life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cI like warm places. I mean, Forks has grown on me but I prefer the sunshine,\u201d she replied. \u201cAnd while I love being on my own, I think it\u2019s a very lonely existence. On top of that, while I love to eat meat, I could never hunt an animal for its blood. It\u2019s just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDisgusting,\u201d Klaus muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCold Ones can feed on humans, but the problem is that the humans die and that can attract a lot of attention,\u201d Myriam replied. \u201cBut in all honesty, it\u2019s pathetic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are pathetic, all they are is a magical accident who think they are special,\u201d Klaus said bitter before looking at Bella. \u201cYou humans have a name for that, don\u2019t you? Snowflake?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeriously?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh yes, darling, every monster has an origin story, theirs happens to be the result of some ancient witches becoming too greedy,\u201d Kol smiled at her before looking back to see Elijah walk in. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s my other brother coming in to tell us that dinner is served. Don\u2019t believe a word he\u2019s saying,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou brought her here? Honestly, Niklaus—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t me, Elijah! It was Myriam!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd Kol, and Rebekah,\u201d Myriam nodded as she got to her feet and smirked at Elijah. \u201cWhich means you\u2019re outnumbered. Again. So be nice to her, or I\u2019ll put you in our box after I castrate you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Myriam sat down at the dining table with a set of yard sheers as she glared at Elijah before putting it down right next to her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs Elijah being impossible again?\u201d Rebekah wondered out loud. She had gone for a change of clothes and had sat down next to her older brother. \u201cDon\u2019t mind him, Bella, he\u2019s great with politics and finding places for us to live, but other than that, he\u2019s not really in touch with the world around him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the second time someone told me about Elijah and can I please just find that out for myself?\u201d Bella asked, slightly frustrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI withdraw my initial assumptions,\u201d Elijah said amused. \u201cI like her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The food on the table looked incredible. There were mashed potatoes, vegetables, fish and roast chicken and some fancy gravy along with it as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDig in,\u201d Kol nodded. \u201cWhile Elijah tells you the story of how the Cold Ones came to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I did my research on the Cold Ones,\u201d Bella said. \u201cI even asked Carlisle, and we came up empty, how can you know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have an extensive library on a lot of things, but this knowledge comes from one of Kol\u2019s old books,\u201d Elijah replied. \u201cThere is a now extinct line of witches called the Travelers. They were all about keeping the balance of nature until they were enslaved to help build the pyramids in Egypt. They wanted to become stronger, and faster, so their masters would be happy and they could return to their lives. Or, perhaps, become the new Pharaoh. At the start of the day, they performed a ritual that upset the Deities they prayed to and it got their entire camp killed. But, from the ashes, the laborers rose and their skin was hardened and sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight. And so, by upsetting the balance of nature, the remaining Travelers who had nothing to do with this lost their powers for a while, and the Cold Ones were born.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreat! That explains why some of them have gifts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr how their gifts are being retained, you see, when a witch turns into a vampire, our kind<\/em> of vampire, they lose all of their magic, because there needs to be a balance. Some Traveler witches, however, are an exception. There\u2019s an offshoot of the Travelers called the Gemini who can have the amazing ability to retain magic but we haven\u2019t heard of a sighting of the Heretics for quite some time now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeretics?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Gemini look down on any witch of their coven that has to draw strength from others to perform magic; they\u2019re called siphoners,\u201d Kol explained. \u201cThey regained their magic upon turning and now they can draw from themselves to perform magic. Nasty buggers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI heard you had a contract? How did that come to be?\u201d Elijah asked as Klaus went back to the living room to fetch it. \u201cAs far as we\u2019re aware, they either kill the humans who know about their existence or turn them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is the law, yes,\u201d Bella replied with a sigh, not wanting to revisit the whole ordeal in particular. \u201cDo we have to do this?\u201d The food wasn\u2019t that appetizing anymore. \u201cI\u2019ve never told anyone because\u2026 it\u2019s\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can make an estimated guess,\u201d Myriam smiled at her. \u201cGirl meets boy, then controlling family\u2026 discovers he\u2019s a vampire\u2026 family starts controlling girl\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoy dumps girl in the woods for her own safety as the family moves away, girl goes through withdrawal symptoms, then gets a phone call from family that boy is in trouble\u2026\u201d Bella added softly. \u201cAnd I was so stupid enough to head to Italy to \u2018save\u2019 him, even though it was one giant ruse to get me back, which I didn\u2019t understand, they left. He dumped me. They all hurt me,\u201d she added bitterly. \u201cAnd I got only in trouble with the Nomads because of them. They killed James, so Victoria sent Laurent. Now that he\u2019s dead, she\u2019ll likely come for me herself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe issue of the contract can be resolved in many ways,\u201d Elijah said as he read through it. \u201cThe simplest solution is to become a supernatural being yourself. I\u2019m sure one of us wouldn\u2019t mind helping you turn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat!\u201d Bella squeaked. \u201cNo?! How\u2026. how can you be so careless with the life of humans?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou would be a vampire, you\u2019d live longer,\u201d Elijah replied, shrugging. \u201cWe don\u2019t offer this to a lot of people, but I suppose you\u2019re a special case.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow about no?\u201d Okay, so Elijah was dick-ish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnother solution would be to see if you\u2019re supernatural yourself,\u201d Kol saw the death glare that Bella was giving his brother and he was amused. \u201cYou see, darling, we can\u2019t compel you. That usually means you\u2019re a witch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCompel?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can usually tell people what to do or to feel by telling them. It\u2019s a great interrogation tool or to stave off boredom, but your mind is closed to it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nearly choked on her food as she put down her fork. \u201cI\u2019m in a room filled with mind-rapers? Like Jasper and Edward?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cWell to me, it sounds that way!\u201d Bella rose to her feet and started to collect her things. \u201cThank you for offering to help me, but I think I\u2019ll take my chances. This was a bad idea,\u201d she said as she felt her heart beat so fast that she\u2019d think it\u2019d jump out of her chest cavity. \u201cI-I won\u2019t tell anyone about you, I promise, but I can\u2019t do this. Not anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, you don\u2019t have to be afraid, please, don\u2019t go,\u201d Rebekah said as she quickly followed her. \u201cI promise, we\u2019re not like them at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStay away from me,\u201d Bella said as she ran towards the door and quickly got into her car. As she drove off, she could see Rebekah stand in the door with a sad expression on her face, but Bella needed to get away. The Mikaelsons were just another coven of vampires who liked to play with humans and she\u2019d get even deeper into trouble. She was going to be fine. They just had to stay away from her. She was going to fix this. And if not, well then at least she could die with the knowledge of having tried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victoria was still coming for her. The Volturi wanted her to turn or to die. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easy as that. If she died, they\u2019d leave her dad alone and Victoria would back off too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then why was it so hard not to just speed and wrap her truck around a tree?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because she wasn\u2019t ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She parked her truck in the driveway and locked the house in her Charlie\u2019s absence and went to her room. It was time to get ready. Make piles of what to keep and to throw away. Or giveaway. She was stuck. Prisoner. A Dead Girl Walking. Best to get it all over with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella\u2019d been sorting through her stuff for maybe half an hour when she heard someone throwing stones against her window. Confused, she looked out the window and saw Jake standing at the bottom. \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d Why was he shirtless? It was night time and it was cold, where was his shirt? Coat?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan we talk?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already locked the house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot a problem. Scoot,\u201d he smiled up at her before climbing up the house and climbing through her window. \u201cTadaa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you really like to display your athleticism all the time? Because it does get a bit annoying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow are you doing, Bella?\u201d He asked as he looked around her room. \u201cRedecorating?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomething like that,\u201d she said as she sat down on her bed. \u201cWhat do you want, Jake? You made it perfectly clear that you needed some space and yet, here you are not even a week later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He started to walk to her and Bella quickly grabbed a pillow. \u201cLook, I\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said as he got too close for comfort and she pushed him away with her pillow. \u201cI wish I could explain, but I really\u2026 really can\u2019t. Have you ever had a secret that you couldn\u2019t tell anyone? One that wasn\u2019t yours to share?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJake, it\u2019s been a long day\u2026 I\u2019m really not in the mood for this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s what it\u2019s like for me. But worse,\u201d he said as he sat down next to her on the bed. \u201cYou have no idea how tight I\u2019m bound.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sighed as she ran a hand through her hair and leaned into him. \u201cI hate this. I thought we could tell each other everything and here you are, keeping secrets from me. Pushing me away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know what hurts the most? You already know what I\u2019m keeping from you. Don\u2019t you remember the stories from the campfire?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She playfully hit him on the head. \u201cSo why are you shirtless? Does it make it easier to turn into a pony-sized wolf? Where does your pants go?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cYeah, I know, Jake. I had to hear it from someone else but you, and that hurt. And who are you to decide whether or not things are safe around you while you go through this? You shouldn\u2019t be alone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI could hurt you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, and I could hurt myself by just tripping over my feet!\u201d She hit him again with her pillow. \u201cIt\u2019s only because you\u2019re stronger than me that you\u2019re doing this, but you pushed me away, Jake, and I\u2019m lost.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI feel that way too\u2026 I mean, I should have never\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen don\u2019t.\u201d Oh, what was she doing? It wasn\u2019t going to matter anyway. She was going to be dead soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He gently took her arm and ran his thumb across the Cold One scar. \u201cCome to the rez after school tomorrow? Spend the weekend?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She sighed as she covered her scar with her hand. \u201cYeah, sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd then tell me the truth about that scar?\u201d He looked at her with a hopeful look on his face. \u201cBecause I think you got that scar off of a vampire, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let out a breath. \u201cIt\u2019s in the past, it doesn\u2019t matter anymore. They\u2019re gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jake was disappointed to hear that. \u201cOkay, so, tomorrow after school, straight to the rez, and don\u2019t invite anyone into your home, especially the new people in town, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t planning to\u2026\u201d Bella muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have to go,\u201d he planted a kiss on her forehead and walked back to the window. \u201cPromise me you\u2019ll come tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded before she watched him jump out of her window again. She walked over to it to close it and fell onto her bed. She was so tired. So fucking tired. What harm could one more weekend do? Maybe she\u2019d get hurt by one of the wolves, it\u2019d be easier to die then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol wasn\u2019t in school the next day, and Rebekah and Myriam kept their distance from her as she sat with Jessica and Angela, but Bella wasn\u2019t entirely there. Jessica recognized the signs and tried to get Bella to talk, to open up but Bella couldn\u2019t be bothered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After school, she headed to the reservation and while Jake wasn\u2019t home yet, she greeted Billy and headed to Jake\u2019s room to lay down on his bed. It was nice and quiet on the rez, Bella liked that. She could be with her own thoughts and switch off. Decompress. She wasn\u2019t even sure if she should be there. Jake was someone she\u2019d known for most of her life and he was a wolf now. One that should have killed Cold Ones and didn\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One that killed a Cold One with help from non-Cold One vampires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She shouldn\u2019t be here. Things could never go back the way they were, she knew too much. She was an idiot human who knew too much about the supernatural community, now at least three factions of them and that was wrong. She was far better off going back home, continue what she was doing and just leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking out of Jake\u2019s bedroom, she waved Billy goodbye and headed outside, blinking when she saw Paul and Sam trying to take her truck apart without damaging it. \u201cI kinda need that truck, put it back together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul grinned at her. \u201cSorry, vampire girl, it\u2019s Jake\u2019s orders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen give me his bike, I want to go home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd since when do you listen to Jake anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince he\u2019s our Alpha? It\u2019s his birthright. It just took him a little longer to grow into it,\u201d Sam replied with a shrug. \u201cYou\u2019re not going anywhere this weekend, Bella.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella scowled as she got her bag from the bed of her truck and started to walk. She wasn\u2019t even walking for ten minutes when Jake caught up with her. \u201cHey, what\u2019s up? Where are you going?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat? Why?\u201d Jake gently pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her. \u201cYou always spend the weekend here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUntil last weekend, when you pushed me away. Then yesterday you wanted me to come back? Y-you\u2019re saying that you can\u2019t promise me that I\u2019ll be safe and yet you wanted me to come to keep me safe? What kind of nonsense is that?\u201d she tried to push herself away from him but he had his arms tightly wound around her. \u201cLet me go, Jake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGive me another reason.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She took a deep breath as she looked up at him. \u201cI\u2019m done. Your world? Is not mine. I have enough trouble with vampires as it is, and I want out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou got yourself into this mess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, I know, and neither you or the new vampires in town have anything to do with that. Leave me alone, this is my mess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat!\u201d she pushed against him again. \u201cYou want another reason? YOU<\/em> didn\u2019t tell me yourself what you were. No, you had a vague excuse of being interested in another girl and you said I needed to be on my own as we\u2019d grown to be like Siamese twins!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, you didn\u2019t tell me everything about the Cullens, either!\u201d Jake said as he let go of her. \u201cYou\u2019re telling me to tell you the truth while you never told me about them. About the Cold Ones and what they were doing with you. To you. What they\u2019ve done to you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s a fucking secret they even exist!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo are we!\u201d Jake countered. \u201cBut now that you know, that we know, why won\u2019t you come back, huh? It\u2019s a lot easier to be out in the open around you now. Everything\u2019s going to be alright, Bella.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not,\u201d Bella said sadly as she looked down at her shoes. \u201cI\u2019m not free of the Cold Ones. I won\u2019t ever be free of the Cold Ones. Either I turn, or they kill me. I can\u2019t travel more than 2 hours out of Forks because they\u2019ll get me. There\u2019s a psychotic vampire after me because the Cullens killed her mate after he attacked me. Eye for an eye and all that. The new vampires in town aren\u2019t Cold Ones, they\u2019re different. More human. And guess what? Just my luck that I fell right into their lap, too. I\u2019m a fucking magnet and it needs to end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat you need, is to stop feeling sorry for yourself and get shitfaced,\u201d he put an arm around her and guided her back towards the reservation. \u201cWe were going to hang out at Emily\u2019s tonight with the rest of the pack. Just to have some fun, shoot the breeze and forget.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can barely keep it together, Jake. If I get drunk—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen you\u2019ll cry, who cares? Come on, good food and alcohol and semi-adult supervision, but they\u2019re just like us. No more secrets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella kept quiet for most of the night as she helped herself to the snacks made by Emily and drank all the beer that was being handed to her as they were gathered around the campfire. She suddenly had a blanket wrapped around her and she was leaning into Jake as everyone was having fun. She didn\u2019t care. She was drunk off her ass and loving the buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, what are we going to do about the new vampires in town?\u201d Sam asked Jake. \u201cWhat do we know about them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jake shrugged. \u201cThey\u2019ve seem to be assimilating themselves into our community in a much more subtle way than the Cullens ever did. Three of them were at Bella\u2019s school. The same three who we had to fight with for the Cold One that was threatening Bella.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow many are there, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Bella?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been to the new vampires, haven\u2019t you? How many are there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUhh\u2026\u201d Bella took a sip of her beer and thought hard. \u201cFive,\u201d she eventually said. \u201cI love what they did to the house, though. It looks a lot more like a home instead of a sterile environment with reminders of their longevity. No freaky graduation caps as an artwork. And they have a cook to make them food.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey eat normal food?\u201d Sam blinked. \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded so hard that she felt like she was a bobblehead. \u201cAnd they can feed on humans without killing them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo they\u2019re not a threat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shrugged as she took another sip of her beer. \u201cThe teacher is a good one, she really knows what she\u2019s talking about when teaching a class. I think they\u2019re here to get away from the rest of the world for a while. I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow much of a threat are they?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Sam!\u201d Bella shot at him, nearly dropping her bottle of beer. \u201cI think you should be more worried about the Cold Ones. Victoria won\u2019t stop until I\u2019m dead. The Volturi will kill me too, or perhaps turn me if they get their hands on me. The Mikaelsons saved me from Laurent, I think they\u2019re alright unless you piss them off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jake pulled Bella closer to him and kissed the top of her head. \u201cDo you think they\u2019ll be open for a meeting?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLikely. But I\u2019m staying out of it,\u201d she said as she took another swig of the beer. \u201cAnd that\u2019s the last of what I\u2019m going to say, I\u2019ll go back to drinking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bella woke up the following morning with the hangover from hell, but managed to take a shower and get dressed before heading to Emily\u2019s. Emily had a fresh pot of coffee ready and she was cleaning the table from breakfast. \u201cThe boys already had their breakfast, they\u2019ll be back in a few hours. Do you want something?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u201cI could make it myself, really.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNonsense, you look like a truck has hit you,\u201d Emily chuckled as she poured Bella a coffee and lead her to one of the kitchen chairs. \u201cSit, wake up, I\u2019ll make you some greasy breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks\u2026 how bad did I get yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t remember?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shook her head as she took a sip of her coffee, regretting instantly that she had shaken her head, the midgets had awoken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou passed out, it was adorable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was better than bursting out in tears and getting all emotional. Score. Jake didn\u2019t have to know that she had plans to end it all. \u201cThat\u2019s good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily gently squeezed Bella\u2019s shoulder. \u201cYou\u2019re not alone, Bella. I don\u2019t know what happened with Jake for him to come clean with you and invite you over, but it\u2019s a good thing that he did. I like hanging out with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like hanging out with you too,\u201d Bella smiled at her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know, you could just move to the rez with your dad, seeing as he\u2019s seeing Sue anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella barked out a laugh. \u201cNah, I think that\u2019s the worst idea. I love you guys, and I\u2019m sure dad does as well, but I\u2019m going to be leaving Forks after I graduate. Why move? Besides, last week Jake didn\u2019t want me anywhere close, who\u2019s to say that won\u2019t happen again? It\u2019s difficult to give him his space if I\u2019d be here all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily shrugged as she put the plate down in front of Bella. \u201cFried eggs with bacon and a lot of butter on that bread, eat up. I believe the boys have stuff planned for the rest of the day when they come back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere are they?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo see if you were right and if the Mikaelsons want to have a chat to make sure they behave or face the consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhich are?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBig puppies chowing down on vampire bones,\u201d Emily winked at her. \u201cI\u2019m sure they\u2019re tastier than Cold Ones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLikely\u2026 these vampires bleed real blood, apparently.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded. \u201cI got frustrated the other day and kicked my truck. Broke something in my foot but the doctor couldn\u2019t do anything about it. One of them confessed that he had put some of his blood in my drink when we went to Port Angeles two days ago and he confessed that their blood heals people,\u201d she explained. \u201cIt\u2019s freaky, but my foot feels normal again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow, that\u2019s new.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, that also came with a warning, if I\u2019d die with his blood in my body I\u2019d come back as one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, it takes a few days for the blood to pass through your system so you should be fine, but you\u2019re not thinking about doing some crazy and scary stuff to yourself, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course not,\u201d Bella lied. \u201cI couldn\u2019t leave Charlie by himself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Emily smiled. \u201cEat your breakfast, you\u2019re going to need the energy. Hungover or not, those boys will take you out today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Bella wasn\u2019t sure how she felt after the weekend on the Rez, but she went back to school that Monday. And went back to the Rez on the weekend. She did that for a couple of weeks before setting off to Port Angeles by herself to buy Christmas presents. She knew it was far too early for Christmas presents, they weren\u2019t even in November yet, but she wanted to have them. In time. In case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her birthday quietly passed by, as she preferred it to do. Charlie did manage to arrange some fancier food than usual for dinner, but she liked it to be nice and quiet. Jake, once again, gave her something she could hang in her room. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanksgiving was spent with Sue and Billy and Jacob at the reservation. Bella and her father stayed the weekend and then went home. The idea of ending it all became less and less, she was having fun again, and usually looked forward to the weekends at the rez with Jake and the rest of the wolves, just hanging out. Even in the cold weather, they always made sure she was warm and toasty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the last Friday before Christmas break and when she walked to her truck, she was stopped by Kol who was carrying a gift bag. \u201cI know, I know, you don\u2019t want anything to do with me or my family and I\u2019ve been keeping my distance, but please, hear me out? Just one minute?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI need to get home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne minute, Bella, please.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She threw her bag into the truck and looked at him. \u201cOne minute,\u201d she agreed with a slight nod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlright. So, even though you want us to leave you alone, which we have, we wanted to give you this,\u201d he said as he handed her the gift bag. \u201cOur family loves Christmas and each one of us have put something in there for you. We wanted you to have it because you deserve it. We\u2019re not your enemy, Bella. Nor are we anything like them<\/em>. I hope that with this little gift, it\u2019ll show you that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKol\u2026 I—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTake it, please,\u201d he smiled at her as he put his hands in his pocket. \u201cAnd have a great Christmas holiday. Rebekah and Elijah are going to France for a couple of days after Christmas and Nik, Myriam and I will be staying here. Myriam spotted something online about deep-frying a turkey so we\u2019re going to attempt that while Elijah\u2019s away. Not as our Christmas dinner, of course, but after. You\u2019re more than welcome to join?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh, no, thanks,\u201d she said softly with a blush. \u201cI didn\u2019t get you anything. But I will! I\u2019ll get someone to drop it off for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, no, darling, it\u2019s alright,\u201d he smiled widely as he opened the door to her truck for her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust as a precaution\u2026 tell Myriam not to fry the turkey close to the house? It can get a bit\u2026 temperamental.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be fine, we\u2019re vampires, we heal even if we burn,\u201d Kol grinned as he helped her inside her truck. \u201cMerry Christmas, Bella, I\u2019ll see you after the holiday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had to admit, as she was carefully driving home through the snow, that the Mikaelsons were doing every attempt on being human. She could even see that with Myriam when she was teaching history. They weren\u2019t perfect, just like humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie was still at work so Bella stopped by the supermarket to get everything they needed over the weekend and made sure there was plenty of beer in case Billy would drop by. She then continued home and started on making dinner after turning up the heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As their meal was cooking in the oven, a nice big and extra rich lasagna, she decided to look into the gift bag that Kol had given her. All items were individually wrapped by someone with no patience and it was easy to get it unwrapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first present was a gift from Klaus. A drawing of a beautiful swan, surrounded by light in a dark place, but there was also a hint of light after the darkness and she had to admit that it was exactly how she felt. She was currently content in her own bubble with Jake and their friends, but even that couldn\u2019t hold the Cold Ones, the darkness, at bay. But once she\u2019d have defeated them, or when they\u2019d killed her, there would be light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second present was from Rebekah, a gorgeous charm bracelet with room for more charms to be added. Bella found the can of pepper spray on the bracelet hilarious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third was a gift from Myriam. It was a very old book, and upon closer inspection it was more of a journal from the early days of Klaus\u2019 family as a vampire, memories of when they were still human. The book was ancient and most of the words faded, but it was history. The history of the Mikaelsons. Myriam had even put a note with it that she stole the book from Elijah and that it would be their secret. And also how near the end of the journal her own story was told.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fourth gift was from Elijah. It was a gift card to use at various retailers online and Bella thought that was practical, and liked the idea for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fifth and final gift was from Kol. It was more of a letter with something attached. Dear Bella, I wasn\u2019t sure what to get you for Christmas other than maybe a satchel of herbal tea – which is quite boring. But then I realized that I could give you one of my favourite Christmas traditions that we do almost every year, even when we still were humans. It\u2019s tradition for us to write down wishes for someone or ourselves on a piece of paper and burn them in a fire. So attached to this you\u2019ll find my wish for this year and a blank piece of paper to write down your own. Burn them for me? Merry Christmas, Kol.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She looked at the little note that Kol had written his wish on. I wish to be more in control over my emotions so that I could be normal. And since I missed a few wishes, I\u2019m going to be incredibly selfish and wish that Bella and I could be friends without her fearing for what I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella stared at the note for a while before quickly pushing it into her pocket and everything back in the bag as Charlie came home. The gifts, and Kol\u2019s wish, were just other proof that the Mikaelsons weren\u2019t the Cullens. The gifts were thoughtful and personal. They were closer to being a human than even humans themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella handed Charlie his beer and asked him about his day as she continued to make the side salad for the lasagna. \u201cI\u2019m on call on Boxing Day, Bells, but for Christmas I\u2019m all yours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreat, so stupid Christmas movies and a ton of snacks?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou bet,\u201d Charlie laughed. \u201cYou and me, kiddo. There\u2019s no doubt that next year, you\u2019ll be too busy with college to come and visit your old man, so I\u2019m taking all the time I can get.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAw, you\u2019re getting sappy in your old age, dad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnless you\u2019ve made plans?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d she smiled as she finished her side salad and put it down on the table and then retrieved the lasagna. \u201cI think it\u2019s perfect. Just you and me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Bella felt lucky that her dad was still at home for Boxing Day. Then again, it was Forks. Nothing really happened in Forks. However, during dinner, he got the call. Something was on fire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s on fire?\u201d Bella asked as she watched her dad grab everything he needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe uh\u2026 old Cullen house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let out a groan as she got into her boots and pulled on her coat before quickly running upstairs to fetch something. \u201cI\u2019m coming with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBells, it\u2019s a fire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, I know. And I know what caused it too, they tried to deep fry a turkey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, how do you know?\u201d Charlie laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shrugged. \u201cTwo of the kids are at school with me, one of them is a teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, so you know the Mikaelsons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomewhat,\u201d she said as she closed the door behind her and followed her father. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll stay out of trouble. I know the drill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie sighed and nodded. \u201cGet in. If you knew what they were going to do, why didn\u2019t you tell them to do it further away from the house?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He grunted as he drove the car off the driveway. \u201cWhy don\u2019t people listen?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re likely city folk, dad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven worse!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they arrived at the house, half of the house was engulfed in flames and the firemen just stood there, watching. \u201cWhy aren\u2019t you putting it out?\u201d Charlie asked the fire marshall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have enough water and there\u2019s no source of water close by that our lines can reach,\u201d he replied. \u201cSome of my men are bringing out valuables but that\u2019s all we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked over to where she heard arguing and headed over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMyriam! You don\u2019t understand, Elijah\u2019s going to be mad!\u201d Klaus ranted at his wife, his hand buried in his hair. \u201cAnd for fuck\u2019s sake, why can\u2019t I just run in and save my paintings myself? We\u2019ll just compel them all to forget! Why did I agree to this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t going to compel anyone, Nik.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus let out a growl and pushed his younger brother against the nearest tree. \u201cDon\u2019t even think for a minute that you\u2019re scot-free, Kol. I know that you egged her on to do this. The coffins might be burning right now, but I do have a dagger on me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t me, honest!\u201d he defended himself as he pushed his brother off of him. \u201cBut go ahead, Nik, blame me for everything. If that makes you feel better!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey!\u201d Bella called out. \u201cAre you done?\u201d It was cold outside, despite her thick coat and her boots, but then again, the massive fire made the snow melt and warmed her a little. She just had to stay away from the fire so she wouldn\u2019t get burned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot even close!\u201d Klaus blurted as he slammed his brother against the tree again, causing the tree to move on impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNik, it wasn\u2019t me,\u201d Kol said, honestly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLiar! Only you would think of something this\u2026 absurd!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked at Myriam. \u201cAren\u2019t you going to say something?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy would I? I like it when my husband is angry,\u201d Myriam replied, her eyes not leaving Klaus\u2019 angry form. \u201cSo sexy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause you know, I was told this was all your idea, Myriam,\u201d Bella replied and jumped back when Myriam stiffened upon realizing that Klaus was coming for her now. \u201cKol didn\u2019t do anything but go along with your crazy idea. But hey, for what it\u2019s worth, the town will never doubt you\u2019re not human again. Like ever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you even doing here, Bella?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy dad is the Sheriff. I didn\u2019t want to be alone, so I came along,\u201d she replied as she looked at Klaus. \u201cAre you going to let him go, or what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, don\u2019t provoke him, darling,\u201d Kol warned her. \u201cIt\u2019ll only make things worse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy? He\u2019ll kill me? He can go right ahead,\u201d she shrugged as she pushed her hands into her pockets. \u201cEver thought of getting your own home, Kol? I wouldn\u2019t want to live with a bully, why should you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myriam realized that Bella wasn\u2019t going to give up. \u201cBella\u2019s right, it was my idea,\u201d Myriam admitted. \u201cStop bullying your brother, you can punish me later.\u201d The moment Klaus let go of Kol she was in his arms. \u201cYes, punish me, please. It\u2019ll be so much fun\u2026\u201d she purred. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLove, if you want me to punish you, all you need to do is tell me and not set the bloody house on fire!\u201d Klaus growled. \u201cWhere are we going to stay now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are absolutely insane,\u201d Kol said as he lead Bella away from his brother and his wife. \u201cWhy did you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe could have killed you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shrugged. \u201cThis wasn\u2019t your idea, so I told him, what\u2019s the problem in that?\u201d She then retrieved Kol\u2019s wish out of her pocket with a smile. \u201cBesides, I wanted you to burn this yourself, you now have a big house that\u2019s on fire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He looked at her, looked at the note and back at her. \u201cI told you to burn that for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, but Charlie and I don\u2019t do Christmas fires,\u201d she replied with a nod towards the house fire. \u201cYou guys apparently do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFunny.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to think so,\u201d Bella replied smugly. \u201cYou have to find humor in all scenarios, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol took his note from her fingers. \u201cDid you read it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did,\u201d she said as she took her note out of her pocket. \u201cWant to read mine?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure,\u201d he smiled at her, happy that she trusted him with that, like he trusted his with her. I wish I could trust everyone around me again without any fear of what might happen.<\/em> \u201cOh, darling,\u201d he sighed as he felt his heart break a little. \u201cGive it time, you will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, I might,\u201d Bella smiled at him. \u201cI\u2019m doing a lot better than I was in September.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry that I—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot you, completely me. I responded to you like I should have done to the Cullens and that was wrong of me, because you\u2019re not them. I\u2026 I should have kept an open mind and not let my fear rule my brain,\u201d she then let out a snort. \u201cI spend my weekends with boys who can lose their temper and hurt me and I trust them not to, if I can do it with them, I should be fine with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a curious little thing, aren\u2019t you?\u201d Kol smiled at her as he took both of her hands with the notes being held by the two of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d she replied, her hands warming up in his and she let out a breath. \u201cI just wish I could go back in time to stop you from doing the turkey frying so close to the house, it\u2019s not fair to lose your house during the holidays.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, we\u2019ve been through wo–\u201d he blinked when Bella started to glow slightly. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Kol could feel magic in the air, almost as if it was electricity and all of a sudden she wasn\u2019t holding his hands anymore. In fact, she was gone. \u201cNik!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Chapter 02 \u201cI did not expect you to be here,\u201d the man said as he came closer. \u201cI went to visit the Cullens, but the house is now filled with different people?\u201d Oh fuck. \u201cThey\u2019re not far,\u201d Bella replied hesitantly. \u201cI could call Edward if you want, Laurent?\u201d \u201cI\u2019m surprised…<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":889,"parent":891,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-898","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 \u201cI did not expect you to be here,\u201d the man said as he came closer. \u201cI went to visit the Cullens, but the house is now filled with different people?\u201d Oh fuck. \u201cThey\u2019re not far,\u201d Bella replied hesitantly. \u201cI could call Edward if you want, Laurent?\u201d \u201cI\u2019m surprised... Continue reading\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-21T15:29:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"903\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"474\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"49 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898\",\"name\":\"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-08-21T15:11:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-21T15:29:14+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1\",\"width\":903,\"height\":474},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Buggy\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=14\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Relativity\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=891\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Chapter 02\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/\",\"name\":\"Meekobuggy's stories\",\"description\":\"fanfiction, blogs, and random thoughts\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy","og_description":"Chapter 02 \u201cI did not expect you to be here,\u201d the man said as he came closer. \u201cI went to visit the Cullens, but the house is now filled with different people?\u201d Oh fuck. \u201cThey\u2019re not far,\u201d Bella replied hesitantly. \u201cI could call Edward if you want, Laurent?\u201d \u201cI\u2019m surprised... Continue reading","og_url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898","og_site_name":"MeekoBuggy","article_modified_time":"2024-08-21T15:29:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":903,"height":474,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"49 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898","url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898","name":"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1","datePublished":"2024-08-21T15:11:47+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-21T15:29:14+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/relativityFB.jpg?fit=903%2C474&ssl=1","width":903,"height":474},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=898#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Buggy","item":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=14"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Relativity","item":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=891"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Chapter 02"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/","name":"Meekobuggy's stories","description":"fanfiction, blogs, and random thoughts","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/898","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=898"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/898\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":908,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/898\/revisions\/908"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/891"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}