Her New Moon

4

Everything happened suddenly. A guttural noise emitted from Jasper's chest, and he removed himself from Driana's side, causing her to stumble against the wall. Charging at Bella, Edward roared, shielding the girl and pushing her back behind him. Forgetting his strength, Bella landed on the table, the glass plates and crystal bowls shattering underneath her.

Edward shoved Jasper away, making him land, and held tightly in Emmett's massive arms. Bella profusely bled from the new wound on her arm, which made Jasper thrash around more. Driana froze in fear, and Rosalie held her arm in assurance. Her eyes had gone dark, but it was evident she wasn't breathing in Bella's scent.

"Emmett, Rose," Carlisle spoke calmly with authority. He hovered over Bella, putting pressure on her arm with his hand. "Get Jasper out of here."

"Hm," A smug Rosalie hummed, causing Edward to glare. She patted Driana's shoulder, avoided Jasper's baring teeth, and helped Emmett wrestle the blond out of the room.

"Bella!" Driana hurried over.

Jasper stopped thrashing around, and he looked back. He tried calming himself when he heard Driana's voice. However, she paid no attention to him but focused on the dizzy girl in her arms. Esme covered her nose and mouth, held the door open for Emmett and Rosalie, and apologized to Bella before following them out.

"How are you, Bella?" Driana asked.

"Nauseous," Bella responded. "Carlisle, may I get stitched up here?"

"Of course," Carlisle said. He ripped a strip of fabric from the white tablecloth, wrapping it around Bella's arm to stop the blood flow.

"I'll get your medical bag," Alice offered, walking away.

"Bring her to the kitchen," Carlisle ordered Edward, who lifted Bella emotionlessly.

"Carlisle, where are the cleaning supplies?" Driana inquired. "I'll clean the mess."

"In the closet under the stairs," He answered. "Will you be alright?"

Driana hesitated to respond, recovering from the shock. "I think so."

Carlisle walked over to Driana, giving her a fatherly hug. "Give yourself time to readjust. Cleaning should help clear your thoughts and keep yourself busy, you know? I'm sure Jasper will come back. He must be upset with himself right now."

"Thanks, Carlisle."

Carlisle disappeared into the kitchen, working on cleaning and stitching up Bella's arm. Driana cleared the broken glass and rose petals, throwing them into the trash bag. She scooped up the splattered cake, wiping the surfaces clean from the mess. Edward came out of the kitchen, locking eyes with Driana.

"I heard your thought," Edward spoke. "'Bella's injured again.'"

"Oh, sorry," Driana quietly said.

Edward shook his head. "I was stupid."

"No, you weren't," Driana told him. "Your mind was in a state of panic, and you couldn't control your reflexes in time. Accidents happen, Edward."

The bronze-haired boy sighed, glowering at the blood on the floor before leaving the living room. Driana could smell the blood faintly and decided to mop the floor. She pushed the puddle in one area, squeezing it into the mop bucket. Focused on clearing the blood, she didn't realize Alice slipped past her, who gave her a sad look.

Driana continued repeating the process, occasionally rinsing the blood with cleaning solution from the mop head before clearing the floor. Esme entered the living room, and she smiled softly at her. The matriarch carefully took the mop from Driana's hands, setting it aside. A light grin was Driana's response.

"There's a lot on your mind," Esme mentioned.

"Indeed there is," Driana confirmed.

"How about you head outside, dear?" Esme wrapped an arm around her, guiding her to the back. "Get some fresh air. I'll take over the cleaning."

"Yes, Esme." 

Esme pressed a kiss to Driana's temple before heading back inside. Driana released a shaky breath and guided herself to the river's edge. She immersed herself in the sound, breathing in the air of the trees that surrounded her. A figure approached Driana, keeping their distance.

"How are you feeling?"

"I don't know," Driana answered.

Emmett sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "If it makes you feel better, Edward went off to look for Jasper so they can talk."

"When is Jasper going to come back?"

"Not sure, bud."

"Oh." Driana wrapped her arms around herself for comfort.

"Don't worry, though! We all need time to cool off before returning to normal. I mean, look at me. I ended up fine."

Driana laughed, admiring Emmett's optimism. "We're returning to the way things were, right?"

Emmett huffed, dropping his smile. "I wish I had an answer to that, kid."

"Like you said, don't worry, right?"

Emmett's smile returned, and he gently ruffled Driana's hair. "Right!"

Edward returned without Jasper, making Driana frown. Emmett tried cheering her up by offering her a piggyback ride inside the house. Bella stood in the living room, all stitched up and wearing a different but similar-colored shirt.

"I'll drop Bella home," Edward announced.

"I can drop Driana, too," Emmett offered. He pulled the tiny figure beside him, ruffling her hair. "This was one heck of a party." The family threw him serious glances, and he raised his hands in defense. "What did I say wrong?"