Aria's Twilight

What Happens Now

Bella's pov

Carlisle wasn't the only one to stay calm. Centuries of experience in the

emergency room were evident in his quiet, authoritative voice.

"Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside."

Unsmiling for once, Emmett nodded. "Come on, Jasper."

Jasper struggled against Emmett's unbreakable grasp, twisting around, reaching toward his brother with his bared teeth, his eyes still past reason.

Edward's face was whiter than bone as he wheeled to crouch in front of a shaken Aria, taking a clearly defensive position. A low warning growl slid from between his clenched teeth. I could tell that he wasn't breathing.

Rosalie, her divine face strangely smug, stepped in front of Jasper-keeping a careful distance from his teeth-and helped Emmett wrestle him through the glass door that Esme held open, one hand pressed over her mouth and nose.

Esme's heart-shaped face was ashamed. "I'm so sorry, girls," she cried as she followed the others into the yard.

"Take her away, Edward," Carlisle murmured.

A second passed, and then Edward nodded slowly and relaxed his stance, he turned to my sister and gently picked her up, bridal style and without even a glance towards me, he sped up the stairs.

Carlisle knelt beside me, leaning close to examine my arm. I could feel the shock frozen on my face, and I tried to compose it.

"Here, Carlisle," Alice said, handing him a towel.

He shook his head. "Too much glass in the wound." He reached over and ripped a long, thin scrap from the bottom of the white tablecloth. He twisted it around my arm above the elbow to form a tourniquet.

The smell of the blood was making me dizzy. My ears rang.

"Bella," Carlisle said softly. "Do you want me to drive you to the hospital, or would you like me to take

care of it here?"

"Here, please," I whispered. If he took me to the hospital, there would be no way to keep this from

Charlie.

"I'll get your bag," Alice said.

"I'll take you to the kitchen table," Carlisle told me as he lifted me effortlessly, while also keeping the pressure steady on my arm.

"How are you doing, Bella?" Carlisle asked.

"I'm fine." My voice was reasonably steady, which pleased me.

I kept glancing at the living room door, I was hoping Edward would return and comfort me, but he never showed.

"He will stay with Aria." my eyes snapped away from the doorway and towards the blonde vampire as he moved elegantly around the room.

"What do you mean?" I asked with furrowed brows. "She's not the one who's bleeding." I pointed out.

Carlisle's face turned tense for only a second and had I not been watching him I would have missed it. "Isabella."

"Just Bella." I automatically corrected him.

"Isabella," he said again in a stern tone, catching my attention even more than before. "Aria is Edward's mate, she will always mean more to him than anyone else." he looked me dead in my eyes "You cannot compete for his affections because, I am sorry to say, there is no competition, Aria has won."

I felt my eyes burn and my jaw set as I turned away but winced when he did something to my arm.

I didn't know if he did it on purpose or not, but it stung.