Blood and Snow

Chapter Twenty-Eight

[Day Eleven]

Happy sat on the edge of Belle's bed. Belle herself was laying down and facing the wall. She didn't use any of the pillows and didn't even bother to cover herself with her coat. She hadn't slept at all last night, and she didn't eat anything. Not even Myckenzie's threats worked anymore. Belle didn't seem scared this time. It looked more like she was being eaten up by guilt than anything. "Come on," Happy tried, "maybe you'll feel better if we go on a walk. Maybe we can even go outside if Baron or Flynn comes with us?"

Belle shook her head. Happy looked down and sighed. "You can't just lay on your bed forever."

"Someone will take care of that soon." Belle said in a hollow voice. Happy flinched. "Don't say that. You're going to be fine." She said. 'For now...' Belle thought. She closed her eyes for a moment, 'I really messed up this time... Shadow warned me to keep my head on straight, and I mucked everything up... Father would be disappointed...'

Belle opened her eyes again, not even feeling the urge to kick herself like she normally would when she had thoughts like that. Who the hell cares about what her late father thinks? She shouldn't. No one else will. She's better off forgetting everything that man ever said to her.

'Stop thinking about him.' She told herself. She felt the warmth beside her disappear, and looked around the room for a second. Happy had left, apparently. Belle laid back down again. 'Can't say that I blame her.'

Belle didn't know how long it was until she heard the door open again. She didn't have to see the person to know who it is. She can feel the unsettling aura of the man in her room. He silently walked up to the bed and sat down on the edge of it, not far from her legs. It was silent for a few moments, so Belle decided that she'd speak first. "... Hello, Mason..."

"Hello, Miss Dance." He said back. There was something in his voice that made her feel uneasy. "... How are you?..." Belle tried her best to talk to him without looking at him. "I could be better." He said.

She wished she could see that smile of his again. She knew he hated her now. Why wouldn't he? If you ignored what happened when he questioned her the first time and when they thought she ran away, he's shown her a bit of respect. She had completely destroyed that when she hurt him. Belle clenched her fist, carelessly digging her nails into her palm and probably drawing blood. She still had the dried blood from yesterday on her hand, so for both of their sakes, she kept it hidden by her stomach.

Wincing, she finally asked, "... Is your chest alright?..."

He was silent for a minute, which worried her. Mason huffed quietly. "Sore. I might have to ask Tyreke to use stitches instead of bandages." He stated. Mason saw Belle wince as he said the word "stitches" and narrowed his eyes. "Why did you attack me? You weren't aggressive before, and you certainly don't act like it now." He growled. Belle curled in on herself more, then shakily sat up. He took notice of the blood still on her hand, and when she saw him looking at it, she pulled her hand behind her back and looked away shamefully.

'Is she just nervous because I might hurt her again?' He asked himself. Belle took a deep breathe and said, "I'm sorry."

"What?" Mason asked, taken by surprise. He didn't expect her to apologize until he pulled the pistol out on her. Belle looked at him and repeated herself, "I'm sorry..."

"For scratching me?" He continued her sentence. Belle nodded. "I don't know what I was thinking when I lashed out," she said quietly, "and I didn't even know that I did until the moment before you told me to get out. It's my fault that it even happened. You warned me that you would use force if I didn't answer you, and I—."