Honeybee

Chapter Twenty-Nine~Reunion

Chapter Twenty-Nine
Reunion
Elizabeth Masen
Voltera, Italy. March, 2006.

Bella was in hysterics by the time we reached a far corner of the waiting room, and Carlisle and I quickly jumped into action to keep her from going into shock.

"Shh, Bella, shh," Edward hushed her softly as Carlisle and I checked her vitals and breathing while putting her into the proper positioning.

"I think she's having hysterics. Maybe you should slap her?" Alice advised very poorly. "Or not." She corrected herself once she saw Carlisle and I's sharp looks directed her way.

"Leave the diagnosis to the doctors, sweetheart, alright?" I cooed softly, kissing her cheek lovingly before resuming my work on Bella.

After Carlisle and I got Bella laid out on the couch, halfway bundled up in the thick cloak Edward was wearing, we felt much better about her prognosis.

"It's all right, you're safe, it's all right." Edward soothed her over and over again, holding her close in an effort to ease her hysteria.

"All...those...people." Bella stuttered, gulping air after each word. Sobs were shaking her already sickly tiny frame.

"I know." Edward murmured gently as I began a different kind of evaluation.

I had suddenly realized that Bella looked much different than she had when we left her. She's lost a worrying amount of weight, her skin isn't as hydrated, and she just looks overall sickly. Her vitals are fine, however, and I could see no signs of self-harm or an extensive eating disorder. I'll have to get her on some meal plans when we get home though. I can't stand to see her suffer on our part.

"It's...so...horrible," Bella continued on as I poked and prodded her.

"Yes, it is. I wish you hadn't had to see that." Edward sighed as Bella curled up against his chest.

"Is there anything I can get you?" The receptionist, Bianca from what I ascertained in her thoughts, asked me, assuming that I was the vampire in charge.

"Some water, please." I nodded and she quickly handed me the bottle waiting behind her back before disappearing again. "Bella, sweet girl, sit up a little and drink some water."

Bella pulled herself together a little at the sound of my voice and sat up, her eyes wide as she took in my face.

"Elizabeth." She gasped, throwing herself forward into my ready arms, hugging me tightly to her. "Thank you." She sighed deeply and I wrapped my arms around her quickly.

"No, thank you, precious Bella." I smiled at her as I eased her back into Edwards arms, forcing the bottle of water into her hands.

"Does she know what's going on here?" Bella asked, looking much more in control of herself.

"Yes. She knows everything." Edward assured her, having heard the same chatter in Bianca's mind as I had.

"Does she know they're going to kill her someday?"

"She knows it's a possibility." He replied. "She's hoping that they'll decide to keep her."

The color in Bella's face drained away as her eyes returned to their widened state.

"How can she want that?" Bella moaned. "How can she watch those people file through to that hideous room and want to be a part of that?" Bella turned to face Edward before crumbling. "Oh, Edward!" Bella cried desperately.

"What's wrong?" He worried quickly, trying to ease her stress though he himself was struggling to feel human in this cold place.

"Is it really sick for me to be happy right now?" she asked in a broken voice full of an overwhelming amount of emotion.