Touch in the Worlds - Return to the Beyond

18: Mixed Feelings

"He asked Bella. She told him the truth."

"So, he knows they're fighting?" She turned her eyes back on him.

He returned the look with some reluctance.

"Are you sure they're still just fighting, Alice?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"It's been what...something like a month," he mumbled, unsure how to proceed.

She didn't answer.

"Do you know what happened to her today?" she asked instead.

"She didn't say. I think it's related to what happened to me today though."

She kept staring at him, prodding him to continue.

"Well," he stuttered, flustered from the unflinching gaze of the youngest Cullen Female. "She has a crash and at the exact same time someone barges into my house? Whoever hurt her must've made sure we couldn't reach her even if she was near La Push, and whoever got to me must've thought that even if you all got to her in time, I would've been an easy target. If I was gone, Tulika would've tried to get to me. If she got taken, I would've gone after her." He shrugged. "It's how we function." He finished, unable to help himself from feeling a little lame.

"That's quite a theory." She said.

He finally let out a snort.

"I spent six months with her, Alice. Trust me; I picked up a lot of things from her." He said, a smirk blooming as he tilted his head to look through the dark window of her hospital room.

His smirk slowly faded as he stood up from his seat, going to his girlfriend.

"Hey," she sighed, leaning once again on that damn shoulder.

He pressed his cheek against her hair, looking at her father. "Sir, I think you and Bella should head home; Alice, Jacob and I will stay back." he said.

"No, I want to stay with her." Bella said immediately.

"B, calm down, I'm with her. Besides, both of you look dead on your feet. You can't help her if you collapse and need to be admitted yourselves." He said reasonably.

"That's really kind of you; Stephen but Bella and I need to stay here. She's our girl, after all." Charlie said, taking a large gulp of coffee before cutting his daughter a look. "Although, if you want to take Bella home..."

"Dad, don't," She cut him off immediately.

Charlie and Stephen bothsighed.

"Jacob." The word was a hoarse whisper.

Jacob stirred before slipping back into oblivion, unknowing that the voice was not in his dreams.

"Jake, wake up." He grunted first before opening one bleary and red streaked eye.

He rubbed the eye, wincing at the fluff in them from the hospital blankets as he straightened, his neck cracking from the strain of having to support his head.

Tulika watched him with barely focused eyes, her hair tangled on the pillows, her hand still encased in his.

"Good evening." She gave a lopsided look before tilting her head slightly, "You look tired." She continued, making him snort.