Midnight Sun (Twilight #1.5)(195)

"Why isn't she waking up?" I coaxed, trying to get him to get to the coma part.

"Yes, well, because of the extensive damage I have purposefully had her placed in a comatose state to help her heal. I'm not sure how long she will need to be in a coma. It could be a day, it could be several. Don't worry, she'll be okay." Clumsy girl.

You ain't kidding, I thought. "Well, thank you, Dr. Jones."

He nodded once and exited the door. He had good timing, because as soon as he shut the door a thought burst through my mind.

Edward! Pay attention! I'm about to watch this video. Alice shouted from her head.

They found a cord to plug into one of their laptops and were sitting outside in our car that Jasper brought back for us to use.

This is going to be hard to watch, son. Please keep your cool. Carlisle warned.

Sitting, I pulled Bella's hand back into mine. To watch this video, I knew I would have to feel her warmth to remind me she was still alive, that she was still with me...even if she was unconscious.

Watching her actions like they were my own, Alice's finger slowly appeared in my vision as she pressed the play button. I felt a pang of unease. Accompanying my thoughts were Alice's and Carlisle's.

A face appeared on the screen. James.

I took in a heavy breath, preparing myself for the onslaught of pain...torture that watching this will cause me. Deep down, I probably deserve to watch this, to make me see what I did to her.

"Edward, I'm so sorry we couldn't meet today, but I have a prior appointment with your Bella." A sick laugh. "I hope you enjoy the show. Hope to...see you very soon."

I could hear the thoughts of revulsion radiating off of Carlisle.

The screen shook, as I could imagine James placing it upon the stereo. His face was now facing the camera again.

"I just got off the phone with Bella. Looks like she will be here shortly. You shouldn't have let her out of your sight. She's all mine now." He licked his lips.

My stomach jolted, I felt sickened at the thought. The screen no longer showed what he was doing, but I heard him fiddling with something.

My fault, Alice thought again.

Another minute had passed. I focused on Bella, reminding myself once more that she was here, safe.

I heard the door crack open slowly in the video as the air conditioner thrummed quietly in the background.

"Bella? Bella?" I heard a voice call out.

Suddenly Bella was running through the studio, looking around in alarm.

"Bella, you scared me! Don't you ever do that to me again! "

There was a trill of a laugh and Bella whirled around, looking for the noise. I watched as Bella slowly walked towards something out of the camera lens' vision. There was a sudden blue light and she backed away, the light reflecting off her perfect face and her white shirt.

She turned around slowly, anxiety obvious in her deep depths.

Oh no, Alice thought weakly.

My heart ached to watch her panic. She must have been terrified. My desire to throttle James had reached such a pitch, but there was no vampire left to kill, to rip apart and burn.

Bella's eyes focused on something past the camera.

"Sorry about that, Bella, but isn't it better that your mother didn't really have to be involved in all this?" His voice was mellow.

He really is a cruel creature, Carlisle added to my already angry thoughts.

Poison rippled through my veins. He had no right to even talk to her, to even look in her direction. I wanted to reach out and bring death to him. A sudden surge of jealousy hit me as I realized I didn't get this opportunity and never will.

"Yes," Bella answered as relief broke across her face.

She was...relieved? My teeth met with an audible snap as I realized she was being selfless, sacrificing herself for her mother. A trait I loved in Bella, yet hated all at the same time.

And she truly is a magnificent creature, Carlisle added to his previous thought.

"You don't sound angry that I tricked you." A light laugh.

"I'm not." She actually sounded brave.

Brave little Bella, Alice sniffled.

"How odd. You really mean it" James appeared in the picture now. He was slowly walking towards Bella. "I will give your strange coven this much, you humans can be quite interesting. I guess I can see the draw of observing you. It's amazing -- some of you seem to have no sense of your own self-interest at all."

He had no idea how selfless she actually was. He also had no idea how she was absolutely unique, different, not like any human he would have encountered before.

He was standing a few feet away from her now, arms folded, looking at her curiously.

"I suppose you're going to tell me that your boyfriend will avenge you?" James asked.

Avenge? If only I were so lucky! The thought of bringing my teeth to his neck to rip him to pieces, slowly... the satisfaction was almost overwhelming in my sick fantasy. My wish was for him to suffer my retribution and it pained me more to not be able to rip him to shreds with my bare hands.

"No, I don't think so. At least, I asked him not to." Bella's voice trembled.

My heart plummeted while a sick feeling swept over me.

"And what was his reply to that?" James looked hopeful at the prospect.

"I don't know. I left him a letter."