If Only Time Stood Still

Chapter 22: Truths and Confrontations

Forks, Washington State

Mikaelson Manor

Elijah sighed, knowing that he had to tell Bella the truth of why he and his family came to Forks; but he didn't really know how to explain it to her.

Yes, he admits what drawn him close to Bella was the sheer fact she looks exactly like Isabel; but yet what made him fall for Bella was her generous personality, selflessness and how she places everyone's lives before her own.

But how could he explain all that to her?

Would she get the wrong idea and think that Elijah only loves her because she looks like Isabel?

"Elijah?"

He looked up from the book he was supposed to be reading and stared towards the human girl that he was just thinking about.

"Yes, Bella?"

Bella bit her lip before asking the question that had been bugging her since Elijah mentioned his deceased wife, Isabel. Bella knew quite frankly that she was being nosy, but couldn't help but wonder how beautiful Isabel looked. "What did Isabel look like?"

Elijah stared at Bella; silently he sighed knowing this was bound to happen but he wanted to do it on his own terms.

"I mean," Bella added. "You and your family talked about her so much that I wondered if you have a picture or something of her."

"I do believe I have a sketch of her somewhere," Elijah replied. "Though it's in one of my many sketch books"

"Oh." Bella said, looking back down at the book she held in her hands. "It's okay, you don't have to-?"

"Trust me, Bella," Elijah whispered; making Bella look up from the book, Elijah was so close to her that she could also kiss him. "It's best if I do show you what Isabel looked like."

"Wha-?" Bella started but stopped as Elijah blurred up the stairs and was back before she could even blink an eyelash; she then noticed that Elijah held an open sketch but was hesitating in handing it over to her to have a look. So Bella got to her feet, slowly removed the book from Elijah's grip and flipped it around so she could have a look; as she stared at the book, Bella froze, no movement nor sound came from her at all, which slightly made Elijah panic.

"Bella?" Elijah asked as he placed a hand onto her shoulder, making the frozen girl come out of her shock.

"She... I... You..." Bella shuttered as she looked from the drawing to Elijah and back again. "She... She looks like me."

"Yes," Elijah whispered softly. "Yes, she does."

"I think... No I need to go home." Bella said as she quickly handed Elijah back his sketch book. "Tell Rebekah that I'm sorry and I'll call her soon."

Before Elijah could reply, Bella was out the front door; which left the poor Original vampire lost for words, he didn't know what to say or do; he heard the roaring of Bella's truck indicating that the human girl was about to drive away from him.

Elijah then closed the book and made his mind up. "Bella!"

With her name called, Bella turned to see Elijah zoom towards her truck; with a slight gasp Elijah held her door open, stopping her from going anywhere.

"Leave me alone, Elijah." Bella replied trying to close her driver's side door.

"We need to talk..."

"We don't need to talk," Bella replied, gaining the upper hand and closed her driver's door. "I may look like Isabel, sound like Isabel and maybe act like her; but I'm not her, Elijah. I'm not your wife!"