Adulation / h.s

73

A/N Hey guys, bit of a serious chapter this one and I've written it a couple times as I just wasn't happy with it. Warning; This chapter discusses domestic violence.

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Rosie felt weird all day, she had meetings all morning at work then a viewing at a decorators studio where she was picking out curtains for the nursery.

She had put the feeling weird down to just being pregnant - having an off day.

She also hadn't eaten a great deal, she had breakfast and lunch but hadn't really ate a lot of snacks like she usually does in between.

When she got home she smiled at Harry's car being there already.

"Hello baby, how are you feeling?" He asked with concern. She had texted him during her meetings that she didn't feel right.

"I don't feel sick or anything just.. weird, I don't know. I can't explain it,"

"Do you want to maybe try taking a bath?"

She shook her head. "Later, I'm going to nap first,"

He nods kissing her. "I'll do some work but if you need me shout,"

"I will baby, thank you."

When Rosie woke, she felt a little better but still a little strange. Turning to check her phone she noticed it had been blowing up with notifications.

She blinked herself awake to get on board with what had happened. By scanning the messages from her mum, Bella's mum and Bella's sister something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Sitting up in panic, Rosie shouts for Harry who was in their room within seconds.

"What's going on? What's wrong?" He asked, worried that it was her and the baby.

"It's Bella," She cried reading the messages. From what she could gather in her panicked state, Bella was in hospital. "I need to go to the hospital,"

"Which?" Harry asked stunned.

"St Thomas," She answered pulling her jeans up slowly.

"Okay, we'll go. Are you okay?"

Rosie's teary eyes met his as she shook her head. Harry quickly engulfed her in his arms, her favourite feeling in the world was being hugged and held by Harry. "I'm scared," She whispered. "I don't know what is wrong with her,"

Harry wiped her tears before kissing her. "We'll go, see what's happened and be there for her okay?"

She swallows. "Yeah, thank you."

"Of course,"

When they arrived they were directed to the ward Bella had been placed on. Walking towards her room, Rosie saw her parents and sister all grief stricken.

She hugged Bella's mum before entering her room. Inside, she found a eerily quiet room with a bed in the corner. Looking over to her best friend Rosie automatically gasped at what she witnessed, Harry close behind her holding her hand for support.

That weird feeling completely disappeared once she saw Bella. That weird feeling had been Bella, it had been her gut telling her something was wrong.

Letting go of Harry's hand Rosie rushed to Bella's side to observe her further. "What happened?" She cried.

Bella shook her head as the tears built. "I'm so sorry Rosie, I'm so sorry I didn't listen. You were right, you were right about everything,"

"Jonathan?"

Bella bowed her head.

"..How? What.." Rosie couldn't take it in.

"I've fractured my wrist," Bella holds up her arm slightly, it had already been placed in a cast ready to repair. "He.. fractured my wrist," She reminded herself.

Her jaw was swollen, her eyes bruise protruding by the minute, a lump formed on her forehead, cuts and bruises all down her arms.

"What did he do to you?" Rosie whispered, her throat too constricted by tears to speak properly.

Bella licked her lips. "We were arguing," She sighed. "I'm so sorry Rosie, you're pregnant you don't deserve this, i've not had any contact for months-"

"None of that matters. You matter," Rosie reassured.

Bella blinked away the tears. "We.. we were arguing, I ran to the bedroom to pack some clothes and when I walked out to head down to the door he grabbed me and just went crazy. He started punching and just hitting me. He didn't stop, he wouldn't stop. I screamed," Bella began to cry.

Rosie reassured her whilst Harry handed her some tissue to give to Bella.

"..I screamed for him to stop, it felt like he was never going to. It was like I was in some nightmare, a living hell. I turned quiet just letting him do whatever. I couldn't fight anymore,"

Rosie bit her lip to hold back the tears. It wasn't the time for her to show her emotions, this was about Bella. But being pregnant and highly hormonal made that a little challenging.

"He told me he'd kill me, told me he'd finish me off so no one else could have me. He, he pushed me down the stairs."

Rosie gripped Bella's good hand as she explained.

"I lay there thinking when he got to me this would be it, I didn't see anyway I could leave or be believed. But luckily as I felt myself fading out of consciousness I heard his mum shouting at him, screaming for me to wake up."

"So she called an ambulance?"

Bella shrugged. "I assume so, when I woke my parents were here,"

Rosie took a deep breath. "Have you reported him?"

Bella nodded. "I told the police everything. About today, the previous times."

"Did you tell them he has security cameras? That they'll find evidence on there?"

Bella nods.

Rosie closed her eyes. "Oh Bella,"

"I know, you think I'm stupid right?"

Rosie shakes her head. "You were a girl in love, I can't call you anything for that."

"I'm sorry,"

Rosie kissed her knuckles. "Don't be, you have nothing to apologise for."

"Thank you for coming, you didn't have to, I've been the worst friend in the world and you haven't deserved it. I don't deserve you as a friend."

"You know that I'd be here whatever. You're my best friend Bella, my soul sister. You think some idiot is going to drive a wedge between us? Just because we haven't seen each other for a little bit, doesn't mean I wouldn't stop the world for you,"

Bella wiped her tears as she gripped Rosie's hand. "Love you Rosie,"

"Love you too, Bella."