Everything changes

Chapter 18: Glue Me Back Together

I rolled onto my side and forced myself to my legs. The pain increased ten times as bad. I had never experienced anything like it. Taking a deep breath, I took off towards Forks. The pain was almost crippling when I ran. It felt like I couldn't breathe. When I got to the Cullen's, I damn near broke down the door in my haste to get inside. As soon as I crossed the threshold, I stripped off my shirt collapsed on the couch. I inspected the holes that were still bleeding the best I could as I dug in my pocket for my cell phone. I found it with some difficulty and hit speed dial six.

"Hello?" Carlisle answered after too long. I knew I had interrupted him while actually hunting, which is why it was a rule not to call them when they were on their trips unless it was an emergency. I think this classified.

"I need you to get back here as soon as possible." I told him as calmly as I could. It hurt to breathe and talk though.

"What's…?"

"Just get back here. Just you. Nobody else."

"Bella? What's going on?"

"Bella? Why is she calling?" I heard Jasper's voice in the background.

"I'm at your house. Don't let anyone else come." I begged as tears rolled off my cheeks.

"Why can't anyone else come?"

"Please, Carlisle." I was sobbing now. I heard muffled sounds and footsteps then more muffled sounds.

"Bella? What's wrong? Bella?" Jasper's frantic voice said.

"Where's Carlisle?"

"He just took off. Baby, what's going on?" I couldn't tell him that I just got attacked by a werewolf. He'd run back as quickly as possible. And their house had blood all over the place. Someone could lose control. I knew my blood had no scent to them when it was in the body, but I couldn't be sure what would happen if they smelt it while I was actually bleeding.

"Just stay there and don't come back until we call you. How long will it be until he gets back to your house?"

"Twenty minutes. Bella, please tell me what's going on."

"I have to go. I'll call you in a little bit. I love you."

"Bella…" I hung up hoping he'd just stay where he was.

Carlisle would be here in about eighteen minutes. I needed to slow the bleeding the best I could. I grabbed one of the throw pillows silently apologizing to Esme and pressed it to my chest and abdomen. I didn't know if it would help or how fast I would heal. I didn't even know if Carlisle would be able to help me.

Minutes seemed to drag on for hours as I counted my slow heart beats. I breathed slowly trying my best to think of something other than the pain. I thought of Jasper and our time together. I thought about the love that flowed out of him this morning and his husky, smooth voice with a light Southern accent lingering between every word. It made my heart melt and flutter all that the same time. I remembered how I fought off a chill every time he lovingly caressed my body and whenever he buried his head in the crook of my neck I could feel his cool breath on my skin. These thoughts chased away the pain until it was in the back of my mind.

I moved the pillow from my bleeding wounds. The heavy scent of rust and salt lingered in the air twisting at my stomach. I forced the thought away and reexamined the deep wounds. Returning the pillow, I turned my head to the clock to see Carlisle was still a few minutes out. My phone started ringing for the third time in the last couple minutes. I ignored it knowing it was Jasper. Staring up at the ceiling, I tried to refocus my thoughts on something else.

Time passed slowly until I heard light, rapid footsteps coming towards the house. I only heard one set and sigh with relief when I realized he was alone. After a second, the door flew open. "Oh my god." He breathed out either seeing or smelling the blood. "Bella!"

"In here." I answered weakly. He was in the doorway in the flash and stared at me with wide eyes.

"Oh my god, Bella. What happened?" He dropped to his knees next to me and removed the pillow and gasped.

"Werewolf." A look of anger crossed his face. His eyes turned a few shades darker.

"How the hell did that happen?" He growled. It was the angriest I had ever seen him.

"We'll talk about that later. Will you please…?" His eyes soften as he nodded before looking back to my wounds.

"Do you know how easily you heel?"

"Not a clue. I've never even gotten a paper cut."

"Alright, let me get you to my office." He lifted me into his arms and ran me upstairs. He set me down on the couch in his office and started riffling through his stuff. "I think needles will break." He sighed furrowing his eyebrows in deep thought. "Staples won't penetrate. We could try medical glue. We won't have to penetrate your skin. And if you heal like a vampire does when they lose a limb, the wounds should close."

"Worth a try." I sighed. He nodded in agreement but still looked unsure. He ran out of the room and returned with a wet rag. He returned to my side and hastily but carefully wiped away the blood before grabbing some disinfectant. The sting I had seen from commercials didn't come as he spread the disinfectant with sterile gauze. Then again, he disappeared out the door and reappeared with his medical bag. He dug through it for a few moments before withdrawing what looked like a tube of super glue.

"This should keep the wounds closed long enough for the skin to reconnect… I hope." He looked uncertain once again.

"Carlisle, just try it. The worse that could happen is it doesn't work and I'm still bleeding."

He took a deep breath and nodded. "It's worth a try." I lied perfect still as his fingers attempted to glue the wounds shut. He looked at me apologetically every time I whimpered. It took nearly five minutes until he declared it was the best he could do. He helped me to the sitting position then wrapped my abdomen and chest in what had to be three inches of gauze. "You have to stay in bed. No sudden movements. It might tear the glue."

I nodded as he picked me up and took me to Jasper's room, where I'd be more comfortable. "So what happened?" He asked once I was settled in bed.

"I was out on a run, and I was sure I kept on our side of the line. The next thing I know a big dog is on top of me digging his claws into me. Then he jumped off and stared at me before taking off into the woods." He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Come on, Carlisle. I'll be fine. No worries."

"It's not acceptable, Bella. You have a heart beat! They should have know."

"I look like a vamp, though. Please just let it go. Nothing to worry about."

He sighed. "It's not right, Bella. I'll let it go for now, but Jasper won't." I grimaced. "I'm going to go bleach the blood. Call if you need me." I nodded as he walked out. It wasn't long until the foul sting on bleach burnt my nose. Sighing, I relaxed back into bed willing the pain in my abdomen to go away. I glanced over at Jasper's side of the bed and frowned. I missed Jasper.