Answers ... and a little white lie!

Bella sat shivering on the couch with a large blanket wrapped around her. Jared was making her a cup of hot chocolate. Bella could still feel the pain and the ice coldness of the waterfall. She replayed the stabbing pain in her heart over and over again. She kept her eyes glued on Jared as he pottered about in the kitchen.

He finally came in and sat down with her, passing her the drink. He looked worried, she wouldn't say anything. Ever since she uttered those words about knowing what happened to them, all sorts of scenarios started playing through his mind.

Jared finally had enough and placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her a little.

"Bella?"

Jared shook her again. Bella moved her head as if in a trance and struggled to focus. Her eyes were still locked on him but they also looked far away. The only thing in her mind was the pain she felt at losing Jared in that life. Jared decided to try and be patient. It took some time, but she finally came around at least enough to find her voice.

"Jared I saw the final bit in our story. I felt the pain of your death. It was so bad that I took my own life," Bella's eyes started to well up.

Jared nodded and took a deep breath.

"Do you think you can tell me?" Bella nodded and took a deep shaky breath.

"I was packing a bag with Angela's help, we were gonna run away together. Only you didn't show up, Kurux and Honga showed instead and told me that you had been arrested for killing Edward. The next day Charlie told me about Edward's death."

"I said something about it being impossible for it to be murder if you did attack him. Charlie said he knew what Edward was and he had bought his stupid story about being me and him being soul mates or something."

"I told him about us and then he agreed to try and help you but he couldn't. Then that night he woke me up, said that you were escaping with help and then you and I were gonna go away together. Only whilst we were waiting for you, this intense, agonizing pain shot right through my heart and I collapsed. The next day I woke up and Charlie told me you had been killed."

"For days, I couldn't eat or sleep, I wouldn't speak or do anything until one night I got up and went for a walk. I ended up at a very high waterfall. After looking up in the sky and saying 'I will see you soon, I jumped."

Jared wasn't sure what to do or think. The idea that Bella would take her own life if something ever happened to him was a scary thought indeed. He took a few deep breaths and then turned to Bella.

"Bella you need to listen to me and listen very clearly, if and I mean if something ever happens to me then I want you to promise me that you will live. Promise me that, please Bella! The thought of you taking your life to follow me into death scares me beyond belief," he asked.

Bella couldn't promise that, she wasn't sure she would be able to live on if he died. He was staring at her intently never looking away.

Bella shook her head, "No Jared I can't promise you that, I can't say if I could survive without you. It all depends on who else is in our lives, like children. If we have children then I will try to carry on without you but otherwise I can't promise. Can you accept that?" she asked.

Jared didn't want that answer but he knew it was the only answer she was going to give him. Neither could go back to sleep so they decided to make preparations for Embry's grandmother to come and stay. Charlie had called to confirm that he would be at Jared's house by at least 6 o'clock.

Luckily Embry had asked his grandmother to come and play the part. She was looking forward to it. Her words were 'always up for a bit of fun'. Bella instantly liked her just for that.

Embry arrived at lunchtime with his grandmother Rosa so that she could get to know Bella before her father comes. Bella was expecting a very old and frail looking old lady from the way the guys described her. She did look very old but she had the look of strength in her that Bella instantly felt safe with.

"Now then dears, tell me my role here" she asked in a very thick tribal accent.

Jared smiled, "Well, I'm your grandson. You are visiting me from a different reservation, you've had a stroke and the reason you have come to me is because in your reservation you wouldn't get much peace. You need constant help and supervision. I take care of you during the mornings and Bella the afternoons and we share during the evenings."

Rosa nodded with a smile, "you've been her for a bit now so you don't need to look frail or sick or anything like that. Just don't move about to quickly it would probably be best to remain sitting unless you need the bathroom. If you do need the bathroom then Bella needs to help you to it and stay with you. So it looks like she is helping you with all the feminine bits."

Rosa chuckled this time. Bella smiled at her.

"Is that all ok with you Rosa? You can always change your mind,"

Rosa shook her head, "Nonsense Bella, it all sounds like good fun!"

Bella and Jared both sighed in relief.

---

Later that night after dinner, Charlie sat on Jared's couch next to Rosa. She smiled nicely at him which had him feeling a little exposed. Bella stood in the kitchen with Jared watching him. She chuckled to herself.

"What's so funny?" asked Jared.

Bella nodded towards her father.

"Look at him he looks really nervous next to her, he was like that with grandma. The few times that I saw them together," she explained.

Jared smiled and picked up some coffee mugs and took them through. Bella sat next to her father and Jared sat on the floor next to her. Eventually, Charlie cleared his throat.

"So, Rosa, have you been enjoying your time here with your grandson?"

"Hh yes it's been great fun staying here, Bella's been a real help to me," Rosa said with a smile.

Charlie nodded and looked proudly at his daughter.

"At my reservation I have all different kinds of young uns' and the sort trafficking through my house. It's always crazy and hectic but I wouldn't change a thing, I love the hustle and bustle. Just needed some quiet me time for a little," she smiled at Bella and Jared knowingly.

Charlie nodded, "Yeah I can only imagine what a strain it can take having a busy life when you have a stroke,"

Rosa smiled again and nodded.

Later that night after Bella said goodbye to her dad she sat on the sofa with Jared and Rosa. They waited until they heard his cruiser drive away, then they just stared at each other and burst out laughing.

"Well, I have never had so much fun in all my life!" exclaimed Rosa.

Bella and Jared nodded agreeing completely. After a bit Jared walked Rosa home whilst Bella cleared away the dishes. Bella decided to take a shower whilst she waited for Jared to come back. As the water cascaded down her body she let her mind clear.

Water cascading down the falls!

Ice cold!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

'I'll be with you soon my love'

Bella's eyes shot open. Her head was pounding with the sound of the falls as if she was there. Bella quickly shut the shower off and stepped out. Quickly, she dressed in one of Jared's shirts and climbed into the covers shaking. Jared came in, in a rush and headed straight for his bedroom.

"Bella what's wrong?" he asked as he sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

Bella gripped him as tightly as she could. She couldn't let him go.

"Bella baby! Please tell me what's wrong. What happened? Please talk to me," Jared begged her trying to get her to look at him but she wouldn't move.

"I can hear it. It won't stop" was all she said over and over again.

Jared tried to make sense of it but he couldn't understand.

"Bella please talk to me. What happened?" he begged again.

Bella shook her head trying to clear it but it wasn't working. All she could hear was the sound of the falls.

Jared held her for at least an hour before she was finally able to lift herself up and look at him. He decided not to say anything this time he just waited for her to speak. Bella memorised his face before she started roaming her hands over his body. Not in any sexual way she just had to make sure he was there and that he was ok.

"I … I was in.... the... the shower. I started ... thinking about the last dream we had. All I could hear was the sound of the water going over the falls and the feeling of the cold water. I had the shower on hot, yet it felt cold, ice cold," she explained.

Jared sighed and pulled her close. He didn't say anything, to be truthful he had no idea what to say. How could he erase the memory of her killing herself because of his death? He also had a problem with that image.

"Bella, promise me something," he stated she looked up at him curiously. "Promise me that if I ever do die, then I want you to stay alive, ok? Hopefully one day we will have children and they will need you and even if we don't you still have to live."

Bella started shaking her head but Jared looked firm.

"Promise me, Bella! You have to promise me, I need you to."

A small tear fell down her cheek but she slowly nodded.

"Say it Bella!" he demanded.

"I promise Jared," she said with a whimper.

Bellaclung to Jared all night refusing to let him go. He was as equally reluctant to let her go.