AN:Time to starting picking up the plot. Hold on tight kiddies.

Chapter Seven

The Visitor

It was fair to say that Edward had regressed. Even after he calmed down from the playing card freak out, he never came back to himself fully. The muttering got worse, he went back to the furtive movements. He rarely met my eyes, never laughed, and, worst of all, he stopped talking to me. The curious questions, the late nights spent trying to unravel his riddles, and the ease of our companionable silences went away. Our date was never mentioned again, and it hurt to admit how much that disappointed me.

I tried everything I could think of to help him. I tried to distract him, I tried to confront him, I tried to give him space, but nothing worked. He wouldn't respond. The part of me that had begun fall for him hurt. It was sore like it had been hit a hundred times over by a metal rod.

I told myself that it didn't matter, but the truth was that I was in love with him. Even now, while he was moody and sullen, I loved him. I just wanted him to get better.

That was what drove me to Jacob. He was an old friend of mine and an a physiatrist. If anyone knew how I could reach Edward, he would.

Unfortunately, after telling the whole story to him, Jake seemed more upset about me than anything else. "You just took a guy in off the street? And you've been living with him for months?"

"Yes." I snapped, irritated that he was turning this on me. Jake was far too protective, always had been. It was one of the reasons we broke up. "I have, but Edward is sweet, kind, and generous. He wouldn't hurt a fly. Now tell me how to help him."

Jake sighed, pursing his lips in a classic best-way-to-deliver-bad-news face. "Bella, the man is clearly suffering a psychotic break and a classic case of Alice in Wonderland syndrome."

"Alice in Wonderland syndrome?" His nickname, the Hatter, came to mind.

"It's a neurological case. Those who have it feel detached from reality. They make their own. He's fighting it, which is why he's so disjointed all the time."

"So, he doesn't think that he's a character from the book, or something?"

"Doesn't have to be."

I sighed in relief, more glad than ever that I hadn't told him of Edward's fashion sense. I hated to think of what Jacob would make of the rudy old top hat. "So, how do I help him?"

Jacob was nerve wrecking quiet. I knew what that meant. It meant I wasn't going to like the answer. "Just spit it out, Jake."

"Edward needs psychiatric help. Real help, Bella." Jake's dark eyes told me everything that his words didn't, and my blood boiled in response.

"No. Jacob, no. I am not sending him to one of those places.. He is not going to suffer that way." I clammed up as the room seemed to drop ten degrees. I sank on to his couch and hung my head in my hands, trying to fight off the memories of stale white walls and pain.

"Bella?" Jacob's voice came through a tunnel. I was only barely aware that I was hyperventilating. "Bella, listen to me. Take a deep breath. You're okay. Breath again. You're in my office, not the asylum. Deep breath. You are going to be just fine. Just relax."

I regained control of my breathing, and then my shaking limbs. I fell back against the couch and tried to laugh it off. It came out as half a sob.

I didn't know Jacob had left until he was back and pressing a cool cup of water into my hand. "When was the last time you had a panic attack?"

"Um." I cleared my throat trying to talk and keep my emotions out of my voice. "About ten months."

"And you see why you and Edward living together is a bad thing? You're just feeding each other's crazy."

I wanted to argue. God only knew how much I wanted to disagree and prove how wrong Jacob was, but I couldn't.

"When was the last time you saw Dr. Snow?"

"I don't know." I snapped. "Four or five months."

"Bella, I'm not trying to hurt you. I can tell you care for this guy, but you can't save the world." I refused to look at him, because I knew I would see his deep, earnest, sincere gaze. It was childish, but I wanted this so bad. "You've got to take care of yourself and you can't do that while living with someone in even deeper shit than you."

"So what do you want me to do? Kick him out? Ship him off to one of those disgusting places? That would destroy him, Jacob. You have no idea. You've never met him. He is so honest and sweet. One of those places would wreck him, just as badly as it wrecked me. I can't do it."

"Just think about it, Bella. He needs help. More help than you can offer, I'm afraid."

I did think about it. I couldn't stop thinking about it. It dominated my every waking moment and most of my nightmares, too. I stood by what I said, no asylum. It would destroy everything in him. He would be nothing but a broken shell, staring at walls and drooling. I'd seen it enough in my time locked away in one of those places. I wouldn't let that happen to Edward.

He wasn't in a good place now and he wasn't getting better. I'd had my first panic attack in almost a year. I clearly wasn't enough for him either.

When I thought about him not being there, even in the demented shadowy form he was in now, my heart shattered into a tiny million pieces. I shyed away from that pain, which meant that I put off a decision.

All of these thoughts were swirling through my mind when the chime over the door broke through them. I sighed and tried to put on the best face I could. "Can I help you?"

The customer was just a little a single guy, which was unusual. Most of my customers were kids and their moms. To make matters even more confusing, he was wearing a sharp, grey pinstripe suit with a narrow green tie. His long, pale blond hair was tied back out of his narrow face and steel grey eyes. There was just a hint of southern drawl when he asked, "Excuse me, are you Bella Swan?"

"Yes, I am," I answered uncertainly. "And you are?"

"My name is Jasper." He offered his hand, and I shook it. He grip was firm, but controlled. When I touched his skin there was a feeling like electricity that shot up my arm. I yanked my hand away, already on edge without even hearing his bombshell. "I'm looking for someone. He might be going by the name Edward?"

If I had been a dog my hackles would have been raised. "What do you want with him?"

"I promise you, Bella, I mean him no harm." He held his palms up in front of him in defense. He didn't fool me though. I wasn't letting him anywhere near Edward. "I'm just here to help."

"Did Jacob send you? Cause if he did, I swear to God, I will call the cops. You aren't taking him anywhere."

"I promise you, I mean him no harm. And please don't call the police. I think their tender care wouldn't be very good for him."

"Who are you?" I didn't trust him, not by a long shot, but it seemed like we were on the same page at least.

"My name is Jasper. I am an old friend of his." I listened closer, trying to find anything to either conform or deny his words. "When I heard he was here, I came as soon as I could."

"If you know him, then where did he come from?"

"Somewhere very far from here." It was too invasive for my liking, but he held up his hands again. "I'm afraid we do not have time for that answer for right now. Has he mentioned his daughter?"

I considered for a moment not answering. I had no reason to trust him, but his wide, eyes were so worried that I gave in. "He has, but he can't remember her name."

"Cats eyes, he is more damaged than I thought. Oh well, nothing for it." He said all of this in an undertone before turning his attention back to me. "Her name is Jasmine. Don't tell him that until he figures it out on his own. When he does, give him this."

He handed me a plain white envelope. Inside was something clunky, but it wasn't terribly heavy either. "What is it?"

"It's just something that will help you find her." His eyes darted to the door nervously. "I've been here too long. I better go before they find me here."

He headed toward the door, and I rushed around to stop him. I wasn't going to let him go without answers. I'd been waiting to long for this. "What? Who the hell are you, and who the hell is he? Who is following you, and what the hell is going on here?"

Jasper only stopped and turned to me when he got to the front door. He turned his grey eyes on me, and I gasped. His eyes were slitted like a cat's. "Bella, when you see the White Rabbit, follow it. Don't look back, don't turn around, and make sure Edward has his hat."

I was so shocked that I didn't try to stop him before he slipt out of the door. This was too weird. First Jacob mentioned Alice in Wonderland, then this thing about the white rabbit and Edward being obsessed with an out of fashion hat. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. I couldn't remember anything about the Mad Hatter having a daughter. That only made me feel a little bit better.

By the time I recovered from my shock and rushed out the door, he was gone. There wasn't a trace of him anywhere. It was like he just disappeared. The only proof I had that he had even existed was the crisp white envelope in my hand.

"Bella?" I spun around to find Edward leaning in the doorway.

"Edward, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

He was white as a sheet, which made the dark circles under his eyes stand out all the more. I reached up to put a hand on his forehead and found his skin warm and clammy. His eyes were huge and focused down the street where my interesting visitor had disappeared.

"Bella, I can't get it out of my head. It won't go away." Suddenly he looked down at me, eyes wide and frightened. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"