162Biloxi, 1920
Rain drops fell lightly against the window of the car; the only sounds were the tiny beating of the drops and the dull roar of thunder in the distance, causing the sound of the engine to disappear. Bella looked out the window in the backseat of her parent's car, wondering what was about to happen to her, wondering if she was ever going to be free again. She turned to her parents, meeting the back of her father's head, and the soft sobs of her mother, who couldn't bring it to herself to look at her daughter anymore.
Bella didn't know what to say to them anymore, she wasn't sure what she did that was considered so wrong, so evil. All she did was…love someone. Why did that deserve punishment? She was scared, afraid for her safety. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going, all she knew was that her parents told her they were taking her somewhere where they thought they could help her.
The tears began rolling down Bella's cheeks once again, the sight of the sign in front of her made the fear in her heart escalate once again. This couldn't have been where they were taking her. Why would they even consider this as an option?
Wetmore Asylum
"You're taking me to an…asylum?" Bella cried out suddenly, wanting to turn around and go back home. She would do whatever her parents wanted, she would behave for them, anything to turn around and just go back home.
Her mother covered her handkerchief over her face and only sobbed louder, her father sighed, and continued driving, not addressing her.
"Please, let's go home. I don't belong here. There's nothing wrong with me. Please, I want to go back home." Bella sat up closer to them, becoming frantic.
Finally her father said something, just as they were turning into the drive that led up to a lonely building. "It's for the best, Isabella. Your thoughts are unnatural. They can help you." He sounded as if he'd been rehearsed.
Bella looked out the window once more, the towering building coming closer into view. Nothing else was out here, they were far away from any source of society, any sign of normalcy. This was perfect place to dump someone off and forget about them. Somewhere they could throw their embarrassment of a daughter, and forget about her. Another wave of hopelessness washed over her as they approached the front gate, and guards in a basic gray uniform opened the gates for her father after he stated Bella's name. He wasn't going to turn back; this is where they were taking her.
"Dad…please. Don't leave me here." Bella whispered, looking to her mother for any kind of response, any kind of recognition besides just crying. "Mom, I don't want to be here. I won't do it anymore, please mother…I won't ever see her again."
Her mother looked to her father as the car came to a stop in front of the building where people were already waiting for them. Expecting her. Her father turned off the car, and shook his head to Bella's mother, any kind of hope of getting out of this situation vanished.
"It's too late Bella…you need help. What you and Susan were doing…it isn't natural. We can't have that in our family. I really hope they can cure you, and then you'll be able to come home. Maybe then you'll find a nice boy and start a family." Bella's mother tried to find hope in a lost cause.
Her face twisted in pain, what kind of sick life was this? To be institutionalized for loving someone? To have love for someone, and to be locked away for it? How can they call love a disease? Bella sat back in her seat, without another word. She had no idea what to say anymore. She suddenly felt disgusted for being related to her parents. How could they do this? Didn't they love her?
Two men dressed in all white, and a woman in a white dress with a black sweater on top approached the car. Bella wasn't moving, not even when they opened the door and greeted her. She didn't look at them, she didn't respond. She stared at her father, who refused to look at her anymore. Her mother's cries grew louder again, and Bella just stared straight ahead.
Weren't they even going to come inside with her? Or were they just going to dump her off like garbage? Too embarrassed or ashamed to face their daughter, who they were locking away for loving another woman.
One of the men opened the back door of the car, Bella hadn't looked their way yet.
"Isabella Swan, we've been expecting you." The woman spoke with a sickening smile. It was her job to smile, to make everything seem okay. Who knew what actually went on behind those doors?
"Ms. Swan? Peter and Charles would like to take your suitcase and help you get settled. If you'll just come with me, you would be making our jobs a lot easier. Mr. and Mrs. Swan, how are you doing today? Would you like to come inside and see where your daughter will be staying?" She tried her best to make conversation out of a horrible situation.
"No, thank you. I can't bare it. We'll sign the papers here." Her mother replied.
Bella turned her attention to the two men who were quietly smiling at her. Charles was a rather plain looking man, red hair, brown eyes, and covered in freckles. His teeth were yellow, probably stained from tobacco use. Peter however, was oddly handsome. He was tall, extremely pale, had dark hair and yellow eyes. Bella seemed slightly at ease when he returned her gaze.
"Ms. Swan, let me help you out of the car. Please." He held out his hand for her as if to warn her that if she didn't get out of the car, they would have to force her out.
Bella looked back at her parents one last time, who refused to return eye contact. She grabbed her suit case, and handed it to Charles, and she took Peter's hand, and withdrew her hand immediately. He was freezing.
"It's okay Ms. Swan, let me help you to the door. Do you want to say good bye to your parents?" Peter asked.
The woman, who was quietly speaking with Bella's parents after handing them a few sheets of paper for them to sign, now turned her attention to Bella. "Let me introduce myself, my name is Katherine Wilson, I am head of the female unit of the asylum. You and I will be spending a lot of time together during your stay. Let me assure you, that we take care of our patients here, and that you and your parents have nothing to worry about. Your health is our top priority." Her hand touched Bella's back lightly and she guided her toward the main entrance. Peter and Charles were waiting on the stairs for her, the rain drops causing their uniforms to stick to their bodies.
Bella turned one last time, one last glimmer of hope she had that this could all turn around, that this could all go away and she could go home was lost when her parents didn't return her gaze. Ms. Wilson returned to the passenger side of the vehicle, this time speaking softer so that Bella could no longer hear what they were discussing. With a few more swipes of the pen, Bella's life was handed away. They gave Ms. Wilson the papers back after a few more seconds of scanning the words, not taking the proper time to look over what exactly they were going to do to their daughter. The car started back up, without any goodbye from them, without even a glance, they were driving away without her, stranding her.
"Come on dear, it does no good to stand here in the rain." Ms. Wilson said quietly.
"They didn't even say goodbye. They didn't even look at me." Bella stood there, in her yellow dress, watching as her parents drove away. She wondered if she would ever see them again. Was this going to be her home for the rest of her life?
She looked up at the building, watching as the rain drops came pouring down on her face. This was not a friendly looking place; there were bars on the windows, an eerie gothic type of architecture. There were gargoyles along the roof top and on the steeple, in the center of the roof, a large cross stood. Her eyes roamed the outside of her new home, the surroundings, and she realized once again how far away from society she was. There were trees, and more trees, the only thing that looked a little comforting was a small lake with what appeared to be a dilapidated dock. She didn't see any patients on the outside, and she found herself wondering if she was ever going to get to go outside again.
"I don't belong here. There's nothing wrong with me." Bella said more to herself than to anyone surrounding her. She looked up one last time at the building, and this time, noticed a figure staring down at her from one of the windows. Small in stature, short black hair. That's all she could make out.
"Oh dear, no one said there was anything wrong with you. We're just here to help you with your thoughts. Get them straightened out. As soon as that's fixed, then you'll be able to go back home."Ms. Wilson smiled at Peter and Charles, who smiled back at her.
Bella looked back at the window, and the figure was gone. She soaked her dress by standing in the rain, and decided that it was best she follow the attendants before they forced her. They seemed polite and nice for now, but Bella wondered what kind of horrors waited for her on the inside. She only had one suitcase, a small, square box filled with clothes mainly, and a few special things that Susan had given her.
She took comfort in knowing that she had that with her at least. The attendants opened the front door for her, and she stepped inside. The main lobby looked rather basic, filled with attendants, all in white, who were running around in their daily routine, paying no mind to Bella. That's when she noticed that there were two heavy doors on the left side of the main desk, which was reinforced with bars on the viewing windows. Above the door, in large red letters, the words Female Ward stood out. Bella knew that this is where she was going. On the opposite side of the room was the same type of door, but for men. She was thankful at least, that she wasn't going to be mixed in with men.
"This way Ms. Swan." Ms. Wilson guided her toward the doors which she was afraid of, because she knew she was going to placed behind there, and didn't know when or if she was ever going to come back out.
Peter and Charles were now on either side of Bella, standing right behind her in case she tried to run away. There was no getting out of this anymore. Ms. Wilson held one of the heavy doors open for Bella, and she hesitated at first, looking back at Peter, who looked saddened but nodded encouragingly for her to go ahead and go through.
Once she walked through the door, she was immediately directed to the door on the left, which had a sign above the door in the same red writing, Admittance.
"Please, Ms. Swan, take a seat. I want to ask you a few questions before we get you settled if that's alright?" She asked Bella like there was a choice.
Bella nodded. Charles and Peter were waiting right outside the door, but her suitcase had been given to Ms. Wilson. She placed the suitcase on her desk, and opened it up, without asking Bella's permission to do so. This was only the beginning. Her freedom was no more.
"Now Ms. Swan, I know this is a shock to you, and I understand your hesitance of the whole situation. I realize your parents didn't inform you where you were going, so please let me tell you a little bit about us." Ms. Wilson began sorting through Bella's belongings, placing most of her stuff to one side, but tossing other things into a different pile. Her nail file, her razor, even her pens were tossed to one side. She knew she would not be able to keep them, but had hoped that Ms. Wilson wouldn't toss anything away that Susan gave her.
"Well, first let me ask you, do you know exactly why you are here?" Ms. Wilson looked up from her suitcase, and into Bella's eyes.
Bella, who was looking around the office nervously, suddenly felt ashamed of what she was asking. How much had her parents said to her?
"Because I am in love with another woman." She said quietly.
Ms. Wilson nodded her head, "Your thoughts are not natural, Ms. Swan. It is not right to love another woman, do you understand? We are here to help you; we are here to cure you of your illness. So please, don't think that we're here to try to hurt you. We are willing to do everything possible to ensure that you return to society and are able to live a normal, happy life. Do you understand what I am saying, dear?"
Bella could feel fresh tears trickling down her face. The familiar warmth of the tears, tracked down her face and onto her lips, where she opened her mouth to speak, "How is it an illness to love someone?"
Ms. Wilson didn't respond, she moved the suitcase to the side, placing most of her belongings back into the suitcase, and locking it back. She turned her attention to a pile of papers sitting to the left of her, the ones Bella's parents signed. Bella tried to make out what it was, but couldn't read the fine writing. The next few minutes went by in silence as Ms. Wilson read over the paper in front of her.
"From what your parents tell me, Susan is no longer a part of your life?" Ms. Wilson finally asked.
Bella leaned back into the seat, wiping her tears away. "No, she isn't."
Ms. Wilson smiled at that, pleased with Bella's answer. "Good, that is the first step to recovering. We have a lot more planned for you Ms. Swan. Peter, can you go ahead and take Ms. Swan's belongings to room…let me see here."
Ms. Wilson took out another sheet of paper, and was examining it while Peter stood there quietly. "Why don't we place her with Ms. Brandon, in room 12? I think she'll be fine rooming with her, as long as we keep a good eye on the both of them."
Peter nodded, and his smile grew wider. He seemed almost pleased at the name. "Yes ma'am. I'll go set up her side of the room and make sure everything is prepared. I'll inform Ms. Brandon that she's going to have a roommate."
"Thank you Peter. Charles, if you'll stay here a while longer while I continue my discussion with Ms. Swan here."
Charles nodded, and continued standing by the door. Bella glanced at him once and he returned her gaze with a creepy smile. She didn't like him very much.
"Now, we're having you room with Ms. Brandon, but I expect the best behavior from you. I don't want to catch anything unnatural going on between the two of you, or anyone for that matter. I can't place you in the men's ward. Things will be a little different for you, Ms. Swan. You can room with females and interact with them, but certain things like showers and changing will be separate. We can't have any kind of influence of any sort, and the sooner you understand that, the sooner you will recover. Do you understand what I am saying?"
Bella was in a sort of daze, all of this was so overwhelming, and most of the words Ms. Wilson said flew past her head. Her thoughts were going in all directions, but she was trying so hard to focus on the moment and pay attention to what she was being told, but her mind wouldn't let her.
She began rubbing at her knees, trying to calm down. Bella didn't want to cry anymore, but she didn't know what else to do. Her girlfriend left her, her parents left her, and now she was being admitted into a mental institution. She had never felt so lost in her life than she did at this moment. She was only 17, too young for all these bad things to be happening to her.
Ms. Wilson could see that she was becoming overwhelmed, and almost looked sympathetic. Bella looked like a sweet enough girl; she had just been taken off course with her thoughts on love. That was all, she definitely wasn't the worst case they had received, and she thought it might be best to take it easy on her on her first day.
Ms. Wilson sighed, looking at Bella who was clearly distraught. "I'm sorry, Bella, is that alright to call you?"
Bella nodded.
"Right, Bella, I'm sorry, this must be a lot for you to take in. Why don't we continue this conversation later? You're here now, would you like to rest for a while, collect your thoughts?"
Bella looked up at Ms. Wilson through blurry eyes, and nodded her head again. She didn't feel like talking anymore.
"Charles, can you escort Bella to her room? We'll talk once you get some rest." Ms. Wilson tried her best to smile encouragingly to Bella, but she didn't seem to respond.
She stood up from her spot and looked at Charles, who gave her another creepy smile. He held the door open for her, and Bella stepped back into the hallway without giving Ms. Wilson another glance. He quietly walked her down the hallway, where they entered the common area. There were few tables with various games, a sofa to sit, where some of the patients were sitting. Curious, they all looked up at the same time to see who the new girl was. She didn't return their stares. Bella hadn't seen the figure that was watching her yet. A few nurses were sitting in the common room, watching the patients, or talking amongst themselves. Nothing out of the ordinary had occurred yet, and Bella was thankful for that.
Bella realized she was still in her yellow dress, which was still soaked from the rain. She just wanted to get out of her clothes and rest. She wanted to forget about this day, she wanted it to be over. Charles had said nothing the entire time he guided her to her room, he just continued to smile and stare as they continued walking down the corridor. Peter was standing ahead at one of the doors, waiting patiently for her.
"Ms. Swan, this will be where you'll be staying. I'd like you to meet your roommate, Ms. Brandon." He gestured for Bella to enter the room, and Bella nodded thanks to him and turned the corner to look inside the room. She had no idea who she was about to meet.
That's when she saw her; the figure that was watching her through the window outside was now sitting directly in front of her. She was sitting on her bed, wearing a plain white shirt and black pants. Her head had recently been shaved, but had begun to grow back. Bella stopped in her tracks when she made eye contact with her, unable to move further. She was absolutely beautiful. Her smile radiated across the room, how could she be so happy to be in a place like this?
"Hello Ms. Swan, I'm Mary Brandon. I've been waiting for you for ages now. It's nice to finally meet you." She sat up from her position on her bed, and walked over to Bella, giving her a warm hug. Bella stood there, motionless, unsure of what to do. This beautiful woman was hugging her, and she wasn't exactly sure how to respond. Ms. Wilson made it clear not to make any mistakes, but how was she supposed to room with someone like Mary, and not make any mistakes?
Mary turned and looked at Peter who shook his head slightly at her, and she let go. She extended her hand for Bella, asking for a handshake. "I'm sorry; I can be a bit too friendly at times."
Bella took Mary's hand carefully in her own, and shook it slightly. She wasn't used to handshakes either. "I'm Isabella, but you may call me Bella." she managed to say.
Mary laughed, still holding on to Bella's hand, "I know your name, silly. I must say I'm looking forward to rooming with you. I think we're going to have a great time together."
She let go of Mary's hand, and looked over at the small bed on the opposite side of the room. There wasn't much space between the two beds. How was she supposed to room with the most beautiful woman she has ever seen before? How was she ever going to get out of here with a roommate like her?
"Oh, and Bella?"
Bella turned her attention back to her beautiful new roommate. "Yes?"
"I'd like it if you called me Alice. That's my middle name, and I prefer it over Mary."
"Of course, Alice. It's a pleasure to meet you."
A/N: It has been a while since I've written for this pairing, but I had this idea to write a story for them, and think I can develop it into something good. I really love this pairing, and love the theme of time, and if love can last over the ages. So this is where we meet Alice and Bella, both human, both in the same institution. What will happen between the two and their time spent here? A fair warning, if I do continue this, there will be what some may consider dark themes. Sensitive topics on the nature of love, and how homosexuality used to be viewed. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy what I've written, and stick around for more. Thank you.