Thank you to darcysmom for once again making our words look pretty.
This one shot was originally in the Fandon4Oklahoma compilation.
"Damn it, Edward. I don't know what else to do with you. Your mother is awake all hours of the night worrying about you, and you don't seem to care. You're fifteen years old for crying out loud, Edward. Maybe you should go spend the summer with your Godfather."
"Charlie?" I asked.
Two agonizing days later, the arrangements had all been made, and I was on my way to Forks. Mom and Dad were quiet as we drove down the soggy highway.
We pulled up in front of a small white washed house. The paint was peeling and the rain gutters were full of leaves.
"Charlie said there will be plenty for you to do here, Son."
I grunted.
"Edward, sweetheart, listen to Charlie and be a good boy."
"I can be a 'good boy' at home, Mom. Why do I have to stay here, in this hell hole, with a man I hardly know?"
"Watch your mouth, Edward," my father reprimanded. "You have the opportunity to change that. Get to know Charlie. He's a good man and a good father. He's a hard ass sometimes, but I think that's exactly what you need."
Being at Charlie's was torture. There was minimal internet – dial-up was a bitch. The internet didn't matter much because I had to "earn" my time on the computer. Charlie even took away my phone privileges. There was one phone, and he promptly disconnected it and carried it to his bedroom, closing the door behind him.
"My house – my rules," Charlie grumbled.
He led me to a small guest room and watched from the doorway as I set my stuff on the bed.
"The alarm goes off at five-thirty a.m. We have to be out of here no later than six-fifteen."
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"To work. Dinner's in an hour. You can stay in here or come down and watch the game with me until it's ready, but stay out of Bella's room."
"Who's Bella?"
"My daughter. She's gone to visit her mama for the summer. You'll respect her things while you're here, and stay out of her room."
I had no idea that Charlie had a daughter. I vaguely remembered Mom and Dad talking to him about an Isabella, but I usually tuned them out when they talked.
Girls were one of the many reasons my parents had sent me to Charlie to begin with. I may have only been fifteen, but girls were not a problem. I usually had my pick of them. I didn't do relationships – and I didn't do clingy. I was a heart-breaking asshole. My parents nagged at me constantly, saying that I was getting old enough to take a bit of responsibility for my life. They told me that I needed to save money to buy my own car when I turned sixteen, if I wanted to drive. I couldn't really get a job because I played sports; football and baseball. I had to train for those, and getting a job wouldn't allow that, so my buddy, James hooked me up with his dealer and I became a runner.
Most of my "clients" would meet me at the baseball or football fields, and I made decent money playing the middle man. I made decent money until one night when I went out with James. We went to party where drinks, girls, and drugs were plentiful. I stayed away from the drugs, but took advantage of the drinks and girls. James dropped me off at home around six a.m., and I was still pretty drunk. I hadn't paid attention to the time, and as I stumbled across the lawn, my dad stepped out of his Mercedes.
That's how I ended up at Charlie's house with the alarm going off too early for my liking.
"Come on, boy. Get up. The day's a wastin'."
Charlie had me on trash pickup detail along the side of the highway. The rain was pouring down, but Charlie was insistent.
"Someone's gotta do it – it may as well be you."
I glared at him and went back to the trash.
Every day, it was something different. Cleaning vomit out of the holding cells or scrubbing the toilets in the locker room after one of Charlie's deputies had been in there for thirty minutes. My ire for Charlie grew with each task he gave me. He was probably waiting for me to lash out at him, but I didn't dare give him the satisfaction.
I learned to eat Charlie's horrid cooking and to go to bed early. The duties Charlie bestowed upon me were hard work and they were kicking my ass.
Charlie was a man of few words, and for the most part, he was straight faced, except when he talked to Bella. His whole face lit up and his demeanor changed completely. I wondered what it was about her that could bring about such a change in him.
On Charlie's days off, we went fishing, and scraped and repainted the house. Charlie's friend, Harry, taught me how to replace the rain gutters where they rusted and were falling down.
At first, I resented Charlie for making me work so fucking hard. As the days and weeks passed, I could see the changes. Charlie's house didn't look so run down anymore – it was actually starting to look pretty good, and I felt a little bit of pride at having been the reason it was looking good.
When my parents insisted I go stay with Charlie for the summer you would have thought I was going to the death chamber for how much I put up a fight. Who would have thought that the summer of hell would change my life forever? Not me that was for sure.
One simple, hard-ass cop pushed my limits and showed me how to be a better person. He taught me to respect my elders and to abide by the law. Even in the sweltering hot summer sun I learned lessons I would take with me.
When I left his house at the end of summer, I felt like my life was turning around. I was no longer some punk kid but was becoming a man my parents could be proud of. I started school in September with a new outlook on life.
Although I couldn't change completely overnight, I gradually made adjustments in my life. First - I no longer got myself involved with James. He tried to change my mind on many occasions but I stood my ground which infuriated him. He finally gave up his interest when he found a new lackey to kiss up to him.
The girls still flocked to me and every once and a while I gave in to temptation but for the most part I kept them at bay. I was still a horny fifteen year old teenager no matter how much I had changed.
From that first summer, and every summer after until I graduated high school I stayed with Charlie while his daughter went to visit her mom. Charlie rarely talked to me about Bella, but I could tell that while she was gone he missed her more than he let on.
With each summer that passed, I matured not only physically but mentally from a boy into a man. Charlie was a man I looked up to and it wasn't because my father was inadequate. However, I didn't want to follow in his footsteps and become a doctor. I aspired to be a hero and walk the straight and narrow and go into law enforcement.
Yeah, it was ironic that the boy that once was a runner wanted to put those same drug dealers behind bars ,but it was what I wanted to do. Lucky for m,e my grades were good enough to get into college. After graduation I began summer classes at UDub, and in the fall I'd be starting a full-time schedule, majoring in Criminal Justice.
My parents were proud of everything I had accomplished over the last few years and were happy I had turned my life around. I was able to get a college education while staying close to home, which was something my mom was happy about. She said she wasn't ready to let her only child go off to the real world yet.
Every morning, my mom doted on me making sure I had breakfast and money for lunch. She said growing boys needed to eat otherwise their brains didn't work. For everything I had put my mother through in the past, the least I could do was let her spoil me.
"Sweetheart, I'm very proud of you. You're going to make an amazing police officer some day."
"Thanks, Mom. That's means a lot."
"Your mom's right, Son. If you weren't going to follow me into medicine, there isn't another respectable man I'd rather you to take after. I think those summers with Charlie were just what you needed."
"I have to admit they were, Dad."
After four long, grueling years at UDub, spent busting my ass to get good grades while working a part-time job at the local pizza shop, I now had a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice under my belt. I had even saved enough money to move into my first apartment not too far from home. Come Monday, I would be starting the Police Academy. If the end result meant I would finally be a cop, another six months of hard work was nothing.
UDub had nothing on the grueling workload of the Police Academy. It was both physically and mentally challenging, and after each day I went home with more knowledge, but my body was exhausted. My degree helped with studying, but I still had to learn new laws and procedures as well as report writing. I had no problems excelling in the classroom.
When it came to the physical training, I was lucky enough to partner up with a brute named Emmett McCarty. He was built like a football lineman with broad shoulders and lots and lots of muscles. He could bench press double his weight and probably knock you out with one punch, but once you got to know him, you knew he was just a teddy bear, especially around his girlfriend Rose. We became fast friends, and he helped me build up my strength and endurance so I could excel in our challenges while I helped him with the academics.
By the end of our six month training, I was in the best shape of my life thanks to Emmett, and I was now officially a Seattle Police Officer. As a rookie right out of the Academy, I was assigned an experienced partner. Garrett was a well-built man in is late thirties. He was more like a protective older brother than an uptight police officer. With a wife and no kids he was easy going and we got along great.
Garrett and I had been riding together for about a month when we were assigned to patrol UDub's campus. Recently some car tires had been slashed and some buildings had been vandalized with graffiti and broken windows, and the Seattle Police were hoping to catch the suspects in the act.
"You up for a drink after work, tonight?" Garrett asked.
"Sure, why not. I have nothing else planned."
"You need to get yourself a woman."
"Who says I don't already have one?"
Garrett laughed. "If you have a woman, she's not doing it right. You're wound up tighter than a virgin on prom night."
"Ha, Ha."
"Just sayin' you need to get laid."
I shrugged him off and my laughter died when I saw some commotion over by the library building. I was now on alert and in cop mode.
"Garrett, see that? Pull over."
As we got closer, I saw a group of three men and a woman in the middle of a scuffle. From the cruiser, I could see books and a purse on the ground and could tell the woman was putting up a fight against her attackers. Garrett pulled the car over and I was out of it in a flash.
"Hey! Police!"
The three men took off towards the front of campus, and I yelled to Garrett to follow them and I would help the woman. I was to her in three short strides. She was kneeling down trying to gather her belongings and shaking.
"Ma'am, are you okay?"
I could now see that the front buttons on her shirt were ripped open. She was trying to hold it closed with one had while picking up the contents of her purse. I slowly inched closer trying not to scare her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Ma'am, it's okay. I'm a police officer."
She looked up and my heart broke a little. She was beautiful, with chocolate brown eyes and long mahogany hair. Tears were flowing freely, she had a busted lip and it looked like a bruise on the side of her face was forming where she'd been struck. The buttons on her blouse were gone revealing her bra, and I could see she had blood on her left arm. It was like a punch to the gut to see her like that. No woman should ever be victimized.
"My name is Edward, I'm a police officer, and I'm here to help. I'm going to call for an ambulance so you can get checked out at the hospital."
"Please don't call an ambulance," she whispered.
I had no idea why she didn't want the ambulance called, but I knew she needed to get checked out. Even if she wasn't raped, the trauma of an attempt could mess with someone's head. She seemed to grimace when she put pressure on her right foot, and she held her left arm protectively close to her body. I was sure besides cuts and bruises there were other injuries she sustained, maybe even broken bones but I couldn't be sure. She needed to get her cuts treated and to make sure nothing was broken.
I kneeled down to her level and placed a comforting hand on her arm.
"Alright ... as long as you let me take you to the hospital to get checked out."
"Okay."
I heard heavy footsteps and felt her tense under my touch. I turned to see Garrett running toward us.
"It's okay. It's just my partner, Garrett. He's going to drive us to the hospital."
She nodded.
"Bastards got away," he cocked his head at the woman. "Is she okay?"
I stood up and briefly talked with Garrett explaining the woman's reluctance to have an ambulance called and that we were taking her to the hospital. I also explained that my dad was on call, and I would call ahead to let him know the situation.
As I sat next to this woman, I realized how beautiful and vulnerable she was. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something familiar about her - like I knew her. There were a few fleeting moments that I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. Who was she?
"Can you tell me your name, Miss?"
She rubbed her head and sighed.
"Isabella Swan ... Bella."
"It's okay, Bella. Take a deep breath. Do you have your identification on you?"
She handed me her ID and I took it from her, giving her a timid smile in return.
Isabella Marie Swan
Bella?
I shook my head, finally understanding why she didn't want a fuss made over her. She wasn't wired that way. The information on the card confirmed my suspicions. I helped her into the back of my car and drove her to the hospital. Once she'd been taken inside, I sought out my father.
"Son, you brought in the assault victim?"
I nodded.
"Do you always make it a practice to personally bring victims in?"
"Dad that's not just any victim, that's Bella."
"Bella? As in Charlie's Bella?"
"Yes ... look ..." I said showing him her identification card.
"Charlie's going to have a heart attack. Looks like you were in the right place at the right time, Edward."
Thank fuck. I could only imagine what would have happened if I hadn't seen her being attacked.
"Son, you should call Charlie."
That was one of the hardest phone calls I've ever had to make. It had been a few weeks since I'd last spoken to Charlie.
I walked outside and dialed my Godfather's number.
He sounded tired when he picked up the phone. I had hoped to ease into telling him, but he knew something was up.
"Cut the bullshit, kid. You sound like you've got something to say, so say it."
"I had to bring Bella to the hospital. My dad is with her now."
"What? How?"
"I was on patrol when I saw her being assaulted outside the library."
"My Bella?"
I could hear the panic in his voice, and I could only imagine the myriad of scenarios that were running through his head.
"Yeah."
"Is she … is she okay?"
"She got a few bumps and bruises and she's pretty shaken up, but she seems to be okay. We'll know more after Dad takes a look at her."
"Thank God. Edward, can you tell her I'm on my way? Could you maybe even stay with her until I get there? I don't want her to be alone."
"I'll have to see if I can make arrangements for the rest of my shift …"
"Don't worry about it, Edward. If you don't mind staying there with Bella, I'll call and see if I can pull a couple strings with your superior officer."
"Thanks, Charlie."
"No, thank you, son. If you hadn't been there … God, I can't even think about what could have happened. Just – thank you."
"You're welcome, Sir."
"None of that sir shit, Edward. I'll be in touch."
I ended the call and walked through the emergency room doors to find my father.
He was standing outside the room they'd wheeled Bella into and was quietly talking with a nurse.
"I'll need x-rays of her left wrist and right foot. I'm positive her ankle is broken and I'm confident it's a sprain on her wrist, but I need to be sure."
The nurse nodded and left to put in the orders my father had given her.
"Son … did you talk to Charlie?"
"Yeah, he's on his way."
"Good. You said she was assaulted. Is there a possibility she was raped?"
"No … they were rough with her, grabbing her and ripping her shirt off, but they didn't get further than that."
Dad nodded.
"I wanted to make sure her story matched yours. Sometimes women don't always like to admit they were sexually assaulted."
"How is she?"
"I can't tell you how she is medically without her permission, Son. What I can tell you is that she's really shaken up. She's scared and alone."
"Charlie asked me to stay with her until he gets here. I told him I would, so he called in a favor to the station."
"Go on, then. Even if she doesn't know you – you were the one that found her, she may take comfort in that."
I tapped lightly on the glass and heard Bella offer a weak 'come in'.
She looked a little worse for wear, but there was something infinitely beautiful about her. Maybe it was her creamy skin or rosy lips – no it couldn't be … there was a bruise forming on her cheek and a scab was forming where they'd busted her lip. It was her eyes … definitely her eyes. They were wide and warm – open windows to her very soul. Had I not heard that a million times from Charlie, I would have known it myself with one look at her.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Bella asked quietly.
She was sitting up in the bed, fidgeting with her torn blouse and trying to cover herself.
"Bella … my name is Edward Cullen. Do you know who I am?"
"Yeah, you're the officer who found me on campus … you and your partner … Gary?"
"Garrett, and yes, I'm the one who found you. Does my name ring a bell at all?"
Bella pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and bit down on it. Her face was scrunched up in concentration.
"Cullen …. As in the Dr. Cullen that was just in here? Are you related to him?"
I ran my fingers through my hair and chuckled.
"Yeah … he's my dad."
"Huh … that's convenient."
"Sometimes it is, sometimes it's not."
"And in this case?"
"Definitely convenient."
"And why is that?"
"Because you needed medical attention and he could provide it. As I recall, you did ask for my discretion. I could have called the paramedics."
"Yes," Bella said softly. "You could have. Thank you for that … Ed … ward."
"You're welcome. Should I see if I can find you a scrub shirt or something? I think your blouse is a goner."
"Oh … umm, yeah. That would be great, thanks."
"I'll be right back." I smiled.
I stepped out of the room and into the hall, looking around for a nurse but came face to face with my father again.
"Son, you're going to have to tell her you know who she is because you're going to have to tell her that you've already called Charlie."
I sighed, dreading the very thought.
"I know."
"There's no time like the present …" He grinned.
"Yeah, yeah … where can I find some scrubs for her? Her shirt is shredded."
I followed my father down the hall, and he opened a linen closet and handed me a set of scrubs.
"The nurse may come by with a gown for her, but I'll tell her these are fine. If you told Charlie you'd stay with her, you better get in there."
Bella's eyes were closed when I stepped back into the room. There were goosebumps on her skin, and her eyes were fluttering beneath her closed lids.
"Bella?"
She slowly opened her eyes and looked at me quizzically.
"Edward," she breathed. "You look at me like you know me and somehow you seem so familiar …."
"I … I know you by way of your dad."
"How do you know my dad?"
"He's my godfather."
"You're that Edward …" Bella whispered.
"Yeah," I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Look, Bella … it's only fair that you know that I called Charlie. He's on his way here."
"You called him?"
"I had to, Bella. He'd kill me if he found out you were hurt and I didn't call him to let him know. I have as much loyalty to him as my godfather as I do to you as a victim."
Bella looked down and began with fidget with her blouse again.
"Oh … here, I brought you some scrubs. I'll give you some privacy so you can change."
I handed Bella the clothes I'd brought for her and stepped out of the room once again. I stood against the wall in the hallway until I heard the nurse's footsteps.
"Sorry, Officer Cullen. I've got to get Miss Swan down to x-ray now. You can come down there with us, but you'll have to wait outside while she gets her films."
"That's okay. My instructions were to stay with her."
"Well … come on then … you can help me get her into this chair."
Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed, still wearing her jeans but she had discarded her blouse for the scrub top. She looked tired and I knew she just wanted everything to be over with.
"Miss Swan? Can Officer Cullen help you into the wheelchair?" The nurse asked.
"Umm, sure. I can't put weight on my foot. It hurts."
Carefully, I scooped her up in my arms and sat her down in the wheelchair.
"Edward … can you stay with me? Please?"
"Of course," I smiled softly. "I promised Charlie I'd stay until he gets here."
Bella was in radiology for over an hour. I patiently sat outside and waited for her while checking my phone. Charlie had called me back to let me know that he was on his way and that he'd taken care of my shift for me with my superior officer. Garrett had called to let me know that he'd take care of all the paperwork, and I could sign off on it when I came in for my next shift.
"Come on, Son. I'll grab you come scrubs so you don't have to sit around here in that stuffy uniform. If you hurry, you'll be back before Bella is done."
I nodded and followed my father down the hallway.
Bella emerged from radiology just as I came back down the hallway.
"Hey … you okay?" I asked her as the nurse wheeled her down the hallway.
"Yeah … just tired and my body hurts."
"I'm sure my dad will give you something for that."
"I hope so." Bella sighed.
I lifted Bella from the wheelchair and the nurse helped to settle her back into the hard bed. She grabbed a couple of pillows to elevate Bella's swollen ankle and laid a pillow by her side so Bella could rest her wrist.
"I'm going to check with Dr. Cullen about getting you some pain medication, okay, sweetie?"
Bella nodded, and the nurse left the room.
"Edward?" Bella asked sleepily.
"I'm right here, Bella."
"I know I don't know you and you don't know me, but thank you for staying."
"You're welcome, Bella. Now get some rest. I'll be right here."
I pulled up a chair and took a seat ,staring at the woman fast asleep in the hospital bed. I didn't know her from Jack. I knew little about her besides she was Charlie's only child, but still I was drawn to her. I wasn't sure if it was the cop in me or the fact that she was Charlie's daughter and I owed him, but I wanted to protect her with my life.
She was beautiful, even bruised and battered, and I felt guilty for ogling her. She had the most gorgeous eyes that seemed to see straight to my soul. Knowing so few details of her life it, only intrigued me more.
I wanted to find out so much more about her. What her favorite color was, her favorite movie, and what made her smile. I wanted to be the one to put a smile back on her sad face. But why would she ever want to get to know me, the real me? I'm sure Charlie told her plenty of stories about me but I still wanted to try.
There was a soft knock and Charlie opened the door. He looked tired, and I could see the concern on his face.
"Hey, Charlie."
"How is she?"
"She was in pain when she came back from X-ray, so they gave her pain medication and she fell asleep a little while ago."
"X-ray?"
"Yeah. Dad couldn't tell me much since I'm not family, but he said he was almost positive her ankle was broken but wasn't sure about her wrist."
"Jesus, what the hell happened to my little girl?"
Before I could answer there was a shuffle on the bed and a soft whisper, "Daddy?"
Charlie strode the few feet to the bed and took Bella's hand in his. "It's me, Bells. Are you okay, baby girl?"
Bella's tears began to fall freely. My heart broke a little more.
I walked to the door ready to give them some time alone. " I'll leave you two and give you some privacy."
"Please stay, Edward."
I looked to Bella then Charlie. Charlie raised an eyebrow while Bella's eyes pleaded with me.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
I shrugged my shoulders as Charlie still looked at me with questioning eyes. I didn't blame him. Why wouldn't he question it when his daughter didn't know me? I sat in a chair in the corner and listened as Bella retold her father what had happened. It was clear the incident had shaken her up, and she was scared. Who wouldn't be? When she got to the part where I showed up, she made me out to be some hero.
Charlie continued to thank me profusely.
"I just happened to be there at the right time."
"No matter. You still were there to help keep my little girl from being raped."
I turned away, embarrassed. "Just doing my job, sir."
I sat back and watched father and daughter together. You could see how much Charlie loved his daughter. He brushed a stray hair from her eyes and never let go of her hand; like she was going to vanish at any moment. He asked Bella over and over if she was okay while she kept reassuring him she was fine. I don't think Charlie was convinced.
The door opened slowly, and my dad popped his head in. "Am I interrupting?"
"No, not at all," Charlie stated.
My dad shook Charlie's hand. "It's good to see you Charlie. I wish it was under better circumstances."
"Me too."
Dad turned to Bella with concerned eyes, "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"
"My leg and arm hurt but other than that I'm okay."
"Well that's why I'm here. Your x-rays came back and as I suspected your ankle is indeed broken. You'll have to wear a cast for a few weeks and rest it, but it should be fine."
"And my wrist?"
"You probably twisted it in your struggle. It has a very bad sprain, but it's not broken. I would limit your motion in it for a couple weeks or so until it feels better. I'll give you something for the pain, but if it's only minor, you can switch to ibuprofen."
"Dr. Cullen, when can I go home?"
"You'll have to get your ankle casted and then we'd like to keep you overnight for observation. It's late anyway, so you can rest, and then you should be able to go home tomorrow. Once you're released, I'd like for you to stay with someone to help you get around for bit till you're able to walk on your own with the crutches. Especially with the injury to your wrist."
I saw Bella's eyes fill and she was on the verge of tears. I wanted to pull her in my arms and comfort her. She looked so sad and broken.
I could see the defeat on her face, but Bella was stubborn, and she would put up a fight.
"You'll stay with me, Bells."
"Dad …"
"This isn't up for discussion, Bella."
"Dad, I can't up and leave school. I'd lose my advisor, not to mention all the work I've done. Please, Daddy … there has to be some other way.
Charlie grimaced, and I could tell he knew this would be a fight.
"Charlie … maybe Bella could come and stay with me. My hours aren't the greatest, but I could look after her and make sure she gets to class."
Three heads snapped towards me.
"What?"
To say they were shocked was an understatement. There was no sensible reason why Bella would want to stay with me, someone she barely knew, instead of with her own father.
Bella turned those gorgeous brown eyes on me, pleading for Charlie to agree. I thought it might be difficult to get Bella to agree, but it seemed like she was completely amicable. When Bella looked at me that way, she had my heart melting with just one look. What was this woman doing to me? I had only known her a day, and I felt a pull to her that was unlike anything I had ever felt for another woman. She was my kryptonite.
"Bella, Edward's practically a stranger, why on God's green earth would you want to stay with him?" Charlie asked.
"Dad, Dr. Cullen can you please leave me and Edward alone for a few minutes?"
"Bells …"
"Dad, I'm a grown woman. Please let me talk to Edward."
"Fine. Ten minutes."
Charlie gave me a death glare before he and my father left the room, leaving Bella and me alone. I turned towards Bella and before I could protest, Bella spoke.
"Edward … are you sure you want me to come stay with you? I'm clumsy without crutches and I'm sure I won't be a picnic with crutches and a brace on my wrist. I'll need more help than I think either of us realize at the moment. I don't want to interrupt your schedule, but I'd like to be able to continue school – especially when I'm so close to finishing. I love my father to death, but he can be overbearing sometimes."
"Pftt … that's an understatement."
"See, you know how my father can be."
"Bella, your dad's right … you hardly know me."
"I know that my father respects you, or he wouldn't have asked you to watch over me till he came. I also know that you saved me from something horrible. If that doesn't say something about your character, then I don't know what does."
"Bella, I'm a police officer. There's no way I'd stand by and allow anyone to be attacked."
"No, Edward. It's more than that. I trust you. You make me feel safe when I'm near you. If that makes me crazy, then so be it."
"You're far from crazy, Bella. I only suggested it because I know how much you want to finish school. Your father will have my head if I cross him. He has done so much for me. I don't want to get on his bad side."
"Let me deal with my father."
"I'm a rookie and my schedule is far from stable," I warned her.
"I don't care. I appreciate the fact that you offered, Edward. It should only be a few weeks and I'll be out of your hair."
The thought that it would only be a few weeks saddened me. Would that give me enough time to get to know this woman who had gotten under my skin in only a few short hours?
"It'll be okay. Please, Edward."
Before I could get another word in, Charlie and my dad were walking through the door.
"Everything all right in here?"
"Yes, Dad. Everything is fine."
Charlie eyed us both suspiciously.
"Charlie, I promise that Bella will be fine if she stays with me. I'll do what I can to help her. You helped me when I needed it the most – please let me pay it forward by helping Bella."
"Edward … she's my baby girl – my life. If anything were to happen to her …"
"I'll take care of her Charlie, I promise."
Charlie ran his hands through his hair.
"All right … but I'll be up here on the weekends to check in on her."
"Dad … I'll be fine."
"Charlie … Edward lives in a nice neighborhood. He's done well for himself in all respects – he's a far cry from the punk kid that I sent to spend the summer with you years ago. When Edward can't be there to help Bella, I'm sure that Esme can. She'd love the opportunity to get to know the woman that your daughter has become."
The next day, I pulled up to the hospital to bring Bella home. She insisted that she was fine with Charlie there with her overnight, and that I should get some rest. In reality, I had to go home and get my bachelor pad ready for her arrival. My guest room was still full of boxes and the mattress on the bed was brand new with only the comforter pulled over it. I washed and dried the sheets and made up the bed. I stowed the boxes away in the closet. I'd figure out what to do with the stuff in them later. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do.
I woke up early and decided that even though it was my regular day off, I had better go in and finish up all the paperwork from the night before. When I finished at the station, I stopped by the grocery store and stocked up on everything from milk to meat. I didn't know what Bella liked, but I could always go back later.
Bella was sitting on top of the bed wearing a pair of sweats that read 'Forks Police Department'. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and the bruises on her face were a putrid shade of purple.
"How are you doing this morning, Tiger?" I grinned.
"Ready to get out of here."
With her wrist in a brace and her foot in a cast, her motion was limited. I stood at the foot of the bed and watched as she struggled to make it into the wheelchair next to her.
"Easy there … we don't want you to break your other ankle and sprain your other wrist. If you need help, all you have to do is ask."
"I wish I didn't have to …" Bella whispered.
"I know, Bella, but it's okay."
I scooped her up and helped her into the wheelchair just as Charlie and my father walked through the door.
"Ready to get out of this joint, Bells?"
"Yeah."
Charlie helped Bella into his truck, and they followed me to my apartment. Once we stepped off the elevator, I began to panic. What if everything I'd worked so hard for wasn't good enough for Charlie? What if it wasn't good enough for Bella?
"Edward?" Bella's soft voice floated around me. "You okay?"
I suddenly realized that what mattered most to me was for Charlie to see how well I'd done. He helped me when he didn't have to and when I needed it the most.
"Yeah," I muttered, pushing Bella's wheelchair toward my door.
I also realized it was the first time I'd invited a woman I truly cared about into my home.
Charlie carried in Bella's things while I gave her a quick tour.
"You'll have your own bathroom - it's right across the hall from your bedroom. My room is at the end of the hall. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask."
Bella placed her hand on top of mine.
"Thank you, Edward."
"You're welcome. Do you want to lie down and rest, or do you want to sit in the living room?"
"Umm, I want to be wherever I'll be out of your way."
"You're not in the way, Bella. I want you to be comfortable, okay? Please make yourself at home."
Bella bit down on her bottom lip and nodded.
We returned to the living room to find Charlie rubbing the back of his neck. He looked like he was at a loss for words.
"That's all your things, Bells. Is there anything else I can get for you?"
"No, Dad. I think I'm good."
"This is a nice place you've got yourself, Edward."
"Thanks, Charlie. That means a lot."
"You've earned it, Son. You've done good."
Charlie stayed a bit longer before he checked to make sure Bella had everything she needed again. Bella breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind Charlie. I watched her carefully as she sat on my couch. She looked tired, and I smiled when I saw her eyes slide closed. I sat down on the other end of the couch and turned on the TV with the volume down low. I was beginning to doze off myself when Bella started whimpering in her sleep.
"Ehh … no! Edward, help!" Bella cried.
I was instantly at her side.
"Bella, I'm here. Wake up, sweetheart. I'm right here and you're safe, I won't let anything or anyone hurt you."
Her eyelids fluttered and she whimpered again.
"Bella … please wake up," I pleaded, shaking her gently.
When she didn't wake, I pulled her carefully into my arms and rocked her gently until she began to settle down. For the first time since I had the idea to bring her home with me, I realized it was going to be a long night.
Later that night, Bella was sitting on the couch with her broken ankle propped up on several pillows when I brought some dinner to her.
"I know it's not much, but it's something," I apologized, setting a tray with a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup on it next to her.
"It's fine," Bella blushed, waving away my apology. "This is actually one of my favorite meals. It's comfort food at its finest."
Since waking up in my arms, Bella seemed a bit skittish. When I told her that she was having a nightmare, she looked ashamed. I tried to tell her that there was nothing for her to be ashamed of – that she'd gone through something major and it was okay to be scared.
It was late when I got her settled in the guest room. We awkwardly fumbled through getting her in and out of the bathtub. I did my best to be a gentleman – keeping my eyes tightly closed and letting her guide me. Bella was a brave woman to be putting her trust into someone she'd known barely twenty four hours. There were moments where she was hesitant, but she pushed onward.
As the days passed, we fell into a routine – with the help of my mother. On the days that I couldn't take Bella to school and pick her up, my mom was there to help out. I found that I enjoyed coming home to an apartment that wasn't empty. Bella brought warmth to my life - in more ways than one. If I was home in the evenings, we'd sit on the couch together, Bella with her school books and me with the remote control in hand.
Sometimes I would doze off – a result of my long hours, and sometimes I'd find Bella asleep in her little corner as well – a result of her pain medication.
One night, after a long, trying day, I settled in on the couch and it didn't take long for me to fall asleep. Bella was reading quietly with her ear buds playing in her ears. One moment I was asleep and the next I was awoken by a blood curdling scream. Bella was thrashing around, caught in the throes of what I imagined was a horrible nightmare. She was screaming my name and begging me to help her. I scooped her up and pulled her into my lap, speaking softly in her ear until she settled down. I swayed us back and forth lightly, and I didn't realize that she was crying until I felt the wetness on my shirt.
"Bella … shh, you're okay, sweetheart. You're safe here with me," I crooned.
"Oh, God, Edward. It was awful. He grabbed a hold of me and he … he …."
"Shh, Bella. It wasn't real. It was just a dream."
As I spoke to her, her small frame began to relax minutely. With every word of reassurance and promise that she was safe, she began to melt into my embrace.
"Thank you, Edward."
"For what?"
"For being here."
"Anytime, Bella. Do you think you're okay to go to bed?"
"I don't want to be alone," she whispered.
"You don't have to be alone, I'll stay with you."
"Where are we going?" Bella asked, as I carried her into my bedroom.
"To bed. The guest bed is only a double … my bed has lots more room."
Having Bella in my arms was a heady feeling, but one I feared she didn't return. Her reason for being there in the first place was so far from the reason I wanted her there. I was falling for her – fast.
Bella settled in on one side of the bed and I settled in on mine. I shut off the light and quietly wished her goodnight. I was just beginning to drift off when I heard quiet sobs from her side of the bed.
"Bella?"
"I hate that I'm afraid to go to sleep because I don't want to have another nightmare."
I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair – hating the fact that she was scared. I'd do anything to take away her fears.
"Come here, Bella," I said softly, tugging her toward me.
Hesitantly, she crawled into my arms as I wrapped them tightly around her.
"I feel safe when I'm with you," Bella whispered. "Like this …"
"As long as you're in this apartment, you're safe, Bella. I can't control anything beyond that."
"I know," she sniffled.
I felt Bella bury her head in my chest as her hand gripped my thin shirt in her hand. I inhaled the clean scent of her hair and softly kissed the top of her head. I relaxed back into my pillow and slowly opened my eyes to find Bella peering at me in the shadows the moonlight offered.
"Edward …" Bella whispered, tracing my jaw with her finger.
Ever so lightly, her lips touched mine. Bella's kiss was like the sweetest caress and heat spread through my entire body. I kissed her back, unable to stop myself. Wanting more of her, I darted out my tongue to deepen the kiss and she welcomed me, tangling her tongue with mine. I swallowed her whimpers as we kissed without abandon – making out like teenagers.
"Bella," I murmured, breaking the kiss.
"Sorry," she pouted apologetically.
"Don't apologize, beautiful. I've wanted to kiss you since I walked into the E.R. to sit with you."
"Really?" she giggled adorably.
"Mmmhmm."
"I wanted to kiss you the moment you picked me up and carried me to your patrol car."
I couldn't see her blush in the darkness but I knew it was there. Surprised at her answer, I leaned up and kissed her again.
"Charlie's going to kill me, but I guess since I'm going to hell ..."
"Heroes don't go to hell, handsome."
After our few heated kisses and a whispered conversation in the dark, something changed. Our attraction toward each other could no longer be ignored, and now that we were both aware of it – there was no stopping it. Because Bella was still on pain medication and had the cumbersome cast on her foot, we never moved beyond cuddling and kissing, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. I didn't need sex to know that I was falling for her or to know that I would do whatever it took to protect her and see her happy. Seeing Bella giggly and smiling – knowing that she was truly happy and protected was the most important thing in my world.
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