It was Carlisle's first day back to work. It's been five years since he was at the operating table, and the scent of blood was a little stronger than before, but nothing he couldn't handle.

I decided to follow Carlisle to the hospital today. It has been days, and I couldn't find Bella anywhere. I needed to do something to take the gloom off, so I was going to be Dr. Cullen's little assistant today,

"We're so glad you decided to come back, Dr. Cullen." Dr. Snow's voice was filled with relief and gratitude, "You are one of our most brilliant surgeons; it's an honor to work with you again."

Carlise laughed, "Why, thank you Dr. Snow, but it's always an honor to work alongside my colleagues to save lives."

As we walked down the hall, I saw several nurses turn their heads on us and gape in amazement.

It's Dr. Cullen! Thought one young nurse a little too enthusiastically. But who's that guy with him? He looks way to young to be a doctor.

I pushed myself out of her head. I didn't want to be ogled at; I just wanted to find Bella. It was strange, because her scent was all over Forks, but she wasn't anywhere where I checked. It didn't seem like she left Forks either, because her scent stopped in the boundaries of Forks. It was almost like she disappeared, or…died. I shuddered at the thought, but quickly pushed it out of my head.

I saw Dr. Snow look at me with interest. Hm…Looks a little young to be an assistant surgeon, maybe it will be safer if I stick him the long term illness section.

I sighed. Technically I was an even more accomplished doctor than him, but who was I to argue? I looked like a seventeen year old kid, and seventeen year old kids aren't supposed to have already gone through medical schools several times.

Dr. Snow interrupted my thoughts.

"Well, Dr. Cullen, you come with me, while Edward, I'll have someone take you to where you're supposed to go."

Carlisle disappeared with Dr. Snow, then minutes later an elderly nurse came out.

"You're Edward aren't you? She snapped. She seemed very no nonsense and strict.

"Yes, I am Edward." I was a little taken back at her expression. She looked very angry for some reason.

Another little brat. After the last one, I would've thought Dr. Snow would've learn his lesson already!

There was the answer to my question; obviously she had a problem with teenagers.

"You may call me Mrs. Vorbeck." Then she gripped my hand and pulled me sharply toward a room on the end of the hall.

"You will be working in the long term illness section today. Choose your patient and keep him/her company."

Then she shoved me into the room and slipped in before she closed the door with a loud slam.

"Now, just be very calm and slow around them. They aren't used to loud noises and sharp movements." Funny, she seems to be doing the exact opposite of what she just told me.

"Now, I'll be back in a flash, just don't cause any trouble!" Then she stepped outside and stomped away.

I sighed. Humans can be so crabby. Then I wandered around the room. There wasn't that many people in this section; only 2 people. One was sitting outside reading a book, while the other was behind a curtain.

Something about the one behind the curtain sparked my curiosity. I felt a sudden pull from that person that I couldn't explain, so I slowly crept over to the patient's bed and withdrew the curtain. What I saw made me gasp in shock.

There, dressed in a white hospital sheet, looking out the window, was Bella.

"Bella?" I whispered. I couldn't believe my eyes. Bella was here all the time.

Bella didn't appear to have heard me. She just continued to stare out the window. I noticed how fragile and tired she looked. Her eyes had dark bags under them and her skin was an unhealthy white. Her hair looked wispy and unattended to. Overall, she looked terrible, but what scared me the most was the fact that she didn't seem to hear me.

"Bella?" I turned her so she could see my face. Her dead eyes looked at me; they seemed to burn into my mind, but they held no recognition. It was like she was looking, but she wasn't seeing.

I heard the door open and close again with that sharpness, and I knew that it was Mrs. Vorbeck again.

"Where is that boy?" She was spluttering, then she walked over to where Bella and I was.

"This is the patient you chose?" She seemed a bit incredulous, although I didn't understand why.

I turned and looked into her eyes. Her eyes were filled with sympathy as she looked at Bella.

"What happened to her?" I whispered. I didn't want to believe that I was the one who did this to her.

She sighed.

"It was a sad tale. Miss Swan here has been here for almost five years." She sighed, and that sentence bit into my heart, Five years ago was when I left.

"Her father, Chief Swan, was getting worried about her. She wasn't eating well, she wasn't sleeping well. She was like an empty shell, attending to daily errands with no feeling whatsoever. So he sent her here."

Then she shook her head, her eyes were getting wet now.

"When she arrived she was in a catatonic state. She was hitting herself and ripping out her hair. It was terrible. When she finally sank into a catatonic stupor she was all bloody."

I saw a picture of Bella in her mind. It made me cry out of pain. It showed Bella screaming and stabbing her body with her fingernails. Her nails ripped off parts of her skin, exposing blood. It reminded me of that day when James nearly killed her, except worse. This time I was the cause of her pain, and this pain doesn't heal as fast.

I didn't want to see anymore. I looked at my Bella; she was staring out the window again. I couldn't believe what I'd done. I had destroyed her! I gritted my teeth, and focused back on Mrs. Vorbeck. She was pausing, studying my expression with confusion.

"She's been like this all these years, still in a catatonic stupor, except now she's suffering chronic depression. Nothing has worked. We tried psychiatrist after psychiatrist, nothing; she doesn't respond to us. It's like we're not even there. She's been like this for a while, but the worse thing is she's seemed to forget everything; who she is, who her loved ones are, all she does is stare out the window. We don't know if she wants to forget, or if she just can't remember."

She shook her head sadly, "I suggest you try to assist another patient, perhaps Mr. Brown?"

I shook my head, agony gripped me. Because of me, my Bella is reduced to this.

"Is there no hope…?" I hesitated. If the answer was a no, then I don't think I can live with myself.

Mrs. Vorbeck shook her head.

"We're not sure." Then she smiles at me for the first time today.

"But perhaps you can break through her; you are the son of the Dr. Cullen."

Then she silently left, and closed the door with no sound,

I looked at Bella, her eyes were on me again, but her face showed no expression. She was just looking at me.

As I stared into Bella's eyes, I thought I could see the old Bella jumping out of this shell; laughing. Why did I ever leave?

That's when I vowed to myself, and to her, that I will save her.

This was my fault, so I'm going to fix it.