Chapter 3: Revelations and Realisations

This chapter was more risky. Review if you have any questions.

Twilight in all its former glory belonged to one S. Meyer. Thank you for letting me mess with it.

Chapter 3

Edward POV

When morning came I once again rolled myself out of bed bleary eyed. I dragged myself downstairs and when I had finally consumed enough coffee I noticed that today something was different. I made my way back upstairs to my bedroom, peering out the window I saw immediately what had changed. Thick snow now covered the ground and the roads were covered in ice. I groaned, falling back into bed, I was not looking forward to another day spent avoiding the flying balls of slush.

I drove to school unenthusiastically, pulling into my usual spot I remained in my seat scanning the lot. Lauren and Jessica stood with Mike next to his car, all three watched my car waiting for me to get out, but I wasn't ready to face them yet.

Finally I found her, Isabella was sitting on the hood of the Cullen's car six cars down from me, her brothers stood on either side of her and Rosalie and Alice leaned against their respective boyfriends talking excitedly to each other. Jasper and Emmett were conversing over the girl's heads but Isabella sat there quietly staring at the ground. I quickly got out of the car, taking another step towards her. I wanted to approach her, I wanted to talk to her, I wanted to put that beautiful smile back on her face.

Jasper stopped speaking suddenly and looked up at me, Emmett's eyes followed his brother's and I saw his body tense. Rosalie noticed their distraction and exchanged a look with Alice before turning too, Alice said something to Isabella and they both looked up at me, my eyes met Isabella's immediately. She spoke quickly to her family and slowly they all walked off until only Alice remained looking at us both intensely.

I smiled at Isabella and she gave me a half smile back before snapping her head towards her sister. Suddenly they both looked to the back of the lot and Isabella's sparkling golden eyes widened. I heard a screeching noise and looked over my shoulder. Tyler's van was spinning across the ice, coming right at me.

The parking lot was filled with terrified faces as the students realised what was seconds from happening, I looked past the hundreds of people focused on me until I found the only one I wanted to see right now.

But she wasn't looking at me. She was standing in the same place as before watching the quick progression of the van with a determined look on her face. Without warning her hands shot out in front of her palm facing out, from the corner of my eye I saw the van shudder to a stop a few feet away from me before leaning the other way onto two wheels, I didn't take my eyes off Isabella's. One of her hands flipped to face her body and the van stopped tipping. She slowly moved her hands until they were in line and the van dropped just as slowly to rest on all four wheels. The van no longer moved and Isabella dropped her arms with a sigh before turning to face me.

When our eyes met again hers widened in terror. In the background I heard students screaming in panic and worry for me, but I continued staring into Isabella's eyes. Her family appeared beside her and she bit a trembling lip before turning and walking away. The remaining Cullen's shot me looks ranging from curiosity to anger before following Isabella away.

I sank slowly to my knees and tried my hardest to block out the demanding voices of the students gathering around me. I remained on my knees in my own state of disbelief and shock. When the paramedics arrived, determined to take me to the hospital I tried to object my protests fell on deaf ears. The arrival of the manic police chief did not help my case, Charlie was actually the one who suggested I be put in a neck brace and strapped into a gurney.

When we finally arrived at the hospital I was wheeled to the front desk in a hurry only to wait mortified for five minutes lying in the middle of the waiting room. It reminded me of how small this town really was, where else would you find a hospital so disorganised they left their patients lying in the middle of any random room.

I was staring at the ceiling when I heard the one voice I could never mistake, Isabella Cullen.

"Excuse me, would it be possible for us to speak to our father?"

My head snapped to the side and my eyes instantly met with Jasper and Alice who were watching me speculatively. I gave them the best nod I could manage in the brace before sliding my eyes to their sister.

She had on white jeans, a grey turtleneck and black heels, her clothes were clearly expensive but somehow not at all flashy. Paired with her long dark hair, flawless complexion, large golden eyes and dazzling smile she was more beautiful than any runway model.

Yet there was something different about her that didn't seem quite normal and whatever it was saved me today.

"Of course Isabella, I'll just page for him now." The nurse at the desk answered, breaking through my abstraction. I looked away quickly before she noticed my staring I was sure Alice and Jasper had already caught me.

"Thank you" she sighed before pausing hesitantly, "and I hope you don't find me rude, but shouldn't Mr Swan be given a check-up."

My mouth fell open as she said my name and for a moment i was sure I was dreaming. The young nurse glanced at me momentarily before nodding.

"Um, I guess Dr Cullen could check him when he com-" the nurse was cut off by a wave of Isabella's hand.

"That won't do, we're having Carlisle take his break. You'll have to page another doctor and have them come down quickly and in the meantime let him off the gurney, it's ridiculous having him here in the waiting room like that." she sighed wearily, once again shocking me.

"We'll go look for our father, ourselves. I'm sure it won't be too hard to find him. Thank you for all your assistance. I'll be sure to mention it to Carlisle." she finished dryly before turning on her heel to face her two siblings. Jasper wrapped his arms around both girls' shoulders and together they all walked away.

As soon as they were out of hearing distance the nurse dropped her sugar sweet voice and the mumbling started.

"She thinks she owns the whole fucking planet just because 'daddy' spoils the little bitch. I don't know what everyone sees in her, she's an ugly stuck up freak who acts like she's fucking royalty." she swore while paging another doctor and unstrapping me from the gurney. She had to be in her mid-twenties and was pretty enough, although no-where near Isabella's beauty and going by her sour expression she was well aware of it. Jealousy is a bitch.

I was given a check-up despite all my protests and even then the nurses were still hesitant to believe my insistence that I was fine, finally they agreed that I could leave if I was cleared by a doctor.

Another young nurse left the room in search of a doctor, returning minutes later with a triumphant expression.

"Dr Cullen's on his way now." she announced to the others with an air of importance. The simple announcement had the nurse from earlier scurrying about, pulling out a little compact mirror to fix her hair and check her make up.

"I was going to page Dr Cullen earlier but Isabella wouldn't let me." she grumbled. The other nurses' heads shot up and their eyes gleamed with fresh gossip.

"Oh yes," agreed the first one "That's where Dr Cullen was, hiding in his office with three of those kids. But Isabella was the one that suggested that Dr Cullen help, the other three seemed to be cross with her about something and of course she didn't like that." she chucked.

The third, older nurse shook her head furiously "I'll never understand what you dislike about Isabella, she's always very polite and she's so beautiful." She smiled while the other two scowled.

Suddenly the first one turned on me. "You go to school together, what do you think of her?" she asked fluttering her lashes at me. In the corner of the room Charlie raised one eyebrow and moved forward.

I stuttered before sighing unable to lie about my thoughts "I think she's wonderful." I admitted.

The two younger nurses scowled while the other smiled gently and Charlie smirked. The door to the room opened and a blonde man entered the room, one look at his handsome face and I knew who he was. Dr Cullen, Isabella's adoptive father.

"Good morning Chief Swan, ladies." he smiled nodding to each in turn while giving my father a handshake. He had a gentle soothing voice that reminded me so much of his daughters that it calmed me. Dr Cullen turned to me and smiled softly while looking me up and down.

"You must be Edward, I've heard so much a bout you" he stretched out his pale hand. His touch was ice cold and I fought the urge to flinch, smiling instead.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr Cullen." I said sincerely causing his smile to grow.

"My colleagues have taken it upon themselves recently to inform me of all the interesting things their children had to say about you." he laughed while examining me.

He continued the check up in comfortable silence for a few minutes before looking up and giving me another smile "Well you seem to be in perfect health, nothing at all to worry about. I'd say you were very lucky and you're free to go home. Though it might be best if you take the rest of the day off school." he assessed before taking the clipboard from the young nurse and filling in the necessary forms.

"You know my own children go to your school, two of them are actually in your year. Do you know them?" he asked quietly glancing up at me and arching his left eyebrow. I nodded slowly trying to keep my face blank.

"It's a small school; I've seen them all around. Isabella is actually my lab partner."

"Ah yes, Bella," he smiled almost sadly and staring me right in the eyes asked "And what do you think of my youngest daughter? Is she a good lab partner?"

I froze for a moment wondering if he could have heard my contribution to the nurse's conversation. Deciding to act natural I shrugged nonchalantly.

"She seems really nice. She's very smart, I'm sure she'll make a great partner." I answered vaguely.

He nodded thoughtfully, still watching my eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the creak of the door opening. Isabella walked in with a haughty expression on her face; she passed me on the way to her father's side without even a glance.

"I'm going back to school now Carlisle I just thought you'd like to know." She said stiffly before turning to leave.

"Bella, wait," her father sighed, stopping her in her tracks. "We still have things we need to discuss, Make sure you're all present when I return home."

Isabella didn't even turn around; just nodded briefly and exited the room.

Charlie and I finished in the hospital and he drove me back home. At the first traffic light he turned to me.

"So you like Isabella?" He teased ruffling my hair. I growled in return and shoved his hand away.

"I never said i liked her, so what makes you think that i do?" I asked stalling. Charlie howled in laughter.

"Yeah, right kid." he snorted

"She's wonderful. And I saw you staring at her" he shook his head smirking.

"You got it bad, There's no shame in admitting it"

I paused studying my father's expression. I'd never had someone I could really confide in before, but maybe it wasn't too late to change that.

"Maybe I do a little. But really dad, can you blame me?" I sighed.

Charlie just gave a small smile while pulling into our driveway, letting me out before heading back to the station that was his second home.

That night I lay in bed unable to sleep as I finally let my mind go over everything that had happened today.

I saw Isabella with her family. I also saw Tyler's van hurtling towards me, Isabella moving her hands through the air with deep concentration, and the van following her movements exactly despite the distance between the car and herself. I saw her face when she caught me watching her, and I saw her blatantly ignoring me afterwards.

With all the things I remembered of the day the great mystery that Isabella Cullen presented grew larger and larger, narrowing down my options until i saw only two paths I could take. I could ignore it all and continue befriending her despite her strange behaviour. Or I could listen to everyone's warnings about her and finally accept that keeping a safe distance was best for all involved.

I knew that there was something different about her, and I knew that I may regret it if I didn't back down. But then i remembered her bright smile that started in one corner of her mouth and ignited slowly. I recalled her deep eyes, her delicate ringing laugh and her gentle musical voice.

As the few memories I had of her drifted through my thoughts I knew I wouldn't be able to stay away, and it was with that realisation that I finally fell into a deep sleep. A deep sleep filled with dreams of her.

Bella.