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Edward's POV
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Did Isabella just speak?

"I don't like… it's cold…Mom? Alright"?

Yes, she definitely spoke.

Before I had time to try to understand what the hell that gibberish she was saying meant, I ran to her bedside. Luckily there was no one else in the room because I was far too taken off guard and anxious to keep up my human façade.

Moving at vampire speed, I ran to her bedside. I frantically checked her heart monitor, her breathing, her pupils, but no sign of consciousness.

This made no sense.

She spoke.

I heard her.

Had she woken and fallen back into the coma?

No that seemed hardly likely.

Had I imagined it?

…Probably.

But maybe…just maybe she talked through her coma. It could have been possible right? Comas are very similar to sleep and people talk in their sleep all the time.

I wonder if Isabella was a sleep talker…

Focus Edward! This isn't the time to get involved with a patients personal life… or whatever category of a person's life sleep talking fell under.

By now I had finished checking every wire, monitor, and sensory organ on Isabella. She had definitely not woken.

Talking through a coma. Hmm interesting.

The next couple of seconds I spent unwillingly staring at the sleeping girl in front of me. Something, I don't know what, but something about this girl drew me in.

Her pale, delicate skin.

Her long, elegant eyelashes.

Her flowing dark brown hair.

This girl was unquestioningly beautiful. But something more than that too. She had a sense of innocence, or damsel in distress. Whatever it was made me want to protect her. Save this girl from all the horrible things this world could do to her. But with that thought came a worse one. Here I was, thinking and looking and wanting to protect a girl who I barely know. More idiotic then that was I wanted to protect her from a world where the most dangerous thing would be me.

Fuck.

That thought reminded me a jolt that I was dangerous to Isabella. Any vampire was. But me especially was putting her in great danger. Her blood, for some reason, smelt a million times more pleasing to me then it did any other vampire. What was I thinking just 'hangin out' in her room? Was I retarded?

I ran out with such incredible passion and force, making up for the fact I couldn't use my vampire speed in case someone saw me.

God! I was such an idiot! What the hell was I thinking going in there and getting that close and acting as if I was just her regular doctor? I could have killed her! One slip up, one breath could have ruined everything I worked for, everything I try to be, it could have hurt her…

My mind reeled, there were so many things that could've happened, that could have gone wrong.

But they didn't

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6 hours had passed since I fled the hospital that night.

6 hours had passed since the only thing that was on my mind was Isabella.

6 hours had passed since I heard her speak for the first time and all I want to do was listen to that angelic voice all day, all night.

As thoughts of Isabella swam around in my head, I heard Alice coming up the stairs.

Hey Ed It's me. Just came to give you some company, see if you're ok.

There really was no use trying to stopping Alice and I kind of did want the company, to distract me from all these absurd thoughts.

Alice poked her head through the door, her short spiky hair sticking up in every direction.

"Edward what's going on with you lately? First you run from the hospital as if it was on fire, then you don't come home for three days. When you do come home it's for barely an hour and since you've return you've been moping around in your room. I'm worried about you. Is everything ok? I'm here if you want to talk, you know that".

Her hopeful little voice was so hard to turn down. I knew she only wanted to help me and make sure I was alright but the last thing I wanted to do was explain this whole situation. Honestly I didn't even know if I could.

"You already know why I left the hospital that day Alice".

"Ok you're right I do know that. Maybe I'm just having a hard time understanding how that feels. I've never had any human's blood smell that good to me. But why would you stay away for three days? Why are you acting this way"?

Her thought continued on what she was trying to say;

I know you Ed; you're probably beside yourself thinking somehow this is your fault. It's not. You can't help who you are and no one got hurt. If anything you should be proud of yourself.

"I came this close to ruining everything we've worked for Alice, everything Carlisle built for us, everything we've been trying to be for decades now"

Her thoughts told me that so far, we were on the same page.

"Her blood was so tempting, irresistible, I still have no idea how I had the strength to resist it. So I had to leave. Before my miraculous strength went away. I stayed in the forest trying to figure out what I would do when I came home".

Or if I would come home at all

"When I returned, we discussed what had happened and I had a lot to think about. But I decided I didn't want to be a coward, I had to display what I have been working for for this long".

Alice's thoughts interrupted me'

Typical. He couldn't have just been smart and stayed away? No he had to prove himself even if that meant endangering all of us including Bella.

Bella? Had Alice given Isabella a…nickname?

I ignored her dig at me and the ridiculous closeness she seemed to have with this patient and continued.

"When I got there, it was… weird. I can't read her thoughts Alice! I know it had nothing to do with her condition, I checked, but that's never happened to me before. She was blank. Not a sound. And as I sat there trying to figure out what the hell was happening she spoke".

I sounded ridiculous and I didn't really plan on anyone else knowing about all that happened tonight but it felt good to share it and I knew I could trust Alice.

"She's awake"!?

Alice nearly yelled with more enthusiasm then I thought was really necessary.

"No she didn't wake up".

Alice's expression fell slightly but she continued on listening.

"She talks through her coma. It was the strangest thing. Something about being cold, and her mother…"

My speech trailed off and Alice and I were left staring at each other in confusion and awe. Amazed that she could talk through the state she was in and trying to figure out what she could have been talking about.

"But…"

"Let me finish" I interrupted.

"I can't stop thinking about her Alice. I don't know why, or why this girl but I can't get her out of my thoughts. Her face, her voice, everything just draws me further and further in to this girl that I don't even know. What's happening"?

Waiting for Alice's response, I was taken off guard by one of her visions.

Two people holding each other in an embrace.

The scene flashed and spun around the couple.

Who are they?

Flashes of love. Flashes of danger. Flashes of disapproval. Flashes of eternity.

But Alice stopped the vision as abruptly as it started and we were back in my bedroom. Staring at each other with such intensity. Alice's eyes filled with worry and concentration held my confused and startled ones for what could have been hours.