A/N: Sorry this is much later than I had wanted. Real life got in the way and it took me a while to find time to sit down in write. Chapter 5 is done and sent to beta and I'm almost done with 6. So the wait shouldn't be as long for the next update.

Thanks to TheUnderStudy for helping me fix this. =)

Chapter 4

I had no idea how long I was frozen in place. Yet, as the seconds ticked by, I couldn't avoid looking at him any longer.

"What?" I asked, not knowing what to think, let alone what to say.

"You can stay with me. Just until you can move around on your own." He looked different. There was a slight hopeful look to his face, but there was also bit of that same determination along with a minor sadness. All of that mixed together was nothing I had never imagined, nor hoped to ever see on his face. His expression was a bit… lost.

I was stunned again for a moment. Until the whole situation played again in my mind and I shook my head and glared at him.

"Seriously? I don't want you to even be my doctor, Carlisle, and you think I will stay with you? You all just packed up and left me. Yet, I'm supposed to happily go running back to you and your family with arms wide open, grateful for your help? I'm not a charity case, Carlisle. I don't need help from a bunch of stupid va-; I don't need you to feel sorry for me, or guilty. Or whatever it is that has you standing here with me right now when your shift hasn't even started yet."

My breathing was heavy again; only this time I was well aware that I was crying and I didn't care. My whole body was shaking with sobs and I just wanted to scream and throw my book at him. A lot of good it would do though. He'd probably just catch it and hand it back to me. The fact that I was both angry and crying and that my plan was failing miserably wasn't lost on me. It only made me angrier with myself. Where was my self-control?

"I don't expect you to be happy, Bella. Surely you must not think that I want things to be this way? I did not want to leave you and neither did the rest of my family. Well, that is an entirely different conversation. In fact, I would rather not be discussing this here, right now. I just want you to know that I do care about you Bella; I always have, whether you believe so or not. I did not want to run into you like this, but it was out of my hands.

"Also, I do not see you as a charity case, not even close. I see you as someone I care very much about and I see that you are in a hard situation. I simply wanted to offer you my help for long as you need it. Now, do I feel guilty? Yes. I couldn't even attempt to deny that. I could never apologize enough."

I just stared at him for a few seconds, or minutes. I couldn't be sure. I had no response. Even my brain was blank for the first time that I could remember. I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to tell him I didn't need his help and that I didn't care if he cared about me because he had a horrible way of showing it. I wanted to tell him that all that he had just told me was lies, but the first and only thing that came to my mind was: He felt guilty?

Of course, a part me knew he had every right to feel guilty, but another part of me wasn't sure why. Then another part of me was angry because he was probably the only person that could have put a stop to them leaving and he didn't. But even though my brain started working again, my mouth wouldn't and I just stared at him.

"I suppose you have a bit to think about. I really hope you think about all of your options, but my shift starts in fifteen minutes, so I must go."

He smiled softly at me before he walked out of my room, pulling the door closed behind him. I just stared at the back of the door, wondering what the hell had just happened.

The first hour after Carlisle had walked away was the most confusing hour. Once I moved past stunned, I went through angry. The anger passed and moved onto confusion. Confusion soon moved to determination and then I moved back to just being lost. My brain kept screaming at me, telling me the decision should be obvious, that I should just tell him no and to call Charlie and have him take me back to Forks. So why did it feel like the wrong thing to do?

The second hour was the worst, but only because I had to call Charlie. Dr. Malone had come in letting me know that I needed to make the call.

"You are an adult, Isabella. I know it's hard for you to call your father to let him know you made a mistake. Even though you are an adult now, you are still human. We all make mistakes," he said.

Mistakes… yeah. I've made plenty of them.

So finally I gave in and picked up the phone. It rang four times before Charlie picked up.

"Bella?" he asked right away and I winced at the worry in his voice.

"Yeah, Dad, it's me."

"Oh my… Where the hell have you been? Is your phone shut off? Why the hell have you not been answering my calls? It's been four days, Bella, I've been worried sick," he yelled, while sounding out of breathe. I suddenly worried about him having a heart attack.

"Calm down. I'm okay. Now," I added quietly.

"What do you mean now?" he asked in a harsh tone

"Well, I was in an accident, but I'm okay really. I'm in the hospital in South Lake Tahoe. I've been here for about four days I guess."

I was thinking about what I should say next when I realized I suddenly wasn't alone anymore. I looked up to see Carlisle come in and that he was setting something down on the table next to the bed. When he turned and met my eye, he raised his hand in a way that told me to just ignore him. Like it was that easy…

"Isabella Swan, are you just now calling me? I… I thought you were dead. Seriously. No phone call, no nothing. I've been checking the news, but I didn't know where you were heading exactly so I didn't find anything. I'd heard something about an accident near there, but there weren't any details. So I just sat back, worrying. I knew you would call me soon to let me know if you were okay or not. Or at least someone would call me and let me know. But, you didn't. Apparently you like the idea of you father sitting at home alone wondering if his only daughter was still alive or not."

I knew his reaction would be bad, but I misjudged how I would handle it. Apparently, my body had no problem with me being a cry baby.

"I'm sorry," I whispered and whipped the tears away.

"Oh, Bells. I didn't mean to yell at you, but you just… You have no idea how scared I was. When did it happen?"

I let out a deep breath before I answered, knowing I would hear his own version of an 'I told you so.'

"Well, after we had talked on the phone, you mentioned me getting some sleep. So I pulled over to a rest stop and slept a few hours. When I woke up, I felt even more tired, but it was too late to stay there. I started driving again, but I only got more tired as I drove. There wasn't even a place to pull over on the side of the road. There weren't any gas stations, or anything. So, I couldn't get coffee and I started dozing off. The next thing I knew I was waking up in the hospital. I was apparently unconscious for two days afterwards. And I was just too scared to call you and let you know that I screwed up."

He laughed a little. "Bells, you were scared to tell me you got into an accident? But you let me sit here… Never mind. I'm just so very relieved to hear that you are okay. Your mother will be happy to hear that too."

"You called Mom?" I squeaked, horrified. I wouldn't be surprised if she was on her way to Forks the very minute she heard the news.

"Of course, she is your mother. I had to call her to see if maybe you had called her. She wanted to fly out here the moment I got off the phone with her, but I told her that wouldn't be a very good idea. Just in case by some chance you were heading there, or did try to call her. I don't know. Maybe it was even because I couldn't handle worrying about you and dealing with her while she was worrying about you."

I laughed at the thought of her driving him crazy. "I'm really, really sorry, Dad. I won't do anything like that again."

"It's alright and you better not. You can come to me for anything, Bells. I know we've never been that close, but you're my little girl and I have never been so worried about losing you as much as I have this past year. This was honestly the most I could take. However, now that I know your okay, I'll be okay." He paused for a minute before asking the question I didn't really have an answer for. "So, what are you going to do? How long until you get out of the hospital?"

"Well," I started and then sighed. Carlisle was still in the room, writing something down on his clipboard. I honestly didn't think he really needed to be in the room, but he didn't seem like he was moving anytime soon. "The injuries weren't too bad, so I can leave tomorrow. I'll be in a wheelchair for a while though, so that sucks."

"Do you need me to come and get you?" he asked

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "No." No?

"No? Well what are you going to do? I can call the station and tell them I will be out for a few days. It's no problem."

"It's fine, I...," Was this really what I wanted to do? "I have a place to stay here. At least until I get out of the wheel chair."

"And exactly where is this place you plan on staying?" he asked seriously, turning to cop-father mode.

"Well, uh, one of the doctors here offered me a room. He said that I was able to use it for as long as I needed it. I don't want you to come rushing down and honestly I'm not quite ready to end my trip. I was starting to really enjoy it before I ran off the damn road."

"Bells," he groaned. "I'm not so sure that is a good idea. It's really no problem for me to come and get you."

"I know." It's not too late to back out… "Really, it's fine. He works so much that I'm sure I'd barely see him. I'll probably just spend the time sleeping to speed the time up. Maybe I'll get a job once I'm healed more so I can save up for a new car. Maybe then I'll head back home, but I feel like I really need to be on my own, Dad. I really appreciate you willing to come down here, but it's not necessary."

"You're positive?" He asked and I knew he didn't want to give up on it.

"Yes… I am." I think I've really lost my mind, I thought to myself as I glanced at Carlisle who had a small smile on his face. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, but you are still going to call me every day," he said and I knew there was no arguing. Not that I would.

"Definitely."

"Alright, you get some rest and you better be careful."

"I will do my best," I said with a laugh.

"Love you, Bells."

"Love you too, Dad."

I was smiling when I hung the phone up, until I turned to see Carlisle smiling at me in return. My smile faded as I glared at him.

"I'm not doing this because of you, just to let you know. I'm doing this for me. Going back now would defeat the whole purpose of me leaving to being with. Even if I am going with you."

His expression shifted into confusion for a moment, but then slide back into a smile as he turned to walk towards the door.

"I completely understand," he said as he turned back around and then added, "I'll be here to pick up tomorrow evening. There is a room is already ready for you."

"You…" I didn't finish and his smile grew before he turned back and disappeared into the hallway. I just groaned a little as I lay down and turned my back to him. "Damn know-it-all," I mumbled, knowing good and well he had heard me.