Disclaimer: I made a lot of typos, I'm so sorry ( I hope you enjoy my story anyways! btw, I don't own Stephanie Meyer's characters, I just adore them xD

Chapter 4

When I awoke the next morning, it was 7 am. I rolled over and saw her lying there, the sunlight falling over her body. She lazily raised a hand over her eyes and groaned softly in her sleep. I smiled down at her and gently kissed her forehead. I slipped out of the bed, careful not to disturb her, and crept downstairs. I went in search of the broken mirror she spoke of the night before, and found it in a bathroom downstairs. I cleaned up as much of the mess as I could, and decided to finish the rest later when I found a vaccum. I was about to go to the kitchen when I heard the ceiling above me creak. I turned around and slowly walked up the stairs and heard Bella softly calling out my name with a question in her voice. I ran up the rest of the stairs and into her room, pulling her gently into my arms. She laughed at herself and looked up at me, her eyes glistening slighty with almost-tears.

"I... I thought you left. I thought maybe you didn't want to be with me anymore... I'm so sorry..."

I kissed her lips and slid my fingertips gently down her cheek, "I would never leave without saying good-bye, I love you too much for that."

She smiled when I said I loved her and I wasn't suprised that she didn't respond. She was adjusted to being used and lied to, and I understood she probably wasn't sure that I meant it, but the smile on her face was worth it as she laid back down on the bed.

"Mm, Edward?" She was so adorable when she was tired, even more since she could barely keep herself awake.

I grinned at her and rubbed her shoulder gently, "Yes?"

She smiled in her lazy state and spoke softly, "Mm, thank you." She closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against my chest, and her breathing slowly became steady.

I ran my fingers through her hair and watched her sleep, thinking carefully. I wanted so much to get her out of this place. I had heard that Bella Swan's father was an insufferable drunk, but I hadn't thought anything of it. I wonderred if it was him hitting her, and if it was, why on earth she just didn't leave. I thought about asking later on that day, and decided I would, but I would be gentle about it. She was so fragile and I couldn't bear to hurt her any more than she already was. I laid back against her bed, occasionally kissing the top of her head. I was about to again when she started writhing around in her sleep. I touched my hand to her cheek and tried to wake her up, "Bella? It's just a bad dream, it's not real, wake up." She didn't wake up but started writhing even more. Her hands flew to her neck and started clawing at it, I grabbed her hands and pulled them away and yelled now, scared of what she was dreaming about, "Bella!! Wake up!" She shook in her sleep and mumbled incoherantly, shaking her head side to side. I reached over and shook her shoulders and yelled again, "Bella!" She woke up and looked at me, terror in her eyes. I reached out and pulled her into me, holding her close. Her shoulders shook and I heard her quiet sobs. I rubbed circles in between her shoulder blades and held her tight. "Shh, Bella it's alright. It was just a dream, you're safe." She took a deep breath and kissed my cheek, her soft brown eyes locked on mine.

"Edward, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

I gave her a gentle smile and kissed her cheek in return, "It's alright, but can I ask you something?"

She nodded and rested her head against my shoulder, while her hand slipped into mine. I looked at her and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "In your dream, who was strangling you?"

She squeezed my hand a little harder at the question, but took a deep breath and looked into my eyes once more. "My father..." When she saw my next question forming, she answered it for me, along with what seemed to be her personal confession. "He does a lot, but only when I do something wrong. I know I should leave, I just can't. It's hard to explain and you wouldn't understand, I just can't leave yet. I just hate myself for not hating him, for taking everything. I feel like I have nothing anymore and it's only a matter of time before he kills me before I do it myself." Her tears fell on my shirt and I held her closer, truly scared for her. I took a deep breath and prayed she wouldn't hate me for what I was about to say next.

"Bella, I understand he's your father, but you have to leave. Eventually, he will kill you. I can help you find somewhere else to stay and I'll do whatever it takes, but please Bella you have to get out of here."

She shook her head at me, the tears coming down faster, "Edward you don't understand, I can't leave. I know you think I can, but I honestly can't, not yet."

I held her tighter and sighed, "Promise me that the day you turn 18 you'll be out of this house for good."

She looked at me and nodded, squeezing my hand. "I promise."

I smiled gently at her and cocked my head to the side, "So can I take a shower, or should I stay dirty for the weekend?" I chuckled gently and watched the way her eyes lit up with her smile.

She laughed and handed me a towel, and with it came a gentle kiss. "Of course."

I got up and went into the bathroom, turning on the hot water and stepping in. While I was in the shower, I thought hard about how we could keep our newfound relationship secret from her father, to keep her safe.

-----------------------------------------------Bella's Point Of View-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I waited until I heard the water running, and slowly crept downstairs. I went into my father's bedroom, careful not to touch anything. I opened his medicine cabinet and saw it. I took it off the shelf and used it for it's purpose. I looked at my eyes in the mirror and sighed. Edward knew a lot about me, but he couldn't know this, in fact only a select few knew; my father, myself, and the hospital. This was the whole reason I couldn't leave, this thing in my hands. I couldn't steal it, not yet. When I turned 18, I could. The hospital had it under my father's care until I was a legal adult. I wanted so much to leave with Edward, I knew it could work, but if I stole this, everything would be ruined, for the both of us. For his sake, and mine, I put it back in the medicine cabinet, and left my father's room. With a heavy heart, I went upstairs into my room and sat on the floor, breathing slowly. I heard the water stop and I stood up. I walked to the front of the door and put my hands on my hips, waiting for him to come out. The door opened and he stepped out, but instead of a smile, he looked almost angry. He held up the one thing I didn't think he would find.

"Bella, what the hell is this?!"