Chapter 4

I made my way through the small town, spotting the community hospital quickly. It was nothing like the sky rising hospitals of major cities. Just a few buildings a couple of stories high cradled amongst the several of bright green trees.

I let out a quiet sigh as I opened the door and felt the cold air slap my cheek. I walked with my head down and my hood up. My hair stood up on the back of my neck, as I had the sensation of someone following me. I turned around and looked toward my truck, my eyes squinting together. The shadows in the forest seemed to be at a standstill, even with the slight breeze. After a few minutes, I turned on my heel and made my way through the sliding doors of the hospital.

"Hello," a woman said who was sitting behind a tall dark oak desk. "How may I help you?"

I tried to smile, but my stomach was all torn up in knots, not to mention the waves of nausea that the medical smell of the hospital was giving off. I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and then placed my hands on the top of the desk to steady myself, taking in deep breaths.

I knew that the woman more than likely was looking at me strangely. With my head down I averted my eyes just slightly to be able to see under my lids. I could see the woman's silver head tilting in confusion, while looking at me.

"Miss, are you alright?"

I held up one thing to let her know to give me a second. After another deep breath and letting it out slowly, I finally looked up and made eye contact with her. I swallowed hard before speaking.

"Yes," I said quietly, my voice had a scratch to it. "I need to make an appointment to see a doctor."

The woman reached over and moved a calendar closer to her, grabbing up a pen. "What type of doctor will need to see and when?"

I knew that this question was bound to come up, as much as I really did not want to face up to it. "I think I might be pregnant," I whispered.

The woman's eye brows shot up. "I see. Well, I can get you in with Dr. Smith, who is our only OB/GYN. He will not be available to see you until January 17th. Will that be okay?"

I was slightly confused. "You're telling me that the earliest appointment is close to three weeks away?"

I watched as the woman nodded her head. "Like I said, he is our only OB/GYN. He stays awfully busy."

I looked around the quiet waiting area and then across the parking lot to the Emergency room, not a soul in sight.

"Obviously." I said under my breath. "I will take that appointment."

The woman picked up pen, "Name?"

Great another question that is bound to give me the look. "Bella Swan."

Just as expected, the woman looked up again, her eyes bright and big. "Chief Swan's daughter?"

I smiled. "The one and only."

"Oh, okay," I watched as she put my name down on the calendar and then reached over to the filing cabinet and proceeded to pull out some papers. "You will need to fill these out and bring them back with you to your appointment. If you begin to have any problems, please call and I will see about getting you in earlier."

I picked up the papers and put them in my backpack and began to walk out of the building. The whooshing of the sliding doors opened and brought in a blast of arctic air. I pulled my new coat tight around me and walked quickly to my truck. The loud roar of the engine made me jump along with any nearby birds that were drinking from one of the water puddles.

I put the truck in gear and began to make my way back through town to the grocery store to pick up some food to make for dinner and some breakfast items. I decided that one way to help out around the house would be to cook dinner, even though; chances of me eating much of it were going to be slim.

I walked into the dark, quiet house and began to put everything away. Put the potatoes in the oven and then took the chicken to smoother with BBQ sauce. I gathered up my bag and placed it on the kitchen table and took a seat in one of the many unmatched chairs. I grabbed my assignments and quickly finished. Since many of my classes back home were upper level, the classes here were going to be easy. All that is, except my math class.

Just as I was finishing my last problem I heard the door open to the front door. I jumped up from my seat and finished up dinner.

"Bella?" Charlie's deep voice called from the front room.

"In the kitchen," I said and I could hear his foot prints as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Smells good," he said washing his hands and then taking a seat.

I scooped up the BBQ chicken and put a potato on his plate, then gathered up a small amount for me. I watched as Charlie eyed his plate and then my own.

"Not hungry?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not really feeling that great."

Charlie just nodded his head; I knew that the topic of me being pregnant is going to stay very low on his list.

"How was your first day?"

"It was alright," I said taking a small bite. "I went to the hospital this afternoon and made an appointment, about three weeks away."

"Good," Charlie nodded in agreement. "But three weeks seems a little far. Maybe I can go down there tomorrow and talk…"

"No," I said a bit too loudly. "I do not want any special treatment. I want to be as invisible here as possible."

"I'm sorry, Bella, but given the circumstances, you will not be able to stay invisible for long."

I looked down at my plate scraping the peas around. "I know."

"Eventually people are going to begin to ask questions and I would like to make sure that we are on the same page."

I turned away from him and watched as a fly began to roam around the kitchen. I placed my hands square on the table and then stood up. This was something that I was not ready to talk about yet. And truth be told, I was not really sure what happened to begin with.

I wiped a tear that was beginning to slip past my eye and picked up my plate, walking over to the sink.

"I'm not ready to talk about it," I said washing up the dirty dishes.

I could hear Charlie take a deep breath and let it out. "Bells, how do you expect me to feel about this? You coming here, telling me that you're pregnant and not giving much detail."

I turned around, anger beginning to boil up inside. "Please, dad. Don't. If it is appearances that you want to keep up, fine I'll play along. Tell the good people of Forks, that you long lost daughter got knocked up, no idea who the father is and that she ran away because you ex-wife wanted her to have an abortion."

I threw the towel down on the counter and turned around. "And now I am going to bed."

I stormed out of the kitchen and made it to the stairs. I could hear the chair scoot out and Charlie begin to walk.

"Bella," he called out. "You were not knocked up, you were raped! It will not get any easier until you talk about it."

By then I was slammed the door shut to my room. I did not want to talk about it; I did not want to think about it. But I did, every night for the last ten weeks that is all I have been thinking about. Every time I closed my eyes, I see it. I can still hear his voice. The same voice that kept waking me up, but this was one nightmare that I can never get out of. Little did I know that when I choose to run away from Phoenix and walk into the small town of Forks, that my nightmares would just get worse.

The next three weeks went off without any incident. I was going to school and avoiding as many people as I could. Since I was not out to make friends, people sort of avoided me. There were a couple of girls that seemed nice enough that I would sometimes sit with at lunch, but that has been as far as it got. Until Jessica asked if I would like to go to Port Angels to go shopping for some dresses to a dance that I was not even planning on attending.

"Come on, Bella," Jessica said as we walked from the cafeteria. "Angela and Lauren will be coming. Since you have been here you have not made very many friends. This will be a good time for us to get to know you better."

I smiled weakly. "Believe me; it will be better for all if you don't get to know me."

Jessica looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"

I did not feel like getting into it. "Never mind. Sure I'll go with the three of you; I needed to get a couple of things anyways."

I pulled slightly at my long sweater, knowing that my pants were beginning to get tighter on me. Thankfully my first appointment will be this afternoon.

"Great, we are going to leave right after school tomorrow," I nodded and walked into my biology class.

Edward Cullen was already sitting at our table. He pulled my chair out for me and took my book bag. During the last couple of weeks, he and I have started to become friends, or at least I think that is what I can call it. He does not talk much to me, but he is pleasant to me and does not attempt to pry.

"So, you are going to Port Angels tomorrow with Jessica and her friends?" Edward asked as I sat down.

I shook my head trying to clear it. I have yet to figure out how he is able to hear so well. I did not think we were talking all that loud. "Yes, unfortunately."

"I don't understand?"

I sighed and took out my book. "I am not the type of person that needs a friend, at least not right now."

He titled his head to the side, as if studying me just slightly. I became uncomfortable and tugged down on my sweater. His face lit up just slightly and a small smile appeared on his lips, but then quickly disappeared.

"We would not be make very good friends either."

Ouch that hurt. "Well, like I said I'm not here to make friends. I have a past, a very broken past."

Edward nodded in understanding and then turned his attention back to the front of the class room. My mind began to turn the words that he said, about us not being very good friends. If there was only one person in this whole town that I wanted to get to know better it was Edward Cullen. I was drawn to him. And truth be told he has been the only thing at night that has kept the nightmares away. For the past three weeks, I have been able to sleep, somewhat. But every night Edward has been in my dreams as well.

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I am still in shock about how quickly this story has become a favorite for so many of you!!