A/N: First of all, I want to thank those of you that continue to leave me reviews. You have no idea what your encouraging words mean to me! And see what I mean about them helping me write? An update already! I'm not particularly thrilled with this chapter, but this is what I view as the turning point. It's only a matter of time before Bella realizes exactly what the heck is going on with those strange but lovable Cullens!

That being said, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Halloween! Stay safe! It's probably going to be a couple of days before I'm able to update again, as I have a class coming up this weekend, but I promise you, I'm going to try my hardest to get something out ASAP. As always, reviews rock my socks!

Love Story

Chapter Five

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The sound of the incessant beeping cut through the darkness. I longed to reach over and silence the shrill noise, but I simply didn't have the energy. I tried to force my tired eyes open, a groan escaping my lips as the bright light assaulted my eyes.

I blinked several times, trying desperately to clear my blurred vision. My body ached with every breath I took. I tried to lift my hand to brush the sleep out of my eyes when a sharp pain shot through my side, causing me to cry out.

"Bella?" In an instant, Charlie was at my side, his face tired and worn. "Oh God, Bella. Try not to move baby. I'll get the doctor."

Another cry tore from my throat as the pain intensified from the very tips of my hair to the tips of my toes. Everything hurt. I watched as Charlie rushed from the room. He wasn't gone for long before he turned, Dr. Cullen in tow.

"Dad?"

"I'm here baby. Stay real still Bells. Everything's okay now. You're safe."

"You're safe now," he promised, crushing me against his chest. "You're safe."

"Oh my God. Oh God. The truck. The tanker… oh God, Charlie! Charlie, what happened to the driver of the other truck?"

"Bella, please. Keep still."

"No!" I screamed, shaking my head furiously. "What happened to the driver of the other truck?" I could feel myself growing more hysterical as the seconds ticked by. A set of cool fingers settle against my jaw, forcing me to look into a set of topaz eyes.

"Isabella," Carlisle said firmly. "Focus on me." The familiar words rang through my ears, immediately calming me. I couldn't bring myself to look away from him. "There's a good girl," he said, a smile softening his features. "I need you to remain calm."

Per his instructions, I settled back against the pillows, my heart still pounding in my chest. "Very good Bella," he praised, releasing my chin. "It's almost time for your medicine, but I'm going to have to ask what happened. Are you clear on any details of the accident?"

"Bella, I need you to listen to me!" The velvet voice was urgent and I tried desperately to focus on the topaz eyes I'd been daydreaming about. "That's it. Focus on me." I could feel his hands cup my face gently, though his hands were hard and cold. "You climbed out the back window of the truck. Say that, Bella. Say it now." His sweet breath blew, once more against my face, making it difficult to breathe. "Say it Bella!" He urged.

"The… the back window," I whispered, my voice weak. "I climbed out of the back window. The truck cut out in the road and… the… the tanker truck…"

I watched as Carlisle's eyes studied me hard before he nodded. "Thank you Bella. I'm going to send the nurse in to give you some more medication for the pain."

I tried to nod, but couldn't bring myself to do so. I watched as the two men shared a meaningful look before Carlisle left the room. Charlie sank into the seat beside me, reaching tentatively for my hand. I didn't pull away, unable to even summon enough energy to be embarrassed by the gesture.

"I should have gotten your truck checked out," he said, his voice a horrified whisper. "I'm sorry."

"Don't dad. I'm fine."

The pretty nurse entered the room, breaking the moment. "Are you ready for your medicine sweetie?"

She didn't wait for me to answer before she inserted the medicine into the IV already in my hand. Almost immediately, I felt my eyelids drooping.

"I love you Bella."

Those were the last words I heard before I drifted into darkness once more.

xoxoxoxox

The final diagnosis was 3 broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and various bumps and bruises. The most impressive, however, was the seatbelt bruise that stretched across my chest. Armed with enough pain medication to sedate a horse, I was released the morning after my accident, with strict instructions from Carlisle to take it as easy as possible.

Of course, as I slid into the front seat of Charlie's police cruiser, I was well aware that recovery was going to be anything but easy. Tears sprang to my eyes as Charlie carefully maneuvered the seatbelt around my body, until he positioned it so the chest strap rested behind my back. "The lap belt should be alright until we get home," he said.

"Thank you," was my murmured response. He headed around the cruiser and climbed into the driver seat. As we drove the short distance from the hospital to our home, I was painfully aware of every bump, every dip in the road as it jarred my aching body.

I had never been so happy to see the house as I was when Charlie turned onto our street. I squinted my eyes as the silver Volvo parked in front of our house came into view. Truth be told, though I had been unconscious for the majority of my hospital stay, I had been hurt that Alice hadn't been by to see me. There was so much I needed to know. I couldn't pretend I wasn't happy to see that stupid car parked there, waiting for me.

"Looks like you have company," Charlie grumbled, somewhat disapprovingly. "Are you sure you're up to it?"

"I'll be fine."

As Charlie pulled into the driveway, I spotted them, perched on our front porch like two beautiful statues carved out of stone. They were both still, their faces grim until the car came to a stop.

"Who's that with her?"

"That's Edward," I responded. Even though pain was coursing through my body, my stomach gave a pleasurable squirm at the sight of him. "Her brother."

He cocked an eyebrow in my direction as he reached down to unhook his seatbelt. "They sure don't look old enough to have kids that age."

"They're adopted dad. And I don't think it's a subject they like to discuss, so please don't say anything. Act normal, okay?"

"Hey, hey! No need to get defensive. It was just an observation," he said, throwing his hands up in defensive. I didn't miss the skeptical look he threw in Edward's direction. He shook his head before he climbed out of the car and came around to the passenger side to help free me from the seat.

"Hello Chief Swan," Alice greeted from her place on the porch.

Charlie waved in greeting as he pulled my door open. My trembling hands were already working on unhooking the seatbelt before I managed to free myself. I cringed as I leaned forward slightly so Charlie could pull the belt from behind my body.

"You want the couch or you want to try and make it up the steps to your room?"

"My room would probably be best. The bathroom would be closer," I reminded him.

"Fair enough. Let's get you inside and into bed."

With a nod, I accepted his help in climbing out of the car and making those first torturous steps across the front yard to the porch steps.

"I hope it's okay we stopped by, Chief Swan. My father let us know Bella was being released. We were terribly worried when we heard what happened. We won't stay long," she promised.

His eyes lingered on Edward, who still had not said a word before he turned his gaze back to Alice. "That's fine," he said with a nod. He pulled his keys from his pocket before he slid the key into the front door, turning the lock. He gestured for Alice and Edward to step in before he helped me in carefully.

Climbing the steps took longer than it should take any human being, and each step sent a new wave of pain through my body. It was excruciating.

I sank down onto the bed, my side absolutely throbbing.

"Bells… We should probably… uh, get you into something more comfortable," Charlie suggested, reminding me that I was still in the same clothes I had left the house in yesterday afternoon. My eyes widened in embarrassment, my cheeks burning red.

"I–"

"Perhaps I could help with that," Alice volunteered, relief flooding through me at the thought. Charlie, too, visibly relaxed as he offered a grateful nod in Alice's direction.

"I'll leave you to it then," he said, his eyes turning back to Edward once more, who I suspected was barely suppressing a smile.

"I'll be right outside the door," he said, his eyes boring into mine.

Once Alice and I were alone, I narrowed my eyes at her. "How come you didn't come see me?"

"Don't be ridiculous Bella," she chided. "You needed your rest." She reached forward, removing my sling carefully. "Besides, the answers to the questions you have for me are not appropriate for… that specific atmosphere. Too many eyes and ears."

"Could you BE any more cryptic?"

"Relax. You'll get your answers."

Though the process of getting changed was particularly painful, I felt much better once I was dressed comfortably in my favorite sweats. With Alice's help, I got situated on the bed, several pillows propped up behind my back, before she brought Edward back into the room.

He took a seat in the rocking chair in the corner of my room while she perched herself on the edge of my bed. "Now," she said, "I believe you have some questions?"

"I… why did I lie for you?"

"There are… circumstances that made that necessary, Bella. It would not have been ideal had we been discovered at the scene of your accident. We like to fly under the radar, so to speak, and we felt that our presence would have perhaps sparked an interest in our family."

"What do you mean by circumstances? You can't be fugitives on the run from the law or anything! Charlie would be all over that."

That sweet, musical laugh escaped from Alice. "Of course we aren't on the run from the law, silly girl"

"Alice told you, if I am not mistaken, that we are a close family. We don't take kindly to outsiders, Bella.
We are… quite different."

"Plenty of people are anti-social," I responded with a roll of my eyes. "That doesn't make you different at all. You've apparently never attended a school for the arts."

They shared a look at my expense. "Perhaps we should have done this when she wasn't quite so doped up on medication?" Alice suggested.

"No, I think it's probably better this way. Maybe we should give her some more before we continue?"

"Maybe you shouldn't talk about me like I'm not here?"

Another look. "Bella…" Alice hesitated, reaching for my hand. I shivered at the touch. She was so cold. "Ask me how we knew where to find you."

"How?"

"We aren't… normal, Bella."

"Neither am I," I responded. "I like ketchup on my macaroni and cheese. I don't like Christmas. I don't look forward to birthdays. What does being normal have to do with anything?"

She looked at Edward helplessly. He got up and crossed the room, kneeling beside me, taking my hand from Alice's grasp.

"Why are you so cold?"

"If you decide, after we have shared our secret, that you want nothing more to do with us, we will leave in peace and refrain from contacting you again. The only thing we request is that you keep this to yourself. It could be incredibly dangerous to us all if you choose to share this with anyone."

"Edward," I whispered. "Please just tell me what's going on."

"I need you to swear it to me, Bella."

"Okay, okay! I swear! Just please…"

"I saw you," Alice said quietly.

"What?"

"Have you ever had…Oh, how do I put it? Have you ever had a…a strong feeling that something was going to happen and then it actually did?"

"Once or twice. What does that have to do with anything?"

"I see things, Bella. Before they happen."

"So what are you? Like a psychic or something?"

A sad smile formed on her pretty lips. "Something like that. I see… flashes of things to come. But it's not always the most reliable thing, if that makes sense. My… visions, as we call them, rely heavily on the decisions that the… subjects of my visions make. Nothing is set in stone."

"So you say you saw me?"

"When you made your decision to come to Forks," she affirmed with a nod. "It didn't make sense to me then. I had never met you, there was no reason for my vision."

"What does… what does that mean?" Another look was shared between the siblings.

"We aren't sure yet. But there's a reason you were brought back to Forks, Bella. We just haven't figured out that reason yet."

"Have we overwhelmed you yet?" Edward asked, his head cocked slightly to the side as he observed my face.

"Strangely enough…no. But why are you telling me this?"

"I believe that your future, however cloudy it may be right now, is somehow connected with ours. But there are certain things you have to understand about our family."

"Certain things like what?"

"Bella, we–"

Before she could say another word, Edward was on his feet, his hand gripping Alice's shoulder. "Charlie's on his way up the stairs. It's going to have to wait."

Sure enough, Charlie's heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs, signaling his ascent. I made no attempt to cover the groan that escaped at his impending interruption. Damn you, Charlie! I thought maliciously.

"Tomorrow Bella," Alice promised, her topaz eyes boring into my plain brown ones. "Tomorrow."