A/N: So I'm terribly sorry this chapter has come late. I'm dealing with a lot of computer problems and a few emotional problems right now, so I haven't had as much time to work on this as I would have liked. Subsequently, this chapter is only a draft. It may or may not be re-edited. Kudos goes out to the ER episode 'Miracle Worker.' Enjoy, read, and review!

My eyebrows furrowed, and I felt myself biting my lower lip. He was a perfect target, his back turned to the window. The bowl of yoghurt sat in my lap, and I scooped up a glob of it onto my spoon.

My finger rested on the edge of spoon's head, a grin coming over my face. How I would explain a spoonful of vanilla yoghurt smeared on the window to Bella, I didn't know.

But when opportunities like this were handed to you on a plate, you didn't think about the consequences.

"Three, two…"

He turned, shaking his head, just as a loud thumping noise came from the staircase.

I shoved the yoghurt into my mouth, irritation flickering over my face as Bella appeared a look of pure horror on her face.

"Have you seen what's outside?" she asked.

"Snow," I replied, grinning. "Finally."

Bella shook her head. "No. Snow is bad. Snow gets in everything. And it melts." She crinkled up her nose, reaching for a bowl.

"At least there's sun. That's better than nothing." I yawned, covering my hand over my mouth.

Bella sat up straight in her chair.

"What are you doing up so early?" she asked, somewhat suspiciously.

"I couldn't sleep," I explained truthfully, standing up to put away my own bowl. Bella continued to stare at me, but she didn't say anything else.

So what if I decided to get up early for once? It wasn't the end of the world!

I smiled at her, pretending not to notice. "Ready whenever you are. I'm just going to get a book first."

I darted up the staircase before she could reply, entering my room. A draft of cold air came in behind me.

I glared at my bookshelf. I'd read most of the books already, but I wasn't choosing for me, which made the selection harder.

"What I really need is a book entitled 101 Ways to Amuse Your Imaginary Friend," I muttered, grabbing a random book off the top shelf. I shivered as soft laughter filled the air.

"Ally!" I heard Bella call. I shoved the book in my bag, and, as I passed the bed, I grabbed one of the pillows and threw it, hearing the soft thump as it landed against the wall.

--

I hopped out of the truck, my feet landing in the snow. I could feel the cold slush start to soak into my jeans already.

"Ick," I muttered, kicking the snow off my shoes. I remembered what Bella had said earlier – snow was great, until it melted.

I started to walk away. "So I was thinking, that maybe we should go to Seattle and visit a real bookstore. I haven't been to Seattle for ages, and I'm in desperate need for a new book."

I turned to look at Bella, but she wasn't there.

I turned around. She was standing behind the truck, inspecting the tires. Charlie had put snow chains on them – the reason I had woken up so early this morning. Apparently Bella could sleep through anything, but the noise had woken me up.

"Bella, come on!" I called, tucking my chin under my scarf. It was freezing.

She started to say something, but it was drowned out by a high pitched screeching noise.

Tyler Crowley had lost control of his car. His hands were up, shielding his face, the loud screeching noise coming from his car.

Which was headed straight for Bella's truck.

Where Bella was standing.

I heard somebody scream, and it only took me a few seconds to realise that it was my voice, at an unusually high pitch.

"Bella!"

My voice was as high pitched as the car's brakes. Why wasn't she moving??

I cried out again, Bella's eyes turning to me for a split second, fear masked on her face as she turned around again.

I found my legs, and started to run towards her.

"Bella!" I cried out.

A pair of hands wound round my waist, stopping me in my tracks, and I wrestled against the cold force, trying to get out of his grip. I wasn't the one in danger! Why was he protecting me?

Looking back up, feeling a blast of cold air across my face, the hands gripping my waist tightly, I understood why.

Bella didn't need my guardian. She had Cullen.

I was standing side on, so that I could see Bella and what was to her left. The shock face of Edward Cullen, his pale face even paler than before, all signs of colour leaving it.

In one quick, very fluid movement, Cullen had run from where his car was four down, to where Bella was standing in fear and shock.

He knocked her out of the way, shoving her on the ground before the van made contact with either of them.

I let my body go limp, feeling the restricting hands loosen as I stared in shock and realisation at what Cullen had done.

--

They had managed to pry the van away – it took Mr. Varner and six EMT's, but Bella was soon laid down onto a stretcher, grumbling away about something.

"Bella, my god, are you okay?" I asked, furrowing my brow. All I could think of was the promise I'd made Charlie. I hadn't kept my promise, I hadn't kept her safe.

"I'm fine, there's nothing wrong with me. I feel fine." She struggled to sit up. "Why isn't he on a stretcher?" Bella asked with her voice full of venom. I turned to see Edward Cullen hopping into the front seat of the ambulance.

"Because he's not the one who was almost squished by a van Bella. Now lie down!" I said, exasperated. Never concerned about her own safety. I shook my head.

"Bella!"

Oh dear.

Someone had called Charlie.

Bella groaned, hearing her father. "I'm fine Char-Dad. There's nothing wrong with me."

I glanced at the rear-view mirror while Charlie turned to a nearby EMT for a second opinion. Cullen looked back at me, his eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"Bella, I'll see you at the hospital. Ally, come with me," Charlie said, very police like. They loaded Bella into the ambulance, and I couldn't help but laugh as she rolled her eyes at all the fuss.

--

I glanced out the window of Charlie's police car as he sounded the sirens.

I bet Bella loved this.

I caught sight of the other Cullens, Rosalie's face standing out more than the others. Her beautiful face was twisted with rage, her fine, porcelain features conveying the anger and rage over what her brother had just done.

"Remind me to call Renee when we reached the hospital," Charlie said absentmindedly as we drove down the main street of Forks.

I turned back to Charlie, nodding.

"She'll be okay, Chief Swan," I said gently, looking at Charlie's pale face.

"By the way, the agency rang." I turned back to look out the window, feeling a knot starting to form in my stomach.

Uh oh.

"They might have found you a foster family in Louisiana."

Louisiana.

Great. Jazz, sunshine and Anne Rice novels.

I didn't say anything, Charlie interpreting my silence to keep talking.

"They said they'd ring back if the family agrees. I checked them out. Nice family. Two kids already, family dog's named Pete."

I could have laughed. Trust Charlie to have looked up the family.

We arrived at the hospital, the knot in my stomach tightening even more. I put on a brave face though, for Charlie.

I watched as Bella was carted off the ambulance on the stretcher.

"Let's have a high dose appy, a pulse ox and a title CO2 detector." The stretcher with my mommy on it rolled through the doors, and I watched by the wall. I felt my lower lip start to tremble.

"Mommy?" I whispered.

I didn't understand what was going on, but I knew it was bad.

"Mommy?" I cried a little louder. The stretcher was moving now.

"Mommy!"

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up. There was a lady in a white uniform.

"Your mommy has to go away for a while, but she will come back, okay?" the lady said. Her name tag read Alanna.

I nodded. I waited.

But my mommy never came back.

"No," I whispered to myself. "No. Don't think." I turned my attention back to Bella, where she was now being wheeled into the hospital, Edward Cullen almost gliding through the doors in front of her.

Someone needed to tell him that it was his father, not him, that ran the hospital.

I watched as Charlie and half of Forks entered the hospital behind Bella's stretcher, hesitating.

I looked around me – nothing. No coldness, no warmth. Just the hospital. I bit my lip. I'd have to go in some time soon.

I walked through the sliding doors, into the waiting room.

Charlie sat in the plastic chair next to me, a full cup of coffee still in his hand. His head was against the wall, and he still looked pale.

Now all we had to do was wait. Bella had been wheeled into the ER, a nurse telling us that they would want to do scans on her head and check to make sure she had no injuries.

Sitting across the waiting room was not only Edward Cullen, his eyes closed and looking like a marble statue, but Jessica, Mike, Mr. Varner and what seemed like the rest of the town of Forks.

Jessica kept peeking at Cullen through her eyelashes and the looks that Mike was throwing him were of pure hatred.

Feeling tired, I put my head in my hands, resting them against my legs.

"Ally..."

I tucked my knees up closer to my chin, my breathing now shallow.

"Ally where are you?"

I clasped my hands over my mouth, pressing my back against the back of the wooden cupboard.

"I just want to play a game with you Ally."

It went dark as he walked past, the small gap of light that filtered through turning the cupboard black.

"You're making Daddy cross Ally."

I squeezed my eyes shut. You are not my father, I thought. You are not my father.

I heard his footsteps stop. My heart froze.

Opening my eyes, I almost screamed. There was a person in the cupboard.

The man, sitting so close to me, put a finger to my lips.

I gasped softly, jerking my head out of my hands. My eyes met Edward's, pure shock on his face.

Air. I needed air.

I stood up, my chair scraping back and hitting the wall.

"I need some air," I turned to Charlie, seeing the worried look on his face.

"Are you sure? Did you want me to –" I interrupted him, shaking my head.

"I'll be fine. I just need some fresh air," I repeated. I started to walk away, only stopping when I noticed Cullen had stood up also.

Oh God, I thought. Not now.

As I turned round, carefully avoiding Cullen's eyes, I saw Dr. Cullen and a nurse come into view.

I quickly walked passed them, glancing at Dr. Cullen's beautiful face and the nurse, stumbling a bit when I read the nurse's name tag.

She had the same name as the nurse who brought me some milk when my mother was in hospital - Alanna.

Once I was outside, I breathed in deeply, feeling my lungs fill up. I looked around me wildly.

Where was he? When I needed him the most, he wasn't here. He was always here. His very existence depended on moments like these.

I sat down shakily on a bench, rubbing my hands down my face.

It was quiet. I could hear the sway of the trees, the occasional revving of a car.

I stood up, breathing in again.

So what if he wasn't here. I could do this, I knew I could. I walked back into the hospital, fully aware that I was shaking.

--

My hand hovered over the doorknob. Downstairs, I could hear Bella on the phone to her mother, trying to convince her that coming home to Arizona wouldn't be necessary; no matter how many times Mrs. Dwyer begged and pleaded with her.

I didn't really feel like going into my room. I wanted to go back downstairs, back to New York State. I wanted my mother – alive. I wanted her to hug me, to tell me that everything was alright.

But I wasn't in New York State. My mother wasn't alive, and I was pretty sure Charlie wouldn't give me a hug. No, I needed to deal with this.

As I entered the room, I could feel the guilt and shame radiate off him. I couldn't see him, and for once I was happy about that.

Sorry, the air seemed to say. I felt a tear escape my eye, and I brushed it away quickly, shaking my head.

"Where were you?" I felt my voice shake.

Hunting.

I almost laughed aloud. Today was , were hunting days.

"You're supposed to protect me," I hissed softly to the still room. I could hear Bella still talking on the phone, the TV blaring a ball game that Charlie was watching.

I know, and I am sorry.

I shook my head again.

"Sorry doesn't cut it." I gasped out the words as the memories from the hospital came flooding back.

"It's your job to protect me, but I guess even you can't protect me from my memories, right?"

The air was cold, and I shivered. My mind was silent.

For the first time since I was eight, I felt truly vulnerable, like something had been ripped out of me and I was left open and weak.

I turned back to the door.

"I hate you," my voice whispered shakily before I quickly left the room.

I closed the door quickly behind me.

Glancing across the hallway, I saw Bella's door slightly ajar, and I knocked softly.

"Can I come in?" I asked, poking my head around the door.

"Sure," came Bella's quiet voice.

She was sprawled out on her bed, a book by her side.

"How do you feel?" I asked. "Not bad," was her reply. She scooted over for me.

"My head aches a little bit, but I just took some Tyenol, so…" She shrugged.

She sat up suddenly.

"Did you see what happened today?" she asked, staring at me intently. I stared back at her in surprise, the outburst a little uncharacteristic for Bella.

"Yes," I drew the word out slowly. "You were almost killed by psycho-Tyler in a mini-van."

She rolled her eyes. "I meant did you see Edward Cullen anywhere near the truck before the accident?"

I paused, not quite knowing what to say. Did I tell her that I saw Edward Cullen defy the speed of Superman to save Bella from the on coming van? Did I tell her that I watched as Cullen simply put his arm out and stopped said van from squishing them both?

Put simply: no. Tight white jackets and padded cells weren't exactly my idea of fun.

I shook my head. "I never saw Cullen at all. Then again, it happened all so fast."

Bella glared at me. "But you were right there. I saw you. You should have seen him."

I was shocked. This wasn't like the Bella I had began to know.

"Tyler never saw Edward either. That van should have squished me, Ally. I should be in the ER with life threatening injuries, or even worse, dead, but I'm not. Because Edward stopped that van from crushing me."

Her face was all red, her hair like a bird's nest. It was the longest and most passionate speech I'd heard her say yet.

"Cullen couldn't have stopped a van from squishing you Bella, that's impossible."

I regretted the words, but knew that I couldn't say anything else. My stomach was in knots, and I was feeling guilty.

Bella just stared at me. I tried to keep my face blank.

"You, of all people," she snapped.

Whoa. Not like Bella at all.

"I thought you would be my ally in this. I thought you of all people would at least believe me."

I started. I knew what she meant. I was in her house, living with her father. Therefore I was supposed to be on her side, supposed to agree that something was up with Edward Cullen.

I slid off the bed, shaking my head.

"I am so very sorry Bella, if I don't see the same things you do." That was harsh, I knew. And hypocritical. After all, Bella wasn't the only one seeing things.

I stalked out of the room.

Louisiana was looking good right about now.

--

I closed the door softly, resisting the urge to slam it shut.

Turning around, leaning my back against The Clash covered door, I noticed that my room was warm.

Warm and empty.

I scowled, resisting the urge to throw something. That's how I ended up with Foster Family Number 4.

I couldn't understand it. Bella gets saved from a near death experience by the more super than Superman Edward Cullen and somehow it's my fault.

I looked around my room.

Silence.

My school books were stacked up neatly on the desk, the lamp off and the only items on my pin board were the photograph of my mother and my school timetable.

I shook my head. Unbelievable.

Peering into the bathroom, I saw it was also empty. No steam on the mirror, my beauty case still packed away neatly.

I stormed back into my room. My alarm clock read 10:12PM.

It was too late for noise, let alone the mind numbing Rammstein I had on my Ipod player.

Sighing, I changed into my pyjamas before picking up the book on my bedside table.

I crawled into the bed, glancing around the room once more time before opening the book.

And so I read. I read until my eyes went blurry, the words merging into one. I could barely see the green glow of my alarm clock numbers – 2:34AM.

--

I was half asleep when I felt someone gently take the book out of my hands, hearing the quiet thump as it hit the floor.

I rolled over mumbling as I felt for the coldness.

"I don't really hate you, you know." My speech came out all incoherent.

"I know," came his soft laugh.