Chapter 9- needing answers Edward POV-

Bella was such a stubborn woman. Why couldn't she just answer my questions truthfully? She's in pain, but I don't believe she just fell down some stairs. There is this feeling in my gut that is telling me Bella knows more about my kind then she is letting on. The things she says seem random but put together and they all make sense. Like the first day of class when she saw me go ridged as she approached me in biology. It's like she knew her smell was driving me mad, and then she said she was sorry and left; it didn't make sense. Then the next day in bio she said "Your eyes appear in a better mood then yesterday's class." I was dumb founded, "what do you mean?" she explains, "I'm sorry, you just seemed a little angry that's all. I'm glad you're in better spirits." In all my time as a vampire no human had ever noticed that, they never said it or thought it. Me driving her to school today she even asked if I would be comfortable in such close proximity because of her smell. Humans were naturally drawn away from us but the girl never flinched when we were close. No one has come this close, but in a matter of days this simple human is figuring things out. Carlisle, Alice and I are the only ones who are aware how she is towards us; I don't think the others would be quiet so understanding. I still kept close tabs on her through others eyes just to make sure she never said anything to others about us; she never did.

A slight kick to the corner of my chair brought me out of my thoughts, "Could you calm down, why in the world are you so nerves?" Jasper thought as he sent me a wave of calmness. I turned and nodded my appreciation to him.

I tuned to look at the clock for the millionth time; this class was going way to slow. I was having a bit of anxiety for some reason. It just hit me like a tidal wave just as the bell was about to ring, something wasn't right. I stood up as the bell was ringing and went outside and was met by Alice. She was starting to think how excited she was to get to spend some more time with Bella when a vision cut off her thoughts. I didn't have time to look at the vision with her because it was happening right now, a half a second behind her vision. I looked in horror at Bella; she was staring at me before she even noticed the screeching tires of the blue Astro van that was headed right for her. I didn't even think before I ran to her; didn't even think of the repercussions that were going happen because of my actions. The only thing that went through my mind in that moment was 'no, not my Bella.'

I didn't have time to pull us both out of the way before the van was on us. I grabbed Bella and pulled her to the ground, I heard a dull thud as her head made contact with the pavement. I didn't have time to apologize before the van pushed us to the tan car that was behind us. I threw my hand out and pushed the front end of the van back away. By the love of all that is holy, I thought as the back end of the van swung around to crush her legs. I pulled her legs underneath of me and threw my shoulder out to stop the van. I had to throw a hand up to push the van back down on all four wheels. What the hell did this girl do to deserve this; this van was out to kill her.

When the van finally stopped the entire school was screaming. Bella and I were trapped between the cars. I looked down at her to see the damage I had done. I held my breath in case she was bleeding from impact with the ground. She was just staring at me; I could see the questions in her eyes. This was not going to be good. "Bella are you hurt," I said threw my teeth so I didn't have to breathe. I was getting a little panicked when she wasn't saying anything to me, surly all this would have brought out all sorts of questions.

"No, I'm not bleeding." Thank god, I took a breath; though I didn't really need it expect to talk and keep appearances up. "Thank you," she looked shocked.

"You're welcome. How is your head, you hit it pretty hard?" I leaned in so she could hear me over the students who were all hysterical. They were crying and calling out to Bella and Tyler, some were calling police, some were calling their parents. You would have thought the van almost killed the entire school for the way they were reacting. Here in my arms Bella looked cool as a cucumber, was there anything that rattled this girl?

"It's a bit sore, I'll live I've had worse." She chuckled at that and there was such certainty in that little statement that unnerved me to no end.

I tried to push some of the hand print dents out of the van while she was looking away, it didn't work. She just shook her head snickered and pretended to look away. I could hear my brothers and sisters thoughts screaming at me, well most were screaming.

Rose- 'what in the fucking hell are you doing. You are such an idiot. She's just a dumb human for crying out loud, were going to have to move again and I'm going to kill you.'

Jasper- 'what the hell is going on? Why would he risk exposing all of us for her?'

Alice- 'damn it Edward now I'm going to have to hold jasper off of you now, more discrete next time please.'

Emmett- 'Damn bro you've done lost your marbles, I'll knock what dents you miss don't worry about it, Rose on the other hand you may have to worry about.' He was laughing very hard mentally. I would have to make it up to him somehow.

"Just sit still till they bring the stretcher out. I don't know how hard you hit your head, better safe than sorry."

"I'm fine; I don't think I even have a concussion. I really don't want to go to the hospital." She tried to sit up but I just held her in place. It took several teachers and EMT's to move the vehicles out of the way to get to us. I picked her up and sat her on the stretcher, she looked more helpless on the stretcher then when the van was about to crush her. Then she just closed her eyes and seemed to accept what was to come; now she looked a bit anxious.

"Edward you need a stretcher as well?" Jeremy the EMT asked me, they all knew me from Carlisle working at the hospital.

"No, I will ride up front with Frank I'm fine. You take care of Bella back here." I laughed at the look on her face.

Alice sent me a text while we were on our way to the hospital, 'I will meet you at the hospital in a few, and the rest of them are going home. Carlisle will meet you guys when you get to the hospital. Xoxo ALI'

When we arrived at the hospital they took Bella straight back for an x-ray despite her protests. Tyler looked like he got the worst of it, which he should have. He's just lucky I was there to save her, I don't know what I would have done to him if he had hurt her; Damn these emotions.

I waited in my father's office for a few minutes before he came in; I explained everything that had happened all day. He is still curious what it all means, and willing to give it more time before we decide to do anything drastic. A nurse walked in with Bella's x-rays and Carlisle put it on the light board. "What in the world has this girl been threw?" Carlisle stated while we looked at her skull. It was like a jig saw puzzle, there were small cracks going all over it.

My heart sank, "what does it all mean Carlisle, how much is from today?"

"Son, most of these fractures and cracks are long since healed. I would guess from childhood. It appears to me like a series case of childhood abuse. There is one fresh looking fracture but it's to the side of her head, you said she hit the back of her head." His thoughts were very sad; he couldn't understand how people treated their children this way.

"Yes I'm certain she hit the back. She did say she fell down some stairs last night, at least that's the story she is telling me." he looked at me questionably, "I just have this feeling something else happened I just don't know what."

"Alright you go out there and talk with her if you can. I would like to keep her overnight for observations but she is refusing it, and any blood work. I can't force her to stay since she is an adult." I nodded to him and walked out. I met Alice in the hall way and just pointed to Carlisle; I wasn't in the mood to retell of Bella's injuries.

I walked into the ER and saw Bella lying on a bed with her eyes closed, I'm guessing to block out Tyler's apologizes. He tried to apologize to me as I walked in but I just shook my head at him and looked at Bella as her eyes popped open to stare at me.

I sat at the foot of her bed, "how are you feeling?"

"I already told everyone a million times, I'm fine." Bella was a bit annoyed at people making a fuse over her.

"I'm sure you think so," I stood and closed the curtain between the beds to give us some more privacy. "Bella what happened to you?" I tried to hide the concern look on my face the best as I could, but I don't think it was working.

"Umm… as I recall I'm the one who hit my head not you. You know what happened." She was being very sarcastic.

"That's not what I'm talking about. I saw the x-ray of your head; it's like a jigsaw puzzle. When you fell down the stairs," I made little quotation marks with my hands, "last night you fractured your skull. Why didn't you go to the hospital then? You don't know how series a head injury can be?"

To say she looked shocked and livid was an understatement. "What in the fuck were you doing looking at my x-rays, last I checked you weren't my doctor. I don't need to explain myself to you or anyone else. And your little air quotes, I can tell you where you can shove those fingers." She stood up out of her bed to quickly and nearly fell before I steadied her. "Don't touch me; I just got up to fast." She snapped at me.

"Bella where are you going, the doctor hasn't even come in?" I should have waited for Carlisle to approach this conversation; I just don't understand where it went so horrible wrong?

"I have to go to the bathroom, I didn't know you were writing a book?" with that she headed to the bathroom. I got up and met Carlisle and Alice in the hallway, they had heard everything.

"Just give her a few minutes to calm down son; she's tired, stressed, and hurt. Go back to my office for a few minutes you two, I need to go check on Tyler and I will see Bella when she gets back out."

"Thanks dad," he pated my back and went to his patients'. Alice and I started to head back to his office when Alice thought Bella might like a soda. I agreed it would make me feel a little better if Bella had some sugar in her.

We sat in Carlisle's office for about ten minutes when he entered; he was blocking his thoughts from me which automatically made me suspicious. "Bella never went to the bathroom; she went and checked herself out. I just found out or I would have been here sooner. Did one of you bring her truck here?"

I was already up and out of the door before he even finished his sentence. What in god's name did that girl think she was doing? It's at least ten miles to her house and another ten or more to the gas station where her truck is. It's about twenty five degrees out, its dark out, there is no sidewalk, most of the trip is surrounded by forest, and she is hurt whether she wants to admit it or not. I did not suppress the growl that came. Bella was going to be the death of me yet.

Bella's POV-

As soon as I checked out I went outside, I didn't want to wait for the Cullen's to ring me back in. I hated hospitals; I could sense the blood in the air, it sent my body on edge. If there was blood then there was someone shedding it and I needed to protect myself so my body was on high alert. I knew no one was there to hurt others but it didn't stop my body from reacting the way it did. The cool night air felt so good on my skin right now.

What happened today, it seemed like something out of a story book, and Edward saved my life. When did I depend on others to take care of me? I can't deny how good it felt to be in his arms, knowing it was his choice to save me. I also couldn't deny how guilty I felt for not doing the same for him. He worried about me, I could tell I just couldn't fathom why? I tried my best to blend in not to stand out in anyway, yet I still caught his attention. He ignored everyone else in school with the expectation of his siblings, why even risk solitude on me? Why the hell is he trying to inquire on my medical files?

I was so lost in my own mind I didn't hear the car honking at me. I stopped just as the car veered off and stopped in front of me, stupid silver Volvo. "Get in," he told me as he hoped out of his car to open the passenger door. His eyes were deep dark golden color; I'm guessing he isn't too happy.

"I'll wal-wal- walk thank you." Damn I didn't realize I was so cold, my teeth were chattering.

He took a deep breath before continuing. "Please Bella, it's freezing out and you're hurt. Just let me take you home and make sure you're alright."

Heaven help me, the pleading in his eyes is what did me in. I sighed and looked down at my feet in defeat, "fine."

To say he looked shocked was an understatement; he closed my door and got in on his side. "That was much easier to get you to agree then I would have ever dreamed of. I was expecting seven kinds of hell. Not to ruin it, but why did you give in so easily?" He was paying more attention to me then the road.

I tried not to look at him so I kept my arms crossed and looked out at the forest. "It's cold and I'm tired, just seemed easier then to waste energy yelling."

"Oh, yes umm… sorry let me turn some heat on." He had forgotten I was cold and was looking completely lost as to how to turn the heater on.

I just laughed silly vampires. "Let me help," I reached out to turn it on when our hands touched. It was the same jolt that I always felt when we made any kind of contact; it still always surprised me though. "Sorry," I muttered and turned back to my window.

We drove the rest of the way to my house in silence, neither of us knowing what to say to the other. He pulled into my drive way and turned the car off, which completely baffled me. I turned and looked questionable at him, "what are you doing?"

"Just making sure you're alright." Before I could even register what he meant he got out, came around to my door, and opened it for me with his hand out to assist me out.

I took his hand without even thinking. "I'm alright; I'm just going to go to bed as soon as I go inside. You don't really have to walk me to my door. Thank you for the ride though."

I started to turn past and go in, but since this has been such an awesome day for me what do I do? Of course I slip on some ice. Edward just laughs and grabs my arm to help me the rest of the way to my door. "Bella just let someone help you; no one is going to think differently of you for it." He didn't release my hand until we had climbed the stairs on my porch and we reached the front door.

"What does it matter what other people perceive me as when it's me who would think differently from it?" Well it did sort of matter what he thought of me, but he sure as hell wasn't going to hear me ask it from him.

Edward just sighed as I fumbled threw my keys. "You're an odd one Bella," I'm not sure if it was meant for my ears or if it was just a statement.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black!" we both laughed at my come back. I pushed the door open and walked in; I almost shut it behind me when he cleared his throat. "Oh what the hell, come in Edward?" I laid my key on the table by the door and threw my bag on the couch then headed to the kitchen for a soda and ibuprofen. We both sat down at the kitchen table and stared at each other for a few moments before I broke the silence. "So are you convinced that I'm alright or are you going to watch me while I sleep to make sure I am breathing all night?" He gave me this perplexed expression and a slight laugh. "Your expression is an odd one, it's kind of creeping me out a bit." I really wish I knew what he was thinking right now.

He straightened up and whipped the look off his face and replaced it with his crocked smile that I secretly find irresistible "I'm sorry Bella; I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Why don't we just talk a while…" I gave him a questionable look, "or we could watch a movie or TV to keep you awake awhile just to be on the safe side?"

He is bound to figure out soon that this pleading look is going to let him get practically whatever he wants, and soon. "Fine, but my head hurts so you decide what we're doing." I got up and we both headed to the living room.

He searched threw my collection of movies and chuckled as he was looking threw them. "You like a lot of classics, unless they are Charlie's?" his expression changed to a more somber one.

I just sighed and shook my head, "no Charlie didn't even own a VCR, let alone a DVD player; there all mine. Why you don't like the classics?" I would have assumed he would like a least some of them they were from his time as well.

This amused him some more, "no I like them, just surprised you would. Most teenagers prefer the latest movies that are out." I cracked up at this; he was pretending to be a teenager but admitted HE liked the classics as well. "What's so funny?"

I quickly calmed down, "nothing just pick something out. A classic would be good, nothing to awfully loud though." He swiftly picked one out and put it in the player then came and sat on the other end of the couch with me. "Gone with the wind good choice." I commented on his selection, it's a good one I haven't seen it in awhile.

"This is one of mine and Esme's favorites; we tend to watch it a few times a year." He quietly chuckled. He seemed to be remembering a happy memory with her.

"Alice told me you were all adopted. It's nice to hear of adopted parents and their kids so close it's a rarity, you all are very lucky." I wonder if I will ever really know how they all are truly adopted with Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. I'm sure it would be an interesting tale.

"We are very lucky, I couldn't ask for better parents. They love us all unconditionally no matter what we do." His smile faded completely before he turned to look back at me. "I'm sorry this must be a little more difficult to talking about. Alice also told me about your adoption. I'm sorry if I wasn't supposed to know, it's very difficult to keep secrets between me and Alice. But I don't think the rest of the family knows, your secret is safe. But at least you had Charlie, the way he talked about you to people in the town or to my father you really did mean a lot to him."

"Charlie still talked about me in a good way to people around here? I wouldn't have thought that at all; I mean after Renee made up those lies to Charlie about me not wanting to be around him anymore. I wouldn't have thought anything good about me would come from his lips. It's a really hard concept for me to believe. I knew he loved me, especially after I saw him on my birthday, but if there was anything about me that was good before that I just don't really believe it."

"Maybe he knew your mom enough to know what she said was a lie? Or maybe he knew you enough to know that isn't something you would say?" he really was trying to comfort me when he really knew nothing of me.

"I don't know maybe, I guess we will never know. Charlie was never really good with too deep of emotions so I don't see him keeping a journal or anything like that." I sighed and shook my head to shake out any memories I was thinking about. "I'm sorry my emotions seem to be getting the best of me at the moment. How about we change the subject or we could just watch the movie?" I really would prefer to talk more but I'm also afraid of what else I will tell him. It's just way to easy to talk to him, it's unnerving.

"Have you thought of any collages you might want to attend after graduation, or something you want to study?" Edward had shifted in the cushion to where he was facing me more than the TV. I also noticed I had done the same thing without noticing.

"I haven't really thought much about it actually. I'm not sure if I want to go to college or not." I really hadn't thought about it at all. I have been to collage a few times physically and also have several degrees I have earned online. When I took a sabbatical after I thought Edward was dead the last time, I didn't really go into society any expect to get supplies. So I did everything online, well after it was invented and when you could do the online schooling. I went nuts with it all. I have quiet the collection of online degrees from it all now.

"Why wouldn't you? Just from biology I can tell you're a great deal smarter than any average student. You could have an endless amount of choices of collages to choose from."

"I'm not really all that big on the ideal of more school right now. Maybe I will do something fun before hand, live a little first." That idea sounded kinda good, I don't know what the last time I just did something because it was fun.

"Why do I have this bad feeling of your living a little idea sounding a little on the dangerous side?" his tone was serious.

I laughed at him, "define your idea of dangerous?" this could be interesting to hear a vampire's definition of dangerous.

"Hmmm… tattoos, bungee jumping, sky diving, cliff jumping, the list could essentially go on and on."

This brought out another round of giggles from me; this was a cake walk version of dangerous. "Well who's to say I don't already have tattoos? I've already bungee jumped, I didn't like it at all though. I haven't sky dived before, (been thrown out of a plane and also crashed in a plane, but never willingly jumped out of one with a pair shoot before) I don't really plan on it anytime soon either. And cliff diving is fun, and the look on your face is priceless." I was starting to laugh so much I had a few tears.

"Those things could get you killed, anything could go wrong." He stopped for a moment and looked off into space then shook his head before continuing. "You have a tattoo? Wait you said tattoos, you have more than one?" if I thought his face looked serious before this was a whole new level to that one.

"Why yes I have more than one, why does that bother you?" he could really only see one if I let him, it was Chinese lettering meaning hope. It was one thing I never let heal when I had to heal myself; it's been there almost 215 years. My other tattoos were hidden; you can only see them in my true form.

He got this weird grin on his face, "I guess that depends on what are they?"

What did he think I had all my ex's on a list somewhere? Which I did in a way, but on my true form, they were intertwined in all the other tribal writings. There was one that said Mason and another one that said Edward which had formed in front of Mason. The words were all written in an Elven language along with the words soul mate that was around it. My parent's names and older brothers were written in the tattoos along with the words true mother, true father, true brother. Why they were there I really don't know, I don't really understand why they said true in front of them. I guess time will tell, hopefully.

My ribs were pretty bruised so I really didn't want to show him the hope tattoo that was on my stomach right above my pant line. "I have a Chinese symbols that say hope on my stomach, maybe I will show you some other time."

I was hoping that would satisfy him for now, but was sadly mistaken. He smiled his crocked smile, "That sounds nice, everyone needs hope for something. What about you're other one, or ones?"

I was amused, "I wouldn't have pegged you as someone who would like tattoos, especially on females. You seem more of a traditionalist. And I have several others, but you can't see those. I have my birth mother, father and brother's name on me." I turned to the movie trying not to have any flashbacks of long ago.

"I do have to admit to being a bit to traditional, but things change. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your family? If you don't want to talk about it, I'm sorry for bringing it up."

I turned to look back at him he was staring intensely at me. "They were kil… they died long ago. I was only 6 so I don't remember it all that clearly. Some relatives of the sorts took care of me for awhile after that." They weren't really relatives just some of my kind. They took care of me a few years till they were too killed off.