A/N - I updated! I'm ashamed. I've had this chapter written for a while, and I'm just now posting it. Sorry! Expect another update within the month! (If you review!)

Oh, and we've more than broken 6,000 hits! Go you!

Disclaimer: I am SO over these. Don't own Twilight. Go find Stephenie Meyer, the REAL genius.

"Isabella, Charlie's going to be fine." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Call me Bella, please. What happened to him?"

"Well, a few years ago he was shot on the job. He can be pretty stubborn and didn't want you and your mother to worry, so, against everyone's wishes, he didn't tell you. He also refused to wear the brace around his leg to help it heal properly, and he went back to work much sooner than he should have."

Wow. I never knew Charlie was shot. How could he keep something like this away from us?

"How was he shot?" I asked Dr. Cullen.

"A thief was on the run from Seattle. All the officers in every city around it were alerted and many set up traps. Unfortunately, he came here, to Forks, and the police in Seattle failed to notify us that he was armed. Your father ended up suffering the blow and was shot twice in the right leg."

"So why is that affecting him now? Wasn't it a few years ago?"

"Yes. As I mentioned, however, your father can be quite stubborn and did not follow doctor's orders the way he should have. It appears that while he was going down the stairs, his leg sort of gave out in the middle and he hit his head, knocking him unconscious."

"Oh my gosh. Is he alright?"

"Fortunately, yes. We have no idea why the leg didn't give up sooner, but it did now. He may lose all privileges of walking on his right leg if he goes back to work right away. He has to keep off his leg and keep a brace on it for now. I guess it's going to be your job to make sure that he doesn't put any weight on it."

I simply nodded at this. I couldn't believe all this information I was finding out. I wonder if I should tell Renée. I really hope Charlie doesn't hate me if I do.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't see what looked like a nurse go up to Doctor Cullen and tell him something quietly. Soon after, it was his voice that pulled me out of my trance. "Your father woke up a few minutes ago, Bella. Would you like to go see him?"

Again, I simply nodded my head. I didn't trust my voice right now.

"Alright, follow me." I got up and walked behind Doctor Cullen down the halls. I kept my eyes focused on the ground. I hated hospitals and didn't really want to look into the rooms. Who knew what kinds of things I'd see? Besides, it's better if I don't trip.

"We're here," Doctor Cullen announced gently. I lifted my head to look at him. "Thank you," I whispered.

"No problem," he replied quietly, while offering a small smile which I returned.

I hesitated before going into the room. I took a deep breath and walked in.

"Hi, Dad," I said quietly as I closed the door. His face snapped over to me and his dark brown eyes locked with mine.

"Hey, Bells."

"How are you doing?"

"I'm okay, I guess."

An awkward silence hung in the air. I looked away from Charlie and finally asked the question that had been on my mind. "Why didn't you tell us, Dad?"

"I didn't want you guys to worry."

"Why didn't you listen to the doctors?"

"I didn't want you to find out."

"So this is much better? I get home from school and see you, unconscious, might I add, being loaded into an ambulance. Is the worry I've been feeling for the past few hours much better? I didn't know what happened, and I didn't know what to think! What was I supposed to do, Dad?! What?!"

My voice got louder as I ranted on and on. I could feel the angry tears, also mixed in with the sadness I felt for him not telling us, stinging my eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.

"Dad, I thought you were--" I couldn't even complete the sentence. I closed my eyes and allowed the moisture to flow as I turned away and ran.

"Bella, wait!" I heard Charlie call.

But I didn't stop. I just kept going. I was in such a vulnerable state right now. Charlie didn't need me yelling at him right now. He didn't need to see my fear, anger, and sadness spilling down my face as one. And I didn't need to see him strapped to a hospital bed.

Everything in me was just threatening to explode. I ran out the hospital doors and straight into the forest. I didn't care where I was going. I just needed to get away. I tripped over something and just stayed on the floor. I couldn't move.

What was wrong with me? I'm never like this. I'm never so vulnerable. I never act like this. Just the thought that I could've lost my father was enough to put me over the edge. What if it was a heart attack, or a stroke? What if it was something much worse than a bullet wound?

And there was the fact that Charlie might lose the use of his right leg completely. That would be very bad.

The thing with the Cullens was also contributing to my breakdown, although barely. That thing had been annoying me for a while now. But Charlie's sudden trip to the hospital was enough to break me down.

I didn't know how long I had been there. I was on the floor, hugging my knees to my chest while allowing the tears to flow freely down my face. It had begun to rain while I was out here, and now I was soaked.

I stood up and wiped my face. I was embarrassed about my behavior in the hospital and I wanted to go back and apologize to Charlie.

There was just one problem. I didn't know which way "back" was. I was lost in the trees. Make that two problems--it was getting dark out. Really dark.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of me.

"Hello," the person almost purred. It was a deep, male voice. Something told me that this was a bad situation that I was in right now. Something told me to get away from the person standing in front of me.

But I couldn't move. I was frozen in this position.

"My, my. You smell," he stopped to breathe in, "absolutely delicious."

A/N - My, my, am I evil, or what! Review, and the next chapter shall come within the next week or two if I get a lot. Who shall save her, if anyone? Any original ideas that I like get a chapter dedicated to them! :D

Speaking of reviews…. Reviewers, yummy Gatorade for you, because I just had a stomach virus and lived off Gatorade. I drank it red. And food repulsed me. I felt like a vampire. A vegetarian one. :) Hugs from Jasper! Jasper, hand out Gatorade (red) and hugs to:

Musicormisery4105 ; Kaylee1038 ; oxIrishBella14xo ; Hopelessly-Devoted-To-Edward ; BellaRoseXoXo ; xilaberry ; Me likey Jazzy ; derangedangst ; MidnightWritter ; I'm a future Cullen ; NewMoonLover ; FOREVER WITH MY NOSE IN A BOOK ; lasting illusion ; edward'shappyending ; Mrs. Edward Anthony Mas Cullen ; magicvamp ; Rosalie-Hale-is-my-idol ; PrincessSolaria ; marianna14 ; DaniCullen12 ; Notasausage . Last chapter had 21 reviews! Can we beat it? It's up to you!

I have almost 4 times that many alerts. And I'm averaging about 700 hits per chapter. And I get only 21 reviews? That's sad. Let's beat that!

Review! I'm in desperate need of constructive criticism!

--Marie--