Come Take a Walk with Me

Chapter Nine—Liar

I made my way home after hunting in a hurry. I ignored and sidestepped Emmett as he tried to rush me in the foyer. I sent him a glare over my shoulder as I made my way to my room.

"Alice," Jasper said from downstairs, "—and Esme have been watching Bella since you left the hospital. Carlisle is hunting." I thanked him for informing me as I stripped my clothes to shower. Desperate to hurry, I used a bit too much force and tore my sweater as I pulled it over my head. I had been doing that more lately, and I wasn't sure why. I would have to let Carlisle as soon as I could. Maybe it was because my thoughts were so consumed by Bella; however, that made little sense. Vampires could think of many things at once.

The fortress.

Perhaps the time I'd spent trying to explore Bella's mind was somehow dulling my senses. If that were the case, I'd have to reconsider telling Carlisle. If I told him, he'd forbid me to enter her mind again. That was something I'd never be able to stop myself from doing. I needed to know everything about her, and that meant knowing her thoughts.

I showered quickly and found something suitable to wear. I ran through all my memories of Bella since I first laid eyes on her; unbidden thoughts replayed the moments that I'd seen her beautiful breasts. I groaned as my body reacted accordingly.

"Edward," Emmett said in a sing-song voice from the living room downstairs. "You're supposed to take care of that while showering. Easy cleanup."

My anger at his taunting flared up in an instant. I was downstairs before he could finish his first round of laughter. I pushed him against the wall, snarling in his face. "I don't enjoy you making fun of me," I growled. "I'm in no mood to deal with your childish antics." He pushed me off him, settling into a defensive crouch. "How would you like it if Rosalie suddenly forgot who you were?"

I ran out the front door, without even opening it. "What the hell was that?" Emmett said softly as I ran. "Jasper, why didn't do your Jedi fucking trick?"

"I did," Jasper said gravely. "It didn't work." I stilled.

What the hell was going on with me?

~oOo~

Once I made it to the forest that edged the northwest side of the hospital, I paced and watched from various minds for anyone that'd been in Bella's room. From the sound of her heart, she seemed to be all right, sleeping. I knew that in a few hours, the sun would only allow me one hour of reprieve as it hid behind a bank of clouds coming from the east. Alice had warned me to use it wisely, but refused to elaborate. She also warned me to remain calm and that she was sending Carlisle to help as a precaution.

"Will I be a danger to her?" I asked, wanting to know why she was warning me.

"No," she said, more for Esme's benefit. She looked worried; my mother figure feared what would happen to me if I lost Bella. I averted my eyes from hers, because I knew—I'd die without her.

"Then what's the problem?" I asked.

"Her visitor," Alice said softly. "Just try to let things happen naturally, and I promise it'll be fine. Don't interfere." Damn it, I really hated when she refused to show me my future, especially when Bella could be in danger.

"When will she wake up?"

"In another hour or so," Alice replied, as my mother gave me a promising smile. "But only for a few minutes. Then a couple of hours later, sometime before noon."

"Thank you," I said. "For watching her while I was gone."

"We protect our own," Esme said softly. "She's who you want and love, so she'll be protected from anything that threatens her."

"Even if it's me," I whispered. I felt her arm on my shoulder, her mind once filled with her love and concern for me.

"You'd never hurt her," she said. "Not ever."

"You don't know that," I murmured. "I don't want to, but it seems inevitable."

"Does that mean you'll change her if she chooses so?"

I shook my head. "She may not want me."

"My son," she said softly. "I may be biased, but your one of the most generous men I've ever known. You have a beautiful soul."

"I don't think I do," I muttered. I hated whenever a conversation reverted to this old argument.

Are we soulless?

"I know you believe that you don't," she said as she took a step back. "However, if you don't have a soul, how is that you love that girl with all that you are?"

With her words said, she was gone, Alice right behind her.

How indeed?

~oOo~

Time seemed to slow considerably when the one you loved was separated from you by sunshine and sleep. Every time a doctor or nurse checked in on Bella, I found myself studying her from their eyes. Their minds. They all thought she was beautiful. The nurse that had Bella in her rotation during her shift admired her porcelain skin. She had no idea how delicate Bella was, how breakable.

I stared at my hands, fearing them more than my own thirst. I could kill her with a flick of my finger. Bruise her with the slightest force of my thumb. Mar that china doll skin. It was something I would never allow; yet, I knew that I was lying to myself.

If she allowed me the pleasure of being with her, I would hold her. I wouldn't able to help myself. Only hold her, I told myself. Though it was unfair to her; any other boy would be able to give her so much more.

I heard the snap of the Cyprus under my hand snap from the strength I inflicted on it. The mere thought of another male touching her had me losing myself to my instincts. In this case, marking and making her mine. To make that claim, I'd have to make sure she was covered in my scent.

Then all males would know she was taken. Mine.

I was brought out of my thoughts when a pleasant little gray-haired nurse had stopped by to take Bella's vitals when her eyelashes started to flutter. I gasped where I was perched in a tree, wishing I could see those brown eyes focus on me. Her eyes opened slowly, confusion or perhaps the lighting caused them to snap closed. The nurse immediately dimmed the lights and called the nurses station for the doctor.

Bella's voice was raspy as her eyes try to focus on something. "R-re-d-d w-wall." As tears began glistening in Bella's eyes, the nurse took her hand in her own. Why was she crying? I ached to hear her thoughts again, but from the distance of where I sat, I couldn't attempt to penetrate the red wall. The red wall. I listened to Bella's incoherent words. "Man at the red wall."

"There, there, sweetie," the nurse said softly. "Your dad is on the way and so is the doctor."

"I know him," Bella said softly as her eyes drifted close.

I exhaled harshly, hardly aware that I had been holding my breath since her eyes started to open. I needed to find a way back into her room soon. I inhaled deeply, her scent nowhere near as pungent when she was so far from me. It was both a blessing and a curse.

A doctor assessed her, a nurse changed her dressing, and I cringed at the sight of burred holes in the sides of her head. The mere thought of her in pain had the blood in my stomach churning. She would wake up in pain; there was no doubt about that.

However, she would awaken.

An hour later, her father spoke with her doctor, discussing about others possibly visiting. Bella's mother was arriving in the next hour, but made it clear until Bella was feeling better that no one besides them and myself were allowed to visit.

I couldn't help but smile, and I decided that the Forks Police Department was in desperate need of a sizable donation. I watched through the eyes of the Chief as he walked into Bella's room. His eyes met his daughter's wide ones.

"Hi," she whispered, alert and confused. "Um, how did I get here?"

Her father sighed deeply, trying to remain his composure. Inside his mind, Chief Swan was on his knees in tears in gratitude. He cleared his throat to dislodge the lump there. He walked over to her, not a word left his lips as he looked at her. His hands instinctively reached for hers, instantly making her more anxious. Her heart rate increased as her eyes widened.

"Hi. Do you know who I am?" he asked, his expression somewhat fearful.

She rolled her eyes, wincing as if it hurt to do so. "Char—Dad, of course I know who you are."

Charlie cleared his throat again and smiled. "You had an accident at school, bumped your head."

Bella reached up, touching the bandage on her head. "How bad is it?"

"You'll be fine now," he said assuredly. "Probably the worst head injury you've ever endured."

"Oh," she said softly, her brow scrunching. "I started school already?"

Charlie looked confused. "Yes, a little over two months ago."

She shook her head, her heart raced. "No. I just got here."

"Bella, sweetheart," he said, handing her a cell phone. "Do you remember the phone your mom got us?" Bella shook her head as she attacked her bottom lip with her teeth. Tears slowly fell from her eyes. "It's all right if you don't remember. Nothing exciting has happened since you came back."

"But I don't remember anyone," she rasped. "I have to start all over again."

"You mentioned a few people."

She looked up at him, the desperation for information clearly written all over her face. "Tell me."

"You mentioned Jessica Stanley, Angela Weber you said they were nice. Let's see, you asked about the Cullens. I know you're friends with the youngest one, Edward."

"Oh," she said, blushing. "You mean friends…or friends?"

Charlie blushed and shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "I think you two were working on being more than friends."

She nodded and then shook her head. "Anyone else?"

"Mike Newton keeps calling," Charlie mumbled.

"I don't recognize any of those names," she said with a sigh.

"The doctor said it could be temporary, the memory loss."

"Does Mom know?" she asked, looking hopeful.

"Um, yeah," he said gruffly. "She'll be here soon."

"Oh, Dad," she said, closing her eyes.

"You could've died, Bella," he said in a hoarse whisper. Bella's eyes snapped back to his. "If it wasn't for that Cullen kid…twice he's saved you."

"Twice," she squeaked. "I've been saved twice." Her eyes seemed to become impossibly wider, softening when she looked up at her father. "Here I thought Forks would be boring and be like running around in a bubble wrapped town." Her tone was teasing, and I knew she was only doing it to alleviate her father's worries.

"You'd bump into an exceptionally large bubble and dislocate a shoulder," he teased. Her eyes flared for an instant before it disappeared just as quickly.

"Yeah," she said with an overdramatic sigh. "Or likely break an ankle."

In Charlie's mind, his only retort was, not as long as Edward was around.

I smiled.

~oOo~

It was nearing the time where I'd have almost a full hour of sun-free time. Bella's mother had arrived, and I found her mind fascinating. It was somewhat similar to a child's, yet the quick fire way she made choices and observed things led me to believe that she was smarter than she made others believe. Or perhaps her inability to focus on one thing hadn't allowed her to show it.

Bella had fallen asleep after more pain medication was administered through her IV shortly before noon. Her parents decided to have lunch at the diner after Bella insisted that they get something decent to eat.

Since I wanted to spend every sun-free moment by her side, I made my way into the hospital. I dodged windows, rays of sunlight and wandering eyes when I finally found an empty room down the hall from Bella.

That's when I heard him, or his thoughts.

It's a good thing Ms. Cope loves to gossip. Bella is in here with no memory of the past few months. I have to make sure she sees me first and with the Cullens away camping, now's my chance.

I growled, my fists clenched at my sides as I contemplated thousands of different ways to kill Mike Newton. However, I couldn't because the blinds in Bella's room were wide open, long stretches of sunlight were filling the room.

As I watched through his eyes, he stopped just outside the door, aware that a nurse was in the room with her. There was concern underneath his vile thoughts of Bella. She appeared small and frail in her hospital bed to him, pale and sick. His eyes took in the bandages around her head and wondered how much of her hair had been cut off.

Shallow, asshole. When the nurse left, he sneaked inside the room. Then he touched her.

The wall beside where I stood crumbled to dust as I watched from his eyes. His fingers lingered on her cheek, marveling at the softness of her skin. A low growl left me, Alice's words of advice about Bella's visitor made sense. Was I supposed to allow that boy touch her? Touch her without her consent?

Bella's eyes opened for a mere moment, closing again. It happened several more times before they remained half-lidded, her gaze fixed on Mike.

"Hi," she rasped slowly.

"Hi, Bella," Mike murmured, smiling it seemed.

"I—I," Bella said with a shake of her head.

"It's all right," Mike said softly as he took her hand. She seemed alarmed by the gesture but Mike eased the tension by rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. "They told me you may have lost your memory."

Bella nodded slowly, still watching him. Confusion was so clear in her eyes, so was the pain. It hurt to talk, to think, or even to focus on a face. I wished I could take it all away, bear it for her.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I don't remember."

The smile on his face, reflected in Bella's eyes, was a simple one. His thoughts were celebrating the fact that he could give her a new first impression. One he was hoping would get her to go out with him, perhaps even convince her that they'd already been seeing each other.

"It will take some time," he said softly. "We can even make new memories.

"Oh," she said, blushing again. "Did we—have we been—" she trailed off, refusing to continue. However, Mike's smile widened.

"Something like that," he said.

"I—you," she started and shook her head. She took her hand from his and clutched her head. "I don't remember, but—"

"You'll remember," he murmured, touching her face again. Another growl rumbled through me, and this time a hospital bed bent under my hands.

"I remember my dad, my mom but there's no one else I remember here."

Mike nodded and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. She moved slightly away from him, but that didn't seem to discourage him.

"I do remember one person's face," she said softly, mostly to herself.

"Oh," Mike said, concerned that it was me.

"He looks angry in my mind though," she said thoughtfully.

Mike hissed in his thoughts, attempting to find a way to change the direction in which her mind seemed to go.

"That would be Cullen. The first day you arrived, he glared at you all through Biology."

It wasn't a lie, but the disappointment in her face was clear. It wasn't something she wanted to hear. "Oh."

"Yeah, he even disappeared for like a week after he saw you. He's just weird. I wouldn't let him get to you."

"I don't remember him. I just remember his dark eyes."

"He's a freak. Don't worry yourself about him."

Bella's eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded him. "Can you tell me about my other friends?"

Mike nodded and took the chair beside her. He tried to take her hand again, but she had moved it just in time to avoid it. I internally cheered, because it seemed that she didn't trust Mike. I listened to him as he told Bella about their mutual friends. He seemed to have forgotten to mention that he had a date with Jessica.

I heard Charlie and Renee approaching the room a few minutes later. Mike was discussing the beach and that he hoped he could take her there. Once again, he tried to take her hand in his, this time he succeeded. She watched as he brought her fingers to his lips.

"When you're feeling better and they spring you," Mike said with a smirk. I wanted to throttle him. "We'll have that dinner that I promised you last week."

Bella's eyes widened, but before she could've said anything, Charlie cleared his throat as he stood by the door. "How did you get in here, son?" he asked, his tone firm with a hint of an edge to it. His eyes lingered on Mike and Bella's intertwined hands.

Mike released Bella's hand and gave Charlie a timid smile. "I was just telling Bella about our mutual friends."

"I asked how you got in here." Charlie stepped toward them and Mike swallowed from fear.

"I snuck in, sir," Mike said.

"Why would you do that?"

"I wanted to see Bella," he said, though it sounded more like a question than fact.

Charlie nodded and his eyes were still on Mike. "Bella did mention that you were a good buddy."

Mike winced at the description, and I internally gloated. "Did you tell Bella about your date with Jessica for the dance?" Charlie asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Mike visibly winced and turned toward Bella. She was glaring. At least she knew that Mike was a liar.

I think it's time Charlie got a new cruiser.

~oOo~

After Charlie and Bella promptly kicked Mike out of her room, it was just after three in the afternoon and time for me to make an appearance. Carlisle and Alice had arrived minutes before to take care of the excessive force I'd used on hospital equipment. Luckily, none chose to comment on my inability to control all of my temper.

If Bella didn't leave the hospital soon, I was positive that I'd soon be adding a whole wing to make up for all the damages I was inflicting. I waited impatiently, as if I were a pacing lion recently put into captivity, for the sun to disappear behind a bank of grey clouds. What was only minutes felt like days.

I needed to see her with my own eyes, take in her scent and taste it on my tongue. I couldn't do any of those things with walls between us. Finally, when I could see the sunlight dim outside I was free. I snuck out of the room, made my way to the front of the building, and walked past the nurses' station near Bella's room.

I heard the soft unspoken fascination of my looks from a few nurses as I passed. They were old enough to my mother, if I was really only seventeen years old. In this case, I was old enough to be their grandfather.

I laughed at the thought.

I inhaled deeply, Bella's scent wafted around the door that led to her room. As every time before, I was hit with the delicate, decadent scent that made my mouth water instantly, and cause my body to react accordingly. Well, not really. Naturally, as she was my prey, my body would tense and prepare itself to attack, to feed. Not anymore. There was still an underlying violence that still ran through me, and perhaps it would always be there. However, my body reacted like a damn teenage, hormonal boy.

With another breath and my predicament hidden under my jacket, I entered her room. Charlie immediately turned, his lips twitched into a smile. It quickly disappeared though, his thoughts clearly indicating that he still wanted to instill fear in me. I barely managed to keep the laugh from escaping.

When Renee's eyes met mine, they widened in much the same way Bella's always had. They were a clear water blue and glistening with tears. She launched herself at me. Luckily, I saw it about to happen and braced myself for the impact. Allowing my body to pretend that it was just a bit much and take a step back to balance myself. It wasn't needed of course, but I was sure to cause suspicion if I hadn't.

"You saved her twice," she murmured as she pulled away. Charlie looked a little chagrined behind her as he sent me a small smile.

"Sorry," he said. "I told her about the accident with the van and how you brought her here."

Renee nodded, her eyes still bright and wide as she looked at me. "The doctor said if you hadn't had brought her in when you did that she would've died from her injury."

I shook my head and gave her a small smile. "I was just doing what anyone else would've done."

Charlie huffed and rolled his eyes. "Not likely, from what I gathered from witnesses. That friend of hers, Mike, ran out because of a little water."

I grinned. "Perhaps you're right."

"I know you," a whisper said so softly from the hospital bed.

Our eyes met and I smiled gently. "You do."

She shook her head. "No. I know your face, your voice but I don't know you."

My smile fell, but I walked closer to her. I looked for the natural inclination of fear that usually swept through a human when we first encountered them, but found none. Her eyes were wide, alert even, as her parents excused themselves to grab something to drink downstairs.

Her lips twitched slightly as I neared her bed. "I don't think I like you very much," she murmured.

"Is that what you think?"

She shrugged. "I'm just telling you what I'm feeling or thinking when I see you."

"That's a first."

She cocked her head to one side, wincing only slightly. "What's a first?"

"Telling me what you feel and think."

She cocked an eyebrow. "For some reason, it seems neutral."

My lips twitched at the corners into an apologetic smile. "Perhaps."

Her eyes narrowed. "Considering that I don't remember, I hope that will change."

My smile widened. "I think I can handle that."

She exhaled deeply. "Oh good. I thought for a moment you'd be difficult."

I chuckled, because she had no idea. "Tell me, has anyone else visited you since you awoken?"

She scowled. "Yes. Some boy," she spat. "He tried to lie to me, though I have no idea why!"

I smiled again, shaking my head. "You don't see yourself clearly, do you?"

She looked back at me, a small frown on her face. "My mom won't give me a mirror."

"Oh."

"I must look horrid," she said softly.

I took the last step I could, my body touching the frame of her bed. "You look a little pale," I murmured, giving into the need to touch her. I swept the back of my hand over the soft skin of her cheek. "I'm used to seeing…" I smiled when the skin warmed beneath my fingers. "There it is."

"Do I do that often when you're around?" she asked, blushing more.

"Yes, you have no idea how much it pains me."

Her brown eyes swept over my face, lingered on my lips. "Why would my blushing 'pain you?'"

I smiled grimly. I promised I wouldn't lie. "Because it makes me want you more."

"Oh."

"Is that all you have to say to my confession?" I gave her a teasing smile, one that had her shivering under my touch. My fingers brushed along her jaw and cradled her cheek, feeling the silkiness of her hair.

She shrugged and looked away. "I don't like the idea that I may have forgotten my first kiss."

"From what I know of you," I said softly. "You haven't experienced your first kiss."

Her eyes snapped back to mine. "You mean, you and I haven't."

I shook my head. "Not yet."

She smiled and blushed again. I really enjoyed seeing the color rise in her cheeks, because of me. "Can you tell me about the red wall?"

My eyes widened in surprise. She remembered.

I shook my head. "I don't—"

"Please don't lie to me," she said firmly. "It's bad enough that I don't remember the last three months of my life, but to have you lie would just confuse me more."

"I don't know how to explain it to you," I said cautiously, letting my hand fall away. Before I could get too far, she took it in both of hers.

"Try," she urged.

I sighed; I had to tell her what I knew. "It's your defense, from what I can tell. At least, the mental representation of it."

"I've seen you outside of it, trying to get in." I could see the confusion in her face, in her eyes as she nervously played with my fingers. I tried to concentrate on her words, but the feeling of her hand around mine was too much.

"Yes," I answered simply.

"Is it a dream?"

"In a way, yes. But in others, no. It's just what it looks like in your mind. Your wall is up when I try to read your mind."

"You can read minds?"

I smiled. "Everyone's, except yours."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"So you don't know what I'm thinking right now?" Her eyes once again lingered on my lips.

I smirked. "No, but I can guess."

Her eyes widened and she blushed, but ignored my statement. "What happens if you're inside the wall?"

"I don't know," I said softly. "It's never happened."

She smiled. "You've been inside it for the past thirty seconds, Edward."

I listened around me and realized that though I heard audible voices, I no longer heard thoughts. I looked back at Bella, and her eyes were alit with mischief.

She smiled brightly. Hello.

AN: betaed by: kyla713. Sorry for the delay on this, life has just been chaotic and of course I have over extended myself. So many projects. Off to work on something else.