The Guardian

Chapter Nine- Offering

"And what about that?" Edward asked, hearing my heartbeat. I felt the all-to-familiar heat creeping up to my cheeks. Yeah, that's nice. This is when I blush, yet I have almost never blushed from Ace. I could feel and I could hear Edward's chuckle as he rested his forehead against mine. His sweet breath intoxicated me as he lent in further, our lips brushing for a split second.

My heart skipped a beat, and I swore I felt fireworks. I saw Edward smile before he lent in again and kiss me, this time longer. His lips were cold and hard, but they fit against mine like they were molded, and meant to be there. I faintly heard the doorbell ring, but we both ignored it as I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he relaxed against me. I guess that he was expecting this, he, nor I, pulled away until there was a frightening slam to the door of his room. I slowly watched Ace's figure appear next to me as he pulled me out of a stunned Edwards arms and onto the cold hard floor.

"Why do you think you can take me girl, Cullen!?" Ace's voice roared and echoed threw-out the house. "She's my property!" I could feel my eyes blaring as I stood up and took a stand.

"I am no body's property!" I screamed, Edward looked at me, scared.

"Shut the hell up!" Ace yelled back, turning to face me, right before he slapped me hard across the face, at firth there was a small prick, like a needle, but it faded away as I was wheeled back by the force. I fell to the ground and slid across the floor hitting my head against the tall bookcase. Books fall on top of me as I faintly heard Edward yelling my name.

Everything was getting fuzzy, and started turning into doubles. I felt a small trickle down the side of my cheek. I couldn't move my hand to see what it was.

"Bella…stay…me…" I heard Edwards voice as something cleared away all the books on top of me. My breathing came in short gasps, as before, but my heartbeat was erratically slow.

"Edward…" I whispered, as I heard Ace yelling in the back round. I groaned internally as Edwards' cold hands touch my burning skin.

"Bella, Bella…" Edward shook me lightly. My eyelids began to fall close as they became too heavy.

"Bella, stay with me!" Edward whispered into my ear as I heard Ace yell for help, before everything when silent.

Beep…beep…beep…beep…I groaned inwardly at the annoying beeping sound that was coming from somewhere to my right. I tried to move my arm to turn off the alarm but I found that it was hooked up to something. I slowly opened my eyes, only to be blinded by a really bright light. I groaned and closed my eyes tightly, before turning my head to the side. I felt a slight movement and opened my eyes again this time avoiding the light and looked around.

I was in an all white room, with many machines surrounding me, one of them being a heart rate monitor. When I looked around again I saw three moving bodies. Two male and one female.

"She's awake." Alice's musical voice rang threw my head that had suddenly started pounding. Well now I knew who the female was.

"Bella? Wake up honey. Can you hear me?" This time it was Edward's smooth voice. I would have smiled if it were not for my dizziness. "Bella?" He asked again as he shook me with as little force as he possibly could. A flash of Ace stuck in my head and I went into defense mode. My heart started to speed up, via heart monitor, and I started to jerk away from his touch.

"Get away!" I yelled as the third person finally spoke. It was Carlisle.

"Alice, call in the nurse and get restraints. Edward hold her down." He instructed while he checked my I.V quickly. I was crying now, I could get Ace's picture out of my mind, and then Charlie's came right up next to his.

"NO!" I thrashed harder and Edward tried desperately not to hurt me while he was holding me down.

"Bella calm down, it's me Edward. We won't hurt you Bella, please calm down... Shhh..." I barely even heard his words as the nurses came in and restrained me to the hospital bed. Even though I could barely move I continued to thrash around, so Carlisle said that he would sedate me so that I would calm down, but I hate needles.

I tried to gain control of my breathing and my heartbeat, anything to stay away from the needles. I thought to myself.

"That's right Bella. Every thing's fine now, no one can hurt you." You shouldn't make a promise that you are not able to keep. I took a deep breath and blinked a couple of times. Everything was alright for now as long as they didn't come, I would be fine.

"Dr. Cullen, Miss. Swan has a visitor." A nurse informed us. Carlisle looked puzzled.

"Who?" He asked Edward looked on edge.

"Her father." She replied, Edward copying her under his breath. Carlisle looked to me for a second before denying the request for him to visit. The look on my face must have told him I was frightened. After a few more tests Dr. Carlisle left me alone with Edward and Alice, who made a stupid excuse, leaving shortly after.

"Are you sure your feeling okay Bella?" Edward asked me, moving over to the side of me bed very slowly. I think that he was afraid of scaring me, that he though that the tantrum I had earlier was from him.

"Yes, Edward. I feel fine, the question is are you okay?" I countered with a sluggish expression. I was suddenly very tired and felt as though I had not slept for months on end.

"Yeah, Bella. I'm perfectly fine, now that I know that you will be okay." He whispered the last part, afraid that I would reject him. Did he not believe the feelings that he had when we kissed? Or did he just think that I had different ones, ones for Ace instead.

"Edward, I..." I saw his eyes light up, waiting for me to say something. "I... don't know how to say this..." His eyes dropped just as fast as they light. I smiled and let my eyes droop to a half-closed level. "Edward can you come here?" I motioned him with my finger as he leaned in closer.

"What?" He asked genitally as he leaned in just a small bit closer. Our lips were just a few inches apart now, close enough for a kiss.

"Can I have a kiss?" I asked softly, if he were human I don't think that he would have heard it. He smirked a little before leaning down the rest of the way and brushing against my lips. It was sweet and felt nothing like Ace's ever did.

"BELLA!" A familiar rough drunk voice shouted my name as they opened the door and barged right in. "Isabella Marie Swan, do you know how much worry you have caused me!" Charlie's tone turned into sweet rough voice as he noticed Edward standing just a couple feet away from me. He still thought that no body knew of the abuse, like the Cullen's were that stupid.

"I'm sorry, dad." I could almost see the glare that was trying to make its way up to his face, but he dismissed it the best he could.

"It's fine, Bella. As long as your safe now." This was getting creepy. Charlie was a very good actor, and that was scary. Does Edward still believe Charlie is abusive? Of course he has to, he saw it with his own eyes. I looked over to Edward only to find his face filled with Joy and happiness.

"I don't think that I have met you yet, son. What's your name?" Charlie asked like the 'good' father he was trying to be.

"Edward Cullen, sir." Edward replied with a big grin on his face, before taking a few steps away from me to shake hands with Charlie.

"Edward, I've heard so much about your father, Carlisle, down at the station." Edward nodded and continued his conversation with Charlie for another few minuets, before slowly closing it and making his way back over to me. When I looked into his eyes now I saw sorrow, and anger. But his body language showed that he was confident and he was happy. Wow was that boy just as good as an actor as my father or what? I for one, could not act for my life.

Charlie gave me a warning look, which meant he was silently saying something. Something as to 'get this boy out of here, we need to talk'. Yet there was a happy grin that seemed to be plastered onto his face.

"Um, hey Edward." Edward looked me in the eye, and he already knew that whatever I was going to say was not going to be true.

"Yes, what is it Bella?" He asked sweetly, showing that he knew what I was going to say.

"Could you leave for a couple of minutes? My father and I need to talk, alone." Edward nodded and smiled once more at me before kissing my fore head. When he looked me in the eye again it was a totally different expression. He was telling me that I shouldn't be alone with him, and to call him if I needed anything.

"Bye, Charlie." He said happily before leaving the room, it fell quiet for a moment. I knew that Edward was right outside the door, listening intently on what we were about to exclaim to each other.

"Bella, do you know how much money you are costing me!?" Charlie broke the silence with a harsh whisper. I shook my head, not intending to say anything while he criticized me. "You don't even deserve this! Any of this!" I was starting to tear now. "You don't deserve that boy, and you don't deserve any friends!" He was almost yelling, but he knew not to for someone could hear him.

And right at that moment, Dr. Carlisle Cullen came back into the room.

"Oh I'm sorry, was I interrupting something?" He asked as he took a look at my tear stained face.

"No, I was just about to leave, Doctor." Carlisle nodded and went about his regular duty for a quick check up. Charlie came up and copied Edward's earlier actions. He kissed me on the fore head. But not before whispering something to me.

"Right after you are discharged, come straight home. You will pay for what you have cost me." I just nodded and watched him leave.

"Bella, are you alright?" Carlisle asked as he looked at my I.V. I knew that he had heard the whole thing even though Charlie meant him not to.

"Y-yeah I'm f-fine..." I stuttered as I closed my eyes to think.

"Bella, when you are discharged, I want you to come and live with us for a while." Carlisle said as he stood still beside me, waiting for an answer.

"You, want me to live with you and your family?" I asked stunned. Wasn't this a question that a boyfriend was supposed to ask?

"Yes I do Bella. I don't like the idea of you living with someone who abuses you. And plus it will be easier to report the abuse if—"

"Report it? Why would I report it?" I asked frantically. I still loved my father no matter how many times he hit me, I just couldn't stop loving him.

"Bella, why wouldn't you?" He asked with a soft voice, kneeling down to eye level. "He hurt you Bella, and no one can stand seeing you hurt. You need Justice, Bella, not just somewhere to stay. You need to know that you can be safe for more then just a few hours." I couldn't argue with him here, I wanted to feel safe I really did. But I just couldn't do anything about it, I couldn't leave my father and live with vampires. I'm my book that was going from bad to worse.

"I know, Carlisle, its just…" I let my voice trail off as I heard the door open again. I hesitated in looking up, for fear of it being someone I did not need to see right now. But it was just Edward.

"You're not leaving his hospital without me." Edward said sternly. I looked at him strangely for a second, wondering what he was talking about.

"And why not?" I asked him, I needed to know why I could not walk myself out of a hospital.

"Because I read his mind, and he's planning on different ways to kill you Bella!" Edward whispered harshly, coming to stand next to me. He grabbed my hand and held it in his as he sat down in a chair next to my bed.

"Edward—"

"No, Carlisle. I heard what he was planning on doing, and Alice saw it. I will not let it happen." Edward kept rambling on.

"No, Edward. I just offered Bella to stay with us." With those words Edward looked stunned. He seemed to stop breathing.