Disclaimer: Obviously I am not Stephanie Meyer. All of the dialogue that comes directly from the book Twilight or her unpublished manuscript Midnight Sun, remains hers.

Carlisle closed the door and sat in the chair next to me. He pushed his patients needs into the back of his mind. Instead he focused on what was happened with me. He was mentally reviewing my description of the pull my tormentor's scent had on me; his guess that last night's family conversation resulted because I was struggling to communicate appropriately with her; and what he had overheard from hospital staff regarding the events of this morning. His assessments of what was happening to me were fascinating to watch, if not also entirely humiliating. Knowing him, he was most likely going through this mental exercise purposefully in order to help calm my nerves. His intention, I presumed, was to assuredly showed me his belief that there was a rhyme and reason for these events if only we could discover the connections.

He had put his hand on my shoulder waiting. It worked. I thawed and looked up to his eyes seeing nothing but concern and compassion. I wished that I could tell him the things that I had told Esme, but I couldn't face the possibility that he might be disappointed.

"I don't know what came over me," I blurted out looking down at my hands.

"I've had those moments myself," he said soothingly, the memories of changing Esme and Rosalie flashed through his mind.

Those events were not this. He had acted out of compassion. I had acted out of selfishness. I wished he would just give me the verbal whipping I deserved and then get on with things. I had endangered the family's secret with possibly the worst person on the planet. His understanding underscored my own failures and need for condemnation. I sat staring at my hands, reading his thoughts, while continuing to scan the thoughts of everyone in the hospital for anything that might incriminate us.

It seemed that he was trying to discern what I needed from him. Finally after many long moments he asked, Edward, what is going on?

I paused trying to figure out what to say. "Bella seems to have stuck to the story I told her," I said in our quick sub-human mutter. "I haven't picked up anything concerning at the scene or at the hospital." I wasn't quite ready to look into his eyes.

When I did glance up he looked concerned and a bit confused. I appreciate the update, son, but right now I care more about being your father than the head of our family. Perhaps I should have asked, what is happening with you? Talk to me, please, Edward.

Why couldn't he just tell me what to do and get on with it? Having to face him as my father felt torturous. It didn't take long for me to decide that having to sit here and face the concern and compassion of my father was Bella's fault. If only her scent wasn't so appealing … if only she wasn't mentally mute, then I wouldn't have this problem.

"I acted rashly around the one person whose mind I can't read, so I have no way of gauging our risk." Guilt permeated my words. "You did it for centuries before changing me. I came so you could tell me how to best handle the situation."

Can you see my failure, now, father? The last word was as a mental snarl. You managed without my gift for all those years, where I have failed at the first presentation of something similar. If it weren't for my gift, I would have exposed us years ago and we both would no longer exist. Surely now you can see the evidence to convince you that I failed you from the very beginning. You should never have turned me. You should have picked someone better.

His features flashed gratitude and relief as he mentally replayed my words. There was the tiniest bit of frustration in the tone of his thoughts. Fortunately, he decided not to press the issue of my state of being and instead address the problem at hand. I couldn't take any more of him trying to get me to open up because of his own sense of failures.

We wait and see, he decided.

I hung my head shaking it back and forth with the words, What have I done? pinging inside.

You saved a girl's life, my son. There's no shame in that. His thoughts were emphatic as he squeezed my shoulder. It seemed like he was reading my mind. Maybe a century of years living together will do that. My head began to lift and I began to sit up.

"What now?" I made sure to keep my voice to sub-human levels. He was right. The action was done. I could redeem myself by cleaning up my mess by whatever means necessary.

I will take care of things on the medical end, and keep an ear out for anything here at the hospital. I think it would be best if you kept an ear out regarding Bella. I'm sure your mother had things to get done.

"Thanks, Dad," I said returning to a normal human level.

It wasn't a lot of instruction, but his words were reassuring and gave me a sense of purpose. I left his office unable to make eye contact still trying to figure out how to convince this now not so insignificant girl that what she claimed to see was all in her head. I had given her this power of me, over us, now I just had to find a way to take it away.

Right before Carlisle brought his patients back to the forefront of his mind, his thoughts reviewed our conversation trying to figure out how he could have handled it differently. He never thought about whatever intention he wanted yet failed to achieve. I must have disappointed him in some immeasurable way. Then our conversation was in the background as his focus was given to the patient in front of him.

First I found Esme. I looked at her quizzically, and she shook her head no. Well, so far so good.

"Thanks, Mom. I'm going to go check on Bella."

She looked at me sternly reminding me through thoughts and looks to be careful. I nodded, and hung my head.

How was I ever going to get out of this? Since arguing with Bella hadn't worked well, and so far she'd kept her end of the bargain, I strategized that the best approach would to appear very human-like and reattempt what I had started yesterday in Biology—to give her a good impression and reassure her that I was "normal". I took as deep as a breath as I could, felt my usual thirst, and entered giving her my full attention and the thoughts of others quieted.

She had her eyes closed. Coming near her I asked Tyler, "Is she sleeping?" and went to stand at the end of her gurney.

She opened her eyes and glared at me. Okay, then, not asleep and definitely still mad. Mad, but didn't say anything? That certainly didn't match my assumption that she had discarded her observations as silly or crazy like most humans would have. Nor, if she believed her own eyes, was it typical teenage girl behaviour to withhold juicy information from her fellow classmates.

What was wrong with this girl? She hadn't done anything I expected! Before becoming irritated or frustrated I reminded myself of how during our last encounter patience had resulted in a lot of answered questions.

Tyler began to apologize, "Hey, Edward, I'm really sorry—" he wasn't my concern and I had no need to get into a conversation with him.

I lifted a hand to stop him. "No blood, no foul," I stated and smiled reassuringly.

He seemed to react appropriately, letting go of his need to apologise, and moving on.

Why do my interactions with humans work well enough except with her? What is wrong with her? Maybe I should have let the van crush her. I went and sat on the edge of Tyler's bed, facing Bella. Despite the blood dripping out of Tyler I wasn't tempted. Maybe this was how Carlisle managed to work around all this blood. He focused on something else, like making sure one fragile human girl doesn't ruin your family's life. Hum.

I concentrated on the job at hand, trying to keep my voice light and friendly, while making sure not to make any mistakes like yesterday, I said, "So, what's the verdict?"

"There's nothing wrong with me at all, but they won't let me go. How come you aren't strapped to a gurney like the rest of us?" She really sounded quite perturbed.

"It's all about who you know." That sounded like an appropriate human response. I needed some way of dispelling her anger and getting her to trust me enough to let go of what she believed she saw. "But don't worry, I came to spring you," I added, knowing my father was close enough to hear.

Carlisle came in. Bella responded to his presence like most human females do. At least some part of her was "normal" I grumbled internally. So, this is the cause of all our troubles he thought to me with a teasing tone.

"So, Miss Swan, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," was her response.

He turned on her lightboard and focused on her X-rays.

"Your X-rays look good. Does your head hurt? Edward said you hit it pretty hard." Did you notice this is not her first concussion? I nodded yes just a miniscule amount. Either she's very clumsy or she was not treated well by her guardians.

I found myself internally flinching at the idea of Bella being mistreated by her parents.

What is wrong with me? I found myself back to her question from yesterday, "Why does it matter to you?" I still didn't have an answer.

"It's fine," Bella repeated as if these were the magical words allowing her to leave as she scowled at me. I worked hard to keep a face straight. She was scowling at me the creature that wanted to devour her! What a hilarious thing to do, if she only knew, of course.

Carlisle did all his regular things to examine her. I reminded myself to ask him about the current sensation from yesterday, since he had now touched her.

"Tender?" he checked.

I found myself not liking that he touched her, wanting to take his hands off of her. What is wrong with me? I asked myself again. I knew he was only doing a routine exam and would be careful.

"Not really."

It was such a bad lie. She had just winced. This time I couldn't hold myself together and chuckled softly. As soon as I did, she stared at me with her eyes narrowed like she was trying to burn holes through me.

Silly Bella, I'm all but indestructible. This time I held my face better.

Carlisle went through his mental assessment, weighing the medical evidence with her obvious desire to leave.

"Well, your father is in the waiting room—you can go home with him now. But come back if you feel dizzy or have trouble with your eyesight at all."

I knew that blurry vision was a sign of a concussion and he was being a doctor, but considering the circumstances, it held a lot of meaning.

"Can't I go back to school?" I heard her ask.

Why would she want to go to school? Most high schoolers jump at the chance to miss class. I added that to the "not normal" list in my head.

"Maybe you should take it easy today," my father suggested with obvious concern, briefly wondering if there was anything going on at home, then dismissed it, remembering that she just arrived a week ago.

Bella then glanced at me and asked Carlisle, "Does he get to go to school?" like somehow me not being hurt was my fault.

Remembering to stay in my role, I said smugly, "Someone has to spread the good news that we survived."

"Actually," my dad corrected, "most of the school seem to be in the waiting room."

How had I missed that? Right. I had been focused on Bella and only thoughts related to her or our accident. Another failure.

"Oh no," she moaned, and covered her face with her hands.

What a strange response. Definitely went in the "not normal" column, then I remembered that some girls are exceptionally shy at her age, so amended my list with a "yet to be determined" column.

"Do you want to stay?" Carlisle asked with great concern. He really is a great doctor.

"No, no!" she insisted while she threw her legs over the side, hopped down and then staggered.

Carlisle caught her with concern on his face. Probably very clumsy he concluded.

I found that his hand on her arm bothered me even more than him checking her head. What is wrong with me? I asked myself once again. This was four times more often than was reasonable of asking that question. Even worse was that I had no answer. Great! Another thing I didn't know. Esme would be pleased with all the new experiences I was having, I thought sarcastically. Thinking of Esme brought her mental voice through clearly. She was worried about me, about our family, wondering if Alice had seen anything, and trying to decide if she should stay at the hospital in case she was needed or go back home in case we had to flee. I pushed her mental voice back into the background making sure my full attention was with Carlisle convincing this girl who held our future in her hands.

"I'm fine," Bella said for the third time now.

"Take some Tylenol for the pain," he advised while he steadied her.

"It doesn't hurt that bad," she insisted.

"It sounds like you were extremely lucky," he replied fishing on our behalf while signing her chart.

"Lucky Edward happened to be standing next to me," she retorted with a hard glance at me.

"Oh, well, yes," Carlisle agreed. He looked at the papers in front of him, while he thought to me, She told your lie to her peer and now me. Good signs. She seems testy. Be careful, son. She's all yours. And then he was off, focusing on his next patient, Tyler.

Standing up I walked in the direction of the exit. She came over to my side. Moving very deliberately I ensured to be extra careful with my movements.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" she hissed under her breath. Her scent accosted me, waking the monster.

I took a step back, clenched my jaw, and balled up my fists commanding the monster back down. Steady, my father warned me.

"Your father is waiting for you," I said through my teeth nearly out of breath. I didn't know how to take a breath without inhaling her sweet delectable scent that would inevitably over power me and force me to sink my teeth into her soft pliable skin and suck her dry.

"I'd like to speak to you alone, if you don't mind," she pressed.

I did mind! Quite a bit, but I didn't see any alternative.

Go with her and persuade her. I believe in you to resist.

He shouldn't. He really shouldn't.