Daylight

BellaPOV

Chapter 12

I should have known better, I should have known that life isn't this easy, isn't this fair.

I should have known this ended with me having the same sickening sensation of the tree falling.

I should have known that for one, if a child goes into the hospital, a parent has to discharge them.

Though of course Edward was eighteen, he was still in High school, so they rang his parents.

And by god could I hear his father shout at the nurse down the phone, his words were harsh, cutting.

But as I listened to the conversation unfold, relief flooded me, their parents were out of town until Tuesday, it would be okay.

But at this point, I thought it would.

Edward needed two stiches and there was no damage done to him. And I was waiting outside the room like an eavesdropper, Carlisle asked if-while Edward was here-if he had any other injuries he needed looked at.

It was a standard question.

Edward paused.

It became clear he wouldn't answer, but Alice-like the caring sister her is-spoke up for him in the moment of her brother's stupidity.

''He's been having trouble breathing lately.''

This statement made me frown, see, I had only visited his house ten times over the past twenty-two days, and his breathing caused me no concern. But I suppose to the two teens who have mastered hiding, over scenery options don't help you see, not when they hide it so well.

They shouldn't have to hide.

I could give you the long version of what happened to Edward in the next hour and a half, but I know that Alice was sent out of the room and I hid, going back to the door the minute she turned the corner for the waiting room, I needed to be close to him right now.

Then Carlisle had unvoiced suspicions, and his silent suspicions were answered rightfully when Edward was sent for an X-ray.

Edward was worried about how much money this was all costing-they didn't have health insurance-but I had already paid for all of his medical treatment before the tree hit the ground.

He had three broken ribs, which surprised even Carlisle, he thought one. But they were clean breaks. And after some questions on how this happened, and Edward giving the classic 'I fell' excuse, Carlisle left the room, smiling at me. As if he didn't know I had been following Edward everywhere he went in this hospital.

Apart from the bathroom-I had some boundaries.

''You can go in now Bell,'' he smiled. ''I can't read minds but I don't have to, that boy wants you right now.''

I opened my mouth to speak, but he stopped me. ''We'll talk later, you and Jasper have our full support, it'll be hard, but it will work.'' He must have seen the sadness in my eyes for him to say that, I smiled up at him.

''Thank you.''

The words barely left my lips before I bounced into the private room and closed the door. Butterfly's ate their way into my stomach, I feared they would escape if my mouth opened.

''Alice is gone,'' It was a bad opening sentence, his eyes widened. ''My mom took her to our house, it was a long day and you have to stay in overnight to make sure you're alright, she didn't want Alice to go home alone.''

He seemed to relax some it seemed, happy Alice wouldn't be alone. ''I'm sorry,'' the words tumbled from my mouth and I couldn't stop the stampede of them that came next. ''for ignoring you, I have no excuse and I just thought it would be better, and I don't know, okay? I know it was wrong and I know you mightn't have even noticed my distance from how I was at the start of that first week, it's been . . . hard.''

I had ended up sitting on his bed, I don't remember sitting down but then I was there, sitting right beside his hip further away from the door.

''Bella,'' his hair had flopped into his eyes in an adorable way that made my icy heart beat and my pink lips widen. ''It's fine, it's not like I spoke to you either, really. Though, uh, never mind.''

I knew what he was going to ask, I could just tell, so I answered his unasked question. ''I'm going to stop being so stubborn now, I'm not going to ignore you.''

''Why were you?''

''You deserve the answer to that,'' I sucked in a breath, he nodded, though I don't know if he was agreeing or not. ''And I wish I could tell you, I really wish I could. But everything is just, it's hard to deal with, it's . . .I'm, I'm not normal, I'm not.''

''Bella, I know.''

Time seemed to stop there for a minute and his green eyes looked into mine and seemed to look scared . . .like he had said the wrong thing. Which maybe he had, then he tried to explain himself, though I was still shocked. ''Well, it's two thousand and fourteen, Bella, the amount of fictional books, the TV shows, you hear things, but I don't think I would have figured it out if I hadn't studied you so closely, I mean, I don't even think I'm right-I could be completely off.''

''What do you think you know Edward?''

''What you are.''

''What am I?''

''Eh, a beautiful girl with vampire like abilities.''

I paused slightly, trying not to give anything away. ''What makes you think that?''

''Bella, I don't care, and I won't tell.''

I knew he wouldn't be the type of person to tell, but still, hearing the words had me half pouncing on him, before I remembered the broken ribs and I caught myself, one arm either side of his shoulders, and though I found this position somewhat awkward and-let's not lie, enjoyable, I kind of just collapsed on my right arm, my whole body falling to his side.

I didn't know how he would react, but he was shy, slightly annoyingly so, so I had to do something. ''I can explain tomorrow, you need to sleep.''

''Jeez, Bella, I'm not a child, I'm not even tired.'' His protest was weak though, the dark circles under his eyes were becoming visible and his eyes had lost their sparkle, clouded with sleep.

''You're hyped up on pain medication, you mightn't even remember this in the morning,'' I laughed quietly. ''Well-you will, but I'm not explaining anything until morning.''

''Okay?'' his statement sounded like the oddest of questions, I relaxed my frozen muscles a bit more, sinking into the cardboard hospital bed, my head rested on the pillow, he didn't look at me, he looked straight ahead, I was cautious of his head and rips, I tried not to shake the bed too much, me jerking him into that classroom today didn't help his ribs much, I can't believe I didn't notice.

His body never relaxed, I lay there on my side pressed up against the hospital bed bars, so I wasn't touching him, but staring, by god was I staring.

I lifted my hand up gently, two of my fingers went to dance across his stomach, just to see, he flinched and I stopped my movements, I left my fingers there though, unmoving. I smiled sadly at my correct suspicions.

''Are you afraid?''

''No,'' he sighed. ''I'm not, Bella, I know you won't hurt me.''

''I could, as easy as breathing is for you, I could kill you.''

''But you won't.''

''I'll never hurt you purposely, you can relax you know.''

I think the answer should have been 'no, I can't' because I don't think he could relax, when my fingers ghosted across his stomach, he wasn't scared because I was a vampire, but because sometimes, when you've lived through years of crap, sometimes you get muddled, and for a second, I wasn't lightly touching his stomach, I wasn't even me, I didn't want to know who he thought I was, what he thought I'd do.

He didn't even try to sleep until he grabbed my hand-which I had pulled away from him and laid between us and brought our joined hands onto his stomach, I could tell he wanted me to move over, but I was cold and didn't want to hurt him.

''Edward, your ribs.'' I protested.

''Bella, they've been healing for almost two months, it's fine, I don't even notice the pain anymore.''

I laid my head on his shoulder before he could see the pain in my eyes, how long has he been in pain? Probably for a while, my chest ached at this, I noticed him too, I wanted to tell him I knew about his parents, I suspect he already knew. I was observant to.

But obviously not as much as I thought, because it was then, when I realized that our hands were joined and his breathing relaxed and so did his muscles, he was asleep when I needed to ask him questions most.

I hadn't even noticed before.

Our hands were grasped together, clutching one another.

And yet, I saw nothing.

Oh, my god, he is shielding her power! I updated on the right day! See, I remember, sometimes anyway, I'll update on Monday, I promise, if you review, well I'm going to update if you review or not, but a review would be nice, they encourage me, they do, I'll see you soon my readers, that sounded slightly weirdly creepy, oh well, Thank you! ;)xxx

-BATTM