B.P.O.V

I was able to leave the hospital two days later. A long two days later. But I didn't care that I was there for a long two days. Edward had barely left my side. We spent the entire two days talking and watching movies together and just being completely in love. Although I had the trauma of that night haunting my dreams, I had Edward by my side to help it go away.

"Ready to go?" Edward asked, coming in the door. I nodded at him as I sat on the bed with my crutches. They were necessary to help me stay off my leg for a while. I thought it was a pretty good idea myself because I was resuming my clumsy ways once again and I didn't want to end up breaking the damn thing. I smiled at him when he came over to help me up. "You know how to work those?" He asked, smiling back.

"We'll see," I told him, laughing. My ribs still hurt a little and I had the bandage around them to keep from damaging them more. I stood on my good leg with my crutches on the ground. Edward helped me up and I slipped my armpits underneath the crutches while I came to a stand. He let me go and I wobbled a little, but stood my ground pretty firmly. It was walking that would be the trouble. Edward had the overnight bag that Alice had retrieved for me and he followed me as I hobbled out of the room. I made my way down the hall and since Edward had already taken care of my release, we walked out the automatic doors and he led me to the Volvo. I braced myself against the car and gave him my crutches so I could lower myself in. He passed the crutches back and got into the driver's seat.

"Charlie will be here today," I remembered, looking out the window. "You'll get to meet him." Edward gave me a nervous smile. "That is if you want to meet him. I mean I haven't told him about you. You don't have to."

"Don't be silly Bella," he told me. "I'm just...well father's tend not to like me." I couldn't fathom why any parent wouldn't like Edward. He was a perfect gentleman.

"Why?" I asked kind of confused.

"Well...okay maybe I'm exaggerating. In high school I was kind of a rebel. Really into the drinking scene. Senior year was when I began getting really serious. Because Dartmouth had been my dream. And when I started dating Tanya I was still a little in my phase. Before we were even dating we...hooked up." I looked to my feet. I knew that they had had sex but he had never straight-up told me before. "Her dad caught us one time and...Well he didn't like me to say the least." I couldn't help but giggle. The thought of Edward scrambling around naked made me laugh. "It was the most embarrassing thing," he shook his head. I just laughed at him.

"Well you have nothing to worry about Edward. There's no reason for you to worry about Charlie not liking you. He has no reason not to." He nodded and smiled at me. "You're perfect."

E.P.O.V

I helped carry Bella and her bag and her crutches up the stairs, which was a bit of a task. But I managed nonetheless. When we got to her room Alice was there, reading a magazine, and she jumped up when we came in the door. She took the bag and the crutches from me while I set Bella down on the bed. She was blushing like crazy; like always. But she wasn't even close to being heavy...I assumed no more than a hundred and ten pounds.

"Thanks," she said sheepishly to me. I kissed her on the top of the head.

"I wasn't about to let you hobble your way up four flights of stairs Bella," I told her, shaking my head. Alice giggled from behind me and I sat next to Bella.

"When's Charlie going to be here?" She asked Alice. I tensed a little at the fact that I would meet Bella's father. I was nervous to say the least. Meeting the father of the girl you're in love with is one thing I had never done before. I mean what if he doesn't like me? Would that change Bella's mind? I gulped at the thought of that. I sincerely hoped that she loved me enough not to let her father's opinion of me get in the way. I'd just be the most charming boyfriend a father could want for his daughter and pray for the best.

"He called the room a little while ago and he said he was about a half hour away. So he should be here pretty soon," Alice told Bella with a smile. Bella beamed back at Alice. I could tell that she missed him. He was pretty much all she talked about for the past two days.

"I can't wait to see him," Bella then said. She grabbed my hand and lightly brushed her thumb along it. She knew I was nervous to meet him. But she assured me that anyone she loved, Charlie would love. I hoped to god she was right.

"Where's Jazz?" I asked Alice, forgetting that I hadn't talked to or heard from my roommate in the past two days.

"Class?" Alice told me, like she was confused that I was asking her. Fuck...class. That thing that I hadn't gone to in days.

"Oh...right," I said, thinking about how much I would have to catch up. Bella would get extensions for sure, but I most likely would not.

"He's got class until three," she then told me. She probably knew Jasper's schedule off by heart now. I looked over to the clock and it was only 12:30. I nodded to Alice. Bella's phone then started to ring. Her eyes lit up when she looked at the caller ID.

"Hey dad!" She said into the phone. "Yeah, second floor...room two-oh-seven...okay see you in a few!" She snapped the phone shut and squeezed my hand tighter. I squeezed back, ready for my stomach to jump right up my throat.

B.P.O.V

I could tell that Edward was as nervous as could be as he sat tensed up on my bed, waiting for Charlie to make his way up here. I tried to soothe him by rubbing his hand with mine and kissing him on the cheek. It wasn't really working. But I knew that Charlie would love him. Although I had never introduced Charlie to a boyfriend before I knew he would like Edward. He was perfect.

"Calm down," I whispered in Edward's ear. I had to lean up a bit and my ribs tightened. I clutched at them a little in pain, but it soon subsided. I was still all broken and damaged from that night. And it wasn't just my body that was affected. Every time I fell asleep I had vivid nightmares all starring a stocky frat guy. It was never the same scenario though. They were all fucked up nightmares of the frat guy pinning me down and groping at me on various parts of campus. I had a nightmare last night that he came to the hospital and while Edward was asleep he taped my mouth shut and did the same thing he did every time. I always screamed myself awake, or awoke with a very wet pillow. Either way I was haunted. Edward managed to help me forget about the incident during the day, and sometimes at night when I fell asleep in his arms. But when I was a prisoner in my own mind anything was possible. And I was afraid at what would happen now that I was out of the hospital, and Edward-less for the night. I shuddered at the thought.

Knock, knock.

I shot up off the bed a little too quickly and my leg throbbed. I fell onto my knees and Edward swiftly bent down to me.

"Bella..." he scolded, shaking his head. I gave him a small smile as Alice danced to the door. Edward picked me up off the floor and held his arms around my waist to steady me.

"Alice!" Charlie's voice boomed from outside the door. Alice leant out to hug Charlie, and brought him inside the room. He was wearing one of his many red plaid shirts, a brown jacket and jeans. He smiled at first when he saw me, but his smile was soon replaced with that defensive fatherly look. I assumed he was noticing the large bruise I had on my cheek.

"Hey dad," I greeted. I tried to move forward and Edward helped me advance. He let me go when I wrapped my arms around Charlie's torso.

"Hey kiddo," Charlie said, wrapping his arms around me. He hugged a little too hard and I whimpered in pain. He released his firm grip, but still held me and looked down.

"Ribs," I told him, shrugging.

"Sorry...Bells...What happened?" I realized that I had only told Edward this story. He knew that I had had an accident; Alice told me that's what she told him. I sighed. He would most definitely not like this story. He'd probably go hunt the guy down or something.

"I...Well...I was walking back from my night class," I pulled away from Charlie and started to move to the bed. He helped me. Edward was sitting in my desk chair, watching me intently. Alice sat back down on her bed, eager to hear the story. "These guys...were drunk." Charlie tensed as he sat down beside me. "And one of them...grabbed me and threw me to the ground. Thus fracturing a rib," I continued, rubbing my side. "And then...he..."I started to tear up. I couldn't even think about it without crying let alone say it out loud. "Pulled out a pocket knife..." I was definitely crying know. I heard Alice gasp. I looked over to her, teary-eyed, and she had a hand slapped right over her mouth. "He was trying to get my skirt off..." I turned back to look at Charlie and he was as still as stone and as red as a tomato. I couldn't even imagine what he was feeling. "He ended up slicing my leg open and I got twenty-seven stitches...then he...he..." I couldn't say the next part. "Edward..." I said, turning away from Charlie. I needed to be close to him. I needed to feel him. He would calm me down. I shimmied my way over to him and wrapped my arms around him. The tears were streaming now.

"It's okay," Edward said, stroking my head. He put his cheek on the top of my head and inhaled. I gave myself a minute to compose...I was sure Charlie was watching us. I pulled my hands and head away but grabbed Edward's hand. I needed to hold on to him. I turned back towards Charlie but stayed near Edward.

"He pulled the skirt off..." I said, still sobbing a little. Charlie was pale. He no longer looked angry or mad, or like a tomato. He just looked...sick. I had to continue...even though it was the worst part of the whole thing. "Then he, uh, touched me..." I looked over to Alice to gauge her reaction. She had the most pained expression on her face and she was starting to cry. I couldn't handle this...all the reliving of the horror. It was wearing me down. I looked back to Charlie and the 'I'm going to throw up' look was still on his face. "Dad..." I said, not sure what to do now.

"Bells..." He said, shaking his head. "I don't...I mean...Do you know who did this to you?" I shook my head at him.

"Emmett will know," Edward said. Charlie looked to Edward.

"Would you be able to find that out for me?" Charlie asked eagerly.

"Not a problem sir," Edward replied. Sir? My heart fluttered a little. He was so adorable and nervous...it was sort of hilarious.

"I'm Charlie," he said, standing up. Edward stood too.

"Edward," he replied, shaking Charlie's hand.

"Dad this is my boyfriend, Edward," I told him. Trying my best to stand. Edward held my hand and I balanced pretty much on my good leg. "He's the one who found me." Charlie's eyes shifted from mine to Edward's and without another moment's delay he took Edward into an embrace. I was shocked. I stood there with my mouth agape. Charlie was hugging Edward. I looked over to Alice and she looked as if she was about to laugh.

"Thank you so much," Charlie said, crushing Edward into a bear hug. Edward was still holding onto my hand, but took his other hand and patted Charlie on the back. "I owe you."

"You owe me nothing," Edward said as they parted. "We actually both owe my brother. He was there and he kicked that pig off Bella," Edward then told him, running his fingers through his hair and out of his face.

"Well I would sure like to meet this kid," Charlie said, a little chuckle escaping his mouth.

"Dad..." I thought about how Charlie had wanted to know the frat guys name. "What are you planning on doing when you find out this persons name?" I asked. He was the police chief of Forks. He couldn't do something illegal. He looked down to me with a serious look.

"I don't know Bells. I have to do something."

"He's already been kicked out of his fraternity, expelled from the school and charged," Edward informed him quickly. Charlie looked at Edward with disbelief covering his face.

"Really?" He asked sceptically. Edward nodded his head.

"My brother is the head of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He was there when Bella was...attacked. He told me that he has been kicked out of the school and charged with attempted rape," Edward said. I didn't know that that's what he had been charged with.

"Well...then I guess I won't be needing his name. But only Bella can charge him...I mean well if he is being charged she'll have to testify in court that what he did to her is legitimate."

I froze.

I would have to face him.

Again.

I paled.

I stopped breathing.

Everything went black...

E.P.O.V

Bella tensed next to me, her hand gripped mine intensely tighter. I was tensing too. I didn't want her to have to go through that hell. I looked down to her face and it was as white as could be. She started to sway and her eyes rolled back in her head. I caught her just before she fainted. I held her limp body in my arms and set her down on the bed.

"Bella?" I said, putting my hand on her cheek. She just lay there motionless, only her chest slowly heaving up and down. I pushed her hair out of her face and just stared at the beauty. I couldn't imagine what she was going through; not one bit. And it killed me that I couldn't ease some of her pain. I kept my hand on her clammy face and tried as hard as I could to wish her pain away. I knew it would never happen. I just stared at her now peaceful face and hoped that she could somehow remain like this in her consciousness. Charlie's deep voice broke my thoughts.

"She will need to testify," Charlie said from behind me. I stood up and left Bella to rest. She would probably wake up soon. I faced Charlie and I was almost the same height as him, but I was less bulky.

"I don't want her to have to do that," I told him, angrily. "I refuse to let that...I...I just can't let him get to her like that again. She's having a hard enough time as it is." Charlie just stared at me. I was being so protective of Bella because I fucking loved her more than I had ever loved anything in my life. My heart ached because of how much I loved her.

"Listen Edward I know that this is going to be hard on Bella. If she doesn't testify against him there's no way the charges will hold." I closed my eyes and breathed in deep; trying to calm myself. He was right because he was a cop. He dealt with this type of thing all the time. He was right. And she would need to see that motherfucking asshole again. And relive the entire thing.

"He's right Edward," Alice said quietly from her bed. I fucking know that, thanks. I just nodded my head tightly.

"I know," I told her through gritted teeth. I looked over to her and I think she wished she hadn't said anything. I could feel the anger radiating off of myself but I couldn't fucking help it. "I just...I mean – you know Alice." I didn't want to say in front of Bella's dad that I was in love with his daughter, but she stared at me like I had three fucking heads. I was sure that Bella had told Alice about my 'birthday present'.

She really didn't fucking have a clue.

I had left them alone to talk at the hospital for a while and I had thought that she told her then. I never brought it up and she never did either. I just assumed...I mean they're best friends. I gave her a confused look back and she realized that she didn't know something. She jumped off the bed and placed a hand on her hip. Probably wondering what it could be.

"Charlie do you mind if Edward and I slip out for a sec?" Alice asked Charlie. Fuck.

"Sure," Charlie replied, taking up a spot next to Bella on her small bed. I grudgingly walked to the door and left with Alice right on my ass. I really had hoped that Bella would have told her. Now it was left up to me to tell Alice how endlessly in love with her roommate I was.

"Spill it Cullen," Alice said, before I even turned around. I reluctantly faced her. I pretended to play dumb.

"What?" I asked innocently.

She wasn't buying it.

"You know what. What'd you mean before when you said that? What am I supposed to know?"

I gulped, and ran my fingers through my hair in my nervousness.

"I can't believe Bella didn't tell you," I said, shaking my head.

"Tell me what?" Alice yelled, stomping her little foot. She was very aggressive and loud for such an incredibly small person.

"Okay...the other day, after Bella was attacked, I told her something." Alice was listening intently, just staring at me. "Listen Alice. The past week for me has been...I can't even begin to explain it to you. I have this unnatural connection with Bella. I mean it's fucking weird. But at the same time it's amazing. I love being with her, I love being around her..." Alice's face was dripping with anticipation. Her eyes were wide. "Alice...I'm in love with her."

She squealed like a little girl when the words escaped my mouth.

"Oh Edward! And you told this to Bella?" She was dancing around and jumping excitedly. She was making me fucking dizzy.

"Yes," I told her; relieved that she wasn't going to pound me to the ground anymore.

"And what'd she say?"

"What do you think she said?" I asked. Alice was her best friend. She would have said something to her about me surely...

"Well I don't know. I know that she likes you. But Bella never said anything about being in love. I'm assuming she would have said something of the same effect back though." My chest tightened a little. What if Bella did love me...but wasn't in love with me?

"She said she loved me," I told her, feeling a little down on myself now. Alice squealed again.

"Of course she did!" Alice was literally jumping up and down. She had way too much fucking energy. She had enough for three people.

"That's what I meant before. I mean I can't let her fucking go and face that fucker again. I love her too much to see her go through something like that."

"Edward we all love her and don't want to see her hurt. But this is something that she's going to have to do. Charlie's a cop and he knows what he's talking about."

"I know Alice...I know. I just – I can't watch her suffer like this. It's killing me." I slumped against the wall and slid down it. I wanted to rip my heart out of my fucking chest so I could feel some relief for even a second. Alice squatted next to me.

"You really love her huh?" She asked me. You have no fucking idea. I nodded my head slowly.

"More than anything..." I said this in the smallest voice, but I knew she heard me. I brought my knees to my chest and rested my head on them. I had already cried in front of Alice once. I stared at the floor thinking of Bella and her horribly fucked up situation. My vision went blurry and when I blinked tears started to fall to the carpet. Alice tried to comfort me by rubbing my shoulder; but it wasn't working. The only thing that would make me feel better would be for Bella to be one hundred percent happy. And I knew she wasn't, and that she wouldn't be for god knows how long.

"It's okay," Alice assured me.

"No Alice...it's not," I told her, through sniffles. I heard Bella's door open and my head snapped up. My teary eyes met her torn face. "Hey," I said to her. I stood up and wiped my eyes dry with my sleeve. I saw her eyes starting to water. "No, no," I told her, going towards her. I wrapped my arms gently around her and she took her hand away from the door and put it around my neck. "Don't cry Bella," I begged. If she started to cry I would for sure be bawling like a baby. I hated to see her cry and it took every ounce of my composure to keep dry eyes in front of Charlie before. "Shh," I said into her hair. I rubbed her back so she wouldn't cry.

"I don't...I don't want to do that," she told me. She was thankfully not crying but she was upset. I pulled away because I needed to look into those eyes. Her big beautiful eyes were filled with sadness. Fissures were being ground into my heart. Slowly and painfully.

"I know," I told her, squeezing her ever so slightly tighter. I wanted to hold her closer but I didn't want to hurt her.

"Ouch." She pulled away. Way to go fucker.

"I'm sorry!" I blurted, feeling horrible. I rubbed her side where it hurt. She gave me a small smile.

"It's okay." She planted a soft kiss on my lips and hobbled back into the room. I hurried after her and hooked onto her waist, helping her along. Charlie was sitting at the desk now, looking at Bella's pictures. Alice followed us into the room and resumed her post on her bed. I sat Bella gently down and she patted the space next to her.

We all sat for a while just talking. Bella explaining her schedule to Charlie and telling him which classes she liked. She kept her small hand in mine the entire time and I never wanted to let it go.

"Bells I'm starving," Charlie began. "Where's there to get something to eat around here?"

"There's a place to get food on campus, or there's a bunch of restaurants around here," Bella responded.

"Did you want to go out for lunch? Do you feel up to it?" Bella bit her lip and glanced over to me. I didn't know what she wanted me to do. This was for her to decide.

"Uh, sure dad. That sounds good." Bella made to stand up and I helped her along, Alice fetching the crutches from the closet. "Do you mind if Edward and Alice come dad?" Bella asked Charlie when we were both standing.

"Actually I was hoping that we could have some time alone," Charlie replied. I wasn't so much disappointed in his response as I was upset. I didn't want to leave Bella. It would be the first time in three days that I actually left her.

"That's fine," I told Bella and Charlie. "You guys have fun."

"Thanks a lot Edward," Charlie said to me. Meeting Charlie went much better than I had ever expected it to go. The father of the girl I loved actually hugged me. I was shocked a little at first, but I was just glad that he approved of her having a boyfriend. Charlie stood up and took over my position. He took Bella's hand and helped her to the door where Alice was waiting with her crutches.

"Do you want me to help you down the stairs?" I asked Bella.

"There's no elevator?" Charlie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not in this building," I replied.

"I thought there would have been. I thought Bella just told me to take the stairs because they connected with the garage."

"No dad, there's no elevator. Edward carried me up the stairs." Charlie just stood staring at Bella for a minute.

"If you could carry her back down that would be a big help," he said, turning to me. I smiled at him and nodded.

I scooped Bella up, wedding style, and carried her down the hall. Charlie followed with the crutches as I made my way very carefully down the stairs. It was both harder and easier to carry her down the stairs; either way she still wasn't heavy. She tightened her hands around my neck and nuzzled her face into my chest the entire way down the stairs. Naturally when we were safely in the garage I didn't want to let her go. She gently placed her lips on my neck and kissed me a few times. My skin tingled and I wanted to kiss her back, but Charlie was there. So I just simply set her down on the ground and helped her into the old rusted truck.

"Dad I can't believe you drove this down here," Bella said as she hopped up into the truck bed. It was an old Chevy. Really rusted.

"Well Bells did you expect me to drive the cruiser across the country?"

"No I suppose not," she replied, blushing a little. I wondered why him driving this truck down here was so embarrassing. She turned her cute little red face to me. "It's my truck," she told me in a small voice. I chuckled lightly.

"I think it's time for a new car Bella," I joked to her.

"Don't say ew-nay in front on the ar-kay," she told me in Pig Latin. I laughed at her.

"It'll happen someday. It looks like it's about to expire...sorry to say." I was still laughing and now she was joining me.

"Respect my truck," she said, starting to calm down. "It's a senior citizen."

"That's for sure," I said to her. She looked up at me from the seat and Charlie was getting into the driver's seat.

"Can I see you when I get back?" She asked. Did she really have to ask?

"Do you even have to ask Bella?" She blushed again. I fucking loved that colour on her.

"I guess not," she told me sheepishly. "See you after."

I kissed her on the forehead and closed her door. She smiled at me from inside the car and I smiled back. I made my way back upstairs as I left Bella for the first time in three days.

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