A/N: Thanks for all your awesome reviews for the last chapter! I hope this chapter will answers some of your queries:

JaCkSoN RaThBoNe Is MiNe: Ek! James attacked her!!?!??! Why on EARTH would he do that!?!?! He knows that he'll get suspended right!?

Finger craker: What does James have against Bella? Why didn't he get some other victim??

White walls… An irritating beeping… I tried to sit up but something pulled against my arm. I glanced at it and grimaced. An IV. A soft voice spoke from beside me, surprising me.

"Punctured left lung, no problem. Broken ribs, you'll get over it. But an IV on the other hand…" I smiled as I saw the familiar crooked smile on the familiar perfect face.

"Edward!" I cried, and he grinned.

"Hey, Bells." I looked questioningly at him.

"You know, since I was slightly unconscious, mind telling me what happened?" I asked, trying to sound light and joking.

"Well, you're the only one who knows exactly what happened with James..." I flinched at the sound of the bastard's name. "Carlisle found you-"

"Carlisle?" I asked, confused.

"Mr. Cullen. The principal." Edward explained, and I realized that Carlisle and Mr. Cullen was the same person. How stupid was I? "Well, Carlisle took medical training at college so he knew not to move you and all that, and he phoned for an ambulance and the police. We tried to crowd into the ambulance... But eventually only Carlisle and I could go with you. Esme, Mrs. Cullen to you, took Alice, Rose, Jasper and Emmett when Carlisle phoned her. They did X-rays and all that... and then you went into surgery. We didn't know if you would live..."

Edward's voice choked on the last few words and I took his hand and held it tight. I had almost died? How? Why? I was sure Edward would eventually get around to that answer, but I didn't want to press him for it as he seemed pretty strung up about it all.

"You remember that... James stabbed you?" Edward practically spat the name out. I nodded at his question and he resumed his summary of my near-death encounter. "Well, it punctured your lung... And they didn't know if you would survive the surgery you would need... You were in pretty bad shape. The police came and they had to take pictures of where James hit you, stabbed you and all that, and they have copies of all the X-rays and everything... They want to talk to you and I said I would tell them when you woke up..."

"Sure, I'll speak to them!" I said brightly, trying hard to hide the fact that I was very scared and even more nervous. Edward leaned over me and pressed a button by my bed. I inhaled his Edward and Calvin Klein Eternity scent; it immediately made me feel more relaxed. It was something familiar.

"Bella, I have to say something..." Edward began and I looked at him questioningly. His droped his gaze and then began again. "Bella... We can't have a court case yet because... well... James is... James is... James is missing."

"Missing?" I asked, not getting the point of what he was trying to convey.

"AWOL. Gone. Disappeared. Run away." Edward was starting to run out of words to tell me what James had done.

"But then won't he have to be expelled for running away anyway?" I asked and Edward chuckled. Why was he laughing at such a serious time? I glared at him and tried to sit up, but winced as I felt the pulling on an IV at my skin.

"Bella, he stabbed you. He'll be in Juveniles for at least three years. You are thining that he will only get expelled?! You won't have to worry about him ever again, Bella. Free from James. Forever." I calmed at the soothing tone of his voice. There was a light knock on the door and Edward called: "Come in!"

A man of about forty in police uniform stepped into my (for some reason which I could not fathom, private) room, followed by two younger officers (possibly mid-twenties and early thirties) who might have been his juniors. We gave me what I guessed was a reassuring smile, and one of the junior officers was brandishing a notebook.

"Good morning, Miss Swan. My name is Officer Newton. If you do not mind, we will ask you some questions?" I nodded and he carried on. "Did you and Mr Nimadi have any sort of relationship going on?"

"NO!" I stormed. Did they think this was an appropriate question? Edward laid a protective hand on my arm and I tried to calm down slightly.

"How did Mr Nimaldi approach you?" This was an easy one.

"From behind. I turned and I thought I heard footsteps but no one was there. Then I reached the stairs and he grabbed my shoulder." The younger of the two juniors was scribbling down what I said. The questions continued for about another twenty minutes before a nurse shooed the officers out so I could get some rest. I finally had some more time alone with Edward.

"Aren't you going then?" I asked, thinking that he would go too. He stayed where he was a gestured to a couch the other side of my bed.

"I sleep here." He said, matter-of-factly. I glared at him.

"Why?" He was sleeping on a couch in a hospital? Why? Just in case James tried to get me again?

"I don't want to leave you... If something were to happen I could never forgive myself... I sleep better here... Near you. I know that you are safe." He said it with such a pained look on his face that I believed him. When he said 'I could never forgive myself' I could have sworn I saw a hint of sadness enter the tone of his voice. Or maybe it was just the painkillers the nurse had given me. Whatever. Suddenly I heard shouting coming from outside of my room. Edward was off the chair and had opened the door in one fast, fluid movement. I saw James being man-handled by two security guards. He looked so stupid, a little thirteen year old boy, as if he was having a tantrum. With not so polite words.

"Let me see the bitch! Let me fucking finish her off! Get off me! Let me GO!" James was dragged backwards across the hospital flooring he noticed Edward standing at the door to my room. "You bastard! Let me see her! You don't deserve her! You never did! She's mine!"

The last thing I heard before I sank into a deep, drugged up sleep was Edward's soft voice.

"The big bad wolf is gone at last. Good night Bella."

A/N: So, this chapter possibly didn't answer all your queries... The court case is the next chapter... Please don't blame me I don't know how the law bits go! No virtual slapping! Please review and say what you think!

PS: There are links in my profile off possible Autumn Dance dresses; I want you to pick! Please PM me the name of your favorite!