DISCLAIMER: mirror mirror on the wall, do I have the copyrights to Twilight?

Mirror: that didn't rhyme.

Me: uh, I didn't know it had to rhyme....

Mirror: yeah, well, sorry, kid.

Me: WAIT!

Until I can figure a rhyming scheme for my question, I own nothing except for the clothes on my back … and in my closet … my books … well, I own a lot of stuff, but none of them include the rights to Twilight.

Chapter 13: Well, The Shit Really Hit the Fan This Time

EPOV

You know how they say life is unfair and shit happens? Well, they're wrong. Life isn't unfair; it's unbelievably cruel and ruthless. Shit doesn't happen; what does happen is fifty pounds of elephant poop hitting a fan and splattering all over your window while at the same time, a sewage pipe breaks and waste leaks all over your prize-winning garden. That about sums up how I felt at the moment. Bella was in the hospital, James was – big surprise – stalking her now, and the cherry on top – I lied and said I didn't love her. All within the course of a week. I probably beat Emmett's record for most colossal screw-ups in one week. I better check in with him

"Where's my baby girl? Where is she, what happened?" Ah, Charlie. Impeccable timing, that man has.

"Sh, Charlie. Quiet down. Bella is right here, sleeping. Now, either go eat some peach cobbler, or shut your pie hole," Delilah ordered. Normally, hearing a teenager, albeit an eighteen year old, talk like D just did to an adult like Charlie would have been inexcusable. Gathering from my observations, though, I guessed that it was a regular thing between her and authority figures.

"She was starting to, or rather was having, a panic attack. James...." I took a deep breath and tried to tone down my anger, or at least keep it in until I was far away from breakable things – like windows … cars … hospital buildings. "James contacted her through an email. She saw that and the rest...."

"A panic attack?" Charlie blanched. D nodded and moved to hug him. I stayed in my spot on Bella's bed, trying to ignore the whispered conversation going on. I shifted slightly so that I was able to see her face. She looked peaceful and calm, like nothing had ever happened that could maim her. Even having gone through what she had, she was still breathtaking. The cuts and bruises served as reminders of her bravery and loyalty; kind of like the way lieutenants wore their badges, her scars should be worn with pride.

A throat cleared. "Edward? Delilah told me that Bella wasn't in the best emotional state before she read the email, and that I that it had something to do with you." Charlie was calm as fuck, but his eyes were a storm. I shot a disbelieving glance at D. Her responding one said, "This is step one to to fixing your shit. If you don't make out alive, I'll sing at your funeral."

I faced Charlie. Just stay calm. Ignore the fact that this man still own a gun and has your future in his hands. "I told Bella I don't love her. That I don't want to be romantically involved with her."

It was like watching Mt. St. Helen explode. One minute it's looking normal, the next it's blowing smoke and rocks into the sky. Watching Charlie at his peak was a force of nature I hoped to never witness again, but with my luck, I was more likely to end up dying from it.

"I don't care if you don't want to be romantically involved with Bella. I would think that you cared enough to have the decency to not let her down when she's in this state. I guess I was wrong."

I spoke up, my demeanor darker. "I wouldn't say shit about something I don't know anything about."

"You listen her–"

"No, you listen, Mr. Swan. I care more about Bella than you give me credit for. I love her. Do you think that I'm turning a blind eye towards what's happening, what I'm doing to her? She would have stayed and put her life on the line again for someone other than herself. I don't want to be away from her; I'd rather be broken before that happens. I did what I had to do to protect her. So don't you dare insinuate that I don't care for Bella."

Delilah, who had remained a silent spectator to my outburst, said, "Well, that was very insightful. Thank you for volunteering. I'll go check if Alice is here yet."

That little drama geek just played me. I just told Bella's dad to fuck off. Way to impress the in-law that actually matters, Edward. Frigging sh-

"Well, Edward, you seem to have passed Delilah's test, which, by all means, would normally make me trust a fellow, but given the circumstances, you see my apprehension. The last guy to pass her test was James." Charlie's voice seethed with hatred and rage. He was almost as enraged as me.

"I wish we would have met under better circumstances, Charlie. I love you daughter, truly I do. But I can't see her wither away because of fear, like she surely will if I let her know that. I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused," I apologized.

He patted my shoulder. "You have nothing to apologize for, Edward. You saved my daughter's life. I'll owe you for the rest of my life."

I was at loss for words. This was possibly the biggest honor I've been granted in my life so far. The gratitude of a father was a thousand times better than any gold metal an Olympian could receive.

"Charlie, I don't know what to say. Thank you, for trusting me to whichever extent you can, I guess."

A pixie flew into the room, trailing golden pixie dust behind her. "Edward! Why didn't you come spring me from hell? How's Bella?"

"Lower your voice and energy level, Tink. Bella's fine. I didn't go spring you myself because I had more important matters to attend to. Now if you excuse me," I said, "I'll go see Carlisle about her condition."

I got up to see Carlisle and to avoid Alice's reproachful stares (no doubt Delilah had filled her in), but the fairy knew my real reasons and stopped me before I could leave.

"We need to talk."

"Not now. I need to talk to Carlisle and call Emmett."

"I already did both. Emmett is on his way here with Esme. He says Rosalie will come over tomorrow if she can convince Stefan to cover his shift. She says he's being a little stubborn because he doesn't want to work on Elena's and his anniversary, but she's slowly cracking his armor. You know how gentlemanly he is. Anyway, Carlisle said if Bella keeps having panic attacks, he's going to have to keep her for a few extra days for observation. If she's okay for the next couple of days, he'll start her on physical therapy and recommend a therapist for any … psyche side effects of the … domestic and date violence." She took deep, shuddering breathes to calm herself.

"What – how did you....?"

Alice's tawny eyes were smug. "I know you and I knew you were going to scamper away from the issue," she whispered.

"I do not scamper. I skirt around or face it head on."

"I didn't know there was a difference. Now come with me. We're going to have to talk outside."

Five foot two inches of Prada-and-Gucci-covered teenage girl dragged me outside the hospital to the very bench where Delilah had her talk with me.

The flood gates burst open as soon as we were seated on the bench. I steeled myself for the storm that would give Katrina a run for her money in ferocity, but have only one casualty.

"D told me what you did."

"And you're sickened with me. You can't believe what I did and are disappointed. Well, take a number, Alice, because apparently, you're not the only one. You didn't tell me that she loved me so that I could crush her heart in the worst possible way and time."

"Yes, all of that is true. But not exactly what I wanted to say. Edward, I understand why you did what you did. I don't approve, but I get it. It's just, I know you," she repeated, "and I know that's not the best for you and Bella. I love you both and can't stand to see you hurting like this!"

My head suddenly weighed a ton. I sagged onto Alice's shoulder, letting the despair and guilt have their way with me. Alice's thin arms wrapped around me and held me tight. She was the only thing keeping me from banging my head on the bench repeatedly.

"Alice, what am I going to do?"

"That, my darling brother, is up to you to figure out."

"That's real helpful, Ali." She slapped my arm. "Ow!"

"That's all I can inflict on you at the moment. I promised D that I wouldn't hurt you and Esme would kill me if her little Eddie came home bruised and limping."

"Don't you mean bandaged and in a wheelchair?"

"You know me so well, brother," she giggled. We sat in a comfortable silence, each to his or her own thoughts.

"I love her so much," I said.

"I know," she sighed. She looked at her watch and cursed.

"What?"

For once, Alice looked embarrassed. She even blushed. "Oh, um.... nothing, Edward dearest."

I raised an eyebrow. "Nothing, Tinkerbell? Are you sure?"

"Don't call me that!"

"Don't lie to me," I retorted.

She huffed in defeat. She muttered something that sounded like, you can't keep any secrets in this family.

"What was that?" I asked politely.

"I said you can't keep any secrets in this family. Fine, I'll tell you. I'm supposed to be meeting up with Jasper in twenty minutes."

"What!?!"

"Cool it! He's coming over to the house and I'm driving him over. He says his car broke down, and he doesn't know how to get here on the bus."

"I'm sure he doesn't. Just cross out the fact that he was practically born on the bus and knows all of the routes and which buses to take to where ever it is he wants to go, and I'm positive there's no ulterior motive as to why he would want you specifically to pick him up, when he knows that he could call Emmett or myself. Don't even take into consideration these new, confounded little thingamajigs called cellphones and taxis. You know, the little magic box with numbers on it that can call anyone as long as you're in the service area, and the yellow or green box with wheels that will take you anywhere and charge you money. Or does he not know what money is, either? It's pa–"

"I get it! He knows how get here! We're dating, okay? Does that make you less grumpy, to know what I'm doing every minute of every hour of every day? Does it, Edward?" she exploded.

"No, that would mean I'm a stalker, and frankly, little sister, you're not my type."

"Why aren't you mad?"

"Oh, I'm mad alright, don't you worry your pretty little head about that. I just don't have the energy to show it. But I think, once he finds out, Emmett will be enough for the both of us, at least until I can lift my ass of the ground and do my share of work."

She paled. "You're telling Emmett?"

"Of course I am. I have to, Tink. It's my responsibility and honor. That, and Emmett will skin me alive he finds out that I knew and didn't tell him." Alice tried to protest but I cut her off. "Ah, ah, ah. You had at least twenty four hours to tell him, am I right?"

".... Yes," she muttered.

"And did you bother to pick up the phone and send him a text?" I pressed.

".... No," she grudgingly admitted.

"Well, there you go. I have to tell him now. Case closed," I said, a smirk on my lips.

"Why do you always have to win, Eddie?" she asked, exasperated and defeated. I laughed.

"Because I'm the older brother."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~

BPOV

I woke up, my brain in a haze. Something kept poking through it, trying to reach my conscious mind. Something important....

"Bella!"

I'd know that voice in death. "Delilah?"

"I'm right here, buddy. What do you want or need?"

"I need to be able to open my eyes. I'm blind, Deli-ware! Blind!"

She laughed and the sound woke me up completely. I was able to open my eyes. "Oh, there you are."

Delilah flashed me her brilliant movie star smile. As I looked around, I saw that I wasn't alone. The talking bear was back.

"What the hell is the talking bear doing in my room, Delilah?"

She gave me a what-the-hell look. "What talking bear? Are you high?"

The bear said, "She means me. I was here the last time she woke up and, apparently, I look like I bear."

"Emmett, you're huge and just as ferocious and dangerous as a bear," said a wind chime.

D snorted. "She could you a wind chime, Alice. I think it's safe to say that Bella is not her normal state of mind."

What was bugging me finally poked through. I remembered everything that had happened. My heart raced and crumpled at the same time. James was after me. Edward didn't love me.

"Bella, calm down, sweetie. What is it?" asked a soft voice. Esme, my mind said. Esme is here. I tried to calm down some, but it was hard when you're being stalked like prey and the love of your life destroys you.

"Bella! "¡Que te calmes o si no te doy una cachetada! ¿Me entiendes, muchacha?" Alice said. ("Calm down, or I'll slap you! do you understand me, girl?)

"Yes," I gasped. "Please don't slap me."

"Alice!" reprimanded Esme.

"I knew that year in Latin America would do her some good," remarked Emmett. (I remembered that Emmett was most definitely not a bear, though he had uncanny resemblance to one.)

"Well, now that everyone has calmed down, and Bella is sane and coherent, I say we fill Bella in on what happened while she snored," stated D.

"I do not snore!"

"Yes you do. Back to the topic of discussion."

"You sound like a lawyer," said Emmett.

"Why, thank you!"

"I swear I'm Wonderland. There's no way I'm here at the moment," I voiced.

"Well, you're very much here in reality, Bella. But I think you're right in saying that these three are definitely not normal," said Esme. She winked at me and I giggled. Pain stabbed through my ribs, though not enough to make me stop.

"Hey!" three voices indignantly cried.

"Well, it's true. None of my kids are normal. Bella is my last hope!" Esme replied.

Emmett pouted. He looked like a three year old. "But I thought I was the normal kid, mom."

"No," protested Alice, "I'm the normal one!"

"You're both wrong. Of all three, I'm the normal in the Cullen kids," teased a velvety voice from the doorway. My head snapped to the door, where my prince charming stood in the flesh. Edward was a heartbreaking beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off him, and when he met mine, his emerald eyes held my stare. I recognized several emotions in them. The glint in his eyes that appeared whenever he teased and bickered with his siblings. Concern, for me probably. Pain, maybe for seeing me like this. Regret, for not coming to the rescue in time, or for making his presence known. Love, for his family that was joined here, for the most part. Carlisle, their head, wasn't in attendance. That love wasn't for me. Never for me.

"Hello," he said. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes," I croaked. I cleared my throat. "Yes," I said much more clearly. "I'm better. The pain's dull now."

"Bella, can I ta–"

"Isabella!" Carlisle interrupted. "You're awake. How are you feeling? Any pain when you breathe or move?"

Carlisle couldn't have had better timing. I definitely didn't want to talk with Edward and my mind had had enough of the emotions brought out when he was near. It wanted to coast on neutral, and I wasn't about to battle it out over this.

"Call me Bella, please, Carlisle. I'm fine. No pain when I breathe a little when I move, but nothing I can't handle. I've been through worse," I said. The whole room quieted and a gloomy mood fell down on the rest. A fire burned in Edward's eyes, growing stronger and stronger as the silence continued. "So, when can I go home, good doctor?"

The room stirred and they went back to their formerly teasing and light selves with some effort. All but Edward, in which the fire seemed to grow only larger as Carlisle said that I would be held in the hospital for a little while longer because of my sudden panic attack. I sensed that a topic change was needed before Edward was completely consumed by the raging fire and sought out James; for while he might not love me, I still did. And that love didn't want to even imagine Edward taking on James by himself while anger clouded his sense and drove him to danger.

"So how are your classes, Edward?" I knew I was grasping at straws, but I had to calm him down. I just had to. I couldn't take much more tragedy in my life; I had filled my quota and then some.

Startled, Edward was pulled out of his dark brooding by my question. "Oh, uh, they're going by alright. The workload is a bit-" he remembered Esme was in the room "bit too much for my liking, but that's college, I guess."

I nodded while he tried to figure out my sudden interest in his education. I switched to Emmett.

"Emmett, you have a girlfriend, right?"

"Yes, and she's amazing," his eyes were glazed over as he thought about his sweet. "She's the most beautiful woman in the world, and she's talented, too. She has a temper that can hold its own against Esme when I break something and she's the kindest person you'll ever meet. Apart from you, Esme, of course." He came down from his little cloud. "You would've met her today, Bella, but she had to work at the shop and couldn't find anyone who would take her shift."

"She sounds wonderful," I commented.

"She is," he agreed.

"It's hard to imagine what she would want with a big oaf like Emmett, huh, Bells?" Alice teased. "She's so wonderful and Emmett's...."

"Emmett's what, dear little sister? Do you think I've forgotten about Jasper?" replied Emmett. Alice gulped. I remembered Jasper was Alice's crush and a good friend to the Cullens.

"Emmett," warned Edward. "Not now."

They silently communicated and it was decided.

"Fine," grumbled Emmett. "Later. But you're gonna get it, Tinkerbell."

"Emmett, don't threaten you sister."

"Yes, Esme."

"Well, everything seems to be in order here, Bella," said Carlisle. He was looking over some papers in his hand. He looked up and smiled. "Just press the button if you need something. I'll be on my way now. Esme, would you like to join me for lunch?"

Esme danced to his side. "OF course, dear. You behave, you hear, Emmett?"

"Why do you only single me out? … Fine, I'll behave."

"Good. I'll hope you feel better, Bella. I'll be back to escort this one out later." She smiled and left with Carlisle. It was only the kids left.

"So..." started Delilah. "Emmett, Alice, would you accompany me to the snack bar?"

The brother and sister accepted the invitation and left me alone. With Edward. Well, this ought to be good.

"And then there were two," I whispered. Edward chuckled.

"I'm not that bad, am I?" When you're tearing my heart out, yes, you are.

"No."

He sighed. "Bella, I pride myself in knowing when I'm being lied to 99.9% of the time, and you, little lady, are lying." His expression became desolate. "Please, don't lie to me, Bella."

I turned away from his face. I couldn't look in his green eyes.

"Bella, please, look at me!"

"No," I said.

"Please!"

"No."

"I'm begging you, Bella. At least let me see your face. You don't have to look at me, but let me see your face when I tell you this."

I obliged, staring at the wall behind his head.

"Thank you," he whispered. He sighed. "Bella.... Bella, we need to talk."

A/N I'M BACK! Oh how I've missed you guys. I'm so sorry for the ridiculous delay. I wanted to post this ASAP, so much so that I bypassed my beta, who let me tell you, will not be happy. Please, do you think you guys can forgive me? Pretty please? To those unbelievably cool people who added me to story alerts, favorite story, favorite author, and author alert even while I was on hiatus … no words can begin to explain the immense joy I feel that people still believe in me. And to my unswerving readers who have been faithful and stuck with me through this crisis, I am filled with gratitude. Now, if it isn't too much to ask, REVIEW!