They stuck me in the emergency room, and I growled quietly in my head as they put a pressure cuff on my arm and a thermometer under y tongue. This was what I'd been trying to avoid. Thank god my skin temperature today was only slightly higher than the average humans.

I had a neck brace around my throat, but when the nurse went away from a second, I hastily pulled it off, shoving it under the lumpy stretcher beside me.

I heard rapidly approaching footsteps, and the squeaking sound of stretcher wheels against the linoleum.

There was a flurry of hospital personnel, and the stretcher came to a stop on the wall beside me. I held my breath. Luckily, it was before the scent f the warm blood actually reached me.

Tyler Crowley, from my government class, was wrapped in seeping, already bloodstained bandages. I kept my mouth shut and didn't breathe.

Why? Why me? Stupid Edward.

"Bella, I'm so sorry!" he blurted as I caught his eye.

Stupid van, stupid ice…

Tyler was staring at me anxiously, and I realized that I should say something…

"I'm fine Tyler, are you alright? You look awful." As I spoke; nurses began unwinding his soiled bandages, exposing a pile of shallow slices all over his cheek and forehead. I tried hard not to look at the blood.

He ignored my query, and started to blab.

"I thought I was going to kill you! I was going to fast, and I hit the ice wrong…" He winced as one of the nurses started dabbing his face.

"Don't worry about it- you missed me." I said, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

You would have missed me even more if certain people hadn't been watching me I wouldn't even have been there if certain people hadn't been watching me.

"How did you get out of the way so fast? You were there, and then you were gone…"

Oh, it was nothing… But you know Edward and his sister? Yeah. They crossed the parking lot in a millisecond, stopped the van with their bare hands and 'saved my life', but seriously, I didn't even need their, help… I'm actually a lot faster than them, but because they were both watching...

The truth would make me should like I Had bashed my head on the concrete. And I was pretty sure that Edward was never in a million years going to explain anything to me, but I was also sure he would be happy if I didn't lie for him. More death glares that meant… and more watching me.

"Um. Edward and Alice Cullen pulled me out of the way." I lied confidently. Tyler missed the hesitation. Strange- humans minds were so slow.

"The Cullens? I didn't see them… wow, it was all so fast I guess. Are they both okay?" I nodded.

"Edward's in here somewhere, I don't know about Alice… they didn't have to use a stretcher."

Stupid idiot Edward. He'd walked in under his own power, gliding through the door as if he owned the place. Alice had stayed by the van as they'd wheeled me away.

Some nurses came to take me to get my head x-rayed.

I told them again and again that there was nothing wrong with me, and I was right, of course, but they still insisted on the x-ray.

Even if I had bruised my head on the pavement, it would've been gone by now. Bruises only took a few hours to go away. Now… a cracked skull would've been slightly annoying- cracked bone sometimes to days to heal…

When I was in the x-ray room, I quickly filled up my lungs with fresh, untainted air, I asked the nurse if I could leave, but she told me she had to get the x-rays checked by a doctor first.

So I was stuck in the E.R, with a human boy bleeding and harassing me with his contestant apologies, nothing wrong with me, angry and impatient… In the end I tried to sleep- but he still kept up an annoying mumble.

I heard light footsteps, the rhythmic kind that only belonged to four of five people in this town and every single human model off the runway…. I knew who it was instantly. But I kept my eyes shut in annoyance.

He would never explain- if I had been him, saving a 'human', I wouldn't explain why I'd been able to run so fast to their aid. And If I had lifted the van so easily as Alice had… I wouldn't explain that either.

And even though he was not human, I was still going to act human around him- anyway I couldn't give the slightest hint to Edward or his family about me.

And if I was acting human still…. A human would be curious. Suspicious. Edward and Alice would have materialized out of thin air… That would be strange. Frightening.

"Is she sleeping?" his musical voice asked. I heard the amused tone in his voice, as if he knew that I wasn't really asleep, only pretending.

I grudgingly opened my eyes.

He was standing in the doorway, smirking. I glared at him- it wasn't easy. What with his looks and everything… it would have seemed more natural to ogle.

"Hey, Edward, I'm really sorry-" Tyler began, before Edward cut him off, lifting a hand and smiling.

"No blood, no foul." He said, his smile growing wider.

He sat on the edge of Tyler's bed, facing me. I felt a stab as I watched him.

He couldn't be the same as me, as much as I found myself wanting… not just because he was obviously stronger, but because of the blood. He was so plainly completely oblivious to the temptation the blood would have had for me.

I if was that close… well, me breathing or not… Tyler would be dead.

"So... what's the verdict?" He asked me.

"There's nothing wrong with me at all, but they wont let me go," I complained, frowning slightly. This was his entire fault.

"…And how come you aren't strapped to one of these stupid stretchers like the rest of us?" I demanded angrily.

"It's all about who you know." He replied with a grin. "But don't worry- I came to spring you."

And then, so on cue hat he had to have been listening to our conversation, walked the most handsome doctor I had ever seen. Blond hair, perfect features, posture… this had to be Carlisle, Edward adopted father.

And it looked like he was just like the rest. My eyes narrowed briefly and I glanced at the window. Two of them… I pleaded for them not to recognized that I was different…

He smiled an angelic smile. "Good morning, Miss Swan. How're you feeling."

"I'm fine." I said quietly, as if my very voice would give me away.

"Well, the x-ray on your head looks perfectly normal..." He said glancing at it, "It seems like you were lucky."

"Lucky, that Edward and Alice happened to be there." I said, glaring at where he sat on Tyler's bed.

"Well, yes." The doctor said, exchanging a meaningful look with Edward, and I knew I had been right… his father knew the truth too. He immediately changed the subject, moving forward and feeling where I had 'bashed' my head. I cringed as he touched me, even though I could barely feel anything.

"Tender?" He asked, stepping away.

"Not really." I said, and then shot a glare at Edward when he hid a laugh.

Carlisle shot a look at his son in confusion, and then back at me. "So, seeing as everything seems to be in order… you can go home now. Do you need a lift?"

I frowned. "Can't I just go back to school?"

He smiled. "I think It would better if you just took the rest of the day off. Edward can drive you home."

"Does he get to go back to school?" I accused, looking at Edward.

"Someone has to spread the good news we survived." He said cheerfully, grinning easily at my scowl.

"Actually," Carlisle corrected, "Most of the schools seems to be in the waiting room.

Great. Just perfect. "Oh no," I moaned quietly o myself. More attention? Gawd.

I got off the bed. "I can walk home by myself."

He frowned in concern, like he cared about my head. Or why I didn't want to be in the same care as Edward. He sighed. "Only if you feel up to it."

"It's really not that far." I got up and walked towards the door. Just before I went through I remembered, and turned around to look at Edward. "Can I talk to you?"

His eyes were immediately wary. "Go ahead."

"Um-Alone?"

Carlisle looked at Edward carefully, turning away from Tyler slighty. Edward's face hardened. He stood and stalked out of the room, and Is tumbled after him.

He knew what I was going to ask… it showed on his face as he turned around angrily once outside.

"What do you want?" He demanded icily.

I cringed back slightly from him, out of his reach, ready to run… just my instincts. "You owe me an explanation." I said quietly.

His voice stayed harsh. "I saved your life- I don't owe you anything."

I flinched, and I felt anger spread through me. Saved my life? He'd made my day hell, that was all he had done.

Calm, Bella. Play the frightened human girl.

"You promised." I whispered.

"Bella, you hit your head, you don't know what you're talking about." He said desperately.

Oh, so I was the one who had smashed my head onto the icy road? Was everything else my fault too? My chin came up. "There is nothing wrong with my head." I hissed angrily, before I could stop myself.

His face turned more unfriendly in response.

"What do you want form me, Bella?"

"I want to know the truth. I want to know why I'm lying for you."

I could always threaten to tell… but that, surely would turn out worse for me. He couldn't afford me blabbing-

"What do you think happened?" He snapped angrily.

"You weren't anywhere near me- Tyler didn't see you either, so don't you dare tell me I hit my head too hard. That van was going to crush us both- ad it didn't, and you hands left dents in the side- and you left a dent in the other car, and you're not even hurt- that van should've smashed my legs- but Alice was holding it up///
I clenched my teeth together suddenly, wondering whether I had said too much… there was a faint surprise in his eyes, but it was suddenly extinguished and replaced by anger once more.

"You think Alice lifted a van off you?" he asked, obviously faking sarcasm.

I nodded stiffly.

His voice grew mocking, eyes cruel. "Nobody will believe that you know."

I made an effort to control my anger. When I answered, I spoke every word slowly, deliberately, so he would get the message. "I'm not going to tell anybody."

Of course I wouldn't tell. It would mean he owed me for keeping the secret… btu also I knew that I didn't particuallry want to tell. I could do that for him. Keep a secret.

Shock ran across his face for half a second, and then he spoke again. "Then why does it matter?" He asked, and I heard that the severity was fake.

"It matters to me." I said. "I don't like to lie-" I'd lied far too much in my life- "So there better be a good reason why I'm doing it."

"Can't you just thank me and get it over with."

"Thank you," I said, and then waited, fuming silently.

"You not going to let it go, are you."

I could, but of course… that would ruin my act. "No."

"In that case…" he wasn't going to tell me. I could tell, so his next words didn't catch me by surprise. " I hope yo enjoy dissapointment."

We scowled at each other. And a nother question rose to the surface of my mind, and I spoke it angrily. "Why did you even bother?"

His face was suddenly dejected, lost, confused… not angrgy, as I caught him off guard.

"I don't know."

He turned and stalked away, and I stared after him, not thinking.

hi guys… I hope that's made up for the delay…. Please review… ext chapter will be up as soon as I can e bothered uploading it…

thanx.

mAkEnNa _