Bella

"…you silly girl. I love you." I heard the relief in his voice as he cradled me against him. Felt the tremor of his lips as they pressed to mine. Somewhere deep in the back of my mind I registered the three retreating figures – and what their presence meant. But I couldn't focus on that. All my attention – and my thoughts – were for him.

Edward.

In the days since my accident my mind had been whirling with all that I had lost – all that everyone was keeping from me. I'd never given much thought to how my accident had affected others. Until now.

Waking up – seeing Edward's face as his brother restrained him – told me so much more than words could ever say. The pain and torment there as he watched me wrestle with the demons in my memory…though I knew somehow that he could shed no tears, still I saw them in his eyes.

And then I was crying; clinging tightly to him as I sobbed his name. He rocked me gently, as if trying to calm a frightened child – though I was unsure which of us was in deeper pain.

"Bella," he whispered at my hairline, his lips caressing my forehead. He repeated my name – over and over – as he rained kisses across my face; at each temple, upon each closed eyelid, the tip of my nose, each cheek. And then, finally, as if he could no longer keep from doing so, his mouth covered mine.

Edward secured the blanket around me as he pulled me closer. He settled me onto his lap, cradling me against him. Curled up there at his strong chest was a pleasant, comforting feeling. Warmth – that had nothing to do with temperature. Though my mind continued to churn with the recently returned memories, the feel of his arms around me – the sound of his even breathing – pushed at my anxiety, soothing me. I sighed and leaned my head wearily on his shoulder.

His long fingers traced every curve of my face. Over and over, like a blind man committing a loved one's features to memory. Or someone waking from a dream and reassuring themselves that what stood before them was not merely an illusion.

The action invoked such a strong sense of déjà vu – that somehow, sometime, we had been here before – that I scanned my memory to find the link. Yet every time I tried, all I found were vague, cloudy images. I growled in frustration, all sense of calm washed away as earlier questions rose again to the surface.

"Bella, what is it?" Though his thumb continued its soothing dance across my cheek, his velvet voice held the barest hint of tension. "What's wrong?"

"Edward, what…how…" I stammered, not knowing which question I wanted answered first. "My parents…how did you explain? What did you tell them?"

"Bella, I…"

"I think it would be all right to answer this question, Edward." I looked up where Carlisle stood in silhouette in the doorway. "Sorry to intrude…" he said apologetically as he entered the room. "But I'd like to examine Bella…if that's all right with you." His kind eyes gazed down at me for my approval.

"No!" I blurted out in a panic as Edward set me carefully on the bed and started to move away. "Don't…don't leave…"

As before, an irrational wave of fear washed over me. As if Edward would cease to exist if he left my sight. I clutched at his hand with both of mine and he squeezed them reassuringly.

"Bella," he said softly, "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." He grinned. "Where else would I go?"

He settled next to me on the bed, wrapping an arm about my shoulders as his father perched on the other side of me. Carlisle checked my pulse and my temperature; he pulled out a penlight and checked my eyes.

"Bella," he said gently, "You need to try to calm down. I know things have been very confusing and frightening for you, but all the stress you're putting yourself through isn't good for you." He took out a stethoscope and I couldn't help but chuckle. Both he and Edward looked at me with a concerned expression.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle, but…well…can't you hear my heartbeat just as well – if not better – without that?"

Both laughed and Carlisle nodded conceding the point. "Allow me some illusions, Bella," he mockingly scolded. "Imagine the talk there would be if I diagnosed a patient's arrhythmia from across the room – without even examining them."

"Huh," I pursed my lips, thinking on that a moment. "I suppose you have a point." I yawned, surprising myself. "It makes no sense that I should be tired – all I seem to do anymore is sleep…"

"I'm not certain the sleeping you've been doing would fall under the term restful," he replied, continuing his examination. I fought to keep my eyes open; even though I knew he was right – that the dreams and nightmares weren't soothing by any means – still, I felt weak for always being so tired.

"I believe you wanted an answer regarding what we told your parents about Phoenix?" I nodded; Edward pulled my head against his shoulder and I could hear him faintly humming my lullaby.

"We explained to them that I had brought Edward out to convince you to return home – here to Forks. And that you had an accident on your way up the hotel stairs to meet with him."

As he said the words, I could hear a similar echo of Edward's voice in my head, explaining in greater detail the ruse they had concocted for my family. 'It could happen,' he'd said with a grim smile. I flinched slightly at the memory of him listing my injuries and I felt his arm squeeze me tighter. The melody of my lullaby grew louder, my eyes growing heavier as I listened.

"You seem to be none the worse for wear," Carlisle said, his voice sounding very far away…yet there seemed to be a slight hitch in his voice – as if he weren't being entirely truthful. But I was too tired to make sense of that as I snuggled deeper into Edward's arms.

"I think a short nap will do you good," Carlisle added just before I drifted off.