Bella's eyes flashed quickly from side to side beneath her closed eyelids. Her body curled inward on itself as she turned to lay on her side. Her breathing was sharp and shallow, quickening the pace of her beating heart. Her fingers twitched convulsively and clenched sporatically into fists. Her knees were mashed defensively against her chest, her neck and shoulders bowing over them, wrapping herself tighter around herself. The instictually physical reactions of her body did nothing to protect her from her tormented mind. The nightmare raged on despite the tensing of her muscles.

People in white flashed by her. The walls, the ceiling, the hard plastic chairs surrounding her were white washed and sterile.

Bella blubbered helplessly in the hall, stumbling first one way, then another before being turned around by someone in white. "This way," they told her. "No, dear, it's down this way." She was becoming dizzy and light headed. The voices had no faces and no one stopped to talk to her. No one asked her if she was okay.

"Where's Daddy?" she whimpered pathetically. "Where's my daddy?"

"This way - no, this way. Down here, he's here."

"Daddy?" Her hair whipped around her face as she spun quickly around. "Daddy, I'm lost."

"What do you think you're doing?"

Bella jumped at the thundering, recognizable voice. Ice froze in her veins. She was suddenly looking down the barrel of the tar black hand gun. The arm it was attatched too was hairy and disgusting. The rumpled tan shirt and ripped jeans screamed at her. The wispy, black hair belonged to the devil.

"Give me the money," Satan demanded. "I'll kill you."

Bella's voice would not work. Her body would not run.

He cocked the gun. His black eyes reflected his black heart. "Bang."

The explosive sound was never ending.

She came awake with a gasp, her heart racing in her chest, pumping adreniline relentlessly through her tired veins. Her brown eyes darted frantically from side to side, warry of the threat that only lingered in her dreams.

Cold fingers curled softly around her shoulders, causing her already clenched body to tense further. With her leg muscles already coiled and tensed, she shoved against the damp ground awkwardly, putting immediate space between herself and the cold grip against her shoulder. Bella turned as she scrambled against the ground with her hands and knees, so that she could face her adversary as she made her get a way.

She stilled instantly when she was greeted by Edward's frozen form, still kneeling by the empty space she had been occupying not moments before. His face was impassive and still, but his eyes burned with an intensity of concern Bella had never experienced before.

Shit, Bella thought frantically. Oh shit, shit shit.

"Bella." Edward's voice was careful and deceptively soothing as it rumbled softly from deep in his chest. "Bella, are you alright?"

She was still gasping for breath, her chest heaving slightly with the force of her breathing.

Edward wasn't supposed to see that. Dammit, she was supposed to be over the nightmares by now! Shit, this was a mess. What was she supposed to do now? How was she going to explain this? Bella had never told him that the dreams were this bad, just that she still had them.

Fuck, he was going to be all over this now. Damn. It.

Her face heated up with shame, warming the skin around her sore muscles. She tried to scowl at Edward, but she couldn't hold his gaze. She turned her glower to the wet grass instead, noticing how damp it had made her clothes and how messy her hands had become.

"I spent the night in the wilderness, genius," she growled at the floor, trying to deflect attention away from her mortifying reaction to her nightmare. Her sarcasm came out shaky, and it did nothing to convince herself that she was alright. "I'm feeling just dandy, thanks."

Bella began to force herself to her feet, finding it difficult when her body would not stop shaking, and her knees had suddenly gone numb. The terrifying bang was still resounding in her mind and wouldn't let her over taxed heart rest.

Edward was by her side immediately, slowly taking her arms into his hands and gently lifting her until she was steady on her feet. Bella still wouldn't look at him, couldn't even pretend to be angry with anything. She let her wet, knotted hair hide her face.

That didn't deter the weight of Edward's concern, however, and she could feel his intense gaze wandering across her concealed face.

"Bella," Edward murmured warmly, his voice soft and encasing her like a warm blanket, "you can trust me. If you want to talk about it, I'm here for you."

Yeah, and tell the one person that's hung around that Baby Bella is still afraid of the dark? Not going to happen, Cullen.

"It's nothing," she grumbled to her shoes. "The woods just freaked me out."

Liar. Satan was about to kill you with that monster humanity calls a gun.

Don't think about it, she commanded herself stubbornly, attempting to banish the lingering claws of fear that gripped her heart.

"You don't have to pretend for me, Bella," Edward persisted, bowing his head forward, trying to catch her eye. "If there's something wrong, if anything's bothering you, you can talk to me about it. We're friends; I won't judge you."

"I told you," Bella lied, "it was just the woods."

"I just want to help you," Edward tried a different tact, adamant to get the truth from her. "Talking about it will make you feel better. It will just be a secret between the two of us. No one else will have to know." His icy fingers hooked beneath her chin, forcing her gaze up to meet his. "Please talk to me, Bella."

Bella stared at the space between his eyes. "It was nothing, Edward. Just a stupid dream about the woods."

The second the words left her lips, Bella knew that Edward could see through her lies.

Damn, I need to work on that.

"Bella, it's okay to talk about it. Talking about it doesn't make you weak." His words were gentle and encouraging.

Bella hated it. He always got what he wanted from her. Everything she wanted to keep to herself, he managed to pull right out of her. It wasn't fair. Friendship went both ways, and if she didn't want to admit to something that terrified her, then she sure as hell wouldn't.

"We're going to be late for school," she bit out between her teeth, still staring at the space between his eyes. "Just drop me off at home so I can get ready."

Edward was quiet, staring intently down at her. His gaze made her squirm uncomfortably, and her eyes began to dart across his face, looking anywhere but into his eyes. Bella silently willed him to just shut up and take her back to Renee. If she could just go home, everything would be fine. Everything would go back to normal, and she'd do her chores and go to school, then to work, and everything would be the same. She could handle the norm.

Edward sighed audibly, releasing his hold on her arms. "Of course, Bella." He turned slightly, motioning with his arm in the general direction he intended for them to go. "The car is back this way."

Bella followed silently behind him as they traveled back through the woods. She concentrated on not tripping over the rocks and grooves in the ground, using it as an excuse not to start up a conversation with Edward. He would glance over his shoulder every now and then, making sure that she was keeping up and doing well on her own. Bella tried not to acknowledge that she'd seen him turn to check on her. It made her feel uneasy and she didn't want to dwell on why.

The longer it took for them to get back, the more Bella began to realize what a state she was in. Her hair, she already knew, was wet and knotted. It would take her a painfully long time to run a brush though it and get all the gnarls out. The entire back and side of her clothes were damp from the morning dew and chaffing slightly against her skin. Her hands and knees of her jeans were muddied up from her overreaction that morning, and her body was sore and tender from having slept on the hard ground.

She could just imagine what kind of day this was going to turn out to be.

Edward deftly unlocked the Volvo, holding the door open for her once they reached it. She climbed in silently, not looking his way as he closed her door with a soft click. He made his way gracefully around the hood of the car, slipping in easily behind the wheel. He turned it on quickly, turning the heat on in the car.

Bella settled back into her leather chair, allowing her muscles to relax with the heat. Her damp clothes were now wet and warm, which she wasn't sure was much of an improvement, but she didn't complain. She had had worse nights.

Edward drove like a maniac, as per usual, down the relatively empty road. The clock in the Volvo read seven thirty-four, and Bella knew that she had no hope of making it to school on time.

Whatever. There were more important things than school.

Bella's fingers tapped anxiously against her thigh, thoughts of Renee running through her head. If Bella wasn't there when Renee woke up, who knew how she would react? How worried she would be? Bella hadn't even said good bye to Renee before she had taken off with Edward.

Bella decided then and there that she was the shittiest daughter on the face of the planet.

When Edward pulled into her driveway, Bella had her seat belt undone and her door open before he had enough time to shut off the car. She slammed her door behind her, running to the front door. She didn't need to get her key out, since she so stupidly had left the door unlocked the night before.

Renee could have been freaking robbed, you dip shit, she thought viciously at herself.

The door flew open beneath her fingers and she skidded to a halt inside the entryway, her hand on the door knob preventing the door from slamming against the wall. She listened intently for all of five seconds, incase her fear would be confirmed.

Nothing but silence.

Biting her lip, she stopped the sigh of relief about to pass her lips and toed off her shoes. Moving as quietly and as quickly as possible, she tip toed her way up the stairs and down the hall to Renee's bedroom door. Holding her breath now, she pressed her ear against the old wood and strained to hear even the slightest noise Renee might make.

Hearing nothing, she cracked the door and poked her head through the tiny space it provided.

Tangled up in her sheets, Renee lay on her stomach, the back of her head facing the door. Her back rose and fell with her gentle snores.

Bella allowed her sigh of relief to show itself. Smiling gently at her mother's sleeping form, she silently closed the bedroom door. She paused, listening to make sure that she hadn't woken her, before padding her way back down the hall.

So lucky, she thought to herself, still smiling. So, so lucky.

When she reached the last step on the stairs, she stopped, suddenly realizing that Edward had followed her back in.

His face was stoic and his hands were back in the pocket of his jeans. He watched her wordlessly, not needing to voice his thoughts. His stance carried his disposition well enough. He still didn't approve of Renee and he absolutely did not like where he was at the moment.

Well fuck you to, Cullen.

Annoyed, Bella crossed her arms over her chest. Taking the typical teenager stance, she raised one eyebrow in challenge. Go ahead, this look dared him. You just try me and see what happens.

"Everything is as it should be, I take it," he started formally, stiffly. Not even trying to act like he really cared about what kind of state Renee was in.

"Yeah," Bella bit out tersely. "She's fine."

She hopped down the last step, walking briskly past Edward on her way to the kitchen. Careful of the noise she was making, Bella began to take down pans and dinner ingredients. It would have to be a quick dinner for Renee tonight. Bella didn't have the time for anything elaborate.

Edward leaned in the kitchen doorway, watching wordlessly as she made her way easily around the kitchen.

The oven was turned on, its orange light glowing. Soon, Bella began to feel the heat it gave off as she passed by it every now and then. Covering the dinner pan with a sheet of aluminum foil, Bella glanced over at her kitchen table. Her backpack was dumped on top of it, unopened.

Ugh, homework. Curses.

"Bella?" She didn't stop as she went over and reached for her bag. "Could I speak with you outside for a moment?"

She slung one strap over her shoulder. "Whatever," she grumbled. She brushed past Edward, taking the lead. He had left the front door open when he had come in after her, but closed it when he followed her back out.

Not giving him an option of where to go, Bella sat down on the floor of their porch, her back resting against the wall of the house. Seeming momentarily surprised, Edward hesitated before joining her on the floor.

Edward didn't speak right away, giving Bella time to unzip her backpack and rumage through the thing. After taking her time to choose which pen she preffered of the two she had, and after meticulously ripping out one lined sheet of paper, she still continued to ignore Edward.

As best to her abilities, anyhow. Her body still reminded her that she was, indeed, capable of reacting like a normal teenager.

"I thought you were worried about being late for school?" Edward finally ventured.

"We're already late," she answered, her voice hard yet distant.

Edward remained quiet, watching her as she fished a work sheet from the bottom of her bag. She smoothed it out against her knee, her eyes quickly taking in the directions at the top.

"I can ask Carlisle to write you a note," he offered, in hopes that this would banish her suddenly foul mood. "If you wish to skip the rest of the school day, it won't be marked as a truentcy."

"How gracious of you," Bella continued to speak in her unattatched voice, scribbling away at her homework. "No."

"Why are you upset now?" Edward demanded suddenly, causing her eyes to flicker to his face as a reflex. "I admit that I do not like the idea of you being near that woman, but I haven't insulted her or any part of her person. Was it wrong of me to ask? Because it only seems to have incessed you."

Bella narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't ask if you don't care, Cullen." Nothing ever means a damn if they don't care.

Edward's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're angry because you think I don't care? Bella, I care a great deal about you-"

"Yeah, about me," she interrupted, her voice growing heated, " 'cause we're such great friends and whatever. Don't insult my mom by trying to act like you care about her, too. We both know you damn well don't."

"But Bella, you care about your mother," Edward tried to explain to her. "You know how I feel about her, but you forget that I know how you feel about her. I'm only asking after your mother because I thought that was something you would have appreciated. Nothing more."

"That's great, Cullen," Bella said, turning all of her attention needlessly back to her work. "Yay for you."

"Can I do nothing right in your eyes?" Edward asked, his own voice growing hard. "If I'm not somehow turning you to tears, I'm making you exceedingly angry with me. What am I doing wrong?"

Wrong? Edward wasn't doing anything wrong. He was trying to be her friend and he was trying to be helpful, sure. Bella could appreciate that. But he was right about making her cry. The idiot was making her soft inside, and she couldn't be soft. She had Renee to think about, school to pass, and a job to do. She didn't have time to be soft.

He was doing everything right, and it was ruining her.

"You just ask a bunch of stupid questions," Bella told him, not even missing a beat. "It's annoying."

"What are ever the right questions with you, Bella? With every question I ask, it seems like I have to drag the answer right out of you."

"Then maybe you should realize that it was a stupid, damn question, " she returned heatedly. "If you got to drag it out of me, then it's not something you need to know. Just shut up and learn to take it in stride." She cussed silently at her work, not particularly that upset to curse at him just yet.

"Bella - "

A crash from inside interrupted their conversation.

Eyes wide, Bella's thoughts immediately flew to Renee. Tossing her homework aside, she jumped to her feet, reeling towards the door. Edward was behind her, matching her step for step as she swung open the door a second time that same living room was it's usual slightly unkept self; no noise came from the kitchen.

Fearing for Renee's safety, Bella kept her eyes trained up and ahead of herself as she ran up the stairs.

Edward still followed soundlessly behind her.

Not even caring what the consequences might be, Bella threw open Renee's bedroom door without listening to see if she was awake on the other side.

She froze for a second as she took in the sudden change in the room. Renee's sheets were on the floor in a heap, the glass of water Bella had left by her bed drained and on the floor. A dresser that had been pushed up against on of Renee's far walls now lay face down on the ground. The wood was beginning to detach itself at the corners, too old to handle the fall. Items, like pictures, an old flashlight and a couple stray hooks, were scattered out around the top.

Renee sat, curled against the spot on the wall that the dresser used to occupy. She was crying heavily into her knees.

Bella rushed to her side, gathering her mother up in her arms. "Shhh," she tried to hush her soothingly. "It's going to be alright Mom. You're alright."

"No, no," Renee weeped against Bella's shoulder. "Baby, no."

Anxiety eating at he heart, Bella began to rub Renee's back, attempting to calm her down. "Talk to me Mom," she begged her quietly. "Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

"Everything. Everything's wrong," Renee wailed. "I saw him! Last night, just now. I saw him." Bella remained quiet, knowing exactly what her mother was talking about. Renee turned her face up to Bella. Her cheeks were wet and skin red and blotched from her crying. "Oh baby, he looked the same. He looked exactly the same."

She couldn't choke out anymore. Her tears were to strong now for that. Bella hugged her mother closer.

Edward's hand was at her shoulder, drawing het attention back to him. His eyes were concerned, but only for her.

Not Renee. Just her. And it didn't make sense. Not even a little bit.

"Bella-" he began, but stopped.

"Go home, Edward," Bella whispered hurriedly at him, rocking Renee back and forth. "She needs to be alone."

He looked dubiously at her. "But, Bella-"

"Go home," she hissed out. "You can come back later for all I care. Just go home."

Edward glanced at Renee. "If you think that's best-"

"Yeah, I do." Bella was becoming increasingly agitated with him as Renee's sobbing grew louder and louder.

Seeing that there was no smooth talking his way into this situation, Edward nodded once, swiftly rising to his feet. Bella didn't watch him as he made his way towards the door, making less noise than a mouse.

He shouldn't be seeing this, Bella thought. He shouldn't be seeing her like this.

"I'll be back later tonight." His voice was cautious, careful lest it be the cause of either woman on the ground to break farther.

Without an aknowledgement, he left.

Bella's head rested on top of Renee's head, her ear turned to hear her pitifully murmuring. "I miss him, baby. Oh, I miss him. I miss him so much."

"I know mom," Bella whispered back, barely loud enough for herself to hear. Even as lightly as she spoke, her voice still trembled. Her eyes were wet. "I miss him too."

I know, I know. I haven't updated in for freaking ever and I'm sorry. Such is life sadly. C'est la vie.

So this chapter wasn't exactly where I wanted it to be or end, but if it had been, it would have been to long and confusing. I'm sorry if the end of this chapter turned out like that anyway. All of your questions will hopefully be answered in the next chapter though. And yes, Renee flipped over the dresser. She's hungover, emotional and destructive at the moment. Hopefully all things that will change with time ;)

I'm sorry about all the grammatical errors in this chapter. It's late, I'm tired and don't particularly care at the moment haha

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm sorry I didn't get around to responding to everyone. Hopefully this time I will :)

-GrumpySunshine