Carlisle was still there when I woke up.

"Hey."

"Bella, how are you feeling?" He immediately set his book down.

"I feel like crap. Has my dad been here?"

"He was, but he had to go to work. He said he will meet us at the hotel later. I have good news. You get to go home today. Esme went to pick up a few of your things and she is the one to drive you to the hotel as I start a shift in a few hours. Did you sleep well?"

"It wasn't the greatest sleep, but it didn't suck. I'm used to the temperature being a few degrees lower." I fought my blush and Carlisle had the decency not to comment.

"I'll go get your discharge papers and we'll get you out of here."

"Carlisle, Alice will surely see what is going on, can we get her to keep her silence?"

"I've taken care of it. I talked to her last night when she called me. She assured me that Edward was not within hearing distance." He added when he saw me start to panic.

"Don't let her come to the hotel. I know it will hurt her feelings and she's already seen what I look like in her visions, but it's different in person."

"I understand, Bella." He disappeared and I was able to sign my release. I grudgingly rode in the wheelchair to the entrance where Esme was waiting for me. We rode in silence and I tried to hide behind my hair. Esme helped me up to the room and already had some lunch waiting for me. Until then, I hadn't realized how hungry I was. Esme was patient and didn't press me for conversation. When I was full, I finally spoke.

"Thank you Esme."

"You're welcome Bella. I hope you know that I consider you one of my daughters. I like feeling needed. I love you Bella."

"I love you too. Did Carlisle tell you what happened? How bad I look now?"

"He told me you were hurt pretty bad and that you didn't want Edward to know about it just yet. What happened?"

"I was beaten and…"

"You don't have to say it if you don't want to."

"Yes I do. It's supposed to be part of the healing process, right?"

"If you're ready, then I will listen."

"I was raped and now I'm so afraid that Edward won't love me anymore and I'll lose everything. I wanted him to be my first. I wanted it to be special." Esme covered my hand with her cold one. She carefully pulled me into her chest and let me cry on her; like a mother would. I felt safe in her arms. She stroked my hair as she spoke.

"Bella, he won't leave you. He can still be your first. He is your first choice; he will be the first one you make love to. It will still be very special whenever the two of you decide to take the next step. He will be patient with you just as you respect his wanting to be married first. He loves you Bella; in his eyes, you are more important to him than his own life even. That's what being mated means. You sacrifice everything for your mate to keep him or her happy. You may not be one of us yet, but that's how he treats you; it's how we all treat you. You're already a part of the family and it will crush him if the two of you end your relationship. We mate for life, Bella. Does that give you any more insight for his feelings or do you still doubt him?" Esme didn't sugar coat what she was telling me; deep down, I knew she was right. Edward would never leave me again. The pain was too much for either of us to bear. So far, the only good thing that I could think of is that Edward's mother's ring is safely hidden in his room. Although, I've accepted his proposal, I wasn't ready to tell the world yet; so therefore, I only wore it at his house. He was always happy to slide it on my finger, yet equally depressed when I took it off before going home for the night. We were going to tell my dad next weekend; now I wasn't so sure. Esme was right, I needed to tell him. I wanted to tell him, but I wasn't ready yet. I didn't want him to see me this way. I already knew that my news would be painful enough for him.

The next morning, Carlisle came by my room. I knew Edward must be missing me since it was a school day and we had most of our classes together.

"How are you feeling Bella?"

"Stiff and sore. I also have a theory on who was behind this attack."

"I am very interested in your theory, but would you like to hear some preliminary test results first?" I nodded.

"You were definitely drugged; it was Rohypnol, which is why you don't remember anything. There was an abnormality in your blood and I will need another sample."

"What kind of abnormality?"

"A hormonal one. When I drew your blood, I ordered a full panel, which included a pregnancy test. It seems that your levels are elevated, but does not indicate anything definitive yet. I want to draw some more and test it again." I nodded. There was nothing to say.

"Let's hear your theory." Carlisle prompted me.

"I think it was Victoria behind it all. Why else would any vampire target only me at a party full of drunk teenagers when I as trying to stay sober? I bet she convinced some human guys to somehow drug me, separate me, beat me, rape me, carve those words on my body, and leave me for dead while she waited somewhere close enough to watch, but far enough that the scent of my blood wouldn't bother her. I'm thinking that she's waiting for me to heal now before she tries to get me again so she can torture us both. According to Laurent, she considers me Edward's mate, as do I, but she is doing this because she knows the pain of losing a mate. She's going to keep going until I die; letting me get healthy and then hurting me again. This must be what Laurent meant when he told me that I would be better off letting him kill me, than to face what she wants to do." I waited a beat for him to absorb all of this information before I sprung my next thought on him.

"Carlisle, I also would like to let my dad in on the big secret, so that he is more aware of what to avoid and also just how dangerous it is for him. I'm sure his scent is similar to mine." I was actively listening now and watching Carlisle quickly weigh the pros and cons of telling Charlie.

"Bella, how do you think he will handle the news?"

"He'll be shocked at first, but overall accepting. He won't say a word. He likes to operate on a need to know basis and I think he needs to know this. We were going to tell him about the engagement soon anyway. He might be more accepting of it now."

"Normally, I would conduct a family meeting so we can all decide together, but since you want to keep this under wraps for now, I will allow it. I don't think Esme will have any objections. Are you planning to tell the rest of the family, Bella?"

"Yes, but at least not until I talk to Edward. I don't want to, but I don't think I have much choice in the matter. I'm sure Alice is going nuts; consequently driving Jasper crazy. You know, Edward was right, there are no secrets in your family."

"Our family." Carlisle corrected me.

"Bella, how are you feeling?" My dad asked as soon as Carlisle opened the door to the bedroom and brought me out to the couch.

"Stiff and sore. We have a theory and something to tell you." I said.

"Let's hear it."

"Have a seat Charlie, it's a long story." Carlisle motioned toward a chair and then sat down in the adjacent chair. Esme sat on the couch with me, pulling my feet in her lap and using her cool hands to rub my legs. I smiled gratefully.

"Charlie, I know you're good friends with Billy Black. Has he ever told you any of the legends from his tribe?"

"No, it's never come up. What's going on?" Carlisle and I told Charlie the stories about the 'cold ones'. He sat in silence and processed the information.

"So, what, there are…vampires in existence? Were they your grandparents or something?"

"It was me, Esme, Edward, Emmet, and Rosalie that made the treaty. We are the 'cold ones'."

"What? How can that be? I thought Edward was only seventeen."

"He is, and he has been for a while. I will let Edward tell you his story when he's ready." I spoke on his behalf.

"Bella, you knew this?" He looked at me with disbelief.

"Yes, I figured it out from my observations of Edward at school and Jake telling me the legends."

"We'd be happy to show you some of the positive aspects about our life if you'd like." Esme offered.

"No, not now. Tell me your theory about who did this to you." All of us exchanged worried glances. Carlisle ended up telling my dad the tale of the fateful baseball game and subsequent trip to Phoenix."

"He was saving me again, dad."

"So, when you told everyone that he pulled you out of the way of the van, he literally did it, didn't he?"

"Yes, he ran across the parking lot and used his body to shield mine from the impact." Carlisle and I finished the story of James' death and Victoria's desire to have Edward's mate (me) die as well.

"So, you're his mate?" He asked me.

"Yes, we're also engaged. He proposed a few months ago and I only recently accepted. We were going to tell you this coming weekend. When the time comes for me to be changed, we will be mated in the complete sense of the word. It can't really be like that now because I'm still human." I blushed at this because I was referring to sex with Edward in front of my dad.

"It's not something that can be controlled, Charlie. We mate for life and we know instantly when we've met our mate." Carlisle explained.

"It's actually fascinating that Bella feels the bond as well even though she's still a human. When she is changed, their bond will strengthen even more. Bella is already exhibiting talent that will only be enhanced when she is changed. Edward, Jane, Aro, and Alec all have gifts which don't work on Bella and they should. She has to be changed because she's a human that knows of our existence. It's either that or death."

"Does that mean I have to be changed too?"

"If you want to, we will, but we can hide you for a while if you wish. We have three rulers of our kind that enforce the law. They know that Bella knows and demanded that she be changed. It's what happened in Italy." Carlisle continued answering Charlie's questions, and also telling my dad the story of what truly happened when he left me and why I ran off to Italy to save him.

"Who are Aro, Jane, and Alec? What is Edward's gift?"

"Edward and Aro can read minds, but Aro needs to be touching someone in order for his gift to work. He is extremely intrigued that Bella is immune to these gifts as a human. He anticipates that she will be very powerful. Jane and Alec's gifts focus on the nervous system. Jane can inflict pain without touching you and Alec can create total sensory deprivation. Their disadvantage though is that they can only focus on one target at a time."

"It's true, I watched her take Edward down with a single glance, but it didn't affect me at all."

"When is this change supposed to happen? Will I be able to see Bella again?"

"Edward and Bella will graduate and they want to get married first; then it will happen. Bella won't be able to see you for a while after it happens; the bloodlust is very strong in the first year and she will be busy controlling that along with re-learning major skills, like dressing herself without ripping her clothes or opening doors without breaking knobs; things like that." Carlisle explained.

"Oh. Is this what you want, Bella?"

"Yes; I want to have forever with Edward. Get to know the Cullens and make the decision for yourself."

"What does Victoria look like?"

"Her main feature is the wild, flaming, red hair and the red eyes. One of us will always be around your house to protect you. Your scent is similar to Bella's." Carlisle confirmed my theory.

"Ok." He seemed to have no argument.

"You'll like Emmet dad, he loves sports and will watch them with you." He brightened up at that.

I continued my recuperation in the hotel for the rest of the week and didn't return home with my dad until the following Monday morning. I was walking a lot better and my bruises had for the most part disappeared. Carlisle came by while Edward was still in school and confirmed his theory about the blood test. I was glad that my dad took the day off to stay with me. He held me on the couch while I sobbed. I had no idea how to tell any of this to Edward. We were startled out of our embrace when someone knocked on the door. I cringed and positioned myself under the cover of the blanket that was draped on the back of the couch and made sure I couldn't be seen from the door. My dad looked at me before walking to answer it; we both knew who was on the other side. I shook my head, telling him I wasn't ready yet.

"Hello Edward." I listened to my dad greet him.

"Hello Chief Swan. Is Bella here?" That's right; Edward didn't know that Charlie knew the secret.

"Yes, she's here, but she's not up for visitors right now. She'll be back at school tomorrow." I knew Edward was desperate to see me, since I never called him last week. I was just as desperate as he was, but right now, I had to figure out how to tell him what had happened. It sucks that we had only just gotten back from Italy three weeks before. We've been inseparable due to or months apart and mutual grieving. My dad was upset until he learned the truth; now he's completely accepting of Edward and looks forward to him being the son-in-law. Edward just doesn't know it yet. I was happy that all we had to do was get through the last few months of school and we could get married. My dad knew just how difficult it was for me not to see or talk to Edward tonight; when he was so close.

"Ok, please tell her that I stopped by and I will be by to pick her up in the morning."

"I will, have a good night, Edward."

"Good night, sir." Charlie closed the door and joined me on the couch. I hoped that he was able to hide his thoughts from Edward.

"Hey, let's go make dinner. You're going to have to teach me how to cook so I won't starve after you marry that boy." I smiled and let him pull me up from the couch. Part of me hoped that Edward was hanging around and saw me smile. Part of me also hoped that he didn't because it would raise suspicions of how much Charlie knew.

A/N: In the next chapter, it will visit with some of Edward's point of view. From here on out, the POV will change, but it will mostly be Bella. So she's pregnant, what's she going to do? How will Edward handle the news? Reviews are wanted and appreciated. Have a great day!