Bella's eyes were closed. Her left leg, fully casted, was elevated on the arm of the couch. A small fire crackled in the fireplace.

Renee and Charlie were sitting on the floor, backs to the couch. A mostly-empty bottle of wine sat between them. They were whispering as though not to wake Bella, though it wasn't necessary. She hadn't moved or spoken in four days.

"I think she was trying to break up with him. When she came home to tell me she was leaving - she said they'd had a fight-"

"He never left her alone, the whole time they were in the hospital. And the way she was watching him. Charlie, her eyes never left him, the second she was awake."

"And when I asked Carlisle about it, he was so... Calm..." Charlie cleared his throat. "I mean, what are the chances? That hotel she was staying in, they find her... right as she falls down the stairs..."

"Through a window?" Renee tried to whisper but her panic was evident in her voice. "Charlie, a 110 pound girl moving down a flight of stairs does not have the weight to shatter a window-"

"They don't make hotel windows very breakable, either. Think of how much traffic goes through a typical hotel, let alone one next to a major airport... Everything is built to last..."

Renee's hand slowly caressed their sleeping daughter's hair.

"She could have died." Renee's voice broke on the last word.

Charlie held her other hand between both of his. He pinched his eyes shut.

"I think they left because they knew I wasn't going to let this go. Even with Bella swearing up and down that he never hurt her. Why else would they pack up and leave town the minute I decided to open an official investigation with the Phoenix Police Department?"

They were both silent for a time. Charlie had begun to gently rub Bella's arm.

"I should never have let her go. I knew she wouldn't leave Forks like that... Why I didn't just put my foot down-" Charlie cleared his throat gruffly and Renee threw an arm around his shoulders.

"You can't blame yourself, Charlie. God knows I've failed her more times than I can count in the last 17 years. All we can do is try to do right by her now..."

Charlie nodded, allowing his ex-wife and the mother of his child to comfort him. He squeezed her hand.

This was the most time they'd spent together since she had left him, more than 15 years ago.