Bella's Point of View

My dreams were full of bloodshed and chaos. I couldn't escape the nightmare. It just kept replaying over and over. I saw the alleyway I had been living in. I saw Katie, lying on the ground, riddled with bullets, her wide lifeless eyes staring up at me from the puddle of blood she was in. I saw Sheena, holding a gun to Rene's head, threatening me to get back to work. Then, I saw myself, with a piece of glass in my hand, digging the shard deeply into my forearm. Blood rolled down my arms. Like a river.

With a hard gasp I launched myself upright. I looked around in a panic at my dark surroundings. My heart was thudding hard in my chest. I was disoriented for a moment. I didn't know where I was. But the memories came flooding back. Edward. I was with him. We were on our way to Forks. I'm in his car. I got tired during the drive, so I laid down in the backseat for a nap.

My head was aching, my throat extremely dry. I moved to look out the window. The car was parked. Edward was nowhere to be found. We were pulled over in the parking lot of a fast-food joint. I searched the parking lot where there were a few people loitering. But again, no sign of Edward.

I got out of the car cautiously, but my legs had fallen asleep. I stumbled a bit, clutching on the side of the car. With a couple more steps, I glanced in through the windows, inside the brightly light building. I spotted him easily in the crowd. He was the most handsome guy. And those around him noticed it too. He was pretty far out of my league. But that didn't change the fact that I cared about the man. Even if he would never acknowledge me. Even if I'd never be someone, he would consider worthy.

I was about to head inside, when a wolf whistle sounded behind me. I turned completely around, taking note of the group of men hanging around. They all were seated on motorcycles. The one that had called out to me started strolling over, eyeing me closely.

"What's a good little girl like you doing out late?" He smirked, walking a circle around me. Judging me by my clothes. The way I looked. His comment pissed me off. If I had been in the streets of Phoenix, he would be tasting his teeth down his throat. I didn't take kindly to being judged. Whether I was a good girl, or druggie, it wasn't up for him to decide who I was.

I didn't even know what state I was in. I need to just walk away. Which I tried to do, but the jerk kept following, getting further and further from his buddies.

"Why not come with me, I'll show you a good time." He hooted at me. "I get you high on the fly baby."

I froze, a chill ran down my spine. I wrapped my arms around myself, holding back the sudden onslaught of cravings that blossomed inside me. Sweat dripped down my neck. My arms began to tremble. The hospital medications had worn off all together. My head was throbbing. I dizzily turned back to glance at him behind my shoulder.

He smirked, stopping a few feet away, but I watched as his expression changed. He began backing up. A look of fear crossed his face. He nearly ran back to his motorcycle. I turned back around to see Edward walking over to me. A murderous look on his face. His golden eyes had a darkness in them. He looked like a wild animal, ready to attack. He clutched a takeout bag in his hand and a drink in the other.

My heart dropped to my stomach as he stood right in front of me. I jumped as he swiftly handed me over everything he had. "Get back in the car." His voice was strained. He didn't look away from the group of men.

I swallowed back the lump that started in my throat. "I wasn't going to do anything, I promise."

He didn't look at me. "Bella, please get back in the car. I need to get you as far from these undesirables as possible. Before I do something… drastic." There was a deep growl in his chest. He looked like he was about to head over to the men. I reached out, touching his shoulder.

His shoulders trembled at my touch, he finally turned to look at me. The wild, animalistic look faded from his eyes. But he still had a hard glare on his face. I knew he was furious. I didn't want him to end up doing something he would regret.

"Edward, I don't feel good. Those meds are completely out of my system. I'm close to starting withdrawals again." I admitted quietly.

His eyes softened; concern clouded his expression now. Gently he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. He began to slowly guide me back to his car. "Carlisle gave me a dose of methadone to help with the withdrawals."

I was relieved to see that he was completely distracted now. As we made it back in the car, he leaned over, buckling my seatbelt. His hands were light and lingered a bit, just briefly coming into contact with me. His touch made my heart race. But I ignored that. There was something more important to focus on.

"Thanks for the food, this is something you probably don't eat huh?" I said opening the takeout bag. Inside was a burger and fries. I popped a few fries in my mouth. Hot, greasy, salty. It was glorious. It's been so long since I've had fast food. It was a rare treat. Sometimes Katie and I would find something like this in the trash. Of course, it was always cold and soiled with the other garbage mixed along with it.

I groaned in delight, unwrapping the burger to take a big bite. Ketchup, pickles, onions. It was delicious. For a moment, I was in bliss. Edward peeled out of the parking lot. His eyes turned to the rearview. He was still upset. But at least he was putting some distance between us and them. And none of them died. I wondered how close of a call that was.

Edward's eyes flickered to me, a hint of a smile on his face. "Does it taste good? I wasn't sure what you might like."

I nodded. "You did good. I really appreciate it."

"Once you finish eating, I'll give you the methadone. It should be able to hold you over until we get to Forks."

"Where are we, by the way. I was a bit confused when I woke up."

"Roseburg, Oregon." Edward answered, turning his eyes back to the road.

"Wow, we are making really good time," Of course it made sense, Edward drove like a maniac. We reached speeds of one hundred. It didn't bother me. It was a rush. And honestly, the fear of dying crossed my mind a few times. But that only made it more thrilling. "So, how long will it be until we reach Forks?"

"A few more hours. But if traffic holds up, we should make it there by morning."

I nodded, looking out the window. Outside the car a blur, but I caught the sight of tons of trees. It was a very rural area. I didn't see many houses or buildings. It was strange. This environment was new to me. I was used to city life. Skyscrapers. Tons of people walking around. The street lights. The sounds of car horns. Gun shots. Police sirens. There was none of that here. I could notice a temperature difference.

I shivered but kept eating. Getting cold isn't something I was used to. But it was exciting. I was experiencing life. I was really living. Traveling, seeing new parts of the world. Anything was better than rotting in an alleyway.

Edward noticed and flipped his heaters on. Another button warmed the leather seats. In no time I was toasty warm. I sighed in relief. Melting into the seat. It was quiet for a while as I finished my food. I pushed to finish every last bit. I didn't want to waste it. I felt really uncomfortable. My stomach felt like it was going to bust. I felt nauseous. My mouth water, but I held back the urge to vomit.

Instead, I turned to Edward. "Those guys were bad news. I didn't want to talk with them. I was on my way inside to see what you were up to. I hope you're not angry with me."

His hands gripped the wheel a little tighter now. "I'd never be angry with you." He glanced at me. "But when I heard what those lowlifes were thinking… I almost killed them right there."

I blinked a few times. "You said… you heard what they were thinking?"

He nodded tightly.

"So, you read minds too," I muttered, chewing my lip.

"Yes, all apart from yours." Curiosity touched his eyes as he fully looked in my direction. "Yours is completely silent to me."

"Probably has something to do with the drugs." I sighed, looking away from him.

"Not likely, you aren't the first drug user I've come into contact with."

"There must be something wrong with me,"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I tell you that I can read minds, but you think something is wrong with you."

I smiled ruefully at him. "Is that something that all vampires can do?"

"No, just me. But my sister, Alice, can see the future."

"That must be a useful power." I muttered, running my hands against my jeans. "Did she predict our meeting, is that how you found me?"

An odd look came to his face. He didn't look in my direction. "Her visions are linked to choices that people make. Each decision leads you down a different path, there are various different futures that could play out." He paused. "I made the choice to stop by and offer you a hand, it was random. A unpredictable situation. I don't know why I stopped. It was just… a feeling. I couldn't ignore it."

I nodded slowly, letting his words sink in. "I'll be eternally grateful for that. If you didn't, I don't think I would have lived through the night."

"Let's not think about the past. You are here now. We will move forward and start new." He suggested with a tight smile. "Here, take this." He held out a needleless syringe with a blue liquid inside.

"Is this the methadone?" I rolled it between my fingers, not waiting for him to answer, I put it to my mouth and pushed the plunger.

"Yeah, you should start feeling much better, the effects take about thirty minutes."

The taste was strong. It burned in my nose for a minute. I let my eyes close as I felt my stomach gurgle. I still felt nauseous. But I could manage. Thirty minutes would feel like forever. But I could handle that. "Thanks,"

A peaceful silence fell between us. I fiddled with his radio, finding a soothing station of classical music. It wasn't my cup of tea, but I noticed the spark in his eyes when it came on. I guess that would be alright. This experience was all about new things. I'd give anything a try. Piano riffs filled in the silence. It was a delicate, intricate melody. It calmed down my nerves. I could feel Edward's eyes on me, but I didn't react. My body was beginning to feel heavy.

I pulled my legs up to my chest and rested my head against them. Sleep swept over me gradually.

Edward's Point of View

Bella finally went back to sleep; I couldn't help but watch her. She looked so peaceful when she slept. You couldn't see the pain and torment in her eyes. She put on a mask. She acted like nothing bothered her. But I could tell her past haunted her. I could relate with that. I've done some things in my past that I wasn't proud of. But even when she slept, she didn't escape her nightmares.

She winced in her sleep and at times, held her hands up, as if protecting herself from getting hit. She muttered a few things. Like 'Come on Katie, we have to leave'. Or 'I'll get the rest of the money Sheena, I promise'. Everything that she has been through, is more than what any human should ever have to go through. I didn't even know what caused her to get into this situation. I didn't think it was my business to ask.

As broken as she was, she was beautiful. Under her cold and uninviting exterior, was someone with a gentle, kind soul. It didn't take the ability to read minds to notice that. I wanted nothing more than to help her. I wouldn't rest until she found some true happiness out of this life. The others were conflicted about her joining us. But it came to an agreement that she would be my responsibility. If anything, bad happened, it would be up to me to take care of it.

Newborn vampires are a handful and those that already suffer with addiction problems as humans, make taming them extremely difficult. When a human goes through transition, their emotions get heightened. When they are annoyed by something, they are furious. When something makes them happy, they feel euphoria. And in Bella's case, her sadness may turn into a depression.

I worried about her. How she would handle getting turned. Part of me hoped that she didn't want to jump right into it. I hoped that she would want to settle in first. Things would already be overwhelming for her.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, distracting me for a minute. I reluctantly looked away from her and snapped my phone to my ear. "Yeah?"

"Everything is ready for her here. You should see her room; she is going to be so excited." Alice spoke excitedly from the other end of the phone.

"Take it easy, Bella can be a little sensitive to loud noises and she is a bit timid around people she doesn't know. It would be for the best if everyone just gives her space once she gets there." I said, thinking back to her reaction to the nurse who was tending to her. She was easily angered by the woman. But that was partly because of the withdrawals. Bella was comfortable with me. She trusted me. She didn't know the others; I couldn't imagine she would warm up to them very quickly. She was a very guarded girl.

"I know, I know. Don't worry so much. Everything is going to work out." Alice reassured me. But there was really no way to know for sure. Bella was unpredictable. Even Alice had a hard time pinning down her future. It was changing so rapidly that Alice couldn't keep up. We don't know why that was.

"Edward," I heard her mutter softly.

I turned to look at her again, the place where my heart should be; started to feel heavy. She was still asleep. Was she dreaming of me?

"I'll be there in about an hour now." I said, before hanging up.

I continued to watch her, hoping desperately she would say my name again. The way it sounded coming off her lips. I wanted her to say it over and over. I could watch her sleep forever. What was this woman doing to me? Bella Swan. She was a handful.

Sadly, she didn't say my name again, she went back to mumbling random words, but at least she didn't seem to be in distress. I listened to her heartbeat for the remainder of our journey back home. It was steady, not too fast, just perfect. The methadone really seemed to help her anxiety. She was sound asleep as we drove through Forks. It was nearing daybreak by the time we pulled into the driveway.

I didn't want to wake her, instead I gathered her up carefully in my arms, to carry her inside. Carlisle was at the door, opening it up to let us through. He offered me a warm smile as he looked at her.

"How was the trip up?" He asked quietly.

"She only needed one dose; she's been asleep since."

Alice darted past us, heading to the car to get the luggage. She paused only for a second to get a good look at Bella. Her smile widened.

Jasper and Emmett went out hunting. Esme lingered in the kitchen, not wanting to overwhelm Bella, in case she woke up. And Rose stood at the top of the staircase, watching with pity on her face. I was expecting Rose to be the first one to fight for Bella not to be brought here. But that wasn't the case. She openly took my side in the debate. She wanted to help. I think she saw a lot of herself in Bella. She had a troubled past as well. I had a feeling that she wanted to meet her and hear her story. She would try to talk Bella out of turning into a vampire. I could tell that much by the direction of her thoughts.

I climbed the stairs slowly, pausing for Rose to look at her. Sadness clouded her eyes as she reached out, lightly stroking the top of her head. "She has been through so much," She nodded to the scars that decorated Bella's skin. The track marks that ran up her arms. Cuts that went in a perfect horizontal line from her wrist, down to her elbow. Seventeen slices. Where she willingly cut herself.

"She needs our support," I muttered quietly.

Rose nodded, one sharp nod, before shifting to the side to let me walk the rest of the way up to the bedrooms. I had Alice and Esme work on a suitable room for a teenage girl. Filled with anything and everything she might need to be successful. Her room was right next to mine, so when she needed me, she would know right where to find me.

I stressed not to make the room too flamboyant or girlie, she didn't seem like that kind of girl. She was mature, for her age. Forced to grow up quickly to adapt to street life. The walls were a light blue, so light that a human may consider it gray. The entire south wall was completely glass. It offered a beautiful view of the forested area of our property. The floors were made of marble, the base color matched the walls, but light spirals of silver and gold offered it a more textured appearance.

Carefully I laid Bella down on the bed and covered her in a thick, fur blanket. She felt a little cold. She probably wasn't used to the cool temperatures here at Forks. It would be an adjustment for her.

The room had a bookshelf, filled with different courses of study. It covered all the basics of a high school education. Before introducing her back into high school, we wanted to make sure she was caught up and prepared for something like that. There was a desk, with a computer, a new cell phone, a stereo, case after case of makeup - thanks to Alice. Not to mention a mountain of new clothing, purses, shoes, everything. But I had a feeling none of that would matter to Bella. She wasn't someone who worried too much about her appearance. But if any of these things gives her a boost of confidence, I would be happy with just that.

With some reluctance, I walked out of her room and quietly closed the door behind me. I would give her some space. There were some things I would need to discuss with Carlisle about. But I would be sure to be there when she wakes up. I didn't want her to wake up in a panic. She didn't like when we were apart. And to be quite honest, I didn't like it either. I was drawn to her. Completely and entirely wrapped around her finger. I couldn't explain it. I couldn't understand it. But I would do anything, to stay by her side.

A/N: Thanks for reading! What do you all think of this story so far? It's been a lot of fun to write. Review, Favorite, Alert. Anything is appreciated.