I lay on my back all night long with music blasting, but I couldn't stop thinking about Bella. She'd talked to me. More than that, she'd talked to me casually. We'd both put on the act of being just two regular high school students making small talk.

But it had been so much more than small talk. I puzzled over every word she'd spoken, trying to pick apart any hidden meaning. Her emphasis on the word "suffocating." Her ease of speaking of life back in Arizona, even where she lived, without any apparent emotion that could be traced back to her supposed backstory of being tragically orphaned. The smoothly-recited words that obviously came from her script, and the wonderful smile that had broken out when she deviated. The way she'd spoken of being now free.

The next morning was incredibly frustrating. I thought I had been impatient to get to school yesterday, but that was nothing compared to today, and now I had even more reason to keep my eagerness under wraps. I'd had to tell them, mention Bella's name. Most of all, I'd tipped off Rosalie to the fact that Bella was different. And I'd done it without saying all I knew about her, not even the fact that I couldn't read her mind. I was asking for trouble. But I wasn't willing to stop.

I wasn't entirely successful at keeping my feelings to myself. Jasper raised an eyebrow at me and sent some calming waves my way. And Esme looked at me for a moment before giving me her usual goodbye hug. You look different, Edward. There's a light in your eyes. You'll have to tell me what that means, and soon.

Soon I would. I was sure I could not keep things a secret forever. But I would for as long as I could. I felt oddly protective of Bella and her secrets.

We finally arrived at school, and I found I was too eager to see Bella again - even if I couldn't talk to her - to wait until biology or even lunch. So as the others headed across the parking lot to the school, I leaned back against the end of my car and waited for the red truck that I knew, from the minds of others, belonged to Bella.

Not to mention it gave Alice an opportunity to hang back and talk to me, which I knew she'd been wanting to do since yesterday's car ride.

You're being pretty obvious, she observed, leaning on the car beside me. Thankfully, she was referring not to this morning at the house but instead to right now. The cold rain yesterday had turned into ice today, and I'd parked farther away than usual to try to prevent dings to my car caused by incautious students sliding on a poorly-cleared parking lot. Which meant that I was lounging against a car that was sitting by itself out in the open.

I shrugged, checking to be sure our siblings were out of earshot. "Who's paying attention?"

You're hoping she will, aren't you.

"Who will?"

Alice rolled her eyes. You can't play the pronoun game when you can read my mind. You know who I mean.

"And why would I want her to pay attention to me?"

I really don't know, Alice thought, with a puzzled tone. But I'm pretty sure you lied for her yesterday, in the car.

"Oh come on, Rosalie was there."

Rose forgets that you're the most successful of us as telling her the truth while not.

I was distracted from the conversation by the awaited truck rumbling into view. I heard Alice's annoyance, but ignored it as I watched Bella slowly and carefully navigate the parking lot. She pulled into a space in the same row and several spaces down from me, giving me a clear view of her as she gathered her things and exited her truck. She stepped down carefully, clinging to the side of the truck as she made her way around it. Even then, her feet slid out from underneath her once, leaving her clinging to the truck bed while she regained her balance. I smiled, connecting this care to her difficulty in gym class yesterday. It seemed that Bella was clumsy, and she knew it.

Bella paused at the end of the truck and bent to look at the chains criss-crossing the tires. At that moment, Alice gasped. A vision was rising in her mind, of a careless van driver, trying to cut off another to park in the space next to Bella. The tires were going to hit the ice at just the wrong angle, and the van was going to slide as Bella looked up, horror on her face...

That very van was speeding up to get the parking space now. The vision was about to come true.

Not her.

Before I could even think I was running full speed across the parking lot. As I ran I watched the van hit the ice, breaks squealing. Bella looked up, the same look of horror on her face that I'd seen a split second earlier. I had just enough time to...

But then... something happened. My running slowed, as if I were trying to run through water. The van turned in its slide and, as I sped up again and reached Bella's side, it crashed into the other corner of her truck.

There was no time to puzzle out how the van had ended up on a trajectory so far outside what Alice had seen in her vision. Bella was untouched but pale, glassy-eyed, and shaking.

I reached for her as her knees buckled, catching her and lowering us both gently to the ground. Her warmth seeped through her coat as I held her in my lap. She was likely going into shock, and I checked to make sure she was still breathing easily. Her heart was beating at double its usual speed.

I thought for a moment that my own fear was replaying the image of the van sliding toward Bella over and over, but then realized with a start that I wasn't seeing the clip from my point of view but from Bella's. Her mind wasn't blocked! But all I could hear - well, see - was the repeating image.

I could faintly hear screaming. I also caught blood in the air, and could hear Tyler, the driver of the van, trying to apologize. Others were crowding around, their minds and voices shouting their shock and concern. But I ignored it all and focused on Bella. "Are you all right?"

"Y-yes." Still her eyes were glassy, unfocused. Her breathing was shallow and getting more rapid. Still her mind replayed the van.

I needed to distract her, to break her out of this, before it went too far. "Bella." She didn't respond. "Bella!" She merely closed her eyes.

I hesitated, wary to touch her more or move her much until I could be sure she hadn't been hurt, then had an unorthodox idea. She'd been able to feel me touch her mind twice before. Would that help shake her out of this? I delved into her mind, trying to read past the surface thoughts of the van.

After a moment it seemed to be working. More than that, I realized Bella could read my mind in return. Her own face, pale and blank, showed up in her thoughts; she was seeing herself from my point of view. My concern and worry began to be echoed in undertones. And then, with a great, shuddering gasp, she shut her mind and struggled to sit up.

"Take it easy," I said, swallowing my disappointment at being shut out again. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she said, pulling away from me and leaning back against her truck. The loss of warmth was also a disappointment. "The van didn't touch me."

"It should have," I muttered, the words out before I could think about them. They should have been too quiet for her to hear anyway, especially with the shouting around us, but Bella looked at me sharply.

"What the hell does that mean?"

I stared at her, surprised, but didn't answer; instead, Mr. Banner crouched down near us.

"Are you two all right?" His mind was full of worry. "There's an ambulance on the way."

It was time for me to go into crisis-avoidance mode, for the good of my family. I rose swiftly to my feet. "I'm not hurt; I got here just after it happened. But Bella..."

"I'm not hurt," Bella said, her voice shaking only slightly. "The van missed me entirely. I'm - I'm just a little shaken up." She took a deep breath and tried to stand.

Mr. Banner put a hand on her shoulder. "You should be careful until the paramedics get here."

Some color had been returning to Bella's cheeks, but it vanished entirely at Mr. Banner's words. She stared at him, eyes wide. "I'm fine," she said, but a little more faintly. She was beginning to breathe quickly again.

Perhaps I could make use of this.

I dropped back down to my knees, pulling out my phone and opening a stopwatch. "I'm sure you'll be fine if you can calm down. I could check your vitals; my father works at the hospital and I've volunteered there several times."

Bella's eyebrows knitted together but she nodded. I was right; she was for some reason worried about being checked by a paramedic. Even I presented less of a threat in this instance. I rested my fingers at her wrist, counting her pulse, some part of me noting that I wasn't feeling at all thirsty at the moment. "A little fast, but nothing dangerous. Look at me, please?"

She reluctantly met my eyes. "Your pupils are fine." I stood again, then reached a hand down to her. "Do you think you can stand?"

"Of course," Bella said with some fire. She started to climb to her feet without my help, but wobbled and caught at my hand to steady herself. She allowed me to help her to her feet from there and, to my eternal surprise and pleasure, didn't let go of my hand as she checked her balance. I suppressed a smile as the heat traveled up my arm.

Finally the sirens I'd been able to hear for more than a minute made it to the parking lot. Most of the paramedics headed for Tyler, who had not yet been extracted from the van, but one detached himself and headed for me and Bella. I was relieved; it was Brett, a nurse I knew from the hospital. A stroke of luck for both me and Bella.

Brett quickly recognized me. "Hey, Edward. Were you involved in the crash?"

I shook my head. "I got here just after it happened. I was worried about Bella, but she says the van didn't touch her, and her vitals are fine." I rattled off the pertinent medical information to further put Brett's mind at ease.

Brett nodded and turned to Bella. She instinctively shrank away from him, closer to me. "I take it you're Bella?"

"Yes sir." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"How are you feeling?"

"A little tired and shaky," she admitted, "but I'm fine. I think I just need to go home and lie down."

Brett nodded. "That's understandable. Do you have someone who can keep an eye on you?"

"My uncle, Chief Swan." I wondered if she name-dropped on purpose, to lend authority to her words. "I'll give him a call when I get home." Her eyes strayed to her truck, dented, with the van still resting against it.

"I'll give you a ride home," I said. "Since your truck likely isn't going anywhere for a while."

Bella looked up at me with what seemed to be accusation in her eyes. However, after a moment, she nodded.

"Good," Brett said. He gave Bella some instructions, the usual stuff, and finished with, "And Edward should probably stay with you until your uncle gets home."

"Fine. Can we go?"

Brett nodded and turned back to the others, who were by now getting a stretcher prepared for Tyler. Bella looked at me warily. I smiled gently in an attempt to look trustworthy, picked up her backpack which had fallen to the ground at some point, and gestured toward my car.

The students parted for us. I hovered my hand close to Bella's back, in case she should slip, and took time to quickly scan minds around me for any sign of worrying thoughts. I was probably in enough trouble already; no need to have rumors adding to my disgrace. However, everyone's mind I touched was thinking nothing out of the ordinary. Good.

Alice was waiting back by the car. "You're not hurt, are you?" she said aloud, for Bella's benefit. Did any of the students see you?

"No," I said, an answer to both spoken and thought questions. "Everything's fine. I'm taking Bella home, though, and will stay with her until her uncle gets home."

Alice's eyes narrowed. Are you sure that's wise? "When will you be back?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. I had given barely a passing thought to Bella's scent this whole time. "In time to pick you up. Can you make sure I don't get in trouble?"

Alice immediately understood what I meant and searched the future. Visions of the near future were all nebulous, but eventually she pushed through them to something solid: me, sitting in my car in the parking lot in the afternoon, looking calm, my eyes the same golden color they were right now. Alice nodded reluctantly, accepting the outcome. "I'll let the office know."

"Thanks," I said, smiling a little.

You win, you smug bastard. I'll expect details. "See you in a few hours."

I nodded, and Alice turned back to the school. Watching her go, I noticed that my other siblings hadn't made it into any of the buildings yet; they were standing together at the end of the parking lot, looking my direction.

I'd forgotten about them, that they might still be in the parking lot. As I opened the door for Bella and set her backpack in the back seat, I steeled myself and reached for their minds. What had they seen? What did they think about what they'd seen?

...taking a terrible risk, Jasper was thinking, his mind wary and worried. I know I couldn't do it. He was only concerned about the possibility I'd kill Bella. Well, Alice could set his mind at ease.

Yep, he's got it bad. Ah yes, Emmett and his one-track mind. This should be interesting. I wonder how it would even work...

I rolled my eyes and focused on Rosalie to shut out his explicit wonderings. Alone of my siblings, she was not thinking of me, and what she was thinking made me feel cold.

...walking lie. I've never seen someone with such a strong aura of duplicity.

I'd run out of time. Bella had caught Rosalie's full attention.

I got into the car, trying to seem completely at ease despite what I'd read in my siblings' minds. Bella sat huddled in on herself, shoulders hunched, her hands clasped tightly together, trembling slightly. Was she cold? I quickly turned on the car and the heat. It would make it harder for me, of course, but I didn't want her to be uncomfortable.

"What did you mean, that the van should have hit me?"

Bella's words, spoken before we even left the parking lot, startled me out of my worry about Rosalie and Jasper and my own thirst. I'd forgotten my ill-advised comment. I thought quickly, then spoke, using the air I'd filled my lungs with before getting in the car. "That was a poor choice of words. I just meant that from where I was standing, I thought it was going to."

I chanced a glance to the side, to see how she took my words. Not well. She was glaring at me, though with trouble; her eyelids were drooping a little.

She was silent a long while. "So," she finally said, her voice icy cold, "you didn't mean that you wanted the van to hit me?"

"No!" I winced as my automatic exclamation was followed by an automatic intake of breath, but the burn wasn't as bad as I'd expected. "Why would I want that?"

"It would have been easier for you, wouldn't it?"

I almost laughed. Easier, to be that close to her when her blood spilled? Easier, to see her killed before my eyes? "You don't know me at all."

My words hung in the air between us. Uttered mostly out of anger and hurt at her distrust, I now realized they were an invitation. I wanted her to know me. I'd be willing to tell her, never mind my family. And if I told her my secrets... perhaps she'd tell me hers.

"True," Bella muttered. "And you don't know me."

I waited. Waited for her to take my invitation and ask, or perhaps to even offer some information herself. Instead, we finished the drive in silence.

She began fumbling with the buckle of her seat belt as soon as I stopped the car in the driveway. I grabbed her backpack and was around the car and opening the door for her by the time she'd managed to unbuckle herself.

I held out my hand to help her out. She sat still. "I want to make sure you don't fall," I said, keeping my voice quiet and gentle.

"Give me my backpack."

"At least let me carry it to the house for you."

She sat, not moving, for a moment longer, then started to get out of the car. As in the parking lot before, she at first ignored my offered hand; again as before, a stumble had her catching at my hand anyway. I pulled her gently my direction to keep her from falling back against the car and she stumbled directly into my arms.

For the space of a breath, she rested there. As if she wanted to be there. As if she belonged. Her scent pooled around me, but I barely noticed the thirst. Her warmth washed through my body and I unconsciously tightened my arms.

She pulled away quickly and made her way up to the door, walking carefully. I followed, close enough that I could catch her if she should slip again – something some part of me was hoping for. However, we made it to the porch without incident. Bella turned and took the backpack from me, digging in a side pocket and pulling out a key ring with only two keys on it. She unlocked the door, then turned back to me.

"Thank you for your help," she said, her face a carefully composed mask, her voice smooth as she recited her words. "I'll be fine; you can head back to school now."

I knew I could be persuasive. I looked deeply into her eyes. "The paramedic said I should stay with you until Chief Swan returned. You might have a delayed reaction." My voice was smooth too, and soft and warm.

Her eyes widened slightly, but she was unrelenting. "I just need to rest, and he'll be home soon."

I took a step closer to her. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

"I'm just going to take a nap. I don't need you to watch me sleep." Her voice trembled ever so slightly, and her heart was thudding loudly.

I took another step. "If you hit your head or -"

"I did not hit my head." Bella turned quickly away from me and opened the door. I was close enough that her hair brushed my chest, sending another wave of scent up into my face. It was harder to ignore this time. I clenched my teeth.

Bella looked back at me. I smoothed out my face, but it was too late; I saw her expression change. She shook her head and stepped toward me again. "Leave," she said, her voice strong again. "I don't care where you go, but get away from here. Tomorrow, and forever, don't talk to me at school. Don't even look at me." She bit her lip momentarily, her next words coming out softer. "Can't you see you're putting me in danger?"

The door closed in my face. I stared at it a moment before turning and shuffling back to my car.