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Apov

Oh god. Oh shit. I wanted nothing more than for my brother to know about Bella's scars but I wanted her to tell him, not like this. The things that must be going through his mind right now. There must have been a reason why she wasn't ready to tell him and to have it sprung on her the moment she wakes up from an accident, in front of all of us not to mention her boyfriend's parents that she's never met was going to kill her.

I could only hope that my brother and my family wouldn't judge her.

Epov

My family kindly gave me space and went to sit in the waiting room while I stayed with Bella. I didn't know whether to be angry or hurt that she didn't feel she could tell me about her scars. I couldn't stop different stories from playing in my mind over and over again at who could have done this to her, not just the scars that were on her back that were quite clearly done intentionally by somebody but who could have made her life so miserable that she had tried to kill herself.

I felt Bella's hand twitch in mine and I looked up to see her eyes slowly fluttering open and looking at her surrounding, trying to work out where she was no doubt. I reached up with the hand that wasn't holding hers and stroked her cheek.

"Hey beautiful." I smiled at her.

"What am I doing in the hospital?" She asked with a confused expression.

"You tripped and fell down some stairs on your way to the subway." I told her. "You broke your leg."

"Oh." She asked with a furrowed brow, probably trying to figure out why she couldn't remember it.

I stroked my thumb over her forehead to smooth out the wrinkles. "You have a slight bump on your head when you hit it in the fall, that's probably why you can't remember."

She nodded in understanding.

"I'm sorry." She said so quietly I could hardly hear her.

"Why are you sorry baby?" I asked.

"I had to go and end up in the hospital the day your parents get home, didn't I? I'm so sorry for ruining their homecoming." She said as two big fat tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Oh baby, don't cry! You did no such thing! It's not your fault that you ended up in here." I told her as I placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, not wanting to hurt her.

"But your parents just got home and I've already dragged you away from them. Great first impression!" She said sarcastically as she sobbed. "I bet they hate me."

"Of course they don't, they're only concerned for you. In fact they're sat in the waiting room refusing to go home until they know that you're awake and okay." I informed her.

"What? Really?" She asked surprised.

"Really."

"But they don't even know me." She stated.

"They know that I'm irrevocably in love with you and Em, Alice, Jasper and Rose love you too. That's all that matters. They may not have met you yet but you're already a part of this family as far as their concerned." I stared into her big brown eyes to prove that what I was saying was the truth.

I watched as her eyes weld up with tears again and a small smile graced her lips.

"I love you Edward."

"I love you too baby, more than anything in this world." I leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips before wiping away her tears.

I took hold of her hands again and made soothing circles with my thumb when all of a sudden she ripped her hand out of mine and placed them palm down on her stomach. She cleared her throat nervously and avoided meeting my eyes.

"You don't have to hide them from me you know." I said in what I hoped to be a reassuring tone but it came out more hurt than anything.

She glanced up at me quickly, only for a second and whispered out. "What are you talking about?"

I sighed and reached over, picking up one of her hands. "I know about your scars Bella. Your doctors noticed them and asked me if I knew how you got them." I turned her hand so her palm was facing up and kissed each of the white lines. "It doesn't matter to me if you have scars Bella, everyone has them whether there inside or out, I just wish that you would trust me enough to tell me about them instead of letting me find out from a stranger."

I heard her sob and looked up into her agonized eyes.

"I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how to and I-" she cut her self off.

"And what, love?"

"I was worried you would be disgusted. That you wouldn't want me anymore." She whispered.

"You thought that I wouldn't want you?" I asked in disbelief, she nodded in reply. I reached forward and cradled her face in my hands. "Bella, there is nothing in the world that could ever make me not want you! Do you hear me? I love you more than anything and no amount of scars could ever change that." By the time I finished she had tears running down her cheeks, she twisted her head slightly so she could place a kiss on my hand.

"I don't deserve you." She said with a loving smile. I just shook my head and rolled my eyes. She deserved everything I can give her and more.

I sat back down and looked at her small hand in mine.

"Bella," I started quietly. "What happened?"

There was no need to elaborate; she knew what I was asking about.

I heard her take in a big breath before she started. "I never told you how my parents died did I."

She wasn't really asking, she knew she hadn't told me. I shook my head anyway.

"It was my birthday. We were up on the cliffs in La Push having a bonfire with all my friends." She wiped furiously at a few stray tears. "My dad was driving, the road down from the cliffs is quite steep in places and has a few bends. We were about half way down when my dad tried to brake at a bend but the brakes wouldn't work, he tried everything he could think off to slow us down but there wasn't enough time, our car kept going and went straight off the side of the cliff." By now she had her hands over her eyes as if she was trying to block out the images. "One of my friends was driving behind us, they saw what happened and called 911, that's the only reason I'm alive now. I got told after I woke in hospital that my father died on impact and that they managed to get my mother out of the car but she died in the ambulance. There was nothing they could do."

"I'm so sorry Bella." I said. I had tears streaming down my face just imagining what she went thru.

"I was depressed. I felt it was my fault they were dead. It should have been me." She looked up at me with watery eyes. "So I tried to kill myself. I was living with my Dads best friend – Billy – and his son. Billy found me unconscious in the bathroom after I had slit my wrists and rushed me to hospital. I had to go to therapy and wasn't allowed on my own after that. The scars on my back are from the accident, when they tried to get me out my back scraped against the broken window." She finished.

I nodded and took a deep breath before speaking.

"Bella the doctor said that some of the cuts on your back and the bruises were fairly recent and they weren't caused from the accident." I looked up at her under my eyelashes to gouge her reaction. The only emotion I could detect was apprehension before a calm mask was put in place.

"Please don't be mad but you know where I used to live." She glanced up at me nervously. I nodded. "Well not long after I moved to New York I was coming home after working at Apple and there were a few men outside my apartment building, they were drunk and pushed me around a little bit – that's how I got the bruises – and after one of them shoved me a bit too hard I fell and landed on some broken glass from some of their beer bottles." She shrugged as if it were no big deal.

I shook my head and rested my forehead on the bed.

"You're not mad are you? I'm sorry I didn't tell you but it was before we met, I didn't think about it-" She rushed out before I stopped her.

"It's okay baby." I placed my hand on the side of her face. "I'm just glad you're not living there anymore is all."

She nodded in understanding and kissed my palm just as somebody knocked on the door.

"Edward? Is she awake yet?" My mother asked as she poked her head around the door.

I smiled and nodded even though she could clearly see Bella now.

She walked in followed by Dad, Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rose.

"Oh sweetheart, are you okay? Are you in any pain? I can get Carlisle to get you some more meds if you are? Carlisle I think you should give her more meds, I don't want her to be in pain." She said all of this as she stood on the other side of the bed and maternally stroked Bella's hair behind her ear.

"Esme, take a breath. Why don't you wait and see if Bella is in any pain before you get me to administer any more medication. And might I suggest you introduce yourself." My dad laughed.

"Oh dear your right!" She exclaimed. She turned to Bella. "I'm so sorry honey. I'm Esme, Edwards mom. I must say I thought Edward was exaggerating when he told me how beautiful you are but now I see his description didn't do you justice!" She beamed down at Bella as Bella blushed and whispered out a small 'thank you' and glanced over at my grinning form.

We all stayed with Bella for the rest of the afternoon until it was time for dinner in which everybody left apart from me to go get something to eat. Bella insisted that I should join them as I hadn't seen my parents in months but I refused, there was no way I was leaving her here all on her own. I did however make a trip to the cafeteria to get some food for the two of us.

Once I returned and we had eaten all of the tasteless food I had bought, an elderly nurse came in to check on Bella and kindly found me a blanket and pillow saying as long as I didn't disturb Bella and let her sleep then I was welcome to stay. Although I'm sure I was only able to stay due to my father being one of the best surgeons in the country and who also happened to work at this very hospital. For whatever reason I was grateful they didn't try to kick me out.

We talked for a little longer before the medication the nurse had administered started to take effect and Bella's eyelids began to droop until eventually she was asleep. I sat there in the hard, plastic hospital chair, my head resting on a pillow and covered in a thin blanket and watched the woman I loved sleep. I knew she had experienced more pain in her short life than I could imagine and I swore to myself then as sleep began to consume me that I would do everything in my power to make her happy and I would die before I let anyone hurt her again.

Bpov

My eyes slowly opened at the feeling of someone lightly shaking my arm, I looked over with sleepy eyes at the nurse – Marie – smiling back at me.

"I'm sorry to wake you dear, but I've come to take your IV out." She explained.

I nodded and yawned out "okay".

I looked away as she took out my IV, my eyes falling on a sleeping Edward. I loved watching him sleep, he looked so peaceful. I still felt bad that he slept in that horrible hospital chair because he didn't want to leave me here on my own. He must be so uncomfortable. I couldn't deny that it made me love him even more though.

Marie left with a promise to be back later with my doctor to see if I was able to be released. I thanked her before resuming back to my thoughts.

I couldn't believe that Edward and his family found out about my scars like that, I never wanted Edward to feel like I was hiding something from him – even if I was. I was going to tell him my story, not the real one obviously but the story that would keep him safe, alive. Luckily I had already thought of a cover so I was prepared when he asked me. I could only imagine what must have been going through his mind when the doctor told him.

The story had been easy enough to come up with; most of it was true – just lacking a few details. I hated to lie to him so I tried to keep my story as close to the truth as possible. Nevertheless I was terrified of how he might react if he ever found out I was lying. I wouldn't be able to stand it if he left me.

A few minutes later the door opened and in came Esme. I instantly felt my heart rate speed up although I wasn't completely sure why. Esme was so lovely, a little...energetic perhaps but if anything that just made her even more endearing. It was easy to see the resemblance between mother and daughter. I suppose I was just nervous as this was the first time I would essentially be alone with my boyfriend's mother and I was so terrified that she wouldn't like me.

"How are you feeling dear?" She asked maternally as she sat on the only other free chair beside my bed.

"I'm feeling alright thank you, my necks aching a little because of the bed but otherwise I'm fine." I told her with a shy smile.

"Oh sweetheart there's no need to be so formal with me!" She exclaimed with a chuckle. "I may have only met you yesterday but I feel as if I already know you, my son hasn't stopped talking about you. Does he want to hear about my day? No, he only wants to talk about his Bella and how your 'so amazing mum, I really love her, I can't wait for you to meet her!'" She said with a fake scowl at her sleeping son, the grin on her face giving her away completely. I blushed and attempted to hide behind my hair.

I felt Esme reach up and tuck my hair behind my ear, giving me a kind, motherly smile. "You know I've already seen a change in him." She said matter of factly. "He's so much more...care free now, it's like he's finally living life and enjoying everything around him. There's a light in his eye's and a smile on his lips that doesn't leave and brightens when you walk in the room or even just mentioned." She looked at her son for a moment and then back to me. "You know when he found out that you were in the hospital it was like his world stopped, like someone had flipped a switch and suddenly the only thing he could think about was you, we tried to speak to him on the way here but I don't think he could even hear us. His only thought was to get to you as quick as possible. He loves you so much honey and I can see you feel just as strongly about him."

I slowly nodded my head as my cheeks flushed pink again. "I really do."

She leaned forward and wrapped me in a gentle hug, careful to avoid my arm. "I'm so happy to welcome you to the family Bella and I know that one day I will officially be able to call you my daughter."

I led there stunned at her admission, shocked that this woman I had only just met had already accepted me into her family. Not to mention the fact that she had hinted at Edward and I someday getting married. That would be an outcome I could only dream of.

Just then Carlisle and Emmett walked in.

"How you feeling squirt?" Emmett asked me.

"Like someone came at me with a baseball bat." I grinned as I rubbed my forehead.

"Would you like some more pain medication Bella?" Carlisle asked me kindly.

I smiled and shook my head. "No thank you Carlisle. It's not too bad."

"Just let me know if you change your mind." He smiled at me before leaning down to kiss his wife on the cheek.

I turned my head and watched as Emmett stood behind Edward and blew air over his ear. Edward – still half asleep – reached up and started to swat at his ear as we all tried to contain our laughter. Next, Emmett leaned forward so that his mouth was right next to his ear before he nearly shouted. "Wakey, wakey Eddie!"

I watched in amusement as Edward jumped out of his seat, very narrowly missing bumping heads with his brother.

"What the hell Emmett!" Edward shouted at his brother.

"What?" He asked looking way too innocent. "Your girl was awake. I thought you might want to be woken up." He shrugged.

Edward rolled his eyes and turned towards me, a grin lighting up his face.

"Hey, love." He leaned down and placed a gentle, chaste kiss on my lips. Obviously aware of the eyes of his parents on us. "How you feeling this morning?"

"I'm okay" I said nonchalantly. "I have a head ache and my body aches just about everywhere but it's not unbearable."

Thank fully I was able to leave that afternoon with strict instructions to rest and take painkillers.

I sighed and shook my head in amusement as Edward hovered behind me, ready to catch me if I stumbled. The nurse had given me crutches to use but due to my already abysmal balance, trying to walk on one leg with only two polls to hold my weight wasn't going too well.

The rest of the family had left a few hours after I woke up with promises to be waiting for me once I returned home. After an excruciatingly slow walk – or hobble in my case – we arrived at Edwards pride and joy and finally I was able to go home.

I'm sorry. *hides* life has been crazy at the mo and for some reason I just couldn't get this chapter out. Every time I tried to write it, it just wouldn't come out right. I'm so sorry for the delay and also for the reviews I haven't replied to, I completely lost track of which ones I had replied to and which ones I hadn't.

But on the plus side I am working on another one-shot, although I've already written 11 pages and I'm not even half way so I might make it into a short story instead. Its set in the Second World War, Edward is an American fighter plane pilot stationed in England and waiting to go to war and Bella is a nurse in London. It's going to be called Flyboy so watch out for it.

Recs:

Doppelganger by attheendoftheday

Matchmaker by all you need is Moz

Mrs Edward Cullen by KynziRose