I couldn't believe this was happening to me. My body ached and I felt faint, but I had to get out of this bed, and out of the hospital, before he found me here. There were so many needles, tubes and monitors connected to me though, I knew I would never make it out in time, but still I tried. I began to rip the needles out of my arms; it hurt like hell, and the blood made me woozy. I fell, but instead of hitting the ground, I felt a pair of hard, cold hands beneath me, picking me up, and placing me back on the bed.

"Bella! What has happened to you?" Carlisle said, a mixture of shock and concern, present in his tone.

I was frozen, unable to speak. I just stared blankly at my once father figure, as he assessed the damage my frail body had been subjected to.

"Bella, darling, are you OK? Can you hear me?"

"I-I'm fine. I've had worse. I'm sure you remember." I said acidly.

"Yes, I remember. Would you please lie back down and rest, Bella. I need to re-attach the monitors. It will be a little uncomfortable."

"Actually, I would rather just leave." I said, trying to keep my cool.

"That just isn't possible. You have been seriously hurt, and I can't ensure your safety if you leave. The police will need to speak to you anyway."

"My safety really isn't any of your concern Carlisle, and I'm sure the police won't mind speaking to me at my home."

"Please Bella, just stay put. Your safety may not be my concern, but as a doctor, your health certainly is."

"Can't I transfer to another hospital, then?"

"Please, don't be difficult. I want to help you, Bella." he pleaded.

As much as I wanted to, I just couldn't continue to be rude to Carlisle. He had always been so good to me back in Forks. He had fixed me up more times than I cared to remember, and he had always treated me as one of his own – until he left that is. So, I decided this was one fight I would have to lose, for now.

"Ok, Carlisle, I'll stay a while longer, but I will be leaving soon."

"Thank you, I would have been so worried if you left."

"But Carlisle, I don't want you telling anyone that I'm here.|"

"Bella, I ca-"

"Fine, I'll leave now, then."

"OK, OK, I won't breathe a word of it, I have some other patients to attend to. I'll be back later. I need to find out what has happened to you."

Great. I really wasn't up for a friendly discussion with the local vampire doctor. I had loved them once, but they had all betrayed me when they left. Of course, Edward was the one who had shattered my heart into tiny pieces,never to be repaired, but losing his family, too, that had been more than I could stand. It had left me distraught, desperate and broken. I had hurt my friends and my family and had lost everything – all because I wasn't good enough to be a Cullen.

I didn't owe them anything now, not an explanation or a kind word. Nothing. Yet, if I was being completely honest with myself, this wasn't the only reason I wanted to avoid Carlisle and his questions. The truth was, I didn't want them to find out what I had become. I was a junkie and a prostitute. They would be disgusted with me, repulsed, and I knew that would hurt me more than I could stand.

As I lay in my uncomfortable hospital bed, waiting for Carlisle to return, I thought, more than once about getting up and running, but I had given him my word ,I would be here when he got back, and I kept my promises.

After maybe 20 minutes, the big white doors which led into my room opened, and Carlisle walked, slowly across the room to sit in the small chair beside me.

"I kept my word, I hope you kept yours." I said, a little sharper than I should have.

"Don't worry Bella. None of the family know you are here, yet."

"Yet! Carlisle! Yo are not going to tell any of them about this. Ever." As I said those words, a thought occurred to me, one which I hadn't considered before. Even if Carlisle didn't tell any of the Cullen's I had been here tonight, there was one who would find out anyway. HE would surely read Carlisle's thoughts, and get a full picture of tonight, and then, there was Alice! Had she had a vision? Was I expected at the hospital? I gasped.

"Bella, darling, are you in pain?"

"No, I'm fine. He already knows, doesn't he?"

"Who knows what?" Carlisle asked, confused.

"He, E-Edward. He knows I'm here. Alice – she would have.."

"No Bella. Edward has no idea. Alice hasn't had a vision of you since we left Forks."

This new information, although it relived me, was still a shock. In the back of my mind, I had always considered the possibility that Alice would still have visions of me; that she was know how I was living my life now and that she would hate me for it, but I tried to put it out of my mind, after all, I would never see them again, I had thought. But she hadn't seen me at all. I wondered why that was, but I didn't care enough to ask.

"But, you must know that, once I return home, Edward will, of course, find out that I saw you here tonight."

"Damn him and his inconvenient little gift." I muttered.

Carlisle smiled a little, before the concerned look returned to his features.

"Yes, it can be a little inconvenient can't it, but I'm not sure I could have kept this from him in any case."

"Ever heard of doctor- patient confidentiality?" I said sarcastically.

"I'm sure, whoever came up with that particular rule didn't account for one such as Edward."

"I suppose not."

"Now Bella, forgive me, but I must ask what has happened to you."

"Yeah I figured. Well as I'm sure you can see, I was attacked, guy had a knife. I blacked out after that, so, I really can't fill you in on what happened."

"Yes, but Bella. What happened to you. I can smell the drugs in your system, and the neighbourhood you were found in; what were you doing there?"

"Carlisle, you know how fond I was of you, but it really is none of your business."

"When one of my family is brutally attacked and raped, I think it absolutely is my business."

"I'm not part of your family though, am I? I hoped to be, once, but I was stupid to think it would ever happen. Your my doctor, and I'm grateful for you piecing me back together, again, but that's all."

"Bella, I love you like a daughter. Now please, tell me what happened after we left."

I was getting annoyed now. I just wanted him to leave me alone.

"Well, I'm not your daughter, my dad is Charlie. Now, would you please leave me alone, I need to get some sleep."

"OK Bella, I'm not going to fight you on this. Speaking of your father, would you like me to call him for you?"

"NO!" I almost jumped out of the bed. Carlisle looked completely shocked. "Charlie and I don't speak any more." the sadness could clearly be heard in my voice.

"If only we'd known|." Carlisle muttered, so low I was sure I wasn't meant to hear.

"Do you have anyone we can call? You will need someone to look after you when you're discharged."

"No. I take care of myself. I'll be fine Carlisle." I said reassuringly. I just wanted this conversation to be over, but he wasn't convinced.

"Well, if there's no one. I'm going to keep you here in the hospital for a while, so, I can keep an eye on you."

"No way. I'm leaving tomorrow, I was on my way out of town before this happened, and I don't intend to stay now."

"That's out of the question, you are just too sick. Where were you heading Bella?"

"I don't know, just away from here."

"Bella, I'm so worried about you. I just can't let you leave, and have you thought about the man who attacked you? He's still on the loose."

"I'll be fine."

"No Bella, I don't think you will. I want to ask you something, and I would appreciate if you considered my offer rationally."

I knew I was going to regret it, but I agreed.

"Thank you. Well you see Bella, at the moment, Esme and I are the only ones in town. Alice, Jasper and Edward are visiting Tanya and her family and Rosalie and Emmett are honeymooning in South America."

I could see where this was going.

"So, if you would consider staying with us until you're feeling better, it would make me feel much happier." he looked at me, pleading with his eyes. "and I now Esme would love to see you again."

Esme, I loved her like a mother. She was the single sweetest person I had ever had the pleasure to meet. I missed her so much. The thought of seeing her was so tempting, but I knew that when I had to leave her again, my heart would break anew.

"Carlisle, I can't. I mean, it's kind of you to offer, but I just wouldn't feel comfortable."

"Bella, please. You don't know how much it would mean to me. Please.."

Just as I was about to protest, two policemen knocked on the door to my room.

"Come in" Carlisle said.

"Hello Doctor, Miss Swan. Is she well enough to answer questions yet?"

"I'm afraid not. She's very weak. Could you come back tomorrow?"

"Of course, we have a witness who saw the perp fleeing the scene, so we have a description to work on for now. You get well soon Miss Swan. We'll be back tomorrow."

"Thanks" I whispered as they made their retreat.

"Carlisle, I was fine. I could have spoken to them."

"Not tonight Bella. Now would you please reconsider. Think about it. If you come home with me, you'll be much more comfortable than you are right now, and Esme and I will ensure you get well, quickly. You can leave as soon as your feeling better."

I tried to fight the tears, which were forming, but it was no use, I began to sob. It had been so long since anyone had wanted to take care of me, I just couldn't help myself. I knew it would only hurt me more in the long run, but at that moment, it was exactly what I needed.

"OK, but I'm leaving before they get back."

"Of course. I'll call Esme, and have her prepare a room for you." he smiled.