Chapter 4

EPOV

As I woke, I sighed. I had slept so well last night, somehow, with all of the things making me feel like crap.

I brought an arm up to cover my eyes. My room was bright, but I knew that it wasn't from a light, it was from my floor to ceiling windows. I could tell it was well into the morning. I pushed myself up onto my elbows, looking at my clock. It was ten thirty.

I sighed. I'd been sleeping for over twelve hours. I was amazed I had made it through the night without waking up. I remember vaguely half waking. My bed felt like a giant ice pack, and it had felt so good that I drifted right back to sleep without a second thought.

Shaking my head, I got up and off the bed, grimacing at the discomfort I felt from my sore joints, which I'm sure was a side affect from the fever I knew I had.

I went to my bathroom and got into the shower, washing my hair. I stood in the water for a long while, just letting the water splash over my body and in my face as I tried to wake up more. After my shower, I got out and dried off, looking at my reflection in the mirror. The bags under my eyes were a bit faded today, and I smiled. I felt like I had energy, for once.

I wrapped a towel around my waist and walked out of the bathroom, going to my closet to pull out a pair of boxers and pajama bottoms, then a t-shirt. After pulling them all on, I realized I didn't match, but I shrugged. I wasn't going anywhere special.

I stretched as I walked out of my room, yawning ever so slightly. I could hear the tv on in Jasper's room, and knocked quietly.

"It's open!"

I turned the knob to go in, blinking at seeing a girl sitting on the bed beside Jasper. Alice was her name, I think?

"Morning!" she chirped happily. "You look better today."

At hearing this statement, Jasper turned to look at me and he smiled.

"Yes, you do," he agreed with a smile. "Come sit, watch a bit of the movie with us."

Blinking, I began to slowly walk over to the couch. Was this Alice girl a witch or something? Jasper seemed so…so comfortable with her, and he usually hated new people. I sat down at the end of the couch he had, watching as Alice snuggled up against Jasper's shoulder from on the other side of him, her head resting on his shoulder. He had his arm around her, a bowl of popcorn sitting on the couch between me and him.

"Want some?"

"Popcorn for breakfast?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, but I took some anyway. I was hungry, for once. I eyed him as I munched on the popcorn, raising an eyebrow when he looked at me and away from the movie. I jabbed a finger in the air towards Alice, a confused expression on my face. He just smirked and shook his head, looking back to the movie.

I watched the movie with them for half an hour, looking up as I heard my mother yelling my name. I sighed and carefully stood, nodded to Jasper and Alice, before I turned to walk back out of the room.

"Edward, there you are!" I turned to see Esme coming out of my room, and I managed a smile.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked me. I shrugged.

"I could be better," I murmured quietly, rubbing the back of my neck.

She reached up, tousling my hair slightly with a motherly smile. "Come," she whispered to me, "I made some toast for you."

I smiled. "Thanks, Mom," I said as I followed her down the stairs.

When we arrived down in the kitchen, I sat at one of the barstools and Esme placed a plate with a few pieces of toast on it in front of me.

"Thanks," I said again as I picked up a piece, eating at it.

"You're welcome, Edward," she said with a smile, patting the top of my head, before she turned to walk out of the kitchen, leaving me alone as I ate.

"Excuse me…"

I jumped as I heard the voice right behind me and I turned as quickly as I could, breathing a little heavy. I hadn't even heard her come up…

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to scare you…"

"No, no it's fine…" I whispered as I caught my breath, my heartbeat slowing as I looked up at her. It was the brunette who had glared at me so fiercely the night before. I swallowed slightly. "It's fine…"

BPOV

"No, no it's fine…" I heard him whisper, though I could hear clearly what he said. I was listening to the slowing of his heartbeat as he calmed from the scare I'd apparently given him. I watched him swallow before he whispered again, "It's fine…"

I smiled slightly. "I wanted to apologize for last night," I said quietly, and I was sure that I would have blushed if I could. "I shouldn't have been so rude."

He looked up at me, a bit shocked, and I smiled slightly. He looked like he was in a daze as he stared up at me. He then seemed to mentally shake himself, offering me a smile himself.

"I didn't get a chance to introduce myself, either," I said. "I'm Bella."

"It's nice to meet you, Bells," he said with a smile. The nickname slipped so easily from his mouth it seemed, and I smiled. "I'm Edward."

"I gathered," I said with a laugh. I smiled down at him, and he seemed to be in a daze after hearing my laughter. "It's a pleasure."

He smiled at me after a moment, cocking his head slightly to the side.

"I'm sorry about last night, really, I am," I said as I took up the barstool beside him, watching as he turned to pick up another piece of toast, munching at it hungrily.

"Don't worry about it," he assured me. I placed a hand on his arm and smiled, and knew instantly that he was telling the truth. He didn't seem to mind, though.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked him with a smile. Of course, I already knew the answer, but I couldn't let him know that.

"Surprisingly, yes," he said, sounding amazed. "I almost woke up once…" I tensed, waiting for the bombard of questions. "…but I was so cool and comfy and I just fell right back asleep without a second thought." I stopped holding my breath. "What about you?"

I blinked as he asked me this, and I tilted my head in question.

"Did you sleep well?"

I smiled slightly. "In a manner of speaking," I told him with a smile. It wasn't a lie, either. I could never lie, even if I wanted to.

"That's good," he said, reaching for a second piece of toast. "So…tell me about you or your past? If you wouldn't mind?"

I blinked at this question, sitting there for a moment. Here I'd just met the kid, really, five minutes ago and he was already asking me to tell him about him! What, was this kid insane? Did he really want to die?

"Well, I was born here in Washington state," I told him, settling back a bit as he munched on his toast, watching me with interested eyes. "My mother, though, divorced my father and moved down to Phoenix. I lived with her until a couple of years or so ago, when I told her I wanted to come here. I was home schooled by my mother, and I graduated a few years ahead of my class. About three years ago I moved up here with my father…he's the police chief here in Forks."

"Oh, I remember hearing about you," he said with a smile. "But I never got the chance to actually meet you. I would have loved to."

"Yeah…I just stayed up here to try and find a job," I said with a shrug. "That's when I met Alice and Rose, and we began to do day jobs as maids…didn't really work out so well…but Rose's family was rather high up there, so we were able to get by even when we didn't have a job."

I sighed softly. It was a vague outline that I remembered…I never remembered much from my human life, and I'd had Rose and Alice explain to me what my life had been like…especially the aftermath.

"But one night I went home, and someone had broken into the house. Charlie – er, my father, I should say – was already dead…" I sighed, remembering only the gory details of finding his corpse. "I was taken by the group of men that broke into the house, beaten severely…I was…" I trailed off for a moment, not wanting to continue, but he seemed to know what I was going to say anyway. "I was raped, and then left for dead. Alice and Rose came to the house to find me the next day when I didn't show up for work. I nearly died."

Edward was confused then, looking down at me. "But Dad would have mentioned seeing you at the hospital – "

"I was taken care of elsewhere," I assured him with a smile, though it was a little sad as the few vivid memories I had of my previous life flashed through my mind. "I'm still pretty wary of men…that was my reasoning for the glare last night. I'm sorry."

"No, no, I completely understand," Edward said with a nod, his eyes slightly sympathetic as he watched me, now knowing what I had gone through. I looked at him, confused, about to ask him now he understood when he began to speak.

"See, my older brother, Jasper, is the same way. Pretty much the exact same thing happened to him around a year ago, too. He was missing for a few days until we were able to find out where he is…"

Edward sighed, and his eyes went down, but the words kept spilling from his mouth like he was trying to get rid of a venom that the words contained. "I found out where he was before the rest of the family…I sped there, but it was already too late…when I got there, I…I just went into a blind rage, and I nearly killed all of them…Jasper was just lying there, covered in blood and bruises…I went over to him and held him in my arms and tried to assure him that it was all right…I picked him up, and carried him out just as Dad was showing up, and…" He trailed off, and looked up at me.

"S-sorry…" he muttered as he looked up at me. "I'm sorry, I'm…I'm rambling. Sorry…"

I blinked for a moment, looking at him as he looked down, a light blush on his cheeks. The smell of his blood blossomed up from him and I closed my eyes for a moment, opening them again when I was sure I had complete control again.

"Don't worry about it…" I whispered. Now I knew, though, why the others were so careful of Jasper…and I'd be able to tell Alice, too, what was wrong with him.

Edward nodded, though he didn't look convinced. "I shouldn't have done that, Bella. I'm sorry."

I just shook my head again. "Don't worry, it's fine," I told him, patting his arm, my hand still resting gently on his skin. He didn't even seem to mind the frigid cold of my hands, which kind of shocked me. He actually seemed to like it…

"Hey, Eddie!"

I looked up at hearing someone clomping through the dining room and Emmett soon appeared in the doorway, his bittersweet scent filling my nostrils.

"Hey, I'm going to go see about picking up that pool table. You feel up to it?"

Edward looked at me, then over at Emmett again before looking back to me.

"You want to come, if I go?" Edward asked me, and I blinked for a moment before I started to nod.

"That's fine," I said, and smiled as I realized that I wouldn't have to go shopping with Alice and Rose now. I smiled in triumph as I heard Alice nearly scream in aggravation, though I knew that Edward and Emmett didn't hear it. I pressed my lips together so I could contain my laughter as Edward looked back at Emmett.

"Sure, I guess…could she come?" He jutted a thumb at me.

"That's okay with me," Emmett said with a shrug. "Jasper's coming, too, just so you know."

Edward nodded. "Give me a few minutes go get dressed."

"Sure thing," Emmett said as he turned and I heard him beginning to walk back up the stairs, humming to himself as he rummaged in his pockets for something.

"You really want me go with you?" I asked him as he began to slowly stand from the stool, beginning to head towards the door.

"Absolutely," he said with a smile back at me as he turned

"But why?" I questioned as I started to catch up to him, walking beside him gracefully up the stairs.

He shrugged. "I dunno," he said, offering me a crooked smile. "Just thought I'd ask."

"Well, thank you for this," I told him with a smile. "You're saving me from a day of torture."

"What're you talking about?" Edward asked as we reached the second floor landing, looking at me in confusion.

"You're saving me from – "

"Isabella Marie Swan!"

" – that…" I mumbled, rolling my eyes as I pointed, hearing Alice stomp down the hallway. Edward stopped, blinking in shock.

"You double crossing," Alice growled, stopping in front of me to put her hands on her hips, "little sneak! How dare you do this to me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Alice," I said calmly. Alice scowled, stomping her foot on the ground.

"Why aren't you coming with us?" she asked, scowling. I began to laugh.

"Alice, it's just a day trip shopping with the guys," I said with a smile, though it faltered slightly as I said 'the guys.' I hadn't realized I was going to be the only girl with three men.

She growled. "But you were supposed to go with us!" she huffed, now crossing her arms over her chest as she glared sharply at me.

"Alice, there are other days we can go," I told her, laughing.

"You have a job to do!" she tried to tell me.

"I'll do it when I get back, I have time," I told her.

Edward was just standing off to the side a bit, looking back and forth between us as we bantered.

"I have time," I repeated again to assure her, knowing that she would get the true meaning behind my words. "I promise."

"Fine, whatever, go," she growled, throwing her hands up in the air. "But Isabella Swan, if you put me off one more time, I swear to God, I'll – "

"I won't, Alice, I promise," I told her, rolling my eyes. "You can have my word on that promise." Which, indeed, she had. Her eyes went blank for a moment before she nodded in approval of something.

"I'm not going to forgive you, though, for what has taken place here," she said, raising an eyebrow dangerously.

"You lie," I said with a laugh. "You will forgive me, you'll see."

"Hey, Eddie, you ready to go?"

Alice and I looked up at hearing Emmett calling to Ed. He was stepping out of a room at the end of the hallway, which I knew was his bedroom.

"I'm not dressed yet," Edward said back, nodding to the two of us. "If you'll excuse me."

He nodded to the two of us before he turned to walk back towards the bedroom. I watched after him, but looked up as I heard a chuckle.

"What?" I asked as I turned to Alice, watching Rose come up behind her.

"You have no clue," Alice laughed, smiling at me as she turned to Rose. I watched after her in confusion. Hadn't she just been glaring at me just seconds ago? I rolled my eyes, moving to follow behind them to wait for Edward to get ready.

JPOV

I looked at myself in the mirror, grimacing slightly at my shirt. The sleeves weren't long enough. They didn't cover all the scars. I scowled, going for the closet again, pulling my shirt off over my head. I threw it in the trash. I wouldn't be wearing it again.

I rummaged through the clothes in my closet, pulling out a long sleeved one.

I pulled it on, sighing softly. I liked the color, except it was going to get hot. I closed my eyes for a moment, deciding that I would ignore this discomfort in order to save myself from another.

"Jasper, you ready yet?"

"Coming, Emmett!" I yelled, sighing as I looked into the mirror one more time, running a hand through my hair to ruffle it as I turned to walk out of my room, tugging my sleeves down around my wrists.

Emmett was waiting outside my room, smiling at me, though it fell slightly as his eyes fell on my hand, which was still tugging down the edge of the sleeve. He took my hand, looking up at me.

"Jasper," he told me, "you don't need to do that…it's fine."

"That's what you think," I grumbled as I tugged my hands away from him, finishing with what I was doing with my shirt. "Let's go."

"Hey, that Bella girl is coming with us, do you mind?" he asked me as we began to walk down the hallway.

I shook my head. "No," I told him with a small smile, "she seems nice enough…and I…can see something I recognize in her eyes."

Emmett nodded. "Suit yourself," he said. "I invited Rose and Alice to come with us, but they have to go shopping for something today…"

I sighed, suddenly put out slightly, and also a tad bit agitated. I wanted to stay with Alice…

"Can't we ask them to come with us?" I asked quietly, my head going down a bit. I didn't really know what I'd said until the words had already slipped out of my mouth. Emmett stopped and turned to look at me, confused. "Please?"

I could feel his gaze on me, and could almost sense his perplexity.

"Uh…sure, we could…but I already did…" Emmett said with a shrug.

"We could try again…" My tone was hopeful. What was I even doing? I was confusing myself…but when I was with Alice, she always had just a calm, gentle feeling about her, and I wanted her near. It helped me to calm easier.

"Fine, we can go ask," Emmett told me as he pat my shoulder. I lifted my head a bit and smiled at him as we began to go down the hall.

I knocked on the doorframe of the girl's room, looking in through the open door.

They were sitting on a bed, and looked up when they heard me. I smiled shyly at them, but my eyes rested on Alice.

"Uhm…I wanted to ask if you ladies would like to come with us today," I mumbled out, feeling my cheeks growing hot with embarrassment.

There was a giggle, but before I could lift my head I felt arms around my neck. I stiffened until I was released, looking up to see Alice. She was smiling widely at me, and nodding.

"Yeah, yeah," she breathed in a rush, smiling. "We just gotta tell your mother that we're going!" She squealed, running around me to go out of the room quickly.

I blinked, looking over at Rosalie as she began to laugh.

"You look like you were just scared out of your wits," she told me with a smile as she began to get off of the bed. "Looks like we won't be able to go today…"

Bella groaned. "I was hoping you two would just go today without me," she grumbled. "I would much rather deal with them," she jutted her thumb at Emmett and I, "than with you guys."

"Awww, gee, thanks, Bells, we fell so loved now," Emmett said with a roll of his eyes, though there was a smirk on his face.

Bella actually laughed, and I smiled at the sound. I don't know why, but she made me feel at ease, and I could feel an innocent, easygoing feeling washing off of her in waves.

"Well, come on, we can meet her downstairs," Emmett said as he put his hand on my shoulder again, gently steering me back out of the room, though he hung back until Rosalie caught up to him. He smiled goofily at her, walking along beside her.

I rolled my eyes, stopping outside Edward's closed door. "Edward?" I called gently, knocking on the door slightly. "You ready to go?"

"Jus' a sec!" I heard a call come from inside, and I chuckled.

He emerged from his room a moment later, smiling. "I had to brush my teeth," he told us, putting his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans. "Let's go."

"Wait," I said, and Edward stopped, turning to look at me in confusion.

"What?"

I smiled down at my younger brother, reaching up to ruffle his hair a bit.

"There, now it looks better," I said, laughing as I jogged ahead of him a bit, hearing him groan a bit behind me.

We met Alice downstairs in the entrance hall, bouncing on the balls of her toes.

"Oh, Alice, calm down, you're going to scare the poor things," Rosalie said to her, patting her shoulder gently.

Alice let out a squeal as she saw me, dancing over to me to smile up into my eyes.

"Ready to go?" I asked with a chuckle, and she nodded.

"Uh huh," she agreed with a wide smile. I laughed as she began to pull me towards the door, walking a bit faster to catch up to her. We walked out towards the garage and we all got into Emmett's Jeep Wrangler, which was the only one that the six of us could all fit in.

Rosalie sat in the front with Emmett, and I sat in the middle with Alice, Edward and Bella sitting in the back behind us.

Emmett backed out of the garage to turn around and begin going down the long drive in silence. Rosalie reached over to turn on the radio, picking a heavy metal band and smiled over at him. "This okay with you?" she asked him.

"Well," he said, smiling over at her, "anything that's okay with you is okay with me."

"Oh good God…" I groaned, rolling my eyes. "No lovey-dovey flirting crap…"

Alice, Bella and Edward began to laugh as Emmett pulled out onto the road and began to drive towards Seattle, where Emmett was going to get the pool table.

We were sitting in silence as we rode down the road, but soon, the silence was shattered as Alice suddenly jumped beside me.

"Swerve, Emmett!" Alice screamed, and I looked at her in alarm, then ahead of the car. There wasn't anything that seemed to be dangerous around us.

"Emmett, SWERVE!" she screamed just as a cord snapped on the eighteen wheeler right in front of us.

Okay, there you go! I hope you enjoy it! :) Please review to let me what you think, and tell me what you think is going to happen!

And just to note, it may be a while before I am able to update again!!