"THIS, is your car?" Alice asked, looking utterly disgusted as she examined my beast. I personally loved the old monster to death, but others wouldn't even sit inside it—at least not Alice.

"Yep, he's a thing of beauty."

"Not really…" she said plainly, circling my truck carefully. "Plus, aren't most cars referred to as girls?" Just then, she placed her pale hand gently on the mirror, causing it to go tumbling off. We both stared at the shattered glass and rusted metal. I was tempted to scream "MY BABY," but I knew that would creep her out. "It needs some serious repairing."

Thank you for pointing out the obvious. Like I needed to know that.

I sighed lightly and scooped up the pieces of my truck. "Yeah, I know. I need to get a part time job to pay for my college classes anyways."

Alice shrieked in delight. "Oh! That means we can job-hunt for you! How fun," she said sweetly and clapped her hands together. "When shall we set off?"

My jaw dropped and my eyebrows rose. "My father is part of the Police Force. He'll kill me if I drive around without a driver-side mirror. We can't today. I have to get to an auto shop and fix it before I even think about looking around today. Besides," I gestured towards my casual clothes and messy hair. "No way am I ready for interviews."

Alice just smiled and rolled her eyes at me. "Bella, Bella, Bella. When interview time comes, you can raid my closet. I have tons of clothes—and not all of it is gothic. You're probably the same size as me, too." Alice gave me a happy smile and a half measured look.

"Alice, I don't know if you'd want me to borrow anything of yours."

And that was true. I was a sloppy, clumsy and awkward person for the most part. No way could I pull off the totally sophisticated look. She didn't seem fazed.

"Oh, whatever. I assume that's a yes?"

I bit my lip and blushed lightly. "I'm really clumsy Alice…"

"Good, it's a done deal then!"

I couldn't help but grin back at her. She was so bright and bouncy, like a cool sister I never had. Alice had not only earned my full respect, but my friendship as well. Usually, it took me a while to adjust and make friends. It was always hard to keep them. So, in a way, I was turning over a new leaf—even if there weren't so much leaves in Forks. But there was pin needles, lots of them.

I thanked her and threw open the door to my rusty car. I could see her face, which held a confused expression. Almost like she was thinking of reasons why the car was still intact. To be honest, I didn't know why myself.

"Tomorrow," I promised as I climbed in and shut the door behind me. Today I had tons to do, and I wasn't sure if Charlie wanted dinner homemade tonight or not.

From out of the windshield, I could see her nod her head slightly before backing out of my path. Obviously, she thought the truck was going to run her over. I decided to not take it as an insult to my driving skills, but to blame the car's appearance. It was pretty scary looking.

Within a few seconds, the beast roared to life and lurched slightly as I put it in gear. I waved one last time to Alice before turning all my attention to the road. And a few seconds was all it took.

I gasped in shock as a van came zooming towards me, head on. I couldn't scream—in fact, I was so frightened, I don't like a scream would have made it's way into my throat anyway. My hands clutched the steering wheel as I swerved off to the left, trying to dodge the insane driver. Of course, I began to spin uncontrollably, just like in the movies. The van hit the side of my truck with such force, that it sent me jolting and almost ripping the seat belt out with me.

To sum it up, my truck was in a messy heap on the side of the road, only a few feet from the entrance of the parking lot. I was curled into a ball and smashed against the passenger window. I could see red everywhere, and for a moment, I did believe that I went blind (only everything was red instead of black.)

Suddenly, sleepiness drifted towards me, demanding that I let the sandman send me to bed. I fought to stay awake, my eyelids fluttering wildly. It would be so easy… To let go. To let sleep overcome me.

Then a voice shattered my thoughts like the glass cutting my flesh.

"Bella? Oh, Bella it'll be okay. You'll be okay. Can you hear me? Open your eyes Bella… Bella!"

Edward… Darkness.

EPOV (Edward's point of view)

"Bella!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, wanting nothing more then for her to be safe. I should have known it would be useless. There was a rather large cut on her head, and she had some serious bruises.

I pulled her out of the thing that was once her car, and lifted her into my arms. I had imagined holding her, but not like this. Not with her wounded that stained everything with her blood.

Blood didn't make me sick like most, but it was a disturbing sight. I wondered how long it would take me to wash this memory away—permanently from my mind.

Forever?

"Eddie, is Bella okay? I called an ambulance," Alice screamed over the quickly gathering crowd. "Holy Crow!"

I knew she saw the blood.

"No time," I said in a whisper. If Bella was somehow awake and could hear us, she needed to hear a softer, quieter voice; perhaps someone to calm her.

I laid Bella down so that her precious head was lying across my lap, blood getting on my pants as well. I took off my shirt and wrapped it around the gash that oozed right above her ear. As I tried to stop the bleeding, Alice put on her meanest face and told everyone to back up and not make a scene. But as the sirens pierced the afternoon, the crowd only became more curious.

I gazed down at the girl in my arms. Whoever had done this to her was going to pay. I would see to it that they got serious jail time—that is, if I didn't murder them first. Such an innocent, caring and kind girl… She didn't deserve to get hurt, especially since she was new.

I brushed my fingers along her cold cheek. Soon, it would be too late.

At that exact moment, I could hear the ambulance stop behind me. I almost felt like crying, for some odd reason. How could I trust these idiot people to take care of her? My father worked at the hospital, but he wasn't there now and wouldn't be for another day or so.

I grinded my teeth together as they lifted Bella from me and onto a stretcher. I turned and watched her get taken away from me.

Alice came to my side as the group diminished.

"Did you see who was in the van?" I growled, my anger finally bursting through.

Alice shook her head slowly and pointed with her long black nails. "They drove off as soon as they hit ol' beasty here. Poor Bella… You know, if it weren't for you, she might not have came out of there."

I glared at Alice, even when I didn't mean to. "I need a ride to the Hospital. Now!"

She could recognize my urgency, and lead me to her yellow porsh. I smirked, getting in the driver's seat. Alice drove fast, but I drove even faster.

"Just like old times," she claimed as she clicked her seat belt closed around her.

"Just like old times," I responded and stepped on the gas.

BPOV (Bella's point of view)

White. That's all I could see as I struggled to open my eyes. My mind was blank for the most part, and I was growing restless—surrounded by perfect white. I couldn't feel my body moving, but I knew it was. Slightly and slowly, but it was, none the less. And that's what mattered the most. I was in tact, and I could move my body.

"Bella?" whispered a recognizable voice.

With an explosion of color and shapes, I could place exactly where I was. A hospital. Surprising, isn't it?

"Bella, can you hear me? You don't have to talk, just blink once for yes, and twice for no. Okay?" Her words jumbled together, but for the most part, I understood her. She wanted to ask some serious questions about the crash, and, no doubt, if I had seen who was behind the wheel.

"Alice…" a male voice sang out, making me avert my gaze to his. Edward…

"Enough. We will not be the ones to interrogate her. I want to know who did this just as much as anyone else, but that isn't going to happen. She shouldn't be pressured to remember." For a moment, his eyes where on Alice, but then they locked back on me, searching my face for some kind of emotion. I didn't feel my lips, so I didn't know if I was smiling or not. But they both seemed pleased.

Alice sighed lightly and stood from her spot on the bed. "I'm starving like Marvin. I'll be buying myself some food. Should I bring some back?"

Edward just shook his head and shoed her off his hand, his eyes never leaving me.

The loud shutting of the door make me cringe. Pain was creeping back into my cells, pulsing in my veins. The marks all over my body expressed themselves with throbbing misery. I bit my lip to hold in a yelp. I had no reason to act like a helpless child. I had to stay strong, especially around Edward.

"Bella, I'm glad to see you awake. I thought you'd never snap out of it…." His eyes grew dark with concern and another emotion I couldn't quite read. I wanted to reach out and touch his cheek—to calm him and tell him that everything was alright.

Of course, this is only what I wanted, not what I did. With more-than-a-little sores and cuts on my body, and the fact that we had just met, it would be out of line. Then again, I barely walk in the lines I'm so clumsy.

"Anyways, you've been asleep for almost 24 hours. I brought you flowers, but forgot to put them in water, so they look a little limp," he explained as I got lost in his eyes. He had to be God in human form. He was thoughtful and very sweet.

I managed to move my mouth to form words, then a sentence. "Have you been here the whole time?"

A stunned look light up on his face, then faded to a friendly smile. "Yes, actually, I have. Alice has too. Your dad, Charlie, is at work to get the person who hit you. He was very worried, I have to say."

"Just like Charlie… a bit over protective…" I mumbled, my voice hoarse as ever.

Edward seemed to burn with anger. "He's your father, Bella. He's doing what fathers do! He had every right in the world to be concerned about you," he said, changing his tone in the middle to a much nicer one. This time his cheeks were red with embarrassment. "We were all worried sick, Bella…even me."

"Thank you Edward."

He nodded and smiled happily (or as happy as you can get when sitting in a hospital room with a horrid looking lady.)

I looked around the room, letting my eyes dart over everything in the plain white room. I spotted the thoughtful flowers, a book and a purse. Must have been Alice's.

My stomach churned as I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a mirror hanging on the wall opposite of me. I had stitched that were slightly visible under my hair/behind my ear, a bruise on my cheek and a slang for my arm.

I looked terrible.

Edward must have seen my expression change, because he sprung up and sat carefully on the bed next to me. His hand was soft as it touched my skin, grazing my cheek and chin.

"Bella, don't worry… You're still beaut—in pretty good shape. It'll take some time for everything to heal. No big rush," he promised me, standing and edging towards to door. "I'll get the nurse to bring you some proper food."

Right before he left, I conjured up enough courage to call out his name. "Wait! You'll come back, right?"

He gawked at me in confusion before nodding reassuringly. "Sure Bella, whatever you want. I'll stay as long as you want me."

I smiled, and this time, I could feel it. "Thank you."