I don't own anything recognizable here, only my own characters! By the way, thanks for the reviews! The more I get, the more inclined I am to writing more for you people, but no flames please! Thanks!

Ophelia woke with a start, the bright light of the room blinding her for a few moments. Like before, her heart pounded in her chest, so loud in her ears it was as if a rock band was blasting a few feet away. She looked wildly around the room, and then at the needles sticking from her arm. Confusion gave way to comprehension as she took deep breaths and laid back into the bulky hospital pillows.

The past few hours had been rough, to say the least. Ophelia hadn't seen the car swerving uncontrollably towards her, and the screams and warnings had come too late. Action was impossible when the sedan crashed into the lively obstacle walking unaware through the street.

Ophelia didn't feel it at first; it had happened too suddenly for her body to register the impact of a car speeding at 80 miles an hour hitting someone. It was almost as if she was pushed down by a small touch, something barely felt but with strong force. Ophelia didn't feel a thing until her head smacked into the unwelcoming pavement; then, it was as if a knife had slowly carved a hole into her head, wanting her to feel every second of stinging and thrashing pain. That alone triggered the feeling in her abdomen, her legs, her arms. Everywhere, there was uncensored throbbing, pulsing in every muscle. Ophelia tried to scream, thinking that pain was trapped in her body, and that opening a pathway to the outside world would give it a release. No, pain was comfortable with its surroundings, and had no intention of leaving for a while.

Time dragged on, every second amounting to a full minute to Ophelia. She was too disoriented, too blinded by the hurt to realize that spectators were gathering with their cell phones and booming voices. It had been too much. Her brain seemed to be the only body part that didn't seem like it was hell-bent on her destruction, and it mercifully switched off consciousness.

The rest Ophelia remembered perfectly. Dr. Carlisle Cullen came to help her, promised he would help her, and she dropped off again. Dr. Cullen walked into the psycho room and checked her charts, then made her go to sleep. As Ophelia calmly reorganized the events in her head, she could feel the growing apprehension, and growing hope, that Dr. Carlisle Cullen would make a reappearance, and soon.

Instantly the door knob began to turn, and Ophelia's muscles began to tense up. She quickly put on the best smile possible, ignoring the pain in her cheeks. Ophelia had observed the doctor when he spoke to her, and saw the face he made when she had grimaced from smiling. She hated that face, and hated that it was because of her that he had made it. Ophelia was determined to make this as easy as possible for Dr. Cullen and at no expense to herself. Unfortunately for her, Dr. Cullen wouldn't see how much strength it took for Ophelia to keep her composure; it was only her brother.

"Hey Lia, how are you?" he asked, sitting in a bony chair next to Ophelia's bed.

"I'm all right. It could've been worse, I guess. And you?" she said.

"I'm fine. Mom's been on a rampage at home, screaming at everyone to get our asses down here to check on you. Ironically, she won't come herself. Said her 'poor nerves' couldn't take it."

Ophelia smiled. "That sounds about right. What about Bea and Bianca?"

He shrugged. "Just about the same as any other day, shopping and arguing over who is the most attractive to Seth Clearwater. I swear, if he told them he would date them if they both cut off all their hair and jumped off a cliff, they would do it."

"They totally would!" Ophelia laughed. "What's worse is that they're oblivious to his rejection! Poor kid, can't get away from either of them!"

Macbeth smiled shrewdly, as if thinking of a secret only he knew that Ophelia had no awareness of. Ophelia raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I know something you don't!" he taunted.

"What? What do you know? Tell me!"

"Oh no, baby sis, you'll have to wait to find that one out!" Macbeth laughed.

Ophelia rolled her eyes and smiled. "You are so lucky I'm critically injured right now."

Macbeth's smile fell and he closed his eyes. He took Ophelia's bandaged hand and gently squeezed it, careful as to not cause her any pain. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have teased you like that," he mournfully apologized.

"What? Why are you sorry? It was a harmless joke!" Ophelia said incredulously.

"I shouldn't have prompted you to say such a thing."

"Say what, that I'm critically injured? C'mon Mac, I'd rather the situation be treated lightly instead of like a funeral!"

Macbeth smiled ruefully and nodded. "You're a trooper, Lia. Always have been."

"And you're the best big brother on the entire planet!" Ophelia countered.

Macbeth rolled his eyes, as if he'd heard the same compliment at least twenty times today. He stood up and stretched out his back, a bit cramped from having sat down in the uncomfortable hospital chair. Ophelia heard his joints crack loudly and winced; she had never liked the sound, it resembled crunching bones too much. As if Ophelia hadn't already had enough of breaking bones today.

Macbeth gently stroked Ophelia's scarring cheek, saying, "I'll come by later, okay? Mom's making me pick up Tweedledumb and Dumber at the mall."

"Say hi to them for me?"

"Sure thing." Macbeth squeezed her hand one more time and quietly exited the small hospital room, wincing when the door creaked piercingly. Ophelia chuckled to herself and laid back onto her pillows, closing her eyes and thinking about how much she loved her brother. Some kids had the stereotypical sibling relationship where fighting and teasing was a constant element to everyday life; with Mac, Ophelia didn't have to worry about anything of the sort. He'd always been there to defend her against the neighborhood bullies who made fun of her name, and to take pictures for her parents on every first date she'd ever had. No one could ever replace Macbeth Westcott, her big brother.

Suddenly a soft knock came from the other side of the door. "Forget something, Mac?" Ophelia called out.

"It's only me," Dr. Cullen answered as he opened the door without making a sound.

"Oh, I thought you were my brother," she said.

"I know, I met him on his way out. He seems like a caring young man," Carlisle observed.

Ophelia nodded with a wide smile. "He is. He's the most wonderful brother any girl could ever have!"

Carlisle smiled at Ophelia's obvious delight in discussing her brother. He knew how much his visit had meant to her; Carlisle had personally kept surveillance for any other Westcotts, but no one had come to visit their injured family member, until Macbeth Westcott. This disappointed him and his views of their family-like image. A true family would be there for each other no matter what the circumstances were. The Westcotts seemed to be only concerned with themselves individually, the youngest sisters especially. The mother and father weren't entirely selfish beings, but they weren't in essence the epitome of parenthood. The only sensible, compassionate Westcotts were Ophelia and Macbeth.

"Umm, Dr. Cullen?" Ophelia interrupted his thoughts.

"Mmm?"

"When can I get out of here?"

The question surprised Carlisle. "Why would you want to leave?"

Ophelia's eyes cast downward, as if ashamed of what she was thinking. She said quietly, "I miss my family. It's hard for me to be away from them for this long. I need to go home to take care of them."

"That's not all, is it?" Carlisle, being a three hundred year old vampire, had become perceptive enough to understand the conflicting emotions of human beings. "What else is it? Don't you want to stay here until you are fully recovered?"

"I told you, my family needs me. They might actually starve if I don't get home to make dinner," she said to herself.

Carlisle smiled. Ophelia reminded him of Bella; always looking out for others instead of herself, whether she was critically injured or not. He grimaced at the painful memories of the time in Phoenix a few years ago, and how close they'd come to losing Bella because of injuries that were similar to Ophelia's. Ophelia looked up when Carlisle didn't answer her, and was shocked to see the same pained look on his face as before. It hurt her so much to see it; no one that beautiful should ever have a reason to be sad or hurt, especially one as gentle and kindhearted as Dr. Carlisle Cullen.

"I'm sorry Dr. Cullen, did I say something wrong?" she asked.

Carlisle's face smoothed into the same calm façade as before, almost as if he had never been inclined to make such a face in the first place. "What do you mean?" he wondered aloud.

Ophelia fiddled with her hands and stared at them. "Well, I saw the face you just made. Did you make it because of something I said?"

Carlisle cursed to himself; the girl was as perceptive as Bella. He would have to be careful of his emotions around her. "No, but I did think of an idea that would allow you to both continue your medical care and see your family."

Ophelia nodded expectantly, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

"I have all the necessary medicine and equipment in my home to take care of you. If you are open to the idea, you could stay with my family until you are fully recovered, and manage to frequently visit your own family."

Ophelia's mind was in a whirl. Almost all of her wanted to accept the generous offer; she would be near to Carlisle, who she had formed an attachment to, and she would still be taken care of just as much as she would be if she stayed in the hospital, if not better. But a flicker of doubt was flashing through her thoughts. A tiny part of her, small and insignificant for most of the time, was warning her that there were possible consequences to obliging to Dr. Cullen. Ophelia couldn't pinpoint it, but it was almost as if her conscience was telling her that Dr. Cullen, and his family as well, could be…dangerous. That was the only word that could sum up the feeling she felt at times, like now. But still, when Ophelia began to think practically, she wasn't entirely sure if her family could afford to keep her under hospital care for the next few months, even with insurance. It was with that small little fact, and all the other feelings of uncertainty, willingness, and excitement, that she answered, "I think that would be manageable."