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Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check out her work. :3

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 2 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Secrets and Lies ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

I could only sigh as I rode with Charlie in his police cruiser. The silence was almost maddening, and I wanted to tell dad it would be okay, but in my mind I knew it wouldn't be. Edward and Doctor Cullen knew I was different, but then again it was obvious that they were different too. We each had a secret we didn't want anyone to know so maybe if nothing else that would be enough for us both to keep our secrets.

Maybe Dad is just going to let today slide.

"So," He let the word hang for a moment. "Anything I should know about, or be prepared to hear about?"

Or maybe not...

I swallowed hard and thought just how to word this before speaking. My father was stoic and he, like Forks, was very down to earth; the word change was not in his dictionary.

"Well as you know Edward was right beside me when the van hit and he tackled me to the ground. I stopped that van from crushing us." I emphasized us because my dad would only scoff that a van would crush me. Right on cue, he scoffed. "But it's ok. We have a compromise."

This caused my father to give me a curious look. One that asked even before he spoke the works that he didn't believe me.

"What kind of compromise could you have come to that would make him really keep his word?" He asked, and he had every right to be skeptical. Hell, I was skeptical.

"He has a secret too."

"What kind of secret, Bells? If he says anything to anyone, even his family, and it got out..." My father gave a heavy sigh. "Well, it wouldn't be good. You know that."

"You're going to have to trust me, he knows my secret and his is just as big. Besides, his father already knows too." The look my father gave me was not anger, it was disappointment. he just shook his head as we pulled in the driveway. Keeping his hands on the wheel as he looked straight ahead.

"And what is his secret?"

"It's my fault he knows about me and I about him. So it's my secret to keep." Dad just look on his face taking on a hardness, he was worried. when he turned to me.

"Well, I hope the faith you have in the Cullens is well founded."

(;´Д`)

Charlie stayed with me for a while to make sure I was okay. Mentally mind you because physically, I was as good as ever. He didn't hover and I liked that about him. We went about our day and I made lunch. The meal was eaten in near silence with only the occasional banter about school and how I was liking it. Nothing about inhuman strength or crushing hands came up.

We ate silently for a while and watched TV. Afterwards while he watched TV, I was reading and the hours slipped by until about five that afternoon.

"I'm going to let Mitchell off tonight since he is working my shift. So I'll be really late tonight." Dad said breaking the tension. He stood and almost like a habit, I followed him to the door as he retrieved his police belt and gun from when we came home.

I just nodded. I really didn't know what to do. I hadn't meant for this to happen, but still it had and I was the one that the finger would get pointed at should it go wrong.

From out of nowhere, my father put his arms around me and embraced me in a hug.

"I love you kiddo, and I'm with you no matter what. Try not to worry about it, we'll roll with the punches, right?" He said as he smiled at me and I returned the hug, remembering to be gentle. "See your getting better with that strength."

"Thanks dad."

"See you later Bells, don't wait up."

(ノ^∇^)

When Edward Cullen first came into contact with Bella Swan he knew that he was in hell. That it was some sort of divine punishment. It had to be God punishing him for the creature he was, never in his life had wanted to give into the monster that he truly was.

But somehow he hadn't. Weeks later and she was still alive, and the want, the need for her blood had been over ridden in one moment of clarity. He had found something deep within himself that changed his view and instinct to want her in a deeper way.

Ever since being brought into this existence, he had never craved being around a human like he was starting to with Bella Swan.

He was starting to look forward to their awkward time in Biology.

With the exception of the his rebellious years and hunting Edward had never given in to his instincts, but today was different. He and his siblings arrived at school only moments ago and were milling around his Volvo when he saw Bella across the parking lot and for a fraction of asecond there eye's met. In that fraction of a second he assessed the situation and instinct took over, it was not an instinct to kill Bella, rather it was to save her.

What she was able to do.

Thinking back on it now all the times in the past that she had acted extremely careful when touching things when interacting with others. How she seemed so clumsy and fell every all the time but was never really hurt.

Edward shook his head as he sat in his father's office. The day's events catching up to him and he let a sigh, his crushed hand cradled in his lap. A large crack ran down between his ring and middle finger. To add to the damage, there was a myriad of spider web cracks running through his hand and wrist.

The door opened and in walked Carlisle, a calm look on his face but Edward had been around his father long enough to know when something was bothering him.

"How is your hand?" He asked reaching out to inspect Edwards hand. A swift intake of useless air entered Edward at the pain that shot through him when Carlisle looked at the fracture. "Here let me bandage your hand so you don't lose anything, you'll need hunt, and soon son."

Edward only nodded as Carlisle went to work bandaging by cracked hand. The pain returned as Carlisle worked but it only took him a moment to finished bandaging his crushed appendage and took stock.

"You're good, you need to get home and hunt; I'll be home after my shift. We have to have a family meeting Edward. This is something we all need to discuss." Carlisle gave Edward a hard look, he had seen it before.

"I'll see you tonight." Was Edward's reply as he left his father's office. His mind now firmly on the future; the past events of the day were forgotten for now and he was not looking forward to the meeting.

(ˆ ڡ ˆ)

Dinner was simple. My mind was fluttering through all the day's events still. I was restless maybe a little nervous, from everything and eating leftovers just didn't sit right with me, or eating in general at the moment.

By nine, I was in my room trying to read. I say trying because I had couldn't get my mind off of Edward. The page in the book hadn't been turned in an hour as I lay in bed trying to puzzle out what he was. He was unnaturally strong, beautiful, and he looked like he has not slept in months. But then again all the Cullens looked that way and they all had similar eye colors regardless of none of them being blood related. There skin was tough, but obviously it could be broken. I had proved that.

"Ahhh!" It was so frustrating, I should have told Dad about the incident at hospital but what would we do then? I didn't really want to contemplate disaster management on a fellow students and their parents. Even if they weren't human.

I huffed as my book clapped shut. I placed it on my night stand then turned out the lights. I had to let it go, I had a truce with the Cullen's. I at least I hoped they would let it go and meet me halfway.

Eventually she drifted off to sleep but even there the waking world's problems followed me.

( ´△｀)

After Edward had returned home, he swiftly went off to hunt bucks. Later, he returned home to face his family. His precognitive sister was the first to come to him, followed closely by Jasper. Her arms wrapping around his neck before he could even react.

"Oh Edward are you alright? What happened? You and Bella were talking in the hall then my vision just turned to white noise. The next thing I knew you were with Carlisle in his office with a mangled hand." She huffed appraising him. For what it was worth, Edward did find a sense of comfort that his family truly cared what happen to each other.

He only gave his usual crooked smile as he motioned for them to go inside.

"I'm fine Alice," He said holding up his freshly healed hand. "See, all better." Esme, his mother, was the next person to appraise him. She worried like any mother would about herchildren, and why shouldn't she, she loved them. After assuring her several times that he would tell them what had happened.

ల(｀°Δ°)

It wasn't long until Carlisle arrived home and everyone drifted to the large, unused, wooden dining table. Emmett and Rosalie had been absent when Edward arrived home and now it showed that Rosalie was not happy.

'Not that she truly ever was.' Edward thought to himself.

Carlisle brought the family meeting to order then passed lead to Edward so he could recant the day's events after he had saved Bella Swan.

At Edward's telling of how he and Bella had stopped the van, he received a myriad of looks and questions all he answered. Everyone seemed skeptical with the exception of Carlisle who had seen what Bella could do first hand.

Carlisle confirmed the story and what had happened and then everyone was quiet and lost in there own contemplations of what this meant for our family.

'This is such bull, first you save the twit and now you're claiming she is as strong as us." Rosalie thought at me while scowling.

'Strong enough to do us some damage,' Emmett. 'I bet I could take her. Maybe a friendly arm wrestling competition.' Even though Emmett's thoughts were of taking Bella on, it was all in good fun and he didn't mean anything pernicious by it. Edwards knew this and did not hold a grudge on his brother for it. Inwardly however, Edward would bet on Bella due to the force of her grip and how it took her less than a second to do him damage.

'This is really upsetting Alice. I just want her to stop worrying.'This time it was Jasper, always putting Alice first.

'I just don't understand why there is so much static around her.' My precognitive sister thought to herself. All the while a perplexing and irritated look marred her face.

Esme was more worried about the family and about Edward. While Carlisle's were curiosity, Bella, to him, represented an unknown and that was something that he enjoyed deciphering.

"So what are we going to do about her? She knows something is up and if she doesn't keep her mouth shut, this ends badly for all of us. All because you just had to save the human." Whether it was good or bad, Edward did admire Rose for one thing: she didn't hold back. It was not often that she did not speak her mind.

"Nothing. She won't tell anyone." Edward spoke.

"Oh? And how do you know? It's not like you can hear her thoughts or did you forget!"

It was Carlisle that spoke next to try and calm the argument before it got more out of control. "She has her secrets and we have ours, I believe we came to an understanding." But as usual Rose was not done and would not let it slide, even on Carlisle's word.

"We can't know that! She saw you, Edward, and you can not read her mind! To make matters worse, Alice's visions are on the fritz when it comes to the human. So pardon me but neither of you can know for certain. I say that we need to think about what to do about it."

'Like ending her before she opens her mouth and ends us.' Rose's words elicited a growl from Edward, the very thought of anyone hurting Bella was revolting to him and it ignited a fire deep in him. A feeling of possessiveness was crawling its way to the surface.

"You will not lay a hand on her, Rose." The words left Edward's lips through clenched teeth.

"She has a point however. If they are a threat and this gets out of hand it could fall back on all of us, we have to do what's best for the family." Jasper said as he placed a protective arm around his mate.

"I'm sorry; it's just like static around her most of the time." Alice finally spoke up. The worry and disappointment never leaving her as she spoke in quiet tones, but not quite enough that everyone could not hear them.

Carlisle tried to reason with Rosalie but his argument was falling on deaf ears. "I truly don't believe she meant any ill will toward Edward. I think it was on instinct when she attacked you Edward. Yes, it is unfortunate that she found out as much as she did, but we we are also on the receiving end of knowledge that she wanted to keep secret."

"We know nothing about her other than she just moved here and she is strong enough to hurt us. You," Rosalie pointed at Edward, "can't read her mind, Alice can't see her, and she knows about us. There is no argument here, there is nothing else to say. Irregardless of what she is she knows about us! So we vote on it. I vote death. Emmett?"

'This couldn't be happening.' Edward thought to himself.

"Yes," Emmett said apologetically as he shrugged. "I don't relish ending her but Rose has a point, she knows too much. Sorry Eddie"

"NO!" Edward almost roared. "You can't do this Rose!"

"No, I can't condone this." Came Carlisle Esme following suite. "Nor can I."

"Yes" Said Jasper looking up from a nervous Alice as she wrung her hands. Again, trying to focus on a vision that wouldn't come. "I'm sorry, what she knows is a danger to us all, but also Alice. I can let that go."

"What about you Alice?" Rose asked, as Alice again focused harder on obtaining some future insight in the girl.

"I'll not let you hurt her Rose! I refuse to let you hurt her." Edward was grabbing the table so hard that it was starting to make an indentation.

"I just can't get it- I'm sorry." Alice said exasperated.

"So that's it four to three. Bella Swan has to be eliminated." Rose said as if her word was law. "Sorry Edward."

She may have said all the right words, and Rose may have given herself reason to justify killing Bella but Edward knew in that moment two things. He would do anything he had to to protect Bella, and Rose was not as sorry as she made out like she was.

(ノдヽ)

Oh snap! Rose wanting to get her kill on!

So what did you think, I like keeping Bella in first person, but I really don't want to hear Edward's inner thoughts. Truth be told, I always thought he was kind of a self loathing dip that just needed someone to punch the crap out of him. He just cries about life and woe is me. He needs more dark colors if he is going to do that and let's not even get in his over protectiveness to the point of controlling, or his stalker watching you sleep thing. -shivers- That's not heart warming, that's creepy and abusive.

Anywho, it would be really great if I got some reviews. I like them, they make me smile and feel good. I need my ego stoked a little ;3

I really hope you're all enjoying this story. I wanted to do something with Twilight because I have another project in this world that I really want to get right but I felt I needed to sharpen my skills with something else first before I dig into it.