Note: Hi, thank you for the lovely reviews! Just wanted to say that this chapter is a bit more emotional than usual and I'm a little bit worried about it... I really hope it's not too boring but it needed to be done. Also, a song that seems appropriate for this chapter is Nobody's Home by Avril Lavigne, if you've heard of it.

That's Why You're Beautiful

Chapter Eleven

There was a very loud gasp of shock from Mom and I even heard her calling to Dad in disbelief. I could vaguely distinguish a few murmurs in the background and immediately imagined my Dad sitting there with his newspaper, filling in the crosswords with his glasses perched on the end of his nose.

"Bella, love! Why haven't you contacted us in so long? Gosh we've missed you so much! How are you? How are you coping? Goodness, I can't believe this."

She broke off and, to my surprise, I could already feel tears running slowly down my cheeks. It was such an incredible shock just hearing her voice. It was so soothing and familiar, bringing back many raw memories that I'd forced deep down below the surface.

I couldn't control myself; I automatically thought back to my childhood, running home from school and flinging myself straight into my Mom's arms. School was tough for me and, as soon as the bell rang for the end of the day, I practically sprinted out of the class to be greeted by her at the gates. I wanted nothing but to be in my parents' company all the time. They provided so much warmth and reassurance, and I always felt so happy coming back to them. School meant that I couldn't see them and so I detested it.

My mind quickly travelled to the summer time and playing cricket in the fields with Dad. He wasn't very good at it but still, he did try, helplessly hitting at the ball and nearly losing grip on the bat. I secretly prayed sometimes that he would do so, and that the bat would fly high up into the air, spinning in circles and landing with a thump on the ground.

I was weird like that.

I then thought back to Christmas time, my absolute favourite time of the year. I was, admittedly, a little selfish, constantly thanking God that I was an only child. It wasn't because of all the wonderful presents I used to receive, it was just because I received all the attention. It seems like I was a spoiled brat, but I just loved them focusing on me. It made me feel like I belonged after the harsh time I had at school.

It all went a little wrong during my teenage years. No, very wrong. Dad, having previously given up his police job after my birth to help Mom look after me, had decided to return to work, and he was only home for a few hours a day. Even during that little time, he was always exhausted and never had the energy to speak to me. On top of this, Mom seemed to be constantly stressed, and I never quite understood why.

I had to grow up at during that time of my life. It was hard and I hated it; I felt isolated and a lot of tears were shed. However, after a few months of depression, I realised it was something that I just couldn't avoid. I distanced myself from my parents bit by bit and gradually became an adult.

It seems that the distance went further than I could have ever imagined.

Once I'd met David during University and announced that we were getting married, it was like being a little child again. Mom fondled over me and Dad became all tearful over his little girl. They became involved in organising everything and I absorbed the attention. The wedding day itself was really wonderful but emotionally draining.

And that's not involving the horror of the honeymoon.

After that, I somehow managed to get home and shut myself away for months, hardly eating and wallowing in self pity. I emerged for his funeral, barely alive, but it was all a lie. I'd told my friends and family that he was hit by a car. The real truth seemed so horrific to admit, and the fact that his killer was still on the loose was enough to make me sick.

So I lied. It's become a bit of a habit.

And ever since, I've stayed away from them, like a coward. They call sometimes, but I hardly ever answer. It's been months since I saw my parents and heard their voices properly. This caused me a deep pain, and during this time I turned to prostitution, believing it was the solution to all of my problems. I couldn't have been more wrong. It didn't solve my worries, just made them worse.

I eventually found Alice, when I was out on a rare trip to the shops, and she brought back a little bit of humanity to my life. Of course I was lying to her, too, telling her that David was an ex-husband of mine. It makes me wince thinking of the web I've created. But at least it now seems to be getting untangled.

Lying to Alice wasn't as painful as keeping the reality from my parents, though. But now, it really does feel right to tell them the truth. I've really been selfish and cruel, but everything that's happened lately has made me realise just how much I need them and that I want to have them in my life again. No, I need them back in my life. I could lose anybody when I least expect it, and anything could happen. I should have made the most of everybody I knew. They're brilliant and wonderful, and helped me survive. They made me who I am...

As I came to this sudden realisation, I sobbed and crumbled in a landslide of realisation. I'd wasted valuable time with my parents, who were the people that meant the most to me.

I'd been so stupid.

I was their daughter, their flesh and blood, and they had the right to know what was going on in my life.

They deserved the truth.

"Mom," I eventually gasped, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. I was struggling to breathe normally and had to sit down to steady myself. It was hard to believe that all this was really happening... it was a little breathtaking.

My Mom, knowing me well, noticed my pain straight away. "Bella?" Her voice was soft and made me close my eyes, thinking of all my mistakes. "Bella, honey, what's wrong?"

"M-Mom I... I need to talk to you," I spluttered, wiping away at my eyes. I was weak and vulnerable, yet had never felt so safe. I had my parents now.

"Honey, you can tell me," she soothed, not asking any questions about my lack of contact. I admired her for that and took a deep breath, explaining everything, from what had happened to Alice, to the pain of how David really died.

By the end I could barely see because my eyes were so raw and teary. My throat had completely closed up and it ached, as though telling her the truth was like having acid poured into my mouth.

Yet, I did feel better. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and a little bit of the guilt I'd been experiencing had burned away.

Mom was stunned into a long silence and I heard her suck in a lot of air. "Bella, love." Her voice was so full of sympathy and love that it made fresh tears run down my cheeks. "Bella, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

She didn't raise her voice, but was completely calm, despite the things I'd told her. I sobbed a bit more, before answering, "I... I c-couldn't. I just... I couldn't."

She understood perfectly. "Bella, come over. You still know our address, don't you?" I nodded to myself. They were a few miles away from me, yet they had felt so far away from me during my time of hurt. Now, they felt closer. Within reach.

"Come over tonight," she continued. "I need to see my little girl."

Her words choked me up again and I whispered my thanks before hanging up the phone. I felt exhausted, yet quickly stumbled into my room and began packing a few things together. As I reached for my clothes, I felt a bewildering sense of warmth; I was going to see my parents. At that moment, everything felt like it could be OK.

That was only a brief feeling, though. I quickly thought back to Alice and Edward... Emmett and Jasper.

Things were getting really serious with Alice and I was just plain confused when it came to Edward.

I had problems, but I'd have to take them one step at a time.

After roughly packing a small suitcase, I rushed for the door and headed towards my car. Once I'd started the engine, I felt a tiny glimmer of hope. Maybe in a few months' time my life could be normal again. I could have an ordinary job, a loving partner, parents nearby and healthy friends.

Optimism washed over me as I left the car park. That would be my goal, something to work towards.

I even managed a smile as I stopped at the traffic lights.

***

It was a shock seeing the house once more for the first time. It hadn't changed at all, and I could even see the blinds flickering in the lounge window. I smiled to myself, thinking of Mom peeking nosily at the neighbours in the past.

I cut the engine and leaned against the steering wheel for a moment, taking in the sheer enormity of what was happening. Before I could think about anything else, however, light suddenly flooded around me as the front door opened and Mom and Dad rushed towards my car. I hastily undid my seatbelt and leapt out, launching myself into their arms.

There were tears. Plenty of them. I cried heavily as I inhaled their familiar, comforting scent, and felt their arms tightening around me. I felt safe once again, like I was finally where I belonged.

"I'm so s-sorry!" I sobbed, pulling away and wiping at my tears. Mom cupped my face with her hands, her tears also evident. My gaze turned to Dad, who was smiling warmly and looked a little watery-eyed.

I took that moment to take in their appearance. Mom hadn't changed much, but she had a few more lines on her forehead and around her eyes. I vaguely wondered if that was down to me. Dad's hair was greying a little at his sides, but he still had a youthful look about him.

"Bella, darling, you've been through so much," Dad sighed, resting his hand on my shoulder. "You couldn't have coped on your own... You shouldn't have."

I swallowed thickly, whispering, "I'm sorry." I didn't know what else to say.

"Bella." Mom's hands moved to my hair, gently and lovingly stroking it. "Don't apologise."

"I... I should have t-told you," I murmured, blubbering like a baby.

"We understand why you didn't, love, and now we can help you through it," Mom answered, smiling gently at me. "Come on, let's get inside before we freeze to death." I stiffened a little at her words, but realised I was just being over-sensitive. Dad opened the boot of my car and retrieved my suitcase. "How would you like a nice cup of coffee?" Mom continued.

I smiled through my tears. It was just like the old times.

As we walked inside, I was surprised to see that they'd redecorated. It was still homely, though, with the radiators blasting welcoming heat through the air and the warm colours making the place seem even more wonderful.

Why on earth had I left it so long?

"Take a seat, darling," Dad said, resting his hand on the small of my back. He led me into the lounge and I wasn't surprised to see a baseball match on the TV. I took a seat and sank tiredly into it. As Dad reached for the remote, I closed my eyes and relished in the comfort of the plumped pillows. This was like heaven.

Mom soon came in with a tray of mugs and biscuits, and she closed the curtains, settling down and glancing at me all the time. It looked like she was worried I'd break or something. She passed me a cup and I smiled my thanks at her. They were both on the edge of their seats and I could tell that they were feeling awkward, waiting for someone to say the first word.

"How are you feeling now, love?" Mom eventually asked, causing me to chew on my lip. It took me a while to form an answer. I decided to be honest.

"Not so good, really." Both of their faces fell. "I'm really worried about Alice."

"Is that your best friend?" Dad asked, and I nodded. He exhaled heavily, "It's such a shame about what's happened to her."

"Yeah," I sighed, rubbing at my eyes.

"It'll be nice to meet her one day," Mom pondered. "If she's special to you then she's special to us."

I smiled, briefly wondering whether they would ever meet Alice. I hoped so.

There was a momentary silence, before Mom leaned towards me with a serious expression. I knew what was coming and took a deep breath. "Bella... why didn't you tell us about David?"

Hearing his name made me wince a little. The only sound in the room was the gentle buzzing of the TV, for Dad had turned the sound down, leaving us in near silence. I closed my eyes and started.

"Back when it happened, I was in s-shock," I managed, my voice only a tiny whisper. My parents hung off my every word that I said and I was very aware of the tension around me. "I was there when he d-died... he died in my arms." I could feel the familiar ache filling me up and tried to fight against it. "I wanted to b-believe that it hadn't really happened and a car a-accident seemed less painful." I stopped, unable to speak for a few moments. The pain was overwhelming me; I'd shut it away for the past few months and now it was boiling over. "I'm s-sorry, I was s-so selfish. B-But I couldn't c-cope."

I broke down at that moment, crying heavily once more. I was enveloped in hugs and I couldn't stop myself constantly murmuring apologies.

"Bella, please stop saying that," Mom pleaded, pulling away. "It's not your fault! We understand."

Dad nodded. "You've been so strong."

I shook my head. "I've been a c-coward."

They each gripped a hand of mine. "You've been keeping all of this to yourself and now it's out in the open. That took a lot of courage," Dad said. "We're proud of you and are now going to help you through it."

I smiled through my tears, again feeling the optimism.

"Hey, how about you have an early night?" Mom suggested, taking the coffee gently from my hands. "You must be exhausted."

And you need to see your friends in hospital tomorrow. The unspoken thought hovered in the air and I nodded. "OK."

As I made my way up the stairs, Mom and Dad followed. We paused on the landing and they both smiled at me again.

"Thank you for doing this, Bella," Mom said, looking close to tears again. This almost triggered my own. "We've been so worried and now... it's just wonderful having our own daughter back."

I smiled weakly before murmuring, "Yeah. Goodnight. And... thank you."

"You're our daughter, Bella, and we'll always be here for you."

I'd never heard Dad speaking so emotionally and was overwhelmed once more. I quickly smiled once more before closing the bathroom door behind me and collapsing into tears again. I caught sight of myself in the mirror and had to do a double take. My face was pale and blotchy, completely covered in tear and mascara stains. I had circles under my eyes and it truly felt like I hadn't slept in a lifetime.

After brushing my teeth and sorting myself out, I emerged and made my way to the spare bedroom. I flicked on the light switch and smiled; the bed was made up and everything was still clean. Mom obviously still stuck to her old ways.

I closed the door behind me and dumped my suitcase on the floor. It didn't take me long to collapse onto the bed and close my eyes. My memories of the day were jumbled and blurry, and I felt incredibly drained, but amongst all that I was reasonably happy. Tomorrow I would wake up to see my parents. I had done the right thing and it actually made me happy.

I didn't even bother switching off the light. My eyelids were too heavy and, before shedding another tear or two, I fell slowly asleep.

***

I was staggered the next morning to wake up and trudge downstairs to see my favourite cereal waiting on the kitchen table. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry as I slumped down, grabbing a spoon and tucking in. I heard a commotion from somewhere in the house and Mom suddenly rushed into the room, smiling at me.

"Bella, how did you sleep, love?"

She reached down and hugged me as I replied, "Great thank you. It was lovely."

"That's good to hear." She took a seat beside me and poured herself some cereal. "What are you planning today?"

I swallowed my mouthful. "Well I was going to take a trip to the hospital, to see Alice and Ed-" I paused, realising I hadn't told her about him.

"And who?" she asked curiously.

"And Edward, he's... he's another friend of mine," I replied quickly, keeping my eyes on the table. I could feel Mom's gaze radiating off my skin and tried my hardest not to look up and give anything away. I didn't know why I was being so paranoid; Edward was a friend after all.

"Well, if you're ready to," Mom said slowly. "Do you want me to come with you?"

I considered that for a moment and finally shook my head. "I think it's best if I go on my own. Alice will be recovering from her operation today, so maybe it's not such a good idea."

She nodded. "Maybe another time."

We were silent for a while, before Mom said, "You've changed a lot."

I looked up at her in genuine confusion. "How?"

"You seem to be a lot more serious than before," she said. "Before you were rather sarcastic all the time and now... well, you seem to be taking everything seriously."

"I've had to become stronger," I answered, shrugging off her comments. "I never really noticed."

"Well you're still yourself, that's obvious," she added. "It's just subtle..."

I mumbled a response and quickly finished my cereal. I didn't want to take what she was saying too seriously. Was this whole experience changing me? Standing up, I said, "Well I'd better be off. Sorry... I don't mean to leave in such a rush, I just-"

She cut me off. "Bella, your friends are in hospital, I completely understand. And the only thing that matters to me is that you'll be back here by the end of the day."

I smiled. "Of course I will be." I gave her a quick kiss. "Love you."

"Love you too," she replied as I made my way towards the door. "I hope it goes well."

I sighed, opening the car door. "Me too."

***

I arrived at the hospital, feeling trapped in a routine once again, and vaguely wondered whether the whole of yesterday had been a weird dream. I knew it hadn't, deep down, but it still felt strange thinking that I'd actually done what I had.

Before I went to see Alice, I quickly peeked in on Edward. He was asleep, to my disappointment, but that didn't stop me watching him for a while. He looked so peaceful and didn't have his glasses on for a change, which was odd. His hair was messy as though he had been tossing and turning, and I smiled at the way he murmured a few things in his sleep.

I was preparing to walk away before I heard something that made me stagger a little.

"Bella..."

I turned around, expecting to see him awake, but he was still fast asleep. I blinked a few times in disbelief, eventually convincing myself that I'd imagined it.

"Hello Bella."

I jumped at the sound of Dr Cullen's voice behind me and had to clutch my chest to calm myself down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said, looking at me in concern. I couldn't understand why I was being so darn jumpy.

"It's OK," I managed, eventually slowing my breathing. "How is he?"

"Edward's fine. He's going home later." He paused. "How is your friend today?"

"I wouldn't know, I'm just going in to see her," I answered.

He nodded. "She must be starting the chemotherapy soon."

I nodded grimly, being brought back to reality. "Yeah... I think she is."

"She'll be alright," he smiled. "I give you my word."

"That doesn't stop her being in pain," I replied.

"I'm sorry but that can't be helped," he said cooly. "Anyway, please wish her luck from me."

I muttered something and walked away slowly. I realised that another big thing was about to happen in my life, and that I needed to be by Alice's side during it. It was going to be tough seeing her suffering, but it would hopefully save her life.

Turning the corner, I took a deep breath and my heart nearly gave in as I saw Jasper busily pacing outside. He met my gaze and I rushed over, giving him a questioning look.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"I just needed a few moments to think," he answered simply. His eyes looked a million miles away and I wondered what he was thinking.

"Has she woken up yet?"

He shook his head, "Not yet."

"Well she needs us to be there when she does," I said, sounding tougher than I felt. I headed towards the door. "You ready?"

He took a deep breath and joined my side. The next few days were going to be hard for Alice but, if she had us two by her side, it should all be fairly bearable.

We both walked in and sat by her bedside once more.

Argh. Well I hope you liked it... like I said, I felt it was necessary to learn about Bella's past, and you certainly have. Please don't have a go at me if you didn't like it... just be nice! I'd really like to know what you thought, anyway.