CH 2

BPOV

I froze. My eyes took in the large, calloused, tanned arm and hand that was currently wrapped around my stomach. Unless a miracle had occurred while I was sleeping, there is no way in hell I grew an appendage like that. It took me a few seconds, but without moving my head I deduced the arm was attached to whoever was curled around me and providing some serious body heat. Not that it wasn't an absurdly nice feeling, but I couldn't quell the rising of panic that started to bubble up from inside. Who would feel so comfortable with me, and me so comfortable with them, that he felt the need to sleep beside me?

Why can't I figure out who this is? I SHOULD know, I should REMEMBER - someone who can lay with me like this.

As these questions raced through my head, so did a million others...where was I? As I looked around, again trying to keep my head still so as not to wake whoever was with me,

I am so not ready for that just yet!

I began to notice the details in the room. White walls. Big window, white blinds, rain pelting the glass. Two generic black chairs side by side. A series of machines hooked to the wall, and ironically, me.

Ok, I may be having some trouble remembering things, but I KNOW this is a hospital room! Next question...why am I here? One way to find out I guess...

I slowly turned my upper body, which wasn't easy as the arm around me tightened. My eyes followed the muscled, deeply tanned arm, past the soft black t-shirt, across a wide expanse of shoulder and up a strong neck, a pulse visibly beating erratically underneath. I suddenly felt that whoever he was, he wasn't near as asleep as I had thought. Belatedly, a sense of embarrassment and a blush stole up my entire body. The arm shifted slowly, while I was lost in my mind, and I felt a finger under my chin, slowly pushing it up until I met his eyes. They were a warm, dark brown, the corners crinkled up with his bright smile.

"Hi...," the deep smooth voice said almost shyly.

I paused, and in the space of a second, I made a series of connections.

He knows me. I don't know him. He's happy I'm awake. He's beautiful...I don't know him. I don't know him...'.Him.

My face must have reflected the panic that I felt inside, because his face changed from happy, to concerned, and finally settled on confused.

"Bella?" he questioned softly. His hand ghosted my cheek and across my hair.

I took a deep breath.

"Who are you?..." I let the question trail off, not quite understanding why I let him touch me when I didn't even know him. It just seemed right though, and comforting, and I couldn't bear to make it stop just yet. The trail of heat he left in his wake seemed to calm the panic in my mind.

His hand snapped back, and he scrambled off the bed, straightening his t-shirt and running his hand through short, dark hair.

Guess he wasn't anticipating that one. Huh. I thought to myself as I watched him stand there, staring at me, opening and closing his mouth. I oddly mourned the loss of warmth and comfort he had offered, and though I felt awkward, I just couldn't help feeling like I was missing something.

I rolled over and sat up, taking note of the wires and IV hooked to me. Lifting my arm, I added, "And why am I here?"

He looked flabbergasted. He ran his hand through his hair again, sending spikes every which way. He shook his head, took a step forward, and followed it with another shake of his head and a step back again.

"I'm...uh..ok..you're in the hospital...I'm, uh, Jake...uh, lemme...um... lemme go get...ya.." and he walked out of the room.

Well. That was helpful. I took a moment to look around at my surroundings a little closer. Maybe something could fill in a few of the blanks. I felt the panic make a comeback, and taking a few deep breaths, quashed it for the time being.

You can panic later. It's not going to help now. Look around and figure out whatever you can. You are better than a meltdown in a strange room. At least, I think I am...I couldn't even remember if I was prone to freak outs, or the strong silent type. This might be worse than I thought...

Focus Bella. I shook the residual fog off, and looked closer. A towel was half-hazardly thrown over the back of one of the chairs. Another door was partly open, and I could just see a toilet and shower. Automotive magazines littered the floor by the chairs, and the bay window ledge. A stack of thick volumes was piled neatly on the ledge as well. They looked like they belonged in old-fashioned library. A black duffel half open and sprouting toothpaste out of a pocket lay beside my bed. None of that looked like it belonged to Renee. Where was my mother?

Well, it seems I've been here for a bit...

I heard multiple footsteps rushing down the hall, and then Charlie came flying through the door.

H e rushed at me, shocking me with a hug - a big, hard, fierce hug.

"Bella! Bella! You're awake!" He squeezed me tightly one more time, and I saw behind him, a group of people I didn't recognize who suddenly parted of Renee and a doctor to come through. Charlie let me go and I was squeezed again by my mom.

"Oh honey! We were so worried!" She spoke frantically, her hands running up and down my cheeks and gripping my arms.

I was very confused as to why Charlie was in Phoenix and who all the unfamiliar people behind him were. Before I got the chance to question anything, the doctor stepped up and smiled at me warmly. I puzzled over his pale skin (and noted a few others just as pale) – most people (my pasty self excluded of course) were tanned in this sunny city.

"Bella, it's nice to see you up again – you gave us quite a scare," he chuckled good-naturedly.

"What exactly did I do this time?" I asked, "It must have been a good one if Char- I mean, Dad, came down from Washington..."

I hadn't really noticed the noises in the background of people shuffling their feet and whispering until now – when it was suddenly, piercingly silent.

I looked around, waiting for an answer, and met the shocked eyes of everyone in the room. Everyone except the man I woke up in bed with...Jake. He was slowly working his way to the front of the group, slightly behind Charlie and next to a Native man in a wheelchair.

He put his hand on Charlie's shoulder and spoke softly, so softly I almost didn't hear him.

"She doesn't know me..."

His face was a myriad of emotions...the one that would resonate with me long after my eyes close tonight, is lost. He looked lost. Like someone had taken his favourite toy and he didn't know where to go or what to do without it.

The doctor quickly spoke up as Renee slapped a hand over her mouth and Charlie froze, his face a mask.

"Charlie and Renee, please stay. The rest of you - out of the room."

A tall, pale (wow, I've never seen so many pale people in Phoenix before!) guy with messy, golden brown hair stepped forward, facing the doctor.

"Carlisle-," he started, but was interrupted by the doctor.

"No Edward, not now. Everyone out for the moment. You will see Bella later." He softened his words with a sympathetic smile to this Edward and to Jake.

That look was meaningful somehow...what I am missing here?

I paid a little more attention to the people as they left the room. More pale, pale people, and contrastingly, very dark guys all dressed rather – spartanly. Jake pushed the man in the wheelchair, and he glanced back at me as he left. His eyes seemed to be begging me for something...and I strangely felt the unequivocal desire to grant whatever it was he was asking me for. I followed his eyes as they darted from me, to Edward, and found him staring at me as well. He looked like he was trying to search my soul, with the piercing way he focussed. He smiled slightly, just the corners of his mouth turning up, before following the others out.

The soft click of the door shutting seemed to bring me back. Renee and Charlie were looking at the doctor; Renee clutching my hand. I felt calmer than I think I should have, but I didn't want the brief panic I felt earlier to resurface.

The doctor looked at me, smiled again, and introduced himself.

"I'm Dr. Cullen, Bella. You've sustained a head injury and have been in a coma for 4 days," he continued on, pausing only briefly to monitor my reaction. I gave none, only because this is, aside from the coma, really nothing new to me. I've seen the inner workings of hospitals for as long as I can remember.

Just another notch on my proverbial klutz belt! I thought to myself, snickering at my own wit.

Renee squeezed my hand tighter and Charlie had a crestfallen, pained expression. He looked at little lost standing there.

"Bella," Dr. Cullen started, "You're in Forks. Not Phoenix.

NOW he got a reaction – my head snapped up, my hand reflexively pulled out of Renee's and I stared at both my parents, looking between the two of them for answers.

"Forks? Why am I in Forks? How...How long have I been here?" The questions came out slowly, but inside my mind was a racetrack – thoughts, questions, insecurities all having a field day crashing around.

Renee began, as Charlie still had a shell-shocked look, his brows pulled together.

"Honey, you've been in Forks for a year and a half...living with your Dad," she spoke gently, "Phil and I were travelling lots, and you needed stability for your last few years of school, so you agreed to live here." Her face showed guilt and pain. I have a feeling it was tough enough the first time we must have talked about this, let alone again, now.

Dr. Cullen gave me a moment to process all this – this apparent lack of vital information, a large chunk of my life. Charlie's face made more sense now. I didn't remember living with him for a year and a half...

I felt the panic bubbling up again, but fought it desperately. I needed to stay cool. I couldn't lose my shit right now. I'm normally the one looking after Renee, being strong and calm in the face of crisis.

"So...ok...," I took a deep breath, "how much time have I lost? When will I regain my memories?" I thought I sounded fairly put-together as I asked the questions. Both Renee and Charlie followed my gaze to Dr. Cullen, the same questions mirrored on their faces.

He cleared his throat and spoke mainly to Charlie, which made sense now that I knew I wasn't in Phoenix anymore. Haha! "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!" I couldn't help the sarcasm from invading my thoughts.

"Every head injury is different Bella. People don't always lose memories, and if they do, some get them back within days, weeks, months...or sometimes not at all. There is just no predictor for these kinds of things unfortunately. We will monitor you overnight, and then tomorrow send you home." He stopped, and looked at my parents before continuing, "I think its best that Bella stay in Forks, where most the memories she has lost were. I feel that might have the best response to trigger her mind to release the ones locked away."

I could see Renee biting her lip, and she took my hand again, rubbing circles on the back of it. Charlie looked at me briefly, and smiled sadly before nodding his head in agreement.

"I agree Doc. I think she would stay here, with me." He turned to Renee, "You and Phil are still so busy, and Forks is much smaller and less intimidating. The Doc is fantastic and we will take good care of her." He finished gamely, and looked at me for approval.

I smiled weakly. I didn't know my dad anymore...but apparently he knew me. I didn't know the people out in the hall, but they all looked like they cared deeply for me. I left mom and Phil once, I guess I could do it again.

"If this is where I've been, and it will help jumpstart my memories, I'll stay." I sounded stronger than I felt, that's for sure. Renee nodded, tears filming her eyes.

There. Decision made. One at a time, right? One at a time.

Later that night, everyone long gone (I didn't have it in me to see those who had waited in the hall for me. I couldn't bear their explanations as to who they are to me, or me to them), I lay in bed and let it out. All the fear, all the panic, the sense of loss...I let it start slowly. A ball in the pit of my stomach. A slow burn up my neck and behind my eyes. A single hitched breath and a lone tear squeezed out of the corner of my tightly closed eyelid. It built and built; my chest getting tighter and tighter; until it burst forth from me. I sobbed, still desperately trying to be quiet – to not give away how much control I had lost.

Suddenly, a warm hand brushed down my cheek, taking trailing tears with it.

I startled, jerking my head up and wiping my eyes with the backs of my hands quickly. As my vision cleared, I looked into the same warm, brown eyes I woke up to. They held uncertainty this time, but also pain.

"I'm sorry," he whispered shyly, "I just can't stand to see you cry...I didn't mean to scare you." He stood there in front me, his hand now dropped to his side uselessly, white teeth worrying a corner of his full bottom lip.

I sniffled again, and smoothed my hair down as best I could before responding, "It's ok...I don't really know why it's ok...I don't remember you, but...but I have the feeling I need you right now." I can't believe I just said that to this gorgeous guy in front of me, but I did. And I meant it.