AN: 'Drugs or Me – Jimmy Eat World.' Finally! I have been waiting for this chapter just so I can use this song. It's unbelievably perfect and beautiful all at the same time. Listen!

Look who's back! Sorry for the disgusting long wait. I am currently trying to get back to my regular sleep pattern. I have learned that I cannot sleep on a moving bus, even when said bus breaks down in the early hours of the morning. Twice. Stupid cheap piece of metal. That lovely 12-hour bus ride home I mentioned turned into a 20-hour bus ride. But evs, some of just whipped out our violins and played on the side of the highway. Quite the site. Overall, Montreal was amazing. I am now set on going to McGill for University, haha, they won me over. Sneaky buggers. However, our orchestra was pitiful compared to the players from Connecticut. If you're one of those grade 6-8'ers that jammed with us. I dislike you right now. You, you're mad skills and your psychotic conductor. She was just scary. And yes, little kids showed up an orchestra full of 15-18 year olds. We're ashamed, don't worry.

I did try to write on the bus but it was extremely hard. Our bus driver not so much resembled Edward in the looks department but he sure as hell could give Edward a run for his money in driving insanely fast. I couldn't even look out the window. I wrote a page but as I read it now I can't help but laugh. Hopefully this is a bit better.

ALSO: My story has been NOMINATED on the Denali Coven site. I was speechless…I can't fathom why I would be nominated but I am extremely honoured! Whoever nominated the story…well, thanks! I kinda laughed though; I found it hysterically ironic how I am the furthest thing from romantic and yet my fic is nominated for best romance. But you know what? I'm just going with it (even though I don't even find this story that romantic, to be honest).

So this AN was very long. Sorry. I'm sure you missed my rants these past days. Teh, not.

BPOV

I had taken on the form of the living dead. That's just what I was. It appeared I was living on the outside, but on the inside I was completely dead. I had become the model daughter finally; no longer was I skipping school and doing drugs. Now I would attend every class, be home at 3:30 after school on the dot and I assisted in all the housework at home. My mother didn't know which to feel, proud or worried. Her only daughter had straightened up her act but what's the point in showering your daughter in praises when she's a walking zombie?

Yes, what should have been a happy month after my release from rehab was the polar opposite. How could I possibly celebrate when the boy I love and best friend were still trapped in that awful place? Awful place, yes, but I wanted nothing more than to be there with them.

It was amazing and rather shocking how dependant I had become on him. My newfound good mood I had when Edward arrived had plummeted. Simple things would remind me of him. I even would catch myself thinking up reasons why objects could remind me of him. I couldn't even listen to songs with piano in them anymore. I desperately needed to hear my lullaby being played by that beautiful Greek God again.

Renee had tried on countless times to get me out of the house and socialize. It was a failed attempt every time. She had gotten over treating me like the perfect princess and was fed up with my actions (or lack thereof) at this point.

"Bella, I don't want to hear any complaining. A few of my girl friends and I are going to the beach today and they're bringing their daughters. You're coming and you will spend time with them."

She left little room to argue so I grudgingly pulled on my swimsuit, even though I knew I would definitely not be swimming, and a light outfit overtop. The drive to the beach was silent between my mother and I, but what was new?

"Be good, Bella, please?" Renee pleaded as we stepped out of the car.

"Yes, ma'am," I said bitterly. She gave me a hard stare but her face instantly warmed when she saw her friends waving her over as if they were directing air traffic.

"Hi! I'm Jessica!" I was halted in my tracks when a bushy-haired girl stepped in front of me, wearing a huge smile. I remembered my mother's warning and showed my attempt at a smile and replied,

"Bella," I said curtly and continued walking around her.

I plunked myself down on the warm sand and took in the view. I wouldn't lie; I had missed the beauty of the ocean and the feel of sand at my fingertips. My admiring was interrupted when the persistent Jessica returned this time flanked with two other girls. Jessica was quickly reminding me of another certain annoying character I knew back in rehab.

I could tell they didn't want to be here in my presence. They sat down near me, sure, but they continued their conversation as if I was just another meaningless grain of sand. Well, that was just fine with me.

"And so I told him: Jared, if you're going to cheat on me, like, at least have the decency to tell me first, you know?" Jessica said while her two dimwitted friends nodded their heads in agreement. I sighed in frustration; feeling like my IQ was dropping every second I was near these three.

Jessica turned her attention to me and scrutinized me. "Is there something wrong?" she said sweetly.

"No, of course not, if you'll excuse me…" I smiled just as sweetly back to her and then stood up to leave. I headed to where Renee and the other mothers were laying.

"Mom," I said quietly, "can we leave?"

Renee lifted her sunglasses up, annoyed. "Bella, we just got here twenty minutes ago, go back with the other girls."

Sighing heavily, I said a little too loudly, "I don't want to! They can't even say one sentence without using the word like! I feel like an idiot just being here with them!"

I heard Jessica gasp from behind me. When had they come over here?

"I told you she was unstable. I heard she just got out of rehab. If you ask me, she was probably released a little too early," she whispered to her friend but loud enough for me to hear.

I fought the urge to lunge at her and instead turned on my heel to head back to car and wait the time out. However, fate had another plan. My clumsiness caught up to me as I walked over a patch of rocks and my foot caught on one. I tripped and landed oddly on my left wrist. As I sat up I felt a sharp stab shoot through my wrist and I was sure it was sprained if not broken.

"Oh, Bella…" Renee came rushing over and helped me stand up. She gently touched my wrist and I let out a yelp. She turned back to her friends. "I'm sorry, girls, I'm going to have to take Bella to the hospital. I'll talk to you all later."

They quickly said their goodbyes and Renee ushered me to the car. We unfortunately lived a fair way away from the nearest hospital so we had to drive for quite some time.

"Maybe you should go live with you father…" Renee said quietly.

"What?" I asked, surprised.

"A fresh start would probably do you some good."

"Mom, I don't need to move, I'm fine right here," I said sharply. "I'll get over it," I added sadly but I didn't believe my words for a second.

It turned out my arm was thankfully not broken but I had to wear a thin cast on it for two weeks. The outcome could have been so much worse so I was contrite with this news.

I got antsy waiting with Renee to fill out paperwork so I decided to take a walk around the hospital and get a drink. At the vending machine, I saw a familiar face buying water with a woman I hadn't met before.

"Dr. Cullen?" The man turned around at the sound of his name and landed his eyes on me.

"Isabella," he said in a calm voice, "the hospital again, I see?"

Carlisle had met me quite a few times in the past two years at the hospital, enough for us to be on a first name basis. He would always mend any broken bones or wounds I'd receive from my clumsy behavior. Carlisle was always pleasant to talk to and was very good at his occupation. I could tell he had a lot of compassion for helping people. He did not seem to judge me when he found out about my drug problem. He was disappointed but he seemed to somehow understand in a sense. I noticed this time I saw him, though, that his face didn't hold the same light it normally did.

I held up my bandaged wrist, "Tripped on some rocks at the beach."

He gave me a small smile and then wrapped an arm around the woman standing beside him. "Bella, this is my wife Esme, Esme this is one of my patients, Isabella."

The woman smiled the best she could; I could tell she had recently been crying. "It is very nice to meet you, Isabella," she said as she gathered me into a warm hug.

"Please, call me Bella," I requested. She nodded in response.

I took a moment to observe the couple and their faces looked worn.

"It's probably none of my business but is something wrong?" I asked worriedly.

Esme's face immediately looked pained and she seemed to fighting the urge to cry again while Carlisle's face turned grim.

"Our son is in the hospital. He's…sick," Carlisle chose his words carefully.

"Oh," I replied, not wanting to press matters, "well I hope he gets better. See you later Carlisle, Esme." I waved with my good hand and turned around to head back to my mother.

My thoughts drifted to him…could it have been a coincidence that Carlisle shared the same surname as him? It must have been. Besides, he wouldn't be in the hospital he's in rehab.

As I walked past the nurses' station, though, I heard something that caused me to stop dead in my tracks.

"Bertha, bring Mr. Edward Cullen his meds, it's past two," a plump nurse said in an annoyed tone.

I swallowed a visible gulp. It couldn't… he couldn't be here, he just couldn't. What had happened? I began to panic but I was sensible enough to follow the nurse in hopes of seeing him. I was about to scream, she wasn't moving fast enough! She finally made it and I all but plowed her down in the doorway.

"Here you are, Mr.— Ahh! Miss, you can't be in here!" she said frantically. I ignored her as my eyes found the sleeping form of none other than my Edward. Only it wasn't the Edward I had grown used to. This Edward looked almost dead, with his skin a sickly pale colour and a thin sweat evident on that skin. Under his eyelids, which covered the pair of gorgeous green eyes I had so desperately wanted to see the entire month, were heavy purple bags. I didn't need anyone to tell me; Edward had relapsed. Oh, Edward! How could you do this to me? You were doing so well!

"Miss, please, you must leave, you're not family," the annoying nurse spoke again, tugging on my arm. I ripped my arm from her grasp and sat down beside Edward, taking his hand in my hand that wasn't bandaged. I felt his hand tighten around mine, instinctively.

The nurse huffed and gave up, storming out of the room. Good choice.

"Edward," I whispered, "Why?" As much as I was happy to see his face again I was angry. This would set him back so far. It would most likely be more than a few months until I saw him again. I couldn't control myself as I began to sob tears of sadness, happiness, anger, and frustration.

"Bella?" an astonished asked from the doorway. I looked up to find Carlisle and Esme. I knew it. They were Edward's parents.

"Uhm…" I stuttered, quickly wiping my tears away from my face. This was awkward. I was practically hanging off their son crying my eyes out.

"What are you doing here?" Carlisle inquired.

"I…sort of know your son," I said. I could see the looks of confusion on their faces so I continued quietly, "I met him in rehab."

Realization spread across Carlisle and Esme's faces as I told them this.

"I take it you're a bit more than friends?" Esme asked quietly as she noticed I retook Edward's hand. Embarrassment flooded my cheeks in the form of a fierce blush.

"Uh…well," I really was having a difficult time forming a sentence. "I guess you could say that," I said nonchalantly, though I could tell Esme realized we were more.

I sighed, giving up, "Look, I'm in love with your son. This past month that I've been out of rehab has been hell, to put it bluntly. I couldn't stand being away from Edward," I confessed, earning a smile from Esme.

"I figured it was you when I met you in the corridor. Edward wouldn't stop talking about you a couple months ago when he visited us, I don't even think he realized he was doing it. I can see the affect you have on him and it's wonderful to see. I could see happiness apparent on his face but I'm sad to say this past month when he visited he looked…hollow and not himself. I take it was because of your absence," Esme said.

I was shocked by her words. I had had this much affect on Edward?

"He didn't…" I motioned to Edward's slumbering form, "do this because of me…did he?" Esme looked between the two of us sympathetically and she didn't have to say a word for me to know the answer. I had caused Edward to almost die from overdose. Guilt was the number one thing on my mind at that moment. How could I do this to him? My eyes began to water again as I looked at Edward's depleted, peaceful face.

"Is he going to be okay? I mean overdose victims can sometimes get permanent damage…"

"No," Carlisle said, "Edward will be fine, we're certain."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"We'll leave you alone…"Esme suggested, pulling Carlisle out behind her.

Not a minute later, the greatest relief came to me. Edward's eyes fluttered open.

"Bella?" he asked groggily, squeezing my hand weakly.

"Edward," I whispered through tears.

"What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining…I missed you," he said in one breath. I choked out a laugh.

I held up my busted wrist and it was all the evidence he needed, "I missed you, too," I replied, leaning down for a kiss. He immediately deepened it and I happily went along. I stopped moments later and pulled away.

"You're making it really hard for me to be mad at you right now," I said, narrowing my eyes seriously. Edward showed a look of confusion. "Why did you do this? You were doing so great in rehab and then you go and do a stupid thing like this!" I snapped angrily.

Edward's eyes filled with guilt and sadness. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "I know it's no excuse and I'm not blaming you…but when you left I become this pathetic thing. I couldn't function. Going back to heroin seemed like the only way to cope. I know it was very insensible and I regret it fully. Now it's going to take even longer for me to get out and see you again."

I inwardly winced, remembering the talk with my mother in the car earlier but I didn't voice my thoughts.

"It'll be okay," I said, "everything will work out." I tried to believe it myself.

Edward nodded his head slightly appearing to be lost in his own thoughts.

"Hey," I said all of the sudden, changing the depressing topic, "it turns out I know you dad. I've known him for a while now; I'm his patient. I never made the connection between you two, though. I met your mother today as well, she is very nice," I said as I smiled, remembering her kind nature.

Edward gave his own crooked smile, "I'm glad you think so. I love them very much."

I was going to continue our conversation when I remembered my own mother was waiting somewhere for me probably in search for me. No doubt this would give her another reason to send me to Forks, Washington.

"Oh my gosh, I have to go, my mother is probably going berserk wondering where I am," I informed him, reluctant to leave.

Edward's face visibly dropped as he nodded his head. "All right. I'll see you…later," we both knew we wouldn't be seeing each other for quite a while if not ever again. "I love you," he added. This brought a smile to my face.

"I love you, too," I grinned against his lips. We heard a small squeak from the doorway and we both looked up at the same time. Carlisle and Esme had returned and were now standing in the doorway. Esme had her hand covering her mouth as her eyes watered. I took this as my queue to leave.

As I passed Esme she gave me another hug.

"We'll be seeing you again," Esme said confidently.

"I hope so," I whispered back.

AN: It's longer! I'm quite happy; I was getting sick of the shortish chapters. Carry on and review. We're at almost 350! Whoa! And I'm excited to say on my long bus drive I thought up another story idea after this one. A vampire one. I though I'd take a crack at it. I hope it's original :S.