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Chapter 5
Overbearing, Wanna Be Father

I was vaguely aware of my surroundings. Everything was blurry and I could feel a cool hand in mine. Someone was speaking to me.

"Don't worry Isabella, sweetheart. You'll be ok. I promise you, you'll be ok," he murmured.

"Did I get them?" I asked, my voice weak.

"Yes sweetheart, you got them. All the evil vampires in Olympia are done for. You did excellently," he said softly, his words comforting.

This moment felt familiar. My vision was quickly fading, and I was reminded of when Edward, Carlisle, and Alice found me after James attacked me. This was the same, only my angel wasn't here.

.xoxo.

"I still don't understand how this is possible." Ah, there was my angel. "Vampires can't be unconscious. And she should be a long stronger than this."

"Honestly Cullen" – that must be Demetri – "don't you read at all? The stregoni benefici is half human. She's still immortal, but she can be killed any way a human can. Her skin's not as thick and her organs still function."

"Demetri, I can't believe you let this happen to her." Damn, that was Aro's voice. "I told you to watch over her."

I groaned. "Aro, why are you here?"

"You're in the hospital, Bella, where else would I be?" I opened my eyes and my room was filled with visitors. Edward was sitting in the chair next to my bed, clutching my hand in his. This brought back painful memories and I moaned again.

"What's wrong?" Demetri asked frantically. "Do I need to get Carlisle?" I glanced at Edward and he understood. "Don't touch her, Cullen," he spat. Surprised, Edward automatically released my hand. I flexed my fingers and then curled them into a fist. I tried to do the same with my right hand, but found that I couldn't. I was remotely worried until I looked over and saw that my hand was still in a cast.

"What happened, Demetri?" I asked.

"Nathan got you. We got all the newborns. I swear, I didn't even know Nathan was in town. I'm going to kill that bloody idiot next time I see him," he growled.

"How the hell did he know I was in Olympia?" I sighed. "What is he tracking me or something?"

Demetri snorted. "Stalking would be the correct term, amore." I distinctly heard Edward growl. Amore was Demetri's pet name for me; it was Italian for love. "You know how absolutely obsessed he is with you."

"Ah yes," I recalled. "His dramatic declaration of love."

"He was very angry when you laughed at him," Demetri responded.

"Yes, I suppose that's why he's so taken with killing me. He loves me so much he just wants to kill me." I shrugged. "I suppose that can make sense in some strange, sick, twisted way."

Edward cleared his throat. We looked at him. "Who's Nathan?" he asked.

"Some really annoying vampire who is absolutely in love with Isabella," Demetri responded with a grin. "She really seems to attract them, eh?" he said. Edward cringed. Demetri turned back to me. "Nathan's number what… five, six?"

"Technically, he's number two, but he's one of seven," I corrected absentmindedly. Edward stared at me, his mouth open in shock. "There was Felix, Nathan, Jeremy, that Volturi guard, Ryan, Cameron, and then Charles."

"What about Mason?" teased Demetri.

"He doesn't count," I said. "He was human. I thought we were just talking about vampires. If we want to go into humans, we could always say la tua cantante."

His eyes darkened. "You saved his life by keeping me from him, and he knew that. He doesn't count. I don't think he was in love with you, just grateful for you saving him."

I nodded and gave him a look. "If that helps you sleep at night," I said. And then rethinking it, said, "Well, you know what I meant."

"When can I get out of here?" I asked.

"You're not leaving until Carlisle clears you," Aro said strictly.

"Yes father," I muttered darkly, causing everyone to laugh. As if waiting for the perfect cue, Carlisle walked into the room. I looked at him pleadingly. "Please, please tell my extremely overbearing, wanna be father that I'm ok to leave."

"You can leave tomorrow," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I sighed. "But I've already slept for too long. I'll have nothing to do!"

"I'll bet Nathan could figure out a few things to do," Demetri said suggestively.

"Are we forgetting that Nathan is the reason I'm here in the first place?" I snapped. He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Demetri, I love you," I said, sounding much like a child. Again, I heard a low growl emit from Edward's lips. What the hell is his problem?

Demetri just laughed. "What do you want, Isabella?"

"Will you please, please go back to my dorm and grab my laptop?" I asked, my bottom lip out in a pout. He nodded and turned to leave. "Oh," I said. He stopped at the door. "Also tell Angela that I'm here," I added. He nodded again and left the room.

I looked over at the table beside my bed. Carlisle and Edward were silent as I reached with my broken hand to grab my cell phone. I quickly dialed Jacob's number with my good hand. Billy answered.

"Billy," I said hastily. "Good, now don't you dare hang up on me. I need to speak to Jacob… or Sam. I need to speak to one of them," I explained.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Billy said, although I knew he wasn't. "Jake's busy."

"I could honestly care less if Jake is busy. My father's life is in danger and God damn it, the pack is going to do something about it."

"Charlie?" Billy asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"There was a vampire that attacked me in Olympia. He knows everything about me, and I'm not comfortable with him being in the same state as Charlie. The Cullens aren't in Forks anymore, so screw the treaty. I want someone protecting Charlie."

"I'll tell Jacob," Billy said solemnly. "We'll make sure nothing happens to Charlie."

"Thank you, Billy," I said and then clicked my phone off. Looking around the room, I noticed Carlisle had inconspicuously left me and Edward alone. I glanced up at him and his eyes bore into mine.

"I'm sorry," I breathed softly, looking away ashamed.

Edward

I stared at her in shock. She's sorry? What on Earth does she have to be sorry for? "Why?" I asked incredulously. I stared at her, silently urging her to look at me, but she wouldn't. Her eyes stayed trained on the floor.

"I shouldn't be here. I'm sorry. I know you wanted to get away from me," she said, her voice breaking. Oh no, she still believed… She turned to look at me. "But you have to know," she said in a pleading voice. "I had no idea you were here, Edward. I-I wasn't following you, I swear."

I opened my mouth to say something, but she kept speaking. "When Aro comes back, I'll talk to him about transferring. I'll go up to the university in Fairfield."

"Bella! Bella, stop!" I said. Listening to her blame herself was tearing me up. I reached for her and grabbed her hands frantically. "I lied, ok? I lied! I'm sorry for leaving you. I thought" – my voice broke – "I thought you were better off without me. It was complete nonsense when I told you I didn't love you. It was a lie. I wanted you to move on." The disbelieving look was expected.

It had been more than four hours, and we hadn't spoken a word to each other. We sat in an uncomfortable silence until we heard raised voices down the hall. Charlie burst through the room, Jacob and Carlisle behind him, and rushed to Bella's side. Jacob frowned at Bella apologetically.

I can't believe he has the nerve to show his face here. Charlie glared at me. "Bella, would you mind explaining to me why you felt the need to have the La Push boys watching over me."

"There's someone after me dad. I just didn't want you in any danger," she replied simply, glaring at Jacob.

Charlie snapped his fingers in front of her face, making her turn back to him. "I'm the police chief and you're worried about me?"

"Um… yes." Charlie opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "And before you say it, I'm perfectly safe where I'm at. I have Demetri."

Yes, that's right. That Demetri fellow; I like him. It pained me that Charlie was instantly comforted by Demetri being here. But what's he doing here? For a fleeting moment, I was confused. Then I realized he was thinking about me.

"What's he doing here?" Charlie demanded.

Bella immediately started defending herself. "I didn't know he was here dad, I swear. I was volunteering at the hospital the other night and I ran into Carlisle. I didn't come here looking for them."

"That still doesn't explain whyhe's here," Charlie growled; well, as much as a human can growl.

"I honestly don't know why he's here dad," she sighed. "Why don't you ask him?"

I glared at Bella. She knew how much Charlie hated me. Charlie glared at me expectantly. "Carlisle slipped and mentioned that Bella was in the hospital. I just wanted to make sure she was alright."

"What do you care?" Charlie spat angrily. At least it's just physical hurt. I'd take this over what happened when that jackass left any day. And then the images began flashing through Charlie's mind.

"I've got her!" Sam Uley called, carrying Bella through the forest. Her face was sallow. There were dark circles under her eyes and she was soaking from the rain. She was so pale… paler than me.

"Is she hurt? What happened?" Mike asked frantically.

"No, I don't thinks she's hurt," replied Sam. "She just keeps saying 'He's gone.'"

"Bella, honey, are you alright?"

A slight flicker of recognition. "Charlie?" Her voice was weak, almost a whimper.

"I'm right here, baby."

Sam passed her off to Charlie.

"When you didn't come back, I called the Cullens, and no one answered," Charlie was saying. "Then I called the hospital, and Dr. Gerandy told me that Carlisle was gone."

"Where did they go?" Bella mumbled miserably.

Charlie stared at her in shock. "Didn't Edward tell you?"

I watched, pained, as she recoiled at the sound of my name. Her breath was coming in quick, quiet gasps.

"Carlisle took a job with a big hospital in Los Angeles. I guess they threw a lot of money at him."

I could tell by the look on Bella's face that she knew it was a lie. We wouldn't go to sunny LA.

"I want to know if Edward left you alone in the middle of the woods," Charlie said, his voice tight, trying to control his anger with me.

Bella shook her head quickly, again wincing as he said my name. "It was my fault. He left me right here on the trail, in sight of the house… but I tried to follow him."

Charlie stood at the window, watching Bella at her truck. She sat still there for a moment, staring blankly through the windshield. All of a sudden, her head snapped down to her dashboard. She started pulling at something angrily, before getting out of her truck, slamming the door shut, and stomping in the house.

She came back, through the pouring rain, a couple seconds later with a toolbox in her hand. She pulled out a screwdriver and a hammer and started beating at something in her truck.

I winced in unison with Charlie as she pulled out a badly mangled radio; the one Emmett installed in her car on her birthday.

Charlie and Renee were in Bella's room, suitcases out, tossing clothing into them. I heard a door shut downstairs and Bella's footsteps on the stairs. Her bedroom door opened and she stared at her parents in shock.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Her tone was bleak, only a bit of curiosity shining through. "Wait, what are you guys doing?"

"You're going back to Florida with your mother, Bella," Charlie said. Bella snapped, screaming intelligibly. She grabbed her suitcase from her mother and started throwing the clothing onto the floor.

"I'm going nowhere!" she screamed.

"Bella, honey, you need help. This isn't healthy. You need to see a doctor!" Charlie argued.

"I'm not going!" she screamed. "I refuse!"

Charlie's fist slammed down on the table. Bella jumped. "We both know what's really going on here, Bella, and it's not good for you." Charlie paused and took a deep breath. "It's been months. No calls, no letters, no contact. You can't keep waiting for him."

Bella's eyes turned dark as she glowered at him. "I'm not waiting for anything. I don't expect anything," she said in a monotone.

"No, please, no!" I heard Bella screaming. Charlie rose quickly and sprinted up the stairs to her bedroom. He pushed her door open quietly and Bella was lying in her bed, sleeping. Not peacefully, however. She was tossing and turning. "Edward, please. Don't leave…No." Her voice broke off into sobs as Charlie sadly closed the door once more and walked sullenly back to the living room.

"Cullen!" Charlie yelled, waving a hand in front of my face. I snapped my eyes back to him, falling out of his thoughts.

"I care, Charlie," I said quietly. "More than you can possibly imagine. Leaving was the biggest mistake I've ever made."

He sounds so… honest. I could tell that the sincerity in my voice made it nearly impossible to doubt. As always though, Jacob Black proves me wrong.

Sure, he says that now because Bella's not weak. She's suddenly good enough for him now that she's a vampire. Well, sort of a vampire. She wasn't worth it; he didn't want her when she was human. I did.

I glowered at Jacob, and when he realized I was listening to his thoughts, he flashed back to when Bella came to visit him with the motorcycles.

She stood in their doorway, a smiled forced on her face. Her eyes were empty, hollow. She looked absolutely miserable.

"Bella!" he said enthusiastically, although taking in the sight of her with worry. Damn, she looks depressed, he thought.

I cringed and Jacob laughed. "That's funny," he said dryly. "You really do care, don't you?"

"You've no idea," I replied, my voice hard.

What is he doing here? I spun around to see Angela, Ben, and Mike standing in the doorway.

"Carlisle," Bella asked. "May Iplease get out of bed?"

He paused. "You really shouldn't… but I guess it would be ok."

She glanced over at me. "Can we talk?" I nodded and stood up to follow her out.

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