Author's Note: I am sooooo sorry that this update is like eight months later than I said I would update. And that it's almost the end of the school year and I said I would update before school started. Again, I'm uber sorry. But...it's my senior year so I've had a lot to do. I went to Disney World. Had Prom. Spent tremendous hours working on the yearbook. Had a lot of schoolwork to do. I've just been swamped. But, like I said, school will be over soon. I have 24 more days until graduation, and I will definitely be posting soon. I have a direction for this story, a few of the middle chapters written - just because I can - so I don't intend to wait so long to update this time.

Disclaimer: I still own nothing. . . . I know, it's depressing. . . . I shall go drown my sorrows in a pint of ice cream now.

Last Time:

"She'll come around, just give it time." Alice said, turning to face Carlisle. "You should go up and look at her bruises. Take pictures and stuff just in case we need them."

I had a feeling Alice wasn't telling us all that she knew.

Bella's Point of View

They don't need to be nice to me. I can take care of myself and they don't need to get themselves into trouble for me - someone who they just met. It's ridiculous and unnecessary. And, if they get into trouble, it'll only make me feel worse, which is not what I need. Maybe I should leave here too, though, for some reason, I knew they would know I was leaving. There was something...different about the Cullens. I couldn't place what it was exactly, but I knew something was up.

After all, every single one of them was absolutely beautiful. None of them looked even remotely related and they seemed so calm, like they knew they wouldn't get in trouble for anything.

But Edward was...gorgeous to say the least. Like an Angel. And his voice just flowed out of his mouth like - like - velvet? Sure, that worked. But he was seventeen – I think - and I was twelve, a young, weak, little girl. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't even care about me.

"Bella?" Carlisle's voice rang from the other side of Edward's bedroom door. I couldn't wait until I had my own room; I hated the fact that I had to stay in here to stay away from them. "Can I come in?"

I sighed. Might as well. As long as he's not going to come in and ask me if I'm okay. "Yeah." I called, sitting criss-cross on the bed while I watched him enter with a smile, carrying a small black bag. I had no idea what it was for though.

"Would you mind if I took a look at your bruises and such? I'm going to have to take pictures, of course. For legal reasons." He explained, holding up a small digital camera. Reluctantly, I nodded. I probably was going to have to anyway. And my back hurt so bad, maybe it would do me some good, which would be surprising.

I stood up and took off my hoodie as Alice bounced into the room with a smile. She seemed happy.

"Bella!" She exclaimed as Carlisle began to look at my messed up lip. "Your room is finally ready! When you're done here, go look at it." I smiled, sort of, happy that I would have a space of my own and Edward could have his room back. She turned to leave but I reached out to stop her.

"Alice, wait." I exclaimed, turning around so Carlisle could look at the bruises on my back. Alice turned around and raised an eyebrow at me. Crap. What do I say to her? "Um…I don't have any clothes." I said. That worked. It was true, I only had a few things, and I wasn't sure how long I would be there for. Hopefully it wasn't long. I didn't want to be a burden. Alice beamed at me and skipped back into the room.

"How about we go shopping tomorrow?" She suggested. I assumed that she was the type of girl who loved shopping.

"Is that a good idea?" I asked, thinking about the cops that showed up at the door not that long ago. Alice got this blank look on her face and stared into space for a few minutes before she blinked and looked back at me with a frown.

"No, I guess not." She sighed and there was a bit of silence before she grinned again. "But don't worry. Rosalie and I will go for you. I think I know what you might like." She said with a knowing look in her golden eyes.

"I guess that's o – ouch!" I exclaimed, whipping my head around to look at Carlisle, who was pressing on different sections of my back. He looked up at me again with a curious expression.

"Does that hurt?" He asked, pressing on it again.

"Ow! Yes, it hurts!"

"Hmm, interesting." He started poking just a bit lower, but that hurt too. "Can you describe the pain?"

"It feels like you're stabbing me with a knife." I said, gripping on to my shirt in an attempt to make the pain go away. He stopped, for which I was grateful, and then stood up and looked at his watch.

"Hmm. It's late. Bella, I'm going down to talk to Edward and Esme, but I think you'll probably have to go to the hospital." I opened my mouth to speak but he continued. "Don't worry. No one will even know you're there." He assured before he rushed out of the room.

I was confused.

Alice was silent, staring into space again, before she grinned at me. "Come one, Bella. Let's see your room!" She exclaimed, grabbing my sleeve and pulling me out of the room. The first thing I noticed was that it said my name 'Bella' across the front of it in beautiful wooden letters. I took a deep breath and looked back at Alice, who nodded encouragingly. Slowly, I turned the door knob and opened the door to my new room.

It was absolutely and utterly perfect.

The floor was covered in a soft, fluffy rug that looked like sand and the walls were painted to look like an ocean at sunset. There was a huge bed in the middle of the room with its headboard against the wall with a beautiful blue comforter. There was a big screen TV attached to the wall across from the bed and a large white dresser under it plus a white night stand with a small reading lamp on it. On top of the dresser was a stack of my favorite books. As I took in the room, tears filled my vision.

"Do you like it?" Alice asked with a hopeful expression. I turned around to look at her with a smile.

"It's perfect, Alice. Thank you." I said. She smiled and nodded, skipping out of the room. I walked over to the bed and sat down before Carlisle walked into the room.

"Okay, Bella, Edward, Alice, and I are going to take you to the hospital."

"Bella," Carlisle began. We had arrived back to the Cullen home a few minutes prior, not wanting to linger at the hospital too long...just in case. I looked up from the book I was reading (the Cullen's had a huge library) at watched as he walked into the room and sat on the side of my bed. "There's nothing life threatening. You have a muscle strain in your back, with ice and heat it'll get better. Your broken rib is healing nicely. Other than that, a couple bruises here and there, a rather large one on your back, but all of that will heal." He paused, putting down the folder in his hands, and looked at me. "Are you okay?"

Um...

"Yes, I'm fine. A little sore but nothing I'm not used to."

He shook his head. "No, I mean...are you really okay? Do you need to talk or -"

"Look, Mr. Cullen - "

"Please, call me Carlisle."

"Okay, Carlisle...I really appreciate what all of you are doing for me - although, I still think it's completely unnecessary - but I've only been here for like a day and a half. I don't typically jump at the chance to share my feelings. And I think, at least for a little while, I'll want to spend most of my time alone."

Carlisle stood up and headed for the door as he said, "Just remember, if you want to talk, we're all here for you."

"Carlisle," I called as he was about to leave the room. He turned around to face me. "Thank you." He smiled and nodded before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

I lay back on the bed and closed my eyes, tossing the book aside. I knew that I wouldn't be able to stay here forever. Charlie would find out where I am. He'll come and take me away. The Cullens will get in trouble, and possibly put in prison. And it will be all my fault. The perfect reason for me to not get to close to the Cullens. I'll simply distance myself from them by staying in my room for the majority of the -

"Bella!" Alice exclaimed, bursting into my room as if there were a fire. I opened my eyes and sat up quick. On her face was a look of panic. Maybe there was a fire. Oh crap... "You need to come downstairs fast."

Okay...maybe not a fire.

I followed her down the stairs where the Cullens were sitting around watching the national news.

"We have a list of those caught in the crossfire in yesterdays shoot out. It happened in the local Jacksonville supermarket; rival gang members started a shoot out at approximately four PM and lasted two and a half hours leaving four dead, seven seriously wounded, and six wounded. Those who died were Emily Warren, Nick Bailey, and Phil and Renee Dwyer."

No. No. No. No. NO!

I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands as tears filled my vision.

"What's the matter? I'm confused."

"Emmett," Someone hissed, but I didn't pay attention to who it was.

"Phil and Renee are her mother and step-father." Alice answered. Her hand touched my shoulder but I flinched away.

"This can't be happening to me." I whispered before I raced upstairs, slamming my bedroom door shut and throwing myself onto my bed.

Charlie's all I have left. No aunts. No uncles. All of my grandparents have passed. Charlie's it. There is no chance of me being taken from him - which there isn't a high chance of that anyway - and me going to live with a family member. None. I have no one but Charlie left.

Well...and the Cullens.

Author's Note: It's sad, I know...and kind of short. Sorry about that. But the next chapter should be longer...once I can figure out what I want to happen...

Preview:

"Why didn't you just ask me!" I yelled, unable to control my anger. I looked back down at her and, suddenly, my anger was gone. She was crouching down, flinching, covering her head with her arms. I sighed and knelt down so that I was eye level with her. "Bella..." I began, taking her arm by the sleeve and moving it away from her face so that she was looking at me.

~Italian-Princess