I've gotta say, I'm a bit ashamed of this chapter. It's so short! D: But I will be writing more and more. For my...'rant' i guess, go to my profile. But, anyway, here's chapter 8.

DISCLAIMER: I, Erin, do not in anyway own Twilight, Edward, Bella, or 3OH!3, for that matter. Haha.

Bella Point of View

As soon as the door slammed behind Jacob, Edward was coming out from the bathroom and walking towards me. Pulling up a chair, he sat down next to my bed, looking me straight in the eyes. We didn't speak for several minutes; we only stared. Finally he broke the silence.

"Why won't you let me tell anyone?" he whispered, sounding truly curious. I sighed before telling him about the threats he'd made to me. I also told him something I'd never told anyone (though I couldn't, because they didn't know about the abuse.)

"I just…I feel like I can't give up on him" I finally admitted. He looked at me, dumbstruck. "He was so kind to me before all of this. He was for a long time," I explained. His expression slowly changed from wonder to understanding. "We'd been best friends since birth, and nothing could separate us. We were two peas in a pod." I laughed humorlessly, remembering how Jakes used to be. "Then, something happened. Every now and then, he'd slap me during the small arguments we had. He always apologized until I had to leave. But then they started coming more often. And after a while, it wasn't just slaps. Then, it was every night." I looked up to meet his eyes again. "I don't know if I'll ever loose hope that he'll change, be the Jake I fell in love with."

After I finished explaining, we just stared at each other some more; him trying to see all my reasoning for staying with Jake, though he knew all of it. And me gauging all his reactions at what he found.

Just as Edward was about to speak, a doctor came into the room. He was very handsome with blonde hair and hazel eyes. His gaze was very kind.

"Ah, Bella," he said, picking up my chart and checking my damages. "Edward's told me about your accident." He smiled in a fatherly way before giving me the extent of my injuries.

"Do you have any questions?" he as he was leaving.

"Yeah," I replied. "What's your name?" I knew it was an awkward question, but I didn't like not knowing someone's name.

He smiled. "I'm Dr. Cullen. But call me Carlisle. Dr. Cullen seems too impersonal." I nodded and gave him a smile. Before closing the door, he hollered, "Edward, I'm leaving in about ten minutes." Edward nodded, and I looked at him curiously. Then I remembered that Edward's last name was Cullen. Carlisle must be his dad.

"Bella," he whispered. He turned away from me. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I'm going to say this anyway. And I know you may not trust me. After all, you just met me last night. But…" he paused before continuing. "I don't think that your Jacob is going to come back." His words were almost inaudible, but I heard them well enough.

"That's what my mind always tells me," I said, mostly to myself. "But…but my heart refuses to give up hope. Even after all the beatings…all the degrading…" I looked down at my lap. "But I agree. I don't think he ever will."

It was silent in the room for a while when, finally, he spoke.

"I have to go," he whispered as he started walking toward the door. "I wish I could help more." Then, he walked out, closing the door quietly.

&&&

Third Person Point of View

The summer passed slowly for Bella. She stayed at home all day until Jacob picked her up to take her to La Push. He held up his promise, mostly, only occasionally slipping and slapping her. He would take his anger out on dead trees he found near the woods.

Edward visited Bella during the day almost every day. They started to become very close friends. Though she was afraid what Jacob would do to her if he found out she was spending so much time with another guy other than him, she couldn't bring herself to stop.

Charlie seemed genuinely pleased Bella was making a friend; she didn't have many in Forks, and he approved of the polite and kind Edward. Secretly, he hoped that someday they would become a couple. Though he didn't disapprove of Jacob, who he thought treated his daughter very well (even if he was controlling), he liked Edward just that much more.

During the several months the summer lasted, both Bella and Edward would sometimes feel what could only be described as sparks. Neither of them acknowledged them, though. Slowly but surely, they developed feelings for each other, but they both thought it was just a crush and would pass. So they never said anything.

Before any of them knew it, school was starting back up, and Bella was healed.

Her pain free summer would stop here.

Okay, so that wasn't my best chapter. But I haven't updated in a while, so you guys deserved something at least. I had a bit of a tough time writing this because I had no idea what to put in it. But I am pretty positive the next chapters will be a lot better. So don't loose faith in me! : D

Sorry I fail at this. Lol. And sorry if I don't update this as much as you would like; I am focusing just a little bit more on my other story, so this one is not updated as much, or as long. So I am sorry. ): But I will try and do better. : D

reviews?(:

-Erin.