Golden eyes were staring directly at her, piercing her really, as if they can see right through her. Bella held her breath not knowing what to do. She felt helpless, being held there against her own will just by the power of his stare. "If I knew I would wake up to women touching me, I would have come to the hospital a long time ago." Amusement danced in his eyes, but there was no smile. Bella didn't know whether he was angry or just joking, and suddenly she felt awkward and uncomfortable. She backed up with her hands held out in front of her as if he were pointing a gun at her.

"I'm sorry, you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you. I just thought that I could do my assessment quickly without having to wake you up," Bella stuttered. She was annoyed with herself. She was always confident, and she never allowed anyone to ever make her feel the way Edward Cullen was making her feel right now – nervous, small, and insecure. She fiddled with the blue stethoscope in her hands as she waited for him to answer.

"That's alright. It is your job after all." He flashed her a smile and she felt her cheeks get hot, cursing her gene pool for giving her fair skin that blushed so easily. Edward looked even more amused at the sight of her reddened cheeks and flashed her one more breathtaking smile. Oh, so you know what you are doing. Cocky, figures, she thought.

She cleared her throat making sure she wouldn't stutter when she spoke again. She had to do what she was good at – her job, so she let the smile disappear from her face, and felt the blush slowly make its way out of her cheeks. "Everything looks good and I heard they might be transferring you to the medical floor soon. I also read in your notes that the chest tube might be coming out in a few days" Edward gave her one nod, and when she thought their conversation was over she started heading towards the door.

"What's your name?"

She didn't bother turning around. She didn't trust her eyes, knowing they would greedily scan his entire body if she turned around. "Isabella, but everyone calls me Bella."

"How come I have been here for a week and this is the first time I have had you as a nurse?" Curiosity rang in his voice.

Bella turned back around to face him and started taking a few steps backwards. "Maybe it wasn't meant to be." With a final shrug and tight smile she took her last step out of the room. She took a quick right into an empty hallway and leaned against the wall. Breathing heavily she tried to sift through the thoughts in her mind. She felt off today and she knew it wasn't just the gorgeous man that was in the room behind her. Her lack of sleep and the nightmare she has been having these past few nights were getting to her. Pushing off of the wall she started heading back to the nurse's station. She wasn't going to let her lack of sleep or the arrogant rich man get to her.

The rest of the morning passed by without any excitement, other than the fact that she felt like she couldn't breathe every time she noticed Edward staring at her. When eleven came Bella was ready to give her report and go home to bed. She let out a long sigh thinking about having to come back in twelve hours, a part of her hoping that he would still be here while the other part was praying she would never see him again. She had felt butterflies in her stomach when she was in the presence of a good looking man before, but no one made her feel like she was suffocating the way Edward did when he would look at her each time she entered his room. She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

With Kristina, the day shift nurse, in tow, Bella walked into room 2114 to do her bedside handoff. "Mr. Cullen, this is Kristina she's going to be your nurse today up until eleven PM." Edward eyed Kristina wearily as she tried not to blush. At least I'm not the only one who acts like a schoolgirl when he looks at them, Bella thought. "I hope you get better."

She wanted to walk away but her feet didn't seem to be listening to her brain, and suddenly she felt his warm hand grab her wrist. It was gentle with just the slightest pressure against her skin, but it was enough to send a shiver down her spine. She had made sure not to make any physical contact with him the rest of the morning, and the little kiss of his skin against hers made her feel like she was on fire. With her heart beating rapidly again, she looked over her shoulder, but that was the only movement she made. "Will you be back tonight?" He didn't sound hopeful or excited. It was just something he wanted to know. "You know, just so I can make sure I don't get molested again in my sleep tonight."

Bella ripped her wrist out of his grasp, her blush spreading not only to her cheeks but to her ears and neck also. "Yes I will be back today, but your doctor put an order for you to be transferred today. Good luck Mr. Cullen." She walked out without looking back at him. She was mad at herself for even thinking that this man was good looking. She was mad that she allowed herself to blush and act like a teenager in his presence. She didn't care who he was, he didn't deserve even a smile from her.

"What was that all about?" Bella had forgotten that Kristina was in the room and had witnessed the entire thing.

Bella let out a short, cold laugh and turned around to face her coworker. "You know how people like him are. Just because they are good looking and rich they think they are God's gift to the world. They think they can say and do whatever they want and people will just keep their mouths shut because they have power."

"I think he was just joking when he said that."

"I don't care." Bella snapped, she began to feel a headache coming along. "That is inappropriate. I was just doing my job." She closed her eyes for a second and slowly opened them again. "I'm going home to bed. I'll be back tonight, and he better be gone."

At nine Bella woke up with a smile because for the first time in three days she did not wake up to images from a horrific nightmare still flashing in her mind. She looked at her phone and noted that she had two hours before she had to be at work. While in the shower she blocked all thoughts of Edward. She pinched herself when she thought about his eyes while she was making her lunch, and she scolded herself for hoping that he wasn't transferred. She wouldn't let herself feel anything because she knew that Edward Cullen was transferred today and that she would most likely never see him again.

"What do you mean he didn't get transferred today Kristina?!" Bella stared down at the sheet of paper in disbelief. "The doctor had put an order for him to be transferred today to the medical surgical floor. Were there no beds available?"

Kristina twirled her long blond hair in her hand and gave Bella a one shouldered shrug. "No, he requested to see the doctor and apparently told him he didn't want to be transferred today."

"Well, it's not up to him. We need to have beds available for people who need to be here."

"There are plenty of beds available. He told Dr. Shah that he felt like he needed at least one more day in the ICU, and I guess Dr. Shah agreed with him."

Bella rolled her eyes. Who wouldn't agree with someone like Edward? "Of course he agreed with him."

"Don't worry he won't bother you. He hasn't said one word to me other than the occasional 'yes' or 'no'. Kristina's eyes were on the floor. Clearly she was upset that Edward didn't care for her. She wasn't used to guys not being interested in her. She was tall with long blond hair, a small waist, and a beautiful face. Bella always thought about how she would look more fitting on a runway rather than in a hospital room. "Anyway, you want to go in there for the hand off?"

"No. I know who he is and how he is doing. I'll go in there in a bit."

Bella had tried her best to stall. She had gone into her two other patients' rooms and had done a thorough assessment on them both. Even after looking at their charts and giving them both their medications, she still felt like she wasn't ready to go in there, but it was her job, and she didn't dare ignore a patient for more than an hour.

The lights were all turned off, the TV being the only thing offering her light. She glanced in his direction and noticed he wasn't sleeping. He was wide awake with one of his hands behind his head, and he was watching her. He offered her half a smile and pushed himself up in bed. The wince he made did not go unnoticed. "Bella." He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something else but then closed it again. Bella's mind told her that she wasn't going to feel anything, but her heart had other plans and quickly melted when he said her name.

"Hi Mr. Cullen." She peeped, hating herself for sounding like a little girl again.

He gave her a grimace in return. "For the love of God call me Edward. I hate being called Mr. Cullen. It reminds me of my father and I am not ready to feel like a sixty year old man."

Bella giggled. "I'm sorry. Edward. How's that?" She could have sworn she saw something spark in his eyes, but she knew it was just wishful thinking combined with her imagination. Plus, she didn't dare stare straight into his eyes again. She didn't particularly enjoy the feeling she got when she stared into those liquid honey eyes the night before, and actually, it terrified her. The helpless feeling she got was a warning sign telling her to back off, and if there was one thing Bella was good at it was listening to her gut.

"Good." He nodded in approval.

She placed her hands on her hips suddenly remembering that he shouldn't be there. "You think you know more than the doctor, huh? Decided it was best to stay another night?"

A small smile played on his lips. "I just suggested it and he agreed. It was just meant to be." He was throwing back what Bella had said when he had asked her why the night before was the first time he had seen her. Bella didn't know how to respond to it, so she decided ignoring it was the best option.

"You need some pain medication? I noticed you wince when you were trying to sit up." Focus on your job Bella, good, that's what you're here for.

"No I'm just sore that's why."

Bella nodded. Suddenly her heart began to beat faster and her palms became moist. She had to do what she was dreading all day - assess him again. "I need to just listen to your lungs again. Especially since the tube is coming out in the morning."

Edward gave her a slow nod. She took a few steps closer to him and gingerly lifted the gown up to his chest, making sure the blanket covered his bottom half. She placed the stethoscope on a few areas, but she had a hard time hearing anything because Edward was staring right at her profile. Although he was in the hospital, his smell was intoxicating, and the feel of his chest began to make her feel dizzy.

"Am I alive?" He whispered.

"Give me a minute." She closed her eyes trying to focus and finally after what felt like forever she heard his lung sounds. She straightened back up after she drew his gown down and placed the stethoscope around his neck. "Everything sounds good, Edward." He didn't say anything, but continued to stare at her as if he was the one doing the assessment on her. "Okay, well if you don't need me then I'll let you sleep. I do not have any other medications for you till tomorrow morning." She grabbed her computer on wheels but waited a few more moments.

"Well…" He sounded uneasy. Bella waited, expecting him to take her up on the offer for the pain medication. "Is it okay for you to stay in here for a while? If you have other patients that's fine I understand, but I am just so sick of talking about my pain with you guys, and my business with my employees." He looked shy. The cocky gorgeous jerk that Bella thought he was had disappeared and in his place was a man who looked shy and awkward.

"Don't you have any friends?" She bit her lip, internally chastising herself for the way she said it. "I just mean, haven't you talked to any of your friends?"

He waved his hand once and let it drop to his thigh. "I know what you meant. Yes I have friends. However, most of my friends are just as busy as I am….well when I'm not stuck in a hospital bed. Right now I have all the time in the world."

"Well, sure I guess I can stay for a while." Bella lowered herself in a chair next to him and adjusted her computer. If she was going to stay in his room she had to get some charting done.

The next eleven hours went by quickly, and were filled with Bella mostly talking about herself, checking up on the other patients, and trying to make quick glances at Edward when she thought he wasn't watching. He had this confidence about him that's for sure, but she noticed that he also seemed reserved, much like herself.

Bella had friends – a ton of them, but work and keeping herself busy always came first. She would see her close friends frequently, and would even go out to bars every now and then, but she kept her true self hidden by picking up extra shifts at work and going home early so she can get enough sleep before work. Although Edward Cullen and herself seemed to live in different worlds separated by the vast difference in their bank account, he seemed much like her in that sense. As the night wore on, Bella continued to watch him, as he fell asleep, from the safety of her chair. She did not like him nor did she have a thing for him, and she would never allow herself to, and not only because he was so intangible, but she wasn't one to let beauty go unappreciated.