"What do you mean, Alice?" she asked, her heart rate picking up in fear.
Alice glanced anxiously toward the door again, expecting Edward's furious expression to replace the wood door. "The vision..." she trailed off, taking another deep unnecessary breath. "He'll be here in a handful of days. Edward, he wants to take you somewhere safe."
"I'm safe here."
Alice didn't directly reply to Bella's comment. "He's not implying we can't protect you, but it would be better if you weren't here. Carlisle will talk to him and he'll leave you alone, I promise Bella."
Bella didn't reply as Alice moved the tray of food to the bedside table, then taking the silk pajamas out of her bag and, helping Bella into the gown. Bella didn't complain about the expensive material, or how it was too much to ask for, instead she kept quiet, not saying one word.
"Are you all right, Bella?" Alice asked, offering the tray back to Bella.
Bella shook her head, her nose slightly crinkled. "Yes, I'm fine."
"All right," Alice sighed in defeat, knowing arguing would get her nowhere. "I'll go retrieve Edward."
Bella nodded in acknowledgment, but her gaze was distant, looking toward the wall. She felt more like a prisoner than a house guest.
Bella didn't bother to wait for Edward nor Carlisle to come up and babysit her, as she closed her eyes, letting her mind escape into the numbness of sleep.
"Carlisle?" Edward asked as he swept a strand of Bella's beautiful brunette hair behind her ear. "Do you think she'll ever forgive me?"
"Forgive you?" the doctor questioned.
Edward nodded slightly. "Yes, will she? Forgive me for taking her away from her father?"
"Oh, son," Carlisle sighed with pity coating his words. "She'll soon see you made this decision for her well being, because you love her. She'll come around sooner or later."
"I hope for the sooner."
Carlisle chuckled slightly. "Don't we all?" Carlisle patted his son's shoulder, "I'm proud of you, son."
"Proud?" Edward questioned.
"You probably saved her life, Edward. If she had stayed there any longer. . ." he trailed off. "I'm just really proud of you."
Edward sighed, playing with another strand of Bella's hair, not muttering another word.
Bella was awoken to the sound of singing, something she rarely heard unless it came through speakers in her truck, or from Edward before she fell asleep. This tone was much higher pitched than Edward's but much clearer than the radio.
Bella's eyelids fluttered open, spotting Rosalie dusting off pieces of furniture. "Rosalie?" she asked groggily.
Rosalie turned to face Bella, a little surprise on her face. "Oh, good morning Bella."
"Morning?" Bella questioned, remembering the sunshine that lit up her room the last she was awake.
"Yes," she replied, placing down the rag she held. Bella thought this as a strange sight, she never took Rosalie as the one for chores.
"Where's Edward?" Bella asked, starting to sit up.
Rosalie quickly came to Bella's side and carefully helped her up to a sitting position. "Better?" Rose asked her, fluffing her pillows slightly. Bella nodded and thanked her quickly. "Yes, well, Edward, Carlisle, and Alice went hunting. They should be back soon."
"Where's everyone else?" Bella asked, listening for any noise throughout the house.
"Out. Esme needed to go to the store to pick up more food for you, and Jasper went to school."
Bella nodded and bit her lip slightly. "Rose can I ask a favor?"
Edward watched as Alice pounced on a deer, sending it to the ground. Edward had already had his full and was quite ready to leave to back and see his Bella, watching her until she woke up.
Alice's teeth sunk into the deer's throat, sucking the life from it. Edward stood off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest, his foot slightly tapping in impatience. Carlisle dropped the carcass of his third deer and glanced over at his son. "Edward if you want, go on ahead and go to your Bella," he said, dragging the body to a shaded area, hoping to keep it hidden until it decomposed.
"I can wait," Edward replied, his posture stiff.
"No you can't," Alice teased. "It's killing you."
"I can wait," Edward insisted.
Alice shrugged and hid her carcass as well. "I guess I'm finished. Carlisle?"
"Oh, yes. I'm finished."
Edward sighed in relief and dashed off into the trees as fast he could. Alice rolled her eyes as Carlisle let a small chuckle loose. "He really can't be without her for even a minute can he?" Alice giggled.
"He really can't," Carlisle agreed. "We should go after him if we want to arrive around the same time."
The pixie girl nodded in agreement.
Running back to the house didn't take but half an hour, from northern Canada. Edward briskly jogged from the side of the house to the front, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw a police cruiser sitting in the driveway. Rage boiled through him as he made his way to the front door. "Edward, I'm sorry," Rosalie wailed, getting up from her position on the steps leading to into the home.
"What have you done?" Edward exclaimed angrily. "Do you have any idea how much danger you've put Bella in?"
"Son," Carlisle's calm voice came from behind him. "Calm down."
"Don't Carlisle," Edward growled as he threw open the front door and dashed up the stairs.
"Oh, Rose what have you done?" Alice sighed as she stepped into the house.
Edward yanked open his bedroom door, almost throwing it off it's hinges. His eyes darted to the black coat that stood in front of Bella's bed.
"Get out," Edward growled menacingly, "Now."
The chief turned, glancing back at Edward, tears in the old man's eyes. "I'm talking to my daughter," he said quietly, gripping the end of the bed. "I'll only be another minute."
"No, I said, get the hell out!"
"Edward!" Bella's small voice exclaimed. "Stop it. We're just talking."
"Fine," Edward allowed, "but I'm not going anywhere." With that he strolled over to the head of the bed and rested a hand gingerly on Bella's shoulder.
"I should go kid," Charlie said with a weak smile, tears gathered in his eyes. "They're missin' me at the station."
Bella smiled weakly, knowing that the station was never busy. The only calls they ever received was Mrs. Jenkins claiming her cat, Mr. Whiskers, had gone missing, when in fact he's been dead for years, no one has the heart to tell her.
"All right Dad. Call me later?" Bella asked.
The sheriff nodded slightly, gave his daughter a small smile, and nodded at Edward before leaving the room and clambering down the stairs. Bella let loose a sigh as she tried uselessly to fluff her pillow, not muttering a word to Edward.
"Let me help you," Edward said, replacing her hands with his, making her position more comfortable. Bella snuggled into the plush pillows and muttered a thank you. "Bella, love, is something the matter?"
"Edward, you have no right to tell me if I may or may not see my father when I please. I'm old enough to make my own decisions. I don't need you holding my hand and whispering in my ear for instructions."
Edward frowned at her words. "Bella, I don't want you around Charlie. At least not alone with him. He's dangerous Bella. I mean, look at you! You're in a cast!"
"Edward, he's sorry. I don't blame him. It wasn't his fault," Bella said in a tone as if she was talking to a toddler, trying to make them understand.
"It is his fault, Bella! He got drunk, yelled at you, and then beat you! He was in the wrong."
Before Bella could reply, Carlisle walked in, a kind smile on his face as always. "Good morning, Bella. How are you feeling?"
"The pain is tolerable today. My head is spinning a little though. Is that normal?"
The doctor nodded. "It's the medicine. You're under strong drugs."
"When do you think I'll be able to get out of this thing, Carlisle?" Bella asked, addressing the bandage wrapped around her torso.
Carlisle chuckled a little. "It'll be a while, Bella. Maybe a month. The surgery is speeding up the process. It'll be off before you know it."
Bella groaned a little. "What about school?"
"Edward could home school you for a while. I'll call the school and give you doctor excuses for the following weeks."
"I could do that, Bella. If you want me to," Edward told her, playing with a strand of her hair.
Bella nodded. "All right, but only one month."
Carlisle grabbed a needle from the cabinet and filled it with a familiar clear liquid. "This'll make you sleep," he warned her, before sticking the needle into her IV. Bella struggled to keep her eyes open, but all too soon she was under sleep's spell once again.