A/N: Here it is.

Thanks to Jilburfm for beta'ing and being amazing. And OCD for just yannoo… rocking everything.

And to all the reviewers and all the readers and clickers. You guys should still consider visiting the boards, I swear one day I'll do fun stuff like post teasers or something… Alrighty, hopefully this chapter works for ya!

**

The Bath

Bella POV

It was almost 7:00 by the time the sun had fully set, but I wasn't yet ready to move.

We sat there for several silent moments, staring into the darkness that now encompassed the house. I absently ran my fingers through his hair and realized that it was still a mess; the sponge bath hadn't been completely effective. I watched his eyes intently for any sign of discomfort, but I found none.

He was beautifully at peace; I never wanted the moment to end.

His eyes closed slowly and he inhaled while he curled himself up tighter. I reached behind me, pulling the blanket to cover him as a small tremor ran through his body. He turned his head in my lap so that we were facing one another and slowly, his eyelids opened.

I traced the lines of his jaw, running my fingers to the bridge of his nose, while carefully avoiding the feeding tube.

We locked gazes, neither of us eager to break it, until my vampire abruptly began to growl.

I turned my head instinctively to the door, trying to keep him as calm as possible while internally having an anxiety attack when Alice finally popped her head into the room.

My heart jumped to my stomach and I let out a choked breath, turning my attention back to my vampire.

"It's okay," I said, still winded and uncomfortable. His growling had eased some but he still trembled as he pulled his knees in tighter. "It's just Alice." I looked back at her as she slowly made her way over to us, her hands up in surrender. With every step toward us that she made, he recoiled further.

"It's 9:30," she said to me, sitting on the far corner of the bed. My vampire kept his eyes trained on hers as he shifted his body to a more defensive position.

I slid back toward the center of the bed, broadening my line of sight so that I could take in everything that was going on.

He was curled in a ball as close to the edge as he could get, the blanket wrapped tightly around him and bunched into his fists. I could see his shoulders shaking as he focused intently on Alice's bewildered expression, his eyebrows knitting together as his eyes darted back and forth between hers.

She was staring at him similarly, her head cocked to one side while her mouth hung slightly agape.

"Alice?" I said, interrupting whatever moment the two were having. She immediately broke their lock and turned toward me.

"It's 9:30," she said, shaking her head.

"So you've said," I answered.

"I guess we should…?" She trailed off, their eyes locking once more. It was sort of unsettling, watching this exchange. His growling had since died down and now only an occasional rumble was audible when the bed shifted. He was still shaking but it didn't seem feared, just out of habit.

"Should what?" I said, growing impatient.

She shook her head again, looking back to me and smiling. "I'll let you say goodbye. We need to get you home," she finished as she hopped off the bed. She quickly left the room, closing the door lightly behind her.

I let out a burst of air and brought myself back to him. He was still watching the door where Alice had just exited, his face full of frustration and confusion.

I looked to the spot that his focus was trained but found nothing.

Turning back to him, I said, "That's Alice."

He finally broke from his trance and looked at me imploringly, his trembling all but gone as I reached out to loosen his fisted fingers.

"She can see the future," I explained, watching him for signs of understanding. He looked back to the door before meeting my eyes again.

"And Jasper – her husband – he can manipulate emotions," I continued, encouraged by his softening features. I knew I didn't have time to explain the whole family dynamic, and I internally cursed Charlie once more for implementing a curfew at the worst possible time.

I sighed and straightened up, moving myself closer to him still. "I have to leave," I said, dejected, wanting nothing more than to curl up next to my vampire for the night. "But I'll be back tomorrow."

I exhaled, falling to my side and supporting my weight on my elbow. I traced the contours of his cheek, savoring the moment that his eyes closed. I started to lift myself but he caught me, his hand wrapped loosely around my wrist.

"I wish I could stay," I whispered, "but if I stay tonight I won't be allowed to come back."

He swallowed hard, opening his eyes to look into mine. Our faces were level as I continued rubbing his cheek and jaw. He pulled back a bit, looking down as he swallowed again.

His mouth opened a bit and he took a deep breath, but he quickly closed it again.

I sat watching him, unsure of how to proceed, as his mouth opened again.

I smiled, biting my bottom lip at the scene unfolding. I knew what he wanted to do, and I internally willed him to give in. But alas, both his mouth and his eyes clamped shut, his shuddering returning softly as he let go of my wrist.

With a grumble, I straightened up and moved from the bed. I walked around to the side that he lay on and leaned against it, bringing my fingers to the back of his neck.

He flinched reflexively, a soft growl radiating from him, but immediately calmed and settled further into the mattress.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said, already longing for our next reunion. I moved slowly to the door, hesitating briefly while our eyes met. I smiled, waiting for a response. His eyes didn't leave mine and the fear and reluctance were clear on his face.

I waved slowly and exited, already beginning to feel the unshed tears welling.

**

Carlisle POV

"Dude… that's awesome." Emmett said, his excitement evident in his inability to keep still.

"It's dangerous," Jasper cut in.

"It's unnatural," Rosalie added.

"It's unnerving," I replied.

"It's awesome," he repeated. I shook my head at him. When Alice got home and explained her theory on the vampire's ability, my instinct was to panic. Too much power, too much knowledge could work against us, against him, in the long run. We all felt similarly, wondering how this would change things. Wondering what the implications of his trust in Bella were in regards to his mind reading.

If Alice was correct, as she so often was, then there must be something different in Bella's thoughts. It occurred to me that her obvious infatuation with the vampire might be persuading him to allow her near him, and that thought had me reeling.

But on the same token, he had allowed her to approach him early on, before any feelings had developed, so it couldn't be that, could it? Regardless, this changed things.

It explained a lot about his behavior, though. From his uneasiness and inability to trust in what was said to him down to his distinct reactions to certain situations. My mind immediately went to the first feeding when he sprang at Jasper. Mind reading connected the seemingly random puzzle pieces into one big picture, a picture that would require very precise care in the future.

Now, though, as I thought about it, Emmett wasn't all wrong. As an ability, mind reading definitely had its perks. Even Aro, the leader of the Volturi, and effectively the vampire race, might have met his match in this vampire. I wouldn't be able to determine just how powerful he was until I learned the mechanics behind it, but there were endless possibilities. Awesome isn't exactly my choice word, but it captured the sentiment properly.

"What did you see?" I asked her, wanting physical confirmation of his ability.

She shot a meaningful glance toward Jasper then responded, "I saw him answering my thoughts."

"Alice?" I asked, tired of the secrecy between them. She opened her mouth to talk but was interrupted by Esme.

"He… he's going to talk?" she wondered aloud.

Alice smiled brightly, and I wasn't sure if it was in response to Esme's question or merely in being taken off the spot. "Yes," she responded with a nod, watching me closely for my reaction. I walked to the window, looking out over our yard.

"When?" Esme asked.

"It's unclear. It keeps changing. When I left the bedroom earlier I would've told you he'd talk tonight," she said, standing and walking to the piano. "But that obviously didn't happen," she finished with a smile directed at Jasper, tapping the keys lightly in no particular order.

"But obviously it eventually will," he responded, crossing his arms in indignation and smirking.

"Maybe," she shrugged. "But we all know how horribly wrong I can be." She smiled widely, sitting at the bench and running her fingers lithely along the keys.

"Or how right," he said.

I looked back and forth between the two of them, fueled by frustration and anxiety, I finally asked, "What?"

Everyone looked at Alice, who simply shrugged. "I just… see her getting close to him?"

Jasper snorted and turned his head, not meeting any of our curious looks.

"Alice?"

"I don't know, Carlisle. The future always changes; I don't know anything right now," she replied angrily, the notes picking up in tempo and emotion.

I don't know when this family began hiding things, but I knew it couldn't possibly bode well for anyone. Right as I had decided to force the truth from her, she stood, stalking out of the room.

I sighed, shrugging my shoulders and looking to Jasper. I knew he'd stick with whatever Alice's decision was, but I couldn't help but try.

He exhaled sharply, anxious and unnerved as he stood. He came over to me and put his hand on my shoulder, shaking his head, defeated. "I'll talk to her," he whispered before leaving the room.

I moved from the window then, grabbing my bag and heading upstairs. "I'm going to try to feed him," I said to Esme as I passed by.

"Well, I think it's awesome," Emmett grumbled from the corner.

**

I got upstairs and went straight for the bedroom, forcing myself to remain tranquil in my thoughts. If Alice was right, I hoped that I could use his ability to my advantage.

I was now fully stocked on animal blood, wanting to make the switch as clean and easy as possible. I knew if there was any shot of him staying with the family, getting him used to animal blood early would be beneficial. I guess in the back of my mind I also hoped that it would help him resist Bella, should he ever feel the desire to feed again.

I moved quickly into the bedroom, determined to put this new theory to the test.

I'm not going to hurt you, I thought. A very small part of me considered how painfully bizarre this whole situation was, refusing to talk but instead thinking the same words that had been repeated to him a thousand times.

I entered the room and moved briskly toward the bed. He was lying on his side in a ball, the blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders as his frame trembled visibly and his growling erupted.

I… I don't know if you can hear me… Alice seems to think that you might be able to. His growling eased slightly as he turned his head to look at me. I put some pressure on his shoulder, forcing him onto his back to give me access to the tube.

I'm going to feed you again.

I could see the blood flowing through the tube as he pulled his head back a bit and shook violently, but otherwise he remained still. His breathing was heavy and fearful, so I went back to trying to communicate with him.

We're here to help you. His eyes locked with mine. Everything we do… it's to help you. He took a deep breath, looking straight at me as his trembling faltered. We'll do everything in our power to keep you safe. He inhaled, his eyebrows knitting together. I was convinced. So please… please keep our Bella safe.

With that, the vampire turned his head to the door. I followed his gaze and was met by nothing, so I put my attention back to feeding him.

Images of Alice's secrecy were passing, wild and uncontainable, through my mind as I thought of Bella's safety. The vampire began recoiling so I pulled back, looking out the open curtains as he fed. I came back to him periodically, making sure that everything was still working properly.

By the end, I had fed him a total of four pints of blood before finally calling it a night and heading back downstairs.

When I got to the living room, Rosalie and Emmett were having a stare-off while Esme eyed me speculatively. I shrugged, not in the mood to deal with anymore drama, and decided to put in a few extra hours at the hospital. I headed for the garage, eager for a break.

**

Bella POV

I had slept better tonight than yesterday, knowing that he was strong enough to at least somewhat defend himself.

When I headed downstairs for breakfast, I noticed that the cruiser was still in the driveway. I grumbled, grabbing the cereal and milk before settling in with The Canterbury Tales.

As he walked down the stairs, Charlie mumbled his "good morning" and grabbed the juice out of the fridge.

"Not working today?" I asked.

"Heading in a little late this morning," he replied, taking his seat next to me and clearing his throat. I eyed him pensively.

"Why?"

"I figured I'd grab breakfast with you. They'll be alright for a half hour without me," he said.

I nodded, closing my book and discarding it. "What's up, Dad?"

"Have you talked to your mom? She said she's been emailing and calling you but you haven't responded."

I bit back the sarcastic answer that was building as he answered his own question, responding instead with, "No, I haven't."

"She wants you to visit her for your birthday weekend," he said, gauging my reaction.

I coughed, swallowing too quickly for my own good. "I… have plans," I replied, quickly racking my brain for a possible excuse. I didn't want to go to Jacksonville. I couldn't imagine leaving for a whole weekend and enjoying myself at all.

"Is that a fact?" Charlie asked, suspicious. I nodded. "What plans do you have?"

"I'm going to homecoming," I blurted out, my face immediately turning red and my hands shaking on their own volition.

Charlie laughed then, seemingly amused by my reaction to my own plans. "You're going to homecoming," he repeated, letting it sink it. It occurred to me that I could easily take offense to his line of thought, but I knew myself and I knew my father and we both understood the implications of me attending homecoming. "Who's your date?" he asked.

"Uhh," I let out an anxious breath, having no idea who my date was. "I'm going with Alice and Jasper," I answered finally. "And Rose… and… Emmett."

"But," he responded, "who is… your… date?"

"I don't have a date, Charlie. They wanted me to go, I'm going. That's it," I said, ready to be done talking about it. He nodded sullenly as I stood, grabbing my backpack and moving toward the door. He followed and walked me to the truck then headed for the cruiser.

School dragged, as it had for the previous week, and by the time it let out I was reduced to nothing more than a bundle of nerves and energy.

Alice and I quickly prepared dinner for Charlie and she put it away while I wrote him the usual note. I was beginning to miss my dinners with Charlie, and I knew I should make some time for him this weekend, assuming he let me spend the nights at the Cullen's.

As we drove to the house, Alice explained her theory of my vampire's ability. I immediately blushed and ran through every thought that I could remember, praying that she was incorrect.

He'd think I was crazy. Maybe I was his entertainment, and that's why he let me near him. I hoped beyond hope that he couldn't read minds, but I knew there was little chance of Alice being wrong.

When I got out of the truck and headed to the porch I was intercepted by a very grumpy Jasper. He looked at Alice angrily, whispering furiously below my range but she just nodded and smiled.

Finally, she turned to me as he stalked back into the house.

"Let's go?" she asked, taking my hand and leading me to the porch. "It'll be fine," she added, so low that I wasn't sure whether or not I was supposed to hear her. She looked up at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of worry and hope, as we entered the living room.

**

I got to the bedroom quickly, making my way over to him and immediately crawling into bed.

He inhaled sharply as his growl quickly dissipated and his eyes opened to me. I made my way over to him and let our fingers tangle together, ignoring his panicked jolt as my other hand contacted his face.

His eyes had become a deep auburn color, his skin was closer now to what I was used to in a vampire. His cheeks had filled more and were to the point that I wouldn't know he was malnourished if I hadn't seen him before. I could tell that he was still thirsty, as his eyes were still relatively dark, but otherwise the signs in his face were gone.

Without thinking, I moved myself closer and pulled the blanket down, exposing his back. He inhaled sharply, closing his eyes and turning his head further into the pillow, while I ran my fingers across his shoulder blades. I let my fingers run the length of his spine, eager to know if his body had shown the same improvement.

I could still feel each disc but barely, the lines of his ribcage were all but invisible to me and his wounds had completely faded. I smiled broadly in spite of myself, knowing that physically, my vampire was okay.

He watched me as I examined his body, reluctant to fully trust me.

As I looked him over, I told him about my day. I explained the calls from Renee, the conversation with Charlie and my inevitable blunder about homecoming. He was fairly calm by the time I laid down next to him, my head propped on one hand while my other arm hovered protectively over his shoulders.

"Alice says you can read minds," I finally said, slowly bringing my fingers to his hair.

His eyes met mine then and he looked at me with a burning intensity that hadn't been there before.

Can you?

He remained still, showing no indication of his ability to hear my thoughts. I wondered briefly if it was a defense mechanism, if he was just pretending to be unable to hear my thoughts.

In the end, I decided that it didn't really matter. He trusted me, and if he could read my mind, he must not be too uncomfortable with my thoughts. I blushed at the reminder.

His face softened then, his eyes closing slowly as I put my focus back on my hands.

While I rubbed his back, I wondered how much stronger he actually was. He almost looked to be fully healed, so would have full strength, as well? I figured I might as well put it to the test.

It was in that mindset that I wrapped my fingers tightly around his. He looked at me, confused, and I internally noted that if he could read minds, he was beyond comprehending what he was hearing.

"I think we should get you cleaned up," I said, coaxing him into a sitting position. I knew that without his cooperation I wouldn't even be able to budge him, but I didn't have a hard time. We sat side by side on the bed, his arms wrapped tightly around his chest and his shoulders shaking silently.

I put my arms around them, waiting for his muscles to loosen some, hoping that he trusted me enough to let me do this.

When his trembling had eased, I slowly got him onto his feet. He was shaky at first, unused to this position, so I kept my grip on his arms, helping him to steady himself. It didn't take long for him to regain his footing and eventually we stood side by side, ready to proceed.

It was then that I first realized that he towered over me. I didn't like being unable to keep eye contact with him, as it was our only means of communication; I decided to make the trip quick.

I could feel his fingers shaking around mine, so I talked to him as led him away from the bed. I started to tell him about Alice and her visions, but he stopped short.

He was staring out the window, at the river, and together, we walked toward the glass wall. When we were finally close enough, he put his free hand out to the glass, flattening his palm against it. I moved my hand to cover his, wondering what he could be thinking about.

His hands were trembling still as he stared out over the Cullen's land, until finally he broke his stare and looked down at me.

I smiled and squeezed his fingers, continuing to lead him toward the bathroom. As we neared the door his shaking increased, but still he complied with my silent requests.

Inside, I closed the door behind us and turned the water on. He was shaking hard, pressed into the far corner of the room, and together we slid down to the floor.

"It's okay," I said, reaching for his trembling hand. "I won't hurt you." I pulled his arm into my lap and traced his fingers, waiting for him to calm down. Eventually, as his shaking eased, I stood again.

I looked to the bathtub, plugging it quickly then back to my vampire. "I just want to get you cleaned up," I said, taking off my sweater. Slowly, then, I stepped out of my pants and wore nothing but a pair of boy-shorts and my tank top. It occurred to me that I should be embarrassed, to say the least, but I was well beyond that.

I reached my hand out to him, begging him to comply.

Eventually he stood and slowly walked toward me. When he was within reach, I carefully removed the pants that I had given him yesterday, setting them on the counter with my clothing.

Although he was completely naked and I was very nearly in the same position, the whole situation was strangely comfortable. I suppose it had to do with the familiarity, but he didn't seem to be put out at all by his nudity.

I stepped over the ledge, letting my feet adjust to the temperature. I had made it excessively hot, knowing that once he was inside it would quickly cool, so I watched as my feet turned a very light shade of pink.

His body was trembling again as I eased him closer to me. "It won't hurt," I promised, rubbing his hand with my fingers. After several minutes of encouragement, he finally stepped into the tub. He inhaled sharply, growling softly, but stayed in the tub.

We stood there for a few moments, his back facing me, while I let him adjust to the feel of the water. Slowly, I lowered us into the bath.

He pulled his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, his head resting on his knees while he silently shook. Slowly, I moved closer to him, my legs on either side of his body, and wrapped my arms around his. I wasn't able to lock my hands around his knees, so I settled for wrapping them around his forearms. My cheek was pressed against his back, his cool skin in distinct contrast to the temperature of the water. After an eternity of sitting with him, his trembling finally eased.

I tried to clean him as quickly as possible while remaining effective, and as I cleaned him, I told him stories about my mother. I explained her eccentricities and fondly remembered some of my favorite adventures with her. I told him all about her bungee jumping excursion and her white water rafting trip, and the bruises and scars that accompanied them. I told my vampire that my mother is my very best friend and I told him how much I missed her.

As I ran my fingers through his hair the muscles in his neck finally loosened, his rigid shoulders visibly relaxing, his breathing slow and deliberate. "Are you alright?" I whispered. I had grown so used the one-sided conversations that I almost completely missed the small nod of his head. He exhaled, laying his head back on his knees.

"You can… understand me?" He didn't respond, but in that moment, I knew it was the truth. I smiled inwardly, silently continuing the bathe him.

I tried to gently ease his head back to rinse the soap from it but was met with a resistance I knew I'd stand no chance against. His body grew rigid. "I won't hurt you," I whispered, prying his fingers from his knees. "Just… trust me?"

He took a shaky breath and allowed me to pull him to me, his head resting in the crook of my arm. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were clenched shut, but I could tell that he was slowly calming. I reached for the empty cup on the counter, my movements only slightly startling him. As I poured the water over his hair, he allowed more of his weight to fall on me, his face growing calm again. "It's not so bad," I said as I finished with his hair.

When I was satisfied, I helped him back into an upright position. I had already cleaned him, but I wanted to prolong these moments, unsure of whether I would get more of them anytime soon. Eventually, though, my muscles demanded that the bath end.

I moved to stand and stretched myself to grab the towel from the rack. I put it around his shoulders and helped him to his feet, as he began lightly shaking. I was shivering, eager to be out of my wet clothes and into the bed, so I quickly rubbed the towel over him, trying to dry him as much as possible before clothing him again. He was still trembling silently, so I reached behind me and grabbed the pants, helping him back into them. I draped the towel over his shoulders and opened the bathroom door, leading him back to the bed before returning to the bathroom to change.

I dressed quickly and headed back to the bed, back to my vampire, while he slowly calmed himself down.

We lay in bed for several hours while I told him more about my life. I spent this time talking about Charlie, about the divorce and never seeing him, about our two week vacations to California every summer. Knowing he could understand me made me more inclined to make the conversation meaningful, but there were times throughout the night that I doubted if I had actually seen him nod. He didn't respond to anything else during my monologue, but we kept our eyes locked, our fingers intertwined.

Too soon, my vampire began softly growling and I knew the night was coming to an end. Alice peeked her head in briefly to tell me it was 9:30 and then left, allowing me a few more minutes to say goodnight.

I sat up and his fingers tightened around mine.

"I have to go home," I whispered.

He turned his head slowly, swallowing visibly. He closed his eyes and took a few shaky breaths, opening his mouth. It was exactly like it had been last night, and I knew better than to get my hopes up. Still, though, I waited silently, begging him to find the strength to do it.

He closed his mouth and swallowed again, letting out a shaky breath and loosening his grip on my arm. I nodded, moving myself slowly off the bed, stalling in my effort to give him more time. By the time my feet hit the floor I had accepted the fact that he wouldn't talk to me; not tonight. So I quickly made my way over to his side of the bed and sat on the sliver of mattress that was left exposed.

I ran my fingers through his hair as he turned his head toward me. I smiled sadly, letting the back of my hand graze his cheek before moving to stand.

He swallowed again, inhaling deeply and closing his eyes. His mouth opened slightly and I could see his lips trembling. His whole body was beginning to shake, so I began rubbing his arms, trying to offer him some comfort.

So softly that I wasn't sure if it was really happening, my vampire whispered, "Don't leave me?" My eyes snapped up to meet his, the tears immediately spilling over. His words were so weak and scared, questioning rather than requesting.

His voice was pained and scratchy, unused for so long. Immediately, I fell to my knees so we were eye level and I lay my head on the mattress. He was trembling and his eyes were full of pain and fear, which made the tears fall faster.

"I'll never leave you," I whispered, trying desperately to reaffirm my words. "I'll be back tomorrow, as soon as I get out of class," I told him. Slowly, he raised his hand. He kept his eyes locked on mine as his hand slowly moved toward my face. I wasn't afraid or nervous; I eagerly awaited the moment our skin made contact.

After an eternity, my vampire's hand met my cheek and wiped away the remaining tears on my face. It lingered there for a minute before I raised my own hand to cover his. We were both shaking, my breaths coming hard as I battled over whether or not to ignore my curfew, just for this night. Could I leave him again? I had to, I knew this.

"I'll be back," I promised once more, releasing his hand and moving it back to the bed. The look on his face brought on a fresh round of tears, but I knew I needed to leave. So I slowly raised myself from the floor and headed for the door.

**

A/N: Review if you're happy the vamp is getting better! Maybe soon we'll find out his name! 

Or… review if you're sad that the vamp is getting better…?

Yanno.. just review in general. It makes it all worth it.