A/N: Okay, some of you were bringing up exactly what I was thinking you would say (about it taking a while for Mike to change into a vampire.) Well this chapter should explain it. Chapter title from a Superchick song.

Eighteen

We Live, We Love

BELLA

My head was spinning. My vision was blurred, but I thought I could make out a person standing in front of me, waving their hands in the air and jumping up and down with joy- or was it pain? He- yes, it was a he- was holding his hands over his stomach and, it seemed, crying invisible tears. He choked back another sob before kissing my forehead cautiously. So that was what it looked like for a vampire to cry.

"Edward," I mumbled.

He grinned. "Yes, Bella. How do you feel, love?"

"Dizzy," I admitted, taking his large, cool hand in my insignificant, clammy one.

"You had quite a… fall," he told me, his brow furrowed worriedly.

"And… and Mike?"

His expression fell automatically when I said his name. He'd hoped I would forget.

"In the next room," he muttered angrily.

"He-he's here? In the hospital?" I spluttered.

Edward nodded solemnly, releasing my hand. "Don't worry. He's sedated. He can't hurt you."

"That's not what I'm worried about, Edward!" I exclaimed, struggling to sit up under the crisp, white hospital sheets.

Edward lunged forward, easing me back down. "Don't try to sit up, Bella. You've been out for nearly three days."

"Th-th-three?" I asked. He nodded again. What kind of answer was that?

"So that means Mike…"

"Is full vampire, yes," he finished knowingly.

"And he's been sitting in a hospital bed throughout this whole transformation?" I spat.

He looked down at me disbelievingly. "You're worried about him? About what they'll do to him if they find out he's a vampire? What if he comes back for you, Bella? What if he tries to kill you? What if you're alone? What if I can't do anything to stop him? He's a newborn vampire, for crying out loud, Bella!"

"You think this is your fault?" I whispered. It was more a revelation than a question. He glanced away from my face, embarrassed.

"I could have made you stay back. I could have told you that it was too dangerous. Instead I gave in. I sat and argued the point with you, and gave Emmett time to make a stupid mistake. Of course it's my fault, Bella. I'll never forgive myself for letting you get hurt when I could have done something about it," he explained.

I shook my head vehemently. "You're wrong."

"Don't try and make me feel better about this, Bella," he pleaded. "You're an easy target for Mike, and I've seen vamps like him before. He won't stop until he gets what he wants, and now he's perfectly capable. Bella, I gave him a chance to kill you."

"It's my fault. I argued with you. Besides, you couldn't have made me stay back if you wanted to."

He rolled his eyes. "Bella, I'm a vampire, in case you hadn't already noticed. You couldn't restrain me if it was all of your strength against the force of my little finger."

"Thanks for reminding me," I scoffed. "What I meant is that you couldn't hurt me. You would have had to force me."

"And I'm weak."

"No, you're just not sadistic. Not like… like… like…" No! Isabella Marie Swan, you will not cry! Do. Not. Cry!

"Don't cry, Bella!" Edward said, stroking my face. "And Carlisle insisted on keeping the punk under his supervision at all times, which 'of course involves bringing him into my own hospital, Edward'," he said mockingly.

"That's smart, at least."

"Smart?" he said. "You're in immediate danger without him being in the next room. Granted that he's been writhing in pain for the past few days, but that will be over soon. Then thirst will take over. And he'll kill you. He'll kill you, and I won't be able to do a thing about it."

"I'm not worried about him killing me," I assured him.

"What am I supposed to do without you, Bella?" he whispered.

"You'd be fine without me," I said firmly. "But that's not what I mean. I believe in you, Edward. Everyone gives you credit except for yourself. I know that you wouldn't let Mike hurt me."

"You overestimate my ability. Just because I am stronger than human Mike does not mean I can defeat Newborn Vampire Mike."

"That's not what I meant, either. You said that you love me… and if that's true, well, isn't love the most powerful thing?" How cliché did that sound?

"If that's true? Honestly, Bella? You still don't believe that I love you?"

"Not the point. Love drives people to do… things. I guess I'll just have to believe that you do love me… or risk it. Because if you don't…"

"If I don't what?"

"Then… no one does. No one loves me, and I haven't got any reason to live," I rambled.

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EDWARD

The pained expression in Bella's eyes when she said that was enough to make me wish I could cry. I reached out to cup a hand around her cheek, and she held it to her face.

"I do love you, Bella. And I will do whatever it takes to make you safe," I vowed.

"Thank you, Edward."

Ha, she thought I had a choice. I did love her, more than my own life, and because I had allowed myself to love her so much, I had to forgo the possibility of leaving her. Sure, I could bluff. I would tell her that if she did not start taking better care of herself that I would leave her alone, that she didn't need me anyway. But I myself did not believe in the least that I had the selflessness to do that.

"You're welcome, love."

"What are you doing with my daughter?" Not now. Anytime but now.

Bella flinched. I pulled my hand away quickly.

"Dad," she whispered.

"That's right, Bells. Get up. I'm taking you home," he commanded. She looked terrified. I briefly considered strangling him, tossing him through the door, and discombobulating, none of which seemed extreme to me. He was hurting my love. But they definitely weren't smart moves, and weird as it was, I knew it would make Bella unhappy.

"Charlie," I nodded at him, never moving from Bella's side. He ignored me.

"You heard me, Isabella! I said 'Get. Up. Now!'"

She shifted under the covers, and I placed my hand reassuringly on her forearm. She almost smiled at me.

"No," she rejected him. I must have been glowing with pride.

"What was that?" he snapped.

"I believe she said that, no, she wouldn't come with you," I said smugly, pulling up a chair beside her.

She rested her head on my shoulder, satisfied.

"Believe it or not, Chief Swan," I continued, caressing Bella's cheek affectionately. "I am capable of watching over Bella."

"I didn't ask whether or not you were capable!" he said, obviously defeated. I smiled at Bella and kissed her forehead. Her lips turned up tiredly as she slid closer to me. We both understood, then. I loved Bella. And I would protect her from anything at any cost. She was grateful. I was glad.

"Well I appreciate that, Chief Swan," I chuckled. Bella's eyes fluttered shut. Good. She needed sleep. "She isn't coming with you. Not today, not ever."

"Boy, I'll tell you what she is and isn't-"

"Chief Swan," Carlisle interrupted, glancing at Bella's sleeping face on my shoulder. He almost smiled, I could tell, but that would have ruined the façade. "I think you should leave. You are disturbing our patients. This is a place of business, and I am afraid that if you will not leave then we will be forced to remove you from the premises."

Charlie took one look at Carlisle, and then at me, and he knew it was over. He couldn't stop us. "I'll be back for my daughter," he promised us, stalking out of the room. I sighed.

"Shouldn't you be with Mike?" I asked.

"I was. But there's no danger. You shouldn't worry, Edward. Bella's fine for now."

"For now? I want her to be fine forever! If I hadn't forced myself onto her in the first place-"

"If you hadn't come into her life," he corrected me. "Then Mike would still be beating her on a daily basis." I cringed at that thought. "You didn't see what I saw when I did her check up, Edward. All of the bruises on her back, her neck, under her eyes…"

"Enough!" I told him. "I get it. I saw the bruises, Carlisle. It's too much to handle. She didn't… she never did anything to deserve that!"

"Exactly. And you saved her from him." Bella rustled in my arms, and I glanced at her, worried that she'd wake up. She didn't.

"Did you hear that, Edward?" Carlisle asked suddenly. I shook my head a bit, focusing on my surroundings.

I heard someone yawning, stretching, giving himself an once-over. He thought he must have died. Why had the burning stopped all of a sudden?

"Hmm, speak of the Devil."

A/N: Like it? Love it? Hate it? I need to know, people. And hopefully this chapter clears up your questions. REVIEW.

C.J.

P.S. REVIEW!!!