Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Before I fell asleep I had one last thought: I did recognize that look, it was how Rosalie and Emmett looked at each other, the same as Alice and Jasper or Carlisle and Esme. But that could only mean one thing… and then I was dragged down into a fitful sleep.
EPOV
Bella was awake before me the next morning. She was sitting up in bed and looking out the window, watching the rain. I sat up next her but she didn't turn towards me, or even look at me. Her eyebrows were furrowed like she was thinking very hard about something. (she's thinking about Edward, he just doesn't know it)She shivered when the A/C turned on and I wrapped an arm around her and she leaned into my side but still didn't look up at me. "Did you sleep well?" I asked and she nodded absently, I bit my lip to keep from laughing at her frustrated expression. "Is something bothering you?" She looked up, surprised.
"Just thinking." She said before turning back to the window.
"What-" We were interrupted by a loud bang. I immediately pulled Bella off the bed and stood in front of her, it took a second to register that the bang was a gunshot. There was a groan on the other side of the door and the sound of someone getting hit. Bella and I were still facing each other and I watched her eyes widen before she buried her face in my chest and covered her ears, I wrapped my arms around her. I heard footsteps as someone ran away and stood completely still with Bella, both of us shocked into stillness and silence. After a painfully quiet and still moment there was the sound of a flood of personnel lifting someone onto a stretcher.
"I'm going to see what happened, you stay here." I told Bella as I started to pull away.
She glared at me "I'm going to go too; I'll stay behind you if it makes you feel better."
I studied her face as I thought. She had on her stubborn face; she always got what she wanted from me when she looked at me like that. I sighed "Fine." I turned around and we headed to the door but before I opened it I said "Stay behind me." She nodded and I opened the door.
Outside, nurses and doctors were all surrounded around a man on a stretcher and I realized it was Officer Mills, the officer who took morning shifts outside Bella's room. Then I saw Carlisle. He wasn't helping at the moment, but leaning against the wall staring blankly at a small piece of paper in his hands. The nurses took off down the hall with the stretcher and Officer Mills.
BPOV
Edward dragged me across the hall towards Carlisle who was staring at a small paper in his hands. "What is it, Carlisle? What happened?" Edward asked quickly. Carlisle didn't say anything but handed Edward the paper, watching him with grave eyes as Edward read the slip. Edward's eyes widened as he read it and he looked up at me with shocked and maybe even scared eyes.
"What is it? Give it to me, Edward." I held out my hand and he reluctantly gave it to me, I looked down at the page.
Remember your promise, Isabella. If you tell, you WILL regret it...
"That was pinned to Officer Mills when we found him. I'm sure it's from your attacker." Carlisle said quietly when I looked up at them. I leaned against Edward as I thought about what it had said. My promise, I remembered that. He made me promise not to tell someone or he'd hurt Charlie, I took in a shaky breath as I thought about that. Maybe I shouldn't tell them, I couldn't let Charlie get hurt because of me, I would never be able to forgive myself and I'd always know it was my fault.
I looked up at Carlisle "Please go take care of Officer Mills, please don't let him die." I practically begged. Carlisle nodded and after two other officers came to replace Officer Mills, he left.
Edward gently pulled me back into the room; he sat down on the bed with me in his lap and rubbed soft, soothing circles in my back as I tried to get over the shock of what had just happened. Key word: tried. We sat in complete silence for who knew how long, as I concentrated on my breathing to keep my mind off all that had happened to me.
"Are you hungry?" Edward broke the silence.
"I don't want you to leave." I said quickly but my stomach growled as if to contradict my sentence.
"Why don't you come with me? We'll just go to my house and you'll stay in my room with me as Esme cooks something. It'd be nice to be in a real bed wouldn't it? And I want you to be safe." He said and I thought about it. It would be nice to not have body guards all the time and Edward's bed was amazingly comfortable were this hospital bed was hard and completely uncomfortable. If we stayed in his room we wouldn't run into anybody either because he was the only person on the third floor; everyone else was on the second. "You don't have to, I just think it would be a good idea and Carlisle said you could leave the hospital as soon as you wanted to."
"I wouldn't have to be with too many people?" I asked tentatively.
Edward smiled "Of course not, you want to gather your things and we'll go?" He asked. I grabbed all my books and toiletries and things and put them in the bag Alice had brought me. Edward took my bag and led me out of the hospital, always making sure to steer clear of other people for me.
In the car, I laid my head down on the cool glass of the window and closed my eyes as Edward pulled out of the parking lot. He turned on some soft Debussy (What else?) and I concentrated more than need be on it so I couldn't think of what had happened with Officer Mills, I shuddered slightly, thinking of all the blood.
Stop it Bella! The last thing you need is to have a panic attack or get sick in Edward's car!
I felt the car stop and I opened my eyes to look at the familiar house, correction, the familiar mansion. Edward got out of the car and opened my door, he held a hand out to me and I took it. We walked up to the house and Edward held the door open for me. "Esme, Bella and I are going to stay in my room! Please don't come in, you know why!" Edward called to Esme and he led me up stairs. He must have told Esme that I didn't feel comfortable around other people right now.
"Do you guys want some lunch?" She called after us and Edward called back that that would be great. He dropped me and my bag off in his room so he could go get our lunch (it was already just past noon) and to talk to Esme about the new arrangements. I made myself comfortable and put my clothes in the two bottom drawers of Edward's dresser because they were always empty so I could put my things in there. A few minutes later Edward came upstairs carrying a tray with fruit, sandwiches, and drinks "Lunch is served." He grinned at me as he set it down on his desk in the corner of the room. We ate in silence, both of us consumed in our own thoughts. Edward looked like he was trying to solve a puzzle and I was trying to figure out what it might be when he looked up at me.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked and I paused for a second.
"Nothing of consequence." I didn't want him to know I was thinking about him. He glared at me.
"I hate it when you do that." He flopped back down on the bed "Do you always have to edit?"
I smiled a little bit "Yeah, I do." His head rolled to the side as he looked at me and grinned crookedly, my smile grew in response. I got off the bed and walked over to his giant black couch and sat cross-legged on the very end of the couch. I l patted the seat next to me and looked at Edward. He got up and came to lie down on the couch next to me. He laid his head next to my leg and I tried to pull him up, closer to me… it didn't work. He chuckled and moved closer to me himself, laying his head in my lap like we used to do all the time. He chuckled again as I began to absent mindedly play with his hair as I watched the rain patter against his window-wall. After a while, Edward spoke, breaking the silence.
"Will you sing for me?" He whispered and I looked down at him. He was watching me quietly and I sighed.
"What do you want to hear?"
He grinned "Anything." I thought for a long moment before deciding on a song he hadn't heard yet called 2 AM. (Song is Breathe or 2 AM by Anna Nalick, again pretend Bella wrote it and here's a link: /watch?vx7KYizBh1JQ )
"Can you hand me my guitar?" I pointed at my guitar leaning against the wall next to the couch. He sat up and pulled it out of the case before handing it to me. Edward sat next to me and gave me his full attention as I began.
2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake,
"Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?,
I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my season"
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites. You're all here for the very same reason
Edward watched me silently with a gaze so intense it felt like he saw right through me, down to my core. Instead of looking away I kept my eyes on his and my voice grew stronger when he didn't look away from me but seemed all the more entranced.
'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl.
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe
May he turn 21 on the base at Fort Bliss
"Just a day" he said down to the flask in his fist,
"Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year."
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while,
But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles,
Wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it.
Edward smiled and I closed my eyes as I continued.
Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind button, boys,
So cradle your head in your hands,
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe
I sang a little louder at the next part because it was my favorite part of the song.
There's a light at each end of this tunnel,
You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out
And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again
If you only try turning around.
I played my guitar quietly, softly again and my voice got a little quieter as well and I opened my eyes locking them on Edward's again and shivered at the flow of electricity that went through me.
2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
I started playing louder again and my voice rose with it.
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button now
Sing it if you understand.
and breathe, just breathe
woah breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.
La da da da da, La da da da da, La da da da da, La da da da da.
Hey, yeah, yeah. La da da, La da da da da.
Hey, yeah, yeah. La da da da da. Hey, yeah, yeah.
I stopped playing and Edward and I just stared at each other for a moment and then Edward looked down for a second. When he looked back up at me conflict raged in his eyes and he slowly leaned forward, He took a deep breath and I just watched, wandering what he was doing.
And then he leaned forward and kissed me.
A/N: And that's the chapter! Sorry it took so long to update guys, I start school this Monday so life's been a little hectic. Review and I'll update as soon as possible!! And remember to check out all-hail-the-jello's stories! I've read both of them and they're fantastic, you can find her under my favorite authors so go check her out when you're done reviewing!!