Acceptance Chapter 12: Awake, a twilight fanfic

Disclaimer – SM owns everything but I like to believe :p

Chapter 12 – Awake

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I could hear whispers around me as my mind came back into consciousness. Where am I? I could feel a cold hand squeeze mine and felt happy knowing my Edward was with me. I felt safe with him here. I could hear them clearer now.

"Alice?" His velvet voice could bring me back from the gates of hell. It touched the air like a butterfly and caused my love filled heart to flutter.

"Eeeeek!! Not long Edward, she will wake up in...but oh!" Before I could hear what Edward was saying to her, a searing pain ran through my entire body, my back was on fire! I shot up, my eyes open and let out an ear-splitting scream.

The pain that I felt was unbearable, almost as bad as when James bit me! I stopped screaming, knowing it would cause Edward and Alice pain. I sat upright with my eyes closed and breathed heavily for a while trying to calm myself...but that didn't stop the tears falling down my cheeks.

"Bella, love...please open your eyes" His voice was the best medicine I could have, I calmed down quite a bit, turned my head and looked into his black eyes.

"Edward...you need to hunt, you're in pain" I said as I stared at his gorgeous face. He chuckled a little and I saw Alice relax in her seat.

"My love I think that is the least of my problems, are you okay? Do you need some pain relief?" I shook my head at this, he being here took my mind off the searing pain in my back and besides...I didn't want to waste another second when I could spend it with him. I stared into his dark eyes. They were full of love and then all of a sudden they turned serious.

"Bella, love...can you remember what happened? Sam Uley said you were attacked by a bear, but why was Jacob not with you?" He said this so quick I almost didn't hear him. I sat, thinking, trying to remember the last thing I did. I could see Edward getting impatient so I held up my finger to him, a sign to let me think.

I remembered getting on Jake's bike and driving to La Push, he asked to go for a walk...um...right! He then tried to touch me in a very inappropriate place and then...OH MY GOD! I told him I loved Edward more than him and then he...he...he attacked me!? He actually phased and attacked me! Edward must have seen the realisation in my eyes.

"Bella, love what is it?!" his voice shook with worry as he wiped my cheek. I suddenly became very aware that tears were falling down my face again.

"I just remember being attacked...I can't remember what exactly happened. All I remember was being jumped on and then waking up just now". It came out in a rush but I knew he heard me. He grabbed my wrists gently and kissed each hand.

"Bella, where was Jacob?" He asked me with determination in his eyes.

"Um...I had talked to Jacob and...I told him I needed to take a walk on my own". I prayed that he couldn't tell I was lying and when I looked into his eyes I could see anger rather than disbelief.

"He should not have left you alone! I knew I couldn't trust that dog!" The anger I saw in his face shocked me but I couldn't even imagine what he would be like if I told him the truth. I could not, would not let his family get hurt because of me. I could not allow the treaty to be broken.

"Edward, please relax. I'm just so happy you are here" I said as I led back down, wincing as my back hit the bed. I noticed the nurse enter from the corner of my eye.

"Good afternoon Miss Swan, the doctor has said to give you more pain relief so I'm afraid that I shall have to ask your guests to leave" She said with a kind smile on her face but still-

"NO!" I jumped up again and regretted it immediately. Edward jumped up and grabbed my arms.

"Bella, love, please rest you are in much pain, I promise I shall see you again soon" His eyes were sincere and full of pain as he leaned down to whisper. "I shall be back later tonight to watch you sleep my love, I shall be with you, do not fret". I smiled up at him and before I felt the familiar blackness surround my mind I saw Alice...staring at me with a knowing look in her eyes.

I spent five horrible nights in that hospital. The only thing I could think about was Jake. What was I going to do? How could I make sure Edward didn't find out? At least he could not read my thoughts. It was so hard seeing him here. He was in so much pain, because I was in pain. I tried to make myself better for him and he seemed grateful for my cheerier mood.

Angela, Jessica and Mike visited too, Edward made sure he wasn't there when I had other visitors...especially Charlie. I don't think I could deal with that at the moment. But finally today, I get to go home. Carlisle said Alice will be over every day to change my bandages which I was grateful for, better than a stranger.

I stayed silent in Charlie's cruiser on the slow ride home; I just wanted to see Edward again.

"So...you've forgiven him?" I shot my head around in disbelief.

"Wh...what?" I was shocked by his revelation, how did he know? He read the emotion off my face and surprisingly he chuckled.

"Bella, I spoke with Carlisle, so I gathered that he was back...and I bumped into him yesterday as he was leaving." He became quiet at the end, for a strange second, I thought he had been talking about Jake.

"What...what happened?" I became worried instantly.

"Bells, it's okay, I obviously know how much you love him judging from your reaction when...well...you now, when they...left" He was worried about me going off the deep end again and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"And I noticed how chipper you have been the past few days, so I knew something was happening, I thought I hated the kid but when I saw him" He shivered remembering it, "He looked dead Bells, worse than you did when he was gone and I realised...even though I don't know why they left, they love you too. And I'll be honest...It will be nice seeing Alice again. As long as you're happy, then I'm happy Bells." He smiled at me and I smiled back, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

"Thanks Dad, but there was never anything to forgive" I croaked.

That night was one of the best nights of my life. Granted, I was in pain...but my Edward was with me, helping me sleep by humming my lullaby. It felt so right with him there and I slept peacefully, dreaming of him. But...part of me wondered, I knew he was upset to see me hurt...but did he really still love me? Would this insecurity stay with me forever?

He left that morning to get changed and Alice was coming over to change my bandages...I was nervous; I had not even looked into a mirror since the...accident. She didn't take long to jump through my window.

"Hey Bella!" She smiled widely at me and I smiled back. I could tell she knew I was lying about the accident but I was happy she never pushed to find out why. I moved to the end of my bed and took my t-shirt off to hold over my chest, I winced as she gently took off the bandages. When she was done I stopped her picking up the new ones.

"Alice...I want to see" She looked at me and sighed.

"I knew you would" She got up and went to the bathroom for the floor length mirror; she came back in and placed in against my bedroom door. I breathed deeply and walked to it looking at the floor. I turned my back to the mirror, opened my eyes and turned to look. I gasped!

Down my back, were three deep claw marks running from my right shoulder blade to the lower left of my back. They were stitched but it didn't stop them looking horrible and bloody. I looked to my face and gasped again. There running from underneath my left eye to my jaw was a pink, healing slice. Not deep enough for stitches but I could tell there would be a faint scar. I felt the tears well in my eyes as I went to sit back down in front of Alice. She looked like she would cry if she were human and I carried on as she wrapped me in fresh bandages...not in pain because of what had happened...but because I knew Edward would see this through Alice's eyes.

So what do you think? It aint over yet! :p

This chapter is dedicated to the lovelies –

Zombie's Run This Town

Emisha

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Ashley8516

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