Baby You Can Stop Running

Chapter Five

BPOV

After spending the past four years in a place that rarely ever rained, the dark clouds were ominous to me. California had been a breath of fresh air and the perfect place to run away to. Washington rarely had the sun that my body was desperate for, instead, it always seemed to be covered with a layer of mist and dark clouds that only added to the misery that I had been feeling when I left. California on the other hand brought out a whole knew me. It had been everything I needed at the time, but now, I regretted it more than anything else in the world. Still, I couldn't help but think, as my eyes glanced out the window before looking back towards Charlie who was stirring on his hospital bed, that the clouds were telling me that things weren't okay, that trouble was just around the corner and there was no way to prepare myself for it.

"Bella?" I heard his weak voice call out as his eyes fluttered open. His eyes searched the room until they landed on me, in that instant I seemed to feel insecure, all too much aware of the pain that I had caused him as his eyes seemed to see straight through me, it was as though he was looking at a ghost. It made sense, for him to look at me that way, to look through me, he was sick, injured to the point where apparently the doctor wasn't even sure he was going to make it through, maybe he thought I was merely a figment of his imagination. I'm sure that I probably would have felt the same way. Still, I knew that there were so many things that had been left unsaid between us. They were things that I knew I had to come clean about and I was worried, worried that what I had to tell him was only going to make this worse, that it would throw his recovery to the point where he had absolutely no chance of pulling through. But even more prevalent in my thoughts was my fear that he might die never knowing the truth.

I stood up, watching as Charlie adjusted himself on the bed and I could feel my heart crushing against my chest, had it not been contained neatly within my body I was sure it would have leaped out. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out, I couldn't seem to find them, I didn't know what he wanted to hear, what I was willing to let him hear. Emmett was silent, not even a simple 'hey dad' came from his lips, and all that could really be heard was the ticking of the clock that hung on the wall, a simple reminder that time was passing, and quickly at that.

"Bella?" He whispered again and I turned my heat to look at Emmett who only nodded me forward, his subliminal way of holding my hand though the process. "Bella is that you?" Who else would it be? I instantly felt guilty for that thought; he was probably so doped up on painkillers that he truly could have believed he was imagining my presence.

"Hi dad." I said softly as I finally reached the side of his bed. Looking at him at such a close distance, I wanted to cry. He looked so weak and it was something that I had never seen in him before. He had always been strong, always been the one that I had leaned on for support and seeing him like this, it was something I was totally and completely unprepared for. He reached for my hand and I gave it to him freely, sitting down on the edge of the bed, careful not to touch him, afraid that I would break him.

"Bells…" He whispered, his other hand reaching up and touching my face as though he was making sure that I was real. I could feel the tears as the pooled in my eyes, the salty liquid starting to brim over my eyes and I was unable to blink them back again. His thumb brushed my cheek, wiping away a few of the tears that had escaped as he looked at me with gentle eyes. "Why are you crying?" He seemed truly unaware to my feelings, and it only made me cry harder, he had gone all this time thinking that I had left because of him, in his mind, I was just like Renee, maybe worse so because she was not his own flesh and blood.

"I just…" I couldn't seem to breathe and the sobbing only became more intense. For the first time in years, I was finally crying. I had spent so many years building a wall, a dam maybe might be a better metaphor, and while I was building it, there were cracks in the cement and all that pressure just kept pushing against it until now. Now, everything was crumbling, the water had pushed through for the first time, and it was exploding at an alarming rate. I finally managed to control my breathing and in that moment I turned to look at Charlie once again though my cloudy, tear filled eyes. "I never should have done what I did… I never should have left you and Emmett… I'm sorry, so sorry…"

"You're back… That's all that matters." Charlie was never one for emotional reunions, though I was surprised he was handling my tears so well. I guess that was one of the perks to him actually being in the hospital for this, at least he could see, could really see the regret that I felt, and he wasn't shying away from my tears as he had in the past.

"There is so much though… So much that you don't know about…"

"Why don't we keep it on a need to know basis?" He chuckled lightly, leave it to Charlie to make light of a situation when feelings were involved, maybe he wasn't as evolved as I thought he was. "What matters is that you're here." His eyes shifted across the room towards Emmett who was sitting there, gazing out the window trying to give us the time alone that he thought we needed. "Thank you Em." Emmett just looked at him a shrugged, preferring to use his body as a way of speaking than his actual mouth.

"Are you hungry?" I managed to choke out, pulling his tray closer to him. There were things that he had to know, that were on a need to know basis but maybe this wasn't the time. I needed more time, more time to figure out how I was going to talk to him, how I was going to tell him, it wasn't something I knew I could do lightly, it was serious, and I just wasn't ready yet, there was still someone I had to talk to. I still needed closure and I couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for him to come around, for him to gather the courage and come see me.

"I'm okay… You look tired though kid… Have you gotten any sleep at all? And what's that on your chin?"

I stood up and pushed the tray closer to him so that he could eat before responding to his question. "Emmett called me around two in the morning and I got on the first flight to Seattle… I had a small nap before coming over here. As for the chin, my shoes were wet and I was rushing to get here and well, my feet slipped out from underneath me and I kind of went chin first onto the hospital floor."

I could hear Charlie chuckle lightly, wincing every so often when it began to hurt. "Oh Bells… Leave it to you to have to be treated in the hospital not even four hours after coming back." I rolled my eyes but when I heard Emmett's laugh bellow though the small room I too couldn't help but laugh. "Some things never change." Charlie smiled pulling my head down and kissing my forehead. "I've missed you Bella, but go home and get some rest. We can talk tomorrow, we have all the time in the world. If you promise not to leave again."

"Are you sure dad? You just woke up…" My voice trailed as I stood up and he nodded. I didn't want him to over exert himself so I turned to Emmett. "Is there food in the house? I heard you invite someone over for dinner and Rosalie is coming so if I need to go to the store I want to do it on my way home."

"Honestly… There isn't much."

"Okay, I don't mind stopping to get things then. I'll stock up." I smiled before leaning down and kissing Charlie on the cheek. "I'll be back tomorrow morning."

I heard Charlie say goodbye as I walked over towards the chair that I had been sitting on and picked my purse up, flinging it over my shoulder before taking one look back to the bed and walking out the door. Maybe Charlie was right, maybe we did have all the time in the world to talk, it just didn't feel that way. I knew it was the best thing, to leave when I did, I just couldn't help but fear that he wouldn't be around in the morning, but at the same time, I still didn't know how I was going to tell him the things that I knew I had to. I hadn't even spoken with Jacob, something I thought I would have to do first, now I just wasn't so sure.

I walked to the truck, not bothering to care that the mist was sticking to my forehead, to my hair, to my clothes. I suppose I should have, especially since I knew I needed coffee and that required going to the only coffee shop in Forks, Forks Coffee Shop. There was one perk of small towns, everything was close and it wasn't even five minutes later that I found myself walking into the shop. Nothing changed, and that shouldn't have surprised me, so why was it that every place I went I seemed to comment how not one thing had been moved? How everything was exactly the way it was when I left four years ago? It just didn't seem possible, the natural evolution of life had taught me that things in nature adjusted, adapted to the changing times, but Forks just didn't. It always maintained its small town 'charm' which I found somewhat unnerving.

As I took a sip of the black coffee, a taste that I had developed from long nights of memorizing art slides, I couldn't help but wish that it was slightly stronger… And by stronger I meant alcoholic. I could have blamed it on the pain from the cut that was on my chin but that would have been a lie. I was just thankful that I didn't run into anyone while I was grabbing coffee, though the chances of seeing someone while I was out Forks Outfitters was probably almost a certainty, with one grocery store in the entire town, someone was going to be there, or at least, working there.

"You're Bella Swan right?" I heard someone call my name as I was about to walk towards the door. I had finally just finished putting the right about of cream and sugar into it, to actually make it a little more drinkable. For a state that prides itself on coffee, I was slightly surprised that this wasn't what I was use to, then again, the town wasn't riddled with Starbucks locations like in Seattle or San Francisco, I mentally chided myself for not making Emmett stop at one before we made the drive to Forks.

As I turned around, I found myself looking at a girl who couldn't have been much younger than myself. She was exotic looking almost and I slightly remembered her as being new to town when I had left. I think she had attended Forks, but I was apprehensive to say anything, although the town did change, the people do grow up and the last thing I wanted was to offend someone by not remembering their name. Still, there weren't many people around Forks with short hair like hers was, and the cut was messy, almost that same perfection that graced my hot doctor. She wasn't built like him though, she was petite, maybe thin to an extreme but on her it didn't look unhealthy, and she was short too, very short, maybe under five feet short, but she had a smile about as wide was the Olympic Mountain range and she seemed friendly enough. And mentally I found myself wishing that I had known more people like her, and here I didn't really even know who she was.

"Sorry, you probably don't remember me, I only moved to Forks the year before you graduated." She explained, her bubbly voice bringing some cheer to the misery caused from the chill and rain waiting just for me beyond the glass doors. "I'm Alice Cullen, and this," She motioned to the very tall, honey blonde male who stood behind her, his hand resting protectively on her waist, "is Jasper Whitlock."

He reached his free hand forward to shake my own, "Hello." His southern drawl filled my ears and had I not heard the voice of the doctor, I would have never thought anything could have sounded more beautiful. It was fitting for him, and it didn't seem to surprise me that he was Southern, something about him screamed gentleman.

"Your brother is my father's doctor?" It sounded more like a question then it did a statement and she just beamed her radiant smile my way and nodded her head.

"I'm really sorry to hear about your father but I know Edward is doing all he can to make sure that your father pulls through. I'm sure this has to be a difficult time for you." She smiled, her voice sincere and I appreciated her sympathy. Jasper just stood there and though I thought he was on the gentleman side of things, I couldn't help but worry that he might be cold, that he didn't want to be there. Granted, neither did I really.

"Thank you. I haven't meet your brother yet but I hope to see him at the hospital tomorrow. I have a few questions that I wanted to ask him about Char… my dad that Emmett can't seem to tell me. But I've already worried him enough as it is so I'm trying to not be too pushy about my probing."

"Did you just come from the hospital?" She questioned and I nodded.

"I did, but he wanted to get some more rest and Emmett and Charlie were never really good at keeping the house stocked with food so I figured it would be a good time to run the errands that they haven't done in a long time I'm assuming."

"Well I hope to see you around Bella Swan." She smiled and I found that I had hoped that would be true as well. Besides Angela, there weren't very many people in this town that I actually liked and not knowing how long I was going to be here, it would be nice to have a friend around, especially since Angela was going to be busy planning her wedding to Ben.

"I do too." I smiled politely, taking my coffee and heading towards the door. I paused for a moment because I thought that I heard her say something to Jasper, however I chalked that up to my own imagination. I barely knew her and I knew even less about Edward, she couldn't possibly have thought that I was going to be good for her brother.

An hour later I was struggling to carry the grocery bags into the house and I knew that I had about five trips to make since I was alone which was why when I finally got the door open I almost screamed when I saw the figure of another person sitting on the couch. It wasn't until I flicked the light on that I realized that she must have been Emmett's infamous Rosalie. As she stood up I realized what it was that Emmett found so appealing about her, hell, even I thought she was beautiful. She was tall, much taller than I was, and her blonde hair fell in soft waves to her back and as she came closer to me, I caught a glimpse of her eyes, violet eyes like ones I had never seen before.

"Bella right?" She asked, her voice almost like a song as it echoed through the small house.

I smiled and placed the bags down, and to my surprised she pulled me into a hug. After the way Emmett had described her I had not been expect that, in fact, I had almost been expecting her to be rather wary of me, but her warmness overwhelmed me. It had been a day unlike what I had imagined, between Charlie's reaction, meeting Alice Cullen and her sincere compassion, and now Rosalie's warm welcoming, I wasn't sure I deserved this. I would have been much more comfortable had I not had such a warm welcoming, now I just felt like shit for putting everyone though this.

"Emmett has told me all about you, he was so excited when he called and said that you were coming home. And I stopped by the hospital and Charlie has improved tenfold since you've been back!" Her voice was excited and I felt somewhat awkward for a moment but I pulled away and plastered as wide of a smile that I possibly could to hide the feelings that were flooding my body.

"I just wish I had come home sooner." I replied watching as she followed me out to the tuck and proceeded to help me carry in the groceries. "I am just glad that I have finally gotten to meet you! You are all Emmett talks about! I wish we could have met sooner!"

"Well we have plenty of time now to get to know one another." She smiled before walking over to the door and picking up her purse. "I am going to go home for a bit, Emmett told me that you might have a lot of groceries and with your accident he asked if I could help."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Nonsense, I wanted to. Tell Emmett that I'll be back later for dinner." She said as she opened the door and walked out after I shouted my goodbye.

As I began to put things away I couldn't help but think that she and I were going to get along well. And in meeting her I could see why Emmett had fallen for her, she had been everything that I always knew he was looking for. She was, without a doubt, beautiful but it was more than that, she was sweet, seemed humble, and appeared to adore him, which made me rather proud. I may never be able to pull anyone as good looking as that but at least my brother could, that in and of itself was enough to make me smile.

Seven O'clock

The doorbell rang and though I shouted at Emmett to answer it I noticed that he was occupied on the couch with Rosalie which caused me to sigh. Although I was happy they had found each other, I had been hoping that they might have been able to keep their passion under control around my presence although that didn't seem to be the case. As I walked behind the couch I slapped him on the back of the head causing him to look up and grin with self satisfaction and I shot him a dirty look in return but my cheeks had flushed and I know that he had noticed it.

"God Bells, you're a grown woman, people do have sex, stop being such a prude!" I glared at him before opening the door, only to hear the light chuckling of the person who was standing there.

"Hi, I'm Edward." He said as I turned to look at him, my mouth falling open. This was not what I was expecting, this was not the night that I had signed up for at all. If I had thought he was attractive at the hospital, I was sorely mistaken because the man standing in front of me was more like a god, a real life Adonis. And then he did the unthinkable, and I knew I was in trouble. I watched as the left side of his lip curled up into a crooked half smile and I felt as though my knees were going to buckle underneath me and for the first time in my life, I was thankful that I was holding onto the door. I had never in my entire life met anyone more dazzling and I knew, more than ever, that I was in danger of falling for someone who would never think twice about me.

A/N: Wow! Thank you for everyone who has been adding this story to their alerts! I was surprised with the amount of them that came in with the previous chapter! And again, a really quick thanks to those who took the time to review my story! I am so appreciative of it!
Twilightlover12Edward
Tweemad
Twilightmoon20: Thanks for pointing out the misspellings of the names! I fixed it in this chapter!
Rainpuddle12
Darcy13
MeghanCullen
a step into the Light

Thank you again for the reviews! I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say about the next chapter. I wanted to add more Edward/Bella interaction in this chapter but I didn't want it to be too long so I thought it was best to stop here… I've started chapter six though so I will post that as soon as I have finished with it but I'm hoping that you like it as will be mainly in Edwards point of view and his impressions… We will also be learning more about what Bella has been running away from and what is happening in Edward's mind that has made him so secluded. Please continue to send me your thoughts, I love hearing what you say and it really makes me excited to keep writing and posting!