The next day found Bella sitting at the breakfast table, eating her toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwich and getting odd looks from Charlie, who had offered to cook her some eggs. Bella wasn't a fan of burnt eggs and she'd read enough about Charlie's cooking to bet that was what she'd get if she had him cooking for her. She wasn't in the mood to give it a try today. She'd had trouble sleeping as she went over her meeting Esme and wondering if she should try to move to Forks at all.

It took three hours of self doubt, what ifs and changing her mind at least five times, before she took control of her fear and forced herself to commit to a new plan. She had spent a bit of time planning the move, and she'd lived her other life based on the safest decision possible, the path of least resistance. Not this time, Renee would drive her insane and she could safely avoid the vegetarian vampires here if she had to. The only real issue was Edward, either because of his powers or because of her blood. That became her deciding factor. That also became the reason she only got an hour of sleep that night, if she managed to sleep at all. The vampire she hated the most in that family would determine if she moved or not. She had to see how he reacted to her, and if he was a threat, she was going to have to learn to live with Renee for a while longer.

She had no idea how she was going to pull off any sort of plan, but resisted the urge to come up with a dozen plans. It was hard, she liked plans, but Alice might mess up anything she planned ahead of time. Bella was going to learn to be spontaneous. The fact that she found herself trying to plan how to be spontaneous proved it was a challenge for her. Her only 'plan' was to not stay in Charlie's house reading, safely away from everyone. She needed to be out in the town to increase her chances of meeting people, all sorts of people. She needed to use what she knew about the Cullens to try and hang out in places they were likely to be. That posed an odd problem, because this town didn't have a lot to it.

"Did you still want to get a new coat Bells?" Charlie asked and Bella looked up to see she had his full attention. She remembered telling him that she wanted one, that she'd need it for visiting him. She couldn't explain her doubts now, so she just nodded. His pleased smile was enough to make her more determined to make up her mind before the new year. "Good, I'll take you out today and get you one. Like an early Christmas present. You can't be wearing that big old thing all the time."

The other Bella would have protested his spending his money on her this way, she knew that, but this Bella understood the gesture for what it was. She wasn't going to ruin it by arguing, "Sounds good." She smiled at him, wondering where they could possibly shop that wasn't insane this close to Christmas. This was bound to be an adventure. Charlie wasn't a shopper, it was obvious. Bella was a bit better, but still she'd normally steer clear of malls this late in the Christmas game herself. It wasn't that she ever bought much, but she would spend a long time looking for the bargains when she needed something. She just was better at determine if she actually needed it than many other people. Living in a tiny place helped teach her that.

Charlie proved to have done his homework, because he was taking her to a movie as well, and they headed out to Port Angeles after breakfast. It was cute how hard he was trying, and Bella appreciated the effort to spend time with her. It made it easier to work on getting his help in moving, and she did still want to move, she just needed to see if Edward would be an issue first.

"I need gas." Charlie muttered before they'd gone far, and Bella paid attention to the high school they were passing as he said it. It was strange to see the shiny silver Volvo in the parking lot and knowing who it belonged to. It really was the nicest car in the lot, but Volvo's were so boring. If she could afford any car in the world, she wouldn't pick that.

The gas station wasn't far from the high school. "Want any snacks for the drive Bells? It's gonna take an hour to get where we're going." He glanced at the store. "They make a mean breakfast burrito. I'm getting one."

"It's okay." Bella glanced around a bit nervously as she started to hope that Edward was in class, or with his family, and wasn't able to smell her from where he was. "I'll pump while you shop." Bella gave Charlie a tense smile, deciding that for today, distance was the better option.

"You know how?" He frowned.

"Course, Renee doesn't like to smell like gas." Bella muttered and saw his frown grow. She added. "And I fill up the tank when I go out for driving practice." His frown didn't really fade too much, but he nodded and swiped his card so she could pump the gas.

Maybe if she just let slip some of the issues she had with Renee it would help her cause, Bella thought, but it was going to be hard. The book made it seem like Charlie hadn't gotten over the woman, so she couldn't be seen as attacking the selfish, helpless, woman. As Bella considered it she decided to not use that strategy too much, it was too easy to have it backfire.

Her eyes were on the shop and she could see Charlie chatting nicely with the cashier and pointing out toward her. He looked pretty happy actually.

"You must be Chief Swan's daughter." A deep, calm, and a bit too nice. That voice was warning enough, now that she'd heard Esme's and Bella slowly turned to see the man on the other side of her pump. She'd heard him pull up but didn't pay any attention. The blonde man smiled at her and his pale skin and slightly bruised looking eyes, along with his model good looks said it all. Carlisle Cullen. Bella blinked as she stared at him a moment, before he moved just a little and shook her out of her surprise.

"Yeah, I'm Bella." She gave him a weak smile and struggled to come up with something to say, something better than what she'd done when meeting Esme, how hard could that be? "How did you know I didn't just steal this awesome ride." She managed to joke a little while pointing at the cop car. He was polite enough to laugh.

"Nice to meet you Bella. I'm Carlisle Cullen." He nodded from where he was pumping his own gas. "Your father is a good man."

"I know." Bella managed, but for the life of her she didn't know what else she could say. What a place to find a vampire? This was ridiculous.

"Carlisle" Charlie's voice calmed Bella's beginning panic and she looked up to see the man striding towards them with a smile on his face. "This is my daughter, Bella." He glanced at her. "Bella, this is Dr. Carlisle Cullen." Charlie's eyes stayed on her as if considering something. Bella felt her heart drop into her stomach as Charlie walked up beside her and spoke very quietly, as if just between the two of them. "He really is a good doctor Bella, maybe it wouldn't hurt to see what he thinks about your condition."

She could see the vampire tilt his head just a little and knew they were being listened to. "Charlie, I've been poked and prodded enough. It's gone, it's just gone." She couldn't stop her irritation from leaking out, but she could see Charlie's face fall. Dammit. "What more could be done?" She knew nothing would ever work, it wasn't amnesia.

She was facing the doctor when Charlie's voice was low and slow. "You've forgotten everything Bella, your whole life. What could it hurt to ask?" Carlisle couldn't hide his startled expression, though he covered it up pretty fast.

God, this was painfully awkward, Bella thought. Charlie never had pushed, but it was like he was grasping at this one last straw and now Bella was in a no win situation. Some damage was already done, because now, whether or not Charlie realized it, he'd told Carlisle there was something 'interesting' about Bella. Shit.

She was about to deny Charlie, even knowing it was going to hurt the relationship she was building with him, when a stray thought grew. Doctors had to touch you to examine you. With something like a vampire, they could smell who you've been around like a dog most likely. She could safely send her scent back to the Cullen house while never setting foot there, giving Edward some warning that his 'singer' if she in fact was that, was around. That could help, couldn't it?

If she were lucky he might just move to Alaska permanently, leaving Forks to her. Bella liked that idea. "Can I think about it?" Bella asked and Charlie nodded.

Charlie spoke louder. "You and the family all ready for Christmas?" Charlie asked Carlisle and Bella wondered if they even celebrated it, but said nothing. Carlisle was a Christian, based on the cross he had in his house, that was more than Bella was. Bella celebrated Christmas out of habit, out of tradition, and by herself for years now. Or she had, this was the first Christmas in a while where she wasn't going to eat a turkey sandwich, watch movies and unwrap three presents she'd bought for herself.

"I thought we were ready a while ago, but Esme and Alice are still decorating." Carlisle smiled, but his eyes traveled over Bella subtly. Bella hoped it was the doctor in him wondering what was wrong and not the vampire in him sensing she was 'off' somehow.

When they started to drive away, Charlie scratched at the back of his neck and asked. "Are you upset we didn't decorate? We could see if we can find a tree or something while we're out."

"It's fine." She started, but then thought about it. "But some Christmas lights might be nice."

"Just lights Bells?" He gave her an odd amused look.

"I like Christmas lights." Was all she managed, before he chuckled at her. That was all she normally did for the holidays, because the hassle of a tree was a bit much for one person, but the lights made it feel like the holidays even on their own. "We could decorate the windows."

"Alright, we'll check and see if they have any lights left." He smiled as they moved onto the freeway.

They bought enough lights for a few of the windows, the nice LED ones, and she had a new coat, in a nice green, and the movie wasn't too bad, but she would have rather seen something else. The Chronicles of Narnia, the lion the witch and the wardrobe was fantasy, and old, but something about walking into a fantasy world was uncomfortably close for her.

Unlike Renee, Charlie didn't hound Bella about the doctor all day. He didn't even bring it up until dinner time. Bella did appreciate not having to relive that drama here, but she knew when he sat back at the table in the kitchen, his plate now cleaned of the take out they'd brought home, that the peace was over.

"Bella, I know you've been to a lot of doctors, and I've heard about the tests." Charlie started. "I'm not suggest that you go through all of that again, I'm sure it was scary and upsetting." He sounded like he'd been working on this speech all day so Bella sat quietly, wondering how she'd respond to it. "I just want his opinion. Carlisle Cullen is five times the doctor this place warrants. He could have gone to any of the leading hospitals in America, but he came here because his wife wanted to live in a small town. He's a good man and I'd bet money that he's a better doctor than those quacks that saw you in Phoenix."

"And if he says what everyone else has? That only time will tell? That it could be forever?" Bella knew she wasn't going to remember a life she didn't live. "Renee never shuts up, thinking that if she tells me enough stories I'll remember and she looks at me like I'm a failure if I don't. I like that you don't do that to me." Bella was surprised to find tears in her eyes, and crawling down her cheeks. "I'm so tired of being looked at like a freak if I like something 'she' didn't, or if I don't appreciate something like 'she' did." Charlie's eyes widened and Bella shook her head. She'd clearly underestimated the stress she was under if she was bursting into tears like this. She hated to have people see her as weak and she struggled to wipe at her eyes subtly in case he didn't notice yet, but the look on his face said he had, and he moved to hug her to him, proving it.

"If you don't want to do this, I'll understand. You aren't a freak Bella, you're still my little girl, and I don't want you ever feeling like a freak." Charlie's words just made controlling her tears harder. She wasn't his little girl, but at that moment, she kinda wished she were.

That was the last straw and Bella nodded. "I'll go." It wouldn't work, but it would make Charlie happy and it might help with Edward. It was enough, and it wasn't like Carlisle read minds, he wouldn't know she didn't belong in this body at all.

She doubted he'd be able to answer what had really happened to her either, so there was no point in being honest. "Can you make it a late in the day appointment. I'd rather be the last one he sees that day." She managed to remember she wanted her scent going home with him, so she needed him to go home as soon as possible after seeing her.

"Sure thing Bells."

"And you aren't spending money on tests I've already taken, right." She didn't want medical bills piling up on Charlie when she knew it wouldn't help.

"I'll call in the morning and see if he can check you out. He's an ER doctor, so making appointments is not normal." Charlie smiled. "But I'm sure they'll help out the ol' chief of police." He almost seemed to be joking, so Bella nodded at his effort. By the time the appointment came around she was pretty sure she'd be feeling nauseous, so perhaps Carlisle would give her something for that at least.

Charlie worked the next day, but he was getting off work a little early to take her to the hospital. Bella talked him into lunch and leaving her in town again, but this time she brought a book and a little money for a tea or something, anything to give her an excuse to hang out at the coffee shop for an hour or two. They had a nice fireplace and a comfortable atmosphere.

After getting Charlie's gift and carefully putting it in her purse, Bella sat back and enjoyed the Christmas music and festive air of the coffee shop with the first Anita Blake book in her hand.

It was easy to tell when the high school got out, the road actually became busy. Bella looked up to see a parade of vehicles, some with happy students yelling out the windows. That was how it was obvious they were on winter break finally. Christmas was just two days away and the high schools were finally releasing their students. Bella thought, briefly, on the school she'd have to return to and could understand the kids joy at time off. She really wished she didn't have to go back.

When the Volvo made its way down the street with the parade Bella couldn't help but stare. She tried to look into the tinted windows, but she only caught a hint of blonde hair, no details, from the passenger side. She had to pull her eyes away from it and force herself to not look back as she wondered if all five of the vampires she hadn't met were in that car. She smirked as she imagined them all piling out of it like clowns, because she imagined it would be a tight fit.

She was well into the last third of her book when Charlie slid into the seat across from her, holding a large cup of something in his hand, she wondered if he'd bought coffee black. She hadn't even noticed him come in. "Good book Bells?"

"Actually it is." She glanced down at the cover again. "The main character raises zombies and is being forced to investigate some murders." She didn't even say the word vampire, it just didn't seem like a safe word to be saying.

"Wow, that's a weird one Bells." Charlie frowned. "Zombies, that's just plain creepy."

Bella just grinned a little, because she understood. Until you start reading fantasy books, they seem rather stupid, it's the writer that makes it real, because if they can't make the impossible relatable, then it doesn't work. Her grin died down as the considered that the impossible was possible here. She glanced at the clock. "You're early."

"The thought of sitting here and enjoying a cup of coffee was too hard to resist." He smiled at her and took a deep sip of his drink. They finished their drinks before leaving for that appointment. Bella proved to be a bit psychic herself when she started feeling a bit ill just before they got to the parking lot. Her stomach churned with nerves, but she just gritted her teeth and followed Charlie into the ER waiting room, where apparently people who shouldn't be able to make appointments go to see the ER doctor.

….