A/N

Hello my Beauties, so here is Chapter 4
hope you enjoy
xxxx

Girl, you're my angel, your my darling angel
Closer than my peeps you are to me, baby
Shorty, you're my angel you're my darling angel
Girl you're my friend when I'm in need, lady

I close the door behind him. "What the hell did he just call me?" I wonder out loud. Damn it I need to learn Italian. I head into the kitchen grab a bowl and pour myself some Fruit n Fiber. I walk over to the fridge and take out the pint of milk and bring it over to my bowl. As I gaze into the dried fruits and cereal flakes, my thoughts turn to Edward and his blazing emerald eyes.

Who on earth was he? I realize that I didn't even know his last name. I couldn't even do a search on him at the hospital, using our extensive database of people. He lives in Chicago, right? Surely he would have visited a hospital at some point. I hastily grasp my phone and store the digits of his number in it under the name 'Mr Emerald Eyes" and press save. I put it in my bra for safekeeping. God, what about his thoughts or rather lack of? The fact that he remains immune to my ability baffles me silly.

I pour the milk onto my dry cereal watching carefully as the individual pieces become engulfed by the smooth white liquid. Everything feels different now, yet still exactly same. I put the milk back in the fridge just as Barney decides to jump up onto the counter next to me. Ordinarily I'd be annoyed at him for being up here, but today I rub behind his ear and give him a bit of fuss. "Such a clever boy, aren't you?" I croon at him. I pick up the bowl of cereal and spoon in one hand and scoop Barney up in the other and make my way back over to the sofa I slept on last night in the living room.

I set Barney down on the sofa next to me, another thing I wouldn't usually tolerate. Poor cat, he probably thinks my brains been taken over by an alien. An emerald green eyed alien, who is currently sporting a black eye and busted lip, not to be too specific. I tuck into my cereal and look around the apartment. Cheeky bleeder, exactly what were his insinuations last night when he talked about me living here? I think it is very quaint looking; it's big enough for me and Alice to reside in without stepping on each other's toes.

Besides it's practically the five seasons compared to some on the places I looked at online that were in my price range. As I observe the apartment closely from the beige walls to the open plan kitchen and counter , the small wooden oblong table big enough to fit 4 people, to the light brown sofas in the living room. My eyes fall upon the sofa previously occupied by Edward just hours before, when I notice a patch of his blood on the cushion seat of the sofa.

It must have come from that wound on his side, great Alice is going to absolutely freak. Just then I wonder whether I could take a swab of it and run it through the lab at the hospital and see if it matches any one on the database, get a little information about this guy. Is that creepy?

Yea that's probably bordering on crazy stalker like behavior.

What's happening to me?

I finish my bowl of cereal and wash it up in the kitchen along with the two empty cups of coffee. Before washing up the cup Edward used I hold it up to the light to see if there are any fingerprints that he might have left to run through DNA. What am I doing? I've got to snap out of this. I quickly wash it up and put it on the side to dry. Jeez why couldn't he be like everyone else, where his thoughts were free for me to nosy around in. I'm grasping at straws here just trying to get that advantage, that upper hand that I've always had with everyone I've ever met. I guess this is what normal people feel like. Going on dates without any preemptive to what their counterpart was thinking. I'm going to be meeting this guy for dinner a week from now completely blind.

SHIT!

I'm meant to be meeting him for dinner ... in one fucking week!

What was I supposed to wear? Maybe I could enlist Alice to help; I wonder what she'll say when I tell her?

Just then my right breast begins to vibrate causing my heart to flutter wilder than a butterfly in a net. Could he be calling me? I hurriedly whip my phone out my bra and check the number to see whose calling. I see it's an international number and my heart drops fractionally. I slide the mini telephone symbol across and put the phone to my ear.

"Hello, Bella Swan" I say automatically.

"Hi Darling" my mum sings down the phone.

"Hey mum, how are you?"

"Surviving as you do" My mother has always said that whenever asked how she is. The familiarity of her voice and words make me smile fondly into the receiver. "Did you get my letter?" she asks

"Yea I got it. Thank you it was lovely. I was planning on calling you today but got a little side-tracked" I admit

"That's OK chick, I understand. I just don't want you to forget about us, over here across the pond" she says with a tinge of sadness to her usually chipper voice.

"Oh mum, don't be daft, I could never forget about you or anyone else" I make my way through to the bedroom and spread out on the bed "It's just been so hectic lately with moving to the Midwest and starting my new job. I'm sorry I haven't been able to call you much" I say feeling guilty

"It's alright darling, it's just that this will be the second Christmas in a row now that you've not been able to make it home, it's too long Bella"

"I know mum and if I had any choice I would be there this Christmas and last but my career…"

"Yes love, I know you career is important to you, but I fear your sacrificing to much of your life for it and that's just not healthy. Sometimes you've got to live a little before it's too late and you regret all those things you didn't get around to doing because of your 'career'. I mean did you really have to move all the way to America?"

Here we go. I roll my eyes. I've had this same conversation with my mother for over 5 years now. Ever since I told her all that time ago that I planned on moving to the states.

"Mum I understand what you are saying, really I do, but I'm here now, rubbing shoulders with some of the world's top surgeons and medical professionals" I say hoping she'll understand what a rare opportunity I have.

"Your too smart for your own good, you do know that don't you Isabella? With your hearing ability you've been able to excel pass you peers and that's great. But you've had it for too long now. Your great-grandmother passed it down when she was 19 the same with Nana too and I was 21 when I passed it to you. Bella your 30 years old, you need to find a nice you man so that you can pass it on to the next generation. It's too much weight to carry for so long" she scolds, I sigh loudly. Ever since I was 22 years old my mother has been giving me this 'first born daughter passing it down' speech. But I'm just not ready for children there's still too much I need to do.

Which makes me think.

"Actually mum I want to ask you something about my hearing gift"

"What's that love?"

"Have you ever not been able to hear someone, like their mind is completely silent and blank?"

"Only if they're dead darling, or it's a spirit light" she says laughing

"What's a spirit light?"

"Oh it's just some Hocus Pocus Mumbo Jumbo superstition hun, there really is no such thing"

"Mum I'm a heart surgeon who can hear peoples thoughts" I deadpan "let's not dismiss Hocus's mumbo or Pocus's jumbo and whatever there superstitions might be" I say positively. I hear a long sigh and can almost feel her eyes rolling at me.

"I don't know the story that well, let me pass the phone onto you Nana" surprised that shes round at Nana's, I hear scuffling and random movement.

"Isabella?" I hear from a frail but clear voice

"Hi Nana, how are you?"

"I'm good thank you sweetheart, glad to be out of that flaming hospital"

"I'm glad to hear that Nana, how's that hip doing"

"It's still giving me a bit of bother, but not half as bad as it once was. But enough about me how's work going?"

"Busy, busy its flu season over here so everyone and the pet hamster is feeling under the weather"

"Well you make sure to take extra supplement, do you hear now girl?" I laugh quietly at this, I'm the one whose meant to be the doctor here, but hey, don't teach you granny how to suck eggs and all that jazz

"Yes Nana" I smile "Nana, mum was just telling me about something called a Spirit Light, she said you would know the story better"

"Ah yes. There are many different stories surrounding how the hearing ability came to pass. One of the stories was that there were once three angels who were to be sent to earth from heaven to aid the mortals restore peace and balance to their world. In order to do so the creator bestowed the power of sight upon the Angels."

"The first Angel who was brave and compassionate, was given the sight to see those who had passed and departed from earth to help bring reassurance and closure to those that still remained. The second angel who was wise and selfless was given the sight to see things that had yet to pass to bring hope of better days to those who allowed cynicism to cloud them and their futures. Finally the third Angel who was soothing and resilient was given the sight to see into the minds of those at present, and to use that knowledge to protect and warn the mortals who most were at risk from the evils of other minds. Each Angel was sent to a different part of the world where they aided the mortals in their troubles and woe."

"But after a while, the angels although dutiful, felt burdened by their gift here on earth and so the heavens sent down Spirit Lights, which were just mere mortal beings who were completely insusceptible to their angels' gifts. The Spirit Lights fell madly in love with their angels as if their own spirits were incomplete without them. After all they were destined to be together and so the Spirit Lights were able to in their own unique ways, lighten the burden carried by the Angels for so long. The angels fell madly in love with their Spirit Lights too, as they were the only beings who could make them feel free from the responsibility. Thus the tradition of first female born to a descendant of the gift, bears the gift was first created and with every generation a spirit guide is born into the world."

"And there you have it sweetheart" Nana concludes.

"Thank you Nana" I reply a little awestruck "Sounds like the third Angel got the rough end of the deal though"

"Yes, this is why she has to be strong. I can't believe you've never heard of that one before, shame on you mother" she chastises

"I know now Nana and that all that matters" I say sincerely "But the descendant doesn't have to be with a Spirit Light to pass the gift down, does she?" I ask a little confused as I don't remember mum ever mentioning being insusceptible to dads' thoughts.

"No darling, the Spirit Light is still just a mere mortal, but it's just a story Bella. Don't you hold out on real love now, waiting for something that may never come" she adds

We talk a little longer about her baking club she's started with a group of women from church and of course about how dangerous America is. Which she always tends to do, listing this crime rate and that. I just sit patiently and let her say her piece, she just wants me to come back home like mum. But most of all she tell me how proud she is of me and how accomplished I've become. We say our goodbyes and she passes the phone back to mum, who informs me about my younger brother Josh finally getting a loan and is busy getting his garage shop sorted. I smile, proud that his finally got what he wanted. We also say our goodbyes and I hang up, briefly seeing that we'd been on the phone for almost 3 hours. I hope she used one of those phone cards to call me with.

I stand up and stretch out with a big yawn and make my way into the kitchen. My eyes fall on that stain on the sofa. I grab a bottle of disinfectant and a sponge from the cupboard and set to work on trying to remove it.

As I scrub away at the remnants of Edward, my mind recalls that story Nana told me. I wonder if he could be the elusive Spirit Light, I mean, he fits the description down to the T. I remember how nice it felt when I was suturing his laceration on his side. Not being able to hear his thoughts or anything, it was very freeing. I look at the stain which is still visible but not as much. I turn the cushion over onto the other side and wonder whether or not to tell Alice about it.

I look up at the time 3:45pm. Why does time always seem to go ten times quicker when you're not at work? I put the disinfectant and sponge back into the kitchen and race into bathroom to have a shower and get ready. I've got an hour and 15 minutes before the bank closes, seriously where did all that time go?

40 minutes later I'm at the bus stop a couple of blocks from the apartment, waiting for the bus. I take my phone out and call Jason, the mechanic to see if my car will be ready anytime soon. After a couple of rings someone picks up.

"Dolphins auto shop, Jason speaking" he says with what sounds like a mouth full of food.

"Hi Jason, its Bella, Bella Swan, silver Volvo" I say.

"Ah Bella, hey I've been meaning to call you. Your cars ready to collect. The part for the clutch came earlier than expected so I was able to fit it in no problem" he says while clearing his mouth.

"That's fantastic, thank you Jason" I say as I see the bus approaching and start getting some change out my purse.

"No problem, Miss Swan. Its 65 for the part and we'll say 35 for labor to round it out. I have to say Miss Swan, not many women drive stick around here, men included." He says with a little admiration in his voice, while I step onto the bus and drop the money into the ticket machine.

"I'm British that's why, and personally believe automatics are for lazy people and the disabled" I say jokingly as I find a seat on the bus. "What time do you close? I just have an errand to run and can pick it up"

"We close at 7" he replies with a chuckle

"OK Jason, I'll drop by to pick it up before then"

"Alright Miss Swan, see you later"

"See you later" and with that I end the call and beam widely to myself, happy that my car was finally ready after a week without it.

I remember taking my car to over 3 different auto shops to get it fixed but all the mechanics took one look at me and wanted to charge me way more than was necessary. I could tell by their thoughts that they wanted to rip me off, one of them didn't even know what was wrong with it but still said he did and was going to charge me anyway for 'trying'. I was almost going to give into one of those crooks as I really needed my car fixed. When a guy at work told me his cousin ran an auto shop on the over side of town and would give me a good price.

I brought the car to Jason's' shop on my lunch break and met with a tall black man in blue overalls and patches of engine oil on his face, I told him I was a friend of his cousin Chris. I listened to his thoughts as he assessed my car and he knew exactly what was wrong with it and what it needed, but was unsure how long the part would take to arrive, best of all he intended to charge me the right price for it.

I press the bell quickly and stand up as the bus is seconds away from my stop, the 10 minute journey being a complete blur. I walk off the bus and head to the bank where I spend thirty minutes sorting out my finances. I head back out to see that its started to snow again lightly, I carefully walk to another bus stop that according to the sign will take me to the other side of town where I need to go.

I wait patiently with my arms folded to preserve body heat as the willows of falling snow stick to me making me shiver slightly from the cold. The bus arrives after a short while and I get on and ask the driver if it stops near Dolphins Auto shop, he nods and I hold up my day rider ticket for him to see then find a seat.

I sit by the window a couple of seats behind the driver as the bus begins to move. I stare out at the passing scenery and watch the snow swirling around the people of Chicago while they hold up newspaper or bags trying to protect themselves from the icy pour. I decide to listen in on the minds of the fellow passengers on the bus, I mentally drop my shield and I'm hit.

"… going to screw when she finds out I'm pregnant. Billy is such a douche how could he tell me to get rid of it, I thought he loved me." I hear a girl in the other row of seats think as she stares down at her fingers. I feel her disappointment and heartache. I focus on another mind.

"…just take it and get off at the next stop, nobody's looking" I can see in his mind as he reaches in and takes out a wallet from the open bag of a woman sitting in front of him and puts it in his pocket while she has her earphones in looking the other way out the window, he then get up and presses the bell, the bus slows. I can see in his mind him walking down the bus just about to pass me.

I quickly shoot up and stand in front of a scrawny teenage boy with bad acne and greasy hair; I reach into his pocket before he has time to react and take out the wallet.

"Hey what are you…" he says surprised

"There is always someone looking" I say staring him straight in his blue squinty eyes. He rushes pass me off the bus shocked and probably a little frightened.

Well there we have another chapter for you wonderful people. I hope you guys liked it, please leave a review and let me know what you liked or didn't like, also if you can guess the song and artist!