Hey guys, sorry for not updating any sooner. I decided that I'll stop switching back and forth between Bellas and the Cullens points of view because it became really boring. Also decided to shorten this story and get it to an end.

Also, I'd like to say that I have no idea how the American system works when it comes to adoption and I also don't have any medical knowledge, it is all just imagination.

Chapter 21: Adoption

Bella POV

During the night I felt something being placed into my ear, I stirred and moved my hand to pull it out but a cold hand caught mine gently and another smaller hand started stroking my hair. "Shh sweetheart, I'm just taking your temperature again, go back to sleep, it's alright"

Surprisingly I slept through the rest of the night without any nightmares but I suspected it was Jaspers doing.

When I woke up in the morning I noticed that my whole body was sore and my ribs, back and foot were really hurting, it made me whimper.

A cold hand touched my cheek softly "Are you awake sweetheart?" Carlisle whispered and I answered him by opening my eyes. "There you are, is the pain bothering you again, do you need another dose of pain reliever?" He asked gently and I nodded.

He quickly got the medicine into the IV bag. "It should be better soon, honey." I smiled gratefully at him. I wanted to say thank you but I just couldn't open my mouth to speak.
I noticed that I needed to use the bathroom and tried to move into a sitting position, wincing. "Do you need anything, sweetheart?" I nodded. "Can you tell me what?" I shook my head, no. I was getting restless, I knew I wasn't allowed to walk on my leg.

Rosalie came into my view then, I hadn't even noticed that she was still on the bed, though a little further away from me than yesterday. "Do you need to go to the bathroom sweetheart?" She asked gently and I nodded, relieved.

"I know that you aren't allowed to move on that leg. Is it okay if I take you?" I blushed, but nodded. She carefully picked me up and carried me and my IV pole over to the bathroom and helped me get situated, I was just grateful that it was her and not one of the boys.

When I was done she picked me up again and held me on her hips so that I could brush my teeth and then she brushed my hair for me.

She asked me if I wanted to go downstairs and I nodded. I was still wearing my pajamas, seeing as I couldn't change them as long as the IV was connected and I would probably need to stay at home for a while anyway. Carlisle wouldn't let me go back to school like this, of that I was sure, and after yesterday, I definitely didn't want to go there anymore anyway.

Everyone was waiting in the living room for me and I was a little confused. Shouldn't they be in school? and now that I thought of it, Carlisle at work?

Esme saw my expression "They wanted to be here for you honey." A tear slipped out of my eye and Esme, who was now in front of us, gently wiped it away.

"Hi Bella" everyone said softly, I smiled at them and let my head rest on Rosalies shoulder who moved to sit on the sofa with me.

"Carlisle wants to check your temperature again, okay honey? It was too low yesterday and he just wants to check if it's back to normal now." Rosalie asked quietly and I nodded.

Carlisle checked my temperature again and said that it was alright and asked if I was up for breakfast. I felt sick even thinking about it and shook my head, no, and grimaced.

"Okay, sweetheart, I can give you some nutrients through the IV for now, but it will only suffice for now. Well have you get back to eating again soon, you can't afford to lose any more weight and intravenous feedings can only do so much." He looked at me apologetically " how about some water? I'm sure that your throat feels dry."

I nodded. He got a glass with a straw and kept a hold on the glass as I still felt really weak. When I was done drinking I smiled at him gratefully and snuggled into Rosalie carefully. Someone put a blanket over us. After a few minutes of silence Esme sat next to us and began stroking my hair softly.

"Sweetheart?" She asked, making me look at her. She looked really sad. "Can you tell us what happened yesterday?"

My heart started pounding faster and I shook my head and hid it in the crook of Rosalies neck. I didn't want to talk and I couldn't tell them what Jessica and Lauren had said and done.

"Oh sweetheart its alright. I really didn't want to upset you. Shh..You don't have to tell us right now."

"Why isn't she talking? I mean not at all, not just about what happened?" Emmet asked quietly. I've never heard him this quiet or sad.

Carlisle sighed sadly and answered just as softly as Emmet had asked "I believe it was just all too much, what she's been through before she's moved here and then what had already happened the past week and then yesterday. She's probably just overwhelmed."

Throughout the morning I rested snuggling with Rosalie the whole time, Esme and Carlisle sitting next to us, stroking my hair now and then and asking if I needed or wanted anything. I always just shook my head.

Around noon, the doorbell rang and I looked up confused, no one ever came here. Carlisle stood up and I heard him open the door, then I heard his voice and Charlies. What is Charlie here for, is he taking me back? But they promised. I was panicking now.

"Shh honey. It's alright. He's just bringing some things over. You can stay here if that's what you want." Esme tried to assure me and Rosalie gently put her hand on the back of my head and lead it against her neck, rocking me gently.

I calmed down slightly but stayed alert.

After a few minutes Carlisle came back in smiling with some papers in his hands. "I think I have some good news for you sweetheart." He gave the papers to Esme who smiled a huge smile and I sat up curiously in Rosalies lap and she sat me around so I could lean up against her and look at the others better. I looked at him curiously.

Carlisle crouched down before me and took my hands in his being careful of the IV.

"What would you think if I told you that I called Charlie earlier about you staying with us until you were recovered and he asked if we wanted you to live here with us permanently ? Of course I said yes as we thought of you as a daughter already and he offered to sign you over to us because he knew he wasn't a great dad and didn't know how to be one?" I got big eyes, my heart filled with hope "We would love having you here, but it is still your decision. So is that what you want? You can be honest." He looked at me a little unsure now but his eyes were full of love and hope, too.

Finally , I found my voice again. "Y..You want me?" I croaked out.

At first he was shocked and happy that I spoke and then he looked sad at what I had asked. "Oh sweetheart, its great to hear your voice again and of course we love you, how could we not. You were a daughter to me and Esme and a sibling to the others from the first time we saw you. We love you honey and we would be the happiest people on earth if you decided you want to stay with us."

"Yes. Yes…I want to stay." I said with tears in my eyes and held out my arms to him. He stood up and picked me up. "My daughter" he whispered softly and hugged me tight to him, but not too tight. "Our daughter" I heard Esme whisper then next to us and put her arms gently around the both of us.

"I love you mommy and daddy" I whispered now. It felt good to say those words, they felt so right. I heard broken sobs. "We love you too, sweetheart."

When we had all calmed down, we settled on the sofa together, me on Carlisles lap and everyone else around us.

Let's sign the papers then. One of us can hand them in later then and make it official. He picked up the papers and looked at me, I nodded and smiled. They signed the papers, grinning and Alice brought an envelope.

I curled up in his lap contently. We stayed like this for a while, just taking in this feeling of love and comfort. Carlisle asked Edward to replace my IV bag since it was nearly empty and Edward had medical degrees, too.

When he was done, he got all my courage together and asked them what will happen now and how it all works.

"Well, we'll hand in the papers later and then we'll have guardianship of you and we can officially and legally be your parents. Renee" I tensed again" doesn't have a say anymore since she signed you over to Charlie completely and now that he has signed you over to us, no one can take you away from us and we can decide about everything. The girls will get a room ready for you so you can have your own space if you need some privacy and alone time. You'll need to recover completely before we even begin to think about letting you get back to school and we need to talk about what has happened yesterday before and if you go back there. And we do not want you alone there at any time, understood?" He said sternly and I nodded, I had expected that and I was really grateful.

"Sweetheart, do you think you could tell us now? You don't have to if you don't want to?" He asked quietly looking down at me.

I hesitantly nodded and slowly and quietly told them what happened yesterday. I was sobbing the whole time but all of them comforted me. Then I continued to tell them about how that reminded me of Renee and how I didn't want to have to go back and and answered some of Carlisles questions about my life in Phoenix.

When we were done I was utterly and completely spent and it was afternoon. Carlisle made me drink some more water to soothe my throat that was aching from crying and asked the others to get me a warm water bottle.

He cradled me like a child, with a warm water bottle on my lap and a blanket tucked around me. Emmet put in a movie for children and Alice asked me about my favorite colors before I drifted off in Carlisles arms while watching the movie, knowing that I was save and that I finally had a real family.