Beta by Leggylover03

An hour prior, Edward and Carlisle awoke Bella and explained everything to her. She took it surprisingly well. As Jasper had predicted, Bella's only concern was protecting the Cullen's. She asked Carlisle if she could try getting up, but he wouldn't hear of it at this point in her recovery. He feared it would exhaust her too obviously and question their story of how badly Bella was injured.

The oxygen tank was turned off, and Carlisle allowed Bella to sit up and talk to see how she handled not having it. Sure enough, she did tire quickly, but he was happy with her lungs and overall color. So he then disconnected the IV line, and the port was taped down to her arm. Then Carlisle very gently lifted Bella from the bed and carried her down to the living room. Edward closed the door behind them.

In the living room, Carlisle lowered Bella to the couch, placing her on her side with the surgical site up.

The blankets were tucked over her with her unencumbered arm laid above them. In moments, she was fast asleep, her head snuggled into the pillow. Worried, he pressed his fingers into her pulse point on her wrist, it seemed ok to him but he looked at Carlisle just the same. Carlisle nodded, "She's doing well enough without the IV and oxygen Edward. We just exhausted her again, it won't be long before she can have the IV back."

Alice and Jasper entered the living room to inspect the scene. Then Alice tsked at Carlisle, "You're still wearing your work clothing from yesterday! Quick, go change into something comfortable and crumpled. In other words – extremely unfashionable!" The three men laughed as Alice scowled at the words leaving her mouth. Carlisle, not wanting to leave Bella for long, flashed upstairs and was back down being inspected by Alice a moment later.

Finger tapping on her chin, she walked around him in a full inspection, "Much better. Sit in the sofa and move around some, so it looks like you've spent hours in it."

After Carlisle followed her directions, Alice said, "Hmm…still missing something…I know!" After a moment of thought, she reached down and ruffled Carlisle's hair into a mess. Then she nodded in approval, "Now you look like you've spent the last night sleeping on that loveseat."

Esme came in and immediately laughed, "Carlisle, something tells me a human doctor wouldn't have office shoes on right now." Everyone looked at his feet and sure enough Carlisle was wearing black leather loafers.

Emmett flashed into the room grinning and said, "Don't worry Pops, I got ya covered." He held a pair of sneakers and a pair of slippers. The slippers were tossed off to the side as if they awaited nightfall and Carlisle changed out the loafers for the sneakers.

Alice's eyes blanked over and then she spoke, "Deputy Mark is heading this way." Turning, she pointed to Emmett, Rose and Jasper, "You three are supposed to be in college, disappear yourselves." She waved her arms to shoo them out of the room. Emmett snapped a salute and said, "Yes ma'am!"

Carlisle shook his head and smiled because even though Emmett was acting goofy, he was keeping his voice below Bella's hearing range, and then he returned to focusing on Bella.

Edward sat down next to him while Alice and Esme headed into the kitchen to preheat the oven and start the cookies baking.

"Is she still ok, Dad? Her vitals sound different down here…"

Carlisle nodded, "Yes but that's to be expected given we've taken her off the saline and oxygen. They are still within suitable limits though. If she maintains her current oxygen saturation rate, then I'll likely leave her off the oxygen until I start encouraging her to get up and move around."

Edward looked at him sharply, "Is she ready for that?"

Carlisle placed a hand on his shoulder, "Her lungs were not injured, Edward. The oxygen is just supplemental, and we don't want her body relying on it too long."

Continuing soundlessly, 'Besides son, the more she lays down and doesn't move, the more likely she'll end up with a residual case of pneumonia or similar. The sooner we get her moving, the better.'

Before long, the sound of tires turning off the road and onto their gravel driveway could be heard. Edward and Carlisle slouched into the seats as if they had been spending the past few hours there. Carlisle looked Edward over critically, 'Ease up son. You took too worried for just a slight concussion.'

Alice chose that moment to flash into the room and place something from the entertainment center into Edward's hands. It was a portable game unit. Carlisle nodded in approval, and Edward took the hint, appearing to lose himself into the game like the teenager he was claiming to be.

The car pulled to the stop and the sounds of steps approaching the door could be heard. Once the doorbell rang, Esme approached from the kitchen, looking well kept with her hair in a bun and an apron around her waist. Carlisle could see the foyer area from where he sat, appearing interested in who the caller might be, but not getting up to check himself.

Esme opened the door and said, "Officer, to what pleasure do we owe this visit?"

Grabbing at her chest in a display of worry, she continued with, "Oh my, nothing has happened with Bella's father, has it?"

Swiping his hat off his head, Mark was quick to offer reassurance, "Oh no ma'am – er Mrs. Cullen, Chief Swan is fine. I'm just following up on something and wondered if Doctor Cullen had a few moments to speak with me.

Visibly relaxing, Esme said, "Well that's good to hear." She stepped back and swung her arm out in invitation, "Come on in Officer, I'll take you through to see my husband. I'm sure he won't mind speaking with you."

Mark said, "Thank you, Mrs. Cullen. And Mark will do. We're pretty informal around the department, being as it's usually just the Chief and I."

Esme nodded, "Alright Mark, follow me. I just ask that you keep your voice down – poor Bella fell yesterday and is napping in the living room where Carlisle can watch over her."

Mark frowned, "She fell yesterday?"

Esme continued the conversation as she showed him the way into the living room, "Yes, poor child. Slipped on the stairs and smacked her head."

They entered the living room and Esme softly called out, "Carlisle dear, Officer Mark is here to see you."

Carlisle looked up from a medical newsletter he appeared to have been reading before Mark's arrival. Slowly standing up, he gave the appearance of someone who had been up all night as he extended his hand, "Hello Mark, welcome."

Mark took the offered hand, "Dr. Cullen, nice home you have here," he said politely. Frowning as he looked down at Bella, he asked, "Is she ok? Should someone be going to get Charlie?"

Her head looked pretty bad to Mark, nicely arrayed in blues and blacks as it was, complete with a bandage.

"Bella has a slight concussion. I thought about sending Edward to find Charlie, but Bella is more than welcome here where I can keep a close eye on her at the moment, and Charlie will be home tomorrow morning."

Mark nodded.

Carlisle clasped Edward on the shoulder, who looked up as if he hadn't noticed they had company, "Sorry Dad, did you say something."

Carlisle smiled patiently, "Not yet, Mark and I are going to go speak on the other side of the room so we don't disturb Bella. Keep an eye on her for me, would you?"

Edward placed the game on the coffee table and nodded, "Of course, Dad." He scooted himself up in the seat and turned his attention to Bella, before seeming to shake himself and stand up. Offering his hand to Mark, he said, "I'm sorry Officer Mark, that was awfully rude of me not to welcome you."

Mark again took the offered hand and quietly laughed, "Son, what you called rude, most your age consider top manners."

Edward looked appalled at the idea, "Mom would ground me for a century!"

Mark just shook his head with a smile, then looking closer at Edward, asked, "Son, you feeling alright? You look kinda pale."

Esme answered, "He's well, Mark. Edward stayed up half the night fretting over Bella, then we got up early to drive home. Nothing a good nights rest won't fix."

A timer beeped from the kitchen, and Esme spun around, "Excuse me gentleman, that'll be the oatmeal cookies for Bella."

Carlisle sighed, reached a seemingly tired hand down to Bella's wrist as if checking her pulse, nodded to himself, then turned to Edward, "We'll be just on the other end of the room son."

Edward shook his head in agreement and sat back down, his focus on Bella.

Carlisle led the way over to some high backed chairs in front of the fireplace. Offering one to Mark, Carlisle took the other. Growing serious, Carlisle asked, "What's this about Mark? Usually Charlie finds me in the office if he needs assistance with a case…"

Mark nodded, "Yes, I know." He pulled out a portable video player he had tucked under his arm and rested it on his lap for now. Rather than explaining, he started by asking some questions, "Did Bella fall here or at her house?"

Carlisle frowned at the avoidance of any explanation but indicated the decorative spiraling staircase that was the main feature of the living room, "Right here, she slipped several stairs from the top and tumbled to the first landing."

Mark then asked, "Was she alone when she fell?"

Carlisle's frown deepened, "Yes, Esme had taken Edward and Alice to visit with family and I was still at work."

"She's told you it was a fall? Nothing more?"

Now Carlisle leaned forward in his seat and asked, "What is going on Mark?"

Mark shook his head, "I'm sorry Carlisle, I need to know, what did Bella say?" Mark then frowned himself and followed up with, "She has been able to speak, hasn't she?"

Carlisle's brows furrowed, "Of course she has, Mark. It's just a simple concussion and a deep scratch. Nothing I can't handle here. And yes, Bella herself told me she fell."

Mark looked around the room, then asked, "You haven't noticed anything missing? Bella said nothing about anyone else being here at the time? She voiced the fall, correct? It wasn't just a nonverbal communication?"

"No Mark, no one else has been here and nothing is missing that I've noticed. I'll admit my attention had been on Bella, not the house. And it so happens, she first told me about her fall via text but explained the same when I arrived." Carlisle pointed at the staircase, "Not to mention the blood that was on the stairs from the head wound."

Mark seemed to be relieved and opened up the player. As he did so, he spoke, "We have a missing persons case, two young men. They both have priors for petty theft and trespassing. One of them was suspected in a murder awhile back in Port Angeles but it was never proven to be him. I had reason to believe they might have decided to target your house and when I saw Bella's injuries…well it sounds as if I was wrong."

Punching a few buttons, he said, "Still though, I'd appreciate it if you would take a look at this security video and see if you might know anything that could help. You see, one of the two was known to have gone by the hospital yesterday, apparently he was trying to get a date with the receptionist there. The video feed shows…well you'll see"

He set the device on the small table between the two chairs and angled it towards Carlisle. The video began to play. Carlisle watched what was clearly the feed from the hospital security cameras. Exactly as Alice had said it would, the feed captured him speaking with Mrs. Stoutbaker and in the corner was the reception desk where a young but rough looking man was talking to the new receptionist. Carlisle moved his hand to indicate something on the paperwork Mrs. Stoutbaker held and his watch became exposed. There was no doubt that it caught the man's attention and held it. On camera, you could actually see the receptionist wave her hand at the man to no avail, he was focused on the expensive watch decorating the doctor's wrist.

Finally, Mark reached over and paused the feed. Quietly, he explained, "That's Donnie Rousten. His priors are mainly for theft and trespassing. Nothing violent. But he's known to be friends with Rolph Akin, who has priors for assault, theft, trespassing, and as I already mentioned was a suspect in a murder case. According to Rolph's sister, the two went out last night, shortly after Donnie arrived at Rolph's and never came home. Rolph also works at the diner Charlie and Bella eat at frequently."

Carlisle scrubbed his eyes as if he was tired, "I can see why you were so concerned about Bella's injury. I'd be too, after seeing how much Donny clearly wanted my watch and knowing what Rolph was capable of."

Mark nodded, "Attacking the chief's daughter during a robbery gone wrong would explain why they never came home. Plus, when I talked to the receptionist, she happened to remember you getting a text message at the end of your shift then rushing out without a word. She said it was as if you had hounds nipping at your heels."

Alice chose that moment to walk in with a plate of cookies and two cups of coffee, "Esme thought you might enjoy these, fresh out of the oven."

Mark smiled, "Thank you honey."

She set them down on the table and Mark immediately added a couple sugar cubes to the cup closest to him and took a sip, "This hits the spot, thank you."

While Mark nibbled on a cookie, Carlisle took his time doctoring up his own cup as he nodded and explained, "Yes, that would have been right after Bella's fall. She texted me that she'd taken a bad 'tumble' as she described it, knew she probably needed to be looked at, but refused my suggestion of an ambulance, especially since she knew I was due home."

Carlisle pretended to sip from his cup and then said, "I left in haste as I know Bella well, and suspected she was downplaying her injury."

Mark sighed, "Yeah, the poor girl has always tended to be embarrassed whenever she got hurt – even as a little tyke she was like that."

He chewed on a cookie then asked, "So there is no doubt in your mind that's all it was? Bella tripped and fell as opposed to those men having something to do with it?"

When Mark looked down at his cookie, smiled and said, "Mrs. Cullen sure can cook," Carlisle took advantage of his distraction to slip his into the seat cushion.

"Yes, my wife does enjoy baking and the results show it." He shook his head, "I can tell you Bella made no mention of anyone being here either in her texts or her conversations with me after I arrived. She has shown no sign of being afraid of anyone. She said her foot dragged on the second step, overbalancing her, and she couldn't grab the rail quickly enough to stop the fall."

"The injuries I tended were consistent with a fall as well. Not to say it isn't possible she was pushed, but Bella gave no indication of such."

Carlisle sat back and took a real sip this time, knowing the level of fluid in the cup needed to be lowered. "I've been up most of the night, waking Bella every hour and monitoring her, but I haven't noticed anything else amiss here. Esme arrived home with Alice and Edward this morning. The three have been all through the house and haven't mentioned anything missing or misplaced to me."

Shaking his head, "No, I really believe Bella just took a fall. Wherever those men went, they didn't come here."

Mark nodded, "Sounds like you're right. Still though, would you mind if I took a look around outside? Just make certain there's no sign the doors or windows were forced?"

Carlisle spread his arm in invitation, "Go right ahead Mark. Let me know if you do find something. If it turns out they were here, I want to know about it too."

Carlisle started to lead the way to the back door, but Mark paused at the staircase then looked back at Bella's bandaged forehead and bruised arm. He winced, seemingly in sympathy, "Thank goodness she didn't tumble all the way down."

Carlisle sighed in agreement, "Agreed completely. I shudder to think of the shape I would have found her in had that happened."

Carlisle showed Mark out and allowed him to walk around the property unattended, knowing his presence would keep the human on edge. When Mark was done, he stopped back in, reported no signs anything had been forced, thanked Esme for the treat and left. Bella had slept through the entire visit.

When the car pulled out of the driveway, the family reconvened in the living room. Everyone looked expectantly at Edward and Jasper. Jasper deferred to Edward who then began to speak, "It went well, but he's not completely convinced. I don't think it's anything we need to worry about so long as Charlie's visit goes well. The problem is Bella's injury. When he first saw her, he was certain he was about to learn she'd been attacked. He grew very protective of her and there-in lies the problem."

Knowing he wasn't done explaining, everyone held their comments. Sure enough, Edward continued after a few moments of thought. Looking at Carlisle, he said, "He doesn't think you are hiding anything Carlisle, and is convinced you believe what you told him was the truth. He plans to talk to Charlie about this before Charlie comes here though. The thing is, Mark is wondering if Bella might be afraid to tell you what really happened. That perhaps the men were here and threatened to hurt her worse if she said anything. He didn't mention that to you because he thinks Charlie will be the best to tell if Bella is holding something back. It also occurred to him that the men could have been here, and you did something to stop them, but he doesn't believe that to be plausible either – especially since he found no signs of forced entry."

Carlisle absorbed everything Edward said then looked to Alice, "Sweetheart, do you see anything concerning?"

Alice's eyes blanked over and when she was finished searching the future, she shook her head, "Not as yet. Mark is leaving Charlie a voicemail now, telling him they have a missing persons case and asking him to stop by the station when he gets in. He doesn't mention Bella at this point. I don't see anything worrisome in what he says to Charlie tomorrow either."

Jasper thought everything they had just heard through and said, "I think we continue on exactly as originally planned. Though I'm understanding why Charlie doesn't completely believe Carlisle's story. Mark will have already put doubts in his mind before he gets here. Then he finds out Bella is injured worse than Mark knew."

Carlisle rubbed his chin, then looked at Alice, "Honey, do you see anything alarming further out? How does Bella's graduation look? Anything that stands out to you?"

Alice flashed through several months of their futures. Finally she shook her head, "Everything appears normal: I don't see anyone on edge about anything, Charlie isn't doing any secret research and there are no signs of us preparing for an emergency move."

Carlisle nodded, "Alright then, we continue on as planned."