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Disclaimer: This story is rated M for mature due to explicit language, sexual situations, and character death.

SM owns everything.

Chapter 4:

I was putting together the few belongings I had at the hospital when Carlisle stepped in my room. Angela was right outside the door, calling the rest of the group to let them know I was alright. He approached me gently with sad eyes.

"Bella, my son explained your situation with me. As your doctor, I am bound to patient confidentiality and am not allowed to discuss your circumstance with anyone without your authorization. The police just finished taking Edward's statement, as he was a witness. They would like to talk with you."

I figured as much. Tears filled my eyes, as I knew I had to relive that moment as I gave my statement to the police. I took a deep breath.

"Yes, Carlisle," I replied meekly. "You can let them in." Carlisle retrieved the officers.

Two male Clear Lake Police officers stepped cautiously into the room. One was older with cropped blonde hair and stubble littering his face. His blonde hair revealed some gray streaks around his temple. His gray eyes met mine and he gave me a hard smile. The other officer was much taller and younger. His brown hair was combed neatly away from his face. Dark, round frames graced his face. He looked about my age.

"Hi Ms. Swan, my name is Officer Peter Klein. My partner and I are here to take your statement about the assault." The older man said. "This is my partner, Randoll Meyer."

Officer Meyer gave me a small smile.

"Hi," I whispered.

"I will need to ask you some questions, and they might be a little difficult for you to answer, but I need your honesty in each answer. The better the answers, the better the evidence." Officer Klein explained. I nodded. "Where were you when you were assaulted?"

"I was at The Cove. I was in the hallway of the restrooms."

"What did the man look like?" I took a moment to collect myself.

"Uh, he had shaggy blonde hair, a little longer than his shoulder. He had gray eyes."

"Can you go on?" Officer Meyer spoke up.

"Um...he was taller than me, probably a little over six feet. He was slim. His nose was slightly crooked and he had thin lips. He was wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt with dirty black jeans." I shuttered when I was recalling him. I put my arms around myself, attempting to hold myself together.

"Have you ever seen him before?" Asked Officer Meyer.

"No, never. I didn't even see him in the bar before."

"Can you describe what happened? I know this is difficult, please take your time."

Tears threatened to fall. I nodded.

Soon this will be over. Just get through this.

I took a couple of deep breaths. "I was with my friends, sitting by the bar. I needed to use the bathroom, so I went over to them. When I was finished, I walked out and he appeared out of nowhere." I trembled. "He grabbed me. He made some comments and said I was staring at him earlier. But I never saw him before. He then pushed me against the wall and began...touching me...and kissing my neck. I asked him to stop, I yelled at him to stop! He didn't." Tears slid down my cheeks. "I couldn't escape...He...he...wouldn't stop." I sniffled.

"Thank you, Ms. Swan. Thank you for your tremendous bravery." Both officers smiled sympathetically. I nodded again.

"Just a couple more questions, and we will be finished." Officer Meyer said and shifted his feet. "Did you see where your attacker went?"

I shook my head. "No, I fainted right after he was pulled off of me. Um, Dr. Cullen's son, Edward had punched him." Officer Klein flipped his notebook to the next page.

"Yes, we have spoken to him."

"Is he going to be in trouble?" I questioned. I seriously hoped he wouldn't. He saved me. I was lucky he was around. I couldn't bear to think of what could have happened if he did not step in.

"No, Ms. Swan," Officer Meyer began. "Mr. Cullen acted in line with the concept of defense of others." I released a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for your time, Ms. Swan. If you could fill out this form in case we need to contact you again." Officer Klein nodded.

Angela gave me a ride home. I gave her a small wave and headed inside. I immediately went to the bathroom. In the mirror, a girl with hair somewhat untamed hair, frazzled eyes, and an angry red mark on her neck stared back at me. I shuddered at the thought of what could have happened. Flipping the shower faucet, I undressed and threw my clothes into the hamper. The bathroom fogged quickly. Slipping into the shower, I turned the faucet as warm as I could bear. Grabbing my bar of soap, I scrubbed my body and face until it was almost raw.

I needed to remove tonight's memory from my body.

I stood in the spray of the water until it ran cold. I threw my hair into a towel and put on some old, worn pajamas. Making my way to the bedroom, I grabbed Aunt Irina's favorite quilt from the linen closet and wrapped it around me as I curled into a ball on the bed.

Several tears fell as I thought about the man with the copper hair and what would have happened if he didn't intercede.

Needless to say, I didn't sleep very well.

Groaning, I stretched and smacked my alarm clock to silence the blaring sound. My head throbbed and my body was tense. I dressed and swallowed some pain killers and grabbed a banana on my way out the door to retrieve my bike.

The commute to work was nice. The wind gushing around me allowed me to relax a little. I knew there was only one way to help relieve the stress and feelings from yesterday.

Painting.

Painting allows me to lose myself in the work. The brushstrokes help brush away the nasty thoughts and feelings I've experienced. I am in control when I paint. Every paint mixture, brushstroke, I am in control.

I grabbed a canvas and began sketching. The graphite scratches lightly against the surface of the canvas. The kneaded eraser removes mistakes. I wish I had an eraser for my life, changing things, and fixing past mistakes.

The only way to measure time when I am fully focused on my work is my water cup, where I place used paint brushes in. The water starts as clear, slowly morphing into murky, unpleasant colors as I add more and more paint to the mixture.

By the end of the workday, I have a completed painting and have a clearer mind. I cannot allow last night's experience to cause such havoc on my life.

Angela called and made sure I was doing alright. I reassured her I was fine as I packed my backpack with my laptop. Slinging the backpack onto my shoulders, I locked the back door and collected my bike.

I rode to Coral Coffee, the coffee cafe a few blocks away. Thankfully, the cafe wasn't too full and I found a nice table. Coral Coffee was one of my favorite places in town. It was decorated in an industrial manner, rather than the common beach theme, which was refreshing. They served a variety of hot, iced, and blended beverages, definitely challenging Starbucks. I would choose Coral Coffee over Starbucks any day, and not just because Clear Lake lacked a Starbucks.

I ordered my usual and typed away at my computer. The bell rang as the door swung open, and the man with the copper hair, or Edward as Carlisle said, came inside.

My breathing hitched.

He hadn't noticed me yet, as he was examining the menu. The barista was all smiles and giggles as she took his order. He smiled crookedly at her and moved to the end of the counter, waiting for his drink.

What should I do? Do I acknowledge him? Does he remember me?

My thoughts were interrupted when his green eyes met mine. He nodded briefly and his eyes darted away.

Ugh, what do I do now?

My feet moved on their own accord as if his presence beckoned me closer.

"Hi," I said, meekly.

"Hi," he replied smoothly.

"I, uh, I wanted to thank you. You know? For last night? Um, I just really appreciate how you-"

"Oh, not a problem." His voice was as smooth as velvet.

"I'm Bella by the way, Bella Swan." My cheeks burned.

"Edward Cullen." His green eyes swam with curiosity.

"Esme and Carlisle are my neighbors." I blurted.

"Oh yes," He nodded. "My mother has told me about you. She is smitten with you already." He leaned on the counter and flashed that beautiful smile again. I felt my cheeks fire up again.

"She's great." I stuttered.

Really Bella? Pull yourself together!

"So, how are you liking Clear Lake so far?" I questioned.

"It's pretty nice. I love how close I am to the ocean." He replied.

"You're a doctor? I remember Esme was telling me," I trailed off.

"Essentially, I'm in my first year of residency at Clear Lake Hospital. It's small, but I am allowed to have greater patient relationships. It's a great place to establish myself." I nodded. "I also love living close to my family."

"I thought it was interesting your entire family moved here."

"Our family had been apart for a few years and it was hard because we are all so close. It seemed to be perfect timing in everyone's life to move somewhere together. My mom is originally from here. She wanted to go back to her roots."

"Medium coffee, black." The barista leaned over the counter, sliding the cup towards Edward.

"Thanks." He replied, and the barista fluttered her eyes. I rolled my eyes. "What was that?" He asked me, amused.

"Oh, uh...nothing." I stumbled. He must have caught my reaction. Edward smirked and collected his drink from the counter.

"Well, I've got to head to work, I've got a shift starting soon." His eyes danced with amusement.

"Oh, okay. It was nice meeting you." I stuck my hand out awkwardly.

He smirked again, and I felt the blush, once again, returning to my cheeks. "Yes, Bella, it was nice meeting you." He met my hand and as soon as his hand grasped mine, I felt an intense sensation. Almost like an electric shock. I gasped and looked down at our intertwined hands.

He pulled his hand away as if surprised. I looked up at him, and his eyes seemed to turn a shade darker.

Did he feel that too?

He tore his eyes away from mine and spun around. Stunned, my body turned with his and I saw as he took off towards the door. With his hand on the door handle, he turned his head, gave me a scrutinizing glance, and left.

What just happened?

This was my first time truly meeting Edward, and I felt as if I've known him for years. There was just something about him. What was that sensation when our hands met? I noticed my hand seemed to fit perfectly in his masculine hand. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of those strange thoughts.

Calm your emotions, Bella. He is just a man.

Just a man? He is the most handsome man I've ever seen, and there's some strange connection between us. Or am I the only one the feels it?

Biking home, my mind was lost in thought as I recalled those intense green eyes.

A couple of weeks after the incident at the bar, Esme invited me over for dinner. I nervously accepted as she beamed her whole family would be in attendance. I hadn't seen Edward since our interaction at the coffee shop, but he had starred in several of my dreams. I dreamt of his green eyes and messy copper hair. The feeling of my hand in his. The sensation of his lips on my forehead, cheek, neck…

A seagull's call interrupted my thoughts and brought me back to reality. I was sitting on the shore on a towel with my legs crisscrossed. I had been sketching away at some shells I collected. I stood up to stretch my legs. The wild sea wind blew my thin cotton swimsuit cover up higher than it should be. My hand flew to my head, as I tried to keep my large floppy sun hat in its place.

I heard a deep chuckle behind me, and I spun around.

Edward.

My dream version of him could not compare to his true form. Edward wore navy blue swim trunks low on his hips, exposing a chiseled "v". He was shirtless. I never had seen such muscle on a man in real life. His abs reminded me of Chris Hemsworth's from Thor. Although even Hemsworth couldn't compare to Edward's attractiveness. He had a slight tan, which suited his muscular form. Although he was clearly very muscular, he wasn't overly big. He held a towel in his hand.

He caught me looking at him, and I blushed.

Shit.

"Good afternoon, Bella." He smirked.

"Hi, Edward." I smiled. I removed my hand from my hat and quickly pulled down my cotton cover-up dress.

"May I join you?"

"Oh, uh...sure!" I replied, breathlessly. He set down his towel next to mine and elegantly dropped to the ground onto the towel.

"What are you doing?" He nodded to my sketchbook.

"Oh, just sketching. It clears my mind." I replied.

"I see." He frowned.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I decided to arrive early for dinner to enjoy some time at the beach." He looked up at the sky. "Looks like it might storm though." He crossed his legs and rested his arms on his knees. My eyes went up to the sky, which was graying.

"Sure does. One thing I've learned about Florida is the weather is unpredictable. It might look like it's going to rain, and then it holds off. Or it could be sunny and suddenly rain for an hour or so, then the rain disappears."

"I am beginning to learn the weather patterns, myself."

Are we really talking about the weather?

"Can I see your sketches? Esme told me your an incredible artist. She has a few of your pieces hung in the house."

"Uh, sure." I began, "I was just messing around, they aren't too perfected." I shrugged and handed over my sketchbook. He took it and opened it. His lips parted and eyes sparkled.

"Wow," he breathed, "these are...amazing...incredible." He looked up at me and I once again found myself lost in his eyes.

"Thank you. They really aren't finished though."

He chuckled. "Take the compliment, Bella." My face flamed. "I love seeing your blush." He said. Sketchbook forgotten, he raised his hand a briefly touched my cheek. The area his hand made contact once again felt electrified. His eyes darted to my lips then back to my eyes.

He grinned, "Let's get in the water, I'm sure we can find some more shells for you to sketch."

"Oh, Edward, I don't—" I was interrupted by his strong arms lifting me up and throwing me over his shoulder. He laughed a hearty laugh and ran towards the water. Before I knew what was happening, I felt the ocean around me. Splashing and spraying around me as the waves hit.

"Edward! Stop!" He laughed again and set me down. My feet could touch the sand. I immediately clung to him. "Edward, I don't swim." I panicked.

"Bella, it's easy, and I'm here. I'm highly qualified."

"No, Edward, I can't...take me back to the shore. Please!" I shouted.

His eyes hardened as he realized what I was saying. He swept me up into his arms and dashed towards the shore.

"Bella, what's wrong? I'm so sorry...shit...I didn't mean…" He stuttered. Once on the sand, he placed me onto my towel and wrapped his towel around me. "Fuck, I'm so sorry." He muttered as he placed both of his hands on my face.

"I don't do water." I sputtered. His eyes were pleading. He removed his hands and sat beside me in the sand.

"Breath, Bella. You're having a panic attack. Breath with me." He counted with me. My body was numb. I had a pain in my chest. He grabbed my face and forced me to look at him. "Breath with me. You need to calm down." I followed his breaths until the pain went away. "Shit, Bella. I'm so sorry, I had no idea…" He trailed off. I looked up at him. Remorse and guilt filled his face.

"I'm alright." I whispered and tucked my knees to my chest.

"Do you need anything?" He questioned. He hand raked through his untamable hair.

"I'm fine. I think I am going to shower for dinner."

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Let me walk you to your door."

"Okay," I squeaked.

He gathered my belongings and held his hand out to help me up. I accepted, and he effortlessly pulled me to my feet. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and guided me to my gate.

Once at the gate, he returned my belongings and I gave his towel back. He smiled sheepishly and ran his hand through his hair again.

Looking up at him, I could see the distress in his eyes.

"Edward," I put my free hand on his arm, "You didn't know. I'm fine now. You helped me. Nobody has been able to do that before."

He hung his head. "I shouldn't have done that, without asking."

"It happened too quickly. I'm fine, really." He met my gaze.

"I'll see you at dinner," Edward responded coolly.

Well shit.