5

"What do you mean —"

The door opened before Edward could finish speaking, and he and Bella looked over to find Carlisle and Jasper. The two men shifted their eyes from him to her and back. Edward resisted the urge to roll his eyes, annoyed that they had interrupted them.

Logically, he knew they were doing their jobs, especially Jasper. Growing up together, he was always about doing the right thing and protecting the weak. He stood up to bullies, got into fights, and spent more time in detention than most. Of course, his father was an asshole who never missed an opportunity to remind his son that he was a failure.

Jasper and Edward were fifteen years old when Jackson Whitlock got behind the wheel of his car and drove it over a cliff, leaving Jasper and his mother alone. Edward and Carlisle had shown up to the hospital, held him while he cried, when he screamed, and when he cursed his old man for being a drunk asshole.

And years later, when Edward found himself drowning, Jasper had been the first person to show up and the first person he pushed away.

"How are you feeling, Miss Swan?" Carlisle asked.

Bella glanced at Edward before saying, "Don't call me that."

"Why not?"

"Just don't," she replied.

"Should I call you Bella?"

She shook her head.

"Why not?"

"That's not my name."

"Then what is your name?"

"I don't have one."

"Where have you been for the last fourteen years?" Jasper asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shook her head.

"We can't help you if you don't talk to us," Jasper replied.

Bella replied, "Who said I wanted your help?"

"How'd you end up on the beach?" he questioned.

"How am I supposed to know? I was unconscious, right?"

"What's the last thing you remember?"

Bella's eyes darkened, but she refused to answer.

"Your brothers are on their way. Should be here tomorrow."

"What? No, no, no, I can't be here," she rambled, wincing as she threw the blankets off and tried to climb out of bed. Edward was immediately at her side, placing his hands on her shoulders and pushing her backward. "Please, Eddie, please don't let them find me. Please!"

"Hey, I won't," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Just calm down before you hurt yourself. You do have cracked ribs."

"I can't be here. I can't, Eddie. I can't!" she sobbed. "Please, you have to help me."

He raised his hand to her face, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I will."

"Eddie, can we talk to you outside?" Carlisle asked, wrapping his hand around his arm and yanking him off the bed.

Edward pulled himself away. "Don't touch me."

"Fine, just . . ." Carlisle gestured toward the hall.

Edward sighed, glancing at Bella, who was staring at him with tears falling down her cheeks. "I'll be right back."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Edward followed Carlisle and Jasper, closing the door behind him. "Make it quick."

"What has she told you?"

He shrugged. "Nothing."

"How'd she know your name?" Jasper asked. "Do you know her?"

"She heard Carlisle say it," he said. "I never saw her before I found her on the beach."

"And she hasn't told you anything about who she is, where she's been for the last fourteen years?" he pressed.

"Nope," he lied.

"What has she said?"

Again, he shrugged. "She mostly asked about Gunther."

"Gunther?" Carlisle scoffed.

"Yep."

"Why would she care about your dog?" Jasper asked.

"Because he saved her life?" Edward suggested.

"And she hasn't given you any indication of where she's been? Who tried to kill her?"

He shook his head. ". . . Didn't really ask, either."

"Why not?"

"Wasn't my business."

"Then why have you been sitting next to her for four days?" Jasper asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Gunther wouldn't leave me alone about her."

Jasper smirked. "You're blaming Gunther?"

"He keeps whining, running over to where he found her."

Carlisle and Jasper shared a look.

"Are we done? I told her I would be back."

"Her brothers will be here tomorrow, Eddie. They've been looking for her for fourteen years. They deserve closure."

Edward pressed his lips together.

"You don't agree?"

"Didn't say that," he replied. "But if she doesn't want to see them, it's her choice, right?"

"Yeah," Jasper said with a sigh.

"So we're done?" Edward stepped toward her door, but when Carlisle grabbed his arm again, he said, "Didn't I tell you not to touch me?"

"I can't keep her here much longer, Eddie. Medically, she's . . . There isn't cause."

"Okay."

Edward walked into Bella's room, finding her staring at him. "Told you I would come back."

She smiled. "Yes, you did."

Edward sat back down. "Why don't you want to see your brothers?"

"I told you why."

"You said they sent you away. Why would they report you missing if they'd sent you away?"

"How am I supposed to know that?"

"Your brothers are older than you, right?"

She nodded.

"Tell me about them."

"I don't want to talk about them."

Edward leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "You have to give me something."

"Tell me about you," she asked in return.

"Me?"

She nodded. "Why aren't you a doctor anymore?"

"Just . . . not," he murmured.

"You want me to tell you my secrets, but you aren't willing to share yours? Doesn't seem fair."

Edward nodded. "Guess you're right." He sighed. "I stopped practicing medicine because it . . . it cost me my wife."

"You're divorced?"

"No," he replied. "She died."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks," he whispered. "She was sick for a long time, but instead of being there for her, with her, I put my career first. She . . . she killed herself."

"How'd she do it?"

"What?"

"How'd she kill herself?" Bella asked.

"Why does that matter?"

"It doesn't." Bella turned her wrists over, showing him faint scars. "The first time I tried, I slit my wrists."

"The first time?"

She nodded.

"How many times have you tried?"

"I lost count."

"Is that how you ended up on my beach? Because you were trying to kill yourself?"

"No."

"No?"

She shook her head. "I'd given up on trying to end my life. Guess they got tired of having me around. Kind of the story of my life."

"Who are they?" Edward questioned.

"How'd you meet your wife?"

Edward sighed. "She and I met in college."

"At Harvard?"

"Yes."

"What was she like?"

Edward shook his head. "I don't really want to talk about her."

"Then what are we going to talk about?"

"You could tell me where you've been for the last fourteen years?"

This time, she shook her head.

"Carlisle says there's no medical reason to keep you here much longer."

"That's good."

"Where will you go?"

Bella smiled. "With you, of course."

Thank you for all the AMAZING reviews! Huge thanks to Sunflower Fran for being an awesome beta!