exaggerating。 My head bowed with that guilt as I listened to his panicked voice。 Bella！ he shouted。 I m pletely fine； Char Dad。 She sighed。 There s nothing wrong with me。 Her assurance barely soothed his dread。 demanded more information。 He turned at once to the closest EMT and I wasn t until I heard him speaking； forming perfectly coherent sentences despite his panic； that I realized that his anxiety and concern were not wordless。 I just could not hear the exact words。 Hmm。 Charlie Swan was not as silent as his daughter； but I could see where she got it from。 Interesting。 I d never spent much time around the town s police chief。 I d always taken him for a man of slow thought now I realized that I was the one who was slow。 His thoughts were partially concealed； not absent。 I could only make out the tenor； the tone of them I wanted to listen harder； to see if I could find in this new； lesser puzzle the key to the girl s secrets。 But Bella was loaded into the back by then； and the ambulance was on its way。 It was hard to tear myself away from this possible solution to the mystery that had e to obsess me。 But I had to think now to look at what had been done today from every angle。 I had to listen； to make sure that I had not put us all in so much danger that we would have to leave immediately。 I had to concentrate。 There was nothing in the thoughts of the EMTs to worry me。 As far as they could tell； there was nothing seriously wrong with the girl。 And Bella was sticking to the story I d provided； thus far。 The first priority； when we reached the hospital； was to see Carlisle。 I hurried through the automatic doors； but I was unable to totally forgo watching after Bella； I kept an eye on her through the paramedics thoughts。 It was easy to find my father s familiar mind。 He was in his small office； all alone the second stroke of luck in this luckless day。 Carlisle。 He d heard my approach； and he was alarmed as soon as he saw my face。 He jumped to his feet； his face paling to bone white。 He leaned forward across the neatly organized walnut desk。
Edward you didn t No； no； it s not that。 He took deep breath。 Of course not。 I m sorry I entertained the thought。 Your eyes； of course； I should have known He noted my stillgolden eyes with relief。 She s hurt； though； Carlisle； probably not seriously； but What happened？ A stupid car accident。 She was in the wrong place at the wrong time。 couldn t just stand there let it crush her Start over； I don t understand。 How were you involved？ But I A van skidded across the ice； I whispered。 I stared at the wall behind him while I spoke。 Instead of a throng of framed diplomas； he had one simple oil painting a favorite of his； an undiscovered Hassam。 She was in the way。 Alice saw it ing； but there wasn t time to do anything but really run across the lot and shove her out of the way。 No one noticed except for her。 I had to stop the van； too； but again； nobody saw that besides her。 I m I m sorry Carlisle。 I didn t mean to put us in danger。 He circled the desk and put his hand on my shoulder。 You did the right thing。 you； Edward。 And it couldn t have been easy for you。 I m proud of I could look him in the eye then。 That doesn t matter。 She knows there s something wrong with me。 What has she said？ If we have to leave； we leave。 Nothing yet。 I shook my head； a little frustrated。 Yet？ She agreed to my version of events but she s expecting an explanation。 He frowned； pondering this。 She hit her head well； I did that； I continued quickly。 I knocked her to the ground fairly hard。 She seems fine； but I don t think it will take much to discredit her account。 I felt like a cad just saying the words。 Carlisle heard the distaste in my voice。 Perhaps that won t be necessary。 see what happens； shall we？ It sounds like I have a patient to check on。 Please； I said。 I m so worried that I hurt her。 Let s Carlisle s expression brightened。 He smoothed his fair hair just a few shades lighter than his golden eyes and he laughed。 It s been an interesting day for you； hasn t it？ In his mind； I could see the irony； and it was humorous； at least to him。 Quite the reversal of roles。 Somewhere during that short thoughtless second when I d sprinted across the icy
lot； I had transformed from killer to protector。 I laughed with him； remembering how sure I d been that Bella would never need protecting from anything more than myself。 There was an edge to my laugh because； van notwithstanding； that was still entirely true。 I waited alone in Carlisle s office one of the longer hours I had ever lived listening to the hospital full of thoughts。 Tyler Crowley； the van s driver； looked to be hurt worse than Bella； and the attention shifted to him while she waited her turn to be Xrayed。 Carlisle kept in the background； trusting the PA s diagnosis that the girl was only slightly injured。 This made me anxious； but I knew he was right。 One glance at his face and she would be immediately reminded of me； of the fact that there was something not right about my family； and that might set her talking。 She certainly had a willing enough partner to converse with。 Tyler was consumed with guilt over the fact that he had almost killed her； and he couldn t seem to shut up about it。 I could see her expression through his eyes； and it was clear that she wished he would stop。 How did he not see that？ There was a tense moment for me when Tyler asked her how she d gotten out of the way。 I waited； not breathing； as she hesitated。 Um。。。 he heard her say。 Then she paused for so long that Tyler wondered if his question had confused her。 Finally； she went on。 Edward pulled me out of the way。 I exhaled。 And then my breathing accelerated。 I d never heard her speak my name before。 I like the way it sounded even just hearing it through Tyler s thoughts。 I wanted to hear it for myself Edward Cullen； she said； when Tyler didn t realize who she meant。 I found myself at the door； my hand on the knob。 The desire to see her was growing stronger。 I had to remind myself of the need for caution。 He was standing next to me。 Cullen？ Huh。 That s weird。 I didn t see him。 was all so fast； I guess。 Is he okay？ I think so。 I could have sworn Wow； it He s here somewhere； but they didn t make him use a stretcher。 I saw the thoughtful look on her face； the suspicious tightening of her eyes； but these little changes in her expression were lost on Tyler。 She s pretty； he was thinking； almost in surprise。 Even all messed up。 usual type； still I should take her out。 Make up for today Not my I was out in the hall； then； halfway to the emergency room； without thinking for one second about what I was doing。 Luckily； the nurse entered the room before I could it was Bella s turn for Xrays。 I leaned against the wall in a dark nook just around the corner； and tried to get a grip on myself while she was wheeled away。 It didn t matter that Tyler thought she was pretty。 Anyone would notice that。
There was no reason for me to feel how did I feel？ to the truth？ That made no sense at all。 Annoyed？ Or was angry closer I stayed where I was for as long as I could； but impatience got the best of me and I took a back way around to the radiology room。 She d already been moved back to the ER； but I was able to take a peek at her xrays while the nurse s back was turned。 I felt calmer when I had。 Carlisle caught me there。 You look better； he mented。 I just looked straight ahead。 visitors。 We weren t alone； the halls full of orderlies and Her head was fine。 I hadn t hurt her； not really。 Ah； yes。 He stuck her xrays to the lightboard； but I didn t need a second look。 I see。 She s absolutely fine。 Well done； Edward。 The sound of my father s approval created a mixed reaction in me。 I would have been pleased； except that I knew that he would not approve of what I was going to do now。 At least； he would not approve if he knew my real motivations I think I m going to go talk to her before she sees you； I murmured under my breath。 Act natural； like nothing happened。 Smooth it over。 All acceptable reasons。 Carlisle nodded absently； still looking over the xrays。 I looked to see what had his interest。 Look at all the healed contusions！ How many times did her mother drop her？ Good idea。 Hmm。 Carlisle laughed to himself at his joke。 I m beginning to think the girl just has really bad luck。 place at the wrong time。 Forks is certainly the wrong place for her； with you here。 I flinched。 Go ahead。 Smooth things over。 I ll join you momentarily。 Perhaps I was too good a liar； if I could Always in the wrong I walked away quickly； feeling guilty。 fool Carlisle。 When I got to the ER； Tyler was mumbling under his breath； still apologizing。 The girl was trying to escape his remorse by pretending to sleep。 Her eyes were closed； but her breathing was not even； and now and then her fingers would twitch impatiently。 I stared at her face for a long moment。 This was the last time I would see her。 That fact triggered an acute aching in my chest。 Was it because I hated to leave any puzzle unsolved？ That did not seem like enough of an explanation。 Finally； I took a deep breath and moved into view。
When Tyler saw me； he started to speak； but I put one finger to my lips。 Is she sleeping？ I murmured。 Bella s eyes snapped open and focused on my face。 They widened momentarily； and then narrowed in anger or suspicion。 I remembered that I had a role to play； so I smiled at her as if nothing unusual had happened this morning besides a blow to her head and a bit of imagination run wild。 Hey； Edward； Tyler said。 I m really sorry I raised one hand to halt his apology。 No blood； no foul； I said wryly。 Without thinking； I smiled too widely at my private joke。 It was amazingly easy to ignore Tyler； lying no more than four feet from me； covered in fresh blood。 I d never understood how Carlisle was able to do that ignore the blood of his patients in order to treat them。 Wouldn t the constant temptation be so distracting； so dangerous ？ But； now I could see how； if you were focusing on something else hard enough； the temptation was be nothing at all。 Even fresh and exposed； Tyler s blood had nothing on Bella s。 I kept my distance from her； seating myself on the foot of Tyler s mattress。 So； what s the verdict？ I asked her。 Her lower lip pushed out a little。 There s