The pain that came forth from her heart was quickly making her mind scream in a constant frenzy of various emotions. She felt totally and completely betrayed by Edward—and she didn't know why. As soon as she got Ruby Silk back to the stables—without speaking to Coach Clapp—she ran to the infirmary and managed to force her way in.

She walked abruptly past Heidi—the new secretary—and ignored her sudden outbursts of what could only be protest. Bella simply walked back into Nurse Hammond's open office. Thankfully, she was only on the phone and not otherwise involved. Part of Bella wanted to grab the phone and slam it down, but something in her caused her not to. She simply sank into a chair and tapped her foot.

Nurse Hammond looked surprised to see Bella and quickly excused herself from her previous telephone conversation.

"I hope it wasn't too important," Bella said quietly, although she really didn't care.

Nurse Hammond at the phone and shook her head. "Just my doctor rescheduling my check-up for two hours later," she said, shrugging. "It's all right. But... Not that I don't love seeing you, but why are you here?" She picked up her desk clock and noticed that it read almost six. "What happened?"

Bella sighed; she really couldn't believe that she was speaking to her, not after the last time, and couldn't imagine why Nurse Hammond suddenly seemed so okay with potentially seeing her again as a patient. "Edward..."

"Ah," said Nurse Hammond with a nod. "What did he do?" Suddenly she gasped. "You're not supposed to be talking!"

Bella shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. "They said anywhere from weeks to months and I suppose weeks were more..." She sighed. "Edward..."

Nurse Hammond blinked. "What did he do?" she asked softly.

Bella sighed. "He was with some other girl," she said.

The nurse blinked in surprise. "But, I thought that you two had decided to take some time to get to know each other..."

She nodded to Nurse Hammond. "Well, we were supposed to, but..." She nibbled at her lip and muttered, "Dammit," when she started to cry. "I just don't know, I... I just don't know what to think anymore." Swallowing, she leaned up against the wall and dragged her hand through her hair as she considered her next words. "Something just came over me tonight..."

"Something like what?"

She wrinkled her nose. "My palms got sweaty, my heart was pounding, and I felt like I was going to seriously puke," Bella replied.

Nurse Hammond chuckled. "That's an easy one," she said.

Bella glared at her. "It's not funny."

"I didn't say it was," Nurse Hammond said. "All I'm saying is—to any expert—anyone can see what you're feeling."

"Can they?" asked Bella in a sarcastic voice.

"They can," she replied. "I mean, it's totally classic..."

"Spit it out!" cried Bella.

Nurse Hammond sighed. "I think you're in love," she replied.

"Love?!" cried Bella, getting to her feet. "Love...right," she said, shaking her head back and forth. "There's no way in hell that's possible..."

"Why not?"

She shook her head. "It just can't happen..."

"Why? Have you ever been in love?"

Bella gave her a confused look. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Nurse Hammond shrugged. "You tell me."

Bella shook her head at her. "I didn't come here for you to explain my life to you!" she cried out, throwing up her hands.

"Why did you come here?" Nurse Hammond asked calmly.

"I came here because I was feeling down and..." She shook her head and sighed at her. "No, I think I'll just go to bed... I'm tired anyway," she said quickly and picked up her bag.

Bella quickly left the office and the infirmary entirely and was soon walking down the hall. She was really glad that Nurse Hammond didn't follow her, and soon was back at her room. It was entirely deserted, so she decided to take a hot shower before she went to bed. She undressed and turned on the water to an appealing temperature and stepped in.

It ran over her back and soon she shut her eyes in relaxation. Nothing eventful was happening, and she felt as if she was at the end of her rope. She peeked outside the shower and saw her wallet placed on the sink's counter—a picture of baby Geoffrey grinned up at her. Her eyes filled with tears. She knew she wouldn't have been able to do it—be a mother at sixteen—but that didn't mean that she wanted to lose him, too.

She picked up her razor and felt the weight in her hands. Her skin was numb from the warm temperature of the shower, and a few lashes across both of her wrists...she would feel nothing. She raised the blades to her wrists and shut her eyes and bit her bottom lip—bracing herself for pain. She focused on the water running on her back, and listened closely as the razor grazed both of her wrists three times each.

She lowered her eyes, and saw that she was standing in a pool of blood. Her vision was slowly becoming fuzzy, and she remembered shutting off the water and letting out a small sigh. She sat in the bath and grabbed a towel, hastily wrapping it around her. She shut her eyes as she felt more and more blood escaping from her veins, soon seeing black.

~*~

An informative woman's voice, "She's lost a lot of blood..."

An exasperated man's voice, "What's her blood type?"

The same woman, "I'm testing it, doctor."

The man's voice, "Good, good."

A machine beeping...

"I've got O-Negative, doctor," reported the woman.

Soft lights slowly becoming harsher as Bella opened her eyes.

"She's coming back," said the woman. "We've got her, doctor."

"Can you tell me your name?" asked the doctor, and Bella recognized him as Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Edward's father.

"Bella," said Bella in a soft voice.

"All right, Bella," said the doctor. "I'm Dr. Cullen. Are you feeling all right?"

"Y-yes," Bella whispered.

"How's your pain?"

"N-nine!" she gasped.

"Okay, we'll get you something," said the doctor. "Are you allergic to anything, Bella?" he asked.

"Penicillin and sulfa," she replied.

"Thank you," said the doctor, scrawling it down.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"Forks Community Hospital," said the nurse. "I'm Esme," she said with a smile, "Dr. Cullen's wife," she whispered with a smile, and Bella flushed; this was Edward's mother. "Now, let's get you some morphine do dull the pain, huh?"

Bella nodded. "Okay."

"Good," said Esme.

"Esme?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"Who brought me here?"

"These lovely girls...and three boys," she added.

"Who?" asked Bella.

"Do you want to see them?"

Bella sighed. "All right," she said.

Esme left the room, leaving Bella to look around. She knew that Forks Community Hospital was the closest hospital to Olympic National Academy and Tillicum Park Prep, as well as the only hospital in the immediate area. It was almost midnight, so whoever had driven them all there must have done so like a madman.

Alice burst into the room and ran up to Bella's bed. Bella quickly noticed that her friend's eyes were bright red as she managed to throw her arms around her—but thankfully she was careful of the wires. "What happened?!" she demanded, pulling back.

"What?" asked Bella.

"I mean..." Alice said, sighing, "...what were you thinking?!"

"That's just it," said Jessica, coming up behind Alice, her tone testy. "She wasn't," she said, glaring at Bella. "That was a real bitchy thing to do."

"Why do you even care?" Bella asked.

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Hey, I may be a bitch sometimes, Bella, but I do love you, and I am your friend."

Bella smiled at her. "Thanks," she said.

Angela grinned as she popped her head in. "Hey," she said, coming up to stand by Jessica. She pulled out a red, white, and pink Valentine's Day balloon from behind her. "This is from me and Jessica," she said.

"Oh!" cried Alice. She took out a small, soft, stuffed bear holding a pink heart in its hands. The heart said, Wishing you a huggable Valentine's Day, and Bella smiled. Alice put it on her bedside table, and Angela put the balloon on the floor next to it.

Katie danced in, her hair a bit fluffed up and her clothes a bit pulled at. She gave Bella a telling smile as she produced a Valentine's Day card from behind her back. "It's signed from all of us," she reported. "Even Tanya, of course," she said, grinning.

"Tanya, really?" asked Bella as the card joined her bear on her table.

"The security chick," Katie said.

"Yeah, I know," said Bella.

Lauren poked her head in next. "Hi," she said quietly.

"Hey," Bella replied.

Lauren crossed over to the bed and produced red roses. "It's Valentine's Day, and these are truly platonic," she said. "Besides, I called Jacob..."

"Is he one of the tree boys?" asked Bella. "I mean...I assumed James was one of them, which would mean Mike was here..."

"Four boys," said Lauren. "Jacob!" she called.

The handsome guy from the picture with Edward entered the room. He smiled a sympathetic smile at Bella. "Bella, good to see you again," he said. "But not under these circumstances, of course."

Bella smiled. "Thank you," she said earnestly. "And, Lauren," she said, allowing Alice to put her red roses into the vase in her bedside table's drawer, "you said four boys. What did you—?"

"Knock, knock," said James jubilantly, carting Mike after him. "Bella, I cannot I just cannot believe you would do something like this!" he cried.

"He's right," said Mike. "No mother of my kid is going anywhere."

"Touchy subject, sweetie," said James.

"Yeah, for me, too," Bella added.

Mike laughed. "Sorry," he said.

"What fourth boy did you mean?" demanded Bella.

"I think she meant me," said a voice from the doorway.

"Edward," Bella whispered.

Edward smiled sadly and walked in—the girl from earlier with him. "Bella..."

"Edward...who is this?" she asked.

"So you're Bella," said the girl with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

Bella shook her head. "Edward...it's an honor to meet your girlfriend. Nice to meet you," she said to the girl.

The girl laughed.

Edward promptly began sputtering.

"Um, excuse me, what's funny?" Bella demanded.

"I'm Rosalie. Rosalie Hale," said the girl. "I graduated a couple years ahead of you from Olympic National," she said, grinning. "I came up to surprise my future brother-in-law at our hideout—that barn in the clearing outside of Tillicum and Olympic National's grounds. My fiancé, Emmett, who's Edward's older brother, is serving in Iraq right now and just popped the question. I came down to the school to tell Edward in person, but you left before he could introduce us. Sorry about that; it was a surprise on my part."

"I did kind of run off, didn't I?" said Bella with a rueful smile.

Rosalie nodded. "But, when Edward here told me that he was seeing you, after not having a girlfriend for years, I was shocked," she said. "But, when I saw the look on your face, I knew you cared about my brother."

"Did you?" asked Bella.

"I did," said Rosalie.

"But..."

"But what?" asked Rosalie.

"You don't look—"

"Familiar? I look different than when I graduated," she said with a smile. "I'm studying sports medicine in Los Angeles, so it must be all the working out!" she said with a grin.

"And way tan," Bella replied.

Rosalie laughed. "I am that," she said.

Bella smiled. "Well, I'm glad your future seems secure and all mapped out. You look really happy," she whispered.

Rosalie nodded at her, her sparkling diamond ring as much a vision as she was. "I am," she told her, positively beaming. "I'm just so sorry we had to meet under these circumstances."

Bella sighed. "So am I."

Alice looked at Bella. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Besides trying to kill yourself," said James.

"Shh!" said Angela.

"Yes," Bella replied. She looked up at Alice, and something in her friends' eyes told Alice that she had to talk to Edward.

"I am just so hungry," said Alice dramatically, shooting everyone besides Edward knowing looks.

"Starving!" cried Angela, pulling on Jessica.

"Completely famished," said Katie, walking to the door.

"I could use a bite," said Lauren.

"Sounds good," said Jacob.

"Maybe they'll have enclosed booths in the cafeteria," said James.

"Then we can make out, totally!" cried Mike.

"Food sounds great," said Rosalie, following Mike. "I owe Emmett a call anyway..."

"I'm hungry," said Edward, starting to follow them.

"No, you're not," said Jessica, pushing him back into the room.

Edward turned hesitantly toward the bed. "Hey," he said.

Bella smiled ruefully at him. "I don't have a disease," she said. "I just have an I.V. in my arm, as you can see."

"I can see that."

"Sit with me," said Bella quietly.

Edward crossed the room and sat beside the bed. He lowered his eyes to the blue floor and sighed. He put his head in his hands like he was the unknown star of some Lifetime movie and asked, "Why'd you do it?"

Bella sighed.

"Did you think I was cheating on you?"

Bella picked at her hospital bedding. "It's not like we were official, Edward..."

"I was acting as if we were," he replied.

Bella shook her head. "So, I should feel guilty?" she asked.

"No," said Edward, taking her hand. "Do you want me to be guilty?"

"No, of course not," she said quietly.

Edward sighed. "When do you get out of here?"

"Tomorrow," Bella said.

"The fifteenth?" he asked.

"No, the fourteenth..."

Edward chuckled.

"What?" she asked.

"It's just..."

"What?" she demanded.

Edward's watch began beeping, and Bella looked up at the hospital clock.

"Oh," she said.

Edward smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered.

~*~

Bella was formally discharged from the hospital the following morning. After barely eight hours of sleep, she claimed she looked haggard and old. James laughed and shook his head. "Not when we're through with you!" he said, grinning at her and blowing her a kiss.

All her friends dragged her back to their dorm room—James disguised as Victoria, of course—and made her take a monitored shower. Then they put her into a lovely dress which covered the I.V. placement. All the while James clapped his hands and called the whole arrangement fabulous.

She was put into a bright red dress with long sleeves, a plunging neckline, and a short little skirt that was quite flowy. She was then shoved into black stockings and ruby slippers which seemed to sparkle with each step she took. She rolled her eyes. "There's no place like home," she said mockingly.

"Oh, shush," said Katie with a smile.

Angela blow dried her hair and put some sweet-smelling product into it. Then, Jessica took over and brushed it into an appealing look. Then, Alice took over and put it into a ponytail which rested on her shoulder. Then, Katie handed over a dove-white sparkling headband and put it on the top, giving Bella a larger-than-life grin.

"Makeup time!" sang James loudly, dragging her into the bathroom, Alice at his heels.

"Do not enter if you want to live!" she said, and slammed the door and locked it.

"Now," James said softly, shoving Bella into a chair.

"We shall begin," Alice proclaimed.

James and Alice told her not to look into the mirror until he was finished. James put a smock of some kind over her dress so as it would not become dirty—which was actually a very clever touch. Alice was quick to tell Bella to shut her eyes, part her lips, open her eyes, and things like that.

"Viola!" James said with a smile. "You can look now."

Bella smiled and turned to look into the mirror. Her face was dusted with an alluring yet understated pink blush. Her lips were a sexy red. Her eyes had black eyeliner, black mascara, brown eye shadow... She was truly a wonder. She turned slowly to James and Alice and smiled at the two of them. "James, Alice, I—"

"Ah, ah!" Alice cried. "You'll ruin our vision! No crying!"

Bella sighed. "Fine, fine," she said. "Can I take this...thing off now?"

James rolled his eyes. "That thing, my dear Bella, is a smock."

"Fine," she said. "May I take this smock off now?"

Alice grinned. "Yes."

Bella removed the smock and stood up. "Now what?" she asked.

James smiled. "Coach Clapp will tell you."

"Coach Clapp...? Oh, of course!" she cried. She walked out of the bathroom, where all of her friends applauded.

"You do not look old," Alice whispered in her ear, and gently pushed her forward. "You look beautiful, and young, and vibrant."

Bella smiled. "Thank you," she said. She took the black beaded bag that Alice offered her and put it over her shoulder. She then flashed a smile to all of them and left the room. She took the back stairs and soon she was at the stables, where Coach Clapp was waiting with Ruby Silk.

"Hello, Bella. Happy Valentine's Day," she said sweetly.

"Thank you, Coach Clapp," she said. She led Ruby Silk over to the mounting block and mounted her. She then went at a moderate pace to the clearing, so as not to make runs in her stockings. "I wonder what they put in my bag," Bella wondered aloud.

Ruby Silk whinnied softly in reply.

Bella opened it. It had lipstick and mascara...and a condom. Bella gasped and quickly shut the purse. Did they really think that she was that easy?

She soon arrived at the clearing, and saw a sign on the barn. Upon riding closer, Bella noticed that it said: Mike and James reserved it. Come to the beach, which is just west of here. Love, Edward.

Bella couldn't wait anymore. She took the blanket that Coach Clapp had put in the saddle bag and put it under her. Then she said, "Yah!" and she and Ruby Silk cantered the three miles to the beach. The trees soon thinned, and she could see and smell the water. The sun suddenly broke through the clouds, and as Bella cleared the trees, a sunset so beautiful appeared above the horizon line, startling Bella with its beauty.

Bella looked to the right and saw Edward sitting on a horse. As she rode closer, she saw that it was a black stallion by the name of Night Sky. He came from the Olympic National stables, and Bella shook her head. So, it appeared that Coach Clapp was too in on this...

"Hello," he said.

"Hello," Bella replied.

Edward jumped off and crossed to Bella. He helped her down, and pulled her against him. Their noses touched on her way down, and his lips parted and a sudden burst of longing flitted across his eyes. "Bella..."

"Yes?"

Edward leaned down. He brushed his lips with hers.

"You were going to say something," Bella reminded him when the kiss was over and done with, feeling secure in his arms.

He smiled. "I was, was I?" he asked.

Bella smiled up at him. "I thought you were..."

"Well, that's why you're my girlfriend, I hope," he added.

"I am your girlfriend," she whispered. "I'm sure now."

"So am I," he said.

"Sure about what?" she asked.

"I'm in love with you," he replied.

Bella stood on her toes and kissed him again. "I'm in love with you, too," she whispered into his neck.

He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Happy Valentine's Day," he said quietly against her skin.

Bella smiled to herself. "And many more," she replied.