This Side of Fantasy

"Ms.Claymont, can you hear me?" I blinked my eyes against the bright lights. "Ms. Claymont?"

I moaned, pain shooting through my body, this wasn't death. "Where am I?" I rasped.

"The hospital." I glanced to my right to see an older doctor. "I'm Dr. Kratzer. Do you remember what happened?" he asked softly, that was when I noticed something, my eye sight was different. No longer was it strong but... normal. My hearing wasn't as strong either.

"Ice. Crashed. Blackness," I answered. "How close was I?"

He took a seat in the chair next to my bed. "A piece of glass from the window, severed your femoral artery. You lost a lot of blood."

"How much is a lot?" I asked weakly.

"Lily, if you weren't found when you were, you wouldn't be here right now. For the last two days we thought, numerous times, you weren't going to make it. But after a few transfusions, you've pulled through. So how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Like I hit a guard rail and a tree," I mumbled. My head hurt, my body hurt, and I was changed. I was normal. And at that thought, the tears slipped from my eyes.

"Would you like some pain medicine?" he asked. I just nodded. "I'll go get the nurse, your father should be back in a little bit, I'll have someone go tell him you're awake."

So I didn't die, but I some what was close to being a normal human, I wasn't sure for how long though. I hoped permanently. The morphine they gave me helped me fall into a quiet peaceful sleep, as they told me, 'it's better for you to heal.'

Healing, that seemed to be another thing that was slowed down. I'd been in this white room for a week. I'd talked my father into going back to work, that there was nothing useful for him to do here. The nurses were enough company, always filling me in on the what nots around the hospital. I smiled as Gloria entered.

"Going home tomorrow," she told me happily.

"Yay. I get out of here finally!" I cheered, pulling myself up so I could lean against the pillows.

"How are we feeling today?" she asked.

"Better. So any new news?" I asked.

"The best!" she actually squealed; this would be good.

"Spill."

"There's a new doctor coming in. He starts tomorrow. He's amazing, I heard he could have a job any where but his wife wants to be in a small town. Oh and he's absolutely gorgeous. Blond hair, young, tall. So handsome!"

"You forgot one thing."

"What?" she asked.

"Duh eye color."

"Amazing and startling they're," oh no please don't say golden, not golden, anything but "golden. So amazing."

I smiled, though it was very fake. I actually wanted to cry, and scream. What were the Cullens doing in Washington? "That's nice," I agreed, lying.

"Yes, well I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow if they don't release you early for good behavior," she said with a laugh.

Luckily, I was dressed by the time my dad got there, Dr. Kratzer had released me early, saying I was healed enough to go home and giving me some pain meds, then told me to come back if anything happened. Dad was overly helpful, as he'd been since they told him I'd been on the brink of death.

"Hey dad," I spoke getting his attention as he drove the cruiser towards home. "Did they say who saw me?" No one had told me that information.

"Some boy from La Push. He stayed until I got there, then he disappeared." Dale's face looked ages older.

"Oh." was all I could think to say.

I'd managed to escape death with only a concussion, a severed femoral artery, and some cuts and bruises. I was happy to get to lay on my bed after a week in that hospital. "I'll make dinner," Dad offered, filling up my door way.

"Can we have pizza? I really feel like pizza."

"Anything you want. You OK up here?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Hey did you ever call the school?" I asked.

"Told them you'd be in next week. They sent their wishes." he said before moving to go downstairs.

I looked at the ceiling, the Cullens were back, I was hungry, some stranger from La Push saved my life, the Cullens were back, I needed a new car, school was next week, the Cullens were back in my life.

Why?

I thought about that, it was a great question, why were the Cullens here? Surely they didn't know I'd come here. They wouldn't be here for me would they? Every theory was followed by the same question. Why?

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? It was enough to make my head throb.

I sent Sara an email while I got ready for bed that night.

Hey Sara.

Sorry I haven't talked to you in a while, we moved. Surprising I know, but we did. I'm in Washington now. Oh and I totaled my car in an accident about a week ago. Can you believe it? I almost died, stupid ice! Well I'm home again and getting better so don't freak out on me Kay? I start school next week, should be fun, yeah I'm continuing school even though I'm out of Oregon. I'll email you later.

Lily.

Sending it, I snuggled under my blankets and feel into a dreamless sleep.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

School. I'd drove my new car, a black Mercedes CL 600. Money was bliss. The parking lot was beginning to fill as I made my way to the main office. My walk was still off from the severed artery, but it was slowly getting back to normal.

"Lily, it's so good to see you in one piece." The secretary smiled as I walked to her desk.

"It's good to be in one piece and breathing," I replied. "Do you have a map for me?"

"Yes, along with your class schedule. Do you want me to get someone to help you out?"

I smiled, "No that's not necessary, but thank you."

"No problem, have a good day," she hoped as I walked out into the misty rain. First class of the day was advanced English with Sharper. He seemed nice enough, the whole school seemed nice, all thanking God I was alive, considering the whole town knew about the accident over two weeks ago.

"Yo' Lily!" I turned around, stopping myself from going to my history class, to see a blond haired boy running up to me. "Hey."

"Um... hi."

"I'm Mike, Mike Newton." he said.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Lily, but everyone seems to know that."

"You're famous. What class you heading to?" the mist was starting to dampen his hat.

"History in building four." I said.

"Awesome, I have Malone too," Mike said as we started walking. "Would you like to sit with us at lunch?" Mike asked as we entered the building.

"I'll see," I answered going to talk to the teacher.

Third period trigonometry and fourth period Spanish four went the same, I met two girls, friends of Mike, Jessica and Angela. Along with Eric who I met on my way to lunch with Jessica. No sign of the Cullens yet, maybe they weren't going to school here.

We sat at an already crowded table with Mike. I nodded when appropriate but other than that I couldn't pay attention to their chatter."Prepare yourself," Jessica whispered to me; she was starring out the windows. I looked up as the family made their gracious entrance. "That's the Cullens they moved here about two weeks ago."

I stood as they sat down, "Lily what you doing?" Jessica hissed. "They don't associate with anyone but each other." I brushed her off, tossing my water bottle away as I, not so gracefully made my way to them.

Edward looked like he was in pain when I approached. "Cullen you look like you've seen a ghost."

"Lily." he said in greeting.

"Alice, why are you looking at me like that?"

"You smell different."

"Very different." Edward whispered.

"I almost died of blood loss, of course I'm going to smell different." I froze, did she just admit that she knew I know?

"Yes we know you know about us," Alice said.

"So why are you here?" I asked.

"Edward can't-"

I herd a growl from Edward, shutting Alice up. "Look I have to get back over there. Just pass on a message to Carlisle for me please?"

"Sure," Alice said, happily.

"Tell him I'm human, at least I have been for the last two weeks," I said before heading back to sit with Jessica.

"You did not just have a conversation with them," she mumbled in disbelief.

"Yeah, seems the Cullens are here for someone," I answered.

"Really? Who?" she questioned.

"Me," I answered with a sly grin.