A/N
Hello Beautiful People,

This is my first chapter of my first story ever so please review and let me know what you think so far. I'm currently working on chapter 2 and hoping to get it out by the end of the weekend. This story has been playing on my mind for years now and it so exciting to be able to officially publish it on here. Please read and enjoy, I'm also on the look out for some good critical betas so if you fancy proof reading my chapters before I publish them and giving me some advice on improvement and spell checking, grammar etc. please PM me. thanks

xxx

DISCLAIMER: All recognized characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer no copyright has been intended, I just like to play around with them a little

Bleep…Bleep ...Bleep

The heart has now stopped beating; I have managed to divert his blood into the bypass machine for pumping. "Number 11 scalpel please" I say to the nurse slightly muffled by my surgical face mask. "There you go Doctor"

"Thank you"

I make a small cut in the aorta, under the watchful eye of Dr Morgan; I gently remove the diseased segment of the valve. I look at it closely noticing the severity of the damage, a week longer and this man's heart would have stopped pumping altogether. Marcus Studley 56, is your average American, hardworking, tax paying citizen, who had been rushed to the hospital 3 days ago with acute Angina, chest pains, caused by the restriction of blood supply to the heart muscle. He has a wife and 3 kids one of which is heading off to college next year, the first in his family I remember him telling me.

"Cross clamp please, and have the artificial valve prepped and ready for installation".

Three hours later I head out to the waiting room along with attending cardio thoracic surgeon Dr Morgan, my mentor, to tell Marcus's wife Lorraine the news. She spots us immediately and rushes towards us desperate for us to tell her what she wants to hear.

I quickly ask Dr Morgan, "Do you want to tell her or should I?"

"You can do it" he replies.

I turn to Lorraine with a smile,

"Hi Lorraine, Marcus surgery was a success. We were able to remove the damaged valve and replace it with the artificial one without any complications. He should wake up from the anesthetic within a couple of hours, we are positive he will make a full recovery".

"Thank you, thank you so much doctor" she gasps between sobs of joy. She then suddenly launches at me and wraps her arms around me. As she embraces me I'm hit with the sound of her thoughts and instantly feel her relief "I need to call the kids, let them know his OK, thank god". I smiled to myself happy to be giving someone some good news. I can't help but laugh a little nervously and hug her back.

"Your welcome", I whisper.

Ever since I could remember I've been able to hear the thoughts of people around me. It's like my mind is a satellite that can pick up signals from other peoples mind which then transmits exactly what they are thinking or seeing or sometimes if there not thinking or seeing anything in particular I pick up there on their emotions and I'm hit with it all at once as if it's my very own thoughts or happiness, sadness, anger and everything in between. That old expression people use when they're daydreaming about being a million miles away, well I can be right there with them and they don't even know it.

Luckily my mother and grandmother had the 'hearing gift' too as they like to call, but it disappears once you give birth to your first daughter. It's been passed down from generation to generation all the way back to our African ancestors. My mother helped me to control my gift, how to focus my mind to block out the voices by imagining a metal mental shield encasing my brain, so as not to become too overwhelm by the thoughts of those around me and over the years I've managed, with great difficulty, to do it. It gets tricky at times when you answer a question someone is thinking and not actual saying, or when you hear what you fifth year school teachers husband got up to with her best friend while she's been at work.

The majority of the time I try not to listen in on people's thoughts as they are the only thing in the world that is truly theirs but from time to time the intensity of some ones thoughts or even physical contact with someone will just break down my resolve.

Moving to Chicago after 5 years of surgical residency in Washington was a big step for me one which I wasn't too sure was the right decision. New city, new hospital, new job, new thoughts I had just started to feel at home in Washington but when the opportunity arose for me to take up my fellowship with none other than Dr Christian Morgan, one the world's most renowned heart surgeons, it simply would have been foolish not to accept. So here I am, attempting to claim back my body from Lorraine's embrace, she finally releases me and I point her in the direction of the nurse who will take her up to see her husband.

"Your reputation really does precede you Dr Swan" Dr Morgan says, as we begin to walk back down the corridor. "You have quite a talent; I shall look forward to seeing more of your potential. But for now you should head on home, I'll see you on Monday".

"Thank you Dr Morgan, see you on Monday" I reply, as he turns and heads for the stairs to his office. I've been living in Chicago for nearly a month now and I still can't get over how cool my boss is, he is a little quirky at times almost in a mad professor sort of way, with short curly grey hair and round circle glasses, but shadowing him for these past few weeks has given me such a great insight into his bizarre yet ingenious ways. I decide to head up to the doctors' suite and changing rooms and get ready to go home. As I enter the room a small group of doctors are gathered around the flat screen TV on the wall, watching what looks like the weather report, I head over and watch.

"…with temperatures due to drop below freezing tonight making driving conditions a little treacherous , as you can see this area of snow will be working its way and gradually expanding with heavy snow in some places…" says the weatherman, great. Unfortunately Chicago isn't known for having bearable weather conditions and in this case winter is definitely not an exception. I make my way to the changing rooms and open my locker; a quick check of my phone tells me I have a text from my flat mate Alice

Going to the parents' house for the weekend, will be back Sunday night xx

P.S. Don't forget to let Barney in, thanks.

I smile and roll my eyes at my flat mate and her bloody cat.

Before leaving Washington there was the small problem of having somewhere to live here in Chicago, I remember fondly on one of my visits to the hospital how I came to meet Alice. I noticed a bulletin board with a flyer attached advertising for a roommate; I took down the number and called. "Hello" answered the voice at the other end

"Hi, is that Alice Brandon?" I said nervously

"Yes, who's this?" replied Alice

"Erm, my name is Bella, Bella Swan I'm calling about the advertisement for a flatmate" I said trying to sound confident

"Wow cool accent, are you British?" she asks. If I had a dollar or a pound for every time someone asked me that I swear I'd have enough money for an early retirement.

"Err yes, I am. So I saw your flyer on the bulletin board at Chicago Memorial Hospital and was just wondering whether you still needed a roommate?"

"I do, do you work at the hospital?"

"I will be, yes, I should be starting my fellowship in a couple of weeks. I'm assuming you work here too?"

"Yea I'm a pediatric nurse there, I don't suppose you like cats?"

I met with Alice the next day outside a coffee shop, and was surprised by how well we got on. Alice has an exciting energy about her that tends to draw you in, with her pale skin, deep brown eyes and trendy brunette bob and amazing fashion sense.

We talked for hours about the ups and downs of all things hospital, my (amazing) British accent and of course Barney her ginger cat. I listen in on her mind to see what she thought of me, "well she doesn't seem like an axe murderer…she's actually pretty cool for a doctor some of them can be such dicks….. she looks just like that Kerry Washington from Scandal… god I love that show, I'll have to remember to tivo it later…..I've got a feeling we're gonna be best friends" then Alice started picturing me at her wedding walking in front of her down the aisle as her maid of honor. I smile at the memory.

I quickly send Alice a reply, hoping she has a good weekend and telling her not to worry, I won't forget about Barney.

I take off my scrubs and get changed into my regular clothes and boots; I grab my coat and bag and make my way out the door. As I walk towards the elevator I wrestle with my hat and gloves dreading the 8 blocks I'll have to walk to get home. The elevator dings open and out comes Angela one of the scrub nurses that was with me in the O.R earlier.

"Hey Bella, heading home" she asks stepping out of the elevator. Angela was one of the first people I met on my first shift at Chicago Memorial; she is such a genuinely sweet person, with kind and positive thoughts which is quite rarity for most people who work long and demanding hours in hospitals. She was able to help me locate where everything was in this huge maze of a hospital, unlike my fellow colleagues who all just grunted impatiently at me, I was very grateful for her being there in those first few shifts.

"Hey Ang, yea I am. How's Mr Studley doing?

"His still asleep at the moment, I told his wife to head home as she looked like she hadn't slept in days, we'll call her if there are any changes"

"Thank you, Ang. You were brilliant in there tonight" I told her, she blushed

"Oh it was nothing, you did all the hard work" I laugh a little

"I think the hard work starts now" I said pointing to the window "trying to make my way home through all this.

"Well, you be careful Bella, I hear it's going to get worse overnight" she says also glancing out the window.

"Hey Ang, have you got those blood result back yet?" asks one of the other nurses.

"Yea its right here Wendy, anyway Bella you have a goodnight" she say walking over to a stressful looking Wendy.

"You too Ang" I call back, pressing the button for the elevator.

I wrap my coat tighter around me as I leave the elevator and head through the lobby out in the bitterly cold early November snow. My boots hit the slush filled sidewalks, the snow steadily swirling around as I cross the street on to Franklin Avenue.

You would think being a doctor means you have loads of money, well that's definitely one of the biggest misconceptions with our profession, you only start making lots of money once you've fully certified in a specialty which I have yet to be and with my car being in the shop this only means one thing, my broke ass gets to walk home, in the snow.

I pick up my pace a little, careful not to trip and fall. I will definitely be having a nice warm soak when I get in. I may even use some of those fancy bath salts Alice brought me a few days ago. I carrying on walking with my warm thoughts distracting me from the subtle numbness slowly penetrating my toes my quick breaths form thick puffs of steam in the frigid temperature air.

I glance up and see the apartment complex a little further ahead and smile internally, my trek is nearly over. I start to rummage in my bag for the keys so as to have them ready as soon as I get to the door. I begin to cross the last street when a car comes belting into the road I quickly jolt backwards onto the sidewalk as the car speeds pass me. "Idiot" I mutter to myself as my fast heart rate starts to slow down. He should concentrate on the road a little better instead of getting a blowjob off his misses, I chastise to myself as I catch glimpses of the drivers mind. I check the road looking both ways twice and cross it quickly. Whenever I'm caught off guard by something, it always breaks my shield keeping it up takes much concentration on my part which can be quite mentally draining.

I quicken my steps to the front door of the apartment complex and jam my key into it, eager to get inside and out of the cold.

I shut the door behind me and head over to the mailboxes, opening it up with my key I check to see if we have any mail. I grab the few envelopes that are inside and make my way up the three flights of stairs to my apartment as the elevators in this building seem to be permanently broken, I don't even bother to waste my time and check anymore. What fun I had moving in here hauling all my belonging up three flights of stairs. I open the door to my apartment and switch on the lights closing the door behind me I let out the biggest sigh of relief and close my eyes and lean back against the door.

After a 12 hour shift I am exhausted to say the least, I unzip my coat and walk past the kitchen and living room and head straight to my bedroom where I collapse face first in a heap on my bed. I love my job, I really do and not many people can honestly say that which is really sad considering how much of our lives are spent there. But this bed right now, boy does this bed feel so good. I roll over and stare up at the ceiling for a few minutes allowing my mind to just go completely blank. I reluctantly sit up and switch on my bedside lamp the room is instantly lit up with the warm glow from the bulb. I take off my jumper and boots and have a look through the mail that has been dislodged on my bed. I sift through the bills and junk mail and recognize the handwriting on the envelope and quickly open the letter:

Dear Bella,

I hope you are doing well, I told you that I would be writing to you, as you know me and these emailing businesses don't agree. Congratulations again on the new job darling I know you'll do great, we are all so proud of you. Nana sends her love, poor thing is back in hospital again with that dodgy hip of hers, apparently she's causing quite a stir telling all the doctors there that her granddaughter is a big heart surgeon in America you know how she is. Josh is still trying to get a loan off the bank to get that garage shop running not with much luck though, but your brother is a stubborn bugger so I have faith he'll make it. I've been looking at some flights to Chicago recently to come out and see you but with the Christmas holidays fast approaching there is no reasonable prices, but hopefully in the New Year the costs should come down and I'll be able to come visit my beautiful heart surgeon daughter.

Lots and lots of love

Mum

xxxxxx

I wipe away the little tear that has escaped, I really should ring her more often but with everything that has been going on I've just had no time. I glance at my clock on my bedside table 8:27pm it would be 2.27am in the UK now that's far too late to call her. I make a mental note to give her a ring in the morning, fold up the letter and put it away in the drawer of my bedside table. I make my way out to the room and in to the kitchen where I find a note from Alice.

Hey Bella there's some leftover pasta bake in the fridge if you want it, it'll only go bad by the time I get back so help yourself, see you on Sunday xx

As if on cue my stomach starts to grumble. I grab a plate from the cupboard and fork from the drawer and put some of the pasta bake on my plate then turn around and stick it in the microwave for a few minutes. As my food begins to spin I head over into the living room and switch on the TV I grab the remote and flick through the channels mindlessly and stop at a documentary on about whales. I swear if I wasn't a doctor I reckon I would've have been a marine biologist or something like that. I love the ocean and all things sea related. I remember when I was little girl my dad would take me on his fishing trips he would've taken my brother but he always moaned that it was too boring I, on the other hand loved it. It was so peaceful and tranquil out on his little boat I would bring a few books with me and just read and relax. That was definitely one of the things I treasured the most when he was still here. The microwave dinged and I walk over to get my piping hot meal and fork and head back to the sofa just in time for another episode of the documentary to start.

Glancing over at the clock on the wall I almost jumped at the time, it had just gone 10:00 o'clock, where did all that time go? I decided to skip having a bath and have a quick shower instead. I needed to get to sleep if I stood any chance of getting up early tomorrow to sort out the million and one tasks that I have to do. I switched off the TV and took my plate and fork over to the sink in the kitchen and quickly wash them and put them away. I grab a clean towel from the laundry basket on the floor and head into the bathroom for a shower.

20 minutes later I'm showered and in bed with my P.J's on ready to get some well-deserved sleep. I switch off the lamp and close my eyes, only to suddenly awake a few hours later. Right in the middle of my REM cycle I bolt up out of bed eyes wide and quickly race to my bedroom door "that bloody cat" I shriek.

Oh no she forgot Barney...
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