I wanted to wait until I was done with Choices, but this story has begun to dominate a lot of my time.
So here it is. Slash. I know. I've not posted any before, but what do they say about floodgates - can't stop them once they start. Plus I really love these two characters together. So call me sentimental.
Expect some OOC from a few characters for a while, and don't overanalyze this one. Don't like slash? Don't read it.
Thanks to totorostories for pre-reading, and go check her out. She's got a story that has potential.
Warnings (Come on, you knew this was coming): Male/Male sex, language, situations and eventual gay/homosexual violence. Don't say I didn't warn you. Happy Ending? Maybe.
Also, go easy on me. I've never written a story like this, and I'm a little nervous.
Anniversaries & Late-Night Calls
The night started out innocent enough. Or maybe innocent wasn't the right word. Carlisle's shift at the hospital had ended early by some miracle, and he'd raced home to the three-bedroom house he shared with Edward. After pulling an eighteen-hour shift at the hospital, Carlisle was understandably tired. But tonight was supposed to be special, and he knew he would get plenty of rest later.
Tonight was special because three years ago on this night, Carlisle had asked Edward on their first date. And a year and a half later, they'd taken special vows so everyone would know they belonged to each other. And now they had two anniversaries. Carlisle loved celebrating the days when Edward had come into his life, and most of his family loved Edward.
Edward's favorite dish was Chicken Parmesan, and Carlisle had been preparing for this night for the last few days. He had the house to himself nearly an hour and a half, and while the chicken baked, Carlisle cleaned up from a long day on the surgical floor. The house was an old heirloom left to him by his grandfather, and he and Edward had lived here together for the last two years.
Along with three bedrooms, there were three bathrooms, and while that might have seemed like too much space for the two of them, they both felt like it was perfect. They always joked about having kids, and Carlisle always teased Edward about being the one to carry their child since he was younger and usually had more energy. But after all the joking and teasing, they would seriously talk about maybe adopting. The time was never right, but then when was the time right to be parents?
Carlisle was in the kitchen stirring tomato sauce when the front door opened and closed, and he allowed the food to let Edward know where he was.
"Carlisle?"
"In the kitchen, babe."
"I'm gonna go take a shower."
Not exactly the response Carlisle had hoped for, but at least Edward was home. "Take your time," he yelled back.
Lately, Edward had been working in the NICU with all the sick infants, and in the last few weeks, it had really begun to wear on him. Carlisle hoped a home-cooked meal and some quality time together would bring Edward out of his funk. At least that was the plan.
Edward's arms around his middle surprised Carlisle as he stood in front of the stove, and he smiled when Edward kissed his neck and then his cheek.
"Long day?" Carlisle asked softly.
"One of the Mallory twins died today," Edward whispered laying his head against Carlisle's shoulder. "Benjamin."
Carlisle pressed his cheek into Edward's head. "I'm sorry."
"Lauren nearly had a stroke during labor," Edward said of the baby's mother. "Dr. Gerandy has her on heparin to keep her from developing blood clots. I had to hold her for nearly an hour after I told her."
"How is Michael doing?" Carlisle asked about the other twin.
"He's still five weeks premature. His lungs aren't completely developed, and his heart is strained. We're all worried about him."
Carlisle turned from the stove to face Edward. The hair that always reminded Carlisle of a shiny penny was currently damp and even more messy than usual, and the beautiful green eyes that greeted him every morning were bloodshot and filled with sadness. He lifted his hands to Edward's face, leaning closer to kiss him. "Of course you're worried," he soothed. "You've always had such a good heart. I know you're doing everything you can to help him."
Edward grasped onto Carlisle's shirt, clinging to him like his life depended on it. It had been a while since he'd held Carlisle so tight. Every time a baby was sick or died, it drained Edward of most of his energy, and Carlisle hated keeping him up those nights.
As an OB nurse and one of the few male nurses at Cook County Hospital, Edward had a unique ability to soothe his patients without feeling awkward if they cried in his arms or screamed at him when he told them bad news. In this particular case, the mother had developed preeclampsia in her last trimester, and then she'd done into premature labor. The stress on her body had in turn caused distress to her boys, and they'd been in the Neonatal Critical Unit the last three days fighting for their lives. Edward had been so worried about them.
Out of nowhere, Edward leaned in to kiss Carlisle, and two days worth of stubble rubbed against Carlisle's smooth-shaven face. It didn't bother him. Edward usually forgot about basic things like shaving when he was on graveyard shifts. But soon, the kiss became heated and furious. Tongues plundered adeptly, and fingers clawed helplessly. There was so much need.
Edward wasn't even an inch shorter than Carlisle, but they were both over six feet tall. Standing next to the hot stove reminded Carlisle of his sauce, and he reluctantly nudged Edward away.
"It's okay, baby," he whispered. "My poor baby. It's okay."
Edward didn't say anything, still grasping and then setting his chin over Carlisle's shoulder. "What are you cooking?" he asked after a minute.
Carlisle leaned back, rubbing Edward's cheek and then combing his fingers through Edward's wet hair. "It's a surprise. And I'm almost finished. I'll have you fed and watered in no time."
Edward blushed and smirked, releasing Carlisle and stepping over to the fridge for a beer.
Edward waited in the kitchen while Carlisle cooked, slowly realizing what he was making and steadily blushing as he stood there in jogging pants and an over-sized shirt from Carlisle's side of the dresser. His embarrassment over his attire became obvious the longer he stood there nursing his beer, and Carlisle thought he looked so cute.
"Are you gonna be okay?" Carlisle asked pulling on oven mitts to pull their chicken from the oven.
He shook his head grinning. "I can't believe you had time to cook all this," he waved his hand over the stove.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Carlisle asked stepping in front of Edward until their hips were aligned.
Edward blushed. "Tell me," he whispered.
"I've had all of it hidden in the fridge the last few days," Carlisle admitted.
"You really wanted to do this now?"
"Of course I did," Carlisle chuckled. He cradled Edward's face between his hands. "I love you, baby. And I'll always celebrate when you came into my life."
Edward's blush deepened, and Carlisle leaned in to kiss him again.
"I love you, Carlisle," Edward whispered between heated kisses that were quickly beginning to take a front seat to the food.
The oven buzzer went off then despite Carlisle having already removed the oven's contents. He let go of Edward reluctantly, pressing his lips to Edward's forehead.
"We should eat," he suggested.
Edward lowered his hands over Carlisle's ass, grinding their hips together. "Only if I get to have dessert," he moaned.
Carlisle almost didn't make it, responding to Edward's coaxing and threatening to pull off the shirt he was wearing. Only the smell of the food stopped him. "I promise," he groaned.
Edward smiled then, a little dimple creasing his cheek. "You're so predictable," he teased.
It was Carlisle's turn to blush, and he nudged Edward toward the other side of the kitchen. "Get dishes and silverware. We're eating in the living room."
Edward didn't argue.
Firelight stood in for candles, and throw pillows from the couch doubled as chairs while Carlisle and Edward ate their food around the coffee table in front of the fireplace. Carlisle talked about his two massive surgeries that day, attempting to take Edward's mind off the Neonatal Unit and the little baby there fighting for his life. It wasn't easy.
"The man was healthy as a horse," Carlisle said of his end-of-the-day patient. "He'd never been in the hospital in his life. His wife was absolutely terrified. It took me over two and a half hours to clear all five of his blockages. But the good thing about all of it was how calm he was. He was never scared. I hope I'm that calm if I ever need a quadruple bypass."
Edward smiled without speaking, and Carlisle reached for his hand.
"Everything's going to be okay," he soothed. "Babies are resilient. He'll pull through this."
Edward didn't have to say anything else. Carlisle felt every ounce of fear and helplessness pulsing through Edward's body. He lifted his hand to Edward's cheek, leaning closer and kissing him gently.
Very little time passed between that moment and when Edward began unbuttoning Carlisle's shirt. Then everything began moving faster. Heat from the fireplace hit Carlisle in the chest, and Edward's hands slipped inside to rub his smooth skin. Carlisle admitted he was somewhat of a gym fanatic, and his shoulders and torso were broader than Edward's. But they complimented each other so well. And Edward always knew where to start.
The half-eaten food was long forgotten as Carlisle's shirt came off, and he scooted around to be in front of Edward before he pulled the over-sized shirt over Edward's head. Heated breathing and kissing and groaning filled the space around them as Carlisle moved a little closer to Edward and then laid him back over the pillows on the floor. Desperation replaced dread as Edward reach for Carlisle with both hands, and it was only too easy to oblige.
The last time they'd really fucked, it had been after a particularly difficult surgery, and the patient had nearly died. The family had taken the news badly, and Carlisle had gotten too emotional to keep them calm. That night, Edward had taken care of him, and Carlisle knew Edward needed him to do the same thing now.
"Carlisle," Edward whimpered, his seeking hand finding Carlisle's crotch and pressing firmly against his hardening cock. "I need you. Please."
There was no hesitation at all when Carlisle rose to his hands and knees to be above Edward. Through the jogging pants, Edward was hard too, and Carlisle wasted no time tugging the front down to reveal Edward bare. He loved when his boy went commando, and he sometimes wished he was that brave.
Carlisle wrapped his hand around Edward's lean cock, stroking him and leaning down to kiss him. He didn't give Edward time to hold him there, extending his tongue to lick Edward's ear and feeling him shudder all over.
"Carlisle," Edward moaned softly. "Please."
Need replaced desperation, and Edward laced his fingers through blond hair at the back of Carlisle's head. Chills wracked Carlisle's whole body. He exhaled against Edward's mouth, still stroking and now squeezing Edward's cock in his hand. Edward moaned a little louder, bucking his hips against Carlisle's hand and lifting his ass so his jogging pants could be disposed of.
Edward was suddenly naked, and he sat up in front of Carlisle, unfastening his pants and unzipping them to be rewarded with the thick cock inside. Carlisle stifled a moan without meaning to, and Edward leaned in to kiss him deeply as he stroked him slowly. He drew a louder moan from Carlisle's mouth, pushing his pants down to uncover his ass.
"Christ, Edward."
Tongues sought contact even more now, and Carlisle shimmied out of his pants and boxer briefs to be naked like Edward. The crackling of the fire was the only other noise as Carlisle laid Edward back down in front of the fireplace. Edward lowered his hands over Carlisle's backside to his hips and then his bare ass, and it only took a small movement for Carlisle to be situated between Edward's spread legs.
"You wanna be on top this time?" Carlisle whispered still stroking Edward's cock and bracing his other hand on Edward's knee.
"Hm-mm," was the soft reply as Edward shook his head. "I need you inside me. Please."
"Shit," Carlisle hissed remembering the last time Edward had been so willing to fuck like this.
Luckily, Carlisle had been more than prepared for this turn of events. A bottle of lubricant and a condom was already waiting in one of the end tables, and Carlisle barely had to stretch to get it.
Carlisle didn't bother pouring lube in his hand, instead squeezing out a decent amount over Edward's lower abdomen. It warmed upon making contact with Edward's skin, and Carlisle made quick work of spreading it over the area he was concerned with most. Edward jumped slightly when Carlisle wrapped his hand around his cock again, clenching his teeth and groaning softly.
"Carlisle," he pleaded. "I need you."
"I'm right here, baby," Carlisle promised.
While still stroking Edward's cock, Carlisle lowered his slick fingers to Edward's waiting ass. Edward moved closer to Carlisle and grabbed his legs to spread them further apart. Carlisle's fingers grazed over the skin under his balls gently as his fist passed over the head of Edward's cock, and he bit his lip to hold in a loud moan. Carlisle ducked down then to kiss Edward, and his fingers pushed a little passed the subtle resistance of Edward's body.
"Oh fuck," Edward groaned. "Oh I love it when you do that."
Though they messed around all the time like any other married couple, the times they were truly intimate was probably not as often as they should've been. They'd been married a year and a half, but everything was all still new to Edward. Carlisle was still getting him to open up about his last relationship. It was a long and winding road, but they were on it together.
Carlisle replaced one finger with two inside his boy, and Edward squeezed his eyes shut as his body responded to Carlisle's coaxing.
"Open your eyes, baby," Carlisle pleaded.
Edward complied after a few seconds, and it was Carlisle's turn to moan.
"You look so beautiful," Carlisle whispered gently. "Never forget that."
Three fingers finally stretched Edward to the point he was writhing, and Carlisle ripped the condom open frantically while still stroking inside his boy. Edward whimpered when he saw Carlisle roll the condom on, but he didn't move. He watched Carlisle intently.
"It's okay, baby," Carlisle soothed stroking Edward gently. He always had to be so careful.
Carlisle hated thinking about what Edward had already been through. It pained Carlisle to know anyone could ever be cruel to someone as amazing as Edward, and he'd already sworn that if he and this man who'd hurt his boy ever met on a dark street, the end result wouldn't be good for the other guy. He didn't want to think of Edward as a victim, but the truth was it was how Edward behaved.
Edward had such a big heart, and he wore his emotions on his sleeve. It was one of the things Carlisle loved about his boy the most.
Another whimper escaped Edward's lips when Carlisle pulled his fingers out, but it wasn't a painful sound. Carlisle knew that now. He had to go slow, and that by itself made him want to come right then. Edward was so tight even after what he'd been through, and he was so sensitive. Sometimes Carlisle had hold back when he was inside Edward, but his boy never complained.
"Come're," Carlisle beckoned pulling Edward up from the floor and sitting back against the couch.
Reluctantly, Edward rose to his knees. Carlisle reached for his hips and prompted him to straddle his lap.
"It's okay," Carlisle promised. "It'll be easier for you. It's okay, Edward. I love you."
Edward leaned in closer and kissed Carlisle. "I love you," he whispered.
Carlisle reached under Edward, stroking him again and keeping him comfortable as he lined them up gently. Penetration was a little smoother than usual since Carlisle had been able to keep Edward relaxed, and his boy moaned as they came together differently than any other time so far.
In this position, Edward had all the leverage, and he moved with more confidence than he had in a long time. Carlisle loved watching Edward like this. His hair glimmered in the firelight as they moved together, and his soft glistening skin glowed so beautifully. Carlisle took Edward's hands firmly, intertwining their fingers and pulling Edward in for another kiss.
"You're so beautiful," Carlisle whispered against Edward's lips.
Edward pressed his forehead to Carlisle's, still moving and moaning a little louder.
"You feel so good," Edward whimpered. "So good."
Carlisle squeezed Edward's hands in his own. "You feel good too," he moaned.
Another set of shivers flickered through Edward's body, and he locked his arms at his sides despite still gripping Carlisle's hands in his.
"Fuck we don't do this enough," he groaned.
He sped up his movements, and Carlisle captured his mouth to keep him focused. "We'll do it as often as you want, baby," he swore.
Edward didn't reply releasing one of Carlisle's hands and draping it around his shoulders. Carlisle took the opportunity to wrap his hand around Edward's cock again, and in return, Edward kissed him hungrily.
"Shit. I'm coming," Edward groaned.
"It's okay," Carlisle soothed. "I'm right here. I'm not leaving you. I love you so much."
"Oh shit," Edward cried just as thick stream after thick stream spurted all over Carlisle's hand. "Oh fuck."
Carlisle had to keep moving even though Edward slouched against him. His body responded to Edward's beautiful form, and his balls tightened only a moment before he filled his boy as completely as he could.
Panting and moaning filled the air as they both relaxed, and Carlisle rubbed Edward's back to keep him close.
After several minutes, Edward leaned back and laid his forehead against Carlisle's. "Sorry," he whispered.
Carlisle shushed him gently. "Don't you dare apologize. That was . . . amazing."
Edward blushed, and Carlisle kissed his forehead. "You're so beautiful. And I'm always going to love you. I swear."
"I love you, Carlisle," Edward laughed softly.
It took several minutes, but Carlisle disengaged from Edward and laid back on the couch, reaching for his boy and holding him as tightly as he could.
The silence overtook them as the fireplace crackled, and the wall clock ticked obnoxiously. Neither of them knew what time it was, but that wasn't important. All that mattered was they were together.
"Carlisle," Edward whispered, reaching for his hand and entwining their fingers.
"Yeah, baby?" he breathed and kissed Edward's forehead.
"I want to adopt a baby," he revealed.
Carlisle turned his head to look at Edward, and shining green eyes gazed back at him. "Yeah?"
Edward smiled. "Yeah."
A moment of silence passed, and Carlisle held Edward a little tighter. "Do you want a girl or a boy?"
Edward didn't hesitate. "A girl."
"Are you sure you want to adopt?" Carlisle asked. "We could always do the surrogate thing. That way, they'd at least be one of ours."
Edward wrapped his arms around Carlisle, pressing his face into the bend of Carlisle's neck. "I just want to have a baby with you," he whispered contentedly.
Carlisle laughed softly, stroking Edward's hair. "I feel exactly the same way."
They both fell asleep on the couch, their food still setting on the coffee table and a mess left in the floor in front of the couch.
A loud shrilling sound woke Carlisle abruptly, and he opened his eyes to see the fireplace almost dark. He felt Edward asleep beside him and squeezed him to wake him. At first Edward didn't move, and Carlisle lifted his hand to Edward's face.
"Baby," he whispered. "My phone's ringing."
Edward groaned, opened his eyes and inhaled deeply. Then he slowly stood up so Carlisle could hurry to his phone in the foyer. Carlisle glanced back to see Edward lay back down, and he smiled before finding his phone and turning it on.
"Dr. Cullen."
"Carlisle, it's Marilyn." It was the admissions' nurse in the Emergency Room. She sounded worried, and Carlisle instantly felt dread settle into his stomach.
"What's happened?" he asked softly.
"Carlisle, I'm so sorry. It's Rose. She was brought into the ER about an hour ago. She's been in a car accident."
"Did you call Emmett?"
She sighed over the phone. "Carlisle — He's with her. So are Alice and Isabella."
Edward came out of the living room in his jogging pants, and Carlisle lifted wide eyes to his.
"You need to come to the hospital," Marilyn pleaded.
Carlisle didn't hesitate. "I'll be right there."
He turned off his phone, his hands trembling as he laid it back on the mail table.
"What's wrong?" Edward asked quietly.
"Rose is in the Emergency Room," Carlisle whispered. "So is Emmett. They had the girls with them."
Carlisle couldn't move after that, and Edward had to push him back into the living room to get their clothes. Minutes passes as they gathered up phones and wallets and shoes, and Edward guided Carlisle to the passenger door of his Volvo to drive to the hospital.
Brilliant green digits told them both it was after eleven-thirty, and Edward held Carlisle's hand as they drove through the light traffic of downtown Chicago. Cook County Hospital was still buzzing with activity, and two ambulances were still parked outside the admissions bay. Carlisle barely let Edward stop before he shot out of the car and hurried inside.
Carlisle had seen his younger sister Rosalie and her husband Emmett only a month earlier since they'd been getting ready for a trip to London with their two girls Alice and Isabella. Based on the timing, he was guessing they'd been coming home with the accident happened. The heavy feeling in Carlisle's stomach told him something was very wrong, but he didn't know how bad it was. He hoped it wasn't too bad. Rosalie was only 28 years old.
He spotted Marilyn at the admissions desk as soon as he entered the ER, and she laid her eyes on him, hurrying out from behind the counter.
"They're working on her and Emmett right now," she reported. "It was a head-on collision, but both air bags deployed, and they were wearing their seat belts. John is probably going to take her up to the OR once they get her stable."
"What about the girls?" he asked of his nieces.
"They're both in Observation 1 with Kate," she pointed. He started to leave, but she stopped him. "Carlisle, there was a lot of blood. Emmett cracked his sternum and broke both his legs, and Rosalie has burns from her air bag. The chemicals got into her lungs, and they're having trouble clearing it out. They both came in unconscious, and from what I've heard, John is going to need to talk to you. So don't wander off."
Edward came running into the ER then, and Carlisle nodded him over before automatically taking Edward in his arms.
"It's okay," Edward whispered, wrapping his hand around the back of Carlisle's head. "They're in the hospital. Everything's going to be okay. Where's Alice and Bella?"
Carlisle leaned back, glancing around and noticing a few people staring at them. "They're in Observation with Kate. Why don't you go check on them?"
Edward paid no attention to anyone else, touching Carlisle's cheek. "You're sure?"
Carlisle nodded. "Go on. You're calmer than I am, and they need that right now. I'll be outside the trauma rooms."
Edward glanced at Marilyn and smiled, moving off through the ER toward Observation.
Carlisle turned to Marilyn then, waiting until Edward was outside of earshot. "Be realistic with me," he pleaded. "Were those their only injuries?"
She pursed her lips, her cheeks flushed as she spoke. "No. Emmett had a severe head trauma, and he was bleeding internally when they brought him in. And, um, when they were hit, the dashboard impacted them both. Rose was semi-conscious until they discovered the chemicals in her lungs. John wanted to tell you himself."
"Tell me what?" Carlisle demanded frantically.
Marilyn stuttered, her face now even more red than it had been a minute earlier, and she cleared her throat before speaking again. "The frame of the car pinned her to her seat," Marilyn explained as gently as she could grasping Carlisle's arm. "Her left arm and leg were broken in two places, and her intestines were perforated. If they can't get her lungs clear, she won't make it through surgery, and John doesn't want to put her through any more."
As a surgeon, Carlisle understood the intricacies of his sister's extensive injuries, but having Marilyn lose her composure in front of him hit him in the face harder than any family he'd faced in the last eight years since he'd been working in the hospital. He couldn't cry. He couldn't scream. He couldn't do anything but stand there and stare at her. Based on everything she was saying, Carlisle's sister and her husband were going to die tonight.
Marilyn guided Carlisle to the trauma room where John was still working over Rosalie, but Carlisle wouldn't go in. It was difficult enough to separate his work and home life with a husband who worked in the hospital. If Carlisle went into the trauma room, he wouldn't be Rosalie's brother anymore. He would have to be a doctor and expected to behave like one, and right now, that was too much to ask.
Edward's arms around his chest startled him much more prominently than they had earlier, and he jumped as Edward squeezed him.
"It's just me," Edward whispered.
Carlisle sighed heavily, leaning the side of his head into Edward's. "Sorry."
A nurse hurried out of one trauma room nearby and then into another one, and even from where they were standing, beeping and shouting could be heard. Breath caught in Carlisle's throat, and he craned his neck to see inside the room.
Edward stroked hair at the back of Carlisle's head, whispering still. "Stay calm," he soothed. "John's working on her and Em. They'll be okay."
Carlisle shut his eyes, remembering what Marilyn had said and wishing he could feel as optimistic as Edward. His boy was always trying to look on the brighter side of things. In his occupation, Edward saw sick mothers and babies, and he couldn't let it bother him even if he sometimes did. Carlisle was glad to have Edward in his life, but times like these weren't supposed to be as hard as it felt right now.
"How are Alice and Isabella?" Carlisle asked instead of speaking about the extent of his sister and brother-in-law's injuries.
Edward laughed softly. "They're good," he assured Carlisle. "Bella was curious about Kate's thermometer, and Alice is asking about all the equipment. They hardly had any injuries. Kate's keeping them busy. Have you heard anything yet?"
Carlisle couldn't speak — didn't know how with so many things to say — and Edward noticed immediately turning Carlisle to face him.
"What's wrong?" he asked just as the doors to Trauma Room one opened to reveal John there in hospital scrubs.
"Carlisle," he said softly.
Carlisle stepped out of Edward's arms, facing his colleague uneasily. "John, please," he whispered. "Is she — "
John Weber's dark, thick eyebrows furrowed. "We can't clear the chemicals from her lungs," he reported, his voice oddly detached from his words. "And we're having trouble closing her lap belt injury."
"What about Emmett?" Carlisle begged.
John shook his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "His head trauma was too extensive, and we couldn't do anything to help him."
Carlisle couldn't keep from clenching his teeth. He wanted to yell at the man he usually would've been pleading for help. Carlisle wanted to scream and punch John in the jaw. But it wouldn't do any good. If he did that, Rosalie wouldn't have a doctor to help her. Edward grasped onto Carlisle's hand tighter than he had in the three years they'd known each other. Carlisle wanted to break down right there, but he couldn't. There was still so much he needed to know.
"Is she awake?" he asked John.
"No," was the soft, sympathetic reply.
"Will she wake up?"
John nodded. "If her fever comes down. We're giving her antibiotics, but right now, it's not looking good at all. We're putting her in Observation 3 for the time being."
Carlisle nodded, not speaking as Dr. Weber stepped back into the trauma room.
"Carlisle," Edward whispered, turning him around and moving forward to hold him. No other words were needed. Carlisle held onto Edward tighter than he ever had.
They stood there silently until an attending doctor and a trauma nurse wheeled Rosalie out of the trauma room. In less than five minutes, Carlisle thought of everyone he would have to call, but he couldn't open his phone. He didn't want to call anyone yet. There wasn't anything they could do, but that was just an excuse. He just didn't feel like talking to anyone.
"Go with Rose," Carlisle whispered to Edward. "I have to — see . . . him."
Edward stepped back slowly, lifting his hands to Carlisle's face. "Are you sure?"
Carlisle nodded, and Edward stepped forward kissing his forehead before he stepped back and followed the nurse and doctor to the Observation room.
Two nurses were still inside the trauma room where Emmett was, unhooking him from machines and covering him with a sheet. Carlisle could tell just by the blood stains that Dr. Weber had been forced to open Emmett's chest, and the very thought made his stomach turn somersaults. One of the nurses saw Carlisle step into the room, and she moved to his side.
"Are you gonna be okay?" she asked, holding his hand in hers.
For several seconds, Carlisle couldn't speak, simply nodding his head.
Even though most surgeons came down to the ER, did their consults and left, Carlisle actually spent time down here with the nurses and doctors who were here every day. He knew what they had to deal with, and if he'd been here when Rosalie and Emmett were brought in, he would've been the one to assess their injuries and the prognosis.
"Carlisle," she said, and he looked at her. "He never woke up. It's possible he didn't even know what was happening."
While that should've made Carlisle feel a little better because it was what he told families when he had to give them bad news, right now, it just made him more angry.
"Can I please be alone with him?" Carlisle requested, trying desperately not to sound demanding.
Neither of them argued with him, stepping away from him and Emmett and leaving silently.
The doors to the trauma room swung closed loudly and startled Carlisle before he looked at his brother-in-law and stepped closer to him. The sheet covering him was pulled up over his shoulders, shielding Carlisle's eyes from the damage done to his body, but an intubation tube was still in his mouth, and blood stained his face either from the accident or any number of incisions made to assist the nurses and doctors to figuring out what was wrong with him. It had all been for nothing.
Carlisle kept thinking about Christmas a few months earlier. Emmett had been teasing him about Edward being really hot and probably really difficult to hang onto. It wasn't until now that Carlisle realized the irony. Emmett and Rosalie had been married ten years. They had two beautiful girls, and Carlisle was the one left to hold everything together. He wasn't a black sheep in his family by any means, but he could think of several members of his family who would think this was unfair.
He didn't keep up with how long he stood there, but when the doors swung open again, he looked up to see Edward there and realized the tears in his eyes as they slipped down his cheeks.
Carlisle latched onto Edward as soon as he was close, sobbing for the first time in years and unable to speak when Edward whispered to him.
"You've been in here half an hour," he revealed. "Are you okay?"
Carlisle meant to nod but shook his head instead. Edward stroked his hair and rubbed his back. The room was quiet another minute until Edward whispered again.
"Alice asked about her parents. I didn't know what to say. Bella wants to go home."
"They'll just have to wait," Carlisle said harshly.
Edward stepped back to look at Carlisle. "They don't know what's happening," he argued. "It's not their fault. They've been here almost two hours, Carlisle. They need someone to tell them what's happened. And I'm not their uncle."
Carlisle immediately felt horrible. Alice was only ten, and Isabella just turned six. They didn't know anything about death, and it was wrong to expect them to behave like adults. "I'm sorry. Forgive me," he pleaded.
"Of course I do. But you need to talk to them. Before Rose . . ."
Carlisle drew Edward closer, holding him as tight as he could and wishing for some of Edward's strength to rub off on him.
"Go sit with Rose," Carlisle requested. "I'll go talk to them."
"I'll come get you when she wakes up," Edward promised.
Carlisle looked back at Emmett one more time, remembering Christmas again and then New Year's when his brother-in-law had teased him about having kids. And now Alice and Isabella didn't have a father anymore. Carlisle didn't know how to explain this to them. But he would have to — before they lost their mother too.
Edward pulled Carlisle from the trauma room, and they walked around to where Kate was keeping the girls. Edward deposited him at the cracked door before moving off to Rosalie's room. For a minute, Carlisle stood there unable to go in. Then Kate saw him and nodded for him to come into the room as she sat reading to Isabella.
Carlisle pushed the door open gently, and his youngest niece saw him first, smiling at him and reaching for him.
"Uncle Carlie," she cried.
Normally, Carlisle would've cringed at the nickname Emmett had given him and then proceeded to teach Isabella to say it, but in an instant, tears filled his eyes. "Hey sweet pea," he greeted.
As soon as he was close enough, she left Kate's lap and lunged at him. Carlisle caught her in his arms just as her feet came off the bed, and he held her against him feeling more tears get stuck in his throat. She pat him on the back, obviously not knowing why he was trying not to cry. It made him feel worse.
After half a minute of that, he wrapped her legs around him and sat on the bed Alice was currently occupying. Kate started to get up and leave, but Carlisle shook his head silently telling her he couldn't do this alone. Slowly, she sat down beside him and reached out to rub his shoulder.
"Uncle Carlie," Isabella said, "why are you crying?"
"Well, sweetie, it's because I'm sad," he explained trying to keep a little composure.
"Why are you sad?" she asked.
He reached out and touched her cheek. "I'm sad because something's happened to your mommy and daddy."
Isabella turned innocent brown eyes to Kate and Alice. "What happened to them?"
Carlisle lifted his eyes to Kate, but she shook her head. He huffed and squeezed his eyes shut for a few seconds before he looked at his nieces. "Your mommy and daddy were in a car accident tonight. It's why you're in the hospital. Do you remember being in your car, probably on your way home?"
Isabella nodded.
"She was asleep," Alice said suddenly. "We both were."
Carlisle looked at Kate again. She looked the way she always did, her cornsilk blond hair pulled from her face and her steel blue eyes showing only a small amount of the emotion she was feeling. Rosalie was her cousin, and he knew this was just as painful for her as it was for him. She was better at compartmentalizing what she was feeling in favor of the task in front of her, and in that way, she made him think about Edward.
"Where's my daddy?" Isabella asked, the smile on her face fading quickly.
Carlisle held her closer thinking of all the other times he'd done this. He never liked giving families full of strangers bad news. Now he was telling his six-year-old niece that her father was dead. "Oh sweet pea," he whispered. "The accident was really bad. You and Ali didn't get hurt because you were both safe in the back seat. But your mommy and daddy got hurt really bad. Dr. John worked on your daddy as long as he could, but it wasn't good enough. Your — "
"You're lying!" Alice yelled. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she jumped off the bed leaving before he could catch her.
"Alice," he cried.
Kate stood up then. "I'll go get her."
She left and Carlisle held Isabella tighter.
"What about Mommy?" she asked softly.
Carlisle didn't know how to explain injuries to a six-year-old, but he had to try. He leaned back to look at his niece. "Well she was hurt bad in the accident too. She got burns on her face and she broke her arm and her leg. You remember when Ali broke her arm during soccer last summer?"
She nodded.
"Well it was like that. But her seat belt hurt her too, and Dr. John can't fix it. And right now she's bleeding into her belly."
"Is she gonna be with daddy soon?" the little girl asked softly.
Tears filled Carlisle's eyes, and she reached out to wipe his cheek. "In a little while," he nodded.
"Can I see her?"
Carlisle exhaled releasing more tears and pulling her closer. "We'll see, okay, little bit?"
She nodded and patted his back again.
The door opened and Carlisle turned hoping to see Kate, but Edward stepped into the room alone. He moved closer to thd bed, and Isabella spotted him.
"Uncle Eddie," she exclaimed like she hadn't seen him once already.
He smiled at her, and she climbed out of Carlisle's arms to crawl to Edward. He took her in his arms more lovingly than any child Carlisle had ever seen him hold. Carlisle thought absently about how quickly Isabella had gotten attached to Edward. He was the only one she let call her by her nickname. She always corrected everyone else — even her parents.
"I'm right here, baby Bell," Edward whispered to her.
He turned his eyes to Carlisle's, trying to smile and failing. Carlisle knew he just wanted everything to be okay, but every time Carlisle looked at Isabella, he saw reminders of the accident — as if seeing Emmett's dead body wasn't enough. His niece had little scrapes on her arms and her long chestnut hair was filled with slivers of glass. It would be a nightmare getting all of it out without hurting her.
Edward mouthed to him over her head. "Rose is awake."
Carlisle nodded rubbing Isabella's back. "Sweet pea, do you want to come with me and Edward so I can talk to your mommy?"
She nodded against Edward's shoulder.
They rose from the bed just as the door opened again — this time with Kate and Alice. Carlisle faced them anxiously. He and Alice had always been close, and he hated hurting her like this even if it wasn't his fault.
Before Carlisle could say anything, Alice ran to him and threw her arms around him. He caught her against his chest, holding onto her as she sobbed softly. "Oh Alley Cat, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry this is happening."
She held him tighter, crying harder.
"I'm here, Alley Cat. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
Edward laid his hand over Carlisle's back. He looked at Edward without saying anything. For a moment, they just stood there.
Carlisle lifted Alice in his arms, cradling her close and moving to the door to leave. Edward and Kate followed him silently.
I know, I know. A rough start. But bear with me, and we'll get through this.
I'm hoping to update this once a week - at least until one of my other stories is finished, and then maybe more.
So, what did we think? Too sad?
