The Escape

(She didn't break her leg in this one.) I DO NOT own Twilight… (Sadly)

"I'm sorry." I whispered to my hurting, bleeding Bella as I lifted her from the ground. She clasped my neck as I jumped into the air. James was right below us struggling to get up; I had just enough time to make my escape with my world in my arms. James thrusted his hand toward my ankle missing it by inches. I landed on the balcony above the actual ballet studio, running for my Bella's life. I darted out the window thinking of nothing except my Bella's safety. James was a tracker; he would never stop until he got what he wanted. The quite thud of his footsteps behind me as he ran urged me to run faster.

Then, I heard nothing. The only sound that pierced my ears was my Bella's faint heartbeat, warning me to be careful but quick with what I needed to do. I looked back for a split second; Emmett, Jasper, and Alice were taking care of James.

It's alright Edward. Keep running; Carlisle will meet you at the house and take care of Bella. We have this under control. Emmett thought struggling with the thrashing James. Alice ripped his head off, literally, and then tore him up into more pieces as Jasper started a fire in a nearby sunken hole away from the trees of the forest.

I reached my house and saw Carlisle waiting on the stairs cascading up to the house.

"How is she?" He asked leading me into his "operating" room.

"Her heart rate has slowed down quite a bit." I replied as I laid Bella on a metal table. It felt wrong for me to perform the action, to see Bella on a table such as this one. The cold steal underneath her was like she was a frog about to be dissected in a biology class. I wanted so badly to hold her and to make her be well again. But it would take much more then that.

"Get my bag." Carlisle demanded gently. I retrieved the bag and handed it to Carlisle. He pulled out a long leather strap and motioned for me to stand on the side opposite him.

"Put your hand on her wound." He commanded. I did as he told me and he belted my hand to Bella's leg, stopping the bleeding. I never took my eyes away from Bella's pained face.

"No, this isn't enough, she's still emerging; we're going to have to do a transfusion." Carlisle concluded as he shoved his medical bag to the floor and looked at me with stern eyes. "I'm going to get the blood from down stairs, see if you can get her to open her eyes." He instructed me, and ran out the door.

My eyes returned to Bella's expressionless face. She looked so lifeless, so out of place.

"Bella, love can you hear me?" I spoke in a soft delicate tone loud enough for her to hear me. I hope.

"Edward?" She whispered; sounding so weak and helpless. I wanted so much to clutch her to me.

"Bella I'm here love. You're going to be alright." I whispered in her ear, my voice trembling.

"Edward, I hurt." She whispered. Hearing those words, no way in hell would I leave her. Carlisle returned with a large pouch of blood. He hooked the blood up to an I.V needle, and stuck it into Bella's arm. Bella's eyes snapped open, and she shot up into a sitting position and screamed in pain. It aggrieved me to see her in so much pain. I gently laid her back down and released my hand from her thigh, and through the strap into Carlisle's bag. Carlisle sewed up the wound in her thigh and cleaned it up a bit.

He sighed and turned to me. She'll be just fine son. I'm going to go get your brothers and sisters. I'll be back in 15 minutes. I nodded; he placed a hand on my shoulder and left room. While reading his thoughts, my eyes never left my Bella. Her scent started to become more like a rustic, cardboard smell. Completely different from the usual vibrant floral I loved. I wrinkled my nose and held my breath. Her heart was beating slowly, but getting faster to a normal pace with every minute.

Edward, can you hear me? It was Alice.

"Yes, I can hear you just fine; where are you?" I asked to Alice. Any human would have thought I was insane just answering a question out of no where like that.

We're coming up the front drive. Is Bella okay?

"Yes she's fine; she smells all wrong though. Carlisle put an I.V into her arm for a transfusion and now she'll smell like rustic cardboard for a while."

"Well, at least she's getting better." Alice murmured as she appeared in the doorway.

"That's the silver lining." I sighed. Carlisle reappeared in the room and removed the I.V from Bella's arm. Her eyes didn't open, but her arm twitched as Carlisle bandaged the puncture wound in her arm.

"She'll be fine by tomorrow. Esme is on the phone with Charlie right now." Carlisle informed me. Relief for my Bella drove through me like a freight train on ice going full speed. I smiled then kissed Bella's forehead.

*************

Bella woke the next morning in my arms. I'd moved her to the couch at about 9:26 in the night. After Carlisle told me it was safe, I took the chance I had to hold my Bella; to make her safe in my arms.

"Edward? Edward where are you?" She asked groggy, and confused.

"I'm here Bella, everything's alright." I whispered in her ear. She buried her face into my chest and inhaled deeply. "Are you alright, love?" I asked as I stroked soft circles into her side.

"Where am I? What happened? Where's James?" She sounded so distressed. I stroked her hair now, trying to calm her down.

"James is gone; Alice, Emmett, and Jasper destroyed him. You lost a lot of blood so I took you back to my house. Carlisle fixed you up and made a transfusion; you smelled all wrong but you're ok now." I explained to her softly and slowly, letting it all sink in. She nodded and nestled her face into my chest again. I sat up and placed her into my lap effortlessly, and cradled her in my arms.

"Why dose my leg hurt so badly?" She asked as she looked at her left thigh. Her eyes widened and she nestled her face into my chest again, hiding. 'What happened to me?" Her voice split with fear.

"When I threw James into the mirror, it shattered. Then James took a piece of glass and stabbed you're leg. You're safe now, Bella; there's nothing to worry about." I stroked her hair once more and kissed the top of her head. Then she began to shake, violently.

"Edward, I'm so scared." She whispered, her voice shaking with fear. I didn't know what was happening; there was nothing to worry about.

"What is it, love?" I asked rocking her back and forth slowly. "What are you scared of?"

"James… Is he really dead? What if he isn't and what if…" I put my finger on her trembling lips to stop her from finishing the sentence.

"He's gone my Bella. He is never going to come back and hurt you ever again. You're safe in my arms." I took my finger away from her lips and stroked her hair again, still rocking her back and forth. Her shaking faded to just a quiver; I can't blame her for shaking and being frightened over someone who I knew was not coming back. She'd been through so much in just three days; I'm surprised she didn't go into hysterics.

I'm glad she didn't go into hysterics. If I hadn't brought her here, she would've, and then Alice would've suggested I slap her. I winced a bit at the thought of slapping the girl I loved. I could and would never do such an action to my Bella to bring her harm. She wasn't shaking at all anymore; she just clutched my shirt in one hand and my left arm in the other.

She placed her forehead into the crease of my neck and yawned. She was still tired; Carlisle informed me that he mixed a little morphine in the I.V, so she would be a bit more tired than usual.

"Sleep, my Bella; everything's alright." I whispered into her ear. She moaned like she was about to protest, but stopped and nodded. She was extremely tired; as she fell asleep again, I held her tight against me and laid back down.

"I love you, Edward." She whispered, and then fell into a deep sleep.

I smiled at her, and kissed the top of her head, slowly and with meaning. "I love you, my Bella."

End.