A/N: It's been a few years, but I'd really like to restart this story. I'm excited to be back with new ideas and I really hope you guys will enjoy!
And so we begin after the events of Twilight, and we interrupt Stephanie Meyer before she can write the second chapter to New Moon.
Enjoy.
Carlisle
It was hectic tonight. The emergency room had a batch of patients checked in from this morning's incident – a couple of drunken teens in a jeep and an unexpected cliff.
I shook my head and scribbled my signature on the clipboard.
A head trauma, three concussions, two broken bones. Six humans.
"Keep them overnight. I'll see about dispatch tomorrow," I informed Marge, one of the ER nurses taking over for the night shift. I was halfway through shrugging off my lab coat when the same nurse found me in the break room.
"Dr. Cullen, I'm sorry to stop you from heading home, but we just got in a new patient. Would you please –"
"Is the next medical specialist not here?" I should've been out of here by now.
"Running late. I just need you to take a peek and sign her chart," she pleaded.
If I were human, I probably would've collapsed after two open heart surgeries in less than twelve hours.
I followed her through the busy ER corridor. "We have it on file as attempted suicide. We couldn't find any identification documents on the patient. Blood pressure's a bit low, but overall her vitals seem fine. We found high levels of Oxycodone in her system."
I took the clipboard from her, quickly scanning some lab tests. "Good thing she's stable."
We entered the patient's room and the sight wasn't as bad as I'd predicted. I informed Marge that I'd take it from here, and silently hoped to speed up this process.
She was asleep. The machines informed me that her vitals were normal, though I could make the same assessment without. The girl was no more than 20, disheveled chestnut hair sprinkled all over the white pillow that supported her neck. The IV beside her was pumping her system clean, the bag a quarter of the way empty. Her eyes were closed and her face pale. Normal for an attempted OD.
I made sure that the door was closed after Marge had left and placed the clipboard in the front compartment of the patient's bed. Taking a seat on the rolling stool, I examined her face. Her skin was taught against her high cheekbones; dark circles dragged down her eyes. Her nose was sharp, and her lips looked dry and chapped.
I could feel her heartbeat, but for a moment I worried it was fading. She wasn't strong.
Suddenly, her pulse quickened, and I saw her eyelids scrunch together. She was waking up and the light was hurting her eyes.
"Would you like the lights off?" I offered gently, rolling over to the other side of the room to retrieve an unneeded stethoscope. When I was back beside her, her eyes were fully open, darting between me and the stethoscope. I could sense a hint of fear in her features.
I put on the earpiece and lifted the stem. "I'm Dr. Cullen, and don't worry, this won't hurt one bit." I assured her. "Would you mind sitting up?"
She stared at me for a while, her expression critical. Then, she spoke.
"Why do you need that?" She was looking at my instrument.
"I need to make sure you're breathing properly," I gave her a smile. "May I?"
"You can hear my breathing just fine. Why are you acting?"
"Excuse me?"
She attempted to get up, but the belt around her waist held her down. "I want to leave."
I went over to the sink and filled in a pixie cup with water. "Please, relax. I'm only here to help you." I extended the cup to her. She didn't move to take it.
"Stop acting so nice," she grew more frustrated. "I want to leave. Either kill me or let me leave."
I furrowed my brows and made way to the door. "Let me get some assistance."
"No, stop," I turned to look back at her. Then, she said something that rooted my feet to the ground, and in all my years I didn't think vampires could be caught off guard.
"Your eyes should be red."
