Not What It Seems Contest
Title: In The Fog
Penname: LadyAbbySwan
Banner:
Rating/ Disclaimer: Rated T/not mine
Summary: Bella found him in the fog, or is it the other way around?
To see all the stories that are a part of this contest please visit:
www .fanfiction-challenges. blogspot. com
I heard their voices, long before I saw them; Jessica's loud, clicking high heels against the hospital bright tile floor, Mike and Eric's incessant over who would get to give the flowers and Angela's gentle voice talking to her high school-sweetheart, Ben.
"Bellarina!"
Mike's annoying voice broke through the silence in my head. I opened my eyes in time to see how Jessica's perfectly manicured hand made contact with Mike's head.
"What?" Mike glared at her
"She could have been sleeping, moron," she hissed, while Angela looked like she's had a hard time containing her giggles.
I couldn't help but grin as well at the sight of Mike, grumbling and glaring at Jessica's back.
"Hello, sleeping beauty," Eric grinned at me and handed me beautiful purple flowers. I couldn't quite put a name on them, but they were gorgeous none the less.
"Thank you," I gulped. My voice sounds too raspy for my liking, "it's beautiful."
Angela rushed to my bed side and helped me drink while Jessica made herself comfortable on the bed. We chatted a little bit, mostly about what happened since 'the accident' –as the folks in town now called it— and I was introduced to Ben. Turns out we had couple of classes together, but I never noticed him.
Not that I ever noticed anyone.
It had been a week already, since the accident, but it felt like months. I never really liked hospitals, though being the klutz that I was, there were bound to be hospital visits here and there.
Not that I was here by my own fault; some crazy drunk driver hit me on my way home after a long day of practicing at the studio. Thank god my legs weren't damaged.
Though the cast on my neck felt uncomfortable, just the idea of leaving ballet is unbearable.
Yes, I am a ballerina.
Because I can handle standing on one leg, but walking on two legs requires so much effort that I sometimes think it would better and saver for me to crawl.
"You danced before you could walk," my father used to say.
"You should've been there, Bella. He's like…" I drowned out Jessica's chatter –something about how she turned down one of her courtiers, as she called them— when I caught a sight of strange boy outside my room.
He was peeking through the window facing the main hall of the hospital's Emergency Room and I saw doctors walking hurriedly past him.
His coppery hair was messy and sticking out everywhere, like he just woke up from a very long sleep. He had a straight face and chilling eyes. I wondered what made him so tense.
"Bella?" Angela's shy voice distracted me from the stranger. "Are you okay?" she asked.
I hadn't realized that everyone had stopped talking and were now looking at me rather worriedly. I smiled sheepishly, "yeah."
I said, with what I hope was a reassuring tone.
With that, Mike continued to tell about his prank to some freshman and I took my chance to peer at the window again, hoping to catch a last sight of the strange boy. But there was no one there; he was gone. I blinked again, but there was still no one behind the window.
"Remember to page the nurse anytime you need help, okay Bella?" Nurse Jacob said, while pushing my wheelchair to the hospital garden.
It was a beautiful day, the sun shone brighter than it usually did in Forks, and I was done with feeling weak at the hospital bed. We stopped under a large tree and Nurse Jacob adjusted my blanket around me before he walked back to the hospital.
I smiled and closed my eyes, enjoying the wind that softly tickled my face and played with my hair. The sun felt nice on my skin. I opened my book, Wuthering Heights, and started my journey to Heathcliff's world, leaving Forks Local Hospital behind me.
"Hello," a timid, velvety voice broke through my concentration. I looked up to see the strange boy from outside my room.
His hair was positively gleaming under the sunlight and the strange boy from my room changed into a beautiful man outside of my room.
I blushed deeply but still managed to return the greeting
"A broken neck?" he ro a questioning eyebrow at me and smirked.
I nodded in confirmation and looked at him, "and you?"
"Broken heart," he said.
I hissed, mocking him, "bless me and my neck, then."
He laughed, a beautiful deep laugh and I couldn't help but long to hear it again.
"I'm Edward."
I sat up a bit, looking at his offered hand before I gladly took it, "Bella."
There, under a tree at the hospital garden I felt gratitude for the first time, to whoever drove the blasted car that night.
"There you are Bella."
I turned my head to a slightly dishelmed looking Nurse Jacob and smiled, he always had a hard time finding me, especially now that it was foggy, and got cranky whenever he found me alone.
And even when I told him about Edward being there just a minute before, he didn't believe me.
"I know you're due to be released tomorrow, but that doesn't mean you can go hanging around in the middle of a fog. Are you trying to freeze yourself to death?"
He kept rambling all the way back to my room, while I tried to keep my face composed.
He adjusted my blanket again while waiting for the lift and I was slightly annoyed that my every meeting with Edward had to be cut short like this because of him.
"I really didn't realize that it was foggy outside."
He huffed, "you're freaking shaking, honey."
Now that he mentioned it I felt my hands shake, though I had barely felt the freeze earlier.
"We're going to run some test again to make sure you're really ready to go home, okay?" Nurse Jacob said, helping me to lie down on the bed.
"Could you please, please, try to find an Edward one more time?" I asked pleadingly. I hadn't had the chance to say goodbye to Edward properly, since he always disappeared once Nurse Jacob found me.
"I'll try. But I can't promise you anything, medical confidential stuff."
I smiled widely. If there was any chance I could find my mysteriously beautiful guy, I'd take it. The last couple of weeks had only been bearable thanks to him.
I jumped nearly every time Nurse Jacob showed up to wheel me from my dreary room to the garden.
There I would open my book, trying so hard to understand the jumble of words, until a smooth 'hello' would make me realize that I'd been reading the same line over and over again. I would have a hard time holding back my smile, to the point of blushing constantly and he would chuckle and settle beside me on the grass.
Sometimes we talked about many things and sometimes about nothing at all. Sometimes he's gone first, claiming that his mother had called him, although no matter how hard I tried I never heard a sound. Sometimes he would wait for Nurse Jacob to find me and be gone when I turned my head, expecting a last 'see you later' at least.
"Get some rest, dear and pray that your test results are good or you'll have to stay here a little longer," Jacob smirked at my horrified face and chuckled all the way down the hall.
301…
"I found him Bella," said Nurse Jacob softly.
I quickly put my last shirt in the bag and almost skipped to his side, "Edward?"
He nodded
303…
"He's a patient then?" I said smugly, " I knew he was a patient."
Nurse Jacob walked towards the chair beside the bed and beckoned me to sit on the bed.
305…
"May I meet him?" I asked him eagerly.
It felt like I hadn't seen him in years though it had only been one day.
307…
A black sign with 'Cullen' written on it was attached to the door, I took a deep breath and steeled myself, keeping in mind that if the guy behind this door was my Edward, he would be at least thrilled to see me. Wouldn't he?
My shaking hand grabbed the handle and I willed myself to open it.
"But here's a thing Bella, I don't know if this is the Edward you've been talking about all this time or someone else, since you didn't give a last name.."
"oh, no… there are many Edwards here, aren't there?"
I could hear the beeping sound of machines. It used to give me the creeps, but I managed to get over it. I couldn't help but shiver at the sound filling this Edward Cullen's gloomy room, though. The smell of disinfectant so strong, it burnt my nose.
"No, I found none but one Edward hospitalized here," he said, clearing his throat and scooting closer to me.
"There's one problem though Bella and I really need you to be honest with me, real honest." he said seriously, so serious that I held my breath, my chest hurting because of my racing heart.
"When did you say you first met Edward?"
There were two women, identical to one another. The same black hair and the same petite body.
"Excuse me?" the smaller one stood up and looked at me sceptically, "Who are you?"
I couldn't hear nor understand whatever it was she was talking about, because my eyes were glued to the bed.
To the occupant of the bed to be exact.
There he was, looking weak and fragile and attached to more machines then I had ever seen.
And no matter how many times I chanted 'this is not my edward.. this is not my edward' in my head, the hair was rather unmistakable. The same coppery, messy hair.
I couldn't breathe. I felt like the room had somehow shrunk on me and had left me no room to breathe. My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water and all I could manage was a weak tweak and a strangled sob, before my legs, my rather jelly-like legs, brought me outside of the room; far away from the room and the nightmare it contained.
"Tell me one place you would absolutely want to visit before you die."
"Hmm.. tough question. I'd say Venice."
"Why?"
"I don't know," I sighed, "just imagine walking around Venice, or sitting in a gondola, just the two of us."
He chuckled, "that's sounds like fun. You definitely have to go there before you get all wrinkled."
I hit his arm playfully and settled back on his lean shoulder, "not without you."
"Ooh edward," I heave, trying to stop my laugh, "what would I do without you?"
"Oh you'd live," he mumbled.
"No way," I countered, smiling widely at him.
He looked at me and smiled back, small but genuine, while I sighed and closed my eyes, basking in his presence.
"You'll live," he said rather sternly, "look at me"
I turned my head facing him and frowned, surprised by his sudden mood swing.
"Somehow, you'll continue with your life. Finish college, go to university, get a job, meet a man and have a bunch of kids running around a castle you will call home."
His eyes had looked so sad, yet so sharp at the same time.
"Where are you going?" I said when Edward stood up and dusted his jeans off, removing nonexistent dirt, "and don't you dare tell me your mother called, 'cause I didn't hear a thing since you got here."
Edward placed his hands inside his pockets, a habit he developed whenever he was nervous, I had found out.
"But she's there, every day!" he whined.
"I love you, Edward." I blurted out, feeling relieved now that I'd said it.
His eyes glinted and he smiled his beautiful I-sometimes-forget-to-breathe-smile.
After awhile I couldn't take it anymore, "Don't you want to say something?" I half yelled.
"Oh, pray tell me, what should I say?" he said with a mischievous grin on his face.
I blushed and looked down, finding my shoes very interesting all of a sudden. The sun was setting beautifully making the trees light op with a faint mixture of orange and red.
I felt his hand caress my hot cheek and he tilted my chin up to meet his green eyes, "I love you, Bella. Always have. Always will."
"When did you say you first met Edward?"
"Is there something wrong?"
Nurse Jacob waited impassively. "I met him two weeks ago, though I saw him before that.."
He sighed and looked relieved for a second, "then maybe it's not your Edward."
I frowned, " what do you mean?"
"This Edward Cullen has been in coma ever since he came in here," He stood up and looked around my room, "around the same time you were brought here."
I walked briskly through the fog that lay thickly on the whole area, making it look ethereal.
I looked around, embracing the silence.
All the patient had been brought back in, since it was unhealthy for a patient to be exposed to the cold. I clutched my jacket tighter, determined to get to my destination.
"I love the fog. There's something magical about it."
The tree was unchanged, still proudly standing tall in the very corner of the garden. I traced its trunk with my fingertips.
Even the tree felt cold.
"You shouldn't be here."
"Why?"
"You shouldn't have been trapped in this place."
I sighed. There were a lot of reasons as to why I moved out of town, leaving my childhood friends behind and why I never back. So why did I come back here no?
"I am Alice, Edward's twin sister," She paused, "You're Isabella, right?"
I chuckled, "I can't believe you told your sister about me, about your 9 year school-boy crush. You softhearted fool."
I turned and leaned my back against the tree, marvelling in it's frost. Even the view was the same. The same high, white building, the same green bushes and a scattered benches.
"I'm sorry I've been gone for such a long time," I giggled. And I could practically feel him rolling his eyes, huffing, "your sister has kept me so busy with the wedding."
I fingered the wedding ring on my left hand, remembering how many times I thought myself so selfish and cruel to be married to such wonderful man when my heart was buried along with edward's body.
"Esme was no better than Alice. Kept scolding the wedding organizer and didn't let them do their job,"
"Oh dear, it's okay," Edward's mother whispered, rocking me back and forth, "it's okay, all will be okay."
"I… can't… believe," I sobbed, so hard that it hurt to breathe.
"Breathe with me honey, come on, in- out… in-out…"
I tried so hard to focuss on Esme's voice, but Edward's crooked smile kept flashing behind my closed eyelids.
"He was there. Yesterday, it was… he was… we were talking and…"
I could feel Esme fall still, as, she cupped my chin and wiped my tears, "what do you mean?"
"He…" I gulped and took a deep breath, willing my sobs to stop, "he came to me."
I heard a soft gasp somewhere on my right, Alice..
"I've been…" I hiccupped, "Talking, talking in the…"
"Fog." Alice finished my sentence.
"Oh what an impression I must have been to your mom. A sobbing mess. You should've prepared your girlfriend better, you dick."
"I raided your place. Found an interesting CD with my name on it. Who knew you could play piano, huh? Guess the conversation didn't make it there, with the hospital bare of any instrument."
I remember being curled up on his gurney with his iPod playing "Bella's Lullaby", as he'd called it.
"It didn't work though. I still can't sleep," I sighed. "The other one were beautiful too. I guess I owe you my trophy now, don't I?" I could imagine him smirking at me and saying something along the lines of 'I told you so'.
"He would've want me to give it to you, and …" Alice handed me a CD with a picture of me, preparing myself at the studio, on the cover.
"What?" I almost chocked.
I took the CD from Alice and looked down at my own picture.
"To live. Whenever you're ready to live."
"Is that exactly what he said?"
Alice shook her head and frowned, trying to recall their conversation, "He told me to tell you one more thing. He said; 'Tell her that I'm okay if she's okay.'"
"And who the hell knew you could draw a damn picture, my picture nonetheless?" I half yelled feeling the tears threaten to fall.
"And to live, huh?" I giggled, "To finish college, go to university, get a job, meet a man and have a bunch of kids running around a castle I call home."
I sighed and closed my eyes, "He could never afford a castle, but our house is marvellous."
"I'm sure you remember Him, though you seemed to hate him, disappeared whenever he is was near." I shook my head in disbelieve.
My shaking hand ran through his messy hair, over his nose to his lips. I smiled; he managed to look so ravishing even in his death bed. I caressed his chiselled jaw and whispered, "hey, Edward. It's me."
I took a deep breath; it was harder than I thought it would be. "I'm here now. You should wake up. I'm going to get my cast removed." I laughed humourlessly.
My tears started to prickle down my cheeks and I took another shuddering breath, " Wakey, wakey , sleepyhead," I sighed and looked back to Esme and Carlisle, standing in the corner of the room.
"I see, you are scared I'll embarrass you in front of your parents, you selfish bastard," I hissed, willing with all my heart for him to wake up. Wanting the chance of seeing his warm green eyes again.
I caressed my budging stomach, "I'm pregnant."
"With a boy. It's a honeymoon child from Venice." I grinned a little, "we will call him Edward."
"You can't just expect me to be okay, you fool," I whispered, "there will be a lot of tears but I will, someday, be okay." I caressed his jaw and kissed him lightly on his lips, "I'll finish college, go to university, find a man and have a bunch of kids in a castle I call home."
I rest my forehead against his, "It's okay. I will be okay. "
I kissed his forehead and whispered in his ear, "I understand why you did it, I forgive you, my love."
"It's a shame this little eddie can't meet his name sake," I sighed, pushing myself away from the tree, "I just hope he won't hit the girl he loves and run off to kill himself like you did."
I looked over the tree once again and felt all my memories still safely shucked away into the wood.
I grabbed a paper from my left pocket and put it down near the tree. I touched it one last tie and finally felt the cold sip in.
Bella
"Bella?"
I gasped, but leaned into the warm hand that touched my shoulder.
"Are you ready to go?"
I looked up to my husband, though I was sure I heard Edward's velvet voice instead of his deep one.
But I nodded and stood up, taking his hand in mine.
I looked back once more into the fog, half hoping that a lean figure with coppery hair would somehow show up and smirk his crooked smile at me.
"Bella?" He inquired.
I looked into his dark brown eyes and smiled, "Yeah. Let's go."
His hand made me feel warmth in me, in opposite to all the cold that the fog had made me feel. I hoped that all would be well now.
"How do you feel?"
I sighed and looked at the sky, willing him to hear my answer too, "Oddly peaceful."
I looked at Jacob and kissed him. All would be well.
Goodbye Edward.
"Edward always refused treatment, though I remember when he joined Carlisle at the hospital. Looking at the patients that got the treatment he should've had."
"When he finally agreed to have the treatment, it was too late."
"I came here every day, just sitting next to his bed, calling his name and hoping that he would eventually come back to me."
"It would've been so much easier if I'd died in the accident, at least we would be together."
"I've got a Ballet Scholarship in New York, found myself a man decent enough to share my heart with you, and am going to cradle a baby in 3 months.
I've been good, E."
A/N: Many thanks to Silvereyed Angel for improving my pity excuse of a writing. this is my first contest so I'm pretty nervous about everything. I mean, I'm not even sure if it suits the theme nonetheless here I am giving my best. Can't wait to hear what you think of it.
Love,
Abby