Chapter 1 – Criminal Encounter

Edward's POV

Five hours of surgery. Five hours of concentrating while someone's life is in your hands, literally. But let me tell you, there's no bigger kick in life than a successful surgery. I can't describe the satisfaction I feel when I get to tell family, friends or even lovers of the person laying on my table, that he or she is going to live.

"Stop dreaming, Eddie. You better concentrate on saving lives, you know," Jasper - my brother - states grinning, while handing his chart to one of the nurses.

I hit his arm hard. "My shift is over, know-it-all. I'm just on my way to Kate."

"Be careful bro, these", he holds his hands in front of me with a smug smile, "are precious. By the way, I don't think Dad 'll like it if he finds you two in the on-call room again."

"That only happened once." He raises his eyebrows at me. "Ok, twice," I add laughing and walk away, to the elevator. It's kind of funny how a large part of my family works in this hospital. My dad - who is the chief of surgery -, my brothers and me. All three of us are surgeons, even though Emmett – my 'little' brother - is still a resident. But he'll make it, if he just starts paying a little more attention to studying instead of screwing around. Though he doesn't even officially work here, he's quite familiar with almost every female staffmember in this hospital. Only my mother - without a doubt the sweetest human being in this world - has no official status here, yet she's known by everyone, as she often comes by with the best of sugary treats.

The moment the elevator-doors open, I make my way to the nurses' station where I usually find my Kate. Putting on my most charming smile, I look around only to hear someone messing around under the counter.

"Oh, nurse. I'm feeling a little bit sick. Can you help me?"

"Well, that's rather unfortunate and no, I can't." That's not Kate's voice, I immediately realize, and my thoughts are confirmed when I'm confronted with the image of a pale – yet undeniably beautiful – brunette, who's standing in front of me in her PJ's.

"Excuse me, miss? May I ask who you are and what you're doing?"

She slightly grins with a beautiful blush on her cheeks, as if she just realized she got caught. "I wasn't stealing anything," she mumbles immediately, "Just looking for some batteries for my TV remote, since my TV's stuck on some channel which shows reruns of documentaries. I'm not sure whether I can survive another World War II one. Plus, I'm in desperate need of some cheap soaps."

I can't help but chuckle and reach out my hand. "Dr. Cullen, Edward. And you are..?"

She takes my hand. "Bella, just Bella."

"Well, hello Bella, just Bella," I answer smiling, "What are you in here for?"

"I like the food," she states sarcastically with a playful smile, "So I faked a seizure and got myself a nice room. This place is way better than a hotel." I'm beginning to worry whether she shouldn't be on the fifth floor – where they put the mentally ill. "Why don't you take a look, prove you're as smart a doctor as you look like," she adds, whilst she picks out her chart out of the entire stack, as if she has done multiple times before. Perhaps she has.

With some hesitation I take her chart from her hands and open it, while her dark, brown eyes continue to be focused on mine.

Name: Isabella Swan
Age: 24

Diagnosis: Stage VI Thyroid Cancer – Metastasis to the Lungs

Shit. "That.."

"Sucks," she adds with a smile, "It surprises me that you didn't figure that out by yourself, since this floor is devoted to oncology. Not that smart for a doctor, are you?"

"Well, I.." Damn it. She has a way with words, this one.

"But it would be a lot less tormenting if I had something decent to watch."

"You do know you can change the channel without a remote, right?" I ask kindly - and a little playful, "There are these magical buttons on the TV itself."

"No shit, Sherlock. It's just.." And then she mumbles something I can't understand.

"Just ..what?"

She sighs and looks away, while stubbornly crossing her arms. "I can't reach them," she states with dislike, "And don't you dare laugh." But because of the childish – and kind of cute - look on her face, I can't help myself. "I swear, I will kick your ass. You might be some hot-shot doctor, but I'm sick. Cancer-patients can get away with anything."

"I apologize, miss Swan," I chuckle, "Can I make it up to you by changing the channel for you? And I'll ask the nurses to bring by some batteries for your remote later, so you won't have to miss your cheap soaps any longer."

She seems to doubt it for a second, but then gives in with a smug smile. "Fine," she sighs and walks to room the room closest to the nurses-station. Don't know why, but I tell myself to remember it. She immediately goes sit on her bed - revealing how tired she's truly feeling - and points at the TV where indeed a documentary is playing.

"Which do you wish, miss Bella?"

"Oh. Ehrm. Put it on channel 4." I do as she says and a romantic movie pops up. "Perfect," she says satisfied and lays down, cozying up against her pillow.

"Really?" I ask, while eyeing the TV once more.

"What? I'm a romantic," she grins, "It's too bad they don't have popcorn here."

She must be crazy. "I'll try to mention it to the chief." Well, I'm certain Dad will surely think I'm completely out of my mind if I truly do so.

"Then immediately ask if they can add gummy bears to the menu. Did you know even the gift-shop here doesn't even sell them?" she informs me in utter disbelieve.

"No, I did not," I chuckle dramatically, "The horror."

"I know, right," she obviously ignores my sarcasm, "But, what brings you here Dr. Cullen? Haven't seen you around here often enough, so this can't be your floor."

"No, it's not actually. I'm a surgeon, I was just visiting my girlfriend, Kate." With those words her soft smile immediately disappears and makes places for a look that only shows disbelief.

"Kate. As in the nurse?" she asks confused.

"Yes. Is she that horrible to you?" I ask in response to her worried look.

"No. It's not that, she really kind, I just thought.." Then she stops talking and looks away, kind of freaking me out.

"Thought what?" Whatever she's hiding about my girlfriend, I deserve to know it, right?

"I-.. I really shouldn't."

"Bella, please tell me what's wrong," I beg the complete stranger, who for all I know could have lied about everything she's told me. Although there's something about her that assures me she is indeed truthful.

"There's this handsome guy, black hair. He comes here often. I.. They just went in that room together," she points at the on-call room, across the nurses' station. "But, I could be mistaken," she adds instantly.

For a second, I'm frozen. But then I rush to the right room. I need to know if she's telling the truth, if Kate is really cheating on me with some guy. Without knocking, I open the door to find not only Kate, but also Emmett naked on one of the small beds standing in front of me. My brother and my girlfriend. Having sex. With each other.

"Oh my god, Edward!" Kate yells, after which Emmett immediately looks at me as well. Within a few seconds he pulls one of the blankets over them, as if they try to hide what I just saw. "It's not what it looks like." I turn around again and walk away, too furious to even listen if there's any explanation to what they did.

"Edward, c'mon. I'm so sorry," I hear Emmett yelling, yet just keep walking until he places the palm of his hand on my shoulder in an attempt to stop me. However the moment he does, I find myself turning towards him and before I realize it, I plant my fist in his infuriating face.

AN: Well hello, dear reader. I'm not big on words, so I'm going to keep it short. I've started this story a long time ago - only having posted 2 chapters - and decided to give it a new try. The truth is: I love writing Stay With Me. So yes, I'm back - for reals this time.

I do hope you will join me on this journey and bless me with your opinion.

MM.