A/N: Hi!!!! This is my first fanfic after a short stint in fanfiction rehab (not really) I just took a break. And now I'm back! This was just to get myself back into the swing!! Aren't you excited? I am!
Beta'd by: TalaDentro (my superduper aunt!!)
Bella is slightly OOC All human
Best Friend Syndrome
(Edward's POV) Knock Knock Knock
It wasn't….easy. But it wasn't hard either. I mean, yeah, it hurt to see her like this but I'd seen it so many times- I was used to it by now. I knew exactly what to say to make her feel better, to get her past this.
I'd said it so many times. Had the words and lines memorized. With interchangeable names and dates, sure, but it was still always the same.
"Bella. He's not worth it. All he ever wanted was your body. He never really wanted you. He was sick and twisted. That asshole deserves a bat to his head and bullets in his knee caps."
But no matter how many guys she dated that really just wanted to screw her, she never stopped. And each time it ended, she would show up on my doorstep. Drunk. Asking to crash on my couch.
I love her. So much. But she will never stop. She gets a rush from it. Being hurt is like a drug to her. And just like any other drug, this will kill her soon.
"Bella." I sighed. I got myself out of bed and walked to my door. I opened it and what I found shocked me. It wasn't Bella's big brown eyes staring back at me. It was a paramedic.
"Edward Cullen?" the women standing before me asked.
"Yes. What's going on?" I asked.
"Do you know someone named Isabella Swan? You are listed as an emergency contact in her cell phone." I nodded. "I need you to come with me to the hospital."
I grabbed a jacket and closed my door.
"What's going on?" I asked as I followed her out of the building.
"Miss Swan was attacked. The cops got a domestic disturbance call at her apartment building. She wasn't involved, but when they were leaving the building they found some guy outside beating her up."
"Oh god." Bella. "How is she?"
"I'm not sure. But I'm certain the doctors will fill you in when we get there.
The whole way there, my mind was racing. Afraid of what I'd find at the hospital. Bella? Or a body bag?
The paramedic, Lorri, led me into the emergency room and pointed me to the front desk.
"Hi. How can I help you?" The man behind the counter asked.
"I-I'm here for I-Isabella S-Swan." I said, my voice shaking and cracking with fear.
"Come with me." He came out and motioned for me to follow him. We walked down multiple hallways. My fear and anxiety kept growing with each step.
"Here we are, sir." He told me, indicating the room we had stopped in front of.
"Thank you." I said, rushing inside. I set my jacket on the chair just next to the door, forgetting that I hadn't put on a shirt. Slowly, dreading what I would see, I turned to face the bed.
That's when I saw her. Bella. My Bella. She was sleeping, her chest – which was wrapped with bandages – rising and falling with each breath. Bandages were covering her arms and hands. She had been horribly beaten.
I let my eyes drift up to her face. I gasped at what I found there. She had one black eye, a bloody lip, and a gash above her unbruised eye. Despite everything, she still looked so…peaceful. So beautiful. It amazed me. I found myself glad that she was asleep. I was incapable of speech.
I pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down, pulling her small hand into my own. I don't know how long I sat there, minutes, hours maybe, just looking at her.
I vaguely remember the doctor coming in to tell me that she was stable, but not out of danger. Something about keeping her for a few days for observation. I don't remember him leaving.
I just kept my eyes on her, unwilling – no – unable to look away. I couldn't believe any of this was happening. It seemed so…surreal. Despite her injuries, which were extensive, she didn't seem to be in any pain. She looked like she was taking a nap.
Around 6:30 am, Bella finally woke up. It took a few minutes for her to open her eyes. When she managed, she seemed disoriented, looking around the room wildly, until she spotted me.
"Edward? What are you- What's going on? Where am I?" She asked; her voice strained.
"Hey Bells. You got your ass kicked. You're at the hospital. They said you're fine though." I told her, squeezing her hand slightly.
"How long have you been here?" She asked, still trying to process everything.
"Since about 3am, it's about half past six now. Don't move." He went to the door and called for a nurse.
After a few minutes, one came in the room. "Oh, good, you're awake. You had us very worried young lady. My name is Alyx, I'm your nurse." She looked over Bella's injuries carefully and checked her stats. "Hmm, well, you seem to be fine, I'll have a doctor come and check on you in a little bit, kay? Get some rest."
"I can't believe this." Bella said once the nurse had exited. "Jo-Jo didn't seem like a violent person, at all."
"The quiet ones are the ones you have to watch out for." I replied, hoping to make her laugh. She did.
"He was just so nice. It was different with him, you know? And I guess it was in a way. He didn't want to do me. He just needed a new punching bag." She said, staring at the ceiling, trying to hold back her tears. "I'm such an idiot."
"You really are." I said. She gaped at me. "What?"
I'm in the hospital! You're not supposed to agree with me on that!" She spat.
"Calm down, Bells." I said. "I'm sorry. It's just…you know how I felt about that guy."
She nodded. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry. I should have listened to you." She said. I stood and hugged her gently, mindful of her injuries. She leaned into my chest and started to cry. All I could do was hold her.
"I never should have let you go out last night." I said. "I should've called you like I'd wanted to. Then this never would have happened."
"No! Don't blame yourself for this. I never should have gone out with him. He seemed like a good guy and my judgment is obviously off. I'm sorry."
"For what?" I asked, pulling back slightly to look at her.
"For making you get up at 3am to come to the hospital and watch over me." She said. "I'm such a burden to you. You probably didn't get any sleep and you have to work soon-"
I put my hand over her mouth to stop her rambling. "It's Saturday. So I don't have to work. I was barely sleeping anyway. And when are you gonna learn that you are NOT, have never been, a burden to me. You are my best friend. You're always there for me, just like I'll always be here for you." She smiled and leaned back onto her pillows.
"I'm gonna go get coffee and see about getting you some Jell-O, ok?" She nodded and picked up the TV remote.
I walked out of the room and turned, almost running into a nurse. Bella's nurse. Alyx. She had a wry smile on her face.
"What?" I asked.
"BFS. IT's an adorable disease but it can be very painful."
"What's BFS?" I asked, worrying that she was some kind of crazy person.
"Best Friend Syndrome. It's a sickness of the heart in which the victim falls in love with their best friend. And you, my friend, are a victim." She said; her smile widening.
"Is it that obvious?" I asked, not even trying to deny it.
"Oh yeah, you've got it bad. It's cute. She really needs someone like you." She patted me on the shoulder. She was about to say something else but right at that moment, loud beeping and alarms went wild in Bella's room.
Alyx ran into the room yelling for help. I ran in after her, fear and adrenaline flooding my veins. I was confused, especially when I saw Bella. She looked like she had just fallen back asleep.
"What's going on?" I yelled at Alyx, who was checking one of the machines hooked to Bella. A group of medical people ran in with a cart and pulled it to the bedside.
"A few of her ribs were broken in the attack. One of them has punctured her lung. Stand in the corner, Edward. Let us do our job." I did as she said, not wanting to get in the way.
I watched as chaos unfolded around her. There was shouting and running. None of it seemed to have a purpose. It was rather confusing, and a lot scary.
Just as the chaos had reached its peak, I heard the annoying whine of a machine, indicating that Bella had flat lined. My chest constricted in fear. A nurse grabbed the defibulator. I could almost feel time slowing down.
"Clear!" I saw her body move.
"Clear!" Again.
"Come on baby! Clear!" Again. Nothing.
No…
Alyx walked over to me. Her eyes were sad as she took my hand gently.
I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe.
"I'm so sorry."