I'm only going to say it once, so listen up: I do not hold the copyright for any of this. That belongs to Stephenie Meyer.
I know that this kind of story has been done before, but I wanted to give it my own twist. I also know that at times it can begin to sound a little like an ad for designer fashions, but I love going through net-a-porter and looking at the clothes and deciding what I would wear if I was made of money! So bare with me and I hope you enjoy.
Chapter One
Bella POV
"Mother of God!" I yelled as I took a nose dive down the last three steps at threw my hand out to break my fall. I heard a sickening crack and looked down to see the index finger of my left hand sticking out at a funny angle. The all too familiar nauseous feeling began to take over and pulled myself back to sit on the bottom step and put my head between my knees till the nausea passed. Once I felt like I wasn't going to throw up or pass out from the way my finger looked, I realized I was actually in a lot of pain. Whilst for me this was a relatively minor injury, it was definitely going to require a trip to the emergency room, and I was going to need help getting there, I couldn't drive the Merc with one hand and for once I was annoyed at myself for insisting on manual transmission in my car. I glared down at my favorite peep toe, black patent Christian Louboutin stilettos, this was so their fault. If Rose had never introduced me to the amazingness that was a pair of Louboutins, I would have been wearing my old chucks and never would have fallen down the stairs. Speaking of the devil, I realized Rose wouldn't be able to take me to the hospital as both her and Jasper were in meetings all morning. I hated having to call Ange in on her day off, but it was either that or taxi, and I didn't want to chance the paparazzi being alerted to my visit to the ER before I even got there.
Ange readily agreed to take me to the hospital. Having been friends since Junior High, she was well used to my clumsiness and the need for frequent visits to the ER. I had been so excited when her and Ben had made the move from Forks, Washington to California with me. I decided for Ange's sake that I should try to go a bit incognito this hospital trip as Ange hated being photographed and what I was wearing currently would not fly under the radar. Not that it was ostentatious. I wasn't that sort of girl. Truth be told, I hated the paparazzi just as much as Ange did, but it was part of the job. Instead of going for my Bottega Veneta Leather Motocross Jacket, I opted for my old baggy Berkley University Hoody and pulled on an old pair of navy chucks and my oversized Chanel Sunglasses. With a bit of luck, I'd make it into the ER before the paps got wind of where I was and then they'd just have to wait outside for me. Thank God.
Ange pulled up in the Audi Q5 I'd gotten her as her Christmas bonus the year before. She had argued it was far too big of a gift for me to give my assistant, but I had argued that it was just right for an assistant who also happened to be a dear friend and had to put up with my shit all the time. I jumped in the passenger side and we pulled back through the gates and through the few paps stationed there, thanking god for tinted windows and the fact they were none-the-wiser that I was in the vehicle. They knew Ange's car of course, but probably just thought she was dropping me off breakfast because I was too big of a star to make my own. Ange pulled up outside the ER, and I pulled up my hood to hide my face before getting out.
"Thanks for the ride Angie, I owe you. I'll call a cab to go home. Say hi to Ben for me!" I said before getting out.
"No problem Bells, call me when you find out what the damage is this time and I'll see you on Tuesday morning!" she called before driving off. I was really going to miss her when I had to get a new assistant. It had suited her when she first graduated. She was working on her debut novel and needed the income, especially since Ben was just starting out as a script writer in Hollywood and the money wasn't flowing in greatly. It had worked well for us, but now Ange was married and pregnant and was not going to be able to run around after me for much longer. Ben had garnered respect in the industry and was making a name for himself as a hot new commodity. The money had begun to flow. Ange needed to spend some time settling the nest and getting ready for the little one and finish writing her novel. It was just so hard to find people to trust in this town.
I walked up to the front desk and got the forms from the receptionist to fill out while I waited to be called. The receptionist raised her eyebrows at me when I handed the forms back to her, clearly having realized that I was who I was. I sighed quietly, wondering how long it would be till my latest hospital visit would be in the tabloids. I sent text messages to Rose and Jasper as I waited to let them know where I was and what had happened. My clearly broken finger was definitely non urgent, and it was around 2 hours until I was called through to be examined. A nurse took my vitals and left me to wait for the doctor. I few minutes later, a doctor with graying hair and glasses came in and introduced himself as Dr. Gerandy. He looked at my finger, told me it was broken and sent me for some X-Rays. It was another hour until I was called back and Dr. Gerandy informed me that my finger was going to need surgery to be re set so that it would heal properly. Just my luck.
I was just setting up the surgery time for the next week with Dr. Gerandy and my Blackberry when a furious looking Rose stormed into the room.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She screeched at me.
"Um, getting my finger looked at, what does it look like I'm doing here? And how the hell did you get into the exam room anyway?" I asked her.
"What I mean" seethed Rose "is that I told you last time your clumsy ass ended up at the emergency room to go to Cedars Sinai next time you got injured. They're far more used to dealing with people like you and know how to keep their mouths shut so that you don't end up with a mob of paparazzi following you everywhere!"
"I know, but I feel like such a pretentious ass going to hospitals like that. And when people do find out they assume I had a drug overdose or got my nose fixed. At least here they know it was just an ER visit. Besides, Forks General was good enough for me growing up, and for your information, USC Medical is one of the top hospitals in the country. Wait a minute, what do you mean people like me?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
"I mean celebrities you moron. You know, Famous people. And it's not pretentious, its smart, besides you know Jasper would never let them print anything about a drug overdose or plastic surgery. You like to keep your private life private, I'm helping you do that, that's what you pay me and Jasper for." She turned to the doctor who was looking a little flustered by our argument. "What's the deal with her finger?" she asked him.
"It's broken, she'll need surgery to fix it. We've booked her in for next week."
"Next week's not good enough." Rose stated "It needs to be done today, she's got too much on next week to be interrupted by surgery. Can you do it here or do we need to take her somewhere else?" Rose was in business mode.
"Isabella made a time for next week…" began the doctor.
"I don't care, she doesn't have time. We would have to rearrange too much to do it." Rose snapped. "Now can you do it here or not? And I want the best surgeon you've got. I know this is a teaching hospital but by God if you let any of the interns near her it's going to be you needing surgery!"
"Rose!" I hissed at her.
"Give me ten minutes." Sighed the good doctor "I'll see what I can do."
Edward's POV
I was lying on the floor in the middle of my parent's living room building a Lego castle with my son when my phone began to ring. I knew I was on call even though it was my two days off, but it didn't make me any happier at the possibility of having to go into work. I checked the caller ID. It was my Father. I said a little prayer for this to be a social call, but I already knew it wasn't.
"Edward" he began "I have a favour to ask. I know you are on call for emergency surgeries, but Dr. Gerandy down in the ER has had a rather big case come in and I'd like for you to handle it."
My Father was Chief of Medicine at USC Medical. I had followed in his footsteps. I did an undergrad in Biological Science at Stanford, followed by an M.D at Harvard Medical, an Internship at John Hopkins in Baltimore where I had also completed part of my residency. I had moved back to California to be near my family part way through my residency when my very non-maternal girlfriend, who was also a resident, had gotten pregnant, had a baby and then walked away, leaving me with an infant. My family had helped me with Seth while I finished my residency at USC. At 33, I was considered to be one of the best and youngest cardiovascular surgeons in California, and I had an amazing little boy. I had had my cake and eaten it too. The only thing missing was someone to share it with.
"What's the case?" I asked, thinking unless it was an emergency, my Father would not have interrupted my time with my son.
"Well" Carlisle began nervously, "There is a young woman in here who needs the index finger on her left hand reset."
I began to laugh. This was most certainly a joke. There was no way my Father would insist that I come down to the hospital and scrub in on an operation to put a finger back in place. That was one of the most simple surgeries out.
"No, really Edward." Continued my Father clearly noticing that I wasn't taking him seriously. "Apparently she's some kind of celebrity and her 'people' are demanding that we use the best surgeon we have. I know that this is beneath you, and I know that I'm interrupting your time with Seth, but, well, Dr. Gerandy seems quite scared of whoever is calling the shots down there, and it would be good for USC if we show that we can handle celebrities as well as any other hospital in this town."
"How the hell did she end up at USC in the first place? Why isn't she at Cedars or some other hospital that all those pretentious assholes go to? Jesus is she there for a publicity stunt? Rich people go to public hospitals too?" I asked incredulously. I could not believe my Father was calling me in for this. It was such a waste of my time it wasn't even funny.
"I don't know Edward. But you're the only surgeon on call who can do this today, and her camp are insisting it's done today. Just get in here, I'll give you a few extra days off not on call next week to make up for it."
"Fine" I huffed. "I'll be there in an hour. But I'm not happy about this."
"I didn't expect you would be son, I'll see you soon." With that, my Father hung up.
I looked down at my Son and ruffled his hair. "Daddy has to go into work baby, Nana and Uncle Em will look after you. I'll be home to tuck you in tonight." I told him and left the room to go and explain to Esme what was going on.
XXXX
I arrived at the hospital an hour later as I had promised my Father and went in search of Dr. Gerandy to be briefed on the patient.
"Isabella Marie Swan" he stated "23 year old female, no allergies, vitals all in order, should be simple, sorry to call you in on your day off but her friend was quite insistent that not just any old surgeon work on her friend. I'll leave you to it. They're in exam room six." And with that he turned at left.
It wasn't a name I recognized. But then I wasn't really a movie buff, I didn't have time for that between my job and my son. The son I should be at home with right now. I threw open the exam room door and stormed towards the arrogant looking woman in a red corporate looking dress in front of me. "Right Miss Swan" I glared at her "My name is Dr. Edward Cullen, and I've been called in on one of my few days off to set your finger. I'm one of the top cardiovascular surgeons in the state, so I trust I am at an acceptable level of competence to set your finger for you, a job an intern could do blind folded with their hands tied behind their back. I trust that Dr. Gerandy has briefed you on the procedure and run through any risks which might be involved?"
"Yes, he has, thank you." Said a quiet voice from the corner of the room. "I'm so sorry to get you in on your day off! Rose here is quite protective of me is all" she gestured at the menacing looking blonde who had raised one eyebrow at me "I'm a bit of a baby when it comes to anything with needles, so she insisted. I'm really sorry, we can just go somewhere else and get it done. I don't want to put you out."
My mouth dropped open as I took in the petite brunette in the corner. She was wearing a ratty hooded sweatshirt and a pair of chucks and was sitting on the plastic chair in the corner of the room with her knees pulled up to her chest and had her head resting on them. She was looking at me with huge brown doe eyes from under thick black eyelashes. Her mahogany hair was pulled up into a messy pony tail on the back of her head, but she had missed bits which hung down around her face. She had pale ivory skin which was flushed the most fantastic red across the apples of her cheeks and was making a sincere effort to chew through her bottom lip. She was the most exquisite girl I had ever seen before in my life. And I'd just barged in here like a raving lunatic in the most unprofessional way possible.
"Well, I'm here now" I said turning myself away from the angry looking woman in front of me. "I might as well do it, it shouldn't take long." I didn't mean to be abrupt with her, but it was either that or completely lose all semblance of professionalism by telling her how beautiful she was.
"I don't know, Swan." The blonde narrowed her eyes at me. "He looks a little young to be a surgeon." I felt my temper begin to rise.
"Rose!" Snapped my brunette "He's come in on his day off to reset my fucking finger and he's a heart surgeon. Give him a break!" She turned to me. "Thanks so much. I really appreciate it. I feel terrible for getting you in here for my finger."
"It's fine." I said as the door opened and my two surgical interns came in. "I'm sure you are aware that this is a teaching hospital. As such, my two interns here will be observing your surgery. It's one of the conditions that comes with having a procedure done at a teaching hospital." The blonde looked pissed off, but my brunette seemed to calm her with a look. "Ms Swan, these are my interns, Dr. Jessica Stanley and Dr. Lauren Mallory." I waved them forward.
Jessica let out a shriek. "Oh My God you're Isabella Swan!" she gushed. "You're so fantastic, I've seen every single movie you've made! I loved that one with you and Mike Newton, is he as dreamy in real life as he is in the movies? Did you actually date him? Was he a good kisser?" I gave Jessica a death glare. This was beyond inappropriate. And who was this Mike Newton? Of course she had a boyfriend. She was young, attractive and famous.
Isabella blushed bright red, but before she could answer, blonde and bitchy cut in. "Excuse me, Dr. Stanley was it?" she put the emphasis on the Doctor. "Ms Swan is not here to answer fan mail right now, she's here to have surgery on her hand. From here on I expect all questions to be of a medical nature, I'd suggest you shut up and do what you're here to do, which is observe if I understood Dr. Cullen correctly. As I understand it, observation is a silent activity." Jessica silenced immediately and had the decency to look slightly taken aback.
"Right, someone will be in to prep you for surgery in a moment, I will see you in there, but you may not remember seeing me. I will be in to check on you afterwards." With that I ushered my interns out of the exam room to scrub in for surgery.
XXXX
The surgery went smoothly as I knew it would. True to my word I returned a few hours later to see how the anesthetic was wearing off and check on my patient and get her ready for discharge. I entered the room to see a very woozy looking Isabella Swan having make-up put on her by blonde and bitchy. In the corner of the room, a tall blonde man stood typing furiously on a blackberry. My brunette was already out of the standard issue hospital gown and was instead wearing a pair of black jeans which looked like they had been painted on, a shell pink top with ruffles and what looked like a leather motorcycle jacket. On her feet were the highest pair of black heels I had ever seen. The blonde finished working on her make-up and pulled away.
She was stunning. It didn't matter what this girl wore, she had looked stunning in jeans and a baggy sweatshirt, she had looked stunning in a hospital gown under anesthetic as I reset her finger, and she looked stunning now in what I assumed was supposed to be effortless chic. My sister was a fashion major, I knew these things.
"Well Ms. Swan" I began.
"Isabella." She interrupted me. "You can call me Isabella. Ms. Swan makes me sound like I'm about a hundred. Or like a stuffy old school teacher or something." She started giggling. The anesthetic clearly hadn't worn off yet.
"You look better than you did an hour ago." I remarked. "I'm surprised to see you up and dressed. I just have to do a quick check up before I sign you're discharge papers and then you're free to go. You'll need to come back in a week to see me and make sure that your finger is setting properly."
"You can give me a check-up any time Dr. Cullen." She giggled again. Definitely still under the effects of the anesthetic.
I turned to blondie. "Are you sure it's wise for her to leave now, she's clearly still dopey."
"We want her out of here before the rest of the photographers in LA end up in your ambulance bay." Retorted blondie. I looked at her in confusion.
"Someone tipped off the paparazzi. They know she's here. There aren't too many of them out there now, but if we leave it any longer there will be. I want to get her back to my place where she can be looked after till she comes out of this before all of those jackasses out there get vicious. Me and Jazz can get her out there now, if we leave it longer it's going to turn into a media scrum and we don't have her security detail worked out just yet." She sighed. "Can I sign her discharges? I'm next of kin on her forms."
I handed the papers to blondie to sign and looked at Isabella who was trying to stand with the help of the tall blonde man I assumed to be Jasper. I wondered if he was her boyfriend and another pang of jealousy shot through me. Blondie handed the discharge papers back to me and went to support Isabella on her other side. The three of them walked out the door and I watched them walk down the hall. Two tall blonde sentries either side of a tiny brunette. What the hell was wrong with me? She was just a patient. A beautiful patient, but I lived in LA, and I had seen hundreds of beautiful people. But none of them had the disarmingly natural beauty of Ms. Isabella Marie Swan.