As soon as I reached for the frying pan, I heard a gut wrenching scream from outside. It was like nothing I had ever heard before. Without regard for anything else, I launched myself outside to find my Bella on her hands and knees on the ground, wrapped in the arms of my mother and father. I looked at the three of them and especially at Carlisle as I put my hand on her back.
'What happened?' I tried to communicate to him.
He looked at me with remorse.
'Charlie.'
****
I sat on the ground beside my Bella, my hand running gently across her back. I could not imagine what she was going through right now. Her human emotions were so close to the surface, not even a year had passed since her change and I knew that all she wanted to do was cry and let her emotions out. I looked at my father with concern.
"What happened Carlisle?"
"From what I can gather there was a robbery at a convenience store last night. Charlie was called in and when he got there…"
"Oh god…"
Bella flung her head onto Esme's shoulder, her body almost heaving with her non-existent tears.
"He's still alive, Bella. I wanted to come and tell you in person so that you could go and see him before, well, before his time comes."
She stood up immediately and looked at me. I nodded.
"I'll drive."
"Thank you."
I looked at Esme with hopeful eyes as Carlisle walked Bella to the car.
"Would you mind?"
She smiled sympathetically at me.
"Not a problem. Go, your wife needs you."
"There's some eggs and bacon in the kitchen for Nessie. If you can just…"
"Go, Edward!"
I nodded in agreement and flew down the stairs to the car where Bella was seated in the front.
"Carlisle, are you going to come?"
"If Bella would like me to, I will."
She turned and looked at him.
"You were there for him, Carlisle. Please."
He nodded and sat in the car as I peeled out of the driveway, faster than I had ever driven before. This was one time that Bella would not mind that I drove so fast.
We pulled into the hospital parking lot, our heads down so that the rising sun would not give us away, and as we got into the ambulance bay, we ran inside the Emergency ward at almost vampire speed. Carlisle led us to a room where they had put Charlie for the time being. He stopped and turned to Bella, though I knew he was talking to me as well. He spoke very softly so as not to alarm her any more than necessary.
"Bella, this will be very difficult for you to see. I won't say that I know how you feel because I really don't, but just the same please know that I am here for you through this. I'm going to tell you a few things right now, not as your father in law, but as your father's doctor. Your father was brought in this morning at 4:24 where he had suffered a gunshot wound to his upper left torso, as well as two to his lower extremities. He lost a significant amount of blood, Bella, and try as we may; the amount that was lost was too much. He did, for a moment, regain consciousness and asked if I could put him on support only so he could say goodbye to you."
Bella started to feel shaky and was starting to tremble, so I held her close to me as he continued to speak to her; technically, but with utmost empathy.
"Bella, your father may not regain consciousness while you are here, and I want you to be aware of that."
She simply nodded her head as he continued.
"He may though, and if he does he will not be able to speak as he had to be intubated and the machines are breathing for him."
Again, she nodded silently.
"If he does wake up for a moment, he will most likely be able to see you, and will be able to respond with blinks, and may be able to grasp your hand. That may be all he will be able to do. I want you to be ready for that."
She looked at him with the saddest eyes I had ever seen in all my existence.
"Thank you, Carlisle."
"When the time comes, Bella, you need to let him go. I will help you through what you need to, and there is no rush for that. When you're ready, alright?"
"Ok."
"Go and see your father, Bella. I'll be right here if you need me."
He moved from in front of the door and Bella started to walk in. She gasped at what she saw. She turned to me and looked so fragile, so unsure.
"Would you like me to come in with you, Bella?"
She couldn't speak; she could only extend her hand as her way of speaking at this moment. I took her hand, looked at Carlisle with a sad smile, and then we walked into the room together.
There were tubes everywhere. Being in medical school a few times I knew what all these machines were for, and I wasn't about to tell Bella unless she asked. Knowing all of the machines that were connected to this poor man told me that he was not much longer for this world. His injuries must have been so severe.
Bella sat on his bedside and put her cool hand on his. She whispered to me.
"His hand is so cold, Edward."
I put my hand on her shoulder, resting myself gently on the bed behind her.
"That's from the blood loss."
She looked at her father in a way that she never had before. It was amazement, wonder, and mourning. She knew what was going to happen, but she was trying as hard as she could to will him to stay with her, with us. She ran her finger across his forehead, brushing away the tiny beads of sweat that had formed there.
"His skin feels almost clammy."
I touched my lips to her shoulder as I whispered.
"From the surgery and most likely an infection."
She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. When she did, the heart monitor started to rise. She sat up immediately, and looked at me.
"Edward? What's happening?"
I smiled cautiously at her.
"He's waking, Bella. Look at him."
She looked at his face, and watched his eyelids flutter.
"Dad? Dad? Come on, I know you can hear me. Wake up for me, ok?"
He seemed to respond to the sound of her voice and his eyes stayed open for a few seconds, trying to get their focus. Bella's hand took his and she smiled when she felt him squeeze back.
"Hey, Dad. It's good to see you."
He attempted to speak, but she stopped him.
"Dad, I know that you can't talk because you have a tube down your throat helping you breathe. I'll ask you yes or no questions, ok? One blink for no, two for yes, ok?"
Two blinks. He understood. She smiled.
"You know that I love you, Dad. Right?"
Two blinks.
"You know that you're going to get better too, right?"
One blink.
"Don't you start that with me, Charlie Swan."
One blink.
"Dad, is there anything that I can do?"
Two blinks.
"What can I do?"
She turned to me and asked for a pen and some paper.
"Do you think that you can write down what you want me to do for you, Dad?"
Two blinks. I handed her the pen and paper, and sat back on the bed watching this beautiful but sorrowful exchange.
"Here's the pen, Dad. Don't worry about it being neat, I promise I'll be able to read it."
He attempted to scribble something on the paper, but the energy it took to write almost made him pass out. His hand went limp after he wrote a couple of words, and she looked up at him after she read it.
"Dad."
If I could cry, I would be crying and this isn't even my father. My Bella's father lay here dying and there was nothing I could do to help him. Carlisle had told me in the car that he was not about to change him, and Bella stated that she agreed. It is not what her father would want; he would want to be remembered for what he was – the Chief of Police of a little town called Forks.
She handed me the paper, and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I promise you, Dad. I will be."
He made a small noise, and moved his arm a little. He pointed to his eyes.
"Your eyes? Is it your eyes?"
One blink.
"Eye? Oh – you mean I as in you."
Two blinks. He pointed to his heart.
"Love."
He pointed to Bella.
"You. Oh Dad, I love you too. If you want to go, you go, Dad. I'll be ok. I promise."
Charlie looked in my direction, as if asking if I'll be there for her.
"I promise you, Chief. I will take care of your daughter. You have my word."
His facial features relaxed.
The cardiac monitor alarm sounded.
Carlisle came running in with nurses behind him.
I looked outside the room, and saw uniformed officers standing, waiting, anxiously. I saw Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie as well. They came.
Carlisle looked at us sitting in the chair beside his bed.
"Bella, your father had a DNR order. Do you know what that is?"
She nodded blindly amid her vacant stare. She knew it meant do not resuscitate. Carlisle, being the doctor and man that he is would not deviate from his wishes no matter how much it hurt to do so.
"I'm going to respect your father's wish, Bella. Would you like a moment before I do?"
She shook her head.
"He's fought enough, Carlisle. Do what you have to do."
"Alright Bella. Would you like to hold your father's hand?"
She nodded as the nurses moved back from the bed so Bella could sit beside him and hold his hand. Carlisle leaned in towards Charlie and whispered.
"Rest well, Chief."
With that, he turned off the machines and Charlie Swan was gone.
Bella's head collapsed against his shoulder, and I decided read the note, the final words from her father to her.
'Be happy.'
