Disclaimer: Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer. If you like my story so far, don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or leave a review!
It was two in the morning according to the digital clock. I was in the bathroom staring at myself in the mirror. The cuts on my arms had been cleaned and rebandaged. They were going to scar once the stitches were taken out.
Freshly washed hair hung down in golden brown waves. I hadn't had a decent meal in a while and my hollowing cheeks and thin frame were evidence of that. In the mirror, stormy blue eyes stared back at me, serving as a reminder of who I lost years ago. How did it all go wrong?
My lips, although normally full and soft, were now cracked and split. A piece of glass from the crash managed to nick me just above my eyebrow. God, I looked like I'd been mugged.
With a sigh, I slipped on a sweatshirt and heaved the duffel bags over my shoulders. The doctor said I'd be released within a couple days, but I couldn't wait any longer; I was getting out of this place. Besides, I couldn't imagine how atrocious the bill for this place must be already. The lights were dimmed in the empty hallway, making my escape even easier. Quickly jogging down some corridors and down a stairwell, I was about to make it through a side door when the familiar velvety voice appeared behind me.
"Going somewhere, Miss. Hanson?" I could've run. There was nothing between me and the door, yet my feet refused to move. Slowly, I turned around and faced the doctor's scrutinizing glare. If looks could kill, I would've been dead.
We stared at each other for what seemed like ages. The tension between the two of us was so thick a knife could've sliced through it. I couldn't help but continue to notice the way he stood with his arms crossed and how the moonlight reflected off his black eyes, concealing his pain from the rest of the world. He may have hid it well, but it was easily recognizable to me. What has this man gone through? The next thing I knew, he took a step towards me and I flinched. He was so close. Too close. It was much different than when he was checking up on me.
"No one is going to hurt you here," said the doctor in a quiet tone.
"You can't promise that. I'm not safe here." Not here, not anywhere. "I-I need to leave. I just want to go home," I suddenly said.
Home.
Where was home anymore? In what world could I consider anywhere home when there was no one to live in it with? There was no one left. No one that cared, no one left that wanted to help me. I was completely alone in this cruel world.
Dr. Cullen let out a small sigh I hadn't known he was holding.
"Please, Miss. Hanson. If you're intent on leaving, at least stay the rest of the night. The last time I checked, your fever hasn't died down yet. I'll have some transportation arranged for you tomorrow, but please, it's no safer out there than it is in here right now," he begged, losing all sense of coolness he possessed earlier. I wrapped my arms around my frail body instinctively. Was he really doing this to me?
"You are in no position to make deals with me, Dr. Cullen," I snapped at him harshly. What could possibly be worse than being trapped inside a hospital with a lunatic chasing after you?
"Juliet," he said, marking the first time he called me something other than 'Miss. Hanson.' "There are monsters outside those doors far worse than you can ever imagine. What you're trying to run away from, I can ensure you that you will be no safer out there than in here where I can protect you," Dr. Cullen said those last couple words so quietly, I almost thought they were imagined. Freaked out, I took a step back. Who did this man think he was? I was about to bolt for the door when the lights turned fully on.
"Dr. Cullen? Is there something wrong?" a man in a matching white lab coat asked.
The handsome blond flashed a smile. "Nothing wrong here, Dr. Anderson. I was simply showing Miss. Hanson back to her room, right?" he looked at me with a playful smirk. Damn him.
"Right," I gritted my teeth. A cold hand was placed on my back and I clenched my jaw. He was ensuring I wouldn't escape tonight. I glared daggers at Doctor Cullen as he guided me down the hallways I escaped only moments ago.
~oxOXOxo~
The next morning, trapped to the confines of the small bed, I was stuck watching flipping through channels on a small TV in the corner of the room and eating a small bowl of oatmeal. PBS, weather, cook shows, nothing particularly captured my interest until I saw the breaking news of the morning. The Shadows. They were a gang that originated in the heart of Seattle in the 1980s. The gang was relatively quiet, up until the last couple of years when the killings started, notoriously known as the King County Killings.
Most, if not all, members of the gang wore all black. They could be living in the slums or the top mansions of Beverly Hills, but the important thing was that they had power. In their "efforts" to cure what they believed was a corrupt government, they only corrupted it themselves. You could never tell who was a Shadowman and who wasn't.
I sat up against the headboard and raised the volume of the TV, bracing myself for what I was about to hear. "A body was found around 7:30 this morning in Lake Washington. Due to the injuries presented, officials believe it to be once again, another King County Killing, bringing the number of victims up to 54 now."
Quickly, I turned off the TV, grimacing at the images popping up in my head. Not only were the Shadowmen major in drug trafficking, embezzlement, robbery, and kidnapping, they were notorious for their style of killing. So far, all of the victims had been mercilessly tortured before having their hands tied to their ankles and their arms chopped off after, so it hung off their legs as the victims drowned in whatever body of water they were thrown in."That could've been you," a part of me reminded.
"Miss. Hanson, nice to see you're up and eating. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day after all."
Right. The infuriating doctor was back again with his obnoxiously good looks. Was it not possible for him to leave me in peace for just a moment? Though, knowing how he was, the doctor would send a nurse and that wasn't a better option either.
"I hope you slept well last night. No interruptions I assume?" I looked up at him. What was this man playing at? Questions ran through my head at a hundred miles per second. For one, why didn't I get out last night? It was like there was something about this peculiar doctor that was holding me back, and what was Dr. Cullen talking about last night? Protect me? If anything, he was the one that was going to need protection if he kept this up. There was no possible way a simple doctor could ever hold up against a mob of Shadowmen, if they came.
"You know the drill; open wide," he said, pulling out another thermometer. "99 degrees. Your fever's gone down, but don't think you can skip out on getting sleep, Miss. Hanson. Your body is still recovering itself."
"You're still keeping me here?" Disbelief crept through my voice. I knew it. I shouldn't have believed him.
A small chuckle made its way past his lips, "No. Seeing how your tests show nothing out of the ordinary, you are perfectly fine to go home around noon. However, you will have to come back in about five days so we can remove your stitches."
Thank God. I could finally leave this place. Relieved barely described what I was feeling right now. The way Dr. Cullen looked though; it was almost as if he was disappointed? Perhaps worried? His face held no emotion, but his eyes… Those deep, dark eyes told his entire life story.
"Will a family member or friend be picking you up later?" he suddenly asked. It was a question too personal and brought up some unwanted feelings deep inside me. Although it wasn't his fault, did he have to remind me that I was alone?
"Why do you ask, Dr. Cullen?" The air turned awkward. It was his attempt at casual conversation, I'm sure of it, but I wasn't keen on letting this man know anything more about me.
"You had no emergency contact listed, and seeing how you recently moved to Forks, I didn't think you personally knew anyone here." He was very presumptive, but correct nonetheless. Clever: Another word to add to the list of traits defining this doctor.
"You seem quite invested in my life, doctor. Don't think I haven't forgotten about last night," I stated.
"And neither have I, Miss. Hanson. That stunt you attempted to pull last night was very irresponsible and foolish of you last night. Do you not care for your own health at all?" he admonished me.
Wait. Hold up. How did this conversation turn onto me?
I was pissed. There was really no other way to describe it. How dare he say that when he has no idea what I was running away from? "Do you not care for your own health at all?" Of course not– not when I could potentially save my own life! Frustration and anger surged through my veins as I attempted to restrain myself from throwing something at the doctor's pretty little face.
A moment filled with unresolved tension passed between us until Dr. Cullen let out a barely audible sigh and stuffed his hands into his coat pockets.
"Although what I am about to offer is unethical and completely inappropriate, I can't help but feel this is the least I can offer you at this point. If you wait until after my shift is done, I can drive you home, if you wish," he added quickly.
I was speechless. That was the last thing I expected him to ask me. For one thing, it would save me time considering I had no other ride, but on the hand, the more I interacted with the doctor the more perplexing he became. Last night still bothered me. He couldn't possibly be a shadowman, could he? That was the only explanation I could come up with. Yes…That had to be it! There was no other reason for him wanting me to stay for so long. However, there was a small voice telling me I was wrong. Somehow, my intuition just knew that Dr. Cullen wasn't the bad guy, but my brain was going in a different direction.
I was quiet for just a bit too long. "I see… I can go arrange a taxi to pick you up at–" the doctor started.
"No! It's fine. If it's no bother to you, I'd really appreciate that ride," I blurted out. What was I thinking? This man could've been a murderer for all I knew! Oh God… What have I gotten myself into?
For some suspiciously unknown reason, the blond looked way too relieved. "I wouldn't have offered if I minded. Believe me, you won't be a bother," he responded with a genuine smile. "My shift ends in about an hour and a half. Perhaps you can pack up your things and wait in my office until then? I can help you check out after that."
There was no backing out now. I wanted to get out of this hospital ever since I woke up after all. "Yeah, it's not like I have anything else to do then, right?" I laughed awkwardly. It sounded strange, the laughter, but the doctor paid no attention to it.
"Right. Well, I have to take care of some other patients for a couple minutes. When you're done gathering everything, wait in the hallway."
"Let me guess, doctor's order?" I recalled from yesterday.
Melodious laughter came from Dr. Cullen. "Yes, Miss. Hanson. Doctor's orders."
