Chapter 4 - Hurts

EPOV

It was early afternoon that day by the time Bella finally awoke.

"Edward," she whispered, her fingertips fully stretched out and just brushing my hand. I jolted up from the position I'd dozed off in on the chair next to her bed and latched onto her hand.

"Hey baby." I brushed some hair off her face. "How you feeling?"

"Umm, better," she avoided my gaze, knowing the grilling was about start.

"Bella, what the hell were you thinking? Why wouldn't you tell me you were sick?" My volume dropped with the last question, the emotion of the last night catching up with me. When she finally looked up at me, her eyeswere swimming with tears and she spoke so quietly I barely heard her.

"I didn't want to worry you." She smoothed some creases out on the blanket. "You're so stressed out and tiredfrom work, you don't need my stupid accidents on top of it."

I hopped up and held her to my chest. "Bella, no matter how stressed or tired I am, I always want to know what's going on with you. I never want you to be hurting. It hurts me too. I'm sorry I'm not around much baby."

"I'm sorry too," she sniffled, gripping my arm tighter.

"Better be." I jived, grinning at her and when she ducked her head I could feel the vibrations of her laughter on my chest. "And what's this I hear about mom finding you asleep at the table on Monday? You haven't been sleeping." I accused, tracing the dark circles under her eyes.

She sighed. "You know I don't sleep well when you're not there. School's been so hard out, and it's just so hard to keep on top of everything."

"You've been waiting up for me? Is that why I keep finding you asleep on the couch?" I shook my head.

"Yeah." she mumbled through a yawn. I chuckled at her and lay down next to her.

"Right you. Time to rest. I'll wake you when Carlisle comes back. Sleep."

"Edward, I'm twenty not five."

"And I'm the doctor so you have to listen to me," I teased.

She glared at me but snuggled into me anyway and sighed contentedly before quickly

falling back asleep.

CPOV

I opened the door to Bella's room as quietly as I could, guessing that Edward would have made her go back to sleep by now. I found her wrapped around my son, who was hushedly talking into his Blackberry trying to calm his sister.

'No Alice, she's fine. You don't need to come down. She's resting anyway. You can come see her

when she goes home tomorrow.'

I could faintly hear Alice whining and Edward ran his hand through his hair, obviously getting flustered with his sister.

'Alice! I said no. Surely you can wait one more day. I'll call you when we get home tomorrow. Love you.'

He threw the phone on the bed with an exasperated sigh, looked at me and rolled his eyes.

"Alice, will be Alice."

"Right you are son." I checked Bella's IV antibiotics. "So I wouldn't be suprised if she shows up here late tonight and tries to sneak in while you're sleeping."

Edward barked a laugh but then clamped a hand over his mouth and looked at Bella, tenderly rubbing the tiny arms gripping onto his shirt. "She hasn't been sleeping Dad. Should I prescribe her something? At least until she gets this last semester out of the way?"

"Did you talk to her about it?"

"Yeah, she told me she doesn't sleep well when I'm not around and that she's finding it hard to stay on top of school." Edward sighed.

"Well all you can do is ask her about it Edward. Don't worry too much. She'll be ok. She's strong."

I frowned and indicated towards her leg. "Although, a little bit too strong sometimes I think."

"Yeah. Thanks Dad."

It was times like these that I was reminded exactly how young Edward was. He was the youngest of my three children; albiet, only 20 minutes younger than Alice, but had always been the most mature and focused. At 24, he was the last of the three to be getting married also. Emmett was 27 and had already been married four years and had a two year-old daughter, Kaitlyn. Alice had been married the summer just been and Esme was ecstatic about having weddings to organise. Of all the engagements though, Esme was most happy about Bella and Edwards. He was so focused all the time that we were worried he would never settle down or start a family. Edward had been so happy the past 3 years and I hated to watch them both hurting over miscommunications.

I heard Edward's breathing even out into sleep so I flicked off the lights and silently exited the room.