hola, me nombre es stephANIE. no es stephENIE.

a/n: thank you for all the support, especially all those who first joined me with PT and came over here once it was done. you guys are the best. i have much more time to devote to this story now. updates should come more often. aren't you excited? i think you will be after this chapter...hehehe.
muchas gracias to my beta arra584 for being super awesome and taking time to beta even in the midst of a possible tornado.

also, i'm gonna pimp here:
if you love doctorward, you really need to read Save You by socact. it's awesome. i am intimidated by her fic. makes me feel so very inadequate, esp with the medical knowledge. go r&r bc she deserves some love

Chapter title comes from Eminem's song by the same name...it has nothing to do with the actual content.
Songs for chapter:
"Sowing Season" by Brand New
"My Apology" by The Get Up Kids
"Animal" by Osker

"So, Bella, I hear you're new to Seattle."

Alright, I admit it; I had actually broken my one cardinal rule and engaged some of the nursing staff in conversation. There was no other way of finding out more information about Bella. She was so maddeningly distant with me. So much so that I wondered if this was how some of my patients felt whenever I entered the room. Yeah but that's different. Those idiots don't deserve the time of day outside of saving their pathetic lives.

"Yes, that's right."

She didn't even make eye contact with me as she changed out my bag of piss. So fucking humiliating. Those white Chucks carried her to dispose of said piss way too quickly. She turned to ask if I needed anything else. I knew from experience that she always chose to end our "conversations" with that parting line, but I cut her off before she could get the words out.

"What brought you to one of the rainiest states in the continental US?" I knew if I could just smile at this girl, she'd start acting much more…appropriately. What female could turn down the charm of this Cullen? None. It was too damn bad my face was broken.

"Work." And just like that, she turned away from me and walked out the door.

I can't believe she didn't ask if I needed anything else.

The next day was more of the same. I was more than sick of how we interacted. I tried to instigate conversation, who even knew why, by asking where she moved from.

"It's not important, Mr. Cullen."

"It's important to me."

That drew her attention to my face finally, brown eyes wide and staring at what I wished was a cool, calm and collected face. Instead, she just saw the bandages. So fucking sick of this shit.

"Um…Arizona."

Then again, I could definitely play up the pity to my advantage.

"I'm sure you don't miss all the dry, dead shit down there, huh?" I started to laugh until I saw Bella Shortcake's reaction. She looked pretty fucking pissed at me.

"Actually, I grew up there. So yeah, I do miss all that dry, dead shit. Thank you very much." She marched away, worn soles on her shoes making her slip just slightly as she made her way out the door.

How old are those shoes? Pretty sure she needs a new pair. Those cannot be safe around a hospital.

"I'm sorry I insulted your home state." Those were the first words out of my mouth as she entered my room the next day.

I wasn't really sorry for my "insulting" remark because it was true. Arizona was dry and everything looked dead there. But I was sorry that it had hurt her feelings. I would never understand how some people felt a strange pull to their place of origin. It was just another city in another state. Big fucking deal if you asked me.

"Thank you."

Her face smoothed at my apology and I mentally patted myself on the back for a job well done. For some reason I felt the need to prove I was more than the douche I had shown her. Yeah I was a douche, but I could be charming if I wanted to be. Couldn't I?

"I mean, it is pretty fucking dry there though." The scowl was back in place. I probably shouldn't have said that…

Nurse Shortcake walked over to me, holding out some much needed relief in the form of opiates. She leaned down to place them in the one good hand I had at the moment, immediately going for the large plastic cup next to my bed. The sudden movement caused a shift in the air, bringing her strawberry scent to me in a wave of…something bad. I didn't want to name whatever it was her scent did to me. All I knew was that it made my dick twitch. I did not need any shit like that. Hospital sheets left very little to the imagination.

"If there's anything else you need, let me know."

I was fucking sick of this: her polite curtness. Prim and proper Nurse Shortcake in the fucking Chucks, checking on her patient but staying distant. Fuck that.

"Cut the bullshit, Nurse Swan." I may have sneered it out, but I was proud I had managed to remember her real last name.

"Excuse me?" She stood there, frozen from shock. "Just who do you think you are, talking to me like that?"

Finally. Bella Shortcake lives! And all it took was me being my normal ass to her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought we'd already been introduced. I'm Edward."

I held out my hand, mocking her, hoping to continue to get a rise out of her. She was pretty damn cute when all riled up; the strawberry color on her cheeks a nice accompaniment to the scent that already had a strong effect on me.

"Listen, Mr. Cullen."

"Don't call me that."

She fish mouthed at me for a second, probably thrown off at my tone. I hadn't spoken this harshly to her since that first time we had met, before I even knew who she was.

"First of all, it's Dr. Cullen. Show some respect." I watched her eyes widen, eyebrows disappearing behind blunt bangs. "And second of all, Mister makes me feel old."

"Well, you are kind of old…"

It was my turn to be shocked.

"Excuse me?"

And then she went and did it. She smirked at me; and upon seeing my reaction, threw her head back and laughed. Fucking laughed at me.

What the…

"Calm down, old man."

"This coming from the fucking child playing dress up in front of me."

Her laughter died out abruptly.

"I am not a child."

"Mhm right."

"I'm 25 years old!" Her voice tweaked up at the end, successfully making her sound that much younger.

But I flinched at the revelation. She was just 25. I had known she was young just by her appearance but had never guessed at her age before. She may as well have been a child. And I may as well have been an old man.

I was ten years her senior. That, by no means, made me old. I was at the top of my game; making a name outside of just "Cullen" in this hospital and enjoying myself with whomever doing whatever I pleased. Hell, I had fucked girls younger than her. But for some reason it aged me, made me feel older than I was. That worried me. What the hell was Bella Shortcake doing to me?

"Do I really look old to you?" I must've sounded pathetic because I saw her face soften.

"I don't know, your face…"

Oh.

Shit, I had forgotten about the bandages. Well of course I looked old. Mummies were fucking decrepit.

"Then why did you call me old man?"

"Oh, I know how old you are." She tapped my wristband, making the skin tingle there from the almost contact of her finger on my bare skin. "But I personally judge youth by a person's eyes." She stepped even closer to me, strawberries seemingly wafting just under my nose and making me want to lean closer just to breathe it in better.

"Is that so…" I hoped she couldn't hear just how strained my voice was. It sounded so fucking clear to my own ears.

She nodded her head in answer, hair slightly swaying with the movement. Just like that I had another distraction from the way her hair seemed to shine under the disgusting fluorescent lighting above.

"May I?"

She leaned over me and that strawberry scent intensified. I had to stop myself from fucking licking my lips because she smelled so goddamn tasty. What does this girl do? Fucking eat strawberries till the scent is seeping out of every pore? I was in my own personal hell, trapped underneath her on the bed.

I hesitantly met Bella's gaze, afraid of giving anything away…even though I still didn't really know what there was to give away. Her eyes were scrutinizing, searching me. I wondered if she could see anything in them besides the jackass glare usually present.

"You have beautiful eyes."

I didn't want to laugh at that most clichéd line, I really didn't. I tried holding it back. But it still managed to surface.

As a disgustingly hideous snort.

Bella Shortcake ignored me, thank god. Because Edward Cullen did not snort. That was so very…ugly.

"I've never seen that color of eyes before."

Cue eye roll.

"Right. Because hazel is so uncommon."

"No…it's like…" She kept cutting herself off, tilting her head at different angles, moving to the other side of my bed.

"Like what?" I snapped, impatient as usual.

"Well it's like they change color almost." That was a new one. "Like right now, they almost look golden."

"Maybe it's the fluorescence." Because, really? Who the fuck has golden eyes?

"But see…there. They look green now!" She had made her way to the other side of my bed again, her voice a little higher than normal with some weird note of…excitement? I couldn't quite gage her reaction to my "changing" eye color. "Maybe light affects them. Or mood. Because Lord knows you shift between those easily enough. Maybe the eyes follow suit." She smiled down at me, lips full and pink and looking really fucking kissable.

Yeah, think of all the things those lips could kiss.

"Don't be absurd. Who's ever heard of changing eye colors?" My voice was harsher than I had meant, but only because I was trying to rid myself of the mental image of Bella on her knees, lips brushing against my cock.

Erection plus hospital sheets equals bad, remember?

"I know dumbass. It was a joke."

"That's Dr. Dumbass to you, Miss Swan." I wanted to smile, show her I was joking. But fuck these bandages. So I tried smiling...with my eyes...since she liked them so much and shit.

"I'm so sorry for disrespecting you earlier. I should've addressed you properly."

"Stop. I really do not give a damn about the doctor title. That is, unless that kind of shit turns you on."

I winked and again missed my smile. At least, I was rewarded by the strawberries blooming on her cheeks again.

"I just forget you're an attending here, since I'm so new and all."

She had ignored my attempts at flirting.

Ah hell. That is not a good sign.

Mummy Edward was a fucking failure with women.

"It's ok Bella. Really, I don't care. I was just joking. I don't want you to call me doctor." Well, maybe when I'm fucking on top of you… "I want you to call me Edward." Or scream it more like… "Please." I threw that in for good measure. Girls and manners…

My favorite Slice of Dessert stared at me; moisture building up from those big eyes not blinking for too long. Or at least I hoped that was the reason behind the tearing up. No more crying from Bella Shortcake.

"Ok…Edward."

She smiled and drew my attention to her lips again. Her bottom lip was fuller than the top and just so fucking…nice. I wanted to suck on it.

This was so frustrating. I had never taken time to really get to know a woman. Especially one that I was this attracted to. Working a girl over shouldn't be this hard. And honestly, I shouldn't even want to work for her attention. Girls flocked to me naturally. If one didn't show interest, and that was pretty fucking rare, I just moved on to the next one.

I must be bored. That explains why I'm so fixated on Bella. Once I'm out of here, things will go back to normal and I won't feel this weird thing whenever I see her.

I couldn't heal fast enough. Every morning I woke up harder than the day before. At least you know that part of your body is ok. I wondered if conjugal visits were allowed in this prison.

--

I didn't see Bella the next few days. I briefly worried that my attempts at flirting had scared her off.

Goddamned face.

Instead, Gloria showed up. She saw my reaction to her presence and informed me that my Slice of Dessert just had the next few days off work. I felt foolish for slightly panicking. Of course she would have time off. She couldn't be here every single day.

Though I wished she could. Because I was even more bored without her.

When those white Chucks walked through my door finally I felt…eased? I couldn't quite place it, but knew it was a good thing.

"Hey old man, miss me?" She was just like Elizabeth in that way; digging on me with the stupid nick names.

"Yeah I did." I just blurted it out. Not like it should be weird or anything. I did. There was no one quite like Bella.

But I saw those damn strawberry cheeks flush bright and Bella faltered in her steps.

"Oh…er…I missed you too?" It came out as a question.

I couldn't tell if that meant she was embarrassed to admit it, or if she just said it to be nice.

"But of course. I mean, look at me. What's not to miss?"

One small hand went up to cover a mouth that was giggling softly.

"Next time I'll make sure to take some bandages home with me to remember you by."

Fuck. I kept forgetting…mummy.

So she just felt bad for me then.

Bella's giggles grew louder til she was once again tipping her head back to laugh loudly at me. She was clearly amused by her own attempts at humor. If she didn't sound so damn pretty, I would have been much more annoyed by her.

As it was, I was slightly bothered at her laughter.

"Oh please, as if you don't know how ridiculously good looking I am."

"As a matter of fact, Zoolander, I don't."

She rolled her eyes as if the topic bored her. I couldn't believe it though.

Really? She's not curious about the man behind the gauze? None of the females in this hospital talked me up to her?

"Well then, I'm requesting you be present when they finally take all this shit off. I want to watch your reaction to the face."

"Oh god, you're vain. How do you walk around with that giant head of yours without toppling over? Can you even fit through doorways?"

"Just wait, Shortcake."

Bella quirked an eyebrow at me.

Shit, did I say that out loud?

"Whatever Edward. Jake is the most handsome man I've ever seen. Any better looking and you'd be a girl."

Who the fuck is Jake?

"Jake?" I didn't want to sound too nosey. The idea of some guy better looking than me shouldn't bother me so much.

"My boyfriend."

Strawberry cheeks ripened, darkening more than I'd yet seen. I did not like it. After all the time we had spent together in this room, I felt a strange possessiveness over that goddamn blush. It should be reserved only for me.

"Oh." Because what else could I say?

"If you need anything Edward," she paused, emphasizing the use of my name with a smile, "let me know." She turned to leave but stopped to speak to me one last time. "I won't be seeing you tomorrow night…or any other night from now on actually."

"What the fuck? But I've been on my best," Shortcake glared at me, "ok, so I've been on good behavior."

"I'll be seeing you at 2 from now on. I switched my shifts around."

"Oh, ok." I struggled to keep myself in check. I desperately wanted to breathe out a sigh of relief. "Why though?"

"Um…well..Jake doesn't like me working so late. Thinks it's dangerous for me to be out at that time of night."

"He's right. A girl as pretty as you should not be out on the streets tempting the scum of this city." The blush on her cheeks rivaled that of the previous one.

Ha! Take that Jake!

Bella left fairly quickly, leaving me to my thoughts. We had made a lot of progress over the past few days. Not only was she calling me Edward, but she was also actually talking to me. It was nice. With only family coming in to break up the monotony, it was nice to have a…well friend wasn't really the right word for her…but something akin to it in this Godforsaken Hell hole. It was so nice, that I felt the pain in my jaw from trying to smile.

Something was nagging at me though. Try as I might, I couldn't place my finger on just what had me concerned about Bella. I was half way asleep later that night when the light bulb clicked on.

2:00 was my scheduled sponge bath.

Oh. Fuck. Me.


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i'm really hungry for strawberries right now...