Time seemed to pass slowly when things are bad. It felt like I was sitting there for an eternity, praying, and at the same time trying to shut down my brain. Thinking seemed to get more painful every minute.
"Come on, baby, open your eyes for me" I whispered to Ash, "Please, I need you"
Silence. Like the whole day. I closed my eyes, trying to stop tears, and failing. My phone beeped and I check it, it was a message from Alice. She and mom were already going to Seattle. Dad was still here, he would go with Ash and I in the helicopter. The door opened and I looked to see Dr. Swan entering in the room again. She walked to me, and extended a paper bag and a cup of coffee.
"You need it" she said. I took the coffee, and she continued with the bag extended. "It's fruit salad, and cupcakes" she said.
"I'm not hungry, thank you" I mumbled.
"Please, Edward. You getting sick won't help. You have to be strong for her" she pleaded.
I looked into her eyes, and sighed, taking the bag.
"Thanks" we both said.
She smiled and sat in an armchair in the corner.
"It was a beautiful song" she said as I played with the fruit salad.
"What?" I asked confused.
"You were humming a song…"
"Oh. I didn't realize I was…"
"Well, it was beautiful"
I nodded, and sighed. I started humming again, and she smiled nodding. It was the lullaby I had composed to Ash when she born. I used to hum for her every night, while tucking her in.
"It's her lullaby" I said quietly.
"It fits her" she commented. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah"
"Your father said something about someone helping in Seattle…"
"My brother-in-law is a pediatric surgeon" I said, "They are hoping he can do something to help"
"I hope too" she said, "But why are you taking me? I mean… You have her historic, charts, doctors at your disposal… You could just call me…"
"I don't know. I just… I think it would give me some peace of mind knowing you would be there, since you were the whole time until now" I said. "Thanks, for going"
"Thanks for inviting. Not the best circumstances, but I'm happy to go. I want to help"
I nodded, and we fell into comfortable silence, the only sound was the constant beeping from the monitors. An hour later my dad came in, and smiled weakly at Bella, and at me.
"We need to get her ready" he said.
Bella nodded, and stepped outside.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked him quietly.
"It's the best we can do, son" he said, "I understand you're terrified…"
"Damn right" I mumbled.
Bella came back with a couple of med students and nurses. I had to step back as they got Ashley ready to move. Bella threw questions about heart race, oxygen levels, blood pressure, intracranial pressure… I watched everything, and again, it was like I couldn't understand. I was a doctor I should know what everything meant, but I just couldn't… think. It was like being under the water, I couldn't understand what was being said.
"Let's go" dad said.
I watched as they took Ashley out of the room quickly, and I grabbed everything, wallet, keys, cell phone, jacket, and Bella's bag in the corner and her jacket. I ran after them, and everything seemed in slow motion. By the time we got to the roof, got in the helicopter, it seemed that hours passed. I hated how time passed when bad things happened. And I hated that things were bad. Bella, dad and I got in the helicopter, and Bella was concentrated on Ashley, talking to the paramedics in the helicopter. I was thankful for her. She seemed the only one capable of really thinking in this situation. My family pretended they were dealing with things fine, but I could see it was not, I could see in my dad's stare at Ashley's body, at the lack of smile in Alice's face, and the way my mom had been clutching crucifix, she wasn't even a religious person.
"We'll be landing in fifteen minutes" the co-pilot announced.
"Jasper said he would be waiting" dad said to me.
I nodded, and looked at the view of Seattle. I had flew in an helicopter once before, but the sky tonight seemed especially dark. A storm was coming soon.
"Dr. Swan?" a paramedic called.
I looked to see Bella auscultating Ashley's chest. Dad was checking her vitals.
"What's wrong?" I asked nervously. They didn't answer. "What is wrong!" I asked desperately.
"Shut up" Bella mumbled frowning. "Blood pressure?"
"95/67" the paramedic informed.
"It's dropping. Damn it!" Bella hissed. "Hydrocortisone, 3mg/kg!"
They were talking frenetically, my dad trying to say something to Bella, the paramedics getting the medication, and information…
"Shut the hell up everyone!" Bella growled.
Everyone fell silent. She seemed to be concentrating a lot in auscultating Ashley's lungs.
"Oxygen levels?" she asked to the paramedics.
The paramedic started to give her numbers, information of all kind.
"Would she be hemorrhaging?" dad asked.
Bella touched Ashley's stomach, pressuring it slightly, and then ran her fingers through her hair.
"Shit. Her lung. I think I heard something, I'm not sure because of the helicopter's noise. But her stomach is stiffer than when we left Forks"
"So… S-She's hemorrhaging?" I gasped.
"Probably"
Bella started to check on the vitals again, and the blood pressure wasn't rising. She and the paramedics put a blood bag on Ashley's IV, it was all they could do until we got to the hospital. The pilot announced we were landing, and dad touched my shoulder, in comfort. I wasn't comforted. As soon we touched the ground, the paramedics, Bella and the hospital staff ran with Ashley. Dad and I followed, but we couldn't get in the room. Jasper saw me, and nodded, and then went to Ashley. We met Alice and mom, and dad updated them, I just sat there, staring at the wall, waiting.
"Edward!" I looked up, and saw Bella jogging to us.
I looked at the clock. Almost twenty minutes waiting. She was with scrubs on.
"What happened?" I asked desperately.
"We're taking her to the OR. The internal bleeding is back. There was coagulation in her lung. Your brother-in-law is with her, and I'm going to get ready" she said.
"I'm going" dad told mom.
"Dr. Cullen, I think it would be best if you didn't" Bella said. "It's complicated enough for her uncle to see her like this. You shouldn't…"
"She's right" mom said to dad. "Ashley is in good hands. We'll wait here"
Bella nodded and turned to walk away. I grabbed her hand and turned her around. I looked her in the eye and she squeezed my hand.
"I'll do everything I can" she whispered.
I nodded and let her go, watching her run to the OR.