Disclaimer – Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.
A wild and crazy shout out to my Beta, shelikesthesound, for her amazing work! Thank you, BB.
In the Long Run
Chapter 7
EPOV
On the way home, the first thing out of Bella's mouth was, "Okay. We're alone. What happened this morning?"
"Dad was at the police station waiting on me when I pulled up."
"Why? He knew that you were meeting your Uncle George, didn't he?"
"Yeah. He said that he wanted to have another discussion with me after he gets home tonight, without you."
"About what?"
"He didn't say, but he tried to give me some hints. I think that he overheard us this morning."
"Oh, no! What if he did? What will he do to us?"
"I don't know."
"What if he asks you? What are you gonna tell him?"
"The truth, Bella. I've never lied to my parents, even if it meant that I'd get in trouble."
"Don't I even get a say in this?"
"What do you want me to say? Do you want me to lie? If he heard us, there isn't much doubt what we were doing, do you think?"
"No."
I chanced a look at her out of the corner of my eye. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she turned to look out of the side window. She was trying to wipe them off as fast as they fell, but it was a losing battle. "I love you. Please don't cry. I'll lie to him, okay. I'll tell him... oh, I don't know. I'll make something up. Just don't cry."
"No, Edward. You're right. You can't lie to him. We've chosen to do adult things together, and if we've been caught, we need to be adult enough to accept the consequences." She sniffed another couple of times and wiped her nose on a tissue. Reaching across the console, I took her hand in mine. Her grip was firm and reassuring as I pulled into the driveway.
We entered the house later than usual, and Mom was already putting supper on the table, so Bella and I helped her out. As I placed the pot roast down in front of Dad's chair, my eyes caught the flash of his headlights as he pulled into the driveway through the dining room window, letting me know he was home. My dad came inside moments later, and we all took our seats at the table. During dinner, the topic turned to the collection of the DNA sample. Dad explained how they could take cells from a swab from my cheek and get the DNA from them. They would then multiply the DNA and would be able to identify certain "markers" which they would then be able to compare with the same "markers" from the assailant's DNA.
"I spoke with George for about thirty minutes today, and he was able to answer some of my questions. He said that after the DNA samples came back different, you would be cleared of the accusation against you. We would then be able to file a petition to have your record expunged," Dad said.
"That means that I won't have to check the box when it asks if I've been arrested, right?" I asked.
"That's my understanding."
"Thank goodness. I've been worried about having to check yes to that question on college applications and job interviews for the rest of my life, then having to explain that I was accused of rape when I was 15. I wouldn't choose me for college or a job based on that information."
The rest of the meal was spent in good natured conversation. Bella and I offered to clean the kitchen for Mom after we'd finished eating, but Dad said, "Edward, why don't you let the girls do the dishes tonight. We need to have a little discussion. I'm going to get out of this suit, and I'll meet you in my study."
"Carlisle, I trust that you remember what we talked about last night," Mom said, stopping in her tracks and turning around to face Dad.
"We're just going to talk, dear. Everything is going to be fine." Mom nodded her head and turned to get another load of dishes off the table.
I put the dishes I'd already picked up in the sink, and giving Bella a quick peck on the cheek, I turned and followed Dad upstairs. I walked into his study and took a seat on the couch. Looking at my hands, I realized they were shaking. That just wouldn't do. If Dad could tell I was already nervous, he would know we were guilty. If I wanted to have any chance of getting out of the situation at all, I would have to calm my nerves, and fast. I tried to sit back as far as I could on the couch but soon realized my foot tended to tap when I was in that position. I tried to lean forward with my arms crossed, but that made me look like I was cold. Shifting slightly, I put my elbows on my knees. That stopped my feet from tapping, but I couldn't decide on what to do with my hands. I didn't want to hold them together because it made me look like a first grader who was in trouble. I had finally decided to let them hold the opposite elbow when Dad came in the room and shut the door.
"Edward, do you know why I've asked you here tonight for this discussion?" he asked me as he walked over to the couch to take a seat beside me.
"I have a pretty good idea."
"Do you want to say anything at this point?"
"No, Sir. I'd really rather not."
"Okay, then I'll start. Edward, I was looking for you this morning before you left for school to talk to you about what happened last night. As I passed the bathroom, I heard some unusual noises coming from inside. It kind of sounded like you were in pain. Were you in pain this morning?"
"No, Sir. I wasn't in pain this morning."
"Then I heard you telling Bella to move. You sounded pretty convinced that she should move. I suppose there was something broken on the floor, and you didn't want her to get cut. I couldn't imagine anything else that could have been happening in the bathroom that early in the morning that could have made you want Bella to move so badly. She didn't get cut, did she?"
"No, Sir. She didn't get cut."
"Then, after you told Bella to move, I heard you cry out. You didn't get cut, did you Edward?" His face was serious. There wasn't even a hint of a grin on his lips.
"No, Sir. I didn't get cut, either."
"Hmmm, I wonder why you'd cry out then. Bella must've stepped on your foot, I think. Is your foot all right?"
"Yes, Sir. My foot is all right."
"Now, Edward, I need for you to hear me and understand me. There can be no more broken glass anywhere in this house. If I catch you and Bella with any more broken glass, you two will have to be separated. Do I make myself clear? She can't step on your foot, and you can't step on her foot," he said in a way that only a Father can say it.
"Yes, Sir. I understand." I hesitated. "Dad, I need to tell you something."
"Is it about this topic?"
"Yes, Sir. I need to let you know that Bella and I broke a whole place setting. It was only once, and we made the decision that place settings are really too expensive for people our age to break, so we decided that we won't break any more."
"Was the place setting wrapped in bubble wrap?"
"No, Sir. I'm sorry, but it wasn't."
"And Bella didn't have any insurance on the place setting, did she?"
"No, Sir. She didn't.
"Edward, I know that I had this discussion with you. You know how precious your place settings are to protect. I know that I taught you about bubble wrapping them."
"I know, Dad. I know."
"When did this happen?"
"The day I got arrested. Everything was just so emotional already, and we just needed to be close to one another. We didn't mean for it to happen."
"When was her last period?"
"I honestly don't know. We've never talked about that…topic before."
"Well, has she had one since you two, um, broke your place setting?"
"I don't know. I don't think so."
"Don't you think this is something that you need to be talking to Bella about?"
"Yes, Sir. I plan to. I just didn't want to worry her unnecessarily."
"At this point I don't think it would be anything but necessary."
"I'll talk to her about it, this weekend."
"I think that would be a good idea, Son. You do realize that if she is pregnant, you are responsible, don't you? It was your responsibility to protect her."
"I know, Dad, and I'm sorry. May I be excused?"
"Do we understand each other, Edward?"
"Yes, Sir. I understand."
"Then you may go." I stood to leave the room, and I looked back around at Dad. He had stood and walked to the window where he was staring outside. His usually perfect posture was slumped against the sill, and as much as I wanted to go and comfort him, I knew that it was because of me that he was suffering so. I silently left the room and went back to the kitchen to help Mom and Bella finish cleaning it. They were just about done, only the sweeping and mopping left to do, so I grabbed the broom and started to sweep. When Bella grabbed the mop and started to mop after me, I sent her upstairs. I told her that I'd finish it up and meet her when I was done. She nodded and left the mop in the bucket for me.
Bella was waiting for me on my bed when I finally joined her in my room. "Well, how did the talk with your dad go? Did he overhear us?"
"Yeah, he did. He heard everything, but he gave me a way out. He was really good about it, but he made it clear that we're not to do it again in his house."
"What exactly? What we were doing this morning?"
"No, Bella. All of it. Or none of it, depending on how you look at it."
"He knows that we made love? How did he find that out? Is he gonna tell Charlie?"
I took a deep breath to steady my voice. "Yes, he knows. Bella, I told him."
"Why, Edward? Why would you tell him? Wasn't it bad enough that he knew what we did this morning? Why did you have to volunteer that information? What possible reason could you have to tell him?"
"He's my dad, and I trust him. He's never let me down before, and I trust him now."
"Then I trust you."
BPOV
The morning of homecoming was hectic. We had overslept that morning, and we were running late. We grabbed a breakfast bar as we ran out of the door, Edward grabbing both of our bags and slinging them in the trunk. He drove like quite the maniac to get us to school on time, and he pulled into his parking space just as the first bell rang. We slid into our desks with moments to spare causing Mrs. Sims to give us a dirty look and cheers from the rest of the class. Fortunately, we had our book in our backpacks since we didn't have time to stop by our lockers.
The rest of the day was fine, if you could call school fine. The day ended with our weekly pep rally. Edward was pumped up and looking good. The student body cheered him on when he was announced as starting quarterback, to Jessica's dismay. She and her followers just stood still and refused to cheer him, but the rest of the squad made up for their lack of support, as did the crowd. It was as if the whole situation had been forgotten by everyone but Jessica and her goon squad. Then Coach Davis announced the seniors, and the crowd went wild. It was the best pep rally of the season.
The football team and the cheerleaders stayed after school to get ready for the game. It was unusual for us to be required to stay, and I was missing my pregame time with Edward. We usually talked and kept each other calm. That day, for some reason, I was worried. I didn't know if it was for him or me, but something had my skin crawling. I tried to talk about it with Alice and Rosalie, but they both told me that I was just missing my man.
As we were hanging the banners, Alice asked, "How are you and Edward doing?"
"We're great. He's still having his moments, but we both know things are gonna work out in the long run. We're just waiting for the DNA testing to come back," I said.
"I guess it would be hard on the two of you, going through this right at the beginning of your relationship. I don't know if I could stand it if Emmett had been accused of raping someone," Rosalie said.
"Sure you would. You know Emmett better than that. Even I know him better than that, Rosalie," I said.
"Emmett and Jasper are different from Edward, Bella. They see what they want, and they go for it," Rosalie said.
"What in the world would make you say that, Rosalie?" I asked.
"I kept hounding Emmett about the girl that showed up to play lip tag at that football game. Edward lied, Bella. The guys did know them. They met those girls at summer football camp. All three guys went out with them. I don't know about what Edward did with his girl, but Emmett and Jasper had summer flings with theirs," Rosalie said, tears starting to run down her face.
"I'm so sorry, Rosalie. I didn't know. Are you and Emmett okay?" I asked.
"We're on the mend. We're not sleeping together right now. He's gonna have to re-build my trust before we get that part of our relationship back," Rosalie said.
"What about you and Jasper, Alice?" I asked.
"We're okay. He told me about Samantha on his own, the next week. He doesn't lie to me, not if he wants me to stay with him, that is. I forgave him then," Alice said.
"You don't seem surprised," Rosalie said.
"Edward told me about Natalie and him on the way to the party the night that they came to the football game. He said that he didn't know about Emmett and Jasper and the other girls, what went on with them, except that they met at football camp, that is. He told them at the time that he didn't wanna know," I said.
"So you knew that Edward lied to both of us," Rosalie said. I nodded. "And you didn't tell us." I nodded again. "Why would you betray us like that, Bella? Why?"
"Edward told me in confidence. The only reason he said anything was because he was explaining to me the nature of his relationship with Natalie. I asked him about Emmett and Jasper and what their relationships were with the others, and he told me that he didn't know and that he didn't wanna know," I said.
Rosalie had tears running down her face. "So, you chose your friendship with Edward over your friendship with Alice and me. It's nice to know where I stand with you, Bella." She threw down the banner that she was working on and walked away, wiping at her eyes. Alice looked between the two of us, and, with tears forming in her eyes, she put down her banner and ran after Rosalie.
I sat down on the bleachers and put my head in my hands. My friends had a point. I had betrayed them. Could I say anything that would make it up to them? I couldn't think of anything that would change the fact that I had, in all reality, chosen Edward over them, and given the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn't change anything. I knew in my heart that Edward was my soul mate then, and nothing had changed that fact over time. In actuality, the certainty had only grown stronger. Edward and I were meant to be together for eternity. My God, how I missed his hands around my body at the moment.
I eventually got the banners hung, but not before all of the fans began to arrive for the game. I waved at Carlisle and Esme as they took their usual places in the stands. Once all of the banners were finally in place, I went to the field house hoping that Edward would peek out before the game. I waited against our tree with my fingers crossed.
I must have been daydreaming because when his two hands enveloped me and pulled me into his embrace, I jumped. Edward laughed, and when his lips found mine, I melted into his arms. "What were you thinking about so seriously?" he asked me when he broke our kiss.
"Alice and Rosalie are mad at me," I said. "They know that you lied to them about those girls, and they know I knew about them. Jasper and Emmett both cheated on them."
"So they came clean?"
"Yeah. Jasper told Alice the week after they came to the game, and Rosalie just found out. Rosalie is mad at me because I knew all along, but she doesn't realize that Alice knew even more than I did for almost as long. Now, Alice has gone to comfort Rosalie because Rosalie said that I picked you over the two of them."
"Well, sweetheart, you sort of did," Edward said as he pulled me closer to him. He was dressed out in his uniform, but he didn't have his pads on, yet. "Come on, let's go for a walk. This is too public." He put his arm around my waist and led me to a deserted area near the cafeteria. He looked around, and then he started kissing me with much more passion. His hands started roaming, and he pressed himself against me.
I broke away from his mouth. "Edward, what are you doing? We definitely don't have time to do this, and especially not here. What if we get caught?"
"Bella, you're all that I can think of, you in that cheerleader's uniform. I can't take it. Bella, I'm lost with you, and I'm lost without you. I'm sorry that I'm being so pushy, but I just think about you, and I'm thinking of being with you, in you. I don't know what's wrong with me."
"You're a teenaged boy," I laughed, bringing myself closer to him, kissing him. I broke the kiss, and moving my head to his ear, I whispered, "I want you, too. I don't wanna wait any longer. I don't wanna be good. I wanna make love with you again, but not here, Edward. Maybe tonight, after the game, we can stop by our waterfall."
"That sounds perfect." He reached out and lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. He kissed me again and again, and I would have never stopped. Unfortunately, we heard Jasper's voice in the near distance, coming closer.
"Edward, Bella, I'm coming around. Get decent," he said. Edward slowly lowered me to the ground, and I shifted my uniform to a better position even though it hadn't been truly altered during our make out session.
"What the hell, man," Edward said as Jasper rounded the corner.
"Coach is looking for you, and I thought it would be better if I found you first," Jasper said. "It's time for the run through. Next time, you need to set an alarm on your watch, Bella." I blushed, wondering what he thought we were doing back here. "I'd hate for anyone but one of us to find you two back there, um, occupied."
"Thanks. Bella, we've gotta go. We're both gonna have to answer for this," Edward said. I only nodded. Mrs. Hall was gonna have my hide. We grabbed hands and started to sprint back towards the football field, Jasper in tow.
We split apart at the field house. Edward and Jasper went inside, and I headed towards the field where the run through banner was being held up by the other cheerleaders. I silently slipped into the crowd, sliding in next to Alice.
"Where were you?" Alice asked under her breath.
"With Edward. I met up with him after the two of you left," I said.
"You need to redo your make-up. He messed up your lips pretty badly during your make out session. You're in enough trouble as it is. Here, duck behind the banner and use this. I had a feeling that you'd need it," Alice said. She handed me a lipstick and a small mirror. I ducked behind the banner and applied the lipstick, my lipstick. She must have gotten it from my bag before she came out with the banner. The rest of my make-up would have to do.
"Thanks so much. You're a life saver, Alice!" I said under my breath. "How mad is Rosalie?"
"I think I explained things to her. I think that she is still angry with the situation, but hopefully not as mad with you or with me," Alice said. "I'm just as responsible, you know." I nodded, but didn't say anything.
"Not to bring up bad blood, but how can you be okay that Jasper cheated? And why didn't you come to me? Bad friend!"
"Bella, it's not as if you weren't going through hell that week, if you will remember. I couldn't add anything onto what you were going through. My God, girl. Edward had just been arrested! I only found out that Wednesday or Thursday. You still weren't really keeping down your meals at that time. Who was I to add another problem to your list? You'd just left home; you and Charlie weren't speaking, and you're still not. You'd just gotten the boyfriend that you've been dreaming of your whole life."
"But I was still your best friend, besides Jasper, and he'd done something to hurt you. That left me …" At that time the guys began to gather behind the run through banner. Jasper and Edward were in the lead, along with the seniors. I smiled at Edward, and turned back to Alice, noticing she was smiling at Jasper. It was a genuine smile, one that went all the way to her eyes. I knew that they were truly okay, and it made my heart smile. I looked back at Edward with a wide grin. I mouthed the words, "I love you," and he did the same as the others began to put small holes into the break through banner. Then, all hell broke loose! The band started playing our fight song, the boys broke through the banner and ran screaming to our side of the field, we cheered them on, and then chased them, ending in our area, just behind the home team bench, inside the fence that separated the field from the spectators. We did our routine to the rest of the fight song, and when it was over, we began our slate of cheers.
The game was great! Though everyone knew we picked a relatively easy team to play for homecoming, I think that we were all surprised at how effortless it was to run up the score. As halftime neared, the the scoreboard read 63 – 0, our way, of course. The last possession before the half would belong to the opposition, and almost immediately, they threw an interception which we ran eighty yards for another touchdown. The score was now 70 – 0, and that was the moment when Mrs. Hall decided to unveil our new pyramid. We were so pumped! I don't think anyone in the stands could have had as much adrenaline flowing through their veins as I did at that time.
The build-up of the pyramid went without a hitch. The crowd was standing to show their appreciation for both the boys and our pyramid. Okay, who am I fooling? I know that they were standing for the football team who had just finished their best half of football all season, but I could pretend, couldn't I? I got ready for the dismount, and when the head cheerleader gave the signal, I did the back flip off of the top, just like I had so many times in practice before. The last thing I remember before I felt the most unreal pain in my right ankle was Edward's voice screaming my name. Then I heard someone else shouting, and I remember thinking that if only she would shut up, my head wouldn't hurt so badly. It took me some time to realize the person who was screaming was me.
"Bella, are you okay?" Edward had my head in his hands but he wouldn't let me move it. "They didn't even try to catch her! They just stepped away and let her fall!" I didn't know who he was talking to.
"I saw it all, Edward," I heard Mrs. Hall's voice coming from somewhere on my left side. The pain was getting better. As long as I didn't move, the pain was slacking off.
"Bella, did you hit your head?" I knew that voice, too. Where is he? I tried to move my head again, but Edward wouldn't let me. "No, Bella, honey, you can't move your head, yet."
"No, I didn't hit my head. I landed on my ankle. That's the only thing that hurts," I said. I felt strong hands take my head from Edward's hands and start feeling around on my neck.
"Tell me if I hurt you, okay," Carlisle said as he felt my neck, back, shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands. He not only felt them, he made every motion known to man with them. "Okay, Bella, I'm gonna check your left leg and hip now. Tell me if anything hurts." He felt the hip, knee, ankle and foot. Then he moved them all around. "Okay, Bella, I'm gonna start on your right side, next. I know that this is gonna hurt. Edward, go ahead and sit her up so that she is leaning against you." I felt Edward's strong hands lift me, and he scooted up under me so that he was holding my torso to his. I could see what was going on for the first time. Carlisle was feeling my right hip and my right knee. Then he picked up my right foot. I couldn't help but to cry out in pain. He looked to the football trainer who had come over to help. There was someone else who was behind her that I didn't know. He was dressed in the other team's colors.
"Melanie, I'm gonna hold her ankle steady. I want you to untie her shoe and take it off of her." The trainer began to do what he said. I was okay until she tried to take the shoe off. That's when the pain hit me full force. I cried out again, and Edward whispered for me to squeeze his hands. I couldn't do that. He was the quarterback. What if I hurt him? I clamped my teeth as tightly as I could and held my breath. I didn't breathe again until the shoe was off of my foot. They then cut the sock off.
The swelling was already immense. Carlisle pinched my toenail, and then he grimaced. He looked over to Mrs. Hall and told her to take off my other shoe. She did so quickly, and he pinched my other toenails. He frowned, and then he pressed on the top of my foot at several places, and his frown grew larger. He pressed behind the bones on my ankle, and I cried out with pain. He pressed on the toenails on my injured foot again, and he looked very unhappy.
"What's wrong, Dad?" Edward asked.
"Not now, Son. Melanie, hold her foot steady. I need to examine the fracture," Carlisle said to the team trainer, and she took my foot and leg where he had been holding them. I couldn't help but to scream in agony as he pressed and felt around my ankle. "Melanie, do you have a Doppler in your supplies?"
"No, Sir, I don't," she said.
"I'll go check the ambulance," the stranger from the other team said.
"Tell them that we're gonna transport to the ER," Carlisle said. The stranger ran across the field where the ambulance was stationed just in case there was an injury. "Alice, go to the announcer's booth and get them to announce that if Dr. Sam Rushing is in the stands, he is needed on the field. And Alice, hurry."
In the background, I was somewhat aware that the homecoming ceremony was going on. I guess that the announcer didn't wanna interrupt the ceremony, because the next thing that I heard over the speakers was Alice's voice saying, "Screw you and your stupid ceremony. Move out of the way. Dr. Sam Rushing, if you are in the stands, you are needed on the football field. Dr. Sam Rushing, if you are in the stands, you are needed on the football field. Now you can get back to your stupid ceremony."
"Get back. Move out of the way. Clear a path. Dr. Cullen, what do you need?" a man dressed in a blue uniform asked.
"Start a large bore IV of LR then give her Morphine Sulfate five milligrams slow IV push," Carlisle said.
"What do you have, Carlisle? I figured that you'd call me if you needed me," Dr. Rushing said, kneeling down beside Carlisle.
"She's got a fracture/dislocation of the right ankle. I'm pretty positive. She's lost her posterior tibial pulse, and her dorsal pedal is being compromised by the swelling. Her cap refill is up to about seven to eight, and it's getting worse. I could try to relocate it, but I really don't want to try without films. I'd really feel better if you were the one to do it. I've got five milligrams of Morphine on board," I heard Carlisle say as I started drifting off to sleep.
Carlisle POV
"I'd feel better about doing it with films, too, Carlisle, but if her cap refill is that bad, we don't have much of a choice. You hold her leg, and I'll take her foot," Sam said.
"Edward, you're gonna have to hold onto her. This is gonna hurt," I told my son as I gave her foot to Sam, and I got into position to hold her leg above her ankle. If anyone could reduce the dislocation of Bella's ankle and restore the blood supply to her foot before it was too late, I knew that Sam Rushing could do it. He was the best orthopedic surgeon in town. I took her leg, and after glancing at Edward, I nodded at Sam. He pulled and twisted and shifted Bella's ankle. She woke up long enough to scream, and then she passed out from the pain.
"Okay, I think that does it. Hold her steady, Carlisle, and let me check her pulses," Sam said. He felt around her foot, and his smile told me that her blood supply was restored. He checked her toenails, and once he let go of them, they turned pink again, this time only taking two to three seconds. "Thank God, it's back. Okay, let's get it splinted so we can transport her."
I held her leg, ankle, and foot steady while Sam fabricated a make-shift splint to keep her lower extremity aligned during the ride to the hospital where he would place a more permanent splint on it. He worked fast, and soon we were ready to load her into the ambulance. As we put her onto the gurney, she was still unconscious. Edward started to follow her into the ambulance, but I pulled him aside. "Edward, you can't come with us," I said.
"Why not, Dad? I wanna be with her. Coach Davis will understand. It's not as if we're in a close game," he said.
"That's not the problem, Edward. You're still on house arrest. You can't go anywhere except to school and the house. The hospital is off limits. Finish the game, and go home. I'll ride with Bella and take care of her. We'll meet you at home as soon as possible," I told him.
"That's not fair! I've been good! I've done what I'm supposed to do. They'd understand, Dad. I know they would. Please! Let me go with her, Dad, please!"
"No, Edward. You can't. I know it's not fair, but that's where your life is at the moment. I'm sorry, Son, but we've got to get her to the hospital, now." We had walked back over to the ambulance's doors. I climbed into the back, and looking at my son, I said, "Back up so we can shut the door, Edward," and as he backed up, I did one of the hardest things that I'd ever done in my life: I shut my son out. I turned and took a seat. "Let's go," I called up front, a frog in my throat.
"Carlisle, what was that all about?" Sam asked me.
"Edward has gotten into a little trouble with the courts. He's been accused of something by his ex-girlfriend, and he's on house arrest for the time being until the investigation is complete. He can't go anywhere except school and home," I said, running my hand through my hair.
"Oh, God, no, Carlisle! Is there anything I can do? Anything at all? For you or Esme," Sam said.
"No, we're making it okay, one day at a time," I said.
"You remember when my boy got into trouble with the drugs? I didn't think that we'd ever get our lives back in order. You and Esme were there, Carlisle, when most of our colleagues turned their backs on me. I just want you to know that Lisa and I are here for you, for anything you and Esme may need. My door is always open for you," Sam said, clapping his arm around my shoulder.
"Thanks, Sam. We're trying to keep it as quiet as we can. Edward doesn't need the added pressure right now," I started to say, but Bella started to moan, and I leaned over the gurney. "Bella, honey, it's Carlisle. We're on the way to the hospital. You've broken your ankle."
"Where's Edward?" Bella asked, her voice weak and shaking.
"He's still at the game, Bella. You know that he couldn't come to the hospital. It would violate his house arrest, sweetheart. We'll see him at the house," I said.
"Thank you, Carlisle. I knew that he'd wanna come, and he'd get in trouble if he did. You did the right thing," she said as she shuddered.
"Are you hurting again?" I asked.
"Yes, Sir. It's throbbing really bad," she said, tears running down her face.
"Give her another two mg of Morphine Sulfate," I said to the paramedic.
"Yes, Sir. We're pulling into the ER entrance now," he said. I heard the beeping of the reverse gear starting to go off and grabbed hold of the side of the ambulance so that I wouldn't be slung over as the turn was made into the ambulance dock at the emergency room. When the doors opened, Sam and I jumped out in order to allow the paramedics to get the gurney out of the back. They wheeled Bella into trauma bay one, and as the gurney passed by the triage nurse, she asked if Charlie had been notified that Bella was there.
"No, I want to get more information, then I'll personally call him with a report," I said, answering her question. She nodded and left to do the paperwork. I walked into the trauma bay and said, "I want a trauma panel and a right ankle series, right now. Someone get a Doppler and check the pulses in her right foot, but be very careful of the splint." One of the nurses started drawing blood and one moved to Bella's right foot with the Doppler to listen to her pulses which sounded loud and clear. Everything was going according to schedule until the portable X-ray machine was brought into the room and the X-ray tech started to do the X-ray. "What do you think you're doing?" I asked. "Put a lead apron on her! I've taught you better than that! You never do an X-ray on a menstruating female without a lead apron unless you know her pregnancy status! You know better!"
"Yes, Dr. Cullen! I'm sorry. I forgot the apron, and I thought it'd be okay since she's so young," the X-ray tech said.
"It's never okay! Go get the apron! Now!" I yelled, and Sam looked at me.
"Take it easy, Carlisle. She's got her pulses back. We're going to be okay," Sam said. I looked at him, and then I looked around the trauma bay. Everyone was frozen in place, staring at me. The usually chaotic room was silent except for the incessant beeping of the machines that were attached to Bella. As the X-ray tech came back into the room with the lead apron, I left and walked to the physician's station outside of the trauma rooms.
"Where's her chart?" I asked, and the charge nurse handed me the chart that they had started. I began filling out the history and physical part of it, and I cosigned the lab and X-rays that I had ordered. The area cleared as Sam came out of the trauma room and took a seat next to mine.
"Carlisle, what's going on? I've never seen you lose it like that, and this isn't really a bad trauma at this point," Sam said, his voice lowered so he wouldn't be overheard.
I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Sam. I guess that I'm just worried about Bella."
"I have a feeling that it goes a little bit deeper than that. You really bit his head off."
I looked around to make sure that I wouldn't be overheard. "There's a chance that she's pregnant with my grandchild," I whispered. "She and Edward, well, …"
"I'll take care of her, Carlisle. You take a break. You're too close to this one, buddy." I nodded, and he got up and went back into the room with Bella. When the X-ray tech returned with the films, Sam brought them out to go over them with me. The dislocation was correctly reduced and the fracture was well aligned. "I'm going to go ahead and put a more permanent splint on her, and you can take her home. Are you going to call Chief Swan or do you want me to?"
"I'll call him," I said, and I heard the printer start with the results of the labwork. I got up and walked over to gather the results which I reviewed before I went back to the desk and picked up the phone.
"Chief Swan."
"Charlie, this is Carlisle. I'm at the Emergency Room with Bella. She had an accident at the ballgame, and she's broken her ankle. Dr. Rushing is here, and he's put it in a temporary splint. He's going to have to cast it in about a week, once the swelling's gone down some, but it should heal without any problems."
"What happened? Did she trip over her own feet or something?"
"No, she was the top of that new pyramid they've been working on, and when she did her back flip off the top, Jessica and Tanya just stepped away. They didn't even try to catch her. She hit the ground wrong, and the ankle just snapped."
"What do you mean, 'they didn't even try to catch her'? You mean they just stood there?"
"Pretty much, yeah. It was touch and go for a while. Initially, her ankle was dislocated as well, and the blood supply to her foot was cut off, but Sam was able to get it put back into place fairly quickly."
"This is because she's determined to be with Edward, isn't it? I tried to tell her that he's not good for her."
"Look Charlie. I'm not going to listen to you berate my son. I think that the two of them make a good couple, and Edward is definitely not responsible for Jessica and Tanya's actions. I called to let you know about Bella's injury, and I'm getting ready to take her back to the house. If you want to ask me anything that doesn't involve criticizing my son, then I'll listen, otherwise, this conversation is over."
"Can I talk to Bella?"
"No, she's on some pretty strong pain meds, and they've got her sedated. I'll tell her that I talked to you and that you want to talk to her tomorrow when she's had some time to rest."
"Okay. Thanks for calling me, Carlisle."
"You're welcome." I hung up the phone and then called Esme to come and get us.