The sirens were the first thing that I registered. I was lying helpless somewhere, moving fast, with lots of people talking over me in rushed, panicked voices. One particularly loud tone stood out from all the rest.
Charlie.
I'm here Dad.
I tried to speak, but it was useless. I felt pinned down, unable to speak or even move. It was like a vise was clamping down on every area of my body, not permitting me to even move one muscle.
I tried again. Dad...
Can you hear me, Dad?
"Bella...I'm here...Bella...it's going to be okay...we're going...hospital...hear me, Bella?...are you awake?...be fine..."
Charlie's stricken voice hit all my senses, and I wished that I could speak to him, reassure him that I was all right, that everything was going to be fine.
But as of right now, I wasn't sure if that was the truth. I was all hazy, fading in and out of consciousness, and I could only catch certain words.
I felt a rough bump, and then a cool male voice, detached from all of this, spoke. "Sir...away...ambulance. You aren't...to ride with us."
"She's...daughter..."
"I'm...sir, but...can't...with us."
My world was extremely fuzzy. I was losing consciousness every few seconds and couldn't hold onto a single thought. I could barely hear anything, and the words I had managed to be awake for were soft and faraway, like they weren't really there.
"...You're okay...Bella..."
Then I faded out once again.
I came to with the sounds of bustling all around me. People were shouting, there were electronic noises, and I could hear a steady beep beep.
I hovered in the void between real life and dreams a few more times, until I gradually became more aware of my surroundings. I flexed my figures minutely and focused my senses.
There was a machine beeping incessantly next to me, and a hot hand resting on top of mine. There was a sound of pacing, and low voices talking at the far right of the room.
I rested, lying still and trying to become accustomed to everything around me – not willing to rush it in case I slipped again. But after a few minutes, I became impatient, and quickly opened my eyes, blinking as I took in the harsh hospital light.
"Bella!"
Charlie had seen my eyes open and he rushed over to me, hovering anxiously above me. Beside him, Jake's brown face peered concernedly down at me.
I felt a rush of irritation. Why was he here? We had a fight, and as far as I was concerned, we had not resolved it. Far from pleasing me, his presence at my bedside annoyed me.
"Hey...Dad," I managed to croak out, my eyes only on him. I would sort out things with Jake later, when I was stronger and more coherent.
Relief washed over his face, and he and Jake laughed weakly.
"I was so worried, Bells. You scared us."
"I'm sorry," I said weakly. I felt guilty. Charlie had been scared, anxious...all because of me. How unnecessary it seemed.
"Don't worry about it, Bells. You're okay now, I think. You had a panic attack. Mike's death just shocked you."
If I focused on his face, I could clearly see Charlie was uneasy, for some reason. My eyes flicked to Jake. He had the same kind of expression, but a lot more stiff, clear anger tracing every plane of his face, barely contained.
"How long was I...out?"
"For about nine hours, Sweetie. You really did a number on yourself."
"Nine hours?" I struggled to comprehend. "What time is it now?"
"It's around 12, I think. Visiting hours are over, but...anyway, you have to stay here overnight."
Something about the way Charlie had cut himself off had made me suspicious. Visiting hours were over, yes, but he was family, not to mention the Chief of Police. Why would he have to worry about visiting hours?
Perhaps he had been talking about Jake?
No, Charlie could have snuck him in. He was a police officer; he didn't have to worry about trivial things like that. Jake would have come with Charlie.
I frowned distractedly. If Jake had been touching me – which I assumed because he was always warm, who had Charlie been talking to? I had sworn there were more than two people in the room...
I struggled to raise my head, and Jake hastened to support the back of my skull with his hand. I looked up, my gaze scanning around the room. There was potted plants, bright lights, a white screen with x-rays splayed haphazardly across it.
But no one.
I looked back at my father and my boyfriend, studying their faces. Jake's was hard with cold fury, because undoubtedly he was angry at me about my swearing at him. Charlie's was uneasy, worried, which was natural, but I detected a slight hint of...confusion?
"What's going on?" I asked bluntly.
They shared a glance before Charlie turned back to me. It seemed unspoken that he would talk, since Jake seemed unable to speak currently.
"You...have a visitor. In the waiting room."
He framed his words carefully. I cocked my head, confused. They were getting this upset about a visitor?
"Who is it?" I asked curiously, flexing my fingers again. I was getting stronger and my head was getting clearer with each passing moment. I could see the tubes pumping fluid in my arm, and I realized I was wearing the embarrassing hospital gown that had no back. Thank God I was lying down.
Charlie shifted uncomfortably, and Jake's face darkened, scowling more than ever. "A boy from your school." Charlie seemed unwilling to say his name.
"What's his name, Dad?" I was getting tired of all this dancing around.
With my luck, it was probably one of my school friends, most likely Jessica, Angela, Eric, or Tyler. They had probably heard all about my stupid panic attack by now and were floating around the hospital, trying to see me and acting all concerned.
"Edward Cullen."
This time Jake was the one to speak, and I glanced at him. He was looking at me with his black, unforgiving eyes, staring down at me with a kind of heavy judgement I couldn't understand.
I swallowed. "Edward's...here?"
"Yes."
"How long?"
Charlie understood my question. "Five hours."
I was shocked. Edward had been waiting to see me for five hours? He actually knew about my panic attack? He cared enough to wait for that long?
"How did Edward know I was here?"
Charlie looked embarrassed. "Well, I told a few people..."
"Dad!" I chastised. Then a horrible thought hit me. "Did you tell Mom?"
Silence.
"Dad!"
"She's your mother, Bells. She had a right to know," he stated, unrepentant.
I had to collect my thoughts. "So, you told his – Edward's – parents? Or it got around to them?"
"No," Charlie said, scratching his head thoughtfully. "I don't know how he knew. Maybe Dr Cullen."
I frowned. "Dr Cullen?"
"Yeah, Edward's dad. He works at the hospital sometimes."
I frowned. Jessica had told me that he stayed at home. I quickly dismissed her explanation. Most likely, she knew nothing.
"Well, Christ, why didn't you send him in?" I exclaimed, sitting up immediately.
Charlie looked confused; Jake scowled. "We weren't sure if you wanted to see him."
"Oh," I said lamely. "Well, I do want to see him. Can you go and get him?" I hated asking them, but if I didn't, then they would leave Edward out there forever and he would think I didn't want to talk to him, when I so desperately wanted to.
Jake and Charlie shared another look. Charlie shrugged and heaved himself off the railing. "Sure. We'll wait outside."
"No," I protested feebly. "You can stay here."
"I'd...rather...not," Jake bit out, seeming to struggle with the words, and Charlie nodded sympathetically. What the fuck? "Come on, Son," he said, guiding Jake out of the room.
I sank back into my pillows, incensed. Since when was Charlie all for Jake? I was aware that my father thought of Jake like a son, but he didn't even know Edward. Why the hell was he taking Jake's side over Edward's? These thoughts continued to swirl around in my head like hot lava, only making me more angry.
"Hello, Bella."
All my rage dissipated with that seductive velvet voice. I smiled widely at Edward, automatically moving up the bed to see him better.
"Hi."
He smiled at me, his glistening teeth shining in the light. It caused me pain to look at him, to see how beautiful he was; it was etched in every plane of his face. My breath caught with desire as he watched me with those hypnotizing eyes.
"How are you feeling?" He took a seat at the far end of the room, where he had apparently been before I had woken up. He gazed at me intensely and I felt my skin begin to heat up under his gaze, sunshine running through my veins. I felt hazy and hot. He always had this effect on me, it seemed.
"I'm doing okay. I had a panic attack after my friend Mike's death...and there was a lot of trouble going on, you know?"
He nodded as though he understood, though there was no way he could have possibly. Hell, I wasn't sure if what I said had even made sense to myself.
"I'm sorry to hear about that." He was composed. "I've been out of school for a couple of days so I didn't know about it."
He said that like I didn't know he and Alice had not been at school. I wasn't about to tell him that I had missed them both desperately and wondered obsessively when they were coming back.
I played it cool. "Were you? Oh, right. Where did you go?"
He seemed amused, judging by the slight smile gracing his lips. "I went camping with my family. I'll be back at school tomorrow, like I told you."
I remembered him telling me he'd be back on Thursday. It was etched in my brain. "Oh. I don't remember."
Edward nodded, and stretched out lazily in his chair. He didn't look like he believed me at all. I was a horrible liar.
Something sparked in my brain and I got curious. "But wait...I thought you said you had a dentist appointment?"
He smirked with victory. "I thought you said you didn't remember?"
Fuck.
"I just remembered," I clarified, hoping to save face. He chuckled and splayed his slender white hands out on the arm of the chair.
"Right."
We lapsed into silence and I didn't know what to say; tongue-tied around the god. How would I bring up what I really wanted to talk about?
"Umm..." I voiced, starting a sentence, and then lost my courage.
Edward looked at me curiously. "What is it, Bella?"
"Um...why are you here?"
Edward was puzzled, and slightly hurt. "Do you want me to go?" he rose from his chair.
I panicked. I wasn't ready for him to leave me."No, no. No. I don't mean...that. I just mean...well, why did you come in the first place?"
He tilted his head, confusion written all over his face, and a hint of frustration too. "I'm afraid I don't really understand what you're saying."
I flopped back down on my pillow, exasperated. How would I start to explain..."Well, you didn't have to come...and yet you did. I'm just wondering, why. I don't mean anything to you, I mean, you don't consider me your friend, or anything..."
Understanding lit up his face and he 'tsk'd. "Oh. I understand now. Bella, Alice and I consider you our friend. Why else do you think I'm here, visiting you? The only reason she isn't here is because she is...indisposed, at the moment. She can't leave the house yet."
My body flushed with pleasure at his admission, but I quickly shook it away. "Well, thank you – but how did you know I was here? My dad says he didn't tell you."
Edward's eyes darkened, till they were almost black. He shook his head, like he was dislodging a negative thought.
"My father told me. He works here occasionally. You know that, Bella." His voice was cautious, controlled.
"And they just hired him? When he only arrived a couple of weeks ago?" I knew the Cullens had arrived only a week before school started.
He stiffened almost imperceptibly. If I hadn't been watching him sharply, I would have missed it."You're sounding loopy. I"ll go get my father."
He walked towards the door quickly, his stride fast and hurried.
"Wait," I called out frantically, but he was already gone, only a swish of unnatural wind to indicate he was ever there.
