A/N: i am so happy with all the reviews right now, i decided to post the next chappie now i'm so glad you all responded so positively! i totally love you more than you can know. cookies and cupcakes for all reviewers!
be warned, this one might be a bit of a bubble-popper. i actually cried writing it. anyhoo, without further ado( hey that sorta rhymed, lol)...
cheers!
temporary insanity
Be The One Who Catches All Your Tears
He knocked anxiously on the door of Chief Swan's home. Over and over again he knocked. He was so excited he was bouncing around like someone doing the pee-pee dance.
"Can you stop knocking already, I'm coming—Edward? What's going on?! Is everything--?"
"You won't believe it, Chief Swan! She's awake! I woke up this morning and there she was, staring at me with the most beautiful, innocent and confused expression. She wants to see you Chief Swan! She remembers you. She remembers everything and she remembers the things I talked to her about when she was unconscious. She says it all felt like a dream. Her physical therapist says that we can work together and she'll be walking again soon! Oh, Chief Swan, you have to see her!" he sounded like a four year old describing a fireworks display or the Air Force Thunderbirds. Or a meteor shower. Or Armageddon. Or a volcano eruption. Or a tornado. Or Disney World. something equally life altering and amazing.
Charlie stared at him blankly. "W-what?"
"Oh Come on, don't act like you haven't been waiting for this since the moment you knew about the accident. Let's go, Chief Swan, she wants to see you."
"Oh?"
"Well what my Bella wants, my Bella gets. Now let's go."
"She's okay?"
"Yes, she's going to be perfect. But she'll be even better if you'll hurry up and get your jacket. Let's go!"
"Okay, okay." Charlie let himself get dragged out to Edward's car, a silver Volvo and shoved into the passenger's seat. "Should I be afraid?"
"Of me driving? Not at all." And he peeled out of the driveway.
****
Despite Edward's maniacal driving, they managed to make it safe and sound. They hustled upstairs where they found Bella sleeping peacefully.
It brought tears to Charlie's eyes as Edward reached out and brushed her cheek. "Angel Face?"
"Ewar…"
"Heya Bella. There's someone here to see you."
"Who?"
Charlie saw that as his cue. "Hi baby."
"Charlie? Dad…" She started to cry when he did.
Edward quietly slipped out of the room, deciding to head to the cafeteria and get them all some food. When he came back fifteen minutes later, he found father and daughter deep in conversation.
"Ahem."
Bella's face brightened dramatically. "Edward! Hi. I was just telling Daddy about the story you were reading me."
"Would you like me to keep reading to you? There are only ten chapters left."
She nodded excitedly. He chuckled at this as he leaned down to kiss her forehead again. "Your father says that if you didn't have your nose constantly in a book, you'd cut your accident rate in half."
She laughed. "He's probably right. But… that's a risk I'm willing to take. Besides," she added sourly, "I don't think that's much of an issue right now."
"Don't be upset, Bella."
"I'm not… I just… okay, maybe a little. It just seems like my every attempt to start fresh always gets screwed up."
You have no idea, thought Edward painfully.
"But I guess you've been there too, I guess. Being given an opportunity to get it right and then something going wrong."
"Are you saying it's only a matter of time?"
She shook her head. "Not like what you're thinking. I know you've made an effort to change. But maybe it will be something out of our control. Or maybe you'll screw up, but on accident. It happens more than people like to think, you know."
"Yeah. It's called Murphy's Law."
"Yeah. Who'd a thought that my first day of school I'd be the meat in a van-truck sandwich?"
"Who'd a thunk it?" muttered Charlie sarcastically.
"What?"
"Nothing I just… don't see how you can talk about this so lightly."
Bella shrugged, wincing at the motion. "Why cry when you can laugh?"
"Why laugh when you want to cry?"
"You tell me, Edward. Why laugh when you want to cry?"
Edward sat, taken aback. "Maybe Laughing is easier. Maybe laughing helps you contain and control the pain."
"Well maybe crying is the only way to let go."
"Have you cried lately, Edward?"
"Have you?"
They sat silently, staring at each other for the longest time.
A single, fat tear rolled down Bella's cheek and clung to her chin.
A single, fat tear fell on Edward's hand, splashing dramatically.
A single, fat tear mirrored the many that the heart of this father had cried over the loss that he had suffered, the loss his daughter had suffered, and the loss of this hurting young man who saved her life.
A single, fat tear rolled down Edward's face when he opened his eyes and awakened to the sound of the steady, beeping rhythm of his love's unconscious heart.
