Okay, so I lied. I was so into this chapter that I couldn't stop editting until like 3AM (I had to be up at 6 to go to work) and I rushed home and finished it for you guys! This is the first of many confrontations to come between Aden & Edward and like the beginning of most meaningful relationships, they just don't know whether to kiss or strangle each other yet. They'll figure it out, promise.
Twilight and Twilight characters are (c) to Stephenie Meyer.
Warning: Story (will) contains Male/Male pairing. Later chapters will be rated M.
The test results had come back as expected, my head in perfect working order, at least from a medical standpoint. In fact, the only thing worth fussing over had been an aggravated shoulder. Get hit by an eight-seater van, spend a week in a sling. A more than fair trade all things considered.
Dr. Cullen smiled warmly at me, "You're free to go, Aden. Just stay in bed and rest for today and go easy on the arm - keep the sling on as much as possible, especially in the first week. You still may feel some soreness or stiffness after that, which is normal, but if the pain persists than give us a call. You hit your head pretty hard so if you feel any dizziness just come back in and we'll take another look at it, better to be safe than sorry, right?"
I nodded absentmindedly, eager to be away from the hospital. The sooner we could get home, the sooner I could convince Charlie that I wasn't waiting for him to turn around so I could drop dead. I slid off the gurney by myself, shooting Charlie a pointed look when his arm reached out to help me.
"The discomfort will last for a few day so I'll write you out a prescription for the pain."
"No!" I interrupted him, his hand stopping in mid-reach for his pen. "I'm fine, really. I won't need anything."
Carlisle's eyebrows raised, his face tight behind the smile, "You sure?"
"Maybe you should take it, Aden," Charlie pressed, "just incase."
"No," I told both of them, giving Charlie a particularly leveled look, "I am alright. I won't need it, I promise."
Dr. Cullen seemed much more convinced, a real smile returning with his easy acceptance.
"Alright then Aden, you are cleared to go home," I tried to return his friendly expression, "Hopefully we'll see each other again," he paused thoughtfully. "Under better circumstances of course."
His eyes were filled with words he wasn't saying but without a second thought, expression neutralized and before I could protest Charlie was saying his thanks and all but carrying me out of the room.
We made our way out of the heart of the E.R.., dodging people and gurneys the whole way - a game I wasn't especially good at. Charlie easily found our way to the waiting room, being on the force had given him a little more practice with the hospital. Once we got there I continued towards the door, never wanting to see the cruiser more, but Charlie's hand was stopping me, pulling me back and practically shoving me into an uncomfortable seat. The cushion was stained, I intently tried to ignored it.
"The doctor said you need to rest. Humor me, okay? I have to go sign some paperwork. You should call your mother," my eyes widened, "Don't give me that look, what was I supposed to do?"
I nodded, biting my lip, as he took off.
I honestly had had every intention of staying put and waiting for his return but as I felt for my phone, finding only an empty pocket, I realized I had left my cell in the examining room. I looked over at Charlie, he was 6th or 7th in line and I knew from experience that hospital paperwork was never a couple signatures and off you go, I had time.
I hadn't counted on my poor sense of direction in my calculations and before I had enough sense to turn back, I was thoroughly lost. All the halls looked exactly the same, the numbers on the identical doors meaning nothing to me. I realized dejectedly that I was going to have to resign myself to flagging down a nurse and asking for directions. Finding anyone wearing scrubs that wasn't occupied with a patient in some form of emergency, however, was proving harder than I imagined.
I was about to head off in another direction when I heard a familiar voice, his voice, and before I had a conscious thought to do so, my feet were following the sound of it. The closer I got to him the more upset he sounded. The last time I had found him using that tone he hadn't been to thrilled to see me. The scene in the school's Main Office ran through my head, causing me to peek around the corner fastidiously.
Edward was with his two sisters, Rosalie and Alice. The blonde seemed to be utterly furious, Edward barely less so. But of the Cullens, it was once again Alice's face that stood out to me. Frustrated, certainly, but mostly somber. I didn't know who I should be more terrified of.
"What was I supposed to do, Rose? Let him die? Is that what you would have done?" Edward hissed.
"This isn't just about you! It's definitely not about him! What about us, your family?" She spat back.
Alice's eyes lifted slowly off the floor with a tired grace. She searched both of their faces and finding nothing pleasing she shook her head and looked away, catching sight of me.
"Guys!" Alice cut into their argument, grabbing Edward's arm, he shrugged her off.
"Do you think I'm not concerned for all of us?" His voice was disbelieving.
"I don't know! Are you?"
"GUYS!"
Edward turned to look at her and they stared at each other for a mute second. His eyes grew large and he instantly turned to look straight at me. It took only a blink of an eye for the two girls to look as well. Rosalie squinted, appearing as if she would have been perfectly glad to kill me on spot. She turned her menacing stare to Edward who only acknowledged her out of the corner of his eye as she shook her head and stomped silently down the hall.
The air was thick for a moment.
"Hi Aden," Alice's voice was high and chipper despite the scene that had just unfolded. It was smooth and child-like, fitting her perfectly. "How are you feeling?"
I stuttered over my response.
"Will anyone in this family ever do or say what I expect them to?"
"I'm fine," I mumbled.
I had never seen any of the Cullens, Edward withstanding, up close before. But having seen Carlisle and now standing just a few feet away from Alice, I realized just how alike and different they all were.
Edward leaned into her and I could see him whisper something far too quietly for me to hear. She instantly shook her head.
"I should go find Rosalie, try to calm her down."
Without waiting for a reply, or a protest from the looks of Edward's expression, she took off in the same direction her sister went.
Being alone with him made his presence so much more overwhelming. It was hard to think with us so close, the sound of my breathing sounding too heavy in my ears. I was suddenly aching for even Rosalie's hateful glare if it came with the courage to speak.
I watched the side of his face as he stared out the window, willing him to say something. His jaw was clenched but his eyes were soft and searching.
"Maybe he's feeling self-conscious too."
The thought offered me enough strength to form words.
"How did you stop the van?"
It wasn't the most delicate tacit but it was the most forward. If previous conversations were any indication, anything but directness was simply a bush for him to beat around.
I refused to look away, even as his eyes met mine.
"How did you stop the van?"
I was glad to see the smile back on his face but I didn't overlook the sidestep.
"Edward," I said seriously, "How did you get over to me so quickly?"
His smile fell, his eyebrows gathering together. "I had plenty of time to get over to you, I was only a few cars away."
I glared at him, my anger rising to the surface, unable to be tamed. "Yea? Than why does your father seem to think I'm so damn lucky?" I spat the last word out as if it was burning my tongue.
"What're you talking about?"
"Don't do this, don't act like I'm an idiot. You told him. I lied for you! I lied to everyone for you! And you told him!"
I was letting myself get so far off course but I didn't care, not in that moment.
"You didn't lie to anyone," he said calmly, as if he was dealing with a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.
"Yes, I did. I told them all you pushed me out of the way…" As soon as I said it, I saw the angle he was playing.
"Than you didn't lie, I did push you out of the way," he smiled, "You simply evaded the rest of it."
I let my face relax, falsely mirroring his calm demeanor, "You're absolutely right. And tomorrow, when someone at school asks me how you got to me so fast, I guess I won't lie then either. Maybe I'll just evade and tell them that I don't know. That you covered the distance inhumanly fast and that I can't explain it. Then maybe then you can lie for yourself!"
His face hardened, the muscles in his arms visibly tightening beneath his shirt.
"Need I remind you, again, that you had your turn at the van as well. They won't just be asking question about me."
I smirked, his implicated threat amusing me.
"You took the brunt of it," I said with a shrug, trying desperately to keep the grin off my face.
He stared at me for a moment, all his features softening. The corners of his mouth slowly turned up as he barked out an unexpected laugh.
"That won't work here, Aden. Its not the same as unscrewing a jar lid. You can't just say I loosened it for you and expect that to explain anything."
"I know it isn't the same thing," my anger was melting away and I hated him for it.
He raised his eyebrows, "Oh? Do you?"
"Of course," I explained, "I wouldn't need you to open a jar lid for me."
He rolled his eyes but laughed again. I kicked myself as I realized how much I liked the sound of it.
"Besides," I pressed, "At least I got hurt. I think that means you automatically have more to answer for."
"You got hit by a van and you dislocated your shoulder, you're not off the hook."
My headache was coming back.
"I'm not trying to get off any hook," I said desperately. I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep myself focused. "I just don't know why you told anyone."
He sighed, turning back to the window.
"Its not what you think. Carlisle won't tell anyone, he would never try to hurt you," his voice was so soft and earnest, "It never occurred to me to not tell him," our eyes met once again, "You can trust him, I promise."
I nodded, too tired to fight his sincerity. His eyes dropped to my arm, cradled in its bright blue sling.
"And I am sorry you got hurt," his face was pained with regret. "I wasn't being careful, I didn't think it through."
"It would have been worse if you weren't there."
"Would you of…?"
"Died?" I silently finished.
"No," I said out loud, shaking my head. "But definitely worse."
"Then I'm glad I was there," he was still quiet, still not looking at me.
"But how?" I asked. "How were you there?"
He only kept my eyes for a moment before they chased down the hall after Alice and Rosalie.
"I can't really tell you. Its not just me at stake here," his defeated posture begged me to let it go.
"I would never hurt your family."
I took a few tentative steps towards him. We were close enough that I could have reached out and taken his hand to reinforce what I was saying, but I didn't dare, not knowing what his reaction would be. I wondered how his cold skin would feel when I knew to expect it.
"I wonder if his skin would still shock me. I wonder if I would still like it."
I forcefully curled my fingers into my palm. I noticed then that he had been doing the same thing. I stared at his fists curiously.
"Its more complicated than that," he spoke, letting out his breath slowly. "My family members aren't the only ones I don't want getting hurt."
When I looked up from his hands he was once again staring at me. Not soft like before, his whole expression was wooden, restrained. He wasn't telling me something, we were dancing and it irrated me. I took another step forward. Our feet were almost touching.
He cringed slightly, his muscles tightening around his eyes. I waited for him to take a step back, away from me, but he didn't.
"I won't let anyone get hurt because of me," it came out as a whisper, I hadn't intended it to be one.
He looked down the few inches at me, Alice's somberness now staring back at me in Edward's eyes. The sadness made him look even more beautiful, the vulnerability making him seem seventeen for the first time.
"I won't let you get hurt because of me."
His words sounded more of an admission of defeat than a promise, the tone sounded more enervated than resolute.
My mouth hung open just slightly, there were too many responses, too many questions. Before I could pick one a different voice called out my name.
"Aden! There you are! What happened to staying put?" Charlie asked, less than amused.
"I got lost," I mumbled, my eyes not able to leave Edward's face, my mind not able to come up with a more intelligent excuse.
"You got lost?" He said the words slowly, snorting as he paused. "You got lost… while sitting in a chair?"
Edward smiled too, finally looking over at Charlie.
"Its my fault, Chief Swan. My father said Aden would be in the waiting room and I wanted to come by and see how he was feeling. I thought he had hit his head a lot harder," Charlie still looked skeptical. "He asked me to show him where the bathrooms were and we got a little sidetracked, I wanted to show him the courtyard," he explained, waving towards the window.
Charlie looked warily at me, "I'm sure you had nothing to do with it," I tried to look innocent. He looked back at Edward, my small crime forgotten. "I suppose I owe you some thanks."
Edward's eyes sought out mine and I realized he wasn't sure exactly what story I had given Charlie. I smiled, "I told him you pushed me out of the way."
"Oh," he said slowly. "Its no problem, sir. I'm just glad I was there."
I took a deep breath, biting my lip, before turning to my father.
"It's a good thing he was. He saw me fall as I got out of my truck. I was floundering around like a fish out of water," I caught Edward's surprised stare for a moment. "I never would have gotten out of the way in time."
Charlie's expression was an even mixture of horror and amusement.
"Can't leave you alone for a minute," he said, not noticing Edward's cocked eyebrow. "Alright, you've done enough damage for one day, lets get you home. Thanks again, Edward."
Even as Charlie began walking away, Edward's eye bore into mine. Like me, he had so many questions.
"See you tomorrow," I said in the most convincing voice I could muster at the moment.
He nodded.
I took a few steps away, immediately missing the close proximity. I turned around, staring out the window.
"And thanks - thanks for being there."
He shrugged. "I wouldn't have missed it for all the world."
I snorted, turning to follow Charlie out to the cruiser, swallowing everything I desperately wanted to say.
I'm having a tiny bit of trouble with the next chapter, but I'm off Saturday so hopefully I can power through it and have it posted on Sunday.
Thanks for reading!
P.S. I made some changes to Ch. 8 and reposted it. Nothing important, only minor details.
