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Chapter Ten

Alice and I had been so quiet sitting together that she had put her head on my shoulder and fallen asleep. Renee had returned from her call with Emmett and Alice's mom and the look on her face was that of sheer exhaustion. She and I exchanged half-hearted smiles as she returned back to the chairs she and Charlie were occupying. I looked at my watch and was shocked to see that it was 11:00 at night. I hadn't been outside since we got to the hospital and there was no way of knowing whether the sun or moon was out from the waiting room.

I was about to drift off myself when Emmett, Jasper and Rose came back into the room bringing food for Alice and I. Alice awoke and when she met Jasper's eyes she could have lit up the room. It was nice to see that despite everything Alice still had someone who helped her keep that amazing energy.

"Hey baby" she cooed as Jasper brought over a container from the Italian restaurant down the road from the hospital.

"Edward, follow me!" Emmett was standing in front of me, waving a bag with food in it.

"Emmett, I'm not hungry." I grumbled trying to dismiss him.

"Nope, not going to work that way Cullen. Get your butt up now, you and I are going to step outside so you can eat and get some fresh air."

"Emmett, I'm not going anywhere." I growled this time.

Emmett handed the bag over to Rose who was standing beside him, put his hands on my arms and very forcible picked me up out of the chair onto my feet.

"Do you really want to do this with me?" He asked looking very menacing. I wasn't sure if he was serious or not, but I will admit I was a little scared.

"Emmett, stop man handling that poor boy now." Renee said as she walked over to the two of us. Her tone was very motherly and Emmett melted immediately, letting me go.

"Edward, listen to Emmett. You need to eat and you need to get out of here for a little bit."

"Mrs. Swan…." I started to protest. For a minute there I thought she was on my side but that was not the case.

"First of all Edward anybody who saves my daughter's life is too much like family to call me Mrs. Swan. I expect Renee or I will be highly offended. Second of all, you need to get out of here and regain some of your sanity." I opened my mouth to say something but she put her hand up, cutting me off in that same motherly way. "You and I both know that she will not be waking up in the next few hours and given the time, the doctors are not going to give us an update anytime soon. Go, go with Emmett, eat, get some fresh air and come back with a clear head for when our Bella wakes up." Our Bella. God I loved those words and being a part of our.

I lowered my head knowing there was no way in hell I was going to win this argument. Having Renee speak to me in that tone made me think of Esme. I bet those two will love each other if and when they meet. I really hope it's when.

"Edward I promise I will call you if anything happens." Alice said as I turned to follow Emmett out of the room.

Emmett and I made our way to an outdoor patio area off of the hospital cafeteria. There were tables and chairs and Emmett made his way over to one of them and began pulling food out of the bag. The air was cool but not chilly which was unusual for Seattle in November. The cool air was nice and helped to pull me out of my daze a bit.

"Edward" Emmett said to me, pointing to the food he had laid out for me and the chair he expected me to sit in. "Normally I know Charlie would be the one having this conversation with you, but as we both know his mind is elsewhere at the moment that leaves me in charge of things."

I looked up at Emmett with confusion. "Emmett what the hell are you going on about?" I began to dig into the container of baked ziti that was laid out in front of me. I didn't realize how hungry I was until the smell of the wonderful food hit my senses. It tasted as good as it smelled.

"Edward Cullen, what are your intentions with my sister Bella." I started to choke on the food in my mouth.

"What the fuck!" I mumbled, spitting food out trying not to gag.

"Edward I want to talk to you about Bella and the feelings you have for her." He was grinning from ear to ear, but I could tell there was an air of seriousness to his humor.

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about." I said while wiping my mouth.

"Edward, don't bullshit me. I know you too well. Despite the whole manly image that people see in me, I am pretty observant and I know what it looks like when someone has feelings for someone else and buddy, it's written all over your face." He looked quiet smug in his declaration.

"Emmett…I…don't…I…mean…yes… aw fuck, Emmett I don't know!" How could I possibly tell Emmett what I was feeling when I wasn't even sure.

"Edward, I'm not going to give you shit about liking Bella. I just wanted you to know that I'm here to listen to you. I see the turmoil written all over your face as you try to work through this and I wanted you to know that I am here for you."

I was shocked, speechless. Did he really see that I was in turmoil? Did the others?

"Emmett, I really don't know. I cannot stop thinking about her. Cannot stop thinking about everything. I have never met anyone like her before in my life. I see how all of you guys care about her, see the way the world seems to light up with her in it. She is…well she is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my life. I love the way she smiles, I love the way her warm brown eyes light up and the way her long hair falls beautifully around her shoulders. I love her laugh and the way she sighs in her sleep. I love how good it feels to have her touch me, how good it feels to hold her in my arms and how good it makes me feel about myself when I get to do those things." I couldn't believe I just said all of that, let it gush out of me and to Emmett of all people.

"Damn boy you have it worse than I thought. That is a lot to take in at once." He chuckled.

"I'm such a mess. My head and my heart are at war with one another. My head tells me that this is all too crazy. That I'm a pervert for feeling anything but protection for her right now and my heart is telling my head to shut the hell up!"

"Edward, how does what you're feeling make you a pervert?"

"Because I'm feeling them now. She has been through hell and come back and the last thing she needs is me pining over her now like a love sick puppy. And why now, why is it now that I feel these things for her? It is completely inappropriate. This isn't a movie Emmett, this is real life and it shouldn't work this way." I threw down the empty fork I had been holding in my hand this whole time, suddenly disgusted with the food but knowing it was really me that I was disgusted with.

"Edward, first of all you didn't just develop these feeling for Bella in the wake of this nightmare and second of all, we cannot control who or when we fall for someone."

"What do you mean, just developed?"

"Edward, I'm not blind. I know you have had a thing for Bella since you first met her. And it was much more than the way she draws people in. Bella made you smile when she walked into the room. You would tell me about the little "Bella things" Alice would tell you and there was love in your tone. I saw how you watched her, not with lust like that jerk Newton and a lot of the other boys in her life, but with so much more. I was going to say something to you a long time ago, but with all of the shit you were going through with Tanya, I knew the timing wasn't right."

"I know this isn't some hero complex you have going on right now. I know eventually you would have realized this on your own and hopefully done something about it, but unfortunately the issue got pushed a little closer to the fore front because of this."

He was right. I knew he was right, but I couldn't admit it, then or now. I had been instantly attracted to Bella from first sight. When I walked in the room and saw her standing there, this wave of warmth swept through me. I wanted nothing more at that moment than to talk to her, touch her, kiss her and be with her. But I didn't do anything about it, because of the shit with Tanya, because I'm stupid and because a part of me thought I couldn't be good enough for her.

"It doesn't really matter now though does it? Things have changed. I have to be there for her in a different light now. Things just have to go back to the way they were before." I looked off to the skyline as I said these words. I felt like crying, knowing that I couldn't think of Bella that way anymore.

"Edward, don't be daft. Nothing has changed. You still have those same feelings for her and she still has them for you."

My head shot back around and glared at Emmett. "What are you talking about?"

"Edward I know you were in the room that night of the rush party. I know you heard she has a crush on you."

"But that…Alice just said that because of Mike." I so wanted to believe it was true, but refused to get my hopes up. "The look on her face, I've never seen anyone that mortified. "

"You know to be so smart, you can be so dense. She was mortified because she was suddenly the center of attention and we both know Bella hates that and because you were in the room. I know Bella as well as my sister does and I know that she has a major crush on you, well had, because it is so much more now. I have never seen Bella look at any other guy the way she looks at you. For all that Bella is she never sees herself that way. She doesn't think she is good enough for you, doesn't think she is even in the same league as you and that's why she was mortified. She was afraid of what you would think of her."

"But that's ridiculous, if anything it is the other way around." I said. Bella was so beyond me it wasn't even funny.

"You both are ridiculous Edward. You both are so much alike. Neither of you sees the potential in yourselves. Neither of you sees how wonderful and special you are. She is beautiful and loving. You are handsome and generous. I have never seen two people better fated to be together."

I could not believe he said that. I wanted to believe that he is right. I wanted to think we are fated to be together. I just sat there, his words running through my head over and over again.

"Edward I can honestly say, I have never really thought any guy was good enough for Bella and deep down neither has she. She's quiet and a lot of guys see that as an advantage, see her as being a girl they can easily dominate, but they are quickly surprised when she calls bullshit on them. I have seen guys walk away from her in shambles when she does that. She isn't mean about it, she just has this level that she reaches with guys and she quickly turns the tables on them. But you Edward, you are the first guy I have seen her genuinely interested in. No one has ever really reached her on the level you have. And so when I see you two together I know that there is no one I would rather see Bella with then you, and no one she would rather see herself with. I know you will take care of her, be good to her and love her the way she deserves."

Wait love?

"Love?"

"Yes Edward, love. I'm not saying you should run to her and profess your love, asking her to marry you, but I know that you love her and when you quit being such an ass you will fall in love with her and she will with you. Spend more time together, get to know each other better and let it take its natural progression. Don't brood and over analyze things, just let them happen and you both will be very happy."

I just looked at Emmett and nodded my head, knowing full well he was right. I never thought Emmett would see things this way, never thought Emmett would see me this way. Never thought he would be the one making me realize I needed to just get over it and let this happen. And then I realized more than anything I wanted this to happen, just the way he said it would. I had to spend more time with Bella, get to know her better and let this progress as he said. I made my mind up to quit questioning every little thing and just be with Bella.

Of course I couldn't let Emmett know he was right, I would never hear the end of it.

"Emmett, something you said, it really has me thinking." I smirked

"What Edward?" he answered completely unaware.

"You think I'm handsome?" I leaned towards him and put my hand on top of his.

"Edward you're such a prick! We both know you're not my type." He said shoving my hand off of his and turning beet red. I could not help myself, I just busted out laughing. It was the first time all day I felt anything remotely normal. Man did I need that!

"Try to pay a guy a compliment and this is what I get." Emmett mumbled to himself.

Emmett sat there quietly for a few minutes just watching me laugh. "It's good to see you laugh again Edward."

"It feels good to laugh" I chuckled. I looked at Emmett seeing for the first time just how worn out he really looked.

"Emmett, how are you holding up?"

"Well, I've had better days, but for Bella, I'll pull it together!" He bowed his chest up and slapped it with his palm to show his resolve. I knew that would be all I got out of him.

"What about Alice? She has been very quiet."

"Yeah well, Alice is a different story. Those two seem to have a unique connection, like nothing I have ever seen before. Did you know she is the reason that Bella was only 17 when she started college?"

I looked at him questionably.

"Because Bella's birthday is in September, Renee and Charlie had to decide if she should start at four or wait another year until she was five, almost six to start. Alice is three months older than Bella and she was going to start that year regardless. Alice over heard Renee and mom talking about the fact she and Charlie were thinking about waiting another year for Bella to start which would put her a year behind Alice. Well Alice lost it. This tiny little five year old stood in the middle of our kitchen and screamed at Renee, screamed that she could not allow the two of them to be separated. When mom tried to calm her down, she refused to listen and began holding her breath. Mom yelled at her, did everything she could to get her to breathe but she held her resolve. Shaking her wouldn't even help. She was turning blue and just about to the point of passing out when Renee rushed over and told her that Bella would start at four and that the two of them would be together. Alice let out a big gasp of air, kissed Renee on the cheek and said thank you and flitted out of the room like nothing had ever happened."

"Wow" I shook my head in wonder. "That sounds just like something Alice would do oddly enough."

"She is a mess!" Emmett conceded. "She says the two of them are platonic soul mates, that they were destined to be best friends and that they complement each other. I have never seen anything like the two of them together. It's almost like they have their own language, kind of like what they say about twins. Sometimes they don't even have to speak, they just know if that makes sense."

"Believe it or not it does. I can see that, have seen it."

Things grew quiet again. Both of us sitting there, letting everything wash over us.

"She'll be ok, Edward." Emmett said, patting me on the knee. "Bella is going to be ok and so will the rest of us. Now finish eating young man, or I will have to beat your ass, and I'm not joking about that!"

"Yes sir!" I said with a salute and went back to my Ziti.

After I finished eating, Emmett and I went back to the waiting room. Renee and Charlie had fallen asleep cuddled up next to each other. Alice was finishing her meal and Jasper was talking to her lightly about nothing in particular. Rose was thumbing through a magazine, but I could tell she was not really interested. When she saw Emmett her face brightened. He went over to her and the two of them sat there quietly holding hands.

There was a couch in the corner open and I went over to it and laid down, knowing I needed to get some sleep myself. But all I could think about was how empty my arms felt, not having Bella in them.

I must have fallen asleep at some point though, because the next thing I knew, Emmett was shaking me, trying to wake me up.

"Edward, wake up man, the doctor is here."

His words made me bolt up from the couch. It took me a moment to get my vision together. I looked at my watch quickly and saw that it was 8:43 in the morning. I looked up and saw Renee and Charlie standing by the doctor. Renee was looking at me, motioning me over to them. I got up and quickly walked over to them, fearing the worse.

"Thank you for waiting Dr. Brady." Renee said "Please go ahead." Evidently Renee had asked Dr. Brady to wait until I was awake and could hear the news.

"The antibiotics have done their job. Her temperature has broken and has remained at 99° for the past six hours. We just got her last blood test back and it shows her white blood count has reduced down to 11,000. While there are still traces of the infection in the blood work we feel that it will not be long until it has gone completely. We are also encouraged that her BP has remained normal and her resting rate bpm is down to 70."

Everyone in the room sighed. The air was suddenly lighter, like the tension had been sucked up into the ventilation system.

"As her temp has decreased and remained normal, we have been decreasing the amount of sedatives she is on." He paused for a moment and smiled before finishing. "She woke up about an hour ago. She is alert and able to answer questions. She's going to be ok." Smiles of relief suddenly appeared on everyone's faces.

"We are going to keep her in ICU for another 24 hours at least to make sure the infection is completely gone. Then we will move her to a private room. Given the progress, I think it will be ok to allow visitors in a little bit, but only two at a time. We don't want to push her immune system too quickly. I'll let you know for sure when you can go back."

"Thank you Dr. Brady." Renee said as she turned to hug Charlie. The other couples in the room also hugged before Emmett came over to me and spun me around in a typical Emmett bear hug.

"See brother! I told you she was going to be ok!" A look of pure joy over took his face.

Renee walked over to us and gave me a big hug. It was one of the best hugs I had ever gotten. A hug that was full of love, compassion, joy and understanding.

"I know Edward, I feel the same way." She whispered as she leaned up and kissed my cheek. It was at that time I became aware of the fact I was crying. Tears of joy were falling down my face.

Dr. Brady was about to walk out of the room, when he turned and looked at our group with a smile on his face.

"Oh and Bella is asking for Edward." he said with a smile and then turned and walked out of the room. We all stood there for a moment and then his words hit me!

Wait, Bella is asking for… me?

A/N Next to Edward, Emmett is my favorite and I wanted to give throw a little love his way and let him shine.