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Chapter 9: Rescue & Reprieve
The world was fuzzy, but gradually the dark gave way to light. There was a throbbing in the back of her head. Bella allowed her mind to take in her current position.
Her mind catalogued every sensation she was feeling. Bella realized she was laying on something hard. Whatever it was it wasn't paper covered by the standard examination table paper, nor was it soft. So immediately that ruled out home or hospital soon the anxious flutter of hands across her cheeks and hands indicated she was nowhere near proper medical facilities.
Her lips grimaced with the pain of her head; she struggled to sit up, fighting a brief wave of dizziness. "Oh!" the fluttering hands tried to keep her down, "You shouldn't get up too fast dear." The overwhelming smell of rose perfume permeated her consciousness. 'Damn' she thought as she realized who the fluttering hands were.
Struggling to sit up against the ineffective hands, "I'm fine" Bella bit out. She took a moment to make sure nothing else was hurting, she was thankful that she hadn't reinjured her wrist or leg again. Mrs. Cope couldn't do anything but continue to pat her like a puppy. "Are you sure?" she asked quizzically, Mrs. Cope gripped Bella outstretched hand. "We can call the ambulance or even your dad."
"No!" she half growled, "I'm fine." Bella said pulling herself up. Pushing herself off the cool concrete she forced the wave of dizziness away. The dark spots behind her eyelids flickered briefly in to her limited field of vision.
Stilling her body long enough to fight the brief nausea that bloomed in its wake, she could feel Mrs. Cope hovering, anxious about being the first person in the school to injure the newest member of the school. "Are you sure?" Mrs. Cope asked, "I'm sure your father would not take kindly about having this 'incident' swept under the rug."
Bella scowled at the over perfumed secretary. "No, I don't think he would take it well." She bit out angrily. Mrs. Cope reached down gripping Bella's bicep, "Well let's get you inside, so we can take a look at that bump on your head." She pulled Bella up from the bench with more force than she would normally give a student.
Bella let out a small hiss of pain from under her breath; she knew Mrs. Cope's grip on her bicep would most likely leave small oval shape bruises on her skin.
Bella stumbled against the insistent pull of the secretary, "Can you slow down a little?" she asked, she was fighting against the slight dizziness that still lingered. Her feet trying not to slip on the plastic coated carpet covering, her cane practically useless as it dragged behind her. "Please." She begged, "Can you give me a second?"
It was then the world righted itself and gravity enacted its universal force. She landed on the floor with a small expulsion of air. In her slightly panicky state Mrs. Cope turned, looking bewildered that the student she was trying to help, in wonder.
Bella didn't move from her new position, she allowed her cheek to maintain contact with the cool plastic floor runner. "Oh dear, are you sure you don't want me to call your father." Bella just closed her eyes, forcing herself to take slow deep calming breaths. With her body lying on the floor she could feel the slight vibrations of someone walking purposefully toward the office.
Taking a deep breath she gathered her strength willing herself up off the floor when she felt the cool air swirl in from the open door. She heard the click of the latch and the intake of surprise from the new arrivals.
"Oh My…" Mrs. Cope said softly under her breath, she released Bella's arm and released her arm from her tight grip.
There was a sharp intake of surprise then the room was filled with a voice that was familiar to her. "Bella", the voice simply stated, she allowed herself to relax for a brief moment against the cool plastic. "Carlisle.", she replied with a smirk.
She heard the smile in his tone, "I knew that you would be one of our frequent flyers." He replied, as he gently lifted her up from the floor. Mrs. Cope fluttering helplessly around her, "Mrs. Cope, why don't you go and let the nurse know that we'll be in the infirmary in a moment."
Bella heard the shuffle of Mrs. Cope as she went off on her errand. "So Bella, care to explain?" he asked, just as Bella took a moment to gather her thought as small chime like voice piped up. "Carlisle…"
Bella's head whipped toward the source of the new voice. She was surprised to learn that there was someone else in the room with them. The tell tale sounds that normally marked the presence of another person was absent.
"Oh, sorry," his voice chagrined, "Bella, meet my daughter Alice. Alice this is Bella." Bella felt the tight steel like grip wrap around her, "It's nice to meet you finally." Alice said warmly, "My dad was supposed to give you my phone number, but I think he forgot." She laughed lightly as Bella attempted to return her quick hug.
Bella found her voice, "He didn't actually, I misplaced the paper and seeing how I can't see shit, writing anything down is hit or miss anyway." She offered with a sheepish shrug "Oh well I can fix that, hand me your phone." Bella reached in to her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, she handed it to Alice "There I'm speed dials number eight; you have to promise me that, that number stays between you and me, ok?"
All Bella could do was nod. "Good!" she chirped, "I'm going to run our homework to our teachers. She felt a slight breeze as the door clicked behind her. Reaching up she pushed back a strand of hair that slid across her face.
Carlisle kept his light hold around her waist. Bella took a breath, settling her racing heart. "So doctor what brings you here?" she asked.
He chuckled, "My daughter actually, she insisted on turning in her homework before the family leaves for the hike." Bella smiled, "Daddy's little girl?" she asked with a smile.
They stopped in front of the nurses table, "My children have very persuasive personalities, especially Alice." He paused, "Ok hop up on to the table."
Bella reached behind her, feeling the table, then she hopped on, "So you're a push over?" Bella said with a smirk. "So do you often indulge in your children's whims?"
She felt Carlisle's hand slid under her dark mahogany hair. "Does this hurt?" he watched as she winced, "My children all have a knack for being extremely persuasive."
Bella heard Mrs. Cope reenter the small nurse's office, "Dr. Cullen, is she ok? Or should we call her father and have him pick her up."
She stiffened at the thought of letting her father take another day off from work. She knew that he didn't want to spend the day babysitting her, and she knew she didn't want to be baby sat by Charlie. "I'm fine really, I can't take another day off, and I'll be further behind than what I am already." She offered. Carlisle reached over and gently squeezed her hand, "Mrs. Cope perhaps if you give me a moment."
"Of course Doctor" She said as she left the room, "Bella, if you don't want to go home today, how about you come home with Alice and me. I'm sure she would rather be home than hiking. She's more of an indoor girl." He laughed "she's rather clumsy for such a small person. Hiking is definitely not something she actively enjoys."
Bella sucked in her lower lip; she began to chew lightly on it. "I don't know" she hedged, "I wouldn't want to be a burden." Pushing her hand through her thick hair she tilted her head up. "If Alice is ok with babysitting I wouldn't mind."
Carlisle chuckled lightly under his breath, in a tone that couldn't have been heard by anyone else he said, "I think Alice is extremely excited to have someone outside of the family as a friend. She doesn't have very many people she could call a friend." He lightly squeezed her shoulder, "Now let's see if we can spring you from this joint?"
She heard him leave the room, he spoke with Mrs. Cope. Bella leaned toward the open door, "Is the Chief on the phone?" Mrs. Cope answered with an affirmative sound.
"Hello Chief Swan." Bella rested her chin upon her palm, she had decided not to actively try and listen to the conversation between Carlisle and her dad. "I'm calling about Bella, I'm here at the high school, No, she's fine." She listened as Mrs. Cope's typing slowly stopped. Snickering softly to herself she realized that although she was actively trying not to listen, didn't mean that others we're as courteous.
"Chief, I was wondering if I could ask a favor. My daughter sprained her ankle yesterday in gym. And the rest of the family had hiking on the agenda today." Bella could hear the smile in his tone, "Yes I know. It's lucky that I am a doctor. She's extremely clumsy."
"What I was going to ask is for permission to have Bella come over for the day and keep Alice company. I think that by tomorrow they'll probably be the best of friends, and maybe they'll have a couple of classes together."
"No Charlie, It wouldn't be a problem. In fact I think this may be the perfect solution, I don't have to worry about leaving Alice at home while and Bella can have someone help her out tomorrow."
"Yea that's great, we'll drop her off tonight around five tonight." Bella listened as he softly set the phone on the cradle, suddenly she felt tight steel bands wrap around her waist. Mumbling under her breath, "somebody ought to put a bell on you."
She heard the soft chuckle of Dr. Cullen, "Oh Bella we'll have so much fun!" squealed a chime like voice behind her. Bella startled.
"Now Alice, she's had a rough start, nothing to stressing today." Bella sensed that Carlisle's quiet authority stopped whatever Alice had planned.
"Come on let's get you out of here." Bella felt Carlisle's firm grip wrap around her and eased her off the examination table. Leaning toward Carlisle, she tilted her head up and whispered, "I'm fine really, and you can just drop me off at home."
"Bella, I just promised the Chief of police that I'll personally watch over you, and what about Alice, she's so excited."
With a soft snort Bella mumbled, "That's what I'm afraid of." Dr. Cullen, steadied Bella on her feet before releasing her, "Come on let's get you out of here."
Bella fumbled around for her cane, when she felt the smooth cane slip in to her hand, she nodded quick thanks, and then flicked it out. Carlisle lightly gripped her elbow. He let her go ahead as she stepped in front of him, "after you."
She heard a soft murmur and the jingle of keys. "I'll be right back" chimed Alice. Bella felt the soft breeze as Alice slipped out of the office.
"So Doc, do all your patients get such special treatment?"
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Settled in the front seat of the large black Mercedes, Bella leaned back and listened to Alice chatter on about various subject, fluttering from one topic to another like a butterfly, she would stop only to ask a question, and if she wasn't fast enough to answer would continue with what she thought Bella would have answered.
Every once in a while Carlisle would interject something or chuckle softly at something Alice said. Bella often would smile at how relaxed they both seemed in each other's company, she compared it to her relationship between herself and Charlie.
She listened to the soft purr of the powerful engine, taking in the sweet scent of the air, and the luxurious leather interior. She thought about how if she hadn't decided to live with Renee how her life would be different. She wondered if would have her vision, if her mom would have been left in a mental institution.
Bella chastised herself, she felt the tell tale burn in her eyes signifying that she was on the verge of tears. Pulling up the walls she had in place since the accident she forced herself to listen to the nonstop chatter that Alice continued to provide.
Smiling she tuned in just as she said "Oh, and you are totally a winter palette!" Smiling Bella shook her head, "Alice, I'm not in to the whole shopping, fashion thing. In fact if I can't see it then it really doesn't matter that much to me."
She heard the soft gasp of surprise, from the back seat, and the chuckle from next to her. "Bella! You can't mean that."
Carlisle look in to the rearview mirror, he smirked at the pout Alice had on her face, "Alice, I don't think that pout will work on Bella."
"See what I mean Alice, If I can't see it …" Bella left the statement unfinished with a slight smirk.
She heard the slight huff of annoyance from the back seat, "Bella I think you will be the perfect balance for little Alice." Carlisle said.
"I'm not little."
Snickering Bella felt more relaxed than she had been since before the accident.
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