Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise, I just use their creations to have my wicked way with them. No copyright infringement is intended.
As always much thanks to my wonderful beta xparawhorextwerdx for kicking my lazy ass when I needed it and beta'ing this chapter while away at camp. Please take a moment to show her some love and vote for her storyLove will never die in the Indie TwiFic Awards (theindietwificawards(dot)com).
I'm sorry for the delay in posting. On Sunday I had a little epiphany about a character who will make his/her appearance shortly and I needed to stew on that idea a little more. I didn't want to post the chapter before I had it all figured out. (I know, I'm speaking in riddles again).
Headaches & Headlines
October 2009
Ouch!
It was the first thought that crossed my mind as I felt myself wake up slowly. My whole body hurt like it'd been ran over by a stampede of teenaged fan girls on their way to meet the Jonas Brothers.
"Fuck!" My voice sounded raspy and my throat joined the long list of body parts in pain, as my eyes slowly fluttered open, blinking against the far too bright light of day.
"Edward Antony Cullen! What kind of language do you think that is!" Esme scolded as she dabbed my sore forehead with a damp cloth. "What if Libby had been sitting here with me, would you have liked to explain your choice of words to her? Or would you have let Bella fix that mistake as well?"
I looked around dazed and confused at first but more sure of myself as I started to remember who I was, where I was and what the hell my mother was talking about.
"She told you, huh?" I groaned, my hands covering my eyes as I try to get my bearings. I could remember being released from hospital some time – yesterday, maybe? – ago and stumbling up the stairs, ignoring Emmett's remark about carrying me up. But pretty much everything that happened before and after that was lost in a clouded haze. I knew that Bella must have been there at some point because I could remember thinking that holding her in my arms beat any painkiller the hospital might have distributed, but I couldn't even remember if that was before or after we got back.
"Edward?" Esme asked, her eyes looking a little worried. "Did you hear anything I just said?"
"Lost in thoughts," I mumbled, finally able to uncover my eyes as Esme pulled the curtains closed. "Where is Bella?"
"In the guest bedroom," Esme explained. "I told her that if she got out of there before four in the afternoon I'd knock her over the head with one of your father's golf clubs. And, before you ask: no, I'm not waking her up. The poor thing was dead on her feet being by your side all day and night while also trying to take care of two young children….."
"What?" I groaned, reaching for a glass of water on the nightstand since my throat still felt like it was made of parchment. "How long have I been out?"
"For two, almost three days," Esme replied. "In your defense….you did wake up a couple of times, but I didn't think the words 'active' or 'responding' were applicable on your situation."
"Right." I tried to make sense of my situation as more memories came fluttering back into my brain. I knew there was something about a collapsing building and that my leg was in a cast. My shoulder felt as if it had been dislocated so judging by the pounding in my head and the way the rest of my body felt I had been right in the middle of the building when it collapsed. Wait……"Amy?"
"She's going to be fine," Esme smiled, sitting down next to me on the bed. "Carlisle went to see her this morning. If her recovery continues at the same pace they will be moving her from the ICU tonight or tomorrow."
"Her legs?" I remembered the little girl being trapped underneath a huge pile of debris, her legs invisible though probably badly damaged.
"She's going to be fine, Edward," Esme repeated. "Thanks to you the only reminders she will have of what happened will be some scarring on her legs and the memories of her terrible ordeal. You did good there, my son…..I'm so very proud of you."
"I was scared," I muttered, a shockwave of emotions following as every memory fell into place. "I thought I was going to die."
"We all did," Esme whispered. "When Alice called me………Let's just say it brought back memories of another horrible night…." She shook her head, almost as if the shake the memories out of it. "I can only imagine how it must have been for Bella to sit there and wait, just as I cannot begin to imagine how it must have been for you to be trapped underneath a building with a critically wounded little girl."
"At least we all made it out of there alive," I sighed, grabbing her hand and squeezing it while trying to ignore the jolt of pain the movement send through my system. "Did Bella bring Masen to Rose?"
"No, he's here," Esme smiled. "Do you want me to go get him?"
"Yes please," I nodded, trying to sit up. "Where is Libby? Is she at school?"
"Yes," Esme nodded. "We all thought it best if life went on as normal as it could for her."
"What do you mean?"
"You've attracted quite the audience, Edward," Esme chuckled, patting my uninjured leg. "By the looks of it every single reporter in town is camping out in front of the house. They all want to be the first to get a picture or an interview with the courageous doctor who saved the only child of senator McGregor."
"Amy's father was senator McGregor?" I muttered. I remembered how Amy had told me both her parents had busy jobs, but she never mentioned being the child of one of the most charismatic representatives the state of New York ever had. It sure as hell explained the presence of the reporters Esme had talked about. I doubt if they would have bothered if Amy were the child of some craftsman.
"Yes," Esme, smiled. "Alice is already putting your outfit together for when you sit down for your first television interview."
"Fuck," I groaned, the pounding in my head increasing tenfold with the thought of it.
"Edward," Esme hissed. "I am not handing your perfect, innocent little son to you if this is how you are going to greet him."
"Sorry mom," I muttered.
"I'll go get him, then," she nodded, her eyes still silently conveying her dissatisfaction.
I heard her softly close the door behind her on her way out and rested my head back against the pillows.
I was alive. Two days had passed without my knowledge, but I was alive and so was Amy.
I remembered bits and pieces of what it had been like to be trapped underneath piles of fallen down building, hearing the firemen as they dug their way towards us and being scared to death about the little girl lying trapped beneath me and the little girl at home I might never see again. I had never been so scared in my life.
Even now, when everything had turned out fine and I was back home, I still felt uneasy. It was as if something was missing. A vital element to knowing everything was going to be alright was still absent from this room.
Bella.
I remembered Esme's words about how she had been dead on her feet after staying by my side for days and I didn't want to add to that by waking her up. Still…I missed her. I craved her. Not having her by my side made me nervous, especially now that I had come so close to loosing her forever.
I heard the door open to my side and looked up to see the vision of heaven tiptoe into the room. It was as if she had read my mind.
"Shouldn't you be in bed?" I whispered as she sat down on the edge of the bed, a tear glistening in the corner of her eye.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" she countered, a radiant smile illuminating her tired face as she gazed down on me.
"Kiss me," I whispered. I needed to touch her, have her close to me, to be sure that this was real. "Please."
"Are you sure?" she asked, inching closer as her eyes settled on what must have been a battered and bruised body.
"Come here," I motioned, sighing with pleasure and relief as she finally closed the distance and kissed me, her soft lips conveying every unspoken emotion.
"You still haven't answered my question," she whispered against my lips as we parted.
"I'm waiting for Esme to bring Masen up," I shrugged. "What's your excuse? From what I heard Esme made the rules pretty clear to you…."
"I can't sleep without you," she muttered, hiding her blush behind her tangled mess of mahogany hair. "I went crazy in there, not knowing if you had woken up and needed me….."
"I always need you Bella," I whispered back, wiping the tear away that was starting to roll down her cheek. "Even when I was asleep, you were there to comfort me." The memory of reliving those very early days of our relationship while I was asleep flooded back into my brain. It must have been my body's way of recovering…going back to those days when she first shot through my black sky like a meteor; bringing light where I had thought only darkness existed.
"Don't ever do this to me again, Edward," she whispered, her eyes filling with unshed tears again, her tiny hands fisting into the sheets. "I thought I lost you….."
"I thought so too for a minute…." I muttered back, feeling my whole body deflate like a balloon. "I'm sorry for putting you through this." I reached out my good arm and wrapped it around her shoulder, tugging her body down onto the mattress beside me. In an ideal world I would have wrapped her in my arms and forgotten about the world around us, but my body was telling me that might not be the best of plans.
"It's okay," she sniffed, dabbing her eyes. "I know you couldn't leave that little girl lying there……but…..it was just that…..I was so scared…."
"I know love," I soothed. "I was scared too. I never thought it could end like that. It's like all rational parts of my brain that had nothing to do with getting Amy out of there alive left me as soon as I entered that building. I didn't even think of the risks I was taking and the consequences that might have had for us."
"Bella?" Carlisle's voice sounded from the doorway. "Esme's looking for you……You might want to sneak back into the guest bedroom."
"I'm not letting her go," I growled, mustering every ounce I of strength and determination I had left in my tired, wounded body while grabbing Bella's arm as she moved to get up from the bed. "I want her here."
"Edward, son," Carlisle spoke in his authoritative doctor voice, "you have suffered a Class II concussion. You know as well as I do what that involves."
Class II concussion. Well, at least that explained the headache, the confusion and the memory loss.
"I can't sleep without Bella," I pouted. "I need her here."
"But Edward….." Bella's soothing voice spoke. "What if I hurt you?"
"You. Are. Not. Leaving. Me. Period," I grumbled, tightening my grip on her wrist.
"Fine," Carlisle sighed in defeat. "But you can be the one to tell Esme."
"Tell Esme what?" my mother asked, appearing behind Carlisle. "Explain to Esme why your wife is in your room when she should be asleep in bed or explain to Esme why you are sitting up in your bed when you should be lying still, trying to recover from your injuries?"
"Masen!" Bella cooed, her eyes fixed on our son, lying contently in his grandmothers arms.
"Here you go, honey," Esme smiled as she handed Masen over to Bella, her eyes still fixed on me with a withering glare.
"He says he needs her here, honey," Carlisle stated, wrapping an arm around Esme's shoulders. "It's best if we give him what he wants. Knowing him he would only leap out of bed in search for Bella the moment you close the door behind him."
I heard Esme mutter something under her breath that sounded an awful lot like 'immature, stubborn ass of a man' but I couldn't be sure. She wasn't one to use language like that on a regular basis. So far the only time I had heard it was when she came to Dartmouth to lecture me on my despicable behavior several years ago.
"Why don't we go pick up Libby from school and let them get some rest?" Carlisle suggested, tugging Esme back towards the door as she continued to shoot her disappointed Mama Bear-glare at us.
"Okay," she nodded reluctantly before turning back. "But if the two of you aren't asleep and fully clothed when we get back here I'm locking both of you into separate rooms."
"That's fine by me, mom," I sighed, feeling awfully little at the moment. "It's not as if I could be doing anything else but sleep and stare out in front of me anyway. I think Masen is ahead of me in motor skills right now….." I took a look at my son who was playing with a lock of Bella's hair, his other hand fisted in the fabric of the tank top she was wearing.
"Good," Esme huffed. "Now let's go. "And with that she turned on her heals and marched out of the room, leaving Carlisle behind.
"You know she means well," he smiled apologetically, "and I completely agree with her by the way. She's only worried about the two of you."
"She still scares me when she does that," Bella sighed, sitting up straighter as she reached for a bottle of warmed up breast milk Esme had left behind.
"I know what you mean," I chuckled, watching as Masen greedily drank from the bottle, his eyes closed and an overall contented look on his face. "I must have encountered Momma Bear a hundred times before but she still scares the crap out of me."
"You should go to sleep though," Bella sighed, her eyes searching mine. "You look tired."
"So do you, love," I whispered, noticing the blue shades under her eyes. "Esme told me you've been watching over me while I slept."
"I couldn't leave you," she replied, her voice barely audible. "Not before I knew you were going to be alright. In the end Esme had to drag me into the guest bedroom and almost lock me in there, not that it did any good."
"I'm sorry love," I sighed. "I never wanted to make your life even harder than it already was."
"Cut it out Edward," she warned. "You're not going to take the blame for what happened. You did your job - you saved a little girl's life for God's sake! – the least thing I can do now is take care of you."
"But what about your job?" I countered, jolts of pain piercing my head as I got more agitated.
"My students can wait," she shrugged. "You and the kids are more important than my career. What kind of mother or wife would I be if that wasn't the case? Now lie back and be quiet while I feed our son or I'm calling your mother back in!"
"Fine," I huffed, lying back and closing my eyes, sneaking tiny peeks at Bella as she burped Masen and placed him in the baby basket next to our bed.
"And don't think you can fool me, mister," she sighed, placing a soft kiss on the center of my chest, right above my heart, "I know you're still awake."
"You're just as bad as Esme," I grumbled, opening my eyes and caressing her cheek as she lay next to me on her side. "I love you angel."
"I love you to, Edward," she sighed, already half asleep.
I don't know how much time had passed – it could have been minutes or hours – when I was awoken by the sound of the door as it slowly opened. I could hear Bella's slow and steady breathing next to me as she remained deep asleep while tiny feet began to tiptoe towards the bed.
"Daddy?" Libby whispered, a pale face framed with shiny brown curls appearing above me. "Are you awake?"
"I am sweetie," I whispered back, "but mommy's still asleep so you have to be very quiet."
"Are you alright daddy?" she asked, her eyes scrutinizing my appearance.
"I'm fine sweetheart," I reassured her, though in reality I felt anything but fine. My head still hurt like hell and my body, though not so tired anymore, still vehemently protested against every movement I made. On top of that I had an itch somewhere down my leg but I couldn't scratch it due to the fact that the itchy spot was covered by a cast. "Did mommy tell you what happened?"
"She said you got sick while you were working at the hospital and then when uncle Emmett got back he said you bumped your head really hard and that you couldn't come home yet because when people bump their heads really hard they go and say all kinds of funny and embarrassing things and they couldn't very well let you out on the street like that but when you got back you didn't say anything….." she took a huge gulp of air, her chest heaving with the avalanche of words that came flying out of it. "Did Uncle Emmett say the truth?"
"No he didn't honey," I replied, still keeping my voice low so that we didn't wake Bella up. "But then again….he's uncle Emmett. What did you expect?"
"Uncle Emmett always says funny things," Libby giggled, looking at me for permission before crawling into bed with me. "Does that hurt? Are you still sick daddy?" She asked as she ghosted her hand over the cast on my leg that was sticking out from underneath the sheets.
"It doesn't hurt that much now," I admitted, though I doubted if, without the painkillers, I would have been able to put up a brave face. "And yes….daddy is still a little bit sick."
"How did it happen daddy??" she asked, her face looking completely puzzled as she took in my battered appearance. "I know mommy often has bruises when she falls down at work but never this bad….And uncle Emmett said we should all be calling you Superman when you woke up but I didn't know what they were talking about because you look nothing like superman. You don't even wear glasses in real life like Clark Kent. And then mommy said that there had been an accident and you were trapped in a building with a little girl called Amy. And there were all these people with cameras outside the hospital and they were asking questions and…."
"Libby?" Bella's voice croaked as her eyes slowly fluttered open. "What did mommy say? One question at a time. How is daddy ever going to answer all those questions especially with his head banged up the way it is? He wouldn't know where to begin!"
"Sorry mommy," Libby pouted.
"That's okay sweetie," Bella mumbled, opening her arms for Libby to lie in between us before settling her attention on me. "How is your head, Edward? Is it still sore? Should I go get Carlisle?"
"Practice what you preach love," I chuckled before realizing that laughing might actually not be that good an idea for the next couple of days. "I'm fine, by the way,"
"So what did happen?" Libby repeated, her eyes flickering in between Bella and me.
"There was an accident in a house and a little girl got trapped inside," I explained, keeping eye contact with Bella to see if I wasn't saying things that would frighten Libby. When she nodded I continued. "When I tried to help her, part of the building came down and we were both trapped in the room for a little while before the firemen could get us out."
"Did it hurt when the building came down?" Libby asked, her brows scrunched in concentration.
"It did," I admitted, "but not so much anymore."
"But why is Uncle Emmett calling you Superman and were all those people with the camera's asking questions?" Libby thought out loud.
I felt a surge of anger rip through me at the thought of people harassing my little girl with questions she didn't even know how to answer. If I could get my hands on them…..
"Daddy saved that little girl's life, honey," Bella explained. "That's why your uncle is calling him Superman and why those people want to take pictures of him. They want to know who he is."
"Oh," Libby mused, her mind still processing this little bit of information.
"Why don't the two of us head downstairs to grandma to see if she had any food for us while daddy goes and gets some more rest?" Bella suggested, getting up from the bed. I noticed Masen's cot was empty. Carlisle or Esme must have come in at some point to get him.
"But…." I objected.
"No buts, Edward," Bella replied in the strict voice she normally reserved for Libby. "You have a concussion. You need to rest."
"I just woke up!" I grumbled. True, my head was starting to hurt again and I really didn't feel up to climbing down the stairs just yet but the prospect of staying in here alone while the rest of the family had fun downstairs didn't sound entirely fair to me either.
"Then sleep some more," Bella retorted, whispering something in Libby's ear before the little girl took off down the stairs probably in search of her grandmother.
"Just tell me something," I sighed. "How bad are things with the reporters?"
"Not as bad as when you were still in hospital," she sighed, sitting back down next to me on the bed. "I guess you're old news already."
"But it has been bad?" I pressed.
"Let's just say I now know how all those celebrities feel," Bella said with a wry smile. "I can't believe you don't remember Emmett hacking his was though the gauntlet of reporters in front of our door so that the paramedics could get you inside. You really must have been out of it."
"I just did my job," I groaned. "Why are they making such a big deal out of it?"
"She's a senator's daughter and with the elections coming up I think the McGregor's are milking this for everything it's worth," Bella smirked.
"Fucking assholes," I muttered.
"That's politics for you," Bella chuckled. "Do you want me to get you another pillow?"
"I'm fine," I sighed, grabbing her arm and tugging her towards me for a quick kiss. "Just don't stay away too long."
"I wont," she whispered, rubbing her nose against mine as she rested her forehead against mine, sighing contentedly as we breathed each other in. "Get some rest, my love," she whispered, kissing my forehead before pulling back.
I sighed as I watched her walk out of the door and close it behind her, leaving me alone in the darkened room. I closed my eyes, trying to erase the throbbing pain in my head while organizing my thoughts. Before I could get everything straightened out in my head, though, I had already sunken back into oblivion.
xXx
Bella Cullen.
"When is Alice going to be here?" I asked as Esme helped me cut up the vegetables and chicken for dinner.
After Carlisle left to go back to his work a few days ago Esme had stayed behind to help me out while Edward recovered from his injuries. I was glad she did, because as far as patients came, Edward was probably one of the worst of them.
It had been a week now since the accident and Edward was getting tired of staying upstairs to rest and recover while the rest of us went on with our lives downstairs.
Being a doctor as well as being one of the most stubborn men on the planet, he was convinced of the fact that he could assess his own situation just fine and that there would be no harm in getting out of bed, four days after a rescue team had yanked him out from underneath a building with a concussion, a broken leg, a dislocated shoulder and a bunch of broken ribs. Even Esme in all her passive – or sometimes not so passive – aggressiveness had had a hard time getting him back into bed.
"In an hour or so," Esme smiled. "She had to drop something off for one of her clients before heading over. Did you hear back from Jasper?"
"He's going to be here in a couple of minutes," I replied. "He promised to stop by the bakery on his way in to pick up some bread."
"Are you going to tell me what's going on between the two of them or do you want me to wait and ask about it when the whole family is here?"
"I don't know if it's my place…." I sighed. "
"I want the entire story, Bella," Esme spoke, placing her hand on my arm. "Not just one side of it. That's why I'm asking you. I know they probably both will have spoken to you."
"They did," I nodded. "But it still doesn't feel right to share what they've told me in confidence. Especially not since they've been doing so much better the last couple of days."
"I understand," Esme sighed. "But can you at least tell me something about what's going on? I worry about my Alice."
"All I can – and want to – say on the matter is that they have different ideas of the pace in which their relationship should progress," I explained. I knew I was probably saying too much already but I could understand how Esme felt right now. If it were Libby we were discussing I'd want to know too.
"Let me guess," Esme smiled. "Alice thinks they aren't moving fast enough and Jasper wants to keep things as they are."
"Right on the mark," I confirmed
"I know my daughter," Esme chuckled. "And I think I have a pretty good grasp at what kind of person Jasper is as well."
"They just seem to be making the wrong choices right now," I sighed, feeling relieved to have someone to talk to about this. "And on top of that, their mistakes make them realize just how different they are."
"They are like yin and yang," Esme said. "Complete opposites that perfectly fit together and need each other to be whole."
"If only they'd be able to see that themselves," I muttered.
"I know it's tough to be caught in the middle of all of that, especially since you've been so busy yourself."
"I'll manage," I shrugged.
"You're not fooling anyone, Bella," Esme said determinedly. "Edward can see it, Alice can see it, and even we saw it when we flew in the other night. It's only logical that you're having a hard time adapting to all the changes in your life but don't let it go too far."
"It's nothing," I said, shaking my head as annoyance started to creep up on me. "I just have to find the right balance, that's all. Another few weeks or so and I'll have it all under control again."
"I'm not judging you," Esme smiled, pulling me into a hug. "We're all proud and – if I may speak for myself – in awe even of your strength and determination. You gave birth to a beautiful baby boy six months ago and already you're back to an almost fulltime job. Add that to taking care of Libby and Masen and the turn Edwards life has taken of late and it's no wonder we're all a bit worried about the two of you….."
"I'm fine, really," I sighed. "I did this before…..with Libby…and back then I didn't even have Edward to help me pout and cuddle up to at night."
"I'm not telling you to give up your dream or that you're doing something wrong, Bella," she spoke in a worried voice. "I'm just scared that you're so busy compromising and trying to do what's best for Edward, the children and your career that doing what's best for Bella is going to get neglected. I don't want you to end up burnt down and completely disappointed in the end."
"I know," I muttered. "It's just that with everybody voicing their doubts in whether or not I can cope I'm starting to feel completely inadequate!"
"I didn't mean it like that," Esme replied. "I trust in your abilities both as a mother and as a professional. I just want you to take some 'you time' as well every now and then."
I was just about to ask her how Carlisle and she had managed all of this when Alice and Edward were kids when Libby came bounding into the room, asking for some help with one of her math problems. Since I wouldn't be able to do much good in that particular department I let Esme step in and save the day while I continued making dinner.
I was just done slicing up the vegetables when I heard heavy footsteps slowly descending the stairs.
Edward.
"Good afternoon, love," he purred, sneaking up on me from behind and wrapping his arms around my waist.
"You're supposed to be in bed," I huffed, halfheartedly trying to pry his arms away.
"I was lonely all by myself in that dark, cold room," he muttered, his lips connecting with the tiny sliver of skin at the base of my neck that was uncovered by the sweater I was wearing. "I missed you."
"You know perfectly well what your father said," I reminded him.
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled. "I need to stay in bed like a good little boy if I want to have dinner with the grownups tonight. Well, I think that's bullshit!"
"Edward!"
"It is!" he whined. "I feel perfectly fine. No more dizziness or sensitivity to light and I only felt my head spinning when I just got down the stairs. There's no reason why I couldn't just sit here and watch my beautiful wife prepare dinner for our family!"
"There is a reason," I quipped. "How about the fact that fireman had to yank you out from underneath a pile of rubble seven days ago and you're still supposed to be recovering?"
"I'm not ever going to recover if I lie in bed all day," he replied. "It's much better for patients to move around if they feel up to it. All recent studies show it."
I knew he was lying. There was no way any recent studies would have suggested a patient looking as battered, bruised and tired as Edward was looking right now to go on a hiking trip through the house.
"Edward," I scowled, knowing he wasn't going to listen to anything I had to say, not if he played the 'I know better because I'm a doctor' crap.
"Just come here and give me a kiss," he pleaded, looking up at me with his big green eyes. "Please?"
"Fuck you!" I growled, giving in to him anyway. He knew I was never able to deny him anything if he asked me like that.
"I wish," he sighed, brushing his lips against mine. "But Carlisle's gonna have my ass if I jump you right now."
"You'd drop dead before you even got past second base," I snickered, knowing full well we wouldn't be getting back to the sexy times for at least a week.
"Shut up and kiss me," he purred, his lips moving against mine a little more urgently as he pulled me into his lap, his arms wrapping around me as if he were afraid someone would come up and snatch me away.
"Edward," I panted, gasping for air.
"I know," he groaned, his face even more pale and tired than it had before. It made me rethink letting him join us for dinner tonight. Not that I would be able to keep him away. Hell, I couldn't even make him go upstairs for another couple of hours to get some rest!
Just then my hidden trump card came skipping into the kitchen.
"Daddy! You're up!" she giggled, offering Edward her cheek to kiss.
"Libby darling?" I asked, shooting an evil smirk in my husband's direction before turning my attention on my kid. "Can you do something for mommy please?"
"Of course mommy!" she beamed, her pride at being able to help radiating off her.
Good. Very good.
"Daddy looks a bit tired," I continued, nodding in Edward's direction.
"No I'm not," Edward huffed, crossing his hands in front of his chest as he glared at me. He had his appearance against him though, no doubt for the first time in his life. He still looked tired and worn. It would be so easy to convince Libby.
"He does…." Libby nodded, scrutinizing Edward's face.
"Why don't you help him get to the living rooms and make sure he lies down on the sofa for a little while? You could even read to him for a little while from that book your teacher gave you. I think it would really help him relax and get to sleep and I know it would be a good practice for your reading skills," I suggested.
"I'm. Not. Going. To. Bed. Again," Edward hissed through his teeth.
"Don't you want your daughter to read to you?" I asked sweetly, knowing deep down that I was delivering the lowest of blows. Well….all was fair when it came to protecting his health.
"Yeah daddy," Libby pouted. "It's going to be fun! Miss Milano gave us this really cool book about fairy tales to practice our reading. I'll even let you choose your favorite if you're being nice."
"What kind of fairy tales, darling?" Edward sighed, shooting daggers at me as he took Libby's outstretched hand and let her tug him in the direction of the foyer.
"The coolest ones!" Libby squealed, happy to have found a new victim to unleash her reading powers upon. "It's got Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella and Rapunzel and….." Her voice trailed off as she shot up the stairs in search of her book while Edward followed behind her mouthing 'you're dead' at me.
I brought my attention back to preparing dinner, worrying over Edward's recovery as I prepared the chicken I intended to serve tonight. After Edward came back from the hospital almost every night became a family night at our home. With Esme staying with us, Alice had become a regular, and - of course - where Alice went Jasper followed.
Emmett and Rose dropped by almost every day as well. I must have given Emmett quite the scare back at the hospital that night because he was more worried about 'how I was taking things' than ever.
I was doing okay. Not that that mattered. I could have done without the media attention Edward's actions had gathered or without the added stress of teaching classes while my very stubborn doctor husband was supposed to be resting in his bed.
With Esme here I had decided to go back to teaching as soon as possible, leaving as late as possible and returning home the minute I dismissed my class. My office hours were taken over my Stefan and – for now – I was trying to work on my thesis from home, which was more difficult than it would appear.
For now I was just happy that he was alive.
The sound of the doorbell, followed by muffled greetings in the foyer pulled me from my thoughts and I had just wiped away an errant tear when Jasper walked into the kitchen.
"Hi Bella," he greeted, the scent of freshly baked bread emanating from the bag in his hands.
"Jasper," I nodded, elbow deep in a chicken. "How are things."
"Great," he sighed, leaning against the counter. "Need any help with that?" Judging by the look in his eyes – a mixture of curiosity and repulsion – the only thing he wanted was to know what the hell I was doing to the poor chicken.
"It looks worse than it is," I chuckled, guiding another handful of herb and breadcrumb stuffing into the chicken.
"It looked like sexual assault!" Jasper smirked. "I'm sure the poor bird didn't deserve that!"
"Just wait until you taste it," I chuckled, placing the chicken in the roasting tin and rubbing it will oil and seasoning before placing the tin in the oven. "So how are things?" I repeated. "You and Alice seem to be doing okay again."
"We're fine," Jasper shrugged. "I think what happened made us both realize that there are more important things than looking for the perfect gift."
"You gave her a book, Jazz!" I smirked, shaking my head at his stupidity.
"It was a book about clothes," Jasper countered. "Alice likes clothes."
"And old book about clothes," I replied.
"Hey! You're acting like Ally is a fucking illiterate!' Jasper growled. "I thought it would be a nice sentiment to give her a book about the history of fashion. You know? Both our passions combined?"
"I know you meant well, Jazz," I sighed, arranging some appetizers on a plate. "But you could have known that Alice is into somewhat more…..wearable shows of affection. You could have gotten her a necklace or some earrings or something."
"You would have liked it," he mumbled.
"I would," I shrugged. "But then again…I'm an English Literature major. I like books."
"It's all so…..fucked up," he sighed. "I'm happy we're back to normal now."
"Don't you dare stick your head back in the sand again, Jasper Whitlock," I barked at him. "You know as well as I do that it's time to grow up or remain an immature frat boy all your life. Make your choice and make it soon, before it's too late."
"I know," he sighed. "I just need more time."
"You'll never learn, will you," I sighed, our talk being disrupted as Libby came running back into the kitchen.
"Uncle Jazzy!" she squealed, flinging her tiny body into his arms.
"How's daddy doing?" I asked as Jasper put her back down on her own two feet.
"He fell asleep before I even read one page!" Libby chuckled. "He must have been really sleepy."
"I bet," I chuckled. "Is he still sleeping now?"
"Yep," she nodded, sneaking over to the kitchen counter and grabbing a cherry tomato when she thought I wasn't paying attention. "I kept reading to him. I thought it would be nice for him to dream about Snow White and the seven dwarves. I don't know if it worked though because he started to snore all through my story."
"That was a nice thing to do sweetheart," I chuckled.
"I got bored after a while so I came back to see what you were doing," she continued. "He was still sleeping when I left."
"Good," I nodded. "Can you ask grandma to bring Masen over here? I think it may be time for his feeding."
"Sure mommy," she replied. "Can I help?'
"Of course," I chuckled.
"I think that's my cue to join the old folks in the study," Jasper chuckled. "That is….unless you have a sudden urge to flash me your boobs."
"Nope," I grinned. "Ain't gonna happen."
"Excellent choice of words for an English major," Jasper laughed as he opened the door to the study, almost bumping into Esme on his way out.
"Don't think I didn't hear you refer to Carlisle and me as the 'old folks'," she playfully scolded him, as she handed Masen over to me. "You're in for it now."
"Sorry ma'am," Jasper apologized, the lights dancing in his eyes. "It won't happen again."
"Apology noted and appreciated," Esme grinned, silently asking me if I had everything I needed before grabbing a bottle of white wine from the fridge and following Jasper into the family room.
With our house being as full as it had been for the last couple of days it had been difficult to get some privacy to feed my son. I know it may have made me look like a damn prude – and Emmett had made good use of that fact – but I just didn't feel comfortable whopping one of my boobs out in public, even if it was to feed my baby boy.
"There," I chuckled as I handed Masen over to Libby after burping him. "Will you be okay watching him while I go check on dinner?"
"Sure," Libby nodded, cooing at her brother as she took him and cradled him in her arms while the sounds of someone stumbling through the house alerted me to the fact that Edward was up again.
xXx
Edward Cullen
My rest had done me good. Not that I needed it, by the way. I could feel myself getting stronger again every day. Not long now before I could get back to work.
I missed practicing medicine. The complexity of the procedures and adrenaline rush when you were in the midst of them were sorely missed as I struggled to get better as soon as I could. The thought that I was trapped in my bed all day while Garrett and Kate were out there, getting ahead of me made me gnaw my teeth in frustration.
I did like spending more time with my family though. If anything the events leading up to me being temporarily bedridden had made me realize once again how much I loved them. The thought that I might have lost them back there still make me break out in cold sweats and kept me awake late at night, when all I heard were Bella's deep, steady breaths as she slept on the other side of the bed.
I couldn't do that to them. It would be the ultimate act of selfishness to go and get myself killed while doing a job that was supposed to make a better future for them.
I had felt like a complete failure, watching as Bella fluttered around me all day for the last couple of days, devoting time she didn't have to my wellbeing. It should have been me waiting on her hand and foot! Not the other way around. She was having a hard time as it was and here I went and got myself in a state that is only one level better than that of our newly born son. If I would have lost my teeth in the process the score would have been pretty much even.
I scrambled from the sofa, hopping around awkwardly for a few moments as I tried to find my balance before managing a somewhat normal strut as I walked out of the room in search of my wife, feeling better than I had done all week.
No problem at all.
I failed to see what Bella was making such a fuss about. Sure, I wasn't exactly up to running the New York marathon but I wasn't a complete wreck either!
I knew they meant well, but having the combined forces of Bella, Carlisle and Esme working against you was frustrating to say the least, especially when you yourself was perfectly able – and qualified – to establish your own physical health.
"You're back!" Bella chuckled as I hobbled over to her to kiss her forehead before hobbling back to the table to sit down and take Masen from Libby's arms. "I have to say you look a lot better than you did before."
"I feel a lot better than I did before," I admitted as Masen patted his hand against my face.
"I told you I was right," Bella nodded, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. "You needed rest."
"You may have been right this time," I grudgingly admitted, "but the next time you make our daughter hold me hostage there's going to be hell to pay."
"Why am I not the least bit scared of that?" she grinned, giving me a quick kiss as she walked past me towards on of the cabinets on the other side of the kitchen to get the tableware out. "Oh, right. It may be because you'd have a hard time outrunning me in that cast of yours!"
"But with your luck, you'd trip and fall before you've taken even five steps and I would have no trouble overtaking you, even with my leg broken and in a cast!" I laughed.
"Hmmm," she mused, her lips twitching as she tried to bit back her smile. "That might put a damper on the victory."
"Why don't you just admit it, love," I smiled. "You're never going to win!"
"I haven't given up hope yet," she pouted. "I know I'll be able to one-up you some day!"
"And I'll be ready and waiting!" I chuckled, kissing Masen on his nose.
Alice waltzed in about half an hour later, the kiss she and Jasper shared as a way of greeting making me look away with a mixture of disgust and relief. Disgust because the guy was sucking face with my little sister, relief because I had suspected they had been going through a rough patch lately and things seemed to have gone back to normal again.
"When will Em and Rose get here?"Alice asked, taking a sip from her wineglass while helping Libby create some kind of crafty design from bread, olives and tomato.
"Any minute now," Bella replied, her voice drowned out by the sound of the doorbell. "Well…when you speak of the devil!"
"I'll get it," Esme chuckled, rising from her seat to answer the door.
I smiled, watching the ease with which she moved around in our home. She had been such a lifesaver over the last couple of days, making sure Bella got enough rest and didn't sacrifice her own life to make mine better. She would be staying for another couple of days, just until I would be able to get around without assistance.
"If it isn't superman himself!" Emmett boomed, resting his hand on my shoulder as he and Rosalie took their seats at the table, Charlie placed in a high chair in between the two of them. "I'm glad you decided to come back from the dead to join the land of the living!"
"Why don't you cut with the superman crap!" I hissed. He had been nagging me about the whole superhero thing ever since I had woken up one day to find him sitting next to my bed arranging Batman action figures on the covers.
"You're a hero Eddie," Emmett grinned. "Just accept it!"
"I was only doing my f……"
"Edward!" Bella and Esme warned, pointing at Libby.
"Sorry," I sighed, taking a few calming breaths. "I was only doing my job. What should I have done? Saved my own damn ass and let the girl bleed to death?"
"Tell that to the newspapers," Rose snickered. "They have you pegged as some kind of miracle worker who leapt into a burning building and singlehandedly saved the senator's daughter from certain death."
"That's complete nonsense!" I huffed. I had avoided all newspapers and most news shows on television. I had no need to see my own face and whatever crap they had come up with about the accident in print or moving pictures. I had no idea it would have been this bad though.
"It's getting less though," Bella soothed, giving me a reassuring smile. "There aren't any stalkerazzi camping out in front of the house anymore. I have no doubt it will all blow over in a week or so."
"Not likely," Alice chimed in. "I know the McGregors, or – better said – I know Lavinia McGregor. If anyone is a sucker for attention it's her. She's going to milk this for everything it's worth and as long as she's able to 'leak' pictures of her kid lying in a hospital bed to the press, they aren't going to stop looking for the one who saved her life."
"The poor child," Esme sighed. "What kind of parent would do such a thing?"
"From what I heard the woman will stop at nothing to get her face in the news and with the elections coming up her husband isn't going to be doing anything to stop her. You should see what crap they've been spouting about the poor nanny."
"What about it?" I groaned, feeling the headache starting to play up again.
"When someone asked them how their precious little princess could have ended up sleeping in a bed on the other side of town from their swanky Park Avenue apartment Lavinia looked like her botoxed face would burst open with rage. She fed them some load of crap about the nanny having recently wandered up the wrong path and how they had warned her and were planning to fire her sorry ass as soon as they got back from their little retreat to the Hamptons," Alice explained. "They had no qualms though, leaving their child with her while they were getting busy."
"They've done every talk show and newspaper that would have them," Rose continued. "They really make me sick but apparently there are more than enough idiots out there who love this kind of stuff."
"People love a good spectacle," Jasper nodded. "It's why there's always just as much people running towards a disaster zone, than people running from it."
"Well, I think it's sick," Alice huffed, looking at the olive speared on her fork with a look of disgust.
"Of course it is, darlin'," Jasper replied, leaning in for a quick kiss. "But what are we going to do about it?"
"Tell the truth," Alice shrugged, her hand doing God knows what to Jasper under the table.
"And how would you do that?" Emmett chimed in. "Buy a bullhorn and yell it all over the Upper East Side? They'd have you shipped off to the funny farm before you even had time to match the damn thing with a cute little dress."
"You suck," Alice pouted. "And no, that wasn't my plan at all. I have more class than that."
"Then what's the master plan o great little one?" Emmett chuckled. "Please enlighten us brainless fools."
"It's simple," Alice shrugged. "Lavinia might be able to strut her lipo'ed ass all over daytime television but we can do the same. In fact….." she turned to me, looking like a cat who's set its cap at a particularly fat and tasty canary, "we've got the hero of the day."
"No," I growled. "You can beg, scream or pout at me for as long as you liked, but I'm not doing television shows."
"Too bad then that you're scheduled to appear on one next week, then!"
"Then you unscheduled me," I hissed. "I'm not doing it Alice. I'm serious."
"I'm doing no such thing," the annoying little devil's spawn growled. "You're going on there, even if it will be the death of me."
"Then start digging your grave, buttercup," I spat back. "Because there's more chance of hell freezing over than me doing you damn bidding."
"Children!" Esme intervened. "There will be no fighting at the dinner table. By God, I'm beginning to think Libby and Masen are the grownups here. They certainly know how to behave themselves a lot better than the two of you."
"Sorry mom," Alice pouted, trying to use her tiny little pixie charm on Alice.
Game on, sister dear.
"Sorry mom," I repeated after her, flashing her my most winning smile. "It won't happen again."
"Just eat your dinner," Esme huffed as she got up to help Bella put everything on the table.
Throughout dinner I struggled keeping up with the conversation as it flowed around me. The fight with Alice must have taken more of my strength than I thought because as dinner progressed I started feeling weaker by the second, down to the point where I had difficulty discerning the carrots on my plate from the chicken next to it. I had long since given up on trying to keep up with the conversation or even recognizing the voices as they spoke.
"Daddy looks a bit funny," I heard Libby whisper to someone – Bella? – sitting next to me. "Danny looked like that one day at lunch and then he threw up all over the table. It was gross."
"Edward?" I felt a soft hand being placed on my arm. "Are you okay?"
"I think I want to go lay down for a bit," I muttered, the room spinning around me as I tried to focus on my plate of food.
"It's okay," Bella whispered and I could feel the pressure of her lips when they brushed my temple. "Do you want me to help you up the stairs?"
"I think I might need it," I grudgingly admitted. I felt like my whole body had deflated. I was barely even able to lift up my arm long enough to bring my fork to my mouth. How the hell was I even going to be able to make it upstairs and into bed?
"Well, let's go then," Bella's soft voice spoke and I felt her tugging at my arm as I lifted my body out of my chair, the room spinning even harder as I tried to get my bearings. "Take good deep breaths and just focus on moving your feet," Bella whispered, keeping her voice low as she guided us out of the kitchen.
"Good night, Edward!" Alice's high voice sang behind me, followed by similar wishes from the rest of the family.
"Emmett must be having a blast," I hissed, through my teeth, noticing how the conversation had died out behind us. "I'm amazed he hasn't offered to carry me upstairs yet."
"Don't be a fool, Edward," Bella scolded, her grip on my arm tightening."Everyone's concerned for you, and believe me, if you'd have seen yourself right now you'd be as well."
"I bet," I panted, too focused on the task at hand to even be angry.
"We all know you, Edward," Bella replied, her voice still sounding annoyed as she carefully helped me up the stairs, one step at a time. "You're far too proud to accept help from anyone and – even though it's stupid and you're going to get yourself killed one day with your stubbornness – none of us want you to feel like we're looking down on you or disrespecting you. We all care for you."
"I know," I sighed, leaning back against the railing to catch my breath. "It's just so damn hard to be in need of help. I feel like a fucking baby."
"I know it's hard, honey," Bella sighed, helping me sit down on the stairs as we rested. "But just remember: if you listen to what your body is trying to tell you now, you'll be recovering much sooner than if you fight it."
"I think you'll make a better doctor than I do, love," I chuckled, reaching out beside me and pulling her delicate frame against me. The nearness of her and her comforting words and gestures did more good to my poor battered body than any medicine ever could.
"I'm a mother," she laughed along. "Excellent bedside manners come with the job."
"How about your manners inside the bed?" I smiled, wagging my eyebrows at her.
"You try getting up the stairs without help first, boy wonder," she playfully scolded. "And we'll see about that."
"Hey! I did fine on my own earlier!" I countered with mock indignation. "And we were doing quite well before I needed to take a breather."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, honey," Bella laughed, helping me as I hoisted myself up again. "We've only managed four steps in the last fifteen minutes."
"What?" I breathed, looking down to see she wasn't kidding. "But….."
"It's fine," she smiled. "We'll take as long as you want and if you're too tired you may even make my brother's day!"
"Never!" I groaned. Emmett would never let me live it down if I let him carry me to my bed. It would haunt me until the day I died. "Let's get going."
I managed to take the next four steps at a much quicker pace before the pain and exhaustion made me slow down again.
I had still had a long way to go.
I know this is not the most exciting chapter in the story nor the best written one (I'm sorry for that, it's the best my overworked little brain could come up with at the moment) but it heralds the transition to the main events in the story that are going to kick off starting next chapter. I hope to have that one posted on time.
Next chapter: little girls and ghosts
For now….please review (and vote for xparawhorextwerdx's story in the Indie TwiFic Awards)