The One That Got Away

Chapter 11

The Twilight world, where Bella would have fainted just from the sight of the blood, belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.

Wow – there were more reviews for the last chapter than for any other so far! Now I understand why writers like reviews so much. Thank you everyone!

Well, at least they've seen each other….

Bella crumpled rather gracefully to the floor in a dead faint, her long hair falling over her face and shielding it from view.

Edward froze, his hands still on the puppy and his mind racing in a dozen directions at once. How…why…how could his Bella be here? He couldn't see her face because of the curtain of hair and for a split second he thought perhaps he'd been wrong – that it wasn't her, just someone with similar features. But he knew that wasn't true. He sensed her as soon as she walked in the room, felt her presence before he ever saw her beautiful face. He'd always been able to do that, always been able to tell when she was near. So many emotions raced through him at once. Shock, confusion, amazement, but more powerful than all of them, a sense that his world had just settled back into place after many long years. A sense that told him he was home, as if his heart had begun to beat again after all this time.

"Miss Bella!" Jenks' voice snapped Edward back to reality. He wanted nothing more than to run to her, to make sure that she was ok. He wanted to be the first thing she saw when she woke up again. Instead, he remembered that he was holding the puppy's broken leg. As if it sensed his confusion, the puppy chose that moment to struggle against his hands.

"Tanya, can you hold him for just a moment?" Tanya's hands replaced his and she made cooing noises to calm the injured pup. Edward started to move around the table to get to Bella, and then realized he wasn't the only one trying to do so.

The tall young man, who apparently was the same idiot who hit the dog with his car, moved to Bella's side and was brushing the hair back from her face. Edward couldn't move. He watched as the man easily scooped Bella into his arms, and felt his heart drop.

Tanya looked from Edward to Jenks, who seemed just as confused as she was. Well, she thought, someone has to take charge of this. She pointed to the man cradling Bella in his arms. "You there - take her back to the reception room, there's a sofa. You can lay her down there till she wakes up."

Everyone turned to look at her.

"She didn't seem to hit her head very hard, but she'll be better lying down." She turned to Edward and took in the expression on his face. She wasn't a stupid girl, and she knew something strange was going on here.

Jacob began to carry Bella out to the sofa. Matilda whined, seemingly torn between staying with her puppy and comforting Bella. Edward knew exactly how she felt.

"Dr. Edward" Tanya said "why don't you go check on her? I'll make this little one comfortable and start getting things arranged for the surgery."

He threw her a grateful glance and nodded his head in approval. "Thanks, Tanya. I want to do the surgery as soon as I make sure Bella is OK."

The puppy settled down under Tanya's soothing hands, and Matilda lay down next to the table, her head on her paws. Edward smiled. At least Matilda didn't seem to think he needed any help with this.

Edward nearly ran to the reception area, and felt his heart twist again when he saw Bella's tiny hand cradled in the hands of the idiot car driver.

Jenks spoke first. "So, Dr. Edward, you've met our Bella, then?"

Before he could answer, the young man released Bella's hand, stood, and stuck out his hand. "I'm Jacob Black. Is she going to be OK? I mean, did she faint because she's hurt?" Edward reluctantly shook Jacob's hand, trying to figure out what this guy was to Bella.

"Let me see." Edward knelt down next to her and took her wrist in his hand. He felt her pulse, and was pleased to find that it was strong and regular, but all he could think about was the way her pulse always accelerated whenever they kissed, whenever they touched, whenever they loved each other. His face flushed and he knew he had to stop touching her now. Gently, ever so gently, he placed her hand back on the couch.

Edward stood and took a step back. "Her pulse is fine, so I expect she'll come around in just a few minutes. If she doesn't, I think we have some smelling salts around here."

"Thank goodness" said Jenks, relieved. "Dr. Edward, if you're sure Miss Bella will be fine, can you tell me what will happen to Matilda's little one?"

With a reluctant glance over his shoulder, he walked Jenks back to the examination room. When they got to the door, he spoke without turning around. "I'll send Tanya out as soon as I can spare her. She can help patch up Bella's knees." He couldn't look at the man he assumed was with his Bella. No, he reminded himself. Not his Bella. Not anymore.

-TOTGA—

Bree looked up as Claire walked in her room.

"How's the studying going?" Claire flopped down on the bed.

Bree didn't even try to hide her frustration. "There is no good reason in this world for anyone to have to take two semesters of accounting courses. There is no way I will ever understand accounting, and no way in hell I'll ever use this." She looked at Claire with a smirk. "Once I'm the CEO of my own business, I'll have lots of people working for me. Including accountants. And they can figure out these stupid numbers."

The loud ding told Bree that she had an incoming email message. Anxious to think about anything but accounting, she spun her chair around to the computer to check it.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"What is it?" said Claire. "Is it from the clinic? Is it from him?"

"Oh, it's from the veterinary clinic" Bree sighed. "It's just not the answer I was hoping for." She read a bit more and her frown began to shift into a smile. "Oh, wait…yes, good, yeah, that'll work."

"What?" Claire waved to Kim and Rachel to come in.

"Well, it seems that the gorgeous Dr. Edward Cullen is on a temporary leave of absence and cannot be reached through the clinic."

"Oh crap" Rachel said. "How are we going to ask him?"

Bree held up her hand. "Not to fear, ladies. Since I told them that we were students doing research based on one of Dr. Cullen's articles….."

Kim gaped at her. "What did you say to them?"

Bree smirked. "I told them we were doing a senior research project based on Dr. Cullen's article about non-surgical interventions for hip dysplasia in certain dog breeds."

"I don't even know what that means" said Claire.

"That's the whole point. We don't have to know what it means." Bree was especially proud of herself for this one. "I Googled him again, and just picked out one of the journal articles he wrote. And put in the email that we wanted to know more about it."

Three blank stares.

"Think about it. If I wrote and said we were trying to find him because we wanted to reunite him with his long-lost high school sweetheart, how far do you think we would have gotten with his clinic?"

Kim thought a minute. "OK, I get it. Some secretary probably opens all the clinic email, and if we told her that, she probably wouldn't even tell him about it."

"Yeah" said Claire. "She's probably really old but has the hots for him and wouldn't want us to find his girlfriend. She'd just delete the email…"

Bree cut her off. "Really, Claire? Really?"

Claire mumbled. "If I worked with him, that's what I'd do."

The others started to laugh, and Claire joined in sheepishly.

"So if you're done thinking about how you would jump Dr. Cullen if you worked with him" Bree ducked as Claire threw a pillow at her "maybe you'd like to hear the good news."

"What is it?"

"Listen up." Bree read out loud.

"Dear Ms. Tanner,

Thank you for your interest in the Cullen Veterinary Clinic and Dr. Cullen's research, and your interest in non-surgical treatments for hip dysplasia. Dr. Cullen is currently on a temporary leave, and he is not expected to return for approximately a month. In the meantime, Dr. Sam Uley is the acting director of the clinic. He worked with Dr. Cullen on this study and could certainly answer any of your questions. However, Dr. Cullen is reading and responding to email if you need to speak with him specifically."

"And….we've got his personal email address!" Bree took a bow as her roommates applauded. "Now, ladies, we have got one really important email to write!"

-TOTGA—

Edward pulled off the surgical gown and threw it in the bin. He walked back to the table where the puppy was still out. "That was nice work, Tanya. Thanks." She smiled at him and continued cleaning up the room. "And thanks for taking care of Bella."

"It was no bother. She just needed to have her scrapes cleaned up a bit."

"She was OK once she came around?" He couldn't keep the concern out of his voice.

"Yes, she was." Tanya smiled at him. "Perhaps someday you'll tell me how you know her."

When he didn't answer, she said "And why she's so important to you."

Edward looked at her in surprise.

"Don't say anything now. You've got a worried master and mother dog to talk to." And with that, she shooed him out the door.

Edward knew she was right. He walked out to the reception area, where he found Jenks sitting on the couch rubbing Matilda's ears.

"How is he, Dr. Edward? Tanya said it would be alright if I left for just a bit to check on the other pups and to close up the shop."

"I'm happy to tell you he'll be fine." And Edward realized he was happy. He liked this place and these people, and he was glad he could help when needed. "The surgery went very well. It's bandaged now, but tomorrow we'll put a cast on it, probably keep him another day to see how he's doing, and then you can take him home." He smiled when Matilda reached up and put a paw on his knee. "Yes, Matilda. Your baby will be just fine."

Jenks was relieved, but also curious. "Dr. Edward, can I ask you, did you just meet our Bella? You looked almost like you'd seen a ghost when she walked in."

"That's exactly what it seemed" Edward said without thinking. "Jenks?"

"Yes, Dr. Edward?"

"Where did Bella go – after she woke up, I mean?"

"Mr. Jacob drove her home" Jenks replied. He 'd suggested it himself, cringing when he thought of Bella trying to ride her bike all the way back home with her knees such a mess.

"Of course" Edward snapped. He politely but firmly excused himself. "I need to go now, I've got a patient to check on."

"Me and Matilda, we both thank you for today, Dr. Edward."

Edward gave him a sad smile and walked away, anxious to be alone with his thoughts.