Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyers.
Chapter Eleven: Calling Down the Thunder
Edward's POV
Racing through the forest to meet up with Carlisle and Jasper, I let my thoughts wander to Bella. Who was I kidding? I'm always thinking of Bella, every moment, every second, every minute of every day! Alice had promised Bella a nice, relaxing weekend and as long as my Bella was having a good time, I would be satisfied. A relaxed and happy Bella equals a relaxed and happy Edward, I thought with a smile. She was safe with Alice and the others. I had no reason to think otherwise as Alice is as protective of Bella as I; she would never let harm come to Bella.
Thinking about Bella made me anxious to return to Forks. We'd been apart for just a day and a half and yet the ache from being separated was intense. She's a part of my soul, my other half; she's what makes me complete and when we're not together I feel as if the better part of myself is missing. However, this hunting trip had been necessary. It was what kept me safe for her, safe to be around her because, while I no longer thirsted for her blood there were other things pulling me towards her, making it hard for me to resist her and it was vital that I never lose control. I would never take a chance with her safety. Yet, soon I wouldn't have to be careful and we would never be apart again. We would be together for eternity.
My thoughts went back to Carlisle and Jasper. We'd gone further north than intended, quickly finding an abundant supply of bears and mountain lions, the perfect prey to satisfy my thirst. I was feeling much better; better, that is, until "the call."
I had almost reached the nearby clearing where the Volvo was parked when my cell phone went off. Looking at the caller ID I was surprised to see it was Alice. This can't be good. Immediately I opened my phone and spoke into it. "Alice, is everything alright?"
Instead of Alice's voice, I heard the most beautiful sound in the world, the voice of an angel… my Bella. I would travel to the ends of the earth and back, do anything she asked, give her anything her heart desired, just to hear her voice.
Suddenly my angel started to cry. "Edward. Edward, I need you to come home. Please come back, please come home to me."
What was going on? Was she in danger? Had she been hurt? I was anxiously asking myself these questions. In my mind's eye I saw her beautiful face and those glorious brown eyes I lose myself in every time I gaze into them. I was now picturing those beautiful eyes filled with tears. Bella wasn't given to crying, unless she was angry…or upset.
Trying to sound calmer than I felt I answered, "Bella, love, what's wrong? Where are you, sweetheart? Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you?"
Bella was still crying, struggling to speak. "Your brother…he's been pranking me all weekend and I don't want to play any more." Emmett…I growled to myself. What the hell have you been doing? Before I could respond I heard her gasp and then cry out, "Oh, God, I'm going to be sick!!!" before dropping the phone.
"Bella! Bella!" I yelled into the phone, no longer pretending to be calm. I could hear her in the background, sounding as if she were throwing up. Alice was trying to comfort her. What was happening? If I didn't get some answers soon I was going to go mad! I needed to get Alice's attention so I started calling her name knowing she would hear me with her sensitive vampire hearing.
After what felt like hours, but was only a few seconds, I heard Alice's voice on the line. "Edward, you need to get back here immediately. Charlie and I just brought Bella to the emergency room."
"WHAT??? Alice, why the hell is she at the hospital? She's supposed to be having manicures and facials with you, not making emergency room visits!" I yelled angrily, "What did Emmett do to her?"
"Edward Cullen, don't you start yelling at me! Yell at that stupid, overgrown idiot brother of ours!" she shouted back, before continuing in a calmer voice. "Please, just get back to Forks as fast as you can. Bella's been crying for you for the past hour." I could hear the concern for Bella in her voice and I winced, feeling bad for having yelled at my favorite sister.
"I'm sorry, Alice," I said, speaking more calmly. "I didn't mean to yell at you, but you know how I get where Bella is concerned. I can't bear to see her hurt or crying." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to remain calm. "Tell me, how badly is she hurt?" I asked, afraid to hear the answer.
Alice sighed heavily into the phone. "Nothing life-threatening, Edward. But she's in shock and she's been crying non-stop for the better part of the hour. Racing heartbeat, no breathing, heart stopped for a minute, slipping down the stairs, poison oak, leeches, skunk, poisoning…"
I exploded again, "NO BREATHING? NO HEARTBEAT? POISONING??? WHAT THE HELL HAS HE BEEN DOING TO HER?" And with that any calm I had managed to hold onto disappeared. I was going to kill him!
"Edward, do you want me to tell you what's happening or not? Stop interrupting me!" Alice said before continuing. "The no breathing, no heartbeat, racing heart and slip and fall happened yesterday. The poisoning is from mushrooms, the mildly toxic kind. There was a patch of them near a tree at the edge of our property. Bella took a fall and landed face first in the patch. She got a mouthful and started spitting them out, but unfortunately she swallowed a few, which was enough to make her sick."
I started rubbing my face before pinching the bridge of my nose, a habit of mine when I'm trying to calm myself. It wasn't working.
Alice continued. "There are also leeches on her legs, which of course is not surprising considering this is Bella we're talking about and her blood is damn near irresistible to any creature that craves it! Just get back here as soon as possible!"
"Okay. I'm meeting up with Carlisle and Jasper." I replied as I ran into the clearing. "Please tell Bella I love her and that I'm on my way."
"I will," replied my sister. "And Edward, tell Carlisle I said to fill you in on the details he left out yesterday when he told you about Bella's 'trip and fall' incident. Don't be upset with him; we were under orders from Bella and since she wasn't seriously hurt we agreed to her request, but I think you should know the details. The rest I'll fill you in on when you get here." And with that Alice hung up.
I stood there with the phone in hand, taking deep breaths, desperately trying to stay in control. I needed to calm down. I needed to focus. I needed to rip Emmett to shreds. I put my fist through a nearby tree before ripping it from the ground and throwing it across the clearing where it struck another tree, splitting it in half. I reached for another tree, and another. Next was a large rock which was reduced to dust after I hurled it at a larger boulder in the distance. With each object I sent flying I could feel my anger growing, not lessening. I didn't care about the noise I was making. I had to find a way to release the anger that was threatening to burn out of control.
Carlisle's POV
Jasper and I were running through the forest and had almost reached the clearing where we were to meet Edward when my cell phone rang. Esme. I knew this wasn't going to be good, and it wasn't. She was calling to let me know that she and Rosalie were on their way to the hospital. What was that? She didn't go into detail; all she said was that it involved Emmett…again. Whatever had happened this afternoon, it had sent Bella to the emergency room and Esme was asking me to hurry back home and to "prevent our eldest son from doing something he would regret." She also mentioned Alice would be calling Edward shortly. Jasper was listening to the conversation and he nodded his head, understanding that we needed to get to Edward quickly. We started running in the direction of the clearing and were only a few miles away when we heard a loud, thundering crash echo through the forest. I glanced at Jasper.
"Too late," Jasper said, "He knows."
I have never seen Edward completely lose his control. Not when he left Bella, not when he started tracking Victoria, not when he thought Bella was dead and had made the decision to go to Volterra. Even when he argues with his siblings, he never loses control, never becomes truly angry. His anger was reserved for enemies, for any threat against our family, and more specifically, any threat against Bella. But what if that anger was unleashed against a brother? What then?
Emmett, what have you done?
Jasper's POV
As we entered the clearing I staggered backwards, almost knocked off my feet by the intensity of Edward's anger. It was like the storm clouds that roll through Forks: Dark, angry, dangerous…deadly. In all the years I've known Edward I have never seen him this angry. Only one thing could send him over the edge like this: Bella was hurt or in danger.
I started sending waves of calm towards Edward. His eyes met mine and I could see he knew what I was doing, but the anger remained. What's more, it was increasing! Oh man, Emmett, what have you done?
Edward's POV
"Edward!" I heard Carlisle yell as he and Jasper quickly made their way towards me, surveying the damage to the clearing as well as my currently unsettled state of mind.
Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder. "Edward, what's wrong? Is Bella okay? Did something happen to her?"
Carlisle's and Jasper's thoughts told me of their deep concern. However, Jasper was also alarmed by the intensity of my anger and was trying to calm me, but I was too angry for it to have any noticeable effect.
"Carlisle, we need to get back to Forks, now!" I stepped out from under his hand and ran to the car, jumping into the driver's seat. Carlisle and Jasper quickly followed, Carlisle getting into the passenger seat with Jasper sitting in the back. Throwing the car into reverse, I quickly backed up and turned the car around before racing towards the main road, desperate to get back to Forks as fast as possible.
Carlisle spoke first. "Edward, tell us what happened."
I let out a growl. "Well, apparently my idiot brother decided this would be the perfect weekend to prank my fiancée. Whatever he did today resulted in her being rushed to the emergency room. Carlisle, she called me from Alice's phone, in tears! She was pleading for me to hurry back to her, telling me she needs me! We have to get back now." I growled at the last.
Remembering Alice's last words I turned to look at Carlisle. "Alice said there were some details you neglected to mention yesterday regarding Bella's "trip and fall" incident. Now would be a good time to fill in the blanks, Carlisle."
Carlisle proceeded to relate the missing details of his conversation with Esme. Listening carefully, I couldn't help but think how unbelievably stupid Emmett could be! Didn't I warn him to leave Bella alone? How many times have I reminded him to be careful around her, to remember she's human and still breakable? And now, because he hadn't listened to my warnings, Bella was at the hospital, hurt and in tears! I was seeing red. Blood red. Vampire red. Glancing at my hands, I noticed I was causing cracks to appear in the steering wheel, which made me ease my grip slightly.
Carlisle and Jasper continued to shoot worried glances in my direction. I could feel how uncomfortable I was making Jasper feel; I felt bad that he was the one taking the brunt of my emotions. I could hear him pleading with me, Edward, brother, you have to calm down. Please let me help you. I glanced at Jasper in the rear-view mirror, acknowledging his efforts, but I couldn't let go of the anger. Bella was the only one who would be able to make me calm again. She needs me. There was no question about what to do; I had to get back to her. I had to make sure she would be okay, and then I would deal with my brother!
I stepped down harder on the accelerator, trying to coax more speed from the engine. From the corner of my eye I could see Carlisle glancing at me. His thoughts showed his worry for Bella, and for Rosalie. Rosalie? Why would he worry for her? His next thought answered my question. He was worried Rosalie would no longer have a mate before the day was over. I looked at him and gave him a short nod. When I next saw Emmett there would be no stopping me.
Alice's POV
I ended the call with Edward and turned to Bella, letting her know Edward was on his way and that he said to tell her he loved her. This seemed to calm her somewhat as we continued to wait.
Charlie kept glancing over at us, helpless to do anything to comfort his daughter. Fortunately someone had finally arrived to take Bella to one of the examination rooms.
How could a weekend that started out with such high hopes turn so bad? The answer to that question soon appeared in the doorway. Emmett. He had just arrived with Rosalie and Esme.
Emmett's POV
I wasn't sure if I should stay behind or go the hospital with the others. Part of me felt as if I needed to be there. Bella was one of us and wherever the Cullens were, that's where I would be. I was sorrier than I could say for all the trouble my little pranks had caused over the last two days. But there was also the other part of me that said I should stay at the house. Bella was very upset and I knew I was the last person she wanted to see right now. Of course I would be the first person Edward would want to see after Bella…so he could tear me apart! Esme and Rosalie weren't sure what Edward's state of mind was going to be like when he arrived and had felt it would be best to stay at home, out of his line of sight, at least until he'd had time to cool off. But I needed Edward to hear my thoughts, to know how sorry I was for all that had happened, and to know I hadn't meant for any harm to come to Bella! Esme and Rosalie reluctantly agreed to let me come with them, but the moment I walked through the emergency room doors I knew it had been a mistake. All eyes turned to me. Charlie gave me the "Edward look" again, glaring at me until I was the first to look away. Yup, big mistake…
Esme's POV
We arrived at the hospital just as they were taking Bella into one of the examination rooms. I walked over to Charlie and told him how sorry we were for all that had happened to her, but Charlie assured me it wasn't our fault and that we shouldn't feel guilty about anything. Those reassurances, however, most definitely did not extend to my son standing nearby. Charlie was glaring at Emmett and the look he has always reserved exclusively for Edward was now directed at Emmett. It was almost laughable to watch the human man stare down the vampire in front of him. Almost, because I knew this was nothing compared to what my other vampire son, Edward, would do when he saw his brother…
Rosalie's POV
Esme and I had just arrived at the emergency room entrance, with Emmett in tow. I'm the first to admit in all my years as a vampire I have never been interested in what any human thought, said, or did. I've always ignored them. But seeing the misery on Bella's face and the worry on Charlie's, I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Charlie caught sight of Emmett and from the look on his face I knew we should have made Emmett stay at the house. What was going to happen when Edward saw him?
Carlisle's POV
Edward had driven at top speeds and we very quickly arrived at the hospital where he pulled into my reserved parking spot, bringing the car to a screeching stop. We quickly ran to the emergency room entrance and were met by Charlie, Alice, Esme and Rosalie, with Emmett standing quietly off to the side. I greeted everyone, shaking hands with Charlie before quickly excusing myself to take over the examination, as I'm Bella's primary doctor. Edward, I'm going to see how she's doing. I'll get you in as soon as possible. Edward nodded in agreement when suddenly he stood still as a statue, the expression on his face changing from worry to anger. He had spotted Emmett and was now stalking towards him; the predator had found his prey…
Charlie's POV
One of the hardest things about being a parent is watching your child suffer. It doesn't matter if they are young or grown up. You want to do everything you can to protect them from all harm.
The second hardest thing in the world is being forced to stand next to the cause of your child's suffering, and not be able to do anything to that person. It happened when Edward returned to Forks after his and Bella's seven month separation, a separation which caused Bella to fall apart and become a shell of the person I loved with all my heart. There was now a feeling of déjà vu as I watched his brother step into the room. Emmett…the new cause of my child's suffering. The look I'd always reserved for Edward had found a new target. I glared at Emmett, pinning him to the wall with my stare, glad to see he was the first to look away.
Bella was finally taken to one of the examination rooms and I settled in for a wait, hoping we would get word quickly.
The emergency room doors opened and Edward came rushing into the waiting room, followed by Carlisle and his other brother, Jasper. He quickly nodded at everyone and walked up to me, shaking my hand. Carlisle also stepped up and shook my hand and then started to excuse himself, saying he was going to find where they had taken Bella and would assist with her treatment. I was relieved to see Carlisle. He had been treating Bella for her various injuries the past 2 years and there was no one I trusted more with her care, except perhaps the young man standing across from me. How could I have ever doubted his love for her? The fact he had arrived so quickly was proof of that, the worry written all over his face as well as the love and tenderness in his eyes when he said her name, all of it communicated his love and devotion to my daughter. Edward looked at me and nodded; it was as if he knew what I was thinking and wanted to assure me of his feelings. His lips turned slightly upwards. Charlie, you're tired, you're imaging things. Then I saw Edward's stance grow rigid and his expression become angry as his gaze landed on Emmett. He started stalking towards his brother and I had to decide if I would be arresting or assisting my future son-in-law… This was going to be a tough one; I was leaning towards "assisting" him.
Alice's POV
Jasper made his way over to me and pulled me into a hug. He whispered in my ear, "What's been going on?" Knowing it was going to be awhile before we saw Bella, I started pulling him towards the door so we could go outside and talk when suddenly I had a vision. In the vision Edward had spotted Emmett and was moving towards him... "Wait, not yet. Edward's going to need us."
Edward's POV
In what seemed like an eternity, but was actually a very short time we arrived in Forks and made our way to the hospital. I broke about a hundred traffic laws, exceeded speeds of 100 mph, weaving in and out of traffic and avoiding any law enforcement, but we were here without incident.
Arriving at the hospital I quickly pulled into Carlisle's reserved parking spot, bringing the car to a screeching halt. Jumping out of the car we raced towards the emergency room entrance. I was the first through the doors, glancing around wildly until I saw Charlie, Alice, Esme and Rosalie sitting in the waiting room.
"Where is she? Where have they taken her?" were the first words out of my mouth as we ran into the room. I quickly scanned the thoughts of everyone in the room, their thoughts telling me that Bella had just been taken to one of the examination rooms for treatment and they were now settling in for the wait.
I walked over to Charlie and shook his hand, followed by Carlisle. Charlie's thoughts ranged from worry for Bella, relief that Carlisle was now here to treat her, and most surprising was his approval of me. His thoughts were telling me he couldn't believe he had ever doubted my love for his daughter, approving the fact that I had arrived so quickly and the emotions he saw on my face and in my eyes as I said her name. He finally sees how much I love her! I looked at Charlie and nodded, smiling slightly when I heard his next thought, that it seemed as if I knew what he was thinking. My lips started to turn up at the corners, but then I caught sight of the cause of Bella's latest hospital visit and froze, my stance rigid and my eyes narrowed in anger. I could hear Emmett's thoughts, his remorse for all that had happened and his plea that I understand he never intended for Bella to get hurt, but I blocked out those thoughts as I started stalking towards him, the predator in me ready to pounce on the prey, ready to go for the kill, ready to punish the one who had harmed my mate.
Before I could take another step, Carlisle stepped in front of me, reaching out and placing his hand on my shoulder to remind me of where we were and that Bella's father was watching the scene unfold. I glanced at Charlie and had to fight the urge to laugh. Carlisle, if you only knew. Charlie's debating whether or not he should assist me! However, I knew my father was right. This was neither the time nor place for retribution. First, I had to see to Bella and then I would deal with Emmett. Once again I nodded at my father who squeezed my shoulder and quickly left the room to locate Bella.
Jasper and Alice were next to stand in front of me. Jasper was monitoring my emotions as I listened to Alice's thoughts. Edward, I know you're angry but this isn't the time or place for what you want to do to Emmett. We need to talk and I promise I will fill you in on everything that's happened. Once you're calm and have all the facts, THEN we'll decide how to deal with our wayward brother, but right now Bella needs you and she needs you to be calm. Can you do that, for her?
Could I do that for Bella? I would do anything for my angel and if it meant giving up my anger for the time being then I would do it without hesitation. I nodded at Alice and allowed Jasper's calming influence to help settle me down. Yes, when the time came we would give Emmett what he deserved. My Bella would have her justice.
I looked back over at Emmett and said in a low and threatening voice, "Soon Emmett, very soon…"
A/N: Thanks again to all of you who continue to leave reviews. I've loved what you've had to say about the story and also the fantastic ideas for pranks to play on Emmett! Let me know what you thought of this chapter by clicking below.
In the next chapter to be posted soon, Bella is released from the hospital and with the Cullens start making plans for the ultimate prank against the King of Pranks :-D
