Ch11 The Hospital

Edward's POV.

We showed up to the hospital and found Alice, shortly after. She explained what had happened and where everyone was before rushing off to go find Jasper. They were probably heading to the gift shop because even at a hospital, Alice has to shop for something. Emmett and Rose were probably somewhere making out or something, since their little hotel trip got put on hold by this mess. Dad was probably working his rounds and Mom most likely went to find someone to help, our friends were doing well so there was no real point to everyone hanging around.

…

It was just Bella and I, standing around in the hall way and as much as I didn't want to leave her side; I had no choice. Alice said that we could only go in to see them one at a time and Tanya was on one side of the building and Jacob was on the other. I had to walk away from her and every step seemed like an even bigger mistake. I wanted to turn around and run back to her, just once but I knew better than that. If I turned back now, if I saw her standing there; I'd run to her and never let go. So I continued moving forward and listened for any sign that would tell me where she was, how far she was from me now. It was hard to time about, reminding me of the dream she had. It almost seems like so many nights ago that she came to me crying. She had said that in her dream, I was leaving her. I walked away from her, almost like I am now and the comparison made me want to turn around even more. Somehow, I found myself outside of the room Tanya in. I slowly walked inside to find her laying on one of the hospital beds, she looked mostly alright. Nothing too bad from first glance but being my father's son, I know how closer looks can change things. Looking down at her, smiling brightly up at me; I suddenly felt like the worlds biggest ass hole. Tanya really cares about me in a way that I can never care for her. I do like her and I care that she's hurt. To me, Tanya will never be more than a good friend maybe even a family member but never a lover. Bella will be the only bug upon my tree, that is … if we ever become lover. Right now, I have no idea what we are. I have been too afraid to ask until recently and then just when I was about to bring it up with her, my phone rings and so here we are. At the hospital, trying to find out what happened with our dates to the dance from last night.

"EDWARD!" Tanya called excited to see me.

This was going to be a very hard talk. "Hello, Tanya. How are you feeling?" I asked as I came closer to her bed. "Alice told me that you got into a fight with Jessica."

"Yeah, … well that bitch started it." Tanya said defensively. "Anyway, I'm fine really. She got most of the damage."

"I'm sure she did." I responded, knowing just how well she could fight when she wanted to. "Tell me what happened, please?"

"Well, Jacob and Mike got into this huge fight over something Mike said. It was all Mike's fault but Jake is a really good fighter and so Eric and Tyler tried helping. Jacob was so good that even the three of them couldn't touch him." Tanya sounded really impressed with Jacob. "Then while I was watching with everyone else, Jessica came over and said something about it being all Bella's fault and she called her a bitch, Edward. I like Bella, she seems nice so I told her that she should keep her mouth shut. She pushed me, Edward. Ahh, I really hate that girl!" Tanya was really angry about all this. "Then she said that I shouldn't be defending her because Bella was nothing but a slut that ran off with my date. I couldn't believe that she would even say something like that so I punched her lights out. She didn't see that one coming!" Tanya finished and by the end she was throwing punches into the air.

"Tanya, … we have to talk about something." I said softly and I could bring myself to look her in the eye anymore, I felt lower than dirt in this very moment and she would hate me now.

"Of course, Edward. What's on your mind?" Tanya asked in her over the top excited voice, only making me hate me more.

"Its about what happened at the dance last night." I started off.

Tanya instantly jumped in, cutting me off. "Oh, I know I shouldn't have been fighting Edward. I know and really I'm not proud of it but she deserved it and I didn't like how she was talking about Bella. I know, I don't know her was well as the rest of you but I think she's really nice." Tanya said in a rush.

"Tanya, … I know. This isn't about what you did, its about what I did. … To you." I answered bad and my head fell forward. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I honestly do care about you. I just think I may have lead you into thinking it's a little more than I do. Tanya, I'm so sorry that you're here right now and that I have to do this but I didn't want to ask you to the dance. I didn't mean to but I walked myself into a huge mess and somehow, your name slipped out when I was trying to cover myself. Once I called you, there was no going back and I'm sorry but I don't think of you that way."

"Oh Edward, …" Tanya said softly but she didn't sound hurt or even angry, like I had thought she would be. "I knew the whole time you didn't want to be there with me. I was completely surprised that you even asked me in the first place. I just honestly didn't want to go alone so when you asked I said yes."

"You don't hate me then?" I asked surprised as I looked up to see her expressions to make sure she wasn't lying.

"No, of course not." Tanya said sincerely. "Edward, I know you're in love with Bella, I could see it in the way you watched her all night. She's a very lucky girl, I hope she knows that."

"I'm the lucky one, I found out quite recently that she loves me back." I said softly. "Tanya, I'm so sorry I treated you this way."

"Save it Cullen." Tanya said and waved me off with her hand to dismiss my apology. "Edward, you're a great friend and you honestly care a lot. You want to make everyone happy but don't you think its about time, you go out and make you happy?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, she should be hating me right now. Instead she's telling me to be happy, to go and make myself happy. Tanya really was one of my best friends and I would have been a sorry man to have lost her. I'm glad that she doesn't hate me, that she's not mad but a part of me still wants to make thing up to her. Some how, some day I will make this up to her. I had no idea how but I was determined to make things right.

"Edward, you need to learn to relax a little." Tanya said pulling me back from my thoughts. "You look like you should be laying in this bed, not me. Come on, get going now."

"What? … Why do you want me to leave?" I asked confused.

"Because I don't see any Bella around here, do you?" Tanya said sarcastically. "Now, get! Go on, go find her, Edward."

"Tanya, you are a wonderful leaf, I'd really be sorry if I lost you." I told her honestly and she gave me the weirdest look.

"I'm a what now?" She asked, and I almost laughed at myself; I hadn't even noticed that I used Bella's logic here.

"Sorry, I called you a leaf. It means your one of my friends, a very good friend Tanya." I explained to her. "I promise I'll explain it better later, so you understand but its something that Bella once told me and I really think it makes a lot of sense."

"Okay, I can't wait. … Oh, wait I have to wait!" Tanya said and then looked around the room. "I'm stuck in this place."

I was chuckling softly as I left the room. Tanya was something else. She's a great friend and can usually make me laugh when I need it but she has a bit a temper. On my way out I noticed one of the nurses making her round on the floor, she was swiftly moving pasted me to get into the room with Tanya. As I walked out of the room I instantly started looking around for Bella. I was glad that everything worked out so well with Tanya but I just really wanted my Bella back with me. I didn't think I could miss her this much. I was looking up and down the hall from outside of Tanya's room but I couldn't really see the people very well. I thought I saw her but it turned out to be some other girl, with her boyfriend. I was beginning to think that she hadn't left Jacob's room yet, when I started walking down that way and saw her sitting about half way between. She was just sitting in a chair along the wall, reading one of the outdated magazines. She hadn't notice me so I quietly walked over and sat in the seat just beside her. She didn't even notice when I sat down and leaned towards her, until I stole her hand, that is. She jumped and then blushed when she saw me.

"That wasn't very nice Edward!" Bella chided but it was worth getting to see her blush and smile at me like that.

"I can live with that." I said simply as I pulled her hand up to my lips so I could place a gently kiss to the back of her hand. "How's Jacob doing? … Tanya isn't in that bad of shape."

"He's ok. More than that, he thinks he is perfectly fine and that Mike and them are all beaten by big bad Jacob Black." Bella said teasingly but I could see in her eyes that she was still worried about his well being, even if he wasn't.

"I'm sure they both will be fine in a few days." I said to reassure her. "Hey, you want to get out of here? I know you hate this place."

She smiled up at me again and placed the magazine down. "I'd love to go anywhere you want." Bella said happily.

"Great, because I have this place that I've always wanted to take you to but never thought of a good time to." I said, thinking about my little paradise. "Plus its rare that we get good weather."

"It sounds very nice Edward." Bella said and we both got up to get ready to leave. "I'd love to see this place."

"Perfect, I just have to check on something real quick, here." I handed her the keys to my car so she could get in. "I'll be right out. I just need to do something so you can go outside, if you'd like."

"Okay." Bella said as she took my keys.

Bella was about to walk away but I still held her hand so I pulled her back to me for a really quick hug and I placed another soft kiss to her hand. She blushed for me again before rushing down the hall. She disappeared around a corner so I started walking to my destination, Jacob Black's room. I was going to just walk in but I wasn't sure how he would take to that. I wasn't really his friend yet, I wasn't even very nice to him the last time I saw him. In fact, I'm pretty sure I had glared at him just before storming off. Yeah, that was what happened last, nice manners Edward. So, I knocked; once, twice, three times but there was no answer. … Maybe that had him sleeping or something?

"Dude, come in or get away from the door. This a hospital not a hotel or something." Jacob called as I was about to walk away. "Gees can't a guy in a bed, just stay in the bed!"

"Its rude to enter a room, any room without welcome." I said as I walked into the room and saw him. "Besides, I wasn't sure if you would want to see me or not. Its polite to give a person a chance to say no, you can't come in."

"Oh, its you. Edward I didn't know you were coming in to see me." Jacob said sounding about as surprised as I thought he would be. "What are you doing down here? I know Tanya's on the other side of the building. You looking for her?"

"Yeah she is, I just saw her and she's doing fine." I told him. "I actually came to talk to you for a moment, if you don't mind."

"Uhhh, yeah sure." Jacob said hesitantly but willing.

"I wanted to thank you for everything that you did for Bella." I told him honestly. "For getting her from the woods, the ride home, hanging out with us the next day, for the dance and even for sticking up for her against Mike. … Not that he's much of a fight but still, Thank you for everything."

"Umm, yeah. No problem." Jacob said looking confused. "I mean, she's a nice girl and you all seem to really care about her. … You seem to really take care of her, Edward."

"I'm in love with her." I answered and watching his eyes told me that he knew that. "I also think that you might be falling for her as well, but I'm not say you are. I could just be seeing things because I have been very jealous of you, Jacob."

"Damn, and here I thought I was hiding it better." Jacob said sarcastically. "Bella's pretty much the only one missing it, huh? Oh well, she's probably better off with you, you're the one she wants."

"Thank you Jacob, for everything." I said sincerely.

"Are you going to keep saying that?" Jacob asked.

"No, that was the last time." I answered him. "I just wanted you to know and to find out for sure if I was right or not."

"Just make sure she's happy, ok?" Jacob asked.

"Its will be my pleasure." I said back just before I walked out the room and down the hall, I wanted so badly to be with Bella now.

By the time I found Alice and Jasper to tell them that Bella and I were leaving, I was long passed missing her. I getting frustrated just talking to Alice and Jasper because they were keeping me from her. It wasn't very normal to feel this way when she wasn't around but at the time I couldn't have cared less. I wanted her and I didn't care how rude I had to be to get to her faster. Good thing, Alice understood and made things move along quickly. I was out of there and walking past the front desk in no time at all. I just wanted to find my car, which has my Bella and go to my very special spot. I walked out into the parking lot to walk to my car but it wasn't were I had parked it? At first I thought that maybe Bella had driven it somewhere, but where would she have gone without me?

"Edward? … The car is gone?" Bella called and I turned to see her walking up from the middle of the lot. "Its not even parked anywhere, I looked? What happened?"

"That's just great." I said but I pulled her into my arms and instantly felt better and less irritated about everything. "Umm, I don't know but I'm sure we'll find it soon enough."

"EDWARD!" Emmett's booming voice called from behind us. "HEY, I had to move your car … Rose hacked it or whatever and its on the other side of the building. Glad I found you."

"Wow, thanks Emm." I said and was about to lead Bella away.

"DUDE! … Are you… and she… WOW?" Emmett said … well kind of said and gestured at Bella and I a lot.

"Umm, what Emmett?" Bella asked a little embarrassed with all the attention he was drawing towards us all.

"Yes Emmett, what?" I asked teasingly.

"DUDES! … Are you together?" Emmett asked now.

"Emmett, keep it down." Bella demanded. "People are starting to stare at all of us so cut it out!"

"Well, … Are you?" Emmett asked again.

"I don't know, Emm. We are leave together and I guess we hang out a lot. … I guess at the moment we are standing together." I answered back jokingly, he was getting frustrated.

"Dude, … not cool." Emmett said. "Just go away!"

"Thank you Emmett, thank you!" Bella said and then she started pulling me away from him as fast as she could.

I couldn't stop all the laughter that came from me on the way to finding my car. At some point Bella started laughing with me and soon enough we both found my car. She let us in, since she still had my keys and then I started driving off. I couldn't wait to get her to my favorite spot, I knew she would love it as much as I did. The day was so bright and sunny so it was the perfect weather for this event and it would be the perfect place to pick back up on the topic I wanted to start before I got the call to come to the hospital. I wanted to talk to Bella about what all this means for us now. I couldn't seem to get there fast enough, every inch of me was racing to get there faster and to finally figure things out. I wanted to be with Bella but I didn't want to assume something that we weren't. The hardest thing about this drive was knowing what I wanted to do most and knowing that it was probably a long shot, at best.