Here we go again … the plot bunny just couldn't stay away. Persistent little fucker. Originally, this began as a dream. When I woke up, I wrote down as much as I could, but it's morphed into something different.

So, this is the big one. We're going to pick up with Bella next chapter. We're going to have a blast from the past at the hospital.

Chapter Twenty-One

"Bella, there's a kid coming in. He's been here before. He's real sick or injured or something," Grace said, her brows furrowed.

"Who?" Bella asaked, signing off on an x-ray for one of her patients. "I need this done stat. The little girl has been in pain for hours and it kills me to see her this way." The nurse nodded, scurrying away to take care of the x-ray. Bella turned back around to Grace. "Grace, who?"

"Jacob Black," Grace replied. "He was at school and he collapsed during gym class. They couldn't get him wake up, bringing him here. He's about ten minutes out."

"Collapsed? How?" Bella barked, her hackles rising and her heart stammering against her ribs.

"They were playing dodge ball and he was tagged out. The ball hit him in the side," Grace said, reading the dispatch notes she'd received from the EMTs. "Do you want him in a trauma room or the peds ER?"

"I should say trauma room, but he's more comfortable in the pediatric rooms," Bella said. "Get a portable chest x-ray, an ultrasound machine and …" There was a rumble and Bella whimpered. "Not now."

"What?" Grace asked.

"Nothing. I'm going to prepare Jake's room. Page me when he gets here," Bella said, darting off to the pediatric rooms. She got what she thought she needed, along with a cookie from the break room. A few moments later, her cell phone vibrated with a text from Grace. Jake was here. She darted to the ambulance bay, relieved to see Jasper. "Hey, Jas. How is he?"

"He regained consciousness about five minutes away. He's agitated and in a lot of pain," Jasper said, giving Bella the rundown of his symptoms. Bella directed the nurses who took the gurney to bring him peds room five. Jasper pulled her aside. "He's covered in bruises, Bells. He tried to play it off, but I think he's got a cracked rib or two. Plus, he's lost hair from a scalp lac. He said it's fine, but I think it may have healed over, but was infected."

"I'll check him out. Be super specific in your report, Jasper. I'm getting this kid out of the situation," Bella growled. "This is the third time he's been in my ER, covered in bruises."

"Got it. Good luck," he nodded, sauntering over to the nurses' station.

Bella walked briskly to Jake's room. She heard the boy crying, demanding to be let go, but she stepped into the commotion. "Guys, I've got this," Bella said softly, but sternly. Jake looked up, his eyes so very angry, but an undercurrent of fear was hidden in his black orbs. "Long time, no see, Jake."

"Dr. B-B-B-Bella?" he whispered.

"Yep," she said, walking over to him. "Can I get you into these pajamas? They'll fit better than your clothes." She looked at his attire, shocked at how small they were on him. His shoes were so tight that his big toes had burst through the shabby sneakers.

"But, you'll see," he cried, big fat tears falling down his gaunt cheeks.

"Jakey, I know that you're bruised," Bella said, ruffling his hair. "Why don't you change? I'll have my friend …"

"Dr. Edward?" he asked.

"He's off today," Bella chuckled. "My friend, Riley, who's in school to be a doctor, to come hang out with you. I'm going to get you something to eat. I hear angry grizzly bears in your tummy."

"Kay," Jake nodded. Bella smiled softly at him, finding Riley, who was doing his ER rotation. She asked him to hang out with Jake, taking a medical history, while she went in search of clothing that better fit Jacob and to order a heaping tray of food for the starving little boy. Twenty minutes later, she found some donated clothes and shoes. She checked on Jake and Riley and they seemed friendly. "Mr. Riley is no better at Uno than Dr. Edward."

"Is he hustling you?" Bella quipped.

"Oh, yeah," Riley laughed.

"Here, Jake. I got you a cookie. I'm going to talk to Mr. Riley and then I'll be back," Bella smiled, handing Jake the package of cookies and some chocolate milk. They stepped out into the hallway. "What do you see, Mr. Biers?"

"He's abused, malnourished and afraid of his own shadow," Riley began. "When he changed into the pajamas, I saw bruises all over his body, ranging from very recent to several weeks old. He's about twenty pounds under weight, but very tall for his age. He wouldn't take off his pants until I left the room, though."

"Possible sexual abuse?" Bella asked, her face tensing.

"Maybe," Riley frowned. "Or maybe, he doesn't trust a man he is not comfortable with. With Grace's help, we took a chest x-ray and it's been developed as we speak. But, I think he's been abused. For a long time."

"Agreed. Now, we just need to get social work here in a timely manner and we can help this little boy," Bella snarled. "That's your job. I've got a rapport with Jake. He trusts me. Maybe he'll share more with me." They separated. Riley went to the nurse's station to contact the social worker. Bella went back into Jake's room. He was munching on his food. "Hey, trouble. Your cookie good?"

He nodded, giving Bella a grin. He'd lost a few teeth, with adult teeth pushing through. "The chocolate milk was so good, Dr. Bella."

"You need that calcium for those new teeth, bud," Bella said, sitting down. "How are you doing, Jakey? Do you know why you were brought to the hospital?"

"I fell down and I couldn't wake up," he shrugged. "I heard my teacher, but it hurt too bad, Dr. Bella."

"Why is that?" Bella pressed. Jake just shook his head. "No, bud. Mr. Riley told me about the bruises; so, did my friend, the EMT from the ambulance. Where did you get those bruises, Jake? I want to help you. It kills me to see you hurt."

He opened his mouth, but slammed it shut. "I can't tell you. He'll kill me."

"Not if you don't go back to him, Jakey," Bella murmured. There was a low rumble and Bella stiffened. No, no, no, no … NO! She heard the bustle in the hallway as the ground shook. She picked up Jake, moving to the doorway. Jake's arms were wrapped around Bella's neck and he whimpered as she held him close to her body. The quake grew more violent, causing glass to break, walls to crack and equipment to fall. "It's okay, Jake. It's okay," Bella whispered, trying to convince herself. The floors buckled, making Bella stumble. She put Jake down, protecting him with her body as the quake continued to escalate in intensity.

Walls began to buckle like the floor and Bella watched the nurse's station disappear. There were screams and things grew chaotic. Riley yelled for her. "Bella, the building is unstable! You've got to get out! They're evacuating the hospital!" he shouted through a hole in the collapsed walls. "Send out Jacob."

"Now without you," Jake cried, clambering against Bella and crying hysterically. She stepped closer to the hole but the wall collapsed completely. "Dr. Bella …"

"We're okay, Jakey," she said, crouching down and hugging him closely. The ground stopped moving and it was deathly silent. She took out her cell phone, sending a group text to her Seattle contacts.

To anyone who gets this message. I'm in the emergency room at Harborview Medical Center, near pediatric room five, and the doctor's lounge. I have a patient with me, an eight-year-old boy, Jacob Black. We're okay. Scared, but okay.

She sent it off just as the power blinked out. It was dark and Jake whimpered. Using her cell phone, she lit up the hallway. "Come here, sweetie," she said, taking his hand. "I think we need to go into the lounge." With shaky legs, they made their way to the doctor's lounge. She could hear people scrambling, but pediatric room five and the doctor's lounge were abandoned. It was just the two of them. As they made their way to the lounge, a couple of people responded to her text.

I was out with Rose, having lunch. We're heading to the hospital, but it's fucked up, Bells. Make sure you find someplace with fresh water and a lot of space. If you're buried, you could possibly run out of air … I love you! ~ Alice

The EMTs, paramedics, firefighters … we're strapped. DON'T MOVE, BELLA! We'll get there soon! ~ Emmett

She trembled as she read her messages, setting up Jake on the couch. She put him in the donated clothes and raided the fridge for food. "Well, I think Dr. Volturi will not be eating his pizza for lunch. Wanna enjoy it before it gets gross?" she asked. Jake nodded, eagerly eating the meal. Bella managed to get to her locker, getting her earthquake kit. She went into the bathroom, checking to see if the water still ran and she filled a bucket with fresh water. She also used a fire extinguisher to break open the vending machine. She also forced open the soda machine, which was filled with various sodas, water and some juice. "We won't go hungry, if we ration," she said. "Let's pray that they find us soon, Jake."

"I'm scared, Dr. Bella," he whispered.

"Me, too, bud," she sighed. "But, at least we're together. I promise I'll keep you safe, Jakey."

xx SG xx

"He's coming to," Elizabeth said, pressing a washcloth to Edward's temple. "Edward, sweetie, it's Mom."

He blinked his eyes and everything was blurry. "What happened?" he asked, fluttering his eyes and things began to clear up. He tried to sit up, but both of his parents pressed him down. "I'm fine."

"You were unconscious for fifteen minutes. You're not fine," Edward Sr. grumbled. "Follow the light."

He did as he was asked and was allowed to sit up. He looked around, seeing minor damage to his parents' home. "I'm okay," Edward insisted.

"You've got a knot on your head and a laceration right at your hairline," Elizabeth said. "I think some butterfly sutures can keep it closed." She got up, disappearing into her bedroom.

Edward reached into his pocket, seeing numerous texts on his phone. He opened up his phone, noticing that he had no service, but he read the messages. His eyes widened when he got to Bella's text. "Shit," he spat. "I've got to go."

"You're not going anywhere, son. You may have a concussion," Edward Sr. argued.

"Dad, I have to," he said, standing up and wavering. "The reason I came here is because I wanted to tell you that I met someone. She's everything … and she's trapped at Harborview. Bella's … I love her, Dad. She's terrified of quakes and she's trapped in the pediatric ER with a patient. I have to get to her."

"The roads are fucked," Edward Sr. chuckled, running his hand through his hair. "Edward, the hospital is far away and I don't know if you're even able to get there."

"I have to fucking try," Edward replied, gripping his dad's arms.

"Well, let's get you patched up. I'm going to check on our neighbors and set up a triage tent," Edward Sr. said, hugging his son.

Edward nodded and sat down as his mother addressed his laceration. "You really love this woman?" Elizabeth asked.

"I do, Mom. I never thought … after what Tanya did to me," Edward muttered.

"Bitch. If I ever see her, she's going to get a wallop from me," Elizabeth snarled. She finished her treatment, kissing her son's cheek. "Stay here. I want to give you what I can. You're going to need food, water, medical supplies." She disappeared again, coming back with a huge backpack.

"Where did you get that?" Edward snorted.

"Your father got a bug up his ass about trying to be one with nature," Elizabeth deadpanned. "He wiped his ass with poison ivy and all of this stuff was buried in the back in the closet."

"It was hell, Libby," Edward Sr. grumped.

"You didn't have lance your boils, jackass," Elizabeth said, smacking his arm. "That is one part of you I never want to see again."

"When did this happen?" Edward asked.

"When you were in college," Elizabeth replied. "When you went to Daytona Beach for spring break? Anyway, this is left over from your father's nature bit." She stuffed it filled with several medical kits, the good ones that doctors had access to, along with some field rations, water, flashlights and a radio. "Do you have better shoes?"

Edward looked down at his loafers and shook his head. "Not on me. At home, I do."

"Your feet are smaller than your father's but you can wear his hiking boots," Elizabeth said, darting away and returning with a pair of thick, wool socks and boots. Edward put them on and took his dad's proffered fleece. She hugged Edward. "I know that you should be resting. You were knocked out, but if you love this girl and she brought my baby back to me, you aren't going to sit on your ass."

"No," Edward said. "She has to know, Mom." He held up his phone. "I can't exactly tell her. There's no service." He put it into his pocket, zipping it in the jacket.

"Be safe, son," Edward Sr. whispered. "I don't know what it's like, but rest assured the crazies are out in full force."

They hugged and Edward got into his SUV, backing out. The damage to his parents' neighborhood was minimal, as was most of the drive toward Seattle. About three miles away from the exit to Harborview, the roads were completely fucked. Edward parked his car, hitched his backpack onto his shoulders and began making his way toward the hospital. His head was pounding. The sun had set and it was getting colder, not to mention it was raining. He narrowed his eyes. "I'm coming, Bella. I'm sorry I wasn't with you," he muttered.

xx SG xx

"I'm cold, Bella," Jake whispered. She'd told him to lose the doctor part. They were friends, not doctor and patient. She got up, grabbing a blanket from fire kit. She tucked it around him. "Thank you."

"How are your ribs?" Bella asked. She'd wrapped them and did her best to keep her mind occupied on anything other than the darkness, the cold and the ground that didn't like to stay still. Since the huge earthquake that rumbled through in late afternoon, there had been at least four more significant aftershocks. The path to the pediatric room was completely blocked by crumbling walls.

"They're fine. The bandage is tight, but you said that's good, right?" Jake asked. Bella smiled and nodded. "Do you think that there will be more quakes?"

"I hope not," Bella sighed, sitting next to Jake and putting her arms around him. She'd found a coat, putting it on and swiped a pair of woolly socks from Shelly's locker, using them as gloves. "Why don't you try and get some sleep, Jakey?"

"Do you think they'll find us?" he asked, snuggling closer to Bella.

"I sent out a text before cell service went down. My roommate and a friend know where we're at. I can hear the people outside. We're safe for now and I promise to get you out," she said, kissing his forehead.

"Do you have kids, Bella?" Jake asked.

"I don't, sweetie."

"You'd be a good mom. You remind me of my mom," Jake whispered sadly. "She's dead."

"What happened?" Bella questioned.

"My mom and dad, they fought a lot," Jake sighed, moving closer to Bella and putting his head on her chest. "My dad, he liked to fight with his fists, his hands. A couple of years ago, Mom and me were going to leave. She packed a bag for us and we were getting ready to get out of the apartment. Dad came home, seeing the bag and he was so angry. Mom pushed me behind her, saying that we were going."

"Jake?" Bella whispered when he'd stopped talking.

"I watched my dad kill my mom," he cried. "He looked at me and he said that if I said anything, I'd be next. He left me with her and I stayed with her, crying for her to wake up. She was so still. Her eyes were open, afraid. A couple hours later, my dad came back with his friends and they stuffed her into a suitcase. He slapped me, knocking me out and that was the last I saw of my mommy."

"Oh, baby," Bella cried with him. "I'm so sorry." She held him as he sobbed for the loss of his mother. He cried himself asleep and Bella held him so tightly, wanting to protect him from the monster that was his father and keep him safe from the earthquakes. She'd succeeded in the latter, but was working on the former. Kissing his forehead, Bella allowed herself to relax and closed her eyes. She was exhausted, sore and afraid. A few moments' rest would be exactly what the body needed.

"BELLA!" Jake yelled. Her eyes flew open and she felt the earth move again. "It's worse!"

"Get in the door, Jakey," Bella said, pushing him toward the exit of the lounge. The lockers swayed dangerously as she sat up, moving her sluggish body. She stumbled toward the doorway and she tripped when the ground jerked. She caught herself with her hands.

"Bella! The lockers!" Jake screamed. She turned around just as the locker came crashing down on her left leg. She screamed as the pain radiated up her leg, rattling her to her core. She whimpered, falling back and faded out of consciousness, the last coherent thought she had was of Jake and reuniting with Edward.

I love you, Edward …

A/N: You still with me? Leave me some!