I do not own Twilight... and we all know who does and we thank her for allowing us to play with her toys ;)
I want to thank everyone for sticking with me with this story. I appreciate every reader and every single review...
I should warn you... there is a bumpy ride ahead... and if your not ready to kill me by the time you are done reading there will be a longer a/n at the end...
Here ya go...
I throw on a pair of yoga pants, a tank, and Edwards black hoodie and head back downstairs. I start a fresh pot of coffee and then decide to text Alice: Pixie… come over early… Rose and I need you.
Alice responds almost immediately: ok… be there in a bit… is everything ok?
I sigh: no… not really.
She doesn't reply. But, then my doorbell rings and I head to the front of the house. I open the door expecting to find an upset Rosalie, but instead finding Tanya Yorkie standing in front of me nervously wringing her hands.
I'm momentarily speechless. I can't help but ask myself, 'What are the fucking odds?' "Can I help you, Tanya?" I try the best I can to ask civilly.
"I heard that Edward will be leaving today," she says so quietly that I nearly didn't hear her.
"Umm, yeah… and?" I ask abrasively wanting her to get the hell away from me.
"Is he here?" she asks, her voice sounding very, very strange.
"No, he's not." I snap. "Is there something I can help you with?"
She shakes her head violently, "No… I'm sorry, Bella… I shouldn't be here."
She turns to walk away and suddenly I can't help myself. "Tanya," I yell after her, "You need to know that Edward and I are married now."
She abruptly stops dead in her tracks and spins around to face me. Her face is twisted into what looks like a painful grimace. "What? When?" she gasps.
"We were married yesterday," I tell her, not able to keep a smile from my face. I know it's not nice and I'm messing with someone who may or may not be crazy. But, there's this part of me that wants to feel something other than the agony of Edward leaving and being put in harms' way. Who knows? Maybe she'll attack me and I will be able to work through some of my frustration.
Her tortured expression softens as her shoulders slump forward and she looks defeated. "So, that's it then?" she says quietly. And before I can say anything she turns and runs to her car.
"What the fuck?" I mutter and turn back inside, being sure to lock the door behind me. I grab the phone and call Kate and let her know that her sister once again, made her way to my doorstep showering me with some of her special brand of crazy. As I'm getting off the phone with Kate the doorbell rings and I pray to God that it's Rose.
When I make my way to the door, I am relieved to see Rosalie's blonde profile through the windows of the front door. I swing the door open, grumbling, "God, I'm happy to see you." I look up at her and for the first time in our entire friendship Rosalie Hale is a mess. Her hair is thrown up in a sloppy pony-tail, her eyes are blood-shot and swollen, and she's wearing absolutely no make-up and a pair of tights and what looks to be one of Emmett's over-sized sweatshirts.
"Oh, Rose," I sigh and pull her into a hug. She immediately starts sobbing on my shoulder and I begin to rub her back, "They are going to be alright, honey," I tell her sweetly. "Come on," I tell her and take her hand, leading her towards the family room. She silently follows and then goes and plops down on the couch. "Do you want coffee? Water? Tea?"
"Some coffee would be good," she answers quietly.
I pour us each a cup, adding tons of sugar and milk to mine, while leaving hers black. When I make my way to stand in front of Rose tears are rolling down her cheeks. I set the coffee down on the coffee table and sit down beside Rose on the couch. I pull her into my arms and hug her tightly. "It's going to be ok," I tell her softly.
"Are you sure?" she asks between soft sobs.
"No," I tell her honestly, "but it has to be." I find myself fighting back my own tears.
"I knew it was going to be hard when he left. But, I never thought I would be this scared." Rose sits up and wipes the tears away from her face. "It gets easier, right?" she asks, completely serious.
"Yeah," I whisper and then take her hand, "you get used to their training and when they deploy. But, when they have to leave unexpectedly and you know it has the possibility to be dangerous, it's never easy. But, we have each other… and we can get through it together."
"Emmett said he wasn't sure when we would be able to talk to one another next," her voice trailing off at the end of her sentence.
"Normally, they can call, occasionally e-mail and more often write. Sometimes they can Skype, but our guys aren't always in the best places to communicate. But, Edward did say that it was going to be harder this time, too."
Rose looks up at me and cocks her head to the side, "Will they be able to tell us where they go and what they did?"
"It depends on how it all turns out. It's all in whether it gets declassified or not. Hopefully, there won't be a whole lot to tell. They will go, do their job, and get their asses home in one piece."
"I just want them home," Rose whimpers and then breaks completely down. She leans towards me and hugs me tightly.
"I know," I whisper, "I do, too." I hug her back, knowing that it's going to get worse before it gets better for her. I know that I will do my best to support her and help her get through this, hopefully with her love for Emmett still intact.
Rose's breathing has calmed and evened into a slow rhythmic pattern and I can tell that she has fallen asleep. I hear the door open to the downstairs and her Alice make her way down the hall. I glance up and see her standing at the back of the couch that separates the Kitchen and the Family Room. She's uncharacteristically dressed in a plain white t-shirt and a baggy pair of blue jeans. Her face is solemn and her eyes are red, looking as if she's been crying the whole way here.
She moves the rest of the way around the couch and climbs up on the couch and positions herself right up against the other side of Rose. Alice looks up at me and mouths, "Are you ok?"
I nod a yes and then shake my head slightly telling her no, because it's the truth. Rationally, I am ok. I know Edward is the best at what he does and he will do whatever it takes to make his way home to me, to us. But, the emotional side of me is absolutely scared to death that he will not make it back. That something terrible is going to happen and I'm going to lose my husband, the love of my life, for some unknown reason.
I know this is his choice and because I choose to be married to him it's my choice, too. But, oh my God, it fucking breaks my heart and batters my brain. I literally shake my head trying to shake off this awful, dreadful feeling that is beginning to weigh me down.
Rose wakes and looks up at Alice and whispers, "Hi."
"Hey," Alice smiles and then offers, "I sent Jazzy to get us some breakfast… just some bagels and stuff." Alice sits up and looks back and forth between Rosalie and myself, "Are you two ok?"
Rose and I both nod.
"What time is it?" I ask.
Alice checks her watch, "it's a little after Noon. What time are they supposed to leave?"
"All Edward told me is that they are shipping out tonight. He didn't really give me a time," I tell her.
"Yeah," Rose adds, "Emmett wasn't sure of the exact time either."
"So, Ladies, the family is going to be here around 1:30. How are we going to handle this?" Alice asks.
"I think we should call them and let them know what's going on. That way they have time to deal with it however they need to without having to worry about anyone else," I tell her.
"Do you still want them to come?" Alice asks quietly.
I sit up and smile and answer, "Yeah, I think so."
"Alright," Alice stand up and immediately takes charge, "I will call my parents and I will have Jazz call yours. You two relax and let us take care of everything." Alice pulls her cell phone out of her pocket and immediately calls Jasper. She steps out into the courtyard and closes the door behind her.
"Its' times like this I'm glad she's such a pushy little thing," I joke.
Rosalie laughs and then adds, "I know, right?"
A few minutes later Alice joins us back on the couch, she smiles brightly at the two of us, "Ok, we've talked to the parents and they are coming over and bringing lunch, just like we planned."
"Is your Mom, ok?" I ask.
"Yeah," Alice answers quietly, "I think she's just having the same struggles as the rest of us." Alice leans back and gets a little more comfortable on the couch, "She and Renee were planning a shopping trip after Thanksgiving, but she said something about cancelling it now."
"Oh no," I groan and then smile over at Alice, "They can't stay. They really need to go or they are going to drive me crazy."
"I know," Alice giggles, "I've successfully distracted them enough that I think they have forgotten that I'm pregnant."
"You better watch it," Rose pipes up, "once those two get you in their sights they are going to have every last detail of that little ones' life all planned out."
Alice rests her hands on top of her barely there stomach. "I just can't believe it's happening," she whispers.
Rose leans towards Alice and pulls her into a hug.
"Alright, you women decent?" Jasper startles us by yelling through the doorway.
"Jasper," we all groan in unison.
I get up from the couch and walk over to my brother, who is loaded down with grocery bags. "You need a hand with that?"
"Sure," he smiles at me and thrusts a bag my way. I take it out of his hands and then we head to the kitchen.
I glance at the multitude of bags that Jasper is carrying and ask, "I thought you were just picking up some bagels?"
"I was," he sighs loudly, "But, since I was already out, Mom asked me to pick up a few things for lunch."
"They take the news ok?" I ask quietly as I put a gallon of milk into the refrigerator.
"I think so. Mom's upset," he starts taking the groceries out of the bags and then looks over at me, "and Dad is just worried for the both of you."
"Oh," I look down at the counter, trying to hide my face from Jasper. Dealing with Edward leaving was much easier when I was by myself. Now, not only do I have to deal with my feelings, but I also have to deal with the feelings of our entire family. Joy. I trace a dark brown mineral vein that runs through our beige speckled granite counter with my finger, trying to keep my emotions in check. I feel a warm hand on my shoulder and look up to see Jasper standing beside me.
He's smiling slightly with his head cocked a bit to the side. "Sis, it's going to be ok," he says quietly and then pulls me against his chest and wraps his arms around me. I rest my head against his chest and listen to his heartbeat.
"I know," I whisper, "But, I miss him already."
"He'll be back before you know it," Jasper tries to reassure me. He gives me a squeeze and then kisses the top of my head, "The Chief's going to be here soon. So, you better put your game face on."
"Ok," I pull back and wipe the tears away that are threatening to fall from my eyes. "Thanks for, well, everything you and Alice have done for us."
Jasper grins down at me, "You are very welcome. You do know that Alice wouldn't have it any other way, right?"
I nod and begin to tell him I know, when I hear my Mom's voice echoing its' way through the house.
"Bella?" she calls.
Jasper winks, "Its' show time." And I shake my head at him.
"I'm in here," I yell back as I make my way towards the front of the house. I don't make it past the Family Room when my Mom rushes over to me and hugs me tightly. I look up to see my Dad carrying a grocery bag in each hand. I catch his eye and he smiles.
"You hungry, Bells?" Dad asks. He raises the bags as Mom releases me from her hug and pulls me into her side, "You're Mom bought enough food to feed an army."
"Well, we all have to eat," Mom rolls her eyes. She squeezes my hip, "You hungry, sweetie?"
"No, not really," I sigh. "But, let's get everything set up for lunch. That way people can eat what they want whenever."
"Alright, where do you want us to set up?" Mom asks.
"Let's use the kitchen table for the food, no one really eats it anyway," I say as I work my way out of her grasp. I go over by Dad and help him and Jasper unload the groceries from the bags. Mom and Alice immediately begin organizing and setting food on the tables. I turn around and lean against the counter and watch my family as they whirl around me in a flurry of activity.
Out of the corner of my eye I see someone, I assume to be Carlisle or Esme, standing next to couch. I glance over only to see Emmett standing there completely still. His face is stark white and he seems to be breathing heavily and I immediately know something is very… very wrong.
"Emmett?" I gasp and everything in my world stops on a dime and feels like it's balancing on the head of pin… One tiny move and it will all come crashing down around me.
Emmett closes the distance between us in few long strides. The entire time all I can think is there's something wrong… there's something wrong… there's something wrong.
"Bella," Emmett says as he reaches out at takes my hand. His voice is hoarse and he clears his throat before he continues, "I need you to come with me."
"Emmett, what's going on?" I beg, as he starts to pull me out of the kitchen. I stop and dig in my heels, "No! Tell me what's happened!"
"It's Edward. I need to take you to him," Emmett pleads. He shakes his head in frustration when I refuse to move, "Dammit, Bella, Edward's been shot and I need to take you to the hospital, NOW."
"What? How?" I cry.
"I'll explain on the way, but right now, we have to go," Emmett barks.
Out of nowhere Rosalie materializes at my side with a pair of my sneakers and my purse. "I'm coming with you," she says quietly. I look at my friend who is staring at her fiancé with so much love, while tears are streaming down her face. Emmett looks over at Rose and visibly relaxes and then quickly snaps back into action pulling the two of us toward the front door.
Edward's Volvo is idling at the curb as Emmett runs ahead and opens the passenger-side doors for Rosalie and me. Once I'm inside, Emmett shuts the door and flies around to the driver's side and quickly gets inside.
"Emmett, what happened?" I ask before he can even pull away from the curb.
Emmett clears his throat again, "Somehow Tanya got on base with a gun and then managed to find us in down in the hangar. She unloaded half a clip before we realized what was happening and stopped her."
I gasp and Emmett looks over at me. "She came by the house this morning and I told her that Edward and I were married yesterday," I tell him wishing I would have just kept my big mouth shut this morning.
"Well, you're probably lucky she didn't shoot you," he growls. "That fucking lunatic shot three people today."
"Is Edward ok?" my voice cracks.
Emmett shakes his head, "I really don't know. It's not good, Bells." Emmett reaches over and takes my hand, "She shot him and kept shooting him while he was on the ground." He pauses for a brief second before continuing, "As soon as everything was under control, Masterchief sent me to get you."
Emmett keeps talking, but I don't hear anything else. I find myself chanting it's not good over and over again in my head. It registers when we pass over the Coronado Bridge that he's actually taking me to the hospital. He's taking me to the hospital to be with Edward…. Edward's in the hospital.
"How'd he get there?" I ask.
"What?" Emmett asks quietly.
I look over at him and ask, "How did Edward get to the hospital?"
"Oh, helo… we loaded him right up on the medi-vac and hopped him over to the hospital," Em answers quickly.
I look around and notice that we are on I-5. "Which hospital?" I murmur.
"He's at Scripps Mercy, it won't take us that much longer," he sighs, looks down at the speedometer and I feel the car push forward, accelerating slightly. Emmett veers off I-5 onto a road I don't remember having been on before, but I recognize Balboa Park is off to our right.
I look down at my hands as they sit in my lap. I twist my wedding band around on my finger. "Oh fuck," I groan, "Emmett, did you give everyone else the details?"
Emmett shakes his head, but then Rosalie speaks up from the back seat, "I texted Alice with the details and they were waiting on Carlisle and Esme to get to the house and then they were all planning on coming up to the hospital."
"Thanks, Rose," I answer without a bit of feeling. I've gone numb… completely and utterly numb. I don't feel my hands that are growing red and irritated as I wring them, franticly. I don't feel my lip split as I bite down into my own flesh. I don't feel any emotions either. I should be upset. I should be scared. I should be a lot of things, but I can't seem to feel anything.
We pull into the hospital and Emmett drops Rose and me off at the Emergency entrance telling us, "I will park the car and I will meet you inside." I nod as Rose takes my hand and we turn and head inside. We walk up to the admittance desk and wait for someone to help me.
A young woman with black, chin-length bobbed hair walks up and asks, "Can I help you?"
"Yes," I answer stoically, "My husband was brought in by helicopter."
Her eyes widen a bit, "What is your husbands' name?"
"Cullen, Edward Cullen."
She enters his name on the keyboard and then looks up at me, "He's been taken to surgery. Let me call someone to take you back." She looks up at Rose and then back at me, "They will only allow family back."
"She's my sister-in-law," I lie.
"Ok, Mrs. Cullen, just take a seat over there and a nurse will be with you in just a moment," she tells me and then points over towards a couple of chairs next to a wooden door.
I nod and walk over towards the chairs. Before I can sit down a tall man with a shaved head dressed in dark blue scrubs comes through the door. He looks at me and arches his eyebrows, "Mrs. Cullen?" he asks.
"That's me," I answer quietly.
"Come with me," he smiles warmly and offers me his hand. "I'm Matthew and I will be your liaison with the operating room."
I politely shake his hand, "Isabella Swan, I'm sorry," I shake my head, "Its' Isabella Cullen, as of yesterday." I take a deep breath and then exhale and find the heart to ask, "He's in surgery?"
Matthew nods as he holds the door open for us. "Yes, when your husband came in we immediately stabilized him and then rushed him straight to surgery."
I follow Matthew silently through a maze of beige and tan hallways, until he eventually leads us to a small waiting room. Matthew turns to us and gives me a kind glance, "Let me go and get an update on our patient and I will be right back with you. Help yourself to whatever you like."
Matthew disappears through the doorway and I turn to Rose. Her bottom lip is trembling and her red-rimmed eyes are filling with tears. I just can't take her losing it on me right now. "Rose, stop. Don't lose it on me," I look up at the paneled ceiling and a quiet, "please," slips from my lips. When I look back at Rose her expression has changed into the tough façade that I am used to seeing coming from one of my best-friends.
"Alright," she answers sharply, "You don't want weepy Rose. So, now you're stuck with bitchy Rose."
I can't help but force a small smile, "Thanks, Rose."
"Anything for you, girl," Rose smiles and nudges my arm as she walks past me towards the door. She stands in the hallway with her hands on her hips glancing down one end and then around to the other. She glances over at me and adds, "That fucker better get back here soon with some information or I'll hunt his ass down."
I want to laugh at her bravado, but I can't. Instead, I turn into the room and take a look around. It's a beige box, completely non-descript except for a well-placed framed print on the wall. There's a soda machine, a vending machine, refrigerator, sink, microwave and coffee pot. A sick feeling starts in the pit of my stomach when I think I might be using that crap soon.
"Mrs. Cullen?" a voice asks and I turn around to see Matthew standing inside the room next to Rosalie.
"What's happening with Edward?" I ask without thinking.
Matthew comes further into the room and extends his hand slightly toward a beige sofa that sits along the wall opposite the television. "Why don't we sit," he offers.
"No, thank you. Just telling me what's going on with Edward," I try not growl at him, but fail.
"Alright," Matthew sighs. "The surgeons have removed the bullets in the most critical areas and are actively working to stop the bleeding as well repair the damage the bullets have caused. Once that is done and he remains stable they will move forward with the less critical injuries."
"How many times was he shot?" I ask nervously, scared to learn the answer.
"In total," Matthew hesitates, "Mr. Cullen was shot six times: Twice in the chest, twice in the abdomen, once in the left shoulder and once in the right thigh."
"Oh my, God," I groan and then turn around. I finally feel something. And it feels like I have been kicked in the stomach. I immediately double over, putting my hands on my knees and fighting back the bile I feel rising up in the back of my throat. Before I can vomit on the floor in front of me, a pair of strong hands pulls me backwards forcing me to sit down on the sofa.
I look up to see Matthew leaning down over me telling me, "Take a deep breath, Mrs. Cullen," he tells me repeatedly until I finally follow is orders. When I finally calm down, Emmett is just inside the room holding Rosalie in his arms.
I look back to Matthew who is squatting down in front of me, "Thank you," I tell him quietly.
"You're welcome," he replies.
"How bad is it?" I ask.
"It's not good, but your husband has a few things going for him. He has remained stable so far and his heart and brain were not injured. His right lung, right kidney, and intestines are the critical injuries, right now. He was also shot in the left shoulder, damaging his collar bone where it meets the shoulder, and right thigh, which luckily is more or less a flesh wound. But those injuries are non-critical and the surgeons may just remove the bullets and save the repairs for another time."
"How long will he be in surgery?"
"As long as he can handle it or until they finish," Matthew replies matter of fact manner.
Now, the tough question, "When can I see him?"
"Once he's settled and stable in ICU they will allow him two visitors at a time. You won't be able to spend the night until he's released from the ICU and in a regular room."
"Thank you for laying it all out there for me," I tell Matthew.
"You are welcome, Mrs. Cullen," he answers politely.
"Call me, Bella," I finally tell him. "Mrs. Cullen is my mother-in-law."
"Ok, Bella. I really should go and check in. But, I will be back in twenty minutes or so, unless there is a change," he tells me as he stands up in front of me. Matthew walks towards Emmett and introduces himself, telling him it's nice to meet Mr. Cullen's brother. Emmett shoots me a questioning cocked eyebrow and I nod in reply. Emmett doesn't contradict Matthew's assumption and continues the conversation.
Rose walks over and sits down beside me. "Alice texted me a few minutes ago letting me know that they are in the parking lot and will be here shortly." She sighs and then asks, "Are you going to be able to deal with them?"
"Yeah, I can handle the family. Do you want to hear something strange?" I ask my friend.
"Sure, but I doubt it can be any stranger than this fucked up day," Rose scoffs.
"Dealing with this is almost easier than dealing with him leaving," I whisper, feeling guilty for feeling this way.
"I think I get it," she answers quietly. "It's the unknown of what they were getting into that was gut-wrenching."
"Yeah," I sigh. I want to keep talking to her, but we are interrupted by Alice charging into the waiting room.
"Oh my God, there you are," Alice practically yells as she throws herself against me and hugs me tight. She pulls back to look at me and asks, "Are you ok?"
I can't help but take exception to question, "Of course, I'm not ok."
Taking the hint, Alice quickly back-peddles, "Sorry, stupid question. How's Edward?"
Before I answer I look around the room and see that the small room is now filled with the rest of my family. My Mom and Esme both look as if they have been doing nothing but crying. While my Dad, Jasper and Carlisle looking thoroughly pissed off.
Alice moves over to sit next to Rose and I get up to go and give my family members a hug: The Dad's and Jasper first, because they are the easiest, then my Mom and then finally Esme who immediately breaks down in my arms. "I can't believe my baby's been shot," she whimpers in my ear while I hug her.
"I know… me either," I tell her quietly.
When I pull away I look back at everyone who is patiently waiting for any bit of information about the man we all love. I realize they are waiting for me to tell them what's going on. I clear my throat and decide to start with the basics. "Edward's in surgery. He was shot six times and the surgeons are working on the most critical injuries first. He was NOT shot in the head or heart. But they are trying to fix his lungs, kidneys and intestines. That's all I know right now, but a Nurse will be back in a bit with an update."
Carlisle clears his throat and I look over at him. "I might be able to find out some more if I throw my name around a bit."
I can't help but nod enthusiastically and Carlisle quickly turns and walks back through the door and disappears down the hall.
Esme takes a hold of my hand and holds onto me as if her life depends on it. I look up at her and see Edward's green eyes blazing back at me. A lump rises in my throat and I feel like I might choke, because it hits me that I may never see Edward's eyes again. "Things are going well so far," I tell her, "he's so strong." I squeeze her hand back and I feel like it's my turn to hang on to her.
"Let's sit," she tells me and not giving me an option, pulls me towards the couch. The guys pull around chairs that had been sitting around the room and Emmett turns on the TV, turning it immediately to ESPN. Me and the Mom's are sitting on the couch while Alice and Rosalie are sitting next to their spouses. Charlie is pacing the room, looking like he needs something to do.
"Dad, are you ok?" I ask him.
He looks up at me and nods, "Sure."
"What's up, Dad?"
"I can't get any information from the military police. I know Tanya has been remanded to the county police, but I want to know how the hell she was able to get a gun on the fucking base," he vents.
By the time he finishes his rant all of us are staring at him intently. Emmett speaks up, "You're right to be pissed. I will put you in touch with Masterchief Hagan and he will give you the information you're wanting."
My Dad turns and glares at Emmett. He raises his eyebrows and demands, "Can I get that number now?"
"Sure," Emmett says and then rattles off Masterchief Hagan's phone number, which my Dad immediately dials into his phone and steps out of the room to complete his phone call.
"Ha," Jasper grins, "The Chief's on the phone with the Masterchief."
I can't help but shake my head and smile, "Good one, Jazz."
Matthew comes back into the room with Carlisle right on his heels. Matthew looks directly at me, "I have an update."
"Ok, go ahead," I tell him.
Mathew smiles, "Things are still moving along steadily and all the bleeding is under control. The surgeons have finished with his lung and kidney and are now working on his intestines. And as long as he continues to remain stable they will call in the Orthopedic surgeons into work on his shoulder and his leg."
Impatient to see my husband, "How much longer will he be in surgery?"
"I'm not sure, at least three more hours and that's a conservative estimation. Once the Ortho's get in his shoulder and see how severe the damage is they will have a better idea of how long it will take." Matthew looks down at his watch and then back up at me, "I would say dinner time if you're lucky."
I look over Matthew's shoulder at Carlisle and he nods in the affirmative. "Thanks for the update," I tell Matthew.
"You're welcome. I have to go take care of some things and then I will check back in with you in a little bit," Matthew smiles and walks away.
Carlisle's expression is grim and before I can say anything Esme speaks up, "Carlisle, what's going on?"
Carlisle scrubs his face with his hands and I see Edward's mannerisms all over him. "Nothing... Things are going exactly as Matthew says. Edward is doing remarkably well, considering what he's going through."
"Is he out of the woods?" Esme asks.
"No," Carlisle shakes his head, "and even if everything goes the way it's supposed to be today, he won't be in the clear for at least another two or three days. They are going to have to keep him sedated because of the severity of his injuries and it will take some time to wean him off the drugs so he can wake up. It's all in his body's ability to deal with pain."
"Hell," Emmett grunts, "if that's all it is, Edward will be awake in no time." Emmett looks at me and winks. And I can't help but smile.
"If anyone would know about that, it would be you," I nod towards Em.
Emmett smiles, "You got that right! As pretty as our boy is," he laughs, "he's one of the toughest sons-a-bitches I know." Realizing his faux pas, Emmett quickly glances at Esme, "Sorry, Mrs. C… I… uh… sorry."
Esme quickly lets him off the hook, telling him, "Its' fine, Emmett. I've been called worse. Do you mind telling us something about your… adventures?"
Emmett immediately launches into the story of how he first met Edward in a drunken bar brawl where Edward was taking on three Marines who said that SEALs were pussies. Emmett had seen Edward around the barracks and then at the gym, but they had never officially met until Edward threw a Marine who was twice his size on Emmett's table at a bar they were at. Emmett was initially pissed, but when he saw it was Edward, he offered him a hand. Edward quickly told him to "fuck off" and "the day I need a hand dealing with a few jar-heads is the day I fucking retire". Emmett laughed and let Edward beat the hell out of the Marines and then Emmett quickly helped Edward leave the scene before he ended up in trouble with the police.
When Emmett paused for a moment I asked him, "But, I thought you guys met at the gym?"
Emmett laughed, "Yeah, that's what Edward remembers. He did drink quite a bit the night before."
The next few hours are filled with everyone trading Edward stories. Jasper told the one about the two of them defending me and Alice's honor in high school. Alice told the one about Edward climbing out on the roof to get her cat, when he fell completely off the roof of a two-story house and ended up walking away with nothing but a skinned elbow. Esme told us how when Edward was a baby he used to climb to the top of everything and one day she found him on the tops of the cabinets in the kitchen. We all had a good laugh at that one. Charlie even spoke up about the day he realized Edward was interested in me as a girl-friend and not Jasper's little sister. Carlisle had to bring up the time Edward earned a black eye from me… he failed to mentioned the fact that I was ten and Edward was twelve at the time. We had been goofing around playing basketball and I went to steal the ball from Alice and somehow managed to elbow Edward in the face giving him an immediate black eye and goose egg the size of a golf ball.
Matthew would come in and out with updates, occasionally pausing to listen to an Edward story. Edward continues to remain stable allowing the surgeons to continue operating. The Orthopedic surgeons, on the other hand, were not pleased with the amount of damage done to the tissue around the shoulder or with the amount of damage done to bone. When Matthew told us it is going to take a little longer than expected, the Mom's made the Dad's go find everyone dinner.
"I don't care what you get," Renee snaps at Charlie, "just bring back some food."
Both Charlie and Carlisle roll their eyes as the head out. Charlie stops in the doorway, "Jasper, Emmett, get your asses up." The pair immediately jump to their feet and follow the Dad's out to get dinner.
Before I can say a word Matthew is standing in the waiting room. "I have some news," he smiles. "The Orthopedic surgeons have decided that there's nothing more they can do today. They were easily able to take care of his leg, but Edward's shoulder is a bit more complicated."
"What does that mean, exactly?" I ask trying not to get my hopes up.
"It means that Edward will be taken to the ICU sometime in the next thirty minutes and you will be able to see him once he's completely settled."
"Oh my," Esme gasps.
"Really?" I ask and my Mom squeezes my hand.
"Really," Matthew smiles wider. "So, I'm going to go and see what I can do and then I will be back to take you up to see Edward, ok?"
"Ok… you said thirty minutes?" I ask afraid to get my hopes up.
"Yep, but it could be a little longer. So, don't worry yourselves if I'm not back in exactly thirty minutes." He pauses and looks around at the five of us. "This isn't an exact science… but Edward has done amazingly well… and you will see him soon."
I tell Matthew "Thank you" as he nods his head and turns to walks back out the door.
"I need to call your Dad," my Mom gasps and begins rummaging through her purse for her cell phone. As she's dialing she looks up at me and asks, "Do you think they should still bring back food?"
I shrug my shoulders, "It's probably a good idea considering we don't know how long it's going to take them to get Edward settled."
Esme and Alice are sitting together on the couch and look deep in conversation and Rose is standing next to the texting. "Hey guys," speaking loud enough to garner their attention, "I'm going to step outside for a few minutes and get some air."
"Do you want company?" Rose asks.
"No, I'm good," I tell her and head out into the hallway.
I head out to the right, opposite of the way we came in, and find a nurse's station just a little further down the hall. Two nurses are seated behind an almost chest-high counter. The blonde looks up at me with a puzzled expression, "Can I help you?" she asks.
"Yes," I tell her, "I've been waiting for my husband to be moved from the O.R. to ICU and I am wondering if there is a place where I can easily go to get some fresh air?"
"What is your husband's name?" she asks.
"Edward Cullen," I tell her, wondering what his name has to do with getting fresh air.
"Ok, Mrs. Cullen, if you continue down this hall until it T's and turn left you will see a door at the end of the hall. There is a small garden area that has a table and chairs."
"Thanks," I mutter and head on my way. I follow the hall like I'm told and when I come to the T I pause and look down both ways. I look left first and see the door the nurse had told me about, but when I look left I see Masterchief Hagan talking to Matthew and what looks to be two Doctor's. I instantly decide to go to the right and see what Masterchief is doing here.
The group of men must have heard my approaching footsteps because they all look over at me at almost the exact same time. Masterchief and Matthew smile, while the Doctors expressions remain impassive.
"Bella," Masterchief immediately turns towards me and begins closing the gap between us. "Is there anything I can do for you?" he quickly asks as he pulls me into an awkward hug.
"Masterchief," I force a small, tight smile, "when did you get here?" I look past him to see that the Doctor's and Matthew have both disappeared.
"Just a bit ago," he smiles wryly. "Your father called me earlier and gave me quite a ration of shit. Not that I blame him one bit. I had to take care of a few things on base before I could come, but I called ahead to make sure my son would take great care of you guys."
"Your son?" I ask completely surprised. I didn't know that Masterchief had any family.
"Yeah, Matthew is my step-son. But, I raised him from the time he was five, so he's really my son."
"Oh, Matthew didn't say anything," I trail of at the end not sure why Matthew didn't tell us who he was.
"He wasn't supposed to. Patient's aren't supposed to get preferential treatment." He winks at me. "Where were you headed?" he asks.
"I was going to sit outside and get a little air before the guys came back with dinner and before we have to go up to ICU," I tell him quietly.
"Would you like some company?" he asks in return.
I nod my head, "Sure."
Masterchief, like a true gentleman, offers me his arm. I take it and we walk in silence down the hall and out into a small, well-manicured courtyard. It's a square area with grass through the middle. There's a fountain off to one side and potted plants and flowers placed carefully around the space. A wrought iron table and chair set sit opposite the fountain on a small paver patio.
Masterchief leads me to the table and pulls out my chair for me and then takes the seat opposite of me. He looks at me expectantly and all I can do is self-consciously ask, "What?"
"I'm sorry," he responds and then clears his throat, "I usually know what to say, but in this particular situation, it's escaping me."
"Well, I feel the same way," I sigh.
"How are you holding up?" he asks.
"I'm ok. I think now that we know Edward is out of surgery and we will be able to see him soon is making it easier. But, honestly, the fact that he's here and not somewhere unknown is a relief," I tell him honestly.
"Wow," he mutters, "I guess I never really thought about it that way."
I raise an eyebrow at him, "Have you ever had to?"
"No, I guess not. This situation is very umm… unique," he answers quietly.
I can't help but scoff, "You think?" I sit back in my chair and cross my arms. It's not that he's making me mad, but Masterchief's not really saying anything and it's frustrating. "So, tell me what the hell happened today," I bark at him.
"Are you sure you want to know?" he asks. I nod quickly. "Ok, the men were in a debriefing about their upcoming mission. As they were being dismissed Edward, Paul, and Felix were leading the team out of the hanger when Mrs. Yorkie confronted them. From what we've gathered so far, she exchanged a few words with Edward and then pulled out a handgun and proceeded to fire, shooting the three of them. She actually took aim at Emmett, but was wrestled to the ground before she could fire. I'm pretty sure she was able to get the gun through because everyone is very familiar with her and because of that familiarity no one thought twice about her being there.
"Once we had her under control, the platoon corpsman, Chief Doran, stepped in and quickly assessed everyone's injuries, getting Edward medi-vac'ed to the nearest trauma center. We actually broke a lot of rules getting Edward here." He laughs, "We actually landed one of our helo's on their deck without permission. And I'm certain there will be hell to pay for it, but right now, frankly, I don't care. I've called in quite a few favors to make sure the best Doctors were called in for Edward and I'm ready to call in more if I have to."
"Why are you doing all this? I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but it seems like you're risking an awful lot by doing what you've done. I know Edward is good at his job and all, but…" I stop talking and look up at him waiting for a reply.
"You're right. Edward is very good at his job, and I would like to think I would do this for all my men. But, I know that's not true. Edward has worked hard at not just becoming a good soldier, but also at becoming a good man. He's done a lot for my family and several other families," he shakes his head slightly and looks up at me and can tell by my expression that I have no idea what he's talking about. "You don't know, do you?"
"Know what?" I snap, because I'm shocked and I don't know.
"Well," Masterchief looks up at me and then scratches the back of his head, "I guess it started right after you left a couple of years ago. Edward really pushed for there to be more support for SEALs and their families. When the Navy refused to step up, Edward created a foundation to help SEALs and their families receive the monetary and emotional support they may need while being deployed or dealing with the after effects of the job."
"I didn't know," I whisper.
"I didn't think you did," he offers me a week smile, "When Edward started the foundation, he was forced to give a speech to Commanding Officers of all the bases in the Southwest to try to make them understand the importance of what he was doing. The speech he gave was very moving because it came from his own personal experiences with you." Masterchief looks at me fondly, "it killed him that he wasn't able to give you what you needed. It killed him because his inability to balance his job with his life drove you away. And once Garrett and Emmett got him to stop abusing himself over it, Edward turned it around and created something amazing. Do you know what the name of the foundation is?" I shake my head no. "He named it after you. It's called The Swansong Foundation. I think it made him feel better that, even though he was never able to help you, he made sure that there was help available for anyone who may need it."
As Masterchief explains, my chest constricts for the hundredth time today and my eyes fill with tears. I knew my leaving had broken him on many levels, but I had no idea how profoundly it truly affected him. I wipe the tears away to keep them from falling down my cheeks.
Masterchief Hagan leans forward and pats my hand, "I'm sorry, Bella, I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's ok, I had no idea what Edward had done," I tell him quietly. I'm not sure why he didn't tell me, but it really doesn't matter right now. "Thank you, Masterchief," I tell him sincerely, "for everything. Matthew has been a Godsend and I you should know that I do not hold anyone but Tanya responsible for what happened today."
Masterchief nods, "That's kind of you," he says quietly. "But, Bella, why do you call me Masterchief?"
"I don't know," I shrug, "that's what the guys call you. So, I just have always followed suit."
"Please call me, John," he smiles at me.
"Alright, thank you, John." I look down at my watch and see that I twenty-five minutes have passed. "I should probably get back to my family. Would you like to join us while we wait?" I offer as I stand up.
Masterchief stands with me as he answers, "Sure, that would be nice. You don't think your Dad's going to kill me do you?" he half-heartedly jokes.
"I don't know," I shrug, "He's pissed off. But I think as long as someone steps up and takes responsibility he'll be willing to focus on making sure Tanya is punished to the full extent of the law."
"Well," he begins as he holds the door open for me, "The MP's on-duty are being questioned and I'm certain that after everything is reviewed there will be a change in our standard operating procedures and at the very least there will be a few reprimands handed down. It all depends on what the evidence shows."
As I listen to what he's saying, I wonder if he realizes that I have a restraining order against Tanya. "John?" I stop inside the doorway, "Do you know that I have a restraining order issued against Tanya and that she came to the house this morning wanting to speak to Edward?"
His brow immediately furrows. "No, I didn't know any of that."
"She's actually attacked me on one occasion and since I've been around she's had a very unhealthy obsession with Edward. And when I talked to him about getting a restraining order he just laughed it off saying that he could handle her." I shake my head wishing we had ALL taken her more seriously and then with a somber, meek voice I add, "But, I don't think any of us ever thought it would come to this."
"I will make sure that you and Edward are both interviewed when the time comes, but for now we need to focus on getting him the hell out of this place," he smiles and once again, offers me his arm.
We make out way back towards the waiting room, neither one of us saying another word. As we reach the nurse's station we find Matthew looking more frazzled than he has the entire day. When he sees us he hurries our way, "Where were you?" he asks me frantically.
"I needed some air. You saw me go outside with your Dad. Why? What's wrong?" I ask beginning to panic.
Matthew quickly glances back and forth between the Masterchief and me. "Nothing is wrong," he reassures me with his calm 'nurses' voice, "I am getting everyone together to head up to the ICU. By the time we get up there, Edward should be settled and you will be able to see him."
"Oh, and you were waiting on me?" I ask, finally understanding his frustration.
Matthew nods, "Yes, and no one seemed to know where you were."
"I'm sorry," I apologize to him for making his job harder than it needed to be, "I told the Nurses' where I was going and my family knew."
"No worries," he smiles kindly at me, "Let's get everyone together and get you all to Edward." He quickly turns and leads us back to the waiting room where we find everyone nervously looking towards the door.
"You found her," Mom gasps and my head instantly snaps to her. Esme is instantly in front of me pulling me into a hug.
"Where were you?" My Dad instantly demands while glaring at me.
I'm instantly frustrated with my parents' reaction, "I told you guys, I needed to get some fresh air. Why are you guys over-reacting?"
My Dad comes and stands in front of us. His face is hard and he looks ready to fight to the death and I know something else has happened. I ask carefully, "What's going on, Dad?"
"It's Tanya," he growls, "Somehow she didn't make it to the station and no one seems to know where she is."
"You have to be fucking kidding me," I groan.
"I wish I was, Bells," he places a hand on my shoulder. "Officers are on their way to guard you and Edward until they can find her."
"What about everyone else. None of us are safe," I yell, while on the verge of tears. I can't believe that somehow Tanya is on the loose. "Has anyone called Kate? Does she know what's going on?"
"I will make sure," Masterchief says from behind me and by the time I turn around to thank him he's gone.
I make eye contact with Matthew who is quietly standing in the doorway. "Are you ready for us to go up?" I ask him, wanting to get to Edward.
"Are you guys ready? Because you guys need to be calm and quiet where you're up there and I understand that this is beyond difficult right now… But if you," he pauses dramatically and makes eye contact with each member of my family, "can't stay calm, you're going to have to wait in the ICU waiting room until you can. It is very important to Edward's recovery that everyone is calm and under control."
I speak before everyone else, "I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm ready." I turn back to my family, "It's time for all of us to get our shit together." I look at my Dad who goes to speak, but I cut him off, "Let the police catch Tanya, and we will do what we have to take care of one another, ok." Esme has been quietly standing beside me. So, I take her hand and give her a small smile, "Let's go see Edward."
"Ok," she whispers and smiles back at me and the pair of us follow Matthew out the door. It doesn't take the rest of our family very long to figure it out and fall in line, joining us in the elevator that is just down the hall.
Once the elevator door closes in front of us Matthew begins to explain what we will see. "Right now, Edward is heavily sedated until his body can tolerate his injuries a bit better. He's on a ventilator, because he cannot breath on his own, while being so sedated. He also hooked up to an IV and a heart monitor. But, the 'vent' will look the scariest because it's covering his mouth. He is also very pale because of the amount of blood he lost. His left arm has been immobilized, and I'm sure that at some point the nurses will familiarize you with his other injuries, but you can't see them right now." The elevator dings and the door behind us, startling us for a second.
We follow Matthew until we reach a pair of doors clearly marked ICU when he turns around abruptly to face us, "Ok, only two can come in at a time. The waiting room is to the left. Make yourselves comfortable and we will be back in a bit." He looks down at me and Esme and says, "Let's go."
Esme turns and gives Carlisle a quick hug, while I simply offer a slight smile and a nod. Esme takes my hand and squeezes it tighter than she had before and I give hers a light squeeze back and then she relaxes.
Matthew doesn't say another word as he turns and presses a button next to the door and then we are quickly buzzed in. He walks us up to the nurses' station where one nurse is busily handling charts while entering information into a computer. While two other are discussing an issue quietly, but intensely. Matthew clears his throat and the nurse at the computer quickly looks up at him and then over to me and Esme. "Mrs. Cullen?" she asks.
Esme and I say "Yes," at the exact same time making the nurse smile.
She looks at me and asks, "Wife?" and I nod. And then at Esme and asks, "Mother?" and Esme nods. "Nice, to meet you Ladies, I'm Nina and I will be working closely with Edward and his Doctors until he is healthy enough to go to a regular room." Nina pushes her chair away from the desk and stands, stretching before walking around the side to shake our hands. Nina is a petite brunette with sparkling blue eyes and what seems to be a very kind voice. "Right now we only have two other patients, but that can change quickly. Come with me," she says and nods over her left shoulder. "Edward is doing very well and is resting calmly. But, please feel free to talk to him because I'm sure he will want to hear your voices."
She continues to talk as we walk, but I have lost interest. My sole focus is the bed in front of us. It feels like it takes us forever to get there. At first, all I can see while trying to look around Nina is the outline of what must be Edward's body under his blankets. I take a deep breath trying to steady myself for what I'm about to see.
Nina steps off to the side to look at the mass of buzzing and beeping machines that are on the right side of his bed. And Esme and I gasp in unison. Edward is very, very pale. He's literally as white as a sheet and it makes the stubble on his face and his short hair more coppery in color than normal. And seeing the ventilator tube taped across his mouth is more disturbing than I thought it would be. I choke back a sob as Esme pulls me around the left side of the bed. His left arm is against his chest and I can see that his left shoulder is heavily bandaged. Esme immediately drops my hand and walks to the head of the bed and kisses his cheek and begins whispering in his ear. I look him over and see his right hand sitting on top of his blanket, an IV sitting visibly on his arm.
Nina turns to face us, "If an alarm sounds, stay put until one of us tells you what to do, ok?" She waits for both of us to nod and then says, "I will be back in a bit. If you need anything just press this," and shows an orange button on the inside of the bed.
Once she heads away from his bed I walk over to the right side of the bed and gently take Edward's hand into mine. His hand is barely warm, but I'm relieved that it's doesn't feel like ice. When Esme steps back she looks at me, "He looks better than I thought he would, don't you think?" I nod because I can't find the words. "I think I should go get Carlisle," she says abruptly.
"Are you sure?" I ask, not believing that she can even imagine walking away from Edward right now.
"Yes," she looks at me and I can tell that she is completely sure. "Talk to him, Bella," she tells me and then turns and briskly walks away.
I look up at my husband's blank face and reach up and cup his face with my free hand. He looks like he's sleeping peacefully and if it wasn't for the tube in his mouth and the wires coming from his arm and chest you would think he was asleep. I let go of his hand and stand up and kiss his temple and then whisper into his ear, "Hey Baby. I'm here with you, now. You're Dad's coming in a second." Tears begin to fall from my eyes rest my forehead against the side of his head and his short hair pokes uncomfortably into my skin. I take a deep breath aching to smell his familiar scent and all I smell is hospital. I kiss his ear and tell him, "Relax and sleep, Baby, so your body will heal and you can come back to me ok. I will be here, holding your hand, until you wake up." I give his temple another chaste kiss and stand back to take his hand.
I startle when I see Carlisle standing at the foot of Edward's bed with tears filling his eyes. "You okay?" he asks me quietly.
"Yeah," I answer and then wipe my own tears away. Carlisle moves to stand by the head of the bed and then tenderly reaches up and places a hand on the top of Edward's head.
"Son," he says in his normal speaking voice, "I love you," he chokes, "and I'm so proud of you," he takes a deep breath and then continues, "you take your time and heal, ok?" Carlisle gently rubs Edwards head and then looks over at me. "I brought you a chair so you can sit with him," he says and then glances to the foot of the bed.
"Thank you," I whisper. I appreciate his thoughtfulness and let go of Edward's hand for a moment to pull the chair over beside Edward. "Will there be enough room for it?"
Carlisle glanced over my shoulder and nodded.
For the next few hours, each member of our family patiently waits their turn to spend a few moments with Edward. None of them saying a word about my refusal to leave his side. I hold his hand and gently stroke his arm, trying to reassure him that I will not be leaving him. They all talk to him in slightly different way: Alice whimpers through her tears for him to get better, while Jasper practically punches him the arm and grunts, all the while tears are streaming down his face. Emmett, of course, had to get me and nurse Nina laughing by telling us a joke at Edward's unconscious expense. My Dad on the other hand was overly somber, vowing to take care of 'all of this mess'. Mom was a mess and did say anything other than 'I love you' and Rose just told him to hurry up and 'wake the hell up' because she's 'tired of being the strong bitch' for me already, causing me to laugh quietly.
When visiting hours are over, Nina and the other nurses try to convince me to go and get some rest because Edward won't be waking up any time soon. I adamantly refuse and look to Carlisle for assistance. "They want me to leave him," I tell Carlisle quietly and I can't stop the tears from falling. "After everything that has happened today, there's no way," I begin sobbing and Carlisle pulls me against his chest and hugs me gently, "I can't leave him," I whisper.
"I will take care of it," he tells me and kisses the top of my head. Carlisle gives me a gentle squeeze and then turns around to go talk to the nurses.
When Nina returns, she gives me a sharp look, "If you are going to be staying the night then we need to get you a better chair."
I can't help but smile at her and tell her, "Thank you."
"Hey, don't thank me," she scoffs, "thank your father-in-law. He threw down his name and started making phone calls and sure enough the powers that be say you can stay. But, you have to follow the rules: when alarms go off you stay put until we tell you otherwise, if WE say you are starting to stink you take a shower and if WE say you need to eat, you eat. Can you do that?"
"Yeah, I can do that," I smile at her and whisper, "Thank you."
Nina nods and continues checking the machines that are helping to keep my husband alive. "I need to change his dressings," she looks at me, "you haven't seen them yet, and the first time can be a bit… distressing. His leg looks fine. They were able to get the bullet out easily and it looks like a simple cut that has been stitched. She pulls his blanket back and shifts his gown so I can see, "But, the incisions on his chest and abdomen are large and stapled shut. There's also a drain for some of the fluid that has been collecting in his chest," she shows me a tube that is filled with pink fluid. Nina gently pulls the first dressing away from his chest and I cringe. His chest looks like its' being held together by a row of silver staples and his skin is red and bloody in places. "I know it's probably not much of a consolation, but it looks pretty good. Your Edward must have taken pretty good care of himself, huh?" Nina asks in a half-teasing, half-appreciative tone.
"Edward's job is very… umm… physically demanding. So, he has to keep himself in excellent shape. He eats healthy most of the time, but still loves a good cheeseburger," I smile.
"Is he in the Navy?"
"Yeah, he's a SEAL," I answer quietly.
"Oh," she's quiet for a second, "how long has he been in?"
"He's been in the Navy for almost ten years and a SEAL for eight." I wince again, as she removes the second set of bandage that reveal an incision that looks to run laterally from his navel around to his side.
"Had he ever been injured on the job?" Nina asks making conversation as she goes.
"Occasionally, he would come home a bit bruised and battered. But, nothing like this," I tell her quietly.
"Wow, that's crazy," she sighs.
"I know." Is all I say, because she's right, it is crazy.
The first night I spend at the hospital is uncomfortable to say the least. The chair they give me reclines a bit, but every noise I hear keeps me from getting any real sleep. So, between the machines and the nurses checking on Edward every two to three hours, I barely got any sleep.
The next morning, I drink multiple cups of coffee trying to keep myself awake and alert. Esme brings me a change of clothes, my toiletries and bagel with cream cheese for breakfast and Nina insists I need to shower after I eat my breakfast. I obey and reluctantly eat my breakfast and then follow directions tht Edward's new nurse, Ann, offers me to an empty room nearby for me to shower and change clothes in.
I pass Carlisle on the way to the room and tell him, "It's your turn," as I jog past him. Carlisle just nods and heads into the ICU.
I turn on the shower while I brush my teeth and then quickly jump in wash my hair, wash my face, rinse, condition my hair, wash my body, rinse and then shave. I shut off the water and dry off as fast as I can and then throw on my clothes, not paying a bit of attention to what I'm putting on. I throw my sneakers back on rush back to the ICU. I know Carlisle and Esme are having some time with Edward, but I can't wait to get back in to see him.
"Bellaaaaaaa," I hear Emmett call my name and turn around to see him coming out of a corner room I had just passed.
I smile and walk towards him, "Hi, Em."
"How are you holding up, kiddo?" he asks and lightly punches my shoulder.
"I'm ok. Have they found Tanya, yet?" I ask.
His normally grinning face turns somber with my question and then he answers, "No, not yet, but as soon as they do I will let you know, ok. How's Ed?"
"No change. He's been so stable, that they are talking about beginning to wean him off the vent today and if he can breathe on his own, they will begin reducing the pain meds and then, hopefully, he will begin to wake-up," I say with a bit of pep at the end. I can't help but hope it all goes as planned.
"Wow, they work quick," Emmett smiles.
"They work within the confines of what his body is capable of handling and he's so strong…" I'm trying to contain my excitement but I can't help myself.
"Bells," Emmett sighs.
"What?" I ask a bit confused.
He reaches forward and takes my hand, "I would hate to see you get your hopes up and then…" his voice trails away.
And I don't hesitate to tell him, "Emmett McCarty, if you're going to be here, you're going to have to be positive, ok?"
"Okay, okay… be positive… I got it," he smiles.
"Thanks, who else is in there?" I ask trying to peek past him into the room.
"No one right now, but Rose will be here soon. We all talked last night and agreed to not all rush up here all at once. We are supposed to come up in shifts, but I will be surprised if that happens today," he sighs, "I think we all want to be here with you guys right now."
"Awe Em, you're getting all soft on me," I poke at his stomach, "aren't you sweet."
"Yeah, yeah," Emmett blushes. "I have to be on-base at 9:00 this morning, so I wanted to come by early to see my boy.
"Well' as soon as Esme and Carlisle come out…" I glance over my shoulder at the door, hoping one of them would magically appear, but it doesn't happen. "Is there a phone in there?" I point into the waiting room.
"Yeah," he answers, "Why?"
"I need to call the ICU," I tell him as I walk past him into the waiting room. It's the same size as the last waiting, but the colors are slightly warmer and there aren't any vending machines. I see the phone sitting on a table by the couch and press the button to call the ICU.
A nurse I hadn't been introduced to answers the phone, "ICU, this is Vanda."
"Hi, Vanda, this is Mrs. Cullen, my husband Edward is being visited by his parents. Could you please ask one of them to step outside please?"
"Sure thing Mrs. Cullen. The Doctor's will be making their rounds soon, so if you have any questions, you might want to come in soon," she tells me.
"Ok, thanks, as soon as one of my in-laws come out, I will be there," I reassure her.
"Ok, I will give them the message," she says quickly and then hangs up the phone.
It only takes a couple of minutes for Carlisle to come out and find me. "Thanks, Carlisle," I smile up at my handsome father-in-law.
"I'm no fool," he smiles crookedly at me, "I know whose voice my son really wants to hear."
I smile at him and walk towards the ICU as he turns his attentions to Emmett. I hit the buzzer and wait for the nurses to buzz me in. I nod to the nurses behind the counter and head straight to Edward.
Esme is sitting beside Edward holding his hand and steadily chatting away. She hears me walking her way and glances up and smiles at me. I hear he say, "and here's our girl now," to Edward. She stands up and kisses his forehead, "I'll be back soon," she tells him and then turns to me.
"Is Emmett out there?" she asks and I nod. "Alright, I will send him in." Esme quietly moves past me and I move to take my seat next to Edward. I take his hand back into mine and say, "Hey, Baby." And then I feel what I think is him very faintly squeeze my hand. "Edward!" I practically yell, "Did you just squeeze my hand?" I don't wait for a response, before I lean forward and press the nurse call button. "Baby, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand again."
I feel his fingers move just a tiny bit against my hand.
Before I can squeal for joy, Ann is next to me, "Everything ok, Mrs. Cullen?"
"I was talking to him and he squeezed my hand," I tell, trying not to squeal like a school girl.
"Are you sure?" she asks and then immediately checks Edwards' stats and readouts.
"Yes, and when I asked him to do it again, he moved his fingers."
"Ok, can I get in there?" she asks and I quickly move to the other side of the bed.
Ann takes my place and wraps her hands around Edwards. "Hi, Mr. Cullen, I'm your nurse, Ann," she tells him. "Can you move your hand or fingers for me?" I look down at his hand and don't see anything, but when I look up at Ann's face I see that she's smiling. "That's really good, Mr. Cullen," she tells him. "I'm going to go and call your Doctor and see what he would like us to do next, ok?" She smiles again.
"Well?" I ask because I need to know she felt something, too.
"He's definitely responsive," she smiles, "It's very surprising, considering how heavily sedated he is. I'm going to call Dr. Yin and see when he will be here for rounds. Keep talking to him and I will be back as soon as I can."
"Ok," I tell her and then move back to hold Edward's hand. "I'm here, Baby," I tell him sweetly and then stroke his hand. His hand moves again, a little stronger this time. Within seconds his heart-rate monitor begins to pick up pace and the faster beeping makes me very nervous. I look at the monitor and realize that he needs to calm down or they are going to sedate him further. I jump out my seat and stand next to his head. I lean down and kiss his the tip of his ear and begin talking to him, "Baby, calm down. You have to relax or they are going to have to give you something to calm you. Come on, listen to me." The beeping begins to slow and I know he is more conscious than we realize. "I love you so much and I'm so happy you're going to be ok. You are doing so good and I'm so proud of you. Just relax. That's it. You are so amazing."
I pull away and look down at his face and I can see that his eyes are fluttering. "Baby, are you trying to open your eyes?" I ask completely amazed at him and what I'm seeing happen in front of me. "Just relax, don't push. It's going to happen soon enough." His arm twitches on the bed and I hold it with my left while gently cupping his face with my hand. His heart-rate jumps again and I immediately try to coax him back down. Once he relaxes again and I begin talking to him about our wedding and how happy he's made me. All the while I steady watch his eyes fluttering under closed lids. "Baby, you have to quit trying so hard, ok. Just relax. I will be here when you open your eyes. I promise. I'm not going anywhere. Ok?" I carefully run my fingers over his brow and down his cheek bone and when I run the pad of my thumb under his eye I almost jump out of my skin when he opens his eyes.
"Hi," I whisper, smiling into the brilliant green eyes of my husband.
a/n: Ok... so is everyone ok or do I need to run and hide? Before you guys decide to string me up, please remember that I am all about the HEA
Did you really think the crazy beotch had really went away?
Another note some of you are not going to like... there is only one chapter left... and it's the epilogue... and I will not be posting it for another two weeks.
Sorry everyone, but this is how this story was always going to go...
So, let me know what you think... love it, hate it or eh... let me know!
For those of you reading 'You Could Be Happy'... I hope to post the next chapter by the end of the week.