Chapter 21: Burn
Bella's POV
2 Months Later- 7 and a half months
"OUCH!" I cried jumping awake.
I grabbed my side in pain.
"Do you have to kick me in the ribs?!" I snapped sitting up.
It was 12:34 AM, I sighed rubbing my huge expanding belly. A crash of thunder made me jump, I hoisted myself up and walked across the room. Edward groaned and turned over on his other side, I laughed a little as I walked out of the room. I walked down stairs, I waddled myself into the kitchen and to the refrigerator. I got out the carton of Orange Juice before waddling to get something a cup, I poured the Orange Juice into the cup before taking a sip.
"There. Time to calm down, I want some sleep." I said patting my belly.
I placed the cup in the sink before making my way back up the stairs, I had to stop to catch my breath at the top. Once I could somewhat breathe again I walked in the bedroom, I slowly closed the door behind me and turned around to see Edward sitting up on the edge of the bed looking half asleep.
"Bella?" He asked.
"Did I wake you?" I asked.
"What are you doing out of bed?" He asked.
"Baby woke me up. I went to get some juice cause I heard it calms the baby." I told him sitting down next to him on the bed.
He laid his head on my shoulder setting his hand on my stomach, I smiled rubbing his back. I brushed the hair out of his face, I put my hand on his forehead.
"Your burning up." I said.
"Huh?" He asked half awake.
"You have a fever." I told him.
I stood up walking into our bathroom, I searched the medicine cabinets for a thermometer. I cursed as I ripped open the drawer, I moved things around digging for a thermometer. I finally found one and shut the drawer, I walked back into the room and went to Edward.
"Open." I said.
He looked at me.
"Open." I repeated.
He opened his mouth and I put the thermometer under his tongue, I held it there and waited for it to beep.
"101.1" I gasped once it beeped.
I looked around for my phone, I grabbed it off the side table and dialed Carlisle's number.
"Lay down." I said.
I helped Edward get comfortable while I waited for Carlisle to pick up.
"Hello?" He asked.
"Dad?" I asked.
"Bella? Honey, it's almost one in the morning. Are you okay?" He asked.
"I'm fine. It's Edward." I told him.
"Edward? What's wrong with Edward?" He asked.
"He has a fever of 101.1." I said.
"Oh." He said.
"What should I do?" I asked.
"Well, it's not as bad as it could be, if it reaches 103 then you may have to take him to the hospital. But what you should do is get him some ibuprofen and some juice. You need to give him as much fluid as possible." He explained.
"Okay." I said.
"Don't ware yourself out either, stress isn't good for the baby." He warned.
"I know." I said.
"Is that all you needed?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"Okay, call if it goes over 103."
"Okay."
I hung up, I pulled the blanket over him and left the room to get the things that Carlisle told me too.
…
Carlisle's POV
Esme and I walked through the door to Edward and Bella's house and shut the door behind us. We slid our shoes off and took our coats off, I looked around before calling for someone.
"Edward? Bella?" I asked walking into the kitchen.
We searched the whole downstairs to find it all empty and clean, I walked upstairs with Esme following me with a hot bowl of homemade chicken soup in her hands. We walked to where their bedroom was, the door was open only a crack. I pushed it gently open before walking in, there laying on the bed was Edward. Bella was laid on her side with her head resting on Edward's stomach. They were both sound asleep, there was a glass of orange juice sitting on the side table along with a pack of crackers.
"Oh Carlisle, look at them." Esme said wrapping her arm around me.
I smiled, "Yeah, they are adorable."
Esme walked over and sat the bowl down next to the orange juice, she turned towards Edward brushing the hair out of his face. He moved quietly.
"Bella?" He mumbled.
"No, its mom. Bella's asleep on your stomach." Esme whispered.
"Mom?" He asked.
"Yeah." I said.
He moved a little setting a hand on Bella's shoulder, he opened his eyes slowly immediately blocking the light with his hand. I went and shut the lights off in the room and shut the blinds to make it as dark as possible. I saw the thermometer sitting on the same table with the orange juice but on the opposite side. I grabbed it and stuck it in his mouth, he closed his eyes.
"102.9, it's going down." I said.
…
Bella's POV
"Bella. Stop climbing up and down those stairs!" Edward scolded at me.
"I'm... Fine..." I said gasping for air.
"No your not! Your out of breath!" He said.
"No I'm... Not." I said handing him the juice he wanted.
He sighed taking a sip, his fever was now gone but he was sleeping like a rock now that it was. He had lost a lot of sleep, shaking him sometimes didn't even work to wake him up.
"Go to sleep." I told him.
"You don't have to tell me twice." He said chuckling.
I closed the curtains, shut off the lights and shut the door, I walked down the stairs slowly, that's when I heard it. It sounded like flames crackling, but we didn't have a fireplace. I stood on the stairs looking around, I couldn't figure out what was going on.
"No!" I gasped when I realized what it was.
I ran into the kitchen to see the whole room in flames, my mouth fell open as I realized that I was cooking a roast, and it must have caught fire somehow. I stood there for five minutes shocked, I didn't know what to do. The phone was all the way across the room and there was no way I could get to that without catching on fire. I couched covering my mouth and squinting. The smoke made it hard to breath and see, I couldn't find the fire extinguisher. Tears came to my eyes as I shot out of the kitchen, I ran up the stairs ignoring the fact that I couldn't breathe. I threw the bedroom door open, it had been ten minutes but that ten minutes sent Edward into a very deep sleep like always. I ran over to him shaking him.
"Edward!" I screamed.
Shake, shake, nothing.
"EDWARD!" I screamed again.
Shake, shake, nothing.
"EDWARD! OH GOD! PLEASE! WAKE UP!" I yelled tears falling from my eyes.
Edward groaned and rolled over, I ran out of the room and down the stairs to see the fire spreading to the living room, and it was spreading fast. I ran back up the stairs and into the bedroom. I shook Edward as hard as I could slapping him in the face a few times. When that didn't work I decided to try something else. I rolled him right off the bed, he rolled and made a huge thump on the ground. That worked.
"Wha- What's going on?" He asked grabbing his head.
"The house is on fire!!!" I yelled.
"What?" He asked.
"THE. HOUSE. IS. ON. FIRE!!!" I screamed emphasizing every word.
"Very funny!" He said sitting up.
"I'm not kidding!" I told him.
He looked up at me to see tears streaming from my eyes, he got up and dashed out of the room. I ran after him, his face turned as white as a ghost when he saw the living room on fire. He turned and picked me up in my arms, he ran down the stairs. As soon as I was in the living room I started coughing, I berried my face in his neck trying not to breathe. He ripped the front door open and put me down in the front yard. I could see the flames through the windows, it was taking over more of our house now. Never in my life have I thought that a fire that was caused from a roast could burn this fast. I started to sob as I watched our house go up in flames, Edward got on the phone immediately calling the fire station and then Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle and Esme got here first, I berried my face in Edward's neck as I cried. He rubbed my back as he kissed my forehead, I peeked at the house again before letting out a huge sob.
The firetruck got here soon after that, they sprayed and sprayed water out of the hose but we all knew it was too late. By the time they got the fire to go down, the whole house was ruined. They came over to us shaking their heads, they told us that they were sorry and left. I walked out of Edward's arms, I walked closer to the house, my mouth hung open in shock. Esme came over to me and rubbed my back, I couldn't believe that it was gone.
"Our house..." I gasped, "It's... It's gone!"
Esme rubbed my shoulder.
"We have no where to go... No where to live... I'm having the baby in two months!" I gasped starting to panic.
"Bella-" Esme started.
"I'm having a baby in two months and I don't have a home! I... I... How can I take care of-"
"Bella!! You are staying with us!" Esme told me.
"But-"
"No. You are staying with us. We will be happy to have you home." She said.
"But this is my home!" I sobbed.
She pulled me in her arms and I cried in her shoulder.
...
I sat on the couch while I waited for Edward to get home. The boys all went to salvage what the could from the house, I twirled my thumbs around when Alice and Rose walked in.
"Hi Bella!" Alice sang as she sat down.
"Hi." I said blankly.
"Oh come one! Cheer up!" She said.
"Alice. I don't know if you have realized this, but my house just burnt down." I told her.
"I have noticed silly." She said.
I got off the couch with some effort and walked upstairs annoyed, I couldn't handle Alice right now. I couldn't handle her perkiness right now, I just wanted to be alone. I walked into what was now our room again and curled up in the rocking chair by the window. I rubbed my stomach rocking back and forth as I looked out of the window. I was about to have this baby in two months and we no longer had our home, I know we had a home at Esme's and Carlisle's but it wasn't the same. We had a home to call our own, we had put little homey touches to it that made it ours. I sighed and rested my head back against the chair. Edward walked in the room, he shut the door behind him and walked over to me slowly.
"You okay?" He asked kneeling down in front of me.
"Fine." I said looking out the window.
He rubbed my knee before moving his hand to my stomach.
"I love you." He told me.
"I love you too." I said.
"Come on," He said picking me up in his arms. "Let's go to bed."
He walked over to the bed laying me down on my side, he covered me up before getting under the covers on my side. He wrapped his arms around me laying his head on the top of my head, I laid my head on his chest closing my eyes.
Two Weeks Later:
I moved a little bit before opening my eyes, I looked to my left to see someone standing there. I smiled looking up expecting it to be Edward, but it wasn't.
"Hello sleeping beauty." Evan said.
My eyes went wide, I went to get up but I was tied to the bed post. I tried for ten minutes to get free but it didn't work, Evan laughed at me. I was not only tied up but I had a chunk of cloth gaging me so I couldn't talk. I looked up to see him injecting a syringe into a clear bottle, he smiled looking into my terrified eyes.
"Don't worry, I wont hurt you. I just want to get that thing out of you so we wont have any distractions." He told me looking at my stomach.
I screamed shaking my head, tears came to my eyes. I looked at him begging him to let me go. Where was Edward?
"Oh, your wondering where Edward is? Well, let's just say he wont be getting in the way." Evan said holding up a bloody knife.
My eyes went wide, I started to gasp for air, it felt like he ripped my heart out of my chest. I had noticed then that we were still in the house. I looked at him, had he killed the rest of the family.
"You seem to think that I don't have this all planned out..." He said looking at the needle, "You see, I called as someone at the hospital, I told them that Alice was in a serious accident. She fell from the stairs and knocked her head against the railing pretty hard. Now it's not a complete lie, except I was the one who pushed her down."
I looked at him horrified, he was doing this all to get to me? Why me? There are better looking girls out there, why would he want someone plain?
"So, they are all at the hospital. After they left I locked all the doors, bolted them and did the same with the windows. I gave you some sleeping medication, just to make sure you would stay asleep while I did all this," He explained. "And now, I am going to give you some Pitocin to induce labor."
I cried out, he took the needle and put it by my arm, I tried to move it as much as I could so he couldn't get it in my arm. He held me down before poking it into my skin, I cried out as he pushed the medication in. He took the knife out and then slowly took the gag out of my mouth.
"Son of a bitch!" I screamed.
"Ah ah, no cussing or I will put it back." He warned.
"Where's Edward?" I asked.
"Why is it always about Edward?! He's never there to protect you, but I will be there to protect you baby." Evan said smiling.
"Don't call me baby you-"
I was cut of by a intense pain, I screamed in pain closing my eyes.
"Already? The contractions are beginning already?! Wow." He said.
I whimpered in pain trying to breathe, Evan grabbed my hand, I couldn't help it I had to have something to squeeze. So I squeezed as hard as I could digging my nails into his skin making him scream a little.
Several Hours Later
"AAAHHHHH!!!!" I screamed through another contraction.
"You would think that this would be going somewhere..." Evan said leaning against the wall.
"Please... Let me go! Please..." I cried.
"Nope, sorry, no can do." He said shaking his head.
"Maybe if I walk around, it could help speed things along." I suggested.
"And if it doesn't?" He asked.
"Give me more of the Pitocin." I said.
"Fine. Just for a little bit." He said.
He untied me from the bed, my wrists were all red and bruised from being tied so tight. I sat up with the help of Evan, I wanted to attack him, push him down and run. But I had to get him to trust me, I had to think of something to get a hold of someone. I wanted to know where Edward was, did he really get stabbed by Evan? Was he okay? I started to walk around the room, I could ask for water and then text Carlisle.
"Can I get some water?" I asked.
"Why?" He asked.
"I'm thirsty you idiot! Can you get me some water from downstairs or no?" I asked.
"Damn, being in pain makes you feisty." He said before leaving.
As soon as he was gone, I got my phone out of my purse that was on the dresser. I felt another contraction come but struggled to text Carlisle:
"I need help. Come home. Evan. Pitocin. Contractions. OW!" I texted and sent it quickly.
I shoved my phone in the dresser drawer under my clothes. I tried to walk but stumbled forward and fell to the ground in pain. Evan came back in with a small glass of water, he bent down on the ground and handed it to me. I smiled a little taking a sip, I handed it back to him.
"It hurts doesn't it?" He asked.
"Naw, it doesn't hurt one bit! I'm used to feeling like my body is about to rip in two!" I snapped.
"Aww, your so cute." He said patting my head.
I glared at him before getting off the ground, I got back on the bed and curled up in the fetal position. It was too early, she would be seriously premature. I wish I had asked Carlisle what the heck this Pitocin was.
…
I laid in bed in pain, it has been several hours filled with extremely painful contractions. Nothing was happening, I was just having painful contractions. My water hadn't broken which meant I wasn't dilating, but Evan kept giving me Pitocin. I wanted this all to stop, I wanted the pain to stop, I wanted to know where Edward was, I wanted my family with me, and most off all I wanted to know if my baby was okay. I haven't felt her move and if she wasn't I couldn't tell because the pain from the contractions were so intense. I was sweating, Evan kept wiping it off with a towel but it wasn't helping. I wondered if Carlisle got my text, it has been hours. Just as the thought had left my mind I heard loud noises coming from downstairs.
It sounded like a chain saw, I looked over my shoulder (I was laying on my side with my back to the door) to see Evan looking at the door. He got up from the stool that was next to the bed and walked out of the room. I heard someone scream and then a thud, the door re opened and I saw Evan laying on the floor. I was about to see who walked in the room when another painful contraction hit. I screamed in pain berrying my face in the pillow, I squeezed my eyes shut and clutched the sheets.
I felt someone crawl on the bed and another person lay their hand on my arm, I wanted to know who it was but I was in too much pain. When the contractions finally ended I slowly opened my eyes, I looked up slowly at the person sitting in front of me.
"Edward!" I gasped.
He looked pale, I then noticed that the side of his shirt was all bloody.
I gasped, "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine," He said weakly, "How are you?"
"Better now that I know where you are." I told him.
"You've been worried about me?" He asked.
"Well duh." I said.
Edward couldn't help but laugh. I looked over my shoulder to see Carlisle standing there, then I remembered why no one was home.
"How's Alice?" I asked.
"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Alice asked dancing in the room.
"You- You fell down the stairs." I said.
"Well, more like pushed. But I'm tough enough to handle that." She sang standing at the foot of my bed.
I smiled then winced as another contraction took over, Edward took my hand and squeezed it.
"How long have you had contractions?" Carlisle asked taking a seat at the end of the bed.
"The past several hours!" I gasped.
"Lay on your back." Carlisle told me.
"Evan. What happened to Evan?!" I gasped as Edward helped me roll on my back.
"Oh, just showed him how much getting stabbed in the side hurt." Edward told me.
"So where is he?" I asked.
"Bleeding to death in the hallway." He said.
I looked at him shocked and he just shrugged, Carlisle slid my jeans and underwear down before sticking his hand in me. I gasped at the uncomfortableness and closed my eyes.
"Your not in labor." He told me.
"What?!" I asked.
"Your not in labor." He repeated.
"I heard you! You mean I've been going through this much pain for nothing!" I yelled.
"Well, thank Evan, cause he is an idiot for thinking that Pitocin would induce you if you weren't ready to give birth." Carlisle said putting my lower clothes back on.
"Can you make them stop?!" I asked.
"Sorry. Your just going to have to ride it out." He said.
"For how long?" I asked.
"A few more hours?" He guessed.
"Kill me!" I said putting a pillow over my head.
"I'm going to go take care of Evan before he stains the floors." Carlisle said laughing a little.
My face went extremely pale, Carlisle's face turned serious before leaving the room. Edward held my hand looking right into my eyes, I melted.
"Are you sure you okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, Carlisle stitched me up." He told me.
"Edward?" I asked rubbing my belly.
"Yeah?" He asked.
"When Evan basically kidnapped me, he brought something up..." I began.
"What did he bring up?" He asked.
"Well, he said that he would be able to protect me from things, unlike you who seems to never be there when I need you." I said looking at my hands.
"What?" He asked.
"Don't get mad, but he does have a point." I said.
"Are you trying to tell me that I don't know how to take care of my family?!" He snapped.
"Edward! Come on! Don't get upset!" I begged.
"Bella! I've always been there for you! This situation hasn't been the easiest you know! I'm trying my hardest to protect you two but nothing seems to work!" He yelled getting off the bed.
"Now wait a minute!" I said sitting up, I slowly stood up with some struggle, "It hasn't exactly been a walk in the park for me either mister!"
"I'm your husband Bella! It's my job to protect you and keep you away from harm. I'm going to be a father and my job is to keep you away from stress for the baby's sake. Now here I am, being told that I've basically failed to do both." He said looking out the window.
Tears came to my eyes, "Is that what you think?"
"That's what your saying isn't it?! That I cant protect you?!" He snapped.
"I was just bringing something up that Evan said..." I said slowly.
"But you also said that he has a point! Which tells me that I'm failing at my jobs!" He told me.
I stood there silently not knowing what to say.
He sighed, "Look, I know that it seems like I'm not doing a good job. But I don't know what else to do, restraining orders wont work, he's broken out of jail twice. I'm running out of options."
"I'm sorry." I whispered.
"For what?" He asked.
"For bringing it up..." I said.
"I just want to keep you and the baby safe, you understand that right?" He asked.
I nodded. He pulled me into his arms rubbing my back.
"I promise you, he will never hurt you again." He told me.
That's what you said last time... I thought.
A Couple Hours Later:
I sat on the couch rubbing my stomach, I haven't felt the baby move in a while and it was starting to freak me out. Edward was upstairs sleeping and I didn't want to wake him up, Charlie came and escorted Evan to the hospital with Carlisle and the rest of the family were out. I got up off the couch, I grabbed my purse and keys, left a little note for Edward telling him where I was and then left. I got in my car cranking the heat as soon as I got in, it was getting colder every day. It was almost December but it hasn't snowed yet, Edward was thankful for that for the fear of me sliding on ice. I drove towards the hospital not thinking about anything other then the baby, what if the Pitocin was too much, all those doses he gave me. I pulled into the parking lot finding the closest spot to park, I was actually glad for once we lived so close to the hospital. I got out of the car forgetting my purse was sitting on the passenger seat and shut the door. I locked them with the little button before making my way inside. I walked up to the guy at the desk.
"Is Dr. Cullen around?" I asked.
"Do you have an appointment?" The guy asked.
"Not exactly." I told him.
The guy sighed, he seemed to be in a pissed off mood. He looked at the computer typing a few things and clicking.
"He's with a patient." He said.
"Can you page him?" I asked.
"Look, you don't have an appointment so you will have to wait in the waiting area, like everyone else." He snapped.
"Oh. No you did not just snap at me! I need to see Dr. Cullen right now!" I snapped back.
"He. Is. With. A. Patient." He snapped emphasizing every word.
"Whoa, I would back off unless you want your head snapped off by a hormonal pregnant lady who is my lovely daughter." Carlisle said walking up.
"I'm sorry sir, you were with a patient." The guy apologized.
"My family always comes first," Carlisle said wrapping his arm around me, "You page me the second they ask for me, got it?"
I stuck my tongue out at the guy as we walked away.
"Got it."They guys said.
"So... What are you doing here?" Carlisle asked as we walked down the hall.
"I'm scared about the baby." I said.
"Bella, your going to be a great mom." He told me.
"No. Not about being a mom so much as the fact that I haven't felt the baby move in hours, and I'm scared to death that maybe the Pitocin harmed her in some way..." I explained slowly.
"How long have you've been concerned about this?" He asked.
"I left the house once I started, I figured the sooner I told you the sooner you could check her and the sooner we could help her if the Pitocin did harm her." I said.
"Smart girl." He said.
I gave a small laugh as he led me into a room, I hopped up onto the bed while he pulled a ultrasound machine over. He lifted my shirt up before squirting the gel on my stomach, I bit my bottom lip while looking at the screen. I didn't hear a heart beat, and I didn't see any movement, and I saw a look of concern on Carlisle's face. No. I was not going to lose this baby. Not another one. I looked at him tears coming to my eyes, he opened a drawer that was on the machine and took out this little thing that looked like one of those things they used to scan things at stores.
"Just going to shock her, maybe she's sleeping." He told me.
I nodded hoping that that was it. He put it on my stomach and pressed a little button on the side to zap my baby awake. He took the Doppler and moved it around my stomach, a heart beat filled the room and movement came on the screen and I also felt it. I let my head fall into the pillows while I let out a deep breath. She was just sleeping.
"Good news." Carlisle said.
"Yeah, good news." I said.
He wiped my stomach off, I slid my shirt over my growing swollen belly and sat up. Carlisle helped me get off the bed, I took a deep breath and let it out, I was exhausted. Carlisle laughed and wrapped his arm around me walking me out into the hall.
"I'm tired." I said laying my head on his shoulder.
"Do you want to go in the doctors lounge and rest? I can drive you home after I get off of work. I don't want you dozing off behind the wheel." He told me.
"I wouldn't do that." I said.
"Bella, your pregnant. And I've seen you doze off while eating so." He said chuckling.
"Fine. When do you get off?" I asked.
"In a few hours, Esme gave me a ride this morning so don't worry about the car situation." He told me.
I nodded walking off towards the doctors lounge. I pushed the door open, I yawned as I walked in. No one was in here thankfully, I took a seat in the most comfortable chair in front of the TV and turned it on. I put my feet up on the table and looked around. There was a bag of chips sitting on the table next to me, I grabbed them, they were plain potato chips. I munched as I flipped through the channels, I gave up after a while and settled for the show called Wife Swap.
The door to the lounge door opened and a very worried Edward walked in. He rushed over to the chair bending down, I shoved more chips in my mouth as I looked at him.
"Hi." I said with my mouth full.
"Are you okay?!" He asked.
"Yeah." I said.
"You left a note saying that you were going to the hospital, and that.. That the baby wasn't moving..." He said putting a hand on my stomach.
"She's fine, she was just sleeping a lot after all those contractions." I said.
He let out a sigh in relief, he hugged me tightly.
"I was so scared." He said.
I rubbed his back, "I was too."
"You know," He said standing up, "These chips aren't good for you."
I held on to the bag, "But I'm hungry."
He laughed, "I wont take them away, just saying."
We spent the next few hours in each others arms, just laughing talking and enjoying each other. I had no idea how we had got through the last few weeks with everything that had happened, but we did and everyone was safe!
Merry Christmas!!!! =D Your guy's present from me is a VERY LONG CHAPTER!!!! So you better REVIEW and be happy. If you don't review I wont post another chapter!!! =P Have a great Christmas! =]