Chapter 24

CPOV

Since I had no privileges in the local hospital I stayed with Lily during her examination and held her hand. Lily's father, Jesse, Edward and the rest of my family were in the waiting room pacing, waiting for news on her condition. Jack had been wheeled in too, but he had an armed escort of officers and not loved ones. They both were wheeled into the Emergency Room and immediately taken care of.

When her doctor had arrived he went straight to work. He started with an evaluation asking her questions and I had helped answer some of those questions before he started to physically treat her.

He started by suturing her cheek. "He is using Vicryl sutures deep in the wound that will be absorbed and now he is starting the closure with nonabsorbable suturing. He placed the needle at an 90 degree angle about 2 millimeters of the wound edge using a running suture and he had placed all of the knots on the same side," I explained what he was doing to Lily as a distraction and for her understanding. I was very impressed, he did a good job. Her lip was still split open and looked so bad he stitched that up, as well. Whimpers of pain would escape Lily's mouth, but she never cried out. She definitely came from tough stock.

The doctor called a nurse who came into the room and was instructed to take her for x-rays on her arm. I escorted Lily to the room and helped the nurse put on the heavy drape they put over the body when they x-ray patients. Lily gasped as it went over her chest and rib cage. "Sorry honey," the nurse said. I stepped outside while the scan was starting. As expected, Edward was leaning against the wall, arms folded across his broad chest and his face held a frown. "Edward, the nurse is trying to help her not hurt her." I smiled at my overprotective son, patted him on the shoulder and we waited for Lily's x-ray to be finished. Edward then left just as Lily was wheeled out of the room.

Once Lily was wheeled back into the cubicle in the Emergency Room, the doctor put her x-rays on the light board. We examined them and found she had a fracture in her wrist. The doctor then got the tools necessary to cast her with.

After she was casted she was looked over carefully and assessed further.

All of Lily's fingers were bruised and swollen. There were gashes and hematomas that were scattered everywhere on her body. Her scalp was tender. She had a couple of broken ribs and he bandaged the superficial wound at her jugular. A rape kit was done as well, a standard procedure. She was being checked and treated for over an hour and a half and the doctor then admitted her and she was taken to a room.

I was so horrified for my future daughter. All of the probing and stitching was very painful, but it was the mental anguish that I worried about. The kit came out positive. A piece of her died inside when she found out. Her little face said it all. I just held her hand and stroked her hair lightly to comfort her while she cried. I really wish that Esme were here, she is much better at this than I am, I thought.

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally was able to speak, "Carlisle?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"Will you tell my dad? I...I can't do it." She started to whisper the next part. "If Edward finds out, will he not want to be with me again? We had talked about it and he was relieved that I had never..."

I interrupted, "Of course not, honey. What happened to you was not your fault. Edward knows that and he loves you more than life itself."

My heart was breaking for our poor tiny angel. I am a doctor and I should be better at comforting her. I usually am so deliberate and in control while I am in physician mode, but to be on the side as a supportive person who is there waiting with Lily and to be upbeat and not fall apart is more difficult than I could imagine.

She squeezed my hand and smiled, "You are doing fine, Carlisle. You are exactly what I need right now." I sighed knowing that she saw the confusion and worry on my face.

I slowly walked out to the waiting room. My mind was unfiltered and Edward just about lost it when he read my mind. Alice went to him and comforted him just enough not to let on that he already knew what happened to Lily to the hospital at large.

"Rosalie sweetheart, will you go sit with Lily please. I think she needs you right now." She looked in my eyes and knew why I was asking.

"Of course I will, Carlisle." Rosalie exited the room toward where Lily was staying.

"Jesse, Edward. Lily asked me to tell you her diagnoses. She is very nervous and afraid so I agreed to do this for her. I need you both to stay calm and not make any loud outbursts." They both nodded in agreement looking grim. "She has a fractured wrist, some broken ribs, major bruising over 65% of her body, her facial wounds have been stitched, her head is very tender where her hair was ripped out at the scalp and her rape kit is positive."

Jesse started to cry and faltered as he needed to sit down with the heavy burden of the news. "Oh God, my sweet baby girl." After a few long moments he finally spoke. "Can I see her?" He put his calloused hands up to his face and wiped away the tears and put on a stoic face. He wanted...needed to be strong for her.

I nodded in his direction and we all went to her room whereas Edward had taken a detour.

EPOV

I stalked quickly and quietly down the hall to the Surgical Unit where they were working on Jack. They were removing the bullet that was lodged in his shoulder and repairing the damage while an orthopedist was repairing his broken leg. He was going to pull through and I had some things I wanted to clear up with him when he was alone.

I would hear when they were finished and wheel him to a room so I walked back to Lily's room to check on her.

There she was my angel. I couldn't stop looking at her. She was still beautiful under all of the bruising and swelling. I will spend the rest of my life making her happy if she will let me. I can't believe I was so stupid to leave her alone like that, I thought.

I pulled out her necklace and placed it in her right hand. "I think you forgot something." I managed a smile. "I am going to hold onto your promise ring until you are able to wear it again." I was inspecting her hand and I was so angry; her fingers had been bruised with defensive wounds.

"Edward, thank you. I thought I had lost them forever." She smiled and pulled the necklace up to her heart and opened her palm and just stared at it. I just looked at her, never taking my eyes off of her beautiful eyes. She just kept gazing at her necklace and then she whispered in a mantra apologetically, "I am clinging to what is familiar and precious to me because I have been caught up in uncertainty and chaos." She blushed after she said that when she looked at me.

"Don't think for one second that I am angry with you." I kissed her forehead; the only place that I could find that wasn't sore, whispering, "I love you," over and over again. Alice leaned in and hugged her. I almost had a conniption fit when Lily winced in pain.

After about an hour, her door opened and a detective walked in.

"Excuse me; I am here to question Miss Christensen about what happened. I need you all to step out of the room please."

Jesse stood to his full height and spoke, "I am her father and I am not going anywhere. Dr. Cullen is going to be her father-in-law and he is her physician so he stays as well." Jesse had a severe look on his face and he being in his dress uniform looked authoritative. I smiled knowing she was in good hands. Jack had been placed in a room and was coming to.

I kissed Lily on top of her forehead and told her I would be right outside. "Call me and I will come running. I love you." It gave me a chance to go visit Jack.

Joined by Emmett and Jasper, we all walked down the hall toward Jack's room that he had been wheeled to. When the officers turned their backs we used our vampiric speed to get inside the room without their knowledge; only a slight breeze blew by them, but they had no idea where it had come from. I walked up to his bed, leaned over and looked into his eyes. He cringed when he realized who we were.

"Lily allowed you to live; therefore, I will allow you to live, but if you ever come near her or my family ever again I won't be so forgiving or kind." I audibly growled at him.

Emmett said, "Come on Edward, can't I kill him?" He sounded like a petulant child. As quickly as he sounded like a child he now sounded like a monster, "I want break every bone in his body and make sure he is awake for every second of it." At the end, Emmett flashed his teeth at Jack.

Jack looked utterly terrified. His eyes looked like saucers. With my speed I made sure he wasn't fast enough to hit the nurse's buzzer; so he was alone with three angry vampires.

"How did you"...I nearly couldn't bring myself to say the word..."rape Lily without her knowledge? Did you drug her?"

He just nodded, too scared to lie to us. My hands were clinched into fists and shaking convulsively.

Jasper added, "I want to take you out into the forest and feed you to a grizzly bear and then eat the grizzly that way I can get the added bonus of twice the amount of fear. You see Jack when you fear for your life it causes adrenaline to course through your entire body and changes the way your blood tastes." Jasper's eyes were black and menacing, his hands clenched into fists holding tightly onto Jack's hospital gown. "It makes the kill that much sweeter." He then laughed maniacally.

Jack started to tear up and he was sweating bullets. Whimpering, he said, "Stay away from me!" Jack was looking at the window in the door seeing if he could gain the officers' attention.

We all laughed menacingly in response. I turned my gaze to the door and looked back at Jack.

"You can tell them about us." I was pointing out to the officers and physicians. "But they will think you are crazy and I have the added bonus of you going to a mental institution." My eyes flashed coldly with a wicked grin on my face. "Don't think that we can't get to you anywhere in order to hurt you Jack."

He was so alarmed that his eyes glazed over and he was practically convulsing. "What are you?"

I moved uncomfortably close to his face, invading his personal space and said, "We are creatures of the night, of course." I said it as if it were completely obvious even to the most simplistic of people. A light of acknowledgement entered Jack's eyes.

"Let me guess, you were expecting a cape, slicked back hair and fangs?" Jasper said mirthlessly. He laughed and looked at Emmett and I; Jack nodded his head.

Emmett grabbed Jack's right hand smiling wickedly. "Cover his mouth to keep him from screaming." I nodded and obliged.

Emmett proceeded to break Jack's fingers. With every swift movement we heard an audible cracking sound. He would scream out, but no sound would escape his lips. Jasper drew down on Jack and was an inch away from his face just staring into his eyes coldly when Emmett broke the last finger on his right hand. Jasper then licked his lips and said, "I'm hungry."

I was still covering his mouth and Jack just screamed in an undignified way for a man. Emmett, Jasper and I all laughed.

"Remember what I said. I will find you, slowly torture you as painfully as humanly possible and then kill you if you ever go near Lily again." In a flash we were out the door and back to Lily's room waiting outside before anyone missed us.

I could hear the detective asking Lily questions. "Miss Christensen, are you aware that attempted murder is a crime?"

I was about to rush into the room when Emmett held me back, shaking his head severely. "Carlisle and Jesse will handle this."

I peered into the window and saw Lily reach out a trembling hand to her father. He took it carefully, reassuring her. She was exhausted and fearful from this type of questioning and all that she went through.

"She shot him in self-defense. I was there and witnessed the whole thing." Carlisle gestured to the officer and they exited the room together. Carlisle had grabbed her chart that was sitting outside her room in the slot by the door.

"Here you go. This details all of what she has wrong with her, what he inflicted upon her, which means she shot him in self-defense." Carlisle's eyes flashed in anger. Rosalie and Alice were standing in the hallway thinking of beating the crap out of this detective. Jasper and Emmett only wanted to go back to Jack's room and kill him. I must admit that both options right now sounded good to me, but Lily is the most precious and important thing right now. I would never do anything that would upset her.

The detective looked at the chart with an uninterested expression. After a few moments, Jesse came out of the room. "I expect you to treat my little girl with civility and respect. Do you understand? Your questions are too much right now, so I ask that you leave." A small smile formed on my lips and I swept passed them and went to sit with Lily.

"Hey, sweetheart." I took her hand into mine and breathed her name. "Lily." It was all I could say at the moment, but it was enough. The warmth of her hand felt like fire on my cold marble-like skin. It wasn't enough to make me warm like her, but it was enough to remind me of the warmth that used to course through my body when I was still alive.

I smiled at the thought. I would take this life, being what I am, for eternity if it meant to have met and be with Lily forever.

LPOV

I awoke the next day and my body ached, throbbed and seared with pain, but I was with my dad and the Cullens so that made it all seem diminished. My brain hurt like hell to think about what all I witnessed yesterday. I had slept through the night and I could feel Edward and my dad there with me the entire time. Sometimes, I could hear them talking together and sometimes talking directly to me.

Looking into Edward's coal colored eyes my breath caught. He held my hand and never left my side. Suddenly, I thought about my appearance and was horrified.

"Edward, I know that I must look horrible and smell even worse."

"You don't smell, Lily."

I rolled my eyes at him and said, "Yeah right. You are such a diplomat." I laughed so hard looking at his innocent expression that I snorted in an unladylike fashion, which hurt like hell from my broken ribs.

Edward looked taken aback and then laughed. He stood up and walked over to the chairs where Alice and Rosalie were sleeping. He kicked their chairs and said, "Wake up guys. Lily needs a shower and you are going to give it to her." He then started saying something under his breath that I couldn't hear.

He glided back up to my bed and kissed my face. The bruising now had started to change color and the swelling had gone down a tiny bit. "I am going to let Alice and Rose help you with your shower and I will take a walk." I looked helpless; I needed a shower so badly, but didn't want him to leave me either. "Don't worry, I won't be far, besides Alice and Rose would rip anyone's head off if they try to hurt you."

I whispered, "I know and that is what scares me." All three of the Cullens turned around and stared at me with their mouths agape. "I know that you all are not like me exactly and I know you don't want me to know your secret just yet. I am a patient person so I won't pressure you until you are ready to tell me what that may be. I love you all for who you are, so I really don't care if I ever find out."

Edward bent down and took my hand and said, "Lily, we all want you to know the truth. That day that I was to pick you up, do you remember?" I nodded in response. "We were going to tell you our secret. I...we will tell you, but will wait until you are out of the hospital." He smiled at me and held my palm up to his lips and kissed it. He then walked over to the chair in the corner and pulled out a bag and placed it on the bed. I looked at my own clothes folded neatly inside; then walked to the bathroom to finally shower.

Alice went to the shower and turned on the faucet. After putting my hand under the steady stream I pulled my hand back in shock. I adjusted the temperature to be a little cooler. "Alice, I don't want to boil my skin off girl, what were you thinking?"

"Sorry. That is how I like it." She looked at me with a sheepish grin.

Rosalie helped me out of my hospital gown and I gingerly stepped into the shower. "Keep your arm out of the water," she rolled her eyes at me because I kept trying to put my arm in the water and she would have to take my arm back out.

The next thing I knew she was shampooing my hair, lightly scrubbing. I squeaked out a gasp when she hit where my hair had been ripped out.

Rosalie must have heard movement, but I heard nothing and then she said, "Edward, Lily is okay, just go," she huffed in exasperation.

I called out, "Edward, I'm okay. I can't avoid feeling pain right now since every part of my body hurts. Rose didn't mean to hurt me." All I heard was a loud resigned sigh. After rinsing the shampoo she put in conditioner that smelled the same as the shampoo, roses, into my hair. She was combing her fingers through my hair and then rinsed thoroughly.

Alice squirted some soap into my good hand and I started lathering up my body wincing every time I hit a tender spot.

Deep sighs were heard every time I would wince. It was too funny. "Edward, I am with you now, I am okay. Please don't feel bad." I can't believe he was in the other room listening to me shower. I am not sure if I should be happy that he couldn't bear to leave or not.

I shut the water off and Alice helped me dry off. She handed me a fresh pair of pajamas from my bag and they helped me back into bed after I dressed.

All I really wanted to do was leave the hospital, so I took a chance. "Alice lets blow this joint and go shopping."

"Oh no you don't, young lady!" I could hear the voices of my father and Carlisle simultaneously bellowing from around the corner outside.

Alice's hopeful face turned sour and she said, "Damn."

I finally convinced my dad to go home and make sure mom is going to be okay. Dad came over to me and kissed my forehead. "Carlisle promised me that he would get you home safely." He told me he would see me soon and he loved me and then took Carlisle outside so they could talk.

Rosalie and Emmett were sitting in the room and then she asked if we could talk together. "Okay. Anything you want," I said. Everyone else left the room and Edward blew me a kiss and walked out except for Rose and Emmett. I wasn't sure what they wanted to tell me.

"Lily, you know that Em and I are a couple, right?" I rolled my eyes at Emmett when he started to lift his eyebrows in a suggestive way.

"Of course I know, but what does that have to do with why you want to talk with me?"

"Lily, Rose was engaged once before." I knitted my eyebrows in confusion looking at Emmett. Rose gained my attention and started to speak.

"Lily, I was engaged to a man a while back. I was visiting with a friend when I realized it was very late at night. On my way walking home I heard my fiancé call out my name. He was with some friends of his and they were drunk. They assaulted me and left me for dead. Carlisle found me and took care of me, he saved my life. Shortly thereafter, he welcomed me into his family and has taken care of me ever since."

I am not sure how long I was sitting there with my mouth hanging open stupidly, but eventually Rosalie had waved her hand in front of my face. "Hello?" After blinking a few times I was able to look at Emmett who was just holding her hand.

"Lily what happened to Rose was sickening and I wanted to kill the bastards, but never once did I blame Rose or feel upset that she was no longer a virgin. I love her for who she is and love everything that she has to offer."

"But you aren't Edward. How can I look him in the eye?"

Rose had cut me off and said, "Lily, Edward and I have known each other for so long; I know he doesn't blame you and that won't be an issue in your relationship." She took my hand in her cool grasp and squeezed it. "We just wanted you to know that you aren't alone and that I am here for you."

Then Emmett looked at me and took my hand and gazed into my eyes sincerely, "Lily, I am here for you, too. If you are ever scared or just need someone to talk to or need a shoulder to cry on; I am here day or night."

I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I started to cry. My heart felt so full of love and joy. I felt as if a weight had been lifted off of my already weighted down conscience. Rose just smiled at me.

"Lily, I let Rose know that what happened to her was a crime. She wasn't a willing participant and what happened to you was the same; it wasn't anything you wanted or asked for. Rose at least said no, Jack didn't even let you say no. You weren't even aware that it even happened because you were drugged. Your first time will be a special time for you and Edward and only when you both are ready. Edward loves you more than life itself. I know because I feel that way about Rose." He kissed her hand again and smiled lovingly at her.

I was flabbergasted with what Emmett had said. He was so honest and the tears just flowed down my cheeks. I could see Edward's shadow by the window a couple of times, but he never came in or interrupted Emmett or Rosalie.

Rosalie looked me in the eye and said, "Lily, I know this is hard for you and I will do my best to help you with whatever you need." Rosalie looked out toward the window and the next thing I knew Edward had come in.

"Rose, Em why don't you guys go with Jasper and Carlisle to get something to eat, a quiet exchange happened, but I had no clue as to what that exchange was. Alice and I will stay here and watch over Lily."

They both nodded their heads and then looked at me. Rosalie kissed my forehead and Emmett kissed my hand. After bidding them goodbye, I saw Alice standing outside my door like a sentinel standing guard.

Edward came over to me and sat on my bed holding my hand. "Lily, is there anything at all you want to talk with me about?"

He gazed into my eyes and I just sat there staring like an idiot. When I finally caught on to what I was doing, I answered, "Edward, I am so sorry about everything that has happened. I know it must not be easy for you."

He took my hand and just kissed it. He leaned into me and whispered, "It has been very hard, but not because of what you think. It was hard not knowing if you were alive or dead. It was hard hearing you on the phone crying out in pain and panic when there was nothing I could do for you."

He looked like he wanted to finish his train of thought, but he took a deep breath. It took him a very long time to expel that breath and then he sat silent for what seemed like an eternity. He went on to say, "It was hard for me knowing that when you needed me the most I wasn't there for you."

"Edward, none of this is your fault. Don't blame yourself; there was no way of knowing what was going to happen."

"No, I shouldn't have left you alone. When the predator has its prey in its sights he doesn't let up, not ever."

I cut him off, "Edward, I am a human being, not some...some animal."

"No, when the prey ducks for cover it is only a matter of time before the predator catches up with him and strikes." He started pinching the bridge of his nose, which was a signal to me that he was very upset and flustered.

"Edward, how can you look at me after what happened to you? Jack almost killed you and it would have been my fault."

He placed his fingertips up to my lips to silence me. "Honey, what Jack did to you was not your fault. His obsession was not your fault, Lily." He paused and then he continued with his fingertips still pressed to my lips and he gave no inclination that he would take them off. An electric shiver shot through my spine.

"I love you and our first time will be just that, our first time and nothing can take that away from us. Everything about you and I is real. The way I feel about you is real. I don't need to take anything from you to get what I want. Your love for me means that when you are ready you will give yourself to me freely."

He stroked my cheek and looked into my eyes. "Lily, when Jack had that knife to your throat I was dying inside. I have never been so scared in all of my life. I really thought I would lose you. When you screamed my name; your fear for me was so profound that I lost it."

I frowned at him, "Edward, he shot you; you could have died, of course I screamed."

"No, I have heard your fear before Lily, it was never that extreme, but it wasn't until that single moment when your fear turned into terror and despair that my heart broke. You feared more for me than for yourself."

"Of course I did Edward, I love you. My life is meaningless without you." I smiled at him lovingly.

"I was so terrified for you. I saw your wounds and when he shed your blood, I lost control. When he shot me and I heard your voice, I thought I would die. I never want you to feel like that again. My heart stopped when you were pleading with my father to save my life. I thought that my heart was being ripped out and stomped on."

I noticed a solitary tear track down Edward's cheek slowly. It appeared somewhat thick, too. "Edward, please don't, I am okay and tearing up won't change things." I reached over to wipe away his tear. As I leaned in I noticed that it was slightly tinted red. My mouth hung open when I saw what his tear looked like.

He stopped me, "Please don't, just leave it." He had a look of shock on his face and reached his hand up to the tear, but not touching it. He stood up and walked to the bathroom and looked into the mirror.

The next thing I knew Alice came into the room and looked at Edward and they started speaking quietly. I heard, "It's not possible, venom and truly a salty tear" a couple of times. My mind was trying to process all that was being said, but really, I was clueless.

"I was so afraid of losing you Lily and even speaking of it again caused me so much pain I actually shed a tear. That is amazing!" Not knowing what to do I just had to nod at them.

Alice sat with us and asked me questions about what I went through and I answered what I remembered and as honestly as possible. Alice and Edward were sitting on either side my bed and they were holding hands, it was the sweetest thing I have seen in days.

Carlisle and the others came back soon thereafter and he saw Edward with his tinted tear stain on his cheek and they hugged. It made me feel good to know that Carlisle didn't mind if his son cried. Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie all looked at him in awe and hugged him, too.

Carlisle came up to me and put his hand on my shoulder, "Hey, I have good news. You are going to be able to take a medivac helicopter ride home and be taken to the hospital there. After you spend another day or so there, you can go home," Carlisle said.

I was so excited that I would be leaving. Alice started to jump up and down and then came to hug me. We rocked back and forth in jubilation until I felt dizzy. Rosalie and Alice started to pack up my things so we could go home to see my mom, dad and grandparents.