Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, the storyline is my own.

Chapter 28

Aro POV

"Ah, Bella, we meet again." Her face remained neutral.

"Aro, hi, I was just heading to check on a patient in imaging." She paused, when I remained silent she continued. "OK, if you'll excuse me." I nodded my head in concession and let her pass. I left unsaid the fact that she didn't have her wounds taken care of. I'd have to talk to Jane about that one.

I needed Bellas knowledge and intellects when it came to research. My process was going to slowly and we needed fresh eyes. I know for a fact she saw all my live viruses in the cooler that day. It'd been weeks since it happened, and still nothing came of it. That alone proves her trustworthiness. Anyone else would have rung the bell on me. I nodded at an intern rounding the corner. I needed to figure out how to approach her. My research is not in vain, my son Alec is sick. I'm trying frantically to find a cure in, well unorthodox, and desperate ways. The live virus' are a testament to that. I look up from my place leaning against the wall to see Jane approach me cautiously.

"I'm so sorry that I didn't do as you asked. She just left the gurney when I went to get some lidocaine." I let my calculating gaze sweep over her a few beats too long. She absently twirled the ring on her right middle finger, something she did when nervous. "Fine, go and see if the chief needs you to do anything else, we need to stay in his good graces and off his radar." She nodded and left.

I felt bad about her face. She was close to Alec, and has been with me every step of the way in trying to find a cure for whats wrong with him. She has volunteered to be the guinea pig for every trial we have ran. ALS has no cure but I was going to be damned if I was going to take a backseat and watch this disease ravage his body. I mean I'm a doctor for heavens sake I should be able to do something. No one could have foreseen that these trials would change her appearance so much. I refused to do anymore on her. We will stick with rats for now.

A womans voice paged me over the loudspeaker to the ER. I pushed off the wall and left to see what adventures awaited me. Plotting would have to be later.

Oo000ooo

Bella POV

I walked into CT and shut the door. Edward was there and he turned and our eyes met. His eyes scoured my body, causing a flip in my stomach, but I knew he was just checking my injuries. He held his tongue but I knew it had to have been difficult for him. Protecting me was everything to him.

"Can you excuse us?" I said to the tech, he nodded and left. When the door closed behind the him I looked at Edward. Silence ensued. "I- I'm fine. I was out on scene with an intern."

"How long have you been back and you're still bleeding all over the place?"

"That's why I called you it was Aro!" I blurted.

"What?! He did this to you?" He looked like he was going to kill someone, his eyes shown with intensity.

"No, no, no, no, no. Aro tried to have Jane patch me up, but Edward something is wrong. She was like- I mean her face, it was almost disfigured. Like it was healing or something, I can't explain it."

"You think hes using the live viruses?" He asked incredulously. I looked at him wishing I could say no but my gut was screaming yes.

"What else could it be?"

"I think its time to bring in Jasper. I completely forgot about this whole thing with your injury and everything but I was able to mention it to him before. He said to keep him posted with any developments."

"Maybe a phone call to him would be great. I skipped out on Jane because something wasn't sitting right. I mean if she looks like she does as a side effect or symptoms of one of the virus's then I don't want her touching me let alone anyone else. We need to talk to Jasper and Chief Bane so he can monitor all her patients. Luckily it shouldn't be too many since she is mostly research."

"But even then it could tamper with any results of whatever trial she is doing." I nodded. The CT image came up on the screen for my patient from the sink hole. I turned my attention to it while Edward dialed Jasper on his cell.

"Jazz, hey, remember me telling you about Aro, the doctor here? Yeah, well we have more news. OK."

"Oh, no." I said as I looked at the images.

"Yea, my house tonight, six thirty. OK, bye." He hung up. "Whats wrong."

"She has a laceration on her spleen and is bleeding into her belly. Her pressure isn't very steady. She needs surgery now."

"OK, my house tonight 630. I'll talk to Chief Bane and make sure he knows, and make sure we can get off work. For now steer clear of them, which shouldn't be hard cause you're gonna be in surgery."

"Right. OK, see you later." I kissed his cheek and left to book an OR and fix my patient. Stephanie was waiting in the hall.

"The tech said you needed a moment so I waited outside." I looked over at her.

"Thanks book an OR and take the patient up to surgery, I'll meet you there, you get to scrub in with me." Her eyes lit up.

"Yes, ma'am."