A/N: Thanks for my reviews as always. I hope you all enjoy this one. It's been one of my many distractions over these past few days.
~August 8th, 2011
I have heard plenty of times that before things can get better, they get worse; much worse.
And for the past three days, I have gotten to know the true meaning of that statement.
For three days after Audrey fainted in the hospital, she didn't wake up. She didn't respond to anything, not even my voice. For the first forty eight hours, I didn't leave her side. I refused to. I knew that Jasmine was being taken care of by Rosalie and Esme. My priority was here in the hospital with the woman I loved.
Especially when Carlisle admitted to me that there was a no way that he could operate on Audrey. The risk was too high, the consequences too dire.
In the middle of the first night, Alice showed up, a look of both sadness and guilt on her face.
"Why didn't you tell me Alice?" I asked her as she sat on the other side of Audrey's bed.
"She asked me to promise her. After everything I put that poor girl through, I wasn't about to break the promise I made to her, no matter how mad I knew you would get if this eventually came back."
"You mean, you didn't see the tumor coming back?"
"No. Well, not until it was too late. I knew that she was going to think about her decision but I didn't see her getting this sick so quickly."
A thought dawned on me at that moment "Is that why you stepped aside Alice? Because you knew she was sick and you wanted to give the two of us what? Time?"
"No. Well…" she sighed "It was part of it. But regardless is she was sick or not, I was going to let you go anyways Jasper. That vision never changed, regardless of the situation. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you and if you're going to be mad at me then so be it. But, I'm not sorry. I honored her request…"
I knew that I wasn't really upset with Alice. I was just looking for someone to blame for everything and she was the first available target. She didn't deserve it and yet, she took it.
After she left, it was mainly just me in the room with Audrey. Carlisle came in once in awhile to check her vitals and to see if she was responding to anything. Her vitals and response remained the same. I knew that the longer she was in a coma, the lesser chance she had of waking up. I wanted nothing more than to just change her but they wouldn't let me. As much as they wanted Audrey to join our family, they didn't want to just bring this life to her without first asking her especially since she had been so adamant in the past about not wanting this life. But, things were different now. She was sick and there was very little that they could do for her when she eventually woke up.
On day three, today, I was practically forced to leave the hospital. I hadn't going hunting in almost two weeks and everyone told me that I needed to go. I left the hospital at dawn, Alice taking over my spot in the chair besides Audrey's bed, promising to call if she woke up or if there was any changes.
I hunted as quickly as possible, making sure that there wouldn't be any need for me to go out again for another week or so. I was dirty so I had no choice but to run home and take a shower before returning to the hospital. After taking a shower, I went to check on Jasmine. She was sleeping peacefully in her room with Esme keeping a watchful eye on her. In the midst of me checking on her, I could suddenly feel tension and a bit of frustration coming from Carlisle's study. Curious, I left the room and went to see what was going on.
"I don't care…" he sighed "I left specific instructions that no one other than me handle Audrey's case." he looked up when he saw me and stood up, phone still in hand.
"We need to get to the hospital, now." he spoke quickly and I followed him.
"Nobody is laying a hand on that young lady's head until I get there do you understand me?" he snapped his phone shut as we got in the car.
"Carlisle, what is it?"
"Audrey's husband showed up at the hospital an hour ago." he sighed, not looking at me as he drove.
"How the hell did he find her?"
"Well, when a person's been unconscious for more than forty eight hours, usually a spouse or family member is notified if they aren't already here. And, being as I wasn't there this morning, one of the intern took it upon themselves to call Ben, alerting him just exactly where his wife was and what was going on…and well, now that he's here and aware, he's demanding that they operate on her."
"But, you won't will you?" I turned and looked at him once we reached the hospital.
"I'm not going to risk her life by operating on her. But, I'm afraid that since Ben and Audrey are still officially married, he has say in what he wants to happen to her…unfortunately."
I rushed inside, up to the third floor to Audrey's room. When we got closer, I saw Alice standing outside the door, a worried look on her face. She looked like she was about to say something to me but I just walked past her and into the room. When I did, Ben quickly turned and walked towards me.
"Just what in god's name are you doing here? Who do you think you are…just keeping my wife from me when she's so sick!"
"She stopped being your wife the moment you hit her Ben. And there's no way that you're calling the shots in her life anymore. Audrey is part of our family now and I can guarantee you that you're never, ever coming near her again."
"She is my wife." he sneered.
"No, she's not actually. Because if she was your wife, you would've treated her better. You wouldn't have cheated on her, broke her heart, destroyed her." and with those words, I just snapped. And before I knew it, my fist came in contact with his jaw and I could hear the bones just snap when I hit him and he fell to the ground. He clung to his face in pain but I didn't care. He stood up slowly and attempted to hit my back and I avoided him easily. Before he could try to do anything else, Emmett showed up out of no where and grabbed him by his shoulder and pulled him back roughly.
"If you even so much as show your face here again, I will kill you myself…you got that?" Emmett's gripped tightened on pain and I was pretty sure he broke one of his bones.
"Is that a threat?"
"Threat? Did you hear a threat in there Jasper?" Emmett smiled, his hand still planted firmly on Ben's shoulder.
"I didn't hear a threat. I just saw this man in here, attempting to hurt his soon to be ex wife again."
And with that, Emmett practically dragged him out of the room, incoherent words coming from the both of them. And I had a feeling that I wouldn't be seeing him ever again. I sat in the seat beside Audrey and just took deep breaths to try and calm down. I reached over and grabbed her hand and was holding it for a few moments before I felt the slightest amount of pressure on my hand. My eyes immediately shot up as my gaze focused on Audrey, who was suddenly staring back at me.
"You're awake." I shook my head in disbelief. Just like that, she had woken up! "Audrey, you had me so worried angel." I stood and kissed her forehead. She looked a bit confused so I had to tell her what happened to refresh her memory.
"Oh," she whispered "Well, what are my options? Still the same…three?" she leaned her head against the pillow and just looked at me.
"I'm afraid there's only two options now Audrey. Carlisle says that there's no way for them, even him, to operate on you. So, it's either attempt some form of treatment or…be changed." I said the last part softly in case there were any wanderers outside.
I knew what her answer was going to be even before she said it.
"I think I should try to get some treatment Jasper. I think it's the best thing for me right now." She was picking the treatment because she still wasn't sure about being changed. I knew she was leaving that as the final choice.
"What if the treatment doesn't work Audrey? Then what?" I needed to know what she wanted just in case something happened to her and she fell unconscious again. But more than that, I needed to know that we were on the same page somewhat. That she did want to be with me forever.
"If it doesn't work…" she took a deep breath "Then I want you to change me." she smiled weakly "But only if the treatment doesn't work ok?"
"I promise you Audrey, only if it doesn't work." I squeezed her hand. But, as much as I wanted to believe that whatever treatment she received would help her, I also knew that were was a good chance that it might not work and she would just get sicker. However, this was her choice and I couldn't force her to do something she didn't want to do. She had her reasons, and I had to respect them.
I called Carlisle and he came in to check on Audrey and she told him of her decision. He said that her treatment would begin tomorrow morning and that she needed to get some rest. He was still in there when she began mumbling as she started to drift off.
"A month." she sighed, her eyes sliding shut. Carlisle looked over at me in confusion.
"A month for what Audrey?"
"A month…you can change me…a month, if it doesn't work…" and then she was fast asleep.
"If in a month the treatment doesn't work, then that's when she wants me to change her."
"That sounds reasonable enough son." Carlisle finished checking her and with a nod, he left the room.
"I promise you Audrey. If you don't get better in a month, I will personally change you. I will take care of you and make you strong again. I will stay by your side everyday…I promise." my declaration of promises weren't really necessary with Audrey fast asleep but, hearing them out loud made them seem more real and true.
Audrey had given me her timeline.
A month. Who knows what could happen in a single month. Only time would tell.
Personally, I think Ben finally got what he deserved..well, just a tiny bit of what he deserved. And Audrey has just made a huge decision.
Reviews=LOVE...oh, and in case I haven't mentioned it, I just started posting a new story. It's called 'The Fragile' and I'd love for you to check it out.