Chapter 50.

Edward POV.

I was almost home. Just the hour drive from Port Angeles to go. God damn it! Couldn't this car go any faster? I would be faster running. I told the taxi driver to stop, and threw him a handful of bills, and fled on foot. I didn't care if he noticed or not. I needed to get home to Hunter. Alice had kept me informed while Carlisle operated on him, and then Carlisle called every hour after that. It had been the longest day of my existence, but Carlisle assured me that he was as well as to be expected. I knew my family would take great care of him, but it didn't stop my feelings of guilt. I should have been there for him, and I wasn't.

A little over fifteen minutes later, I was home, and burst straight through the door.

"Where is he?" I almost snarled, and Bella and Charlie jumped in shock. The rest of the family had heard me coming, obviously. Carlisle and Eva weren't in the room.

"He's on the next floor, dear," Esme said, her face etched with pain. I didn't answer, just nodded slightly and flew up the stairs.

"Carlisle?" I groaned, as I took in the sight of my son lying unconscious. Eva was seated next to him, holding his hand.

"Edward. Come and sit with him," Carlisle said.

I walked rather unsteadily to his side. I gaped at his bloody head, and bruises. How the hell can he have bruises? I took hold of his other hand.

"Why does he look so bad?" I whispered.

"It's just his human half reacting to the surgery. He will be fine, son," Carlisle said, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"How long will he be unconscious for?"

"It's hard to say. He may wake sooner because of his vampire side, but I don't know. Maybe he has shut down, so he can heal fully. That would mean longer than normal. All we can do is wait. He's comfortable and stable. His vitals are good, and his gift has been keeping his temperature at a controlled level," he said.

"No fever?" I asked, knowing that could be dangerous.

"No. His power gives him a protective layer to his fire, and I think that's what is keeping him cool now. Well, Bella thought of it, actually, and I agree with her. Don't worry, Edward. He's fine, for now."

"What about recovery time?" I asked.

"I'm unsure about that, too. The haematoma was fairly big, so a normal patient could still be recovering after a year. But he is half vampire, so I think his recovery rate should be a lot quicker than that. I also don't know if there will be any side effects. Human patients can experience partial paralysis, speaking difficulties, even amnesia. We won't know until he's awake if he has any symptoms. I'm sorry I can't tell you more, Edward. It really is just a waiting game now. Maybe …"

"Maybe what, Carlisle?"

"Can you hear him? His mind, I mean. That would help a great deal," he asked.

I concentrated for a moment, but heard nothing from my son.

"I can't hear him. Carlisle?" I moaned.

"It's okay. It just means that he is still in a state of unconsciousness. Just give him time."

I nodded slightly, and Carlisle left the room.

"I'm glad you're home," Eva whispered.

"I should never have been away," I said softly, closing my eyes. "I should have been here for him."

"Don't do that, Edward. No one could have known this would happen. And even if you were here, you couldn't have stopped it from happening," she said, reaching a hand for one of mine. I took hold of it, and squeezed it gently.

"Maybe so, but I should have been here, regardless. What would I have done if I had been too late? What if he had …" I couldn't finish my sentence, it hurt too much to think of it.

"Stop it! He didn't die, and he's going to be fine!" she hissed at me, quietly.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, hanging my head.

"No, Edward. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped. I know you are hurting, too, but he will be okay."

"Why are you always so kind to me, after everything I have done, Eva? I really don't deserve it."

"You never did see yourself clearly, did you?" she smiled, slightly. "You are not a bad person, Edward."

"I'm a selfish monster," I sighed.

"All vampires are selfish. It doesn't make you a bad person. It may make you do stupid things, but they are not intentional. You don't go out of your way to deliberately hurt people, Edward. And you are not a monster. If you are, then that makes us all monsters. Including our son," she whispered.

"Hunter is no monster. He could never be a monster. He is the most amazing person I have ever known, and I'm proud of him."

"If you know he's not a monster, then you have to know that you're not one, too. He is half you, Edward. Could a true monster produce such a wonderful being? I think not."

"But he has a good mother to compensate my half," I whispered.

"Edward, don't be so ridiculous. And stop this. Hunter needs us to be strong for him. He doesn't need his father blaming himself for everything. He loves you. Do you think he wants to hear you berate yourself all the time?"

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Now, I'm going to check on Charlie and Bella. Talk to your son. I know he can hear you," she said, leaving the room.

I gazed at him for a while, squeezing his hand between mine. I hated to see him look so vulnerable, and I hated feeling so useless. I should be able to do more for him. There must be something I can do, surely?

"Carlisle?" I whispered, and waited on his entrance.

"Yes, son?" he said, coming to my side, and checking Hunter's I.V while he was there.

"Isn't there something I can do? Anything?"

"Like I said, we just have to wait. He will come round in his own time, when his body feels ready. All we can do is what we have done. Keep him comfortable and hydrated. You could talk to him, though. He's unconscious, but I'm sure he will be able to hear you."

"Thanks for everything you have done for him. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here," I whispered.

"It was hard, knowing who my patient was. But I think it made me more determined than normal. Any one of us would do anything for him, son. We wouldn't want to lose him either."

"I know, dad. Thank you."

"Call if you need anything. I'm just down stairs."

I nodded, and he left.

"Hunter?" I whispered. "Son? I'm here now. I'm so sorry I wasn't here before. I should have been. Please wake up. I need to know you are okay. I couldn't bear to lose you. You are everything to me, and I love you so much. Please come back to us."

I rested my forehead on his bed next to him, and I started to sob. Why couldn't I just cry normally for once? My body heaved with my tearless sobs. I felt so hopeless.

I'm okay, dad.

I looked up instantly. "Hunter?"

I'm here, kind of. Why can't I open my eyes, or move?

It was his thoughts I was hearing, but he was okay. Thank God.

"Hunter, son. You have had an operation. Your body needs time to heal."

So I will move again? I mean, I won't stay like this will I?

"No, son. Your vampire mind has awoken before your human side, that's all. It just needs a little time."

God, it's weird having a conversation with you in my mind. he chuckled.

I started to grin. He was going to be fine.

"Do you feel okay? I mean, apart from being unable to move?" Shit. Would he even know what his body was feeling?

Um, I think so. I think I'm thirsty, though.

"You already have an I.V in keeping you hydrated."

No, dad. I mean thirsty, thirsty. I need blood. But how will that work when I can't swallow?

That worried me a little. How could he drink animal blood when he couldn't swallow?

"I'll get Carlisle. I'll be back soon."

"He's okay," I said to everyone when I got down.

"He's awake?" Eva asked.

"No. But his mind is. He was talking to me," I smiled.

"Oh, thank goodness," she sighed, and slumped into Charlie's arms.

Bella ran straight up to him, grinning widely.

"Carlisle, he says he's thirsty. He needs blood, but can't swallow. How are we going to do this, when he only drinks animal blood?"

Carlisle's brow furrowed in thought. He started pacing the room.

"I don't think we can," he whispered.

"Then what do we do? He needs the blood to help him recover," I moaned.

"There is only one thing we can do, and that's to give him human blood through the I.V," he whispered.

No. We can't do that, and I doubt Hunter would agree to it.

"There must be a way, Carlisle. We can't do that to him," I said.

"The only other thing is to wait until he wakes. But none of us knows when that will be," he said, apologetically.

"Ugh. Well, I'm not forcing him. I'll ask him first," I said, and headed back to him. Before I could put my foot on the first step, Bella came to the top of the stairs.

"He's awake."