Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T, Loudward
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Prompt: Fizzy, smore, fever


The hours passed by as if they contained months instead of seconds, years instead of minutes. Still, no word came from the direction of the surgery wing where my father lay, his chest cut open as the doctors repaired the obstruction in the arteries around his heart. Despite Edward's assurances I couldn't help but worry that this was taking too long. I vaguely remembered him telling me to expect it to last at least four hours and the interminably slow clock had only registered a little over two so far.

"Bella?" I heard Sue call to me, "Are you hungry dear?" I shook my head no. At this moment my stomach was full of butterflies and aching with concern. Maybe I had chosen poorly; if Edward had been with me he could probably tell me what was most likely happening now. Then again, I wondered if I would believe him. After all, he wasn't there so how would he know?

I knew I needed to calm down lest I empty what little I had eaten at the diner last night. Wrapping my arms around my stomach I just leaned over in my seat, setting my head down on my knees.

A short time later Deputy Mark came by and put a cold drink in my hand. "What is it?" I asked in a whisper, as if speaking at a normal tone would somehow distract the doctors working on my father.

"A coke. I thought something fizzy would help settle your stomach; you're looking a little green around the gills." I thanked him and he patted my shoulder. "Your dad is tough, Bella, you don't need to worry so. He always did say you fretted too much over him." I gave him a wan smile in thanks and took a sip of my drink, hoping he was right and it would stop it from rolling.

An hour later I was wishing it hadn't been caffeinated as I paced up and down the aisles between the chairs. My eyes were trained on the clock, and I knew that within at least another hour I would have word. If all went smoothly and according to schedule then it could be as little as thirty minutes.

When the thirty minute mark passed I began to be anxious. Okay, I had been anxious, but now it was reaching new heights. My stomach was in actual pain and this time it was Sue who came with something to settle me down. "It's ginger ale, dear, so you won't get hyped up." I downed this quickly, wanting the bubbles to be the only thing I felt and not the clenching fear that was twisting me up inside. "Would you like smore?" she asked, but I thanked her and declined. The soda was doing its job but it probably wouldn't be a good idea to have to run to the bathroom right when the doctors came out.

By the time it had been five hours since the beginning of the surgery I was sitting almost catatonic in my chair. Tears were leaking slowly out from my eyes as I imagined the worst. Neither Sue, Mark, or Billy were able to say anything to comfort me because now they were as worried as I was. All eyes were trained on the door to the operating wing, watching it as if would soon reveal all the secrets to the universe.

Finally the results of the two sodas kicked in and I rushed to the nearby restroom. It was with some difficulty that I kept from emptying my stomach, but the thought of having no toothbrush helped me control the roiling inside. Besides, I needed to hurry in case they came to tell me of my father's condition. Sure enough, just as I was exiting the bathroom I looked down the hall I had stared at all day and saw Edward and Dr. Gerandy walking through the doors in our direction.

I had thought I would run up to them and demand to know what had happened. Of course, that was after my decision to remain calmly in my seat throughout the entire ordeal had gone up in smoke. And yet now, as I watched them approach, all I could do was stand here, my feet rooted to the floor in fear of the news they had to deliver. Both their faces were solemn, showing neither happiness or sadness or fear. I had no idea what this could possibly mean.

Edward's eyes scanned the waiting room and stopped as soon as they saw me. His paced picked up, allowing him to reach my side much sooner than Dr. Gerandy reached the others. I was stiff and unresponsive as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into the security of his body. Leaning down he whispered into my ear, "Bella, he's fine. There was a minor complication but he'll recover with no problem."

The room spun and my vision went black as I collapsed from the combination of fatigue, fear and overwhelming relief. I could hear Sue calling out to me, wondering what was wrong, but was unable to respond beyond putting my hands around Edward's neck as he lifted me into his arms and carried me to one of the seats. "You need to breathe, Bella," he whispered to me as he rubbed my back, "we don't need another Swan in the hospital."

I sucked in a shuddering breath, filling my lungs with air as I tried to make sense of what he had told me. "He's fine?" I asked, my voice so quiet and shaky I don't know how he understood me.

"Yes, Bella," Dr. Gerandy answered, "he's fine and will make a full recovery. It's a good thing your Edward was in there. He spotted an infection in the heart lining. That's what took so long, we had to clean it out as much as possible. It was quite small, but could have been deadly if not caught."

I looked up at Edward, gratitude filling my heart as much as my eyes filled with tears. As I opened my mouth to thank him he placed a finger on my lips. "I'm just glad my father told me about it. If he wasn't having surgery, Charlie would have been fine, but with it, it could have entered his bloodstream. He'll have a fever for a few days, but basic antibiotics will take care of him."

"All the same," Dr. Gerandy inserted, "I'd rather him not have visitors tonight. He won't be waking up today, I'm going to keep him sedated to make sure he responds to the treatment. Why don't you all go home, get some food and rest," I could see he was eyeing me in particular interspersed with giving Edward knowing looks, "and come back in the morning. He'll be awake around mid-morning, I presume."

We all thanked him and I allowed Edward to steer me from the hospital after giving hugs and thanks to my father's friends. I don't know if I would have survived this without them. We made plans to meet for breakfast around eight, giving us plenty of time to get back to the hospital before Charlie woke up.

After we got home Edward forced me to down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, along with a full glass of milk. He managed to eat at least three times that amount. It all tasted like dust in my mouth but I knew I couldn't allow my blood sugar to get too low or I would pass out.

As he took my dishes from me to set in the sink I caught his hand. "Thank you, Edward. I don't know why you're being so nice to me, or why you're even interested in me after I ignored you the last few months, but thank you."

He set the dishes back down on the table and pulled out one of the chairs to sit in across from me. Taking my hand and turning it so he was now holding it instead of me holding him he explained. "I'm used to girls liking the cocky guy, thinking that because I come from a rich family, have somewhat better than average looks and am a doctor that that is who I am. You're the first to not like that guy." I looked up into his eyes to protest but saw a smirk there. "Admit it, you don't."

"No, I don't," I whispered. I felt like I'd been whispering all day but I still couldn't find my voice. But then I laughed, "Sometimes he's kind of cute, though."

His other hand fit itself into the side of my face, his thumb traced along my cheekbone. The warmth in his eyes held me captive, not that I was interested in even trying to get away. "That's all right, sometimes feisty Bella is adorable, even sexy, right up until your nose meets her right hook."


Happy Monday! If you live in the states I'd like to ask, when Independence Day falls on a Sunday, what day does your community celebrate it? Saturday, Sunday or Monday? Most of the cities around me did fireworks on Saturday, one did on Sunday, and a couple will today. (For me that means three days of fireworks, bonus!)