Author's Note: Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Chapter 51
Bella's Point of View
My hospital cell phone rang. At the same time, my pager went off.
"What the…" I glanced at my pager briefly. 911.
I frowned. I was sure my students could handle it. What could be so serious? Why would they have to call me?
Curious, I answered the phone. "Swan speaking."
"Dr. Swan!" one of my best students, third-year resident doctor, Dr. Andrew Smith, said frantically. "Didn't you get the pager? You have to hurry down here, professor!"
"What's going on, Andrew?" I wondered. "I'm sure you could handle it, can't you?"
"It's just…" Andrew sounded distracted. His voice faded in and out. "No, Will! Nurse Floyd, get the defibrillator! Will, start CPR! Now! Professor! We need you down here! It's your brother!"
I stood up immediately, alarmed. "What? Seth?"
"He's been in a car accident!"
I hung up and ran quickly through the corridors. One of the nurses shrieked as I nearly bumped into her.
"No running, Professor Swan!" she called. As if that rule mattered. My brother was dying.
I burst into the ER and searched frantically, panting hard. At the end of the room, three doctors and two nurses were crowding around a bed. I could see Andrew performing CPR. A nurse was charging the defibrillator. I ran to the group quickly.
"Dr. Swan!" Will Wright said, his face grim. "Thank goodness."
"Report," I said sharply, staring at Seth's bloody face, shocked.
"Car accident near Soho," Will said. "I think he was driving to your penthouse. His car was almost halfway crushed. He's got a severe concussion and he…he stopped breathing five minutes ago. He's been coming in and out during CPR."
"It's ready!" the nurse said.
Andrew took the defibrillator. "Clear!" And he shocked Seth's heart with the machine. The line remained straight. I pushed Andrew out of the way and got on the bed myself.
"Three-sixty joules," I ordered, pumping Seth's chest faster and harder. "Now!"
"It's ready!"
"Clear!" Still no response.
"Four-fifty," I ordered. "Get in contact with the family, Andrew."
"Yes, Professor," Andrew said and dashed off.
"What's going on?" a familiar voice asked, alarmed. "Bella, what are you doing down in the ER?"
"Her brother's been in a car accident, Dr. Cullen," Will explained.
"What?" Carlisle pushed him out of the way. "How long has it been?"
"Seven minutes," Will replied.
"It's ready!"
"Clear!" Tears stung in my eyes. I shocked Seth's heart again. Suddenly, the scanner beeped and wavy lines began appearing. Seth was breathing again. I exhaled in relief and handed Nurse Floyd the defibrillator, getting off the bed.
"Keep him under close watch," I instructed, wiping away the cold sweat and tears from my face. "Make sure he doesn't get stressed."
"Yes, Dr. Swan," Nurse Floyd said.
"Andrew," I said, just as he was coming back.
"Yes, Professor."
"I want you in charge of Seth. Page me straightaway if anything goes wrong." He nodded.
"Have you been in contact with the family?"
"Yes, with your mother," Andrew said. "She's frantic. She's on her way now with your sister."
"Thank you," I said. "Good work everyone." I glanced at Seth briefly. Then, my knees buckled and I fell to the floor. Carlisle caught me easily.
"Bella!" he said, alarmed. "Are you all right?"
I was breathing heavily. "I'm fine."
"I think you need to get some rest," Carlisle decided. "Come on. I'll help you to your office."
Obediently, I followed Carlisle back to my office, where he sat me down on the white sofa.
"Are you all right, Bella?" he asked again, concerned. "Have you eaten?"
"No," I said wearily. "I didn't have time."
"Bella!" Carlisle sounded aghast. "You have to start eating more! You don't eat lunch, yet, you're skipping breakfast now too? You can't do that."
I laughed uneasily. "I'm fine, Carlisle. I think you're being a worrywart."
"I am not," Carlisle disagreed. "Bella, Edward would never forgive me if he sees you like this. I'm your boss, and he'll think that I'm bullying you at the hospital."
I chuckled. "Really?"
"Of course. Please tell me you'll eat something during lunch," Carlisle pleaded. "Just a little bit. Anything."
"I don't think I can eat," I whispered. "Seth…"
"Seth will be fine," Carlisle said firmly. "You saved him. Andrew is an intelligent cardiologist. He'll take care of Seth. He'll take extra caution, just because he's the brother of his professor. He respects you."
I sniffled. "Idiot… I told him not to drive fast."
"You drive fast," Carlisle pointed out, chuckling.
"I'm better at driving."
Suddenly, the office door burst open and a nurse came in.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Dr. Cullen, Dr. Swan," she said. "but your mother and sister is here."
"Don't let them see Seth yet!" I said, alarmed.
"We didn't," she reassured me. "We've told them that it wasn't safe to put the patient under stress. They're absolutely frantic, and they're demanding to see you. They refuse to believe anyone except you."
"Thank you, Lillian," Dr. Cullen said, nodding. "We'll be right down."
"Yes, sir," she said, bowing and leaving the room.
"Do you feel alright?" Carlisle asked as I got up from the sofa shakily.
"I'm fine, Carlisle," I reassured him. "I'm sure Sue and Leah are in a worse condition than I am. Just don't tell your family."
"I can't promise that," Carlisle sighed as I left the room.
"BELLA!" Sue threw herself in my arms and started sobbing. I wrapped my arms around her and comforted her, murmuring soothing words to her. Leah looked pale.
"What happened, Bella?" Leah asked. "Is Seth…?"
"Sue, I need you to calm down, okay?" I asked. "Here, sit down." I sat her down in the waiting room. She was sobbing hysterically.
"Sue, shh," I whispered. "It's okay. Seth is going to be fine."
"Oh…oh…" Sue gasped. "You're sure?"
"Positive," I said, nodding. "I got him in stable condition personally. You trust me, don't you, Sue?"
"Of course we do," Leah said. She knelt down at Sue's feet and took her hand. "Mom, I think he'll be fine. If Bella says he'll be fine, Seth is going to be fine. She wouldn't lie to us. She never does to her patients and their family."
"Oh…" Sue said, gaining control. "You're right. You're right, Leah. I'm sorry, Bella. It's not that I don't trust you…"
"Shh," I said. "It's fine, Sue. I know. Look, I'm sorry you can't see Seth right now, but he really is fragile at the moment. I don't know how hurt he is yet, but his heart is pretty weak. He's been through a terrible shock, and a slight noise could even make him stop breathing. So I'm going to have to ask you to wait until he's under more stable condition. We'll move him out of the ER then, and I'll let you see him."
Sue nodded. Leah sighed.
"Thank you, Bella," Sue whispered.
"Oh, Sue…" I hugged her gently, rubbing her back. "Everything's going to be okay. I won't let anything happen to Seth, I promise."
"Of course she won't," Leah said as cheerfully as she could. "Bella loves Seth as much as we do, Mom. I mean, look, she was crying too."
I smiled slightly at her tactics. "Leah, why don't you take Sue home? I'll call you as soon as Seth moves out of the ER."
"That's a good idea," Leah chimed in. "Come on, Mom."
Sue got up slowly. After glancing at the doors to the ER wistfully, she followed Leah out of the hospital. I sighed in relief. I was certain that Leah would calm her down.
Suddenly, my cell phone started ringing, startling me. I glanced at the caller ID. Alice.
"Hello?"
"Bella? Bella?" Alice asked frantically. "Are you okay? Are you all right?"
"Huh?" I asked. "What?"
"Carlisle told me you nearly fainted!"
I rolled my eyes. "I told him not to tell."
"Answer me, Bella!" Alice said. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Alice," I said, lowering my voice as I walked into the ER again. I glanced at Andrew as I passed Seth's bed, and he nodded reassuringly. He gestured that he'd bring me the results of the tests later. I nodded.
"I don't believe you," Alice said, and I could tell her eyes were narrowed. "You lie too much, Bella. Carlisle told me you didn't eat all day today. What were you thinking, Bella? Are you suicidal or something? Do you want to starve yourself to death, is that it?"
"Oh, Alice," I said, rolling my eyes. "I just felt dizzy after saving Seth. That's all. Carlisle was overreacting."
"Then why did you tell him not to tell us?"
"Because I thought that you would worry needlessly."
"Well, too late. I already called the whole family and told them."
"You didn't, Alice!"
"Yes, I did," Alice said. "You're part of our family, Bella, remember? You've been part of us ever since you became Edward's partner in the musical. So it's necessary. We have a right to know."
"Alice," I groaned. "How could you?" Almost immediately, there was a beep and I glanced at the phone. A call was in waiting. Edward.
"Oh, my gosh," I said dryly.
"Edward calling you?" Alice guessed. "I should say about time. He was shouting at me for more information when I told him. Talk to him, Bella. I'm okay now that I know you're okay."
"Bye, Alice," I said wearily and transferred the call to Edward's.
"Bella? Bella?" Edward asked frantically, like Alice had. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said in a bored tone. "Alice and Carlisle overreacted. I just felt a little dizzy after saving Seth."
He exhaled sharply. "Are you sure you're alright? I talked to Carlisle after I spoke with Alice. He told me that you didn't eat anything all day."
"I'm fine," I repeated. "I just didn't have time."
"Bella," Edward sighed exasperatedly. "Promise me that you'll eat something with Carlisle for lunch."
"Edward, you know I can't eat lunch."
"Try. I'll get Carlisle to buy you something good."
"Don't," I said sharply. "Or I'm not speaking to you."
He chuckled. "Try me."
"I really wouldn't. I'm not hungry."
"Yeah, yeah," Edward said. "How's your brother?"
I hesitated. "I don't know yet."
"Carlisle told me that you saved him."
"I did, but…" I sighed. "He's just not stable right now. He needs to be kept under close watch."
"I'm sorry," Edward said sympathetically. "Anything I can do to help?"
"Yes," I snapped. "Don't tell Carlisle to force me to eat."
He laughed. "I'm sorry, Bella. I can't do that. I need you safe."
"I'm safe," I grumbled, plopping down in my chair back in my office. "I weigh exactly like I'm supposed to weigh."
"I doubt it," Edward said, not believing me. "You're too skinny."
I sighed. There was a knock on my door and Carlisle came in.
"I'm taking you to lunch, Bella," he told me severely.
Edward laughed, having heard his father. "Looks like the others got there before me."
"I'm not eating," I told both of them.
"You have to," they said at the same time. I rolled my eyes.
"Have a good lunch, Bella," Edward said, chuckling. "I'll call you later." He hung up.
"Carlisle," I began to protest.
His phone suddenly rang and he held it up to his ear as if he'd been expecting it.
"Don't worry, Edward, I will," Carlisle reassured him. "I'll buy her something with a lot of calories in it. I agree, we have to fatten Bella up."
I burst out laughing. Carlisle grinned, and hung up.
"That's settled," he said. "The whole family wants me to feed you. Come along."
Resigned, but shaking my head, I followed him to the cafeteria where he bought me two helpings of the most fattening entrée all for me.
"Carlisle, I can't eat this," I said, as we sat down.
"Try," he urged. "Come on. Edward will kill me if you don't eat at least one mouthful."
I found the idea ludicrous, but I knew that Carlisle was going to report everything to his family later on. So to satisfy the Cullens, I began eating slowly.
"I'm going to throw everything back up later," I grumbled.
"No, you won't," Carlisle reassured me. "You didn't have anything all day. Your body will have no choice but to use the energy instead of denying it."
I smiled. "Thank you, Carlisle. It's nice to have someone take care of me for once."
He chuckled. "You're like my daughter, Bella. In fact, you are my daughter. I've got to take care of my girl."
I laughed along with him, cheering up slightly.
AN: So how was it? Don't panic. I won't kill Seth. I hope you enjoyed!
