Hours of operating and Bella was still not out of the woods. The operating team had done all they could in the theatre and the rest was up to Bella, for her body to fight and get her out of this mess.
She had a fracture to her skull, bleeding now seemingly under control. Three broken ribs, a broken foot and a confirmed concussion. It was unknown how long Bella would be unconscious for. This was the most concerning of all her injuries.
Carlisle was not used to a member of his family being seemingly breakable, having the ability to face a life or death situation, no sense of immortality. Now he realised Edwards pain. He ached for his son, who was currently sitting petrified next to Bella in her hospital room. Carlisle had not left either of their sides other than to run a couple quick rounds. He was now off the clock and the hospital no longer had to rely on him to help with other matters. He could focus on his family now.
He made a conscious effort to keep his thoughts to himself as best as possible so as not to worry Edward. Doctor logic always looked to the most extreme and complex in situations, being prepared for the worst comes with the territory.
He looked at his watch, 3am, time to check and record Bella's vitals again. He got up, walking towards Bella. First he checked her temperature on the monitor, it was still far too high for his liking. Placing the back of his cool hand on Bella's forehead, he could feel her warmth radiating through.
He looked towards his son and voiced in his head, she could do with some cooling down.
With that both himself and Edward placed their hands on either side and the back of her neck.
There came a quiet knock at the door,
"Hello?" a small voice whispered.
Carlisle wearily smiled. It was Alice.
"Alice", he whispered back, pulling back from Bella and walking over. Alice was carrying a completely obnoxious sized bouquet of flowers, which she placed on Bella's bedside table, turning to Carlisle.
"Esme thought you could use these", Alice said, holding out a new silk collard shirt and doctors coat her nose slightly wrinkled.
Carlisle completely forgot the shirt he was wearing was still soiled from his earlier encounter with Bella and he was beginning to smell rather horrible.
"Thank you Alice," Carlisle replied smiling. They were in a private hospital room. Of course this wasn't something that Charlie could afford for Bella, but Carlisle pulled some strings to make the room available, and Edward would happily spend any ounce of money to make Bella comfortable. Carlisle unbuttoned his soiled shirt, peeling it from his skin. He contemplated the slight embarrassment should Bella decide to wake up in this moment as he was standing in her room without a shirt, but highly doubted the possibility of this happening. He was sure he saw a slight smirk cross Edwards face at this thought. After all Edward and Alice would not mind his changing.
He pulled on his new lilac coloured shirt and buttoned it up carefully, disposing of his old shirt in a plastic bag. He would need to take it back to the house for deep cleaning.
If it was possible for vampires to become tired, now would be the time. He felt emotionally exhausted and he could tell Edward felt the same.
"How long?" Edwards voice broke the silence.
"It is uncertain, hopefully soon", Carlisle knew he was asking how long it would be until Bella regained consciousness.
"That dog is dead". Edward mentioned for the seventh time in 4 hours. Carlisle, again replied with the same answer.
"We don't know what happened. It might not have been his fault."
"Alice knows exactly what happened. She had a vision. And. It. WAS the MUTTS FAULT", he jumped up snarling.
Carlisle thought for a moment about Alice. It would have been much easier if she hadn't come and let Edward read her thoughts. He did not know the cause of the accident and now he does. It is not something he will let go. I eyed Alice disapprovingly, and she slightly bowed her head in apology. She knew the mistake she had made and now we must deal with it.
Edward was walking towards the door. Carlisle sprinted over and caught him at the handle, giving his son a meaningful look.
"Remember who you are", he whispered so only Edward could hear.
"Mmmmm."
They both wheeled around. From the depths of the blankets that surrounded her fragile body Bella make a quiet groaning noise.
Carlisle walked at vampire speed over to her bed, feeling the head once again with the back of his hand and looking at the monitors. Her heart rate was getting slightly faster. And just as quick as it came it was gone again. Back to the normal rhythm her heart beat had been at for the last five hours.
"What's happening Carlisle?" Edward said through gritted teeth also noticing the return to slow speed of her heart rate.
"She is showing signs that she will be coming out of her unconscious state", he replied.
A small smile played on Edwards lips. He looked towards Carlisle and Alice, the first sign of hope they had seen in his eyes for hours.
"I am going to go tell the others the good news." Alice squealed, running out of the room.
Carlisle wanted to be ready for when Bella regained consciousness. He called the nurse and told her to get some medication ready to deal with any scenario, Bella's pain or nausea. He got another bag and placed it at the end of the bed. He thought to himself that as much as he loved Bella, he would prefer to keep his new shirt and body vomit free this time.
Bella moaned again and Edward took her hand, being careful not to crush the IV line that was attached to it. He placed her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. It was with this kiss that she opened her groggy eyes. They were glassy from fever and Carlisle could tell, like in the emergency room, there was a lot of confusion and searching the room to get her bearings.
Carlisle rushed to her side and knelt down next to her. Edward was doing the same thing on the other side of the bed.
"My darling", Edward whispered in her ear. "It's alright Bella, I am here and Carlisle will take care of you."
Bella's breathing was shallow and Carlisle could tell the impact on her lungs and ribs from the crash was affecting this.
"Are you in any pain?" Carlisle asked taking his flashlight out and shining it in her eyes to search for responses. She was not responding as well as he would have liked. He thought this in his head and as soon as he came to this conclusion he watched Edwards hand form a small fist around the bed railing.
"Ye-s", Bella's croaky voice responded, Carlisle could sense the effort it took her to form that one word. Edward reacted to this, tightening his hand further to a point it looked like he would bend the bed frame.
Wait until we know more before you react… she is awake now and that is the main thing, Carlisle thought in Edwards direction, his fist slowly loosening, pulling his hand up to stroke her hair.
"What hurts?" Carlisle asked becoming more worried at Bella's response. She was on a lot of pain medication and they should have suppressed a majority of her feeling. He took out her chart and a pen, beginning to make small notes.
"I am going to sit you up because I think it will help with your breathing, ok Bella?" Carlisle said, putting the clipboard down and walking over to the electric button that controlled the height and curve of the bed. Currently, it was on a slight angle and he believed that sitting Bella up further would help to clear her air passage. As he pushed the button he watched as Bella's eyes closed and squinted in pain, her breathing becoming faster and more shallow. Carlisles eyes filled with worry.
"I think I may need to take a look at your injuries again Bella and it may be a bit invasive", he said looking towards Edward, suggesting with his expression that Edward should leave the room. Before Edward could protest Alice reentered, seamlessly taking him by and hand and began to lead him out with her.
"No," a small whispered came from the bed beside up. "Edward… stay." Bella choked out, her cracked lips laying open gathering as much oxygen through them as they could.
Alice let go of Edward who immediately returned to Bella's side and took her hand.
Carlisle placed the back of his hand on Bella's forehead and then the side of her neck. Temperature is still far too high. He took more notes on the clipboard.
"Are you sure Bella? I may not be able to spare your dignity," Carlisle faltered considering an option Bella may prefer. "Unless you would like me to find a female doctor that can do it." He was expecting Bella to choose the latter and was surprised with the reply Bella followed with.
"So'kay, I trust… y-you," she groaned, clasping her side as she breathed a deeper breath than her others.
Carlisles kind golden eyes met Bella's, they were filled with worry and warmth, his brow slightly creased as he silently asked May I?
Bella nodded slightly, quickly closing her eyes and swallowing hard. Carlisle faltered.
"Are you feeling nauseous still?" he asked.
"Mmm," Bella replied without moving her body of opening her eyes.
Carlisle slowly reached down for the bag he had earlier placed on Bella's stomach. "Do you feel like you are going to be sick again?" He slowly placed the opening in front of her mouth, holding her head with his hand for support.
Bella lurched forward for a moment, tears springing to her eyes and both Edward and Carlisle jumped to support her weight, expecting her to be sick. A small crease forming in Carlisles brow. Within moments her head fell back onto the pillow.
"I thought so… guess not," she croaked.
Carlisle was skeptical, and left the bag on Bella's chest, eyeing Edward and thinking Watch her.
"Ok.. I am going to begin inspecting your wounds and bruises, ok Bella?" Carlisle said calmly a degree of pity playing on his face as he watched Bella breath in sharply again.
"I will you lean slightly forward and have Edward support the weight of your body", Carlisle said slowly pulling down the blankets and sheets on the bed until they were around Bella's thighs. Edward lifted her forward and slightly embraced her to hold her body still so Carlisle could access her back. There was a sharp intake of breath as Bella was moved and Carlisle froze for a moment placing his hand on her back, rubbing circles.
"I will assess your back injuries first. Mainly I would like to inspect the bruising around your rib area, cuts on your legs and broken foot", Carlisle said as he slowly untied the strings on the back of the hospital gown that covered Bella's body.
"Please tell me if you begin to feel uncomfortable," Carlisle mentioned as he pulled the hospital gown off the top of Bella leaving her exposed from the waist up. He wanted to make this as quick as possible so Bella did not feel uncomfortable. Edward was also minding Bella's privacy and looked the other way. Carlisle made his way down Bella's back, inspecting her bruises, some were looking more black than he anticipated he lightly pressed her skin with his cold hand, testing Bell'a pain reception. There was one specific spot right overtop Bella's second rib that he was particularly concerned about. As soon as he gently prodded it Bella let out a deafening yelp resulting in instant nausea and she began to empty her stomach onto Edwards knee that was resting on the bed.
Edward looked at Carlisle in alarm who took a second to realise what was happening. He thrust the ready bag under Bella's mouth so she could finish being sick. Edward, turned to help, but, aghast at the thought of overstepping his boundary, quickly looked away as he noticed Bella's uncovered skin. Although Carlisle was a doctor and had seen many naked bodies and was not phased by what he was seeing, he was conscious of how Bella may feel as her bare chest was exposed to the room. Carlisle, while using one hand to hold the bag Bella was being sick into, grabbed a small towel and held it against her chest, covering her dignity.
Edward turned back around.
"Love, are you ok?" he asked, worry filling his voice and Bella finished and began sobbing.
"I-I'm sorry", she wailed.
"What is there to be sorry for Bella?" Carlisle asked, still holding the towel across her chest, he disposed of the sick bag into a nearby bin with his other hand.
"I t-threw up on Ed-war-d", sobs rattled her body, noticeably placing pressure on her already difficult breathing.
Carlisle began to become worried, he used his doctors voice.
"You need to calm down or you are going to do more damage to your lungs", he said scornfully. Bella did not listen, the labour in her breath becoming audible more and more distinct. Eventually, she was unconsolable sobs burning through her ribs, she began making uncontrollable and painful hitched breath sounds as her throat closed up and the small breaths her lungs allowed could not sustain her fit of sadness.
Carlisle ditched the attempt of modesty, dropping the towel he held over her breasts and running for the top draw of a nearby doctors tray. He pulled out a syringe.
"Don't fight it Bella", he said calmly as he administered the contents of the syringe into her IV and carefully placing an oxygen mask over her face. Suddenly, as fast as the fit began, Bella lay motionless, streams of tears still falling from her closed eyes, her breathing beginning to return to normal rhythm.