11

"No. No! NO!"

Bella's eyes filled with tears as Jasper grabbed Alice by the shoulders and shook her, screaming "NO" over and over. Watching her laying unresponsive on the bed, the alarm blaring as the flat line showed on the monitor, was heartbreaking.

"Out, everyone out!" the emergency room doctor yelled as he rushed into the room with several nurses following. Jasper and Edward refused to move, however, so one of the nurses grabbed their arms and literally dragged them out of the room.

"Sorry," she said, before walking back inside.

The moment the door to Alice's room closed, Edward crumbled to his knees, his hands clutching his chest, and his mouth parting in a frustrated scream. "Why? Fucking why?"

"She'll be okay," Bella cried, kneeling next to him.

She did her best to hold him, to soothe away the hurt that was filling his heart, but she knew her words were hollow. There were no guarantees that Alice would be okay, that she'd live again. She'd given up, let her pain and anger get the better of her, and made the decision they'd all considered at one point or another.

"She has to be. I need her too fucking much for her to leave me now," Jasper murmured.

When Bella looked at him, she saw him clutching onto the doorframe, almost like he was keeping the walls up, instead of the walls keeping him up. She wanted to help him, too, but there was only so much she could do. She needed help.

"Edward?"

Bella shifted her attention behind them to an older man with long, black hair that had been pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His eyes were wide as he stared at the two of them kneeling on the floor.

"Edward, are you okay?"

"Dr. Cameron?" Edward muttered, scrambling to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

"I was called in to consult on a case of HLHS. What are you doing here? I thought you, Carlisle, and Alice moved out West."

"We did," he said, quietly, but his eyes shifted toward the doorway to Alice's hospital room. "But . . . Alice . . . I . . ."

"Alice is here?" Dr. Cameron questioned, taking a step toward Edward. "What happened?"

Edward brought his hand up to his chest. "I don't know."

"Are you in pain?"

"What?" Edward asked, and when Dr. Cameron gestured toward Edward's chest. "No, I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Bella argued, and when Edward glared at her, she released her hold on his arm. "You've been having episodes for months. I know you're worried about Alice. I am, too, but you're not going to be much help for her if you don't take care of yourself."

And without giving Edward a chance to stop her, Bella turned and faced Dr. Cameron. "He had his mitral valve replaced a couple years ago and ever since, he's been experiencing episodes of tightness in his chest. They used to just be every once in a while, but lately, say over the past two months, they've been coming on more and more. Several times a day at this point."

Dr. Cameron smiled. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"Oh," she said, softly and feeling her cheeks warm. "I'm Bella, Edward's wife."

"Wife?" Dr. Cameron's grin widened. "I hadn't heard that you'd gotten married, Edward. Congratulations."

"Thanks," he murmured.

"It's lovely to meet you, my dear. I'm Jared Cameron. I've been Edward's doctor since before he was born." Dr. Cameron shook Bella's hand before turning to face Edward, his features turning more serious and alarming. "So, you've been experiencing some tightness? Is it painful? Or just a lot of pressure?"

"It doesn't hurt, exactly, but it's not comfortable, either. There's nothing wrong with me, though. Bella just worries too much."

"I do not!" Bella argued.

"Edward, you should know better than anyone not to let symptoms go unchecked. That's why I referred you to Dr. Davis in Seattle. Have you spoken to him about these episodes?"

"No, because I don't need to," Edward argued. "I'm fine."

"He had a check-up last May and everything looked okay, but, I don't know, I just worry so much about him."

At that moment, the door to Alice's room opened and the emergency room doctor stepped out. Dr. King, as he was introduced to them when they arrived, wore a grim expression that had Bella's heartbreaking and her automatically clutching onto Edward's arm.

"Dr. Cameron," he said, curtly.

"Everett," Dr. Cameron said, nodding. "How's Miss Cullen?"

"We were able to revive her, but her body temperature is still too low. We are going to move her to the ICU and try to bring it up. Her tox screen came back positive for barbiturates, but without knowing exactly what she took, it's hard to know how to treat her."

"Will she be okay?" Jasper asked, drawing attention to him.

"It's too soon to say one way or another." Dr. King frowned. "I'm sorry. I wish I could give you more hope, but the next twelve hours are critical and even then, there's no guarantee that she will ever truly recover."

"She's a fighter," Jasper muttered, shifting so that he was facing the open door to her room. "She'll come back to me. She has to."

"I hope you're right," Dr. King said, quietly. "They should be moving her soon, so if you'd like to wait with her, you can."

Jasper nodded and rushed to Alice's side while Dr. King headed toward the next poor soul who needed his attention. Bella heard the man loud and clear. Even if Alice survived her suicide attempt, there was a chance that she'd never fully recover. Her body — already frail and fragile — had suffered an alarming trauma. Her heart broke and she knew they needed to call their family, keep them updated, but a part of her was furious that they'd turned their backs to her in the first place. Family used to mean something to them, but now, Bella wasn't as sure.

"Edward," Dr. Cameron said, drawing their attention back to him. "Why don't we run a couple tests?"

"I don't need any tests," he argued. "Why won't you listen to me? I know my body and I know when my heart is failing and it's fine. I'm fine."

"I am listening to you, but you are going to be here for a while, so let's be thorough," he insisted. "For Alice's sake."

Edward clenched his jaw tight before he turned to Bella. "Stay with Jasper and Alice."

Bella sighed, feeling out of control and unable to help anyone. Alice, Jasper, Edward — everyone needed her support but she was only one person, one woman. Why did it feel like the world was always ganging up on them?

"Okay," she said, knowing he would insist and she'd already put him in an awkward position. He was angry at her for telling his former doctor about his episodes, but she couldn't continue to sit back and watch as he stressed himself to death, either. "I love you."

Edward's face softened as he brought his hands up to either side of her face. "I love you, too."

Bella stood in the hallway while Dr. Cameron led Edward to the elevator. He was angry with her for putting him in the spotlight, for telling Dr. Cameron the truth, but Bella was done trying to keep everything peaceful and okay. Nothing was okay and the more they tried to deny that everything was good, the harder it would be when they fell. Alice had tried to take her own life, for fuck sake. The time for being nice was over.

As the doors to the elevator closed, Bella's phone started ringing, drawing the disapproving glares of the nurses in her direction.

"Sorry," she mumbled, digging it out of her pocket. Esme was returning her call. Sliding her finger along the green arrow, Bella accepted the call. "What the hell took you so long?"

"Whoa, what? That's not how we greet someone on the phone, Butterbean," Esme chuckled.

"Like I give a fuck," Bella snarled, ignoring the way her sister gasped on the other end. She rarely cussed in front of Esme. "I've called dozens of times. Left numerous messages for you, Em, Rose, Carlisle. Not a one of you called me back."

"Well, I'm calling you back now," Esme said. "Is everything okay? Did you find Alice?"

"Yeah, we found her," Bella groused. "Passed out on her parents' graves. She was barely alive, Esme. You need to get here now."

"What? Is she okay?"

"Is she . . . Did you hear what I said? She was passed out. She tried to kill herself, Esme!"

"Jesus fucking Christ," Esme muttered.

"No shit. I don't understand you, Esme. Any of you. We told you she was hurting, that she was losing her shit, but it's like you didn't hear us or something. Why can't you see anyone other than me and Edward?"

"We do," she insisted.

"Then why didn't you check in on them? You called me every day for the first two weeks after we left, but you never called Alice or Jasper. Not once. Why, Esme? Why?"

"I don't know," she said, quietly. "Is Alice going to be okay?"

"Honestly? I don't know," Bella admitted. "She still hasn't regained consciousness. They doctor says the next twelve hours are critical."

"Okay, we will be there as soon as we can."

"Why bother? It's not like you care."

"That's not true. We love Alice!"

"Really? We told Carlisle that Alice was missing and on her way to Chicago ten hours ago, Esme. Ten fucking hours! You should have already been here." Bella took a deep breath. "You'd better pray that she survives, that she's okay, because if she dies . . . Well, let's just say Edward and I won't be your concern anymore."

And without giving Esme a chance to defend herself, try to convince Bella of her love and support, Bella ended the call. She stuffed her phone into her back pocket and walked into Alice's room, where she settled in the chair next to Jasper.

—WH—

They moved Alice up to the ICU half an hour later, and Dr. King instructed the staff to allow Bella, Jasper, and Edward, when he returned, to stay as long as they needed. Two hours after Alice had been moved, Edward returned with Dr. Cameron, who gestured for Bella to join them in the hallway. She could tell based on the look on Edward's face that he was still angry with her, but she didn't care. He was more important than some hurt feelings.

"How's Alice?" Dr. Cameron asked.

"About the same," Bella replied.

He nodded. "Well, you'll be happy to learn that everything with Edward's heart appears normal."

Bella released a breath of relief. "So what's causing his episodes?"

"Stress," Dr. Cameron said. "I've advised Edward to find a constructive outlet for his stress. Maybe yoga or meditation."

Edward snorted, but didn't say anything.

"Yes, yes, I know that is not your idea of relaxing. You fought me tooth and nail on it when you were a young boy, too."

"I spent enough time inactive. I want to live, Dr. Cameron."

"And you'll live much longer if you learn to let go of all your worries, my boy. Now, I've been in contact with Dr. Davis. He's expecting your phone call when you arrive back in Seattle." Dr. Cameron placed his hand on Edward's shoulder. "I know you've been through a lot, Edward. More than anyone should have to, but please, don't make me fly to Seattle and kick your ass. I'll do it. You know I will."

For the first time since they left Seattle in search of Alice, Edward smiled. "Yeah, yeah. I'll try. It's the best I can offer right now. Pix needs me and I won't turn my back on her now."

"Better than nothing, I guess." Dr. Cameron shifted his attention to Bella. "It was a pleasure to meet you. Take care of him. He's special."

"I know," Bella whimpered, unable to keep her tears from falling.

Edward waited until Dr. Cameron left before he pulled her into his arms, holding her as she cried. Months of worry, weeks of tension, and trying not to say the wrong thing, or push too hard had been lifted off her shoulders. At least when it came to Edward.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I was just so worried."

"I know, baby," he murmured. "To be honest, I was, too, but I'm fine. Right now, we need to focus on Alice and getting her the help she needs."

"You're right." Bella leaned away and wiped the tears off her cheeks. "Together, we'll make sure she's okay."

"And Jasper, too."

"And Jasper, too," she echoed, laying her head against Edward's chest. The rest of their family may have turned their back on Alice and Jasper, but Bella and Edward weren't going to. Somehow, they'd help them survive.