Edward
I climb in the back of the ambulance after they load Bella and go straight to her head, finding her eyes blinking slowly, trying to stay awake. Her skin is ashen and lips blue, and I'm truly beside myself with worry.
I have no doubt she's in cardiogenic shock, and if I don't do something soon, we're going to lose her.
"Just stay with me, beautiful." I run my hand through her hair, trying to smile for her, but it's hard.
I turn to the paramedic and tell them we're going to need a medevac to Seattle, so she needs to go to Port Angeles. Forks isn't equipped to take care of her even for a short time. She's going to need a ventricular assist device, but until I can get her to Seattle, I can put in a balloon pump in Port Angeles.
"Em …" she gasps, and I cup her cheek in my hand, telling her I'll call him. She closes her eyes, and I rub her sternum, trying to rouse her, but she won't open her eyes.
Fuck.
I quickly call Emmett, telling him to meet us at Olympic Medical Center. He's terrified like I am, asking a dozen questions that I can't answer—the worst being if she's going to be okay. Her heart's incapable of pumping enough blood to her organs, and they'll start to fail soon. I knew she didn't look well even this morning, but she clearly didn't want to miss Jared's party. I should have pushed harder to find out what was going on.
If I had, I could have already saved her life.
"Five minutes out, Doc," the paramedic says as I watch the monitor.
Those five minutes seem to take the longest, and I'm relieved when we get to the emergency department. We quickly unload her and take her inside, and I start giving orders the minute we roll her into the trauma room.
I dread doing it, but I have to secure her airway and put an endotracheal tube down her throat. I knew it'd be hard to treat her, but nothing could have prepared me for actually doing it.
"Cath lab's ready," a nurse says, and I nod.
"Let's get her up there."
As we start to roll her out, Emmett bursts into the room—panic etched on his face as he takes in the sight of his little sister nearly lifeless on the gurney.
"Jesus Christ," he says, going straight for her head. He pushes her hair back and kisses her forehead. "Oh fuck, Bella."
"She needs a balloon pump, Emmett," I say. "We need to get her upstairs."
"I'm staying with her."
I'd never let another family member stay, but he's different. I need him to control himself though. I can't risk being distracted.
"All right, but you need to compose yourself. I'm going to get her through this. I swear."
He nods. "I trust you, Edward."
It means a lot to me that he does. But if I fail … No, I can't let myself even consider the possibility. I'm going to save her life.
It's what I was put on this earth to do.
Thanks to May, Nole, Fran, Brier, and Meg for prereading and Sally for Beta'ing
