A/N: Tissue warning for this chapter because I cried seven times while writing it. More from me at the bottom….
Don't break me down, I've been traveling too long. I've been trying too hard, with one pretty song. I hear the birds on the summer breeze. I drive fast, I am alone at midnight. Been trying hard not to get into trouble, but I, I've got a war in my mind. So, I just ride. ~ Lana Del Rey, Ride
BPOV
Staring at the group of people in front of me reminded me why I continued to support Renee and Charlie even after everything that had happened. I could have grown up in the shadow of Tanya and Irina, perhaps grown into a woman as egotistical and vain as them. There could have been a time I looked up to Felix and Demetri, helped them scheme against the Cullen family that I had grown up hating.
I squeezed Edward's arm, reveling in the solid muscle under my hand.
"Apologize and you won't leave here in an ambulance."
Yes, my husband had a gun pointed at my half-brother in a very crowded restaurant, and no, I wasn't freaking out about it. For some unknown reason.
"I'm sorry… sis," Demetri grunted out. A sudden burst of bravery shot through me as I smirked at him. I hadn't seen any of these people for any length of time in years. It was all Edward's doing, I was sure, that we never ended up at the same events or gatherings as them. I expected to feel intimidated, assumed I would feel like the ugly step sister just like Tanya said. But, I felt nothing toward any of them. No regret for taking away their father, no longing for a family I could have had. Just annoyance that they've caused this scene.
Maybe I was growing up, or maybe I was becoming too used to Edward's hot temper.
"Now get the fuck out of here."
We both stood our ground, watching as the four Volturi's stood theirs. They didn't want to follow Edward's orders, that was obvious. Eventually, Tanya and Irina got bored and started backing away, followed by Demetri. Felix lingered.
"He won't always be around to save you," was the last thing he said before he left as well. The words left a knot in my stomach. Logically, they seemed to be a threat toward me; Edward wouldn't be around to save me from them. But the way he said it, the way his dark eyes cut to Edward next to me… it was like he was threatening to take him away from me.
"I made you a promise," I shouted after him. Felix turned, frowning. "Don't make me follow through with it."
There was very little that I remembered of Edward's funeral, but I clearly remembered my run in with Felix that afternoon. Once I'm out, I will have absolutely nothing left to lose. I will spend every second of the rest of my life hunting you and your brother down. I will stop at nothing until I have your blood on my hands.
Felix seemed to remember, too, though my reminder didn't have quite the effect I wanted it to have. He barked out a laugh as he left the restaurant with his siblings.
"What did you promise him?" Edward asked, pulling my focus from the closing door, but I couldn't meet his eyes. "When did you promise him anything?"
Shaking my head, I followed the rest of our family into our private dining room. There were balloons covering the ceiling and streamers all over. I gave Alice and Rosalie the best smile I could manage, and sat down, still keeping my gaze away from Edward.
Edward sat next to me. "Isabella."
"Edward," I pleaded, hoping he would drop the subject.
"When have you ever communicated with him when I wasn't there?" Edward sounded genuinely confused, which made the whole thing so much worse.
I squeezed my eyes shut as I replied. "He came up to me at your funeral and I told him that once I got out I wouldn't stop until I had his blood on my hands."
Everyone was silent. Thankfully only the adults were in attendance tonight so none of the children had to hear all of this. A waiter entered and filled six wine glasses in complete silence. All eyes were on me as he left.
"Maybe it wasn't the smartest move to threaten him today, but I'm not going to apologize for the first one."
I didn't want to be in the middle of any of this. I didn't want to have a connection to so many of Edward's enemies. There was nothing that filled me with more dread than thinking of having to plan something like I did with Aro.
"When did he approach her at the funeral?" Alice whispered, probably to Rosalie.
"Carlisle told you to keep an eye on her," Edward grunted toward Jasper.
"I never left her side. She wanted to –"
"I stayed in the church as everyone was leaving," I grunted, trying my hardest to keep myself out of the dark hole of unpleasant memories. Still, images of the casket I thought once held my husband's body still flashed through my mind. I tried to sit and ignore the stares from everyone around the table. Everyone but Jasper was waiting for me to explain why I waited, but I couldn't.
"Excuse me." Standing from the table, I got out of the stifling room as fast as I could. The women's restroom was, thankfully, empty when I rushed in. Leaning over the counter, I gripped the edges to steady myself.
There were plenty of past memories that I knew would haunt me my entire life, but none were as strong as the day I attended my husband's funeral, none still felt like such fresh wounds.
The door swung open and I tensed, quickly wiping the tears that had slid down my cheeks. It wasn't another woman coming in, though. It was Edward, standing there looking like someone had just gutted him.
"You sat in that church for an extra hour so my body wouldn't be alone."
It wasn't a question, so I didn't reply.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know that's when he talked to you."
"I don't like talking about it."
Edward slowly inched his way toward me until we were face to face. Well, face to chest with our height difference. The feather-light touch as his thumbs wiped over my tears made more and more follow.
"It's okay."
"Can we just go home?" I whispered, my exhaustion overtaking the guilt at abandoning my own celebration.
"Of course."
In typical Edward fashion, we were home within the hour, even with the excess Chicago traffic. Half an hour after we were in bed. I laid next to Edward and watched as his eyes drooped and his breathing evened out. All night I watched him, saw his eyes move beneath his closed lids, watched the shadows cross his face as the light faded in the room.
I never slept, because every time I closed my eyes I saw the scene of his funeral, the black casket sitting next to the large portrait of Edward. Watching him, I knew. He might not like it, but I knew if something actually happened to him I would do whatever it took to take down whoever was responsible for it.
…Dark…
I had an office. A big, fancy office with three windowed walls and a large oak desk. There were built in shelves in the far corner and a comfortable couch opposite of that. It was mostly empty when Edward first showed it to me last week, save for the blanket thrown over the couch and the two awards sitting on my desk, the ones that I had put in Edward's office.
He told me they belonged in here, but I quickly put them back in his. It was no surprise that the five different sized cubbies at the top of the shelves were the perfect size for five of my most prized possessions. From my home office, I brought a Grammy, SAG, BAFTA, Globe, and Oscar.
It had only been a week since we really started working on the production company, but I loved every second of it. I still didn't quite know what my official role entailed, and I didn't want to step on any toes, but people came to my office with film proposals and I got to read scripts and talk with potential directors and it was wonderful.
There was also the bonus that the Cullen Productions office was on the floor directly below Edward's office. Yes, things were very good after a very disastrous start.
"Beautiful as ever, Mrs. Cullen."
Looking up, Edward was standing in the doorway; dark grey suit, bronze hair sticking in every direction.
"What are you doing here?"
"I've got to fly out to New York tonight. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon." I couldn't help but pout. "Would you like to come with me?"
I sighed. "You know I can't, Alice has her baby shower tomorrow morning."
"I'm headed to the airport. I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't work too hard," Edward smirked, coming over and pulling me into a quick hug. Well, he tried to make it quick, I held on for as long as he let me.
"I'll miss you," I sighed, resting my head against his chest.
Warm hands traveled along my waist, giving me a comforting squeeze. "I won't be gone long." I squeaked as he lifted me so I was sitting on my desk and stood between my legs. "Then, tomorrow night, you're all mine." With that, his lips covered mine in a kiss that left me panting.
"That was cruel," I gasped as Edward smirked down at me.
"I'll make up for it tomorrow. I love you." One last chaste kiss and he turned and left.
"Love you," I shouted after him, smiling as he turned and smirked from the hall.
Collapsing back in my chair, I knew working was out of the question now. It was getting late so I packed up my stuff and headed out with Ben.
I hated being home alone. I knew better than to think I was actually alone, Ben and Eric were always in the house along with a few other members of Edward's security team. But still, I was alone as I got ready for bed, and alone as I fell asleep. It was all too similar to the night of the Aro incident, which was probably what led to my nightmare.
It was that night, but I wasn't the one in the bed, waiting for his attack. I was watching the scene like a movie. Edward was the one in the bed, the one who had Aro's hands around his neck. It was him who fought him off, who ended up in a standoff, both with guns pointed at the other.
I jerked awake just as they both shot.
Rolling over in the bed I checked the clock and saw it was only five in the morning. It was six for Edward, though. I blindly reached for my phone on the bedside table and dialed his number. He answered on the first ring.
"Is everything alright?"
My little worrier. "Hello to you, too."
"Hello, Bella," he said, a smile in his voice. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm okay. Just a bad dream."
"Will you be okay at Alice's baby shower?" he asked, obviously worried. We weren't around when Rose was pregnant, so I missed out on all of it. This time there was no escaping baby Whitlock and all of the celebrations that went with it.
"Yes. I'll be fine," I told him, and it was the truth. I was actually kind of excited about it. I had never been to a baby shower before. "When will you be back?"
"I should be able to leave here around noon. I'll be home by one thirty."
"Good. I missed you last night," I whispered, feeling slightly pathetic that one night away from him affected me so much. There was some static on the other end and a few muffled voices.
"I've got to go, baby. I'll see you this afternoon, okay?"
"Okay," I sighed. "Love you."
"Love you, too."
The line went dead.
…Dark…
Alice's living room looked like a pink paint can exploded. There were streamers and balloons and fucking sparkles on everything. There was no way anyone would mistakenly think she was having a boy. I had been looking forward to the morning; talking with Alice, watching her open all of her gifts, but for some reason the second I got here I felt off.
I set my gift down on the large gift table, a few outfits Alice had specifically asked for. God knows I wasn't qualified enough to pick out a baby shower gift on my own. I had absolutely zero knowledge on what a baby or mother needed.
Alice had an ungodly amount of friends. I had never heard half of their names before, but there were fifty women here. Fifty. And nearly every one of them had given me a once over by the time I walked through the living room.
I wandered into the kitchen, rolling my eyes at the bright pink cake sitting on the counter. At some point, there is enough pink, Alice.
"Thank you, Jasper," I mumbled to myself, spotting a beer in the back of the fridge. I wasn't big on beer, but I needed something to get through this afternoon. Socializing had never really been my thing. I had my group of close friends, and that was it. I wouldn't have fifty women I cared about enough to invite to one of these things.
"Oh, hi Bella," Maggie stuttered, blushing as she entered the kitchen.
"Are you escaping, too?"
"God, yes. There's just… so much pink."
Maggie and I hid out in the kitchen for a while, listening to the gushing from the other room as a new guest showed up. We talked about her schooling and she asked me about the production company. It was a nice, quiet bubble for us for a while.
"There you two are! Maggie, why don't you go chat for a bit with some of the guests?"
Maggie slunk off, obviously not excited about having to go face the wolves. I smiled at Alice, dressed in pink head to toe.
"So, when's he due?" I asked with a smirk.
Alice playfully rolled her eyes at me. "It's traditional, Bella. Girls equal pink!"
"No one will forget the gender of your baby, that's for damn sure."
"I wanted to talk to you about something important," Alice said, walking over to the back door that was attached to the kitchen. She opened it and Jasper slunk in.
"Is everything okay?" I asked, unsure about why Jasper was here.
"Yeah, we just… had something exciting to tell you," Alice told me, nearly bouncing out of her skin.
"Well, if you haven't noticed, we're having a girl," Jasper said, and I nearly snorted beer out of my nose. "We have a name all picked out, if you approve."
I frowned. Why would I have to approve it? "I'm sure its lovely."
"We were thinking of naming her Delilah Isabella Whitlock."
Delilah Isabella Whitlock. "You – You're – You want to name your daughter after me?"
"I think of you like a sister, Bella, and you kept our family together during some tough times. You're a strong, independent woman… the list goes on. We'd both really love it if we could name our daughter after you."
"Oh, I'm a mess," I blurted out. "Really, like ninety percent of the time I'm a fucking mess."
They both just laughed at me. "You're… chaotic good," Jasper said.
I shook my head, still shocked at the whole thing. "You really want to name your daughter after me?" I whispered, my throat becoming uncomfortably tight.
They both nodded.
Fuck, now I was crying.
We all hugged, multiple times, Alice and I staring at each other crying. She at least had the excuse of the pregnancy hormones running through her for the tears.
It was when I was sitting between Alice and Rosalie as she opened gifts that I got that uneasy feeling again. Shaking my head, I forced myself to focus on the festivities in front of me. When about half of the gifts were open, there was a firm grip on my shoulder. Looking up, I saw Ben hovering.
"We have a situation, Mrs. Cullen," he whispered to me.
My heart stopped, then started beating in overtime. I checked my watch as I followed Ben out of the room, two thirty. How was it already two thirty?
Ben stopped when we were alone in the foyer. He just looked at me for a second and I felt it in my gut, the feeling I had all day.
"Where is he?" I asked him, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Being airlifted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The plane made a crash landing about half an hour outside of the city."
"Jesus Christ."
Plane crash. Edward. Edward. Plane crash. My head was spinning, unable to focus on a single thought for longer than a second.
"What – who – do you know anything about his… condition?" He had to be alive, right? If he was being flown to a hospital, he was alive.
"No, just that he's about ten minutes away from the hospital right now."
Fuck, we were at least thirty minutes away from the hospital here. "I've got your things. We should go," Ben said, already pulling me toward the door.
Once we were in the car and I was forced to sit still I couldn't figure anything out. How did Ben know all of this? What caused the crash landing? What were the extent of Edward's injuries? Was he conscious, did he need surgery? He was in a plane crash, odds are he's not making small talk with the EMTs.
Halfway to the hospital I realized my entire body was shaking. I wasn't cold, but I was pretty sure I was in shock. The worst realization came when Ben said nothing. There were no comforting words coming from him because he wasn't going to lie to me. He didn't know any more than what he told me, and what he told me was anything but comforting.
As Ben parked the car, I realized I had to pull myself together, at least for the next few minutes. I needed answers and walking in there looking like a mess wouldn't get me anywhere. Answers, then panic.
I didn't wait for Ben to tell me where to go, I just stormed in the nearest door. There was a nurses station right at the entrance.
"Edward Cullen," I said, my voice surprisingly sharp. The nurse frowned up at me. "Where is Edward Cullen? He was airlifted here."
She typed something into her computer. "I'm sorry. We don't have any patient with the name Cullen."
"Yes," I replied. "You do. Edward Cullen."
"Ma'am –"
"Mrs. Cullen, this way," Doctor Banner said, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
Ben and I followed him down the hall, but he said nothing as we walked. I gave him ten seconds of silence before I grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop.
"Where is my husband?"
"Let us talk in –"
"Where is my husband?" I repeated, barely keeping my voice from cracking. I couldn't take not knowing anymore.
"He arrived here seventeen minutes ago and was taken straight to an operating room. On first glance he looks to have a broken leg and some fractured ribs, a concussion is also likely. The most threatening issue he has are two pieces of shrapnel imbedded in his abdomen. He has likely lost a lot of blood and with the position of the injury…"
Banner stopped talking, trailing off like I was supposed to know what he was trying to say. "What?" I snapped.
"It is possible it injured some internal organs, but the surgeons just started. It'll take time before we have a more concrete prognosis."
"But… he's going to be okay."
"Mrs. Cullen, your husband has very extensive injuries. We'll need to wait until we hear more from the surgeons before we know anything concrete."
"I don't… understand," I whispered. "You should know more, right? I mean, you should know what organs are injured before you cut him open. You should be able to tell me what's wrong with him. That's your fucking job. Why don't you –"
"Bella, stop," Jasper was suddenly beside me, pulling me away from Doctor Banner.
"No." I pulled away from him, now furious at everyone around me. "He won't tell me the truth!"
"Bella, he's told you all that he knows. We just have to wait."
"No," I pleaded, even though it was obviously a losing battle. Jasper pulled me into a private waiting room, probably where Banner was originally taking us. "I need to see him. I need to know."
"You'll be the first to know, Bella."
Jasper led me to a chair in the far corner of the room. I fell into it, unable to keep myself upright any longer. The second I sat down it was like everything stopped. There was no energy left in my body, nothing else I could do except sit and cry and remember.
…Dark…
I didn't just invite random men to my house, never had a one-night stand or a casual relationship. But now, I was sitting in my bed, naked, while Edward Cullen showered. The day had been surreal from him actually showing up to dinner with his family. It felt like it should feel weird, but it didn't. It felt undeniably good to have him here.
He was sweet and kind and made me feel normal for the first time in years. The ensuite door opened, startling me from my thoughts as Edward walked out covered only in a towel. Yes, he was also the most attractive man I had ever seen.
I pulled the sheet closer to myself, suddenly uncomfortable, but Edward frowned at the motion. His eyes never left me as he let the towel fall from his hips. My eyes, however, widened and I felt my cheeks flame. I couldn't stop myself from ogling him.
"I must say, Miss Swan, after everything we've done today I would have thought the blush would fade." Just like that, he eased all of my nerves. He got into bed next to me, and I quickly situated myself in his arms. His scent surrounded me, his warmth penetrated my pores. It didn't matter that I had only known him for such a short time. Everything about him made me feel safe.
…Dark…
I pulled Edward through the house, finally stumbling into one of the restrooms. This was Esme Cullen's house, so the guest bathroom was nearly as big as the room I grew up in. With the door closed behind us, I smiled up at my husband. Husband!
"What's with the quick escape?" he asked, smirking down at me.
"You're my husband," I whispered to him, like it was a big secret. It wasn't, of course. We had just gotten married in front of our families and friends. It just didn't seem real.
"You're my wife," he replied, the biggest smile I had ever seen on his face. Careful of my dress, he lifted me to sit on the marble counter. "Fuck, I can't believe you're mine."
Edward kissed down my neck and across the skin left exposed along my chest. They were the softest, most reverent kisses that made my eyes water. When I couldn't take it anymore I pulled his face away and trailed my own kisses along his chin and cheeks, up his nose and in his hair.
"I love you, Edward Cullen."
"I love you, Isabella Cullen."
…Dark…
I sat in the shower, letting the water drown out the sound of my tears. Flashes of the nightmare were engrained in my mind; Edward's dead body, his funeral, his death. I couldn't get rid of them, because they were all things I had actually lived through, too. This nightmare was different though, because in it Ben dropped me off on the island and I was still alone.
Logically, I knew Edward was fine now. He was asleep next to me when I woke up from my nightmare. But that didn't stop the panic from rising up, taking over all of my senses. What if that hadn't been the case? What if I had to live a life without him?
I didn't hear the shower door slide open, just felt Edward's hand as he cupped my cheek. He knelt down in front of me, still dressed in the boxers he was sleeping in.
"What's wrong?"
"I love you," I told him.
He frowned. "Then why are you crying?"
"Because you could have died. And I can't handle that, Edward. I can't lose you."
"Hey," he said, pushing my chin up so I had to look at him. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." With his other hand, Edward grabbed mine and placed it on his bare chest, right over his heart.
"Please don't leave me," I begged, crawling into his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck.
"I'll never leave you, baby."
…Dark…
Edward would never leave me, not if he had a choice. That was the problem now, his choice had gotten taken away from him. But who took it?
A knocking made me jump. My eyes were sore as I opened them and looked around. Everyone surrounded me in the small room; Emmett was sitting with Rosalie opposite of me, and Alice and Jasper were standing at the window.
Doctor Banner walked in, but I couldn't read his face. It was completely neutral.
"We don't have much more information for you. He's still in surgery and will be for at least four or five more hours according to the surgeon."
"Is that all you can tell us, Doctor?" Esme rushed in, followed closely by Carlisle. I half listened as Banner gave him the same information he told me when I first got here.
For some reason, Esme's worry made me furious. She hadn't talked to Edward in months. She didn't care about his happiness, she cared about his status. It was infuriating, watching her act as the concerned mother.
When Banner was gone and the family was alone, Esme turned to me. "Are you happy?"
"Excuse me?"
"With Edward out of the way, you'll get everything. His money, his business, his legacy, all yours. Another thing to add to your precious reputation."
I didn't think, just lunged. Unfortunately, Emmett was too close and managed to get a hold of me before I touched Esme.
"Don't talk about him like he's dead!" I shouted at her, struggling against Emmett's hold on me.
"Bella, stop," Emmett said, backing me across the room.
I stopped struggling, exhausted again. Esme took a seat across the room, talking quietly with Carlisle. I had to ignore her. There were more important things to focus on. Like who tried to take Edward away from me.
Looking over at Jasper, standing with Alice, and then back at Emmett still in front of me I knew they would know. "Can I talk with you two, alone?"
Without waiting for an answer, I walked out, nearly bumping into a nurse as she walked down the hall. They both followed me, and I found an empty patient room down the hall.
"Who did it?" I asked the moment we were alone.
"Bella –"
"There's no way it was an accident. You know. I know you do."
"Felix and Demetri, but under the orders of Petrov."
"Do you have them?"
"We're not talking about this, Bella. You're not doing anything." Emmett saw right through me. I wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"Where are they?"
"It might make her feel better, knowing they're locked up," Jasper offered.
"Locked up? The police have them?"
Emmett sighed. "No. They're in a steel shipping container, in a junk yard outside of town. We'll take care of them, Bella."
"Now? You're going to get rid of them now, right?"
They both hesitated. Fuck, no.
"We wait to see what Edward wants to do."
"Edward is going to be in surgery for five hours. They tried to kill him. I don't understand why you wouldn't just – "
"Because Edward would want to make the call."
Edward would want… No, I didn't believe that. "When I was shot he chased the fucker for a month, wanted them dead immediately."
"Bella, it's different. There are protocols to follow, things that need to be taken into consideration."
"That's bullshit," I exclaimed, rage taking over all of my senses again. "If you won't do it, I'll take care of it myself."
I turned to leave, but Emmett grabbed my arm again. "There is a big difference between planning a murder and killing someone in self-defense, Bella."
Pulling my arm out of his grasp, I glared at him. "Don't be so naive, Emmett."
Both of their eyes widened. They understood what I meant. This wouldn't be the first time I planned to kill someone.
…Dark…
I had to be smarter this time. Think things through. Make sure I didn't get caught. I needed an alibi. As soon as I left Emmett and Jasper in the empty room, I found Ben. He didn't need much convincing but agreed that we needed a better plan this time.
Which was why we were currently waiting in another empty patient room. We didn't talk too much about what we were planning to do. We both looked up as she walked in.
"Are you okay?" Elena asked, looking at me with sad eyes.
"I need to ask you to do something," I told her. "You can so no. I just… I don't have anyone else to ask."
"What is it?"
"I need you to pretend to be me for a while. Ben is going to go tell everyone that I fainted, that I'm resting in here. No one will bother you, Eric will be outside and won't let anyone in. I just need people to think I'm here for the next few hours."
"Isabella…"
"Please. I just need an hour or two."
Elena frowned at me for a minute or two. "Be careful."
"Thank you," I breathed out. I pulled up the hoodie that Eric brought me. I had changed into the jeans as we waited for Elena to arrive.
I pulled my hair back and slid the hood over my head as Elena got into the bed. Eric left for a moment, going down the hall to tell everyone what happened. Emmett and Jasper probably wouldn't believe it, but I didn't care.
Once Eric was back Ben and I left, a few minutes apart. It was dark outside now. I watched the lights of the city flash by as Ben drove. He stopped at a hardware store and got some supplies. I waited in the car for him.
It felt like my heart was in my throat when we arrived at the junk yard. I sat in the car, looking out at the steel container suddenly unsure. I wanted them gone, but there was a feeling in my gut that was stopping me.
"Edward wouldn't want me to do this," I whispered in the dark car. He would tell me it was stupid and dangerous and not my place to take care of it. All of that was true, but at the same time I had this compulsion to take care of it now. I was sad and scared and needed to take it all out on someone.
"No, he wouldn't," Ben said quietly. "I can take care of it for you."
"No, I can't ask you to do that."
Fuck, what was I doing? I never should have left the hospital, never should have gotten Elena involved.
It didn't matter. Getting rid of Felix and Demetri wouldn't change anything. As much as I wanted it to, it wouldn't have miraculously cured Edward of his wounds, wouldn't bring him back to me any quicker.
It was a stupid and reckless idea, but I just needed something to make me feel like I wasn't waiting for a doctor to shatter my entire world.
"We should go back," I whispered to Ben, feeling like a complete idiot.
…Dark…
The hospital felt different when we returned. Maybe because it was late. I didn't bother changing back into my other clothes, opting to stay in the jeans and t-shirt that were my 'disguise' for the night. I didn't need an alibi anymore, so it didn't matter.
After quickly talking with Elena and thanking her for going along with my odd request, I told her she could leave. She didn't, opting to sit in a waiting room away from the Cullen's. I didn't have it in me to analyze the gesture just yet.
I got stares from the whole family as I rejoined them. Emmett looked at me, the question clear on his face. I shook my head slightly and he visibly relaxed. I actively avoided looking in the direction of Carlisle and Esme. I was surprised that Jasper and Alice were gone.
"Alice went into labor," Rosalie said.
"Shit." What more could happen in a span of twelve hours?
"Has Banner said anything else?" I asked, collapsing into an uncomfortable chair.
"No."
Was no news good news? I didn't know proper hospital etiquette. I should have watched more Grey's Anatomy.
At the very least, my little excursion with Ben was a good distraction. It was the waiting that was the worst part. Right now, all I could do was picture a masked surgeon with their hands in my husband's chest.
I had no sense of time as I sat there. Jasper came by every once in a while, letting us know how Alice was doing. No doctor ever came back to let us know about Edward. It was infuriating and I wanted to find someone in charge and just scream at them, but I felt like I couldn't move. It felt like my body was frozen, maybe in fear for what the next few hours would bring.
Then, sometime later, Doctor Banner walked in. This time, he was accompanied by another doctor. The surgeon.
A/N: Okay, please remember I have zero medical knowledge and this is fiction. I'm sure I used wrong terminology somewhere, please don't feel the need to constantly point it out to me.
Anyway, this is the chapter that popped into my head as I was finishing up reputation and made me think another story was possible. It has been my favorite to write of Dark Paradise so far, so I hope you all enjoyed it as well. Hang in there!
