A/N:
Thank you all so much for your support:)
Special thank you Mel Cee for betaing. Have I mentioned how amazing she is?! (all mistakes are mine!)
Disclaimer: This chapter is a little different and I'm not a doctor, just a stay at home mom with Google and an overactive imagination. I also don't own Twilight or any songs I suggest.
Song suggestions:
Breathe Me by Sia
A Drop in the Ocean by Ron Pope.
"No, Bella. Cinnamon raisin is for old people in nursing homes." Charlie droned on as the elevator climbed to Edward's apartment.
Bella shook her head. "Well I like it," she said, dejectedly.
Charlie had an opinion about everything. To what the girl at the counter had been wearing, to the amount of cologne the guy after them had on, to Kebi once again not being at the front desk.
Charlie had to talk about it all.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, Charlie sang out her greeting. "Honey, we're home." Charlotte took a sip from her frappe.
Something felt off once they were inside the foyer. Bella noticed one of the barstools was knocked over onto its side, a picture frame had fallen to the ground, and Edward was nowhere in sight. He should have been done with his shower by now.
She heard Embry clawing and barking at the bedroom door. Odd. It was also odd how quiet the apartment was aside from Embry's meltdown. Bella opened the door, and Embry rushed out, heading in the opposite direction of the apartment, toward Edward's office.
Bella did a once-over of his bedroom and bathroom and still there was no sign of Edward. He had indeed showered because a towel was hanging to dry.
Growing increasingly worried by his absence, she raced past the kitchen where Charlie had made herself at home and sat eating at the kitchen counter.
Something wasn't right. It wasn't like Edward to leave and not say anything to her. Not even a note to be found.
Maybe he went to visit Ted and pay his condolences over Liz.
She shook her head. It didn't add up.
Bella turned the corner in a hurry and saw streaks of bright red smeared in the hallway leading to Edward's home office. Blood. Lots and lots of blood.
A bloodcurdling scream ripped from her chest as a dozen different scenarios ran through her mind. Without hesitation, she rushed into the room.
Her knees grew weak as she came face to face with the scene before her. There lay Edward, his once white t-shirt drenched in blood. He was so still, his chest not moving, and in his unconsciousness, she wasn't even sure if he was breathing. His skin was ashen, and he looked as pale as a ghost.
"Edward," she screamed, crouching down to feel for a pulse.
She frantically felt around his body, searching for the source of his bleeding. The darkest spot was around his middle, and as she peeled back his shirt, she saw gushes of blood coming from his stomach.
Bella's breathing went haywire, panic gripping her, and she couldn't focus. "Edward, please," she pleaded over and over, desperate for him to wake up, for him to not leave her now that they'd found their way back to one another.
Charlie peeked inside the room, taking in the scene. The teenage girl stood there wide-eyed, and her body trembled at the sight of her foster siblings, both of them coated in blood. She continued to shake as she tried to process what was happening, and her jaw went slack as she slipped into shock.
This couldn't be happening.
Bella tried performing CPR, wishing she'd paid more attention in the class Rosalie made her employees take.
This was no use. Edward needed an ambulance.
"Charlie, what the hell are you doing?" She stared at Charlotte who was still frozen by the door, looking everywhere but at the horrific sight in front of her.
"Charlotte! For the love of God, call 911!" Bella shrieked, veins bulging from her neck.
"R-Right. Right," Charlie stuttered, pulling out her phone to call the paramedics. She wasn't able to wipe the sheer terror off of her face. Especially not when she peered down and saw the glint of an engraved silver lighter, a large and stylish T emblazoned on the front. A sole bloodied fingerprint marring the surface.
Bella noticed Charlie's remorseful face, but she didn't have time to ponder if she was feeling guilty for dragging her to get bagels or something else as Edward's hand jolted in hers. Bella didn't know if it was a good or bad sign.
Bella squeezed his hand tightly as tears blurred her vision. "Edward, please, baby, don't leave me. I just got you back. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry." She pleaded to him. To God. To the universe. To anyone who would help her Edward get through this.
It was a blur of EMTs, ambulances, and police.
Edward was being pulled onto a gurney, Bella rushing to be with him. Charlotte lingered in the apartment, lighter gripped in her palm as she gnawed on her bottom lip. The police walked through the apartment, taking pictures and investigating the scene, hunting for evidence of who had broken in and caused so much harm.
Bella was anxiously pacing the hospital waiting room. Charlotte was eyeing her nervously, biting her lip. In the far corner, Emmett and Rosalie were huddled together, talking softly to one another.
Quite a change from an hour ago…
Bella shoved her way to the nurses' station, not giving a damn who was in front of her and what their ailment was.
"Edward Masen," she stammered, her hand tapping the desk.
"Are you family?" the nurse asked, a stoic look on her face.
"Yes. He's…he's…" Bella let out a shaky breath. "He's my husband."
The nurse's composed face fell when she heard this come from Bella's mouth. What crossed her face next was a look of sadness, pity, and sympathy.
"Honey, I'll get Doctor Whitlock for you," the nurse gently assured. She rose and went to get the doctor.
Soon Bella was led to the side where terms she didn't quite understand were thrown at her. More looks of pity. Until finally panic took hold of her.
Bella collapsed right there on the hospital floor. She was a puddle of despair and agony as the young surgeon told her about Edward's condition.
A roar filled Edward's ears and his body felt weightless. The sounds of machines beeping echoed through the crowded room. Bodies moved this way and that. The lack of awareness plagued him, and he felt trapped inside his body. His mind drifted as he tried to regain consciousness.
Age 8
"Edward, don't be such a baby. I've done it before," Bella taunted, sticking her tongue out at him. She ran ahead of him.
"Wait. I'll come with you," he called out to her, slowly making his way to where she stood.
Her back was to him, so he didn't see the satisfied smirk on her face. Victory.
Bella waved her arm in front of her, motioning for him to climb the chain link fence. Edward gulped, and he pulled at his already wild looking hair.
"You first," he managed to choke out.
She giggled and hoisted herself up the fence. Bella looked back at Edward. "Come on, I'm almost to the top."
Edward took a deep breath and remembered his promise to face his fears. For Bella. Always for her.
He placed one foot in between the chains and began climbing.
Edward had been shot in the stomach. The bullet grazed his triad, the veins and arteries which supply the liver. Dr. Whitlock was now operating on Edward.
When he had come out to tell her what was going on, right before she had fainted, he advised her just how serious it all was.
"Major surgery."
"Lost a ton of blood."
"Could cut off circulation and cause paralysis."
Bella stopped listening after that.
Back and forth. Back and forth. Bella paced. She was making Charlotte, who was sitting in one of the plastic chairs across from her, dizzy.
Emmett moved to stand and lean against the wall, and Rosalie sat in the chair next to Charlie.
Alice was on her way back from dropping Maria off Upstate. She had been calling Rosalie regularly for updates.
The restricted double doors buzzed open. Bella's head flew up, her eyes wild as she looked for Dr. Whitlock.
But it was a different doctor who went to update a different family.
Bella hung her head and continued her pacing.
As Charlotte watched Bella curl up in on herself, tears streamed down her face. She covered her face with her hands, desperately trying to hide the shame written all over her face.
Bella didn't notice any of this behavior until Charlotte croaked out her name. "Bella."
Bella glanced over at her foster sister, still shaking and unable to steady herself. She looked blankly at Charlie.
"Bella, I need to tell you something," Charlie admitted, her leg bouncing on the floor. Her breathing was heavy, and she bit her tongue.
Maybe this wasn't the right time.
Bella looked at her puzzled. "Now really isn't the time, Charlie. I need to know if…if Edward is…" Bella winced and shook her head, not able to finish the thought.
Emmett walked toward her and squeezed her shoulder, in an effort to offer a semblance of support.
"Bella, I'm so sorry." Charlie stood up, looking at Bella with wide eyes, full of unshed tears and regret.
"What are you talking about? What are you sorry for?" Bella furrowed her eyebrows, confused at what Charlie was trying to apologize for. It wasn't like she'd shot Edward.
"I can't believe he did it. I just told him the address. I didn't think— He told me to make sure nobody else was there. Edward usually runs in the morning. I thought for sure he would have been out." Charlie wrung her hands as she spoke. "I didn't want to... Edward didn't deserve this. I'm such a bad person. I can't believe I did this." Charlie sobbed uncontrollably, crouching in front of Bella, repeatedly apologizing. "I thought he loved me." Like she loved him.
Bella got down to Charlotte's level. "What are you saying?" Bella demanded, her eyes wild, looking at Charlie for confirmation of what she thought she was trying to convey.
Charlotte took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She couldn't face Bella. Not when she was the reason the love of her life was fighting for his.
"I gave Tyler Edward's address." Her voice was barely a whisper as she confessed her sin.
The room went silent, so silent that you could hear a pin drop. There was a slight intake of air from Emmett, but even he knew to remain as quiet as possible
Charlotte gulped. "I didn't think he would do something like this. I thought he'd just steal a few bucks from the safe or some expensive clothes and be done with it. I didn't know he was going to shoot Edward." Charlotte sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Bella! I'm so sorry! I love Edw—"
Crack. Bella slapped Charlotte across the face before she could get the rest of Edward's name out. Emmett moved to grab Bella and pull her away from Charlotte just in case she went after her.
"Don't! Don't you dare say his name!" she yelled, pointing her finger aggressively at the guilty young girl. "If he dies…" Bella said through gritted teeth.
Edward. Death. Bella's mind spun. She was standing before them, but she really wasn't.
Her mind, body, and soul were lying in an operating room, fighting for his life. Because of Charlotte.
"Oh my god, Edward can die.." She gasped, the realization making her snap out of her trance.
Bella hyperventilated, her breathing becoming frantic. She lunged, still gripped in Emmett's strong arms, trying to claw free to get to Charlotte, who was now hiding behind Rosalie.
"I hate you. I hate you." She screamed as she let the tears fall freely. Emmett tightened his grip around her, as she fought against him.
He knew he had to have been hurting her, but she kept resisting.
"Bella." She heard her name being called from a distance.
"He's dead, Bella."
Bella was frozen. Sam was like a big brother to her. He couldn't leave her now too.
Edward hadn't gotten close to him, but he knew how special he was to Bella.
Bella shook head, trying to change the words she heard Edward tell her.
Sure, she had heard the officers at the door. She had heard Victoria screaming, but she couldn't come to terms with Sam.
Everyone left.
Edward wanted to stay with her forever.
She needed him. He needed her.
Voices.
Edward heard voices while lying on the operating table.
"He's losing a lot of blood," a scrub nurse muttered, handing Dr. Whitlock a clamp to tie off one of the vessels.
"Get me two bags of O-negative stat," Dr. Whitlock spat, changing instruments.
"He's crashing."
"Get a crash cart!"
"Are you sure you want those words as the engraving?" The jeweler eyed the young naive boy carefully.
Fools in love.
Edward nodded, never more sure of anything. Even at sixteen years old.
The shop owner sighed and followed orders.
Edward knew marriage was a big commitment, but there was nobody who he would want to share that bond with but Bella.
He saw it all with Bella. Marriage. A house. A family.
Family.
Something she was never privileged too, at least not really. Not when she needed them most.
He vowed to give her the family she so desperately deserved.
But for now, he would give her this locket in celebration of her art competition, and on her eighteenth birthday, he would tell her to open it and they'd have even more to celebrate.
Bella heard her name being called but couldn't answer. She was now rocking back and forth in Emmett's arms, crying uncontrollably. Snotting all over Edward's best friend in the process.
"He can't die. He can't. I… just got him back." She blubbered over and over again.
All Emmett could do was hold her. There wasn't much reassurance to give right now. He surely didn't want to give her false promises.
Rosalie had taken Charlotte outside for some "air." She just really didn't want to witness the naive girl get Bella's wrath again.
"Bella, honey," a familiar voice called again, and there was a comfort and safety about it.
She inhaled and smelled Alice's perfume. Emmett must have set her down on the bench because Alice engulfed her in a hug.
"Ali." Bella cried into her best friend's shoulder, gulping while clutching her shirt for dear life.
Alice stroked her hair and prayed to anyone that would listen, not to take anyone else away from this poor girl.
A piece of Edward died when Bella ran out into traffic that night. He knew things would never be the same once he saw her locket on the floor of his car.
It had been a promise of a future that now they would never have. A family.
The official start of them.
If only his timing was better. But that wasn't right. No, timing had nothing to do with it.
Things would have turned out the same, if not worse, due to the constant interference they faced.
He was looking out the plane window, headed to Japan. But he couldn't help but think of a future that was even more miles away.
"Bella, open the locket," he'd say playfully, caressing her cheek.
She'd laugh and say, "Oh finally, I can open this magical locket." She'd twirli the chain around her finger.
He'd nod, and as she looked down to open the necklace, Edward would take that opportunity to kneel down before her.
Bella's eyes would widen as she read the engraving, gasping. She'd cover her mouth to stifle her surprise. Then she'd look down to see Edward's kneeling position.
"Make us real," he'd murmur, taking her left hand in his. "We will pick out a ring tomorrow. I have an appointment with the jeweler."
Edward would rub her ring finger, gently. His eyes would meet hers as he shook, nervous about her answer.
Sure, it was early in their life, but nobody knew him better or vice versa.
Bella would close her eyes, imagining the looks of disapproval from the people in Edward's life.
But when she opened her eyes, she'd see his shimmering green eyes. The same eyes that she saw when she first arrived at the Newton house. The same eyes that she loved with all her heart.
This was their real. Their real beginning. Everything else was noise. This would be theirs.
She'd nod as he stood, taking her in arms. They'd kiss, passionately basking in happiness.
Happiness that was long overdue.
"Mrs. Masen." A hand gently shook Bella's shoulder. Bella heard her name being called. "Bella."
As she became more alert, she recognized the voice. Alice. She opened her eyes and found Alice and Dr. Whitlock towering over her, concern written all over both of their faces.
She shot up off the uncomfortable hospital waiting room couch. How had she fallen asleep while Edward's fate was still up in the air?
Bella had almost forgotten how she'd lied to the hospital staff about being Edward's wife so that she could get information about his condition. Now all she longed for was to have time to make that sentiment true.
Bella cursed herself and stood up, feeling her stomach roll and her vision blur from the sudden movement.
This was it. Whatever the outcome, she needed to know.
Edward stood there, still as a statue, trying his best not to let his impatience show. It seemed as though time was at a standstill. Not moving, just making him wait.
His heart practically stopped as he saw her turn the corner.
There she was—his dream girl, dressed in white, walking toward him. Toward their future together.
She was stunning.
Bella never needed fancy things to look incredible. Her heart was beautiful enough in spite of how beaten down it was at times.
She took another step. Followed by a painfully slow matching one. One after the other.
Until they met once again.
"I do." So simple. So pure. So true.
They both did. It was all they ever truly wanted. Once they both stopped the pretenses. The pretending.
"Edward?" she asked, hesitantly. Bella wiped her eyes from the dried-up tears that were stuck on her cheeks.
Alice turned to Dr. Whitlock, peering at him with awe. Bella noticed the way she was looking at him and almost smiled.
Oh, Alice, she thought, turning her attention to the doctor whom Edward's fate depended on.
"Edward has been moved up to a room in the ICU. We were finally able to stop the bleeding." Dr. Whitlock paused, and Bella hung onto every word he said.
"His liver was severely damaged. The bullet thankfully had an exit wound, but because of the liver's sinusoidal blood system, it's what we call a bleeder. Edward needed multiple blood transfusions, and he did code once," he continued, looking at Bella and making sure she was still with him. He'd had many family members pass out from shock at the news of their loved ones, but he hadn't been prepared when this young woman had fainted earlier. Something about her made his heart ache.
"So he's going to be okay?" Bella asked carefully, a little breathless. Tears of relief and joy streamed down her face.
She felt Alice's arm wrap around her, offering her friend support just in case Dr. Whitlock had bad news.
Dr. Whitlock sighed. "Well, we're not out of the woods yet. In fact, it's going to be tough for a while."
Bella gasped and was about to speak when Dr. Whitlock raised his hand to stop her. "But, I'm feeling very good about his chances. He's young. We were able to get him into surgery quickly. We placed him under a medically induced coma to give his body a chance to heal. We'll start to wean him off the medicine over the next few hours, and we'll know more about his recovery at that point."
Bella exhaled, taking it all in. "Can I see him?"
The young doctor nodded. "He just got moved into his room, so you should be able to go up and visit with him shortly. Only one visitor at a time though. Also, I should warn you—we needed to give him extra morphine for the pain, so even when we do bring him out of the coma, he may be in and out of consciousness for a while," Dr. Whitlock added, looking down at his clipboard. "He's going to need a lot of support over the next several weeks. And I think it goes without saying, but absolutely no drinking. His liver is very delicate, and while it will heal, I don't advise ingesting excessive amounts of alcohol."
Bella nodded. Thankfully Edward was never a big drinker.
"Thank you so much, Dr. Whitlock!" Alice perked up, practically giddy from the news of Edward and the handsome doctor in front of her.
"Thank you!" Bella breathed. All she wanted to do was see Edward.
"All part of the job. And you can call me Jasper." He winked at Alice and walked toward the nurses' station.
Bella stood in the doorway as the nurse finished checking Edward's vitals.
"You can come in, dear," the nurse alerted her, stepping into the hallway.
But Bella was stuck. She was scared, terrified really.
Her mind kept replaying the events of the day, reminding her how differently things could have turned out.
How close she'd gotten to losing him today.
How one mistake almost ripped him from her again.
Fucking Charlie. She'd deal with her later.
Bella took a deep breath and stepped into the room. She sat down in the lounge chair beside Edward's bed. Looking at his hand, Bella had an internal war with herself whether or not to touch him.
While Dr. Whitlock hadn't gone so far as to basically assure her Edward was going to pull through, he had sounded optimistic about the odds of him making a full recovery, so why was it that Bella was so scared? Quite simply, Bella was traumatized. She couldn't help but think that this was all too good to be true. That her chance at a happily ever after would be yanked away from her yet again.
For hours, she sat there, taking in the IVs, machines, and staff coming in and out. As Dr. Whitlock had told her, they eased up on the medication keeping Edward asleep. The sun fell low in the sky as the day dragged on. Alice had text her to let her know she was going home to feed the cats and would be back soon with some dinner. Bella's stomach growled and she realized she hadn't eaten all day. Not that it mattered. Not if she couldn't do it with Edward.
Over the course of the day, Bella had been psyching herself up to just hold onto Edward, to have tangible proof that he was still here, still fighting. She prayed for strength, for the both of them.
Gently, as if touching a broken piece of glass, she grasped his hand in hers.
As she touched him, Edward's body jolted in response to her touch.
"Edward, please wake up. I love you," Bella pleaded. She'd just gotten him back. Their time wasn't supposed to be up so soon.
Moments passed and beside that one small reaction, he lay perfectly still. Bella felt the walls closing in on her in the sterile, white hospital room. Her shoulders sagged in defeat, a lone tear trailing down her cheek.
The next thing she knew, monitors started going wild, beeping, and Edward's fingers fluttered in hers. His grip grew strong as they tightened around hers.
Green eyes flew open. Wild and confused.
Awake and most importantly, alive.
A/N: He's alive! Let me know your thoughts! Only a few chapters left of this journey...
