Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OC
My head felt fuzzy, my vision blurry as I slowly blinked into consciousness. The lights were dim, I must have fallen asleep. I opened my eyes fully, yawning as I stretched my arms. As I blinked awake, the memories came flooding back to me. Oh right, I had come to the hospital in search of Doctor Cullen and then fainted in the parking lot. After that, I didn't remember anything.
I slowly sat up, I hadn't felt this rested in weeks, I didn't even realize how exhausted I was until then. I looked around the room, I was clearly in the hospital if the medical grade sheets and charts on the wall were any indication. The blinds were pulled closed so I couldn't determine the exact time of day and there wasn't a clock in this room but I suspected it was night.
The clicking sound of the door opening surprised me and I didn't have enough time to prepare for guests as I waited to see who it was.
I somehow wasn't very surprised to see Doctor Cullen walk in, "I thought you were up"
"How'd you figure that?" I asked, raising one eyebrow at him.
"Doctor's instincts"
"Well, if it's not too much to ask, I'd like to go home" I said firmly, looking at him with clear eyes. I didn't know how I was supposed to feel in this moment.
He frowned, "I don't think that's the best idea yet Coraline, you should stay here for further observation until we're completely sure that you're okay"
I shook my head. "No, I'm going to go home, I'm fine"
"You've been asleep for 13 hours, you're not just going to walk out of here" he said. This was the first time I'd ever heard him say anything so firmly but I just really wasn't in the mood. First this man avoids me and gives me insomnia and then he won't let me leave.
"I'm perfectly fine, I'm not even hooked up to any of the fancy machines in here and I'm still wearing the outfit I came in here with, which I suspect means that you know I'm perfectly fine as well" I had him there. At this point I didn't care about talking things out with him, I just wanted to go home. Home was where I didn't have to deal with this.
I got up off of the bed, groaning softly as I did so and I felt Carlisle's hands ghost slightly around me, ready to steady me if I needed it but he didn't touch me.
"Coraline, you aren't going through this door" he warned and I spun around to face him. I was slightly off balance but I didn't care.
"Well then, I'll climb out the window, but I think I would almost defiantly end up plummeting to my death so I really suggest you let me use the door" I have him a hard expression, letting him know that I was completely serious and wouldn't give up until he let me leave.
We stood there, staring at each other for I don't know how long, neither of us looking away until he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Well, you're not driving" he said, holding up my keys. I went to grab them but he moved quickly and I only succeeded in stumbling forward slightly, my mind still groggy from sleep.
"Those are mine" I said, straightening myself out.
"You just woke up from over twelve hours of sleep, there's no way you're going to drive."
"Well, I am going home" I stayed firm on this point. One way or another I was going to go home.
"Fine," he said simply and I looked at him skeptically. There had to be a catch. "I'll drive you, come on" he opened the door, walking through it. He turned around, gesturing for me to follow him.
I looked at him for a second, confused, before following him out the door. He was walking quickly down the hall and I was slightly rushing to keep up.
"Aren't you working?" I said, catching up with him.
"My shift ended two hours ago" His words gave me pause and I stopped for a moment before rushing to catch up with him again. I was utterly confused at what in the world was going on. He stopped walking suddenly and I almost crashed into him. "Wait here for a moment, I'll only be a minute" he said, looking at me as if he was concerned I'd run off. I only nodded.
Being alone in the hallway, made me realize how out of sorts I must seem to anyone passing by. My hair was probably very messy and my clothes were rumpled. I must look like a real mess. I didn't have much time to dwell on it though, as Doctor Cullen came out of the room he went into. He had shed his white coat and had put on a grey cardigan over his dress shirt along with a blue scarf around his neck. He absolutely did not look like he had worked an entire day.
We started walking again, slower this time, I think he suspected that he was walking just a bit too fast for me to walk comfortably. We made our way out the main entrance and I kept my eyes firmly glued on the ground, I didn't want to see anyone at the moment.
It was dark as we entered the parking lot, I had almost forgotten that I slept for basically the entire day. By my calculations it was probably around nine or ten at night. I shot the doctor a confused look as we walked to the left instead of to the right where my car was parked.
"Where are we going?"
"We're taking my car" he said, pointing to the car at the end of the lot.
As we got closer to the black Mercedes Carlisle unlocked the door, going over to my side first and opening the door, ever the gentleman. I nodded to him, getting in quickly. I never thought I would find myself inside Doctor Cullen's car, never in a million years. The interior was just as sleek as the outside and I felt out of place in my flower skirt and beige sweater as I sat on the expensive leather seats. I shifted around slightly before buckling my seat belt, looking at Carlisle as he did the same before he turned on the car, the engine roaring to life.
I didn't know what to say or even what to do so I took to staring out the window. He asked me where I lived and I told him quickly, not looking at him as he began to drive I could feel Carlisle's flick over to me every once in a while, I suspected that he didn't know what to say either. We stayed in silence as the drive continued, both of us not knowing what to say.
The drive wasn't long. I didn't live too far away and I was relieved when we pulled into my driveway. He pulled in towards the front before parking the car. We sat there in silence once again and I turned towards him, looking at him from the side.
"Thank you for driving me, Doctor Cullen"
"We're back to 'Doctor Cullen' again then," he said. An almost hurt expression passed over his features but I must have imagined it. After all, my brain was still rather foggy. "I guess I deserve that"
I looked at him, my expression hard. A part of me wanted to just go inside but another part of me, a bigger part, wanted to know what had happened.
I wasn't mad, I just wanted to understand. "Did I do something wrong that night?" I asked softly. His eyes flicked up to me and he looked confused but confused at what? I didn't know.
"You didn't do anything wrong" he said, shaking his head. "You didn't do anything wrong" he repeated again.
"Then what…then what happened?" I was confused, if I hadn't done something wrong then what was wrong. He looked at me for a moment, I didn't know what to think. This man had somehow wormed his way into my life and I just didn't want to lose him.
"Would you believe me if I said that I can't tell you?"
"Why can't you tell me?"
"I just can't, Coraline, not now" he said, his eyes looked like they were pleading with me to understand.
"But someday you would?"
He hesitated before nodding, "Maybe one day, that's the only answer I can give you right now" he didn't look like he was lying.
I took a deep breath, exhaling audibly, "If I say that you don't have to tell me, then will you stop avoiding me" A hint of a smile made its way onto Carlisle's pale face, illuminating it within the car and he nodded. I smiled at him, "No more hiding?"
His smile widened further, "No more hiding" he agreed.
"Well, good" I said, nodding my head, biting my lip. I felt oddly energized.
He looked at me for a second before reaching into his pocket and handing me something. It was my glasses. I hadn't even noticed that they were missing. I really needed to keep better track of my things.
"Oh yeah, what about my car?" I said, suddenly remembering that we had left it at the hospital.
"I'll drop it off tomorrow, don't worry about it" he assured. Normally, I wouldn't approve of someone else driving my car but I felt like I could trust him. He didn't look like he was the type to just crash my car or drive it off of a bridge. That image defiantly didn't suit the good doctor.
"Okay, well I think I should get inside" I said, smiling shyly. I opened the door getting out of the car.
Before closing it, I bent over slightly, looking in. He turned to me, his head was tilted ever so slightly as he stared at me, waiting for me to speak. "Don't be a stranger, Carlisle"
A smile danced over his lips. "Goodnight, Coraline" I couldn't help the shiver as he said my name but I dismissed it on account of the cold. I could dismiss a lot thanks to the cold. I closed the door, walking to my front door.
Carlisle waited in the front driveway until I was safely inside the house before I heard his car drive away. I sighed against the doorway, making my way over to the couch and throwing myself down.
While it hadn't gone exactly as I had imagined it when I left the house nearly fourteen hours ago, I had still accomplished my goal. I felt like a weight had been lifted. I closed my eyes, pulling a pillow into my arms and for the first time in three and a half weeks, I was able to fall asleep without a second thought.
I have a mental plan of how the story is going to play out but then what I actually write comes out different and then I have to adjust my plan which throws off the pacing I was going for and so I have to revise the pacing again and adjust the chapter to match the rest. Anyway, I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations. I read and love every single review so please tell me what you think!
