Chapter two.
Just as I turned to leave I heard her heartbeat increase. I turned to see her head leave the pillow and she pulled herself up the headboard.
"Carlisle?" she murmured sleepily.
Then her eyes widened as she thought of what had happened since yesterday.
"Carlisle," she repeated more urgently "Where is he? Where's Edward?"
She jumped out of bed and ran to me. She shook my shoulders fiercely whilst demanding I tell her where he was. I gently took a hold of her fingers digging deeply into my shoulders, if I were a human that definitely would have hurt, and pried them off me. I took her hands in mine and quietly shushed her.
"Bella, I need you to calm down" I spoke soothingly to her as I guided her back to the bed. She followed me, if a bit reluctantly, her hands still in mine. She sat on the edge of the bed with me next to her.
"You see Bella, Edward has gone" I told her directly, I felt her beginning to shake in my hands. Her breathe quickened as did her heartbeat, her breathing uneven, her eyes wide, sweat dripping down her forehead. She was having a panic attack. I didn't expect her to react like that.
"Bella, Sweetheart I need you to calm down," I spoke firmly. I pulled into an embrace and held there whispering in her ear that she had to calm down, her head rested on my shoulder and arms wrapped around her shoulders. She finally settled though her eyed were still wide and she was still trembling. As I tried to release arms from around her shoulders, her hands fisted in my shirt and she pulled herself closer. So I wrapped my arms around her again.
I held her all night as we sat on the bed. It wasn't until the sky began to turn yellow that I began to take my arms from around her shoulders again. This time she let me.
I saw her eyes flit down to my shirt, now stained with her tears. I hadn't even realised she was crying last night.
"Sorry," she said. I took a good look at her. Her arms went straight around her sides clinging to her torso again as though she were holding herself together like she did last night. Her eyes were still wide but were now bloodshot from exhaustion and the crying. Her hair was knotted and tangled into a ponytail on the top of her head. Her pale blue shirt was crumpled from sleeping in it.
"There is no need to apologize, Bella" I spoke softly.
It was then I thought of Edward and Esme. What they must be thinking. I've been all night, even though I wasn't as reckless when it came to driving as my children, I was still a fast driver and it would have only taken my a few hours to reach Oregon.
"How about some breakfast, Bella?" I asked her. "I'm sure Esme left some pieces of bacon and some eggs here"
She looked at me, a strange emotion passing over her face.
"Um, Sure" she spoke hesitantly, that strange look still on her face.
We headed downstairs together. Just as we entered the kitchen I felt my pocket buzz. I checked the front panel before flipping my cell phone open. It was Edward. Surprise, surprise. Bella was watching me carefully.
"Yes," I said not wanting to alert Bella as to who was on the phone.
"Carlisle, what's taking you so long?" he spoke in a hard voice. "You should have gotten here by now."
Bella was still watching me. "I got held up" I said into the phone. "I should be there by…" I thought about Bella would be if I left now. I guess another day here wouldn't hurt. "Tomorrow, hopefully."
Bella eyes widened. She realised who I was talking to on the phone. She made a grab for it. I held my hand over the speaker on the phone, as I spoke to her.
"Two minutes, Bella" I pleaded to her, "Please, then you can talk to him." She put her hand down. I took my hand off the speaker on the phone and raised it back up to my ear only to hear Edward shouting in my ear.
"Carlisle, are you there?" he yelled. "Carlisle?"
"Yes I'm here Edward. There's no need for yelling" I said.
"How did you get held up?" he demanded of me. He gasped suddenly into the phone. "She's there isn't she? I said a clean break Carlisle."
His voice had turned hard again. He hung up the phone before I could say anything else to him. I shut my phone and lifted my head to look at Bella. She looked heartbroken.
"He's not coming back, is he?" she murmured, so quietly I may not have even heard her if I were human, her eyes not meeting mine. When I didn't respond she raised her eyes to mine, seeking confirmation, and I nodded tragically.
Bella leaned her back against the kitchen wall, closing her eyes, and sank slowly down to the floor. I had never felt for her so much before. She was my son's soul mate – my daughter. And it tore me apart to see her like this. I wanted to go to her, wrap her in my arms and protect her from anything else that may happen to her.
I wanted to tell her everything was going to be ok. To tell her this was a bad dream and Edward would be here with her tomorrow, but I couldn't. I didn't know if everything was going to be okay and I hated myself for not being able to guarantee her at least that.
And I couldn't lie to her. Not about this. Not to Bella.
But what I could do is be there for her through this. That's what a father did, right? They helped their children through rough spots. Edward will have Esme to help him through his and Bella will have me to help her through hers. Who else would do this? Charlie? But if I knew Bella, and I was sure I did, she would lock herself away from Charlie. And Charlie – as uncomfortable as he is with expressing emotions – will think she needs time by herself. But she really needs comfort which I will give her.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and quickly rang Esme. I had a rushed conversation with her. I told her Bella needed me here right now. Of course, she understood. I ended the call.
I gathered Bella in my arms and held her again. All day I stayed with her. Her eyes shedding tears non-stop. She needed me. So I stayed.
AN : This was initially only going to be a one-shot. But then another idea came and I decided to carry it on. Thankyou reviewers.
Please, please, please review again.
Disclaimer: Only the plot of this story belongs to me. The rest is all Meyers.
