Disclaimer: All the characters belong to SM! She's the genius, not me!

If you're intrigued, disturbed, annoyed, interested, please let me know. I'm not really getting much feedback and am curious what everyone else is thinking about the strange things that come out of my head.

Chapter 4

Bella pursed her lips, glancing to the monitors which were recording the heart rhythms of the ten patients on the floor. Here, in the intensive care unit, everyone's hearts were being watched. She noticed something odd. One of her clients, one who was very sick, was having premature ventricular contractions. She watched as he had one… then ten beats later, another. Knowing that these are not a good occurrence, she stood, but paused, watching the monitor intently. Another, then right after, another, and suddenly, he was in ventricular tachycardia, a fatal rhythm. Not stopping again, she ran.

"I got V-tach in 6!" Bella yelled as she ran, "Jessica, grab the crash cart!" Suddenly Dr. Cullen was behind her, and he ripped open the sliding door to the aforementioned room. They looked at the man, his skin a sallow, sickly color. He was unconscious. To be sure, Bella called his name, loudly, briskly rubbing her knuckles across his sternum. He did not stir; didn't even move. She took his pulse at his neck with one hand, and at his groin with another. Nothing.

He was receiving oxygen via a venti mask, which was at 45% oxygenation. Dr. Cullen ripped it off and replaced it with the nonrebreather mask that was on his bedside table. He opened the oxygen the way, past ten, as Bella pulled the headboard off and slid it under the man, getting ready to do chest compressions on him. Dr. Cullen helped her slide it underneath the patient, and Bella squared her shoulders for a brief second before bringing her hands together and then rhythmically pumping against his sternum. This had all taken less than thirty seconds.

Jessica and Angela, the other nurses on the floor rushed in then, the crash cart in tow, as Erik, the respiratory therapist followed quickly behind. Bella's every thought was focused on the man and her cadenced compressions, and was only half aware of Dr. Cullen giving terse orders for meds that Jessica administered via his IV tubing. She was only aware that she needed to stop compressions so they could place the paddles against his skin, and only then did she look up, meeting Dr. Cullen's intense gaze, as he called "clear!" Everyone checked that they were not touching the patient, and Jessica pressed the defibrillate button, and a shock ran through the unconscious man's body. Bella stepped back, now watching the heart monitor with Dr. Cullen. She glanced to him, and tried to ignore the way that his deep concentration was so sexy. A man could die, Bella! Focus! Checking her patient's oxygen saturation by clipping an instrument on his finger, she found it to be 90%. Not bad for a man in the middle of a code. His color was improving. His heart resumed a normal, albeit fast, rhythm.

Dr. Cullen held up his hand, and the nurses stopped moving over him. A moment later, his eyes opened. He looked around, seemingly shocked. "What's happening?" he asked, voice distorted by the oxygen mask. Bella broke into a nervous chuckle, meeting Dr. Cullen's eyes. She suddenly felt herself start to sweat, and her knees begin to weaken. She knew she needed to sit down. Now.

Plus, she glanced through the room. Everyone was here. There was no one watching any of the patients left on the floor. Bella gasped and walked quickly from the room, looking for any call lights that might be lit, indicating a patient needing assistance. She saw none, and sat weakly at the nurses' station, taking a deep breath in, holding it for a moment before releasing it. Slowly, her head slunk down, resting on her hands, crossed on the counter. Her body shuddered, the aftereffects of the adrenaline. Her heart raced as she tried desperately to calm it. Slow, deep breaths.

Breathe. Hold. Out.

Breathe. Hold. Out.

Breathe...

The trembling didn't lessen, but the sweating did. She tried to remember if she had eaten yet. It didn't seem to be affirmative. Angela poked her head out of the room, concerned.

"You OK, Bella?"

Bella nodded, "yes, how's Mr. Jenks?"

Angela smiled, "He's asking for his lunch tray. I think he'll be just fine."

Bella nodded again, and smiled, relieved. What if she hadn't been looking at the monitor? She was sure there had to be alarms to alert the staff in that event, but would those few moments that it would have taken someone to come over, look, read and then respond, have cost this man his life? She shivered again, feeling slightly nauseous. She didn't want to tell anyone, but this had been her first code, and it was all very unnerving.

A moment later, a cool hand was on her shoulder, and she just happened to know who it was. It sent that delicious, familiar current through her, and she shivered, pleased that he was touching her again, and wanting to know him better and thinking of how strong his arms were… and realized she hadn't looked up or shown any response to her name being called… again.

"Bella?" So soft and sweet. Just like it would be when he made love to her. She brought her head up, meeting his look, face burning.

"You OK, Bella? That was pretty intense." Dr. Cullen's eyes were a golden color today, but belied no emotion at the moment. She tried to smile, but found her facial muscles would not obey. But oddly, his hand, still on her shoulder, began to fill her with warmth and peace and she found the burn ebbing from her cheeks, till all that remained was a lovely glow. It seemed Dr. Cullen was concerned for her, and she was perfectly alright for him to feel that way for her. It was something! She tried to smile, and this time the muscles responded appropriately.

"That was my first code," she said, eyes wide and voice innocent. "It was… intense," she finished, copying his phrase from a moment ago. They nodded together, and it looked as though Dr. Cullen was now more impressed than concerned. Bella was shocked that she had just admitted this fact. Especially after thinking about how much she didn't want anyone to know.

"Really? You were terrific. No hesitation. Just action. It was perfect. How do you feel now?" Dr. Cullen's other hand slipped down to her wrist to take her pulse there. Bella knew it was flying, but that was simply because he was so near. She glowed from his praise, feeling a warmth fill up her chest, replacing the usual tightness.

"Now? Umm, I'm fine. I just needed a minute, ya know?" She bit her bottom lip as he stared into her eyes, as if trying again to know what she was thinking. His hand had ceased to take her pulse, and was now caressing back and forth over her wrist. Goose flesh erupted there, and she couldn't breathe, much less form a coherent thought. "Lets get some fluids in you. Go get a juice. Drink it all. Then, keep up with your water today. I mean it. I don't want my best nurse fainting on the job." His voice was stern, and the way he said my best nurse made her heart rate skyrocket. She was pretty sure her pupils were dilating, as she imagined him bending her over this desk and crooning about his little nurse. She bit her lip again, trying to focus on what he was saying. Something about juice?

"Yessir." She nodded, saluting and giggling at the same time. She wanted to obey, really, but he was still holding her hand, still stroking, still staring deeply into her eyes. Bella thought she heard him… purr? ever so lightly. She wrote it off, and smiled, shyly, thinking of him gently stroking other parts of her body the same way. It was a delicious thought, and her mind turned a bit hazy, trying to picture him kissing her mouth eagerly, wanting to discover her, love her.

Edward heard Bella sit, somewhat heavily and listened carefully to her heart beat. The man in this room would be fine. Thanks to Bella's quick action, of course. He was swelling with pride over her reactions, so calm, so in control. Rescuer. Smiling slightly, not wanting to give the wrong impression about its origins, he spoke quickly, seeing the pale peach colored hue Bella's thoughts had taken on.

I hope she's OK. Better go check.

He left a few more instructions, wanting to have a second alone with Bella. Stolen time… he really should stay a few more minutes, but the room was small and crowded, and his senses would allow him to observe from afar. He saw the top of her head over the desk, and focused very carefully on her thoughts. Edward thought that he might be getting the sense of a great emotion, but was having trouble discerning what it was exactly. It excited Edward, as he knew that he was getting getter at reading these emotions of his beloved.

"Bella?" He called, striving to force the anxiety out of his voice. She wasn't breathing very quickly. His hand had already reached out, and was caressing her shoulder, his concern radiating and slipping from his body to hers. He inquired about her well-being, and she blushed and responded. Edward found the whole interaction to be endearing, and wished very much that he could read her thoughts. As she admitted to never having participated in a code before her reaction made a lot of sense, and his protective nature spoke before he could stop himself.

My best nurse… mmm, more like my nurse. He smirked, wanting to show her just what he meant by that statement. It was a slip, but the look of dreamy pleasure that caressed her features caused him to grit his teeth. It was so unequivocally lovely that he had quite desperately wanted to grasp her face firmly in his hands and kiss her senseless. Or bury another part of his anatomy in her and fuel her to make that face again.

And again.

And quite possibly, again.

What he wouldn't give to have her... understand, that is. If only he could explain… yet, it was so complicated, so convoluted, how could he ever make her see reason? He was a dangerous creature and needed to be avoided. But all his years of working with humans had made it easier to hide the fearful parts of his nature. Perhaps he could invent some disease that would explain his coolness, and the eyes? Bella was far too smart to fall for it, but with some vampire breath and a few kisses, he was quite sure she wouldn't fight it.

Edward pretended to take her pulse, pretended, because he could very well hear it ringing darkly in his head, but it was an excuse to touch her soft skin, something he had been aching to do for months. It was a sick sort of torture, looking at her beautiful, innocent face, and not being able to kiss her. He purred lightly, wanting to spread her open for him, wanting to dip inside and taste the sweetness. He realized that she was moving to stand, and assisted her, holding the tips of her fingers in his. She smiled lightly, and took one step towards the nourishment room, where she would find the juice. Edward let her hand slip out of his, really not wanting to whatsoever.

"Bella?" he said, sweetly, and made to look at her innocently, but somehow his look turned into a smoldering stare.

"Yes?" Breathless and flustered, she turned, glancing up at him through her lashes, eyes wide and mind maroon.

"I'd like to call you. May I have your number?"

Bell's eyes shot wide open, as did her mouth. Quickly, she clamped it shut. She smiled after a moment, and the maroon deepened to a dark, rich purple. Edward could only guess what that color meant.

"Of course, Dr. Cullen." She turned to the paper towel dispenser, pulled one out, and wrote seven precious numbers in her slanting hand. She folded it carefully, and then gracefully tipped it in Dr. Cullen's direction. He gently took it from her, reverently, and placed it into his left breast pocket. Over his heart that had not beat in greater than one hundred years, but at this moment, might have flown with joy.

Please review. It would be greatly appreciated!

A/N: This is actually what a code might be like. Except, once people code, they hardly ever come back. The patient dying would really have ruined my story. Seriously.

Goodness gracious, I love nursing. And Edward. Swoon! I know that I put way too much medical stuff in this chapter, but I've been having obsessive thoughts about a code and what I'll do once I'm in one. God help me! Thanks for putting up with it and reviewing? Nudge nudge. :)

Glossary

Premature Ventricular contractions: or PVCs; when the ventricles, the bottom of the heart, has an extra beat that is too early. On these beats, no blood has had time to fill up the chambers, so once it contracts, it isn't delivery blood to the body, on that particular beat. Any problem with the ventricles is bad, as they are the pumping part of the heart. These arrhythmias are thusly very dangerous.

Ventricular tachycardia: or V-tach, is when all the beats are PVCs. Very scary, cause there is no blood being perfused at all. On the EKG strips it looks like a tombstone, rightly so, cause they are gonna die if no interventions are made, and pretty quickly.

Venti mask: a type of mask for delivering oxygen. It's not a really realistic choice in this scenario, if you're curious why, let me know, but it's sort of a convoluted reason. Not that important.

Code: You know on House, when they yell, "I need a crash cart in here!" like fourteen times an episode? That's a code. When the patient goes south, quickly, and will die without even faster intervention. The crash card has drugs and equipment to help deal with any situation, from a defibrillator, to adrenaline, to… you name it. Usually a code is called when patients have deadly heart rhythms or aren't breathing or something like that.

Nourishment room: where the snacks are! Ice/water machine, some crackers, a few popsicles, juice, cups, and whatnot. Very high end. :)