Reunion

Edward's POV

The pressure building in my head was more than I could bear. I saw Bella, lying on an abandoned road, unconscious. What had happened? Who had done that to her?

I shrugged off my questions. I didn't have time for them. I had no use for them at the moment. All I needed to focus on was Bella. I needed to get to her and get her safe.

"Where was she?" I snarled at Alice, my face pain ridden.

A wave of soothing calm fell over me; I relaxed for a moment, and then realized what was happening.

"Jasper, I will kill you if you try and mess with me right now," I warned him.

"You need to remain calm," he argued, "it wouldn't help Bella, if you're wild with fear and panic right now. She needs calm, level, cool-headedness."

I ignored him. "Where?" I repeated my question and it was obvious I wasn't going to repeat it again.

"She was twenty miles outside of Port Angeles, on Route 179."

I started out the door, and she stopped me.

"Edward."

I turned around.

She hesitated and then twiddled with her hands.

"I really don't have time Alice; you have two seconds to spit it out."

I'm really sorry I didn't see this sooner Edward.

My expression softened for a minute. "I know you are," I replied softly. Then the determination reappeared. I rushed out the door.

The whole drive there, I concentrated on driving. I didn't allow anything else to enter into my thoughts. The faster and better I drove, the sooner I could get to Bella, and fix this. She would be okay, she would be okay, I chanted to myself as I flew down the road. For a split second, I listened to the purring sound of the engine, it didn't sound like my car. I looked at the car. It was Rosalie's. I guess I was too distracted to notice which car I took. I shrugged it off and continued to drive.

Even at my pace, I didn't hit 179 until seven. When I reached it, I slowed down nominally. I searched the roadside vigilantly, not missing a thing. She could be anywhere along this road. Who knew how long she'd been out here. I closed my eyes for a second, and my mind allowed a tiny amount of rage to enter into it. I searched harder. Still nothing.

After 15 minutes, I came to a turning point in the road, and I didn't know which way to go. Blindly guessing, I turned right. I had only gone a few more feet when I smelled her. Actually, it was her blood I smelled. The tires screeching to a halt, I leapt from the car and onto the pavement. Within seconds she was in my sight and it crippled me on the spot. My angel. My beautiful angel was lying there facedown in the ditch alongside the road, unconscious, just like Alice's vision.

The shock faded slightly and jolted me into action. I rushed over to her forlorn body and knelt down. At first, I was hesitant to even touch her. I didn't want to hurt her more. However, it needed to be done. Gently, I picked up her swollen wrist and checked the pulse. It was slightly irregular, but still there. I raised my head upward and gave a silent prayer of thanks that she was alive. I slid my arms under her and picked her up with as little jarring as possible. Walking as fast as possible without hurting her more, I laid her into the passenger seat, folding it down all the way, so she wouldn't be in as much pain. I started the car up and sped quickly down the road. She needed serious help. She needed Carlisle and I was going to do all that was in my power to make sure she got there as quickly as possible. The road was rough however, and when I hit a bump, she moaned slightly in pain. I stole a glance at her, my poor Bella.

My features tightened. Someone would pay for this. They were going to pay a high, high price. I reached down to hold onto her hand comfortingly, but then I saw her nails. Blood was underneath her fingernails and it wasn't hers, I could smell that much. It was a familiar scent, but I couldn't pinpoint it, couldn't remember exactly who it belonged to. It could have just been a person walking past me in town, but for some reason I thought it was more.

The hospital loomed up ahead and I screeched to a stop once more. Nearly pulling off the car door in my haste, I ran out and pulled Bella into my arms softly, racing inside.

I strode past the startled registration clerk.

"Umm, can I help you with something?"

She half stood up to help me.

"No," I said shortly, and kept going past her, to Carlisle's floor.

"I need Carlisle Cullen," I told a nurse who was passing by. She stared at Bella in my arms.

"He's in a meeting right now with the board. Is she alright, I think maybe-"

She reached as thought to take Bella from me and I jerked back instinctively. I needed Carlisle.

"I don't have time for this, I need him immediately."

"Well, I don't think-"

"Don't think go get him, tell him it's his son, Edward and that Bella needs him now."

Pursing her lips, she hurried off in a direction. I wasted no time, going to Carlisle's office, and laying Bella down on his couch.

Soon, he was hurrying in.

"Carlisle," I said in a choked voice. Now that I had Bella where she needed to be, now that I had the time, I broke down. Utterly broke.

He put his hand on my shoulder briefly. "I know Edward."

Then he was then he was the perfect doctor. He took Bella into a private room and had me help him with various tasks. I was glad to be busy, and he was glad to have me help him. Many times he commented in his head that I was more efficient than any of his nurses.

Suddenly, he stopped and turned to me. "Edward, I need you to go register Bella so it's official." His voice sounded so pained, I immediately searched his mind to find out what he wasn't telling me. He blocked me.

"Just go Edward, I'll tell you later. You can't help me anymore now."

With a swift nod, I grimly left the room and registered Bella. Of course, they called Charlie; he told them he'd be in as soon as he could get there. I waited (more like paced) outside Bella's room for twenty minutes. What could take twenty minutes?

After that, Carlisle came outside with a tired expression on his face.

"What is it? Just tell me," I instructed him tersely.

"Edward, I don't know how to tell you this . . ."