Carlisle's POV

Once they were out of sight I turned to Miranda. "I should go see to the new patients," I said hastily.

"Oh, no," she said, startled by my hurry. "You can't see them until tomorrow. Tonight they have to settle in. it isn't safe for you right now, Dr. Cullen."

"I'm sure I can handle it," I insisted.

But she shook her head. "Hospital regulations. Anyway, it's your knock-off time. Go home and rest. You can come back and keep working hard tomorrow."

I could easily talk her into letting me see Bella, just for a while, but there was no way I could justify trying to do the same to the Head Doctor, Richard. I sighed in defeat and sighed out without another word to anyone. I drove home in a hurry and had barely parked the car before rushing at vampire speed to the front door. Everyone had heard my urgency and were gathered in the living room, probably expecting good news. Even Edward was there, quietly facing the wall.

"What is it, Carlisle?" Esme asked, jumping up to peck me on the lips once.

I sighed, lost at how to explain the situation to them without letting my thoughts alert Edward to what I was getting at. So instead of just blurting out that I saw Bella in the hospital, I decided to go with a more tactful way.

"We got a couple of new patients in the drug ward today," I say calmly.

"That's a shame," Esme sympathizes, believing that this was what was making me upset.

"Yes," I continue. "Two kids, probably no older than twenty. A boy and a girl."

She covers her mouth. "So young," she breathes. "That must be awful, having to witness that. But you're doing the right thing doctoring these kids. If anyone can help them it will be you."

I groaned, thinking that I might as well just tell them. "The girl . . . it was Bella."

Everyone froze for a fraction of a second, and then everyone was one their feet. Edward spun around and was just at my toes, our faces inches apart.

"What?" he bellowed, his usually subdued voice melting into anger.

"She's here, Edward," I say, meeting his anxious gaze. "But it was her. She was being escorted to the drug ward along with another boy. I don't know if they know one another but the odds are great. She was . . . she was high. I couldn't tell on what, though." I decided to be completely honest with them. "Though, it must be something serious if the court had allocated her to come all the way out here."

I knew what he was going to say next. "I'm coming to see her tomorrow."

I was already shaking my head. "You can't, son. I have to see her first. I'm going to be her doctor."

"Is she alright?" Alice asked worriedly from behind Edward.

"I only caught a glimpse of her but from what I saw she didn't look good. Not at all. But I'll only know for sure how bad she is when I examine her tomorrow."

"Did she see you?" Emmett asked, standing beside Rosalie, who was sitting in the loveseat.

I nod. "And she seemed to remember me."

I couldn't help but think of the haunted look in Bella's and Edward groaned, seeing what I was seeing.

"She looks awful," he moans, gripping the edge of the chair for support. "It's my entire fault!"

"No, it isn't," I say. "Edward, son, nothing you could have dome would have prevented this."

"If I had stayed, maybe she wouldn't be like this."

"You were only doing what you thought would be best for her. There is no one to blame for this."

His nostrils flared and he stared into my eyes. "I'm coming tomorrow afternoon, whether you're finished with her or not. I am going to see her."

He stormed out of the room swiftly and an earsplitting crash echoed through the house.

"Can I come too, Carlisle?" Alice asked softly.

"I don't think so, Alice. I don't think I have any way to stop Edward from going, but I don't want to overwhelm her. Soon, alright?"

She nodded and I sigh, pulling Esme into my arms.

Bella's POV

"Let me go!" I shout as the policeman shoves me into a white room.

Seeing Carlisle shot me down for a minute but now I was back in action, and not standing to be here.