FAGEtastic Four
Written for: Cullen Cousin
Chapter Words Minus ANs: 3,142
AN: Unfortunately, I did not create these characters, but thanks to Stephenie Meyer, I am allowed to play with them for my enjoyment and mold them to my imagination.
Again, Special thanks to readingmama (vampmama) and abbymickey24 for their encouragement, support, and pre-reading. An extra special thanks to QuantumFizzx and hlsmith for their beta work.
EXTRA special thanks to WelshWitch1011 and GLee68 for their help on this chapter and knowledge in getting the ER procedures more accurate. ;P I want to get it close to accurate, though there may be a small bit of creative license also. This chapter is dedicated to you for your assistance. Thank you, ladies. Much love!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 1 – First Meeting ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
CPOV
The ER is bustling with activity due to the number of vehicle accidents in the area. Humans have particularly slow reactions to the icy conditions after losing control of their vehicles. Today, the roads are especially frozen. Suddenly someone wearing a neck brace is brought in on a gurney. Following closely is Forks Police Chief, Charlie Swan.
The sweetest smell I have ever experienced drifts my way. This scent is a heavenly combination of lilac, rose, lavender, jasmine, a hint of baby powder, and the slightest trace of strawberry, having nothing to do with her natural scent. She is like a beautiful bouquet. Charlie's scared and frantic voice breaks me from the aphrodisiac.
"Carlisle! Please! Help my daughter! She came to visit me at the station when the Crowley van came sliding into her truck. The van's impact came just as she was getting out and threw her about four feet out of the cab directly into the trunk of my police cruiser," Charlie rushes to explain.
Hustling to his side as they roll the gurney past me, I notice she is passed out. The most obvious injury is the blood running down the side of her face. Knowing we need to check for any serious head trauma and the CT scanning room is around the corner from the ER of the single level hospital, I instruct them.
"Take her for a full-body CT scan. I will meet you in exam room four." Getting Chief Swan's attention, "Charlie, was she able to tell you anything before she passed out?"
"No, I didn't even see what happened until I heard the noise and rushed outside just as she was sliding to the ground. The Crowley boy told me what happened." He explains just as the ambulance arrives with the subject of discussion, Tyler Crowley. Tyler has been practically a regular at the hospital since graduating high school for broken noses, cut upper lip, and other facial injuries. He is a regular at the local bar and runs his mouth off on several occasions. Charlie's glare at the young man makes his fury toward Tyler clear.
"Okay. Do you know if the impact she made to the vehicle was with her back, front, or just one side of her body?"
Charlie fights back tears. His body shakes slightly when he answers. "When I came out of the police station door, she was sliding down the car on her left side. I don't know how she struck the vehicle t-though. I-I can't…" a slight and quick sob breaks through "…lose her, Carlisle".
"Please have a seat. I will assess your daughter's injuries and notify you immediately. Nurse Tiffany, could you please find out as much information as you can from Mr. Crowley and let me know what you find?" Nodding to Charlie, I head toward exam room four, but stop by the nurse's station to pick up the file for Miss Swan on the way.
Nurse Debra, a kind and caring older woman in her upper fifties, simply hands me the already prepared medical chart with a sympathetic smile. The best thing about working in a small town is they know all the local residents. It takes no time at all to get a chart made up and a local patient's medical information pulled.
Walking to exam room four, I study her medical history. My heart sinks. Isabella Swan definitely is not a stranger to the emergency room, but fortunately her last injury was three years ago, a couple months after she turned eighteen. I also note she is a college student. Recalling the talk around the hospital, she attends the University of Washington and stays with a family friend in Seattle during the week, but drives home every weekend to spend time with her father.
When I walk into the exam room, her intoxicating scent washes over me anew. Suddenly my thoughts are not on the situation, but focused on taking note of her current state. Looking down at the brunette beauty, her shapely torso is covered in a simple sheet.
Something stirs within me, causing me to fight a foreign, yet familiar, discomfort I have pushed aside throughout all my years… But I tell you, anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. The words of the Lord, echoed in my father's voice, run through my mind. I quickly divert my eyes before I begin to look inappropriately upon her body, easily seen through the sheet with my vampire sight.
In all my years as a doctor, I have not yet crossed this moral line. As much as I yearn to jump the invisible border now more than ever, I refuse to disrespect her in this manner.
I have seen many women throughout my lifetime, so why does this young woman evoke such a strong, unexpected response within me? Shaking myself out of my rapid thoughts and fighting back the strong, unexpected reaction she awakens within me, Nurse Linda walks into the room.
"Here is the CT scan you ordered, Dr. Cullen." She places the scan on the board before turning on the light and tending to Miss Swan just as Nurse Tiffany enters to report what she learned from Tyler while I stand in front of the light boards.
"Mr. Crowley saw Miss Swan getting out of her vehicle just before the van made contact, but hit his head against the driver's window. His vision became fuzzy for the first few minutes following the impact."
"Okay, thank you, Nurse Tiffany."
"Is there anything else you need, Dr. Cullen?" Tiffany asks seductively, leaning into my back and looking over my shoulder while I review the scans.
"No, thank you, that will be all." Gradually she backs away with a dissatisfied groan and leaves the room.
Checking the slides for any serious injuries, I note my findings to the interns and nurses within the room. "No trauma to the Cranium or Cervical Vertebrae… no apparent signs of injury to Thoracic or Lumbar… no signs of fracture of the bilateral foot, Tibia, Fibula, or Femur… pelvis area is clear… Ulna and Humerus bilaterally are clear, as is the radius on the right, but there is a slight fracture to the left radius."
As Nurse Linda scribbles notes into Miss Swan's chart, the interns document their own notes. Turning to the still unconscious patient, I begin evaluating Isabella for flesh injuries. Not even my vampire sight is needed to see the bruises already starting to make an appearance from her shoulder down her left arm. Noting no apparent exterior injuries on her right arm and recalling the conversation with Charlie, I concentrate on the left side of her body.
I reach for her left arm to begin setting a cast when a soft moan escapes her lips. It is the most erotic sound I have ever heard. Once again the young woman affects me more than I care to admit. I shift slightly to hold back the ache surfacing. My eyes instantly move to her fluttering eyelids. Why does she create such an immediate response within me?
"Ugh, where am I? What happened?" She asks, a bit groggy.
~*~*~ WfB ~*~*~
BPOV
"You are in Forks Community Hospital, Miss Swan. What do you remember?" A masculine and appealing voice asks.
Gradually, I open my eyes to the harsh light above me. When my eyes adjust to my surroundings, I look around the sterile environment before slowly responding. "Um, I was getting out of my truck to visit my father… at work… when I heard… a vehicle begin to slide on the ice and… turned to look." I pause for a moment, trying to shake off the hazy feeling and figure out if I remember anything else.
I try sitting up, but a sharp pain shoots through my left arm and simultaneously realize I have nothing except a sheet for cover. Carefully, using my left arm to hold the sheet in place across my chest, I rest on my right elbow while the bed adjusts into an upright position. I lie back onto the raised bed, carefully letting my arms relax next to me, and continue with a clearer mind.
"Uh, before I could react and get back into the cab, the side of the van was crashing into the passenger side of my truck. Then I sort of felt like I was flying and hit the back of my father's police cruiser."
"Do you remember anything after?" I look toward the smooth as honey voice with a slight English accent. My eyes widen.
His body tenses slightly. A gorgeous man in a white doctor's coat is watching me carefully with kind, dark eyes. He looks to be at least six foot with a medium-build, medium-blond hair, and flawless, yet proportionate, facial features.
Suddenly very conscientious of my lack in clothing, my right arm quickly reaches toward the sheet resting on my chest and clutches it tightly to my body over my breasts. What is wrong with me? Why am I reacting this way? I've seen countless doctors before. What is it about this doctor, who has me acting like a lovesick preteen with a crush after just five minutes? Of course, my lack of dress doesn't help, but for some unknown reason it is more than this fact.
Making a poor impression of a fish, I struggle to answer. "Uh… Um, well," averting my eyes, I hear a soft laugh which only manages to tighten my stomach further before continuing, "after hitting the trunk, I fell to the ground and fought to keep my eyes open until…" I trail off in thought not wanting to admit the reason I passed out.
"Until what, Miss Swan?" Mr. Delicious asks. WAIT! What did I just call him? Trying to ignore the effects his voice has on me and with my eyes still downcast, I take the opportunity to peruse the rest of him. Even with the white lab coat, he seems to be well-built from chest down. Though I do not date, I have been known to appreciate well-sculpted men when I see them, but I choose to focus on my studies instead of letting my libido take the lead.
Quickly, his right hand reaches for my left arm, but pulls back at my slight finch. Shifting my eyes to his long, exquisite fingers doesn't help stop the strange tingles I feel from his presence. Noting my discomfort, he instructs the interns to exit the room, leaving him and a nurse.
A clearing of his throat brings me out of my hormone-induced thoughts. My eyes flash back to his gorgeous and sparkling dark, amber eyes. GAH! Where are these thoughts and feelings coming from? "Oh, um, right… until the smell of blood hit me."
His surprise is clear. "Miss Swan –"
"Bella, please."
"Alright, Bella, you cannot smell blood."
"I can. To me, it smells like rust and salt."
His features twist slightly in confusion and soften from the earlier shock just as Charlie walks through the door. "Dr. Cullen, I'm sorry, but I am really worried about my little girl and couldn't wait any longer. How is she?"
"Hello, Charlie. It is not a problem. I was just about to let your daughter know the damage." Dr. Sexy, er, Dr. Cullen apparently, turns toward me to explain. "It appears you have not suffered a concussion, but you do have a slight break in your left arm. We will need to fit you with a cast."
Charlie's relief is evident as he gives me his infamous one arm hug. "Thank goodness you're alright, kiddo, but I may just kill that Crowley kid for breaking your arm."
"Tyler?" I ask and Charlie nods. Tyler has had enough trouble since his mother died after our high school graduation. He doesn't need Charlie all over him too. "Don't hurt him, Dad. The roads were very icy today, it wasn't his fault."
Charlie makes a grunting noise and kisses my forehead. "Fine. I'm just glad it wasn't any worse than a slight break." He pauses and tenses up once again when he sees my arm. "And some definite bruising, it seems."
"Ah, yes, the bruising will worsen over the next 24 hours. Let me set your cast. Would you like a blue, black, white, pink, or red cast?" Dr. Cullen asks.
"How long will I have to wear it?"
"Since it is a small break, I will have you come back for an X-ray in three weeks to determine if it is okay to remove the cast. If the break has improved, we can remove the cast and put you in a brace for the next two weeks before a final exam." He explains.
"Blue, please, Dr. Cullen." The color really doesn't matter since I don't even want a cast.
"Please call me Carlisle."
At his words, Charlie turns a suspicious eye on Carlisle. "Thank you for helping my daughter, Dr. Cullen."
"Of course, Charlie."
Carlisle begins the task of fitting me for a cast while the nurse assists. I notice the temperature of his hands as he works. Strange, the exam room is a bit warmer than most, yet his hands are very cold. Once the plaster is in place and dry, he picks up my chart.
"Okay, remember to keep the cast dry at all costs, or it could affect the healing process. When you schedule your checkup appointment, the nurse will provide you with a three-week supply of plastic covers to keep it dry. You will need to stay for overnight observation –"
"WAIT! Overnight? I feel fine. I'd rather go home now."
"I think you should listen to your doctor, Bells. Besides, I nearly lost you today. I would rather know you are okay than for something to happen after we get home. I'll bring you a change of clothes first thing in the morning."
Giving in to my father's worried plea, "How early will you be here?"
"It depends. What time is check out?"
"Check out is not until nine in the morning." Dr. Cullen tells us.
"Nine AM!" I exclaim, but then turn on the charm and plead with my eyes as I ask, "Could you make this one exception?" Looking at Charlie in the same manner, I plead to him, "I promise not to complain about you leaving me here tonight, if you will be here to pick me up by seven. Please Daddy?" I know it isn't very becoming of a twenty-one year old, but it's a testament to how much I loathe staying in the hospital overnight.
Groaning because he knows how much I hate hospitals and never use what he refers to as the Swan charm, something he used with his parents as a child, unless I really want something. "Carlisle, would you please allow an early check-out of eight o'clock?" He looks at me pointedly to let me know he has caved, but will not negotiate the time.
I feel bad when I notice Carlisle looks slightly hurt by this request for some reason. He looks from Charlie, back to me before responding with a polite, "I think it can be arranged, Chief Swan. It was nice to meet you. I will be on duty tonight should you need anything. Nurse Linda will give you a gown to change into and settle you in a room. Have a good night, Miss Swan, er, Bella."
Charlie's eyes narrow slightly as Carlisle calls me Bella and tries sizing up the attractive doctor as he leaves the room. "Dad?" No response. I try getting his attention again. "Daddy?" His head snaps in my direction. "Can you stay with me until visiting hours are over?"
"I have to do the paperwork at the station for the accident, but I'll come back once I am finished. Would you like me to bring you something to eat?"
"That sounds good. How about a Chef Salad, no olives, with Ranch on the side from Forks Coffee Shop? I know you love their Seafood Combo."
His smile is contagious. "You know me well, kiddo. Okay. I'll see you in a couple hours. I love you, Bella." He kisses my forehead and gives me a quick, careful hug before heading out the door.
Nurse Linda hands me a gown, "I'll let you change, just push the call button on the wall here when you are finished", and points to the wall it is located. "Then I will return with a couple of interns to help get you settled into your room for the night."
Looking at the hospital gown, I am thankful it is a wrap-around gown; I won't have to worry about an exposed rear-end. Once I have figured out where all the little strings go and get the gown tied on, I push the call button.
My mind drifts to Dr. Carlisle Cullen as they settle me into my room. He is smart, sexy, and smoking hot. Only a dead person would ignore how gorgeous the man is. His eyes are so expressive, sincere, and honest, but I don't understand why he has such a strong effect on me. I've had similar feelings when I notice an attractive man before, but not nearly as distinct. Jessica always referred to the tingles as butterflies fluttering across her skin and settling in her stomach.
Once I am settled in my bed for the night, the nurse tells me, "My name is Linda. I will be on staff all night should you need anything. The television remote is attached to your bed next to the call button clipped to the bar on the right side of the bed. I will be in every hour to wake you and check your stats, but otherwise, you should try to get as much rest as you can."
"Thank you, Nurse Linda."
She pats my right hand and winks as she says, "Just Linda, dear. Do you need me to order something from the hospital cafeteria?"
"No, thank you. My father is bringing something when he comes back. Thank you again." She gives me a gentle smile and walks out the door.
When the door shuts, I decide to see what is on TV since there isn't anything to read. I'd ask Charlie to bring my college books to me, but I'll most likely spend most of my time sleeping, so I nix the thought.
Turning on the television, I start flipping through the various channels. How is it, even with cable, there is nothing to watch? Giving up on the task, I look at the time, three-thirty. Feeling a bit drowsy, I settle on a classic music channel, give in to the feeling, and take a nap, thoughts of Dr. Cullen floating through my head.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ WfB ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N – But I tell you, anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (NIV Bible Verse from Matthew 5:28).
Reviews are like a loving hug. :D
I am not one for the "instant love". I am not sure they wake you every hour when they suspect a concussion, but I added it in… again creative license. *winks*
Thank you for reading.
Posted: 06-03-12