Chapter 9

Jacob's POV

I didn't know much about all this medical stuff, but I did know there was something special about this girl who lay before me. I watched her chest rise and fall in synch with the rhythm of the heart monitor just grateful to see her alive. Carlisle had been forced to relieve the air between her lungs and chest wall by inserting a needle between her ribs. The tubes and wires coming off her made me nervous. I'd never been very good at hospitals and I tended to be a bit on the clumsy side from time to time.

"How's she doing?" Carlisle's voice interrupted my thoughts and I looked up to see him standing at the foot of the bed.

"She's not waking up," I said with concern.

"Give her time, she'll come around," he went about examining her carefully. "Her body is responding to the trauma both physically and mentally. But the good news is her stats are up and this here shows me there is an increase in oxygen flow to her blood which means we may be able to remove her from intubation when she wakes up."

"How are the others?" I watched as he tweaked something on the iv controls.

"Emmalyn is sound asleep with her brother in his bed. Esme won't leave their side," he sighed, "We're still waiting for the grandparents to arrive."

The sound of stirring interrupted our conversation. We both looked down to see the redhead's eyes flickering open. She squinted as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room. Then a moan escaped her throat and her non-casted hand worked it way up to touch her throat. Her eyes opened wider and I could see the glint of panic.

"Hope, I'm Dr. Cullen," he spoke softly and reached down to move her hand to her side to prevent removal of any tubes. "Don't try to speak. You were in an accident and we had to put a tube down your throat to help you breathe. I'd like to remove you from the ventilator to see how you do. If I feel you're ready, we'll remove the tube all together. All right?"

The girl nodded slowly, her red hair falling in messy curls around her face.

I wondered if I should leave, but Carlisle gave me no indication that I should. Instead, I reached out to take Hope's hand in my own. Surprisingly enough, when I squeezed, she squeezed back.

"All right, I'm disconnecting the ventilator," Carlisle talked us through the process. "Nice, slow, deep breaths..."

I held my own breath and watched him assess her breathing. I didn't understand exactly what he was looking for, but he must have found it because next thing I knew, he was smiling and telling us the tube was ready to come out.

"I'm going to remove the tube on the count of three. When I get there, I want you to exhale as hard as you can. OK?"

Hope nodded and I tightened my grip on her hand.

"Ready...1...2...3..."

As the tube came out, Hope coughed, choked and sputtered.

"Good girl," Carlisle helped her sit up slightly and sip on a glass of cold water to help ease some of the discomfort. "Now, nice, deep breaths..."

The girl's eyes remained trained on the wall and I watched as memories of the night washed over her.

"Are you in any pain?" the doctor inquired. Hope shook her head, a tear streaming down her cheek.

"My parents..." she didn't have to say any more. She knew.

"Your brother and sister are doing well. They are just down the hall with my wife. We sent an officer to pick up your grandparents, they should be here shortly," Carlisle explained matter-of-factly. "Sweetheart, I am so sorry for your loss."

Her face crumpled up, but she didn't cry.

"What's going to happen to us?" she asked. "Where will we live?"

Hope's POV

I knew one thing for sure, Gramp McCallister had more than enough on his plate without taking us on and Papa wouldn't be anymore useful since he lived in a retirement center since Nana's passing two years ago. Mom's sister was only 31 and could barely take care of herself. I had little to no hope that she might be named our guardian. I'd be 18 in a couple years, maybe just maybe she'd be able to take us until I could be named the guardian for my siblings.

I was grateful when Dr. Cullen spoke to me like a grown-up without watering things down. Cullen, that name sounded familiar. Cullen, Cullen...Pushing through the fog surrounding my mind, I placed the name. Mr. Cullen, Edward, I believed was his name, I had him for History and English class. He was a strict teacher and expected a lot out of his students. I was lucky to be holding an A- average in both classes as it was nearly impossible to get above a B. He was kind and easy to talk to; I wondered if Dr. Cullen was related to him. I knew he had a daughter and a niece at school. Brianne or Brielle...no, Bree. Bree Cullen and Renee...Renesmee. Yeah, that was it. She was always hanging out with...Wait, that's where I'd seen Jacob before. The school was large and we'd never had any classes together, but I saw him in the halls. The family seemed to stick to themselves so no one really knew much about them. There was gossip though. I shook my head, attempting to focus on what the doctor was saying now.

"There is a social worker here to help figure that piece out. The goal is for the three of you to remain with family."

"I don't think that will happen," I knew even more as I said it that it was true. "Our grandparents are elderly and the one who I think could actually handle it is too busy taking care of my grandmother to take on anything else. We have an aunt...my mom's sister. She never stays put long in one place."

"How about we wait until someone from your family shows up? It does us no good to speculate," the man then redirected my focus, "And you didn't answer my question. Are you in any physical pain?"

I was, but I didn't want more medicine. I needed to be alert, I needed to have a clear head, I needed my Mom and Dad...