A/N: I would just like to let all of my readers know that this story GENTLE TOUCHES is the very same as author ANIMAL8. As I adopted it from her earlier on this year, most of the chapters that ANIMAL8 had already created are being posted the same as I do not want to ruin the amazing work she has worked so hard on. I will be setting up a link to ANIMAL8 page so it will be accessible to new and old readers. I do hope that I can do this story as much justice as ANIMAL8 and I do hope that you enjoy the old and new chapters of GENTLE TOUCHES.
Disclaimer: I Own Nothing Twilight
Gentle Touches
Chapter 13 – Examinations (EPOV)
The next morning, I was waiting anxiously for the girl to wake. Carlisle had decided to examine her in the room she was staying in instead of moving her to the medical room. He thought it would be less stressful for her, but I wasn't sure how much difference it would make overall. I did agree, though, that she would not like being picked up again, so this was the best option for us.
Alice had said she would be fine, but whether she meant with this examination or in the long run, I wasn't sure. I wanted to believe it was both, but I didn't know for certain. It didn't help that Alice's visions were still compromised.
I sat on the couch, watching the girl as she slept calmly on the bed, while trying not to think about what she would look like in a couple of hours. Her hair fell to the pillows around her head, making her seem even more like an angel.
I didn't have to wait long before she stirred and turned her head to blink at me. I smiled at her as I made my way around the bed to lie in my usual position. "Good morning, Angel," I greeted, giving her a slightly crooked smile.
She gave me a small, tremulous smile in return. I gazed at her tenderly as I stroked her cheek, admiring the way the muted light from the window shined on her pale skin, though it was not strong enough to make my own skin sparkle. It wasn't long before I was reminded by Carlisle's presence that we had something serious to do.
Reluctantly, I pulled my hand away causing her to look at me curiously. "Angel," I started hesitantly, my eyes tightening with anxiety, "We need to check you again; look at your arms and make sure you're alright." To demonstrate my point, I brushed a finger down her bandaged wrist.
Her eyes widened and I knew she understood. She snatched her arm back and continued staring at me, wide eyed in panic.
I hurried to try and comfort and reassure her, taking her hand delicately in mine and rubbing it gently. "We're not going to hurt you, I promise," I looked into her eyes sincerely. "We just need to make sure you're alright. I'll be there the whole time," I added.
She still looked worried, but gave me a tiny nod to show her assent. I flashed another small smile and spoke without turning away from her. "Carlisle," I called quietly, sitting up so I could help my father better.
Carlisle opened the door carefully and stepped inside. The girl's eyes fixed on him warily as he came to my side. I could hear her breathing picking up as she looked from Carlisle to me and back. "It's okay," I said softly, holding her hand and using my other to stroke her cheek.
Edward, Carlisle thought, can I come closer, do you think? I looked closely at the girl, examining her reactions. Cautiously, I nodded, keeping my eyes on her. He came closer to the end of the bed, watching her as I was.
I tried to keep her attention on me by turning her face so her eyes met mine. "Alright, I'm just going to look at your feet," Carlisle warned aloud, his tone quiet and calming.
She tensed slightly and looked frantically at me. "Shh," I hushed gently, "You're fine. It's okay, you're fine." I kept murmuring comfortingly to her as I caressed her face and ran my hand through her hair.
Carlisle lifted one of her bare feet into his hands and inspected it, running practised fingers over the grazes, now clearly visible without the dirt. These seem to be fine, he thought to himself, no signs of infection, good. Not sure about the rate of healing.
I didn't quite know what he meant by that last thought, but I refrained from asking right now. After he had examined both of her feet, he looked up at me with a grave expression. We both knew this would be the hardest part.
So far the girl had distracted herself by looking at me, but I didn't know what she would do if Carlisle were to try and hold her arms again. Edward, can you hold her hand but raise her wrist so I can look at it? He asked me. I nodded to him.
I already had one of her hands in one of mine, so I carefully moved it out from between us. Carlisle leaned over to undo the bandaging and the girl's heart started to pound in her chest. Her eyes flickered back and forth, from me to Carlisle, with a wild look glittering in their depths. She was close to losing her sense of reason to her panic, I noted.
My free hand went to the side of her head as she lifted it weakly to look at Carlisle. I held her carefully as I started humming and her eyes glazed as she stared at me. It calmed her for a minute, but as soon as Carlisle's hands touched her wrist, she broke out of it. I tried to soothe her quickly.
"Just relax," I whispered before she could panic, "Look at me. It will be over soon, we just need to make sure you're okay." She listened to me and did as I said, but I could see the struggle inside her and the way her eyes still darted to my father every few seconds.
I listened in to Carlisle's monologue as he worked, being careful not to touch her any more than necessary. This still looks really bad, I thought it would have started to heal by now, but it doesn't look like it has. He frowned. There's no infection, though. I can't see a reason why it wouldn't be healing. That worried me. She wasn't healing? I thought. Why not? And most important of all, what did that mean for the girl?
After he had thoroughly examined the injury, he wrapped it tightly in a clean bandage and let me take it away. Once I had let go, the girl looked relieved as she pulled her arm close to her. I smiled and rubbed her arm lightly, before taking her other hand and repeating.
I watched the girl, looking down on her as she stared up at me, and I felt my heart swell with tenderness towards her. She looked so vulnerable, trembling with her eyes filled with fear, though at the same time I noticed that she looked so beautiful.
Carlisle stepped back as he released her wrist and she gladly took it back when I let go. Before he said anything, I remembered something that had concerned me. "Carlisle, her ribs were bothering her," I said, frowning in worry.
He glanced at me and nodded. Alright, he thought. You know that I'm going to need to turn her over? I pressed my lips together into a tight line and gave him a short nod. I knew that he would need me to hold her down again and I knew I wouldn't like how she would react. Okay.
Regretfully, I placed my hands on her shoulders to slowly and gently turn her over. She bucked under my hands, pushing her back off the bed as she resisted the change in position. I rubbed her arm soothingly, whispering softly to her.
"Alright, sweetheart," Carlisle murmured, sitting himself on the edge of the bed opposite me. "Can I take a look?" He gestured to her top.
She looked at him and then turned to me, desperation marring her features. "It's okay," I whispered, leaning forward so my face was aligned with hers. "I'm not going to let him hurt you." Her eyes searched my face for a long moment. And then she blinked.
I inclined my head slightly to Carlisle and his expert fingers, tugged at the hem of her shirt, lifting it. I sucked in a sharp breath as her skin was exposed. A dark bruise coated her front, over her abdomen and ribs.
Carlisle's thoughts were astounded at the amount of bruising and disgusted with whoever could do this to such a young girl. With the flat of his hand, he carefully applied pressure to the worst of the area. There isn't any internal bleeding, thank goodness, but I'm surprised she didn't complain about this before, he looked up at her, scrutinizing her face, not that she's done any complaining.
Satisfied with that, he prodded at her ribs, checking for any broken bones or fractures. Her ribs are completely fine, so it's just the bruising, he concluded. I let out a breath of relief I hadn't known I was holding.
"I think that's all," Carlisle spoke, smiling at the girl who just stared up at him. She glanced back to me as I turned her onto her side and lay down beside her, but as soon as she was on her side, she turned her head into the pillows, away from me, and her body started trembling lightly. I frowned sorrowfully at her.
Carlisle stood to leave, but froze as something caught his attention. Slowly, he stretched a hand out to her back and pulled up her shirt again, his breath leaving his lungs in a whoosh. My, God, he thought, shocked
I stared at him inquisitively, wondering what was wrong, but then I saw in his mind exactly what he had seen and my fists clenched hard enough for the tendons to stand out white against my already pale skin. All across her back were painful looking bruises, but not only that, there were small gashes where the skin had split open, leaving it raw. It was Carlisle who spotted the resemblance.
These are boot prints, he thought, horrified. With one hand, he touched the outline of the sole of a boot that was clearly visible, imprinted on her back, not paying attention when she flinched away from him. Someone had done this to her. Someone had hurt her. Of course, I knew she had been mistreated by whoever had held her, but finding more evidence caused an inexplicable agony to resonate within me.
A low growl rumbled in my chest, but cut off abruptly as the girl whimpered into the pillow. I was angry, but more than that, I was protective. At the moment, all I wanted was to pull this precious girl into my arms and hold her safe.
I still didn't understand these feelings, but I didn't push them back this time. My hand stroked her hair soothingly, begging her silently to show me her brown orbs. She didn't look up as Carlisle lowered her top back into place and stood away from her. Look after her, son, he said to me as he quietly left the room, leaving her in my care. She obviously needs you more than me right now.
"Angel," I whispered. She whimpered again in response, but didn't lift her head from her hiding place. "I'm sorry," I mumbled pathetically, my hand still rhythmically flowing through her hair. I felt guilty for putting her through that, knowing she wouldn't like it, but I was doing what was best. She needed help and I was getting it to her, however she might see it.
My apology seemed to have some effect on her, though, as she finally looked up at me with confusion evident across her face. She blinked at me and I smiled slightly. "Are you alright?" I asked, concerned.
She seemed surprised by my question which was perhaps why she answered immediately with a simple nod. I sighed in relief and reached to take her hand, silently asking permission with my eyes. With her small hand back in mine she relaxed, but minute tremors continued to run through her.
As her brown eyes stared at me I was reminded of the song those eyes had inspired and I smiled at the memory. Softly, I began humming the familiar melody, though incomplete it still held the meaning behind its creation and the pattern of calm that it painted I hoped would soothe her.
Her eyes were fixed on me as I sang quietly to her, my fingers stroking softly through her hair. It still amazed me how she seemed to be so entranced every time I did this. Her hand was warm in mine and her skin soft to the touch.
As her eyes began to droop, I knew I should leave to let her rest in peace, but I couldn't resist staying a little longer to see what would happen. As I continued to hum her lullaby to her, she closed her eyes and sighed softly. It was sign of her increasing trust in me that she was allowing me to get close to her and I couldn't prevent the jubilant smile from spreading onto my face. Soon, her breathing evened out and she was fast asleep.
I stared at her in wonder. She had allowed me to sing her to sleep, I thought, amazed. I was delighted by this progress and the growing connection between us.
The door opened and I knew from their thoughts who had just entered, but it was the last person I would have expected.
A/N: I make no promises as to when I post new chapters…but I will do my best to make them as closed together as possible. Please remember to review as more reviews will get a faster posting of the next chapter.