Chapter 7

"Edward!" Alice called to me from the table she was sitting at, Bella and Ben trailed after me. My kid sister gave me a huge hug before also giving a hug to Bella. Bella looked mildly uncomfortable and I cursed my sisters friendliness.

"Alice I saw you last week, calm down," I laughed at her, she gave me a look. The Alice look.

Despite my sister being small I knew not to mess with her since she was young. When she was about four I tried stealing her toys, as every older brother did. It didn't end well, soon I was begging for mom and dad to help me. Alice stole her own toy back before coming into my room and throwing all my stuffed toys onto the floor, a large mess was made before dad came up to check on us. Toys were spread everywhere and a very calm Carlisle ordered both of us to pick it up, lets just say I knew not to bother her ever again.

"How have you been Bella? Surviving my crazy brother?" She asked, Bella gave her a small smile.

"Of course," Bella simply replied.

"His house not too messy," Alice winked at me, I rolled my eyes at her but Bella just giggled

"Not at all,"

"So what were are here for, you want a job at my new store right?" Alice asked her, Bella nodded. "Have you had an experience as a model?" Both Bella and I cringed at the question and Alice ignored us and continued. "You want more of a steady income correct?" Alice asked Bella and Bella nodded. "Okay I have an idea. What if you both work as a model and working the shop as a cashier,"

"I don't know much about dresses or clothes," Bella admitted to Alice.

"That's alright, I have another worker around all the time who is serious about clothes," Alice reassured Bella.

"What about Ben?" Bella asked Alice nervously, Alice turned to look at the small boy who was sitting quietly playing with a couple straws. Alice gave him a ruffle through his hair.

"He can come if he plays as quietly as that, but when he can't be quiet Edward can take him, right Eddy," I looked at Alice, she chuckled at my response but when Bella looked at me I nodded. "Edward is great with children," I chuckled at Alice's assumption.

"She isn't wrong," Bella smiled at me, I rolled my eyes.

"I hope I am, I work in paediatrics," I laughed, Alice got this look in her eye and I knew she was going to tell Bella some story.

"Eddie didn't always want to be a doctor," Alice smiled to Bella, I groaned in fear of the story Alice was going to tell. "He once wanted to be a professional baseball player. It was when he was about 10, he played in the local little league. He was always a fast runner,"

"Still is," I interrupted my kid sister. She rolled her eyes but continued her story.

"So a baseball game was unfolding and Edward was playing outfield. When the batter hit a fly ball, well a fly ball for a bunch of 10 year olds. Edward being the speedy little boy he was, watching the ball ran to catch it. The ignorant and blind boy he is, he ran straight into the side boards. Effectively breaking an arm and ruining his dream of being a baseball player." Not only did Bella and Alice laughed but so did Ben and I sulked to myself.

"No shame Edward," Bella smiled at me before patting me on the shoulder. The feeling of her hand lingered, which made me realised that had been one of the first time she had touched me. The girls went on talking, well mostly Alice while Bella listened. They seemed to be getting along really well and I was happy that Bella has a female friend to talk to.

"I need to head to work, you guys should talk more. I'll text you Bella if Elisabeth wants to talk to someone," I told them both before walking off in the direction of the hospital. I smile as I look back and see them still deep in conversation, I was happy for both of them. Alice was the only girl in the family, other than being pampered by Esme, she still felt a little lonely when with family. Wherever Alice went there was always a group of friends behind her, whether girls or interested boys but she never quite found it the same as Emmett and I's relationship. I tried to stay close with Alice, that allowed me to have a good sense of style with constantly having to shop with her.

One year Alice seemed different, she had less friends round the house and seemed to not want to hang out with me anymore. Then she came to me, sitting on my bed she told me what she was feeling. Alice started having feelings for one of her best friends, she thought she was lesbian. I didn't know what to say, I mean she was my little sister and of course there was nothing wrong about being gay. I tried asking her what made her so worked up about it and why did it matter so much. She told me she wasn't sure if she was gay or not and it was bothering her that she couldn't figure it out. After talking to her for awhile I reminded her there was more than just gay or straight, also that she didn't have to conform under any of the categories if she didn't feel like it fit. I'd never seen her happier and she told me she still had feelings for both men and women. She kissed me on the cheek and ran out of my room, I was always glad she felt like she could tell me because to this day I don't think she ever told our parents, she just came home with a few boys and girls when she was in college and told us they were her girl/boyfriend and of course Esme and Carlisle never took a second look.

"Dr Cullen, How was your lunch?" Of course it was Jessica asking, I flashed her a smile.

"Yeah it was good, do you know if Elisabeth is still in her room?"

"I believed she was last in the library," She replied so that was the way I headed. I navigated through the busy hospital hallways until I reached the old library. I had to do a quick look through before I found Elisabeth sitting in one of the aisle with her back towards me.

"Dr Cullen," She said greeting me, despite I hadn't said anything yet nor I thought she seen me. I threw away my shock because this girl was always a constant surprise.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her moving to sit in the chair facing her back, but she turned to chair to face mine.

"As shitty as always," She said while bookmarking the book she was reading. "What brought you here to see me?"

"How do you know I'm not looking for a book?" I retorted smiling, she rolled her eyes but I could see the slight smile appearing, curling her lips upwards.

"You are sitting here aren't you?" She asked, she was quite a smart girl.

"My friend wanted to meet you," I said simply, Elisabeth's smile dropped.

"Why?" She said, almost angrily. "Is this just because my parents aren't here, you think I need someone? Or is your friend a shrink or something?"

"Bella Swan is far from a shrink, I told her about you and how intelligent you were. She just wanted to meet you, also since you don't have many visitors I thought it would be good for you," Elisabeth rolled her eyes but didn't protest.

"Is this your girlfriend?" She paused for a second, looking straight at me. "No wait, scratch that. She's the girl you are into right?" I had a beep on my pager and I raised my eyes at Elisabeth.

"Who knows," I said before getting up and leaving, Elisabeth would figure it out eventually.

—

"Are you sure she wants to meet me?" Bella asked curiously, Ben was holding her hand and waved at me.

"Hey little man, how was the rest of lunch with Alice?" He gestured for me to get closer, so I did.

"Your sister is a little crazy," He paused then. "But she's nice!" I laughed at his answer and Bella rolled her eyes at her son.

"Elisabeth is fine Bella, she's curious to meet you I'm sure," I said simply and gestured for the two to follow me. The hospital was rather quiet after the lunchtime business. Elisabeth was sitting in one of the couch chairs, drawing in a art book.

"Dr. Cullen," She said as she closed her book, she looked at Bella and smile. "Nice to meet you Miss Swan," Bella laughed a little.

"That makes me feel incredible old, you can call me Bella," They shook hands and Ben popped out from behind Bella.

"Hi! I'm Ben," Elisabeth's face lit up a little bit.

"Well it's very nice to meet you Ben," Elisabeth said back cheerfully.

"Why are you in a hospital?" Bella looked shocked that Ben would ask something like that, and she was about to tell him off but Elisabeth beat him to it.

"Because, I don't have very great lungs," Elisabeth said simply, Ben pouted a little and Elisabeth just smiled. "It's okay, Dr. Cullen takes very good care of me," She said looking at me, I smiled at her. I had no idea she even cared for my help.

"Eddie's a very good doctor!" Ben exclaimed and I playfully cringed at the kid's new nickname for me.

"Yes he is," Bella said as she went to sit in the opposite couch from Elisabeth. "Do you have any siblings Elisabeth?"

"Yeah I do, an older brother but I've always love kids," She said as she tickled Ben and Ben fell down laughing but she didn't let him hit his head on the floor. There was a comfortable lull in the conversation before I heard my name being called.

"Dr Cullen," I turned to see Daisy with her eyes tearing up.

"Hey Daisy, what's wrong?" I asked her worried as I walked over to meet her. I leaned down to talk to her.

"I don't feel very well and I really miss my mommy and dad," She said as she began to cry.

"Hey why don't I come keep you company in your room while you get some rest?" I told her, she nodded and I told her hand and led her back to her room. Her room was decorated with toys and stickers, everything the girl wanted. She laid down on her bed and I sat on the seat next to her, I didn't know what to say.

"Can you tell me another story?" Daisy asked, of course I couldn't ignore her big eyes as she asked me, so I racked my brain for a story to tell her.

"You asked me last time why I wanted to be a doctor, so why don't I tell you the first time I realised I wanted to be a doctor," She nodded and waited for me to get started.

"When I was about 10 I wanted to be a baseball player, Alice my sister can tell you the whole story behind that one. But short story short, I wasn't a very good player. However, I knew this girl in my school and she had cancer just like you. Brie was her name. She had osteosarcoma, watching her quickly get sicker and sicker made me feel terrible and since my dad already worked at this hospital I saw her a lot around this very ward. We always met up and either sat in the library or in the garden and talked together.

One day she didn't meet me around our usual time so I went looking for her, in the library, in the garden, in the cafe and I couldn't find her. So I checked her room, I was only down the hall when I heard the loud nurses and doctors. She had gotten really sick over night and had to go into emergency surgery. My dad was appointed the surgery, Dr. Carlisle Cullen is his name if you've ever met him. My dad rarely did paediatric surgeries so I knew something was really wrong. Coming out of the surrey my dad sat me down and told me. Brie had to have her leg amputated to stop the cancer spreading. I was crying for my friend who now would have to live her whole life without a leg but my dad said the emergency surgery probably just saved her life. The cancer had not spread to her body and they were optimistic that it wouldn't spread," I took a pause, really remembering my friend.

"How was she after the surgery?" Daisy asked me.

"She was hysterical, so were her family but after my dad explained to them the reason behind the surgery and the need of it, they calmed down. Never had I seen a family as grateful to my father as they were. Brie had to do a lot of physical therapy with her prosthetic leg, but all-in-all she was left with a slight limp and to this day many people don't realise she has a fake leg,"

"That's why you wanted to become a doctor? Because your dad saved your friend?" She asked innocently.

"Yes, I wanted to become a doctor because if I could save just a single life by a being a doctor it would make a huge difference to just one family, and maybe that difference wouldn't of happened if I never became a doctor," Daisy was quiet and I knew she was thinking of herself.

"Am I on that list of children you have saved?" I sighed before answering her in the best way possible.

"No Daisy, you saved yourself," I told her, she was looking out to the door so I turn to see who she was looking at, it was Bella and Ben. "I'll be back in a second Daisy," I headed towards the door and closed the door behind me.

"That was beautiful what you said to the girl Edward," Bella said, I had no idea she was listening.

"How much of that did you hear?" Bella's eyes widen and I realised she thought I was angry. "Hey, I'm not angry, I was just curious,"

"I'm sorry, that was personal wasn't it?" She said quickly, I waved her off.

"It's fine," I paused before reminding myself what I was going to say. "Did you two want to head home now?"

"Yeah we did, if thats okay with you," Bella said quietly.

"You have your kay right? My shift doesn't end until late so don't wait up,"