Love in a Bubble

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Chapter Three:

EPOV:

Forty-five minutes later, we get a message from one of my nurses that Bella is set up in her room. We are able to see her.

With the help of an aide along with the chief, they get me into a wheelchair.

The one flight up to ICU feels as though we're in slow motion. The chief moves at a snail-like pace. I don't say anything.

As we turn the corner to Bella's room, he hesitates and stops in front of the door. I look over and see him take in a large breath.

"My mouth's so dry, I can barely move my tongue," he barely whispers. "I've seen it all being a cop for over twenty-five years, but I'm afraid to see my own daughter."

"That's understandable."

"She's had her scrapes as a kid, but was always healthy. When she did get sick, she would keep busy so she didn't dwell and she could get back to normalcy."

"Would you like to wait a few more minutes, Chief?" I ask.

He stares off, shakes his head, opens the door and wheels me through.

We both stare at the small frame of Bella Swan. The girl in the truck barely looks the same to me. Her swollen face is dark with bruises and there are contusions around her eyes, cheeks, down her neck and lips. The hospital gown doesn't cover her scraped arms.

Her stillness muddles me. I can imagine what the chief thinks. Her small breaths are short and unseen. She doesn't blink her eyes. She's very still, in a semi-raised position with her head on a pillow. very still.

The chief moves me to the side of the bed, as he walks around to face her and places a hand over her cheek. A small cry escapes his lips as he strokes her hair saying her name.

There is a bandage at the base of her skull with her long hair to one side.

"Bella, Honey, I want to introduce you to someone. You know Doc Cullen and Esme. Well, this is their younger son, Edward. He was the one in the other car you tried to warn. He told me you saved his life, Bella. He's alive because of you. So, I want you to rest, wake up and meet him. He's the one with the music store two doors down from you."

A nurse enters and interrupts the chief's rantspeech.

She apologizes, "I'm sorry for barging in, but I need to take her vitals." She walks over to Bella. "It's very late." She points to me. "You need to go back to your room." She stares at the chief. "And you should go home and get some rest, Chief. You look exhausted. I promise to take very good care of her."

We didn't argue. The chief quickly maneuvers my chair out of the room.

Minutes later, I am back in bed with heavy eyelids and no resistance to sleep.

The chief exits my room and I float into dreamland on a sea of questions. Did she have a lot of pain or was she unconscious through the accident?

I recall her wearing her seatbelt, but I wonder if she was thrown from her cab. There are so many bruises.

Did she hit her head?

I start to toss and turn, no position is comfortable. I open my eyes to the semi-dark. My door is slightly ajar, but it slowly creaks open to a dust broom. I see a young guy sweeping the floor with long turning movements. When he finally steps into the room, our eyes meet.

"Hey," he says. "Did I wake you?"

I shake my head and mutter, 'no'.

"Sorry, man, I have to do a quick sweep of your floor, then I'm out of here," he whispers.

"Aw, hey, maybe you can help me," I deviously prod. "My girlfriend's in ICU and I want to go see her."

"Man, they won't let you in her room," he warns.

I smile. "Not if they don't see me. Look, we were in this car accident. I can't sleep. I just want to be near her." I pause. "Can you help me, please?"

His face grows a boisterous smile. "I suppose, if no one sees you." His face explodes with joy. "Sure."

Darren is seventeen and quite the stealth ninja. He sneaks me into Bella's room without a soul aware of our presence.

"Man, she got beat up," he says.

"I know."

"Well, I'll get out of here so I don't wake her," he says apologetically.

"No, you won't. She's in a coma, Darren."

"Wow, I'm sorry, man. That must be awful for you."

I feel bad for lying. "Look, come by my room tomorrow and I'll compensate you for your help."

He shakes his hands. "No, no, man, I don't need anything. I'm glad to do it."

I smile. "Well, I appreciate you getting me in here."

"You spend time with your old lady." He thinks. "Hey, I can check back after my shift and bring you back to our room if you want."

"That would be great. Thanks."

"Okay, I'll see you later." And with that, Darren exits.

I wheel myself closer to Bella's bed and scan her from head to toe. The chief is right. She's a little bit of a thing. Certainly not tall, but slim with nice curves. My eyes linger over her breasts and my face reddens. What kind of a perv am I to stare at her perfect round handfuls?

I clear my throat, run a hand down the back of my head and look up at her face. "Hi, Bella, it's Edward. I was in your room earlier tonight with your dad. I'm the guy you tried to warn before the accident." I pause. "Um, Carlisle and Esme Cullen's son." I sigh. "I couldn't sleep. I'm one floor beneath you. Ah, I broke my leg in the accident. Actually, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. You took the fall for me. I just hope you'll wake soon so I can thank you."

She draws me in with her serene, angelic face. I want to touch her. I raise my hand to the bed and inch toward her. When I cup my fingers over her hand, I feel this warmth splinter through my veins and up my arm. The reaction catches me off guard at first and I want to let go, but I can't.

I rub my thumb over her knuckles, around to her wrist and under her palm. I look at her, but there is no movement.

I chuckle, "I was hoping when I touched you, you'd open your eyes. Pretty lame on my part.

I just want to talk to you, hear your voice or maybe your laugh. A person's laugh can tell a lot about them. Yeah, I know that sounds crazy, but it's true. If you snort or have a high-pitched laugh, it reins in part of your personality. And I just keep going on like a nerdy tool. Sorry, I'm a little nervous. And I don't get nervous, Bella. I'm a pretty laid-back kind of guy."

"Darren, the night custodian, snuck me up to your room. So, no one knows I'm here."

I yawn. "Guess I'm feeling a little tired. And I didn't think this out very clearly." I laugh. "What if my nurse checks in on me and finds I'm gone. I don't think I could move this wheelchair very fast if someone were to come in here." I laugh again. "Ah, did you hear my laugh? Well, I hope you heard it."

Darren pokes his head around the door. "Hey, how's it going?"

"Oh hey, so glad you came back. I really didn't think this through. It could freak my nurse out with me being gone."

"Yeah man, I thought of that. That's why I came back. I can take you to your room if you want," he says.

"That would be great, thanks."

I feel awkward and don't know what to do in front of Darren. He thinks Bella is my girlfriend. I bring her hand to my lips and kiss her gently. "See you later, Baby."

I carefully place her hand back on the bed. Darren grabs the back of the chair and takes me out of the room.

BPOV

I feel as though I am in a bottle, and hearing from the inside in a bit of a blur. This glorious voice chatters on in manic nervousness. I want to smile, but my lips don't move. His hand wraps around mine and I feel his warmth. He laughs. I want to hear it … again. Then, he kisses my hand and I tingle all over.

I hope he comes back.