This chapter was remade after I accidentally deleted the original. Oops.
Carlisle POV
Rosalie was exhausted, I could tell that she'd drained the last of her energy when she had gotten herself so worked up. I felt guilty I'd taken her to the cafeteria, as she hadn't even been able to keep the yogourt she'd eaten down. Though I think she'd really enjoyed going on a walk around the hospital and she definitely loved getting to meet Eddy. On the way back she'd even asked me if he could come visit her in her room tomorrow!
I decided it would be best if Rose rested in her bed for the remainder of the day so she could build her strength up. I'd gotten a nurse to deliver some popcorn and a cheese stick to Rosalie's room that she'd hopefully snack on if I put a movie on for her. She really needed to eat something. I turn the screen on so I can show Rosalie the different on demand movies we have and almost scream myself when she suddenly shrieks and covers her eyes.
"Rosalie?" I ask, racing to her bed side once I've realized what's happening. "Are you in pain?"
"I'm not supposed to watch TV, my parents will be mad." Rosalie tells me; refusing to uncover her eyes.
"Oh honey. It's okay, I'll explain to your parents and I promise they won't be mad." I pause, hesitantly continuing. "Rosalie the police aren't sure where your parents are, do you know where they are?"
She begins shaking her head quickly, and I have to hold back a sigh of disappointment. Not wanting her to get worked up I rest a reassuring hand on her shoulders and say 'don't worry about it'
Eventually Rosalie lowers her hands to her sides and looks at the tv nervously, she looks back at me and calms down slightly when she realizes I'm not angry with her. I ask her what she would like to watch but she doesn't recognize any of the titles so I put on Dora the Explorer (Alice's favourite) and hope she'll like it. Her parents must have literally never let her watch tv.
Rosalie is mesmerized by the television. It's almost obsessive how closely she tries to observe everything that happens on the screen. Though as mesmerized as she is she's still acutely aware of her surroundings, and every time I flip one of my papers or click the back of my pen her eyes dart over to me suspiciously. I've never seen such a nervous little girl.
Eventually Rosalie fell asleep. She'd been battling to keep her eyes open for half an hour, but her exhaustion ended up winning over her anxiety about sleeping in a unfamiliar place. I decide it won't hurt any if I get up for a moment to stretch my legs and give Esme a call (because I'd stayed past my shift and I really owed her an explanation of some kind.) Hopefully Rosalie wouldn't wake up until I got back. With the exhausting day she'd had, I'd say it was safe to assume she'd sleep for a while.
I stop to chat with a couple staff members I run into on my way to my office, and checked up on a few patients as well. Once I've gone to my office I grab my cell phone and head towards the hospital gift shop. I'd decided that every little kid deserved to have a toy of their own. Poor Rosalie hadn't had anything when she'd come into the hospital. I once again wondered who her parents were; and what exactly had happened to her.
I browse the gift shop and the friendly sales assistant recognizes me and helps me pick something nice out. In the end I decide on a teddy bear almost as big as Rose herself. The bear is very soft, and I buy it quickly. Eager for her to see the gift.
Before I return to work I sit down on a bench and call Esme. She picks up quickly, probably wondering where I am. My shift was supposed to end at seven this morning, but I'd taken some time off my night shift and slept on the couch in my office. So that I could be around in the morning when my latest patient woke up.
"Carlisle? Is everything alright?" Worry was evident in her tone of voice.
"Everything's fine honey. How are things on your end? Kids alright?" I ask.
"Things are good. Emmett and Alice tried making smoothies this morning, and Jasper drew a picture at school for you yesterday." She told me.
Smoothies!? I could only imagine how well that had gone over. I loved listening to my wife talk, and hearing what her and the kids were doing when I couldn't be there with them.
"Edward still at Jakes?" I asked. A couple walked by with a newly born baby and I gave them a kind smile.
"Uh-huh, I'm picking him up after supper." She told me. "How's work?"
With a sigh I told her the events of the day. Leaving out any information that was too personal. All I had to do was mention I had a young injured patient and Esme understood exactly why I'd taken a double shift to take care of her.
"Is she going to be alright? Do they know where her parents are?" My wife asked, sounding concerned.
"She'll be alright." I reassured. "But her parents are no where to be found. We have no idea who did this to her; she's all alone."
"She's not alone, she has you." Esme reminds me. "Can I come visit you? It would be just me; Jasper and Alice are going to a birthday party, and Emmett is having a play date. I want to see you." My wife asks.
"Of course you can. I've got to get back to work. I love you so much, the kids too." I tell her.
"I love you more," my wife quips. She hangs up before I can protest. One thing was certain; Esme Cullen was one hell of a woman, and I was so thankful to call her mine.
-/-
A med student and a couple nurses are standing outside Rosalie's door when I return. My mind immediately thinks up an array of dark possibilities and I mentally reprimand myself before approaching the group.
"What's going on?" I ask, not unkindly.
"She was in pain when she woke up. We were going to administer another IV so she could get some medicine but she just-" the med student gestures towards the room, at a loss for words.
"We decided it'd be best to wait for you sir. She was getting more and more worked up the longer we were in the room." A male nurse explains.
I nod appreciatively and dismiss them before cautiously entering the room.
"It's just me Rosalie, Doctor Carlisle." I announced. Knowing she was listening very closely from wherever she was hiding in the room. There was two Cullen doctors in Seattle's general hospital, so I introduced myself to some patients using my first name instead of my last.
It didn't take me long to figure out Rosalie was hiding in the closet -after all, hide and seek was Alice's favourite game.
"Rosalie?" I ask. Knocking on the closet door lightly.
She doesn't answer and I sigh as I sit down cross legged on the floor outside the closet.
"Can you hear me?" I ask. Worrying that there was something medically wrong with her, or that she had passed out.
"Leave me alone, please leave me alone." She begs quietly. So quiet I can barely hear it.
"I want to help you, but you have to come out." I say gently "Can you please come out?" I ask.
"No!" She shrieks. Shocking me. Scaring me more so when she begins repeating "no, no, no, no, no" over and over again.
"Rosalie please calm down. Your going to hurt yourself. You're safe, I'm here." I tell her. Calming a hysterical little girl down through a closet door is no easy task.
"No, no, no, please." Rosalie begs, her breathing becoming more and more laboured as her panic rises. I could tell she was on the verge of an anxiety attack, and if I didn't calm her down she could get seriously hurt. I try to open the closet door and she pushes her feet against it, preventing me from doing so. Though I'm not sure she's fully in reality, or if she's experiencing some sort of flashback.
"Okay, shhhhh, it's okay. You can stay in there. No ones forcing you to do anything. No one will hurt you." I promise. "Just breathe sweetie. Calm down, and breathe."
"They'll hurt me. T-they were trying to hurt me." Rosalie tells me. I hear her breathing loudly still, and I know that it wouldn't take much to send her over the edge in a moment like this. So I choose my words very carefully.
"They're not here anymore, it's just me and you. They would never hurt you Rosalie, I promise if they ever tried to I would never let them."
"They're gone?" She asks, sounding hesitant.
"Gone." I confirm. "It's just you and me."
Very slowly Rosalie opens the closet door, her eyes darting around the room to see if I'm lying. It hurt me that she felt threatened by the people wanting to help her. But I was glad had somehow earned a tiny bit of her trust; something I knew wasn't a thing she gave away easily.
"See? Everything is fine, you're safe." I reassure.
Her eyes flicker to my hands and I recall I'm still holding the teddy bear I'd bought her. When she notices I'm watching her as she looks at the stuffed animal she quickly glances away.
"Do you like it?" I ask, holding out the Teddy bear to her. "I got it for you."
"For me?" She asks disbelievingly, tentatively taking the bear from my arms and hugging it to her chest.
"For you." I tell her, smiling at her. A nurse had rolled up the hospital scrubs sleeves and pants before putting it on Rose (and the outfit was still to large on her), the little girl looked even tinier holding the big stuffed bear. She was so cute.
"Thank you." She gives me a tiny smile in return, cuddling the bear even closer to her body. Before I can say anything else I'm interrupted by a nurse knocking at the door.
"Come in," I call.
A nurse sticks her head in the door and the moment is shattered as Rosalie's smile disappears and she looks at the unfamiliar face fearfully. She hides behind the teddy bear I'd bought her as though it's a shield.
"Amber, what can I do for you?" I ask the nurse in a calm and friendly tone, wanting the scared little girl to know nothing would happen to her.
"Sorry to interrupt Doctor Cullen, but your wife is here to see you." The nurse says kindly. Sure enough I can see Esme standing behind the nurse in the doorway with a pink sparkly gift bag in her hands.
"No worries at all. Please, let her in." I say. Rubbing Rosalie's back reassuringly as she stands up and hides herself behind my legs.
Esme walks into the room slowly, not wanting to frighten Rose. The nurse leaves quickly and Rosalie relaxes a bit as she closes the door behind her.
"Rosalie, this is my wife Esme." I tell the little girl. "She really wanted to meet you."
"Hi Rosalie, I brought something for you. Do you want to come see?" Esme smiles.
I give Rose a tiny nod when she looks at me for guidance. The little girl carefully peaks out from behind my legs at my wife and takes a couple hesitant steps towards her.
Esme pulls out a princes colouring book from the sparkly gift box and Rosalie's eyes widen with wonder as she stares at it.
My wife smiles at Rosalie's awed expression and then at me. I know now that Esme loves the little girl as much as me.
Please leave a review because it'd be great to know someone actually read this after I rewrote it, thanks!