Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Just my imagination playing around…..I am not a doctor, so if the medical stuff doesn't jive, sorry. It is fiction. : ) Love ya!!!

Chapter 16

EPOV

"What happened dad? What do you mean she was in an accident? What is going on? Is she ok?" I spew as panic is taking hold. Renee and Charlie are listening to me with bated breath.

"She is alive Edward. I will explain everything to you when you get here. Please drive carefully."

"Okay dad. We are on our way" I hung up. Renee and Charlie are now in full blown freak out mode. I explained what little my father told me and feel as if I am listening to someone else talking. I jump into the Volvo as they ran to the cruiser. We took off to the hospital, full sirens and lights to ensure everyone got the hell out of our way. I don't remember parking my car. Dad was at the front door waiting for us.

"What happened?" Renee cried.

"She was at the light at Market and Grand. When it turned green she started though the intersection but a truck ran the red light and hit her on the driver's side of her truck. Thank God her truck is a beast because it could have been a lot worse." Dad explained.

"Okay….Okay so she is alright then?" Charlie asked.

"Charlie" dad began as he walked us away from the front door and down a hall to a waiting area. "When the truck hit her, her head hit the window of the driver's door. The force of the impact shattered it. She has many lacerations to her head, face and neck from the glass and she was knocked unconscious from the blow. The good part is that I do not see any fractures to her skull and her vital signs are strong. It appears though that she has slipped into a coma." My legs completely fail me and I fall to the ground on my knees. Renee is crying and clinging to Charlie who is absolutely stunned into silence. I don't even pay attention that my mother, Alice and Jasper have arrived and they are helping me to my feet and into a chair.

"Bella should be in her room shortly from x-ray and you will be able to see her." Dad continued. "I am going to go check on her status and I promise you we will take excellent care of her."

Charlie is on the cell phone with the police station demanding information on the wreck. Renee is in my mothers arms crying. I finally take notice that Alice has her arms wrapped around me. I cannot help but cry into her shoulder. Why! Why the fuck is this happening. Bella is my whole life. My reason for living. The air I breathe. How can I go on without her? NO NO NO She is going to make it. She has to. We have a life to live together. I will not give up on her.

"Thanks Alice" I squeak out after I regained some control of my breathing.

"Edward, we are here for you." Alice comforts. "Bella is our family too. She WILL be my official sister one day, I know it. She will make it thru this Edward. You need to be strong for her."

"I know Alice. I am just scared. I just got her and I cannot lose her." I sniffle.

Renee comes over to me and I get out of my chair and step into her arms. "Edward, she will be okay. We have to believe that. We will be here for her and love her. I know she loves you Edward. More than anything, she wants to be with you forever. She will fight her way back to us."

Charlie hangs up his phone, "Well, looks like the other driver was drunk. He got off with a bump on the head and is currently sitting in a cell down at the station. I think I am going for a drive."

"CHARLIE DON'T YOU EVEN THINK OF MOVING FROM THAT SPOT!" Renee yells. "You are not going to go to the station and beat the shit out of that man. You are going to sit here and wait until we can see our daughter."

Charlie gets an aggravated look on his face and for a moment I think that he had a point. Someone should teach that piece of shit a lesson. But before I can go further with that train of thought my dad comes back over to us. "She is in her room. It is number 216 down in ICU. Only two people are supposed to be in there at a time, but I won't make them keep that rule as long as you don't have everyone in there at once."

"Dad, has she woken up yet?" I implore.

"No son she hasn't." he says with a frown. "We think this is just her brains way of healing itself. Just shutting down for a little while so she can get the time and rest that she needs to heal."

We all head down to the ICU. I want to run into the room, but I know that Charlie and Renee should go first since they are her parents. Renee grabs my hand as they start to walk in the room and brings me with them. I am so thankful because I think I would've died sitting out in the hall waiting for my turn.

Oh Lord…I am in shock at first when I see her. Tubes everywhere, little bandages on her arm, neck and side of her face. The more I stare at her the more she looks peaceful to me. The same look that she has when she is sleeping next to me. I just pray she is not in any pain. Renee and Charlie walk to the left side of her bed and I take the right. I immediately park myself in the chair there and pick her tiny hand up in mine. It is still soft and warm. I just hold it in my hands as I put my head down on the side rail. I cannot stop the silent tears as they fall down my cheeks. I have never been a very religious person, but I sat there praying to God not to take my angel away from me. Time moved fast even though it seemed to crawl. Alice and Jasper came in to see her. Rose and Emmett even showed up. Emmett forced me to eat something at the threat of him spoon feeding me if I didn't.

Mom and dad convinced Renee and Charlie to go home and get some rest. Renee had to go so she could make sure Charlie didn't go to the station and kill the other driver. Mom and dad knew they could not blow me away from Bella. Dad brought me some scrubs to change into and a couple blankets along with a reclining chair. I had it flush with her bed so I could hold her hand while I attempted to sleep. I was up every time a nurse came in her room. I would also talk to her. Tell her how much I love her and even hum her lullaby like I do when we stay together.

Morning came and I was awakened by my dad. "Hey champ, how is our patient?" He used to call me that when I was little. I knew he was doing it now to try to settle my nerves.

"She is about the same dad. I keep imagining that she is squeezing my hand but she isn't. She just has to be ok dad, she just has to be." He grabs me into his arms and gives me a hug, which makes me feel better.

Mom walks in with Renee. She leads me out to get something to eat so Renee can have a few minutes. She also brought me a change of clothes and toiletries. Dad already called school and told them about Bella's accident and let them know I would be missing a few days too. I will not leave her right now. No way.

I head back in and find my spot next to my love. I just sit and gaze at her. She is so beautiful and amazing. After some time has passed, Renee goes to get something to eat and mom heads home. Charlie has stopped by several times to check on her progress since he is on duty. He said he needed to go to work or he would go crazy. He is also having a good time torturing the other driver who is sitting in a cell at the station.

Night time falls upon us again. The hours seem to be blending together. I am again dressed in scrubs, sitting in my chair, running my fingers over Bella's knuckles, thinking about our future. I start talking to her again. "Bella my love there are so many things we need to do for our future. We need to finalize college and get an apartment. You are going to need a new car since, and I am sorry love, your beast was ruined in the wreck. Oh Bella love, please come back to me. I need you so so much." I laid my head down on the mattress and let more silent tears fall. Out of the blue I feel a gentle squeeze on my fingers. My head jerks up. "Bella, Bella love can you hear me. Bella." I plead.

Slowly her eyes flutter and begin to open. She looks around the room. Confusion and panic cross her face. Then she zeros in on me. Instantly she smiles. I start kissing her hand. "Bella oh God Bella I was so worried. I love you. *kiss* I love you. *kiss* I love you."

I lean up and give her a gentle kiss on her lips. Her other hand finds its way into my hair and I could scream from joy. Thank you lord for giving me my angel back. "Edward" she says with a scratchy voice, "What happened?" After a deep breath, I explained the wreck trying not to frighten her. I cannot help the tears that form in my eyes when I retrace the events leading up to this moment.

Bella puts her hand on my cheek and says "Shhh baby. Don't cry. I am here and I love you." She then reaches her arms out and I crawl into her embrace, careful not to touch any of her wounds. She tenderly runs a hand thru my hair instantly calming me.

She giggles and I look up at her beautiful face. "What is so funny love?"

"I was thinking about how…" she trails off, a sudden blush appearing on her cheeks "how much I want you right now."

I am totally flabbergasted. I chuckle "You vixen you. I would ravage you my love but I think everyone would know what we were doing since your heart monitor would go crazy." I give her that lopsided grin I know she loves and we start laughing even harder.

"I guess we need to let everyone know you are awake, huh?" I asked.

"Okay, but I want you to crawl up here in bed with me and hold me" she pleads with those big brown eyes.

Who am I to say no? I push the call button and let them know she is awake. Nurses come in talking away about how happy they are she is finally awake and check her lines and machines. I take that time to call her mom and dad and my parents. Everyone is crying happy tears. Since it is so late, they all promise to be up at the hospital bright and early.

Once the nurses leave, I gently crawl into the bed and lay next to Bella, pulling her into my arms, careful of the medical equipment. I feel her body relax into mine and her breathing starts to slow into a steady rhythm.

Barely a whisper I hear "Edward, thank you for staying with me, for not leaving me. I love you…always."

"Bella, I adore you. I am yours as you are mine. We are bound together eternally." I place a small kiss on her cheek as we both drift off to sleep. Comforted that we are together, knowing we will get though anything as one.