The last forty-eight hours were the worst that Esme Cullen had ever experienced. When she received a call from the hospital, she didn't expect to hear the words 'your son' and 'car accident' said in the same sentence. Even now as she sat with her unconscious son, she still couldn't quite grasp what had happened.

"This is horrible," Rosalie cried beside her. "Oh, Esme, I feel so guilty!"

"Shh, it wasn't your fault, honey," Esme comforted her future daughter-in-law. "It wasn't anyone's fault."

"But," Rose sniffled. " If-If I hadn't cancelled our lunch date…"

"We can't worry about the what-ifs and should-haves. We can only be thankful that he made it out alive and hope that he'll recover."

As she spoke, Esme reached out and grabbed her son's limp hand. Despite the bandage that covered his forehead and all the wires and tubes attached to him, Edward looked peaceful in his slumber. Esme fervently prayed that he was.

The door opened and Esme's husband Carlisle entered with a bag of take-out. He looked as haggard as she felt; though his suit was still pressed and his hair styled, his skin was pale and the bags under his eyes gave away how tired he was.

"How's Edward doing?" he greeted after Esme stood to kiss him on the cheek.

"Still fine and stable." Esme replied.

"And for now, that's all we can ask for."

Carlisle set the bag on a nearby table as he loosened his tie. "I hope Italian's okay. I was in a hurry to get here and Luigi's was close."

"Italian's perfectly fine, dear," Esme assured him as she helped unload the food. "Frankly, I could eat anything right now and it wouldn't make a difference to me."

Carlisle gave his wife a sad smile as he felt a yawn about to make itself known. He tried to stifle it, but it didn't escape Esme's eyes.

"Maybe you should head home," she suggested softly. "I know you haven't had any sleep since yesterday, and you even went to work today. Go get some rest."

"I'm fine," Carlisle insisted. "I just need a nap and I'll be good as new."

"A nap isn't going to be enough, honey. You need a warm bath and at least eight solid hours of sleep. Edward wouldn't want you to be forgetting your health this."

Carlisle sighed. "I…it just feels wrong to leave him alone like this."

"He won't be alone, Carlisle," Rosalie said as she approached her future in-law's. "I just received a text from Jacob. He said he's on his way over, so you can go home and rest. You too, Esme."

"Are you sure?"

Rose nodded. "I don't mind staying with Edward all night, and I'll have Jacob for company when he arrives."

Carlisle couldn't help the feeling of relief that filled him. "I suppose a few hours of sleep wouldn't hurt. Thank you, Rose. Now, how about some dinner?"

…

Edward almost walked back to his own apartment after leaving Heaven. He didn't mean to do it – it was just an unconscious routine his brain decided to follow since his thoughts were occupied by something – or someone – else.

Ever since he left the café, Bella Swan was all Edward could really focus on, specifically, on what happened to them. He had learned earlier that their friendship was a blessing, so how could he have let it go?

Maybe it was just his seventeen-year-old self being a blind asshole.

Yeah, that sounds like an accurate explanation, he thought with a sardonic smile.

The high-pitched blare of a car horn woke Edward from his internal musings, and it was only then when he realized the familiar street he was walking on, and whose body he was currently using.

"Shit," he muttered. "I really need to think less Edward and more Jasper." He turned around and began walking to Jasper's home.

Another thing Edward apparently didn't realize that evening was just how far his condo was from the apartment Jasper was renting. Within half an hour, he was a tired, sweaty mess who wanted nothing more than to collapse in bed.

And when he reached his destination, that's exactly what he did.

"God," he groaned as he rested his head on a pillow. His leg muscles were aching so much that even moving them the slightest bit was painful.

Not that he had any plans on moving. After lying there for a few minutes, Edward could feel sleep invading his body, and without a thought of protest, he let it.

Almost as soon as his eyelids dropped, though, he felt awake again. Confused at the sudden shift, he sat up and saw Jasper's upper body passed out below him.

"Guess I should let you sleep," Edward muttered as he stood and took up residence on a chair, leaving Jasper on the bed. "What am I supposed to do now, though?"

"You can visit the hospital if you want."

"Jeez!" Edward jumped as Scheduler appeared out of thin air. "You gotta give a guy some warning if you're gonna show up, man."

"Sorry," Scheduler shrugged unapologetically.

"What are you doing here?"

"I can't check-in on my favourite charge?"

"I'm your only charge."

"Uh, no you're not."

Edward's eyebrows rose. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Scheduler looked over him. When she saw how incredulous he looked, she rolled her eyes. "What? I have other jobs, too, you know. You just happen to be my favourite 'cause you're the most entertaining."

Edward ignored the jab. "Other jobs. Like what?"

"Oh, you know. The usual, I guess. Making deliveries for the Big Boss, taking care of some afterlife business…that kind of stuff."

"Is there anyone else going through the same…uh, journey as me?"

Scheduler grinned. "That's confidential, Cullen."

"That figures," Edward sighed. "So, what were you saying about the hospital?"

"You can go," she reiterated. "I hear you have some visitors over there."

That caught Edward's attention. He was so caught up with everything that happened that he forgot his body was still very much in the physical world.

"My parents must be freaking out," he said, tugging at his hair. "My mom…God, she must be so worried. And, and Rose…" he trailed off. Images of her making out with Jacob assaulted his mind, but he shook them off.

"How are they doing?" he asked. "Are they okay?"

"You can see for yourself," Scheduler said. "You don't have to worry about Jasper – he isn't going anywhere after the Chicago trekking adventure you took him on today. And besides, he'll need his rest for his shift at the diner tonight. You know, you really should be more present-minded when you're with him. Poor Jasper's going to hurt worse all over tomorrow."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Edward apologized hastily. "Can we go to the hospital now?"

"You don't need me to do that, silly."

"But you can do it quicker!"

"You have super speed, too, you know," Scheduler pointed out just as the necklace she wore began to glow and vibrate. "Woops, gotta go. The Boss needs me to make a delivery,"

"But – "

"Good luck, Edward! If you ever need me, just call me, 'kay?"

"Sched –"

And then she was gone.

"Great," Edward threw his hands up in frustration. What was he supposed to do – just start running?

Actually, when he came to think of it, that seemed like the logical way to test his super speed.

In about ten seconds, Edward made it to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and after two more, he was standing in the private room where his body rested. No one else was there, though, which both disappointed and relieved him.

Still, he couldn't deny that his mother and father had been there. Esme's knitting needles and basket of yarn were placed near the sofa, and Carlisle's reading glasses were on the bedside table. Unfortunately, Rosalie's red purse was there, too.

"What is she even doing here?" Edward asked loudly. It wasn't like anyone could hear him, anyway. "She obviously doesn't care."

The sound of a door opening interrupted his ranting as Rose exited the en-suite bathroom. It was obvious that she had been crying – her eyes were red-rimmed and her cheeks were flushed – but Edward knew she cried nothing but crocodile tears.

His still crystal-less cuff was a testament to that.

He leaned against the small dining table in the room as he watched Rose tinker with her phone. Edward bitterly thought that she was texting Jacob, but then the latter entered the room.

"Hey," Jacob greeted. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Rose said as she approached him. "How was work?"

"It was work," Jacob shrugged. "Did Carlisle and Esme leave?"

"You just missed them, actually."

"Good. That means I don't have to stop myself from doing this."

Jacob launched himself on Rosalie and all but sucked her lips off. Edward cringed as he watched the disturbing scene play out in front of him.

"Really? You're doing…that while I'm in the room?" he asked angrily. He scowled at his lifeless body as if he could will it to do something, anything, to stop the cheating bastards from eating each other's faces.

"You're lucky I can't scare the living shit out of the two of you," he muttered, his tone and glare acrimonious. If he was going to be a ghost, he could have at least adapted some of the awesome powers they had. Well, he could possess, but his host was really the only person he could do that to, so it didn't count.

After what seemed like forever, Jacob and Rosalie finally came up for air.

"I forgot to ask," Rosalie spoke as she gasped for air. "Are things for the plan moving smoothly?"

"Mm, I forgot you didn't come to work today," Jacob stole a brief kiss. "But to answer your question, yes, everything's falling into place."

"Good," Rose's smile was devious. "If everything goes accordingly, it would only be a matter of time before we finally gain control of Cullen Architecture."

Gain control of what now?!