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Chapter Twenty-Seven
Carlisle's Point of View

Twenty minutes after Bella finished her second cup of blood, we had moved the room back to normal. Alice, Jasper, and Emmett were all talking in the attic, and Rosalie was cross-legged on the floor by the couch. Bella was on the sofa with only one tube still hooked into her, the IV hanging back behind the her.

She was bundled like a burrito again, her feet in my lap. She had ahold of her third cup of blood.

We were all watching—and at the same time, zoning out— BONES when Bella let out a low, pained cry. She started to pant, and curled over the bulge in the center of her body. She started to pant, and curled over the bulge in the center of her body. Immediately I was holding her, and Rose, Emmett, And Esme hovered over us. I noticed Alice at the top of the stairs with Jasper, both of their hands pressed to their temples, as if to alleviate some invisible pressure that none of us had concealed inside our heads.

"Give me a second, Carlisle," Bella panted, her face contorting in pain. I felt a pang inside my chest.

"Bella," I said anxiously, "I heard a crack. I need to take a look." I had indeed heard a loud crack coming from her chest.

"Pretty sure"—pant—"it was a rib. Ow. Yep. Right here." She pointed at her left side, careful not to touch it and cause any further damage and/or pain.

"Bella, I need to take an X-ray. There may be bone splinters. We don't want it to puncture anything." I was now feeling extremely guilty. So guilty, that Alice and Jasper retreated again into the attic. I grimaced.

Bella took a deep breath and flinched. "Okay."

I lifted her up, trying not to jar her body as to cause further pain, and rushed her upstairs.

I lay her on the X-ray table, and she gritted her teeth in pain. "I'm sorry," I apologized, turning on the machine. She didn't respond.

Sure enough, her rib was broken, but thankfully there were no shards. I apologized again while taping her up, making sure to secure her rib so that she wasn't in any more pain than she already had been in.


A short while later, Bella was propped up in the middle of the sofa, and the IV had been removed. Rosalie was sitting at her feet, and I was beside her, rubbing circles on her hand. Emmett was on the floor next to Rosalie, and Alice and Jasper were still in the attic. Esme was in town, getting the food that no one would use, to keep up appearances.

"How're you feeling?" I asked her quietly, trying not to disturb anyone who was trying to watch CSI: Las Vegas. She looked up at me and smiled. Her color was back—still pale, but with a rosy undertone—and her lips were pink again. Even her hair wasn't as lank as it had been. This was all thanks to the blood we had been giving her.

"Wonderful."

"How's the rib?" I still felt guilty about that.

"Taped up nice and tight, thanks to you," she said, smiling still. "I can't even feel it." I sighed.

"Well, that's good."

"Mhm." She looked up at me, evaluating my expression, and my probably fake smile. "Carlisle, are you still blaming yourself for everything that's happening to me over the baby?" I looked away. "You are, aren't you?"

"How can I not? Now it's breaking your ribs, love." I ran my finger down her cheek. "How is that not my fault?"

"Well, it's to be expected that if I get stronger, he will too, isn't it?" She had a point—not that I liked the point.

"It is, but it's still my fault." She sighed, knowing she wasn't going to win this particular argument against me.

"Uhm, Rose?" Bella asked timidly. "I have to go to the bathroom."

"Alright," Rosalie murmured, picking Bella up and heading off to the bathroom. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Carlisle, you're going to go prematurely grey if you keep blaming yourself for stuff," Emmett muttered from the left of me.

"Prematurely? I'm three hundred and sixty three years old, Emmett. There is nothing premature about me. And vampires can't go grey, if you've forgotten." Oh, Emmett. What a moron.

"It's a figure of speech!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

"Yes, yes. I know, Emmett. I believe I may have been around when that expression was made." That was most likely a full on lie, but Emmett didn't know that.

"Were you really?!" he all but squealed. "REALLY!?"

I sighed. "You are so gullible." He shut up after that.

Rosalie started back down the stairs, also trying not to cause her more pain. I got up when they reached the couch. Rosalie laid Bella out on the couch very carefully. I watched how, despite that, Bella turned white and held her breath—like she was set on not making any noise whatsoever no matter how much pain she was in.

My fault.

I sat back down by her, and ran my hand across her forehead and then along her neck. She leaned into my hand. "Are you cold?" I asked quietly.

"I'm fine."

"Bella, don't downplay anything. I can't help take care of either of you if you do," I said.

"Alright, I'm slightly cold." I draped a blanket around her shoulders before she could even ask for me to.

"Thank you," she said, smiling.

Not much later, she fell asleep.

Thank God.

Sorry if you think it's too short. But every chapter gets closer to when it becomes mine again! Review please! This was very difficult to write. D: