Panic

"Watch out now, I see the light,
At the end of the tunnel.
It seems realistic,
That getting there will make us fine.
But watch out now, it's full of glass.
Don't take the chance.
You'll surely pass.
At least someday we'll know the reason why."
Both Ways- Quietdrive

Mood Music: Even in the Dark by Company of Thieves, Carry you Home by James Blunt, and Both Ways by Quietdrive

So a whole paragraph got cut off of the last chapter right at the end, it wasn't anything too important (and most of it is covered in B's and R's POV this chapter) so I am going to leave it as is.

Special thanks to my beta Pixielovestoshop for looking this over so quickly!

Bella was officially bored out of her mind. Edward had only been gone for two days and already she was staring at the walls wondering how to escape.

"This isn't a prison." Rose spoke up then, as if knowing her thoughts.

"My body is just aching Rose, I need to move around a bit. I need a change of scenery."

"I suppose we could let you lay down on the couch in the living room. I could bring in Alice and Emmett and let them hang out there as well. It would be a change of pace and I think it would do you some good if you could interact with them a bit."

"I will take anything Rose, and I do mean anything," Bella begged as she quickly got up out of the bed, her legs trembling from her lack of walking around lately.

"Take it slow, Bella, geesh. The last thing we need is you overdoing it, not only would I be panicked but Edward would kill me."

Bella slowly made her way down the stairs and into the family living area, panting for breath by the time she got to the couch. Alice was sitting on the floor and looked up at her beaming.

"Mommy feeling better?" she questioned.

"A bit sweetie," Bella panted out plopping down on the couch and putting her already swelling feet up. Laying her head back she breathed deeply, trying to catch her breath. Bella could hear the phone ringing in the distance and Rose quickly picked it up.

Rose's eyes diverted up to hers and she mouthed Edward, her brow knit in worry. This was most likely due to the fact that she was already allowing Bella to break Edward's rules.

"Hello to you too," Rose muttered clearly irritated at something he had said. She paused for a moment listening to something and then quickly answered. "Everything is fine; I thought you were supposed to be in meetings all day?"

Bella chuckled softly to herself; leave it to Rose to deflect whatever questions Edward was throwing her way. Rose looked up at her once more frowning at her panting before looking at the phone and sighing, "She is taking a nap right now."

It was clearly a lie and Bella felt a momentary pang of guilt until Rose came and sat beside her.

"He had to get back to meetings but he just wanted to call and check on you."

"That was sweet," Bella responded.

"Irritatingly perfect timing," Rose muttered, "Figures he would call the exact moment I let you break the rules. It's almost like that man has a homing chip on you or something."

"Don't be absurd," Bella laughed.

"Just saying," Rose shrugged her shoulders, nose scrunched in distaste. "Please tell me that I am not looking forward to an afternoon of Dora the Explorer. I just don't think I can take it."

Bella shrugged her shoulders watching Alice and Emmett interact on the carpet. They sat together, shoulders brushing, fixated on the show in front of them. Her focus was brought back to Rose by the loud groan the woman let out.

"I'm kind of tired anyways," Rose stated sighing and rubbing her eyes. "I might head up and take a quick nap." Her eyes narrowed at Bella and she raised a finger pointing at her. "You do not try and head upstairs without me."

"Got it, mommy." Bella's voice dripped with sarcasm and it caused Rose to scowl.

"I mean it."

"I know," Bella replied letting her head rest on the pillow behind her. "Message received."

--

Bella woke up from a sound sleep to the grumble of her stomach. Looking at the clock she realized it had been hours since she had last eaten. Looking at the two bodies curled on the floor, she smiled at Alice and Emmett, peacefully asleep.

Sitting up, her stomach groaned loudly in despair. She looked around the room before calling softly into the air, "Rose?" When she didn't receive a reply she sighed, frustrated at her growing hunger. She couldn't go up the stairs to wake her friend, but she also wasn't supposed to be up and moving around.

Her stomach cried in protest, creating a deep pain in her that caused her to cry out. She needed to get food and she needed it now. Pushing herself off the couch she waddled her way around the children and into the kitchen. Opening the now mostly empty fridge her stomach cried out in protest.

There was no quick fix; she was going to have to cook.

Bending over to pull out a pan, she felt a head rush and quickly put her hand on the counter to hold herself up from falling. Placing the pan on the burner she quickly grabbed ingredients to make macaroni and cheese, figuring the kids would need to eat as well. Plus it was something she could make quickly.

Pulling the milk out, she set to warming it on the stove, keeping her attention on it so it wouldn't scald. Her stomach cried out once again and frustrated by the time it was taking, Bella grabbed some bread to make toast. That would hold her over.

Her feet began to ache from standing and she contemplated pulling in a chair to sit down at while she cooked. Bella could feel herself becoming tired and quickly grabbed and sat on a stool, her head rushing and spinning as she looked around the room.

It was difficult to breathe, difficult to move, her chest tightened. It felt like a panic attack and yet it didn't. She was terrified.

Her breathing came in pants and she could feel the pain in her chest swelling and cresting, bringing her to her knees at the bottom of the stool. Her hand gripped the counter, trying to pull herself up but she felt so weak, so tired.

The room began to spin and then go black. She could hear a cry escape her lips and as her eyes closed her last thought was of Edward.

--

Switches to Rose's POV

There was a frantic knock, before a door was slammed open. Someone tugged on Rose's shirt softly at first and then incessantly. Someone was crying.

Rose woke to the incessant tugging of Alice and Emmett, both with tears streaked down their face. Alice was as pale as a ghost and her whimpers only seemed to escalate when Rose looked down at her.

"What's wrong?" Rose questioned.

Alice muttered through her sobs, the snot and tears making it impossible to understand her. Rose looked at her in confusion, through a sleep induced haze before turning to Emmett. Before she could ask the boy the same question the incessant and irritating beeping of the fire alarm rang shrilly through the house.

"Mommy," Alice sobbed.

Jumping up and grabbing both children Rose ran down the stairs, her eyes topping on the empty couch.

"FUCK." Rose muttered grabbing her cell from her pocket. "Alice, Emmett," she addressed the two children her eyes roaming over the room looking for a sign of Bella. She could smell smoke filling the air and she turned around seeing the stream exiting from the kitchen. "You two need to go outside for me," her voice was panicked and she tried to calm it so as not to startle the children, "Go stand outside by the mailbox. Stay there."

They nodded their heads, tears still falling as they ran out the door. Pressing the speed dial Rose called Jasper as she followed the stream of smoke into the kitchen.

"Hey Rose. What's up?" Jasper asked.

"Jasper, get over here NOW." Her voice was panicked and she entered the kitchen her eyes scanning the room to take in the scene.

There was a pot on the stove in which the smoke was coming from. Running over to it, Rose could smell the burnt milk her nose crinkling in response. Flipping the stove off her eyes diverted looking around the room. Bella lay on the floor, her body crumpled like a rag.

Rose dropped to her knees sobs escaping her lips as she threw the phone down, lowering her head to make sure that Bella was still breathing. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she felt the soft brush of air flutter across her face.

It was weak, but it was there.

Grabbing the phone her breath came out in gasps as she lifted the phone up to her ear. "Call an ambulance."

"What's wrong?" Jasper spoke and she could hear him clearly moving around on the other end. Words escaped her as she looked down at her friends buckled body on the floor.

Sobs escaped her lips and her voice trembled out a single word. "Bella."

--

It took the ambulance ten minutes to arrive. It took Jasper five. Carrying the sobbing children into the house he called for her, his voice shaking. Rose immediately reprimanded herself. She had completely forgotten they were outside waiting for her. What if something had happened to them as well?

"In the kitchen," Rose called her voice cracking and breaking. He entered looking at the sight in front of him, gasping.

"I don't know if we should move her, I don't want to hurt her further."

He nodded his acceptance of the plan setting Alice and Emmett down and bending down to check Bella's pulse.

"Did you call Edward?" Jasper questioned.

"And say what?" Rose's voice broke.

"Don't you think he needs to know?"

She nodded her agreement unable to speak. It was her fault Bella was laying on the floor, she suddenly felt hollow.

"What happened?" Jasper questioned pulling his phone out and looking at it as if it was a snake that was going to bite him.

"She was so restless; I figured what was the difference if she lay in bed or on the couch. I brought her down here with the kids. After awhile I got tired and told her I was going to take a nap. She promised me she would stay put until I came back down."

"She didn't."

"Obviously," Rose snapped her eyes watering. "Give me the damn phone, I was responsible for her."

Hitting the speed dial the phone immediately went to voicemail. Looking up at Jasper, Rose sighed flipping the phone closed.

"No answer."

"Leave a message."

"Is this really something you would want to find out about on a message?" Rose questioned.

He shook his head no, his head lifting up when they heard the front door open.

"In the kitchen," Jasper called to the paramedics.

--

Bella was in critical condition. She was in the unit. The words swelled around in Rose's head filling her with an immeasurable amount of guilt. The paramedics had brought her to the Emergency Room where she was quickly moved to an environment deemed more suitable.

She still had not awoken.

Rose had tried to call Edward at least three more times, each time receiving his voicemail, before the nurse had told her that cell phones were not admitted in the unit.

She and Jasper had shared a look and quickly turned their phones off.

This wasn't going to be good.

Setting at Bella's bedside, Rose held her hand the small sobs escaping her lips. The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. There were limited tests they could do since she was pregnant and what little information they could gain from them wasn't helpful.

Rose was getting frustrated.

The only thing they could clearly tell her was that something was happening with Bella's heart. While at least it was a step in the right direction, it wasn't enough. They needed Edward here, he was a cardiologist after all, and Rose knew without a doubt he wouldn't give up until he figured it out.

Looking at the clock Rose winced at the time looking over at Jasper who sat in the corner staring into space. After the paramedics had shown up, Jasper had taken the children to Sue's explaining it was a medical emergency before rushing to the hospital.

Rose knew that Sue would keep the children overnight but they had likely been traumatized by what they had seen. She needed to be there for them since Bella couldn't right now.

"We should probably go pick up the kids," Rose stated her voice gravelly from the exertion.

"Do you really think that is the best idea?" Jasper questioned softly.

"They need family right now," Rose replied standing up and placing a gentle kiss on Bella's forehead. "They have been through so much today."

Jasper stood sighing as he moved to stand next to her.

"How are we going to tell Edward?"

"No clue," Rose sighed, "but it needs to be done and fairly quickly."

--

Rose stood against the side of the building, Jasper standing next to her. The fresh air was refreshing. The minute the thought crossed her thoughts she once again felt guilty. Holding the phone unsteadily in her hand she powered it on, ignoring her voicemails she pressed the speed dial.

"Rose I have been trying to get a hold of you."

She steadied her voice and resolve before responding. "I see that."

"Do you and Jasper ever pick up your phones?"

The mindless chatter spurred her heart on and she could feel it drumming in her ears. She needed to be honest, needed to own up to her mistake. "Jasper was with me and our phones were turned off, therefore we didn't know you were calling until we turned them back on."

"Why did you turn your phone off? I needed to get a hold of you." Edward sounded annoyed and Rose couldn't help but wonder how he would feel when he found out why their phones were off.

"I'm here now," she sighed, tears stinging at her eyes. She was exhausted.

"You said you were with Jasper?"

Rose pulled the phone away from her ears tears running down her cheeks.

"I can't do it." She whispered to Jasper. He moved closer to her taking the phone from her hands and placing his free hand on her shoulder.

"Hey Edward, I'm going to tell you something and I need you not to panic." Jasper kept his voice calm and Rose was amazed at his ability to control his emotions. She was surprised that she could still hear Edward talking as he answered Jasper.

"That's fine but I need to let you know that I am on my way home. My flight leaves in 10 minutes."

"He's on his way home," Jasper growled to Rose his eyes wide.

"We should wait until he gets here to tell him," Rose stated stress clearly having an effect on her.

"We can't do that. We have already waited too long."

"That is probably a good thing," Jasper spoke hesitantly leading him into the conversation.

"What do you mean?" Edward asked confusion evident in his voice.

"Bella is in the hospital."

"What do you mean Bella is in the hospital?" Edwards voice rose and Rose could picture him losing control in the airport and being detained by security. Grabbing the phone from Jasper she looked at him and mouthed sorry as she lifted the phone up .

"We have to go Edward; we will explain when you get here," Before he could respond she clicked the end call button.

"What the fuck?" Jasper stated looking at her in awe.

"Trust me," Rose stated, "It's better if he doesn't know how bad it is. We don't want him losing control in the airport and getting detained by security."

"You are so dead when he gets here," Jasper's voice was filled with awe.

"I would expect nothing less."

Thanks to all of you who reviewed or added this story to your alerts or favorites!

Check out the thread for this story on Twilighted! Also check out my ff forum. Both links are located in my profile!

A few of you asked so I thought I would clarify: A sneak peek is emailed out to those that review… This sneak peek is different, however, from the one posted on the forums!