A/N Happy Wednesday! I know I posted on Monday, but I've got a busy weekend coming up and don't know when I'll be able to post, so I thought I'd share another chapter now! :) Thank you to everyone who continues to follow and review this story! Your support means so much to me! 3 Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please leave a review and let me know what you think.

Chapter 58 – Make It A Double

Edward's head was pounding like he barreled headfirst into a brick wall at fifty miles an hour. He could literally feel his pulse beating in his ears and it wasn't a feeling he particularly liked.

What the hell happened? Where is Bella? Those two questions swirled around and around in his head as he tried remember what exactly had happened.

He remembered their meeting with Pastor Webber and how smoothly everything seemed to have gone. He remembered leading Bella out to his car and trapping her against it with his body while he kissed her fervently. He recalled hearing the police sirens and Bella looking around in a panic. He remembered his need to calm her down; even moving toward her lips again, knowing that his kisses always seemed to be able to help settle her.

The last thing he remembered though is what truly troubled him. Fear appeared in Bella's eyes and she screamed for him to watch out. He was just about to swing his body around to where she was looking when he felt the crack to the back of his skull. Somebody hit him hard and he blacked out right after hearing a high-pitched "NOOOO!" tear out of Bella's throat.

He had no idea how long he had been unconscious but he knew he needed to open his eyes. He had to find out what was going on and where Bella was. He became more aware of his surroundings as a voice filled the area around him. He hadn't been able to open his eyes yet because of the pain in his head, but he thought it was Carlisle's voice. He also heard a different siren than before and it sounded like it was headed his way.

"Edward!" he heard Carlisle shout and he then he heard frantic footsteps approaching him. The next thing he knew, someone was touching him gently, feeling along his head with the slightest pressure; then the touch was suddenly gone.

He strained to listen for anything he could make out. A few seconds later, Carlisle spoke again, but this time, he sounded like he was on the phone. "This is Dr. Cullen. I need an ambulance sent to First Baptist Church right away!" his dad yelled into the phone. Thirty seconds later, Carlisle spoke again.

"No Charlie, it's Carlisle." Charlie must have sent Carlisle to the church, but Edward didn't understand why he would have done that. The only answer he could think of was that Charlie had a tip on James' whereabouts.

Oh shit! James! Edward began to panic and tried again to open his eyes, but they were just too damn heavy and he couldn't function through the pounding in his head.

"I'm here, Charlie. I called the hospital right before I called you. An ambulance is on its way." There was a pause while he assumed Charlie was speaking.

"That's why I'm calling Charlie. She's not here. As I was about to pull in, I saw a blue Toyota Corolla screeching out of the parking lot. It looked like Bella driving, but I can't be sure. Whoever it was took off going south."

Bella? Why would Bella leave me here in such a hurry? Why would she be driving in the first place? She hasn't driven since the accident… Unless… That's when everything clicked in Edward's scrambled mind. James… Bella… Bella driving… That fucker! Edward knew the answer as soon as he put the pieces together. James kidnapped Bella, forcing her to drive.

Carlisle's voice broke through his inner thoughts. "When I pulled into the lot, I found Edward lying unconscious on the ground in a pool of blood. It looks like James knocked him in the back of the head with a baseball bat before grabbing Bella."

Edward's worst fears were confirmed. That psychotic asshole had his Bella. He was unable to protect her like he promised. God, please let Bella be okay. Please! He silently begged and pleaded with God, hoping his prayer was heard. He couldn't live without Bella; it was that simple. If something were to happen to her, there wouldn't be any reason for him to live.

Charlie must have asked if he was going to be okay based on what Carlisle said next. "From what I can tell, he'll be fine. I won't know for sure until I get him to the hospital and have an MRI of his head run, but I've got high hopes. Edward is tough." Carlisle's voice changed, becoming filled with emotion, as he continued. "But Charlie? Please find Bella. I know you're the last person I need to say that to, but I don't think Edward can live without her. You can't either."

Edward hadn't even thought about what Charlie must have been going through. He knew Bella's mom took her away when she was little and that Bella didn't have much of an opportunity to see Charlie in sixteen years. Yes, they talked on the phone on special occasions like birthdays and Christmas, but until a few months ago, Charlie was basically a stranger to his own daughter.

The bond between them had really grown strong in two months and Edward knew that Charlie would have a really hard time if Bella were taken away from him again. Carlisle was right when he said the last few words to Charlie. Edward couldn't live without Bella, but neither could Charlie.

The siren from the approaching ambulance blared painfully loud as it pulled into the parking lot and suddenly there were voices surrounding him talking in hospital jargon that he didn't understand. He could pick up bits and pieces of it, like contusion, and possible concussion, but everything else spoken was like a foreign language to him.

As the paramedics were looking over him and checking to make sure there were no serious injuries, he heard more sirens in the distance. For a sleepy little town, it sure is busy today, he thought.

Finally, after they lifted him onto the stretcher and were loading him into the back of the ambulance, he was able to open his eyes. His head was still pounding and his pulse strumming heavily through his ears, but he needed to stay strong for Bella's sake so he pushed through the pain.

Carlisle was right there beside him, watching carefully as the paramedics did their job, so he was the first to notice Edward's eyes flutter open. "Oh, thank god!" he said in a rush as he grabbed Edward's hand. "Are you okay, son?"

He didn't have time to answer though – there were much more important things he needed to talk about. "Dad, where's Bella? What happened after I blacked out?"

Carlisle sighed heavily and hung his head to his chest. His reply came out in a whisper. "I don't know, son; I wish I did. Charlie's looking for her though. I saw the car they drove away in, so at least he's got something to go by." He paused for a moment and Edward felt as his father gave his hand a squeeze. "We'll find her though, I promise!"

They were just pulling up to the hospital when Edward overheard the paramedics talking. He hadn't really been listening, but for some reason, he felt like he needed to pay attention to what they were saying right then.

"We've got to get this one unloaded and head down Forks Avenue toward the bank. There was an accident involving a young man and woman. Garrett and Peter are already on scene and have the young woman out of the car; they'll be here in five, but with only having two damn busses, we're needed to collect the guy."

Carlisle had obviously been paying attention, too, because he looked toward Edward with apprehension on his face. He knew what his dad was going to say before he even opened his mouth, but still it hurt like hell. "That's the direction that Bella took off in."

…..

Bella's entire body ached from the impact. She knew she blacked out right afterward, but she wasn't sure how long she had been out before she heard someone yelling at her.

"Isabella Marie Swan, you wake up this instant! Do you hear me?" Whoever it was, was shouting at her through the broken window of the car while gently shaking her shoulder.

"Dad?" She thought she recognized the voice as belonging to Charlie. She squinted her eyes toward the sound and asked, "Is that you?" She tried to turn her head so that she could see better, but he wouldn't let her.

"It's me Bells. I need you to hold still, okay? Help is on the way." He sounded like he was crying and she wanted so bad to turn and hug him, but he had her somewhat restrained. That's when she remembered that it was Charlie's advice that may have just saved her life. "Daddy, I remembered what you taught me about carjacking's." She tried to keep her voice strong, but it came out shaky and raspy. "I ran the car into a tree on his side, Daddy, just like you said."

Her words seemed to backfire, as Charlie's voice was even rougher when he replied. "You did good, Baby," he croaked out in a whisper. "You did real good."

The next thing she knew, the ambulance had arrived and Bella was quickly taken care of. The paramedics placed her neck in a brace and then very carefully pulled her out of the car and onto a stretcher before lifting her into the back of the ambulance. She felt one of the medics placing a blood pressure cuff on her left arm as her dad started talking to someone outside the ambulance.

"I don't care what you do with him, I'm riding to the hospital with my daughter." After a brief pause, he added, "Don't touch the gun on the floorboard. Have Sam bag and tag it when he gets here." Without another word to whomever he was talking to, Charlie jumped in the back beside her and yelled at the paramedics. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

She didn't know whether or not James had lived through the crash, but she really couldn't find it in her heart to care at that moment. The only thought she had going through her head was Edward lying on the pavement with blood rushing from his head. She was afraid of hearing the answer, but she needed to know.

"Dad, is Edward okay?" Certainly they had found him, right? He would probably already be at the hospital being taken care of. Silently, she prayed that everything would be okay. Then she started thinking about the timing of everything; they were supposed to be getting married tomorrow and there was still so much to do. Would she be held in the hospital? Would Edward? Would they have time to get everything done before the ceremony? Was there still going to be a ceremony? The questions swirled around in her head causing it to ache even more than it already had. "So much for getting married tomorrow," she said as she allowed her eyes to close in defeat.

It seemed like only two minutes later, they were pulling into the ambulance bay at the hospital. Bella opened her eyes again as the back doors of the ambulance were opened. The sight in front of her was enough to make her heart explode.

Edward was there on a stretcher, waiting for her to arrive. When their eyes met, the world around them disappeared and it was just the two of them. "Oh Baby! I'm so glad you're okay," Bella whispered. She wasn't even sure he could hear her because they were still separated by several feet, but the smile on his face told her he had.

Carlisle was standing beside Edward and directed the paramedics to bring her to Trauma Room 2. The thought of being separated from Edward again was unbearable and she felt herself loosing control of her breathing. "No. Carlisle please! I don't want to go anywhere without Edward," she desperately pleaded.

"Shh, Bella. It's okay. I know you don't want to leave Edward. Normally we wouldn't do this, but I pulled a few strings. Edward can go into the trauma room with you while we check you out. He'll be right there the whole time, I promise."

She felt her eyes brighten at his words and she smiled for the first time since she saw James standing behind Edward with the bat. She looked from a reassuring Carlisle, to Charlie who had tears still streaming down his cheeks, and finally rested her gaze on her fiancé. "You won't leave me?" she whispered, still slightly unsure.

"Love, I will never leave your side again, you have my word," he answered with her favorite crooked grin brightening up his face.

She couldn't help but return his grin with a smile of her own. "That might get kind of annoying," she said with a wink at him.

Edward's smile grew as he grabbed at his chest, feigning being stabbed. "Ouch, Baby! How could you say that? I love you!"

She thought he was absolutely adorable. He was doing his best to make her smile despite the circumstances they were in and it was working. A giggle escaped her from his antics but she quickly gasped as the pain shot through her chest.

"Oh god! Bella, what's wrong?" Edward started to panic. "Are you okay, Beautiful?"

As she rubbed her chest gently she looked up into his concerned eyes. "I'm fine, baby. Just don't make me laugh, okay? My chest is sore from the seatbelt, that's all."

Bella smiled as Edward looked to his father for confirmation of what she said. Carlisle shrugged and addressed Edward's concerns. "Son, I won't know for sure until we get her into the room to check her out. You still need an MRI run on your head too, but I'll let you stay with Bella against my better judgment."

She watched as Carlisle looked at the medics who had given them a few moments of privacy. "Alright, let's get them both to Trauma Room 2." Immediately, the men started wheeling both gurneys towards the trauma room. Carlisle walked in behind Bella and Edward and was joined by two female nurses who immediately started hooking Bella up to monitors and checking her blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen levels.

When they had the necessary readings, Carlisle stepped up beside Bella. "Sweetheart, I'm going to need to take a look at your chest and stomach where the seatbelt cut into you. If you're not comfortable with that, then I can call in one of the female residents to do the exam, but I would feel much more confident if I could do it myself."

Bella thought about what he said and then about the fact that this was her soon-to-be father-in-law. She was a little apprehensive about it but looked to Edward for his opinion. He had gotten up off his gurney and was now standing beside her.

She reached for his hand and entwined their fingers. "What do you think, babe?"

…..

"Dad, you need to find out who was involved in that accident. I'm not moving until I know Bella is okay." Edward never really argued with Carlisle over anything, but he wouldn't budge on this one. If it was Bella being brought in, he was going to be right there in the ambulance bay waiting for her.

"Alright, Son. Let me call the station and see what information they have." Carlisle told the medics to leave the gurney where it was and head over to the accident scene. Once they left, Carlisle called the station and talked to someone there. Edward wanted to scream because as soon as whoever it was picked up, Carlisle walked away so as not to be overheard.

Less than a minute later, Carlisle came back and he looked worried. Edward's heart sank in his chest as he waited for his dad to tell him what was going on. "It was Bella in the accident. Heidi doesn't have any more information than that. I've gone ahead and cleared a trauma room for her because I don't know the extent of her injuries and because it will be me working on her, I'll let you stay in the room as long as you remain out of the way, okay?"

Edward was speechless for a moment as he contemplated Carlisle's thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Dad. " He didn't know what else to say so he left it at that.

Three minutes later, Bella's ambulance pulled into the bay and the back doors were opened. He stayed on the stretcher despite the urge to jump into the back of the van and wrap her in his arms. When their eyes met, the world around them stood still. It was as if ten feet and a bunch of people didn't separate them. "Oh baby, I'm so glad you're okay," Bella whispered softly. Edward saw the words more than he actually heard them and a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

Carlisle instructed the medics to wheel her to the trauma room but Bella didn't like that. She immediately started to panic and Edward thought she might have to be sedated. "No. Carlisle please!" she said as she gasped for air. "I don't want to go anywhere without Edward." Her pleas sounded desperate even to him.

His dad was quick to reassure her though. "Shh, Bella. It's okay. I know you don't want to leave Edward. Normally we wouldn't do this, but I pulled a few strings. Edward can go into the trauma room with you while we check you out. He'll be right there the whole time, I promise."

He saw the hope flicker in her eyes as they moved from Carlisle to Charlie and then to him. "You won't leave me?" she asked, sounding completely unsure.

Edward answered her without missing a beat. "Love, I will never leave your side again, you have my word." He gave her his signature grin which he knew always got to her, and when she returned it, his heart started beating again at a normal pace.

"That might get kind of annoying," she said as she winked at him.

He knew she was teasing him and he felt so much better about everything. He decided to play along and feigned being stabbed in the heart. "Ouch, Baby! How could you say that? I love you!" he said, grinning widely.

She started to giggle but it quickly turned into a gasp of pain and Edward started to freak out. "Oh god! Bella, what's wrong? Are you okay, Beautiful?"

He started to get off the bed but stopped in his tracks as Carlisle shot him a death glare. Bella rubbed her chest while looking at him. "I'm fine, baby. Just don't make me laugh, okay? My chest is sore from the seatbelt, that's all."

Edward wanted to believe her, but he wasn't sure so he looked toward Carlisle for confirmation. "Son, I won't know for sure until we get her into the room to check her out. You still need an MRI run on your head too, but I'll let you stay with Bella against my better judgment," he said as he shrugged his shoulders.

Carlisle then turned to the medics and instructed them to take both he and Bella to the trauma room. Once they were there, two nurses came in and hooked Bella up to all sorts of monitors. They printed out the readings and each handed his dad a slip of paper before leaving the room.

As soon as they were gone, Edward hopped off the gurney and walked behind Carlisle as he approached Bella's bed. "Sweetheart, I'm going to need to take a look at your chest and stomach where the seatbelt cut into you. If you're not comfortable with that, then I can call in one of the female residents to do the exam, but I would feel much more confident if I could do it myself."

Edward didn't want anyone but his dad checking to make sure Bella was okay, be he would leave the decision up to her. He couldn't really blame her if she felt uncomfortable with the situation. Seeing her reach for his hand, he quickly placed it in hers, letting her twine their fingers together. "What do you think, babe?" she asked him.

"Bella, I love you so much," he began, "but honestly, I wouldn't feel comfortable with anyone but Carlisle checking you out. He's a great doctor and I know he wouldn't miss anything. You are my number one priority, but I'll leave the decision up to you. If you want a female, I'm sure Carlisle will make sure whoever it is, is competent."

Bella sighed heavily. "I think you're right, handsome. Your father is the best and if it will give you peace of mind, I'll let him examine me." She gave him a tentative smile before continuing. "You just have to promise me that you'll hold my hand the whole time, otherwise it's a no-go. Okay?"

"You got it, gorgeous!" he said, smiling down at her before turning back to his dad. "We're ready dad, what does she need to do?"

Carlisle stepped back up to the bedside and asked Bella to remove her shirt. She started to, but was having difficulty lifting it over her head, so Edward helped her. As soon as she was free of it, Edward looked at her bare chest and saw red. "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch," he growled menacingly.