A/n: Tissue warning...some background on Bella is below...

Ch20

EPOV

Bella drove her car and held my hand the whole way there while she talked to Jake on her Bluetooth headset. Her hand was warm and made me feel somewhat calm, but, it also brought the sadness to my heart.

Love is supposed to be soft, like her skin. Love is supposed to be comforting, like her touch.

Why was that upsetting me? I would never know love like that. I made stupid choices. I couldn't fix what I was or what I had done in the past.

I couldn't find it in me to think any more.

My head was killing me and I was finding it hard to keep my eyes open, actually. I tried to rest my head on the headrest but it only made my pain worse from the touch.

I closed my eyes and tried to take some deep breaths, but that only exacerbated the sharp pain in my ribs.

"We're here." Bella said softly as she gently nudged me awake.

I opened my eyes to see a flurry of people waiting to help me and a gurney. I mumbled something and closed my eyes again.

I heard the voices, they sounded like they were underwater and far away.

I think I heard Bella speak something into my ear. I know I felt her squeeze my hand, I hope I squeezed hers back.

She was so nice to me.

I'm sure it was out of pity since I'm nothing more than a weak version of what a real man should be.

"Beautiful Bella." I spoke and imagined that her lips kissed my forehead.

BPOV

He was in and out of consciousness on the ride over, which scared the shit out of me to be honest.

Once we reached the hospital, I didn't want to leave his side but Ben insisted that he had experienced severe trauma and needed to be admitted immediately. I leaned down to tell him I wouldn't be far and he called me 'Beautiful Bella' so I kissed his forehead and cried as they wheeled him away.

Ben stopped and told me that he'd promised Edward that he wouldn't contact his dad but felt that I should do just that, ASAP.

I turned towards the nurse's station and demanded that they page Dr. Cullen because his son had just been brought in.

I then called Mrs. Cope to fill her in, well, as much as I could anyway. I didn't want to 'out' Edward, by any means, but I've known Mrs. Cope my whole life so I gave her an abbreviated version. She was outraged and offered to help by all legal means necessary.

I heard Dr. Cullen before I saw him and he came straight to me, "Bella, what the hell happened?"

"She beat the hell out of him, that's what happened." I tried to keep my anger for this man out of my voice. How does a parent let a child stay in a situation like that, even an adult child.

"My God. This will kill my wife, it has slowly been killing all of us for the past five years." He admitted and played with his cell phone like he was debating internally what he should do.

"You should call her, they should be here," I told him. I remembered my own moment just like he was experiencing.

"Bella, has he told you about this? Has he shared why he continues to stay? We've begged him to come home, to leave her, but, apparently she has something that she is holding over him, well, that's all we can figure out anyways." Carlisle suddenly appeared years older than I knew him to be.

"No, but I have a team working on it, right now. He was trying to tell me this morning but Dr. Harper showed up to examine him so I asked him to wait." I was angry with myself for not allowing him to tell me instead of making him wait.

"What do you mean that you have a 'team' working on it?" He eyed me curiously. I looked around for a private place to talk.

"Where can we go to talk in private?" I finally gave up and asked.

"My office, let's go." He pulled my arm behind him as we got onto the service elevator.

"Don't you want to check on Edward?" I inquired, a little taken aback that I had to ask.

"Dr. Harper is giving me electronic updates to my phone with everything they are currently doing. Thank God for electronic technology because otherwise I'd be breaking all kinds of ethics to be in that room with my son." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"How is he?" I asked softly.

"Not good. His lung is in fact punctured and they are doing a head CT now, but with the assessment I've already received I'm fearful that I am going to have to assist in brain surgery for my son." I saw the tears well up in his eyes as I leaned into him for support.

Oh God, please help Edward. Please save this beautiful man. He can't die. I just found him. I know his heart is good. He didn't deserve this.

But, I knew all too well that good people die at the hands of their abuser. I knew because I buried my own mother because of it. It's why I am a lawyer. It's why I am such an advocate for women's and children's rights.

It's ingrained in every fiber of my being.

I know I haven't known Edward long, but there is a pull I feel to him more than I have to any other client or co-worker. There is just something about him that won't let me give up on him.

The elevator dinged and we walked out and down the corridor until we came to a door that read, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Head of Neurosurgery.

He unlocked the door and we walked in and sat down. Both of us a little uncertain of the other but obviously we both needed something from the other.

"Tell me how it started?" I asked and watched this world renowned surgeon fall apart in front of me.

A/n: Okay, I have 2 more chapters done...but, I'll save them to post tomorrow UNLESS you all want them tonight...tell me what you want...it's up to ya'll;)