The names are not mine, the rest - is.

Complications

Her eyes, dark and dying, were no longer voracious for me, but instead for the light and the understanding of this madness, closed at a rate of a thousand blinks. Her hands, the ones I've held onto for new life, clung to the table's edge. She was gone.

Now on the floor, I sit beside her warmth, and even still I feel the something that brought us here, to this moment. Utter silence at the sight of her - no forethought in my mind, no deliberation, and no precaution for my secrets - for the first time in a long time, I have no idea what's about to happen. No blue existence chasing a red one. No dejection from losing the life I sought with real despair now so close in hand. Nothing but fear. Fear not for me, or for them - the humans clambering for gossip - but for her. For Bella. Lying asleep, hanging on somewhere inside for her prince to rescue her. Is that me? Could I have been her prince? Would a kiss upon her lips awake her? In place of protection, I harmed. In place of courtship, I ordered, ordering our connection, determining our destiny, her destiny and an existence with me. I should have known the demon would win. I should have known not to get too close. She was special, is special. This can't be it.

"Do not touch her!"

"Bro, she totally passed out. We should call someone." The faceless voice, echoing emphatic, insists on my must, yet feels so far from here in my fast approaching suffocation.

"I said, don't fucking touch her. Phone." I hold out my hand, three are offered. I take one, I call Carlisle. I tell him to be at the house.

I telephone Jasper - I can't touch her. She's poisoned, possibly dying. This soft spoken awkward girl who it seems like I just met is now broken in ways I don't yet understand, and I can't even touch her, let alone possess her in all of the ways I've dreamt of for what seems to be a thousand years.

Jasper arrives quickly. He carries her. Because I...can't. I drive as he eyes me, speculatory. I eye him back. This pain a throbbing manifestation of all that's lead up to now. He attempts to discern the cause as he exerts his ability to reign in my emotions from what has just occurred. I don't accept his gift. I did this, and so fully deserve to feel it.

Bella's head rests in his lap, and I only pray to whatever God, whatever Almighty, Divine Being, up in whatever Heaven is popular today, that this gift of Jasper's, is soothing her, relieving her of any pain I may have caused.

She's out cold. Sleeping through whatever nightmares I have bestowed. But there's life, for now. I hear her breathing and it's my only reason to live.

"What the fuck did you do, man?"

"Don't. Okay, Jasper. I told you about this. I told you I wasn't high, that this wasn't a trick of the mind. This fucking mess, it's real. It's all real, too real, and now look. Look at her! So just, please...don't."

I drive my car, carrying her delicate fleeting life, faster than I should.

We arrive at the family home. I'm unprepared for their silence.

Esme comes out first. Emmett and Carlisle follow. Alice stands in the doorway, observing. Of all the things she claims to see, not this? Why didn't she see this?

"Mom, I didn't know..."

"It's alright, Edward. Let your father look at her." Concern. I read well. She is a force and I am accountable.

"Carlisle." He doesn't look at me. "Dad, I..."

"Go inside with your mother." That's it. That's all he says.

-o-

Silver trays lined with metal instruments I don't know the name of. Beeping. A sort of beeping in my ear trying to wake me up. Soothing touches, like someone touching me cold and soft. Really, really soft, like whispers. Voices, and hushed sounds of someone trying to hide from me. Or maybe I'm hiding from them. I still feel heavy, but good. I think I'm floating. More soothing touches, like someone's fingers along my skin, still cold and soft, only this time, the whispers are words, and he speaks and I think I know that voice.

"...but it was just a minute, just minutes. Still it felt instant, the strength, the power."

"Is this the effect of a singer?"

"...her blood. The lines, you really don't see them?"

Broken stories, I'm sort of awake now, listening to broken stories.

"Edward, this is dangerous. You have to be careful with her. Think of the damage."

Edward's here? Edward's here and there's danger?

"But she's my only..."

It went quiet again.

"She's awake. Get Dad. Jasper! Shut up and get Carlisle!"

I don't even...

"Bella? Bella... It's Edward. You're okay. Can you say something? Anything."

"Can I...water?"

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm so sorry.I did this. I held on too long and I...shouldn't have even..."

He hands me water and I don't know what he's saying. Did I pass out from the pain? He really hurt my hand. But my hand is...fine now? I don't feel it anymore.

The water is warm. "I don't understand. Edward, you hurt me...why did you do that?"

He kind of looks like he doesn't understand my question. I wish I knew how to do this. He seems super strong, I think I was just overwhelmed, I was so nervous. I think I overreacted. I think maybe he was just overwhelmed, like me. Maybe he just wanted it for so long, like me. Something happened, it might be bad, really bad, and I can't stop the twirly feeling. I'm all a flurry, full of wanting him near me, wanting him touching me some more. I feel like I've known him, like I know him and I'm just waiting for permission to unlock all the secrets to who we can be.

"I didn't mean to. I wasn't aware of your...our... It appears that when we touch there's a... Bella... I would never hurt you. I would never knowingly hurt you, you have to know that. I hope you see that. I only hope you'll forgive me."

"I'm so tired, Edward. I just... What's going on?" It feels like a dream. Wake me up! Wake me up, already!

"Edward." A man comes into the room, interrupting us. I had to ask, didn't I? After this, after class. Now I'm on a fucking table, and I have no idea what's going on in this strange room in a strange place away from campus, away from home.

The man stops. He waits for Edward to move.

He has blonde hair. He has like, the same eyes as Edward, except they're Edward's eyes only on some days. Some days Edward's eyes seem really dark, the same as mine. But now, they're back to a burning brown aurus, just looking at me, learning me.

The man has blonde hair and he's looking at me. He's holding his fingers pressed to me now and I don't know who he is.

"What did I do?"

"You fainted. Most likely from dehydration." The man is soft spoken, he's like a teacher. Or my dad. He's so final.

"So I didn't vomit?"

"No, you didn't."

"Why am I here, and not a hospital?"

"Edward didn't want you to have to wait in the emergency room, and I was home, so he brought you here for me to look over. You're fine now. Drink your water and then my wife will take you home."

"Your wife?"

"Bella, this is my Father." Edward stands next to the blonde man, they're father and son now and I can see it clearly. He brought me here to his dad, his dad who's...a doctor?

The room we're in is dark, there are grey partitions against the window blocking the light. Would there even be any light? I have no idea what time it is. I have no idea where I am in this town. One wall covered in shelves of books, and cabinets of jars, and here in the middle, trays with medical equipment all in a row. And my hand. My left hand, not the hand that Edward held, not the hand that is currently bruised and swollen and ugly looking, has a needle thing sticking out of it.

"Just procedure." The blonde man says. So final.

Did they take my blood?

He takes it out, and Edward looks at me. He's like, looking at me how he was looking at me when we were at the party, like when we were in class - worried but not nuts this time.

"Will you drive me? Please?" I don't know these people. But I know Edward. I think. And in this moment, right now. It's all I want. And he's all I know, however little.

The blonde man looks at Edward. They don't speak. It's all really weird and I still don't really understand.

"Yes." He says to me. "I'll drive you."

AN:

The Boy takes out time from his own stories to pre-read mine. He's the best!
Next chapters: Saturday, then Wednesday

Slow burn, I'll say - It's a process, filtering the ways, letting out whispers of information little by little. Are you still with me, loves?

Your comments and thoughts are like waking up to Edward. However weird and confusing it may be... Let's figure it out together!
Please and thank you!
samrosey. xo