The Learning Curve: Chapter 52

Forks Community Hospital

"Edward," I sighed, hurrying to him. He was sitting upright in a hospital bed, still in his bloodied clothes, with a bandage on his forehead. "I'm so relieved."

"I'm fine," he said insistently. "Just a cut and a bump on the head. Are you okay, Bella?"

I rolled my eyes at his completely unnecessary concern. "Of course I'm okay. No blood, no foul, right?"

He pursed his lips, and I began to speak before he could. "Edward, I'm so sorry. This was really my fault, and if you want me to leave, I'd understand," I said in one breath.

Edward frowned bemusedly. "Did I really hit my head that hard? How is this your fault?"

I hesitated, unsure whether I should reveal Alice's secret. I trusted Edward to keep the information secret, but I didn't know if he would believe it, and I didn't know if Alice would want him to know. "I distracted you," I finally said. "If you hadn't been so busy paying attention to me, you would have seen the deer sooner."

To my surprise, Edward snorted out a very unamused laugh. "Don't be absurd. I'm the one that wasn't watching the road. And I'm the idiot that didn't just hit the damn deer. I mean, my dad's told me a thousand times that hitting the deer is safer than trying to swerve, but what did I do the first time one jumps out in front of me? I'm so stupid. It was all my fault. I'm just so glad you weren't hurt."

I let out a breath. "It wasn't your fault, though, not really," I whispered, sitting gingerly on the bed beside him. His fingers wrapped around mine, and everything felt a little bit better. "It could have happened to anyone. I probably would have panicked and swerved, too."

He squeezed my hand. "So, eventful day, huh? And you thought meeting my mother was scary."

I laughed dryly. "It's still scary, Edward, totally scary. She wants to talk to me when I go back out there."

"She was impressed with you," Edward said quietly. "She said you handled the accident really well – did all the right things. She was glad you were with me."

I felt my face heat with a blush.

"I'm glad you were with me, too. I mean, I don't like that you were in danger even for a second, but you just...knew what to do and did it. That's really amazing."

"Comes from being a cop's daughter, I guess," I shrugged, feeling shy in the way that only Edward could make me.

"Now," Edward said, stroking his thumb along my wrist, "are you going to kiss my boo-boos away?"

I snorted. "Not if you keep saying 'boo-boo.'"

"Just a kiss, then?" he asked hopefully.

"Maybe one," I teased and leaned closer. I tilted my head away from his injured forehead and pressed my lips gently to his.

"I'm gonna need a better kiss than that," he murmured against my lips, and he held my head in place as his tongue flicked against my lips. I sank into the warmth of his kiss and languished there until a rap on the door made me spring back.

Dr. Cullen walked in then, kindly acting like he couldn't tell what we'd just been doing.

"Edward, they're going to keep you overnight for observation."

"Aww, Dad," he groaned. "Why do I need to stay overnight for observation when I live with a doctor?"

The ridiculously good-looking physician pursed his lips in a gesture that was so reminiscent of his son that I couldn't help staring. "I think it's for the best, son. We need to monitor for brain damage and internal bleeding."

Edward huffed, but apparently wasn't going to argue anymore.

"Hello again, Bella," Dr. Cullen said to me with a jovial smile. "It's a pleasure to see you in the hospital as a visitor for once."

I blushed; the sad thing was, I'd only seen Dr. Cullen a few of the times I'd been admitted to the hospital for injuries. "Hi, Dr. Cullen."

He shook his head. "Call me Carlisle. It helps keep me out of doctor mode." He turned back to Edward. "I've got to run upstairs for a bit. I'll come back as soon as I can, but your mother is dead set on staying here all night with you."

Edward groaned again.

"I tried, son, I tried," Carlisle grinned. "She won't be moved."

I looked to Edward as his dad left the room.

"Aren't you glad that you won't be alone here tonight?" I asked, confused.

"Well, yeah...but my mom can be kind of...well, let's just say she's going to drive the nurses crazy."

I started to feel nervous again. "Speaking of," Edward said, "she's probably dying to talk to you."

I let out a breath and knew I couldn't put it off any longer. "Okay," I said. "I'm going."

A/N: Sorry to those who had trouble reading the last chapter. I don't know what was going on, but it was working for me.