Hey everyone, I apologize for having to take down, and resubmitting this chapter, but after re-reading, I made serious errors in my writing that I couldn't let go of.

I'm going to re-read a second time now, just to make sure, but hopefully you'll see the changes I made and it will make the reading much better. It irked me so much, and I was trying to find some factual information to help myself out. If something doesn't seem right, just please remember I have no medical background and I'm sorta using some of my famous writer's artistic indulgence...

I am in the process of finishing up chapter 14, just so you all don't think I've been pokin' around. I've just been in a bit of writer's block/RL butt kickin'/world of crazy right now...

See you at the bottom!

Chapter 13: Visiting Hours Part 1

PRESENT

I slowly opened my eyes, and saw the four walls of my hospital room. I wanted to punch something, someone, anything to get rid of some of these emotions that were driving me insane. I didn't like the feeling of going from being blissfully happy, taking Alyssa and Bella out trick or treating, to waking up realizing I'm only remembering my past. I wanted to remember everything that has happened, but I didn't want to have to keep waking up, knowing I couldn't see my Bella or Alyssa. I missed my girls, and it felt like I was watching a movie on TV about my own life rather than actually living it.

I sighed and saw some movement in the corner of my room. There was a man sitting on a recliner, with a tiny woman curled up in his lap, asleep. The clock on my wall said it was after nine in the morning, and I was surprised I didn't wake up to any of the nurses that undoubtedly came in and out of my room all night, nor to the two people in my room right now. I checked the other bed in the room, but it was still made up, so I knew I didn't have a roommate join me at some point in the night.

I cleared my throat and the guy looked over at me. The room was still dark with the blinds down and light off, so I couldn't exactly see who it was, but he didn't look very familiar to me. He gently moved the woman off his chest so she wouldn't wake up and moved to the chair beside my bed. I turned on the reading light in the room and from the angle of the light I could see he had semi long curly blonde hair, and sharp blue eyes. He had a lanky build that would make someone think he was awkward in his movements, but he sat perfectly still in that chair. It was kind of creepy that he hadn't spoken yet and I started wondering if this was the guy who hit us. As I looked closer it didn't seem like he had any cuts on his face, but perhaps they'd already healed.

He sighed and looked back over to the woman in the chair. "You don't remember us, do you Edward?"

Well, he knew my name, so I wasn't too worried. Perhaps I'd met them in the past five months, which is why I wouldn't remember them.

"I'm sorry. I don't know if they told you, but I can't… well.."

"Yeah… yeah, Charlie told us... we just were hoping. I'm glad you woke before she did. I don't know how she'll take it that you don't remember us."

The man turned back towards me, and he had a slight grimace on his face. "I'm sorry. I guess I should at least tell you my name. I'm Jasper, Jasper Whitlock." He held his hand out to me, and I shook it. The name didn't ring a bell to me either. I glanced at the woman and he looked back to her, "That's my Alice. That's Bella's sister."

It dawned on me that these were the two from my mother's benefit, the ones Bella originally came with.

"We met at my mother's benefit. I remember that much." He nodded and smiled slightly, but it quickly turned to a frown. "Yeah, I remember coming home that night and Alice was going berserk. One minute she was all excited for Bella to have finally found someone she liked, and the next worried that we let her go with you for all hours of the night, then back again because she knew she'd be just fine with you. She could see it in your eyes, she said." I looked back over to the woman laying on the couch repeatedly thanking her over and over in my mind for bringing to me the woman I love. I don't think I could thank her enough truthfully.

Alice started to stir. I guess she noticed that her husband wasn't in the seat anymore and her eyes jumped to mine. "You're awake!" She jumped off the recliner and before Jasper or I could say anything she jumped into the bed and hugged me. It hurt a little, but nothing I couldn't handle… that is until she started slapping my arm. "Edward Anthony, don't you ever scare us like that again." She continued to hit me and I grabbed her hands before she could continue. "Knock it off CeCe, you know I'm just…" I stopped talking and looked over at Jasper shocked. His eyes were wide open and when I turned back to Alice she was smiling.

"See, I knew all it would take would be a little slap for you to remember me!" She giggled and hugged me again. I laid my hand across her back lightly and tried to keep my heart from jumping out of place. "I call you CeCe, not Alice." I felt her nod into my shoulder and heard her sniffle. "Yup, you call me CeCe, because…" she stopped and looked up at me with tears sticking to her eye lashes.

"Because Bella calls you Sissy." Alice squealed and jumped up from the bed to hug Jasper around his neck. He pulled her onto his lap and they both stared at me. Just like the first time when talking to my dad, little snippets of pictures popped into my head.

Alice walking into Bella's room and going straight to her closet, while Bella and I were still in bed, naked.

Alice being introduced formally with Jasper by her side in Bella's living room.

Taking Alyssa to see Alice at her boutique.

Alice jumping onto my back like a monkey.

Emmett picking Alice up and hanging her upside down, while she screamed and laughed.

Alice being tossed onto Jazz's lap.

"Jazz." I said quietly.

"Yeah, man. It's us," he said quietly.

I laughed as I recalled these memories. "Did you seriously walk in on Bella and I, CeCe?"

Alice and Jasper burst out laughing at that one. "Well, how was I supposed to know my sister and her boyfriend were getting their freak on, on a Tuesday? You were supposed to be working!" I laughed out loud and grabbed Alice's hand. "Thanks CeCe. I don't remember everything, but I remember a lot more than before." Shooting hoops with both Emmett and Jasper, guy's nights at my place watching whatever game was on, going to the gym… the memories were sporadic, more that I remembered, but still very hazy.

We sat and talked to each other, trying to recall other memories, and laughing at some of the ones I could remember. After a while they both had to leave and we hugged goodbye. A nurse came in and spoke to me about how I was doing, which seemed to be well, and I was told my doctors would be coming in today to see when I could be discharged. She couldn't give me a direct answer, but I really hoped it would be soon. This bed was driving me insane and I really just wanted to go see Bella.

After 'breakfast,' (more like a few crappy drinks since I was still on the liquid diet) and a few hours later, the doctors came in and I was permitted off bed rest. I was given a weird crutch thing to use to move around. I was told to work on using the crutch every so often, but if it seemed too strenuous, or my ribs started hurting more, to stop immediately. My ribs hurt, sure, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. Living with Emmett as my brother, I'm used to pain. The doctors told me if all goes well... meaning I could start eating regular food and using the crutch... I'd probably be in the hospital another night or two, then discharged; fucking finally.

It was tiring to go from the bed to the bathroom and back, so I guess it was a good thing I was still in the hospital, but I really wanted to just go see my Bella. I had just been given my lunch, (more liquid, some solid), when my father walked in. He smiled at me but went straight to the chart at the bottom of my bed. He looked over the few things and then smiled bigger at me "You're off bed rest I see."

"Thank God. I was going stir crazy." I yawned and he nodded as he looked back down at the chart. "Your kidneys look good, so you got the catheter out." I nodded; Thank GOD! "Your blood work came back normal, and it seems your bones are healing nicely on your injuries." He placed the chart back on the bed and walked around to sit beside me. "You'll be discharged soon."

"Yeah, that's what the doctor said who came in to see me this afternoon. A day or two more, so long as I can get some real food in me. You think you can hide a burger in your lab coat and sneak it in to me?"

He laughed and shook his head.

"Follow the doctor's orders, Edward. We'll see about that burger when your discharged."

I nodded and he sat down in the chair beside me. He crossed his ankle over his knee and rubbed his hand over his mouth. I started to close my eyes a little, but then heard my dad speak.

"I spoke to Bella's doctor this morning." My eyes jerked back to his and it felt like I'd stopped breathing. "The doctor is worried about you seeing her. He doesn't want you having another problem with your blood pressure and end up staying here in the hospital longer." I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up a hand. "However. He agreed to let you see her if I and your nurse were in the room at the same time. Bella's out of the critical stage now, and she's been permitted a few visitors, but not for extended periods. You'll only be allowed to see her for at the most ten minutes at a time."

I breathed out quickly a sigh of relief. "Thank you Dad. I promise, I won't get in their way I just… I need to see her."

He nodded and pressed the nurse's button to speak to Jenny, my nurse, to bring in an IV wheelchair. I could feel my heart speeding up. We were going now. I'd see my Bella in a few short minutes. "Edward, you do understand that she's going to be a shock to see, right? She's got the tube in her throat, which has a mask connected around her mouth and nose. She'll have a large bandage around her head and she's bruised. It will be very difficult seeing her like this, and I need to know you're going to be able to handle it."

I nodded and looked at my bed. "I need to see her dad. It's going to hurt, I know that. But I can't sit here twiddling my thumbs, knowing she's in this hospital fighting for her life, and NOT see her if I could make it happen. I have to do this, Dad. I'll be alright."

He nodded and the door opened. My nurse pushed a wheel chair into my room and both her and my dad helped me get into it. Dad proceeded to move all the IV bags over to this hanging thing on the chair, placed my blanket over my legs, and we then started down the hallway.

I could feel my heart aching the closer we got to Bella. I knew we were close, I could feel the connection between us. We turned down the corridor and stopped outside a closed door. Dad looked at me one more time and I nodded letting him know I'd be okay. He opened the door and the nurse wheeled me into the room. The curtain was closed so I couldn't see anything. I could hear a slow beeping and the sound of air moving back and forth, I assumed from her respirator. I took a deep breath and nodded to the nurse who then slowly moved the curtain away.

There she was. My Bella. I could feel the tears running down my face as I saw her broken and laying there. She had an IV in her arm, the mask on her face, the bandage on her head, the bruising on her eyes, they weren't black and blue anymore, but a sickly green from healing… but she still looked so beautiful to me because her heart was still beating. I thanked God over and over in my mind for keeping her alive. The blanket was covering her from her shoulders down so I couldn't see the damage to her body.

"Oh, Bella…."

I could hear the wracking sobs escape from me, and my father wheeled me close enough to touch her. I was a little scared to touch her. I didn't want to hurt her even more than I already had. My father pulled the blanket away from her body a little and pulled her hand out for me so I could touch her. She had the standard hospital gown so I could see the same sickly green bruising on her arm, but there were also newer ones from IV's being placed and taken out. I reached out for her hand and touched her for the first time since this all happened.

I could feel the electric hum pulse through me from her fingertips just like every other time I'd held her. That made me feel slightly better. To know that hum was still there, meant more to me than the heart machine beating. The machine gave me a physical knowledge that she was alive, but the hum told me SHE was still here. She wasn't gone in her heart and soul. I never could make sense of that hum, but it almost felt like it was telling me my soul mate was still here. I was so fucking glad she was still here.

I rubbed my hands lightly over her arm, she felt slightly cold to me.

"Can you get someone to bring in a warming blanket. She's cold," I whispered to my father. He nodded to the nurse who left and I placed my lips against Bella's fingers, leaving light kisses against her skin. After seeing I was okay for the most part, (even though I really wouldn't be until Bella opened those beautiful chocolate eyes) my father told me he would give me a few minutes alone with her. I barely acknowledged him, and he softly closed the door behind him.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I never meant for any of this to happen. I'm so sorry, Bella. I really hope you can forgive me for this. Please don't leave me, I won't be able to take it if you leave me." I continued pressing soft kisses to her hand as I broke down. The love of my life was laying here in this bed, a tube helping her breath. To breath…. God, this is just so fucked up. Why did this have to happen to us?

"You need to come back to me, Love. I can't stand not being able to see those deep brown eyes. So much is going on, I don't even know how to explain it. I need your help, you're the only one who can show me what I've been missing. It hurts baby. It hurts seeing you like this, it hurts going through this alone and I just… I need you so fucking badly, Bella." I felt the sobs coming back up through me and I couldn't hold them. I leaned against her bed crying my eyes out. I felt the tears sliding down onto her tiny hand and I quickly brushed them off of her.

"You're still so beautiful to me, do you know that Baby? Even like this, you are still the most precious part of my life and I can't… I can't BE without you. So you have to get better, Bella, okay? Just… please God, let her get better."

I sniffled and looked up the bed to her. "You have to get better for us Bella. Not just you and me but for Alyssa. She needs her mommy. God, I haven't even seen her yet. She's probably going crazy right now with worry. I promise, Baby, I promise I'll have her come in and see me soon. It's hard though, I don't know how to tell her all this… How do I tell this beautiful little girl that you're fighting for your life, and I… that I can't remember half of the time we've spent together? She won't understand. Hell, I don't understand." I ran my fingers across her arm, light like a feather, and watched the skin pebble under my touch. I smiled at that.

"Do you feel that? Do you feel me touching you? Do you even know if it's me?" I twined our fingers together and felt that hum deepen. I whispered softly, "Do you feel this, Bella? Do you feel the hum? I do. I felt it the moment you walked down those stairs, when I first laid eyes on you. It drew me to you. I couldn't stay away, even when I thought that asshat was your boyfriend, I still had to come to you."

I heard a quiet knock on the door, and I turned to see my father standing there with a warming blanket in hand. He walked over and I saw him place it at her feet. I was about to reach for it when he stopped me. "She'll get more of the warmth if it is under the one she's using now." I nodded my head and he slowly lifted the blanket from her body. My fist flew to my mouth before I registered it, biting hard to keep from screaming out in anger. Her legs were covered in the same green splotches as her face and arms. I turned away quickly, barely able to stand looking at the damage I'd caused. I heard my father replacing the blanket with the warm one, and then tucking the original back over top of her. I turned back around and watched as he placed a light kiss on her forehead and whispered in her ear.

He righted himself and looked at me. "She needs to rest now Edward."

I nodded, using my forefinger and thumb to snub the remaining tears from my eyes. "She's going to get better, right dad? I mean, I know you can't promise me anything… I just… I.. We need her, Alyssa and I."

He nodded and came around the bed to place his hand on my shoulder. "We'll just have to keep praying, Edward. Right now, that's all we can do."

I laid one more kiss to Bella's knuckles and this time spoke more determinedly. "I love you, Bella. You fight for us, you hear me. You come back to Alyssa and me. We'll be waiting for you."

Dad got behind me and wheeled me out of the room backwards, so I would see Bella the entire time. She looked so small in that bed, but she was a fighter. She'd come back to us.

She had to.

Okay, so does that sound a little better people, you tell me. I apologize again for having this come out so badly, and needing the rewrite, but at least (to me) it sounds better.

Anyway, don't forget to review and tell me what you think. Reviews are like an Edward on a mission... straight to you... *sigh*

HAHAHA

See you next time! (I swear it'll be soon!) ;)