Sorry for leaving the last chapter on such a cliff hanger. Hopefully this post will make up for it?
A mixture of anger, guilt and regret overwhelmed Edward with each step he took away from Bella's door. He questioned his last words to her, which had been harsh and cutting, meant to wound her in the same way her careless words had hurt him.
But it was wrong of him. He realized that now as he sank into his usual seat opposite Emmett and Jasper at the Kings Cross Road fire station. So what if Bella didn't like him the way he liked her? She knew how he felt about her, how much he cared about her. He had voiced his feelings before. The only thing that kept Edward from reaching out and pulling her into his bed to finish what they had started last Friday night was his staunch desire that sex should not be the foundation of their relationship. It was bad enough that he had come to her at the strip club, had paid her to dance for him in ways he didn't think she would have ever consented to doing for him in daylight…
The last thing he wanted was for Bella to think that he only wanted her for her body. That it was the heated lust that stirred in his loins that he wanted to quench, rather than the simple, yet deep satiating pleasure of waking up to Bella's face every morning, knowing that she was his and his alone.
Saying things like he had… it had been a blatant lie. Edward did care. He'd always care. Even if she didn't like him half as much as he did her, even if everything he did made her end up hating him, it would be worth it if it meant keeping Bella safe – if it meant protecting her.
And how would leaving Bella alone at home like that accomplish that?
"Hey." Emmett looked up from his hand of cards after a few moments had passed and he had still not greeted them. "You're late."
"I got held up at home." Edward said laconically, his eyes sweeping over the poker game that Jasper was, unfortunately, losing quite horribly at. He paused, glancing back towards Emmett. "What's up with you?"
The usually jovial man was quiet tonight, the expression on his face almost miserable; certainly a sharp contrast to the game he was currently winning. "It's nothing." Emmett muttered.
Momentarily distracted from his own worries, Edward's eyebrows rose at his words. "Doesn't seem like nothing." If anything, it looked like someone had run over Emmett's dog.
He looked towards Jasper who gave a little shrug of his shoulders before offering helpfully, "He had a fight with Rose."
Only the faintest flicker of surprise crossed Edward's face before he schooled his features again and turned to Emmett. "Oh yeah? You two… alright?" He asked carefully. He wasn't quite sure how to phrase his words, let alone what to ask Emmett. And judging from Jasper's expression, their friend had suffered the same dilemma as he had. First, the light, 'devil-may-care' attitude that Emmett had fixed on now was confusing because he wasn't sure if it was something he wanted to talk about. Especially not here at the station around their team. And second… since when did any of the little squabbles or rows Emmett had with the women he took to bed bother him?
Of course, Edward knew it was different with Rosalie. They had an interesting, albeit, slightly confusing relationship. If you could even really call it a relationship, that is. As far as Edward was aware, they were just two people that enjoyed each other's company and had sex. A lot of sex. Being one of Emmett's best friends, Edward knew that he confided in Rosalie and found it easy and pleasant to be with her. There was a trust and intimacy there that had never been present in any of the flings he'd noted Emmett in having before.
"I don't know." Emmett said finally and in a manner as vague as any of the times they'd brought the subject of the two of them up. And then, as if sensing that his gloominess was extending towards his mates, he waved a hand and invited them to turn their attention back to the game. "It's fine. You know, women." He made an attempt to sound breezy as he surveyed his cards. "Such difficult, stubborn creatures…"
"Yeah, you've got that right. Her and Bella are just two peas in a damned pod." Edward's tone was a little darker than he meant it to be as he settled back in his chair. Jasper quirked a brow at him but when he made no move to elaborate, allowed the comment to slide by.
Not long after the poker game had ended, the alarm sounded and the boys quickly fell into their places, speeding out into the dark night. It was a dumpster fire that had occurred at a warehouse.
Edward was reminded of another common saying among fire fighters being that they risked a lot to save a life, risked a little to save little, and risked nothing to save nothing. In the sense of this incident, it seemed that there was no need to be all up in arms about something as ostensibly insignificant as burning trash. Certainly not something a whole team of men should be carrying on about, especially since there weren't many civilians around to be injured. But as the contents inside dumpsters are ultimate unknown, it was possible that they contained hazardous materials that could be damaging to the crew and any bystanders.
A fire was a fire, and they knew their duty.
Constantly in action, Edward had very little time to brood over Bella – something he hated and was simultaneously grateful for. It bothered him that he couldn't call her or text her, or have any real way of reaching her really while he was on the job. None of the men could keep their phones on them when they were outside the station for policy and safety reasons… not to mention the fact that hand phones (especially the kind they made today) weren't exactly hardy stuff. The plastic would probably melt in their pockets before they got within five feet of a raging fire and render it completely useless. The only way Bella would be able to reach him was if she called straight to the fire station then those that remained at the station would call it through to the radio in the truck. Something she could hardly have the time to do in the event of a true emergency, Edward thought glumly.
It was close to four in the morning and nearing the end of her shift, he realized.
It's okay; he thought as his team successfully contained another dumpster fire and started to pack up to go. I'll give her a call when I reach the station. Bella could hurl curses down the phone at him all she wanted, but as long as she picked up the phone and he could tell she was all right, he would be good with that.
But no sooner had they turned away on the way back to the station when a call came over the crackling radio unit directing them to a vehicular collision in Tenderloin.
"Drunk driver you reckon?" Jasper asked as they sped off, siren lights flashing, into that direction.
"I hope not." Emmett murmured and Edward knew he was recalling the scene of another recent accident last week that they'd been called to where the act of one drunk driver had caused one car to swerve into another car's lane and killing all the inhabitants in that second car – including the two infant twins strapped in the backseat – upon impact. The details were streaming in over the radio as they raced on; the loud wail of sirens accompanying them every step of the way.
"What did he say?" Edward yelled, not catching the relay on the radio.
"Something about a blue Pontiac. Collided straight on into a building at the bottom of an intersection…" Jasper called back. "And – oh no, it's coming up now. On our left, boys."
The truck screeched to a stop and the whole crew immediately jumped into action. All except Emmett that is, who stopped about five feet away from the wrecked car, his face a complete mask of horror.
"Emmett, c'mon! We've got to move!" Jasper urged, brushing past him to help the other men begin the process of removing the roof of the vehicle. There was only one person in the car, a young woman trapped, unconscious between the airbag and the seat.
"Edward…" Emmett's face was white. He seemed barely able to move his lips.
"What is it, mate?"
He shook his head and pointed to the license plate of the mangled car, barely visible under the dented wreckage. "Rosie." He managed to choke. "Rose – this is Rosalie's car."
"What?" Edward exclaimed, his head swerving back to look. It had seemed familiar when they had driven up to it. But what would Rosalie be doing down in Tenderloin at this unholy hour?
"No, this is – this is her car. I know this is her car! This is her car, Edward. Oh God. No. No. We have to – I have to… Rose –"
"Wait, Emmett—"
But he had already run off, fiercely pulling aside Leo who was cutting away the posts of the car for a total roof removal. "We need to get her out of there!" Edward heard him shouting as he followed swiftly behind in his friend's distraught wake. "Cut these seatbelts! We need to cut the seatbelts!"
"Edward – what is it? What's wrong?" Jasper asked, grabbing onto Edward's arm as they darted to the other side of the car to cut through the mangled steel posts. "Who's in the car?"
"Rosalie. This is Rose's car. Quick – help me hold this. Yank it out when I say so."
"Wait – Rose? Is he sure?"
"Yes, he's sure." Edward said impatiently. "Jasper, c'mon. We need to move fast. Emmett saw the plates. This is her car. Rosalie's trapped inside." He had never in his life seen Emmett so beside himself before, especially in an emergency situation like this.
"No, she's not."
"What do you mean 'no, she's not'?" He gritted his teeth as he cut through the metal, the blades screeching against the posts.
"Edward," Jasper hesitated as he supported the frame of the car as Edward continued to saw on through. "I was on the other side helping Matt cut through the door when we realized we had to get in through the roof. It wasn't Rosalie who was in the seat."
"Then who the hell was in the seat?"
"A girl with dark brown hair."
Edward felt his heart stop beating as the blood drained away from his face in the same way Emmett's had only a few moments earlier. "I didn't get to see her face, but unless Rose dyed her hair pretty recently – what the hell? EDWARD!"
"Move!" Edward found himself shouting as he tore to the other side of the car. "Get out of the way!"
"Edward, what the—"
"It's not Rosalie. It's not Rosalie, Emmett." The look on his face was desperate as he grabbed the cutter from Leo's hands, forcing the last post to slice away the last bits of metal. "It's Bella."
Oh. Another cliff hanger... Sorreeee!