Edward's eyes flickered open and a grin spread across his face.
It was his birthday, sweet sixteen.
"Fucking finally," he muttered as he climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. One thing that sucked about having an early birthday, meant no beach party. It was already too cold to go swimming, not to mention school had just started which meant there were going to be curfews in place (not that he never didn't have a curfew, it was just more lenient in the summer). But they were still going to make the best of it. Edward, Emmett, their new friend Ben and Megan were all going to the movies and then were going to meet Esme and Carlisle for dinner. Megan and Edward had, had a fling going on for a while, but neither were seriously ready to commit to a relationship, they were both still young after all.
"Happy birthday, bub!" Carlisle exclaimed as his son came down the stairs. Edward smiled as his dad pulled him into a hug and kissed his head.
"Thanks, Dad," Edward replied.
"I can't believe you're sixteen."
"Dad," Edward whined but smiled a bit.
"What? It seems like just yesterday I was potty training you."
Edward turned red. "You find a way to embarrass me at every turn, don't you?"
"Of course I do, you're my son," Carlisle replied with a smirk. "So, where are we meeting you for dinner?"
"Just at the diner, I don't need anything fancy." Edward grabbed an apple off the counter and took a bite "Oh and I'm signing up for driver's ed today."
Carlisle cocked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
Edward sighed. He knew this was going to be a hard subject. While most of his friends were already driving their parents' car in parking lots, Edward had never even touched the wheel. Not only because Carlisle was a surgeon and saw so many reckless teen drivers, there was also the fact that Edward's biological parents had died in a car accident. It had troubled Edward a bit as well, but he knew he was ready.
"Dad, I'm sixteen, I'm ready to start learning. Plus, it'll be easier if I have my license in six months," Edward told him. "I can start driving myself places."
"Edward, I don't think you need to rush it."
"I'm not rushing it, Dad. I could've taken the course a year ago and gotten my license now."
"Well thank goodness you didn't, you're not ready to drive."
Edward rolled his eyes. "How would you know, Dad? I've never driven before."
"And for good reason," Carlisle said firmly. "You don't need to be driving yet, I can still drive you to school and where you need to go."
"What about when you're at work? Or if I just want to go somewhere without you?"
"You can get a ride from a responsible driver."
"No one will ever be responsible in your mind!" Edward snapped. He hated that this was how his birthday was starting out, but he was getting irritated. He wasn't a child anymore.
"Edward," Carlisle warned.
"No, Dad! I'm not a little kid anymore!"
"I'm aware of that."
"Then treat me like the teenager I am and let me learn how to drive."
"Let's not discuss this now. It's your birthday."
"If we don't discuss this now, we never will."
Carlisle sighed once again and grabbed his things. "Edward, you're not getting your permit and that's that. We'll revisit this in a year or so."
"A year or so?! Dad! It's not like I'm asking for a car or anything!"
"Edward, stop raising your voice at me," Carlisle warned.
"This is fucking bull shit."
"Edward Anthony! This ends now. You're right, you are sixteen, so stop throwing a tantrum because I told you no."
"You can't stop me," Edward retorted defiantly, crossing his arms.
"I won't sign off on the class, so you can just forget about it. Now stop being a brat, we need to leave."
"I'd rather walk." Edward grabbed his book bag and stormed out the door, slamming it shut behind him.
Carlisle tried to stay calm on his drive to work, but it wasn't easy. He kept thinking about his argument with Edward. He hated that they fought about it on Edward's birthday of all days but wondered why Edward insisted on picking the fight on this day. It was inevitable, though. Carlisle had been planning his answer for a long time.
Edward was responsible and in some ways, maybe he was ready. But in others, he was still just a child. He "forgot" to wear his helmet when he rode his bike some days. What if one of those days he "forgot" to wear his seatbelt?
"You okay Carlisle?" Esme asked him as they changed into their scrubs. It was rare they worked the same shift, but when they did, he was glad. The pair had become closer than ever but were managing a professional relationship at work. "Sad about your little boy turning sixteen?"
"No…well yes, but that's not why I'm upset. We got into an argument this morning."
"On his birthday?" Carlisle nodded and Esme shook her head. "Carlisle, come on, you need to learn to pick your battles…"
"He started about driving Esme, what was I supposed to do? I told him he wasn't getting his permit and I even told him we shouldn't have the conversation today, he insisted."
"Oh geez, Carlisle…" But Esme didn't dare say anything else. She realized Carlisle's reasons. She had never knew the late Dr. Massen but she did know the legacy he left on the hospital. Even she could not fathom how a surgeon would make such an error as not wearing his seatbelt.
"I know, deep down, that I should let him, but I…I just can't. I can't lose him, Esme." Carlisle stared down at his scrubs.
"He could be a responsible driver," Esme said, trying to play devil's advocate.
"Or he could wreck."
"Look, let's not focus on it now. We have a long day ahead of us and then we can go and have dinner with him. Both of you should be cooled off by then."
Edward shut his locker door and turned to face Emmett. "I just don't understand why he's being so hard headed."
"Edward, is this really how you want to spend your birthday? Obsessing over your dad?" Emmett asked.
Edward sighed. "I guess not. I just…he got me so mad."
"Just let it go. Come on, we've got an easy day today and then we're going to go see the goriest movie we can."
Edward couldn't help but chuckle as Emmett slapped him on the back and the two made their way down the hall.
The day passed on pretty quickly and soon they were on their way out. Megan was standing by Emmett's car, a smile on her face. It was raining pretty hard, but it still wasn't going to damper their mood.
"Ready for gore?" she asked the boys.
"Duh," Edward told her as he climbed into the passenger seat. His friends got in the car with him and soon they were on the road.
"Does your dad know which movie we're seeing?"
"I really don't want to think about him right now," Edward told her, causing Megan to nod and soon the subject was changed. Only when Emmett started to slide, did Edward start to get freaked out. "You okay, Em?"
"Yeah, I don't know what's going on," Emmett told him, as he tried to focus on the road but felt himself sliding again. "These tires are brand new."
"Emmett, watch out!" Megan screamed from the backseat. Emmett squinted through and could see headlights. He tried to swerve but it was too late. Soon his Chevy had collided and Edward found his word going black.
It was a speech Carlisle had to give many times in his years as a surgeon and they were never easy.
"We did everything we could, Ms. Stanley," Carlisle told the mother of his patient. "But he just didn't respond to the surgery."
The words, telling a parent that their child wouldn't be able to come home and play, that a husband would not be joining his wife in bed…ever again.
From the pain on the loved one's face, to how formal he was forced to be, it was and would always be the hardest part of this doctor's job, no matter how many times he had to do it.
After going over everything with Ms. Stanley, he headed back towards the exit. He had a rough day and all that was getting him through was finishing it so he could join his son for a birthday dinner. It reminded him that he had to go home and get his presents so he could open them at the restaurant. That's when he felt someone grab his shoulder. He turned around to find one of the nurses standing there.
"Dr. Cullen, the E.R's been trying to page you for fifteen minutes," she told him.
"Sorry, I was with a patient's family, I had it turned off. What's going on?"
"There was an accident involving two cars, they're bringing the victims in now but will need your help."
"Of course." Carlisle took the elevator down and headed towards the emergency room. Outside, he could see the ambulances, four gurneys were being pushed in. The first two whisked by but then he saw a familiar face on one…
"Megan?" he rushed over to her. Megan, are you alright?"
"Dr. Cullen…I'm fine…I told them I was fine," she said, her voice cracking.
"She couldn't move her arm at the scene, we just wanted to get X-Rays," the EMT explained. "You know her?"
"She's a friend of my son's…" he trailed off and suddenly it hit him like a ton of bricks, his stomach slowly dropping. "Megan…was Edward in the car with you."
Tears welled up in the young girl's eyes. "I'm sorry Dr. Cullen, I am so sorry." Before Carlisle could ask any more questions, she was taken to the back. He looked up and the sight in front of him, caused his heart to shatter.
His son…his baby boy…laid on the stretcher, his eyes shut. His face was bleeding from so many different places and his clothes were torn. He could see the marks going up his son's chest…fresh from an airbag. Without even examining them, he knew his ribs had to be fractured.
"No," he whispered. He ran over to the stretcher. "Edward, bub…"
"Dr. Cullen, we need you to back up," one of the EMTs said.
"This is my son!" Carlisle cried out. "You…you have to let me go with you."
"You know very well you won't be able to operate on him, Dr. Cullen," the EMT explained.
"Screw protocol, this is my baby!" Carlisle felt so helpless as they ignored him and pushed him through a row of doors, he went to follow when someone grabbed his arm. He whipped around and saw Esme standing there. "Esme."
"I got the page, I explained everything to them already. Go change, you're done for the day."
"Esme. That is my son…"
"And you know just as well as I do that you can't operate on him. I'm going to make sure he's okay."
"But Esme…"
"Just go change Carlisle, the chief is insisting on this one." Esme kissed him quickly. "I'm going to take good care of him, you know I wouldn't let anything hurt him." And with that, she was gone.
He took off for the locker rooms and changed, before racing back upstairs. He was unconscious. Megan was fine, but his baby boy…anything was possible at this point in his mind. What the hell had happened? Emmett was the only one of the three with their license and he was a good driver.
"Dr. Cullen." Carlisle turned around and saw Emmett standing there. Speak of the devil. The sixteen year old looked fine, though he had a few scrapes on his forehead. "Where's Edward?"
"They took him and wouldn't tell me anything," Carlisle responded, a tad coolly, trying to remind himself he didn't know the whole story. "What the hell happened?"
"We were driving to the movies and it was pouring. Normally I'm good in the rain, but my tires weren't cooperating and we kept sliding. I don't know what the hell happened." The teenager tilted his head back. "I…I don't remember what happened. One minute, I was trying to regain control and the next, Edward was unconscious and Megan was screaming. I…I am so sorry Dr. Cullen, you know…you know I'd never do anything to hurt either of them."
Carlisle took a deep breath and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know son, I know. It's okay. How did you get here?"
"The cops kept me behind to have me answer questions and then gave me a ride. Is Megan okay?"
"She seemed fine. Go call your parents and let them know that you're safe, okay?"
Emmett nodded and walked off as the doctor slid into the seat, putting his head in his hands, his mind floating back.
"I'm doing it Daddy, I'm doing it!" Edward screamed and Carlisle grinned.
"You are bub, you're doing so great!"
Edward was six years old and riding his bike without training wheels for the first time ever. And surprisingly, he was doing really well, Carlisle barely had to help him. Carlisle could feel his heart swelled up with pride. His baby boy was doing it, he was riding a bike.
And then, there was a crash. Carlisle snapped out of his pride and saw that Edward had collided with some trashcans. He took off running and knelt next to him. The bike was perfectly fine, but Edward was now off of it, sitting on the ground, holding his arm and crying. Though his elbow was padded, his arm had a long scrape and was bloody.
"Daddy," Edward cried. "It…it hurts."
"Oh baby, I know, it's okay," Carlisle whispered soothingly as he lifted him into his arms. "Daddy's gonna make it all better, okay?" He carried him into the house and set him on the island. His doctor side taking over him, he examined the arm, everything seemed fine and the cut wasn't deep enough to need stitches, it just needed to be bandaged.
Carlisle grabbed his kit and took out some rubbing alcohol, causing Edward to yelp. "Oh bub, I know it stings, but Daddy's got you. Try to think about good things."
"Like…like what?" Edward sobbed.
"Hmmm…how about those butterflies you guys watched grow in class, remember them?" Carlisle asked his son as he continued to rub it on.
"Uh huh," Edward said.
"Remember all the colors they were? Tell me which colors."
"Blue and green," Edward said, his tears subsiding as Carlisle took out the bandage. "And orange, Daddy, that one was super cool."
Carlisle grinned as he placed the bandage on his son's arm. "There we go, all done."
"Really?"
"Uh huh, see I told you I'd make it all better. And if you're ever in pain, what are you gonna remember?"
"Good things, like butterflies."
"Thatta boy." Carlisle grinned and took him off the island, putting his kit away.
"Daddy, can I try again?" Edward asked him, looking at him with big eyes. Carlisle couldn't help but grin wider.
"Yes, of course you can."
Carlisle bit his lip, wishing this injury was like that one. His mind then floated to another memory.
"The last thing I told him was to stop being a brat," he mumbled.
"What was that?" Emmett asked as he slid next to him, causing Carlisle to sit up straight.
"The last thing I said to Edward this morning, was to stop being a brat. It should've been "Happy Birthday" or "I can't wait for tonight" or… " he drew a breath. "Or telling him I love him, but instead, I was lecturing him."
"He knows how much you love him, Dr. C," Emmett assured him.
"I just wish I could be in there with him, he's my baby." He then realized he probably shouldn't have said that in front of his son's best friend but Emmett didn't seem to care.
Time passed and Megan's parents came, only to soon take her out. She had fractured her elbow and needed to rest. Carlisle promised to pass on well wishes to Edward and Emmett said he'd call as soon as they knew anything. But still, no word from Esme or from anyone.
For the first time, Carlisle knew how his patients' families felt. Here he sat, wracked with worry. He was helpless, he couldn't go in there and help his baby boy. He couldn't stand next to his son and assure him that it would all be alright…and he didn't even know if it would be. No one was telling him anything and no one was attempting to comfort him.
Worst of all…he could possibly be at the receiving end of the very speech that he had given to a family today.
The thought alone brought tears to his eyes. That couldn't be it, this couldn't be how his son's life ended. It was supposed to go on, long after Carlisle's did. A parent is not supposed to outlive their child.
After even more time passed, Emmett had to leave, his parents had shown up, just getting off work themselves and felt he needed to rest. Carlisle's sister was out of town, leaving him completely alone with his thoughts.
Finally, the doors opened and Esme stepped out, wiping her forehead. Carlisle leaped out of his seat and rushed towards her.
"Well?" He felt his heart racing even harder at this point.
"I wasn't the main surgeon, but I was there for the whole thing. He had broken his ribs along with his leg, the leg is what they had to do surgery on. He also fractured his collar bone. Most of the damage was done by the airbag, not from the accident," his girlfriend explained.
"But he's fine?" Carlisle asked.
"He will be. We put some medicine in him to keep him out for the surgery, but he should come to soon. They're moving him upstairs for observation, I'll take you to him."
Carlisle let out a deep breath, feeling relief rush over him. He followed his girlfriend up the elevator and soon they were in Edward's room. He was in the bed, hooked up to a simple IV. His leg was slightly elevated and there was a wrap poking out from his hospital gown. He had stitches lining his forehead and chin. The sight pained Carlisle, but he kept reminding himself that his son was fine.
He made his way over to the bed and carefully sat on it, taking his son's hand. "Hey bub, it's me, I'm here." The sound of his son's breathing helped his muscles loosen. "Daddy's here. It's all going to be okay, I know it hurts, but just try to think about good things."
"Butterflies," Edward mumbled sleepily, his eyes still closed. Carlisle let out an even bigger breath of relief and a smile finally broke through. "Orange butterflies."
"That's right," Carlisle whispered, stroking his son's hair and those beautiful eyes flickered open.
"Daddy," he muttered.
"It's alright bub, it's all alright. You're going to be just fine."
"What about Megan and Emmett?"
"They're both fine," the father assured his son, carefully kissing the top of his head. "I'm sure this isn't how you expected your birthday to go, huh?"
"Not at all." Edward sighed. "Dad…I'm sorry about earlier."
"Don't worry about it. I'm sorry I let us fight on this day."
"At this point, I don't think I want to ever even sit in a car again. God, I'm in so much pain."
"I'll have a nurse get you something for that, bub, don't worry. Why don't you try to get some rest?"
"You'll stay here the whole time?" Edward asked, gripping his dad's hand.
"Of course, baby boy."
Edward's eyes opened again a few hours later and he felt sore, but much more awake then he had a few hours ago. He looked around the room and saw balloons and a blue banner that read "Happy Sweet Sixteen!"
"Dad," Edward looked over at Carlisle who just smiled.
"Well we can't go to dinner, but we can still celebrate in here," Carlisle told him. He took out his phone and sent a text. A few minutes later, Esme walked in holding Jell-O with sixteen candles lit.
"Esme, how did you do this?" Edward asked.
"I had it picked up and we stored it in the employee fridge. Since you fractured your ribs, you shouldn't really have cake. So until they heal, this is the best next thing." She sat on the other side of her boyfriend's son and they sang "Happy Birthday" to him.
"Make a wish," Carlisle told him after they finished and Edward blew out the candles, only to lean over and cough a few minutes later. Carlisle rubbed his back. "On second thought, that was not a smart idea."
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Edward told him as Esme removed the candles and handed him a fork. He took a few bites, but then sat it down. "It hurts to eat."
"That's what the I.V's for," Carlisle told him. He handed him a few wrapped boxes. "Now open this."
Edward smiled and opened up them. The first two had gift cards to iTunes and some of Edward's favorite stores. Inside the last was a pocket watch. It was silver and engraved: EAM. It took Edward a moment but then it clicked.
"Edward Anthony Massen," he whispered. He flipped it open. On one part was a watch, but on the top, a picture of his biological father and him. Edward felt his heart swell as he looked up at Carlisle. He didn't talk about his biological parents with his father often, he didn't want Carlisle to think that he didn't think of him as his dad. Deep down though, he did wonder about them, more so his mother than his father, but there were times when Edward Sr. entered his mind.
"I was given a few of his possessions after he died, I wanted to save this for a special event and I think this is the perfect one." Carlisle explained.
Edward looked at his father. Nothing from the rest of the day mattered. He was here now, with the one man who would move Earth for him. He set the watch down and moved his head to Carlisle's chest. "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too, bub. Happy birthday."
Edward looked over at Esme, who was just smiling at the two of them. Esme had been in his life for so long now. She had helped save him today, when his father couldn't. And a part of him wondered if there'd come a time when Esme would fall into the same position as his father. Maybe one day, she would officially be his family.
And the thought of that truly made him smile. He felt like the luckiest teenager on the planet.
So I wanted to make this one a little darker and also touch more on Edward being adopted. I hope you all are enjoying these and keep the reviews up.