Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters.

A/N: Thanks to katmom and Angelinia, who beta this story.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The Wait

He was looking over the x-rays, MRI scans and the multitude of other test results that he had run on Bella. He looked at everything from the slight fracture in her pinky to the much more serious complication in her heart. He frowned when he realized that there was a fair amount of damage to her brain, too. He categorized everything from mundane to most critical. He paused before he walked as quickly as he could in his human charade to the operating room. He wasn't sure where he should start... he knew they were both critical...

The heart, he decided as he opened the door, he would make sure the heart kept beating no matter what else might happen.

Edward groaned as he heard this thought coming from his father, he was alone in the waiting room... it was before even his family had shown up. His thoughts went to Bella, and him being forced to turn her now... having to have an emergency vampirization as she had called it in the book. Would she want that? He knew he couldn't live without her, he knew he couldn't lose her today, but would it have been right to turn her? He couldn't think of how painful it would be for her... for them all... to always know that they could have had a child together and to have that ripped from them. He knew that wasn't something that he would get over... it wouldn't be something either of them could get over and to live through eternity like that... would it be okay?

It's just a precaution... I will save her, Carlisle voice came to Edward, his father must have known he was listening... must have known what this decision would have done to him.

"I know," Edward said so softly that no human would be able to hear him, but he knew that Carlisle would. "Don't worry about me... just save her."

Carlisle didn't spare him another thought, he immediately went to work on Bella. It was painful to watch... He loved every part of Bella, but that didn't mean he wanted to see her on the operating table like this. But he couldn't look away; he had to hear everything that was going on... hear that things were going okay... know the moment that things went wrong. He noticed that her heart had stopped and he was filled with panic until he remembered from his classes it was supposed to be like this in operations.

"Edward," Esme's soft voice came from a distance and he reluctantly pulled his mind away from Carlisle. He looked up and saw his family was there. He was glad they had come, especially when Jasper dulled his pain. It was better having them there, but it would make things a lot more difficult if things went badly.

He was surprised at his own thought, as he slipped into Carlisle's consciousness again (his dad's thoughts were so in tune to his work that it didn't stop him from making his own musings). He didn't realize that he had been thinking about this, but he realized that he was trying to work out how he would get out of this hospital without his family if things ended badly... and once he was on his own...

He shut his eyes, wondering: what then? He knew he would not live without his Bella, and if Carlisle could not even keep her heart beating, he knew what would need to be done. He didn't, however, know how he would go about doing that. He could not go anywhere near Italy, that was for sure, he wasn't going to bring that kind of danger onto his family. He figured the wolves wouldn't be that hard to persuade to do the job, but again, he didn't want his family to have to pay for the actions he took. Perhaps going to the South would work... he could 'join an army' or just challenge an existing army's territory. That should do it.

As he made up his mind his thoughts were drawn to a complication in the operating room... something was wrong. He could hear the panic in the nurses' thoughts... None of them wanted Chief Swan's daughter to die... he was a good man and it would be such a tragedy if something were to happen to her. This would have sent Edward into misery, but he could hear Carlisle's calm thoughts. He was ten steps ahead of the machines, he knew what had to be done and he was working without panic... without hesitation. Edward linked his thoughts with his dad again. He could think of what ifs later, right now he had to concentrate on the right now. Besides, by letting himself get distracted he was hit with the other thoughts, and right now he found that Carlisle's thoughts were the only thing allowing him to hold onto sanity.

He listened as Carlisle continued to work, finishing with the heart and moving on to the next critical issue. Edward sighed, knowing that her heart would be okay no matter what. Naturally, his family noticed his relief and they asked him about it. He told them quickly that no matter what, her heart would still be beating. This caused everyone to get tense. They understood like he did what this might mean.

NO! The protest from Rosalie was so loud that it prevented him from fully slipping into Carlisle's mind again. He would have growled at her if he'd had the energy, but he found at her next thought he didn't need too. She would be so devastated... She might even become as resentful as me, being so close...

Edward didn't listen any more, the fact that his sister's first thought was about how Bella would react to this and not of actually never being able to see Renesmee was comforting in a way. He was sure his sister had come to love Bella as a new sister, and care for her as such, but this proved that she really wanted Bella for Bella. The satisfaction of hearing this only made his chest ache... it meant nothing if Bella wasn't here... wasn't still human.

Edward panicked again, and went back to Carlisle's mind, glad when he was still working calmly. As long as he was calm, things were going okay. Hours seemed to have passed, the waiting room got more crowded with people. He noticed that Alice showed up with Charlie not too long after he had spoken to his family. Esme left his side so she could console Charlie instead and Alice came to sit in between him and Jasper. He got no thoughts from Charlie in that moment (which hadn't happened to him since his first encounter with Bella's father), but there was an overwhelming sense of pain and worry that was similar to his own.

"Did you see..." Jasper asked, but instead of finishing the question he nodded his head towards the operating room. It wasn't like Jasper to not be able to finish a question; he was always so calm and detached when he was trying to ask questions like this. Edward knew the atmosphere in this room was really getting to him, but it was more than that, he was terrified of what might happen to Bella.

"No," Alice answered simply.

They sat like that, not quite as still as statues, for there were too many humans around, but they were close. Edward grimaced when he heard that Tyler was going to be okay... that he just had a broken arm and a mild concussion. He started to see red that he would be okay when his Bella was in such a critical state. He knew he wasn't the only one that was angry about this; most of his family's thoughts were just as furious as his own. He would have happily broken a lot more of Tyler, but that would have to wait until later.

He thought of this, though his mind couldn't help but go back to the accident. How preventing something from the book had only made something a hundred times worse happen. So many questions were brought up by this too. Would Tyler have become a more responsible driver if that first accident had happened as it was supposed to or would Bella have been in this accident in that reality too if she'd been driving anywhere during this time of the year? Would something come of their other choices to change things? Would letting Laurent live somehow come back to haunt them like he feared? Would something worse than what happened in the books come after them... trying to ruin their happiness? Had they somehow screwed with fate and now it was going to screw with them?

It was then that Alice had a vision that helped Edward relax a little;

Edward was sitting next to Bella in the hospital bed, she was still unconscious, but the heart monitor beat with a strong regularity... Carlisle was standing at the door, he didn't say anything but he looked pleased.

"I know," Edward in the vision sighed, turning to his father with an annoyed expression. The worry wasn't out of the Edward's face, but both Alice and the real Edward knew that Bella was going to make it. They let out a relieved breath in unison.

"What?" Emmett asked, in a tone only the vampires could hear.

Alice explained her vision and everyone else seemed to share in their relief.

It was almost an hour later that Jacob came to the hospital, finding all of them there... his expression asking the question his voice seemed unable to. Alice got up and hugged him as she whispered, "she's going to be okay... I saw it."

Jacob tightened his grip on the tiny vampire and mumbled, "Thank God."

Alice, with Jasper who didn't want to be away from his wife, took Jacob away from everyone and explained everything that happened. After which Jasper asked why it had taken so long for Jacob to get to the hospital, didn't Sam tell him this hours ago?

"Yeah..." Jacob groaned and Edward saw it in his memory. The pain it had caused Jacob to hear that Bella was in a car accident... it was not as deep as his own, but it was deeper than Edward was comfortable with. The blame he felt that this happened because she was visiting him... how he wished that he had a party in some neutral place knowing that Bella would never have been in any danger from a car if any of the vampires had been near her. Edward of course had thought this too, but he was surprised that Jacob would blame himself. He found that he didn't blame the werewolf... He wished he was there, but it wasn't Jacob's fault that this happened.

"I phased," Jacob said to Jasper and now Edward saw how Jacob's pain, self loathing, and anger that something like this would happen to Bella had caused the boy to become a wolf. How the pain dulled... how everything got easier to deal with in the wolf form. Still the boy tried to phase back... trying to get here to the hospital, but though his pain was dulled it was still too strong to let him go back. As he paced as a wolf, trying to find enough peace to become a boy again, he felt as if he might lose not only his best friend, but something more. He didn't understand this at all, but this feeling, this sense of losing something more wasn't being dulled. He had tried not to think of this, but it didn't go away and as soon as he embraced the feeling, he found the peace he needed and he was able to phase.

"I came here as quickly as I could," Jacob finished and soon the three of them rejoined everyone in the waiting room.

Edward thought that Jacob's mind would be full of questions about the meaning about what had just happened, but Jacob didn't seem to be thinking about anything but Bella's recovery. Edward didn't spare the boy another thought after that, he could worry about the Jacob issue later, Bella really was what was important now.

This wait wasn't as long though, it was only another twenty minutes before Carlisle put down his instruments and was looking over Bella critically, making sure he didn't miss anything. Edward looked through Carlisle's eyes and was just as satisfied as Carlisle was that everything was done and now it was time for her to heal. His family and Jacob seemed to realize that something like this was happening; he must have been showing some kind of emotion again. However, they all waited patiently for Carlisle to come to tell them the good news.

"Carlisle..." Charlie jumped up as soon as he saw the pale doctor. Charlie's face looked almost as pale as their own in that moment; his eyes were bloodshot and crazed.

Carlisle gave him a reassuring smile that clearly said that Bella was okay, before he explained the technical things that he had done. Charlie didn't seem to take the words in, but he did understand the smile. His mind seemed to be screaming his relief.

"Would you like to see her?" Carlisle asked after the explanation and that question seemed to catch the attention of both Charlie and Edward. "Only two visitors at a time."

"Please..." Charlie said.

"Charlie can I..." Edward said getting up, it felt wrong that he would have to ask permission to see Bella, but he didn't know what else to do.

Charlie didn't say a word, but nodded his head.

"Okay, follow me," Carlisle said, and he led them to Bella's room.

Edward, of course, had seen what Bella had looked like through Carlisle's eyes, but it didn't hurt any less to see her now. To see just how weak and fragile she was.

"Bella," Charlie let out a sigh that Edward wouldn't have been able to hear if he wasn't a vampire. So many images of Bella filled Edward's head, all the memories that Charlie seemed to have seen to be filtering to the surface, and Charlie's fierce thought that this wasn't the last time that he was going to see his daughter... he was going to see her living and being happy.

Edward sat down near Bella and grabbed her hand, and a smile twitched his lips as he felt the warmth of it. She might not have smelt right with all that transfused blood, but the warmth was familiar. Carlisle was still talking to Charlie, but too quickly for what was comfortable for Edward, Charlie asked for a moment alone with Bella.

Edward frowned, not wanting to leave her side for even a second, but Carlisle's thoughts on the matter made him reluctantly get up.

"Thank you," Charlie said to Edward before he could leave. "Alice said that... that you brought her here..." Edward nodded his head.

"Yes, it was good that you got her to me so quickly," Carlisle said smiling at Edward, which was slightly put on for Charlie's sake, but Edward knew that his dad was proud, too.

Charlie nodded his head and repeated, "Thanks... Both of you... you'll never know what this means to me."

"I think I have some idea," Edward mumbled, eyes on his Bella, and Charlie made no sign of arguing, he just turned back to his daughter and took the seat that Edward had just been in.

Edward and Carlisle left the room then, giving Charlie some time with his daughter.

It felt wrong walking away from Bella right now, but he did, determined that he would be back in her room within an hour. When he got to the waiting room he realized that most of his family had left, though Esme was still there. She moved over to hug him.

Edward turned quickly as a new scent hit him and he narrowed his eyes in fury. It seemed that Tyler was going to be going home today... wasn't going to have to stay in the hospital for days... he wasn't going to have to recover for months.

"Edward," Esme whispered softly as she tried to soothe his anger. He could hear in her thoughts that even she wasn't too pleased with the boy at the moment and if it weren't for his parents worrying about him she might not have been so defensive of the boy. But after what she just went through, she wouldn't wish that kind of pain onto anyone else.

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing that she was right. "You were the one that reported the accident, weren't you?"

"I hated thinking about someone being out there alone and hurt... having people worrying about them..." Esme sighed, softly.

"Hmph," was all Edward said to that, "I think I need some fresh air."

Esme sighed too, but she let him go. Edward knew though, as much as she worried about him, she was really waiting for Carlisle... that he was the only one that could make her feel better in this moment. He didn't begrudge her that, he just wished that he could be with his Bella and feel that same comfort right now.

He had planned to take a short run as soon as he got out of the hospital... he wanted to work off some of his pent up anxiety but he found himself rooted to the spot as he noticed his Volvo in the parking lot, his eyes immediately going to the passenger side and he could smell the blood from here.

"That's not..." someone said from behind him and he grimaced, he really was letting too many people sneak up on him today.

"No, it's just a prop," Edward said, turning to face Jacob, the boy was looking strung out. "The explanation of how I got her here..."

"Of course..." Jacob shook his head, "I know you ran her here..." he trailed off, and seemed to go on to a different train of thought. "I'm just glad she wasn't driving the Volvo..."

"What?" Edward said. Did the mutt really care that much about his car?

"The truck can take much more of a beating than any car that you have," Jacob clarified seeming to realize how Edward had misunderstood him. "I don't know if she would have..."

Edward hissed at this.

"Sorry... not helping," Jacob bowed his head, he was thinking about how pleased he was that he repaired that truck and pushed his dad to sell it to anyone willing to buy it. He couldn't stand how slow it was, but he couldn't deny that the heavy metal frame made it withstand a great impact.

"Jacob, can you get to the point?" Edward asked impatiently, he really didn't want to deal with the boy right now, but he moved to the forest so they could be alone all the same. "I know you didn't come out here to talk to me about the car Bella drives. And if this is about how you feel about Bella... or you're going to tell me you're in love with her or something you can just save it..."

"So you did hear my thoughts before," Jacob sighed. "No... that's not what this is about... Well sort of... but..."

"Jake just get to it," Edward growled.

"I don't understand anything I was feeling today," Jacob said starting to pace, "it doesn't make any sense why it should feel like this... I know you're her happily ever after."

"Really... didn't you ever wonder what happened in the last book?" Edward asked, trying to focus so he wouldn't have to hear the boy try to figure out what to say.

"Not really... I figured you two got married, you made her a vampire, and lived happily ever after," Jacob shrugged. "And knowing Bella's luck you probably had a huge fight in there somewhere, one that was probably even worse than the newborn army trying to get Bella."

Edward raised an eyebrow at how close Jacob was to the truth, though he was missing a key element to the story.

"What I don't get is why it felt like I was going to lose my best friend... and something more," Jacob went on to say, pausing in his pacing to grab his head, as if the thought was physically hurting him. But it was separate... not the same and yet the same... I just don't get it!

Edward groaned he really didn't want to deal with this now. It seemed like Jacob was close to understanding what was really going on. Connecting the dots.

"I know it would be best if I didn't see her again... not now..." Jacob said. "I don't want to hurt her like she was in the book... And I know she won't want me around now either... But please... you've got to let me see her at least once..."

Edward really hadn't expected this, and so he didn't know how to respond at first. "Okay, Jake," Edward said grabbing his arm in a supporting manner.

"Thanks," Jacob sighed and then walked away, and Edward was glad the boy realized he wanted to be alone. He scanned the hospital, hearing Charlie's thoughts, knowing that he had to still give him a little more time. He gritted his teeth, wishing to just go back inside already, but instead he started running. He wasn't sure where he was going at first, but he realized when he found himself in lot full of totaled cars that he had wanted to look at the wreckage of the day.

I would not have guessed that you would come here, Alice thought as she ran towards him, which just means I'm lucky I don't really ever have to guess about things.

"Alice, I don't really want..." Edward said, he didn't really think he could deal with his hyperactive sister right now. He frowned, looking at the direction she was coming from, she was singing the national anthem in her head. He wondered what she was trying to keep from him, his mind filling with dread as he thought of a reason she would be doing this... he felt his body freeze. No, no, no, no... it can't be... she... he thought and his mind went wild, and he had to get out of here.

"Argh," Alice groaned, "It's not that you idiot."

Edward looked at her and she was right before him and as quick as lightening she slapped him across the face with such force that it knocked him to the ground.

"What?" Edward started to say.

"How could you, Edward!" Alice hissed at him. "We made a deal! You weren't ever to think about doing something that idiotic again!"

Edward looked at her in confusion and he heard the pain and anger in her thoughts as she showed the vision of him in the South, talking to a vampire that neither of them knew…talking about wanting to take over their territory for himself.

"I saw that while I was trying to drive Charlie to the hospital!" Alice hissed to him. "Do you have any idea how panicked I was that you were actually running out right then!"

"If you saw that..." Edward said, not really listening to his sister as he thought of the only reason she would have had that vision, "then she must have had a chance of..."

Alice shuddered with him as he came to that conclusion. "And I would have lost my sister and brother in the same day! Edward, how could you even think about doing that still?!"

"You know the answer to that, Alice," Edward sighed.

"You won't live without her," Alice grumbled, she did know the answer to that. "But you promised me that you wouldn't do anything like this... we made a deal after the first chapter of New Moon! You weren't to go out and get yourself killed..."

"That was if I had sixty or seventy years with Bella!" Edward countered. "I haven't even had one yet!"

"Edward," Alice said miserably.

"Alice," Edward said stubbornly, "just tell me this... would you do anything different if you lost Jasper?"

Alice flinched at the mere mention of that and she didn't let herself think about it, "I don't know Edward... and I never want to find out."

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Edward sighed. "I know you didn't need another thing to worry about today."

"Hmph," Alice huffed.

"Thank you... for not saying anything to anyone," Edward added, thinking about how the rest of the family would have taken this news.

"They didn't need to have any more pain put on them today," Alice said harshly and Edward flinched. She sighed and then went to sit next to her bother. "And I'm not going to tell anyone this... well, except Jasper. All it would do is hurt them. But please, Edward, I don't ever want to see that again... or any other way you could think of to end your life."

"I don't ever want to think it again," Edward agreed he was looking at the van in front of him and just a little ways away he could see Bella's truck.

"Why did you come here anyway, Edward?" Alice asked, noticing where he was looking with a shudder.

"Just something Jacob said." Edward sighed. "And he was right... if she had been in any of our cars... or any car I would have bought her... it probably would have been instant..." he couldn't finish his thought, but she didn't need him too.

"Not if you got her that missile proof car you did in the book," Alice said, her eyes showing as much amusement as she could muster in that moment (which wasn't much).

"I suppose," Edward said, his lips almost twitching towards a smile, and for that second, he was glad that Alice had found him here.