DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything except for storyline.

EdwardsFirstKiss, thank you again A LOT!

Enjoy. R.

11. Alanis Morrissette - Ironic

CHAPTER 10

This Was Not Irony. This Was a Cruel Joke

"Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you

When you think everything's okay and everything's going right

And life has a funny way of helping you out when

You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up In your face."

"A traffic jam when you're already late

A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break

It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife

It's like meeting the man of my dreams

And then meeting his beautiful wife

And isn't it ironic, don't you think

A little too ironic, and yeah I do really think."

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The doctor's face was as pale as his white hands, and the expression he wore reminded me of his voice and hand movements – it was focused and composed, quite serene given the situation we found ourselves in. His eyes, on the other side, were concerned and a bit confused as if they were searching for something. They were familiar in a way, but I couldn't say exactly where I knew them from. Their color, however, a strange shade of green, was certainly one I'd never seen before.

I snapped back upon hearing his voice. "Mrs., are you alright?" he asked again. It was only a momentary distraction I felt when I looked at his face, but intense nevertheless.

"I-I…" I stammered, looking away.

"Don't worry, the ambulance will be here any second," he assured me, and even though he sounded very formal, he squeezed my hand warmly. I looked back at Marcus and all the worry was back in an even bigger force that a moment ago, making me forget about the doctor completely.

"Marcus, hey, baby, can you hear me?" I whispered to him again, and when I saw his eyelids flutter gently, I gasped. "Marcus?! Marcus, can you hear me?" He babbled something, but I couldn't hear. "Don't worry, you'll be alright. The doctors are on their way."

"Miss Swan?" he mumbled, his eyes closing again.

I smiled. "Yes, it's me, honey. Just calm down, okay? It's gonna be alright." I wasn't sure if I said it to calm him or myself. Soon, I started to feel tears in my eyes, and the smell of the blood all around me was becoming excruciating. I concluded that my adrenaline level must have dropped, because suddenly, I was too aware of my surroundings - of people grouped around us, of the driver looking at us from afar with a horrified expression, of me and the doctor kneeling in the pool of red sticky liquid and of the half-dead body of a little boy lying lifelessly in front of me. Even sitting on the heels of my feet, I felt the heaviness in my legs and my arms, seeing black spots in my vision… and hearing buzzing in my ears.

Buzzing was never good. Oh, crap.

The last thing I was able to do was to look back at the doctor to give him a warning. But before I could say anything coherent, the blackness had already taken me.

XOXOXOXOX

"Careful!"

I felt my body hanging in the air before it landed on something soft with a loud thud.

"What's her name? For how long has she been unconscious?" someone with a raspy voice asked.

"Isabella Swan. She was out for about ten minutes. She must be in shock," someone with a gentle voice responded.

Then someone sighed. "Well, I would be, too. I'm surprised she lasted that long. How was the boy?"

"He was conscious when they took him, but there was a lot of blood. It didn't look good."

"I bet," the raspy voice said, and there was a pause. "You're alright? You look pretty shaken yourself."

"No, I'm fine. You just don't see something like that every day."

I felt different hands on my body and I wanted them to be gone. Why are they touching me?

Raspy voice laughed. "You sure you don't want some Valium?"

Gentle voice laughed, too. It was a strangely musical sound. "No, thank you, I'm alright."

I was starting to feel my body. My eyes opened reflexively, and the bright light blinded me.

"Miss? Miss Swan, open your eyes."

That raspy voice was unpleasant. I groaned loudly, and the musical sound made its appearance again. What a contrast between those two sounds. When I opened my eyes for a second time, the light was blinding me again, but I kept blinking until it was bearable.

"Miss Swan, you fainted," Raspy voice informed me, and soon the face of a middle-aged man came into view. "We're taking you to the hospital. Please, nod, if you understand what I'm saying."

"Hospital?" I groaned, and my voice sounded like a million Raspy voices together.

"It's just to make sure you are alright. That accident must have terrified you."

The accident. Out there. "Marcus." I rasped.

"The boy is on his way to the hospital, Miss; you have nothing to worry about."

The hell I had nothing to worry about. I tried to sit up, but the man soon recognized my intention and pushed my shoulders down. "Stay down, Miss Swan."

"I need to see him."

"And you will. We're going to the hospital, a doctor will examine you, and if everything's fine, you are free to go."

I groaned again. Now, I was fully aware of where I was. I was in an ambulance, lying on the bed, three paramedics around me - Raspy voice, the woman whose hands were still on my body, and a young man whose face I saw just above my head. I knew that the back door was still open because I felt cold air on my legs. It was freezing outside.

"Take it as a free ride to the hospital," Raspy said and everyone laughed. If my arm didn't feel like it was hundred pounds heavy, I would smack his face.

"You sure you don't want a free ride, doctor?" Raspy asked, and at first, I thought he was talking to me. But before I could say something rude, the gentle voice replied: "No, I'm fine. You had better go before she freezes."

It was the doctor! The one with the green eyes. Dr. Green-Eyes.

I wanted to sit up and get a better view of what was going on around me, but Raspy pushed me back down again. He looked over at the woman. "Are we good?"

"Yes, we can go," the woman replied.

"Thanks for your help, doctor," Raspy said to the doctor.

"You're welcome," the doctor replied, and the moment I lost his voice, the door closed loudly.

The ride to the hospital was short and very quiet. Raspy shouted a few orders to the woman and the young man but didn't talk to me at all. It was the woman who asked me how I was and if I felt any light-headedness or heard any ringing in my ears. She said I had to keep my eyes open, but I felt funny - I smelled a faint odor of blood and antiseptics, my body was heavy and even though I saw and heard everything clearly, all of it looked too bright and sounded too loud.

Eventually, I must have dozed off again, because the next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital room. This time I felt much better, almost too relaxed, but I could still smell blood. I looked around trying to figure this whole evening out, but there was only one word that would describe the state of my mind – confusion.

Then, the door opened, and I pushed myself up, to rest on my elbows. A man in a white coat entered, and I was grateful to be in a much more alert state to protest then before. "Why am I here?!"

"Calm down, Miss Swan. How do you feel?"

"I'm good. Now, can I, please, go?" I asked but didn't wait for an answer and sat up. It was the first time I had looked at myself. I was wearing a black skirt and black stockings though even despite the dark color I could see patches of dried blood all over my legs. The sleeves of my black turtleneck looked like they had been drenched in blood, too. I must look horrendous.

"Not so fast, Miss Swan," the white coat said. A nurse walked into the room and brought my purse. The doctor approached me, and I flinched when he grabbed my chin and pointed a little flashlight in my eyes. "Do you have a headache?"

"A little," I admitted, afraid they wouldn't release me.

"Do you feel dizzy?"

"No."

"Nauseous?"

"No."

"Your pupils are good. You fell into shock and fainted. It is a reflex – a way for the brain to protect itself. You should be alright now; we gave you an norepinephrine so you should feel better now."

"Good." At least one good thing came out of it.

"Do you have anyone who you can to take you home?"

At this question, I had to stop and think. Why was I here? What had happened? It seemed that every time I woke up I had to think really hard to remember of the last clear memory I had.

"Oh my god, Marcus!"

The doctor nodded. "As long as I know, the boy should be still in the surgery."

I started to panic and when I saw how the nurse and the doctor looked at me – with the intention to keep me there I'm sure – I calmed down a notch. "Where? Where is he?"

"In surgery. But, Miss Swan, it would be better for you to go straight home tonight. You are still vulnerable, and you need to rest. The pressure you were subjected to is a lot to take in. You won't be able to see him tonight, anyway."

"I know, but…"

"Miss Swan, you need to rest."

I nodded reluctantly, knowing he was right. And because I didn't want him to keep me in this room forever.

I collected my things from the nurse, trying not to breathe as I could smell blood all around me. It wasn't really that unpleasant, but still noticeable enough; especially when I looked at my clothes. I said bye to Dr. white coat, left the room and started towards the elevator, wondering how I was going to get home. It was only shortly before eight, but I felt like a whole day had passed since the accident. So much had happened in the last four hours.

In the elevator, however, I didn't press the ground floor. I might have said to the doctor that I was going home, but I couldn't possibly leave without at least asking someone about Marcus. I was simply too worried about him to go home. I felt responsible now.

I exited the elevator on the seventh floor which was a surgical floor. I was about to ask the receptionist about Marcus but then I spotted his parents talking to a white coat. With sudden fury, a memory of Aro and Mike in the headmaster's office appeared in my mind, talking through their dirty business while his son was being hit by a car. If there was someone to be blamed for the accident, it was that man, and I was sure I'd make him pay one day for what he had caused tonight.

"You!" I hissed, stopping in front of them. The heads of the doctor, Aro and Sulpicia turned to me, and I didn't give them a chance to react. "Do you realize what you've done?"

His sleazy features hardened, and he arrogantly popped his eyebrows up. Sulpicia, clutching his left elbow, stopped sobbing and frowned. "Miss Swan?" she asked, clearly surprised.

"Yes, Miss Swan," I replied to the peroxide beauty whose eyes were roaming over my bloodied attire. Ignoring her, I turned to Aro. "What were you thinking?! Leaving him on the street alone? You know how fidgety he gets when he's alone, always looking for trouble! How could you let him get out of your sight? How many times do I have to tell you to look after him?"

"Miss Swan," he said dragging out each syllable. "Please, I don't want to have this conversation right now. The situation is not quite right," he said calmly, but obviously irritated by my presence. That guy hated my guts.

"Quite the contrary, Mr. Volturi, I think the situation is just right. What do you expect to happen next? I wouldn't be surprised if he was kidnapped while you were having something "more important" to take care of! What could be more important than your own child, you moron? Do you realize how terrified I was, when I saw him hit that windshield, knowing his dick of a father was sitting in the office, talking about who knows what with Newton while your son is without anyone looking after him? You won't get away with this, Volturi."

His agitation was rising, and I saw he was doing everything he could to keep his face composed. Sulpicia burst into tears again at my words, and the doctor turned red under embarrassment.

I couldn't care less.

"Miss, please, could we postpone this conver-" the doctor started.

I ignored him. "If I could sue you, I would do it in a second," I hissed at Aro.

"Is everything alright here, Dr. Cole?" a calm voice asked from behind me. We all turned and saw Dr. Green-Eyes approaching us.

Great. Fucking-fantastic.

It was the first time I saw him clearly. He wasn't wearing a white coat, for which I was grateful, only a light-blue button down and black slacks, looking smart and formal. He looked way too… clean. Had he not been bathing in blood as well?

I tried to ignore his motherfucking calming presence. I didn't want to be calm. My body was lavished with worry, anxiety and rage. I wanted to punch Aro in the nose and make him finally take it out on me the way he - I knew - wanted. Fucker.

"Just a little confrontation; I'm sure Mr. Volturi and Miss Swan, are going to talk about it outside of the hospital," Dr. Cole responded.

Dr. Green-Eyes stopped by my side, and I felt his warm hand on the small of my back which momentarily paralyzed me and prevented me from launching at Aro.

What the fuck?

"We are on our way, Dr. Cole, don't worry about that. Someone has to be an adult," Aro said, throwing his arm over Sulpicia's quivering shoulders.

"And what about Marcus? Don't you want to know how he is?" I asked dumbstruck. Were they really going to go before he came out of the surgery?

The hand on my back pressed harder against me. I bet that fucking doctor wanted me to shut up though he never even turned to look at me.

"We already know that, Miss Swan," Aro said smugly. "And from now on, his health is none of your concern."

And just as I was about to scrape his eyes out, Green-Eyes' hand moved from my back to grab my right wrist. He unnecessarily cleared his throat and shook Aro's stretched out hand. In the haze, I didn't realize Aro had thanked him for acting so promptly and calling an ambulance.

Oh, how well-mannered of him. Idiot. I knew him too well to know his game.

I threw one more hateful glance in Aro and Sulpicia's direction as they approached the elevator and when they finally disappeared, I sighed heavily. This was a bit too much for me to handle.

Realizing my wrist was still locked in Dr. Green-Eyes' hand, I took it quickly away, feeling burning on my skin, so I crossed my arms protectively around me. I felt his eyes on me, but as he had been ignoring me before, I did so now. I didn't need him to calm me down, I wasn't crazy. I was just furious.

So, instead, I looked over at Dr. Cole. "Now tell me, how is Marcus?" I demanded. As the anger was gone, all that was left was worry and anxiety. I don't know what kind of antidepressant they gave me, but apparently it hadn't been enough.

"I apologize, Miss Swan, but we cannot give you with any information about Marcus Volturi's health," said Dr. Cole.

"What… What do you mean?"

"Legally, I am not allowed to share that information with you, since you are not a close family relative. And Mr. Volturi specifically required not disclosing Marcus' condition to you, Miss Swan. I'm sorry."

That son of a bitch. "Just… at least tell me he is alright. Please," I begged.

Dr. Cole frowned. "I'm sorry, Miss Swan. I can't tell you anything. My hands are tied." And with that, he threw a look over at Dr. Green-Eyes who was still standing by my side and turned his back to us, walking away.

Sighing, I fell onto the awfully looking orange loveseat near me, letting my head fall into my hands. Was my life not shitty enough? I just wanted to know if he was alright. That was all. It seemed like I wasn't cut out for the life I led, for being a teacher even. It seemed like I wasn't cut out for anything. All I wanted was for my kids to be okay, to be taken care of. Was that too much to ask?

"Miss Swan?"

I looked up. Those same concerned green eyes were looking at me open-wide, and I once again had forgotten about them. Who was this man? All calm, personification of peace itself almost. He felt… surreal to me. "Yes?"

He kneeled down in front of me, his eyes searching again, not leaving my face. "Are you alright?"

I was about to retort something sarcastic, but I didn't have the strength anymore. I felt defeated and helpless – little Bella against the world. Furthermore, he helped me a lot tonight. He didn't deserve my bitchy attitude. "I just want to know how Marcus is."

He smiled at me faintly.

"You know?" I asked hopefully.

A small smile that tugged the corner of his lips fell slightly. "Of course, I do. He came out of the surgery about half an hour ago. His left arm and leg are broken in two places, and he has four broken ribs. Despite how serious the wound on his head is it, fortunately, won't leave any permanent damage. But he suffered heavy internal bleeding and for now is in a coma. Only time will tell when he is going to wake up, but there is no reason to believe he shouldn't be conscious in the next few days."

"In a coma?" I asked, terrified. That was worse than I had expected.

"It is just to prevent disturbing external stimuli that might potentially slow-down the recovery process. It was a serious accident, his body needs time to heal itself, and a few days in a deep sleep will be immensely beneficial for him to regain his strength. The first days after surgery are crucial," he assured me, talking slowly, his voice gentle and tranquil.

I sighed, my shoulders falling. "Do you… Do you think I might be able to see him?"

"Definitely not tonight. Even his parents weren't allowed to," he replied.

"But… just a peek, maybe?"

He chuckled musically. So, it indeed had been him outside the ambulance tonight. "I'm afraid it won't be possible."

I sighed again and looked away from his face, watching the fingers in my lap. I wish I had found a way that I could've prevented it. Any way. The sight of Marcus being hit by a car was continuously replaying in my head, and I could hear the screams, the sounds, the smell not only of blood but also of desperation and fear. I don't know what would have happened if Dr. Green-Eyes hadn't appeared. I could still feel myself being paralyzed by terror, looking down at Marcus' inert body soaked in blood, covered by a pair of calm white hands.

I slowly looked up to find Dr. Green-Eyes' face still looking at me in that weird searching way. "Thank you," I said, my voice hoarse. "For taking care of Marcus."

His smiled was wider this time and he only nodded. "Let me take you home, Miss Swan."

I frowned. "Sorry?" I must have misunderstood.

"Let me take you home. You need to rest," he repeated.

"I can take myself home, thanks," I replied, standing up, not wanting to impose and use his generous help anymore. I already owed him big as it was.

"Miss Swan, it's the least I can do to make sure you arrive home safely," he insisted. "Please, let me."

I sighed, looking away under the weight of his voice. "Okay then."

In the parking lot, he led me to a ridiculously expensive looking black Mercedes. He opened the door for me and for a second I looked at him as if he was an alien. Was this man real? Not in my book.

When I was in the car, I felt a little self-conscious about my dirty blooded clothes. As if he were reading my mind, he turned to me and said not to worry about it. Well, if I had a car like this I would definitely worry about the leather-covered seats. When leaving the parking lot, I told him my address, and I was surprised when he didn't ask for instructions. He must have known Seattle very well.

We didn't talk much, and because he finally wasn't looking at me, I was for a change looking at him. The sleeves of his button-down were rolled up to his elbows, revealing muscular forearms controlling the steering wheel with grace and almost no effort. He looked very… natural and the whole picture seemed very… sensual? Erotic?

Oh, come on, Bella, sex again?

It was that thought that brought my attention to his face. And for the first time, I was able to properly examine it.

Dr. Green-Eyes was… different. Not that I didn't know that from that first time his strange green eyes had found their way to mine. I hadn't realized it before, but he was very handsome, though not in a conventional way. He might have been in his late twenties and could very easily pose for GQ. He was tall and lean, but obviously hiding good musculature under his clothes; his shoulders were nice – broad, but not too wide. In the small space of the car, I could even smell his scent and I swear I had smelled it before. Somewhere. Furthermore, there was something immensely relaxing and calming about his personality; his face and eyes were very expressive, but not in a disturbing way. He was too beautiful for that. The planes and edges of his face were almost symmetrically cut, leaving him with a strong jawline and an incredibly narrow nose. His lips were ones women would be jealous of, full yet not too feminine with a tint of pinkish blush contrasting with his pale complexion. His eyes were set deep, framed by thick dark eyebrows, despite the fact that his hair color was a strange mix of brown and red. Oh, that hair… Disheveled and seemingly difficult to tame, but very good looking, nevertheless. I wondered if he was doing something deliberate to make it look that way, or if it was all… au naturel.

As I said… different.

When we reached my block of apartments, I timidly looked at him, and he smiled. "Thanks, again," I said, trying to reciprocate the smile, but it must have looked like a grimace.

"You're welcome, Miss Swan."

I nodded, and hurriedly left the car, confused at the thought that I would probably never see this disturbingly perceptive and surreal man again.

When going to bed that night, after calling Rose and Alice who had waited for me to come to our Wednesday dinner and calming them down, I closed my eyes and tried not to think about Marcus. But exhaustion caught me quickly, and I was spared any haunting thoughts. For a while, I was afraid of the possible nightmares that I still battled from time to time, but it wasn't a nightmare I had that night.

That night I had a dream. That was the first night I dreamed of a surreal pair of green eyes.

Friday, January 25, 2013

"Bella, come on, it's been over two months since we went out together," Rosalie insisted, chirping happily. I pulled the phone a little away from my ear.

"I don't know," I mumbled. I hadn't had a good week. After the accident, I had gone to work on Thursday and Friday, but it hadn't been a good idea – I was distracted, all over the place, and nervous, thinking about Marcus. Asshole Newton suggested a week off, and I agreed, thinking it was just what I needed. Guess what? It wasn't. Being alone and left to my thoughts all week had worsened my overall mood, and it wasn't only Marcus that bothered me anymore. It was as if when I was left to my own devices, my brain decided to take off on an adventurous ride of Bella Swan's memories and painful experiences. It seemed like in that one week alone I thought of everything that had ever hurt or embarrassed me or of what I had lost… I thought of Jacob, and James, and Dad and Mom and I felt like shit. I was in so much pain. I was so tempted to go and just get drunk, but as I had promised myself – no alcohol, and therefore no sex. The presence of the first almost always meant the presence of the second. So, I sucked it up, feeling miserable, sometimes crying and wishing I was dead.

But not yet. I had to make sure Marcus would be alright. Then… then I could die.

The fact that I wasn't allowed to see him didn't help the situation. I didn't know if he had already woken up from the coma or not because no one wanted to tell me anything. And that motherfucker Aro forbid the hospital staff to let me see him. At times like that, I wished I knew Dr. Green-Eyes' name and had his number, so I could ask him. I knew he would have told me.

"Bella, please," Rosalie begged. "It's gonna be so much fun!"

"Is it?" I asked sarcastically.

"Look, you don't have to stay with us the whole night. Just come and if you don't feel comfortable, you can go home. But we miss you."

"I miss you, too," I said truthfully. I did miss them. A lot.

"It'll take your mind off bad memories. You'll relax and forget about Marcus for a while."

I doubted that, but I sighed, giving in. "Fine. But don't expect me to be all happy and cheerful."

She chuckled. "You'll be just fine, Bella. So, we'll meet at our usual place at the usual time. Don't be late."

"I'm never late."

"Yeah, sure," Rosalie huffed. "Anyway, see you later."

"Yeah, see ya."

The moment the phone went silent I already regretted my decision.

When the time came, I got ready, not paying much attention to how I looked, but even despite my meager preparation, I was still late. I guess there were some things that would never change, no matter how hard I tried.

The club was packed when I arrived. People were already dancing to the upbeat rhythm of the pop music, and I was making my way through the crowd to our usual box. I wasn't a very tall person, and even though I had worn heels, it still wasn't enough to get a good view of where I was going. I spotted Alice sitting at the edge of the box talking to someone I couldn't see. Probably some guy who had caught her bait tonight.

I started to think that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to come here. Maybe Rosalie was right – maybe I was able to take my mind off Marcus for one night and have a little fun.

As my view of the box widened, and I got a better angle, I saw that Alice was talking to a blond-haired man who was way too handsome for his own good. Well, she was lucky, that I had to admit, I wouldn't mind having a go with him myself. Next, I saw Rosalie and Emmett who was whispering something in her ear, while she was giggling like a schoolgirl. I rolled my eyes, and it was then that Alice noticed me. "Hey, Bella! Finally!"

I returned my attention to her, kissing her cheek, before looking over to another person sitting in the box. But when I turned, he was the last person I expected there to see.

Alice must have noticed my bewilderment. "Oh, Bella, this is Edward and Jasper. Edward's Emmett's friend from medical school, and Jasper is his brother," she announced enthusiastically, obviously pleased by Jasper's presence.

So, Edward it was.

I had never thought I would say it but… Since last Wednesday, I was looking forward to going to sleep. I didn't have nightmares, merely dreams staring the calm face and deep green eyes of the nameless doctor whose presence in my sleep was as bizarre as everything about him. The dreams were calm, quiet and serene, just like him. I was finding myself thinking about him a bit too much for my liking, wondering what his name was, where he came from… That Wednesday, he was sitting there as a complete and sudden contradiction to that whole night full of confusion, fear, and horror. As I said… he was surreal, always appearing out of nowhere, unleashing the full force of his eyes on me.

Just like he was doing now.

A part of me was immensely happy to see him. My dreams weren't doing him justice. Not even a little bit. Maybe it wasn't going to be a bad night at all…

Edward's surprise was clear on his face, too, but he was the one who extended his left hand to me first. "Edward," he introduced himself for the first time, smiling lightly. So, he recognized me as well.

It was when I said my name, his eyes locked with mine and my hand slipped into his. Warm. It was warm again, except for a little cold metal I felt on his ring finger. My eyes darted to his retreating hand, and that was when I saw it.

Married. Edward was married.

Someone up there probably liked irony. Why not… I almost laughed at my stupidity. What was I thinking? Of course, a man like him was married. I should have known. And why was I even disappointed? It wasn't like I wanted a relationship. I didn't want anyone. I was going to die, anyway.

"Hi, Bella!" Rosalie finally acknowledged my presence, and I looked away from his face. "How are you? I see Alice already introduced you to the guys. You might know Jasper and Edward. Both are the sons of Dr. Cullen, the one you recommended to me a few months ago."

Even better. You up there, whoever you are, must be laughing hard right now. Dr. Angelic – as lovely and kind as he was – was a painful memory. I was a disappointment to him; I had let down that one person who actually might have cared for me. I didn't need any more reminders of him.

Rosalie was smiling, obviously pleased by our companions. "Jasper specializes in art, especially paintings and sculptures; he works at the MoMA gallery in New York."

Really? Ha. Ha. Ha. Jeez, I didn't even know the guy and I already subconsciously envied him, just because he worked in the gallery I had wanted my paintings to be exhibited at. Ironic… I know. Wasn't that enough already?

Apparently not, because Rosalie continued. "But Edward's a doctor. He is moving here from Chicago. He's a psychiatrist."

And that was when my face froze. Was this real?

This wasn't irony anymore.

Maybe tonight was not going to be a good night after all. Maybe Rosalie wasn't right at all. Maybe this was a real nightmare, just like so many others I had experienced before. Maybe my green-eyed dreams were just a warning.

No, this definitely wasn't irony anymore. This was a cruel joke.