When Carlisle and Esme got home Edward was sprawled on the couch and everyone else was trying unsuccessfully to look like they weren't hovering.

"We aren't going to have to move again are we?" asked Rosalie wearily.

Edward signed, "Sorry."

"Stop apologizing, twerp!' snapped Rosalie.

Jasper leaned his head back against the wall, raised his hand and queried, "Who misses sleep right now?"

Edward's hand went up, Carlisle's hand went up, Esme's hand went up, Emmett's hand went up.

"I'm fine," exclaimed Alice.

"Stupid energizer bunny," muttered Rosalie, raising her hand to acknowledge Jasper.

Carlisle dragged an oxygen tank over to Edward and put the mask back on him.

"Really?" protested Edward still in silent sign.

"Yep," snapped Carlise. "We've still got to dry out your lungs so you've got to breathe. Also, if you stop breathing scar tissue might start to form causing permanent impairment"

Edward seriously considered giving Carlisle the middle finger to show just what he thought of that plan but he'd been raised a gentleman so he just grunted and pulled away a bit.

"Hey!" insisted Carlisle sternly. "Breathe. Not once. Continuously."

Edward obediently breathed until he thought Carlisle wasn't paying attention then he stopped.

Carlisle knew Edward. "I'm over 300 years old and I can hear you breathing from anywhere in this house. I know it hurts, I don't care. Don't be a brat Edward."

Esme hid a smile.

Carlisle turned on the ballgame hoping Edward wouldn't realize that he'd thought carefully for a distraction that Edward could participate in.

"Telepathy is still intact Dad," signed Edward snarkily.

Carlisle with a forced smile answered. "I know, I'm not trying to be annoying. I'm trying to be considerate. On a scale of one to ten, how's the pain?"

Edward refused to answer because nothing really could be done for the pain.

"About an eight," answered Jasper. "I am truly sorry, I am spent. Edward I, I'm sorry." Jasper was out of juice. There was no more happy sauce left.

"Me two," signed Edward because he was sure his pain was broadcasting through to his brother and he felt horrible about it.

"Don't do that partner. Don't feel bad for what you have no control over because then I feel that too. Just make yourself as comfortable as you can and be content," advised Jasper. Hey, Edward was his little brother. It was his job to take care of him. (Jasper had Edward beat on transformation age and actual age.)

The night passed in quiet pursuits. Edward made his first foray from his flop spot on the couch when he finally gathered the energy to notice from the thoughts of his siblings that Alice had dressed him in adorable Mickey Mouse pajamas.

He might have been half dead but he was determined to reacquire at least a smidgen of dignity.

He crashed into the chair, tripped into the piano, Carlisle caught him before he tumbled off the stairs.

Carlisle soothed "Hey, hey Edward, listen. I know this is upsetting but we are only trying to help. Alice was just trying to lighten things up. Everyone's been very worried. The bedclothes were soft, comfortable? Yes it made people smile a little but no one's laughing at you. No harm done."

"Sorry," thought Alice, honestly regretful. She'd been trying to be playful, not cruel. In the aftermath of an emergency she usually tried to tone down the what will happen if, factor.

Carlisle helped Edward back to his room and looked through the closet for some more appropriate sleepwear. There was a distinct lack of sleepwear in the closet. Carlisle held up a plain soft blue t-shirt staring at it so Edward could get a look through his eyes. "Will this do? The pj pants are just plaid so a t-shirt should be fine."

Edward nodded.

"You've stopped breathing again," reminded Carlisle.

Edward exasperated yanked the T-shirt out of Carlisle's hands but couldn't manage to dress himself because it pulled painfully on the still healing acid burns.

"This shirt is too small to accommodate your injuries," observed Carlisle taking it from him though Edward scowled about it. He wasn't going to let Edward hurt himself just because the poor boy was feeling frustrated with having to be dependant.

"I've got something bigger he can borrow," offered Emmett.

Edward acquiesced because Emmett honestly wanted to help and his big oaf of a brother had the breaking half a dozen ribs thing, on guilty involuntary replay torturing himself over being a little rough about helping. Really Edward wasn't that ungrateful. Carlisle was wrong; he wasn't frustrated with having to be dependant! He just wanted to stop torturing his own family.

Emmett's shirt looked like a dress on Edward. It was worse than the cutesy Mickey Mouse shirt. All this moving around and changing clothes was hurting and pulling at his injuries. He pulled the dress-like shirt off and decided to just go shirtless. It seemed to be a thing in Forks anyway.

"Alone please," signed Edward.

"Kay bro," Emmett answered softly. He hoped that somewhere under the unsettling number of bandages his brother was healing. He gave Edward a gentle tentative pat on the back then left his room.

"When I suggested sign language might be fun to learn you were so sullen. I can already hear every thought and both of us can hear every whisper. Why would I want to hear silent speech too?" Carlisle remembered fondly.

"Forever seventeen remember, sullen is my continual state of being," whispered Edward.

"As delightful as it is to hear your voice son, let it rest," encouraged Carlisle. "Let yourself rest. You're torn up inside."

Like a caged panther pacing, Edward really couldn't rest. Carlisle tried leaving him to the peace and quiet of his room. Edward blind, but with every nerve hypersensitive with pain: paced, and stumbled and paced.

His family below flinched at every stumble. "He still won't breathe," noted Carlisle to Esme worriedly.

It was nearing morning when Jasper snapped shut the book he was pretending to read. "I'm going for a walk. I can't bear it. I need a break." Alice hopped up to join him linking her hand in his, in silent support.

"It's a school day. Would that help Jasper?" Esme asked.

"No Ma'am and please don't make me. The first person that looked at me sideways or spoke a single unkind word about him," Jasper nodded up to Edward's room. "I'd rip their throats out."

Esme nodded kindly.

Jasper was out the door before he asked Alice. He probably thought he was being discreet but everyone still heard his question and the house went silent and still waiting for the answer. "Alice will he be able to see again? He's still in so much pain if anything it's worse now than when we first brought him home."

"Seven days, fifteen hours, thirty seven minutes before he'll be able to see at all. Months before he's really healed but he will get better. You don't want to know how close we came to losing him."

Inside the house every vampire but one flinched and every head turned to where they could still hear Edward pacing. Edward had his headphones on loud trying to listen to music and turn off an entire family's worth of distressed thought all focused on him and buzzing through his head. It was insufferable. He wasn't worth all this worry and concern anyway.

(Ouch Edward. It's not just your family. We, your fans, love you too. Love yourself a little more please. Sorry folks. Edward pre-Bella is a little bit of a mopey-mope.)

Jasper sighed, "We can't ever let other vampires know about that particular acid venom concoction. There are enough sadistic vampires out there without giving them more tools for horror."

When they got back from their walk it was obvious Esme had decided enough was enough. Edward was laying on the couch with his head resting on her and she was running her fingers through his hair petting him silently. The oxygen mask was on. A CD was playing some of Edward's favorite waltzes in the background. He was breathing slowly and steadily to all the world looking like he was sleeping in his mother's lap.

"We've got visitors incoming," warned Alice. "They'll want to see that Edward is being appropriately cared for. After yesterday at the hospital we can expect the police, child protective services and a hospital representative or two spread out over the course of the day."

Carlisle nodded and then ordered us into action. "Get a blanket over Edward. They'll want proof he's eaten. Actually they could even check the pantry. Child protective services likes to see lots of healthy food."

Esme spoke up. "Rose go raid the vegetable garden for an assortment of fresh vegetables but don't decimate it please, it's pretty. Jasper you can do the grocery run. All four food groups."

Alice took over, "Pick up some more sleepwear for Edward. He's a medium."

"Button up front, one hundred percent cotton," Carlisle interjected. "His injuries need to breath and …"

"Fine," Alice interrupted, wincing in apology to Carlisle but his explanations were always so lengthy. "Bit of a time crunch. I didn't get a lot of notice on this."

Carlisle took over again. "They'll be expecting juices, ice cream, soups, puddings for Edward. Emmett, the hospital gave me a portable heart monitor for Edward. Can you alter it to give off a slowly changing heart rate at around 62 beats per minute. Actually, can you add a remote so that I can change the heart rate?"

"Sure thing Pop." Emmett took the offered portable heart monitor then blurred into vampiric speed. Electronics were more Rose's thing. Emmett went to Rose to switch jobs with her. She'd make quick work of the task and Emmett could harvest some plants as easily as the next person.

"Edward, you're asleep but everyone is going to be hypervigilant about your condition. Shift slightly occasionally and breathing is not an option it's a necessity," insisted Alice. When vampire prepping for battle mode had started, Edward had stopped breathing again.

Edward signed "Okay," then saluted in Alice's general direction, huffed a melo-dramatic breath, then winced and went back to manually breathing in ¾ time. Esme had the music on for a reason.

"Brat," Alice replied fondly.

Edward was given his modified heart monitor. It emitted soft rhythmic ticks supposedly picking up the signal from a remote leads which Carlisle stuck to Edward. The oximeter would be expected too but it didn't have a visible or audible output Carlisle strapped its loop onto Edward's finger and plugged it into the transmitter that velcro'd to the wrist. It was supposedly picked up on Carlisle's phone.

"Hard to sign," signed Edward in protest. "Apple Watch?" He signed with a slight teasing grin.

"Very funny but no. An Apple watch might be more comfortable and easier to sign in but it's not a medical device. It's a toy. As much as I could, I grabbed equipment that's wireless and would keep you mobile. You know as well as I do they'll be expecting to see all of this. What side do you want the IV on?" asked Carlisle.

"Left." More signing was done with the right hand than the left.

Carlisle set up the fake IV. He wished that tool could have been real just for the sake of pain relief. At a frequency too fast for human perception Edward was trembling.

A flicker of Carlisle's thoughts escaped to Edward who quickly pulled his hands under the blanket to hide them from his family.

Carlisle brought down other medical supplies and set up an area of bandages, creams and other things on top of one of the nearby bookshelves.

Carlisle had just finished with the medical staging when there was a knock at the door. He waited for a moment until Esme and Edward were settled again then opened the door.

The Police Chief Charlie Swan was the first of the uninvited guests but he was by far the least bothersome. Carlisle could tell his visit was more of a formality than anything else.

He made the expected polite inquiries as to how everyone was doing but also waited around until Jasper got back from the store. Jasper got a stern but kindly official talking to for stealing his brother from the hospital.

Chief Swan also talked to Carlisle about an investigation that was being started into the accident. He asked Jasper and Emmett a few questions about what had happened.

"I'll need to interview Edward," explained Charlie.

"Not yet," Carlisle immediately interjected. "Not only are his vocal cords a wreck but we've only just got him to sleep. Medically he's not ready." Medically he was a very injured predator with prey in tantalizing reach.

"It's an accident investigation not a criminal investigation Carlisle. I'll come back another day or you can bring him to the station."

Charlie and Carlisle often worked together. They were friendly and got along well enough.

Charlie told Carlisle he'd need a detailed inventory of the injuries complete with photos as soon as was reasonably possible but didn't insist on it right away.

Charlie wished the Cullens well then left.

The Cullen's finished staging the house before the next guest got there. The kitchen was stocked. A mostly empty pudding cup and a bowl of soup plus a half empty cup of tea was left decorating the coffee table; proof of good little Edward's consumption of nutritious healthy food.

The visit with the first person sent by the hospital went better than it should have.

Excerpts follow:

"Edward is resting and shouldn't be disturbed."

"Oh yes, he's finally managed to hold down a little food. It was a bit of a struggle but he managed."

"Doesn't his breathing sound better and listen to that nice steady heart monitor."

"Of course I brought an AED with me. It's on the shelf plugged in."

"Chest x-rays after all the CPR? Actually I do have a portable machine upstairs from when Esme and I were working with doctor's without borders. Edward has a few hairline fractures but as long as they aren't stressed they'll heal without intervention." (Emmett had done far more damage than that but ribs were already mostly healed.)

"The blood he was vomiting? No, that wasn't from broken ribs." Carlisle had to think a little frantically to come up with something non-threading sounding but vampires process quickly. "Completely not something to worry about once I had a chance to do some evaluation. The nasual tubing burst some blood vessels. It was due to a glorified bloody nose."

"What's his blood pressure uh… I don't remember but it was fine. Right in his normal range."

"I agree he'll definitely need a stress test and ultrasound of his heart but I think after all the trauma at the hospital I'll have it done at a private clinic. Post traumatic stress disorder with respect to hospitals you know. His parents death was quite awful but we've spoken about that before."

"Of course we've talked to Jasper about acting so rashly. I'm thinking maybe both boys might be helped by therapy but no I don't need a referral I've someone in mind that I think will be perfect."

'Well, I suppose I am a little weary but I'll be fine. I'll sleep eventually. Residency was worse than this. It just didn't hit quite so close to home."

Thankfully the entire vampire family was very well practiced at lies.

Carlisle hated the lying so as much as possible he'd spoken truthfully though misleadingly.

"His eyes? They are very red. Even his irises are red. He had his eyes closed so tightly, hopefully the acid didn't cause permanent damage. He is blind for now but I have hope."

"Prayers are always welcome."

The Child Protective Services worker was horrible. He went through the entire house.

It was completely unacceptable that Edward had a settee rather than a real bed.

There was no milk in the house. (They were sold out! Mouthed Jasper.)

None of the bathrooms had toilet tissue. Where were the toothbrushes and toothpaste? There was nothing but make-up supplies!

"The dental hygiene things are still in an overnight bag from the hospital in the car," offered Carlisle, worried at the level of scrutiny of the CPS investigation.

Emmett didn't realize how serious things were and kept making rude jokes when the worker commented on his and Rosalie obviously sharing a room. CPS found the sex toys and was unimpressed. "Mister, Rose and I are over 18. We're not biologically related. What's the problem?"

Thankfully Jasper had a meditation room with a bed where he'd sometimes go to get control over his gift.

"That sir, is my bedroom. No sir, I'm a big believer in sparse spaces. I find them calming. I keep my clothes in Alice's room because she has extra closet space." Jasper knew the CPS worker was not kidding around.

CPS wanted to talk to Jasper privately. The cover stories from the hospital about Jasper stealing Edward from the hospital because he'd once rescued his sister from abuse and felt the need to do the same for Edward had come back to haunt them big time. Lies under crisis were always dangerous. Emmett and Rosalie obviously having relations with Rosalie's history raised big flags.

So serious was the potential fall out that Edward relayed Jasper and the CPS worker's private conversation to his family despite the damage to his vocal cords. "He can't touch Emmett or Rose because they've aged out of the system but he's seriously thinking about having Alice and I removed from the home."

"Sit up Edward." Esme very carefully helped him up. No one was taking Esme's children away.

"When this is over the pantry, the bathrooms, they will be forever stocked, Carlisle," snarled a very angry Momma vampire.

"Of course Esme," Carlisle instantly agreed.

Since Edward was sort of up, Carlisle took advantage of the opportunity to change his bandages and document the injuries. "It's started to heal Edward. At last!"

Edward smiled a little. "I'm so tired, Carlisle," he confessed in weary sign language.

"A little more to eat after our guest leaves will help," Carlisle encouraged. "You'll no doubt need far more than normal until you've healed. It's the only way."

When the CPS worker finished with Jasper he wanted to speak to Edward when he saw the "child" was awake and calm.

Jasper alarmed inched closer to Edward.

Doctor Cullin refused insisting Edward was not medically ready to be questioned by anyone.

The CPS worker wouldn't back down.

Emmett stood up humour disappearing from his face.

Rosaline her eyes shining darker then was normal started to inch closer.

Carlisle was not an idiot. He didn't send toddlers to wave steak in front of lions for giggles. Hand in pocket, Carlisle sped up the heart monitor until it was reading an alarming number and silently instructed Edward to breath faster and act a little overwhelmed. Then, tutting softly about it being time for pain medication Carlisle injected something into the fake IV and Edward obediently went slowly limp and slowed his breathing as his "heartbeat" slowed down. Carlisle wasn't letting a hostile human threatening his vampire family anywhere near Edward in his current condition no matter how well-meaning said human was.

The CPS worker looked frustrated but he backed off having no idea how close he'd come to inviting his own murder. The vampires were a little stressed out right now.

Esme took the CPS worker outside to speak to him. She noted his concerns about Rosalie and Emmett and crushed them under her heel with a heavy helping of hard truth mixed in with a light dusting of insignificant lies.

"Rose was sexually assaulted by someone who trusted her. She came into my care and had to rebuild her entire self esteem, confidence and trust from where it lay shattered. If she's found here a young man that she could learn to trust in an environment where she is safe and supported you will not come into my house and shatter her again by trying to fill her head with some nonsense about how she's doing something wrong. They aren't related. They're both here because they need people around them that care for them and they have that. We've all talked about what happens if feelings change. We've talked about privacy and so many other things.

As for the toilet paper, well the night before all this happened the boys stole the lot of it to paper a friend's house. They were already in trouble and told to restock it. It just hasn't happened yet. We've been rather heartbreakingly busy. It was a silly prank not a tragedy in parenting! There's Kleenex in Carlisle's office.

So we're out of milk. So is the Circle K! We'll have milk tomorrow.

And as for Edward's settee the boy is an artist through and through. Did you not notice the walls lined with music and poetry, the grand piano. He's a composer too, you know. He's written songs for me. If he feels inspired by a settee and a few throws instead of a bed and blankets what business is it of yours? I would like you to leave now."

Esme slammed the door in his face.

Edward gave her a thumbs up to let her know the CPS worker had seen her side of things.

Rose pounced on Esme with a huge hug. Emmett followed suit.

Edward was sitting drinking a mug of cow's blood when the last of the visitor's arrived. It was a doctor friend of Carlisle's.

"Mmm tomato soup," he observed of Edward. "You look like you're feeling a little better."

Edward gave him a thumbs up.

Actually the last guest was a good one. He explained that Carlilse had been given the next week off on sick leave or technically compassionate care leave and if he needed more time than that he was welcome to vacation time or unpaid leave. He also explained a few ways to make the house a little safer while Edward was dealing with a visual impairment and a few tricks and tips to make everyday tasks easier."