Chapter 18

~Code Gray~

My mouth hangs open. Of all the things my sister could have said about Bella's condition, whipping wasn't even in the ballpark.

"You think . . . Jimmy whipped her?"

Alice holds up her index finger. "The scars are old, but the bruises aren't. I'm calling in the social worker. Something is very wrong."

"But—" I start to protest, then stop myself. Alice is the expert here; I have to respect that and let her do whatever is necessary. "What's going to happen?"

"Edward, I know this is difficult to navigate, and I'm sorry it came to light on your watch. Honestly, from Jimmy's instructions, it seems like he does his best to keep Bella away from medical personnel."

I sit back in the chair and blow out a breath. "Fuck."

"I'm concerned about the prolonged loss of consciousness."

"You said she's awake though."

Alice nods. "Yes. She's disoriented and focused inward. She will follow simple directions, but she won't respond to my questions. The most likely reason is because she doesn't want to. I'm waiting for the blood and CT results." She hesitates, taking a deep breath. "I'm also running a tox screen."

"Okay. Yeah, it's probably a good idea." I lean forward and press my hands against my face.

Alice logs into her computer and scrolls through Bella's chart. "CT is clear, but there's evidence of old trauma injuries and broken bones." Her forehead creases as she reads through the report on the screen. "Bella has been abused over a period of years. The recent bruises are child's play compared to some of this old stuff. I'm wondering—"

A tone sounds over the PA system. "Medical alert, code gray, ER bay five. Medical alert, code gray, ER bay five. Medical alert, code gray, ER bay five. "

Alice is up and out of her chair. "Stay here. I have to get this."

I watch with my mouth agape as she runs from the room. I don't know what a code gray is, but Bella is in one of those ER bays. My heart pounds, and I race out of Alice's office like a madman.

The ER is pandemonium. There are security guards and medical personnel moving about quickly. There's a concentration of guards near the row of curtained bays where Bella is.

A keening wail fills my ears, followed by screaming. "No! Please, no! Don't touch me! No-no-no-no-no!"

It's Bella. I know it. I move in her direction before thinking it through. At first, I probably go unnoticed because I'm wearing a scrub top, and the security guards part as I rush toward the curtain.

One alert guard holds an arm out, barring me from passing. "Whoa. Where do you think you're going?"

"I need to get to her." I lunge forward.

Big mistake.

I'm pushed to the floor, pinned by a knee in my back, and the urge to struggle is overwhelming.

"Stay down, buddy. Don't make this worse."

"What's a code gray?"

"Combative patient."

Bella's litany continues—a combination of whimpers, shrieks, and mashed together words.

Alice's voice rises from inside, commanding. "Enough! Everyone out, except me and the patient."

A male voice responds. "I'm not sure that's such a—"

"Out! Now!" Alice yells.

Two nurses, an orderly, and a red-faced guard pass through the curtain.

"Alice!" I call out, realizing the only way I'm getting loose is through her intervention.

"Edward? I thought I told you to wait in my office!" Alice is pissed.

"You're in deep shit now," the guard mutters with a laugh.

Bella's shrieking stops for a moment, and then she calls my name. "Edward? Edward is here?"

"Yes, honey. Edward is my brother. He came in the ambulance with you."

"Edward! Please—I need you!" Bella sounds young and desperate, like a pleading child.

Alice calls out, "Let him in!"

The guard eases his knee from my back and helps me stand. "Move slowly, okay, bud?"

"Yeah."

I step forward and part the curtain. Bella is curled in a ball in the corner, her chest rising and falling with heaving breaths, eyes glassy and wild. She looks like a little girl, her slim form swallowed by billows of hospital gown.

Alice is crouched a few feet away from her. "Edward is here. You have nothing to fear, okay?"

Bella's eyes focus on me like lasers, desperation rolling off her in waves. She reaches out with her uninjured hand. "Edward."

"I'm here." I take slow, measured steps toward her and hope she can see the reassurance in my eyes. "You're okay, Bella."

"Help me," she whispers. "Please."

"Alice, can I—"

"Yes. No sudden movements."

I walk forward slowly and drop to my knees in front of her. "Bella."

Her eyes dart around, finally meeting mine, and she whimpers, like a frightened animal in a trap.

"Hey, look right here." I make a V with my index and middle fingers, drawing an invisible connection from my eyes to hers.

She reaches for me with both arms, eyes pleading. I slide closer, reaching my fingers out to touch hers. She gasps when our fingertips meet, and I ready myself to pull back. With an anguished cry, Bella launches herself at me, and I instinctively catch her.

"Hey, hey, hey. You're safe. Nobody is going to hurt you here."

Bella huddles closer, her fingers clawing against my neck and shoulder. I struggle to my feet and move us to a chair beside the bed. Her body shrinks into a tight ball on my lap, nails burrowing into me harder, reminding me of a frightened kitten—pressing closer, shaking, claws latching into your skin for dear life.

Shushing her, I tighten my hold and rock slightly. Alice stands a few feet away with her arms crossed, watching us closely. I wonder what she's thinking.

A woman pokes her head in. "Alice? Do you want to fill me in?"

Alice shakes her head. "I think it's best we wait on this, Meg."

Meg takes in the scene with an unreadable expression. "Whatever you think is best. I'm around a few more hours if you need me."

"Meg, wait. Why don't we talk in my office?"

"Sure."

"I'll be back, Edward. Will you be okay here with her?"

"Yeah, we're fine."

Alice leaves with Meg, dismissing the security guards. A few minutes later the code gray is canceled.

I cradle Bella, allowing her to press closer and grab onto me as tightly as she needs to. I haven't had time to think about the ramifications of what was discovered by her exam and scan. My mind swings back and forth between the assurances I received from Bella herself that Jimmy saved her to wondering if she has Stockholm syndrome and has become so dependent on him, she's complicit in her own abuse.

Over time, Bella's breathing evens out, and her grip on me loosens. I start to wonder if she fell asleep.

"Thank you," she whispers. "Thank you for being here for me."

"Of course." I don't know what else to say. There are so many questions swimming through my mind.

"Edward, get me out of here."

"What?"

"I need to leave." Her voice is low and shaky. She tilts her head to gaze up at me with complete trust in her eyes. "Take me home. Please."

"Not all of your test results are back yet. What about the gash in your arm and—"

"It's been stitched already. Your sister can call us with any other results." She fists the shirt I'm wearing and brings her mouth close to my ear. "I have to get out of here. You can take me, or I'll go on my own."

"Okay, okay." I find her clothes and face away while she changes. I poke my head out of the bay and glance around. I spy a wheelchair folded up against a wall. Casually, I walk over, open it, and roll it into the exam room. Bella grins and puts a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. I guess she digs having me break her out in plain sight. I grab a blanket from the stretcher and drape it over her head, tucking the rest around her like a shroud.

Trying my best to look like I belong here, I wheel her down the hall with purpose as if I know exactly where I'm going. The main entrance is a bad idea, so I wheel her to the lesser known back way that lets out into the rest of the hospital. Once we clear the ER doors, and no alarms sound, I breathe a sigh of relief.

As I wheel Bella through the halls toward an exit, I stop short. "Fuck. I came in the ambulance with you. I don't have my car!"

I pull my phone out and call the only person I know who will have my back at two in the morning and doesn't answer to my sister.

"Yo!"

"Em, I need you to pick me up at the rear lot of the hospital."

The bed creaks followed by the sound of his gigantic feet padding against the floor. "Are you fucking yanking my chain? Rosie is asleep in my bed."

"I'm definitely not yanking your chain. Congrats, by the way."

"Emmett to the rescue. You know I wouldn't leave this goddess in my bed for anyone else, man."

"And I wouldn't ask if I didn't have to."

"Hold tight. Be right there."

I wheel Bella to a dimly lit corner of the lot and wait for Emmett. Bella nods when I tell her Emmett is coming, then pulls the blanket tighter around her. It's cold enough I can see puffs of my breath in the air, but I welcome the chill. My phone vibrates half a dozen times, but I ignore it. Alice is going to skin me alive.

Emmett rolls up on us with his headlights off. If the situation wasn't so bizarre, I'd laugh. I open the back door, then scoop Bella into my arms, depositing her on the back seat. She grips my hand as I go to pull away.

"Please stay with me."

I leave the wheelchair on the sidewalk and join Bella in the back, shutting the door. "Let's roll, Em."

"Dude, I don't even want to know what the fuck you've gotten yourself into this time. Where to?"

I glance down at the woman clinging to my side, her fingers wrapped tightly around my wrist. "My place."

Alice is going to kill me.

~oOo~

Pretty sure Alice is going to flip out on Edward. The picture is starting to come together with Bella, but there are still missing pieces. Keep on sharing your thoughts and theories. I love reading them (and some of you get close sometimes)! See you next week!

I post teasers and links to updates on my blog and on Facebook in the No Rules Twilight Fan Fiction and It All Started With Twilight groups.

Thanks and gratefulness as always to my awesome betas, SassySue (chayasara) and Wendy wmr1601. These ladies make my stuff much more presentable!

Follow me: atSaritaDreaming, Facebook SarahAislingAuthor, blog saritadreamingdotwordressdotcom.

PSA: Fanfic has made a ridiculous update that will turn email notifications OFF. This is the default setting. You will need to go to "settings" in your FF account and opt in to receive email notifications. Even if you do this, this setting will automatically default back to NO every six months, at which time you will need to change the setting again. Just one more way FF is making our lives difficult.