Chapter 23: Breathing Again

Author's note:Tissue warning.

Edward

The emergency room doors burst open, echoing the chaos churning inside me. The antiseptic smell of the hospital clashed with the raw fear that had taken hold—a fear momentarily subdued by the sight of Seth and Leah's concerned faces. They were a blur, just like the worried murmurs of Charlie, Daniela, my parents, and Bo Frakes trailing behind me. All background noise, all secondary to the singular thought consuming me—Bella.

She had asked for me. In the midst of turmoil, with danger nipping at her heels, she had reached out for me. That knowledge was my lifeline, the very thing allowing me to draw breath amidst the panic. The concerned glances from those around me, the whispers that filled the room—they were all lost on me. My mind, my entire being, was fixated on Bella.

The waiting room was alive with activity, others gathered in anticipation of news, but their presence felt like a distant echo. My gaze was locked on the closed door that stood between Bella and me. A hand rested on my shoulder, a silent gesture of solidarity, but it barely registered. My existence had narrowed to a single point: Bella, the woman for whom I would defy the world. My Bella.

"Take him back," Charlie's voice cut through the haze, authoritative yet unexpectedly soft.

I should have been taken aback by his directive, but the hours we had spent in earnest conversation, during the search, had paved the way for this moment. His recognition of my role in his daughter's life was more than a surprise—it was an affirmation, a pivotal acknowledgment that transcended any formal blessing for her hand.

I turned, realizing the hand on my shoulder was Charlie's. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice thick with gratitude.

Seth guided me through the sterile labyrinth of the emergency room to where Bella lay. The room was a quiet hum of machinery, each beep and whir a testament to her fragile state. She was a pale contrast against the stark hospital sheets, a mask veiling her face, her chest rising and falling with mechanical precision. Her eyes were closed, lashes casting delicate shadows on her cheeks, as I stepped closer and tenderly enveloped her hand in mine.

Tears blurred my vision as I observed the bandages swathing her left wrist, a visual reminder of her ordeal. Her right arm secured across her torso by ACE bandages. Gently lifting her left hand, I pressed my lips to her knuckles—a silent vow in that tender kiss. Then, cradling the back of her hand against my cheek, I sank into the chair that Seth had drawn up to the bed. There, in the quiet of the room, I allowed myself to feel the weight of the day, the relief, the fear, and the unyielding love for the woman before me.

"Edward," Seth's voice was a hushed intrusion, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from Bella. "She listed you as her emergency contact and as a person to be informed about her medical status."

Her trust in me, even now, left me in silent awe.

"I'll inform the doctors that you're here. They'll be with you shortly." His words were a distant echo as he retreated from the room, leaving me enveloped in the quiet vigil by Bella's side.

~~ Black Cat ~~

As Bella was whisked away for an MRI, I found myself drifting back to the waiting room. Daniela spotted me first, her eyes reflecting a mix of hope and worry. I navigated through the sea of anxious faces to where she, Charlie, and my parents were huddled together. Bo Frakes joined us just as I took my seat.

"How is she?" my mother's voice trembled with concern.

I met her gaze, feeling the weight of exhaustion in my own eyes. "The doctors say she's critical but stable," I began, the words heavy on my tongue. "Her vitals are strong, but she lost consciousness en route. They're running an MRI now, though they seem hopeful they won't find anything serious. They mentioned shock as a possibility, but right now, everything is conjecture." I took a breath before continuing. "They did a reduction on her right shoulder and have it immobilized."

Charlie's posture was one of defeat; elbows on his knees, head bowed—a mirror to the turmoil churning within him. "If Jacob gets off again, I swear I'll hunt him down myself," he growled.

Daniela's hand was a soothing presence on his back. "You can't let anger guide you, dear," she murmured.

"Why the hell not? He's put her in the hospital twice now," Charlie's voice was a mix of despair and rage.

My parents glanced at Charlie, then turned to me, their eyes filled with questions. I shook my head slightly. "Let's focus on the present," I said, my voice low.

A glance through the window revealed a news van pulling up—another complication we didn't need. "Bo, can you handle that?" I asked, nodding towards the unwelcome intrusion.

Bo's expression hardened as he caught sight of the van. "This is the last thing we need," he muttered, already striding towards the door to intercept the reporter.

More officers were walking through the doors to hold vigil as I got up and headed back to Bella's side.

~~ Black Cat ~~

Three hours had slipped by when the gentle tug at my right hand jolted me from a restless slumber. I hadn't even realized I'd drifted off. My eyes snapped open to find Bella's gaze locked on mine, her eyes glassy but piercing.

"Edward," she whispered, her voice a fragile thread in the sterile silence of the room.

The sight of tears welling in her eyes was all it took for me to spring into action, the chair clattering to the floor in my haste. I quickly lowered the rail and perched on the edge of the hospital bed, pulling Bella gently into an embrace.

She held onto me as if I were her lifeline with her left arm, her body shaking with sobs. I stroked her back, a soothing rhythm to match the whispered reassurances I breathed into her hair. "You're safe," I murmured again and again, willing her to believe it, to feel it in my embrace.

The soft shuffle of footsteps entered the room, pausing briefly before retreating. It wasn't long before the space was alive with the presence of doctors, their attention converging on Bella now that she had regained consciousness. I positioned myself unobtrusively yet visibly in the room, a silent guard. My resolve was clear—I would remain by her side, come what may, regardless of any requests for me to step aside.

As the doctors peppered Bella with questions, each one aimed at piecing together her neurological state, I found myself reaching for the phone in my pocket. With hands that trembled ever so slightly, I typed out a single word to my father—awake. It was a succinct message, but within it was an ocean of relief and unspoken fears that had been momentarily calmed.

"Ms. Cullen," a doctor began, recapturing my attention amidst the flurry of activity. "We're going to keep you here for a day or two for observation, purely as a precautionary measure. Your initial scans are clear, but as your body recovers from the shock, new symptoms may emerge. We'll schedule another MRI for tomorrow afternoon to ensure everything remains stable. We'll reevaluate your stay at that time, too."

"Cullen?" I echoed, our solitude returning. I settled beside her on the bed once more, cradling her left hand in mine.

A sheepish look crossed her face. "Don't like it?" she teased, her voice filled with pain despite the medication.

My eyes swept the hospital room, a stark reminder of our reality. Yet, our relationship had always unfolded in unexpected ways, and this moment was no exception. "Isabella," I began, my voice soft but steady, "I have something for you. Initially, it was a mere token of my love. But in your absence, it became so much more—it was my anchor, my solace in the darkness." I leaned closer, my lips grazing hers in a tender prelude. As I pulled back, I revealed the diamond ring that had been my secret companion. "You are the light that brightens every corner of my existence. I can't bear the thought of a future without that light. Will you marry me?"

Her left hand flew to her mouth as a soft gasp escaped her, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "Yes," she breathed out, the word a delicate whisper that held the weight of world for me.

Before Bella was transferred to her room upstairs, I sent two pictures to my parents, regretting that I hadn't thought to get Charlie's phone number. I trusted they would share the wonderful news and forward the images. The first photo showed Bella and me, the hospital backdrop artfully omitted by a considerate nurse. The second was a close-up of Bella's hand, the diamond ring glistening prominently. I included no explanation; the images spoke volumes on their own.