Standing alone in the stark white hallway, Bella hugged herself tighter in an attempt to warm up. The others had made a coffee run, and now she regretted insisting she'd be fine by herself. At least she wasn't stuck in her cocktail dress, since Austin and Eric had gone to her apartment to get some clothes for her. The sweatshirt she wore nearly swallowed her whole, a pair of leggings clinging to her thighs as she heaved out a heavy sigh. Raising her shoulder, she inhaled the fresh laundry scent, which should have brought her a sense of familiarity in the midst of the generic hospital decor.
Though pleasant, the smell of her shirt was all wrong; what she needed was Edward's favorite hoodie, but she didn't feel right sending anyone to his place to grab it for her without his permission. Try as she might, she couldn't bury herself in her oversized sweatshirt and forget about the world around her. Dashing away a tear, Bella sniffed and paced toward the nearest grouping of four faded pink chairs. They held no interest for her, not when so much anxiety ran through her veins. All she knew so far was that Edward had been in surgery for hours and would most likely be there awhile longer.
Hearing heavy footsteps approaching from behind, Bella turned to see a tall, broad-shouldered guy coming down the hall. The woman beside him was almost his height in ballet flats and moved as silently as a cat.
They walked up, the guy with his hand extended. "Are you Bella? I'm Emmett."
"Oh. Right." Edward's coworker. Bella stuck out her hand, but instead of shaking it, he engulfed it in both of his. They were large and warm; oddly reassuring against her cold bones. "You're Rose?"
The blonde nodded. "I'm sorry we're meeting under these circumstances."
"Me too."
"Are you a hugger?" Rose asked.
Shrugging, Bella said, "Why the hell not?"
Statuesque and bare faced, Rose was prettier than anyone Bella had ever met before. Holding her tightly, she let a few seconds pass before releasing her. "Have you heard anything?"
"He was only unconscious for a few minutes at the scene. I think they said he has a tibia-fibula fracture." She pulled away from Rose and wiped her eyes on the cuff of her sleeve. "He needs pins or rods, I can't fucking remember. He's in surgery now; there was something about a bunch of tests to check for head injuries and internal bleeding."
When Emmett pulled her in for a hug, she couldn't help feeling safe. There was something about the bulk of the man as he patted her back that evoked a sense of security.
"He'll be okay." After one last pat, Emmett let her go.
"With everything we've gone through, I have to believe that." And yet, the sickness swirling in her belly wouldn't release its hold on her.
“Are we having a tea party?” she heard Eric say.
Emmett turned, and they saw Eric standing behind him. So focused on the two in front of her, Bella hadn't even noticed him and Austin walk up. “Not happy enough for a tea party,” she mumbled.
“It’s coffee, anyway.” Handing her a paper cup, Eric patted her on the shoulder. Everyone had been patting her on the shoulder, as though that would cure what ailed her.
“Thanks.”
Jake and Seth were right behind them, and she even saw Jasper and Alice heading their way.
“Looks like we need a bigger meeting place,” Austin said.
“I don't think the hospital has a banquet hall for grieving families, but maybe you can ask.” The bitterness in her voice was palpable, but she’d have to worry about apologizing later. For the time being, she couldn't find a fuck to give.
“You might be surprised what I can do,” he replied mildly.
No, she probably wouldn’t. One thing Austin knew well was how to open doors, literally and figuratively. She sipped lukewarm coffee as her one-time realtor came closer.
“Hi, Bella.” Alice pulled her in for a hug without asking. “I’m sorry about all this.”
Bella wanted to shout at everyone. Yes, they were all sorry. Yes, they all wanted to hug or pat or otherwise touch her. All she wanted was to run screaming in the opposite direction until she found Edward.
“That’s a familiar theme.”
“Oh, sorry—oops.” Alice shrugged sheepishly. “I don't know what else to say.”
“I know, and I promise I don't hold it against you. I’m just so overwhelmed right now that I’m feeling bitchy.”
“It’s understandable.” Rose nodded at a spot over Alice’s head. “That looks like a doctor coming our way.”
Since he was wearing pale green scrubs, it seemed a fair guess. "Ms. Swan?"
Swallowing thickly, Bella nodded at the middle-aged man, her reflection wavering back at her from his black-framed glasses.
"Come with me, please."
After one last glance at her support system, she set off on the long walk.
The doctor began to speak. "The surgery went well. He's in recovery now, so you can only visit with him briefly."
"Is—" She had to pause and clear her throat. "Is he awake?"
"Not at the moment. Most likely, he'll come out of sedation within the hour."
Finding she had to wipe her face again, she asked, "Where do we go from here?"
"He'll remain in our care until we can be certain there were no hidden injuries and the leg is healing properly. It wasn't prudent to do exploratory surgery, so holding him here gives us the chance to keep an eye on everything. Then he'll need physical therapy, the length of which will be determined by his progress. Sometimes it has to be carried out here, but it can possibly be outpatient."
For the time being, Bella just needed to see his face. To know for herself, to feel him in her soul. Once she'd gotten that reassurance, the rest would fall into place.
The doctor pushed open a door at the end of the corridor, and it closed behind them with a soft whoosh. The bed took up most of the space in the room, machinery and humans consuming what was left. Unable to take a full breath, Bella inched closer to the man in the bed. Heart squeezing in her chest at the sight of him bruised and swollen, she tentatively brushed the hair off his forehead.
"I'm here, baby."
Whatever she'd expected, it didn't happen. Whether she thought he'd pop awake at the sound of her voice or that he'd grip her hand or something else entirely, nothing happened. The machines continued their incessant beeping and his chest rose and fell. She supposed that was all she could really ask for.
His scent was all wrong, and he didn’t look the same as her familiar Edward anymore, but she felt his presence deep inside. People came and went, medical professionals whose titles she didn't know. Time ticked by as sluggish as molasses in the wintertime, but Bella sat and counted Edward’s breaths as he inhaled and exhaled.
“Bella?”
Whipping her head up at the rasping voice, fresh tears sprang to Bella’s eyes when she found Edward watching her. Leaning close, she whispered in his ear. “I’m here. You’re okay.”
“What’s wrong?” His lids slipped closed, but he clasped her hand with a feeble strength.
“A hundred things, but none of them are for you to worry about.” Stroking his temple, she kissed his forehead twice.
“I’m sorry.”
“Please don't apologize. This was Vicky’s fault, not yours.”
“But you’re crying.”
“Also not your fault.”
From what she'd been told, Vicky folded like a lawn chair not long after they brought her in. Tanya sent her to do her dirty work, but Vicky couldn't find anything to sabotage. She'd thought herself a failure until Edward left and opportunity presented itself. Hopefully, both the bitches could be charged with something. Bella didn't care what, as long as they paid dearly.
“Just a few more minutes, Ms. Swan.”
“Do I have to leave?” Panic gripped her chest, and she sucked air into pain-filled lungs. “Can’t I stay a little longer?”
Though the face was sympathetic, Bella knew the answer before they spoke. “Not right now. Once he’s moved, you can come back.”
Dropping her head to the bed, she clung to Edward’s hand for one more second. Bringing her face close to his, she kissed him softly and whispered in his ear. “I love you.”
“Love you.” His words may have been quiet, but the automatic response was enough to send a fresh wave of tears flowing down her face.
Leaving was harder than she’d thought it would be. He needed her. Fuck, she needed him. There was nothing more to it than that.
Blind with tears, she stumbled her way out the door and sank to her knees before having taken three steps. People surrounded her, voices swirling in her head.
“I’m fine. He’s fine.”
Strong arms pulled her up, and several people helped her down the hall. Emmett, maybe, and Alice. The dichotomy of the mountain-sized man and the fine-boned, slender hands made her laugh like a loon.
“Bella?” Seth asked. “Are you okay?”
“No.” Shaking her head, she plopped into the nearest chair. “But I will be.”
"I got us that banquet hall you scoffed at," Austin informed her.
"Of course you did."
"It's a private family room."
Nodding, Bella allowed herself to be towed to the next location. "I need to sit the fuck down and catch my breath."
"When can we see him?" Jasper asked.
"When they move him out of the recovery room. They'll come get us."
Emmett led her to a chair. "He's really okay?"
"Sure seems like it. He might be here longer than I'd like if he needs inpatient physical therapy." They were all worried for him, and he didn't even know it.
"I've arranged a few things to make this easier for you both," Austin said. "First off, the professional kitchen you were putting off is currently being installed at the bakery, and secondly, we've all agreed to take turns helping run the place. Since none of us know how to bake, we can't help there. But I'll sell the fuck out of whatever you want me to."
"Austin, you don't have—"
"Thirdly," he said, ignoring her, "I've set up interviews with a handful of male nurses, who will be more than happy to come here to meet with you and Edward."
"Jesus—"
"If anything else comes to mind, I expect you to say it out loud. Otherwise, I'll intentionally go overboard with more."
It was all so overwhelming. "Christ's sake, Austin, surely you have better things to do with your time and money!"
Eric tsked, patting her shoulder. "No, honey, not right now he doesn't. We told you before, you're family. We take care of family."
God, she was going to cry again. "Thank you. All of you. I'm such a mess and you're all so patient and understanding."
Not so long ago, she didn't have a family to speak of. Renee didn't count, she wasn't even sure who her father was, and she'd pushed Edward away. Now she had more than she could handle. Instead of letting it become too much, she embraced it. It was about time, after all, and she deserved it.
She deserved them.
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