Fathers

Carlisle

Part Six

By Memya, Empress of Edit

"Edward! Run! You can't protect her now. All you can do is give her a chance to get away, so run!" I shouted as we sprinted though the forest.

The pounding of three sets of feet was the only sound as we ran through the trees.

Well, this is a mess, I thought to myself. I knew their relationship would only lead to heartbreak for someone but I didn't think it would be so soon.

Edward brought Bella to watch us play baseball. It seemed harmless enough. We kept her far enough away so she couldn't be hit by the ball and Edward was so proud, showing off for his girlfriend, behaving as light-hearted as I believe I've ever seen him and now this.

I keep telling the family we rely too heavily on Alice's patchy vision. She knew there was a group on their way to our area. She knew they would cross paths with us but they changed direction at the last minute and the way our kind can move, she had no chance to let us know they were coming in time enough for us to get Bella safely away.

Edward will blame himself if anything happens to the girl, I can see it in his eyes. I'm not sure what he'll do if we aren't able to protect her and she dies. I don't think I can bear seeing him go back to the unemotional creature he was before she came along. This Edward we never knew is so alive. We'll just have to succeed.

Phone call.

"Yes, Esme," I said into the phone and then listened as she spoke quickly and to the point. "She's no longer following you?" I listened again. "Edward!" I raised my voice to bring him back. Being the fastest among us, he had already put some distance between Emmett and himself but he quickly jogged back. "Esme says they've lost the female. Can you pick up James' thoughts? Is he near?"

Edward stopped to concentrate, opening his mind to any thoughts alive in the night. "He's gone, too." he said, desperation in his voice. "We have to find him or get to Bella. Let Alice know. Quick, Carlisle!"

"Right," I said into the phone. "I'll call you when we get there. I love you." I turned to Edward. "We'll head directly to Phoenix then. Surround Bella and keep her safe. With five of us there, she'll be fine. Let`s go."

I made a quick call to Alice to let her know our change of plans before handing the phone to Edward so he could speak to Bella. The anguish on his face lifted when he heard her voice. I pray that we will be successful.

We managed to get on the next flight to Phoenix, even though it was already overbooked. Amazing what a little extra cash can do. How I wish Jasper were here to help Edward remain calm. I can feel the restrained fury in him. Should I worry what he might do if she is lost to him?

Finally, I saw Alice and Jasper at the gate but where was Bella? She wasn't with them.

"Where is she?" Edward said, too quickly for any human ears to understand.

"She slipped away from us," Alice answered, recoiling in fear when she saw the look in his eyes.

"How is that possible?" he asked, then shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Where did she go?"

"Edward, it's too late. I saw . . . "

"Where!" he shouted, cutting her off and Jasper quickly stepped between them.

"A dance studio at Fifty-eighth street and Cactus."

Edward shot out of the terminal, knocking people aside and leaping over luggage in his hopeless race to save his love.

"Let's go, everyone. No matter what, he's going to need our help. And if Bella is . . . Well, he'll need us even more," I stated.

"And James will pay," Emmett declared.

"Yes, he will," Jasper growled as we ran to the car and he had the car started and was pulling out of the parking lot as we were closing the car doors.

Jasper flew down the streets, ignoring traffic signals and weaving in and out of traffic.

"That's it up ahead on the left," Alice said and Jasper wheeled the car over to the curb, just as I heard the snarling sounds of two vampires fighting. We jumped out and Emmett tore the door off the building so we could quickly get inside. My immediate attention went to Bella, broken and bleeding on the floor while the other took care of James. I always regret the loss of any life but he made his choices.

I was working on Bella when Edward noticed her hand.

"Carlisle, he bit her!" he shouted.

Alice pushed him to finish changing her but he wouldn't do it. There was no time to think so I told him to try to suck the venom out. It's nothing I've ever thought could be done and I worried that he might simply drain her but there was no choice. He put his mouth to the wound and pulled her blood into his body. Once we begin to feed, it's almost impossible to stop but somehow, thankfully, he did it. Then we took her to the hospital and I told them she'd fallen down some stairs and through a window. I sent Alice and Jasper to go to a hotel, check in under my name and make the mess necessary there to corroborate the story.

Edward drove my car as I tended to Bella in the back seat, arriving at the ER faster than any human could have possibly gotten us there.

"Slowly, Edward," I reminded him as he ran to open the car door so I could carry Bella in. "Careful with how you're moving. It's too fast," I cautioned.

"Carlisle, right now I don't care who knows what I am," he snapped at me. "Just help her, quickly."

"Nothing will be gained by giving ourselves away," I said. "Calm down or you'll have to leave.

He clenched is teeth and abruptly nodded.

"I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen," I said, pulling out my hospital ID. "Please call Forks Hospital in Washington state and they'll confirm my credentials. I've an injured young woman here, she's fallen down the stairs and through a window. She's had large blood loss so she needs to be type and crossed stat, her leg is broken, she needs an x-ray and she has a severe laceration on her hand and possible head injury."

Nurses and medical assistants flew in all directions, surprising me by obeying my orders before ascertaining the veracity of my statement. I focused on my patient's needs, looking up occasionally to see Edward's anxious face as he paced outside the room.

Bella was given a large dose of pain-killers and would sleep for several days as her body began to heal. Her injuries were quickly assessed and I flowed with the familiar usual tempo of the emergency room.

She didn't awaken until three days later. Edward stayed with her the entire time. There is something in his eyes that bothers me.

 

* * *
 

So, Charlie is on his way here to our home for dinner this evening. I'm not sure he believes the story about the time away. I'd likely not believe it were I him. This dinner idea sounded fine when I suggested it until Esme reminded me that we don't, in fact, eat and it will be very obvious if seven people sit around not eating.

I'd rescheduled, well, tried to beg off, twice since our return from Phoenix, but Charlie was being so doggedly persistent. Sometimes Jasper's ideas of necessary eliminations make sense. I'd hate to have to suggest that but I don't know how big a problem he's going to become. We'd have to do it without Bella ever finding out. I doubt she'd ever be able to forgive us but the reality is that by choosing to be with Edward there would have to be some sacrifices. Every one of us lost our family and she would eventually do so also if she became one of us which Alice sees happening, although Edward objects to the very idea of it.

In any case, we'll see what the chief has to say tonight and how Bella is recovering. Edward is still wracked with guilt over what happened to her and blames himself for all of it. He believes that had he never gotten involved with her that she would never have been injured but Alice reminded him that without him, she would have been crushed weeks ago, long dead and buried. I don't know if that convinced him or not. There is still something in his eyes that bothers me.
 

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