At her words - her almost sarcastic words, a low chuckle escaped my lips. The sound was doused in relief.
Did you see her mother? Is she dead? Carlisle's face looked grave. We both listened for a moment, trying to hear a heart beat...someone breathing, but there was nothing. I shook my head.
"Bella?"
Her lips twitched into a frown. "What?" she mumbled.
"Where is your mother?" he asked.
"In Florida," she sighed. Then her face barely distorted in anger. "He tricked me, Edward. He watched our videos."
I gritted my teeth in anger, the reminder of James came to the forefront of my mind as I looked over my shoulder at the rapidly growing flames that were licking up the walls of the studio.
"Alice." Bella's eyes fluttered and failed to open. "Alice," she called again. "The video - he knew you, Alice, he knew where you came from," her voice drifted off weakly. "I smell gasoline," she added quietly.
This building is going to be up in flames shortly, we need to leave. "It's time to move her," Carlisle looked at me. Can you carry her? You must be careful not to hold her too tightly. We don't want her ribs protruding into her organs.
I nodded my head.
"I want to sleep," Bella protested.
"You can sleep, sweetheart, I'll carry you," I tried to soothe her as I brought her gently into my arms, like she was a delicate soap bubble. She's more fragile than a soap bubble, I laughed internally, the first real signs of the ending danger."Sleep now, Bella," I kissed her lightly on the forehead, the blood unaffecting me in this most relief filled moments.
She fell limp in my arms, her eyes shut lightly, like she was in a deep slumber. I emerged from the flames of the studio as Alice opened the car door of the Cadillac for me. I slowly laid her down in the backseat. I sat beside her, pulling her into my lap. I wanted to keep her as close to me as possible. I looked up through the shining sunlight, where Alice was glittering like millions of tiny facets were embedded in her skin, and noticed the relief on her face also.
"Where's Emmett and Jasper?" I wondered, catching a glimpse of the Mercedes still parked out front.
"They've gone back to the hotel. I'm not riding with you, I'm going to meet them there. We are going to set up a...scenario." I saw in her mind the plan - they were going to break the glass wall of one of the stair wells - saying Bella had fallen down the stairs and through the window, causing her injuries.
"Will that work?" I asked.
"Yes." She stated while shutting the door and sprinting off in the dark shadows around the buildings.
Carlisle was already in the driver's seat, the car starting. I didn't speak, and neither did he during our ride to the hospital, though I could always hear his thoughts.
I guess the glass from the window and falling down stairs could account for her injuries. Hum... Alice is truly clever.
I can't believe Edward was able to stop when Bella's blood calls to him so absolutely.
Two lefts and a right...
We pulled into the emergency room lane, Carlisle helped Bella out of the car and handed her back to me. I carried her through the large glass doors as they slid open for me automatically. The nurse at the front desk stood immediately, gasped at the sight of the blood, her thoughts becoming panicky, and ran to get help. Soon there were doctors and more nurses running through the halls, all ready to help her. It pained me to see the slowness that they moved, though their pace was particularly fast considering they were just mere humans. I brushed her face lightly as I placed her on the gurney.
"My name's Dr. Carlisle Cullen. I would like to help in any way that I can. She is like family to me," Carlisle spoke quickly to the doctor on duty.
I knew he was beginning to feel this away about her, but he had never thought or said that statement out loud. She was family, though. To see all of the Cullen's, even Rosalie, ban together to protect the one fragile human that I loved so deeply made me realize that maybe she was my destiny...that even after tasting her blood, I was able to keep her alive.
I shook my head. It was idiotic to think that way. I would have never tasted her blood if it weren't for me putting her in danger in the first place. This was entirely my fault. She was being rushed to surgery because of me. Her bones are broken...she was bit by a vampire! Each thought was a struggle, I saved her, but she wouldn't have needed saving had I never invited her into my secret life.
Another thought. When I left Forks...if I never returned...she would be dead now. I saved her! The battle between right and wrong was taking over my body as I sunk down into the nearest chair and waited for some news.
A couple of very long minutes later Alice came prancing through the doors, exultant at her prized display of a fake accident, her eyes were reminiscent.
Carlisle came bursting through the big white emergency doors.
"We need permission from her mother or father before she can have surgery."
"Already done," Alice trilled. "She should be calling the hospital in three seconds."
Suddenly the phone rang and the nurses' station picked up.
"Hold on just one minute, Mrs. Dwyer," the nurse pressed the hold button and then another button to send the call back to the doctor on duty.
"That's my cue," Carlisle said. "I'll keep you informed." He turned on his heal and walked smoothly and gracefully through the doors sending an everything will be all right, thought my way.
I sighed and sank down into a chair. I sat still for an hour. A very long hour. I still hadn't recovered from the shock of seeing Bella in such a broken state as I sat there frozen and unmoving. Hate and revulsion were there, squarely in my chest, reminding me of the monster I am. I sat there, silent and unmoving - rigid as a wax work while the battle raged inside me. I kept turning cold thinking about what would have happened if I hadn't shown up. I shuddered.