Bring Him Home Chapter 17

I really should have gone upstairs to the office and started my day, but I needed to get back to the hospital. Part of me wanted to make sure Edward was still there and that he was being looked after, another part of me was curious, very curious about the circumstances surrounding Edward and Emmett.

"Grab your stuff Emmett I'll get a cab and meet you out front, we can go and meet your Dad and make sure Edward is ok"

Emmett seemed to have come to a standstill as he just looked at his phone.

"Emmett are you ok?" I was waving my hands in front of his face trying to get his attention.

"What if it is not him Bella? I couldn't bear to raise Dad's hopes again. Shit I should have gone to the hospital first and checked him out before I called and told Dad".

The pain on his face was heart breaking and for the first time in a long time I wanted to cry and all I could do was envelop him in a hug. He was hurting and the only way to ease that was to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

"Come on Emmett let's go, you don't want your Dad to get there before you and face this alone do you?" It was the only think I could think of to make him move, he was still rooted to the same spot he'd been in for the last ten minutes.

"Fuck I didn't think of that, you are right, come on let's get going".

He grabbed my hand and I clung on tightly as he marched through the reception area of the gym shouting instructions to his staff. By the time we were out of the doors, they knew he wasn't going to be available for the rest of the day, and that unless somebody died or the gym burnt down he didn't want disturbing.

I could see the funny looks the staff were giving me, trying to work out where we were going and why he was with me. Rosalie had been a permanent fixture by his side for the last couple of weeks so I suppose this was confusing for them.

"I need to call Rosalie and let her know I'm not coming into work today she will be worried if I don't get in touch" I said as I settled in to the back seat of the taxi.

"If you are calling her then can you let her know I'll speak to her later." I nodded as I dialled.

After a quick conversation where I had to assure her that I was ok and that I hadn't been kidnapped or that I wasn't being held captive, she promised to email me if there were any problems. I turned my phone onto silent and sat back and tried to relax in the cab. I was still trying to work out what the connection was with Emmett and Edward. Physically they were very different, Emmett was a huge man with black curly hair and dark eyes, Edward was almost slight in comparison, with what looked to be dirty brown hair and green eyes. I wasn't sure about their skin tones because Edward's was so ingrained with dirt, my best guess was that they were friends or maybe first cousins.

As soon as we arrived at the hospital Emmett was up and out of the cab, he hadn't been able to sit still all the way here so I wasn't that surprised when he shot out without even thinking of the poor driver and the fact he needed paying.  I quickly handed over the fare and ran into the hospital foyer to try and catch up with him, I had mentioned what room Edward was in but I wasn't sure he would actually remember.

I couldn't see him so I made my way to room 622 and as I hurried down the corridor I could see Emmett pacing in a circle outside the door, one hand in his hair, the other holding his phone to his ear. As I got closer I could hear him talking

"I'm here Dad. I'm just about to go in, please don't come down here until I know for sure ok, please. I couldn't stand to see you upset again, please wait."

He was nodding and pacing and every so often he would answer a question with a short response.

"Look just let me go in and see, as soon as I know I'll call I promise" he nodded and said bye before putting his phone in his pocket.

"Ok you ready?" he said to me as he went to open the door. I nodded and took a step to follow him in.

Emmett took a huge breath in and looked at me as he opened the door and stepped in. I followed quickly behind and we separated and went to either side of the bed, Edward was exactly as he was when I left him last night, the only physical change was the bruising around his eyes had bloomed. It was now quite apparent his nose had been broken probably by a kick to the face.

He looked very calm as he slept, I knew that the heavy medication they had given him last night should have worn off by now, but I wasn't sure if they had given him anymore.

"When will he wake up Bella?" Emmett asked as picked up Edward's hand and held it.

"I don't know, the doctor said he was heavily sedated last night, but I don't know if they have given him anymore".

"Did they tell you how badly hurt he was?"

"No Emmett I'm not family, all I could tell them was his first name, the doctors need to find his next of kin to give that sort of information out."

I left the statement hanging there in the ether, hoping that Emmett would take the bait, when he didn't I tried again.

"Emmett do you know Edward, can you help by telling the hospital who is next of kin is?"

I looked up at Emmett and was shocked to see tears running down his face, he was staring at Edward almost as if he was seeing him for the first time, I was intrigued and I wondered just how long it had been since he'd last seen him.

"Emmett we need to talk to the doctors, do you know who his next of kin is?"

 I tried again but he was past communicating at the moment, he was lost in himself as he started to stroke Edward's hand and quietly talk to him. I was starting to wonder how to get through to him or even if I should try when the door opened, from where I was standing I couldn't see who had opened it but for some reason they had stayed in the doorway instead of stepping in to the room.

"Emmett I couldn't wait any longer, just tell me please is it him?" the voice said.

Once again I knew I knew the voice, I just couldn't place it, I tried to crane my neck to see who was in the doorway but the angle meant I couldn't see anything.

Finally, Emmett looked up, turning towards the doorway he smiled and nodded, "Yes Dad it's him, we've finally found him".