Bring Him Home - Chapter 18

For some reason I panicked and froze as the person in the door way let out a noise that reminded me of what I imagined an injured animal sounded like. Emmett though seemed to react to the noise instantly; he dropped Edward's hand and flung himself into the doorway. I couldn't see what was happening so I finally got a grip of myself and moved closer to them and quickly became aware that his Dad had actually collapsed and he was trying to hold him up. This finally got all my senses back functioning and I jumped in to action, grabbing a chair, I brought it closer so Emmett could help his Dad into the room and sit him down and then I picked up the emergency button that was resting in Edward's unresponsive hand. I pressed the button twice hoping that someone was actually paying attention and would come and help us.

I turned round to see if I could help Emmett, this time I had a clear view of the older man and before I could stop myself I blurted out his name, "Mr Cullen, Carlisle, what are you doing here?"

Now if my brain had been in gear at that point I could have answered my own question, I already knew this was Emmett's Dad from how he had addressed him and that they somehow knew Edward, so it was obvious why he was there. I just didn't know his Dad was Mr Cullen CEO of Cullen Inc , one of my biggest clients.

"Dad just relax, try and breathe slowly and deeply, you are just reacting to the shock, I'll get you a doctor. Please sit still and try and calm down because I need you to be ok, I can't lose you now we have just found him".

Emmett was almost in tears again; he was trying to calm his Dad but he didn't seem to be able to take his eyes off Edward.

 "Emmett I'll go and find a doctor so you can have your Dad checked out, don't worry about Edward, he's not awake yet and could be out for a while" I squeezed past the chair and rested my hand on Carlisle's shoulder "Carlisle stay calm and try and even out your breathing, I'll be right back with some help".

Just as I got outside into the corridor a nurse came round the corner, she was on her way to us so I quickly explained that Carlisle had come over a little weird in the room. From then on I felt a little like a spare part, I stayed out of the room to give them some privacy and it seemed to take for ever before the nurse came back out.

"Is he alright?" I asked

"He's fine just a little rattled that's all, seeing his son like that gave him quite a shock. No matter how we warn people they always underestimate how upsetting it will be to see their loved ones in hospital."

It was my turn to be stunned, Edward was Carlisle's son, and Emmett's brother? I wasn't expecting that at all. I made myself comfortable in the hallway outside of the room and waited, I wanted to make sure everyone was ok and to be honest I was really curious.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, but was only probably about 45 minutes, Emmett opened the door and came out into the corridor, he sat in the chair next to me and leaned forward, his hands went into his hair as he took the weight of his top half on his elbows.

"Is your Dad ok?"

Emmett nodded and let out a sigh, "Yes he is just about over the shock now, I don't know what upset him more, seeing the shape Edward is in, the fact he is in hospital or just the fact that this is the first time we've seen him in the flesh for six years"

"Six years, why haven't you seen him for six years?" I couldn't hide the shock in my voice, Edward had been living like that for six years.

"That's too long a story for now Bella, why don't you head off, we are going to be here for the duration, there is no way Dad is going to let Edward out of his sight so we're just going to wait for him to wake up."

"Ok why don't I go and get us some coffee, I don't know about you but I'm starving as well, we also need to keep Mr Cullen's strength up, so I'll be back shortly with something" Emmett nodded and I stood to go and find a decent café or deli nearby.

"I didn't miss the fact you know my father either Bella, that's another conversation we need to have" Emmett said as I walked away down the corridor.

I sat in a little café across the road from the hospital trying to take stock. It was full of nurses and doctors so I knew the food and coffee would be good and as I sipped my hot drink I tried to put to pieces what happened this morning but there were too many holes. Emmett and Edward were brothers but so very different, there was no mention of a mother anywhere, Carlisle Cullen was Dad to both of them but they hadn't seen Edward for six years and looking at the state Edward was in I could have guessed he'd probably been homeless most of that time.

I knew that at this point I should have ‘banked' the amazing the situation I‘d brought about, adding it to my ‘favours to be returned later file' reuniting long lost family, and moved on. My business was being attacked and I needed to find out why, I had staff that relied on me for their mortgage and rent payments so we needed to get to the bottom of these videos. Something though was stopping me moving on, for some reason I wasn't ready to say goodbye, I needed to know Edward was ok.  I finished my coffee and went to the counter to pay and order take out when my cell rang.

"Hi Rosalie, yes Emmett's fine, he's going to be at the hospital for while so you'll probably need to get him some clean clothes together.... No I can't tell you what's going on because I'm not sure myself, but I'll be back in the office shortly so we'll talk then ok".

She assured me everything was fine and that I didn't need to rush back, so after getting the take out together I made my way back to the hospital. As I approached the room I wasn't sure what to expect, so I quietly knocked before slowly pushing the door open. The sight that met me was very different from the one I'd left. Carlisle was standing by the bed holding Edward's hand and stroking back his hair, it was one of the purest gestures of parental love I'd ever witnessed.  It was then I noticed that Edward's eyes were actually open, well as open as they could be when they were surrounded with so much swollen tissue.

"Hey guys I bought coffee and sandwiches"

Instantly I wished I'd kept my mouth shut because I'd broken the spell of the moment, Carlisle, realising I'd returned turned to look at me and for the first time since I'd seen him in the hospital spoke directly to me,

"Bella, how are you? I'm so sorry about earlier, everything got just a little bit too much for me. I've been looking forward to this moment for a very long time and I really didn't want it to take place in a hospital."

While he may have looked at me for the first few words, his eyes soon went back to rest on Edward, it was as though he felt if he didn't keep him in his sight he would disappear again.

"It's ok, I'm only just realising what a big day it is for you all so why don't I leave these for you and I'll go, you all have a lot of catching up to do I'm sure".

I placed the take out on the table at the bottom of Edward's bed and started to move towards Emmett to say goodbye.

"No don't go"

It came out as little more than a whisper, but we all definitely heard it.

"Oh thank fuck, I was beginning to think you couldn't speak anymore" Emmett said as he leaned over the bed.

"I don't think he has actually spoken for quite some time, apart from those few words to me when he was trying to find you Emmett, I get the impression he hasn't wanted to talk".

Edward nodded and pointed at me, agreeing with what I'd just said.

"It's ok son, you have nothing to worry about, everything has long since been sorted out and dismissed. We've been looking for you all this time to tell you, you have nothing to run from or fear"

It struck me as an odd thing to say, but there was obviously a story to tell, so I grabbed my coffee and sat down next to Emmett. Edward wanted me to stay, he'd broken his silence to tell me so I wasn't going anywhere for a while.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Ok another little piece of the puzzle.

Thank you to AJG and Edlovesme for all their help, I really couldn't do this without you x