TUiB:17- Times Like These

The characters and story of Twilight lived in Stephenie Meyer's head long before I came along and read it. They belong to her. This story however, has lived in my head long before you read it and it belongs to me. I don't intend any copyright infringement and you better not either.


It's times like these I'm thankful for my girls for keeping me sane and keeping me writing. I shouldn't be surprise that y'all got me close to 400 reviews last chapter, but I am. Oh the power of Edward and dry humping ;) Thank you all for the reads and reviews. It means the world to me. This is the first time I've let anyone read something I've written since college. All y'all have made it a painless experience.

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In times like these
In times like those
What will be will be
And so it goes
And it always goes on and on...
On and on it goes

~~Times Like These, Jack Johnson

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~~BPOV~~
The fork clanged against the plate as it dropped from my hand. The woman's mouth kept moving but I couldn't hear anything but the sound of blood rushing to my ears. Renee would never call except for a true emergency. I stood on shaky legs and looked for Edward, he was already coming around the table to take my arm.

We followed her to the front desk and I gasped as I picked up the phone hearing the police siren from the ear piece.

"Mom?"

"Bella! I'm so sorry, I don't want to frighten you-"

"What's going on?" I interrupted.

"Sarah fell and hit her head. There's a lot of blood. We're on our way to the hospital and I can't find the in case of emergency authorization you left for me."

Goosebumps raced across my skin as bile rose in my throat. My eyes spilled over as I rushed to speak.

"She hit her head? Is she okay? Where is she now? Wait, why do you need the authorization, where's Jake?"

"I think so but I don't know, we couldn't see the cut through the blood. She's here with me, we're in Charlie's cruiser. Jake's on that camping trip that's why I need that form. What do I do?"

"What camping...? Never mind. Dad's with you? I'll call the hospital right now." I covered my eyes with my hand and willed myself not to throw up.

Edward's hand flew over the desk reaching for the other phone. He dialed quickly and waited.
"Is Dr. Cullen on staff tonight? Yes? I need to speak with him right away, this is his son."

"Mom, I've got someone getting the hospital on the phone. I'll give them any authorization they need."

"Okay, we're almost there. I'm going to hang up. I'll call you as soon I as I know something."

"Oh God. Okay."

"It'll be okay Bella, please don't worry."

"Dad, it's Edward. Yeah. No. Listen, I'm here with a friend whose daughter is on her way to the ER with her mother. Yes, I'll put her on." He handed me the phone as I hung up with Renee.

"Hello? Dr. Cullen? This is Isabella Black."

"Yes Ms. Black, how can I help you?"

"My mother and father are coming in with my daughter Sarah. She's hit her head and my mom misplaced the medical authorization form I left her."

"Oh no problem, Ms. Black. Chief Swan is with her as well? What is your mother's name? I'll write it down now. And you're giving her full permission to make all medical decisions on behalf of your daughter?"

"Renee Dwyer and yes, sir."

"Is your mother aware of her medical history? Any known allergies?"

"She should know everything. Or Charlie will. No allergies, that we know. When will I hear if she's okay?"

"I'll keep you updated personally. Try not to worry, go ahead and give me a number to reach you."

I repeated the phone number to the front desk and he disconnected the line. My hands shook as I handed the receiver back.

"Is she okay?" Edward asked.

"I don't know. I don't know anything. All Renee said is that she hit her head and there was a lot of blood. She said they couldn't see the cut. My dad was driving them to the hospital that's why there was sirens."

He opened up his arm and I mashed my face into his chest wetting his shirt with my tears.

"I can't believe I'm not there. She must be so scared. I can't believe I'm not there."

"Bella?" Zafrina softly called my name and touched my back.

"Take her," Edward said, rolling me to her gently and reaching over the counter again.

"Shh, Bella, she's going to be okay. Kids hurt themselves everyday, whether we're there or not." She led me over to the seating area across the room.

"But I'm always there, Z. I've never missed one scraped knee or hangnail or sunburn."

"I know, I know. You're not always going to be able to be there, hon. I'm sorry the first time is so far away from home though."

"I broke my arm on a boy scout camping trip when I was eight," Garrett said and sat on the arm of the couch. The rest of the dinner table trickled in behind him. "It was also the first time I spent a night away from home. My mom didn't want to let me out of her sight for the next ten years."

"When I was twelve I jumped off my neighbors roof when my parents were on vacation and my aunt and uncle were watching me. I got a huge bloody nose but no permanent damage. Well, besides the ass kicking I got when my dad found out." Benny laughed and reached out to rub my arm.

"I had a grand mal seizure when I was a baby. The first time my parents went to dinner alone after having me. I spiked a temp in my sleep and I went into convulsions and was raced to the hospital in an ambulance. The way my mom tells it, you'd think I did it on purpose." Kate chimed in.

"I went on a cruise after my divorce and my son got mono. I was out in the middle of the ocean and didn't even know about it until I got home. Couldn't have done a thing even if I wanted to," Zafrina said. "So you see Bella, it happens to everyone."

"Yes, hello Mandy. I need to know, when is your next flight out to Seattle from San Jose? Nothing earlier? No, I understand. Can I book through to Port Angeles from there? Okay. And that gets in when? Fuck. Nothing earlier?"

The gang circled around me attempting comfort with war stories and battle wounds but all I could hear was Edward negotiating my return to Forks. A few moments later he hung up and walked towards us.

"I'm sorry, Bluebell. I can't get you out of here until the morning. Nothing flies in or out of San Jose this late. The first flight is at 7:15 and you're on it. But you won't get in to Port Angeles until nearly noon. It's the best I could do." He crouched down at me feet and squeezed my knee.

I sucked in a breath and nodded to him as a fresh set of tears pricked my eyes.

"Guys, why don't we give them some space and get them some coffee?" Zafrina said eyeing Edward and I.

"Oh sure," Garrett said leaping off the couch. "If there's anything you need, you'll let us know right?"

Edward thanked them as Zafrina grabbed an employee and asked for a coffee tray. She bent in to hug me again and disappeared back into the party that was carrying on oblivious to my world crashing down. Edward rose from my feet to sit and wrap his arm around my shoulders. The coffee was set on the table in front of us but neither of us moved to it.

"God, I can't stand not knowing anything. I don't even know where on her head she hit or how. I just realized, I don't even know if she's conscious. I didn't hear her crying." The panic cried out in my voice.

"Well, you said your Dad drove her in right? If she knocked herself unconscious would he move her or would he call for an ambulance?"

"He's radio the ambulance," I answered while I clasped and unclasped my hands over and over.
"Right. So we can deduce she was awake. And you didn't hear her crying meaning she isn't hysterical or in massive amounts of pain."

"She could be in shock."

"True, but that's not a bad thing. It would be her body's response to pain. She'd have all sorts of endorphins pumping keeping her okay. And you know she's already at the hospital so she's in good hands. My father will treat your baby as if she was his own."

I sighed and wiggled down in the couch so my head could rest against the back of it. "Thank you for calling him. And booking a flight, and talking me down. You're good in a crisis."

I expected him to laugh but he frowned instead.

"I've had some practice." He rubbed his eyes and smiled upside down again.

"Why?"

"I don't want to get into that now, Bluebell. Let's focus on you."

"I'd rather not. I'd prefer something, anything, to get my mind off the images flashing of my daughter covered in blood crying for her mommy who is a thousand miles away." I pressed my fingertips into my eyes as I whined.

"Alright I get it. Are you sure you're up for a story? It's a long one."

"Yeah, I am," I said softly. Something in his voice made me forget my worry and find concern for him.

"So I told you how I knew Rose in high school? She was dating Emmett back then and for the most part we hated each other. We were really competitive. She was in all my AP classes and we were constantly volleying for the higher grade. When she and Emmett started dating I was pissed. At first, I thought he did it to piss me off and then they got in a fight that found me the opportunity to get back at him. I remember thinking it was strange that she was so willing. At the time I just thought she was pissed a him. But I realized later it was so much more than that. Like she was giving him the ultimate reason to break up with her, like she thought she deserved it. He, of course, found out and dumped her in front of an entire quad of classmates after going a few rounds with me on the grass. Then the next Saturday most of my class was off on this huge overnight trip for a Shakespeare festival and I was suspended for he fight so I didn't go."

He paused and I chewed my lip afraid where this was going. His hand raked through his hair combing out the carefully applied gel and leaving it a little wild for once.

"It was about eleven or so at night and I went to the showers. I remember hearing the strangest whimper as I passed the girls' room but it didn't really register because like I said I was pretty much alone. I though everyone in my dorm was gone. When I came out after the shower I heard a thud and got that feeling. You know the one where you just know something is wrong? I went in and found Rose with cuts all along her thighs and arms. Some were dried and mostly superficial but she'd nicked a vein on her leg that was bleeding pretty bad. The thump I heard was her head hitting the ground as she passed out."

"Oh my God, Edward. Was she trying to kill herself?"

"In the moment, I thought she was. Luckily my dad had given us all ample amounts of first aid training. I think I've been CPR certified since I was ten. I took my towel and got the bleeding to stop and was able to revive her before calling 911. She begged me not to and I didn't realize she still had the blade in her hand. She threatened to cut again and I convinced her to give it to me and let the paramedics come. They took her away in a blaze of lights and it was the last time I saw her for, fuck, nearly eight years years."

"Why? What happened to her?"

"I didn't know everything until later. Her parents pulled her out of school and she spent a year in a psych hospital. Turns out she was a cutter. What I'd seen that night was not the only time she'd done it, just the only time she'd gone too far. She wasn't trying to kill herself but she was hurting herself on purpose. I would have never thought. Rose was one of those girls who just had it all. She was gorgeous, popular, smart. I couldn't wrap my head around why she'd do that until..."

"What?"

"Until we met up again after college and started dating. I learned why Rose was so damaged."

Our heads snapped up at the sound of the telephone and I watched as the desk lady answered it in a hurry and nodded to me. I jumped off the couch and ran to the desk.

"Hello? Dr. Cullen?" I said, trying to catch my breath.

"No, Bella, it's me. We're still here but she's fine. She's absolutely fine. She nicked the back of her head but she didn't even have to get stitches they just filled it with this purple medical super glue stuff."

"What? Who put glue in her head?"

"Dr. Cullen. He's amazing. Such bedside manner, Sarah adored him. We all did," she said with a laugh.

I gritted my teeth, why the hell couldn't she focus for once? "Mom, are you sure she's okay-"

"I'm positive Bella," she said as the phone next to me rang. They answered it and handed it to Edward. "She's fine you wouldn't even know anything is wrong. They gave her Motrin for pain 'cause she probably has a headache but that's it. It really is no big deal. I shouldn't have called you until after because I knew you'd freak but I didn't know what to do without that form. Should have known that in a town this size I wouldn't need it. Everyone knew she was Charlie's."

"Mom, hold on. Edward's got Dr. Cullen on the line I want to talk to him."

"Yeah, speaking of, who is Edward? Dr. Cullen said-"

I set the phone down on the counter and reached out for the one Edward was holding. "Hello? Dr. Cullen?"

"Hello, Bella is it? Edward told me you were just speaking with your mother. So you know that Sarah is absolutely fine?"

"Is she? I can't trust Renee, she could be downplaying to absolve her own guilt."

"I can hear you!" Renee's voice called from the counter. Edward picked it up and covered the ear and mouth pieces with his hands.

"She is fine. She had a superficial wound to the back of the head at the rear base of the skull. It did not require sutures and we were able to use Dermabond to seal it. She shows no signs of a concussion and I'm not surprised seeing as she struck at a fairly sturdy place. She entertained the entire ER singing Disney tunes and is now happily sucking on a popsicle."

"That sounds like her. But what about blood loss? Renee said there was a lot of blood."

"Head wounds always seem to produce a lot of blood but there was not a significant loss. Her vitals are completely normal. She's being sent home with Motrin and a sticker."

I finally exhaled in relief. "Thank you so much, Dr. Cullen. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this with me being so far from home and all."

"About that, Edward told me you're booked for a return flight tomorrow. Of course you and your family can decide but there is no medical reason for you to rush home. This was nothing more than a cut that needed a step above a band-aid."

"Thank you again, I'll consider that." Edward and I traded phones and I brought Renee back to my ear.

"Mom?"

"Did he tell you? That she's fine? I'm so sorry, honey."

"Yes, he said she's alright. What happened anyways?"

"We were watching T.V. and the girls had gone to bed hours ago. We heard a noise and then a cry and ran to her room. It looked like she'd opened the drawers on her dresser to climb up and fell back on the edge of her footboard."

"Um, 'we'? Dad was there?"

"Yeah, we took the girls to the beach and he hung out after. I am glad he was. I would have freaked out without him. He's great in a crisis."

I glanced to Edward talking quietly to his dad. "Probably a good thing since he's a cop and all. So Mom, I've got a flight in the morning that will get me home by noon."

"No! Absolutely not, Bella. I won't have it, she's fine! This really was no big deal. If I hadn't of called you she'd been healed by the time you were home Sunday and you'd never even have known."

"Knowing you, you probably wouldn't have called."

"That's because this isn't my first rodeo, kid. I know how much kids can survive. You forget how many times you had me in an ER."

"Can I talk to her?"

"Of course, hold on."

"Mommy?"

"Hi Sarah! How are you? You gave Mommy quite a scare."

"I have a popsicle. It's orange, I wanted a grape one but they didn't have it. It's later than bedtime, Mommy."

"Yes I know, sweetie. Tell me how your head is."

"It's okay. Dr. Colin put the magic fairy dust in it so it stopped hurting. I won't climb up on my dresser again, Mommy, you tell Grandma don't put my pink dolly up there and I won't have to go up and get her."

"Okay, I'll tell her. Hey, what do you think about Mommy coming home?"

"You're silly Mommy. You're in Calnifonia, it's far away. I'm going to the dollyhouse place with Grandma and Grandpa tomorrow, you can't come it's only for little girls and you're big. Okay, I love you, bye-bye." Sarah rushed off the phone with her standard goodbye.

"I told you she was fine. She's been looking forward to the dollhouse museum since I told her about it yesterday. Were going to take the ferry, they're both ecstatic. So, see? We don't have time to pick you up at the airport. We'll see you on Sunday. Okay? Love you, bye!" She hung up quickly.

I stared at the phone in shock. My legs felt like I'd just gotten off a roller coaster with five loop de loops all done at two hundred miles per hour and backwards. Anxiety and relief were still mingling in my blood.

"She's okay?"

"She's okay," I said with a shrug. "I might need medical attention now that I've suffered what's sure to be a stroke, but she's okay."

"Thank God. I was so worried." He wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me in.

"You?" I said with a laugh. "She's not even your kid. Hold up. What the fuck? Where the hell is Jake?"

"I was going to ask but I didn't want to give you something else to worry about."

"Renee said he was 'on that camping trip' like I was supposed to have known about it."

"But you don't?"

"Uh, no. It's Tuesday, he's employed. Why would he be off camping in the middle of the week?" I fumed for a minute and drummed my fingernails on the counter. "I mean, he can go camping, why do I care? But why didn't he tell me? Can I use the phone one more time?"

She handed me the phone again and I dialed Jake's cell phone. It went directly to voicemail.

"Jake? It's me. Um, I'm not sure where you are. Renee said you were camping. Sarah was rushed to the emergency room tonight. She's okay but I thought you should know. Where are you?" I gave the phone back to the desk clerk and shook my head at nothing in particular. "I feel like I need to go cliff diving or something to shake off this adrenaline rush."

"Well, I was going to suggest you go get some rest but it doesn't sound like you're tired."
"I could run a marathon right now."

"You need to take it easy, you're going to come crashing down soon. Let me walk you back to your room."

"Okay. I just want to be somewhere quiet. I'm on sensory overload. No, shit. I forgot. Z asked earlier if I minded if she hosted a 'mellow' after party at our cabin tonight. Translation, all the grown ups are going to come over and getting high."

"Bella we are grown ups," Edward laughed.

"Uh-uh. I've decided being a grown up sucks. I'm declaring myself a kid." I stuck out my chin in defiance and crossed my arms. He grinned.

"I'm sure she'll call it off given the circumstances."

"I don't want her to do that. Everything is fine, she shouldn't have to cancel because I'm all fired up like a monkey on Pez. I want a drink."

"You leave me no choice. Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see. Let me pop in and tell the gang everything is okay. Wait here."

I watched as Edward strode to the dining room and tried to make sense of at least one of the emotions running through me. In the last few hours I'd felt the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I had to keep repeating to myself that Sarah was fine because every few seconds I'd forget and a fresh wave of nausea would grip me. And although I wanted nothing more than to be home with my babies, I was grateful I wasn't leaving yet. I was also pissed off at Jake for pulling a fast one but at the same time, thankful he gave me yet another vindication.

"Ready?" Edward said as he returned.

"All set, let's blow this joint."

"Speaking of, you were right, by the way. Zafrina's got that covered. She's rounding up the resident stoners as we speak."

He held his arm out to me and I linked it, my skirt swishing as we walked. I wished I was in something other than this luau get up. The air was a warm surprise as we crossed the property. I thought he might take me down to the beach or to re-visit the hot tub that was surely abandoned, but as we made our way towards the cabins I realized where we were going.
I said nothing as we passed my cabin, heading up the hill to the tiny one perched alone in the back. He'd left the lights on and the little structure glowed from within. The front porch had a swing built for two and square fluffy pillows. The window boxes spilled with trailing flowers and ivy. There was moss on the roof and mold on the shutters but it was beautiful. I paused to take it all in and Edward misunderstood, taking my adoration as hesitation.

"I'm sorry. Does this make you uncomfortable? We can go-"

"Edward, I trust you. As corny as it sounds, I stopped because I wanted to take a mental picture."

"Want to know something cornier? I've taken actual pictures," he said, leading me by the hand to the porch. "I love this frilly little doll house. In all the places I've been, in all the places I've lived, somehow, she feels like home."

I climbed the narrow steps of the porch and glanced around again. My eyes fell on the hand painted sign just above the door. The cabin name.

"Welcome to the Bluebell, Bluebell," Edward said, holding open the door and inviting me in.

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~~I'd love reviews more than you'd love to spend an evening at the Bluebell~~