A Prescription for Love ~ Chapter Three

New Story: This is different from the norm. In all of the stories that I’ve read or that I’ve seen, all of the characters are disgustingly perfect unless they are written with very clear flaws. This story is about love (um, duh! Look who’s writing it. I’m the queen of romance), and finding it in the least likely place with the least likely person.

Secondly, I am truly, truly humbled at the reaction this story has received. A lot of you really relate to this Bella and her insecurities. I’m going to be perfectly blunt with you…This Bella, her insecurities and self-hatred, I can PERSONALLY relate to. I’m dealing with a lot of issues that she’s working on. Luckily, I do not have a douchebag dad or co-workers like Bella. My friends are amazing and my family loves me immensely. I just don’t love myself. I’m praying for my doctor to swoop in to love me like our sexy Doctorward.

Thirdly, thank you to Jennmc75 and Stephenie Masen for their AWESOME banners. You’ve truly captured the feeling of my story and I appreciate your creativity! I bow down to you for your computer prowess! I’ve been meaning to thank you but I keep forgetting. I remembered! WOO 

HOO!!                           

Now, this story is based in a hospital. My medical training comes from…WebMD. I’m not a doctor, nor do I claim to be. I’m a music teacher who has a wild imagination and a penchant for all things Twilight (and with this story, added in a mix of ER! I loved Luca Kovac…) Which brings me to my disclaimer: None of this is mine. I’m not, nor ever will be, Stephenie Meyer. If was, I’d be rolling in the dough from her insane imagination that gave us Bella and Edward. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Three

BPOV

I rolled over and groaned quietly. Shit, my head hurts! But I was also confused. I fell on the concrete. I should be feeling the nasty ass cold ground on my body. I’m warm and toasty? I cracked open my eyes and noticed I was in an elegantly decorated room that was dimly lit. I sat up but promptly fell back onto the pillows.

“Easy there, Bella,” came a quiet velvety voice.

“Where am I?” I asked as I rolled toward the voice. My eyes blinked and Dr. Cullen came into perspective. He was sitting next to me, looking very worried.

“You’re in my guest room. You took a header on the el platform and fell unconscious,” he said as he gently placed an icepack onto my forehead. I hissed. “Sorry.”

“I’ve got to go,” I said as I struggled up. “My dad…”

“Bella, you were unconscious for three hours. You’ve a nasty bump on your forehead and unfortunately, I had to suture you as well,” he pouted.

“But, my dad…he needs help. He lost his leg and has difficulties moving around,” I whimpered as I sat up finally, fighting a wave of nausea and dizziness. “He’s probably bitching up to high heaven thinking that I abandoned him.” I stumbled out of the bed and nearly face planted, again on the carpeting. But, I never met the ground.

“Will you stop squirming?” Edward snickered as he pulled me to his chest. “I should have brought you back to the hospital but I’m certain you didn’t want Nurse Mallory caring for you.”

“I’d rather become reacquainted with the concrete,” I snarled.

“That’s what I thought,” he laughed. “Besides, you have a board certified ER physician caring for you.”

“Dr. Cullen…”

“Edward. Are you suffering from memory loss?” he teased.

“No. It’s just…crap…I appreciate you helping me…wait, how did I get back to your home?” I asked as he guided me to the couch and held the icepack to my head.

“Easy. I carried you,” he shrugged.

“Are you fucking superman?” I asked, arching a brow. “I’m no skinny Minnie…”

“Bella, please. You’re perfect,” he said as he checked my bump.

“Edward, I’m a fucking heifer,” I spat as I stood up again. “At least that’s what my dad says. And those bitches at work…” Tears fell down my cheeks and I wanted to grab my coat and leave. “I appreciate your help, Dr. Cullen. Edward…but I have to go.”

He sighed and stared at me, clearly not happy with my outburst. “I don’t like it. Someone needs to make sure that you get woken up every couple of hours and do you think your dad can handle that?”

“No. I’ll set my alarm on my phone,” I offered lamely.

“Not good enough, Bella,” he said sternly. “And you are not a ‘fucking heifer.’ You’re perfect. Healthy. Ignore those to slut sisters and your dad is obviously blind to not see what a beautiful woman you are.”

My jaw dropped as I stared at this supermodel that called me beautiful. Was he smoking something? Did he take some hallucinogens?  “You don’t believe me.”

“I have no reason to,” I pouted. I stepped away from him and wavered slightly. He gently grabbed my wrist and pushed me toward the bed. I sat down and looked at the carpeting. Tears were falling down my face. I hated what I was. I hated my family. I hated my co-workers, except Angela. I hated being lonely but I did NOT want this man’s pity.

I just want someone to fucking LOVE ME!

“Bella, I’m normally not this pushy but you are not going home tonight. Call your dad if you need to, but as your doctor and as your friend, it’s not safe. A cell phone alarm will not wake you up if you slip into a coma,” he said as he crouched in front of me. “Please? I promise to be a complete gentleman. I only took off your coat, shoes and ID badge. No funny business.”

I giggled, looking down at him. He had a crooked smile on his face. “You can smile. Laugh too? It’s a miracle and the prettiest sound I’ve heard in a while,” he said as he brushed my hair from my face. When his fingertips glided along my cheek, I felt my skin blush. “Now, you’re staying here tonight and you are not working tomorrow. You’ve got a mild concussion. I’ll check you out tomorrow after I’m done with my shift and you can come back the day after tomorrow if you’re not dizzy or nauseous.”

“Do you do this for all the nurses?” I whispered, frowning slightly.

“No. Just the ones that I know are special,” he replied, bringing my face up to meet his. “I’d rather work with you than Nurse Mallory and Nurse Stanley any day. You’re compassionate and you truly care for your patients.”

“Thank you, Dr. Cullen,” I grimaced, “Crap! I’m sorry, Edward. It’s just that I’m used to referring to all of the docs by their last name. It’s a sign of respect. Now some docs I can’t stand but I still do it.”

“Like Crowley?” Edward asked, his eyes flashing with anger.

“Yeah. He doesn’t like me much. Thinks I’m a lazy bum,” I sighed. “He belittles me on a daily basis when we work together. I’ve tried to prove to him that I’m a good nurse, but he sees this and assumes that I’m lazy.”

“Hmmm, I may have to talk to Crowley and all of the other doctors about appropriate and professional behavior to all the nurses,” he said. “Now, you must be hungry. I know it’s late but you should eat something. I’ll fix you a sandwich and let you call your dad.”

“Please don’t make a big deal about Dr. Crowley or the others. I’m okay,” I shrugged.

“I’ll be back,” he said, brushing off my request. “Your phone is on the nightstand, Bella.”

I sighed and nodded. He got up and left the room, jogging down the stairs. He carried me up stairs? Holy crap! I mean, really, holy CRAP!  Reaching for my phone, I turned it on and noticed I had twenty new messages. All from dear old dad. I listened to the first message and it was my father ranting and raving about how I was lazy ass fuck who didn’t care for him. I was a spoiled brat that would rather spend the night gallivanting then helping him. I cried as I listened to him scream at me on the phone, through his messages.

I deleted the rest of the messages, not wanting to listen to the vitriol my dad was spewing. However, I steeled myself against his actual rants as I dialed his number. It barely rang when Charlie screamed into the phone. “You ungrateful bitch! Where are you?” he bellowed.

“Nice, Dad,” I spat. “You are always worried about your bullshit. Never thinking that I could possibly be hurt.”

“Let me guess. You had a clumsy moment and you broke a nail?” he asked tauntingly.

“No, Dad. I did fall but I did more than break a nail. I have a concussion and I’m at the hospital,” I lied. “I’m being held for observation since I lost consciousness. If you need help, talk to Sam Uley who lives below us.”

“You’re being observed at the fucking hospital? God, Isabella. You are such a fucking klutz. How long did you lose consciousness? A minute? Fuck that shit. Come home. Right now,” he growled.

Edward came back upstairs and was holding a plate with a sandwich and a glass of water. He saw my tears and beckoned for the phone. “Hold on, Dad,” I said. “My doctor wants to speak with you.” I stared at Edward. “I told him that I was admitted to the hospital for observation.”

Edward nodded and held the phone to his ear. “Mr. Swan? This is Dr. Cullen. I was the physician on duty when your daughter was brought in, unconscious and unresponsive. It’s hospital policy for a patient to be kept for observation since the probability of said patient falling into a coma due to an intracranial bleed  or cerebral hematoma. Yes, she can leave but it would be against medical advice and since she’s a staff member of this hospital, she would not be allowed to return to work until she was cleared by her regular physician,” Edward said, pinching his nose. “LOOK, Mr. Swan. She’s admitted and is not leaving. Obviously, you are too selfish to realize the real danger that your daughter is in. If you cannot care for yourself, I can give you a few names of in-home health care nurses that are covered by Medicaid. Fine, call my superiors. Good luck with that, sir.” He clicked off the phone and tossed it on the bed. “Your dad’s an asshole.”

“I know,” I grumbled. “I get to look forward to going home to that.”

Edward pursed his lips and put the sandwich in front of me. He also handed me two ibuprofen. He gently pushed the plate toward me and I eyed it warily. I was hungry but afraid that I was going to puke all over his lovely beige carpet. “Just eat half, Bella. I’ll share it with you.”

“I don’t want to puke,” I grumbled.

Edward picked up half of the sandwich and bit down on it. He got up and came back from the bathroom with a garbage can, placing it next to the bed. “Eat.”

“And you say you’re not normally this pushy,” I teased as I picked up the sandwich, nibbling on it.

“What are you going to do about your dad?”

 “I don’t know,” I breathed. “He’s horrible to me but he needs my help.”

“What happened to him?” Edward asked as he sipped some water.

“My dad was a cop. A couple of years ago, he was on patrol when he caught some drug deal going down. His partner, who was much younger than him, took off after them and my dad, gimped behind them. One of the thugs saw him and shot him in his leg, shattering his tibia. They tried to save it but after a year of surgery after surgery, the amputated the leg right above the knee. He never cared for his wounds and relied on me to do it for him. However, whenever he noticed something was wrong, it was pussy and infected. Parts of foot was gangrenous. They had no choice but to remove it. That was done, like I said, a year ago and he’s still…”

“He’s still what?”

“Treating me like I’m his personal slave,” I sniffled. “God! I don’t even know you and I’m spilling my deepest, darkest secrets to you.”

“Why don’t you leave? Obviously he doesn’t care,” Edward shrugged.

“Despite the fact he’s an asshole, he’s still my dad,” I sighed, rubbing my temples. “God, my head hurts.”

“I’m serious about the home health-care,” Edward said as he took the empty plate from the bed. “If he needs as much help as you say, it’ll be covered by Medicaid or by his disability insurance.”

“Oh, he has no disability insurance. They revoked it when he became addicted to vicodin, going to free clinic to free clinic to get more pills,” I spat. “I want to leave. I really do but my paycheck pays for our apartment, electric, phone…”

“Okay, relax, Bella,” Edward soothed as he pushed me onto the bed. “You’ve got a nasty bump and I’m a moron to push into to talking about this. Now, tomorrow, you’re going to stay here. I’ll have my mom come visit you during the day. I’ve already called in for you with the nursing manager. IF you are feeling up to it, I’ll drive you home tomorrow night.”

“I don’t have anything to wear. My scrubs are…well, they smell like death,” I said, wrinkling my nose, remembering Ms. Dutch.”

“I’ve got a few extra pairs from my old hospital. You’re covered,” he said as he smiled softly. “I’ll leave them in the bathroom which is right outside your door, to the left. I’ll check on you in a couple of hours. Alright?”

“Thank you, Edward,” I said.

“Sleep well, Bella,” Edward said as he turned off the light. He left the door open and I saw him smile softly in the dim light of the hallway. My eyes fluttered shut and sleep consumed me immediately.

Every couple of hours, Edward did wake me up. He was very gentle about it, whereas Charlie would have pushed me with his crutch. Each time he woke me up, he gave me a brief neurologic exam  and assured me that I would be okay. The final time he woke me up, it was seven in the morning and he was dressed for the day. “Bella, you keep sleeping,” he cooed. “My mom said she’d be here around nine to make some breakfast for you and spend some time with you.”

“I feel weird staying in your home without you here,” I frowned.

“Bella, don’t worry about it. I trust you,” he chuckled lightly. “Hell, I’m still trying to figure out all of the nooks and crannies in this place seeing as I just moved in on Thursday.” My eyes widened and I bristled to get out of bed. I shouldn’t be here! “Please, relax, Bella.” His eyes were kind but stern. I stopped my struggling. “Now, I’ve left a pair of scrubs in the bathroom along with a fresh toothbrush and some other necessities. I’m sorry, but you can’t wash your hair due to the stitches near the hairline. At least not yet. I’ll cover them when I get back from County.”

“Do you think I’ll be able to go to work tomorrow?” I asked

“I’ll let you know when I get home and I give you a full exam,” he said, smiling crookedly. “Enjoy your day off. Watch some bad day-time television. Consider this a mini-vacation.”

“Okay,” I sighed. “Thank you, Edward. You truly have gone above and beyond the call of duty.”

“Anytime, Bella,” he said. “Go back to sleep and I’ll see you tonight.” He gently ran his fingers down my cheek, smiling softly before he left my room. I sat up, unable to sleep anymore. I padded to the bathroom and on the counter there were a pair of green scrubs, a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and small note.

Dear Bella,

I apologize but I only have ‘manly’ deodorant but it’s better than nothing. If you want to shower, make sure you cover your stitches. There’s a shower cap in the bathroom but again, only manly smelling shower gel. (I’m a recently divorced guy…it’s all I got. My ex has all of the frou-frou shit.)Anyhow, here’s my cell phone number. I’ve already programmed it into your phone while you were sleeping. (Did you know that your phone is from the prehistoric era? Took me forever to figure it out!) But in case I didn’t do it correctly, here it is: 206-555-1979.

Prescription for Isabella Swan:

REST! Sleep! Enjoy your day off! Take all of your medication until cleared by your doctor.

I’ll see you tonight, Bella.

Yours,

Edward

I chuckled at his note but scowled at his comment on my phone. Yes, my phone was older than dirt but money is tight due to dear old dad. His medical bills are killing us. I’m still paying off his amputation surgery and it’s been a year. Medicaid helps but…

My life is fucking pathetic.

I stripped off my scrubs from yesterday and twisted my long brown hair up into the shower cap. I turned on the shower and peed while I waited for it to warm up. However, I doubted it was like my shower at home that took nearly twenty minutes before tepid water leaked through. Once I finished peeing, I stuck my hand inside the shower and sure enough, it was already scalding. I stepped inside and washed my body. I avoided looking down at my pudgy rolls as I scoured my skin. The water felt wonderful, though. It massaged the knots that I had been carrying in my shoulders and back. If I could, I’d take this damn shower with me. I love it.

After I finished wasting Edward’s water, I got out of the shower. I wrinkled my nose at the prospect of putting on dirty panties. So, I decided to forego underwear, until I noticed a package underneath the scrubs. I picked it up and it was a new package of men’s briefs with a sticky note. They’re clean! I swear! Brand new! Never been opened! My ex-bought me these and I hate briefs! ;-) –E

I was grateful for the thought but I was afraid they wouldn’t fit. Edward was obviously muscled if he could carry my fat ass up the stairs but his hips are so narrow. They were a men’s large, Calvin Klein briefs. With a heavy sigh, I opened the package and shook out a pair of black underwear. I held them up to my hips and it would be a tight fit, but it would be doable. I pulled them up my legs and grimaced at how I looked like a stuffed sausage. However, they were comfortable and most importantly, clean.

I finished getting dressed and walked into the guest room. I found my messenger bag on the opposite side of the couch. I put my dirty clothes into the bag and searched for my journal that I kept in there. Then I realized that I left it at home because I was running late. Crap. I wonder if Edward would mind if I swiped a few sheets of paper. I need to work through what happened yesterday with Ms. Dutch, my fall and my dad. Oh, I can’t forget about Edward. Dr. Cullen.

I wandered around until I found a very neat looking office. The walls were painted a soft cream. The furnishings were a combination of black wood and silver nickel. Sitting on the desk was a pad of paper and mechanical pencil. I swiped both of them and walked back to the guest room. I made the bed before I decided to journal, curling up on the couch.

December 21^st, 2012

I know I’m not writing in my usual journal, but I have to get these ideas down. Process them while they’re still fresh. First off, I took a nasty spill yesterday, giving myself a lovely goose egg on my forehead and a few stitches along my hairline. I also lost consciousness and had to be CARRIED home by our new attending. It wasn’t even my home. It was his. I’m currently sitting in the guest room in Dr. Cullen’s home writing this journal. But I’ll come back to that.

Yesterday was a horrible day. Well, not completely horrible. I did make a friend. Unfortunately, I lost a patient. The patient was an older woman who had never gotten married and was battling an upper respiratory infection. However, she was so lonely. No one was there with her. I contacted her niece in Milwaukee who said she’d try to get to Chicago, but failed to do so prior to her passing. Shit! Someone needs to tell her! It should have been me. Oh, well…what’s done is done, but I still feel horribly.

Selfishly, though, I saw a lot of me in the patient. She was alone, never found her ‘prince charming’ as she said. The light in her eyes was dim when I was talking with her and she was ‘ready to be with her family.’ She knew she was going to die. She knew her life was over and that she would die alone. Do you want to know what I was doing while she was coding? I was berated and teased by Lauren Mallory about our new attending. I was being pushed around as she staked her claim to him, saying he’d never want me.

It’s probably true. Why would he want me? He’s a fucking GOD! And he’s nice. Why couldn’t he be a douche like Newton or Crowley? It would make working with him so much easier…I can just ignore like the rest of the docs.

After my patient died, I came to the realization that her future was mine. I will be dying, alone. No one really cares about me. My own father chastised me when I didn’t come home last night despite the fact that I was being ‘held for observation at the hospital.’ Okay, Dr. Cullen’s guest bedroom. But still…

Then, there’s Dr. Cullen…let me tell you about him. Like I said, he’s our new attending. He’s gorgeous, smart, compassionate, funny and so nice. There’s something else about him but I can’t put my finger on it. When I’m around him, I get this sense of calm, safety and protection. I don’t know. And don’t get me started about when we touch. When we were introduced, I shook his hand and something traveled up my arm, filling my heart with SOMETHING but what I’m unsure. I shouldn’t get attached to him, though. He’s a good man and I do consider him a friend, but I just know that he’s too good to be true. I’ll keep him at arm’s length, be his friend but I cannot let myself open up my heart to get burned.

Remember what happened the last time? You lost your virginity to an asshole and he stomped all over you, never to return and running into the arms of a super model.

I hate my life. I hate what my life has become. I need to do something about it but I don’t know how! I need to get away from my dad but I hate to put in a position where he will be evicted. I feel so trapped.

I ripped off the few pieces of paper and held them to my chest, tears falling down my cheeks. I wiped my face and went to put the pad of paper on the desk. As I was walking back to the guest bedroom, I heard the door open. I blushed and decided to head downstairs to see if it was Edward’s mom. When I reached the main floor, I noticed an older woman standing in the foyer removing her coat. Her hair was the same shade as Edward’s. She wore a pair of gray dress pants and a purple sweater set. Her left finger twinkled with her wedding set.  “Hello?”

She turned around, giving me a warm grin. “Hello, sweetheart. Are you Bella?”

I nodded, fumbling with my loose scrubs. “Nice to meet you,” I whispered, holding out my hand. She stepped forward and took my hand in hers, cupping it warmly.

“I’m Esme Cullen,” she said.

 “Now, Edward said that you barely ate your sandwich last night. You must be hungry,” Esme said with a crooked smile, just like Edward’s.

“A little bit. My stomach is still unsettled from this,” I said as I held up my bangs displaying my goose egg.

“Oh, dear!” Esme said as she gingerly touched my forehead. “You got this from your fall? That’s terrible. You poor thing!”

“I’m fine, Mrs. Cullen,” I said, blushing a deeper shade of red.

“None of this Mrs. Cullen crap.  She’s my crotchety mother-in-law. So, call me Esme,” she said as she pulled me into the kitchen. “What would you like for breakfast?”

“Not much. I don’t want to get sick,” I said quietly.

“How about some toast and eggs?” Esme suggested. “I’ll keep them bland.”

“That sounds good,” I smiled. Esme turned and went to busy herself in the kitchen. “So you work with my oldest son?”

 “Um, yeah,” I replied. “I’m a nurse at County. Been there since I graduated from college.”

“Where did you go, Bella?” Esme asked.

“I took my prerequisites through one of the community colleges but got my nursing degree from University of Illinois at Chicago. I worked full time while taking classes so I could afford to get my degree,” I said.

 “That must have been tough,” Esme frowned. “How did you have enough energy to work full time and complete your degree?”

“Lots of coffee,” I laughed. “What about you? What do you do, Esme?”

“I am an interior designer,” she replied, giving me a cup of coffee. “I got my undergrad degree in art history 

but got my masters in architecture. I opened up my own interior design firm and the rest is history.”

“Do you still run it?”

“I do. However, I only work with VIP clients. My staff handles the rest of the requests,” she responded. She finished cooking breakfast and put it in front of me, sitting next to me with her own plate.

“I hope I’m not keeping you from work, Esme,” I said as I tucked into my eggs.

“No. This week is a vacation week for my staff since it’s so close to Christmas. No one wants to renovate their home a few days prior to the holidays,” she giggled. “What are you doing for Christmas?”

“Working,” I sighed. “I don’t really have much of a family and I’d figure I’d let the people who do spend it with their loved ones. Besides, I need the money. I’m kind of strapped for cash due to some medical bills my father accrued over the past few years.”

“Doesn’t his insurance cover it?”

“He doesn’t have insurance because he abused his disability clause in becoming addicted to vicodin. His coverage was canceled,” I said, bitterness lacing my tone. “I could add him to my coverage but it’s a big hassle with the hospital. Probably due to his addiction, he’d be denied coverage since I work there.”

“What happened?”

I gave her the abbreviated version of what happened to my father and she was shocked. She felt for him but more importantly, she was sympathetic to me. Esme insisted that I was a good daughter despite my father’s evil ways. I told her that I was not looking forward to going back home tonight since he was so vicious to me on the phone.

We finished our breakfast and Esme urged me to settle down on the couch to watch some television, possibly take a nap. I furrowed my brow but she shoved me onto the couch and tucked a blanket around me, patting my cheek lovingly. I snuggled into the couch and soon my eyelids were drooping. Despite my best efforts to stay awake, my brain was telling me otherwise and I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

xx APFL xx

“Thanks for keeping her company, Mom,” I heard.

“She’s a lovely young woman, Edward. Very sad, though,” Esme responded. “Her eyes don’t have that sparkle and her father, he’s a piece of work.”

“I spoke with him on the phone and he tried to convince me to allow to leave the ‘hospital’ AMA,” he sighed. “He seems very spoiled and ungrateful for what she’s doing for him. I’m going to check his condition when I drop her off.”

Their voices dropped even lower and it sounded like they were arguing. I hated that they could be arguing over me. I’m not worth it. “…I love you, too, Edward. I’ll see you on Christmas night,” Esme sighed.

“Good bye, Mother,” Edward said. “I’ll be sure to tell Bella that you said good bye.”

“Good boy,” she giggled. The door opened and closed.

 Edward walked over to my couch and knelt on the floor. He smiled when he saw that I was awake. “How are you feeling?”

“Good. Tired despite the fact that I slept most of the day,” I said as I sat up.

“You rattled your brain. You’re going to be tired for a few days,” Edward said. “Can I examine you?”

I nodded and he quickly worked through a basic neurologic exam. However, his one concern was when I stumbled while balancing on my feet. I told him that even without rattling my brain, I struggle walking on a straight, flat surface. I’m a habitual klutz.

“Okay, you can go to work tomorrow, but if you’re dizzy or nauseous, you need to take a break,” Edward said sternly.

“Are you going to be there tomorrow?” I asked, smacking myself internally for asking it. Why do you care?

“Unfortunately, no. I have an appointment to get new contact lenses. These are not really conducive when they’re three prescriptions ago,” he chuckled, wiggling his glasses. “I’ve had the worst headache ever because my eyes are straining.”

“Oh, okay,” I said, smiling sadly. “I hope your appointment goes well.”

“Thank you, Bella,” he said. “Let me cook you some dinner and then I’ll drive you back to your apartment, alright?”

“You don’t have to cook for me, Edward,” I said. “I can eat something at home.”

“Bella, when was the last time someone took care of you?” he asked, furrowing his brows.

“I don’t remember,” I sniffled. “Probably my mom. About seventeen years ago? Prior to your help last night, though.”

“Well, let me take care of you tonight. I want to,” he said. I smiled softly and nodded minutely. His responding grin was radiant and he left to go make our dinner. I told him that I was going to freshen up, brush my teeth and get my stuff for when I had to leave. I carried it downstairs and left it by the entrance. We ate a quiet meal of grilled chicken, rice and a salad. Edward was surprisingly a great cook. Better than anything that I had cooked but then again, his kitchen was a dream. Nothing like the hole in the wall I had in my apartment. Once Edward and I finished the dishes, he sighed. “I guess you’ve got to go home.”

“I’m afraid,” I whispered, hoping that he wouldn’t hear me.

“Why are you afraid? Will your dad hurt you? If that’s the case, you’re staying,” Edward said, anger flashing in his eyes.

“No. I’m not afraid of him. He won’t hurt me. At least I don’t think he’ll hurt me,” I rushed out. “I’m just afraid of his wrath. I’ll probably hear a shitload of taunting, teasing and bitching that I abandoned him.” Edward narrowed his eyes and growled lowly. “And I did, kind of.”

“You did not abandon him. You were injured, Bella. If he can’t realize that, then he’s obviously delusional,” he spat. He took off his glasses and pinched his nose. “I’m sorry, Bella. I know he’s your dad but I really don’t care for him much.”

“Join the club,” I teased, trying to lighten the mood. Edward huffed out a breath and he went to grab his coat. He carried mine along with it and helped me into it.

“Bella, promise me that if you’re dad becomes too much that you’ll leave?” he asked, taking my face into his hands. I was shocked at his actions. His hands were on my face! He wasn’t pulling away and he seemed to genuinely care. I think? I don’t even know anymore. I nodded and tried to smile. Then, Edward wrapped his arms around me, crushing me to his chest. Holy crap, he smells good. His embrace was tight and protective. His cheek rested on my head. “Okay. Let’s get you home, Bella.” He squeezed me tightly before he let me go. He threw my bag over his shoulder and offered his arm to me. Together we walked out to his driveway and sitting there was a sleek silver Volvo. He opened the door and I clambered into the passenger side. He backed out and I gave him directions to my apartment building.

As we drove further away from his brownstone, the quality of the housing went down until we reached my neighborhood. It wasn’t very safe but it was all we could afford. If it was me, I could get a studio in a nicer neighborhood closer to the hospital, but I needed to care for Charlie.

Didn’t I?

“This is me,” I said as I pointed to the dingy apartment building. I was so embarrassed of my house. It was a dump compared to Edward’s home. Hell, our apartment could fit in the kitchen of his house. Edward parked the car and he helped me out of the car. I grabbed my keys and unlocked the building. The stale smell of curry, cigarette smoke and kitty litter assaulted our noses. I closed my eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling. I turned and walked down the stairs to our first floor apartment and unlocked the door.

I held open the door for Edward and I could tell that he was shocked at where I lived. The sound of Sports Center filled the tiny apartment and Charlie was sitting in his recliner, glaring at me like I was the scum of the earth. Maybe I was. Who the hell knows?

“Is this your sugar daddy, Isabella?” Charlie sneered.

“Dad!” I barked out.

“What? He brought you home and probably you expects you to open your legs,” Charlie snickered evilly.

Edward growled and moved me behind him. “Mr. Swan, I cannot believe you would say that about your own daughter,” he whispered menacingly.

“She’s too fat for you, huh? You don’t like seeing the rolls bounce?” Charlie laughed maniacally. “You’re fucking worthless, Isabella!”

Edward took my hand and led me to the kitchen where it was somewhat secluded. “Is this how he treats you? All the time?”

“It’ll probably be worse after you leave,” I murmured, staring at his Christmas-y tie.

“I’m not letting you stay here. This is emotional abuse, Bella. You don’t deserve this,” Edward said as he cupped my chin, forcing me to look up at him.

“Edward, I can’t stay with you. It’s…it’s not right,” I said as tears streamed down my cheeks. “I’ll be fine. I promise.” I pulled away and went to put my bag into my room. Edward was on my heels. Apparently, my room is where my father had imparted his wrath. My bedding was torn to shreds and my mattress was flipped against the wall. He had one of his tantrums.

“Bella, this is not fine,” Edward said tersely. “He needs help. Anger management. Something!”

“I can’t leave him. Not right now. However, I’ve had it up to here with his bullshit,” I sighed. “After the first of the year, I’ll move out. It’s two weeks away. I’ve got to find a place, but I don’t have a lot of money. I’ll just work doubles…I’ll talk to Sam and get my name removed from the lease so my dad can keep this place. But I’m not sure how he can afford it. He gets some money from his ‘retirement fund’ since he was injured while on duty, but it’s not enough to afford this.”

“I don’t mean to sound like a dick, but your gravy train is done,” Edward said. “You do not need to support that asshole. Let him crash and burn. You deserve better than this.”

“Do I? Edward, I’ve heard what he’s been saying all my life. Maybe this is all I’m destined for,” I snarled. “I’m thirty years old and this is my life!”

“You’re not, Bella,” Edward whispered, staring into my eyes. “You deserve the world. To be loved and cherished.”

“I’ve given up all hope on finding that,” I spat bitterly. “Look, I appreciate all of your help the past few days but I need to get this settled and go to bed. I’ve got to be at the hospital by seven.” I turned and began cleaning my room, trying to salvage my bedding and my room. Edward was obviously not happy with my dismissal of him as he angrily sighed. I was struggling with my bed, trying to get it back on the box spring. Edward helped me move it and he sat me down. His green eyes were boring into mine and he looked so sad.

“Bella, you are an amazing woman. I’m lucky to have you as my friend,” he murmured. “I’m here if you ever want to talk. Please, use my cell phone number.” I nodded. Edward pulled me into his arms again and he hugged me tightly. “I won’t see you tomorrow, but I’m on for the next three days. And I do believe you promised me to go out to dinner on Christmas Eve.”

I had hoped that he forgot. “Okay,” I said. “Thank you again, Edward.”

“Any time, Bella,” he said as he pulled away, kissing my cheek. “Do you want me to slip him a sleeping pill in his beer before I leave?”

“No. But thanks for the offer,” I giggled. Again, Edward cupped my cheek, gliding his fingers down my skin. My heart fluttered in my chest and I couldn’t understand why he did that. Edward left after that and I went into my room, locking my door to keep Charlie at bay. Unfortunately, due to the amount of sleep I had all day, I had a hard time falling asleep. Also, my bed sheets were in tatters and I needed to laundry for my spare set. I wasn’t about to go to the Laundromat at midnight, so I just sat on the floor, reading my book for most of the night.

Around five in the morning, I poked my head out of my room and saw that my dad’s door was closed. I scampered to the shower and hosed of my body. I washed my hair carefully, mindful of my sutures that were put in by Edward. I put on some light makeup to hide the bruising on my forehead and styled my bangs to cover it. I dressed in my holiday scrubs, trying to give the patients a little pick me up despite being in the hospital this close to Christmas.

I bundled up since it was snowing and I made sure I had my hiking boots for the commute to the hospital. I walked into the ER just in time for my shift. I clocked in and walked to the locker room to drop off my coat, messenger bag and to change my shoes. I placed my boots in my locker and slipped on my crocs. I grabbed my stethoscope, several pens and my ID badge, clipping it to my scrub top. I headed out to the circulation desk where Angela was standing, looking bright-eyed and bushy tailed. “Morning, Ang,” I said.

“Hi, Bella,” she said with a genuine smile. “We missed you yesterday. How’s your head?”

I lifted my bangs to show my bump. She grimaced and apologized. “I just had a clumsy moment. Became personally acquainted with the concrete of the el platform.”

“Is it true that Dr. Cullen helped you?”

“Yeah. He brought me back to his place and took care of the stitches. He’s really nice, Ang,” I blushed. 

“Too nice.”

“There is no such thing as too nice,” Angela snorted. “Do you think he has an ulterior motive?”

“I dunno,” I shrugged. “Who’s on today with us?”

“The slut sisters,” Angela grumbled. “Oh, and Ben Cheney.”

“Your crush,” I giggled.

“Shut up, Swan!” she hissed, tossing a pen at me.

“Ang, do you know if there is any apartments open in your building?” I asked casually.

“Why? Are you looking to move?”

“Yeah. I have to get away from my dad,” I said, looking at her sadly. “He was horrible last night. And the 

night before, I spent it at…well, I wasn’t home and my dad had a shit fit.”

“Where were you?” Angela asked, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

“Not home. Please don’t push it, Ang,” I sighed. “I don’t feel comfortable talking about it since, yeah. Long story short, I want my own place and I was hoping to find something after the first of the year. I’d rather go somewhere reputable.”

“Well, I know that you are probably wanting your own place, but my roommate is getting married and is moving in with her fiancée. I’m going to have a room open up if you interested.”

“How much per month?”

“$500 a month, plus half of the electric and cable,” she said.

“When is she moving out?”

“It coincides with your timeline,” Angela smiled. “She’s moving out between Christmas and New Year’s. It’ll be fun, Bells.”

“Can I think about it? It sounds great! But I don’t want to make a rash decision right now, okay?”

“Works for me. Let me know whenever. However, if I don’t hear anything by New Year’s, I’m going to post it in the lounge,” Angela said. I nodded and picked up a chart. She squealed and hugged me before heading to check on her patients for the day.

The morning dragged as the ER was practically empty. Dr. Sanchez, Dr. Crowley and Dr. Denali were the attendings on duty. The residents were running around doing the grunt work with us nurses and well, it was a fruitless venture since the residents were dumber than a box of rocks.

Around noon, I was sitting at the circulation desk, checking on some labs when I overheard the slut sisters talking. “Can you believe Swan? She practically threw herself at Dr. Cullen. What a slut!” Lauren snickered.

“He’ll never go for a fat ass like her,” Jessica replied. “He needs a real woman…Me!”

“Shut up, bitch! He’s mine,” Lauren said.

“How about we both go for him? Maybe he’d be into a threesome?” Jessica cooed. “I wonder how big he is?”

“Probably massive. God, and his hands! They are so sexy!”

“I bet he can make a woman come with just his long-ass fingers,” Jessica swooned. “I’m so wet right now just thinking about it!”

“Hey Swan,” Lauren sneered when she saw me. “Nice of you to show up to work today. Taking a vacation day?”

“No, I was hurt. I have a concussion,” I said, jotting down some notes on the chart for my patient.

“Perhaps you should go to the doctor? One of those gastric bypass docs would be right up your alley, lard ass,” Jessica giggled.

“Nurse Mallory, Nurse Stanley, you are aware of the memo you received in your mailbox, correct?” came the accented voice of Dr. Eleazar Sanchez, the head of the ER.

“What’s that Dr. Sanchez?” Lauren asked innocently.

“Dr. Cullen put a memorandum in each of your mailboxes, all of our mailboxes, about the appropriate and professional behavior for all staff members,” he warned. “The way you’re speaking to Nurse Swan goes against those new guidelines.”

“We were just teasing. Right, Bella?” Jessica asked, putting her arm around my shoulders. I shrugged it off and glared at her.

“Apparently, Nurse Swan doesn’t think so,” Dr. Sanchez said, the warning in his voice clear. “If I hear you abusing another staff member, you will get reprimanded with a letter in  your file, as per the new policy.”

“I’m sorry, Dr. Sanchez, but aren’t you the head of the ER? You can amend the policy,” Lauren asked.

“I am the head of the ER but Dr. Cullen is the associate head of this department. His voice is as strong as mine and this new policy is needed based off the behavior I’ve just seen. Nurse Swan, is this behavior par for the course? Have they treated you like this before?”

“Yes, Dr. Sanchez,” I answered. “I’ve been ribbed about my weight and about my expertise as a nurse by these two before.”

“When?”

“On Dr. Cullen’s first day,” I replied. You know what? Edward is right. I deserved respect and gone is the woman who gets walked on. “He heard them call me ‘Belly.’”

“It’s your nick name, Bella,” Lauren giggled nervously.

“Nurse Mallory, please go to my office,” Dr. Sanchez growled. “Nurse Stanley, I’ll deal with you later. Nurse Swan, can you please provide documentation for this harassment and any witnesses that were around for it. I want that on my desk before you leave today. I’m truly sorry for the behavior of these two.”

“Thank you, Dr. Sanchez,” I said as I opened a new document on my computer terminal. Dr. Sanchez left and Jessica glared at me. “Yes?”

“Did you go down on Cullen? You’re the reason for this new harassment policy? God, you’re worthless, Swan. Dr. Sanchez will never believe you. Not after the lies that Lauren and I will spin about you. And Dr. Cullen will see you as a weak, pitiful, fat fuck that you are,” Jessica threatened.

“Did you really just threaten her?” Angela asked.

“Nope,” Jessica replied sweetly. She smiled at me but her smile hid her ire. Leaning forward, Jessica hissed in my ear. “You’re going down, Swan. Mark my words. This. Isn’t. Over.”

“No. It’s just begun,” I smirked. I would not let them walk all over me. I would become a better person. I will move on with my life and be happy. And it’s time I took the bull by the horns. Jessica stomped away, taking her chart with her. I turned to Angela and smiled. “I’ll move in with you!”

She squealed and hugged me tightly. As we embraced, I made the decision that this coming year will be MY year. A new Bella Swan. The first step will be to get out of my father’s apartment and moved in with my new roommate. But the question remained, what would be the next step?

A/N: Well? *Bites lip nervously* Did you like it? How many of you want to shove one of Charlie’s crutches up his ass? *Oh! ME! ME!* How many of you want Edward to gently glide his fingers down your cheek? *Again! ME! ME! Waves HAND WILDLY!* Anyhow, the relationship with Edward and Bella will begin as friends. Eventually, their romance will bloom. But, it will be a tenuous relationship. Bella still doesn’t trust. Up next will be Christmas Eve at the ER and further development of Edward and Bella’s friendship.

Before I leave you, I put up on my blog what I picture Bella’s body type would be. She’s roughly 190 pounds, full figured with boobs and a butt. Essentially she’s me. I’m her. We’re interchangeable except I’m not a nurse nor do I have a sexy Doctorward to caress my cheek. *Le sigh*  In addition, extra teasers are in my facebook group: Tufano79 Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Leave me some! More review = faster updates! ;-)

Bella

Jessica

Lauren

Angela

Esme (but with dark hair)