When We Were Young (Twilight)

Chapter 11

Edward watches me for a second from the door. I wish I knew what he saw.

I'm sure I look like a mess.

"Hey." I sit up watching him as he looks in from the doorway. His hair is a mess, too and he looks so tired.

"Uh, Rose and Em just stepped out. How are you feeling? Do you need anything?"

My head hurts, and I think something died in my mouth.

"No, I don't need anything. I'm okay."

He nods, "You always were."

Ouch. Guess we're doing this now.

"Because I needed to be."

He shakes his head, "Yeah, but you didn't have to do any of it alone."

I think about the months that I felt alone while he was busy working; when days would pass and we barely spoke to one another.

"Despite all of it; I felt alone, Edward."

He takes calculated steps over to the bed, he's close but hes so far away.

"You should have said something, anything. We were happy."

I stare at him, wondering how we got here.

"I tried to talk to you, but it... It all went so bad, so fast."

He sits on the bed next to me, and I try not to pull away when he pushes hair away from my face.

He closes his eyes when his hand touches my face, and I take a deep breath.

When he opens his eyes, he's determined; not himself.

"And then you tell me to leave and never come back. How'd that work out for you?"

He voice is raw, but this time I'm determined, too.

"You tell me. You listened."

—

It takes a while, but Em and Rose make it to Dad's room, too.

Carlisle comes in soon after, hugging me and telling me he wishes it was under better circumstances.

I hold Charlies hand, while Edward stands next to me.

"You're okay, Charlie?" Dad nods and tells him to hit him with it; Carlisle takes a deep breath.

"Charlie's heart is failing him. His other organs... His kidney's aren't working either."

Heart failure.

"What do you mean? You're healthy!" I say, shaking my head.

Dad won't look me in the eye. "Relatively. A few months ago, right after you left, I was diagnosed with Heart disease."

I look around, and I feel like this is only new news to me; Edward won't look me in the eye.

"You knew?" I turn to him, backing away.

"You knew and you kept me away from him for months?"

Edward grabs my hand, eyes pleading, but I pull it away.

"Bella."

My ears ring and the only thing I can do is run out of his room.

Emmett calls after me, but I don't stop.