Lost in Silence - Edward Cullen

Chapter 4

Third Person POV

At the hospital not long after the whole near-death experience in the school parking lot, Gabby sits on the edge of a gurney as one of the E.R. nurses looks into her eyes with a pen light. On the gurney to her left, and separated by a half open curtain, Tyler sits with a minor head wound. Gabby watches the nurse's face, ready to read her lips if she starts talking.

A sudden movement to her left catches her attention, making her look after the nurse lowers her pen light and writes down something on the medical chart. Charlie rushes over, his face ghost white with terror as his eyes search for any visible injuries on his oldest daughter. Within a few steps, he's at her side, signing to her.

"Gabby? Are you alright?" He signs, worry and fear written plain as day across his face.

Gabby nods slowly and signs back. "I'm fine, dad. I'm still here. I'm okay."

Tyler must have realized her father has shown up before he starts talking, apologizing to both Gabby and her dad. The moment he starts talking, Charlie whips around to face the teen.

"What you did...it's not okay! Sure as hell not okay!"

From where she's sitting, Gabby's able to read both Tyler and her dad's lips, then her sister's as she comes into view.

"Dad, it's not his fault..." Bella starts to say, but her father cuts her off.

"We nearly lost your sister!"

"But you didn't." Bella says, rolling her eyes slightly.

Charlie ignores his youngest daughter and looks at Tyler.

"You can kiss your license goodbye." He shakes his head. "You're very lucky she was able to see it coming."

"I heard the Chief's daughter was here." A voice is heard.

Charlie turns around toward the door to see Dr. Carlisle Cullen walking into the emergency room. Gabby follows her dad's gaze and looks at the doctor. She looks him over, taking in the man's features, and silently making small comparisons between him and his adopted son, Edward. Dr Cullen appears to be in his mid-30s with blonde hair and pale skin, and looks like he should be a movie star and not a doctor.

It's his face that really reminds her of Edward. Not so much the physical features, but rather the emotional ones etched in. The kindness. The tiredness.

"Good." Charlie looks down at his daughter and signs. "It's Dr. Cullen."

Gabby smiles to herself as butterflies fill her stomach. This is Edward's adoptive father and she's meeting him for the first time, yet it's not even with the boy present.

"I've got this one, Jackie." Carlisle says, stopping his steps by the young teen.

The nurse hands him the chart before leaving the room. He reviews her chart before laying it on the gurney next to her.

"I'm going to feel the back of your head." He signs, causing her to nod with a smile as she realizes he knows sign language too.

He reaches behind her and starts to feel the spot where she hit her head on the truck without realizing it. He quickly writes something down and looks down at the young girl again.

"You have a nice knot growing back there but your x-rays show no indication of concussion."

Charlie lets out a deep breath he didn't realize was holding in. Tyler tries once again to apologize but the girl's father grabs the curtain that's hanging between and pulls it closed.