We Three Witches (Twilight)

When La Push Comes to La Shove Part 3

Charlie's POV

March 16th, 2003

Charlie clasped his hands together as he stared at the floor; on the chair next to him was his phone. He had called the girls over a dozen times each and neither had picked up. He had taken a break to call Bella's friend Angela, who had immediately picked up.

He stared at the doors leading to where his eldest daughter was, praying that a doctor would come through and tell him that his little girl was okay, at the same time he worried she wasn't and a doctor was about to tell him that he had lost her. It had just passed midnight and already the hours alone were wearing heavy on his mind.

He picked up his phone again and dialled Alice's number, praying for her to pick up as it rang.

'Hey this is Alice! I can't come to—'

Charlie swore and hung up before half-heartedly dialling Rosalie again only to be met with a similar voicemail. He scrubbed a hand over his face and let out a heavy sigh. His middle daughter had never been good at answering her phone—always tending to leave it behind or forget to charge it—but he'd been really hoping today would be different. Today of all days.

I don't know who else to call. He hung his head, then an idea sparked. Bella had been hanging out at La Push lately—maybe they would come. He clearly couldn't do anything about getting her sisters to the hospital however he could surround Bella with her friends when she woke up.

He dialled Billy's number.

"Hello?"

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. "Billy, it's me, Charlie, I'm at the hospital. Bella collapsed; I don't know what's wrong with her. The doctor's haven't told me anything and the girl's aren't picking up their phones. I don't know what's going on but Bella needs people to be there for her. Can you get some of the boys she's been hanging around with to come and see her? Be here for her when she wakes up?"

"Bella's in—" Billy swore, and there was a sudden rush of shuffling and more swearing on his end. Then, like he'd pulled the phone away from his ear, Billy yelled, "Jacob, get up. Get the others. Bella's in the hospital. We're leaving in five." Then, back to Charlie he said, "We'll be there, Charlie. I won't let you do this alone."

Charlie felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders, even if it was momentary. "Thank you Billy, you don't know what this means to me, especially since I can't get ahold of her sisters. I know you don't like this place, I just don't want Bella to wake up with only me there to see her, it would break her heart." He sighed.

"Trust me, Bella is going to forget what feeling alone feels like," Billy swore. "She's family, Charlie, and the boys sure as hell aren't going to leave her side. Not even when she's sick of them."

"That's a load off my back, I'm going to keep trying the girls, I've already called her other friend Angela." His shoulders slumped and he whispered, "Thanks, Bill. I don't think I can do this alone."

Billy hung up, and Charlie slumped back into the plastic chairs of the hospital waiting room. The phone hung limp between his fingers; he couldn't find the energy to try her sisters again. There were only so many times he could fail to get through.

He closed his eyes and tried to breathe, but all he could see was the sight of his daughter collapsed at the top of the stairs. A sight he knew he'd never be able to forget for as long as he lived.

~flashback~

A loud scream pierced the air, jolting me awake as I looked around blearily. A second scream, choked off by a sob quickly cleared the fog; I was alert and off the couch within seconds. Somehow I just knew... "Bella!" I said, panicked and bounded up the stairs.