The Next Chapter

V for Vendetta

 Twilight is not mine. Never will be mine. Ever. *WAAAH!* David, Lizzie and Marie are mine in a literary sense. Ren, too.

I do apologize with the sporadic updates with this one. I struggle with this story and finding the momentum is tough. With that being said, please be patient with me on this one. I do intend to finish it. It'll probably take time. I've planned out the remainder of the story. It's looking to be around thirty chapters, plus an epilogue.

Chapter Twenty-Two: V is Vendetta

"She's waking up," said the worried voice of Esme.

"Oh, thank GOD," Edward breathed, taking my hand. "Come on, beautiful girl. Open those chocolate eyes for me. I need to see your eyes, baby."

My eyes fluttered open and I saw a fuzzy-looking Edward hovering over me. I blinked a few times. He came into focus and I tried to shift on the bed. However, oxygen in my nose and an IV in my arm prevented said movement. "What happened?" I asked, my voice sounding hoarse and raspy.

Edward pressed his forehead against mine, taking my face in his hands. "You passed out, beautiful girl," he choked out. "You hit your head on the counter, causing a gash right along your hairline." I reached up to my head and felt a bandage on my left temple. I also was experiencing a massive headache, not to mention wooziness and nausea. "I heard you fall and Dr. Eddy and I ran back in to check on you. You were bleeding on the floor. He called 911 while I tended to your wound."

"Asshole," I hissed. "I thought you were going to throw him out on his ass."

"He proved to be quite helpful even though I'm pissed at him and the school district at their timing of this investigation," Edward muttered. "He's been sitting in the waiting room, anxiously waiting for news about your condition. He feels guilty."

"Good. He should," I said, wincing at the volume of my voice and shutting my eyes at the amount of light in the room. "Oh, it's too bright." Edward kissed my forehead and dimmed the lights. "How long was I out?"

"Four hours," Edward frowned. "You roused briefly in the ambulance but passed out again when you saw the blood on my shirt. In the ER, you were given a sedative when they stitched you up. Ren is insisting that you stay overnight and I tend to agree. In addition to your head injury, you're anemic, dehydrated and underweight. Have you been eating, Bella?"

"I eat," I argued weakly. He looked at me with disbelief. He was right. My appetite had waned significantly due to the amount of stress I was under. The mere thought of food made my stomach churn and when I did eat, it didn't stay down for long. And to think, when I met Edward, I was overweight. Now, I'm underweight. Sigh.

Edward gave me a harsh glare and I frowned. "Beautiful girl, I saw how your pant suit was hanging on you earlier tonight. This thing with Renee is obviously weighing on you heavily. She's fucking with our lives," he spat.

"How could a mother do that to her own child?" Esme growled, fluffing my pillows. "You care, love and nurture your baby for nine months. He or she was a part of you for so long. It's sickening. If I ever see that skanky bitch, she will not know what hit her."

"Did you just say skanky bitch?" Edward snorted, arching a brow.

"I did, Edward. Renee was dressed like a five dollar whore when we met up with her for that sad excuse of a family reunion," Esme said curtly. "The woman was a few years younger than me and wore a dress that you'd see on music videos with all of her rolls hanging out and an obvious lack of bra. It wasn't pretty, Edward. Awful, really."