Fire of Your Soul

Chapter Five

We last left with Edward meeting this 'ghost'. Sorry for the cliffhanger. We won't leave you hanging for long. As always, none of this is ours. We just like to play with the creations Stephenie Meyer dreamt up.

Chapter Five

Bella wondered what the hell was going on when the handsome man rushed past her like he had seen a ghost. She also noticed a clean, masculine scent in his wake, too. "Who was that? Is he okay?"

"He's my son, Edward," Esme answered. She couldn't figure out what caused Edward to act like this, but the look he had in his eyes was the exact same one he had when he was in the hospital the night of the fire. He was upset, caught in a nightmare.

"Is there something wrong?" Bella asked.

"I don't know. However, he has been dealing with some issues caused by a fire from some time ago. He moved away in the wake of that fire and he just recently moved back to help with my recovery. But, being back here has reopened some ... old ... wounds." Esme internally smacked her head as she spoke to Bella. Angela and Bella ... damn it!

"Oh, I can understand that. Would you like me to go see if I can find him for you?" Bella asked.

"Please," Esme begged, knowing she didn't have the strength at the moment. She was a little woozy, needing something to settle her stomach. She also felt guilty about not telling Edward about her doctor.

"I'll send Charlotte in to take some blood, but everything looks good. There's evidence that we got everything when we performed the surgery and chemo is getting any residual cells. According to the tests, it's all positive and going in the right direction, Esme. I still want to continue with the treatments, but only every other week," Bella explained. "Do you need anything else?"

"Do you think we're winning this battle?" Esme asked, her hands wringing in her lap. "Other than being tired, the nausea and queasiness, I feel okay."

"The cancer is raising its white flag and soon we'll capture it for good."

Esme stood on shaky limbs and gave Bella a tight hug. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me, Dr. Swan. You're truly an angel."

"You've done all the work, I'm only here to help you along the way," Bella said, hugging Esme back. "I'll just go find, Edward."

"Thank you."

Bella gave Charlotte the chart, telling her the instructions for Esme, and went off in search of Edward. She had met Esme's other sons, Jasper and Emmett, during her surgery and at various treatments. They were both very pleasant to be around and she could tell they were a close-knit family. Bella knew that Esme had another son and had been told that he worked in Boston. She also didn't know he had returned to Seattle. From what she saw, his presence meant a lot to Esme. She looked good, happy with a sparkle in her eyes that she hadn't really seen.

Walking into the waiting room, she saw Edward sitting in one of the chairs next to the fireplace, staring sightlessly at the flames. Bella went over to the chair next to him and sat down, leaning forward and looking at him. "Are you okay?"

Edward ignored her and continued to watch as the flames dancing hypnotically over the logs. He faintly heard a voice next to him, but he was afraid that it was her - Angela. He closed his eyes, remembering as her tiny hand slipped from his and she fell away, to her death on the concrete below. Why was this happening to him? Was he going to have to go back to the psychiatrist and back on those mind-numbing medications to regulate his emotions? He took sleeping pills in the past to help him get rest at night, blocking out the nightmares at the best of times and keeping him stuck in them at the worst.