The Human Cullen || E.Cullen

16. freedom

Holly wakes slowly, her eyes following Arthur's hand up to his shoulder and then across to his face. She sighs when she sees his eyes still shut and lifts her head from the bed, her neck cramping a little. "Ow." She mutters as she rubs it.

"You should go to the hotel." Edward says, not looking away from his son. Under all the wires and the breathing machine, he looks so young and innocent. So helpless.

"No. I don't want him to wake up without me." She whispers and sighs, sitting back as she holds his hand against her chest. She pushes her chair right against the bed, annoying the nurses all the time but it's the only way she'll get the smallest amount of sleep. The last almost 2 weeks has been rough; he's her support system, but what does she do when he's the one she faces losing?

"We won't lose him." Edward says sternly. "Stop thinking that."

"I'm sorry." She sighs. "He's just... So still. There's nothing going on but that stupid machine making his chest rise and fall. It's like... It's like he isn't in there."

"He is. He's just dreaming. He will come back to us." Edward mutters as he rubs his jaw. He hasn't fed since long before this all happened, but he won't feed until he knows his son is okay. Until he's awake and breathing on his own and telling stupid Emmett worthy jokes.

Holly rests her head back and closes her eyes as she begins to hum. They fly open moments later. "Arthur... Do that again."

Edward looks at her confused but it dawns on him that his sons hand just squeezes Hollys. He pushes the call button just as all life seems to burst back into Arthur, his eyes wide as he tries to breath for himself.

"It's okay hang on!" Holly cries with joy as she strokes his cheek.

He's back. HE'S OKAY! She cries to herself as the room swarms with people.

-

The nurse helps Arthur settle back against the pillows as Edward and Holly hover, waiting to bombard him; most of the nurses and doctors have left. She pats his arm and leaves, Holly instantly rushing over and taking his hand again. "How are you feeling?"

He smiles tiredly. "S-sore." He swallows hard.

"You will for a while." She strokes his hair back.

Arthur looks over at his dad, stood far back still with his black eyes stuck to his sons face. "Stuck with me still." He croaks with a small smile.

"Good." Is all Edward says.

Arthur sits up a little. "G-go. Hunt. I'm okay now." He whispers.

Edward laughs once. "No. Every time I think you're gonna be okay, something happens. How am I ever supposed to get stuff done huh?" He tries to lightly joke.

Holly smiles as Arthur weakly laughs. "I'm fine. As if H will let anything h-happen now." He squeezes her hand. "Please, dad, go hunt. Then we can talk."

Edward sighs and nods, hesitanting before he kisses Holly's cheek and Arthur's head, disappearing moments later.

Holly sits down and takes Arthur's hand in both of hers. "I'm so glad you're awake... I just got you back and then-" she shakes her head as she stops herself choking up.

"Have you left?" He wonders as he brushes a stray piece of her hair back. "You look exhausted."

"I'm beyond exhausted." She admits with a small laugh. "Like your dad, I didn't want to leave you, couldn't leave you. Esme, Rose, Carlisle - even Paul - offered to sit with you just for a while but I couldn't bare it. Most I did was go for a shower." She admits, nodding to the bathroom a few feet away.