Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Faith, Hope, And Love

By Momma2Fan

Chapter 11:

Making Amends…

It’s been said that comatose people dream. If that was true, then Alice was certain Bella was dreaming. As she sat by her friend’s side, she watched Bella’s eyes roll beneath her closed lids. Edward had left for a much needed break, and also to talk to his attending to find out what he needed to do about his residency. Under the circumstances, he was in no condition to be practicing medicine on patients.

Alice picked up Bella’s hand and squeezed gently. “Bella, Edward will be back soon. I hope my being here is okay. I miss my friend, Jasper and I seem to be in our own world in PA. I know you’ve been here and I could talk to you, but…” she sighed, “…I’m kinda lonely. Rose is who you call now. Edward is who you lean on.”

Alice felt a tear slide down her cheek and hastily wiped it away. 

“Alice?”

She looked over to the doorway and saw Edward standing there. “Hey. Did you get everything worked out?”

“What’s wrong, Ali?” Edward asked, ignoring her question.

“Nothing.” She plastered on smile.

“I’m not buying it. Tell me.” Edward sat back down in his chair after softly kissing Bella’s forehead.

Alice shook her head. “So much time wasted,” she mumbled.

Edward cocked his head at her. “What?”

“I said, so much time wasted.”

“What does that even mean?”

Alice looked down at her feet. “Honestly, I can’t help but wonder if you and Bella wouldn’t be together if I had done things differently in high school.”

“Alice, I…”

“Don’t try to deny it, Edward. We can all see it. Hell, the only ones who don’t know how you feel about each other is you and Bella,” Alice told him.

Edward sighed. “Even if that’s true, Alice, how is it your fault?”

“If I…if I hadn’t moved in on Jasper all those years ago, Bella wouldn’t be worried about her feelings for you.”

“Worried? How?” Edward was confused.

“Come on, Edward. The six of us were inseparable…then Emmett and Rose paired off and Jasper asked Bella out. If he and I had been honest with her, she wouldn’t be scared of ruining what you two have.”

“Alice, you can’t think like that.” He looked up at her and lifted his eyebrow. 

She shook her head. “Am I wrong? You love her don’t you?”

The pair was silent for a minute. Edward was the first to speak. “I do love her—I always have —but she isn’t the only one who was scared. I was, too.”

“What did you have to be afraid of, Edward?”

He scoffed before he answered her. “Really, Alice? What if I told Bella I love her and she rejected me? I would have ruined the one relationship that means the most to me.” Edward held up his hand when Alice would have interrupted. “Don’t get me wrong—I value the friendships I have with all of you, but with Bella it’s different.”

Alice nodded her head. “I understand. I always felt that with Jasper. I’m only sorry I went about it the wrong way.”

Edward leaned over Bella’s prone form and touched Alice’s hand. “We all forgave you a long time ago, Ali, and I know Bella did, too.”

She looked down at her friend and squeezed Edward’s hand. “I hope so.”

**FHL**

Minutes turned to hours and hours became days, but Edward had no concept of time. He maintained his vigil next to Bella, only leaving to give Charlie some time with her and shower or get something to eat. It was four days after her accident when Dr. George felt the time had come to wean her off of the drugs.

“It could take a day or two for her to come around. We’ll have to wait and see,” Alistair explained.

Charlie cleared his throat and asked the question no one else wanted to. “What about lasting effects? Brain damage?”

Carlisle placed his hand on his old friend’s shoulder as Alistair answered. “We won’t know until she’s awake, Charlie.”

Charlie nodded and looked at his shoes. Alistair wished he could give them some definitive answers, but he just didn’t have them. Unfortunately, all they could do was wait.

After receiving the news, Edward once again found himself in the chapel.

“Lord, it seems as if I have talked to you more in the last few days than I have in the last few years. But if you could see fit to bring my Bella back to me—to all of us—I would be eternally grateful. We need her, Lord. More than you know…” He hung his head down just as voices sounded behind him.

“Amen,” was said collectively from his family and friends.

Esme stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her son. “Bella is going to be fine, Edward. God wouldn’t have let her survive the accident just to take her from us now. Have faith, Sweetie. You’ll get your time.”

He knew that she was right. All he could do now was rely on his family and his faith…and wait.