Arrested By You
by SparklingFae
Bella POV
Today was a huge day; they were bringing Charlie out of his medically-induced coma. I was scared and excited all in the same breath. I rode with Sam to the hospital. I stared out of the window, lost in thought, until I felt Sam's fingers thread through mine. He squeezed gently as my lips curved into a bittersweet smile.
"Are you okay, Honey?"
I peered out the window again.
"Yeah… just thinking. I’m a little nervous, I guess.”
I felt him ferry my hand to his lips and kiss my palm, his eyes still on me. I sucked in a breath when he spoke, his voice so tender and loving that it literally made my heart stutter.
"I'm here, Bella..."
The spell was broken before more could be said by a car horn honking behind us. After that, it wasn't long before we reached the hospital and were making our way up to my dad's floor. Sam was staying long enough to see Charlie drawn out of his coma before he had to head off to work. I stopped Sam as we walked past the nurse's station and I noticed Charlie's doctor there.
"I will meet you in my dad's room, okay? Just let me talk to the doctor real quick, Sam."
He nodded and stepped into Charlie's room to wait. I gained the doctor’s attention and, after a few assurances from him that everything should go as planned, I made my way into Charlie's hospital room to wait as well.
Looking around the drab grayish walls, it never ceased to amaze me that they couldn't make these places just a little more comfortable and cheerful for the patients’ families. I came over to my dad's side, Sam right behind me with his hand on the small of my back, taking my dad’s hand in mine. I wanted him to know I was here when he woke up. It hurt to see my father like this, so broken looking, so small compared to the man I had always found larger than life.
I watched with anticipation as Sam stood just behind me, a comforting arm slipped around my waist, as I leaned back against him. The doctor finally walked in with a nurse and looked over Charlie's chart while the nurse administered a medication of some sort into the Dad’s IV.
Sam and I waited with baited breath as my dad began to slowly stir; his chest rose with a more rapid breathing pattern and his eyes fluttered some before finally, his brown eyes opened, mirror replicas of my own. Even though he had a blank stare for a few moments I had never been so happy to see them. After a few moments, his eyes focused more and he set his more alert gaze on me, croaking out my name in a dry whisper.
"Bells?"
I fought back the tears, smiling as I took his hand.
"Yeah Dad, it's me."
A tear slipped down my cheek as I regarded my father. Sam rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, instinctively soothing me as I took a breath and gathered my emotions before kissing Charlie's cheek.
"You gave us a scare, Dad."
He winced as he tried to shift in the bed and muttered with a pained expression.
"Next time, I will take that into consideration."
I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm and smiled. The doctor spoke up, diverting my attention.
"I am sorry, Bella, but I need to check your dad over. You can come back in a little bit, if you’d like, but please; don’t tire him out too much today."
I nodded with a soft sigh; I didn't want to go, but I knew it was best for my dad. Sam and I walked out of his hospital room into the drab hallway. After taking the elevator down to the first floor, we made our way out of the hospital, heading straight to Sam's patrol car.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I have to go to work."
I laid my head on his chest and inhaled his scent, allowing it to calm me.
"I know, Baby. I'll see you when you come pick me up after your shift. Or do I need to see if Jake and Leah can swing by to get me?"
He rubbed my back before leaning down to feather a tender kiss against my lips.
"I'll come back in a couple of hours and see if you’re ready to go, Baby. Does that sound okay?"
I felt a warmth rising from the pit of my stomach up into my heart when I heard him call me baby; the sound was so sweet to my ears. I hummed softly in agreement and kissed him once more before stepping back so he could get in the car.
"See you in a little bit then, my sexy man."
With a laugh and slightly self-conscious wave, I walked back into the hospital and took the elevator back up to my dad's floor. I was only a little bit surprised when I walked back into his room, noting he was dozing a little, to see that Sue was there. She was fussing over him even while he was half asleep. I smiled warmly; glad that after all those years alone, my dad finally had someone that would be there with him when I couldn't.
"Hey Sue, how are you?"
I must have taken her by surprise because she startled and clasped her chest before giving me a tentative smile.
"Oh Bella, I didn't know you were here! I wanted to see your dad now that he’s awake."
I patted her arm before sitting next to my dad on the opposite side of the bed.
"It's fine! I know you’ve missed him, Sue."
She nodded as her hand rested on Charlie's arm. We both noticed at the same time his moustache twitching a little, like he was trying to avoid smiling. I laughed softly and spoke with amusement coloring my voice.
"I know you’re awake, Dad."
He opened one eye and peered at us both, then opened the other with a sigh.
"No use trying to fool either of you, is there?"
Both Sue and I shook our heads and raised a brow at his antics.
"Feeling better already, Dad?"
He gave one short nod and then looked between Sue and I before speaking, his tone still raspy from disuse.
"I don't suppose either of my favorite ladies would sneak me a beer in?"
I rolled my eyes, sharing a look with Sue at his request before Sue spoke up.
"Now Charlie, you heard what the doctor told you! You had a heart attack during your recovery. You need to stay off of the beer and start eating better."
He grizzled at that and I shook my head.
"Face it, Dad! You’re not going to get away so easily, now that both Sue and I are watching over you."
He sighed and looked to Sue for a moment before rasping to her.
"Sue, can I talk to Bells alone for a few minutes?"
She nodded in understanding and kissed my dad's forehead.
"I'll be back in 30 minutes; I am going to find something to eat in the hospital cafeteria."
Once she had walked out, Charlie raised a brow and looked me over with an appraising glance.
"It's been awhile since I saw you, Bells. It’s good to have you home."
My voice wavered as I felt tears gather.
"I know, Dad. I am glad to be home. As soon as I can arrange some things in San Francisco, I am moving back here for certain."
He gave me that cop stare, and I knew my dad was going to be alright. I blushed and bit my lip, an old habit of mine that I still seemed to do sometimes when he questioned me.
"This move wouldn't have to do with a certain deputy of mine that I saw you with when I woke up, would it?"
I gave a soft smile at the thought of Sam in uniform before I answered him.
"It might. Dad, Sam and I are dating; I have been staying with him… I love him."
Charlie took my answer in stride before yawning; his eyes were beginning to droop, so I pulled the covers up around his neck.
"Sleep, Dad. We can talk later."
He barely nodded before he was asleep and I decided to let him rest. I was going to go to the station to see my man; I was a woman on a mission. I admitted my true feelings to Dad. Now I wanted, no, I had to tell Sam the same. I had to tell him that I loved him. He deserved that honesty from me. I would lay my cards on the table for once and stop running.
Today was a huge day; they were bringing Charlie out of his medically-induced coma. I was scared and excited all in the same breath. I rode with Sam to the hospital. I stared out of the window, lost in thought, until I felt Sam's fingers thread through mine. He squeezed gently as my lips curved into a bittersweet smile.
"Are you okay, Honey?"
I peered out the window again.
"Yeah… just thinking. I’m a little nervous, I guess.”
I felt him ferry my hand to his lips and kiss my palm, his eyes still on me. I sucked in a breath when he spoke, his voice so tender and loving that it literally made my heart stutter.
"I'm here, Bella..."
The spell was broken before more could be said by a car horn honking behind us. After that, it wasn't long before we reached the hospital and were making our way up to my dad's floor. Sam was staying long enough to see Charlie drawn out of his coma before he had to head off to work. I stopped Sam as we walked past the nurse's station and I noticed Charlie's doctor there.
"I will meet you in my dad's room, okay? Just let me talk to the doctor real quick, Sam."
He nodded and stepped into Charlie's room to wait. I gained the doctor’s attention and, after a few assurances from him that everything should go as planned, I made my way into Charlie's hospital room to wait as well.
Looking around the drab grayish walls, it never ceased to amaze me that they couldn't make these places just a little more comfortable and cheerful for the patients’ families. I came over to my dad's side, Sam right behind me with his hand on the small of my back, taking my dad’s hand in mine. I wanted him to know I was here when he woke up. It hurt to see my father like this, so broken looking, so small compared to the man I had always found larger than life.
I watched with anticipation as Sam stood just behind me, a comforting arm slipped around my waist, as I leaned back against him. The doctor finally walked in with a nurse and looked over Charlie's chart while the nurse administered a medication of some sort into the Dad’s IV.
Sam and I waited with baited breath as my dad began to slowly stir; his chest rose with a more rapid breathing pattern and his eyes fluttered some before finally, his brown eyes opened, mirror replicas of my own. Even though he had a blank stare for a few moments I had never been so happy to see them. After a few moments, his eyes focused more and he set his more alert gaze on me, croaking out my name in a dry whisper.
"Bells?"
I fought back the tears, smiling as I took his hand.
"Yeah Dad, it's me."
A tear slipped down my cheek as I regarded my father. Sam rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, instinctively soothing me as I took a breath and gathered my emotions before kissing Charlie's cheek.
"You gave us a scare, Dad."
He winced as he tried to shift in the bed and muttered with a pained expression.
"Next time, I will take that into consideration."
I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm and smiled. The doctor spoke up, diverting my attention.
"I am sorry, Bella, but I need to check your dad over. You can come back in a little bit, if you’d like, but please; don’t tire him out too much today."
I nodded with a soft sigh; I didn't want to go, but I knew it was best for my dad. Sam and I walked out of his hospital room into the drab hallway. After taking the elevator down to the first floor, we made our way out of the hospital, heading straight to Sam's patrol car.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I have to go to work."
I laid my head on his chest and inhaled his scent, allowing it to calm me.
"I know, Baby. I'll see you when you come pick me up after your shift. Or do I need to see if Jake and Leah can swing by to get me?"
He rubbed my back before leaning down to feather a tender kiss against my lips.
"I'll come back in a couple of hours and see if you’re ready to go, Baby. Does that sound okay?"
I felt a warmth rising from the pit of my stomach up into my heart when I heard him call me baby; the sound was so sweet to my ears. I hummed softly in agreement and kissed him once more before stepping back so he could get in the car.
"See you in a little bit then, my sexy man."
With a laugh and slightly self-conscious wave, I walked back into the hospital and took the elevator back up to my dad's floor. I was only a little bit surprised when I walked back into his room, noting he was dozing a little, to see that Sue was there. She was fussing over him even while he was half asleep. I smiled warmly; glad that after all those years alone, my dad finally had someone that would be there with him when I couldn't.
"Hey Sue, how are you?"
I must have taken her by surprise because she startled and clasped her chest before giving me a tentative smile.
"Oh Bella, I didn't know you were here! I wanted to see your dad now that he’s awake."
I patted her arm before sitting next to my dad on the opposite side of the bed.
"It's fine! I know you’ve missed him, Sue."
She nodded as her hand rested on Charlie's arm. We both noticed at the same time his moustache twitching a little, like he was trying to avoid smiling. I laughed softly and spoke with amusement coloring my voice.
"I know you’re awake, Dad."
He opened one eye and peered at us both, then opened the other with a sigh.
"No use trying to fool either of you, is there?"
Both Sue and I shook our heads and raised a brow at his antics.
"Feeling better already, Dad?"
He gave one short nod and then looked between Sue and I before speaking, his tone still raspy from disuse.
"I don't suppose either of my favorite ladies would sneak me a beer in?"
I rolled my eyes, sharing a look with Sue at his request before Sue spoke up.
"Now Charlie, you heard what the doctor told you! You had a heart attack during your recovery. You need to stay off of the beer and start eating better."
He grizzled at that and I shook my head.
"Face it, Dad! You’re not going to get away so easily, now that both Sue and I are watching over you."
He sighed and looked to Sue for a moment before rasping to her.
"Sue, can I talk to Bells alone for a few minutes?"
She nodded in understanding and kissed my dad's forehead.
"I'll be back in 30 minutes; I am going to find something to eat in the hospital cafeteria."
Once she had walked out, Charlie raised a brow and looked me over with an appraising glance.
"It's been awhile since I saw you, Bells. It’s good to have you home."
My voice wavered as I felt tears gather.
"I know, Dad. I am glad to be home. As soon as I can arrange some things in San Francisco, I am moving back here for certain."
He gave me that cop stare, and I knew my dad was going to be alright. I blushed and bit my lip, an old habit of mine that I still seemed to do sometimes when he questioned me.
"This move wouldn't have to do with a certain deputy of mine that I saw you with when I woke up, would it?"
I gave a soft smile at the thought of Sam in uniform before I answered him.
"It might. Dad, Sam and I are dating; I have been staying with him… I love him."
Charlie took my answer in stride before yawning; his eyes were beginning to droop, so I pulled the covers up around his neck.
"Sleep, Dad. We can talk later."
He barely nodded before he was asleep and I decided to let him rest. I was going to go to the station to see my man; I was a woman on a mission. I admitted my true feelings to Dad. Now I wanted, no, I had to tell Sam the same. I had to tell him that I loved him. He deserved that honesty from me. I would lay my cards on the table for once and stop running.