When Angels Cry
by wizardtho
Chapter 12: Rest
As soon as we reached the small airport, I heard the engine of the plane start, and three more hulky men escorted Carlisle into the plane with my father. I was next, in Edward’s arms, then others came on after us.
Edward let me down as soon as we were aboard, so I cupped his cheek, asking, “Make sure everyone is alright and accounted for. I need to see about Dad.”
He kissed my wrist, then my lips, promising, “I’ll come to you as soon as I talk to Jasper and the guards to get a good picture of everything, Love. Go to him.”
Carlisle quickly stood and offered me his chair when I entered the small cabin suite. My father looked to be sleeping peacefully on the bed that dominated most of the room. I thanked Carlisle, then asked as I took my father’s hand, “How is he? Any change?”
Carlisle smiled as he gently laid his hand on my shoulder, “He is quite stable now, Dear. I took all his vitals, looked over his previously broken bones, and examined the former wound in his side. All of the cuts and scrapes are healed completely. There is no evidence of the skin even being lacerated. The broken bones have righted themselves and healed, at least as much as I can tell without x-ray. The wound, punctured lung, and nicked spleen are also healing, but a bit slower. I can not be sure the lung or spleen are completely healed, but listening to the area, I don’t hear any signs that he’s continuing to bleed internally. As you can tell, Charlie’s breathing is still slightly labored. There is still quite a bit of redness at the site, but the wound is closed, so I expect it to act like the lacerations. If so, over the next while, the raw redness should dissipate, and his breathing should normalize.”
There was a knock on the open suite door, so I turned to look. The hulky man I spoke to before was peeking in, so I waved for him to enter. He bowed his head to me, gave Carlisle a slight nod, then offered, “Your mate wished me to give you an update, Lady Isabella. All of the Cullen and Denali clans are accounted for and healing well under their own volition. Irina unfortunately had her pinky detached, but animal blood has already been given to her, and the appendage is healing quickly. That was the worst of the injuries. Your mate said he wanted to talk to Major Whitlock about one other thing, but he didn’t want you to worry about the other passengers.”
I nod, then inquire, “Thank you. I’m sorry, but I haven’t gotten your name yet. As you stated in the woods that you had men still here, I assume you are their commander.”
He blushed slightly as he ducked his head, then offered, “My sincerest apologies, Lady Isabella. My name is Conri. I am the Leader of the Weres and Commander of Alpha Team, which is your personal security team.”
I nodded, then smiled slightly, “It’s nice to meet you, Conri. Under the current circumstances, it’s better that introductions waited until now. I’ll need to sit down with you and Jasper at some point -to figure out what in seven hells happened here- but that can wait until our travel ends and I speak to our new hosts.”
He nodded, then asked if I needed anything from him at the moment. When I shook my head, he excused himself. I looked to Carlisle who offered, “Charlie will sleep for a while yet. Not knowing if he was in pain, I gave him a dose of pain medication. It will help him rest peacefully and aid in his healing. Go clean up a bit in the shower; relax with your mate. I’ll let you know the instant his condition changes.”
I stood and hugged Carlisle, then went out to the main room to find Conri on the phone. “Everyone is accounted for. Lady Isabella’s father was injured. The medical wing will need to be ready, as Dr. Cullen will want to make sure there is no lingering internal damage.”
I gently squeezed his arm as I passed, giving him a grateful look, to which he nodded. I went directly to Irina, wanting to make sure she was alright, but she shook her head before I could say a word. She smiled, then showed me her pinky, which had been reattached and now had only a faint ring around it. “I’m fine. It doesn’t even hurt anymore. How’s your Dad?”
I let out a breath, “Okay for now. Carlisle says he’s stable. The only thing we aren’t completely sure about is internal bleeding. The rib that broke through his side nicked his spleen and punctured his lung. We won’t know if that’s healed until he can take a look with medical equipment. Dad’s breathing is better than in the woods, but it’s still labored.”
She nodded, then I felt my Edward wrap his arms around me from behind. I let out a breath in relief, then turned in his arms, “All good? Get everything squared with Conri and Jasper?”
With his agreement and peck to my lips, I said, “Find us clothes, then come get cleaned up with me. I need your arms around me, but this blood is sticky and starting to dry.”
Edward chuckled, then his eyes drifted to the side. That’s when I noticed Alice already pulling clothes out for both of us. I sighed in response, “I love you, Mary-Alice. Don’t ever think otherwise.”
Her head popped up, she beamed at me, then she said as she pulled the last of the clothing out, “Oh, I know. You tell me too often for me to ever think differently.”
She handed us two piles of clothing, “Here and here. Now go. Spend a few quiet moments together. And by the way? I love you too, Bella.”
As Edward guided me backwards into the running shower a few minutes later, he asked, “I know you said you were fine earlier, but… are you sure you aren’t hurt?”
Edward was looking at some slight bruises on my left hip and right arm. It’s where he was holding me to him when we were attacked. I smiled, then lightly pressed my lips to his before promising, “I honestly didn’t even know they were there. I didn’t feel them, even when you just touched them. You protected me, Edward. The SUVs were mangled, and I wasn’t. That’s what matters.”
He nodded silently as he started to gently clean the blood from my face. We spent the next several minutes just reassuring one another that we were safe and unharmed, as we took the time to shower each other. After that, we spent a few minutes in each other’s arms before finally turning off the water.
I peeked in on Dad before Edward and I returned to the main room, which was quiet. Esme and Tanya were talking with Kate, but the mated couples were each having their own type of downtime.
Jasper was gliding his fingers up and down Ali’s back as she laid on her stomach, a magazine in Jasper’s lap that she was reading.
Irina was on Laurant’s lap in a corner chair, and he was playing with a lock of her hair.
Emmett had his arm around Rose, who laid her head on his shoulder as they whispered to each other.
Eleazar was sitting on the floor in front of Carmen, his head back in her lap. Her fingers were lightly tracing his face as she hummed a soft tune.
Some of the guards were standing, but others were in reclining seats to rest.
I nodded to Conri, then Edward guided me into his lap in one of the oversized chairs. He raised his hand in the air a second later, and suddenly a throw blanket landed in it. I chuckled slightly, whispered, “Thank you,” to whoever threw it, then snuggled into my Edward’s arms.
It took me less than 5 minutes to fall asleep, once Edward started humming my lullaby.