When Angels Cry
by wizardtho
Chapter 13: Wolves & Lions & Bears, Oh My!
When I woke, it was to the smell of fresh coffee and the sound of my Edward whispering, “Would you like to open those beautiful green eyes for me, Love?”
I hummed as I snuggled further into his arms, but said sleepily, “How long have I slept? Is Dad awake yet?”
He chuckled, then offered, “The coffee you smell is for you, and yes, your Dad just woke a few minutes ago. Carlisle is still checking him over.”
My eyes were instantly open. I gratefully took the coffee from his free hand as I kissed Edward’s lips in thanks. When I looked out the window, I realized we were on the ground, so I asked, “Where are we?”
Conri answered from one of the large corner chairs, “We are in Japan, Lady Isabella. We’ve only landed long enough to refuel safely, then we will be taking off again.”
I nodded, “Thank you, Conri. Have you slept at all yet? Or eaten anything?”
He assured me, “I have. Thank you for asking. All the men are taking shifts to rest and replenish.”
I smiled and nodded as I passed him, my coffee in one hand, and Edward leading me toward the cabin with the other hand in his.
When I entered the room, Carlisle was replacing the sheet after checking the wound site. I had just enough time to see that the wound looked 100x better than it did the last time I saw him.
I sat in the chair as I looked into Dad’s eyes, which were open and alert. “How are you?”
He let out a breath, then said truthfully, “Still have a stitch in my chest if I breathe too deep, and I have to be careful moving around yet, but I’m told I have you to thank for even being here.”
I held his hand a bit tighter as I replied, “Carlisle said it was my tears. I was so scared, Dad… and we never talked about what to do if something happened to you. I didn’t know if you’d want to turn, or be let go, and I was frozen.”
He patted my hand holding his, then smiled, “It’s alright, Bells. I’m going to be fine now. Once we get to where we’re going, we’ll sit down and have that conversation. For now, I’m going to stay in this bed and rest up for when we leave the plane.”
I looked to Carlisle, who nodded with a slight smile, “Your father is doing well, Dear. I still want to do a full set of scans once we arrive, but I am confident now that he will make a full recovery.”
I let out a breath of relief, then felt Edward’s arms on my shoulders in comfort. I smiled up at him, then heard Alice say from the main room, “Bella? Would you like to eat with your Dad or out here?”
I laughed as Dad’s stomach rumbled at the mention of food, then told Alice, “In here… and heat something for Dad, please. His stomach sounds like a bear.”
Then I thought of an odd question, so I called out, “Conri, can you join me for a minute please?”
He bowed his head as he entered the open doorway, “Lady Isabella.”
“Come in,” I pointed to the open seat in the room, then asked, “I have no clue about weres, and I was just wondering -with my comment about bears- if all weres were wolves, or if there were other species, too.”
He grinned widely, offering, “You are correct. We are not only wolves, Lady Isabella, but many species. I, myself, am a wolf, but my second is a lion. As for bears, we have a few in our ranks. One is on your personal security team.”
I grinned, “Good to know. I look forward to meeting them… and thank you for clearing that up for me.”
Esme came in with 2 steaming trays only minutes later. After she handed one to me, she placed the other over Dad’s lap, then went to sit with Carlisle in the chair he occupied. Conri excused himself with a nod and a smile.
The 5 of us talked as Dad and I ate, but before Dad got through eating, he fell asleep during our conversation. I looked at Carlisle, asking in a whisper, “Is that a good sign or bad? He’s never done that before.”
Carlisle shrugged slightly, “I can not be positive until I can run some tests on him.”
I nod sadly, “The moment we reach our destination, get him in an MRI machine. Don’t leave his side, Carlisle, please. I’ll have to meet our hosts, but as soon as that’s taken care of, I’ll come to you. I don’t care if you have to physically inject my tears into him, as long as he’s healed properly in the end. Just get a good look and tell me what you need me to do.”
Carlisle nodded seriously, but said, “Let’s not jump the gun just yet, Dear… though an injection to the area might not be a bad idea, if his healing isn’t as far along as I believe it is. This is, as you well know, new territory for us all.”
I nodded, then Edward picked up both our trays, taking them out to Alice, who was waiting for them in the main room. I took the time to kiss Dad’s forehead, pull his blanket a bit further up his chest, then nodded to both Esme and Carlisle before making a quick trip to the restroom.
When I returned to the main room, I saw Conri talking to Edward. I sat on the arm of Edward’s chair, and he wrapped his arm around my waist, offering, “I was just asking Conri about the next leg of the journey, once we deboard the plane in Romania.”
I chuckle slightly, “Like minds… I was just going to do the same. I want to be prepared as much as possible. You know how I hate flying blind.”
Conri nods, “We have a bit of travelling once we land, but the airport is private and well-hidden. The terrain between the airport and the underground garage is a bit rugged, and we’ll be making that journey in the SUVs. Once we reach the underground garage, the vehicles will be parked, and the rest of the journey will be made on foot. We’ll be weaving in and out of the landscape, Lady Isabella… though the center of some mountains, but around the outsides of others.”
I nodded my head, thinking aloud, “So not something my dad will be able to do on his own feet. We’ll need to use a sheet or something, to fashion a type of sling for him to be supported in, while either Carlisle or Emmett carries him. And what about our luggage? I assume we’re taking the ‘harder to follow’ route for safety, but it also makes for luggage being a pain in the ass.”
He chuckles, “Right you are. Your luggage, as well as that of your companions, will be brought by a different route, once you have met with Stefan and Vladimir. If you agree to stay once you have met with them, your belongings will be brought up straight away.”
I look at my Edward, stating, “That all sounds good, but Carlisle’s book and Dad’s book have to be with us. I don’t want them left behind with the luggage.”
He promises, “I’ll retrieve them myself, just to make sure of it, then give them to Jasper and Alice to hold onto.”
I look back at Conri, saying one final thing, “As soon as we enter the safe zone, I’d like a couple of the men to guide Carlisle and my dad to the medical wing, then stay with them while Carlisle checks my dad over.”
Cori nods seriously, “I’ll have my second, Fenris, and 2 of the others escort your father, Lady Isabella.”
Just then, a well-built man with short, dark hair asks, “You talking about me again, Boss?”
Conri laughs, then states, “Lady Isabella, this is my second-in-command, Fenris.”
I shake his hand with a grin, “The lion. I’m interested to see your other form.”
He grins and touches the ring on his hand, “Since we have these little gems, that won’t take as long as you think, Lady Isabella. We have control over our forms with these, so we aren’t tied to the cycles of the moon anymore.”
I give him an appreciative nod, then Conri states, “When we reach the inner castle, you are to take 2 others and guide Dr. Cullen, his mate, and whoever is carrying Chief Swan to the medical wing. Stay with them while he is being looked over. Report immediately if Dr. Cullen finds something significant.”
Fenris nods seriously, “Absolutely, Boss. I’ll put Kaden and Jeremy on notice and take them.”
With that taken care of, I took the opportunity to go sit with Em and Rose for a few minutes, and let them know how Dad was doing.
When I woke, it was to the smell of fresh coffee and the sound of my Edward whispering, “Would you like to open those beautiful green eyes for me, Love?”
I hummed as I snuggled further into his arms, but said sleepily, “How long have I slept? Is Dad awake yet?”
He chuckled, then offered, “The coffee you smell is for you, and yes, your Dad just woke a few minutes ago. Carlisle is still checking him over.”
My eyes were instantly open. I gratefully took the coffee from his free hand as I kissed Edward’s lips in thanks. When I looked out the window, I realized we were on the ground, so I asked, “Where are we?”
Conri answered from one of the large corner chairs, “We are in Japan, Lady Isabella. We’ve only landed long enough to refuel safely, then we will be taking off again.”
I nodded, “Thank you, Conri. Have you slept at all yet? Or eaten anything?”
He assured me, “I have. Thank you for asking. All the men are taking shifts to rest and replenish.”
I smiled and nodded as I passed him, my coffee in one hand, and Edward leading me toward the cabin with the other hand in his.
When I entered the room, Carlisle was replacing the sheet after checking the wound site. I had just enough time to see that the wound looked 100x better than it did the last time I saw him.
I sat in the chair as I looked into Dad’s eyes, which were open and alert. “How are you?”
He let out a breath, then said truthfully, “Still have a stitch in my chest if I breathe too deep, and I have to be careful moving around yet, but I’m told I have you to thank for even being here.”
I held his hand a bit tighter as I replied, “Carlisle said it was my tears. I was so scared, Dad… and we never talked about what to do if something happened to you. I didn’t know if you’d want to turn, or be let go, and I was frozen.”
He patted my hand holding his, then smiled, “It’s alright, Bells. I’m going to be fine now. Once we get to where we’re going, we’ll sit down and have that conversation. For now, I’m going to stay in this bed and rest up for when we leave the plane.”
I looked to Carlisle, who nodded with a slight smile, “Your father is doing well, Dear. I still want to do a full set of scans once we arrive, but I am confident now that he will make a full recovery.”
I let out a breath of relief, then felt Edward’s arms on my shoulders in comfort. I smiled up at him, then heard Alice say from the main room, “Bella? Would you like to eat with your Dad or out here?”
I laughed as Dad’s stomach rumbled at the mention of food, then told Alice, “In here… and heat something for Dad, please. His stomach sounds like a bear.”
Then I thought of an odd question, so I called out, “Conri, can you join me for a minute please?”
He bowed his head as he entered the open doorway, “Lady Isabella.”
“Come in,” I pointed to the open seat in the room, then asked, “I have no clue about weres, and I was just wondering -with my comment about bears- if all weres were wolves, or if there were other species, too.”
He grinned widely, offering, “You are correct. We are not only wolves, Lady Isabella, but many species. I, myself, am a wolf, but my second is a lion. As for bears, we have a few in our ranks. One is on your personal security team.”
I grinned, “Good to know. I look forward to meeting them… and thank you for clearing that up for me.”
Esme came in with 2 steaming trays only minutes later. After she handed one to me, she placed the other over Dad’s lap, then went to sit with Carlisle in the chair he occupied. Conri excused himself with a nod and a smile.
The 5 of us talked as Dad and I ate, but before Dad got through eating, he fell asleep during our conversation. I looked at Carlisle, asking in a whisper, “Is that a good sign or bad? He’s never done that before.”
Carlisle shrugged slightly, “I can not be positive until I can run some tests on him.”
I nod sadly, “The moment we reach our destination, get him in an MRI machine. Don’t leave his side, Carlisle, please. I’ll have to meet our hosts, but as soon as that’s taken care of, I’ll come to you. I don’t care if you have to physically inject my tears into him, as long as he’s healed properly in the end. Just get a good look and tell me what you need me to do.”
Carlisle nodded seriously, but said, “Let’s not jump the gun just yet, Dear… though an injection to the area might not be a bad idea, if his healing isn’t as far along as I believe it is. This is, as you well know, new territory for us all.”
I nodded, then Edward picked up both our trays, taking them out to Alice, who was waiting for them in the main room. I took the time to kiss Dad’s forehead, pull his blanket a bit further up his chest, then nodded to both Esme and Carlisle before making a quick trip to the restroom.
When I returned to the main room, I saw Conri talking to Edward. I sat on the arm of Edward’s chair, and he wrapped his arm around my waist, offering, “I was just asking Conri about the next leg of the journey, once we deboard the plane in Romania.”
I chuckle slightly, “Like minds… I was just going to do the same. I want to be prepared as much as possible. You know how I hate flying blind.”
Conri nods, “We have a bit of travelling once we land, but the airport is private and well-hidden. The terrain between the airport and the underground garage is a bit rugged, and we’ll be making that journey in the SUVs. Once we reach the underground garage, the vehicles will be parked, and the rest of the journey will be made on foot. We’ll be weaving in and out of the landscape, Lady Isabella… though the center of some mountains, but around the outsides of others.”
I nodded my head, thinking aloud, “So not something my dad will be able to do on his own feet. We’ll need to use a sheet or something, to fashion a type of sling for him to be supported in, while either Carlisle or Emmett carries him. And what about our luggage? I assume we’re taking the ‘harder to follow’ route for safety, but it also makes for luggage being a pain in the ass.”
He chuckles, “Right you are. Your luggage, as well as that of your companions, will be brought by a different route, once you have met with Stefan and Vladimir. If you agree to stay once you have met with them, your belongings will be brought up straight away.”
I look at my Edward, stating, “That all sounds good, but Carlisle’s book and Dad’s book have to be with us. I don’t want them left behind with the luggage.”
He promises, “I’ll retrieve them myself, just to make sure of it, then give them to Jasper and Alice to hold onto.”
I look back at Conri, saying one final thing, “As soon as we enter the safe zone, I’d like a couple of the men to guide Carlisle and my dad to the medical wing, then stay with them while Carlisle checks my dad over.”
Cori nods seriously, “I’ll have my second, Fenris, and 2 of the others escort your father, Lady Isabella.”
Just then, a well-built man with short, dark hair asks, “You talking about me again, Boss?”
Conri laughs, then states, “Lady Isabella, this is my second-in-command, Fenris.”
I shake his hand with a grin, “The lion. I’m interested to see your other form.”
He grins and touches the ring on his hand, “Since we have these little gems, that won’t take as long as you think, Lady Isabella. We have control over our forms with these, so we aren’t tied to the cycles of the moon anymore.”
I give him an appreciative nod, then Conri states, “When we reach the inner castle, you are to take 2 others and guide Dr. Cullen, his mate, and whoever is carrying Chief Swan to the medical wing. Stay with them while he is being looked over. Report immediately if Dr. Cullen finds something significant.”
Fenris nods seriously, “Absolutely, Boss. I’ll put Kaden and Jeremy on notice and take them.”
With that taken care of, I took the opportunity to go sit with Em and Rose for a few minutes, and let them know how Dad was doing.