CH25: EITHER WAY...

Bella's POV

I couldn't properly assess the words that spilled out of Alice's mouth. I took it in but they became jumbled up and were swishing around in my head like a boat trapped in the middle of the sea during a tempest.
Ness was well nearing hysteria whereas I was still too shocked, the blow not entirely affecting me. Everyone around me started to hustle, moving here and there while Edward tried to wake me from my frozen stance.
"Love? Love? Are you alright? Answer me, Bella, please," Edward's velvet voice murmured, begging.
My breathing sped in response.
My dad. Charlie. He couldn't die, not yet.
"Let's go. I need to see him; he needs me," I said, already on the move.
"Bella, wait!" I was already running. Unfortunately with a baby bump you can't get very far.
"Bella, it's not as bad as you think. Just calm down, okay? Carlisle has the car ready."
I nodded, letting him drag me back to the house where I found Seth and Leah consoling their mother, Sue.
She must be more devastated than me. Their wedding was planned for this October. She'd lost one husband already and it would be such a pity for her to lose Charlie when their "I Do's" were just a few months away.
I was making my way over, to comfort her, but Alice intercepted.
"Bella," she breathed, her eyes filled with terror.
Before I could ask what she saw, Carlisle was beside me in an instant.
"Bella, I got a call from the hospital. I'm afraid he's in a critical condition; he's lost quite a lot of blood. You can come with me but with your pregnancy I'm not sure if you'll be physically up for it," Carlisle said, his eyes serious.
"I have to see him. He can't die, Carlisle. Please...please don't let him die," I whispered, the tears threatening to come. I thought I was done with the weird human abnormalities but apparently not. Whatever I was feeling was affecting my baby, too.
"Eddie vaguely knows what's happening. He's just worried about you," Edward said at my side, supporting my weight.
"We have to hurry. The operation won't start without me. Bella, Edward," Carlisle called exiting the house and heading to his Mercedes.
"Mommma!" Nessie called from Jacob's lap. Her face was riddled with tears as well.
"Tell Grandpa to hold on and that I love him so much," she said, barely a whisper.
I nodded and we left.

Within 10 minutes, Edward and I were arrived at the hospital with Carlisle. We had to stay in the ER waiting area.
Edward tried to get me to sit. Anyone that passed us by would always make a double-take.
I could only guess it was because I was so big and I wasn't even showing the slightest discomfort while I paced back and forth a little too fast for a human.
5 minutes past. 10, 30 and 45. Carlisle still didn't come out from the pale green double doors.
We weren't alone waiting for the verdict. Sue arrived not long after us with Seth, Leah and Shaun.
I finally gave up and just sat beside Edward, burying my face in my hands. If my father died, I swear I would torture those men who held the drug store hostage. My rage flared and the venom in my mouth was spreading. The only thing that distracted me from my maddening trance was the kicking in my lower abdomen. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't pleasant either. I really hoped I wasn't going into labor here.
"Eddie, it's okay. I'm sorry if you're feeling cramped. But this isn't the place to come out yet," I murmured onto my stomach, rubbing it for assurance.
I was aware that Edward was staring at me the whole time. I turned to him for any response.
"Eddie's just as anxious as you are," he said with a small smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Bella?" Sue called.
I went over to her and plopped down. I had a long night. If I were able to sleep, I'd be in a coma by now.
"How're you holding up, Sue?" I asked. She was always more fragile than me.
"I'm fine," she said with her voice cracking.
"I'm so full of worry. I don't know what I would do without your father, Bella. I'm scared to lose him," she said with her head shaking.
She began sobbing and I rubbed her back. And then a thought occurred to me.
What if she didn't have to lose him? There was always that option. But would I dare give the life I rightfully chose for myself for my own father?
The double doors were suddenly pushed open and out came Carlisle with another man moving my father towards the ICU section.
"Carlisle?" Sue and I asked at the exact same time.
He sighed before answering.
"It was a tough operation but we managed to get the bullet out. Like I said earlier, he lost a significant amount of blood. We're going to keep a close watch on him but he should be out for quite a while."
Sue let out a sigh of relief but I wasn't content. I knew that he was hiding something crucial.
"What are the chances of Charlie recovering?" I asked, half afraid of his answer because I already knew his answer.
"That's what I wanted to discuss with the both of you," he replied and motioned for us to come closer into the halls.
He lowered his voice and said, "I'm terribly sad to say it but I honestly don't think he can survive this. I promise you that I will do anything I can to make him comfortable the bullet wound was just awfully close to his heart and it punctured the aorta."
He paused to look at me but continued. "For me, the only way I can think of to revive him is if—"
"He becomes one of you," Sue interrupted, finally following where Carlisle was going.
We were all quiet for a while. I couldn't decide on that for now. I knew that my dad didn't belong in this life. I introduced him into my world simply because I couldn't bear to close him out of my life like I was supposed to do when I was turned. He was my father and I loved him. If Carlisle changed him then many things would change. I don't think I have the heart to deprive him from Sue and the new beginning he was supposed to start with her. I just don't know how their relationship with work if he became like me and with Sue being the mother of two werewolves.
"Do whatever you can to bring him back to me. Even if that means I'll have to marry a vampire," Sue said, tearing me away from my thoughts.
We all stared at her dumbfounded but I know she was serious. I could see it in her eyes that she truly loved my dad. Carlisle nodded and turned to me.
"I don't think it's what Charlie would want. It's just...I mean... can I just see him first?" I said. I was just so torn. Carlisle nodded and I made my way to his room with Edward silently following me.
I peeked in, carefully sniffing the room to check my control. The smell of sedatives and alcohol overpowered anything else.
I came in slowly, thinking that any sudden movement would wake him from his rest, and sat down on the chair directly across the foot of his bed. I would sit here for as long as it took my dad to wake up.
THE NEXT DAY
I've never seen my dad so weak and pale. I don't know how long we've actually been at the hospital but it felt like an eternity. I know it didn't do anything but I covered him in my shield. I temporarily forgot that by doing this, Edward heard all my thoughts. As much as I hated seeing my father this way, I hated the fact that Edward was suffering beside me.
"Bella, don't think of me. I'm only getting depressed because you're feeling depressed," he started.
"Love, I know that you're hurting right now and you're entitled to feeling that way. But you have to understand that sulking here isn't doing anything. I don't think it's healthy for Eddie either."
I pursed my lips thoughtfully. (Are you saying that I should tell Carlisle to change Charlie?)
He didn't reply right away but when he did, he nodded with a pained expression.
I looked to my father and watched his chest rise and fall. "Healthy as a horse, Bells" ran through my head.
I took a big gulp. Was changing my dad the right thing to do? He would still be my dad and I'm sure his feelings for Sue wouldn't vanish. I think I would dread burying my father more than seeing him go through the transformation. Before I got go through with my decision, Charlie started stirring in his bed.
I was beside him in one fluid movement. He was moaning like he was in pain.
"Dad? Are you okay? What do you want me to get?" I asked, my shield still protecting him. If only it could shield his pain.
"Bella? Is that you?" he asked, fully opening his eyes.
"Yeah, dad, it's me," I breathed relieved.
"I was thinking you were an angel," he huffed. I smiled. Good ole Charlie.
"How are you feeling?" I asked while Carlisle knocked and Edward opened the door.
"Stiff. And drowsy. What kind of medication they got me taking?" he replied, looking to Carlisle.
"Just the normal sedatives like morphine," he answered, his tone happy to see Charlie acting like himself. "It's good to see you up. You sure you don't feel any pain? Specifically in your chest?"
"Well it does kinda feel a little tender..." he mumbled. As he said that, we all heard his heart speed, faster than the usual human rate. He gasped, clutching his heart and then his eyes rolled to the back of his head.
"Dad?!" I yelled desperately.
Nurses started filing in while Carlisle worked diligently over him. Edward had to drag me out into the hall so that I wasn't in the way.
This was it. I knew it by the feeble beating of my father's heart; time was running out.
"Edward," I whispered. His arms were around me in the same second.
"Do you think he'd be in less pain if they put him to sleep first? I don't see how we can move him to the house now if we're going to change him. Oh, I can believe this is happening. I can't lose him, Edward, I can't," I said, silently sobbing against his shoulder.
"Maybe you don't have to lose him either way, as a vampire or a human," he answered.
"What do you mean?" I asked, parting from our embrace so that I can examine his face. He was staring above my head, behind me.
A few seconds later, Kamielle appeared from the corner. She locked eyes with us and she was beside us in an instant.
"Am I too late?" she asked, squinting into the window of Charlie's room.
Edward was the one to answer. I didn't know what was happening. Was Kamielle going to change my father?
"I don't think so. But we have to hurry. Hand me the elixir," he ordered her.
She did as she was told and before he entered the room, he looked to me.
"Everything will be okay, Bella, I promise you, love."
His words rang in my head. Carlisle was still hovering over my father but he looked like he knew what Edward was doing in there with him. Eddie started kicking again, as if he was excited. I was just plain restless.
And then I finally understood what was happening. Carlisle replaced the dripping morphine with the elixir and after a few excruciating moments later his heart beat went back to normal.
I breathed a sigh of relief and hugged Kamielle so tight that if she were human, her bones would've been broken all over.
Before I knew it, Sue, Nessie and Jacob, along with the others gathered around the window. We waited in anticipation.
"He's stable now; his vitals look good..." we heard Carlisle say.
"Momma, Grandpa's going to be okay right?" Nessie asked as she was hugging Esme since Sue was holding onto Jake.
"See for yourself," Kamielle answered her. We all checked to find Charlie starting to sit up.
"Whatever that sedative was, it really worked. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to use the bathroom," was all he said. I shook my head in amusement and pure solace.
My dad was okay, better than before it seemed. Sue was the first one to dash into his room. For now, I needed to rest. The past couple of days were hard on me and I'm pretty sure Eddie would really appreciate it if I ate something.
I checked on Charlie one last time before we all returned to the house to get some well needed break.