Shifting Moon

 Teachers and students were everywhere around us, the gym teacher lowered himself into the Van to check up on Tyler. I now recognized him from the memory I had of the panicked driver. I also remembered all the times I saw him driving like an idiot to get attention. My money was on him trying to ice drift into the parking lot trying to look cool.

 I turned my thoughts away from that idiot and turned my attention to the girl standing protectively over me. I was a bit surprised at her actions as the last time I saw her, I left her standing dazed and confused in the hallway after an argument. She truly was beautiful; I didn't want to take my eyes off her. 

 Once the ambulance got there, I was approached by the first guy out, but I told him to tend to my sister first. When the second guy came up to look at me. I didn't get to say anything before Edythe spoke to him.

 "Hey Brad, this guy threw a shoulder block into an oncoming Van and was nearly squished between the Van and Truck. His left shoulder and arm seem to be unresponsive, and he may have a head injury. He has been saying some pretty stupid stuff since the accident."

 I heard Bella giggle at Edythe's explanation of my situation. I looked over as they were putting a neck brace on her. "Laugh it up gurney girl, at least I will be walking to the ambulance." 

 "Not so fast." Brad said, "There is a chance you hurt your back, so you get the gurney treatment too." 

I was crushed. What a humiliation. 

 Right about that time, there was a different-sounding siren approaching and once it stopped, I heard Charlie's panicked voice. "Bella, Thomas?"

 "Over here, Dad." I heard Bella shout. "I am fine, Edward and Thomas stopped me from getting hurt, but you should check on Thomas."

 Why that little traitor, sending a panicked parental figure over here? There will be retribution! 

 "It's fine Charlie, they are just being overprotective because we are your kids. No reason to panic." 

 "Will someone tell me what the hell happened without starting the conversation with how fine they are?"

 The school principal hurried over to Charlie and started to provide him with witness accounts of everything that happened. After telling the principal to get some eyewitnesses to write everything down and take it to the station, Charlie escorted the ambulance to the hospital, and we were wheeled into the ER to begin an exhaustive round of tests and X-rays.

-(POV Carlisle)-

 My supernatural hearing picked up the Police cruiser escorting an ambulance in to be quickly followed by another ambulance. What could have happened when both ambulances of Forks were sent to the same place and returned with sirens on?

 Before I could get up to investigate, I heard two sets of footsteps headed for my door. My first children, despite them both coming to me in such a situation, I still couldn't help but smile at the thought of them. Though for the briefest of moments I feared that Edward had succumbed to his nature. But then I quickly dismissed such thoughts. Looking up at the door as it opened.

 "What can I help you with?"

 Edward started, "There was an accident, Bella was standing in the worst possible spot and her brother wasn't going to get to her in time… So, I ran to save her. I really RAN Carlisle. No one saw and everyone is rationalizing the situation, well except Bella. She knew I wasn't close enough to get to her. But she is accepting my version of events… For now."

 After a moment to let that sink in, he continued. "Thomas was trying to protect us and was using his body as a sacrifice, first in trying to stop the Van and second as a bumper between the Van and the truck to provide me and Bella a chance to survive if he failed. In his desperation, his thoughts shouted out and I could hear them without reaching into his mind. I used his flashy action to stop and flip the van away from us. No one is suspicious at this point. At least, no one I can hear. I am sorry Carlisle, I put us all at risk."

 "If we have to move on because of actions taken to save a life, then it is no fault of yours Edward, and well worth it." 

 Both men were surprised when Edythe hugged her brother fiercely, "Thank you for saving that idiot brother. He is too impulsive and self-sacrificing for his own good."

 Edward smiled, "I can think of no one better suited to have my sisters' interest."

 Edythe backed up and put her hands up, "It's not like that stupid, I just don't want to see him hurt." Both men could see the Vampire equivalent of a blush on her cheeks.

 "Well, regardless. It appears I have some patients to look after." Carlisle stood up and walked out to the ER. 

 Behind him he heard Edythe hit Edward on the shoulder, "Don't say stuff like that, it's embarrassing." 

 Looks like I need to pay extra attention to this Thomas boy, Carlisle told himself.

 As soon as he entered the ER a nurse came to him with a frown. "Dr. Carlisle, I think we got a bad batch of thermometers. The boy, Thomas keeps coming back with a temp of 103.4 but he doesn't present with any symptoms of a fever that high." 

 Carlisle thinks quickly about the hot temperature of the local Quileute tribe. "It is possible he has some form of jewelry that is throwing the thermometer off. Don't worry, I will look after him." His quick excuse is enough to quiet any suspicion of the nurse. 

 He lets his staff run their tests as he isn't needed for the everyday operational stuff. Edythe approaches him just as Thomas is wheeled out of the X-Ray room. Moments later the film is out and Carlisle puts it in the light frame to see better. "Hmm, I see his shoulder is out of the socket and it looks like his color bone was broken a week or two ago."

 "That's not possible. He lifts weights every day and spent all morning wrestling Jasper. Besides, I heard bone break when he hit that van."

 "Well, Edythe my dear. The collarbone is one of the fastest to heal in the human body at 3-6 weeks, but it's been barely an hour since the accident. Very interesting. I will have to pop his arm back into the socket and he will make a full recovery." He decided to keep his theory to himself for now. 

 Edward appears as soon as the film for Bella does and all 3 look it over. "Good job my son. Very little damage, well new damage anyway. Look at all those healed contusions. How many times has this poor girl fallen or been dropped on her head as a child?"

 The final film showed up and Carlisle found a broken arm and a solid concussion, so Tyler would be an overnight patient. "Well, let's go spread the news and set an arm back in its socket."

 "Give me a minute to prepare her, as soon as she sees us, Bella will start adding things together."

 "Well, I am going to see Thomas, so you do what you want Ed." Edythe walks past her father and brother going straight into the room. Both men smile and shake their heads.

 As Edythe entered, she heard Thomas talking so she stopped to listen.

 "Now you know the possible consequences of driving like an idiot. That crap belongs on the track or in the movies, not in the school parking lot to try and impress girls. You could have killed Bella and Edward." 

 Tyler was just sitting in silence letting Thomas have at him. He knew he deserved it and more. He shuddered at the thought of killing someone. 

 Bella was lying down with her eyes closed to avoid the conversation. Edythe smirked at the neck brace that was stuffed under the bed's nightstand. Edward walked in and Tyler started talking to him, but Edythe tuned them out and walked to Thomas.

 "How are you feeling Thomas?" This was the first time she had spoken his name to address him, it gave her a faint tingle in her belly. 

 "I am good Edythe, other than I'm in a hospital. I never cared for these places."

 A quick flash of memory from when she was in the sick ward in the early 1900's, and she nodded her head in understanding. His speaking her name also made that tingle in her stomach bigger.

 "My Dad should be in here any second to explain everything. He says you will make a full recovery." She knew she wasn't supposed to say that, but it made her feel good to do so.

 As soon as she finished talking, the door opened again and in walked one of the most attractive men I had ever seen. Most noticeable was his skin tone which like all the Cullen's I have seen so far, was marble white. He was 6ft 2in with a medium build. Collar length blond hair and one of those faces that you would believe was 20 if they said so or 35 if that's what they said. His eyes were incredibly gentle looking and their color was a golden brown. 

 "Your family's skincare regime has to be very expensive," I told Edythe.

 She gave a wry smile, "You wouldn't believe what it costs Thomas."