Chapter Thirteen

Previously:

“BELLA!” I shouted, blinking water out of my eyes. I looked everywhere for any sight of her, but couldn’t see anything.

“BELLA!” I shouted again. She’s gone, where is she? She’s gone… I could feel myself start to go crazy as another wave hit me against the cliff.


Chapter Thirteen

Day Twenty-Six Stranded continued

Edward

“Bella!” I called again, shaking the water out of my hair to keep it from getting in my eyes. I could barely see through the fog and the darkness. I looked around frantically, trying as hard as I could to see something, anything.

It suddenly occurred to me that she could be stuck underwater, and I quickly sunk my head below, digging my feet and hands into the sand under me to keep myself from being pulled away.

At first I saw nothing but water, and the salt and pressure stung my eyes. With the current moving me constantly, it was hard to really focus on anything.

I caught sight of large bubbles rushing to the surface of the water about ten feet away from me. What looked like a mass of brown hair swirled below them, going every which way.

My heart leapt, and without a thought, I rushed toward Bella’s limp body. She was being thrown everywhere with the waves from what I could tell, and my stomach dropped to my feet when I saw that she wasn’t fighting it. I was sucked back toward the cliff as another wave hit my body, but I kicked and pulled my arms up above the water, swimming freestyle toward my girl. The wave came back, and I was pushed toward Bella.

This happened three more times before I finally reached her. I took a hold of her lank limbs, one arm around her waist, and pulled her to the surface. It was important that I kept her face above the water, but it was extremely difficult, as I could barely hold myself above it.

One look at her face made me cringe. Unconscious, I thought, damn it! Her face was deathly pale, and her lips were turning blue.

Water in the lungs, I assessed. I had to get her to a flat surface and perform CPR quickly. She wouldn’t last long if I wasn’t careful. I gripped her tight, much like I had during the plane crash. Another wave pushed us, and I didn’t fight it, letting it take us toward the cave opening. When the wave retreated, I fought as hard as I could using all my body’s energy, swimming against it. It didn’t do much good, but at least I wasn’t being pulled more into the ocean.

I managed to keep Bella’s languid head above the water’s surface, even though my own face kept going under. I used my arms to hold her and my legs to kick. My whole body was exhausted, and I knew I was running off of pure adrenaline now, as my veins pumped blood at an alarming rate. I kept swallowing water, and if I wasn’t careful, I could drown us both.

Halfway there, another large wave hit us, and we were pulled under the water. I came face first with the sand on the floor of the ocean, and I felt my nose crack hard as I was forced into a flip. I went blank for a second, just staring at the blood leaving my face and floating away.

I was out. It was over. My body was screaming in protest at the thought of trying again. I felt like just moving one more time would kill me. I started to close my eyes in surrender. But just as my lids were about to shut, out of the corner of my eye I saw Bella’s long brown hair wave in the water, the strands all separated at the ends. I looked more left and saw the contrast of her white skin against her dark hair. She looked like a mermaid, or an angel, and as morbid as it was, it was the most beautiful sight I’d ever laid eyes upon. If this was the last thing I would see before my death, then that was okay. As long as we were together in the end, nothing else mattered. I smiled sadly, water entering my mouth as I did so.

Bella, I thought, mentally tracing her face, I love you.

Another wave hit me, rushing me forward once again, and reason flooded back into my mind. This is not the end, I determined fiercely. Images of Bella--full of life and complete with blushing red cheeks--raced through my head, and I felt strength come back to me. I looked up to the surface of the water, which was only about five feet away. I grabbed Bella around the waist with one arm and kicked up from the ground as hard as I could. I shot up, my head breaking the surface, and my lungs felt like they were leaping with relief. I took deep breaths and waited for another wave to push us toward the opening in the cliff.

The storm still wasn’t calming down, and it was nearly pitch black dark. My face was freezing from the water and strong wind. When the wave came back, I fought.

I did this over and over again, the whole time worrying that I wouldn’t get to help Bella soon enough. She was turning paler every minute, and I knew that I could lose her if I wasn’t fast enough.

Three feet away, two feet away, one foot…finally, I made it to the cave. My feet touched the ground again, and I lifted Bella in both arms, carrying her like a child. She looked so bad, but I tried to keep my anxiety under control.

I dove through the tunnel, and even though it was dark, I could still make out the rocks along the way and avoided hitting them. The water in the tunnel was calm, very unlike the raging storm outside.

When I finally got to the grotto, I lifted Bella out of the water and laid her gently on the sand. I plugged her nose with my fingers and spread her mouth open, shooting my breath into her lungs. Then I started compressions--one, two, three, four, five. Then I breathed into her again.

I’d never had to perform CPR on a drowning patient before, but I remembered the dummy and the embarrassing partner I’d had to work with.

“C’mon, Bella, breathe! Please, breathe for me!” I pleaded, continuing my efforts. I breathed into her again, and pushed my palms into her chest.

I felt her stomach muscles tighten, and her chest rose up with force. Water flew from her mouth in sputters, and her cough was like a sign from heaven. I tilted her head so she could cough all the water out, and her bloodshot eyes opened slightly with a groan. I could feel the giant smile on my face as she looked up at me slowly.

“Edward?” she rasped out. I nodded, for I couldn’t speak. I kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, her chin, her eyelids, everywhere I could reach. I kissed her lips softly and looked up at her, my eyes swimming with tears.

“I thought I lost you. Those few minutes felt like forever,” I whispered. Her sweatshirt was soaked, and I could feel her shivering. Quickly, I pulled it up from the hem and removed it from her torso, revealing her little blouse. I leaned my forehead against her chest. The thrum of her heart calmed me, and I kissed the cool, wet skin above it, worshipping her.

“My back hurts, Edward,” she groaned out. I backed away from her to look at her back. There was blood on the sand beneath her, and I gasped. I turned her over tenderly so she was on her side. Blood lined her shirt in a few spots, and I ripped her shirt off to see how bad it was. I realized her scratches were from when we had been thrown against the cliff, when she had been ripped from me into the current.

I traced the cuts with my fingers, determining how bad they were. “They’re not deep,” I told her thankfully. “You’re going to be okay. You didn’t hit your head against the cliff, did you?” I laid her back on her back, my hands covering the scars so they wouldn’t hurt her.

“No,” she murmured, “I don’t think so.” I sighed in relief, and my heart finally started to calm down. Her eyes opened and grew more focused, her gaze locking on mine. “Edward, you’re bleeding,” she said sleepily.

I realized that she was talking about my nose, and bringing my hand to my face, I felt the warm blood coating it. It was very painful, but I’d forgotten all about it when I was saving her. It felt broken, so I grabbed it and yanked it the way it was supposed to be. Bella winced when she heard the muted crack.

My hands returned to her face, which was slowly gaining color again. I couldn’t stop touching her, a reaction from thinking I would never, ever do it again. Her eyes were drifting closed with exhaustion.

“Don’t sleep,” I pleaded. I didn’t want her to close her eyes again, but admittedly, I was tired, too. My whole body and mind were aching, begging me to just pass out.

She gave me a weak smile. “I feel really pathetic. You must be pretty sick of saving me,” she said. I chuckled.

“Never. But I think I may have to agree with you on one thing,” I said.

“Oh? What’s that?” she asked.

“You really do have bad luck,” I said, smiling. She laughed, and I could hear it echo around the grotto, even with the angry rain outside. The sound was Nirvana to my ears. I laid on my side next to her and watched her fight unconsciousness. I kissed her lips one more time and said, “You can sleep, Baby. I know you’re tired.” She didn’t seem to have a concussion, so I guessed it was okay. I just wished she would stay up with me so that I could be with her, assured, for a while.

“Love you, Super Edward,” she whispered, drifting off. “Thank you, again.” she said drowsily. I laughed at her absurdity, and put an arm around her waist as she fell asleep. I watched her for a little while, feeling as if I were drowning just from looking at her, before I found sleep myself.

Bella

It must have been a few hours later when I woke because the storm was still raging outside. I’d been through hurricanes before, living in Florida, but it had never been anything outrageous, just a category two or less, and I’d been inside for it. This was only a tropical storm, and I knew that we were actually lucky it wasn’t anything greater than that. When storms traveled over water, they gained more power and speed. Hitting land is the only thing that will slow one down. My mom had made me learn everything back and front about it when we moved to Florida.

Edward’s arms were still around me, covering the scars on my back and keeping them from getting dirty. His body was partially on top of mine, but I could feel very little of his weight. I looked down, and even through the darkness, I could make out every line separating his abdominals. Mmm, candy.

I wasn’t as cold as I had been, but my hair was still wet, and I was exhausted. My body felt as if it had been hit by a train. I remembered being pulled from Edward in the raging sea. I had been tossed about like a rag doll, not knowing which way was up or down, unable to fight it. It hadn’t been long before I had to take a breath, and the feeling of water entering my mouth and lungs made me faint.

It was terrifying to think that I had almost drowned. Edward was always saving me, whether it was emotionally or physically. We needed to get off this island. It was just getting more dangerous by the day. There was the possibility of another storm, one stronger than the one going on outside the cave walls. Who was to say we would survive the next one? Or the one after that? We couldn’t risk it, and the stuff we’d been doing to get noticed had been bullshit. We needed something that was bound to get noticed, no matter what.

I looked up into Edward’s sleeping face, thinking about everything he’d done for me. He risked his life again, just to save me. I couldn’t let that happen anymore. Plus, if he was the one who had been pulled into the current, I knew I wouldn’t have been able to save him. I would have tried, and probably would have died trying, but it just wasn’t possible for me.

We could have both died, and it was the scariest thing in the world. I shivered.

From the light coming through holes in the cave, I could see dried blood caked around Edward’s nose. His nose was not lined like it had been, either; I could tell it was still a little off. Water was coming through a few holes in the roof of the cave, dripping in the same spots, and there was sound of the wind whistling against the cave. I lightly pushed Edward off of me, and he laid on his side with a slight snore.

I stood up shakily, making my way to the dripping water. I stood under it, as if it were a shower, and cupped my hand to catch some of the falling liquid. When my hands were full, I walked back to Edward. I washed the blood from his face carefully, making sure no water got into his nose. He didn’t even budge the whole time, but as if he could sense my presence, even in his sleep, his lips puckered and kissed my palm, making me giggle quietly. When I was satisfied his face looked less morbid, I walked back to the dripping water, standing under it again. It was cool and fresh, and I opened my mouth to drink some of it. It soothed my bruised flesh, and I took off my tattered shirt and bra so that the cold water could help the sting of my scars. I craned my neck, trying to see how bad the damage was. Blood mixed with the water made pink little droplets run down my backside. I had bruises on my arms in the shape of handprints, and I knew they were from Edward pulling me to safety.

Suddenly, I felt warm hands on my hips, and I jumped. Edward had crept up on me quietly. He kissed my shoulder, my back to his chest. I sighed at the contact. Without words, Edward took the water that was falling, and washed my back with it. His hands were rough and calloused, just as mine were, from living on the island, but he made sure I felt no pain. His touch was full of love, and I couldn’t help but moan. When his movements slowed, I turned to face him, the water hitting both of us like a heavy drizzle.

I dropped my arms, uncovering my chest and leaving me with nothing but my shorts. The cold water dripping down my body caused my peaks to harden, and he couldn’t help himself; his eyes darted down to my breasts, just like I knew they would. I smiled.

He cleared his throat and forced his gaze to return upwards. Taking a step forward, he closed the distance between us, grabbing my hips again.

“You’re so beautiful,” He whispered, bringing his lips to mine. We kissed softly for a moment before pulling away. He put his forehead to mine and simply looked at me, his eyes full of love. His hands trailed up my hips toward my waist, then slowly he cupped my breasts. “I thought I would never touch you again,” he said. I shook with his words, so full of meaning.

Bringing his head down, he kissed my neck, sucking on the skin a bit. I could feel him place open mouthed kisses along my jaw line. My breath came short, I was so aroused. He kissed his way back to my lips, hungry. He kissed me roughly, and his hands drifted to my jaw line, caressing the skin there and holding me in place. My mouth opened to his, completely of its own accord. My brain had turned to mush, my body feeling faint again. “I thought I would never kiss you again,” he said, his voice sad. I could feel tears threaten in the corners of my eyes. I didn’t know what to say to him to make him feel better. He was completely right; he’d almost lost me, and I him. So, I kissed him again, hoping to convey my thankfulness and love.

“I love you,” I said, “and I’m still here.”

“I’m never letting you out of my sight again, Bella. I promise,” he said. I shook my head at him.

“It wasn’t your fault, Edward. If I had listened to you and come to the cave before the storm got worse, none of this would have happened,” I told him, motioning to my bruises. He frowned, and I knew he was inwardly disagreeing, but he didn’t want to fight over it. The electricity was still humming between us, and I just wanted to get as close to him as possible. The water was still running down our bodies, and I was starting to get cold. The storm was probably going to last about another day, maybe less, so we weren’t going anywhere. Just thinking about it made me hungry.

I touched Edward’s chest, admiring the planes in it. “I love you, too, by the way,” he said, pulling me out of the dripping water. I led him to the damp sand a few feet away from the water, and laid him down, climbing on top of him. He still looked worried, but I could tell I was calming him. I put my head on his chest, my chin up, and bent my elbows in the sand, looking up at him. We heard a loud BANG against the wall of the cave, and I figured it was probably a tree branch that flew haywire.

Edward brought his hands up around my back and flipped us over so that I was under him. He kissed me passionately, throwing in a few bites for good measure. He ground his midsection into mine, and I could feel every bit of him. His fingers trailed to my bottom, and he quickly pulled off my shorts. The sand was uncomfortable, but I didn’t care at the moment. Edward kept a hand under me, around my shoulder so that the scars wouldn’t get full of sand. I undid the button of his ripped jeans and pushed them off with my feet. I always loved these moments with him. His sweetness and caring was always appreciated, and I loved him for it, but when he was rough and…manly, it drove me crazy. I never thought that I would become addicted to making love before I’d lost my virginity, but Edward was totally right--he’d created a monster. I knew it was just Edward, though. Had it been anyone else, I wouldn’t have fallen in love, and I certainly wouldn’t be kicking my underwear off twice a day.

His lips latched onto the wet skin of my neck, and he opened my legs with his own carefully. I could feel him at my entrance, teasing me. “You’re driving me insane, Edward. Please!” He chuckled at my impatience, and plunged deep into me, making me feel whole again. The feel of him inside me was one of pure ecstasy in itself. His chest skimmed above mine, putting little weight on me. He surrounded me, completed me.

He moved slowly, savoring every precious movement of our joined bodies. The heat coming from both our forms warmed me instantly, and I forgot all about the fact that I had almost drowned hours earlier. I felt every inch of him gliding against me, thrusting, joining our souls. I moaned as the now familiar burn in my belly started, and his movements quickened. His free hand grasped at the sand beneath us, squeezing the particles through his fingers as his orgasm threatened to take over.

Mine broke free first, numbing my mind and the pain in my back. My walls clenched around him hard, and he followed me to heaven on Earth. I touched my hand to his chest, reminding him of our little problem. I knew it wasn’t exactly safe, but it was the only plan we had to avoid pregnancy. He pulled out quickly with a groan, spilling onto the wet sand next to us. When he was done, he entered me again, still hard. I chuckled when he collapsed on me. He just couldn’t get enough of me, and having him inside me again after such an intense explosion made my insides quiver.

He sighed, putting his ear on my chest. I could feel my rapid heartbeat thumping next to his face. He listened to it for a few seconds before I felt him finally soften, and he pulled out again. I whimpered at the separation, wishing I could just stay attached to him forever. He brought his lips to mine, both of our mouths swollen from attacking each other. He kissed me softly, a reminder of the tenderness and love he had for me, the things that made my heart soar every time I thought about it. I really had the whole package; he was smart, he was funny, he was beautiful, he put up with my snarkiness, he was brave. And he loved me.

“I thought I would never make love to you again,” he said quietly. I kissed him again, assuring him that I was here, and he was here. We were together, and we would stay that way no matter what it took.




All pictures are taken from either Google or Deviantart.