Two Edges of One Sword (Carlisle Cullen/Reader/Charlie Swan)

XII

"Pull her up! Hurry, now!"

The world blurs around you as your eyes flutter open and closed. A violent cough escapes your lips as harsh breaths of air coarse through your lungs, you're not sure what it is but your head feels heavy as you try to gather your surroundings. It's difficult to focus, but you see red and blue lights on the top of the hill, next to a torn-open steel barrier.

Right. Now it's coming back to you.

"Ma'am, are you all right? Could you tell us your name?" You don't know who's speaking to you, but as your vision gently returns, you spot about five people hovering over you.

"(Name)," you automatically murmured. A hand snakes behind your neck and lightly lifts your head up. Someone's flashlight ignites your vision and you fiercely close your eyes, trying to satiate the pounding you felt in your head.

"Get a gurney," someone orders. "She's going in and out. (Name), I'm gonna have to ask you to open your eyes again."

"What the hell is going on?" A car door slams and your eyes shoot open. Your brain fills in the gaps for you when you see Charlie run to the barrier's opening, kneeling right where your Mom's car had ripped through it.

Somehow, it felt like a dichotomous sight seeing him again.

"There we go lil' lady, that's it," the EMT nudges the light in your face again and you barely fight the urge to shove him away. He flicks the torch in between your eyes for a few moments before finally going, "yep, she's definitely in shock."

The flashlight's harsh glare finally dissipates and you attempt to sit up, moaning again when your body fails you.

"Easy girl! Don't want you fainting on us." A hand rests on your chest and you flinch at the sudden touch. "Take it slow, we're still not sure how far you fell."

Adrenaline begins to pump through your veins as your energy gradually begins to return. You lift a trembling hand and point it to where Charlie was still kneeling.

"What is he doing here?"

"Don't worry about that right now," is what they answer with.

You flop your head on its side and see a stretcher coming straight for you, your Mom's decimated car behind them. Three people surround it as they inch closer and closer towards you and the EMT.

"We're gonna lift you, (Name), ready? One, two, three!"

You're not sure where the extra pairs of hands came from, but you try to relax when they hoist you upwards before gently laying you back down on top of the gurney. The silver sky faces you now and you feel a light sprinkle of rain spray your face, hands continuing to glide over you as they strap you in. You can't help but groan some more. As your awareness began to pool back into your mind, so did the sheering pain.

"Trauma-mode people," one of the EMTs barked, "don't let her lose consciousness. Could be a possible concussion."

The dooly slowly begins to move and a squeamish feeling immediately begins to take you over. You turn your head to its side and squeeze your eyes shut for a moment.

"Wait, wait, sto–" You don't get to finish your sentence when you lean over and the vomit spills from your mouth. The gurney stops again as a few of the EMTs quickly jump back to not get caught in the splash. The last of the hurl drips out of your mouth after a few moments and you slam your head against the stretcher, what little strength you had regained immediately gone again.

"Ah, good girl," one of the EMTs sighed as they stepped forward, "at least you got it out now and not in the ambulance."

You don't answer the attempt at a joke as they once again push the stretcher, trying to move slowly now so as to not upset your stomach again. The ascent up the hill is a moderate one, and you hear the EMTs muttering instructions to each other. It's hard to focus however, you have some trouble picking up on what they say.