Sleeping Dogs

Chapter 13: Falling to Pieces

The first thing Caroline recognizes when she wakes up is pain.

Every breath through her nose is excruciating and radiates throughout her entire face. It feels like someone has taken a sledgehammer to her skull. Her entire body was sore, as if she hasn't moved in days. Maybe she hasn't.

Caroline can see the light beyond her eyelids, but she can't seem to will them open. She knows she is in a hospital. The sterile smell and crisp sheets alert her to this fact, but she can't remember why - she doesn't want to yet. She tries to turn her head but the movement makes the pounding in her head worse and she opens her mouth to gasp but the sharp intake of breath with her mouth and throat so dry and sore only causes her to cough roughly.

Someone is shushing her then, warm hands rub her hair off her forehead with feather-light touches she is almost sure she is hallucinating.

There's a cup of water in her hand then and she chugs it greedily, precious drops dribble down her chin and she mourns their loss but she doesn't stop until the cup is drained.

The same warm hands take the cup from her and she recognizes them too. They're safe but she wants to see, to be sure. She reaches to rub her eyes with her palms but the warm hands grab her wrists gently and pull them away from her face.

"You're not gonna want to do that," he says softly. Jake.

Her eyes flutter open and meet his big brown ones. They're bruised, she realizes immediately as the dull ache almost convinces her to close her eyes again but she can't look away from him. His eyes are rimmed red and he looks like he hasn't slept in days. She briefly recalls seeing him this way by her hospital bedside but she can't separate her dreams from reality anymore.

"Good morning, my brave girl," he smiles at her and her stomach flops at the mixture of relief, joy and pain in his expression.

She opens her mouth to speak but her aunt interupts her. Caroline hadn't even realized she is in the room with them. She is usually so observant but she finds whenever he is around she is distracted. It's infuriating she decides.

"Caroline, sweetie?" Her eyes flicker to meet Sue's sympathetic gaze. "The doctor will be in shortly to ask you some questions. Do you understand?" Her niece nods and Sue gives her a warm smile. "Good. If he clears you, you will be able to go home tonight."

There is a hand on hers then. She looks back to the giant, handsome man besides her. He looks hesitant and scared. "Is this okay?"

Caroline remembers. She remembers telling him not to touch her because it hurt but she was able to rest her hand on his. He remembers this too and it helps her differentiate between what she dreamed happened and what did. She nods slowly, because it is okay. It's more than okay, but she doesn't know how to communicate that.

She remembers why she is mad at him then and but she isn't strong enough to refuse his comforting thumb rubbing over her knuckles. The last time she saw him she had acted in a unladylike manner and he had kicked her out to speak to his ex-girlfriend. She furrows her brow but forces her face to be neutral. Partially because it hurts less when she relaxes her facial muscles and partially because she doesn't want to see the sadness on his face from her rejection again.

Even if she thinks it is warranted.

The doctor walks in then. "Good morning, Caroline." Carlisle smiles at her, taking her charts from her aunt and flipping through them. "I am glad to see you awake."

Caroline's eyes follow Jake as he stands and moves to the other side of the bed, further from the doctor. He gives her a small smile and takes her other hand, careful to not touch the scratches on her palm. She doesn't have time to think about where she got those abrasions before Doctor Cullen is talking to her again.