The Little Things

34. Injury

Pain.

My eyes were closed but I was acutely aware of two throbbing pains in my body. One was my left ankle and the other was my head. Then other sensations flooded my head and I groaned. I felt bruised all over and cold at the same time. My head felt like it weighed a million pounds.

A cold pressure touched my head at my temples and I blinked my eyes open.

Edward Cullen leaned over me and was carefully examining my head. I tried to muster a frown but couldn't. "What are you doing?"

Before he could answer Seth popped up by my elbow, human once more. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Edward moved away from my head and without warning snapped my ankle into place.

"Aarrgggghhh!" I screamed. The throbbing increased and I curled into a ball, resisting the urge to vomit. Seth snarled at Edward and held my shoulders.

Edward then began wrapping my ankle in strips of his torn jacket and something else as a splint. "I'm sorry, Liana. I only wished to reset your ankle before you could fully feel it. You have sustained a broken ankle, and a possible concussion. You are bleeding a little from the cut on your head and you will likely be bruised for a couple weeks."

I touched my head gingerly and when my fingers pulled away there was blood on them. "How am I still alive? And why did you do that?"

Edward finished with my ankle and once more checked my head. "You will want to keep some pressure on that cut. I have several medical degrees. Sometimes college is more interesting than high school."

I nodded but then stopped as the nausea attacked me again. Edward pressed a piece of ice wrapped in fabric to my head and I held it there. He stood up and went to where Bella was sitting.

Seth carefully helped me sit up, looking very concerned as he did so. "Jake was really worried when he saw you get hurt."

I winced. That was what I was afraid of.

Edward spoke quietly to Bella and then turned to me. "Bella and I are going to head down to the clearing."

I held the ice against my head and realized that the battle, at least for here, was over. A pile of vampire parts lay smouldering a few feet away.

"Hey, I'm just going to phase and show Jake you are fine and then we'll get you home." Seth said. I nodded but then felt sick again.

He phased and then both he and Edward stopped short. Seth looked a little panicked, and phased back a minute later, quickly putting on his shorts.

"Jake's hurt." He exclaimed worriedly.

I groaned but didn't move. "How bad?"

Edward cut in. "He is still alive, just in extreme pain. I'll head down there to help. Seth you take Liana back to the reservation. My dad or I will come by to check on her later today."

Edward picked Bella up and they disappeared. Seth turned to me. "Alright, lets go then. I'm sure that he will be fine."

I smiled weakly.

Seth studied me. "How should we do this? I could phase and you could sit on my back."

I disagreed. "I might fall off with the way I am feeling. I think you should carry me. I kind of feeling like vomiting and passing out at the same time."

He looked even more scared and I remembered that he was only fourteen. Then again, I was only sixteen. Neither of us should be dealing with any of this. He picked me up bridal style and I leaned my head against him, still pressing the ice pack to the cut on my head.