Selcouth • J. Hale ✓

viii.

chapter eight.

"Karina Baxter!" The sound of her mother's voice made Karina flinch as she spotted the woman speed walking into the room. "Thank god!"

Karina looked to her nurse, Jackie, for help but the woman only raised an eyebrow at her and took a step back, allowing Karina's mother to hound her with a million questions. Karina simply looked at her mother blankly before she looked over to Bella who looked confused. 'Later.' Karina mouthed and Bella nodded her head in understanding.

"What the hell happened?" Her mother asked while looking over Karina for any injuries.

"Black ice." Karina told her mother and Aurora understood. "It wasn't his fault, he couldn't control the car once his wheels hit the ice."

Aurora sighed and nodded her head before she placed a kiss to the top of Karina's just as Charlie entered the room. Karina gave Bella a look knowing that Charlie was going to be a lot more difficult than her mother.

"Bells!" He shouted while running towards his daughter. "Are you alright?" He asked her as he looked her up and down.

"I'm fine, dad. Calm down." Bella assured her dad, but he could see the cut on her forehead.

Suddenly, Bella and Karina heard Tyler's voice making them wince. "I'm so sorry Bella, Karina. I tried to stop."

Karina gave him a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Ty."

"It sure as hell is not okay." Charlie snapped and Karina almost wanted to glare at him for snapping at her.

"Dad, it's not his fault-" Bella tried but instantly shut her mouth at the look Charlie had given her.

It was stern look, one that Karina had seen on her father many times but this one was different. Charlie looked terrified. "We nearly lost you two."

Karina didn't miss the 'we' notion but when she looked over at her mother, she was too busy looking at her chart with Nurse Jackie.

"But you didn't." Bella reassured him and Karina could see that Charlie almost hugged his daughter in relief, but he wasn't a huger really.

Instead, he glared at Tyler again. "You can kiss your license goodbye." He promised making Bella roll her eyes.

"It wasn't his fault." Karina spoke and Charlie looked at her once more. "If anything, you should blame the school for not salting the parking lot before the kids got to school. How was Tyler supposed to see the black ice that was practically everywhere?" Charlie looked like he wanted to argue but from the pointed look that Karina was giving him, he sighed and nodded his head.

Suddenly the doors opened again and in walked Carlisle Cullen. "I heard the Chief's daughter was here, as well as our new surgeon's."

Karina looked over Carlisle and he looked to be in his mid-30's with blonde hair, he was movie star handsome, and she wondered how many nurses had a crush on the married man. All she could wonder more than anything, was how the hell all the Cullen's looked so devastatingly gorgeous without trying? Carlisle was a lot like Esme, he had a kind and welcoming aura that made Karina relax.

"I've got this one, Jackie." Jackie nodded her head before excusing herself. Carlisle placed himself next to Aurora and Karina didn't miss how her mother tensed up slightly at the close proximity. "May I?" Carlisle questioned and Karina nodded her head, allowing Carlisle to feel the back of her head. "You have a nice knot growing back there, but your x-rays show no indication of concussion."

"I'm so sorry, Karina. I'm really-" Tyler's voice was abruptly cut off by Charlie pulling the curtain between them with an annoyed look on his face.

Carlisle then looked over Bella. "You have a cut here, but it doesn't look deep enough to need stitches and you don't appear to have a concussion either." He explained to her.