Hi! Wow, it's been, what, two-three years since I've updated this? I feel bad, but I am also proud to say that I've gotten through my final year with marks which make not writing totally worth it I had to re-read the entire story again because I've completely forgotten what it was about and hopefully, I can maintain the tone of the story... Either way, I hope those who have read, alerted, reviewed and favourited this story are once again able to breathe after this chapter.

Much love,

simplyanaddiction

Chapter 21: What now?

As I rushed into the hospital, the first thing that somewhat surprisingly came to mind was, "What the heck is Freya doing here?" And then I felt terribly guilty because I Edward was lying in a hospital bed somewhere after a car accident, while I let petty jealousy drive my thoughts. So, being the Princess that I should be, I graciously thanked Freya for being there and then proceeded to ask the nurse about Edward's whereabouts and condition.

Truth be told, I didn't really know what to expect but I didn't imagine that she would say that Edward was in fact completely unscathed, except for bruises on his chest where the airbag had deployed. What a joke. No, seriously.

I felt the tension ease out of me as I walked into Edward's private ward, where he simply sat on the edge of the bed smiling at something that Emmett was saying. Without a word, I embraced him, thanking God that my worst nightmares hadn't come true.

However, the true bleak news came in the form of the fact that the couple that had collided with Edward had suffered fatal injuries. By chance of fate their child of only two months that had been seated in the back seat had survived. The news had come to me in the form of Edward, who dispared over his part in the accident, causing the parents to sit in a limbo between life and death. He wasn't to blame and we had all tried to convince him. However, it was apparent that the guilt was eating at him. He refused over the couple of days after being discharged from the hospital to continue with his duties as he was rendered incapable of doing anything but the basics.

"Bella, what are we going to do about Edward. The country is being held at a standstill because Edward is incapable of continuing his duties," Carlisle said to me at breakfast a few days later. "Maybe it will help if you visit the child. The child has been placed under the care of its grandparents for the past few days. The parents don't seem to have a great chance of coming out of the coma."

"And to top it off, the media is all over it," Alice chimed in as she ate her toast and marmalade.

I rubbed my eyes and placed my head into my hands. I would have to do something about this. To sort this situation out, I'd have to get Edward to talk about what he was feeling.

"Carlisle, could I ask a favour off you?" I asked, raising my head. "Could you please take over Edward's responsibilities over the next few days?"

"Of course Bella," replied Carlisle, smiling softly at me.

"Would you please excuse me?" I said as I stepped away from the table, my mind already formulating a plan.

Edward was sitting on our king-sized bed staring blankly at the muted TV that seemed to be reporting the daily news. My face and Edward's flashed on the screen for a few seconds and the anxiety on both our faces showed. It had been taken a few days back, as Edward and I had exited from visiting the couple.

I breathed out a long sigh before I walked to the bed and sat next to Edward. He sat passively, glancing at me for a second before flicking his eyes back to the television.

"Edward, I want to talk to you," I started saying, not receiving any reaction. "Edward! Would you please listen to me? Talk to me. What is disturbing you so badly? You have to talk to someone about it. If not me, talk to someone else, anyone!"

His eyes slowed turned to mine. "What do you want me to say Bella? That I'm feeling so guilty that I can't do anything right? That everything I do somehow fails or ends in a disaster?"

"Edward, what are you talking about?"

"Well, let's start with this marriage, for example. I managed to hurt you so badly when we first got married. Then, everything that my father seemed to run so smoothly, I am struggling with. Nothing is working out the way I want it to. And now, I've managed to orphan a child! Everyone would be so much better without me!"

I grabbed him by the shoulders as his face sunk into the palms of his hands. "Stop it! Stop blaming yourself for everything! Firstly, I knew about the conditions of our marriage before I married you, so you can't blame yourself. I knew what I was getting into. Secondly, of course it's difficult to run a country! You just started and you've already started to make reforms. Finally, the accident wasn't your fault. Their car hit you because it was out of control. You have nothing to do with this!"

"Bella, please. Don't make excuses for me. Everyone seems to do it because I'm Edward. The media is completely right. I am just a stupid naive prince who has no clue what he is doing."

I frowned, knowing that this self-depricating attitude was not going to be changed overnight.

"Edward, please. We'll fix this, we'll fix it together."

He pinched the bridge of his nose before rising to stand facing the glass wall of our room over-looking the most beautiful view of London. "No Bella. I'm just causing everyone harm. I'm not good for anyone." And with that, he walked out of the room, leaving me to blankly stare and the patterns on the mattress.

Maybe this wasn't so easily fixed as I had hoped.