Worth the Fight Update

WTF Ch. 19 on FFn

WTF Ch. 19 on Stars

WTF Ch. 19 on AO3

WTF Ch. 19 on Wattpad

“I know you don’t want to hear it, but I am sorry for disappearing. You scare me.”

“Explain that, please,” Edward sighed. He promised Emmett and Jasper that he’d had an open mind, but seeing her at the barbecue along with her cold reception in the house? It made him prickly.

Yes, he was attracted to her. Extremely so, but was that attraction worth getting shit on?

He was also protective of her and felt more for Bella than he felt for Victoria. Again, was that worth being ghosted?

All because of his choice of occupation?

“You scare me because what I feel for you is ten times what I felt for Jacob,” Bella whispered, fat tears slipping down her dirty face. “That scares me more than anything …”

She couldn’t continue. A nurse came in, asking questions about Bella’s injury and if she had any allergies. Bella replied no, but did ask for something for the pain. Along with her emotional anguish, she was also dealing with physical pain. The nurse nodded, ducking out of the room.

“Drink your water, Bella,” Edward encouraged. “Have you had anything to eat today?”

“No, not really,” she answered. “I was munching on the veggie tray when I decided to slice my finger. I lost my appetite shortly after that. I don’t like blood, seeing it makes me queasy.”

Edward reached into his pocket, pulling out a protein bar. “Eat this. If you’re going to get pain meds, you’ll get an upset stomach and you won’t be able to hoof it to the bathroom in a cast,” he chided gently. “It’s not the same as the food at the barbecue, but you’ll have something in your stomach.

Bella munched on the protein bar, not really tasting it. “Thank you,” she mumbled. “I don’t deserve your kindness. You have every right to leave after I’d behaved.”

“Jasper and Emmett made me promise to listen to you,” Edward said. “I’ll listen, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stay.”

Worth the Fight Teaser

 “I know you don’t want to hear it, but I am sorry for disappearing. You scare me.”

“Explain that, please,” Edward sighed. He promised Emmett and Jasper that he’d had an open mind, but seeing her at the barbecue along with her cold reception in the house? It made him prickly.

Yes, he was attracted to her. Extremely so, but was that attraction worth getting shit on?

He was also protective of her and felt more for Bella than he felt for Victoria. Again, was that worth being ghosted?

All because of his choice of occupation?

“You scare me because what I feel for you is ten times what I felt for Jacob,” Bella whispered, fat tears slipping down her dirty face. “That scares me more than anything …”

She couldn’t continue. A nurse came in, asking questions about Bella’s injury and if she had any allergies. Bella replied no, but did ask for something for the pain. Along with her emotional anguish, she was also dealing with physical pain. The nurse nodded, ducking out of the room.

“Drink your water, Bella,” Edward encouraged. “Have you had anything to eat today?”

“No, not really,” she answered. “I was munching on the veggie tray when I decided to slice my finger. I lost my appetite shortly after that. I don’t like blood, seeing it makes me queasy.”

Edward reached into his pocket, pulling out a protein bar. “Eat this. If you’re going to get pain meds, you’ll get an upset stomach and you won’t be able to hoof it to the bathroom in a cast,” he chided gently. “It’s not the same as the food at the barbecue, but you’ll have something in your stomach.

Bella munched on the protein bar, not really tasting it. “Thank you,” she mumbled. “I don’t deserve your kindness. You have every right to leave after I’d behaved.”

“Jasper and Emmett made me promise to listen to you,” Edward said. “I’ll listen, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stay.”

Worth the Fight Update

WTF Ch. 18 on FFn

WTF Ch. 18 on AO3

WTF Ch. 18 on Stars

WTF Ch. 18 on Wattpad

Charlie's Home

Edward walked back out of the house, trying not to think too much about the brush off he’d received from Bella. She was coldly polite, but that connection they’d shared had disappeared. He wanted it back, but was resigned that she’d be in the periphery of his life, moving forward.

“Masen! I need another beer. Grilling all this meat is making me thirsty,” Emmett bellowed.

“You’re meeting me tomorrow morning, Emmett,” Charlie chided as he tossed a beanbag, playing cornhole with Carlisle and a few other fighters. “I don’t want you to be hungover.”

“I’ll be fine,” Emmett said. “This is my second beer. I’ll stop after four. I promise.”

“Why am I your beer wench?” Edward snorted. “Jasper is perfectly capable, as are you, Emmett. I could watch the meat while you get your own beverage.”

“Oooh, he has a point, Tubbo,” Jasper sang. “I think I like you, Edward. You’re my new bestie. Slacker, over there, can just suffer in the smoke.”

With a scowl, Emmett handed Edward the tongs and stomped into the house. Edward laughed, flipping over the burgers, and sipping his water. As he manned the grill, an older woman with curled honey hair and a pleasant smile glided into the party with a younger woman next to her. The younger woman was striking with pale skin, dark brown hair, and icy blue eyes. Carlisle kissed the older woman, hugging the younger one. With a grin, Carlisle brought the pair over to Jasper, Edward, and the now grumpy Emmett.

“Esme, I’d love to introduce you to the newest fighter to the Bull Dog family, Edward Masen,” Carlisle smiled. “Edward, this is my wife and light of my life, Esme Cullen.”

“Don’t let Alice hear you say that,” Jasper quipped. “She thinks she’s the light of your life.”

“I love my daughter, but she’s the reason why I have these grey hairs,” Carlisle snorted. “Devil spawn.”

“Emmett didn’t help, either,” Esme teased, ruffling his curls.

“I’m amazing,” Emmett argued. “Alice was the devil spawn … trying to get out from the shadow of my awesomeness.”

“You keep telling yourself that, kiddo,” Carlisle laughed. “How are you doing, Bree? Settling into Seattle?”

“Different than Alaska, but I like it,” the younger woman smiled.

Backyard

Dr. Carlisle Cullen

Jasper Whitlock

Dr. Esme Cullen

Emmett Cullen

Bree Tanner

Edward Masen

Beach behind Charlie's home

Worth the Fight Update

 WTF Ch. 12 on FFn

WTF Ch. 12 on AO3

WTF Ch. 12 on Stars

WTF Ch. 12 on Wattpad

“Now, can you help me with my recovery? I want to get back into the ring.”

“Your fight was about six months ago and you’re still battling the lingering concussion symptoms, correct?” Carlisle asked.

“Yeah,” Edward nodded. “The doctors in Chicago kept me sedated to reduce the swelling or whatever.”

“That was probably for the best. You had more than a concussion, Edward,” Carlisle explained, opening up his file on the tablet he held. Flipping it over to show both Edward and Bella, he pointed out something on the MRI. “You did have a traumatic brain injury. See this shadowy spot?”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“A deep contusion,” Carlisle answered.

“Shouldn’t it be gone by now?” Bella asked. “What about his headaches?”

“Your brain was rattled quite violently when you were hit by Demetri. The repeated hits caused this and normally, it wouldn’t be this bad, but the addition of brass knuckles caused a lot more damage. Will you be able to get back in the ring? Yes. But not any time soon and when you do, you need to wear head protection for the first few fights until we know how your body is recovering from the damage,” Carlisle answered. “I saw this on your initial scans from six months ago. It was much bigger. Now? It’s about the size of a pencil eraser, but big enough to give you these migraines.”

“Should I hang up my gloves? Retire?” Edward frowned. Clearly, he did not want to do that.

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Carlisle said softly. “You will get back into the ring, but it’s of utmost importance that you do not rush back. If you had fought in Vegas, we would not be having this conversation. You’d be dead.”

“Oh my God,” Bella whispered. “Your former agent was a tool trying to force you to fight.”

“Aro Volturi is a piece of shit,” Edward sneered. “I do not … I …”

“I get it,” Carlisle said, giving Edward an understanding smile. “I’m surprised Marcus didn’t diagnose it. He had a promising future in neurosurgery.”

“It’s a long story, to be honest,” Edward said.

“I think I know what that story is,” Carlisle replied with understanding. “But, he should have seen this.”

Worth the Fight Teaser

 “Now, can you help me with my recovery? I want to get back into the ring.”

“Your fight was about six months ago and you’re still battling the lingering concussion symptoms, correct?” Carlisle asked.

“Yeah,” Edward nodded. “The doctors in Chicago kept me sedated to reduce the swelling or whatever.”

“That was probably for the best. You had more than a concussion, Edward,” Carlisle explained, opening up his file on the tablet he held. Flipping it over to show both Edward and Bella, he pointed out something on the MRI. “You did have a traumatic brain injury. See this shadowy spot?”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“A deep contusion,” Carlisle answered.

“Shouldn’t it be gone by now?” Bella asked. “What about his headaches?”

“Your brain was rattled quite violently when you were hit by Demetri. The repeated hits caused this and normally, it wouldn’t be this bad, but the addition of brass knuckles caused a lot more damage. Will you be able to get back in the ring? Yes. But not any time soon and when you do, you need to wear head protection for the first few fights until we know how your body is recovering from the damage,” Carlisle answered. “I saw this on your initial scans from six months ago. It was much bigger. Now? It’s about the size of a pencil eraser, but big enough to give you these migraines.”

“Should I hang up my gloves? Retire?” Edward frowned. Clearly, he did not want to do that.

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Carlisle said softly. “You will get back into the ring, but it’s of utmost importance that you do not rush back. If you had fought in Vegas, we would not be having this conversation. You’d be dead.”

“Oh my God,” Bella whispered. “Your former agent was a tool trying to force you to fight.”

“Aro Volturi is a piece of shit,” Edward sneered. “I do not … I …”

“I get it,” Carlisle said, giving Edward an understanding smile. “I’m surprised Marcus didn’t diagnose it. He had a promising future in neurosurgery.”

“It’s a long story, to be honest,” Edward said.

“I think I know what that story is,” Carlisle replied with understanding. “But, he should have seen this.”

Worth the Fight Update

WTF Ch. 11 on FFn

WTF Ch. 11 on AO3

WTF Ch. 11 on Stars

WTF Ch. 11 on Wattpad

“Okay, we’ve got the boring paperwork done,” Bella said. “Did my dad give you a tour?”

“He did. This place is amazing,” Edward replied.

“Nothing but the best for our fighters. We have beginners all the way to professionals,” she smiled. “Emmett Cullen is our biggest fighter at the moment. We had a few others, but they decided to leave Bull Dog after we cut ties with another fighter who had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. We do not allow performance enhancement drugs in our facility. Dr. Cullen, Carlisle, who is Emmett’s father, will not write a script, nor would he condone that behavior.”

“And, the fighters that left felt like that policy was too strict?” Edward asked.

“More like they were standing in solidarity with the fighter who left … he was my ex-boyfriend,” Bella explained. “I was the frigid, uncaring bitch and he was the freewheeling, carefree fighter who didn’t care who he hurt with his cheating, drug use and overspending. He owes the gym about $50,000 for back training fees, money for withdrawing from his last fight and a lot of room service, bottle service and … manual service.” Edward arched a brow. “He liked the ladies. If he couldn’t find them for free, he’d paid for them.”

“Gross,” Edward groaned. “You said he was your boyfriend? Why would he do that to you? You’re absolutely gorgeous.”

Bella’s cheeks flamed. He’d said it so easily. He thought she was gorgeous. As much as she loved hearing that from anyone other than her friends and family, she couldn’t get used to it. “I appreciate the compliment, Mr. Masen, but …”

“I’m sorry,” he blurted. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. That was not my intention. I was merely stating a fact.” He looked at her, giving her a gentle smile, which softened his features but not diminishing his beauty. This man was dangerous. He was soft spoken, polite and a perfect gentleman.

The complete and total opposite of Jacob.

Dr. Carlisle Cullen