Hi everybody, its Khaos. I know I haven't updated anything in forever, and most of my stories are on Hiatus. I know I should probably be a good little writer and finish my other stories before I start a new one, but when have I ever done that? Haha! Anyway I got this idea a week ago and it's been bugging me ever since! I know it's a Twilight Fanfiction, but I kinda stole some plot ideas from Full Moon O Sagashite (manga) and the movie My Sister's Keeper( LOVE it but its soooooo sad! Did you cry when Taylor died? I cried when Taylor died. *sniffle*) Any way I'm giving both of those things credit. Here's the full summery:
Liza Holmes is a cancer patient that has recently transferred to Forks Hospital, and Carlisle is assigned to be her personal doctor- which requires more will power than one would think! Despite having throat cancer, Liza is energetic, troublesome, and an all-around pain in the ass, and she'll do anything to sing, even if it involves refusing an operation that is the only thing that can save her life. She meets the rest of the Cullens one day, after escaping from the hospital, and after only one meeting, the Cullens-and later on, the Denali clan- are bent on saving her life. The only problem is, Liza doesn't particularly want to be saved.
Okay there's the summery, now onto the chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, big woop! I also don't own any ideas taken from FMOS or My sisters keeper.
*Two months ago*
Carlisle Pov
I sat in my office going over a few final papers for the hospital. It was almost the end of the day for me, and I was rather looking forward to an evening spent with the rest of my family. I was just about to grab my bag and take my leave when there was a knock at my door.
"Come in."
I looked up and saw my boss, Dr. Lowell, slide into the room. I couldn't clearly read the expression on his face, but he seemed a bit anxious.
"Ah, hello, Carlisle."
"Hello, Dr. Lowell. Can I help you with something?" I said sitting back down in my chair, and gesturing for him to take the seat across from me.
He took his seat and sighed, before responding.
"Actually, there's something that I wish to talk to you about."
"Go on." I said, leaning forward in my seat.
"Well," He began, wring his hands together in his lap, "There's been a a new cancer patient transferred to the hospital, and I was wondering if you would be the one in charge of her care. She needs an operation to remove the cancer in her throat, and she isn't particularly, erm...comfortable with that thus far. Perhaps you might be able to convince her." He paused, "I'm willing to offer you a pay raise."
I was taken aback at that. I was already paid a good amount of money, and I wasn't all that sure why taking on another patient would constitute a raise. I also was quite concerned as to why my boss seemed so nervous.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Lowell, but is that really necessary? She's just one patient. Why would I need a raise?" I queried. Seriously, what was the catch to all of this?
"Erm..." He took a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiped the perspiration off of his brow. Goodness, what had him so worked up?
"Well, " He continued, "She's a bit of a handful, but I think she's just scared. She's got a lot of spunk, that girl. However I'm sure you can handle her, Carlisle."
I sighed. So the catch was that she was a little uncooperative? That was fine, she was just scared, who wouldn't be in her situation? I could definitely handle this.
Before I could make my decision, Dr. Lowell spoke again.
"Carlisle, I know you already have a lot on your plate, but I'm convinced that you very well may be this girl's last chance."
Her last chance. If there had been any doubt in my mind before, it had all but disappeared now. I had to do this.
"Alright, I'll do it."
Dr. Lowell nodded. "Good man, Carlisle, good man." He rose from his chair and stepped towards the door, "So, would you like to meet your young charge?"
I sighed and followed after him.
We turned down a hallway and took the elevator to the fifth floor. All the while I was wondering what this girl was like. Was she scared? Defensive? Shy? Angry at the world? All of these seemed like likely possibilities to me. Had she had chemo? Was she tired? Just how sick was she? How far had her cancer progressed?
I had only had a few experiences with cancer patients before, and most of them hadn't been children either. It Occurred to me that I didn't even know this girl's name, or even how old she was. My boss had completely left me in the dark! I was beginning to get very suspicious with this whole affair.
We finally stopped in front of one of the rooms in the small cancer treatment wing of the hospital. I reached for the door-handle, but Dr. Lowell caught my hand.
"Alright, before we enter perhaps I should inform you of some things." Yes that would have been nice before I ever agreed to this.
"First of all the girl's name is Liza Holmes, she's fifteen, and she's been in foster care all of her life. She doesn't currently have a foster family, so she is living at the hospital until further notice. She isn't allowed to leave unless under special circumstances. Got it?"
I nodded, ready for whatever was waiting for me behind that closed door. I took a deep un-needed breath and mentally prepared myself.
Dr. Lowell drummed his knuckles lightly across the door. About thirty seconds passed and no one came to answer the door. Instead of knocking again, Dr. Lowell simply took the plunge and opened the door.
The first thing I noticed upon entering the room was the muted sound of music being filtered through an Ipod's earbuds. The next thing I noticed was the young, pixie-like girl laying- no leisurely lounging across the bed in the far corner of the room. She didn't look anything like I had expected.
For one, it was obvious that she had not had any kind of Chemo, or radiation therapy, because she had long, light auburn hair, with streaks of electric green dyed into her short, choppy bangs. She was wearing all white, from her fuzzy cashmere sweater to her white jeans. She was the picture of adolescent ease. She had a lime-green ipod clutched in her right hand, the volume turned up full blast, in her left hand she held a large book which contained the complete works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and at the foot of her bed was a sleek, silver laptop computer that was opened up to You-tube's homepage.
She was my patient? She didn't look sick at all. Well, at least not at first glance. On closer inspection I noticed that she was very thin, and that she had dark circles under her eyes. Her pale, freckled cheeks were tinged with gray as well.
She looked up questioningly from her book as we came in. Her eyes, I noticed, were a deep, forest green.
Just as we entered I caught a few lines of the song that was blaring through her earbuds before she paused her Ipod.
You can't take away my strength!
Fix these broken veins!
There's nothing left to fight!
LIVE FREE OR LET ME DIE!
"Can I help you, Dr. Lowell?" Her voice was light and breathy, but had a melodic quality to it.
"Miss Holmes, this is Dr. Cullen. Dr. Cullen, this is Liza Holmes, your new patient. Miss Holmes, Dr. Cullen will be in charge of your care during the duration of your stay here."
Liza shifted her gaze from Dr. Lowell, to me, then she finally shrugged. "'Kay." And with that she let her music blast again and she resumed reading her book.
Dr. Lowell gave me a look that said "sorry about your luck, but she's all yours." And with that he turned on his heel, and left the room, leaving me alone with my new young charge.
You can't take away my pride!
I won't be denied!
There's nothing left to fight!
LIVE FREE OR LET ME DIE!
I sighed. I decided that I needed to learn a bit more about Liza before I retired for the day. I had a sense of foreboding, but I pushed it aside and made my way across the room and pulled a chair up beside her bed.
She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. Well, really, it was actually more like a glare. Finally she put down her book and pulled the earbuds out of her ears, rolling her eyes all the while.
"Can I help you, Dr. Cullen." Her voice was bitter and sarcastic. Oh, this did not bode well.
I cleared my throat uncomfortably, and quickly scanned my eyes over her medical chart that was lying on her bedside table. It listed her name and age, date of birth, and the type of medicine she took. It took me only half a second to find what I was looking for.
She had been diagnosed with throat cancer May, of 2009. I finally had all of my answers.
I gazed back up at Liza to see her still staring at me expectantly. Alright, I thought, here goes nothing.
"It's nice to meet you Liza, as you know I'm Dr. Cullen. I was thinking that since we are going to be seeing each other every day, we might as well learn a bit about each other."
She raised one eyebrow, and her thin lips twisted up into a terrifyingly mischievous smirk.
"Learn more about each other?" She repeated in the most skeptic tone that I have ever had the displeasure of hearing.
"Yes, isn't it custom that when meeting new people you share a bit of information about yourself? I'd like to be able to get to know you, Liza."
Her slightly demonic smile widened. This did not bode well, this did not bode well at all!
"Alright, Doc. Whatever floats your boat." She sat up on the bed and faced me, folding her legs Indian-style. "What questions are you just dying to ask?"
"Erm, well." I wracked my brain for something to ask. "What do you like?"
"What do I like?" she repeated, reclining back. "Hmmmm."
I nodded for her to continue.
She smirked again. That smile was starting to give me chills up my spine.
"Well, I like reading books, white clothing, doors that lock from the inside, and..."
Her eyes suddenly took on a softer, dreamy look. Her lips curled up into a genuine smile, and her mind seemed to wander to some place far from this hospital room. She seemed like a whole new person, just for a moment.
"And..." I urged her on. I got the sense that I was making some sort of breakthrough, though I didn't really know why.
"...I love...to sing."
"To sing?"
"Yes," Her eyes closed for a moment, and her smile widened, showing her flawless white teeth. "It's my Everything, singing I mean. I love it more than anything. More than my own life."
I blinked. Those last few words caught me completely off guard. More...than her own life? Could someone really love something that much?
"Isn't...Isn't singing difficult in your condition though?"
I dearly wished I hadn't said that, for when the those traitorous words left my mouth, her dreamy, faraway look snapped bag into icy composure yet again.
"Yeah," Her voice was bitter and cynical again. " It kinda is."
Oh, Carlisle, look at what you've done now!
"So, Dr. Cullen, do I get to ask you a question now?" Liza's Icy tone broke me from my reverie.
"Yes, I suppose so."
"Don't you have a family waiting for you at home?"
I jumped, and looked over at the clock hanging above the door. it was seven- thirty, I was an hour-and -half late returning home.
"I take that as a yes." She said, leaning over to grab her small laptop from the foot of her bed. "You should go. I've got things to do, music to hear, and people to lie to. So leave."
I sighed in defeat, choosing to ignore her rude comment. I got up and walked towards the door.
"You know..."
The mocking, cynical tone of Liza's voice stopped me in my tracks.
" You know, I almost feel sorry for you Dr. Cullen."
"And why is that?" I asked, not turning around.
I could almost see her lips curl into a dark smirk. "You've been played, Dr. Cullen."
I spun around to face her then. "What do you mean."
Liza shook her head, sighing in mock sympathy. "You poor, naive bastard. You don't seem to know just who you're dealing with. I'm not going to make this easy for you, really." She grinned evilly again, though this time I was sure I detected a small trace of genuine sympathy, and maybe, just maybe, I saw a flare of regret in her eyes. "Dr. Cullen, your superiors have just lined you up for the slaughter"
What do you think? Completely, wasn't what you expected right? Maybe? Eh.
Oh and as a warning, my medical knowledge is slim to none, so if I jack something up, and you notice, please correct me politely.
Anyway, the story get's waaaay better from here on out, and I can't wait to see what you all think! Liza's badass, isn't she?
So as always, please read, and review, and you'll have a personal shout out in my next chapter, which I will update possibly tomarow if I get at least one or two reviews.
Anyhoo, I hope you all liked it!
~Khaos
