One of the secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others.
-Lewis Carroll
A soft, swift knock at the front door pulled me out of my nap.
I glanced at the clock over the mantle. Three-twenty. I went over briefly in my head which of my friends might have the inclination to check in on me. Jessica was a definite no, which meant by extension that Mike was an impossibility as long as they were dating. My Quileute friends, Billy and Seth and -- it was still hard to think the name -- Jacob were also on the not-in-a-million-years list for one reason or another. If I hadn't already been sick, just thinking about the pain I'd caused my missing best friend was sure to make me.
Jacob still hadn't forgiven me -- and I was starting to think he never would. I grunted in frustration at the thought. "Stupid mutt," I mumbled.
But still well within the realm of possibility was Angela, who had been stopping by routinely every afternoon to check on my progress. She laughed the first day I tried to shoo her out of the house.
"Bella," she said, "I have twin third-graders for siblings. My antibodies are made of surgical-grade steel by now."
The abruptness of the sound registered as too impatient to be Angela, though.
And seeing as the one person I really wanted to see was hundreds of miles away at the moment, I wanted nothing more than to wallow in self-pity. Though it nearly killed me to see Edward go, the family hunting trip -- much to Emmett's gleeful surprise -- had been my idea. Only Carlisle and Alice stayed behind; Carlisle for his obligations at the hospital, Alice because of the mountain of wedding details she still had to take care of.
He'll be back soon enough, I kept reminding myself. I was hoping that a little time apart before the wedding would drum up the much-needed enthusiasm I was so sorely lacking.
Instead, I woke up the next morning with a stomach flu more violent than I could ever remember having.
I desperately hoped the timing of my flu and the distance from Alice and Carlisle's thoughts would be enough to keep Edward in the dark. I was also wishing for a speedy recovery; I shuddered to think of how he would overreact to my being physically ill.
Of course, whoever it was, I'd have to send them away immediately; I would feel horrible if I was responsible for getting anyone else sick. I was counting my lucky stars that Charlie had somehow managed to avoid catching whatever it was that I had.
"Hey, Charlie," a decidedly feminine and familiar voice called through the door. "We brought some supplies."
"Alice," I groaned to myself, wrenching the blankets piled on top of my makeshift couch-turned-bed over my face. Of course my vampire friends were another story, I thought. They were perfect, impenetrable marble -- completely immune to the trappings of human life. Including cold and flu season.
Charlie seemed to share my lack of enthusiasm as he heaved himself out of his recliner to open the door. If I could be trusted to accurately recall details through days of Theraflu, I'd swear that he had been sleeping in that chair, dutifully tending to my needs despite my objections -- and missing two playoff games in the process.
I heard Charlie fumbling with the locks on the front door before finally jerking it open just a bit too hard, the door slamming into his knee.
"Son of a--" Charlie huffed. "Hey, kids. I thought you weren't supposed to be back until next week."
"Change of plans," came the reply. Edward's voice rang out over the rain, as clear and shining as faceted crystal. The musical peal of his voice brought me out from under my fortress of blankets. Try as I might, I couldn't be mad at Alice for telling on me. She must have seen that, though. I'd deal with any of Edward's dramatics over my being sick if it meant he'd be home that much sooner.
I tried to stand -- no, to run -- to the door to be sure I wasn't hallucinating his perfect voice, but low blood sugar and an empty stomach quickly set the room to spinning. "Oh!" I huffed as the floor fell out from under me and I made contact with the thick shag of carpet. I immediately flushed red; I was sure that Edward knew exactly what just happened.
"How is she?" Edward asked, a light chuckle in his voice.
Only I could embarrass myself so completely and not even be in the same room.
"Your father took a look at her yesterday. Said she'd be right as rain in a few days. She just needs to rest," Charlie said, slight annoyance coloring his voice. I didn't need Edward's ability to read minds to hear the hidden meaning; Charlie still wasn't thrilled about the wedding.
"Of course," Edward replied, his voice calm and serene. "Alice and I would just like to say hello and leave a few things we picked up to aid Bella's recovery. If that's alright with you, of course."
There was no way Charlie could doubt the care in Edward's voice. And there was definitely no way he would send Edward away... right? I'd confined myself to the couch for the duration of my illness, and with Charlie sleeping in the chair next to me, there was no way Edward could sneak in to see me after he was asleep...
"Look, I know she's been dying to see you, but maybe it's better if you two came back in a few days. I'd hate for either of you to get sick," Charlie explained, his fatherly composure waning.
"Thanks for your concern, Charlie, but I think we'll be fine. Carlisle insists on yearly vaccinations," Edward insisted, gliding past Charlie and into the house. I could imagine the smirk that must have crossed his face.
"Charlie, you haven't left the house in days," Alice chimed, her voice growing louder as she moved through the house. " You need some rest just as much as Bella does." I scrambled to wipe my face with a nearby towel and drag my fingers through my hair. I hadn't showered in at least three days; if I knew I smelled, I could only imagine how I smelled through a vampire's nose.
Alice rounded the corner into the living room, Charlie and Edward close behind. I let out an involuntary gasp when Alice came into view: in her arms was a very large box, with labels written in what I could only assume was Swedish or something close to it. She set the box down at the foot of the couch before taking an armload of bags from Edward, whose face had been obscured by the space-age contraption Alice was carrying.
There was just no way around it. I would never get used to the shining perfection of Edward's face. He was dressed casually, like he'd just returned from a long road trip. His jeans were impeccably fitted, his hiking boots sloppily laced, not a trace of mud on them. My eyes swept up quickly over his torso; he was wearing a thick, long-sleeved sweater in a shade of dark grey that seemed to make his luminous skin glow even despite the lack of sun. His eyes, a warm liquid butterscotch, finally found mine; these were the eyes of an angel, I was sure.
I inhaled sharply. I still had to remind myself to breathe around Edward.
"Hello, sweetheart. You look exhausted," he said, setting down the last of the bags in his arms. He made no move to come closer to me; I assumed this had something to do with whatever it was that Charlie was thinking about.
"I shouldn't be... I've done nothing but sleep all week," I said sheepishly. I was desperate to run to him and wrap my arms around him. Our brief time apart had only strengthened my need for him. I would never let myself be away from him for so long ever again. Eventually I would be strong enough to keep up with him.
Alice turned to Charlie, a business-like expression on her face.
"Charlie, I think you should -- no, I insist that you get out of here for a little while. You look just as tired as Bella does. I bet you haven't had a decent meal all week."
Charlie sputtered. He hated being looked after almost as much as I did.
"Well, no," he admitted, "but I can't just take off while she's sick."
"Bella is a big girl, Charlie. We can take care of her." Alice assured him.
"She's right, Dad," I chimed in, eager to have some alone time with Edward. "You've been doing so much for me all week. Why don't you go watch the game at Billy's place tonight? I'm sure he'd love to see you."
Charlie shifted uneasily. "Bells, you know Renee would kill me if she found out I left you alone while you were sick."
"I won't be alone, Dad. Edward and Alice can keep an eye on me until you get back."
The prospect of a few hour's reprieve and a playoff game were too much for Charlie to resist. He turned to Edward. "You two don't have any other plans?"
"Not a thing. We'd be more than happy to stay with Bella, Charlie. We'll be sure to call you at Billy's if there's any need," Edward said. I knew he threw in that last part only for Charlie's peace of mind.
His resolve crashed and burned. "Well... you sure, Bells? I don't mind staying."
"I'm sure. Go, okay? Have fun. I'll be fine."
Charlie leaned down to kiss the top of my head before turning and mumbling his thanks to Alice and Edward. "Guess I'll be back in a few hours. See you kids later."
"See ya, Charlie!" Alice called as Charlie slipped on his jacket and ducked out into the rain. The mood in the room shifted noticeably after Charlie left; they could put their human charades on hold until he came back. Edward was at my side on the couch before I could look back over to him.
"I'd have been here right away if I'd known," Edward smiled gently, placing a soft kiss on the my forehead before shooting Alice a dark look.
"Don't blame me. I left you messages," Alice grumbled. "It's not my fault there's no cell phone reception in the Sierras."
I instantly felt guilty. "Edward, not that I'm not thrilled to death to have you here, but now you're missing the rest of your hunting trip because of me. Emmett is going to hate me," I said, not wanting him to leave again.
"Bella, that is utterly absurd. They were glad to be rid of me. I did nothing but speak of missing you the entire time," Edward explained, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Emmett all but threw me halfway to Washington before I even got Alice's message."
"Actually," I said, coming to Alice's defense, "I was hoping I'd be better by the time you got back. I didn't want you to worry."
"Silly Bella," he sighed. A stern look crossed his face. "You should know by now that I will worry about your well-being every day for the rest of my existence."
I sighed, knowing this argument would lead only in circles. I turned my attention to Alice, who was dancing through the house, returning intermittently to rummage through the piles of bags littering the floor of the living room.
"Alice, what are you doing?" I started to object. "I don't need --"
She cut me off, already having seen my every reaction and subsequent speech in her uncanny visions. "Don't be ridiculous, Bella. Edward isn't the only Cullen that loves you, you know."
The blush in my cheeks locked firmly in place. "Thanks, Alice. That means a lot," I said, touched by her display of affection.
"You won't let me dress you, so it's the least I can do instead," she beamed, setting down a cup of hot tea on the table in front of me.
"I'm almost afraid to ask, but what is that?" I glanced over to the foreign and imposing box at the end of the couch.
"Carlisle's idea," Edward said. "He said it's a smaller scale version of the ones they use in operating rooms. It should help prevent Charlie from getting sick while you're still feeling under the weather."
"All done," Alice chirped, flitting into Charlie's recliner. Her pixie-like frame was dwarfed by the large scale of the chair.
"All done what?" I asked, suddenly wary. She couldn't have been gone from the room for more than five minutes. But five minutes for Alice is like eight hours for a very productive human.
"Your chores, silly," she smiled. "I'm so glad vampires don't eat regular food. I couldn't believe all the dirty dishes in the kitchen! And those were just Charlie's, because I'm sure you haven't eaten all week. Not that I can tell the difference anyway, but from the smell of it, Charlie is an awful cook." Alice grimaced delicately.
I just stared at her incredulously.
"Don't look at me like that, Bella. No soon-to-be sister of mine is going to live in such a messy house. Oh, I did the rest of the stuff too. I swept and finished folding Charlie's laundry and cleaned your room. The sheets on your bed were filthy. Or maybe that's how their supposed to look. I don't know. I mean, I haven't exactly used a bed in the last century."
Edward laughed and shook his head. "Who knew a vampire with no recollection of human life could be so maternal?"
"I think if it weren't for Carlisle and Esme I wouldn't know anything about how humans live," Alice laughed.
"Alice--" I started to protest.
"Bella, give it up. Just because you aren't officially a Cullen yet doesn't mean you aren't a part of our family. You're sick, so we're taking care of you. Besides, Carlisle says it's easier for people to heal in a clean environment."
I opened my mouth to make my case, and was silenced instantly.
"No, Bella. Not a word," Alice said, raising a hand. "Now, let's watch a movie. I found a new production of Romeo & Juliet that I thought you'd like. Or I have a bunch more. Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, all those old books you like so much."
As weak as I felt, Alice's warm energy was catching, like Jasper's.
"Can we watch that new Romeo & Juliet? If you guys don't mind, I mean," I added, sure that Edward was sick of it by now.
"Romeo & Juliet it is," she said, gliding over to the television.
Alice was right; I loved this production. But even an exceptional version of my favorite play wasn't enough to keep sleep at bay. Romeo had just been banished from Verona when I felt an icy kiss on my forehead and heard a soft voice in my ear.
"Time to wake up, love. Charlie just pulled in the driveway," Edward whispered, trying to wake me softly.
I opened my eyes drowsily at the sound of his voice. "I think I'll be sleeping in my room tonight," I grunted, the pain in my back from the springs of the couch finally getting to me. I looked up at Edward, suddenly startled. "You'll stay, won't you?"
He smiled. "Of course, love. The wedding is soon enough that I don't think we'll ever have to be apart for so long again."
Just then I heard the front door open, the loud thump of Charlie's boots in the entry way as the door shut behind him. The contrast between the previous silence and Charlie's entrance was jarring.
"Hey, Charlie. We're in here," Alice called to him.
Charlie lumbered into the living room, a confused look on his face. Edward pressed his lips together, the way he did when he was suppressing a smile.
"Bella, did you kick me out of the house just so you could clean?" Charlie looked at me sternly, visibly upset. I had to admit, if I wasn't so dizzy, I'd be laughing too.
"Actually, that was Alice," Edward corrected.
"Alice?" he asked.
"Yep," she smiled brightly. "You've been doing so much for Bella all week, and I wanted to help. I brought you a few groceries, too. I hope you don't mind."
Charlie was blushing now. He wasn't used to random acts of kindness like this. "Of course, Alice. Thanks. I guess I'm not the best at keeping the house, huh?"
"It was nothing. Really. Took me no time at all," Alice said, throwing a wink in my direction.
"Well, I suppose we should be going. Bella is a zombie," she continued, standing up. "The big air thingy in the corner is from Carlisle. Edward?" She turned to her brother still sitting next to me.
Edward smiled, and kissed me once more on the cheek. "I'll see you soon, " he said softly. Then, a little louder for Charlie's benefit, "Try to get some sleep. I'll check in on you tomorrow."
Slipping in and out of character was second nature for the Cullens. I was learning, slowly but surely, to follow the same pattern. I smiled back at him. "Thanks for today. I'm glad you came by. And thanks for everything, Alice. I'm so lucky to have you guys," I looked around Edward's side to meet Alice's eyes. She smiled serenely in return.
Quickly and much more quietly than any normal person, the two Cullen siblings made their exit, leaving me in the eerily silent house with Charlie once more. Charlie all but collapsed in his chair, looking as tired as I did.
"How was the game?" I asked, turning to Charlie.
He raised his eyebrows. "Good, good. Sue Clearwater was there. Made a bunch of food for everybody. Rachel was visiting, too. Those Quileute boys, man, they can eat." He looked at me nervously then, as if he'd mentioned something that might hurt my feelings. I swallowed the lump building in my throat and forced a wan smile.
"Teenage boys are like that," I laughed weakly. "How is Billy doing?"
"He's good, I guess. I asked him about Jake and you know what he said? 'He's a man now. He'll come home when he's ready to.' He's not even eighteen yet! He doesn't even seem worried. Bells, it's just strange." Charlie huffed. He was as worried about Jacob as I was, and it showed.
"I'm worried about him too, Dad. But I don't think there's anything else we can do for him." My conviction wavered when I saw Charlie's concern for Jacob. As far as Charlie knows, Jacob just ran away one day with no explanation. He didn't know if Jacob had food or shelter or money. In Charlie's eyes, he was a teenage runaway, homeless and penniless.
But Jacob made his own decisions. And I wasn't about to put Charlie in jeopardy over the hormonal hastiness of my former best-friend.
"You're right, Bells, I know," Charlie sighed.
We sat in silence for a tense minute before Charlie spoke up again.
"Well, I think I'm gonna hit the hay. I'm exhausted. You need anything?"
"No. I'm actually starting to feel a little better. Alice is a miracle worker," I said as I stood up -- slowly, very slowly -- and stretched. "I think I'm gonna take a shower and move back into my room. This couch is killing me."
Charlie smiled wryly, shaking his head; he looked like he was shaking off an unpleasant memory. "Glad you're on the up and up, honey," he smile, patting me on the head before turning for the stairs.
I stood in the living room, slowly folding blankets until I finally heard Charlie's door click shut. I didn't know what time Edward would be returning. Usually he waited until Charlie was snoring before he climbed through my window. I used the brief time frame to properly clean up for the first time in days. My body was weaker from illness than I realized; I took the staircase one step at a time, moving at a painfully slow pace until I finally reached the bathroom. I grabbed a fresh towel and turned the hot water on full blast, eager to chase the feverish chills away.
I'd intended only to rinse off, but hot water is not a thing to be rushed. The heat from the shower soothed the stiff muscles in my back while the steam worked to clear my sinuses. I lathered my hair twice with my favorite shampoo, the clean scent of strawberry jolting me awake. Just before the water ran cold, I moved quickly out of the shower and wrapped myself in a towel, trying to retain as much heat as possible. I towel-dried my hair and dressed in the same clothes I'd been wearing earlier in the day. They didn't feel as disgusting as I had thought they would. I was glad.
I moved slowly down the hallway, idly wondering if I could ever be as silent as Edward while I was still human. I'd been around him long enough that part of me was hoping, however futilely, that some of his grace had begun to wear off on me. I wasn't doing half bad... until I caught my foot on the door frame, falling over myself and onto the floor.
"Guess not," I grumbled, annoyed with my misplaced vanity.
I pushed myself off the floor and finished stumbling into my room, pulling the door shut behind me. I didn't bother to turn on the light; the light streaming in from the moon was more than enough for me to find my bed. I walked to my window first, intending to leave it open for Edward to climb through later. A voice came from the corner of the room, making me gasp as I spun around to find it's source. It sounded amused.
"How are you feeling?" Edward. Of course. He'd probably been waiting in my room the entire time. Always so jumpy, I scolded myself.
"Weak, but better. You Cullens make wonderful nurses," I smiled as I climbed into bed, pleasantly exhausted.
"Hmm," he murmured. "You do look a bit better, but I think you still need a good night's sleep. Sleeping on that couch can't have been comfortable." He was next to me before my head even hit the pillow, leaning against the headboard.
"I wouldn't know," I confessed. "I never seem to sleep unless you're here."
He raised his eyebrows. "I thought you said you've done nothing but sleep all week."
"Maybe I should rephrase that," I mumbled. I could feel the blush creeping up my face. "What I should have said was: I've done nothing but lay on the couch all week."
He chuckled lightly, his honey-lilac-almond scent enveloping me.
"It goes against my nature to say this, Bella, but seeing you in this light -- seeing you the most fragile you could possibly be -- so ill..." he trailed off. "It makes me all the more thankful you agreed to wait until we're married to be changed."
I knew he could read the confusion on my face despite the darkness. "I know I'm the one hopped up on days of cold medicine, but you're making no sense," I teased.
He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I wish I had the proper words to explain. Caring for you in this way, more fragile than I've ever seen you, part of me is... I don't know. I guess I'm almost... proud to help nurse you back to health. I hadn't imagined it would mean this much to me," he explained. "I think I have a new understanding of the satisfaction Carlisle feels because of his work."
Edward always had more interest in the mundane happenings of my human life than I ever would. Part of me wondered if it was his way of recapturing the things he never got to experience in his mortal life. He pulled me closer to him.
"Isabella Marie Swan, I cannot wait to make you my wife. I will care for you for the rest of eternity," he said softly.
"Husband sounds so trivial, though. But I suppose soul mate isn't a typical part of every day conversation," I smiled up at him. "Thank you. For taking such good care of me. And for loving me. Now and always."
He brushed a stray lock of hair from my face, smiling gently.
"But let's not do this sick thing ever again," I added quickly. "Vampires don't throw up, right?"
He chuckled quietly, his cool breath washing over me as sleep finally sank in.
"Let's just chalk it up to one more human experience you won't have missed out on."