AUTHORS NOTE: Okay so I know I have two other stories up that I'm working on (Lachrymose and Midnight Tryst) but I wrote this short story (it's only two chapters) when I was suffering from a case of insomnia and I came up with this little story. It's a little angsty but I hope you all enjoy it. Remember to review, because reviews make me very happy :) and check out my other stories as well!

- R I P.

Summery: It's 1918 and both Bella and Edward had caught the Spanish Influenza. Carlisle changes them both, thinking that he has found two companions, but what happens when things don't go the way he has planned.

Disclaimer: As much as I wish it, I am not Stephenie Meyer. I do not own ANYTHING (except John and Mary-Ruth Keyes, totally made up.) I am only using Stephenie's characters and settings for fanfiction readers enjoyment, as well as my own. Nor do I own the Evanescence song :) Although I love it very much.

PLAYLIST:

You [Rare]

- by -

Evanescence

Part 1 of 2 – The Influenza

BPOV

- Chicago, Illinois 1918 -

My name is Isabella Marie Swan, otherwise known as Bella. I was born in the year of 1901 and now I am the age of seventeen. I'm plain and ordinary. I wasn't tall, not in the least. I only stood around 5'4", which was nearly a foot shorter than my father. The rest of my looks were wishy-washy and mundane. I had plain long, brown hair that never seemed to do what I wanted it to do. My mother spent hours, brushing it and getting the knots out, only to have it get knotty again overnight. My eyes were an bland and brown. Most people said my eyes were beautiful, expressive, but I didn't believe them. I mean honestly, how much more derivative could you get? My body was not perfect. I usually hid it under dresses that did little to make me stand out, which angered my mother to no end. She told me that if I would just try and make myself presentable I would be beautiful. I didn't believe her. I guess you can say I have issues with my self confidence.

I live in Chicago, Illinois with my parents Charlie and Renee Swan. My father is a policeman while my mother stays at home to look after the house. My life is relatively simple. Just like my looks, it is plain, ordinary and there wasn't anything very special about it. But we have been happy, healthy and my family is all together. We love each other very much, that was all that really mattered. I wouldn't change it for the world, because my life was perfect.

Or at least it was—that is until the flu epidemic broke out.

It had been so sudden. Before doctors could even figure out what it was, it began spreading all over Chicago. Hundreds and hundreds of people die from it every single day. It is absolutely horrible, one of the most costly epidemics since the Black Plague that spread throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Everyone called it the disease but really it is called the Spanish Influenza and it is extremely fatal. Because of this, Chicago was in a state of emergency and all its citizens were in panic. No one could leave or enter the city, in fear that the disease would spread. Unfortunately for me, both of my parents have come down with it. Nearly everyone who has caught the disease has died. I'm so worried about my parents.

My mother and father do not want me near them because the disease is indeed contagious, that is how it spread so quickly. But what else can I do, I can't just not help my parents while they are practically on their death beds.

While still lying on my bed I rolled over on my back to look up at the ceiling. I handled my fathers gold pocket watch in the palm of my hand and watched as the minute hand ticked slowly. I looked at the time on the watch and it read seven o'clock. I turned to look out the window and saw the sun was beginning to peak its way through the clouds. I tried to put a smile on my face, a new day. Come what may. I would have to be getting up soon to fix breakfast since my mother couldn't even handle getting out of her bed anymore, she was way too weak.

I didn't particularly mind taking care of my sick parents but ever since they had gotten sick I had no social life what so ever, not that I had a major one to begin with. But the few friends I did have weren't aloud around because of my parents having the virus. I understood why it had to be this way though. Taking care of my parents was inevitable and it was more important, they were the only family I have.

When the epidemic had broken out and before the city stopped allowing people to enter and leave the town, I had received a telegram from my Aunt Beatrice and my Uncle Phil. They were worried about me once they found out that the virus was spreading. They requested that I come live with them in New York until all the flu panic wore off. My parents supported the idea, they were terrified that I was going to get the virus. They wanted me safe. But against their wishes, I had politely refused my aunts and uncles invitation. I couldn't just up and leave my parents during their time of darkness. My parents understood my decision. I'd always been a stubborn child. Honestly, how could my aunt and uncle be so incongruous?

'They were only trying to look out for you…' My conscience was telling me. I knew it was right but I still didn't want to believe it.

I was ripped out of my thoughts by the sound of a weak voice coming from down the hall. "Bella?" it asked softly.

I quickly jumped out of bed and almost flew into the hallway. When I stepped outside I saw my mother leaning against the wall in the hallway with a painful expression plastered on her face. I was slightly angry she had gotten out of bed. She was in no condition to be walking around. She was far too sick.

"What is it mother?" I asked her fearfully as I ran to where my mother was leaning.

"It's your father, dear." My mother managed to croak out. "G-get John and M-Mary-Ruth. Hospital. Now." She choked out with tears falling from her eyes.

"Of course mother," I obeyed. I knew it was unavoidable by now. They both needed a hospital. "I will see that I fetch an ambulance right away. Where is father?" I asked her.

My mother didn't answer me. Instead, she slowly led me to their bedroom where my parents had been constantly since the sickness struck them. When I entered the bedroom, I saw that my father was lying down on his back coughing violently and shaking. I quickly ran to his side and quickly said, "Father?"

He just continued to cough and did not even acknowledge me once while I sat there on the side of his bed. His eyes were almost rolled to the back of his head and he was as pale as death. For the first time in my life, I was almost to terrified to move. I didn't know what to do. Fear dawned on me, I was going to loose my parents. The sickness was far too spread. I was going to loose them. I'd be an orphan at seventeen.

"See, he won't even l-look at y-you! He c-cant!" my mother cried out. She was almost hysterical at this point despite the sickened state that she was in. "Hospital, and quickly."

I nodded in agreement. I tried my very best to hid my tears and fear in my eyes as I quickly ran to the neighbors house. John and Mary-Ruth Keyes we're my neighbors. They had lived next to us all of my life. They were very kind and were close with my parents. They were also my only chance of getting my parents to the hospital. Luckily, neither of them had caught the disease yet.

When I reached their small, cozy cottage I knocked on their door furiously. It was early, but I knew that they were already up. I needed to get my parents to the hospital, and quickly. Surely they could understand.

-x-x-x-

I sat in one of the hard, uncomfortable hospital chairs, waiting anxiously for news that the doctor would give me about my parents. When the doctor saw the state that my mother was in, he immediately took her into the emergency room. He told her that she was as bad, if not worse than my father. She was just ten times more stubborn to be out and about.

'Must be a woman thing,' The doctor had muttered. 'That Masen mother won't stay put for the life of me!'

One of the nurses checked on my periodically, just to make sure I was alright. She always offered to get me some food or water, but I was in no mood to eat of drink. I politely declined each time. Because despite all of the kindness from the hospital staff and their reassurance that they could maybe save my parents, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

'What is taking them so long?' I wondered anxiously. 'What if—NO! I will not think that, ever. Everything is going to be okay. The doctors will get them better and then everything will go back to normal.' I tried to reassure myself.

I was too lost in my thoughts to even notice when a doctor had come out of the emergency room. He had walked up towards me and stopped a few feet from my chair, looking at me with a concerned expression. I finally looked up when he lightly cleared his throat, loudly. I jumped in surprise and felt my face heat up in embarrassment. The man just chuckled at me, but I knew it wasn't in a condescending way. He was just trying to lighten my dreary mood.

Putting one of my hands lightly against my red cheeks, trying to hide them, I looked up to examine the man who was trying to talk to me. The man in front of me was in probably in his forties with slightly grey hair and tired dark brown eyes like my own. He wore a clean white, doctor's jacket and I tried to assume that since he was smiling at me, that he had some good news about my parents.

But then I noticed the sad expression, hidden in his eyes that had been partly clouded by his amusement. My blushed disappeared and I am sure my face became very pale all in that short amount of time. I wasn't sure what to think but I had a feeling that it wasn't good news. That mixed look of sadness and pity in his eyes didn't do much for my hopefulness. It just brought it down.

The doctor chuckled slightly but it was tense, "Hello, Miss Swan. I am Doctor Goodwill. I was your father's doctor." He said solemnly.

I frowned at his words, "Was?" I managed to squeak out.

"I am very sorry but your father passed away a few moments ago. There was nothing we could do. The sickness was too far gone to stop." He stopped talking when I started to cry. I hadn't even noticed that tears were falling down my cheeks until he kindly handed me a tissue.

"What about my mother?" I managed to ask through all my tears.

The doctor's face turned grim and I automatically assumed the worst.

"Oh no, not her too!" I cried and buried my face in my hands.

"No—no, your mother is still alive," he announced but paused. I looked up and met his sad eyes, "But we are not sure how long she has left to live. She is in one of the last stages of the sickness and it won't be too much longer before—" he stopped again.

"Isn't there anything you can do to help her?" I asked, more like pleaded. My mother was all that I had left now.

'I'm going to be an orphan! What will I do?' I thought in panic.

The doctor shook his head, "This sickness has caught us all off guard, we aren't sure exactly what is causing it, and therefore it is very hard to figure out a cure." He explained.

I nodded wordlessly but suddenly, my chest started to feel tight. It wasn't because I was crying either, it was something else. It was also very painful. I let out a loud, horrible cough, one that hurt my chest.

"Are you alright?" the doctor asked.

I nodded my head, he didn't need to worry about me. He had my mother to attend to. But my coughing continued and he started to look more worried. Suddenly, something dawned on the doctor. His face turned even grimmer and his eyes widened slightly in wonder. He then opened his mouth to speak the question I was expecting from the start.

"Were you around your parents a lot while they were sick?" he asked her in a worried tone.

"Yes…" I managed to get out between coughs.

The doctor shook his head and his expression became panicked, "You may have caught the virus from your parents. We need to get you in a room right away and get you checked out."

I could feel my own eyes widen. I'd never thought of the possibility. I knew it spread quickly, but I had been around my parents so much and felt absolutely fine. Why was it now that the symptoms had to show themselves? I was unable to speak so I coughed in acknowledgement to what he said. What else could I actually do.

'How I hate hospitals.' I shivered slightly.

The doctor turned to one of the nurses and started to speak in a frantic voice, "Get me Carlisle." He said. The nurse looked blankly at him, "Quick!" he yelled.

The frazzled nurse jumped slightly at the panic in Dr. Goodwill's voice before running down one of the hospital corridors to get 'Carlisle.' As she was running, I noticed how the hospital suddenly looked so much dimmer, and the outside of my focus was becoming fuzzy. I felt myself sway dangerous and then two hands wrapped around my waist to steady me. I looked up into the doctors eyes and saw his mouth moving, asking me a question I couldn't hear. It was the last thing that I saw before I passed out from all the coughing I was doing.

-x-x-x-

"Isabella?" a musical voice asked.

I was swimming in a cold, sea of darkness. But the voice was slowly bringing me out of it. When I was finally able to open my eyes, I was shocked by what I saw. When everything came into a clear focus I was finally able to see the face of the person with the unrecognizable voice. He was in his twenties, which was very young for a doctor. He had blonde hair that was swept back in a professional manner and had a pair of strange bright, golden eyes. The only thing that I could manage to get through my mind was, he was gorgeous.

"Isabella, can you hear me?" the voice asked again.

I tried to nod in reply but I was too weak, it was almost impossible for me to move. I felt completely immobilized. I hoped it was from the medication they gave me from fainting and not because I was actually sick. It took me a few minutes of trying but I was finally was able to speak to him in a shaky voice.

"Yes. Call me Bella." I said, my quiet voice was so soft I knew he would have to strain to hear me speak. But oddly, he didn't. He heard me perfectly fine. He gave me a dazzling smile in return. I blinked several times in surprise.

'Wow, his smile is bright.' I thought.

The man chuckled slightly at me, "Hello Bella. We were all very worried that you weren't going to wake back up after you passed out in the waiting room. You surprised us all, in a good way." He told me.

I frowned slightly, "Who are you? Why am I in here?" I asked.

I blankly looked around the room and found myself in a stark white hospital room. I hated hospitals so I shuttered at the sight of it. I was even laying in one of the hospital beds. It was very uncomfortable and all I wanted was to be out of the horribly uncomfortable bed that I was currently laying on. I tried to sit up but I felt an alarmingly cold hand rest of my shoulder. I looked up and the dazzling man was the owner of the hand. I shivered again, but this time from the man's cold hand, not my aversion to hospitals. As if the man noticed this, he pulled his hand back immediately.

"I am Dr. Carlisle Cullen and I am your doctor. You are being hospitalized because you have caught the Spanish Influenza from your parents." Dr. Cullen explained.

I nodded, everything was starting to come back now. My mother telling me to get the neighbors. John and Mary-Ruth driving us to the hospital since both of my parents were to weak to drive. Dr. Goodwill yelling at the frazzled nurse to get 'Carlisle.' I guess that Carlisle was Dr. Cullen. Everything was starting to come back, including why I had came to the hospital in the first place.

"What happened to my mother?" I asked almost dreadfully. I was afraid of what his answer might be.

Dr. Cullen's face fell and his eyes saddened, I immediately knew what that meant. Tears started to fill my eyes, "She died, didn't she?" I asked in my small voice.

Dr. Cullen nodded, "I'm sorry Bella. There was nothing else that Dr. Goodwill could do, he tried his very hardest to save her though. But like your father, the sickness had spread to far to be able to save her." He said.

"How long do I have? Dr. Goodwill told me I was sick, I got it from my parents of course." I asked in an even smaller voice. This time I was sure that Dr. Cullen didn't hear me but I was pretty shocked when he answered me almost immediately.

'Wow, good hearing much?' I thought.

"Not long." He said in a short answer. He looked like he was debating something in his head, like he was arguing with himself about something.

"Dr. Cullen?" I asked after watching him fight with himself for a while.

"Call me Carlisle, dear." Carlisle answered with a kind voice.

I managed to give him a weak smile, he was being so kind to me. "When did my mother pass? You said that I passed out in the waiting room, how long was I out for?" I asked him.

Carlisle answered me, "Your mother died about two days ago." I gasped loudly. I must have been out for a while. "As for how long you were out, it was about four days. We were beginning to think that you were not going to wake up at all."

I thought a moment. I had another question, "If I ask you something, will you answer me truthfully?" she asked.

Carlisle looked reluctant for a moment but then nodded his head silently.

"When you said I don't have long to live, how long exactly is long?" I spoke this question in a strangely strong voice.

Carlisle looked reluctant again and for a moment Bella thought he was going to dismiss her question but he answered after thinking for a while, "About two or three days." He said quietly but truthfully. "You are almost in the last stages of it."

I nodded. As much as I wanted to say I was scared of his answer, I wasn't. I was happy that he told me the truth, something that doctors seemed to rarely do nowadays. They seemed to cut corners. Since my family was dead and I really did not have any other reason to live, I would be happy to die. That way, I could be reunited with my family. We could be someplace where there was no disease, we could always be happy.

I was about to ask yet another question when a male nurse rushed into the room, "We have another patient doctor, he has lost both of his parents due to the sickness and is in his final stages like Miss Swan here. We don't have many more rooms, can we room him in here with Miss Swan?" the nurse asked.

Carlisle nodded, "If it's alright with Bella." He said.

I shrugged. I didn't have any opposition to the idea, "Sure." I said.

The nurse nodded and a few minutes later came back pushing a stretcher. I couldn't help but gasp softly when I saw the person lying on the stretcher. It was a boy, about my age with bronze hair that was sticking in random directions. He was tall and muscular but because of his height his muscles weren't as noticeable as they could have been if he was shorter. He was gorgeous, just like Dr. Cullen.

"Is he awake?" asked Carlisle.

The nurse shook his head, "No, he fell asleep earlier and hasn't woken up yet." He replied.

"Just put him in the bed over there." Carlisle said and gestured to the second bed that was in the hospital room Bella was staying in.

The nurse nodded and then lifted the sleeping boy off the stretcher with a grunt and placed him on the bed. As the nurse laid him on the bed, the boy began to stir slightly.

"I'm going to check on this other patient, Bella." Carlisle told me.

I responded with a series of coughs. Carlisle frowned but went to check on the bronze haired boy. I watched intently as the boy started to wake and his eyes opened. I gasped once more when she saw his eyes. Bright pools of a alluring emerald green filled their depths and I instantly found herself swimming in them. The boy's eyes searched my own and finally he offered me a small smile that I returned brightly.

Carlisle looked between the two of us and sighed softly. I wondered what that was all about.

"Well I can see your awake now." Carlisle chuckled slightly at the boy.

The boy smiled and tried to laugh along with Carlisle but it just came out as another deadly cough. I found myself frowning at the boy's coughing. It was causing him a great pain each time he did so, his expression became slightly scrunched up as he coughed. It made me want to walk over and comfort him. Such a beautiful boy should never be in pain.

I almost slapped my forehead at the last thought, 'Whoa Bella, where did that come from. You haven't even met the boy and you're already thinking about him…' I thought to myself.

When he had finally finished coughing, the boy spoke up. He replied in a deep, velvety voice that made my heart literally melt at the sound of it, "Yeah I'm awake." He replied to Carlisle.

"Do you know why you're here?" Carlisle asked him.

"Spanish Influenza." He replied in a trouble voice. "My parents had it. I caught it from them, didn't I?" the boy asked.

Carlisle nodded sadly, "You are in the same situation that Isabella over here is in." he chuckled and pointed over at me. I scowled slightly at the fact he called me Isabella and not Bella.

The boy sought out my eyes. I couldn't deny him. Our eyes met, "Isabella." He said softly. It sounded like honey as my name rolled off his tongue. Like he was caressing it with everything he had.

All at once I seemed to loose my breath as I stared at the boy in amazement. For it sounded so perfect when he said my name. I found myself smiling softly at him. His expression was gentle and caring as he looked at me. It was astounding, I'd never experienced anything like this. Ever.

I nodded at him, "Hi." I whispered softly.

The boy smiled at her, "Hi." He whispered back.

The boy suddenly spoke to him as if remembering something important. Carlisle turned his attention to him at once. "What happened to my parents?" The boy asked.

Carlisle put on the same expression he had given me before he had informed me about my parent's death. I had heard the nurse tell Carlisle that the boys parents were both dead and that he didn't have long to live either. For some strange reason, that thought simply tore at her heart. I didn't want to leave yet. I didn't want to die just yet. No, it wasn't just that, I didn't want to leave at all now. It was absolutely strange but for one moment, I was wishing for death and now, suddenly, just after speaking with the beautiful stranger it changed my mind completely.

"I'm sorry but your parents didn't make it either." Carlisle said to the boy.

At first the boy looked at him in confusion and then it dawned on him, the boy turned to me and looked at me with sad eyes, "Did you loose your parents too?" he asked.

I nodded silently and a few tears escaped from my eyes and started to fall down her cheeks. The boy started to sit up but Carlisle put his hand on the boys shoulder and gently pushed him back down on the bed like he had done with me. Why was the boy trying to get up? Did he want to comfort me like I wanted to comfort him?

Why are we feeling this strange pull towards one another?

"I'm sorry." The boy murmured to me.

"It's okay. I'm sorry too." I said to him in return.

The boy looked at me and his eyes were shining softly. There was a bit of sadness in them, but it seemed to be hidden by the most alluring brightness. They seemed to be filled now with wonder and excitement. But it was as quickly it was there, it was gone as he thought of something.

"I have Spanish Influenza too." He said softly.

"Yes." Carlisle said simply.

"And so does Isabella." The boy continued.

Carlisle nodded and I looked over at him sadly. In a way, his eyes looked pained as he said this and I wasn't sure why.

"How long do we have?" the boy asked.

"I only have two or three days. I was apparently out for quite a while. I fainted in the waiting room when I found out that my parents were dying." I answered.

"I'm really sorry," The boy said to me.

I nodded, I didn't have anything else to say.

"So do you." Carlisle told the boy. "You only have a few days as well." The boy nodded sadly at this and I watched as his gaze dropped to his hands.

"I don't want to die." I whispered out loud .

The boy nodded, "Me either…" he said sadly as he still looked down at his hands in sorrow.

He looked back up and captured my gaze again.

Carlisle looked between the two of us again with worry. Out of the corner of my eyes I watched as he ran a shaky hand through his hair, messing it up. I looked away from the boy and turned my gaze at Carlisle. I was reluctant to break the boys gaze, but as I heard Carlisle sigh in frustration, I wanted to know what was the matter. Carlisle looked like he was battling with himself again. Finally he ran his hand through his hair once more again and sighed.

"Isn't there anything you can do, please?" the boy pleaded with Carlisle.

Carlisle put his hand to his chin, "There is one thing," he said thoughtfully. "But I'm not sure if—" he trailed off. "I promised you're mother but…" Carlisle added the last part to himself.

"Please." I whispered.

Carlisle took in my broken expression. "You two cannot stay here if we do this. It isn't safe." He said as he looked around the room.

"Where will we go?" the boy asked.

"My house." Carlisle answered swiftly.

Carlisle suddenly left the room leaving me and the boy alone, "Wow." I finally said.

"We may have a chance to live." The boy said with bright eyes. We grinned at me, and I couldn't help but grin in return.

'I wonder what his method is?' I said to herself.

"I wonder what his method is." The boy said out loud. I gasped, it was almost as if he could hear my thoughts.

I finally shrugged, "I'm not sure." I said truthfully.

It was then that Carlisle walked back into the room with a serious expression on his face, "You two are coming with me back to my house for a special observation." He said with a wink. I wasn't sure what that meant, but hopefully that was what was going to save us.

I nodded. I didn't feel the need to speak out loud.

The bronze haired boy agreed but did the opposite, by speaking out loud, "Sure thing Dr. Cullen." He said.

"Call me Carlisle. No need to be so formal. Please, sleep for now you two," Carlisle said softly. "I will explain everything when we get to the mansion." He said.

I slowly closed my eyes and then fell into a dark oblivion.

The words have been drained from this pencil

Sweet words that I want to give you

And I can't sleep

I need to tell you

Goodnight

So many nights I cried myself to sleep

Now that you love me, I love myself

I never thought I would say this

I never thought there'd be

You

So what do you think? Should I post the Second Part? REVIEW!