HI EVERYBODY! Some notes about the story!
* It's in Bella, Edward and Rosalie's POV's.
* My first story so it might not be that long...
* Italics = Someone's thoughts.
* (#) = Change in POV.
* (***) = Time passing.
Enjoy! (PLEASE REVIEW!)
Chapter 1
Bella's POV
I turned my head to look at Edward. His eyes were closed, and a slight smile pulled at his lips. Snuggling deeper into his shoulder, he began to kiss the top of my head slowly and delicately.
We were in our meadow. The sun was high in the mid afternoon sky and Edward was sparkling like a diamond in the rough. Lately we didn't come to the meadow often. Edward preferred to watch me in my natural habitat (aka my room).
I still haven't told Charlie that we're engaged. It was only two weeks ago that Victoria set her new borns on us and Edward asked me to marry him. As i thought about my problem with Charlie my mind wandered. I sighed heavily with the thought of what i was going to have to do in the next few days.
"Love?" Edward had obviously picked up my sigh, damn.
"Hmm?" That was all i could manage in my deep contemplation.
"What's wrong?" His voice full of concern he sat up and turned to face me.
"Nothing, why? Nothing's wrong." My voice was a little bit too high pitched and i was talking too quickly.
He gave me a questioning look but didn't press the issue. Instead he sighed, got up and said he should probably get me home.
Edward always drove like a maniac. I was getting used to it but it was always startling at first. As we drove back to my place, doing 85 in a 60 zone, he kept glancing over at me, as though i was some sort of suspect. He saw me catch him looking at me so he stopped. I had the rest of the journey to think about what i was going to have to do.
In a week our whole lives would change, and i wasn't talking about the wedding (thank goodness!). He was supposed to arrive next Tuesday. A week from today. Oh man, i am so in for it. "ok, just grit your teeth and do it." I thought. I grit my teeth but no sound came out. Damn, this was going to be harder then i had originally thought.
Edward, noticing my nervousness, had started glancing over at me again. I caught his gaze and gave him an apologetic look.
"We don't have to tell him today Bella, it can wait." Edward said sincerely. Oh bless him, he thought i was nervous about telling Charlie we were engaged. I gave him a little smile. "But what will he say when he finds out what your really worried about." The little voice at the back of my head kept saying.
We pulled up tho the house to find Charlie's police cruiser already parked in the drive. What was he doing home, he normally got back just before dinner. It was only 3:30pm. Edward and i exchanged glances before i nervously opened the passenger door. Edward was by my side in less then a second, helping me out of the car.
As we got closer i could hear Charlie laughing and talking to someone. "who could be round now?" I thought. I didn't have to be a mind reader to know Edward was thinking the same thing
I put my key in the lock and turned the handle. Stepping inside i was greeted by Charlie's Boyish Laugh. Edward and i placed our coats on a hook and stepped further inside, Edward shutting the door behind us.
"We're back Char- , Dad." I yelled out.
All of a sudden something was running towards me. I say something because it was too small to be a someone, though on closer inspection that's exactly what it was. A little boy of about four or five was running towards me. He had messy brown brown curls that flopped around his face, and lovely chocolate brown eyes. He looked awfully familiar. And then it hit me.
"T- Toby?'' I breathed, suddenly elated.
"Bewwa!" He called back, flinging himself at me full force, so that both he and i ended up on the floor.
"Toby it is you! Oh my gosh you're so big i didn't recognize you! I thought you weren't arriving till next week. But oh my gosh i'm so glad you're here!" I kept gushing until i noticed Toby was no longer paying any attention to me. He was looking over my shoulder from where we now sat on the floor, to Edward standing rigid behind us. "oh no!" I thought. "Edward!" How was i going to explain this.
(#)
Edward POV
As we stepped inside i smelled them. It was an unfamiliar sent, and quite potent, though no where near as potent as Bella's. Hanging our coats on the hooks, we stepped further inside. I quietly shut the door behind us.
"We're back Char- , Dad." Bella called, her voice edgy with nervousness.
I noticed him before Bella, a young brown haired chocolate eyed boy of about four or five, running full force down the hallway towards us.
My first instinct was to protect. Bella would be knocked off her feet if she didn't move. I was about to step in front of her when she breathed,
"T- Toby?" Her voice elated and filled with surprise and joy. So she did know him then. Just as this new thought rooted itself in my brain, the boy collided with Bella, at the same time calling out,
"Bewwa!" They both lay there for a moment before Bella sat up and placed the boy in her lap, ant the same time stating to talk about a mile a minute.
I went rigid. Something about this was suspicious and when it came to anything suspicious that concerned Bella, i had learned to be on edge. Charlie's voice knocked me out of my stupor, and i realized the boy and Bella were looking at me. The boy's face curious, Bella's contorted into something filled with worry and... Apology?
"Come on Toby, she barely got in the door, you don't want to go pulverizing her." Charlie laughed.
I helped Bella up off the floor. She picked up the boy, Toby, and sat him on her hip.
"Very funny Dad." Bella said, trying to force a laugh.
Charlie walked back into the living room, Bella right behind. I followed, this wasn't really my buisness but... Curiosity killed the vampire.
Charlie sat in his usual armchair, while Bella sat on the couch, the boy sitting contentedly in her lap. Man did they look alike. She could have been his mother. I mentally scolded myself, what an unusual thought for me to have, however true it might be!
Charlie looked bored, as though he knew what was about to happen and was wishing it didn't have to. I glanced from him to Bella, she looked worried, but appeared to also want whatever was about to happen to hurry up.
"Edward, um. This is Toby." She muttered.
Toby waved and i waved back, before returning my attention to Bella, urging her to continue.
"Um, He's sort of my little brother." She murmured. Everything she said seemed to be getting quieter. It was a good thing i had super hearing.
I was dumbfounded. Her brother? But Bella didn't have a brother, she was an only child. Wasn't she? Well at least she wasn't really hi mother. For once i had nothing to say.
"Ah, what?" I said, my surprise clearly showing in my voice.
"I was going to tell you sooner but, it's a long story."
"I have time." I gave her a meaningful look as i said this.
"I know." She grimaced, before continuing.
"He's come to live with us you see. He was supposed to arrive next Tuesday and i was going to tell you before then but..." She gave Charlie an glare.
"He arrived early." She finished.
I paused before replying. This was a lot to take in a short space of time, even for me. Bella had always been an only child in my eye's. To suddenly find out she had a little brother was quite surprising, even if it was for a good reason, Which I'm sure it was.
"OK. So why is he living with you now?" I asked.
"He used to live in Phoenix with my mum and I but he was two when he got really sick. He has a lot of health problems. We didn't know whether he would even make it or not." She choked up a little so i moved to sit next to her on the couch. As i sat down she continued, seeming to draw strength from my presence.
"That was part of the reason i moved out here. It was all a little overwhelming." She stopped for a moment, as though contemplating how best to proceed.
"the doctors thought he might benefit if he recovered somewhere less hot and dry, so he moved out here with me and Dad."
I stared at this little boy. He didn't look like he was recovering from anything major, then again things work in mysterious ways, and i didn't even know what he had.
"What did he have?" I asked gently.
"A type of Leukemia." She choked a little on the last word. I put my arm around he. I was shocked. Leukemia?! I was instantly curious to hear the details but thought better then to ask. Maybe later.
"He also has Asthma, Exhma, a severe peanut allergy, a multitude of other allergys and because of the Leukemia is color blind." Bella was crying now. Tears falling down her soft cheeks. I kissed them away, the sweet salty taste filling my mouth with venom. I swallowed it down in time to see Bella's face flush scarlet. Charlie was still in the room. She was so cute when she was embarrassed.
"Are you alright?" I asked. She nodded.
"How old is he?" I tried to steer the conversation away from her brother's illness, clearly she didn't like to talk about it.
"4 and a half. His birthday is on September 27th." Smiling now, She looked down at the young boy in her lap.
Toby seemed bored and was playing with the hem of Bella's denim miniskirt, courtesy of Alice. He noticed us looking at him and gave us a smile. Cute little dimples appeared on each of his cheeks. "Rosalie would love him." I thought. So would Alice and Esme probably. Charlie chose that moment to speak.
"Couldn't you just eat him up?!" Charlie asked, sounding more like a doting mother then a proud father.
"Probably." I smirked. Bella laughed, Toby looked confused and Charlie seemed to be wondering whether i was making fun of him or not.
Bella looked at the clock and stood, Placing Toby down on the couch.
"Are you staying for dinner Edward?" She asked me, a smile playing on her lips.
"No thank you, i think Esme was preparing something special." I gave her a meaningful look, letting her know i wasn't really leaving and would see her soon.
I left the house and pulled expertly out of the drive. I parked the Volvo out of side down the road then ran with Vamparic speed back to the house to wait for Bella in her room.
(***)
Bella came up stairs at about 8:00pm, a sleeping Toby clinging to her neck. Toby had wanted to sleep with Bella in her room so a cot had been placed in one corner of the room. She tucked him in bed then went off to the bathroom to get changed.
Toby was really to big for a cot but it was all that would fit in Bella's tiny room so he didn't mind. As i watched him sleep i found myself stroking his cheeks, They were even softer then Bella's. His Breathing hitched a little when my cold hand touched his face, but he didn't seem to mind and rose one of his tiny hands to hold it in place. He already had such a hold on me and i had only just met him. I pulled away as i heard Bella approaching. "Just like Bella." I laughed quietly at my thought.
Bella came back in, closed the door behind her and sat up in bed. I settled myself down beside her and rapped my arms around her. She sighed, wrapped the blanket around her more and snuggled deeper into my arms.
I was content just to stroke her and kiss her soft lips but i could tell she wanted to say something, she just didn't appear to now how. I wasn't going to push, she would talk when she was ready. Sure enough, a few minutes later she did.
"It was a Sunday morning, back when he was 2." She started off.
"He had been home from daycare all week with a fever and aches and pains. He didn't wake up. I shook him but he just lay there, fever burning his pajamas soaked in his sweat." Her voice was devoid of any emotion but it was clear she didn't like to talk about this. I stayed quiet and just stroked her. Her hair, her face, Her arm's.
"Mum and i drove him to the hospital straight away. I can't remember much, the next few weeks were all a haze of activity, but he woke a few hours later. The doctors had a suspicion of what it was. They did some tests and diagnosed him with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia." Bella's breathing was coming short and her eyes filled with tears. I turned her to face me and kissed her passionately, before kissing away her unshed tears.
"Shh, love. It's alright. He's ok now, look there he is." I soothed, pointing to a sleeping Toby in his cot. Soon she had calmed down enough to continue.
"He had to have dialysis because his kidney were failing. He also had a lumber puncture to see if the Leukemia had spread to his brain or nervous system. It had. He had to have cranial radiation after they found leukemia in his spine." She turned to face me.
"After a few months of Chemo and Radiation he went into remission, but it was highly likely the Leukemia would come back if he didn't have a bone marrow transplant." She looked me in the eye, her voice getting quieter.
"They did some tests and i was a match " She moved out of my hold to stand beside the bed. She slid her pajama pants down below her hips. There were scars running diagonally across the top of each of her hips. I gasped. I couldn't help it, i hated the thought of Bella in surgery, for any reason. I started to growl protectively until she sat back down on the bed in her old possession. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, getting a control over my animal self enough to stop growling.
"I had the operation." She picked up from where she had left off.
"Everything was fine for a while but then he got GvHD. Graft versus Host Disease. It took a while but his body finally accepted the transplant. His blood changed from an A to O+ Like me though." Something told me she was finished. Her words had a definite finality to them.
We sat in silence for a while, both of us glancing over at the sleeping boy. He was so peaceful in sleep. Nothing about his demeanor said, "i've suffered a life threatening illness" Finally i decided to talk.
"So how is it you have a brother?"I questioned. She smiled.
"It was Christmas 4 years ago. My mum and i had come out to see Charlie for the holiday. Well, one Christmas eve they got roaring drunk and, well I'm sure you can guess the rest! Thankfully i was at a sleepover at Jacob's!" She snickered.
I laughed. That was pretty funny, Charlie and Renee did seem like the type of people that would happen to. Byt the time i looked down at Bella she was already asleep.
***
YAY! First Chapter done! I hope it's long enough for ya!
This is my first fanfic so i would REALLY appreciate some CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM! Things like, "please make the chapters longer." or "You made a spelling mistake here..." etc. Just don't tell me i suck as a writer and my story sucks! No one wants to hear that, that's not constructive criticism at all!!!
I'll post chapters as soon as they're written! PLEASE KEEP READING!
AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!
Thanks: Quilyrulz :]
