Bella's POV

I sighed as I stretched out on my bed. The weekend had finally begun. I felt around the bed for Edward to myself when I felt his fingers tangle through my own.

"Good morning, love," he sighed. I felt his cool lips on the back of my hand.

I sat up on the bed and looked at him. "I'm so glad you're here."

His brow furrowed. Ever since returning from Italy, he was afraid to leave, and I was always so pleased to find that he hadn't. I wasn't meaning it in that way though; I meant that I was glad in general. It was tough explaining, and he never believed that I would fully trust him now. So I just smiled and leaned in for a light peck on the cheek.

I felt him smile as my lips touched his smooth granite face. "Of course," he whispered.

"So," I started, stretching up and falling into his chest. "What do you wanna do today?"

He played with my hand and hummed to himself for a bit. "Anything. It's up to you." He paused for a moment and I could feel his eyes on my left hand. He turned it around slowly before squeezing it. "Where is your ring?"

I groan. "You know I can't wear it when Charlie's around. At least, not before we break the news to him."

I feel his chin on my head. "I know that, Bella. While we're on the topic, when were you planning on telling him of our upcoming nuptials?"

"Don't rush me, Edward," I moan. "I will, I promise. Soon. I just . . . I wish this time could last forever. Having this to ourselves is . . . nice."

"I know what you mean," he chuckles.

Eventually, we knew that we couldn't stay in this blissful bubble that happened first thing in the morning. I decided to go brush my teeth at least, anxious to kiss Edward good morning, but worried I might have morning breath. I didn't wanna take the chance. I reluctantly lift myself off his chest and push myself to the edge of the bed.

I feel something pulling in my chest and clutch it, rubbing the skin there. It was a dull ache, not painful, but not comfortable.

"Is everything okay, Bella?" I feel a cold hand on my back and turn. Edward is still lying on the bed but leaning towards me, with a slightly concerned expression on his face.

"Yeah," I say quickly. "My chest is just a bit sore."

"Would you like me to take you to Carlisle?"

God, Edward was prone to overreactions. I roll my eyes. "I'm sure it's just indigestion or something." I turn more to smirk at him. "Or maybe that's just the effect you have on my heart."

He arches an eyebrow and chuckles. "Kidding aside, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, Edward! I'll be fine! I'm just going to take something to ease the burning and I'll be up and running in no time." I cough a little, not helping my case. As I cough, I feel my throat constricting. "I might be coming down with something. Let me just go take a shower. I'll be right back."

I hop up off the bed and go into the bathroom. I don't look at myself as I undress and get under the hot water. I'm not sure how long I stand there, just letting the hot water run down my back and make me shiver with pleasure. I hear plates banging on the counter downstairs and I know Charlie isn't home, so Edward must be cooking me breakfast. I take another moment just to appreciate him and the fact that I don't deserve him, not at all. The universe must have a debt to pay to me from one of my past lives or something to give me someone like Edward.

The pain in my chest subsides as it's replaced with deeper thoughts. Thoughts of my wedding. Alice would not let this weekend pass without some sort of planning being done. I wondered what torture it would be this time. I groaned and that caused me to cough more. That set me off. It felt like something was lodged in my throat. The force made me bent over and hold my knees as I hacked onto the shower floor. The position was awkward and the pain grew. The coughing wasn't stopping and I eventually threw up my dinner. I watched the yellow muck dissolves with the soap bubbles and slide down the drain. I was queasy just seeing it.

I freeze, waiting for the next load. Once I'm sure there will be no more vomit, I stand and rinse myself quickly, before turning off the water and stepping out into the cold bathroom. I grab a towel from behind the door and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I gasp and freeze in place, momentarily forgetting the cold and the pain and the coughing. There's a huge welt on my rib cage. The right one is normal and pasty white as usual. The left one has a purple and red patch. It looks painful, yet I couldn't even feel it. I gingerly lay a finger on it. It's a bruise. I watch as it turns white for a short second, then back to red. I shake my head and grab the towel, anxious to see Edward, to go to Carlisle.

I race to my bedroom where more coughing erupts from my chest. This time, I feel the pain.

"Bella? Are you alright?" Edward calls from the bottom of the staircase.

"I'm . . . fine!" I cough out. "Don't come up, I'm not decent!"

I pull myself up until I'm standing straight and start digging around for clothes, anything to just throw on and wear until I make it to Carlisle. The coughing becomes more like retching and I throw up once more, this time on the bedroom floor. I pull myself back up, forgetting the clothes and wrapping the towel tightly around my body, before stumbling to the top of the staircase. I feel myself slip over my own feet and hold my hand out to grab the banister, but I miss and tumble down each step, banging my head and ribs so painfully I cry out.

I barely notice when Edward throws me into his arms and carries me to his car. I barely notice the time it takes for his car to get to the hospital. All I know is pain. I black out at some point, so deeply into the darkness that not even the sound of Edward's voice brings me back. Only the beeping of a heart monitor and the feeling of a needle through my arm manage to get me conscience for a second. But even that doesn't keep me. All I can do is suffer in silence, and wait for what I figured to be my death to come.

I knew the universe wasn't going to let us off the hook that easily.