A/N: Since I got a pretty positive response to the first chapter, I'm trying to write the second chapter! REVIEW IF YOU READ! Seriously people, tell me what you think. :D
Chapter 2:
The Calm before the Storm
I'm not sure how long I slept in Edward's protective arms before the blinding pain entered my head again. I sat bolt upright, screaming and clutching my head. I felt Edward sit up beside me, caressing my face and asking what was wrong. I couldn't respond; the pain was just too much.
And just like last time, the pain went away almost as if it hadn't been there at all. I was beginning to think that maybe I was imagining it. But then how could I imagine such an icy hot pain that pierced me to my very core and caused me to cry out in complete and utter agony?
I was breathing heavily, the cold sweat was back and I felt even more weak and tired, if that were even possible. Edward was rubbing my back, whispering comforting things in my ear. I could hear the real concern and worry in his voice and longed to take those things away.
Finally, I was able to look at the love of my existence. His face was once again full of worry and concern. "I'm fine. I've just been getting migraines a lot lately. That's all." I shrugged nonchalantly.
"Are you sure?" Edward asked, caressing my face gently and looking deep into my eyes, obviously searching for a sign that I wasn't okay. I didn't give him anything to find.
Instead I rolled my eyes and laughed lightly. "Yes, I'm positive." I promised, kissing him lightly on the lips before climbing out of bed. "Do you mind if I shower quickly?" I asked suddenly. I really did feel disgusting from all that sweating and I just wanted to sit under the cold water of the showerhead.
Edward nodded. "Go ahead. I will make you some breakfast." He said. Edward had been studying the food channel and now made me breakfast almost every morning.
I smiled widely and hugged him tightly, ignoring the pain in my body as I did so. I leaned up on my tippy toes and kissed his cheek before grabbing my bag of toiletries and making my way to the bathroom.
Once I was in the bathroom and had the door safely closed, I collapsed onto the floor, holding my head in my hands. I was not alright. But if I had to suffer, I wanted to do so alone and not have to cause my Edward to worry over me and suffer also. I didn't know how long I could keep up this charade, but I knew I needed to for as long as I could.
I stood up and stripped down and turned on the water as I did last night and stepped into the tub and under the showerhead. I was actually kind of afraid to take a shower now, after what had happened last night. I didn't really feel like collapsing without a reason again.
I showered quickly, washing my hair and body without really noticing I was doing so. I was too busy looking for any sign that I wasn't alright, any sign that I was going to collapse again. When no sign came and I didn't collapse, I got out of the shower and dried off quickly.
I had been ignoring the intense pain in my arms and legs as I showered but now I could no longer ignore it. Tears threatened to leak from my eyes but I didn't let them. I opened the medicine cabinet and took out the pain reliever and took two pills.
There, maybe that would help. I quickly blow dried my hair and got dressed then threw my towel into the hamper and made my way downstairs. I smiled at Edward, who was standing at the stove, cooking my eggs.
I walked to him and wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my cheek on his back, closing my eyes. I could almost feel him smile as he turned around and kissed my head, rubbing my back. "Feeling better?" He asked quietly.
"Yes. Thanks." I said quietly. And the truth was, I was feeling a little better since I took that pain reliever and I was beginning to wonder if I just had a virus or something.
"I'm glad to hear it. I was incredibly worried about you. Don't scare me like that again, alright?" Edward whispered in my ear, holding me close.
I smiled lightly. "Alright, I won't." I promised, reaching up and kissing him full on the lips. He kissed me back willingly, caressing my face gently and pulling me closer to him.
I kissed him with everything I had and had to remember to breathe through my nose or I would faint. Edward, as usual, eventually broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against mine. "Are you hungry, love?" He whispered, still holding me close.
"I'm starving." I replied just as quietly, not wanting to move. It was only then that I realized that I actually was starving. I remembered that I hadn't had anything to eat since about 4 o'clock the previous evening.
Suddenly, I was being lifted off the ground and I momentarily felt like I was flying before I was being put on a chair at my kitchen table. "What's for breakfast?" I asked, smiling at Edward who was now by the fridge, getting out the milk.
"Is pancakes and eggs alright with you?" Edward asked nervously.
I laughed. "Of course it's alright, silly." I said, seeing him smile with relief and preparing me a plate.
He placed the full plate of pancakes and eggs right in front of me and one breath of the usually delicious scent sent my mind in a whirlwind of nausea. I bit back the urge to throw up and picked up my fork, taking a bite and swallowing it with difficulty.
Edward sat down next to me and looked at me with concern. "Is something wrong?" He asked slowly.
I shook my head and smiled reassuringly at him. "No, nothing is wrong." I said. Wow…the lies were coming a lot easier now. I didn't think about the food as I ate it. I just ate it. As soon as I was done, the urge to throw up became even stronger and I fought even harder to control it.
Edward rinsed my dishes and then came behind me, putting his arms around me neck and leaning down and kissing it. "Do you want to hang out at my house today, love?" He asked quietly.
I smiled at the feel of his lips on my neck and momentarily forgot the nausea threatening to overcome me. "That sounds great, Edward. Let's get going then." I said, standing up, almost falling over from the new roll of nausea that passed through my body. I gasped, swallowing a few times.
My love put his arms around me, steadying me. "Are you sure you're alright, Bella? You haven't been acting like yourself." He said, concern once again radiating like daggers in his handsome voice.
"I'm fine, Edward." I snapped. I instantly regretted it. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. But I'm really fine, alright?" I said quickly.
Edward sighed, shaking his head and frowning deeply. "Alright, Bella." He mumbled, taking a firm grip on my hand and we walked outside to his silver Volvo that he had obviously driven over here while I was still in the shower.
We reached the passenger side door and he opened it for me. I gratefully sank onto the soft leather seat and closed my eyes, trying not to think about anything that would cause my nausea to suddenly become unbearable.
Edward was in the driver's seat in a flash and I immediately perked up again, smiling at him. He smiled back at me and took my hand in his. "Your hand is freezing, Bella." He laughed at me. "It's almost as cold as mine!" He joked.
I laughed with him, secretly concerned for myself. What was wrong with me? I didn't say anything and just held on tightly to his hand. If I couldn't tell him what was wrong, I could still seek comfort from him in normal things that we did every day.
With his crazy driving, we reached his home in 15 minutes. He was out of the car and on my side in under a second. Helping me out of the car so I didn't trip, he took my hand and we began walking to the house. My legs felt like jelly and threatened to collapse under me. I willed them to keep working and we eventually made it to the house.
Edward opened the door and let me go inside ahead of him. I did so and then took off my shoes but kept my jacket on. I was extremely cold since last night. Edward followed my lead and also took off his shoes. Alice came bounding down the stairs and looked at me with knowing eyes.
"Bella, you are a little liar." She said to me, her bell like voice radiating with disapproval.
I sighed; of course she would have seen everything. "Alice, I'm just fine. I didn't lie about anything. It's just a virus." I shrugged, making my way over to the couch and falling not so gracefully onto it.
Edward was beside me in an instant, one arm wrapped around my shoulders. Alice stood in front of me, her arms crossed across her chest in disapproval. "I'm watching you." She said seriously. I shuddered.
She turned away and skipped up the stairs and back to her bedroom. "What do you want to do?" Edward asked me, choosing to ignore the little exchange I had just had with Alice.
"Can we go out on the swing in your back yard?" I asked slowly. We had recently discovered a little rope and wood swing in the vast backyard. I had fallen in love with it the moment I saw it and it had become our spot ever since. It was my favorite place to go with Edward outside of the meadow.
Edward smiled hugely and nodded eagerly. "That sounds like a really great idea. Let's go." He said, taking my hand and helping me off the couch. He eagerly pulled me along as we made our way out the back door and to the swing hanging from a thick tree branch of an Oak tree.
I smiled at it and pulled away from Edward and jumped onto the swing. Edward laughed at me and came behind me, taking my waist gently and giving me a light push. I closed my eyes and relished in the feeling that was the closest thing to flying I would ever feel out side of Edward running with me.
I don't know how long we were there, me swinging and the love of my existence pushing me with love in his every touch. We would talk every now and then, but mostly there was a comfortable silence between us.
As I look back at it, this seemed to be the calm before the storm. In mid-sentence, I suddenly felt the Earth slipping away from me. I couldn't keep my grip on the handles of the swing and I could feel myself falling. It seemed to be happening in slow motion. After what seemed like ages of falling, my body hit the ground.
It seemed to have just given up functioning. My back hit the ground first, then my head. The world went black for a moment until I felt someone's arms go around my torso and hold me close to their cold body. I knew it was Edward and I knew he was beating himself up for not catching me.
My eyes fluttered open and I stared up at my angel's troubled face. "I'm so sorry! I can't believe I didn't catch you!" He said over and over again, caressing my face gently.
I weakly put my hand on his hand, my head pounding and my muscles aching more than ever. "Edward." I breathed.
He looked at me with wild eyes. "What? What is it?" He asked urgently.
"I'm not okay, Edward." I whispered before letting my hand drop and finally allowing my body to do what it had been fighting to do for the past two days. I let it sink into unconsciousness; I let it sink into the storm….
A/N: Ah! Okay! There is chapter 2! PLEASE REVIEW!!
Keelie