Chapter Two

"So, Lizzie, did you find your 'soul mate'?" I smiled watching my sister at her canvas. Ever since our trip to the hospital she had been painting; painting a certain doctor. I walked over to her and she had actually managed to transfer Dr. Cullen's beauty onto canvas. She didn't answer my question; she signed the bottom and fell onto a chair.

"Finished," she sighed. "He is the most amazing man I have ever met," she stared dreamily at the ceiling. "Livy, I think I'm in love." I kneeled down and smiled at her.

"You only met him today," I tried to sound enthusiastic but I just felt that she was taking this out of hand, "What did you two even talk about?"

"Oh, nothing really; the weather, works of art, famous literature; just that sort of things," she trailed off. I looked at her, eyebrows raised; she just smiled picking up an abandoned copy of Shakespeare.

"And you knew for certain that after all this 'meaningful' conversation, that he is the one?" I asked, slightly amused. Only Lizzie could find true love in a matter of minutes, I smiled to myself.

"So," a slow and sly smile grew on her face, "How was Edward? From the way he and you were talking, he did know you." I felt my face flame quickly and I turned away, striding over to the large bookshelf in my bedroom, I picked a few I thought Edward would be interested in. I heard Lizzie's footsteps and when I turned back around she was right in front of me.

"Livy, you didn't answer my question."

"He's fine," I walked past her, "He asked if I could drop off some books tomorrow, he says he finished all the others that they have there." She seemed to take that and left my room and went to hers, readying for bed.

As I laid in bed I couldn't help but think of Edward; he was going through so much and even his own parents couldn't help him. They weren't able to comfort him, they were dying and so was he. I don't think I could survive without seeing those eyes again, that face. Tears escaped and slid down my face, I was getting too worked up. I needed to calm down and get positive.

Edward would get better.

He needed to get better. For his sake.

And mine.

The next morning I skipped breakfast, I was too worked up for later that afternoon. Even though I was only going to the hospital to drop off books for Edward, I spent the entire morning trying to find something to wear, trying to find out what to say to him. The books laid in a stack, my favorite staring back at me. Wuthering Heights. I frowned, thinking about the trip over; I hoped he was feeling somewhat better.

Lizzie decided not to come with me, instead she would catch up on some "reading". More like sketching Dr. Cullen all afternoon.

The streets were still empty as I walked, enjoying the silence. However, the air of silence soon disappeared once I arrived at the hospital; I could hear blood curdling screams and shouts coming from the building. I shivered and walked inside.

Doctors and nurse ran frantically around, moving patients to and from the large room. I walked up the stairs and onto Edward's floor, I saw him immediately. He was asleep; his curtains were closed making the room dark. I didn't have the heart to wake him, so I just placed the books on the table beside him and tried to slip out quietly but I somehow hit this very same table causing all the books to make thuds on the floor.

His eyes fluttered open and I noticed a smooth smile spread across his face. I turned away and concentrated on getting the books, but I heard him sigh.

"I needed to wake up anyway," he smiled, teasingly at me.

"Sorry, I didn't mean too, I just wanted to drop off the books and let you sleep," my gaze remained at the books as I quickly picked them up.

"You need help?" his voice came out in a feeble whisper as he leaned towards me. I blushed and shook my head, pins falling beside me. "You sure?" I could hear the laughter in his voice, the musical laughter but it sounded rougher.

"Yes, I've got them all," I placed the stack back on the table and smiled at him, finally meeting his emerald gaze. I fell back on the ground and quickly looked away, "Um, well I really should be going." I stood up quickly and straightened up myself.

He sat up, still smiling, but it weakened slightly, not quite reaching his eyes. "Yes, you really should."

I looked at him curiously, "Why is that?"

"Nothing. It's early; you should head to your classes."

"We don't have classes, ever since the…epidemic, they've been canceled," I smiled, nodding and glancing around; it seemed the room had suddenly gone empty.

"Canceled? Really? I hadn't expected that," he nodded, much like I, it seemed like he was also trying to get his thoughts together.

"Yes," it was getting too quiet now; we were running out of things to say. The clock behind me suddenly chimed. Twelve times. "It's noon already?"

"You need to go somewhere?" he asked curiously.

"No, it just seems so late. That's all," I sighed. This wasn't what I had expected. I had thought we would…connect. Find some common ground and talk for hours, only it wasn't turning out that way. I looked out the large window, overlooking the empty street. The way the sun hung in the sky, it cast a bright light, but the deep shadows seemed somewhat more illuminated.

Hauntingly so.

"Well, it looks like you really should go," he spoke suddenly, breaking my realm of silence.

"Oh, why?"

He gave an amused expression, but his face had a light sheen and an unhealthy glow to it.

"It seems one of the nurses' keeps looking back here and giving us stern looks," I followed his gaze and immediately recognized her. Amelia Telis. I gave a bemused smirk as she continued to stare at me. She had always liked Edward, she must've heard he was sick, probably the only reason she even volunteered in this place.

"Oh, actually she's an old friend from school, don't you recognize her?" I turned back to Edward, ignoring the continuous daggers in my back from her hateful blue eyes.

"Actually, no," he looked down briefly, then met my gaze once again. "I don't really remember much about school, or anybody. I just remember learning." I didn't know if it was a trick of light but I swore I saw his bright eyes flicker at me.

"Really?" I gave a small laugh, "I recall somebody always reading a book or scribbling away in their notebook," I smirked at him and he rolled his eyes.

"Now it looks like you really must go. You're starting to get delirious," he retorted. "Ah, and it looks like your friend is glaring at me for keeping you so long."

I glanced back at Amelia and almost burst out laughing. "I think not. More like the other way around. Amelia never really liked me."

"Hmmm, is that so?" he trailed off and then glanced back out the window. It now seemed as if that was the end of our conversation, he had returned to his somber self.

"Well then," I straightened up and smiled, "It looks like I really must go. It was wonderful seeing you again, Edward." I turned and started to walk away when I heard his voice call after me.

"Olivia," I looked at him, still smiling but now confused. "I would like you to visit me again." I felt a blush creep onto my face and he smirked. "Purely for literary purposes of course. I will soon need new reading material."

"Of course," I stuttered, nodding my head. "Anything special?"

"Anything but romance."

"Oh," I glanced at the stack on his side and quickly wondered if I should remove Wuthering Heights. But I chose against it and left quietly.

As I passed Amelia, I noticed a small foot go out of its way in front of me. I looked at her and gave a small smile.

"You'd have to do better than that." And I made my way down the stairs and into the brilliant day before me.