A/N: Thanks for staying faithful through the delay. Let's hope I stay faithful to my promise!!

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the making of "Twilight" the movie or any of Stephanie Meyer's books. Castan, Wynn, and a few other new vampires are of my own creation. Adelayde is partly my creation, the name is of Amy's creation, and she's semi-based on her. Any similarities between "Eclipse" and this fanfiction are merely coincidental; only coincidental.

Chapter 4:

Edward was in Carlisle's office, the same place he had been in for the past four hours, pacing and watching Bella lying there. -Unmoving–Not breathing–Just lying there.-

He sighed. -What the hell is wrong with her?- he thought.

"Edward, perhaps you should leave the room. You've been standing for hours; even for a vampire, that's a long time," Carlisle suggested from his position at his desk.

"No, Carlisle. I'm fine," Edward replied, watching Carlisle type. His stepfather spun around in his computer chair and eyed him skeptically. "What?" Carlisle raised his eyebrows. "Truly, I'm fine. Trust me."

"If you're sure..."

"I'm positive, Carlisle," Edward said firmly. His forehead scrunched together again, and he walked toward the wall with the pictures of the Volturi on it.

-Turn.-

Toward the bed that held Bella.

-Caress Bella's hand.–Turn.-

Back toward the Volturi portraits.

After four hours of waiting, Edward had concocted his own little system.

A few minutes passed, during which all was heard was the click of Carlisle's mouse and the tapping of the keys of his keyboard. -Research,- thought Edward.

Carlisle twitched. "Edward, this isn't healthy. She's out of it, and no amount of pacing is going to help the situation."

"I said I'm fine, Carlisle."

"But I say you're not, and you are going to go upstairs and lay down," Carlisle ordered.

"Carlisle, I love her. I just can't leave her here, laying unconscious, while I'm upstairs pacing just as much. It's just not right-" Edward argued.

The older vampire held up a hand. "Edward James, get yourself upstairs and to your bedroom this instant."

"No, Carlisle, I will not."

"Edward, I'm warning you," Carlisle threatened. "You're making me nervous, and if you don't go, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to cure Isabella. Don't make me screw up."

"I'm sorry, Carlisle. I'll stop pacing. But I'm staying," Edward apologized.

"Fine." Carlisle turned his back and continued typing. He fell into a trance reading the research, and became oblivious to Edward and everything else. -Why didn't he just do that before?- Edward thought.

-Edward really needs to leave. I've never dealt with this before. What if I mess up? What if I never cure her? Will he forgive me?- Carlisle debated in his head. Edward wasn't paying attention to his thoughts, however, for he was concentrated on Bella. She had moved. She had moved, not too much, but just enough for him to be able to tell.

She'd moved a finger.

Bella's mind reeled with memories. Memories of last year, with James and Victoria on the hunt for her; of the events of the day, with being almost killed by Wynn. And she couldn't stop them. She didn't have control over her mind anymore.

She couldn't stop the pain, and she couldn't stop the fear. She tried to move; she couldn't feel a thing. Everything was weighed down, it felt like, and she had no strength left. Her eyes were glued shut, the projection screen of her worst nightmares, excluding the ones about Edward. She couldn't even make a noise; everything was paused. Was her heart even beating?

Did she somehow get bitten today? Could Wynn have bitten her that quickly, with Edward already knowing her thoughts? Was it that easy for her? Maybe this was how it felt to be...changed. If that was true, she wasn't so sure she really wanted that life anymore. But the half that was sure screamed, -No! Stop that thinking! You love Edward, and if you die before she does...-

She dropped the argument before it even began. She had the same debate every day of her life.

Bella's attention switched to the things being said in the room. She could hear every word that was spoken. But she couldn't even reply, or interrupt- her voice wouldn't work.

Edward was saying he would never leave her, and Carlisle was ordering him to rest. But why would he have to rest? He was a vampire, and certainly they don't need to rest anything. They're not...living...

But, supposedly, they could. Bella just wondered how.

Wandering back to the room's sounds, Bella realized that she heard the clicking of the computer. How could Carlisle be on the computer at a time like this? Surely he wasn't playing a game...he was a doctor, after all, so why would he waste his precious time with silly games? She crossed that off of the list of possible activities. Edward was still in the room. Perhaps it had something to do with her?

Her mind exhausted, she thought nothing of it when Edward started shouting, "Carlisle!" She had tried to move her finger, which was in an uncomfortable position (bent underneath her hand), and with the weight she was feeling placed on it, she wasn't sure she could take the feeling any longer.

So she had tried to move her index finger. They couldn't possibly see it move, could they?

Yes, Edward had seen it. And he was truly excited.

"Carlisle!" he shouted. "Carlisle, look! She moved a finger. A finger!"

The vampire turned to face him. "Edward, she's out cold. You must be really exhausted."

"Carlisle, I didn't want to say anything before; we don't need rest, and-"

"It's unusual, but sometimes it happens when a vampire experiences extreme trauma, and, in this case, Bella getting hurt counts as an extremely emotional and traumatical experience."

"But Carlisle, I swear I saw her finger move. I'm not tired; I really saw it!" Edward argued. Carlisle was beginning to get on his nerves. He knew he couldn't do or say anything to him, of course, for if Edward offended Carlisle, Bella may never be healed. "Sorry, Carlisle..."

"Let's forget about it. But you really should go and rest. Just go upstairs and rest, Edward. Everything's fine down here."

"No, I think I can sit over there. I just want to be here if, and when, she wakes up..." Edward said. He yawned, and, surprised at this reaction to the day's events, sat down, wide-eyed. "Did I just...yawn?"

"Yes, Edward. You did." A series of beeping noises came from the fax machine by the computer, and Carlisle wheeled his chair over to the machine's stand. Taking the paper, he said, "Looks like at least someone knows what's wrong with the girl."

"What do you mean?"

"I sent word to almost every vampire in the world that does what I do, only for vampires, and I finally got a few answers from them on what happened."

"Well?"

Carlisle read down the letter, his brow becoming furrowed with each paragraph. He finally looked up, sorrow in his eyes, as he said, "Edward..."

"What?"

"Edward, I'm-" Carlisle began.

"You're what? Just tell me what's wrong, Carlisle," Edward demanded worriedly.

"Well, Edward...it seems that there's a plague going around in other parts of the world. Where Wynn came from, coincidentally."

"A 'plague?' What kind of plague?"

"I know, Edward, usually we don't get sick, and we don't contract the same viruses most of the time, but the Lamia Plague, in all reality, is the exception."

"But, how does it work?"

"It's generally passed only through vampires, so we're not sure why Bella came down with it, but that isn't important right now."

"Oh?" Edward asked dubiously. He raised is eyebrows in skepticism.

"Yes, 'oh.' There are more important things that need to be taken care of. For example, how are we going to cure Bella?" Carlisle snapped. It was unlike him to lose composure.

"Carlisle, what are we going to do?"

"Most of the time, it passes on its own. There really isn't anything we can do other than try unselected treatments, and see if they work."

"But, what if they don't work, Carlisle?" Edward asked. He was worried. Not only for Bella, but for Carlisle. What if it didn't work? How would Carlisle feel?

"We'll just have to wait and see. If nothing works, well..."

"'Well,' what, Carlisle?" Edward pushed.

He was getting the feeling he would have to read his mind again when Carlisle blurted, "If nothing works, we may just have to wait for her to wake up."

"Do you mean...are you saying...you're telling me that Bella could very well...die from this?"

"Yes, Edward. She could," Carlisle answered sympathetically. With sorrow shining in his copper eyes, he added, "Edward, I'm so sorry."

"No, Carlisle, I'm fine. I'll just...I think a rest would be rather helpful right now," he said, trying to hide the tears. This was new to him too; he hadn't cried since...since he was changed, at least.

He sulked over to Bella's unmoving body and leaned down. He whispered into her ear, "Wake up, Bella. Oh please, wake up."

This was one of the many times he would have loved to read her mind.

-I would if I could, Edward, love.- Bella thought.

She ached to move. Why did she have to always be near-death? Why did she have to contract this stupid plague?

Before leaving the room, Edward was struck with an idea. A candle's tiny flame burned in his mind.

"Carlisle?" he asked hesitantly.

"Hmm?" came the answer.

"Carlisle, could we by any chance, umm...what I want to know is...could we...change her?"

"Edward, she's a step away from death now. We're hoping she doesn't fall over the ledge. Let's not push it."

"What do you mean?"

"If we change her now, think about it. If you hadn't fed constantly during your three days after transformation, you would have been ravenous. If we change her...We don't even know when she'll wake up. She'll try to kill every animal on earth." He paused. "No, Edward. We can't change her."

The flame went out. The candle snuffer was at work again.

Edward skulked from the room and up the stairs.

This would definitely be a long, long, long night. He just wished he could sleep.

He laid his head on the armrest of the leather couch and shut his eyes, not expecting to be able to sleep. -What is going on with my body? I'm a vampire. I can't be tired, I can't sleep, and I can't cry. What the hell is wrong here?-

Those three thoughts. Then darkness. Sleep had finally come, after the thousands of years he had been a vampire, he finally was able to sleep.

But how did that happen?

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger...just something I do, I suppose!