I'm so so so so so sorry I couldn't update yesterday! I had to go to the zoo with my dad's girlfriend and watch a bunch of seven year olds. I thought I would be home after the zoo, but I didn't end up getting home until 11:00 and I was exhausted. So, that's my wonderful excuse. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
Anyways, thanks to all my wonderful reviewers! Keep it up, I want to get over 100 for this story! Tell your friends...
Enjoy!
Edward gazed ahead blankly, having awoken shortly after I had started the car. His head rested in his hands as I sped through town, trying to get to Carlisle as fast as possible. He looked up only when we entered the long, grassy driveway, saying nothing, ignoring my questions and anxious glances.
Soon the house came into sight; I don't think I'd ever been more thankful to see that building in my life. Esme was out front, kneeling in her beautiful garden, smudged head to toe in dirt. She smiled as I pulled in, waving enthusiastically. Dashing from the car around towards the passenger seat I became aware of her presence behind me, her cheery greetings replaced by a worried frown.
I pulled open the door, bending down to wrap Edward's arm around my neck, carefully trying to hoist him from the car. Esme was immediately on the opposite side, supporting Edward's weight more easily than I could.
"What happened?" Her velvet voice was laced with concern as we helped Edward up the stairs to the front door.
"I don't know," I replied as Esme took all of Edward's weight so I could hold open the entryway. "He just got…sick." I didn't know any other way to describe it.
A loud shriek erupted through the room and Alice was by our side before I could blink.
"Go get Carlisle," Esme instructed firmly and Alice nodded, disappearing from sight. We had barely gotten Edward to the couch when Carlisle appeared, followed by Alice and Jasper. Edward had lapsed into unconsciousness again and his still body reminded me chillingly of a recent death. I had to close my eyes and try and clear the thought from my mind. A comforting arm wound around me and I glanced gratefully at Alice, though the worry never left my eyes.
Carlisle had rested a hand on Edward's forehead, wincing at the odd heat radiating from the skin and turned to look towards me.
"Bella," his voice had assumed his trained professional tone. "I need you to tell me everything that happened."
"I don't know what happened," I repeated what I had said to Esme. "He came over last night, and he felt hot, but he insisted everything was alright." My voice sounded slightly hysterical and I was trying desperately not to break down. It wouldn't help Edward any to start crying. "When I woke up he was gone and I found him in the woods. He just keeps getting worse! What's wrong with him?"
Carlisle shook his head. "I don't know."
"I thought vampires couldn't get sick!" I exclaimed, tears starting to leak down my cheeks. Carlisle's seeming loss at the situation scared me. I had been sure that everything would be all right once we had gotten to him. It had to be.
"We can't," Alice replied, her flat voice almost unrecognizable. My throat constricted and I was finding it strangely hard to breath. I hoped I wasn't about to hyperventilate.
"Deep breaths Bella," Jasper instructed, sensing my distress. His hand rested lightly on my shoulder and I began to feel slightly more relaxed. At least until Edward's eyes blinked open. He shot into a sitting position and glared darkly at Alice and Jasper.
"What have you done to her?" he shouted, rising from the couch and attempting to fling the vampires from my side. "How could you do this?"
"Edward, stop!" I screamed, grabbing his arms to sooth him. The next thing I knew I had been flung to the ground with amazing force and Carlisle and Esme were restraining Edward from attacking Alice, which wasn't too hard in his weakened condition. Jasper was by my side, helping me up, my head spinning slightly. Edward was shouting an impressive list of profanities at his sister, who was crying some form of denial back at him.
"Get her out," Carlisle instructed to Jasper, who dragged my struggling body from the room. I couldn't bear to be taken away from my love. Not when he was in such a state.
"Calm down Bella!" Jasper's voice was firm and I ceased to fight against him, reason finally penetrating my skull. Although I trusted Jasper completely, I knew he had the weakest resolve of them all and I didn't want to tempt him, however accidentally. I could tell he was thinking along the same lines and he sighed gratefully. Even outside I could hear the shouting from inside, although I couldn't quite make out what they were saying.
Suddenly my legs felt shaky and I lowered myself onto the front steps, desperately trying not to cry in front of Jasper. I knew it was silly, but I really didn't want to show him my weakness. Fiercely I wished I had the control and cool-headedness that the others had. I sniffed, embarrassed, as Jasper took a seat beside me. I had never appreciated his quiet nature more than now. We could sit, unspeaking, and not have the awkward feeling that always seems to arise in these sorts of situations.
"Where are Rosalie and Emmett?" I asked quietly after several minutes of silence. The arguing was still quite apparent through the partially opened door.
"They went hunting," Jasper replied, his face examining mine carefully, as if I were the one to be worried about, not Edward. I gave a half-smile, trying to assure him I was ok. Suddenly Alice's head popped out through the doorway.
"Bella, could you come in?" She asked as sweetly as she could, although it was obvious she was quite upset. "I think he needs to see you."
I sprung to my feet without toppling over and Alice held the door open for me as I entered. Edward was seated on the couch, looking exhausted, the rings below his eyes unusually dark. His face lit up as I stumbled to his side, eyes examining me up and down as if to make sure all my limbs were still attached.
"Edward, I'm ok," I tried to assure, for the second time that day. "Nothing happened." His hands reached to my face, stroking my cheeks gently before running down my neck to my shoulders and then dropping limply to his sides. More shame than I had ever seen filled his eyes and his gaze dropped to the floor sullenly.
"He thought we had changed you," Alice explained, approaching with caution. Edward made no reaction to her voice. I gazed at him in wonder, and then looked towards Carlisle's searching face. He wore the same worry that all of us adorned, but there was something else as well, something underneath that I couldn't quite place. He rose without a word and swiftly disappeared up the stairs to his study. Esme squeezed Edward's hand tightly before following her husband. I remained by my love's side, unsure of what to say or do.
Sun streamed through the windows, brightening the room and causing the vampires' skin to faintly glimmer, as if they were lightly dusted with golden glitter. Alice and Jasper were seated on the floor, whispering too quiet for me to make out. Time seemed to have slowed down as I anxiously awaited Carlisle's return. Every second I waited seemed to stretch for hours. I rubbed Edward's back soothingly, though he had remained as still as a marble statue since he had seen me. Only his open eyes and quiet breaths gave any indication that he was still awake.
A sharp gasp averted my attention towards Alice; her eyes were wide and unfocused, she gripped Jasper tightly. Her mouth was moving frantically though no words could be heard. Jasper rubbed her shoulders reassuringly and slowly her eyes grasped what she was seeing around her.
"Edward," she whispered, so quiet I wasn't even sure I had heard her. Then, despite Jasper's questions about what she had seen, she jumped to her feet and bounded up the stairs to Carlisle's study. Jasper gazed at me apologetically before following after Alice. I sat with Edward, feeling strangely alone.
Suddenly Edward's back began to straighten and his head turned towards my face, his own face filled with sorrow and something else. Regret? I just knew that I didn't like it. It reminded me too much of when he left. My chest throbbed painfully at the thought and I tried to push it from my mind.
"I know what Alice saw," Edward remarked softly. I bit my lips nervously, not liking where this conversation was bound to lead.
"You're going to be ok," I think I was assuring myself as much as him. "Carlisle will know what to do." Edward's face didn't change at my words. He glanced around the room, as if noticing where he was for the first time.
"Bella," his voice was dark. I couldn't breathe. "No matter what happens…" I couldn't take this anymore.
"No!" I broke in. "Nothing is going to happen! You're going to be fine!"
Edward's mouth raised in a compassionate smile. His hand tangled in my hair and he pressed his lips to mine. The passion and urgency with which he kissed me was frightening, as if he had to make up for a lifetime of lost kisses. Eventually the temptation proved too much and he broke away. I looked down, unable to meet the smoldering ocher eyes. There was no reason to be thinking of losing him; nothing had occurred that should make me believe that. I was sure there had to be some simple way of righting everything.
The door flew open and an extremely agitated Rosalie walked through the door followed by lumbering Emmett.
"…know why you're dragging me back to that low-life, venom-tongued, squelching slug of a brother…" Rosalie's complaints towards Emmett faded as she took in both of our pitiful conditions; Edward's flushed features and my obviously tear-dried cheeks. Emmett poked her from behind.
"I told you I had a bad feeling," Emmett whispered in a voice not meant for our ears. Rosalie turned and glared at him, most likely upset at being proven wrong.
"What's going on?" she directed the question towards me, her eyes narrowing to catlike slits. I had no chance to answer as Carlisle had made his way down the stairs, followed by the rest of the family. He barely even seemed to register Rosalie and Emmett's presence before speaking with obvious haste.
"We need to go to Italy."
