Thanks Fran for making this prettier and Lissa, JudyBlue and Michele for all of their words.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight and I know that the turn this story is about to take is highly unlikely. I hope you can see it for what it is and go on this journey with me. Jake's symptoms and treatment do fall in line with his diagnosis, but I will take creative liberties moving forward (where his donation comes from and things like that).

Remember:

I love a slow burn.

I love a unique plot.

I love a fic that makes you feel ... something, anything.

I love twists and turns and shocking revelations.

I love for Bella and Edward to live happily ever after.

Old questions will be answered and new ones will form ...

BPOV

We arrive at the hospital amid a flurry of activity. Carlisle is waiting at the entrance to the ER and has several nurses at his side. I unbuckle Jake and we slowly slide out of the car. He'd already fallen back to sleep.

"Follow me." Carlisle's tone is brisk; no nonsense.

He leads us through the emergency room and straight back to one of the treatment rooms. "Lay him down on the examination table." He turns to the nurse that followed us in. "Get an IV started and page Dr. Volturi."

"Who's Dr. Volturi?" I ask.

He turns to me. "Bella, he's a hematologist, this area is his specialty. I had already contacted him regarding Jake's case."

I recoil. "He doesn't need a specialist. I need you to fix him!"

My mother steps up and places her hands on my shoulders from behind. "Sweetheart, Carlisle is only doing what's best for Jacob. I'm sure he'd never just pass him along to another physician."

Carlisle sighs. "God no, Bella. I'd never leave Jake. I just want the best for him and with his condition, I wanted a specialist on board." He looks to Jake for a second, then back to me. "You have to know that this isn't a good sign? That his condition might be worse than I feared?"

I take deep, steady breaths, allowing his words to settle in my mind, only problem is that it automatically balks at the concept. "Worse? No, Carlisle, you said it could be mild and maybe only need medicine! You said he'd be okay! That's what you said!" Jake stirs and I realize my rant has disturbed him. My whole body sags. Defeated. "Never mind, just make him better."

He nods and turns to Jake, looking him over. Another man enters the room and heads straight for Jacob. "Is this him, Carlisle? The boy you mentioned?" he asks.

Carlisle turns and acknowledges the other doctor with a nod. "It is."

The doctor goes straight over to Jake and begins looking him over, then turns to me. "How long has he been getting bruises like this?" His voice is harsh and I'm not sure I like the accusation in his tone.

I shrug. "A couple of months. He's a boy, they play hard."

He sighs and turns to the nurse, who's standing just inside the doorway. "Jessica, get me the lab on the phone."

She nods and scurries from the room. Then he looks to Carlisle. "He's going to have to be admitted."

Carlisle scrubs his hand through his hair. "I figured as much."

"Admitted?" my dad speaks up.

Carlisle walks over, looking as defeated as I feel. "I'm sorry, but his condition has gone down fast. I never anticipated that he'd exhibit these signs."

My mom places her hand on Carlisle's forearm. "Oh, Carlisle, we don't blame you. We know you care as much for Jake as we do."

"What do these signs mean, Carlisle?" I ask, afraid for the answer.

His weary eyes lock on mine. "It means he's pretty sick right now, Bella. As soon as the other tests come back from the lab, Dr. Volturi and I can give a more definite outlook." He reaches over and strokes my hair. "But for now, I need you to prepare yourself." He looks to my parents. "You all need to prepare yourself."

His hand drops and he walks back over to Jake. I feel my walls start to crumble around me, but one glance at the table my precious boy is lying on and I know I can't. I had my chance to break down and I took it and reveled in it. That was it, my one and only opportunity. It's over and done and now I'll be the rock my baby is going to need.

I draw in one huge lungful of air and let it all wash away. The pain is no longer my vice, it's the fight. The fight we're going to give if anyone or anything thinks they're going to hurt my son.

I stand aside and allow Carlisle and Dr. Volturi to do every minute check they can. Finally, Jessica comes back. "Dr. Volturi, I have the lab on the phone at the nurses' desk." He nods and walks briskly out of the room.

I run my fingers through Jake's hair as he lays there sleeping. "Carlisle, is it okay that he's still sleeping? He's been asleep almost since we left your office earlier."

"Sleep is a defense mechanism. When our bodies are tired and worn down, they sleep to build back up. It's perfectly normal." His voice is sad and broken. The guilt lying heavily upon him.

I walk over and place my hand on his back, gaining his attention. "Carlisle, this isn't your fault, you know? Whatever this is, it's not your fault! I can see the guilt, sitting there like a brick on your chest." I reach around and offer a brief hug before pulling back and staring into his eyes. "I trust you, Carlisle. I know you'll do everything in your power to make him better."

A small smile curls up on his lips. "Thank you, Bella. And I will. I'll do everything in my power to make Jacob well." He sighs. "There are going to be some tough decisions to be made, but we'll do it together, as one strong unit." He motions to Jake. "For him."

I suck in a deep breath and nod. "For him."

Just then, the door bursts open and Dr. Volturi sweeps in. "Carlisle, can I talk to you … outside?" He tilts his head toward the door.

Carlisle stiffens. "Are the test results in?"

Dr. Volturi nods, a solemn look on his face. Carlisle clears his throat and begins walking in his direction.

"Hold up! If you two think you're going to go outside and talk alone about my son and his condition, then you had better think again. Anything that needs to be said can be said right here!" I'm fuming. How dare they? I won't just sit by and allow that to happen.

Dr. Volturi cuts his eyes at me, his haughty demeanor already in place. "Save it!" I snap. "You will tell me what is wrong with my son and what we need to do to fix him!"

Shock registers on his face before Carlisle steps forward trying to calm the situation. "Dr. Volturi, first I'd like to introduce you to Bella Swan. This is Jacob's mother."

"I gathered." He rolls his eyes.

"Second, I agree with Bella. Whatever those test results are, she has a right to know. Why don't we go to your office and discuss them together?" It's a suggestion, but not really. Carlisle just made sure to include me in whatever this doctor has to say.

"Carlisle, I don't th—"

"That's not your decision, Alec. Bella will hear the results first hand." His voice is firm but holds no malice. The decision is his and has already been made.

Dr. Volturi sighs. "Very well then."

Carlisle turns to Mom and Dad. "Would you sit here with Jake while we go have this conversation? When we come back, we should have solid facts about his condition and hopefully, a plan for getting him well."

"Of course," Mom replies. She steps forward giving me her strong, motherly support in the form of a sturdy hug. "We've got this, baby. You go see how we're going to fix our boy."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Nonsense, go. We'll be right here when you get back."

I smile in thanks and turn to follow Carlisle and Dr. Volturi from the room.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

We're seated in Dr. Volturi's office, him behind his desk and Carlisle and I across from him, when the reality hits me. My worst fears are about to be confirmed. The dread is welled up inside me like a bomb. If I don't hear the facts before long, I might explode.

Dr. Volturi clears his throat and begins. "Ms. Swan, Bella, if I may?"

I give him a nod.

"Bella, Jacob is very sick right now. When Carlisle first consulted with me on this case, the symptoms seemed as though they were for a less severe case. Now, having reviewed both sets of blood work, I've come to the conclusion that he is indeed very sick."

I huff. "I understand that, Dr. Volturi."

He interrupts. "Please, call me Alec. We'll be working very closely for the next while and I want us to feel comfortable with each other. I realize you have a close relationship with Dr. Cullen, but I hope, for Jacob's sake, that you'll trust me just as much."

I hesitate before giving a slight nod of agreement. "Very well, Alec. I understand that Jake is sick. Actually sicker than we originally thought, but I need you to stop telling me that and just tell me what it means. What our options are. What we're going to do to make my son better."

He picks up a pen and twirls it between his fingers, studying my face. I suppose he's looking for a breakdown on the horizon, but it won't be coming. Not this time. This time I'm going to channel all of the hurt and pain into one thing.

Healing my son.

Finally, he sighs and glances at Carlisle. "The new blood tests reveal that he has very severe aplastic anemia." Carlisle slumps in his seat. Alec turns back to me. "Very severe aplastic anemia means he needs to be admitted until we can get his body producing more red blood cells. He's not making nearly enough."

"Okay, how do we do that?" I ask.

Carlisle faces me and reaches over, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Bella, we can try some medications that may help a little, but it's not an answer to his condition." His grip tightens. "We're only left with two options that will treat his condition effectively."

I gulp. The tone of his voice tells me all I need to know. "What are those options, Carlisle?" I prepare myself to hear his next words.

His grip loosens and he leans back in his spot. Doctor Cullen has returned to the conversation. "There's no easy way to say this, Bella, so I'm going to just spit it out though I think you already know."

I brace myself. "Say it, Carlisle."

He nods. "Jacob has two options available to make a remarkable difference in his condition. They're both fairly similar in process, but the results can be vastly different. First, he can have a blood transfusion. It's a relatively simple process. We'll find a matching donor and give him the transfusion through an IV. The problem with this treatment is that it's only a temporary solution. It will build his red blood cell count for a while, but without his body producing more, they'll just deplete again." He takes his glasses off and wipes his eyes, before putting them back on and taking in a huge lungful of air. "Our best option is going to be a blood and marrow stem cell transplant."

I absorb his words, allow them to penetrate my mind, break into the deep recesses that had refused to believe. Okay, I can do this. We can do this. "And if we do the transplant?" I ask.

Carlisle smiles. "Bella, if we can find the proper donor, Jake has a chance at a full recovery. Not just a temporary solution for the situation, but entirely cured of this condition."

Relief takes hold and I allow it to bloom. "He can be cured?" My joy is overflowing, and my body is barely able to contain it.

Alec breaks into my moment. "Bella, I need you to slow down for a minute. Yes, Jacob can be cured, but only with a matching donor. Sometimes, that's not easy to find. Does he have any siblings?"

Carlisle answers for me. "He doesn't. Jake is an only child."

Alec nods. "Well, that's our best chance, but there's always the chance that any family member could be a match. Everyone will need to be tested, on both sides of his family."

Now I'm the one to feel uncomfortable. "Um, I'm afraid that's not going to be possible."

Alec looks at me like I've sprouted two heads. "What do you mean not possible? Bella, for Jake to have every chance of recovery he needs everyone related to him to be tested. The best chance for a match is a sibling, beyond that is a family member. Do you know the odds of finding a perfect stranger that's a match? It's a very low number."

I can't believe this is happening. The one time I'm selfish and did something simply because I wanted it for myself, it's going to come back and haunt me in ways that I never imagined possible.

Carlisle breaks into my reverie. "Bella, I think, under the circumstances, we can contact the clinic and get the necessary information."

I sigh. "But, Carlisle, whoever donated, did it anonymously for a reason. They didn't want to be acknowledged or contacted as a father. They got paid some money and left some sperm, with the agreement that the receiver would never know who they were, or ask anything of them."

"Bella," Alec says softly. "Everything you just said is true, but is that more important than your son getting well? Maybe he even has a sibling out there who can cure him." The excitement and hope well up in his voice.

"Think of the possibilities, Bella. It may be Jake's only chance," Carlisle adds.

I consider what they're saying. Of course, I'll do it in a heartbeat if it means it's the only option, but right now I'm not sure that's the case. "I'll tell you what. I'll agree that you can contact them and find out the procedure for getting that information." I motion to Carlisle. "But, before we make any more moves in that direction, we test everyone in my family."

"Of course. That's sounds reasonable. I'll contact the clinic this afternoon," Carlisle agrees. "But for now, I want every single family member you can get in touch with to get down here and get tested. I'll set it up where anyone needing the test can come straight to the outpatient department and get it done." He reaches over and grasps my hand. "Bella, we're going to do everything in our power to have Jake well again. If no one tests positive right away, we'll give him a blood transfusion to keep him healthy until we can find a match."

The relief I feel at knowing I have this man on my side is palpable. Both as Jake's doctor and someone who cares deeply about him. He and Esme have become Jake's second set of grandparents these past few years, so I know he'll never give up. He'll fight beside me until there is no fight left.

I allow the tears I've been holding in, to come, but only a few. They're tears of relief. Tears of hope. Tears of chance. My baby has a chance, and that's all I can hope for right now.

"Thank you, Carlisle." I turn to Alec. "And you, Alec. Both of you gave me something I wasn't sure was an option after today. Hope. Thank you both, so much." I sniffle.

Alec stands and hands me a tissue. "You're welcome, Bella. Nothing makes a physician's job better than being able to cure a patient. I'm going to get a nurse to meet you in the ER and draw you and your family's blood right away. Jake will be moved to a regular room after that's done."

I wipe my face and stand, holding out my hand for Alec to shake. "Nice to have you on board, Doctor."

He smiles the first genuine smile I've seen all day. "Nice to be on board. I'll come by Jake's room later."

I withdraw my hand and follow Carlisle from Alec's office.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

Two days later finds me at Jake's bedside while he watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney Channel. Hearing his laughter and seeing his smile makes my whole day brighter. He's still tired and napping on and off, but at least he's my smiling, happy boy when he is awake.

After returning to Jake's ER room that first night, I was pleased to find Alice and Jasper there with my parents. Alec sent a nurse along and she was able to get samples from all of us, even Jasper. Shortly after, we were moved to this room, where between my family and the doctors, we're barely alone.

Yeah, I said it. Doctors. Dr. Volturi, or Alec as he insists I call him, is a frequent visitor. He's a driven man who has made Jake a big priority in his caseload. He comes by several times a day monitoring Jake's condition and ordering tests to check his red blood count. I can't express how grateful I am to have two men as devoted to Jake's care as he and Carlisle are.

Voices reach me just before they enter. "Hey, Carlisle, Alice, what are you doing here?" I ask the latter, as I get up to go hug them both.

Carlisle speaks up. "I called and asked her to come sit with Jake while we go down to Alec's office and talk." He's avoiding my eyes, so it must be serious.

"Um, okay. Is it about our blood tests?"

He gives a slight nod. "Yes, we have the results."

I understand already. None of us were matches. It's written as clear as day on his face and in the avoidance of his eyes. "We weren't matches were we?"

"Bella, this is something we need to discuss"—he glances at Alice and lowers his voice—"alone."

I nod and then walk over to Jake and give him kisses. "Mama's going to talk to Carlisle for a minute. Aunt Alice is going to sit with you. Is that okay?"

He notices our visitors then. "Aunt Alice, you come see me?"

She steps over and slides up beside him on the bed. "I sure did. What are we watching?'

I give him one final kiss on the forehead and leave him to catch Alice up on what he's watching on TV.

Following Carlisle down the hall doesn't bring dread this time. Only acceptance. Acceptance that I may have to do something I never imagined. Find the man who donated his sperm. What will he think when he's contacted? Will he be pissed? Does he have a wife? A family? All these worries swirl in my head as we enter Alec's office.

Surprisingly, he's not even here.

Carlisle motions to a chair and takes the one beside it, turning it to face me. He grabs both my hands in his and looks me directly in the eyes. What I see in his, steals my breath. It's not just disappointment, it's sorrow.

Deep, heart-wrenching sorrow.

Frown lines form on my head, as I can't imagine the test results bringing about this type of pain. "Carlisle, what is it? Is there something new on Jake? Did his new test results get worse? Is he not even eligible for the transplant now?" I'm rambling like a mad woman, but I need his answers. The dread coming from him, bringing about my own.

He squeezes my hands tighter. "Bella, no. It's none of that. Jake is still eligible for the transplant." I sag in relief. "But, there's something else. Something I don't even know how to say."

"I don't understand. If Jake's not worse, then why are you looking at me this way? With a face filled with trepidation and sorrow. Please, Carlisle, what is it?" I implore.

He takes a deep breath and starts rambling. "The test you and your family took. Bella, they were HLA molecular typing tests. They're DNA based. I don't know how this is even possible, I even went personally and made them rerun the test in front of me. I saw the results myself, but I just don't know how it's possible."

I give his hands a jerk to bring him out of his mumbling. "Carlisle," I grit. "I don't understand what you're going on about. What results did you see for yourself?" I grip his hands tighter. "Please."

He pulls his hands back and places one on each of my cheeks. He looks directly into my eyes, wetness already filling his. "Bella, Jacob is not your son."

This won't be a big 'who done it' mystery

This is the story of how two families face the unimaginable and move forward.

See you Monday!