This is all Edward POV. Barely any Bella! And I must say, I'm extremely proud of this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it!
Thanks to my reviewers from last chapter:
Khlarka2, Twilight of the Opera, AliceReincarnation, latuacantante4him, Tamper with my memory, Angel of Nightfall, edwardbellaforever, Wanna Bet-the original, obsessedwithjamespotter, virgo101, Jellybean the Cow, uptonmama, Kisserine, ElizabethlovesEdward, lenny85, babyboo40794, YouKnowDebussy, xoX.Sakura.Xox, TwilightNerd, Jaguarsolaris, barbiedoll123, xxxxParvarti-Patilxxxx, jaydeesgirl, x-rosepetals-x, inkypinkyanna, Manda Random, Hyper Kid007, Foam Weber and dmhgbz.
Also, I think Jacob and his friend will make an appearance next chapter. There are plans to include quotes and some scenes similar from the books in this story. While this story is unique, it won't have a lot of scenes. There will be the meadow scene for sure. I'm thinking about throwing James in here. What do you guys think? Any suggestions?
Chapter Four
Struggle
EPOV
"Edward, you can't stay here," Alice tried to tell me but I remained persistent. Bella was lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to more than enough machines. "This place is filled with blood. What if you --?"
"I won't," I growled. My eyes never left Bella. Her chest fell and rose rather rapidly; her eyes closed.
"But you could," Alice said. "It's possible."
"Alice, I don't need you telling me what I can or cannot do. What if Bella wakes when Charlie's at work?"
"Then she can buzz for the nurse."
"I'm not leaving, Mary Alice," I snarled. For the first time in a day, I moved my gaze away from Bella and looked at my sister. Her eyes were dark with fury much like mine. "You can't tell me what to do."
"You shouldn't need someone telling you what to do, Edward. But her blood calls to you and it doesn't help with all the other blood lurking in this place."
My eyes narrowed. I always wondered why Alice would start randomly singing Paula Abdul's greatest hits. She knew something. She was dying to tell me her secret information. Alice was fidgeting while my gaze intensified. "What are you hiding?"
"Nothing," she chirped. Alice skipped over to Bella, checking her IV yet my eyes never left my sister. I would get her to tell me what she knew. "Alice."
"Her IV is getting rather low. I should fetch Carlisle."
"Alice."
She continued to ignore me. Alice fluttered gracefully around Bella, checking everything that she could find. Angrily, my hands gripped the arms of my chair causing it to crumble slightly underneath the pressure. Finally, she turned and looked at me.
"Please, Edward," Alice pleaded. "Please don't make me tell you what I've seen."
"Too late, dear sister," I said. I stood from my seat and walked over to Alice, my hand momentarily touching Bella's soft, pale hand. "Please, Alice," I said. It was now my turn to plead. Alice had all the answers that I so desperately wanted. Why was Carlisle destined to become this girl's doctor? Why did her blood call to me more than anyone? Would she survive this atrocious disease? Perhaps she knew why the thought of Bella's death tore me up inside…
"I need to know."
Alice sighed and her eyes cast a quick glance between me and Bella before resting directly on me. "I've been seeing her for as long as I can remember," she answered. She reached a hand to Bella and lightly squeezed her hand. "You're meant to have Bella, Edward. You're meant to have what Jasper and I have; what Rosalie and Emmett have."
There was silence between me and my sister. The only sound came from Bella and the machines. I always doubted whether or not I would end up like my brothers and sisters. I always turned down women, both vampires and humans, especially that annoying Jessica Stanley girl. But there was something different with Bella. I was attracted to her. Not just because of her blood but by everything else that she was and would become. She did well in school; I knew that from the teachers. Not many liked her because guys wanted her and then not even the men wanted her once they found out she was sick. They avoided her like the plague. She only had a few friends. There was Angela Weber, a sweet and quiet girl. The rest of her friends lived down in La Push on the Quileute reservation. I snarled at that fact. If only she knew what they really were…
"Her time was up the moment she came to Forks," Alice said. Her words made me snap my head up and glance away from Bella. "If she would've never come to Forks, she would've stayed in remission. If you hadn't acted like you had, she would've died in the shower, Edward."
"All I could think was 'not her'. That's still all I can think about. I can't sleep but when my eyes close, all I see is her. It's so incredibly odd."
"It's called falling in love, Edward," Alice giggled.
I shook my head. I wanted to be like my siblings but with someone I just met? It seemed unfeasible. Bella stirred uneasily causing both Alice and I to look at her but when our eyes rested on the plain yet beautiful girl she was still.
"Two days," Alice said. "She'll wake up in two days."
"I don't know if I should be here when she wakes up," I answered truthfully. "Charlie is ready to rip my throat out with his bare hands."
"Why?"
"He thinks Emmett and I saw his daughter naked. Although, he's terrified of what Emmett could do to him if he tried to rip our throats out."
"Emmett would pummel him."
"So would I."
"But he doesn't know that. You don't look like you could kill him but Emmett sure does."
"You're annoying."
"And you're a grouch."
There was no sense in trying to keep the grin away that was playing on my lips. It was more than likely that Alice was right that Bella and I were meant for one another. Her visions were fairly wrong no matter how much I tried to argue with her. Only Emmett was stupid enough to bet against Alice.
"I'd have to tell her what I was, Alice," I sighed. "I'd be exposing our family and our species."
"She won't tell," Alice reassured me. "It took her three years to tell her school that she was dying and they still wouldn't know if she hadn't collapsed in class. Edward, I think we were sent here, not to save her, but to make her happy in her final days."
"So you're saying she'll die?"
"Yes and no," she hesitated. That wasn't good. "I saw her becoming one of us."
"What?" I shrieked. "No. Alice, she can't! I won't allow it. She will not become one of the eternally damned."
"I also saw her dying, Edward, as in not becoming a vampire. But I also see you running to the Volturi and getting yourself killed."
"How –"
"Five months."
"Carlisle said –"
"He was wrong. I'm usually not wrong about things like this, Edward. You know that."
"Yes, I do," I whispered.
Bella was sleeping restlessly, tossing and turning as beads of sweat formed on her skin. I already felt compelled to stand by her side, to protect her, to love her with my every fiber. But did I want to change her? I didn't know. Perhaps when she was so close to dying I would. Possibly Carlisle would be willing to change her if it was required. Her blood was too desirable for me to simply be able to resist. The first taste wouldn't be enough to quench my thirst.
"I'm a monster," I said.
"Edward…" Edward sighed.
"No. I really am. Here she is lying in a hospital and all I'm thinking about is her blood, wondering if I'd be able to pull away."
Alice laughed. "That is called worrying, Edward. You're not thinking about how her blood would taste. You're thinking about if you'd be able to stop yourself. You care for her."
"I barely know her, Alice! I've told you that!"
"Haven't you ever heard in love at first sight, dear brother?"
I glared at Alice as she laughed. She was mocking me and definitely enjoying it. Emmett was rubbing off on her.
"If you think about it, Edward, the only one who will be upset with you is Rosalie. She detests Bella Swan."
"For being human!" I shrieked. "But she has Emmett, Alice. She can be happy in her own little world. Let me be happy in mine."
Alice's eyes lit up and I inwardly groaned. I had opened my mouth and gone too far. She was already planning the wedding.
"You're going to tell her," she exclaimed. "In a month, once her treatment is well underway. There was this beautiful meadow and you two kissed. Oh, Edward!"
I laughed and rubbed my hand on the back of my neck. Sometimes I really did hate Alice's gift. She always knew something before everyone else did.