June 27
"So what's going on in Forks?" Bella asked over the phone. We had been talking for nearly an hour and I knew that the question would present itself eventually. And I was still undecided. Would it be best for her to know about Mike? About Jacob?
"Not a whole lot." I answered. There was no need to make her worry unnecessarily.
Bella coughed once before answering. "So the Flu isn't very serious up there?"
I had already lied once... I might as well be consistant. "It really isn't serious at all. The news is blowing everything out of proportion."
She coughed again, this time more heavily.
"Are you sure you're okay, Bella?" I asked, concerned.
She sighed. "Yes, Edward. Just sinuses. But I have a surprise for you." She said the last part with a smile in her voice.
"A surprise?" I asked curious.
"Yep. And I'm not gonna tell you what it is." she announced.
I laughed. "A bit of revenge I take it? Well then I'll play along, when can I see this surprise?"
"Tonight." she said, giggling on her side of the phone.
I pulled the phone away from my ear when I heard a beep. Carlisle was on the other line.
"I'm sorry but I have a call waiting... can I call you later?"
"Of course. I love you."
"Love you, too." I pressed the second line. "Hello?"
"Can you come home, Edward?" Carlisle asked.
"Ummm... I am home." I answered.
"Oh..." he seemed to think it over. "Well then can you stay? I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Alright."
"And tell the others to stay as well."
"Okay, I'll see you in a little bit, I guess."
What would Carlisle want to talk about with the whole family that he couldn't speak with me over the phone for? It had definetly involved the Flu because Alice hadn't mentioned any updates during the past few days. I called everyone and passed on Carlisle's message. I was relieved to see that I wasn't the only one confused. When Carlisle finally did enter the house, he wasted no time with small talk.
"Jacob is sick." he finally said.
We all waited for him to continue but he didn't.
"So what?" Emmett finally retorted.
"So werewolves shouldn't be able to get sick." Carlisle added.
I eyed Jasper and he eyed me back.
Perhaps my theory is correct?
I shook my head slightly. There was no way that vampires could get sick from the Flu. What would happen? Our hearts had already stopped so there would be no way for it to kill us. We had no blood for the disease to spread through and we couldn't get a fever since out temperatures were so low. Even if Carlisle did consider it a possibility, I didn't.
We didn't have to wait long for Carlisle to elaborate. "Werewolves should be able to heal through it, just as we are. But Jacob hasn't yet. So perhaps more than just people are in danger..."
It was evident that he did, indeed, believe that vampires could get sick as well.
"What symptoms does the wolf have?" Jasper asked curiously.
"Well he obviously has a natural fever, so we can't check his temperature. But he's been coughing and feels weak. With the virus being around for about 100 years, who knows how developed it's gotten."
My mind went blank after Carlisle had said that Jacob has been coughing. Bella had been coughing as well. Was it really only sinuses? Or was it more? Since she was in Florida she shouldn't be anywhere near the Flu. The odds of such a thing were extremely low... but was it possible?
"So are you saying that it's possible for us to get sick from this?" Emmett asked.
"I'm not saying anything for sure." Carlisle began. " But I just thought that you would appreciate hearing some theories."
Emmett nodded his head in understanding.
"Does anybody want to visit Jacob?" Carlisle asked the group, although it didn't take a lot to realize that this question was exclusively for me.
I really felt no need to see Jacob. Odds were that he was going to be arrogantly irritating, even while sick. I would rather gouge out my eyes than listen to him saying how he was feeling great and that he could kill me if he wanted to. Jacob being sick actually made me feel a little better. Even if he would be a complete child about it, it was nice knowing that he wasn't as well adapted as I was.
He's been asking for you, Edward.
I lifted my head to look at Carlisle. The truth was written in his eyes. So Jacob wanted me to come over there. There must be a reason, a plan. Did he think that by going I would catch the Flu? Was he that dumb? Then I'd take his challenge. If he really needed someone to show him that he wasn't as tough as he pretended to be then I was honored to be that person.
"I'll go." I volunteered. Everybody in the room turned to look in my direction. I smiled smugly at their surprised expressions and followed Carlisle out the door and to his car.
I felt surprisingy childish as I looked out of the window at La Push. I was searching for what it was that made Bella want to go here nearly every single day. Other than the beach, everything looked exactly as it did at her house.
As we neared the house, I saw Sam walk out to the porch, obviously smelling vampire.
Carlisle greeted Sam and Sam nodded in reply. I went straight to Jacob's room.
"Jacob?" I asked as I opened the door.
To my surprise, Jacob was actually laying in bed. He turned his head towards me and smiled smugly. "You suck, do you know that?" Jacob stated.
I grinned at his welcome. "And for what reason?"
He propped himself up on his elbows, wincing once. "Well, not only do you get Bella, but you aren't sick with this damn Flu."
I raised an eyebrow, curious to how he would react to the information I was about to give him. "I was infected."
His eyes widened. "Then how are you still standing?"
I laughed at his arrogance. "I was infected about a hundred years ago, as a human."
He didn't move or speak so I assumed he wanted more details. "I was saved by Carlisle. He turned me into a vampire in order to save me."
Jacob chuckled darkly at the fact. "Well I'd rather die than be turned to vampire."
"Well then it's mutual, because I'd rather you dead than spend an eternity with you as a vampire." I caught myself before adding that I was just waiting for him to die after realizing how close that might be.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, bloodsucker, but you'll have to wait a long time before then." he said in response to my previous comment.
"Are you sure about that?"
He opened his eyes to glare at me. "I'm positive. I have to stick around for when Bella's ready to come to me."
"Well it's been nice seeing you dog, but if you're done being ridiculous I'm going home."
He settled back in his bed. "That sounds good to me."
I exited Jacob's room and Carlisle stopped his conversation with Billy.
Are you ready?
"Yeah, let's go." I replyed, already out of the door. So Jacob really only wanted to talk tough. He didn't want me thinking that he was on his deathbed. What a ridiculous dog.
"Do you think that Jacob is going to live?" I asked.
"Probably. His body may be sick, but he still has the strength of a werewolf." Carlisle answered. He spoke again after a few minutes of silence. "What are you going to do about Bella?"
"What about her?"
"Well she'll be coming home in a few days, right? The epidemic is at it's strongest... are you sure you want that?"
"I already considered all of that. I had stretched the truth a few hours ago during our conversation and told her that it wasn't very bad up here.. but I'll probably call her back tomorrow and ask her to stay there for a little bit longer."
Carlisle nodded his head in understanding.
As soon as we entered the driveway I could hear variations of distressed thoughts. Curiously, I entered the house and looked for the source of the bafflement.
"Edward!" Alice chimed, happier now than she had been for days.
"What's going on?" I asked, still searching for the cause.
My question was immediately answered as I saw Bella ontop of the staircase. She was blushing as she quietly said surprise. Without thinking, I ran up to where she stood and planted her with kisses.
"I've missed you so much." I murmed into her hair.
She giggled quietly. "I've missed you,too."
I continued to shower her with kisses until I remembered the epidemic that was happening as we spoke.
"Wait.. why'd you come back so early?"
"Mom thought that it was best for me to return to Forks. My sinuses were getting out of control in Florida. You had said that the Flu wasn't nearly as bad as everybody was talking it up to being so I agreed to return early."
Curse me and my lying. If I had just told her the truth about Forks being an absolute death trap then she may not have come at all.
"Why? Are you disappointed?" she asked.
"No.. but I don't think I've been completely honest." I admitted before explaining every event that happened after her departure.
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