All things Twilight are Stephanie Meyer's, everything else is mine.
Plot bunny from a manip I saw in a FB group. Drabble fic with alternating POV's.
THANK YOU MID NIGHT COUGAR FOR BETA'ING! XOXO
Chapter 11 - BPOV
The past few hours have been one big blur. I know Dr. Cullen has been around, and I know he moved me to another room. There is a needle stuck in my arm giving me fluids and medication, nurses coming and going to check on me.
Dr. Cullen comes in and picks me up. I don't even have the strength to hold on to him. He places me in a car, buckling me in. I don't know where we are going, but his soothing voice tells me I'll be okay, so I close my eyes.
My head is spinning, or is it the room? I can hardly tell anymore. My fever has broken, but that doesn't mean everything is in the clear. The room is unfamiliar, the feeling of a cool towel against my skin feels so good.
"Mr… Dr. Cullen?" I question confused. "What? Where?"
"You're at my house. I brought you here," he says, his hand swiping the cloth against my face again.
"Why?" I ask, the cloth feels good and I can feel the fog in my mind clear with each pass.
"Because you needed help, and I have a feeling you don't really have anyone to help you, do you?"
I shook my head slightly. No. Most of the friends I had moved back to their own states, and as I said, my parents are across the country from where I am.
"Lainie, back behind the frame," he scolds and my head turns in time to watch her foot fall back before she plops down on the floor.
"But, Daddy," she whines.
"Baby, I told you, Miss Swan is very sick and could be contagious."
"But you're in there," she says worriedly.
"Daddy knows what he's doing, sweetie," I say and force a small smile. "He's a good doctor and knows how to avoid getting sick."
"Thank you," he whispers at me. "Do you want to try to drink something? I've given you two bags of fluids, but you lost consciousness before I could determine if you needed more. Also, the meds I gave you should help things stay down."
"Okay, I'll try to drink something," I agree.
He helps to prop me up, grabbing the glass on the night stand. The cool water hits my mouth and soaks it up like the desert floor. I want to drink the glass dry and have him get me another one, but after just a few small sips he pulls the glass away and I whimper.
"I'm sorry, but we don't want to overdo it yet," he says and I sigh in agreement.
"Thank you."
"Miss Swan…"
"Bella, Dr. Cullen. Please call me Bella."
"Bella," he says with a smile. "Please call me Edward."
"Okay, thank you," I reply, looking up at him and repeating his name over and over. "Edward."
"Can I ask you something? And I need for you to answer me honestly." I swallow nervously and nod. "How do you feel about your body?"
I scrunch my brow. "I'm too thin."
"Why are you too thin?"
Tears brim in my eyes. "Because I don't have enough money for all of my bills and I was denied assistance."
"Denied?" he questions incredulously.
"I make just a little too much to qualify. And I've gotten so sick of ramen the idea of shoving one more forkful into my mouth makes me nauseous so I can't even eat that anymore. I could afford that."
"Thank you for telling me. I just needed to rule out anorexia nervosa. Unfortunately, that doesn't rule out of obvious signs of neglect."
"Neglect?"
"Bella, you are neglecting yourself."
"I… I didn't think it would last this long," I tell him honestly, because I didn't.
"What would?"
"Finding a decent job. I kept telling myself it wouldn't be much longer, and then I would have a steady income and be okay. But I'm not," I cry. "I'm not."
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