As we flew through the streets and forests of Chicago, I began to think about what had taken place. How could Croy just let those girls die so easily but fight recklessly for me? In the end, it turns out I am too much trouble for any guy. There was one other thing that really got to me, though.
"Hey," I cried over the wind, "how come once I got Kora to, er, distract Elizabeth you had your power back?"
"First of all," Melinda yelled back, "You don't need to yell. You're right in my ear and I'm highly sensitive." I felt my face get hot with embarrassment. "Second of all, I think that Elizabeth's power was the one that held back my own." I nodded. This had confirmed my original notion that had caused me to fake attack Kora.
"So you're all better now?" I asked, careful to be quieter. Melinda nodded.
"I'm super, thanks to you!" After that we were silent.
We arrived back at the cottage as night began to tint the sky deep purple. I dismounted Melinda's back. (A/N: Not as dirty as it sounds) As I did so, I stretched my legs our and yawned. It had been a trying and tiring day. Melinda, on the other hand, walked over to the flour jar and got straight to work.
"You better get some rest," she said, not looking up. "It's been a long day." I nodded a little. "And I bet it'll only get worse tomorrow. God, I am so fricken' tired! I wish I could sleep!" As I trudged off to my room I was caught by her words. Suddenly, a question I had not truly thought about before came to mind.
"Melinda," I ventured, "What time period are you from?" She immediately stopped kneading her dough and looked at me with a strange emotion in her eyes.
"Around your time," she answered quietly, "maybe a few years before. I lived in the Midwest. St. Louis, Missouri, actually. Gate Way to the West?" I shook my head indicating that it didn't ring a bell. She nodded and went back to work. "That's the same with most people. Actually, by modern day car it's only a few hours south of here. We should check it out sometime." We stood there, silent, unmoving, for a long time. After some while, Melinda slowly began to knead her bread and I slouched off into my room.
I lazily removed my garments and collapsed on the bed in the littlest bits of undergarments on, over the sheets. I sighed as I drifted into another restless sleep.
This night the dreams were not of werewolves or weddings or anything like that. It was just a night of repeatedly reliving the night I was taken and how badly Edward had wanted to stay with me. How I should have listened.
"It's my fault," I whispered in my sleep as a tear rolled down my cheek.
The next morning was cold and groggy. A thin layer of ice frosted over my tiny window and I had to light my stub of a candle for light and warmth. Considering how hot it had been just days before, I had a kind of weather whip lash.
"I hate the Midwest," I mumbled, shrugging on a hand knit shawl Melinda had laid out for me. As I walked into the kitchen shivering, I was hit by a blast of hot air from the bread oven.
"Oh, I am never leaving this room again!" I sighed with glee, smearing a brioche with lemon curd. Just then Melinda hastily walked in, drying her hands on her apron.
"Well you had better. I hear Edward isn't doing to well." The food caught in my throat. I heaved air for a moment before managing to spit the wad of carbs out, grab my skirts, and sprint out the door.
When I reached the Mason manor, Jasper (butler) was just locking up the door and posting a sign in the center of it:
Quarantine: Occupants evacuated due to Spanish Influenza
I read the sign in a rush.
"Evacuated," I cried, "Where? Jasper, Jasper where are they?" Jasper looked at me for a moment and said blandly,
"City hospital. Go there and ask for Doctor…"
"Carlisle!" And I took off.
"I believe he prefers Doctor Cullen," the middle aged man called after me. I didn't listen. I didn't have the time. Find Edward. See him one last time. I sprinted all the way through the town until I reached the hospital.
At the counter I stood for a moment, gripping the counter fiercely as I gasped for air. Luckily, the dainty nurse didn't seem to believe that there was anything wrong with me and gave me a moment. When I finally straightened up and composed myself she asked,
"May I help you?" in a stiff voice.
"Er, yes. I would like to see Edward Mason. I believe he is one of…"
"Doctor Cullen's patients, yes. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that's a quarantine area."
"Quarantine? Where on Earth is that." Stupidly, the nurse answered,
"Oh, just down the hall. Big doors." Before she could realize her mistake, I ditched the nurse and hiked up my skirts as I dashed to the quarantine area.
I couldn't even start to guess where Edward's room would be in that place. There were doors every couple of feet on both walls. Then, at the end of the hall, there was a fork and even more doors. I was just about to lunge into the first room and begin searching when a drop dead gorgeous blonde doctor emerged for one of the near by rooms flipping through a patient chart.
"Carlisle!" I screeched. Carlisle looked up, curious as to who was calling his name, and from the look on his face he thought I was from the psych ward. Composing himself he responded.
"Actually, it's Doctor Cullen, and you're not allowed to be here, Miss."
"Carlisle, please! I need to see Edward Cull…Mason…" Carlisle's eyes filled with fear. He must have been considering it but he hadn't decided. I knew how to really get him to listen. Knowing he would hear, I whispered, "I know what you are, and I need your help." He nodded gravely, sheer terror playing across his face. Finally, he composed himself and led me to Edward and his mother.
"Follow me." There Edward lay, in a bed beside his mother's. They no longer had the spots, but they were clearly suffering and were unconscious. I knelt down beside Edward.
"How long has he been unconscious?" I whispered in a shaky voice.
"Almost a day." Carlisle's voice was smooth and even. I nodded as tears flowed down my cheeks. With trembling fingers I brushed the matted copper hair from Edward's brow and gently kissed his lips.
"I don' think that's a very good…"
"I don't care!" I yelled, leaping to my feet and turning on Carlisle. "I don't care if I live or die! I just want to see him one last time." Carlisle was about to speak when we heard a kind of croaking noise from the direction of Edward's mother. I fell, sitting, into the bed in shock as her eyes opened dangerously wide and she began to speak to Carlisle in a forceful, yet hoarse voice.
"Save him!" He looked down at her with affection like that of a father and gently took her hand.
"I'll do everything in my power." I saw her hand tighten around Carlisle's.
"You must. You must do everything in your power. What others cannot do, that is what you must do for my Edward." She stared hard at him for a moment before once again relapsing into unconsciousness.
Carlisle turned to me with such fear in his eyes I could not imagine. It seemed that the prospect of changing another was terrifying and unbearable. He looked as if he wanted me to respond. I opened my mouth but no words would come out at first. I slowly began to stroke Edward's fiery flesh as I searched for words.
"Do it," my voice was soft as my throat was too constrained with grief to manage much more. "I swear it will be the greatest decision you ever make." I finally swept my gaze from Edward onto him. "For both of us." He nodded unsurely. By the next hour, they were all three gone.