Sick

Disclaimer: If they were mine, Alice would force Edward to put a mini crystal ball in the Volvo and hang it from the rearview mirror. Just because.

Summary: Bella Swan gets sick and our beloved vampires try to get her better soon! Total Bella X Cullen Family fluff.

Author's Note: I hope y'all like this chapter!

Chapter 21

"Now, I'm thinking that Renee might have been on to something when she told me about doing everything in white and silver," Alice stated as she put a bunch of magazines on the bed. I had been eating breakfast, Edward at my side, when the annoying pixie made her appearance. I knew there was no getting out of this today.

I woke up feeling better. My throat still felt like someone took a cheese grater to it but my chest didn't hurt anymore. I'd been up for an hour when Alice danced her way in and I had yet to do more than have a small cough here and there. The coughing fits seemed to have ended. Of course, I didn't want to let Edward know I was feeling better because that meant leaving the nice warm bed with him at my side. I also didn't want Alice to find out I was feeling better and go overboard on showing me decorating ideas. I really just want to go to Vegas and marry Edward. A drive thru chapel sounded like heaven right now as I listened to Alice talk about outdoor preparations.

"Now, Edward," Alice started. I watched as my fiancée rolled his eyes at his sister. He had an arm around my shoulders and squeezed me slightly to his side.

"Yes, Alice," he said in answer to her unspoken question.

Alice's smile grew. "Good!" she stated triumphantly. I watched as Alice began to go through the various bridal magazines, ignoring my looks of what she had asked Edward about. Guessing I wouldn't get an answer from her –she was going on about silver and crystal goblets- I looked up at Edward.

Edward gazed down at me causing his bronze hair to cascade a bit into his eyes. Seeing my expression, he held me closer and gave me my favorite crooked smile that made him look all the more like a greek god. How I even was able to think that I could be in the same room with him was sometimes bewildering.

Looking into his golden eyes, I had forgotten what I was going to ask him. I had forgotten pretty much everything except his perfect face. It was then I realized he was dazzling me.

Tearing my eyes away from his, I remembered the question quickly and grabbed my notebook. My throat still hurt too much to talk and, given Edward's dazzling, I didn't trust myself to talk anyway.

What did Alice ask you?

I handed him the notebook, not daring to look up at my Adonis. I was not about to get dazzled again and I was curious as to what Alice had planned for him.

"It's nothing, love," he said, kissing the top of my head. I managed to gather enough annoyance to turn my head and glare at him. Edward looked back down at me worriedly before sighing.

"Alice simply told me that I was to help with the decorations and should get rather use to the idea that I won't see you for twenty four hours prior to the wedding on the threat of death," Edward explained. My eyes went wide. Alice really was all for keeping this traditional as possible, wasn't she?

"Or the destruction of your entire cd collection and the piano but I think Esme might get upset with me if the piano was destroyed," Alice piped up. "Now this," she said to me, pointing to yet another picture in a different bridal magazine than the one she had been handling earlier, "is what we need." I wanted to groan out an "Alice" but I also didn't want my throat to rebel against me. Instead, I turned to Edward for help.

He looked at me, gave me his crooked grin and shrugged. "She's threatening me if I don't at least let you look at the ideas she concocted yesterday," he said simply. I pouted and snuggled further beneath the covers. Stupid vampires hold the sick human captive with wedding preparations. Ugh!

"Exactly!" Alice said, smiling at her brother. I glared at her and she pointedly ignored me. "Now, I'm thinking your Mom might be right about just doing everything silver and white. It will look striking and it's just odd enough that I think it might become a new trend in bridal décor," Alice stated as she pulled out yet another magazine.

"I'm thinking maybe a centerpiece like this but your Mom mentioned doilies. The ones she was thinking of totally wouldn't work but maybe we can order some hand crocheted ones in silver floss from etsy or something," Alice rambled on. I tried to tune her out but she kept touching my hand or finding some other way to shock me back into realizing she was there and forcing me to look at the pictures. Even though Edward was right next to me –and even helping his sister with ideas- I was not comforted…much.

It was an hour. An entire hour before Esme came to break up the bridal magazine nightmare. Alice had been going on about champagne glass charms for the past five minutes. I hadn't the slightest idea what those were but apparently they come in a wide variety of shapes. A part of me wouldn't mind lion shaped ones but I doubt Alice would let me do that.

"Alice, I'll help you later, dear. Let Bella rest," Esme said as she brought me a glass of water. Esme sat to my other side and brushed my hair out of my face as I took a sip of the cool glass. I could see out of the corner of my eye Alice sighing but picking up all the various magazines much to my delight.

"How are you doing, sweetheart?" Esme asked me. I simply nodded to indicate I was okay. I was feeling better despite my throat screaming at me in protest. My body didn't have that weak feeling I get when I'm sick. I was starting to feel like me again.

"Would you like some more of the medicine for your throat?" she asked, getting up slowly to watch for my answer as she went to retrieve it. I nodded again. The numbing cough syrup like stuff that Carlisle had been giving me was great.

"Your father called a few minutes ago," Esme said to Edward. I guess she was saying it outloud for my benefit as well.

"He'll be coming home early?" Edward asked lightly, probably already seeing the entire conversation Esme had with Carlisle in her head.

Emse nodded lightly and then smiled at me, giving me the syrup for my throat. I took it almost greedily since it was helping a lot. "Dr. Miller agreed to come in early today so your father could take care of Bella," Esme told him as she kissed my forehead and went to put all the medicine back neatly.

I almost didn't catch it but I think I saw Edward grimace out the corner of my eye. I quickly turned to look at him but his face became rather stone like as he offered me a soft smile. I looked at him, trying to think of how to demand to know what was going on when Esme sat back down next to me.

"Bella?" she asked. I turned my head to face her, curiously. Esme placed a hand on my knee in comfort. "Do you mind a few visitors?" she asked me. I furrowed my brow trying to think of who would come to visit the Cullens' home. Giving up, I picked up the notebook again and wrote.

Who?

I was curious as to who would come to see me right now. I don't think I was contagious anymore –not that that mattered to vampires or…oh. Maybe the werewolves? Edward had said yesterday that Emily made me soup and cookies.

Esme smiled at me again, squeezing my hand. "Currently, your friend Angela has been calling about you. I already said she was welcome to come over. I hope you don't mind," she told me, slightly worried. I shook my head. I didn't mind Angela coming over at all.

"And Seth also said he wanted to come over to see you and Edward," Esme continued. I liked Seth. He had managed to grow close the Cullens after Victoria. The werewolves in general were at least less weary of my vampires. They weren't at full acceptance but some of the natives had been calling on Carlisle for anything from the common cold to broken bones. He had to have werewolf escort and typically that was in the form of Seth or Embry anymore. Neither of them seemed to mind too much.

When I nodded again, Esme smiled and gave me another kiss on my forehead. "Good," she said as she stood up, taking the now empty water glass with her. "Angela said she'd be over in about an hour and Seth should be here any minute," Esme informed us. I still didn't get why Edward would grimace if it was just Angela and Seth coming over. He knew –and I thought liked- both of them.

Esme looked one more time at Edward before leaving the room. I noticed he nodded at her before she left. Grabbing the notebook again, I scribbled down "What was Esme thinking that made you cringe earlier? What did she say to you just now?"

Edward looked over my scrawl and sighed. "Bella, love, it's nothing for you to worry about now," he told me.

So I should worry about it later?!?

I looked up at him and watched as he thought over what to tell me. I hated it when he kept things from me –especially things that concerned me- for my own safety. Or at least he thought he kept things away from me for my own safety. I think it made things worse later on.

After about a minute of contemplating whatever it was he needed to tell me, he let out an unnecessary breath. "Carlisle's coming home early because Charlie will be coming over early. Alice believes that if Carlisle speaks to Charlie, we might be able to keep you here for at least another day. However, once Charlie sees how improved you are this morning, Alice isn't sure what your father might do," he told me. Oh.

Charlie, my Dad, would be coming over again this afternoon probably and see me. I didn't mind that but I did mind having to leave the comforts of being allowed to always be in Edward's arms, hearing Emmett's stories non-stop, watching Alice babble about the latest wedding craze, have the calming influence of Jasper around me, Esme's constant mothering, and Carlisle's ability to check up on me whenever even though I was getting better. I'd even miss seeing Rose pass by every couple of hours and "hmph" when she saw me still here. Edward did point out this was an improvement. She didn't seem to hate me anymore but she didn't like me either.

I'd be away from my family, completely, back at Charlie's. If Charlie was going to be there all day, that would be fine, but he'd work ten or twelve hours out of the day. Yes, Edward could easily come over and so would Alice but I'd miss everyone else. Thinking over going back to Charlie's, I hugged Beary Phoenix tightly to me.

Author's Note: So, Angela and Seth will be coming over and then Charlie will come to whisk the improving Bella away!