All Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 48 – Cure

Epov

Bella was swimming through my thoughts. It was difficult to focus on the task at hand, when I knew I could have her.

I could have her.

The grin that crept across my face was huge. I was sure I would give the Joker a run for his money.

I could have Bella and she wanted me, too.

I was feeling giddy, so focusing on the microscope was nearly impossible. Did I mention I had Bella and I could have her again?

I was practically giggling as I thought of that super size box of condoms. She wanted to use them all by the end of the month.

My naughty little Bella.

I didn't think a more perfect woman existed, I was sure of it.

I was hunched over my microscope trying to listen to my dad explain his latest experiment and his results, but my mind kept drifting back to Bella, naked or in leather with a whip.

I was currently remembering how she stripped right in front of this table. I loved my photographic memory. I replayed her snapping my belt and wiggling out of my pants over and over. I would watch in my mind as she slowly unbuttoned my shirt exposing her beautiful breasts.

I loved Bella's breasts.

Did I mention Bella was perfect?

"EDWARD!" My dad's voice snapped me out of my memory. "What are you thinking of?"

"Stripping." The word was out of my mouth before I could stop it.

"Stripping? You know, you might be on to something, Son!" he said excitedly grabbing several chemicals. "If we can find a formula that will strip the virus away from the original DNA we may be able to cure you, Edward."

He was right. Of course, there was a chance I would lose my photographic memory, but I was willing to give that up if it meant I would not outlive Bella and my children by centuries.

Bpov

E was acting strangely as of late. I wasn't sure what he was up to, but he was sneaking around more, which was never a good thing in E's case. He could be building a nuclear reactor somewhere for all I knew. I tried to keep tabs on him, but since he finished his project at Jake's, he had been acting weird. He had been watching Seth and Jake closely. He also had slipped into the lab to look at what Edward and Carlisle were doing a time or two.

The fact was, he was up to something and that was never a good thing.

I finished putting away the laundry and doubled checked my grocery list, before I left the house. I smiled to myself as I looked at the list. Condoms were number one on my list. We had used over half the box I bought already.

One week.

That was how long it had been since I showed up at the lab and seduced Edward. He had made it home every night just after dinner and helped me put the kids to bed and then, as he says it, he puts me to bed, and I had to say I was thoroughly enjoying it.

I was headed to the car, when Edward came running up to me. "Bella, we did it!"

I looked up surprised and wondered where his car was. He must have thought my confusion was for something else, because he started to explain.

"We came up with a cure. Carlisle is perfecting the formula now!" He picked me up and spun me around causing me to laugh.

"That's great, honey! So what does this mean? Will it work for others infected?"

He pouted a little and shook his head no. "It'll only work for me. The vaccine is designed using my DNA. Well, mine and parts of E's that belong to me. If I didn't have a son, I wouldn't be able to reverse the effects of the virus. Of course, there's a good chance I'll lose my photographic memory." He mumbled the last part.

"You won't lose any memories, though, will you? Of us or the kids?" I asked a little worried.

"No, I don't think so. I'll just be normal, not super smart anymore," he said timidly. Did he think I wouldn't love him if he wasn't super smart? That was ridiculous.

I reached around grabbing his backside. "Will I be able to squeeze these again?"

He let out a chuckle and nodded his head yes.

"Sounds good to me then," I tried to reassure him that I would stay with him through this trial. We would get through this together.

Epov

The more I thought of it, the more nervous I had become. I had rushed home to tell Bella we were truly on to something and she seemed excited. She didn't even mind that I wouldn't be as smart as before, but tried to cheer me up by grabbing my butt and asking if she would be able to squeeze it again. She was perfect and seemed to always know just what to say to encourage me.

Bella squeezing my butt would definitely be a plus. So would really being able to feel her again. Everything was warm feathery light touches. I missed really feeling her grab me. I felt the heat of her body and the trace of her fingertips, but my stone body really kept her from molding to me like she used to. I loved snuggling up so tight to her that I felt almost like one person. I couldn't do that as a vampire. It wasn't safe, there was always a risk I would squeeze her too tightly and hurt her.

I hurried back to the lab and my dad was watching a microscope intensely. He suddenly jumped up "Ah ha!" he shouted, "By jingo, I've got it!"

I started laughing, "Who in the heck says by jingo?"

"I do, my dear boy, I think I have it, but I need to make sure it's safe. We don't have any test subjects and I don't think this virus would infect animals."

"Could we try it on just part of me?"

"How on earth do you propose to do that?" he asked curiously.

What my father didn't know was that I could remove a body part and reattach it. I could remove a toe, because really, who needed all ten of those? We could see if the serum worked on it or had an adverse effect.

I took off my shoe and my dad was watching me curiously. I grabbed my little toe and twisted it off. It hurt like a bitch, causing me to roar out in pain. My father stumbled back surprised, but gathered himself. I pinched the skin together and it sealed instantly before I put my shoe back on.

He was looking at me curiously as I handed him my toe.

"Will you be alright, Son?" he asked concerned.

I nodded yes and pointed back to the table. I wanted to see if it would work.

The outside of my toe was solid so he could not inject it, but the inside and exposed area from where I tore it off of my foot was softer. He injected the exposed part of the toe and we waited. It seemed like nothing was happening, but of course it took three days for the initial change into a vampire, so I assumed it would take just as long or longer to change back.

"Why don't you go home and have dinner with Mom. I'll stay here and watch the toe tonight."

"You need to rest, too, Son. Why don't you set up the video camera to watch it tonight and go home as well? I'm sure Bella misses you."

I wanted to stay and watch the toe, but I also had a feeling that he would fight me on it. He didn't realize that I didn't sleep anymore, and my eyes were much more advanced than the video camera. I could see changes before it would.

He started setting up the camera, apparently taking my silence for agreement. I guess I could go home and put Bella to bed then come back. I was sure it would take some time for the toe to change.

I finally conceded and headed home.

E met me at the door looking at me oddly. "You joining us for dinner?" he asked suspiciously.

"I ate at the lab," I answered and it was true, I did eat at the lab when I needed to eat.

He looked at me for a minute as if he was trying to figure something out and then ran off. Ellie watched the exchange and then slinked forward.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Ellie?"

"What do you eat?"

Ah, the million dollar question and my baby came up with it. Time to distract. "Is mommy cooking dinner? That smells wonderful."

Ellie nodded eagerly and waved for to me to follow her. I hoped the cure worked. I wanted my little girl to feel comfortable enough around me to touch me and take my hand. I wanted to eat dinner with my family.

"I'm helping mommy. Uncle Seth is eating with us tonight and he eats a lot, so we have to make lots and lots of food. Are you going to eat with us, Daddy?" she asked just as we entered the kitchen. Seth was sitting at the table holding his fork as if he was ready to dig in. He heard the question and smirked at me. It wasn't fair that he could enjoy a meal with my family and I couldn't.

Bella answered her before I could. "Daddy already ate, sweetie, and I don't know if there's enough food with the way Uncle Seth eats."

"But I want Daddy to eat my food, too!" Ellie exclaimed. Apparently, Bella had been teaching her to cook and she had gotten quite good. Ellie looked up at me with her sad little pout. "You'll eat, won't you, Daddy?"

I would do anything for my little girl; even torture myself with disgusting food. "Sure, honey, how could I pass it up?"

I would take time to puke it back up on my run back to the lab.

The things I did for my girls. It was worth it, though, because Ellie insisted that she sit next to me at the table. I loved my little girl and I was thrilled that she was finally warming up to me. She let me tuck her in tonight, which usually was something Bella did. I was always tucking Elizabeth in. Not that I didn't love tucking in Elizabeth, I did, but I would much rather be able to tuck in all three of my kids.

Bella met me in the hallway and wrapped her arms around me.

"Bed time?" I asked.

She smiled and nodded yes.

I picked her up bridal style and carried her off to our room. I undressed her slowly, taking care to rub out any muscles that looked tense. My vampire eyes were much more perceptive than human ones.

I started up a hot bubble bath and then climbed in. The water burned my skin, but only for a moment. My body cooled the water to just the right temperature for Bella. She climbed into the tub and lay back against my chest.

"How was your day?" she asked.

I chuckled at the mundane question, but loved it all the same. "Good, intense, but good."

"I believe it. Have you made any more progress on the cure?"

"We'll know in the morning. We left an experiment running tonight. I'm afraid these things take time."

"You're going to sneak off first thing in the morning, aren't you?"

I kissed her neck and inhaled her scent. "You know me too well."

"As long as you come home and put me to bed, I don't mind."

My hand slid up her warm tummy to her beautiful breasts. My cool fingers caressed her nipples into peaks and she pushed back against me, rubbing her warm body against mine.

Yes, I definitely loved putting my Bella to bed.

A/N: Thanks for reading and please review.