At 30 000 Feet
Part IV
Author: Mrs Ronald Weasley
Rating: PG-13 or T
Pairing/s: Edward/Bella/Carlisle
Category: Drama/Angst
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Summary: Because at 30 000 feet, when the one you love is dying, you'd do anything to save her, right?
A/N: Here's Part IV, my life kind of got in the way of writing last night, because I wasn't feeling well. And today is even worse, or at least it is now, I was alright this morning. I'm sorry if this chapter isn't any good, I don't feel like writing, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting. Enjoy.
"Take off your clothes and get under the blanket with her, Edward," I said again, when he still didn't move. "It's the only way we can get her fever down."
Edward seemed to snap out of his reverie at that, and quickly removed his clothing, grabbing the blanket and covering Bella and himself with it. "She's warm, Carlisle," Edward said, "really warm."
"I know," I replied, "I can only hope that this works." Sighing, I turned and started to pace, millions of different diagnoses running through my mind.
It was an infection, of that I was almost positive. Although, was it bacterial or viral? The sudden, severe onset of her symptoms pointed more towards bacterial. But with no way to run a blood culture, I could have no hope of discovering what was making Bella ill.
"If only I knew whether or not the rash is a symptom," I muttered, meeting Edward's anxious eyes.
"It wasn't there before the fever," Edward reminded me.
"No," I replied, "but that doesn't mean anything." I paused, "did Bella seem a little different to you, Edward?" I asked.
He frowned, "Downplaying her symptoms? She's always done that."
I shook my head; I was obviously looking for symptoms that weren't there. Symptoms that would've lead to a diagnosis sooner. "It doesn't matter," I muttered, moving over to them and taking Bella's temperature again.
No change.
I felt my panic return; I knew I was running out of time.
Standing, I moved quickly through the curtain separating us from the rest of the passengers and to the back of the plane.
"How's she doing?" Ashley asked when I appeared in the doorway.
"I can't get her fever down," I said, my eyes searching the cupboards. "Listen; can you do me a favour? I need you to ask the passengers to give up any medications they may have on them." I reached for the bottle of Vodka that sat on a counter behind me. "Are there any diabetics on board? I'm also going to need at least one needle." The flight attendant looked shocked, but nodded her head after a second. "Thank you."
I turned and headed back to first class. "Vodka?" Edward asked when I returned.
"It works better for sterilization, than some of the other alcohols," I explained. "Edward, yesterday, did Bella mention anything to you about feeling well?"
Edward's eyes narrowed before he answered, "She did mention a headache and a stiff neck, but she just thought that it was from the way she slept."
I took a deep breath; my brain finally resting on what I hoped was a correct diagnosis. "Bacterial Meningitis?" Edward said, my gaze was tortured as it met his. "Carlisle," Edward's voice turned pleading, "no." He shook his head, "you're wrong, Carlisle. It has to be something else!"
"Edward," I said my voice low and pained, I moved over and sat down beside them. "You know I don't want this for her. And if there was a possibility of it being anything else, I would do everything I could to figure it out! But you know as well as I do, the symptoms, it's quite clear."
"Carlisle, half the people on this plane could be infected too."
"I know," I muttered, "which is why I'm not going to say anything. We don't need mass hysteria to break out."
"If it Meningitis," Edward sighed, "how long do we have?"
"That depends," I said, my eyes on Bella's beautiful face. "That flight attendant was supposed to get me medication from the other passengers. I can only hope for board-spectrum antibiotics. And they may not help her all that much." Edward looked up and then away suddenly, towards the curtain. "What?"
"The flight attendant has the meds," he whispered.
I stood and moved over to the curtain, I was just about to pull it aside when she spoke. "Um, Dr. Cullen?" she called, louder than was necessary. I pulled the curtain open. "Oh," she blushed, and handed me a bag that she held in her right hand. "These are what I could get for you. There are a couple of needles in there as well."
I smiled, "thank you Ashley." She nodded after a moment and then turned.
Closing the curtain, I carried the bag over to where Edward and Bella were and dumped it onto the seat. Something caught my eye immediately and I reached for the vial lying amongst various pill bottles. I frowned as I read the label: vancomycin.
"How did someone get that on the plane?" Edward asked.
I shook my head, "I don't even know why a person would have this in their possession." I rolled the vial between my fingers, there wasn't much left.
"Will it work?" Edward asked as I reached for a full bottle of amoxicillin.
"There's not enough, and I don't want to waste it, without a proper diagnosis..." I trailed off, knowing that he would follow my thoughts.
There was one test, although extremely risky to perform in these conditions that would give a definitive answer as to whether or not Bella had Meningitis. "Put your clothes back on Edward," I said, "you're not helping her anyway. I need you to help me perform an LP on her."
A/N: For those of you who have seen the episode of House that I based this off of, yes, I am kind of going along the same lines, however, she will not have the same condition as the patient did in the show.