Edward and Bella belong to Stephanie Meyer, and I thank her for letting me borrow them :)

"Bella?"

The familiar velvet voice pulled me back. I struggled to open my eyes, and focus on the pale face looming above me.

"Hi," I rasped. Edward's face was dripping with concern. He pushed my hair off my clammy forehead. I shivered involuntarily at his touch. He pulled his hand back immediately.

"What's wrong, love?"

I blinked, trying to see through the dark bathroom. What time was it? I tried to straighten out my thoughts and separate them from the colors of my dreams.

"Bella? Are you okay?" his voice was more urgent, as I hadn't answered.

"I don't feel well," I slurred. I wondered for a moment if he even understood me; my words sounded blurred together. His forehead creased, and he gently held his palm to my forehead, checking my fever.

"I can see that," He whispered, "And you feel feverish."

Another wave of cramps churned through my stomach and I suppressed a groan, curling up tighter. I held my breath, willing myself not to throw up on him. He held his hand to my forehead for a moment, and then suddenly disappeared. Reappearing seconds later, he had a thermometer in his hand.

"I need to take your temperature, can you sit up?" he asked. I took a deep breath and nodded weakly. He slid his arm underneath my neck and shoulders and gently helped me up. My stomach rolled and I leaned over the toilet, dry heaving. He held his cool hand against my neck, waiting until I had finished.

"Sorry," I choked, trying to catch my breath. He shushed me, his sweet breath teasing me. I heaved again.

"Now I'm sorry," he said, chuckling humorlessly. I forced a weak smile. He adjusted himself so I could lean against his body without moving, and gently eased the thermometer into my mouth. I rested my head against his cold shoulder without opening my eyes. He rubbed his hand up and down my arm, trying to create heat. I faintly realized I was shivering.

After a second, it seemed, he pulled the thermometer from between my lips. He was motionless for a few moments, and I forced my eyes open. He seemed to be deep in thought, his stone face wrinkled. I coughed weakly, and he seemed to snap out of his daze.

"It read 102," he said quietly. "I think you should go wake Charlie up. I'd like to take you to Carlisle, but it's too early in the morning for me to be over here."

"I don't want to get up," I mumbled, closing my eyes again. I felt his cool lips in my matted hair. He seemed to be thinking again.

"I'll take you back to bed, and let you sleep… But if you get sick again, you're waking up Charlie, understand, Bella?" he said; he was using his stern voice. I managed a weak nod. "I'll figure something out if I have to."

I nodded again, listening to his voice swirl around me. It reminded me of my dreams, only his voice became one of the colors; dark red.

As if I was weightless, Edward slowly slid his arm underneath my knees and picked me up gently. He walked smoothly back to my room, and laid me in my bed. I shivered as he pulled my cool sheets over my warm body. I closed my eyes gratefully and settled into bed, trying to get comfortable. My stomach churned at the movement, and I let a soft groan escape my lips. Edward was at my side instantly.

"Bella? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice was a low purr, yet I could still hear the anxiety in it. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping he'd understand I couldn't answer at the moment. The nausea passed after a few moments. I exhaled, unaware until then that I had been holding my breath.

"Bella?"

"I'm fine, it's just my stomach," I whispered, opening my eyes. He stared at me worriedly, and stroked my forehead with his cool thumb, letting his palm rest on top of my head. The chill felt nice against my feverish head. I took a deep breath, "And my whole body just hurts."

I blinked, and he was gone. I felt a faint shock of surprise in the pit of my stomach, adding to my nausea. I took deep breaths, trying not to get sick again. But before I managed to exhale completely, he was back.

"I got Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, and water." He sang quietly, "Which would you prefer first?"

"Water, please." I rasped. He nodded, and helped support me as I struggled to sit up. I felt slightly light-headed, and slumped back against my pillows for support. He held the glass, tipping it slightly against my cracked lips so I could sip it. It felt good against my raw throat. He pulled it away after a few sips.

"Make sure you can keep this down," he explained, "Then you'll get more. We need to keep you hydrated."

After ten minutes, Edward had decided I could successfully hold down the water and gave me more, along with two small pills. I swallowed them with some difficulty; it burned my throat. After a few more sips of water, I lay back down and Edward joined me, lying on top of my quilts so that his cool body wouldn't chill me any further. He rubbed small circles into my aching lower back.

"Time?" I murmured after what felt like hours. My stomach was holding steady, so I sat up slowly.

"It's almost six," Edward whispered, sitting up as well. He watched as I shakily took a drink of water from the almost-full glass on my bedside table. I set it back down with a dull clunk. "Charlie should be up soon. Then you can call me and have Carlisle come pick you up to take care of you while Charlie's at the station."

"You're going to school?"

"As far as Charlie knows," I could hear my favorite crooked smile in his voice. I smiled, and opened my mouth to reply but was cut off. My stomach rolled uneasily, and I instantly regretted the larger gulps of water. My sharp intake of breath caught Edward's attention, and he was at my side just in time with the garbage can from under my desk. He held my hair as I threw up the Tylenol.

"Are you alright?" he asked once I had finished. I nodded, tears of embarrassment welling up. He wiped them away as they fell, setting the garbage can to the side.

"Shh, Bella, calm down." He cooed. "You're fine, don't be upset. You'll be fine. I'll take you to Carlisle and he'll give you something to help you feel better."

"I'm sorry you had to see that," I whispered, correcting him. he seemed to think I was crying because I was scared or something.

"Oh, please, Bella." He said, smiling slightly, "Having a doctor as a father has exposed me to much worse, believe me."

I chuckled, wiping my eyes. His mouth opened, as if he was going to say something else, then stopped all the sudden. His head was cocked to the side, as if he were listening to something.

"Charlie's awake," he whispered. I felt the cool pressure of his lips on my forehead, then he vanished.

Sighing, I mustered up as much energy as I could, praying he would hear me. My voice sounded like a thousand cheese-graters rubbing against gravel.

"Charlie?!"

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