((Hey! Thanks for your boss reviews, guys! I don't NEED them, but they make me happy! And honestly, they make me feel bad for not writing, haha))

Miles smiled serenely at me as he heard the truth of my words. It had been too long since they were true.

I was absolutely tackled by just about... oh right. Everyone. I didn't really like being touched (As I, the author, do not either.) but I didn't mind so much because I knew everyone was too excited.

As soon as I could breathe again, (everyone had stepped away because the beeping machine was going haywire) Miles kicked everyone out for 'three minutes tops, guys.'

I was nervous, because I didn't want this conversation to ruin my natural high. Then again, the high was probably medicinally induced... Still.

"I'm staying," Jasper demanded, and sat down beside my bed. Miles glared at him, and then switched his glance to me.

I nodded. "Jasper's staying." I told him. "He's family now."

Miles just stared at me, and I heard the door click behind him signalling everyone's disappearance. He continued to stare at me some more, making me uncomfortable; I shifted in the bed, wringing my hands (which hurt because of the IV). I lay back all the way and stretched out, waiting for the conversation to ensue. But he didn't say a word, so I began.

"What are you confused about, Miles Wallis?" I asked, and Miles crumpled in the chair across from Jasper, crying so loudly the bed shook.

I gasped. What? Why was he crying? Even my twin intuition didn't prepare me for this...

Miles grabbed my hand, and then took his head off of my bed. "I was so scared. I haven't slept in five days." I sighed and nodded. That much I knew. He looked too tired. "I love you so much, ya know? It hurts to see you so... weak."

Ouch. That was a low blow... I tried to be a stronger person. Didn't he see that? I guess not. Not that I blamed him. It was my weakness that was killing us both. (Metaphorically speaking.)

"I'm so sorry, Miles." I told him, but I was done crying and I sounded almost cruel. "I'm sorry I scared you. I'm sorry I'm not stronger. I'm sorry you've lost sleep over me." I softened my voice at the end, trying not to sound hurt anymore.

He looked up at me, shocked. "No. Don't you apologize," he demanded roughly, and we stared at each other for a good fifteen seconds before the two of us began cracking up.

"Could you be more cliché?" I teased him through laughs. Jasper chuckled along with us, relieved for the moment of goofiness, I think.

Then, the door burst open and Alice walked in. "It's been long enough!" She announced, sitting on Jasper's lap. Everyone else walked in behind her, talking loudly to one another.

"Carlisle, my father, said you can leave when you're ready," Edward told me and I nodded to him graciously.

I was ready to go home. Then I realized...

No matter where I was with this group of people... I was with my family, and I was home.

And the next few weeks, again, rocked. I had been spending all of my time with Alice and Jasper. Sometimes Emmett would come along, but not too much. Mostly he just stayed home, Alice told me. It was shocking to me how much she kept me updated about him. Then she told me, she knew how I felt about him. She explained that it was obvious to everyone but him. And I was grateful for her everyday.

But I always felt guilty for interrupting their alone time, even though they made me feel accepted. They told me they had tons of other time for each other, and I could not refuse their generosity. Especially when we always had so much fun together.

But today we were with everyone at Edward's house. I was lying on his couch with Emmett at my feet. He was actually outside of his house today. Everyone else was on the floor with the exception of Edward and Bella who were in a love seat. Alice, Jasper, and I had come here today because I was feeling sick and I needed to see Carlisle. Miles and Angela were here as well, because Miles was worried about me and wanted to know what was wrong, too. He was too overprotective. I swear. But I knew he also enjoyed everyone's company, so I didn't mention it.

It turns out, Dr. Mason had said, that I had walking pneumonia. I wasn't as surprised as everyone else was. I had had this before, and I was sure to have it again.

(A/N: I have walking pneumonia again right now, so I'm using my story to vent. I've had it three times in the last year! In late April, early December, and now early-ish-February. Five days of school missed with each time. That's fifteen days of school missed, and fifteen days of make-up work. Screw my life!)

Everyone, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice especially, had a mini freak out when they found out. They wanted to put me back in the hospital, but Dr. Mason had assured them that it wasn't necessary. He just said to make sure to give me medicine in regular intervals and to make sure I was taking in as much liquid as possible before he dashed out the door back to work.

The doctor had left work for me, and I was touched.

So, mostly I slept, while everyone else played games and watched movies, but Emmett never moved from his spot under my legs. Maybe he didn't want to disturb me...

We were all given permission to stay the night here together, and I think part of the reason Miles and I were was that Shane wanted to have Leah over, if you know what I mean. Him and Leah were going strong, and I had finally met her. Well, I'd met her before, but this time I actually talked to her. She was... different to say the least. She was really nice, but always seemed to have a bitter outtake on everything. Just like Shane.

Anyways, I was asleep most of the time, and would wake up through random times during the night to see that my friends were still awake. They didn't sleep at all that night, but they napped the next day along with me. They had put blankets all over the living room floor, and we all slept next to each other. It was nice to have this closeness with this many people.

Alice woke me up at 4 PM on Saturday, the second night of our sleepover, shoving the liquid codeine and Zpak pills down my throat. I felt horrible. My nose was running 80 miles a minute. My voice was completely gone by this point and my throat was burning with every swallow. My head was pounding and I couldn't breathe. I continued coughing over and over until I would gag. I also felt ugly, but didn't care so much about that. These people, my family, weren't so superficial to where they would mind. If they did mind, they didn't say anything to me about it. My eyes were tearing up from all the gagging, and everyone was watching me cautiously.

"I'm about to drag you straight to the hospital," Bella told me harshly, and I tried my best to hold back my coughs, unsuccessfully. It only made me gag more and the scratching on the back of my throat was almost more than I could handle. Alice stuck a thermometer under my tongue and I waited as patiently as possible.

She took the thermometer out and clicked her tongue. "A 102.7," She informed everyone else and I flopped back down from my sitting up stance.

I rolled my eyes. "I've had worse, and I didn't go to the hospital." I tried to tell them, but my voice croaked so badly only Miles could understand. He nodded fairly. "And I'm in a doctor's house. That's got to count for something." I reasoned.

He sighed. "She has a point," he agreed loudly.

Everyone else looked at him confused, and he recapped my argument.

"She didn't have as stubborn of friends as us before," Emmett said lightly, rubbing my knee, and I sighed.

I stared into his eyes, trying to convey that I just wanted to be here. I wanted to be with him, not in the hospital with an oxygen mask on.

"Well," Edward said, finality written in his voice, "If you won't go to the hospital, the hospital is coming to you." He chuckled victoriously, and got on his phone. He began talking to his father on the phone, and I ignored the conversation, looking around the room for the first time.

For being such good friends with these people, I had never been to their houses. It made me curious as to what else I didn't know about them, and that was a lot. I knew their personalities ridiculously well, but I knew nothing about their pasts, or what they had planned for the future. I knew nothing of their experiences, or ambitions. I knew not their talents or preferences. I realized I didn't know as much about them as I'd originally thought. I knew Bella liked plain chips on her turkey and cheese sandwiches. I knew Jasper liked horror films, because he would take any chance given to cuddle with Alice. I knew Alice liked shopping, and had a particular flair for fashion. Her favourite stores were located in France, and she flew there to shop at any given chance. Edward was the quiet type, just as Bella was. He loved music, mostly classical, and loved Bella more than I've ever seen love before. I knew Miles inside out, but didn't know too much about his girlfriend. She was shy, but probably the nicest person I'd ever met. She was just pure good. Never rough, never cruel. Pure through and through.

Then there was Emmett. I was never alone with him. Ever. I think he did that on purpose. He didn't want to hurt me. That much I could tell. And as much as I hated him to view me as weak and breakable, I understood why he did so. I was a mess from day one of meeting him. He'd seen my crazy emotional breakdowns, and was here now through my pneumonia. He had seen the worst sides of me, and I could totally understand why, then, he thought the worst of me.

And yet, something had changed. My feelings for him had changed. Before my breakdown, him touching my knee would have driven me crazy, and made me forget everything else. I lusted after him. But what had changed was our emotional connection. We were closer now. He had been my saviour, soldiering on through my internal battle with me. And what was once lust, I knew, was now love. I loved Emmett Cullen.

Knowing that he avoided me, to not hurt me, was hurting me even more. It caused me physical pain to be away from him now. He was perfect. He was beautiful, kind, and generous. He was funny and truly cared about me. But then I though about it, and what did I really know about him? Not enough. I knew that Alice was his sister. I knew he was the kind of person who would help you up if you fell. I knew I loved him. But could I really? Could I really love someone so strange and foreign to me? That's what he was. A stranger. But, yes. Yes I could love him, because I did. And as I came back to reality, I found myself staring at him, and he was staring back. He looked confused, concerned, and most of all, he looked beautiful.

I almost said it then, on accident. I almost said those three words. I sighed, and turned my attention back to Miles. "What's going on?" I asked him.

"Like Edward said, if you aren't going to the hospital, we're bringing it to you."

And that, they did. They most certainly did. Because a half of an hour later, to my embarrassment, Doctor Carlisle Mason brought in hospital equipment. I caught a glimpse of an IV bag and an oxygen mask before I fell back on the couch, wishing death would take me naturally before I died of humiliation.