All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

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Attention all readers----- I am leaving in two days for Germany and will not be able to update for a few weeks. This will be the last chapter for a little while. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! I will try to update as soon as I get back in the States.

Edward stayed by my side all day. Even when Charlie showed up to check on me he stayed, sitting in a chair in the corner. I tried to get him to leave but he refused. It was beyond comforting to have him around but I felt bad. I slept most of the time and I knew he must be bored, though when I asked he denied it.

"Go home. Spend some time with your family. You've been here all day. Visiting hours are almost over. Go. I'll just be sleeping." I encouraged.

"I'm staying." He said sternly squeezing my hand he held in his.

"Please. I feel bad. You've been spending all your time here with me. Your family must miss you." I reached up further examining his face and touched the dark circles under his eyes. "Besides it looks like you could use another camping trip." I muttered suggestively.

He shrugged. "It's nothing. I'm perfectly fine."

"You're so stubborn." I sighed.

He grinned and reached up to brush a piece of hair from my face. "I've learned from the best."

I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off with by planting a soft kiss on my lips. Before I could deepen it he pulled away.

I could see the corners of his lips twitch as he took in the slight pout of my face. "You need to rest."

"Will you sing to me?" I asked.

"Any requests?" He questioned as he released my hand and tucked the blankets around me.

I shook my head and closed my eyes as I waited. He hummed the same beautiful song to me that he had before. It was unbelievably sweet yet still complex in nature. Within minutes I floated off to sleep on the notes of Edward's lullaby.

I opened my eyes expecting to see Edward but was surprised by who I found standing beside my bed. A small pixie like creature stood next to me with a brilliant smile across her face. I smiled back hesitantly recognizing her as, Alice, one of Edward's sisters.

"Good morning Bella."

"Hi." I said tenitively not quite sure why she was in my room. "Where's Edward?"

"Oh he'll be back in a few minutes. Don't worry. I just thought it was about time you and I met. I'm Alice." She said exuberantly.

I smiled despite myself. "Nice to meet you Alice. I'm Bella."

She smiled brightly. We began talking together and the conversation simply flowed. It felt more like we had known each other for years rather than a few short minutes. She was easy to be around and I found myself laughing more than I had in a long time.

"Hey what's going on in here?"

I turned to look at the door and my smile expanded across my face. "Edward." I breathed happy to see him.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" He asked his eyes roaming my face, instantly turning wary as he awaited me response.

"Better, especially now that Alice is here."

"Hmm." He came to my side and touched one cool hand to my forehead. "No fever. That's good. Keep this up and you'll be home in no time."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Thanks dad." I muttered sarcastically.

He scowled at me obviously not enjoying my sense of humor. We both turned as we heard Alice's high pitch laugh next to us.

She gave Edward a knowing look and then beamed. "She's perfect, absolutely perfect."

I blushed at her words and looked away self-consciously.

"So Edward, Bella and I were talking in your absence." Alice began. I looked up to see what she was going to say. She winked at me before she turned back to her brother.

"Oh really? And what have you two been discussing?" He asked as he tried to keep from smiling.

"I think it's about time she met the whole family, but she isn't sure if you want her to yet."

My eyes widened at her words and I felt my mouth drop open. How could she do this to me? I felt my cheeks burn with the embarrassment that was washing through me in waves. I quickly buried my face in my hands. "That's not what I said." I mumbled through my hands.

"It's what you meant." Alice concluded matter-of-factly.

I heard a low growl coming from Edward's direction and I peeked through my fingers to look at him. He was giving Alice a very dirty look. "Of course I want Bella to meet everyone." He explained through clenched teeth. "I was waiting until she was better to bring it up. The last thing she needs is added stress in her condition."

I bristled at his words. I knew he didn't mean anything by them, but I would be damned if I was going to let him start treating me like a cripple.

I removed my hands from my face and raised an eyebrow at Edward. "What condition would that be?"

He reached out to touch me face. "Bella." I know he meant to sound soothing but he sounded more condescending to me than anything else.

I moved my face out of his reach and he dropped his hand instantly. "Really Edward, I would like to know."

He pursed his lips. "You're sick Bella you need to take it easy to remain healthy as long as possible."

"I'm not going to stop living just because I'm sick." I shot back defiantly.

He narrowed his eyes at me and clenched his jaw. "I'm not asking you to stop living, just the opposite actually. But you need to take things easy. You can't go off spending all day in the city anymore."

"Oh really? Well what if I told you that Alice and I already made plans to spend the day shopping once I get out of here?"

He glared at me for a few minutes and I could see he was trying to rein his anger in. He leaned over and pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb saying nothing as he sat on the side of my bed.

After a few moments he sighed dropping his hand to his side. "I just don't want to lose you." He whispered.

"Edward." I sat up straighter in bed and reached resting my hand to his face. "I can't live my life in fear of death. I have to have fun too. Let me live while I can."

He placed one of his hands over mine securing it to his face. "There are other things you can do that are fun and less tiring for you."

"I refuse to stop doing things for fear it may shorten my time left." I hesitated before I continued seeing the pain in his eyes. "Please understand. That's what I have always loved about you. You never pitied me or treated me differently. Please don't start now. Let's just enjoy the time we have together."

"It's not enough time." He whispered as he reached out and caressed my cheek.

"You know how to fix that."

I had been so wrapped up in my conversation with Edward that I had completely forgotten that his sister was still in the room and I blushed. There was something about her comment that caught my attention though. Before I could place it I was interrupted by the growing rumbling sound in Edward's chest.

"Thank you Alice. You can leave now." Edward growled as he turned to glare at his sister.

She giggled and then turned to me. "It was nice talking to you Bella. You know where to find me if you still want to go when you get out." She turned on her heel and gracefully walked from my room.

I stared after her as my mind worked furiously trying to place the familiarity of her words. Edward knew how to fix what? My head was spinning as memories of my first day in the hospital filled my mind.

"I said, no. I'm not damning her to this life."

"Do you really want to lose her after you just found her?"

"Of course not!" I heard the male voice exhale loudly. "I just can't do that to her."

"Ask yourself this, can you truly live without her?"

"No."

"Then do something about it." The high female voice implored. "You're the only one who can."

I turned my head quickly to Edward. "Has Alice been here before?" I was sure it was Edward and Alice that I had heard.

"Why?"

"I'm sure I heard you two talking yesterday."

"What did you hear?" He asked warily.

"You were talking about me and how you didn't want to lose me just like now, except Alice was telling you there was a way you didn't have to. You seemed very upset by her suggestion."

"You heard all that?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

I nodded my head. "What did she mean?"

He sighed running one of his hands through his bronze locks. I waited as the minutes ticked by for him to explain growing more frustrated by each passing second.

"Edward, what did she mean?" I echoed impatiently.

"She was suggesting that I save you."

"Save me? I don't; understand Edward. How could you save me?"

"By making you one of us." He said in a low voice.

I contemplated his words for a few minutes before I fully understood what he meant. "You can do that?" I asked intrigued.

"I won't." He replied firmly gazing deeply into my eyes.

Silence fell between us as we looked into one another's eyes. His eyes help such sadness I couldn't understand why. I could be with Edward forever if I was like him. It seemed to be the perfect solution to all my problems.

"Why not?" I finally asked breaking the silence between us.

"You don't know what you ask."

"I think I do."

"You don't." He replied curtly as he looked away.

I was taken back by his harshness and swallowed hard trying to fight back the tears just as the doctor came in. He took one look at the two of us sensing the tension and eyed Edward disapprovingly.

"If you'll excuse us young man. I need to speak to Isabella alone."

Edward nodded curtly and left the room without a single glance my way. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm myself as the doctor came closer to me. He didn't say anything as he checked my vitals and progress.

"You seen much better today. If you still have no fever by this evening you may go home tomorrow morning."

I smiled at him thankful for the opportunity to be in my own bed again.

As the doctor turned to leave he stopped short and turned back to me. "I must stress how important it is for you to be calm and strain free right now so that your body can heal properly. Please try to keep things simple."

I nodded in reply anxious to see Edward again. As soon as the doctor left Edward returned to my side and say next to me on the bed taking one of my hands in his.

"I apologize for upsetting you like that." He leaned down and placed a sweet kiss to my forehead and smiled repentantly.

I tried fighting a yawn but lost the battle. Edward chuckled beside me. "Sleep. You've had a long morning."

I nodded as I situated myself on the bed. "This isn't over." I mumbled, as my eyelids grew too heavy to keep open.

I heard him sigh heavily next to me just before his musical voice filled the room with the lullaby I had grown to love.