A/N: Oh my lovely readers! Thanks for playing the game! You had some interesting ideas on how to fake Bella's death. Amazing job! I hope you like my way. I'm sorry the last chapter was so short, and didn't give any new information, but hopefully this chapter will make up for that. Enjoy and please review!
Edward's Point of View
Moments after Bella fell asleep Charlie came back into the room. I was worried he'd ask me to move away from her, but he barely even looked at me. He walked over to the chair, and put his head in his hands. I felt truly sad for him. The one person in his life whom hadn't left him yet, and that he loved was slipping out of his grasp. I got to keep my Bella. Maybe not in the human form, but nonetheless, I would always have her. I would always be able to give her love, and see her beautiful smile. Beneath the sadness I held for Charlie, I was truly happy that I had a way to keep her in my life.
Bella slept for several hours. When she woke up she looked straight to Charlie, who was now asleep on the chair.
"How long has he been asleep for?" She asked quietly.
"About an hour." I replied.
She nodded in response. I leaned over to grab the remote to call the nurse in, but Bella stopped me.
"Not yet." She said.
"Why not?" I questioned her.
"I just want to relax for a few moments, without nurses and doctors walking in and out." She looked deeply into my eyes.
"Ok my love." She sat up slowly and I did the same thing. She leaned her body into me, and I wrapped my arms gently around her. We sat like that in a comfortable silence for at least forty minutes. Finally she grabbed the remote and hit the button for the nurse. Jenny came rushing into the room ten minutes later.
"I'm so sorry dear; I was busy with a patient."
"It's ok." Bella replied weakly.
"I'm going to go get you some food. You really need to eat."
"I'm really not hungry." Bella spoke.
"Bring her something to eat." I said, I knew Jenny would bring her food whether I told her to or not. It was part of her job to make sure the patients are fed.
"Of course." Jenny responded.
"But…" Bella started to protest.
"Bella you have to eat, I don't want to hear your excuses."
"Edw…" She started again, but I put my finger to her lips. She started to glare at me, and then she ignored my finger.
"Edward, it will only make me sick." She was being honest and I knew that, but she couldn't be starving herself.
"I can bring you something light dear." Jenny chimed in.
"That would be great, thanks Jenny." I replied. Bella looked defeated.
I couldn't believe how weak Bella looked today. Her body was deteriorating with each passing day. She sighed, and looked towards Charlie, who was now starting to wake up.
"Morning Bells." He said, his voice groggy, yet happy.
"Morning dad." Her voice was powerless.
"What's going on?" He asked her, noticing she didn't exactly look 'ok' even for someone with cancer.
"Edward's making me eat." She complained. Charlie sent me a small smile.
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I agree with him. You need to eat." Bella let out a slight moan.
"Are you ok?" I asked worriedly.
"Yes, my head is just starting to bother me again." I wanted to tell her that the lack of food she's eaten could have something to do with that, but I thought better of it.
Jenny walked through the door with a tray of food, and I got off of the bed, sitting in the chair right next to it. There was soup, Jell-O, and two pieces of toast. Bella looked towards her with pain evident in her features. She really didn't want to eat that food. I was determined to get a few bites in her.
"Carlisle is on his way in; he's just finishing up with another patient." Jenny said as she set the tray down.
"Ok, thank you Jenny." She smiled, and stepped out.
I was trying to get Bella to eat, when Carlisle walked in.
"Don't force her right now." He said.
"Carlisle she hasn't eaten for more than twenty-four hours."
"Edward, I know, but if she doesn't feel well enough to eat, that's not going to help her at all. It will wear her out even more if she eats, gets sick, and throws it up." His words made sense, but I didn't want to accept it, and Carlisle could tell.
"Edward, we can give her nutrients through the IV if we need to. In fact we already have been. That's why she isn't starving."
"I think she's not starving because she's sick, and she's lost her appetite completely." I mumbled quietly. I knew Carlisle heard me, but he didn't respond.
"Bella, have you thought about which treatment you would like?" Carlisle asked.
"Blood transfusions, I suppose." She said quietly.
"I think that's probably best. Do you have any questions about it?" Carlisle asked.
"When can I start?"
"Today, any other questions?"
"Only one more…when can I go home?" Carlisle smiled lightly at her.
"Normally, you would need to wait at least a week, however under the circumstances; I will probably release you in three days."
"Really?" Bella and I both said at the same time.
"Yes, but you have to realize the only way I'm willing to do that is if you both make me a promise…"
"What's the promise?" Again we both said it at the same time.
"Edward, you have to promise me that if Bella is really in need of medical attention, that you will either her bring her to the hospital, or directly to me, whichever way is fastest."
"I promise!" I said immediately.
"What do I have to promise?" Bella asked wearily.
"You my dear, have to promise that you will not put up a fight, if Edward says you have to go to the hospital." She took a moment to answer.
"I promise." She finally said. I sighed in relief, worried that she was going to try to argue it.
"Bella before you get the blood transfusion, you should try to eat something. It's going to take a lot out of you. If you really aren't up to eating, we can put nutrients in your IV, however actually eating would be the best."
Charlie walked up to Bella. He cupped her face in his hand. Bella looked shocked. Charlie wasn't usually big on personal contact.
"Sweetie, please try to eat." He spoke softly, staring into her big, brown, beautiful eyes. He bent down and kissed her forehead. Bella's eyes filled with tears. Bella nodded, and Charlie returned to his seat. She stared at Charlie for a moment, and then looked towards the food.
"Do you want to try the toast?" I asked her.
"No. I think I will just go with the soup." She said her voice a little shaky.
"Alright, here love." I set the soup on the moving table, which was connected to the bed. I left the rest of the food on the tray.
Bell took small spoonfuls of the soup. Carlisle, Charlie, and I watched her carefully. I didn't know what to expect.
"I'll be back in an hour to start the blood transfusion, alright Bella?" She put her spoon down.
"Yeah, alright." She sounded sad.
"What's wrong?" I questioned her.
"Needle in an hour." She pouted.
"Don't think about that, can you eat a little more?" I pleaded with her. She wasn't looking into my eyes. She knew if she did, she would fall under my spell, and do what I asked of her.
"Now I really don't have an appetite." She stated.
"Bella…" Charlie said. She looked at him. His eyes were pleading with her, and she picked up the spoon, and took a few more bites.
Surprisingly Bella ended up eating all of her soup. I tried to get her to eat the toast, but she refused. I decided not to push her. Moments later Carlisle came into the room with Jenny. I couldn't believe it had already been an hour. Bella visibly tensed.
I moved the table out of the way, so that Carlisle would have easy access. I looked at Bella, she looked like she was about to cry. Jenny and Carlisle were on Bella's right side, so I stood on her left. Jenny cleaned off the area where the needle would go.
"Are you ready?" Carlisle asked her?
"Yes." Bella replied, her voice was hardly audible.
"Bella this is going to hurt a bit." Carlisle said. Bella looked straight forward, not wanting to watch as the needle went in her arm.
As the needle went into her arm she cringed, and turned her head to me, burying it in my chest. I gently wrapped my arms around her head, and stroked her hair with my hand. I could feel the wetness of her tears on my shirt. I wanted so badly to take her pain away, but I couldn't. The whole thing took about five minutes. Carlisle pulled the needle out, and wrapped Bella's arm in gauze. She kept her head on my chest the entire time.
"You will have to get another transfusion in a week." Carlisle told her.
Carlisle and Jenny walked out the door, and Charlie followed. I read Charlie's thoughts, he just needed to get some air. Bella still had her head against my chest, and still had her head incased gently in my arms. Her body began to tremble, which cause me to worry.
"Sweetie, are you okay?" I asked, concern obvious in my voice.
"I…can't…" She was crying, and couldn't get her words out.
"You can't what?"
"Do…this…again…next week." She finally said, sobs wracking her body.
"Oh sweetie." With one swift move, I was holding her in my lap. I started to hum her lullaby, and she fell asleep in my arms.
Three days later.
The three days passed by smoothly. Bella was eating more, still not as much as I would have liked, but she was eating nonetheless. Her fever had gone down significantly. Bella was given strict orders to stay in bed, and let other cater to her. Bella was ready to get out of the hospital when Charlie asked Carlisle if he could speak with him for moment in the hall. I was glad I had such good hearing. I was able to hear every word.
"Carlisle…could Bella stay at your home? I know she would be safe there."
"Of course she can. Honestly I think it's a better idea anyway, I would like to keep an eye on her."
"Thank you very much."
"Do you want to ask Bella about it?" Carlisle asked.
"Of course, but I'm sure she'll want to. I may not like it, but my daughter is quite fond of your son, and I must say through all of this, I've grown to like him, well at least more than I did." Carlisle laughed, and then the two walked back into the room.
"Bella, would you like to stay at the Cullen's house? I would just be more comfortable with you staying near Carlisle."
"Sure." Bella said.
With that we all left the hospital, well everyone except Carlisle. He still had some work to do. Charlie kissed Bella goodbye, and told her if she needed anything to call. I got Bella into the car, and we were on our way. When we got my house, Alice came running out the door.
"Edward, Edward, Edward!" She exclaimed, as I got out of the car and walked over to Bella's door.
"I have ideas!" Alice stated.
A/N: I hope this chapter was better than the last one. This is my longest chapter yet. I know you didn't get a ton of new information, but I felt all of this needed to be said. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is how I chose to do it.
Review please!
