A/N: The reviews for the last chapter were awesome, and I'm really happy you guys are still enjoying this.

This chapter is called My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. You might recognize it as the Titanic theme song. It's a beautiful song.

Please leave me a review when you've finished reading! Thanks so much.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 7- My Heart Will Go On

Near, far, wherever you are. I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door. And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on. Love can touch us one time
And last for a lifetime. And never let go till were gone
Love was when I loved you. One true time I hold to
In my life well always go on

Edward's POV

"Can someone please tell me why the hell there isn't a damn thing on?" Bella complained, clicking the buttons on the remote toward the television that was hoisted up against the wall across from my bed. She sat in the peach-colored chair next to me, looking bored as ever.

I sat up a little straighter in the uncomfortable hospital bed, shifting my eyes toward the TV set. "Maybe if you hadn't skipped school today, you wouldn't have to worry about trying to find something good to watch," I retorted, flashing a bright smile toward her as she sent me a death glare.

Bella shook her head and rolled her chocolate brown eyes, a faint smirk pulling at one corner of her mouth. She said nothing in response, but I knew she was dying to tell me that she wasn't leaving and that was final. She'd been saying it for the whole week since I'd been admitted here.

I watched her from the corner of my eye as Bella continued to flip through the same collection of infomercials and morning talk shows that she'd just passed the first time through the channels. This whole time, Bella had refused to leave me except when she needed to get a change of clothes or take a shower. I'd told her a billion times over that I would be fine and that my parents or Alice and Emmett would show up soon, but she repeatedly said that the only place she wanted to be was wherever I was.

Some of my other friends from the swim team had come to visit me yesterday morning before heading off to school. A couple had suggested that they skip classes for the day, but I'd politley demanded that they go, saying that they'd be even more bored than Bella was. After all, this whole time I was only being prepped for treatments and had been told that lots of rest was crucial for me. Plus, I didn't want them to stay just so they could stare at me and pretend not to be wondering how my diagnosis could have been kept a secret.

My head was starting to hurt again so I sank back into the pillows behind me, closing my eyes. The room no longer smelled of only disinfectant and bleach. It was now mixed with the sweet smell of freesia and strawberries. It smelled like Bella, and for that, I was grateful.

Bella's voice tore me out of my thoughts, causing my eyes to open wide. "Hey, Edward. What's wrong? Does something hurt?" she asked, slightly frantic.

I knew that it would do absolutely no good to tell her that everything was fine so I nodded slowly. "Yeah. I just have a little headache, but Dr. Hammond said that it was normal for me to experience those until I get going on the chemotherapy."

She nodded her head slowly, agreeing with me. Bella had been there, along with my parents and Emmett and Alice, when Dr. Hammond was talking about the procedure that I would have to go under. So, she knew that I wasn't bull-shitting her or trying to fake that the pain was less important.

I closed my eyes again, sighing deeply. "You're really not going anywhere, are you?" I asked, trying one last time to convince her to get back to school.

"Nope," she answered, picking up my hand and kissing the back side of it. She glanced up at me, her eyes full of love and compassion. "Better start getting used to me."

I laughed light-heartedly while she bent down to press her lips to mine.

Just then my mother and father walked into the room, holding my iPod and speakers in their hands. "Hey, you," my mother cooed as if I were a child. "And Bella," she greeted. Esme walked to my side and bent down, placing a chaste kiss on my forehead and pushing my messy hair away from my forehead.

Carlisle caught sight of Bella, just realizing she was there, and exhaled slowly. "Bella, dear, do you ever go home?" he asked, his voice full of concern. "Everytime Esme and I come here, it seems like you never even left."

She smiled and went back to her place in the chair next to my bed. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me," she reassured them.

He nodded and turned toward me. "How are you feeling today?" I noticed that my dad was in his working attire and that he wouldn't be staying long due to the fact that he was most likely working the morning shift today. His boss had graciously given him a couple of days off, but unfortunately, they couldn't control when people became sick so he had to start getting back to his normal lifestyle.

I forced a grin to stretch across my face. "Like my ass is sore. These beds suck," I joked.

Esme and Carlisle laughed along with Bella who now decided to give up on finding a television show that she might actually enjoy. My mother placed my iPod speakers on the nightstand by my bedside and smiled. "Well, hopefully, your music will make you feel a little better," she said, plugging in the iPod.

Carlisle glanced down at his watch and looked back up at me with apologetic eyes. "Edward, I won't be able to stay today. They really need me for a couple of surgeries that were scheduled, but if they finish early, I swear I'll come straight here. You can contact-"

I raised my hand, silencing him. "Dad, it's fine. You gotta do what you gotta do. All I'm going to be doing is sleeping and listening to Mom, Bella, Alice, and Rosalie gossip later. Besides, when Emmett and Jasper come, things won't be so bad," I said, teasing the women in the room.

Bella smacked my arm lightly while Esme and Carlisle chuckled at our playful banter. It felt good that this was still happening because it made me forget reality for a little while. It almost made me forget that I was even in the oncology section of the hospital, and the reason why I was here. Almost.

"Alright," he said, reaching down to tap my shoulder gently. Carlisle turned his gaze toward Esme and Bella and then back at me. "Don't hesitate to contact me, if you need anything at all, understood?"

I nodded. "We got it, Dad. Go save some lives," I said, as he bent down to kiss my mother good-bye.

He smiled back at me and then winked toward Bella. "Have a good day."

My father rounded the corner of the room, walking out just as Dr. Hammond came in. She smiled, greeting Carlisle, and then made her way toward the machines that rested next to my bed. Dr. Hammond was dressed in her usual long, white lab coat while her hair was twisted into a professional bun. The thick glasses she possessed rested comfortably on her nose while she used them to glance down at my chart that was in her hands.

"Good morning, everyone." Dr. Hammond glanced down at me and smiled brightly. "How are you feeling today, Edward?" she asked me while she tampered with a few of the dials on the machine and began to scribble some words onto my file.

"Bored," I answered truthfully.

She laughed at this and nodded. "Yeah, that makes two of us." Dr. Hammond's eyes glanced over at Bella who was sitting quietly just as she had every time the doctor walked into the room. "Still here, Ms. Swan. No school, I assume?" she asked.

Bella shook her head. "I'm just taking the week off."

Dr. Hammond nodded and then turned to Esme who was reading everything that she was writing down over her shoulder. My mother smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed for being caught, but Dr. Hammond just shrugged it off. "Now, as all of you know, Edward's going to begin a week of chemotherapy tomorrow, in the hopes that we can kill the disease off and put him back into remission."

She spoke as if I weren't in the room when she talked to my mom. I glanced over at Bella who was gripping my bed sheets tightly inside of her fist. I reached for her hand and took it with mine, trying to calm her. I knew this was scary for her, and I knew that she would wonder how I could sit here and listen to all of this without even the slightest worry. I knew her better than she knew herself.

Bella tried to smile at me, but it was a feeble attempt. The beam didn't reach her eyes, and the worried creases between her eyebrows didn't become smooth. I laced my fingers through hers and felt her hold on my palm turn almost into what felt like a death grip. But I ignored it and turned back to Dr. Hammond who was discussing what would be the side effects I would experience due to the chemotherapy.

"Edward will most likely have some nausea, and vomiting is definitely a very common side effect associated with the chemo. But we're going to try to keep that under control by using some antiemetics." She paused once, sighing deeply before she continued. I knew that Dr. Hammond was trying not to lose the professionalism that was required when one was a doctor. "Edward will also lose his hair, unfortunately."

My hair would be gone.

It was such a small, insignificant thing, but it was the icing on the cake that would allow others to feel sorry for me when I didn't want that. How was I going to face everyone when all they would stare at would be my lack of eyebrows and hair on all the areas of my body?

The hand that Bella had locked around mine was now squeezing unnaturally tight, but I couldn't bring myself to pull away. She needed me just like I needed her. To my surprise, my mother was taking it all quite well most likely because she had gone through this before. After the shock of realizing the cancer was back, my mother had toughened up and put on her bravest face which was the one she was wearing at the moment.

"Other side effects include the chance of developing mild diarrhea and other infections. Edward will probably need to stay hospitalized after the chemo due to the fact that his immune system will be weak. Chemo can also cause developmental delays. He'll have a course of consolidation chemotherapy a few weeks after that, and then a few courses of maintenance therapy. The exact number of all this will depend on the bone marrow aspiration results."

I watched my mother nod her head, listening intently. "And then?" she asked, her voice strong.

Dr. Hammond turned her eyes toward me while she answered. "Then we keep a close eye on him," she replied. "Obviously with APL, we have to be ready for any signs of Edward relapsing. He'll need to come into the ER if he has a fever, cold, cough, infection, you name it. There is no such thing as being too careful with a disease this severe. And as for any further treatments, well, you'll have some options. Right now, our main priority is to get Edward producing healthy bone marrow."

I glanced over at Bella who's chest was heaving up and down at an abnormal rate. Her breaths were coming heavy, and her chocolate brown eyes were glistening with what could only be unshed tears. Bella's fingernails were now digging into my palm, but I didn't care. It didn't matter. This pain, this time, this place, none of it mattered anymore.

I'd be a different person.

So why should it be a big deal?

* * * * *

Bella's POV

To save Edward's life, a part of him had to die. That was the purpose of chemotherapy: to wipe out all the leukemic cells. Listening to Dr. Hammond talk about all these changes that Edward would have to undergo was enough to break my heart into a million pieces. With every new symptom she named, I felt a part of me being chipped off and then burned to ashes.

Why was this happening to him?

I hated to say it, but I wished that it was someone else. Someone other than the man that I loved. Someone who deserved it. Someone who wasn't Edward. Just...anyone but him. For God's sake, even I would diagnose myself with APL if that meant Edward would no longer have it. It was just too painful to sit through that discussion, knowing that there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.

After Esme had left the room to discuss some questions she had with Dr. Hammond, I stayed with Edward who was told that he needed to get some sleep. And he eventually did fall into a deep sleep after I'd laid with him in his bed, running my fingers aimlessly through his bronze, tousled hair.

Hair that would be gone after this next week.

Several hours went by, and I decided that I needed to get up and stretch my legs due to the numbing feeling that zinged through them. I hadn't gotten up from the bed with Edward since Dr. Hammond and Esme had left the room. I wasn't sure how much longer I could sit there before my entire body turned stiff.

Standing up and stretching out my muscles, I leaned over and kissed Edward lightly on the head before turning and sneaking from the room as quietly as I possibly could. Slowly, I closed his door behind me so that he wouldn't have to listen to banter of the other patients and doctors. I never would have imagined that after a week of being here, I still wasn't comfortable with the whole scenario of actually being in a hospital with someone you loved in one of these rooms.

I didn't want to think of Edward though. The instant I did, I knew that I'd begin to start crying again, and my eyes were already red and sore enough without more tears needed. I couldn't think of how Edward would look, lying in his bed, bucket in hand, and vomitting from the chemo he would have to undergo. I didn't want to imagine him without his disarry of tousled bronze locks or fuzzy hair on his arms. I didn't want to have to forsee a future where Edward would not be there. It was just too much for me to bare.

Taking the elevator down to the first floor, I walked into the cafeteria, scanning over the different options that were being offered for dinner that day. It was one of the motions I went through whenever Edward had been sleeping for a while. I wasn't hungry, and I honestly didn't plan on eating anything. I was just supposed to look like I was considering it so people wouldn't bother me about it.

"The hamburgers aren't that bad," a voice spoke up behind me, and I jumped in fright, spinning to find the owner of the words.

Emmett. Edward's older brother. He stood, all 6 foot 5 inches of him, near the counter full of condiments His round face managed a smile in my directions while dimples began to form on his cheeks. His dark, curly hair gave him that look of a child who was caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing. The thing about Emmett was that he always tried to lighten up tense situations with his sense of humor to create a lighter mood. Majority of the time, it worked, but right now there wasn't really anything that could cheer me up.

I gave him a small smirk and shook my head. "I'm not really that hungry right now," I said, truthfully, ignoring his raised eyebrows and doubtful expression. "Have you seen Edward yet?" I asked.

Emmett nodded. "I was just about to head up to his room, but I saw you turn in here so I thought I'd stop and see how you were holding up," he explained.

"I'm...okay," I responded. "It's hard, but I guess that's just the way it is sometimes."

He nodded again, glancing over his shoulder at the food line before casting his eyes back on me. "I'm going to get something to eat. How about you go get us a table, and I'll be over in a second, okay?"

I opened my mouth mouth to protest, but Emmett gently took hold of my arm and turned me slightly, pointing to a table for two near the back of the cafeteria located next to the pop machine. "Just go save us a table," he said, pushing me lightly in the direction of the two open seats.

I went without an argument, knowing that it would be useless. Emmett never let me get my way. Besides, if we were to talk about Edward then I would remain in the cafeteria for just a little bit longer despite my complete uneasiness with my surroundings. I felt myself itching to get back to Edward's room all of the sudden.

When I arrived at the table, I plopped myself down onto the chair and rested my head in the palms of my hands. My eyes caught sight of a woman laughing with what looked like a good friend. Anger began to surge through me. How could this woman be so happy when the person I loved was upstairs waiting for tomorrow when he would begin his chemotherapy?

I wanted to shove her face into the bowl of mashed potatoes that rested in front of her. I wanted to shake her and slam her against the wall and tell her to stop being so damn inconsiderate. I wanted to tell her that life isn't supposed to go on when the one you loved had a future that was undecided.

But I didn't do any of those things because out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emmett heading toward the table with a tray loaded with food. He placed it down on the table between us, and automatically, my stomach churned at the sight of it. I had to look away so I focused my attention on the palms of my hands, acting as if I were looking for something.

"When was the last time you ate anything?" he asked me as he began pouring ketchup onto his hamburger and then mustard.

"Yesterday," I answered truthfully.

Well, I guess my statement was truthful if you count a few cucumbers and carrots as a meal. I just didn't have much of an appetite for anything lately so I didn't see the point when people tried to get me to eat anything. They were just wasting their own time and effort.

"Bella, are you sure you don't want any of this?" he asked, motioning to his plate. I turned my head once again to glance over at him sitting across from me. His eyes were filled with worry and concern, just like everyone else who looked at me. And I was so fucking sick of it!

"Emmett, I'm not hungry, okay?" I snapped, no longer caring about keeping my cool. "Edward is upstairs, dealing with all this cancer shit, and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it. So I'd like to talk about something that actually matters. Not food."

He was silent for a moment, staring into my face, most likely seeing the lack of sleep and tiresome nights that I'd been having, before he nodded his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Emmett finished chewing and then brushed his hands off, leaning back in his chair. "But you know that Edward would be screaming at you if he knew that you weren't eating."

I didn't say anything to that, not entirely sure what could be given as a response to his comment.

"Did you happen to catch Alice and Jasper up there?" Emmett asked conversationally.

I shook my head and shrugged. "No. I just came straight down to the cafeteria. Why? Are they here now?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, I saw Alice's car, and Jasper was supposed to be with her. Did you know that they're officially dating now?" Emmett's tone didn't match the excitement that should have been laced into his words. If this were totally different circumstances and if Emmett and I weren't in a hospital, then both of us would have been ecstatic. But this wasn't different circumstances, and we were in a hospital.

"That's great," was all I said.

Emmett began to play with his food, no longer seeming that interested in it. "Yeah," he said. "It is."

I nodded my head, suddenly feeling tears begin to sting my eyes. So, I turned once again, this time to look out the window while crossing my arms over my chest so that my hands cupped my elbows, making it look like I was hugging myself. And to be completely honest, I was.

"Bella, despite what you might be thinking right now, Edward's not going to die," Emmet said, trying to say it as casually as possible though I knew the words cut at his throat like individual blades.

I closed my eyes and listened to the soft noises of the cafeteria. The soft murmurs of quiet conversations, the clanking of silverware against the plates, the intercom coming on every few moments, paging a doctor. "Emmett, you can't know that. You don't know that."

Emmett pushed his hamburger aside and nodded. "Maybe you're right," he began. "Maybe, I don't know if Edward is going to be okay, but what I do know is that my brother is a fighter, and I've never met someone as strong as him in my entire life. He's going to get through this, and everything is going to be fine because that's who Edward is. He's brave and has the stability that most people only wish they could have. You of all people should know that."

"I know that Edward is strong, and I know that Edward is brave, okay? But I just don't...I just don't know if I am," I said. "Edward needs someone who isn't going to fall apart when he should be the one doing that. He needs someone who he can count on and call for when things get really hard." My throat started to become clogged with tears that were beginning to glisten in my eyes. "And I don't know if I can do that for him."

He reached across the table for my hand and squeezed it tightly. "Bella, you can be that person. You can, and you will. And do you know why?" he asked. I waited patiently for him to finish. He smiled at me, his eyes serious and all joking aside. "Because you're the reason why Edward is going to fight so hard. He knows that he can't leave you."

A/N: Okay, so I am a really big fan of the whole Emmett and Bella friendship, and I just couldn't resist throwing it in this chapter. Hopefully, you guys are still hanging in there. Questions? Comments? Praise? Let me know by leaving me a review to come back to. Thanks so much!

Next update should be out fairly soon.