End of Chapter 31

"Until tomorrow," she said smiling. "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. Drive safe," I said stepping back as she rolled up her window and waved one more time before pulling away.

Chapter 32: I Could Not Ask For More (BPOV)

The first thing that registered as I came out of my slumber was the shooting pain; the next thing was the nausea. I shot up out of bed moaning at the searing pain from the sudden movement. Clutching my head, I ran for the bathroom, making it there just in time to unload my stomach. I was never so thankful to Charlie for always leaving the seat up, because this wouldn't have waited for me to lift the lid. Again and again, the pain pulverizing my head caused my stomach to turn. I barely heard Charlie get up and hurry down the hallway. Soon, I felt my hair being gently pulled back into a pony tail, one strong arm being placed around my stomach, and the other soothingly rubbing my back.

"Daddy," I cried before vomiting again. At this point, it was basically just dry heaves.

"Shhh…it's okay, baby girl," Charlie said softly continuing to rub my back. "Do you think you ate something bad?"

"No," I panted not wanting to heave again, "it's my head. Migrane."

"You haven't had one of those for a while," Charlie said. "Do you still have your prescription?"

"Yeah," I gasped before heaving again. Charlie held me firmly against his chest, trying to keep my body from lurching too much from the heave. "It's in cabinet."

My breathing started to slow then, and I felt my stomach muscles starting to calm, but my knees felt weak under me. Charlie reached out to flush the toilet, and walked me over to the sink. He held me up while I rinsed out my mouth and filled the cup on the sink. Charlie reached over my head pulling out my migraine medication and handing me one.

"Did you want to take a cool shower before going back to bed?" Charlie asked. The tears started rolling down my face again at the fact that he still remembered that a cool shower used to help me when I had migraines in the past.

"No," I just want to go to bed.

"Okay," Charlie said, and before I could protest, he gently lifted me up into his arms holding me close to his chest. He carried me back to my bed and laid me down gently like I was made of glass. I settled into bed and Charlie quickly went out of the room. I heard the water running in the bathroom and then the linen closet opening and closing gently. Next thing I knew, I felt a cool washcloth covering my forehead and eyes, followed by the sound of Charlie messing around by my window. Suddenly the room was much darker.

"Do you need anything?" Charlie knelt on the floor and asked quietly.

"Not right now," I answered. "Just want to sleep."

"Okay, baby," he said softly brushing my hair back from my face. "I'll come check on you again in a little bit."

I woke a little later to the sound of Charlie talking from downstairs. It was muffled and my head was still pounding. I could only make out snippets of his conversation, but I could tell he was talking to Edward. I peeked at the clock on my bedside table and saw that it was almost noon. Picking up my cell phone, I had several missed calls and texts. I set it down groaning as a new wave of pain rushed over me. Charlie was coming up the stairs now and I waited for the sound of him coming into my room. He walked almost soundlessly over to my bed.

"Bells, baby, can I get you anything? Some water or toast or something?" He asked sounding a little helpless.

"Some water," I rasped. Charlie got up; taking my washcloth to refresh it. I heard him go downstairs, clank around in the kitchen, and then return to my room.

"Here you go, sweetie," he said helping me sit up and take a sip.

"Thanks, dad," I said as he lay me back down gently and replaced the newly cooled washcloth. "Was that Edward on the phone?"

"Yeah," Charlie said and I could hear him running his hand through his hair. "He understands that you aren't up to going out tonight."

"You are still going out with Sue," I said as firmly as I could without causing myself further pain.

"Bells, I can't go with you feeling like this," Charlie said pleadingly.

"I'll be okay, dad," I insisted. "I'm just going to sleep. Please, go have fun with Sue."

"We'll see, kiddo," he said standing up. "You just get some rest. I'll be back to check on you in a while."

"Okay, dad," I mumbled before I drifted back to sleep.

I was roused from my sleep again later by the quiet sound of someone shifting in the rocking chair in my room. I peeked out from under my washcloth. There sitting in my chair, rocking, and reading on his iPhone was,

"Edward?" I asked.

"Hi, baby," he said softly. "Is this too much light?"

"No," I continued in my quiet voice. "What are you doing here?"

He walked over to me then, tucking his phone away in his pocket, and kneeling by the head of my bed.

"I'm here to spend Valentine's Day with my girl," he said with a smirk on his face.

"Where's Charlie?" I asked.

"Out with Sue," he said sheepishly. "When I offered to come over to stay with you, he refused, but I kind of went behind his back and got Sue on my side. I promised I would call him if you got to feeling worse."

"I am feeling a little better," I said.

"Do you want anything?" He asked unsure.

"I think I want to take a shower, and maybe some scrambled eggs?" I said.

"That I can do," he said kissing my forehead gently. I sighed at his touch, breathing him in. "Do you need help getting to the bathroom?"

"Yes, please."

Edward helped me ease up to a sitting position. I winced and I was glad it was too dark for Edward to see. When I told him I was ready, he helped me to my feet, and firmly wrapped his arm around my waist, as I let my head come to rest against his chest. He slowly walked me to the bathroom and sat me down on the toilet while he started the shower.

"Make it a little on the cool side, please," I instructed. "It helps alleviate the pain."

"How long have you had migraines?" Edward asked as he adjusted the water.

"Since early middle school," I said thinking back.

"I think you are all set now," Edward said kissing the top of my head. "I'll give you your privacy, and go make your eggs."

"Thank-you, Edward," I said watching him leave.

"I love you, Bella," he said pausing at the door.

"I love you, too," I smiled as much as my face would allow me before he shut the door.

I still felt a little weak on my feet after only sleeping and not eating all day, so I sat myself down and let the shower run over me. I continued to shower from the sitting position, letting the cool water ease the crippling tension in my head. After a while, I turned off the water and sat for a moment before stepping out. Wrapping a towel around myself, I started to dry off, but soon became light headed and needed to sit down again on the toilet.

"Edward," I said as loud as I could stand. Immediately, there was the scuffling sound of him standing up on the top step outside of the bathroom door.

"Are you okay, Bella?" He asked.

"Yeah, but I think I am going to need your help getting back to my room," I said.

The door clicked then and Edward came in giving me a sad smile. I smiled back through my dripping hair. He reached on the shelf above me and grabbed another smaller bath towel. Hovering above me, he draped the towel over my head massaging the water from my hair very gently. I sighed at his easy touch. He rubbed the dripping tresses until they were merely damp. Helping me stand first, Edward then reached down and picked me up, leaving me cradled me in his arms. For the second time today, I found myself being carried to my room by a man that I loved. Edward set me gently down on my bed, then followed my instruction until he had pulled clean underwear, a t-shirt, and sweatpants out of my dresser. He gave me my privacy to get dressed, returning a few minutes later knocking softly on the door.

"I'm decent," I called. He chucked as he opened the door balancing a tray.

"I didn't know if you might feel like something more than the eggs, so I also brought toast, a banana, a fresh glass of water, and some chamomile tea," he said setting the tray down in front of me on the bed.

"Oh, Edward," I said looking up at him as the tears rolled down my face. "I'm so sorry I ruined our Valentine's Day," I said sadly.

"Baby, you didn't ruin anything," he said swiping the tears from under my eyes and holding my face gently in his hands. "I wanted to spend tonight with the girl I love, and I am. Now eat what you can, then you can get some more rest."

"Thank-you, Edward," I said as I pushed the first bite of fluffy eggs into my mouth. Edward sat and watched me eat, explaining that he had grabbed some fast food on his way over figuring I wasn't going to be in the mood to eat. Apparently, he had invaded Carlisle's library before he left, reading up on migraines.

"So what were you reading on your iPhone when I woke up earlier," I asked.

"The Last of the Mohicans," he said with a smile. "You can get most of the classics for free in eBook form."

"Can you get Pride & Prejudice?" I asked, and he scrunched his nose at me.

"I'm sure you can. Why do you ask?" He asked suspiciously.

"Can you get it and read to me?" I asked looking at him through my eyelashes. "It's just the light from the TV is too bright for me right now, and it gives me an excuse to hear your voice that I love so much."

"You are lucky you are sick, and that I love you more than the air I breathe," he mumbled as he starting scrolling and clicking through his iPhone. "It's downloading. When you are done, I will read."

"Thanks, baby," I said with the first real smile that I had manage to muster all day. "I do love you."

I leaned forward, and he met me halfway giving me a slow, easy kiss.

"I love you, too, Bella," he whispered against my lips. "Not just in good times. Remember that. I am always here for you."

I finished up my meal, and Edward returned the dishes to the kitchen. He stopped at the bathroom on the way back to refresh my washcloth, and returned carrying a can of pop for himself.

"If I am going to read, I need a beverage," he said setting the can on my bedside table before tucking me in, and then laying on top of the covers, after kicking his shoes off. I gave him an odd look. "I'm not crazy. Charlie trusts me, but I am not going to push my luck with a man who has several guns in the house."

I giggled softly, before curling myself into Edward and placing my head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around me, and held the iPhone down low so the light didn't shine in my face. He glanced over at me before he began, and lifted my chin softly to give me one more lingering kiss.

"Happy Valentine's Day, love," he said.

"Happy Valentine's Day," I answered before the boy I loved started in with reading me my favorite book. This is not the 'staying in' I had imagined for tonight, but it was perfect all the same.

The rest of February flew by in a blur of school, friends, and home. Charlie and Sue had a fantastic Valentine's Day, and she was starting to stay the night here or Charlie at her place with more frequency. I loved seeing my dad so happy. Not even just happy, but foolishly in love. I had never seen him like this. Always, he had the cloud that was my mother looming over him. I was so glad that after fourteen years, he had found his happiness. Sue was a match for his life.

Edward and I had cooled down a bit after Valentine's Day. We had turned a new page that night, but not the one we were expecting to. Our relationship reached a healthy understanding that we were there for each other, and not just for today, but I started to get the feeling that Edward Cullen could be forever. That no matter what the future presented us, or what distances might come between us, we would survive it. Our relationship would survive it.

It was with a heavy heart on a Monday night at the start of March that Charlie, the Clearwaters, the Hale twins, and I found ourselves at the Cullens for dinner. Alice had orchestrated the whole thing, and was referring to it as Charlie's "last supper" to try to keep the mood light. Wednesday, Charlie was starting back on his chemotherapy, so Alice insisted that we have one last meal of all of Charlie's favorite foods before he was feeling too bad to eat again. She and Esme had gone all out with Sue's help, and we were staring at quite the spread. There were perfectly grilled steaks that I could see Carlisle patting himself on the back over. There were baked potatoes with a plethora of toppings to put on them. They had even gotten wings and ribs from Charlie's favorite barbeque joint in town. The same food they had brought to our house for that first game. I reached out and squeezed Edward's hand, and looked up at him with unshed tears in my eyes. He gave me a little frown before kissing my forehead, and pulling me to him. Everyone loaded up their plates, and sat down around the Cullen's large dining room table to eat.

"To friends," Carlisle said raising his glass.

"To great doctors and medicine," Charlie said nodding to Carlisle.

"To family," I said softly looking right at Charlie. He reached out and stroked my cheek with his thumb and mouthed, "I love you".

"To great food!" Emmett bellowed drawing attention to himself and giving Charlie and I our moment. "Let's eat."

We all spent the meal talking about Charlie's treatment. Since we were reclusive the first time, everyone was curious what it was like, and I let Charlie take the lead on sharing, because it was personal, but he encouraged me to share my half.

"This time is going to be so different for me," I admitted. "I won't have the worry I did before, because I have Sue and Esme, who I know can be there while I am at school, if Charlie needs anything. I also have lots of shoulders to cry on, but more than anything, I have hope that I didn't have before."

Charlie squeezed my hand, and Edward gave me a one-armed hug. I blushed, and as I lowered my eyes, I noticed Charlie and Sue's legs wrapped around each other a bit under the table. Glancing up, Sue winked at me and Charlie blushed a bit. Yes, this time was going to be much different.

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A/N: Just as a reminder, the clinical trial that Charlie is participating goes as follows:

3 months of chemo (CHECK)

6-8 weeks off chemo (CHECK)

surgery (CHECK)

3 months of recovery (CHECK)

3 months of chemo (March-June)

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