**Mild Language and Teen Situations—13 and older, please.

In the Grip of Twilight

By:

Olivia Tannis Moore

Chapter Twenty Two:

Edward's Struggle

I was both dazed and horrified in the same instant. Edward's skin was flushed in a way I'd never seen before.

"Let me go get Carlisle," I pleaded, my eyes flickering to the door.

"No!" he said harshly. For a split second his facial features shifted into a menacing snarl, and I instinctively drew back. But then it was gone, and another spasm rocked his body. He began to pant deeply again, and it was then that I realized that he was trying to cool the ravaging heat within his body with those quick intakes of breath.

"What can I do to help?" I felt so powerless. I couldn't just stand there idly and watch as the fever consumed him. There must be something I could do…

"Wa-ter," he panted. He lifted his eyes to look at me and I gasped. Around the irises of his eyes, a glowing ring of red contrasted vividly against the topaz—exactly as I remembered The Forgotten's eyes were just last night. There was something else there too, surfacing in his eyes: the look of trust.

"O-kay," I said feebly, and he closed his eyes tightly and swallowed hard before the panting started again.

Numbness was settling over me; it was as if I were on auto-pilot as I hurried to the bathroom at the end of the upstairs hall, taking the glass beside the sink and filling it. It was a short rinsing glass and I wondered if it would hold enough water. I didn't think I could keep running back and forth from the bathroom without raising suspicions. As an afterthought, I grabbed a towel from the rack, quickly wet it, and then rushed back to the room.

Edward was still sitting there on the piano bench, shaking violently. I approached him and wiped his face with the wet towel as I lifted the glass to his mouth. He made a gargling sound as the water slid down his throat. Narrow streams of escaped water flowed down his chin, dampening his shirt.

"Easy, Baby," I said gently, stroking his hair with the towel.

"I'm…sor…sorry," he tried to tell me in between gulp of water.

"Shhhh," I whispered. "You're going to be just fine."

The water glass was just about empty. I draped the wet towel around Edward's neck and started to go back to the bathroom for more water.

"I don't need…it…any more," he told me, and I was happy to hear the panting was slowing. I watched as the red ring surrounding his irises slowly faded into the topaz, and then magically disappeared.

He looked up at me sheepishly.

"You could have told me." I was hurt that he'd kept such a thing from me. "I specifically asked you earlier—"

"I don't actually have it yet," he said. "I'm fighting it. But it's getting stronger." He looked over at the clock. "It lasted five minutes this time. Before it only lasted two at the most—and it wasn't as severe."

"You've got to tell Carlisle," I scolded.

He stared at me as if I'd lost my mind. "Are you kidding me? Do you really think they'd allow me to go with you in this condition?" He shook his head emphatically. "I can't tell Carlisle about the bite now."

I hadn't thought about that. But still, no matter how much I wanted him with me in Italy, I had to think about what was best for Edward. He'd be better off here as Carlisle worked on a cure for the mutating virus. Besides, how was Edward going to change me without passing on the virus? I cringed; I didn't want anyone else to change me. There had to be a way…

"If you come with me you'll only make things worse," I said. "What do you think will happen if you have one of these episodes in front of Aro or any of his cronies? I can't let you take that chance."

"Oh, I'm going alright. I'm not going to stand by and let someone else change you, so get that idea out of your head. The virus only invades at night—so if I'm lucky no one will witness it except you."

I hated to play hardball with him but too much was at stake here. "And what about me?" I asked. "Are you willing to pass the virus to me?"

He was thoughtful for a minute. "You're a Reformer, remember? The virus shouldn't affect you at all. If anything, you'll cure me."

I shook my head at him. "Can't you see that's too much of a risk for either of us?"

"What am I suppose to do then, Bella? Sit here and torture myself with the thoughts of what's going on in Volterra? Pretend that it's me there holding you and easing you through the metamorphosis?"

"Damn it, Edward. It's going to be Hell on me, too. But I'll suffer it gladly if it means you'll be alright when I get back. I have faith that Carlisle can stop the virus. And that's just it—I have more faith in him than I do in myself."

"How about a little faith in Us?" he countered.

"Edward…"

He stared icily at me. I had no doubt of his seriousness when he said, "If you leave without me, I won't be here when you get back. That I will promise you. One way or another, I won't be here."

I gave in, of course. It was the ultimate ultimatum. Things were either going to work out or they weren't on this path we had committed ourselves to. But, at least we were on the path together, I told myself—living and dying by the same sword.

***

(Note: As usual, forgive any typos and such. I think I told someone recently that I write these chapters on my lunch hour, with literally a sandwich in one hand and crumbs all over the keyboard. "No Time" is my middle name. Be kind. Be gentle. It's a labor of Love. Thanks for reading. ---OTM)