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ALL RIGHTS GO TO CHARLAINE HARRIS!

Chapter ten

Sookie's POV

I really wish the day would hurry up, I need Eric right now. The hospital have just phoned up and said that they know what's wrong with Ammy but they would rather tell us in person before they start treatment, and I can't go to the hospital until Eric wakes up. Well, I can, but I have the twins to look after; I don't want to leave them with Alcide again. Alcide has his own life to tend to, I can't keep pulling him away to look after the twins for me; maybe I can call Sam. He's always telling me how he's here to help. After considering that for a few minutes I decide that it's a good idea, Ammy needs me at the hospital more than the twins need me watching over them while they watch TV. Anyway, the twins love Sam; they say he teaches them all sorts of cool things.

I quickly give Sam a ring and explain the situation to him; I could practically hear him nodding along to everything I said.

"Of course, Cher. I'll be there in about twenty minutes" Sam assures me before hanging up. Knowing that Sam will soon be here to tend to the twins I head upstairs to get changed into my jeans, a shirt and a jumper ready to go to the hospital. I didn't want to go there dressed in my sundress. I pull my hair back into a pony tail before heading down the stairs where I walk into the main room where the twins are laughing at something on the TV.

"Annika, Zach, Sam is coming over to look after you guys while I go see Ammy. Is that okay?" I probe after I've grabbed my bag and keys.

"That's fine. But when can we go see Ammy? We're worried about her" Zach tells me while Annika nods in agreement.

"Soon. Just let your dad and I find out what's wrong with her first, and then we'll take you to visit her. I bet she would love to see you two" I try to soothe them. While they go back to watching telly I start to think about the conversation Eric and I had yesterday, when he pulled me out of Ammy's hospital room, as I write him a quick note that I leave taped to the fridge door.

He told me everything about what Ammy told him about Felicity's little devious plot. I can't believe she did that, but what I want to know is how she knew Ammy would be ill. Did she coax Ammy's illness so that she could get to her? Or did she just have a lucky guess that Ammy would be ill? This is all very confusing and I am determined to find out the truth. Ammy is part of my family; that means no one messes with her. I protect my family, especially my children. We may not be biologically related, but she is still my daughter. The second the doorbell goes I say goodbye to the twins before answering it. I give Sam a hug and tell him how grateful I am before taking off towards my car. Eric insisted I bought a new one, well, he insisted he bought me a new one. So I'm now the proud owner of a black edition Audi. Although it is in white… But who's complaining? It's a nice car and it's safe for our children to go in.

Ammy's POV

Today I feel even worse than I did yesterday, I've been sick more and I've now got this God damn rash on my body. Not only that, but my muscles have been aching all day, my neck has been stiff and I've had to sit in the darkish room because my eyes have come slightly sensitive to the light; not to mention the doctors keep coming in to hook me up to different drips. But there is always a bright side to everything, Alec hasn't left my side. He blames himself for all of this but it's not like he could have known that I was going to be ill. He didn't make me ill, but he just isn't listening.

"How are you feeling?" he probes when he comes back into the room. I sent him out of here to go get something to eat and to get freshened up.

"Cold, tired, achy. Do I go on?" I try to joke, but he obviously sees no humor in this as he sits on the chair beside my bed, his hand taking mine as he looks into my eyes. The necklace he got me for my seventh birthday is still firmly around my neck, and he's still wearing his half of it as well.

"I wish I could make everything better. I really do. I hate seeing you like this; it hurts to see you lay in hospital. I should have picked up on this when you were at mine; I saw how cold you were and how pale you were. And you were sick when you first arrived. God, why didn't I take you straight to a doctor? I've probably made everything worse" he shakes his head, his guilt only rising further.

"Alec, this isn't your fault. Stop blaming yourself right now otherwise I don't want you here, I can't stand seeing you play the blame game with yourself" I warn him, he looks deep into my eyes before nodding. Thank God, he agrees. I thought I was going to have to slap him silly before he did stop.

"You look tired" he notes.

"So do you" I retort with a small grin just as mom walks into the room with a doctor. She looks concerned and worried, so I'm guessing the doctor has told her what's wrong with me. You would have thought he would have told me first wouldn't you?

"Ammy, how does your spine feel after that lumbar puncture we did?" wow, this doc really knows how to start up a conversation.

"Sore, but fine" I answer through a yawn. This drowsiness is killing me. I feel exhausted, but I refuse to sleep.

"Okay, I'm just going to get right to the point. Ammy we're starting you on a course of antibiotics and you will be receiving some injections as well, we will then do some further tests just to make sure it isn't bacterial. If it is, then we will have to work fast" the doctor points out, her voice sounding all calm and professional, but her words sounded panicked and concerned.

"Make sure what isn't bacterial?" I demand just as two nurses come in to guide Alec and Sookie towards the door, Alec obviously puts up a fight, as does mom, but they soon quieten down after the next few words are said by the doctor.

"You have meningitis. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord; it can be caused by an infection with a bacterium or a virus. Which one caused this in you we are unsure of but we need to act now" she informs us as another doctor comes in with some needles and tablets as well as a drip. I couldn't help but panic as they pull mom and Alec out of the room.

"Is this serious? Am I going to die?" I whisper as the man doctor starts to hook me up to the IV drip. A nurse is on the other side of me where she is preparing a needle full of some sort of medicine liquid.

"There is a small chance you can, but if this is a viral version of meningitis then you shouldn't die. But if it's bacterial, there is a much higher risk" the woman doctor tells me. I wanted to ask so many questions, but right now I was willing to remain silent as they sort everything out. This would explain all the tests and worried looks from nurses and doctors who have been in to see me; they're all thinking that I may die. I don't want to die. I really don't.