A/N: Hey, thanks for reading. I wanted to update much sooner but I had trouble writing this chapter. I started this, put it to the side, wrote the majority of a replacement chapter, and then decided this one fit better and came back to this.

I would also like to thank twilightmom1988Forever who went and reviewed every chapter of this and The Love That You're Looking For, nothing has ever motivated me to write more than that. This update is for you.

Now the rain comes down, I sit and watch it.

Every time I hear that sound, I get nostalgic.

I Don't Like Darkness - Chase Atlantic

Chapter 15: Fever Dream High

Carlisle's POV:

There's a saying in medicine that if you hear hoof beats, assume it's from horses, not zebras. It means that the easiest, simplest answer is usually the right one.

Consciously I know that I am once again imagining a worst-case scenario and most likely a course of azithromycin will clear up her walking pneumonia. Normally it can resolve without antibiotics but on top of her current health issues, there was also the weight loss, and drowning among others, and her immune system is already stretched thin.

The feeling of not knowing what could happen was something I had witnessed in many parents and loved ones over my years as a doctor. It was never easy to see and was not something I would ever wish on any parent. . . and this was the first time I've been on this side of things.

Being a doctor in this age had many perks, one, of course, being the invention and use of antibiotics. Many lives had been saved by them that would have died without. Of course, now there was the danger of them being overprescribed but that wasn't a concern with Bella

My phone rings, I pull it out to see it is the hospital and I shift Bella from my arms to Esme's.

Bella leaned her head back into Esme's gentle touch in her sleep, Esme's fingers running through her hair. I wanted to commit this picture to memory as the time would come, sooner than later, that our youngest wouldn't need to sleep anymore and moments like this would come less and less. I'm proud of how far she's come since our return, like a completely different person almost.

"Dr. Cullen," I answer the phone, closing the door to my office partially. I was far enough away from Bella sleeping in her room to not disturb her sleep but I didn't want to take any chances.

"Dr. Cullen this is the Lab at Forks Memorial calling with the results of the tests you ordered for your patient: Isabella Swan."

"Yes, thank you for calling me. What did they show?"

"Her CBC came back as abnormal. It showed an elevated white blood cell count and the blood culture came back abnormal as well."

"Have her results faxed to my home, thank you," I rattled off the number as she typed.

"They're on their way, Dr. Cullen. Have a good day."

"You too." I hang up the phone, pacing the length of my office as I waited for the fax to come through. As much as I've grown to love this town, its hospital was not as technologically advanced as the big city hospitals so I couldn't just get the results online. I call in a prescription for azithromycin to the town pharmacy and tell them Esme or I will be by to pick it up sometime this morning.

"Carlisle her fever spiked again." Esme calls for me.

Not wanting to wake her now that she is finally asleep, I grab a syringe with a dose of ibuprofen, her last dose wearing off around an hour ago. She doesn't move in her sleep while I quickly clean off a part of her arm with an alcohol wipe and injected her before she was aware. I took Esme's place, pulling Bella to me, my hand resting on her overheated face as she slept.

Bella whimpered quietly in her sleep, her hand weakly catching my wrist. Gently, I uncurled her fingers but kept her hand in mine. "Shh, shh, I'm right here, Honey. I'm not going anywhere," I assure her softly. "Can you-" I start to ask Esme but she cuts me off.

"I'll go pick up her medicine." She says.

Hard to stay awake, I'm so exhausted.

Funny when my head caved in, I thought I'd lost it.

Might have had a date with death, I guess I dodged it.

I don't want to feel this pain, I don't like distance.

I don't wanna leave this place if you're not with us.

I Don't Like Darkness - Chase Atlantic

Bella's POV

"It looks like her fever finally broke," I can hear the relief in Carlisle's whispered words making their way into my sleep-addled brain. His cool hand brushed my hair back from my forehead.

The last thing I remembered was falling asleep on the couch downstairs but they must have moved me. It took me a few seconds to get accustomed to my surroundings because I was disoriented. For a moment I couldn't remember where I was.

I woke up in Carlisle's arms, coming out of the dream. I was crying, shaking, and utterly exhausted.

"You're okay, Babygirl, it was just a dream," Carlisle spoke in a soft calming voice, so unlike the one in my dream. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm f-fine," it was a lie. Sleep coated my throat, and I tried clearing it and swallowing, but it still felt dry, raw, and rough. The lingering cough was making my throat itch. As I came further into consciousness and calmed down, I realized what had happened and my face blushed a bright red. Though I didn't know if they'd be able to tell the difference between my fever-heated skin and my blush. "I'm sorry." I sat up, pulling myself out of his lap. It was the most I could do, my entire body feeling drained.

"Nothing to be embarrassed about Bella." Turning serious he said, "I needed to hold my daughter as much as she needed to be comforted, so you have nothing to apologize for," he assured me, his hand rubbing my back softly. "You were having a nightmare."

I tensed.

"Do you want to talk about it? Sometimes that helps, and I'm here to listen." He offered, his face holding nothing but concern for me.

I felt my heart rate pick up speed like a freight train. "Please don't make me talk about it." I whispered. I don't want to give them any ideas even though I'm sure they are already there. If I pretend the nightmares aren't there then they'll have to go away eventually. . . Right?

"Take a deep breath, Honey. You don't have to talk about it. Try to relax."

I nodded, trying to follow his advice. I mechanically inhaled and exhaled. I was afraid of going back to sleep and being right back where I had left off in my dream.

He held my hand against his chest so I could feel him breathing. I tried to copy it the best I could.

"Do you want me to stay Sweetheart?" He asked softly when my breathing evened out.

I do, but I can't. "You don't have to. I-I'm sure you have better things to-" I rambled but he cut me off.

"Would it be okay with you if I stay?" He asked. I felt my cheeks burn brighter as I nodded. "Then I would love to stay." He leaned down and placed a kiss on the top of my head.

"C-can Esme stay too?" I mumbled.

I heard the door open and looked up as Esme came in with a sweet smile on her face. She laid down on the other side of me and I curled into her side while Carlisle laid his arm over both of us.

I felt completely safe, which wasn't something I have felt very often in my life recently. Even though the rest of me felt like crap I fell back asleep pretending that they were my parents, the parents I never had, not just my boyfriend's parents, praying they kept my nightmares away.

I woke up as the sky lightened behind the clouds through the wall of glass facing the forest. Why doesn't Edward have curtains? The light hurts my eyes.

I jumped up when I realized where I was and how I forced Carlisle and Esme to lay with me for hours just to keep my stupid nightmares away. They probably thought I was weak and crazy or something. "I'm sorry. You didn't have to stay with me." I rushed out, covering my face with my hands.

They both sat up with me but didn't make a move to leave. The change of position caused me to start coughing again.

"Bella," Esme said as she softly removed my hands from my face. "You are a daughter to us, just as much as Rosalie or Alice. I am so glad we were able to help you sleep better. It's been a long time since I've been able to hold one of my babies while they slept."

I wasn't expecting that. At all. I let myself take the comfort she was offering. While I loved my own mother dearly, she'd never been exceptionally big on hugs or comfort. Usually, it was me comforting her. When I did something like scrape my knee, I was the one who bandaged my own wounds. Even though I was technically now an adult, feeling Esme's motherly comfort made me want to cry even harder. I tried to suppress the silent tears that started to leak from my eyes, but it was a losing battle. I wanted so much to let myself hope that things would be different this time, hope that things would be the way they were before Edward and the rest of the Cullens had left. But they weren't tears of sorrow that fell from my tired eyes right now, they were tears of relief, hope, and, dare I say it, happiness.

"Really?" It didn't make sense to me. They've said they cared for me before but I have yet to believe it. It doesn't make sense. Part of my brain always went back to the fact that if they left me before.

Esme must have felt or smelled the tears because she gave a little cry of distress. "Oh, Sweetheart, please don't cry." The kindness in her words only made it harder to hold in the emotions that were fighting to escape.

Carlisle replied softly, taking one of my hands in his and squeezing softly. "Yes really. We love you, Sweetheart."

I had never had any siblings, and, considering that with both Renee and Charlie the roles of parent and daughter seemed reversed, you could say that I'd never had any real parents either.

Carlisle and Esme: the parents I never had, but somehow, though I'd never realized until I met them, needed desperately.

"I-I think of you guys as my parents too, more so than Renee and Charlie. You guys, you make me feel like I can actually be the child instead of the parent and I don't know. . . Sorry-" I trailed off, embarrassed by my confession. My face warms.

Esme pulled me into her arms while Carlisle wrapped his arms over hers. "From the first day, I met you, when you came to the hospital I knew one day you would be my daughter and I can't express how elated it makes me that you, my Sweet Girl, feel the same." He told me. I could hear the smile in his voice.

I took a deep, shaky breath as I looked between the two of them, they seemed happy and I wanted to ask them something but I was afraid they wouldn't like it. I wanted this feeling of family to last.

"What are you thinking about?" Esme asked me as she ran her hand across my cheek.

"I was- I was wondering if it would be okay. . . y-you don't have to say yes. I-I don't expect you to. I'm not, I don't want to force you. . ." I rambled as my cheeks burned.

"Bella you can ask us anything, relax," Carlisle assured me.

I nodded, my lip between my teeth. "Would- I was- I was wondering if it'd b-be okay if I called you Mom and Dad?" I cringed as the words left my mouth, my eyes shut so I couldn't see the refusal I was sure was coming. I don't know what led me to expose myself like this, maybe it's the fever.

"Bella, nothing would make me happier. Of course, you can." Esme's reply was instantaneous as she pulled me into her arms again. "You might as well start now because we are never letting you go. We're going to be together a long time." She whispered the promise.

My eyes opened, not expecting her response.

Carlisle grabbed one of my bruised hands in both of his. "You have no idea how much you mean to this family, to me," he insisted quietly in an earnest tone. "I love you Bella and nothing would make me happier than you calling me Dad."

My stomach grumbles loudly, effectively ruining the moment.

"Oh you must be starving, Bella. What do you want me to make you for breakfast?" Esme asked.

I bit my lip and shrugged. "You don't have to make me anything, M-mom. I can make my own food."

"Not a chance, you're still sick. Go clean up and I'll have some food ready for you when you're done." She assured me, out of the room before I had the chance to realize she was gone. When Esme cooked for me, I tried to clean as much as I could but she often beat me to it and when I cooked for myself she insisted on cleaning. Part of me wanted to feel like she was taking something away from me since both tasks were something I've done for first Renee and then for Charlie after I moved here or that it left me feeling like I wasn't being useful, but to be honest, it was nice to be a bit pampered. For one of the first times in my life, I had begun to feel like someone was taking care of me on a parent-child level rather than the other way around. What I found more than a little surprising was the fact that the change in roles made me feel cherished and grateful rather than resentful. There was something so comforting about being in Carlisle and Esme's presence. I've felt safe before, with Edward, but there was something about the two Cullen parents that had something he didn't and I couldn't explain it.

Swinging my legs slowly over the edge of the bed, I sat up but didn't make a move to actually stand since I wasn't entirely sure my legs would hold me up. Carlisle sat by my side, steadying me when I finally stood up.

"I'll have your next dose of medicine ready when you come downstairs, Sweetheart. Take your time."

"Did you get the-" my cough cuts me off before I can finish.

He nods. "Before you woke up I got the results from your bloodwork. You have what we call walking pneumonia. It's not the best diagnosis but it's what I expected from your symptoms. It won't be fun the next few days but we will get you through this." He kisses my forehead before leaving me to get cleaned up.

I'm freezing which I know means I still have a fever. I want nothing more than to crawl back into bed but instead I force myself into Edward's shower, turning the water as warm as I can handle before throwing my hair up in a messy bun and getting under the water.

When I make it downstairs Carlisle and Esme are waiting for me in the kitchen. Esme places a plate of toast down in front of me with a steaming cup of tea. "Thank you, Mom." Her face lights up at my words. As bad as I feel, I'm glad they're not suffering too. It must be nice to not be able to get sick.

"I know it's not the most appetizing meal but if you can keep this down we can try something different later," Carlisle says.

I nod, not concerned with the bland meal that I hoped would go easy on my stomach. I eat slowly, willing myself to keep everything down as Carlisle takes the seat next to me.

"I got the results from your labs today and you have, as I suspected, walking pneumonia. It is caused by the bacteria mycoplasma which, my guess would be that you got during your cliff jumping." I grimace at his words but can't dispute them. There's no judgment or pity in his eyes. "I wrote you a prescription for an antibiotic that Esme picked up while you were sleeping." He places the small orange bottle on the counter next to my tea.

I look from him to the bottle, reaching for it as I read the label. "Uh," I trail off, I don't want to be difficult so I don't know what to say.

"Bella?" He urges.

"I- um, I'm allergic to azithromycin."

"You are? It wasn't noted in your medical records."

I nod. "Renee probably forgot and I don't think Charlie knows. I took it when I was like thirteen I think. I had a bad allergic reaction. I had to be put on steroids after and everything."

"What were your symptoms?"

"Um. . . I remember I had a rash on my chest and on the tops of my feet. I can still see it, it never fully went away. My throat was swelling. . . I was sitting in math class when I realized I was having an allergic reaction, it was a good excuse to miss the quiz. I think Renee took me to a walk-in clinic or something, it wasn't bad enough for the hospital." I told him.

He takes the bottle out of my reach, tossing it in the garbage. "Have you ever had a reaction to erythromycin?"

"No, I don't think so." I sighed and pushed my plate away, I'd made a fair-sized dent in what Esme had given me, but any remaining appetite I'd had was gone now.

He reached into his bag for his prescription pad while Esme took my plate. The look of the food was beginning to make my stomach turn and I was too worn out to fight.

When Esme came back she took the offered prescription from Carlisle, "I'll go pick this up. Is there anything else we need while I'm out? Anything you want, Bella?"

"No thank you," I tell her. My voice is quiet and strained, my throat feeling so raw it hurts to swallow.

"Can I check your throat, Sweetheart?" He waits for my nod before going to wash his hands. The water is so hot I can see the steam from where I'm sitting, sometimes I forget they're not human. "You know, Bella, you're keeping me quite busy. I don't think I will get rusty in my patient care with you around."

My smile turns to a grimace when I swallow again.

"Okay, now open up as wide as you can. . ."

I stick my tongue out and say "ahh."

"Well good news, I'm pleased to see that although it's a little inflamed, there were no lacerations, signs of infection, or unusual swelling. Now, your throat is fine, it's a little swollen and red. I'll give you some local anesthetic to gargle and some throat lozenges. That should have you feeling a little better soon."

From his mouth to God's ears.

A/N: Not as long as I hoped this would be but it's still over 3 thousand words. Happy New Year, please review!