Chapter 26: Sickness and Sore Feet

Robyn POV

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!"

I tore through the woods, Faye cradled in my arms as I sprinted toward the Cullens' house. My heart pounded with panic, but I knew I had to stay strong—for both Faye and Ivy. She was burning up, her body trembling with shivers, slipping in and out of consciousness. A small whimper escaped her lips, and it pushed me to run even faster, desperation fueling every step. Carlisle had to help her—he *had* to. He had to have medicine or something that could save her. I couldn't lose her.

Earlier that day.

Everything had felt so peaceful and calm that morning. As the sun rose, we ate berries for breakfast and set off to explore the woods, just like we did almost every day. Faye was her usual self—playful, full of energy, her laughter echoing through the trees. During our walk, she balanced effortlessly on a log, animatedly sharing some random fact she had learned, her excitement contagious. Ivy and I chimed in here and there, teasing and encouraging her as she navigated the uneven path with ease, her bright spirit making the morning feel perfect.

As the day wore on, I started to notice a subtle but unsettling shift in Faye. Faye, usually so full of life, grew quieter, her playfulness fading. Her energy seemed to drain away. At first, I thought she was just tired from the morning run or maybe she hadn't slept well the night before. But when we got home and settled in for our usual afternoon cuddle, I realized something was off. Her body felt warmer than normal, and a light sheen of sweat had formed on her forehead and the back of her neck. Ivy was also unusually quiet. The change was small but enough to make my stomach knot with worry.

I decided to ask if she was okay, but she brushed it off with a tired smile, insisting that it was nothing. Despite her reassurance, a knot of unease settled in my chest. I could tell she was lying, but I didn't want to push her if she wasn't ready to talk about it.

I figured she'd tell me if it got worse, but as the hours passed, her condition worsened and she didn't say anything. Her face had become an odd mix of flushed and pale, and her skin, once just warm, was now radiating heat like an intense furnace. When she started to shiver uncontrollably, a surge of panic hit me—something was seriously wrong.

By the time the sun began to set and it was almost time for dinner, Faye could barely stand, her steps faltering as she struggled to stay upright. Ivy, usually so energetic, was eerily silent in the back of my mind, as if even she could sense something was wrong but couldn't help.

Okay, enough was enough. I decided to sit Faye down and get to the bottom of this.

"Faye?! Ivy?! Please tell me what's going on. Faye, You can barely stand without stumbling and your body temperature is intensely warm. Ivy, you are very quiet. I'm worried, you guys."

Faye glanced down, nervously twiddling her fingers. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Ivy, uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up after a tense pause. "Faye... we might need to tell her. She's really worried." Ivy hesitated, guilt lacing her words. "I'm sorry, Robyn. Faye asked me not to say anything. We thought it would pass on its own."

"What do you mean, 'go away on its own'? Faye, Ivy, what's going on?" I asked, my voice edging with concern.

Faye sighed heavily, her gaze finally lifting to meet mine, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I think I'm sick... or maybe I have a fever. I don't know why, but it's getting worse. My throat is dry, my eyes are itchy, my forehead hurts, and it feels like I'm going to puke," she admitted, her voice cracking as if she was barely holding it together.

"Oh, honey," I pulled her into a hug. "Why didn't you tell me? You know, I would have found a way to help."

She rested her head on my shoulder, letting out a quiet whimper as her fingers tightened around my shirt. I felt the damp warmth of her tears seeping through the fabric. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling.

"In my past life, I was always used to handling being sick by myself. Whenever I told my foster parents, they thought I was faking it... just looking for attention or that I was exaggerating. Once, one of my foster parents poured cold water over me. So, I stopped saying anything. I thought this would go away like it always did before."

Her words felt like a punch to the gut, the weight of her past pressing down on me like a heavy stone. Anger flared in my chest—how could anyone treat her like that? I hated her foster parents, every single one of them. As far as I was concerned, they could all rot in hell.

But, I had to stay calm for Faye.

I gently, I ran my fingers through her hair, trying to comfort her. "You don't have to go through this alone anymore, Faye," I murmured, my voice soft but firm. "I'm here. We'll figure this out together."

We stayed there for a bit longer, until Faye let out a soft whimper, I'm guessing a wave a of pain hit her. I carefully laid her on the couch and went to go grab a rag with cold water, but as I got up, I felt a firm grip on the hem of my shirt. Looking down, I saw Faye's hand clutching my shirt, her eyes wide and pleading, silently begging me not to leave her.

I quickly took her hand in mine and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. "I'll be right back, Faye. I just need to get a cold rag to help you cool down. That's okay, isn't it? It'll make you feel better. I swear, I'll be right back."

Faye studied me intently, searching my face for reassurance before she slowly nodded in acceptance. I pressed another gentle kiss to her forehead, then hurried to the bathroom to fetch a rag. After wetting it, I rushed back to find Faye still watching the spot where I had left.

Carefully, I placed the cool, damp rag on her forehead, hoping it would bring her some relief or at least help lower her fever.

We sat there for a while, Faye drifting in and out of consciousness, my worry growing with each passing moment. Suddenly, her eyes flew open wide, and she tried to sit up. I rushed to help her, asking urgently what was wrong. My question was answered almost immediately when Faye began to vomit onto the floor. I gently rubbed her back, offering what comfort I could as she emptied her stomach.

When it was over, I noticed a few silent tears hitting the floor. That's when I made my decision.

"Faye, we have to go to the Cullens. Carlisle could have medicine that could help."

I saw her head shaking side to side, clearly signaling that she didn't want to go.

"No? Why don't you want to go? We're limited in what we can do without medicine. Don't you want to get better?" Her only response was a soft whimper. I was confused—she wanted to get better, but didn't want to see Carlisle?

"Ivy?"

"It's complicated. She does want to get better and doesn't mind going to Carlisle, but she's worried."

"Worried? Worried about what?"

"You," Ivy said gently.

"Me? Why is she worried about me?"

"She is worried she won't be able to protect you from Edward and to be honest, so am I. If we go to Carlisle and Edward decides to attack you, we wouldn't be able to stop him and that terrifies us more than the pain."

Oh, my selfless sisters, I wish you would put yourself first for once.

I looked at Faye, her face a mix of fear and resolve. "Faye, listen to me. I understand your fear, but you're in no condition to protect me right now. We need Carlisle's help to get you better. If Edward comes, I promise we'll handle it. But right now, you need to focus on getting better. I won't let anything happen to us. But you have to trust me and let me help you."

Faye's eyes flickered with uncertainty, but she seemed to be weighing the options. Her head dipped slightly in resignation, and she let out a tired sigh.

"Okay," she whispered, barely audible. "Let's go."

First, Ivy instructed Faye to switch control so she could shift into her wolf form and carry me as far as she could before exhaustion set in. However, Ivy soon began to feel unwell herself. Realizing the situation, I had Faye take control again and shift back to human form to continue our journey.

Not wanting to make Faye walk, I gently lifted her onto my back and started walking, using the bond string to guide me toward the Cullens' house. We had barely made it halfway when I noticed Faye's condition deteriorating further. To speed up the journey, I asked her to shift into a smaller form, and she transformed into a squirrel and held her in my hand against my chest.

That's when I made the decision to run. The Cullens' house wasn't far, but it felt like an eternity as I raced through the trees, Faye's breathing becoming more labored with each passing minute. I tried not to think about the worst-case scenarios, focusing solely on getting her to Carlisle. I clung to the hope that he could do something—*anything*—to help her.

"Hold on, Faye," I muttered, my voice shaky with fear as I tightened my grip on her. "We're almost there. Just hold on a little longer."

The trees blurred as I pushed myself to go faster, my legs burning from the effort, but I didn't care. All that mattered was getting her to safety.

It was morning by the time I reached the Cullens house. I was out of breath with twigs sticking out of my hair and my feet burned but I didn't care.

It was all worth it.

For Faye.

I hurried to the back door and knocked frantically, desperate to get someone's attention. After what felt like an eternity—though it was probably only a few minutes—someone finally opened the door. Esme's eyes widened in alarm as she took in my frantic state and quickly ushered me inside. I walked in and saw all of the Cullens except for Edward in the living room.

I felt a wave of relief knowing I wouldn't have to deal with Edward's tantrums while focusing on keeping Faye and Ivy calm.

I hurried over to Carlisle, cradling Faye in my arms. "You have to help her! She's sick—maybe the flu, or a cold, I don't know!"

Carlisle glanced at Faye, then back at me with a sympathetic, yet hesitant expression. "Bella, I'm sorry. I specialize in human medicine. I wouldn't know where to begin treating an animal—there are just too many differences."

Human…

I gently held Faye in my hands, my voice trembling as I spoke. "Faye? Faye, wake up. I need you to do something for me."

A scoff came from Rosalie behind me, her voice dripping with disdain. "You've lost it, talking to an animal like that."

Ignoring her, I focused on Faye, whose eyes fluttered open for a second, unfocused and distant, before slipping shut again. My heart raced—this wasn't good.

"Please, Faye! Wake up! We're here. We made it! I just need you to transform back now. Please!" My voice cracked with desperation.

I could feel the others watching me like I was losing my mind, but I didn't care. Someone was about to step forward, maybe to take Faye from me, but I held her tighter taking a step back. There *had* to be something I could do to get her to change back.

Wait.

"Ivy? Ivy, are you there?"

There was silence, a tense moment stretching before I heard a faint, exhausted voice in my mind.

"Yeah… I'm here."

Relief washed over me, and I couldn't help but smile. "Ivy, I need you to shift back. Faye can't do it—she's too out of it. Can you?"

"I can try," Ivy replied, her voice weak. "But… something might happen. Faye always told and gave me the condition to give her a heads-up before I take control. With her out of commission… I don't know what could happen."

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. There wasn't time for hesitation. "Please, Ivy. We don't have a choice. If you can't shift her back, Carlisle can't help. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it together, but I need you to try."

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All eyes were on me, and I could feel the tension in the air—no one understood what was happening, but that didn't matter. Right now, the only thing that mattered to me was Faye.

A soft hum vibrated through the my head, and I held my breath. I sat down on the couch cradling her body on my lap. I could sense Ivy gathering her strength, trying to break through Faye's subconscious to take control. For a few seconds, nothing happened, and I feared the worst.

Then Faye's body shuddered in my arms, her form beginning to blur and shift. Her small, furry frame stretched and morphed, limbs growing, her features returning to that of the person I knew. It was shaky, imperfect—her body flickered between forms for a moment, like she was caught between staying animal or human—but eventually, Ivy managed to pull it off.

There was a collective gasp as Faye lay there, human once more but weak, pale, and trembling. I cradled her in my arms, brushing a strand of hair away from her damp forehead.

As I gently brushed a strand of hair from Faye's forehead, something caught my eye. I leaned in closer, my heart skipping a beat—there, on top of her head, were Ivy's wolf ears, twitching ever so slightly. Confused, I glanced down and felt something brush against my leg. My breath caught as I realized a tail—*Ivy's* tail—was now protruding from Faye's tailbone, softly swaying behind her.

"What the hell…" I whispered, stunned.

This might've been what Ivy warned about, but I didn't care. All that mattered was that Faye got the care she needed.

Carlisle was at my side in an instant, his calm, professional demeanor taking over. "Lay her down here," he instructed, gesturing to a nearby couch. "I'll need to examine her right away."

I placed her down as gently as I could, my heart still pounding. "Is she going to be okay?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Carlisle glanced at me with a reassuring nod. "I'll do everything I can."

As he began his examination, I clung to Faye's hand, refusing to let go. I wasn't letting her out of my sight, not for a second. My mind raced, a thousand worst-case scenarios flashing through my head, but I forced myself to trust Carlisle. Faye had already endured so much, and the idea of her suffering more—or worse, losing her—was a weight I couldn't bear to think about.

"Thank you, Ivy. You did great. Rest now—you've earned it. I'll take it from here." I closed my eyes for a brief moment, trying to steady the rush of emotion building inside me. "We're going to get through this. All of us. I swear, I won't let anything happen to either of you."

As I watched Carlisle tend to Faye, I could only hope she'd pull through—hope that soon she'd be back to her usual self, telling me one of her random facts with that playful smile on her face.