AN: I told myself I wasn't writing anymore stories until my other story, Nate: Bella's Untold Past and Secrets was done, but I decided to post this now anyway lol. PLEASE REVIEW. It only takes a minute and would mean so much to me :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing here.
Emmett's POV
"Emmett, I need to go!" Moaned Rose, as I kissed her mouth with all the burning passion I could possibly manage.
"Can't you stay a little longer?" I asked, moving down her neck, to her chest which was revealed by her baby doll top.
"Emmett, you're going to make me late for my plane." She whined.
"You shopped in Milan last week." I groaned. My wife loved shopping sometimes I think more than she loves me.
"Alice said they have new things on sale in Paris." She complained, upset I hadn't loosened my grip on her waist. I groaned. So Alice was to blame for my Rose leaving me to go shopping. "If it helps, I'll be back by Tuesday and I can model new, um clothes for you." She said, seductively.
I laughed, my natural boom, which Rosalie adored. "You better hurry." I said, kissing her passionately again.
"Only if you let me go." She laughed, golden wind chimes on a breezy California day, pulling my hands off her.
I sighed, impatient and stubborn. She looked so hot, in her short shorts and low cut shirt. How was I supposed to wait two whole days? How has Edward waited 100 something years for someone to take his v-card? "What I supposed to do while you're gone?" I pouted.
Rosalie was getting impatient too. "Go wrestle Jasper again." She rolled her eyes.
I sighed, knowing I'd already lost before I even started arguing. "Hurry back." I said, disappointed and slightly annoyed. She kissed me quickly and then was off.
I sighed, lonely. I decided Rose's idea of rematching Jasper for that wrestling match I lost last night, wasn't a half bad way to kill the time. Where was Jasper anyway? I came bounding up the stairs. "Jasper!" I called, knowing perfectly well he could hear me in any tone of voice, but it was funner to yell, just for the effect.
I heard a growl come from my brother, not Jasper but Edward, directly after I heard a cry. "Do you mind keeping it down?" Edward hissed, in between in teeth.
I walked into his room, opening the door without knocking. "What's up, bud?" I asked, before I saw. The lights in the room were completely off, not that I or anyone else that lived here needed them but out of habit-and since Bella had been coming over very often-they were usually on when someone was in a room.
But the lights weren't what captured my attention. Bella, frail with red cheeks and sweat on her face, was lying on Edward's bed, under several blankets. Her hair was sticking to her forehead and she sounded like she was either shivering or overheated. It little common sense to realize she was sick.
Edward didn't say anything, his hand brushing Bella's hair off her face. She moaned and rolled onto her side, which was facing me. "What does she have?" I asked, helplessly. Edward seemed to know the feeling.
Edward didn't look up but spoke anyway. "I believe the common flu. It's been going around." I nodded, as he rubbed Bella's arm, soothingly. Normally I thought sick humans were either gross or hilarious, but I found myself worried about Bella. She was so tiny and fragile and human. "Welcome to my world."
"Then change her." I implored.
Edward shot daggers at me. "You know why I won't do that." He hissed, once again.
Her soul. Her humanity. Heaven for Bella. Edward's daily excuses. I could recite them while making love if I had to, Edward said them so much.
Edward rolled his eyes, but didn't keep the conversation up with me. "Alice." He said in the same volume he said when talking to me. "Can you get me the thermometer."
Alice blurred out of her room downstairs and flew to the bathroom that we had stocked for appearances and Bella. Then she flitted into Edward's room and handed him the thermometer. "How's Bella?" She sounded concerned, like Bella was her own sister.
Edward reached over and pulled the covers back and lifted Bella into his lap, her head falling into the crook of his neck. "Her fever rose again." Edward sounded worried. "I tried to cover her up in tons of blankets, overheat her to break the fever but it hasn't worked."
"Does that actually work?" I asked, curiously.
"I have a slightest recollection of my mother doing that when I got the Spanish Influenza." Edward said, brushing the hair away from Bella's eyes. I noticed just then that Bella was in nothing but a oversized t-shirt and her underwear. Edward rolled his eyes. "Grow up." He mumbled to me, sticking the plastic device in Bella's mouth. Bella squirmed. I didn't blame her. I didn't remember being sick, but I'd hate to have some plastic pointy thing stuck under my tongue. "I know, sweetheart." Edward soothed, kissing her sweaty little forehead. Alice looked worried for Bella but not alarmed, which I took as a sure sign, Bella would be better soon. Soon the thermometer beeped. "One oh three." He said grimly, stroking Bella's cheek.
Bella leaned into his touch, probably overheated from the cocoon Edward put her in, and curled into a ball on his lap. Edward just sat there, rubbing the tops of her thighs unconsciously and for a moment, they were the picture of peace, both their eyes shut and their heads resting against one another's.
After a few minutes, Edward kissed her nose then moved her to sit next to him on the bed. Edward looked towards the door and silently; I couldn't even hear it, got up off the bed. Bella seemingly disagreed and gripped his t-shirt. I was almost awed there. She still had her eyes completely shut. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was still sleeping. And yet, she knew he was leaving.
"I'll be right back, love." Edward dropped one more kiss on her cheek.
All this mushiness would have made me sick if Bella wasn't already. I knew, believe it or not, where to draw the line on my humor. No one seemed like they would appreciate it right now.
"Jasper." Edward said, in normal volume. "Would you mind getting Bella a glass of water?"
"No problem." He said, flying towards the first level kitchen.
"Alice, can you get me a wet wash cloth and a bowl full of water?"
"Yeah," She was gone before I could blink. I wanted to help too, but I didn't know how. Edward didn't seem to be paying attention to my thoughts. He was using the phone.
"Who are you calling?" I asked.
"Carlisle," Edward murmured before the hospital receptionist must have answered.
"Hey, Bella," I said, gently as I could.
Bella looked up at me and opened her eyes for the first time tonight. "Hey," She breathed, groggily. I wouldn't have heard her if I didn't have vampire hearing.
"What's up?" I smiled wide, trying to cheer her up, like I would want someone to do for me in her position.
"I don't feel too good." She mumbled softly, putting her clammy little hand to her face.
"I can see that." I grinned.
"Don't rub it in. I already know I look like crap." I laughed, quiet for her sake.
"You actually don't." I lied. She didn't look that bad...For a sick girl.
"Please, Emmett. Edward is refusing to let me see a mirror." Her eyes shut again, like talking was absorbing all her energy. It probably was. I sat next to her on the bed and rested one hand on her upper back.
I listened for Edward on the phone. "Hey...Sort of. Bella is ill...A few hours...One oh three, point one, I believe...I tried to break it...No, not yet...When are you off?...Okay, thanks."
"What'd he say?" Jasper asked from downstairs. I could hear the tap running.
"He's busy right now, but he may be able to get off two hours early and bring home some medicine. He said to keep her cool and don't worry about breaking her fever, just don't let it get any higher and if it gets any worse, bring her in and he'll see her." Edward quoted, quickly walking back towards the room.
"Uhh," Bella groaned. Edward rushed back in a flash.
"What hurts?" He asked, pushing me off the bed to closer to Bella.
"My head." She whimpered. Bella, the downplaying martyr, was complaining. You know it's bad, now.
Edward rubbed her temples as she rolled on her side and laid her head in his lap, her shirt riding up, showing everyone her blue cotton underwear. "Do you need to go to the hospital?" Edward asked, gently stroking her hair that managed to fan itself over his other leg.
"No." She said, quietly. I realized she was probably fighting a nasty headache. I remember having one when the bear attacked me, my last human memory, the sharpest one.
"Are you sure?" Edward asked her.
She nodded but quickly sat up after. Edward didn't seem to understand what was happening, one of his hands on her leg the other on her back. He looked like he was going to question her, but I intervened. "Alice, get a bucket!" I called, out of habit. A second later Bella was gagging. Alice raced up here with a bucket just in time for Bella's stomach to heave.
Edward wrapped one arm around Bella's waist from behind, rubbing her stomach and held her hair. Over the top of her head, he shot me a grateful look. His attention became preoccupied before he could say anything, as Bella's tummy seemed to heave up some funky colors.
Bella was sobbing, something normal when you puke, apparently. Edward wiped the tears from her face as she threw up into the bucket Alice was holding once again.
Once she was done, she climbed into Edward's lap again. He hushed her. "Shhh, it's okay." He murmured, wiping her mouth for her with a washcloth. "It was nothing, love. You couldn't have helped it." Really? She was blaming herself for throwing up? I chuckled darkly. Sounded like Bella.
Edward kissed her forehead and went back to stroking her hair, as Alice returned after emptying the puke bucket with a clean basin and one fill with water and a washcloth. I briefly wondered how Alice could carry so much, while being so little.
Jasper seemed to sense my curiosity because he chuckled. "I don't get it either." He shrugged at Alice as she set the things down. He smiled at Bella as he set down a cup of water on the nightstand.
Bella's eyes were closed, once again and Edward's arms were around her, obviously trying to cool her off. I remember Carlisle saying fevers rise after you puke. "Emmett?" Edward said, tearing his eyes off Bella, while fixing her shirt, which managed to get twisted.
"Yes?" I asked, not sure what he was going to say.
"Thank you for figuring out that Bella needed a bucket. I wouldn't have until too late and she would have been humiliated about throwing on the furniture," Edward chuckled.
I did too. "No one else would have cared."
"Of course not, but Bella's never made much sense." Edward commented. I laughed. Bella opened her eyes, glaring at Edward.
"It's not nice to make fun of the unwell." She pouted. I laughed. I didn't know she was listening.
"Neither did I." Edward answered my unheard thought.
Bella glared, against Edward's gray t-shirt. Edward rubbed her lower back soothingly. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." He kissed her head.
Bella's anger evaporated as quickly as it came, as a smile broke out across her face. "I guess it's okay." I continued to stare at them. I'd never seen Edward show affection for anyone the way he did for her. It continued to amaze me at how he treated her. I couldn't really word it, I could only witness it.
"Here, let's clean your face." He said softly, picking up the washcloth that was floating in the water filled basin and wrung it out, before running it over Bella's face, about five times.
"Mmmm, that feels nice." She said, sleepily.
"Good," Edward kissed her closed eye lids, dipping the washcloth in the water before bringing it back to her face.
Bella took a deep breath in. It wasn't the first time tonight she had done that. "Are you okay there, Bella?" Alice asked. I didn't realize Alice and Jasper were still in the room.
Bella nodded, mechanically. Edward folded the washcloth over her forehead and slipped his hand up the front of her shirt, rubbing circles on her belly. Bella smiled. "Okay, so I'm kinda hot." Bella mumbled, still smiling.
Edward nodded, picking her up. He looked around the room at me. "Em, can you take all this down stairs?" He pleaded.
"No problem, bro."
He smiled. "Thanks," He said, carrying Bella out of his room and walking down to the bottom level. I followed behind quickly, my arms crowded with blankets and buckets and water. I quickly set up a make shift bed on the couch in the living room at vampire speed. I heard Bella groan when Edward flicked the lights on.
"I'm sorry, honey." He rubbed her temples again as he sat down on the make shift bed, on top of the covers. He laid her down next to him on her stomach, her head falling into his lap. He played with her hair, absentmindedly.
"You're lucky." He said, after Bella seemed to fall asleep.
"Why?"
"Because Rosalie can't get sick. You have no idea what it's like to fear for your love just because they're fragile." He stroked her face as he said this, his eyes never leaving her.
"You seem to manage pretty well." I commented, trying to be sly with my admiration.
Edward chuckled. "Worrying makes Bella more worried. And that just worsens her condition."
I nodded, understanding what he meant. "She'll be okay." I reminded him.
"I know." He said, running his hands over her entire back. He sighed.
"What?" I asked.
"She's still pretty heated. I'm going in search of a fan." He lifted her head off his lap, gently, without disturbing her. I swore I saw something change as soon as he was gone.
After about two minutes, I knew I wasn't making this up in my head. "Bella?" I asked, as her face contorted into some other kinds of pain.
"Please come back!" She yelled, desperate.
"Bella-"
"Edward, no! Don't leave me!"
I stood there, shocked. She actually knew when Edward had left the room in her subconscious state. "Bella, Edward's going-"
"No!" She wailed, the only thing about her that wasn't weak tonight.
Edward came running back into the room, at vampire speed. He shoved the old fan at me and quickly pulled Bella into his arms. "Shh, Bella, I'm right here." He soothed.
"Edward!" Her eyes snapped opened, then her tears came back. "Edward, I thought-" She cut herself off, not continuing.
"I know, baby. It's okay now." He kissed her cheek, soothingly.
She sighed, clearly still half asleep. Edward runs his hand through her hair before fixing her ridden up shirt and lifting her under the covers. She grabbed his forearm, trying to pull him down. I chuckled as he climbed in with her and she snuggled up to him. It was no surprise.
"She has you hooked, doesn't she?" I teased Edward.
He merely grinned. "You have no idea."
I felt like glaring, just watching them. I knew it bugged Rose that Edward was more of a romantic than I'll ever be. Watching them made me realize that Edward outshines Jasper and even Carlisle too. Maybe that has more to do with Bella having Edward wrapped around her finger. She said one word and he would give her anything. But it was more than that. It was Edward, the way he stood in front of her when she was in danger or the way he kissed her forehead when she was upset or the way he chuckled at her clumsiness or the way he was with her tonight even.
I don't know if I could do the same thing, if Rosalie was human. Rosalie was demanding and fiery, in a different way that Bella. I shook my head, watching Edward smother her face with kisses. There was truly no way I could do what Edward does-beside fight his natural instincts. Edward treated her like she was royalty, like she stood taller than the rest of us. He acted so grateful for every second he had with her. He held her like a little boy would try to touch a soap bubble. He went out of his way to make sure she was safe and comfortable but he also made jokes about her clumsiness and bantered back and forth with her. But the most significant thing was when he looked into her eyes, his just lit up like fireworks.
I rolled my eyes. I was becoming too much of a sap. But I couldn't make myself stop watching their display.
They were in no way secretive of their affection. The way Edward handled her, awed us all. He was gentle and loving and over protective and kind and so stubborn. Part of me liked watching the way Edward handled her, the other part of me wanted him to do something to make her mad, just to prove he wasn't as perfect as he pretended. I heard Edward's laughter, his chest vibrating as his kept his arms wound tight around Bella, his head resting on her's.
I rolled my eyes. I didn't miss the way Edward used to be. He was so moody and such a grouch. (I felt a kick in the shin. I bit back a growl for sleeping Bella's sake.) But now, since Bella, Edward was happier, lighter, he laughed more, he played his piano with so much contentment and pride on his face.
I sighed, I didn't completely understand how this fragile little human girl had changed my brother so completely, but I was eternally grateful that she did.
AN: Yeah, the idea struck me. This was based off another oneshot I saw on here from a few years ago. Ending was kinda mushy, huh? Well, review! Tell me if you loved it, hated it, constructive criticism, anything! Just please review :)