Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Hey everyone! Thanks to all my readers who have been so patient for an update! This is the final chapter of the story and I hope you enjoy it =)

"You should go home and get some rest, Bella." Esme said gently.

Bell immediately wiped her tears and shook her head.

"No. I'm fine."

"Bella, it's a good idea."

"I want to be here when Edward wakes up." Bella protested. Carlisle knelt in front on her.

"I know you want to stay with him but it will do no good. He will wake up when he's ready and that won't be for a few days at least."

Bella's eyes flickered to the still frame that was Edward. Her eyes filled with tears again.

"Bella, Charlie is worried about you and if you don't get some rest soon you'll make yourself sick. That won't help Edward and it certainly won't help you. Will you please go home and get some sleep?"

"I'll stay with him, Bella, and if anything happens I'll come and get you myself." Alice said gently. At last Bella nodded.

"Good. Emmett, would you mind driving her home?"

"Sure."

Carlisle helped Bella off the floor.

"One second." Bella said as he ushered her towards the door. Releasing his grip on her arm, Carlisle watched as she ran to Edward and gently kissed his forehead.

"I'll be back soon." She whispered before rejoining Carlisle. Emmett drove as fast as Edward did and minutes later she was walking up the front door to her house.

"Bella, is that you?" Charlie called as she opened the door.

"Yeah, I'm home."

Charlie came into the hall drying a glass with a tea towel.

"How's Edward?"

"He's, um, fine. His pain is gone now."

"That's good."

"I'm going to get some sleep."

Charlie nodded.

"Let me know if you need anything."

Bella smiled shyly at her father before climbing the stairs. She crawled into her bed and stared out the window, unable to stop thinking about Edward. At long last, her eyes slipped closed and she found herself in a dream where Edward had died and was not going to wake up. Bella screamed herself awake.

The Cullen house was quiet, much as if Edward had actually died. No one talked loudly, laughed, or played music. Shades were drawn most days and the house remained dark.

Days passed slowly for Bella. After being home long enough to satisfy Charlie and Carlisle, she went back to Edward's room and often laid next to him, her head on his chest.

"Bella?" Esme's soft, motherly voice came through the doorway. Bella sat up as the door was pushed open.

"I brought you something to eat."

"I'm not hungry." Bella shook her head, although the Italian meal Esme had brought smelled and looked delicious.

"Bella, you must eat. Carlisle is worried about your well-being; we all are."

Bella shook her head again.

"I'm fine. I'll be okay once he wakes up."

Esme sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Bella into a hug.

"I know it's difficult, but he will wake up. He would be concerned if he knew you were starving yourself."

Bella was quiet for a moment and she knew that Esme was right.

"Okay. I'll eat."

"Good girl." Esme said, rubbing her back. She stood up and walked to the door.

"Esme?" Bella asked as she picked up the hot bowl. "When does Carlisle think he'll wake up?"

"When he checked Edward yesterday, he said in maybe two or three days. I can send him up, if you want him to check on Edward again."

"Please." Bella said, nodding. Esme smiled.

"Okay."

Bella began eating and was surprised at how hungry she actually was. She was almost done the bowl when Carlisle knocked lightly on the door before coming in with his bag.

"I'm glad to see you're eating something, Bella."

Bella just nodded and moved off the bed so Carlisle could examine his son. Carlisle had explained to Bella that they would know Edward was beginning to wake up when his body temperature began to drop again.

"I don't understand." Bella had said. Carlisle had elaborated.

"His body temperature when he's sleeping is that of his surrounding, much like what happens when a human dies. When it begins to drop, he will begin to wake up. When he's completely awake, his body temperature will be what is normal for vampires."

Now Bella waited anxiously for the thermometer to give its reading, hopefully one lower than what it had been for the past couple of days. Carlisle did other tests on his son's hands, feet, and chest until the thermometer beeped, demanding attention. Carlisle looked at it and smiled.

"Good news, Bella. It's gone down two and a half degrees since yesterday."

Carlisle watched Bella's face break into a big smile.

"So he's starting to wake up?"

"Yes. It will still take awhile," Carlisle cautioned. "There are several more degrees to go before he's normal again but the process has started."

"What's normal for a vampire?"

"60 degrees. He's at 68.5 degrees now."

All Bella could do was smile.

"I'll leave this here," Carlisle said, placing the thermometer on the bedside table. "Don't wear it out too much."

He smiled before taking his bag and leaving the room to share the good news with his family. Bella crawled back onto the bed and ran her fingers through Edward's hair.

"You're getting better, Edward. You're almost there."

The next couple hours proved difficult for Bella. The thermometer sitting on the table was hard to resist and Bella wanted to check his temperature every few minutes. She managed to space it out to every half hour or so and each time, the reading decreased by about half a degree. That was something else Carlisle had explained.

"It may take days before his temperature begins to drop but once it does, the process will only speed up." Seeing Bella's confused gaze, he gave an example.

"If it takes four days for his temperature to drop three degrees, let's say, after that it may only take two days after that to make it drop five degrees. His body will begin to cool off more quickly once it gets closer to his normal temperature."

Seven hours later, in the wee morning hours, Bella once again took the thermometer and put it in Edward's mouth. At the prodding of the device under his tongue, Edward's brow wrinkled like he was in pain.

"Edward?" Bella exclaimed. She could see Edward's eyes blinking under his lids.

"Edward, it's me, Bella. Can you open your eyes?"

Edward mumbled something and gave a half-hearted attempt to raise his hand to remove the thermometer.

"Just leave it there, Edward. I'll take it out in a minute." Bella said gently. "Can you open your eyes?"

At last Edward opened his eyes and Bella could see herself in their dark reflection. Her eyes welled.

"Edward, you're awake." She leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead. The thermometer beeped and Bella took it and hastily put it aside, glancing quickly at the reading - 61.3.

"Bella." Edward's words were coated in syrup and his chest was heaving, like was trying to catch his breath.

"What happened?"

Bella ran her fingers through his hair and smiled down at him.

"You got sick from drinking blood contaminated with a virus related to the Spanish Flu. Because your body had been sick with the Spanish Flu before, the virus was able to attack you and it made you so sick that you died from it. Of course, you're a vampire and you can't die. So you fell asleep."

"How long was I asleep?"

"It's been six days and you were sick for six days before that."

"Edward!" Alice exclaimed from the doorway. "I saw that you were awake."

"Carlisle, Esme, Jasper! Everyone come! Edward's awake." Alice called out the door and no more than ten seconds later, the entire Cullen family was standing around the bed.

"How do you feel, Edward?" Carlisle asked, setting his bag down on the bed. Bella moved out of the way and stood beside Esme, who put her arm around her shoulder.

"I feel warm."

Carlisle retrieved the thermometer before laying a hand on Edward's brow.

"You're not too far from normal, I suspect. Do you feel like you have to cough or like you can't breathe?"

Unable to talk, Edward shook his head. Carlisle pulled out a stethoscope and listened to Edward's breathing, putting it away as the thermometer beeped.

"Your temperature is down to 61 degrees. That's good; it shouldn't be too long before you feel fine again."

"It's so good to see all of you again." Edward said with a smile.

"We're glad you're feeling better." Esme said with a loving smile. "We were worried about you."

"I know." Edward said and everyone chuckled.

"How soon can I hunt?" Edward asked Carlisle.

"Once your temperature has been normal for twenty-four hours. I know you must be thirsty but try and hold on as long as you can." He turned to his family. "Come along, we'll let him rest for now."

The six Cullens left the room and Edward was left with Bella, who crawled back onto the bed.

"I'm glad to have you back." Bella whispered.

"I'm not totally well again, Bella."

"But you're awake. You can talk and I can see your eyes. Seeing you sick is horrible, but seeing you dead was even worse. I was afraid you wouldn't wake up."

Edward smiled softly.

"Don't worry, Love. I'm not going anywhere."

By the next morning, Edward's temperature was normal and he was bored out of his mind, especially since Carlisle insisted he stay in bed.

"Your body has been through a crusade, Edward. Cut it a little slack and take it easy."

Edward had rolled his eyes, sighed, and complained like a child but in the end did as he was told. He and Bella spent hours in each other's arms, talking and just enjoying the silence that followed.

A week later he and Bella were back walking in the peaceful meadow.

So what do you think? I tried to get as many facts about vampires correct but I haven't read the books yet so I had to rely on Google =) Thanks for reading!

~StoryLover18