Thank you SO much for all the positive reviews I've gotten. It means so much to me, I can't even express it! I have no idea how/when this will end, but please keep reading :)

(Author's Note: I know I forgot to mention it before, but this story takes place during Eclipse-ish time. It doesn't really fit in perfectly, as I have no Victoria/Volturi/new-born vampire references, but I forgot that they had all already graduated by the time the big fight happened, as I had planned to label it Post-Eclipse, Pre-Breaking Dawn, but that's not going to work now... so… yeah. I made my own setting for it, thanks to human error. Sorry :/ )

Charlie called around dusk. I had been awake for a few hours, and was still lying on the couch with Edward, watching the Food Network; I was mesmerized with Ace of Cakes, though the idea of eating cake was not all that appealing. I was absent-mindedly wondering if Alice could possibly order our wedding cake from this bakery –I bet they could do wonders with the old-timey theme of our wedding. I was just beginning to imagine the cake when Carlisle came into the room, talking into the

home phone.

"…Yes, she's awake. Here she is," he said, then held the phone out to me. I freed an arm from my cocoon of blankets, shivering at the sudden chill, and took the phone.

"Hello?" I croaked.

"How're you feeling, Bells?" Charlie asked, sounding cheerful. I swallowed.

"A little better," I answered truthfully, "Are you on your way home?"

"Yeah, I was wondering if you'd like me to pick you up..." He asked, "Because… Well, Billy called and invited me down to La Push for dinner, and there's a game on so I figured…"

"Go see Billy, Dad," I said, smiling at Edward, "You've got to get dinner somehow. I don't think Edward will mind driving me home later."

"Alright, if you're sure." He didn't pause to wait for my reply, "Don't be too late, okay?"

"I won't," I assured him, "Bye Dad."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone, and handed it back into Carlisle's waiting hand. He was looking at Edward, who seemed to be having a silent conversation with him. I frowned, watching them for a moment.

"What?" I finally asked. They both snapped their attention back to me, as if they had forgotten I was there. Edward's normally smooth face faltered for a moment, revealing a look of nervous anticipation. He rubbed my shoulders, and I continued to stare.

"What?" I rasped again. My throat burned and I swallowed back the urge to cough.

"I'd like to do a blood test, Bella." Carlisle said, looking at my calmly. A huge wave of nausea overcame me, this time completely unrelated to the stomach flu. My ears rang slightly as I swallowed again.

"O…kay." My voice cracked. Edward added new enthusiasm to my shoulder rub, as if trying to make up for it.

"I just want to draw some blood, and make sure this is nothing more serious than the flu." Carlisle explained, smiling gently, "I also want to take X-rays of your lungs; I can't hear any fluid in them but Edward would like me to double-check."

I looked up, shooting Edward the dirtiest look I could muster. He avoided my gaze, staring intently at Carlisle. I didn't drop the stare, and after a few seconds, he looked down at me. His brow furrowed.

"Don't start, Bella." He said; his voice was stern again, "Your fever hasn't broken yet, and I just would like to be thorough."

I held my gaze, locked into a staring contest with a vampire. Though, after about two seconds, I realized this was completely useless, as vampires didn't need to blink. Finally, my head gave a slight throb and I dropped my gaze, giving in. He resumed massaging my shoulders.

"I have everything all set up now to draw your blood," Carlisle said, gesturing up the stairs. The nausea returned and I wondered faintly if I would throw up.

"Now?"

"Charlie will be home in a few hours, and I'd like to have the results before Edward takes you home." Carlisle said, smiling. "It'll be quick and relatively painless."

"And I'll be there to entertain you," Alice said, dancing into the room. Her white teeth sparkled, as she smiled, "You can even have another popsicle."

I swallowed, trying to steady myself, and nodded. Carlisle's nervous expression was replaced with a calm, reassuring smile, and he nodded to Alice. She motioned to pick me up off the couch, but Edward shook his head.

"I've got her," he said, sliding out from underneath my head. I braced myself to fall backwards, but was immediately wrapped up in Edward's arms, blankets and all, before I even had a chance to feel him gone. He carried me lightly upstairs, trying to be as smooth as possible so not to upset my stomach. I thought about telling him it wasn't necessary, as I was pretty sure that the smell of blood would send my stomach turning in about five minutes anyways, but decided it was better to keep my mouth shut.

They led me into Carlisle's study, and Edward set me down gently on a padded chair next to his desk. A white paper was draped across the side of the desk, a silver tray with a bottle, a cotton ball, and some gauze was sitting. Edward kneeled down next to me, holding one of my hands in both of his.

"It'll only take a second," he assured me quietly, pushing my hair out of my face. He seemed to settle into his spot, ready to hold my hand through it.

"You don't have to stay," I whispered, watching Carlisle get prepared, his back to me.

"I'm fine," he said, his face serious. Alice stood next to him, her arms crossed.

"Seriously, Edward," I rasped, looking at Alice, "I'll be okay."

I could feel the knife in my heart as I said this. I didn't want him to leave.

"It'll be okay, Bella." Alice said, smiling at me. "He's fine."

The relief washed over me like a hot shower. I sighed, a smile forming on my lips. Edward smiled back, enjoying my reaction. I blushed, ducking my head slightly.

"You're such a liar," he whispered, grinning at me. I shrugged, not meeting his eyes. I could hear the tinkering of metal, as Carlisle worked with his back to me. I felt my heart race, and my stomach rolled uncomfortably. This time, I couldn't tell if it was from the flu or the needle.

"Are you alright?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow. I stared at her weakly.

"I was about to ask you that," I mumbled, trying to keep my breathing even. Alice leaned under the desk, grabbing the garbage can and setting it in front of me.

"Just in case," she mumbled, shrugging. Edward stood up, holding his hands to my neck again. I pulled the blankets around myself tighter, praying I wasn't going to throw up on Carlisle.

"Alright, Bella." Carlisle said, turning around. He sat down on the desk chair, smiling at me.

"I need your left arm," he said, nodding towards my blankets. I nodded, shrugging to free my arm. He lightly placed it straight out on the sterilized paper surface and wiped the spot inside my elbow clean with alcohol.

"Close your eyes," Alice instructed me. I nodded, and squeezed my eyes shut. I leaned back, letting my head rest against Edward's stomach.

"Ready?" Carlisle asked. I nodded, tensing my body. I felt him massage my arm, trying to loosen the muscles, "It works better when you're not so tense."

"Sorry," I mumbled, trying to relax a bit. My stomach rolled uneasily, and I held my breath.

"One," Carlisle counted, my stomach clenched, "Two…"

A sharp pain pierced my arm, and I gasped. Edward squeezed my shoulders, kissing my forehead. I held my breath, feeling the uncomfortable sensation in my arm grow in intensity.

"Hold on, Bella." Alice said, rubbing my shoulder.

What felt like an eternity later, a gentle pulling motion accompanied the sharp pain, and I knew the needle was gone. I could faintly smell the salty-rust smell of the blood as Carlisle quickly stuck a bandaid over the cut, and swallowed back the nausea that came with it. I suddenly knew what Alice meant by "Hold on".

My stomach rolled and I leaned forward, throwing up into the garbage can. Edward was instantly in front of me, holding my hair out of my face.

"Well at least you waited until the needle was out," Alice said, handing me a bottle of water when I could breathe again, "At least you didn't lunge forward with it still in there; that would've ended badly."

I sipped the water, my hands shaking terribly again. Edward stood up, rubbing my shoulders as I tried to get the terrible taste out of my mouth. I set the bottle on the desk and pressed my face into Edward's marble stomach, feeling the chill through his t-shirt. I waited as the room slowly stopped spinning.

"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" a familiar voice boomed. I tilted my head to the side, and saw half of Emmett's massive body filling the doorway. Seeing this, he laughed, probably at my expression.

"Says you," I whispered, turning my head. I blocked him out, pressing my face back into Edward's rock hard abs.

"I'm sorry, Bella." Emmett's voice was quieter this time, "I hope you feel better."

"Thanks," I whispered, knowing they could hear me.

"You can go back downstairs, Bella." Carlisle said, cleaning up, "I'll run the blood work and see what comes back. If everything's normal, I'll have Edward take you back home."

"Thanks," I mumbled again. I pulled myself out of Edward's embrace, and looked up at him. He smiled gently, caressing my cheek with his thumb.

"The X-rays?" Edward asked, looking at Carlisle. There was the silence that followed made me sure they were having another silence conversation. Edward nodded, apparently accepting whatever Carlisle had to say and then turned to me again.

"Want to go back downstairs?" he asked, looking at me worriedly. I shrugged; I wasn't about to argue with not having to have the X-rays.

The idea of laying back down –especially sleeping—sounded amazing, but I didn't relish the idea of trying to sleep in the middle of the house, especially when it looked like most of the family was home.

"Edward, I bet your room is much quieter," Alice suggested, winking at me, "And the bed is still there, so it'll be much more comfortable."

Edward looked at me, silently asking my opinion. I nodded weakly. Silently, he scooped me into his arms and carried me from the room. I closed my eyes, pressing my face against his shoulder as we passed by Emmett, and Alice, trying not to meet their eyes.

"How's this?" Edward asked, setting me on the bed. I yawned and Edward pulled the blankets overtop the four I already had wrapped around myself. I closed my eyes, the sudden fatigue from throwing up overtaking me.

"Good," I mumbled, sighing. Edward laid down next to me, his face inches from mine; I could smell his sweet breath. He reached a hand up and stroked my cheek again.

I wanted to thank him. Tell him how grateful I was that he was there, taking care of me. And that I was sorry for making him worry, but I could feel myself starting to drift off.

"Edward," I whispered, trying to force the words out.

He stroked my cheek again, shushing me. "Don't fight it, love. Just go to sleep."

I tried to nod, slipping into my colorful dream… I could always thank him later.

:)