Role Reversal - (23 Parts)

[Jules]

I just love how Bella cares so much and has taken charge. Great!!!

[littlesneezer18]

Totally agree w/ you Jules!

[23kami23]

This is so. cute

It's an awesome idea, too.

please continue!!

[ooo]

As ever, thanks everybody!! I'm so glad you're all enjoying this.

***

I came back into the room expecting to find both vampires asleep, but instead found Edward sitting up, a hand to his face, a desperate pre-sneeze expression on his face.

'Edward?' I asked.

'Bella, I -' he managed, before his breath hitched again and his eyes fluttered shut. He hadn't even managed to pick up a handkerchief and I suspected he'd lost the energy to bother.

'I...huh...huhhhh....HAEEESSSHOOO! HESSSHOOO!' The first two were totally uncovered, too forceful and quick for him to bring his hands to the right place. 'HESSSHHH! ESSSHHHH! ESSHHHEEEW!' he sneezed repeatedly, desperately attempting to muffle them with his hands, which couldn't contain the force of his sneezes. Instead, he directed them into the crook of his arm, burying his face there as: 'ESSSHHH! ESSSHHHH! MMMSSSSHHHH! Huhhhh...EEEESSSSSHHHHHHH!!'

He sat like that, frozen for a minute, as though expecting more, but eventually raised his head. My forehead creased in concern; he looked awful, his nose red, dark purple circles under his eyes, hair messy and unkempt...and yet somehow, still hopelessly attractive. I smiled at the thought.

Edward reached over to grab a hanky now and blew his nose wetly into it. He fell back tiredly on the pillow when he was done, closing his eyes.

'Bella,' he moaned my name, almost as a plea. 'I feel truly awful.'

I brushed my fingers through his hair. He was obviously exhausted. 'Sleep, Edward,' I said softly.

'My head aches,' he muttered, and coughed dryly, the coughs wracking his chest.

I hummed sympathetically and moved my hand to his head, massaging gently as my mother had done for me when I'd been sick as a child.

Edward sighed slowly. 'That feels good, Bella.'

I moved my hands slowly down to his marble back, wondering how effective my soft human fingers could be on his hard skin. Still, it seemed to be working. His breathing slowed, and eventually I called his name softly and heard no reply. Smiling, I pulled my hands away and tucked him in gently.

I ran up the stairs to check on Jasper, who was, mercifully, asleep. Back downstairs, Carlisle and Edward both slept peacefully, and I sighed in relief.

I was exhausted, drained from my day's work and erratic sleeping. Even after all this, I was still human. But now all three sick vampires were sleeping and finally, finally I could get some rest. Smiling, I curled up next to Edward and wound my arms around him, closing my eyes.

Edward shifted in his sleep, evidently still experiencing his fever-induced dreaming. 'Bella...' he mumbled, his voice trembling. I tightened my arms around him and he opened his eyes suddenly. He stared into my eyes, his own darting frantically.

'I...Bella, they're coming, we have to...I couldn't...I tried but they were too strong,' he said, sounding terrified.

'Shh, Edward,' I soothed, my own heart beating fast. 'I'm here. It's okay. You were dreaming, it isn't real.'

'Dreaming?' he repeated softly, still looking confused. 'Bella, I...I don't understand. I'm...frightened,' he admitted, the word sounding odd coming from his mouth.

I rubbed circles on his back with a warm hand. 'I know, love,' I said. 'It's the fever. But you're okay, you're safe. I'm here with you.'

He shuddered in my arms, his breathing still erratic. I pulled the covers tighter around us and drew him closer to me.

I lay with him until his breathing slowed and fell into a regular pattern, his face smoothing as he slipped into a more peaceful dream. I was almost asleep myself when he stirred slightly and opened his lips, the whisper coming out in a cool breath.

'Oh, Bella,' Edward sighed. 'I love you, Bella.'

Suddenly, I understood exactly what Edward had loved so much about my sleep-talking, much as it had been frustrating to me. I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face.

***

[Mischa]

SO CUTE!!!!

AWWW please continue

[pirate_wench]

There are no words for telling you how much I love your writing!!

[Jules]

*sigh* Too sweet for words!!! More, more, more!

[ilovesneezing]

again I have NO interest in this fandom what so ever, but your writing is just amazing so please continue!

[littlesneezer18]

*squee!* just loving this even more!

[Strong_and_Wild]

AHH BEST EVER totally love the jasper idea hes my fave cant wait for more!!!

[Guest lizzi]

this is amazing writing! I love Jasper

[twinkies690]

<3!!!

[ooo]

Again, thank you so much everyone! You write such wonderful comments

***

It must have been hours later when I woke up in Edward's arms, feeling nicely refreshed. I peeled his arms off me gently – he resisted every step of the way, but he was still asleep so in the end I managed to stand up without waking him.

Carlisle was still asleep and I could hear nothing from Jasper's room, which either meant he was asleep, or in very good control of his nose. Standing there, I realised I was very hungry, and with good reason – I hadn't eaten in a long time! But I'd been too tired before to think about food...

Finally finding the house quiet, I wandered into the kitchen to find myself a well-deserved meal. I was all prepared to cook for myself as I had to do at Charlie's, but to my surprise I found a box in the fridge clearly labelled with a green Post-it note.

Bella, it read.

Thank you so much for what you're doing for my family. And if you're reading this note, thank goodness you've remembered you need to eat, too! Take care of yourself, sweetheart.

Esme

I smiled, honestly relieved that I wouldn't have to cook. I warmed the lasagne in the box and sat down gratefully. I hadn't realised how hungry I'd been until this moment.

I'd just finished eating when Alice wandered into the kitchen, looking calmer; I guessed Jasper had temporarily gained control over his nose and his gift. Maybe he was asleep.

'Hey, Alice,' I greeted her. 'What's up?'

She shrugged. 'I'm worried about Jasper, of course. But I also feel...a little strange.'

I gazed at her worriedly. 'Alice, you don't think...'

‘Hih…hitCHEW!’ sneezed Alice, interrupting me. She looked up at me in surprise, eyes wide.

‘Oh no, Alice,’ I groaned.

Luckily, the Cullens had enough rooms in the house that the sick vampires could be “quarantined” from the others, though I thought now it must surely have spread throughout the whole family by now, regardless.

Carlisle seemed to be recovering, but Edward's stubbornness had just made him worse and he was suffering for it now. Now that Alice was sick too, I’d have to keep her away from the others if we ever wanted the family healthy again – at least she could finally be with Jasper, though - and…

‘HUSHHOOOO!’ A sneeze boomed through the house, followed by a silence and then a strong curse.

Oh, no, I thought to myself, sighing tiredly. Emmett.

I turned to Alice. 'Let's get you upstairs, first,' I said. She nodded, following me up. 'We might as well put you in with Jasper, since you're both sick anyway,' I commented, and she beamed, delighted, suddenly with more energy in her stride.

I knocked on Jasper's door.

'Cobe id,' he said, voice cracking.

I pushed open the door and led Alice inside. 'Alice! What are you doing here?'

I turned to let her explain, but her expression was distant. 'Hit-CHEW! CHEW!' she sneezed delicately by way of explanation, bending slightly and muffling the sound with two hands. Jasper smiled tiredly.

'You too, huh?' he asked, opening his arms.

She ran into them and he covered her carefully with the sheets, making sure she was covered. Despite their obvious tiredness and aches, smiles lit up both their faces like beacons when they were reunited. I smiled. It had been a mistake to keep them apart so long.

'Oh, Jazz,' she said, trembling slightly in his arms. 'I'm so cold.' His arms tightened around her and slowly, the shivers stopped.

I backed out of the room, and Jasper nodded to me as I shut the door behind me and went in search of Emmett. I found him just outside the back door, standing frozen on the ground.

'Huhh...' he breathed. 'HUSSSHHHOOOOO!!' He doubled over, sneezing wetly into the air, and groaned miserably as he straightened.

'Come on, Emmett,' I said tiredly, beckoning for him to follow me up the stairs. He followed miserably.

'Everything hurts,' he moaned, and I had to hold back a grin. Who would have guessed that Emmett Cullen would be a complainer when he was sick?

'Aww, Emmett,' I said, outwardly as sympathetic as I could be. I helped him into bed, and he huddled under the covers looking pathetic.

'My nose is itchy,' he managed to say, before hitching in a desperate breath. 'HUSSSHHHHOOOO! HUSSSHHHOOO!' He sneezed openly and wetly, not making any attempt to cover them.

I moved the box of tissues and supply of hankies closer to his bed and pulled his covers around him more closely. 'Bellllaaa, I feel sick,' he groaned.

'I know,' I said gently. I put a hand on his forehead, testing. 'You're running a pretty high fever. You'll probably feel better once it goes down.'

He nodded miserably, and then gestured hurriedly at me with one hand. I looked at him in confusion.

'Move!' he exclaimed, and I backed out of the way. 'HUSSSHHHHOOO! HUSSHHOOOO!'

'Awww,' I said again, because he looked so pathetic, like a little sick kid, despite his size and strength. He flopped back on the bed.

'By dose wodn't stop itching,' he complained.

I hid a smile. 'Try blowing.'

He shook his head defiantly and I rolled my eyes. I passed him a handkerchief and he glared at me. 'Emmett,' I said.

He snatched it from the air and folded it around his nose, blowing a wet and gurgly blow without looking at me and then scrunching it up and dropping it on the floor.

'Better?' I asked.

He shrugged. 'Yeah,' he admitted.

I grinned. 'What's best for you now is to try to sleep, give your body as much rest as you can. Do you feel tired?'

He nodded miserably.

'Okay, then. I'll leave you to get some rest, alright?'

He nodded again. 'Bella?....Thanks.'

I smiled and shut the lights out, heading back down the stairs.

***

[pirate_wench]

Haha Emmett being such a complainer, that's awesome!! ;D

[twinkies690]

hahahah Emmet WOULD be a complainer wouldnt he?

awwww alice and jasper are so cute!

I bet she purposely got sick

love the story!

[elements]

WOW I cant believe how GOOD you are at writing this! thank you SO MUCH!!!!!!!

I'm glad Alice got sick too

[Mischa]

yaaaay! more sickness

so awesome. still. !!!

[Jules]

I love how you're handling the contagion, and Alice's sneezes are adorable. She and Jasper are really sweet together, too. I'm glad they can comfort each other now.

[littlesneezer18]

AWSOME! love how you gave each character such a distinct personality when they're sick!!!

[Strong_and_Wild]

OMG i love love love love love this story i wonder if i got the point across in case not LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE GREAT GREAT GREAT JOB ok i think we all get what im sayin in case not one more time

~ mod note: fixed tags

[thesneezingbeauty]

OMG! This story is AMAZING! I lOVE the twilight fandom. Hmm... I wonder if Rosalie will catch it. I kinda hope she's the only one who doesn't though, b/c I don't like Rosalie all that much.

[ooo]

As ever, thank you thank you thank you!! I'm going a bit crazy at the moment with what feels like seventeen exams in a week (really only about 3...), but coming home to read your comments every evening is a lovely treat. You guys are wonderful!

***

I headed into the kitchen for a drink of water, and sipped at it as I walked in to check on Carlisle and Edward. They were both asleep, so I picked Pride and Prejudice off the shelf (somehow, Jane Austen never got old, never mind how many times I'd read her books). I opened the book on a random page in the middle – I'd read it so many times it didn't matter where I started - and started reading, glad of the temporary peace.

I'd been reading for a while when I heard someone stirring and jumped - I'd been so immersed in the book I had forgotten where I was – and looked up to see Carlisle blinking at me sleepily.

'How are you feeling?' I asked him.

'Better, actually,' he replied, and stifled a yawn behind one marble hand. 'My throat's not sore...I actually feel like I could get up and do something!'

I smiled. 'Probably a better idea -'

'Bed rest, I know,' said Carlisle. 'I think I learnt that from Edward's example.'

I winced. 'How is he?'

Carlisle glanced over at his son with concern in his eyes. 'He's getting worse. It seems to have hit him pretty hard, maybe because it took us a while to realise he wasn't well...I don't know. He's been tossing in his sleep...he's hot and then cold and hot again, I've watched him kicking off the covers and then shivering...'

I bit my lip in concern, staring at the temporarily peaceful Edward on the couch. He looked so serene asleep, even with his bright red nose and messy hair.

'Bella...I hope you don't mind me asking...how is Esme?'

'Actually, I haven't seen her for a while. I think she's trying to stay out of the way...she left me some lasagne in the fridge, though!'

Carlisle smiled. 'So Esme.'

Edward coughed in his sleep, a deep rattling cough that made us both look over at him in concern. There was a short silence as we both sat, lost in our thoughts.

'He'd kill me if he heard me saying this,' Carlisle said hesitantly, 'But he's fragile. He needs you, Bella, even if he won't say it out aloud.'

'I know,' I murmured softly. Absentmindedly, I stroked Edward's cheek gently with my finger and he moved towards my touch, still sleeping deeply. I rubbed his back, worried.

From upstairs, I heard a croaky voice trying to call my name, unmistakeably Emmett. I'd forgotten to find him a bell.

Carlisle nodded goodbye to me as I headed up the stairs and entered Emmett's room.

'Emmett?'

He looked over at me, looking absolutely pathetic: shivering, nose red, eyes bright with fever...

'Oh, Emmett,' I said sympathetically, moving over to him. He shivered violently.

'I'm f-freezing,' he said.

'You've kicked your blanket off, silly,' I told him, and pulled it over him again, tucking it in carefully around him. Eventually, the shivers slowed and stopped.

He sniffled. 'I hurt all over,' he said tiredly. 'And I keep feeling hot and cold.'

I brushed a hand over his burning forehead. 'You're burning up, Emmett,' I said. 'I might try to bring down the fever...I'll be back in a minute.'

I left the room and returned with a cool washcloth. I wiped his forehead, face and neck gently.

'Thanks, Bella,' he said, sinking back into his pillow, exhausted. Suddenly he waved at me again, and understanding more quickly this time, I moved to the side just as:

'HUSSHHHOOO! HUSSSHHOOOO! Huhhhh...' He breathed in deeply, but the sneeze seemed to leave him and his face relaxed. I moved back towards him and suddenly he snapped forward again, startling me.

'HUHSSSHOOOO!!' The sneezes were loud and powerful, bending him in half each time, and he made no attempt to cover them.

He sniffed wetly. I gazed at him in concern and pity – those sneezes sounded exhausting, I hated to think how they would feel.

'Bellllaaaaa,' he moaned my name, his voice cracked and dry.

'You poor thing,' I said sympathetically. 'Can you try to sleep?'

'I cand't breathe through by dose,' he mumbled.

Taking pity on him, I picked up a hanky from his bedside table and folded in carefully over his nose. 'Blow,' I instructed.

He shook his head, embarrassed, and held up his own hand to push mine away. 'Well, you do it then,' I told him.

He turned away and blew his nose forcefully, wet and gurgly. He had to blow several times but eventually he turned back and threw another crumpled hanky on the floor.

'Better now?' I asked.

'Mmmhmmm,' he mumbled, obviously exhausted. His eyes fluttered shut.

I smiled. 'Get some sleep, Emmett. Call if you need me.'

There was no reply, and soon the sound of Emmett's snores filled the air. I smiled to myself, glad that he didn't usually sleep - or snore at this particular volume. I was sure Rosalie or one of his other family members would have killed him.

***

[starpollen]

THIS IS SO COOL. I am hooked. And it's been a while since I've been hooked. (Okay, that's a lie. There's TOO MUCH GOOD CRACK on these forums!!) STILL, THIS IS REALLY HIGH END CRACK. Please. PLEASE. Write more!??

[doggo]

Count me in those who have no interest in the fandom but OMG so many sick vampires! This is very sweet and lovely. I read everything until this point in one sitting, because couldn't just snap out of it, that's how lovely it is!

[Jules]

This is very sweet and lovely.

Indeed it is... an absolute pleasure to read!

Best of luck with your exams.