The Human Cullen || E.Cullen

26. tick tock goes the clock

Lucy lays awake, her fingers gently playing with Arthur's hair as he sleeps cuddled into her. She doesn't sleep much anymore, hasn't for a while, because she just wants him here. She wants to feel him close. She wants to know that he won't just go in his sleep, that she'll be there no matter what happens. She hasn't told him this - how can she burden him anymore? - and she won't, because it's her things, her moment alone with him even if he snores so loud.

She kisses his head gently once she realised the time. "Baby? We gotta get up." She whispers.

He groans and grumbles like a child at first before he stretches, looking up at her tiredly. "5 more minutes?"

She rolls her eyes and kisses him. "No, I already gave you that. Cmon, get your butt up."

He groans and rolls off her, letting her get up. "What's on the agenda for the day?"

"Well, once I drop you off I'm gonna go to the library. I don't know if I'll like it there but someone won't let me be there so." She shrugs, smirking at him.

"Just coz I'm not having chemo back home doesn't mean anything else is different." Arthur says as he goes into the closet with her.

"I'd just like to sit with you one time, what's so bad about that?" She wonders as she slips her sweater on. The hotel they rented is just out of town, the complete opposite end of town and away from his family. Of course they could easily come but the message is clear.

They haven't spoken to any of them in a few days, Arthur says leave them to stew for a bit before they do anything else. He's still mad at them; his dad was going to willingly change Bella even before she was gonna die due to Renesmee. Double standards.

"Cmon, we can grab a bagle on the way." Arthur kisses her cheek.

Lucy drives them to grab breakfast before she drops Arthur off. She watches him go in feeling nervous; she's does this countless times but this is a new hospital, new people... She wants to be there for him but no, he's stubborn. Stupidly so.

She sighs and goes to the cafe in town, sitting in the car corner with her book. She gets lost in it for a while before she catches someone walk over in her side vision. She looks up, stopping breathing for a moment as she sees Rosalie. Rose is scary, from what she's heard. She was the one reacting the most the other day.

"Is this seat taken?" Rose asks gently.

Lucy shakes her head. "Not at all..."

Rosalie sits down, crossing her hands on the table. "Where's... Where's Arthur?"

"Hospital. He can't miss a chemo session... He doesn't like me being there though, so here we are." She forces a smile and shrugs small.

Rose forces a smile. "He's a stubborn one... And how's he doing? Please be honest."

Lucy sighs, looking down at her hands. "Not great. He tries to be his happy self but I can tell he feels crap all the time. And he doesn't do half of what he used to; I mean we both miss our old life but it's the little things around the house." She shakes her head and closes her eyes for a moment. "And in medical terms, well-well I think you can tell by the conversation the other day."

Rose nods small, her still heart breaking. Her Arthur is hurting and she doesn't know what to do. "I hate that..." She whispers. "I'm so torn. I don't want him to be like us but I don't want him to die."

"Then change him, change us." Lucy grabs her hands startling Rose. "Please - what if this was you and Emmett? I know your story, the only different between us is you were already changed."

Rose loosens her grip and holds Lucy's hands gently. "It isn't so simple. Tasting blood, even the smallest amount, can be so hard for us. We can't control how we'll respond entirely and none of us want to hurt you, we can't risk that. If it was simple I'd do it right now for you both but this isn't an easy decision."