CHAPTER TEN
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i. i like your face !

— ANTHONY SWAN FELT LIKE SHIT. Simple as that. His mind was pounding, like there was something knocking against his skull and shattering his teeth. He could hear his own heartbeat, which turned out to be the horrible sound rattling around his brain.

It was that, or the familiar beeping of a heart monitor.

Behind his eyelids, he could see a bright light trying to weave its way in.

Slowly coming around, the voices around him seemed to solidify a bit more, a reality shifting into his line of sight as he forced his eyes open.

"Miss, you're going to have to leave."

"But he's my friend!" Another voice chimed. "I rode in the ambulance with him, you can't drag me away now!"

"We're only accepting family visitors right now, miss."

Anthony looked over to see Alice standing at his left bedside and talking to a nurse. Realizing he had an oxygen mask on, he reached his hand forward and grasped the Cullen's fingers weakly.

Alice gasped, "Tony!" She grabbed his hand and leaned toward him, ignoring the nurse now.

Tony used his unoccupied hand to reach up and grab the oxygen mask.

"No, honey, you need that." Alice sweetly tried to stop him, but Anthony proceeded to move it away from his face.

"Don't worry ma'am," he addressed the nurse first with a husky voice and tired smile. "She's my emotional support human."

Anthony held the mask up to his face again to take a breath while the nurse just rolled her eyes and left behind a curtain.

When Anthony glanced around he realized his bed was covered completely by a curtain.

Removing his mask again, he looked up at Alice who had switched out her hands so she could use her right hand to run her fingers through Tony's hair and move it away from his sweat covered forehead.

"Where's Bella? Was she okay?" Tony asked in a rush before placing the mask back around his nose and mouth.

Alice smiled, "Yes, she's fine, hon. She's in the bed across from you getting checked out by another nurse."

Now that his hearing was a bit better, his mind being soothed by Alice's voice, he strained to hear frantic apologizing and mumbled 'it's fine's.

Anthony sighed and let his head sink into the pillows.

"Jasper would have come too, but he has problems with blood so he figured he shouldn't risk it." Alice spoke calmly, still raking her hand through the boy's hair.

"S'fine." Anthony's muffled voice was heard whispering through the mask.

It was silent between the two for a moment, Anthony's eyes heavily closing with exhaustion, enjoying the pleasant cold sensation Alice was offering against his brown locks.

"Bella! Are you okay? You and I are gonna have a talk. You alright?"

"I'm fine, Dad. Calm down."

Charlie and Bella's voice fled through the curtain, but Anthony had partly fallen asleep and didn't acknowledge it, though he still listened to the conversation.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I tried to stop." Tyler Crowley's voice explained in a rushed panic.

"I know, it's okay."

"No, it sure as hell is not okay. Where's your brother?" Charlie asked.

Bella sighed, "Dad, it wasn't his fault." Still defending Tyler.

"You could have been killed." Charlie's stern voice said. "You understand that?"

"Yes, but I wasn't. So..."

"You can kiss your license goodbye." Charlie dismissed, obviously addressing Tyler again.

"I heard the Chief's children were here." Another, kind and calm male voice sounded.

"Dr. Cullen." Their father greeted.

"Charlie." The Cullen returned the favour. "I'll take this one, Jackie."

"Isabella," Dr. Cullen went to greet.

"Bella." She corrected. "Look, I'm fine. The van didn't even hit me, can we please check on Tony?"

"What do you mean, you haven't seen him?" Charlie stepped forward.

"They haven't let me stand up since I got here."

"Ah, Anthony Swan," Dr. Cullen's voice got closer to the curtain shielding Anthony from the rest of the hospital.

"Bella, you stay here." Charlie spoke as his voice got closer.

When Charlie stepped into the closed off area, behind the blond doctor, his voice caught in his throat when he saw his son. Anthony was a sick pale colour, with sweat covering his exposed neck and shoulders. He looked so small in such a large hospital bed.

"Anthony Swan suffered from a panic attack around the time of his sister's accident." The older Cullen read from the boy's charts, ignoring his foster daughter in the room, already knowing she was there. "With his lung cancer at such an advance, it wouldn't have taken long for him to feel faint."

"Carlisle," Alice's voice whispered as a warning, looking at Charlie's reaction.

Carlisle cleared his throat, "His upper clothing was removed to allow access to his chest in case of AED resuscitation and considering overheating is a common symptom of his."

"I've got it." Alice interrupted, bringing the attention to her. "His shirt and button up, they're in my bag."

Charlie nodded at her in appreciation, knowing his son had an incredible friend such as Alice.

"With Anthony's past history as a cancer patient," Carlisle began, not knowing if he should finish his sentence. "He's lucky to be alive."

It was silent for a few moments as they let that information set in.

"My best suggestion is that he stays in the hospital. Anthony is most likely fatigued and after the strain his lungs went through it's possible he could have some problems sleeping while he recovers."

"Yeah, okay." Charlie nodded, his eyes still stuck on Anthony's small looking form.

— THE WEAKENED SWAN BOY SLEPT UNTIL NEXT AFTERNOON, finding out that Alice had stuck by his side the whole time. She'd asked Carlisle if she could stay with him instead of going to school and was waiting on Tony hand in foot while sending hourly updates to Jasper, who waited anxiously to hear if Tony would be okay and wishing he could visit.

Though at some point during the night, she'd left to fetch herself and Tony a change of clothes. Really, she went to the Swan residence and grabbed two pairs of Tony's clothes when Charlie let her in.

Waking up in a groggy state, Anthony saw Alice sitting in a chair to his left in one of his sweaters and pairs of sweatpants, reading a magazine.

Anthony moved the mask away from his face.

"Comfortable?" He asked mockingly.

Alice looked up and smiled gently.

"The clothes? Yes. The chair? Not so much." She laughed, setting the magazine off to the side. "Do you need anything?"

"Yes, actually." Tony spoke as Alice perked up. "Get over here and give me a damn hug, I'm overheating."

Alice chuckled, but did take notice of the sweat forming along the boy's chest.

"That's the strangest sentence."

"Yeah but you Cullens have some strange alien cooling abilities and they would be much welcomed right about now." Anthony moved over on the hospital bed so there was at least enough room for Alice to join him.

The pixie like woman laid back in the bed and situated Tony so his forehead was tucked into her neck, a perfect place to cool him down. Anthony was practically draped over her, trying to absorb the freezing temperature she provided.

Alice's phone buzzed in her pocket and she tugged it out, with her left hand.

Jasper
how's he doing

It was Jasper, checking up on Tony yet again.

Alice
He's awake now

Jasper
Is he doing okay?

Alice
He's fine, really tired though so he's a little bit loopy

"What's Jasper doing?" Tony glanced at the contact name of the text she received, continuing to move his oxygen mask between every sentence.

"He's at school," Alice informed before giggling. "He's worried about you."

"Tell him I think he's a doll." Anthony muttered tiredly. "No- wait that's super gay. Tell him he's handsome."

"Are you sure?" Alice chuckled.

"No, that's coming on too strong." Anthony said, still extremely tired despite sleeping half the day away. "Try uhhh, 'I like his face'."

Alice
He said he likes your face

Jasper
Tell him I like his face too

And Alice would have, if Tony hadn't already been asleep.

— WAKING UP AN HOUR LATER TO DR CULLEN AND HIS FATHER ENTERING THE ROOM, it was a convenient time for another check up as Tony was feeling much better.

Alice had let Tony fall asleep on her, not minding as she was actually quite comfortable. More comfortable than she was sitting on the wooden chair. Once Anthony had woken up, though, he let her go and she stood back while Carlisle looked him over and helped him change the mask out for his regular tank and tubing.

"So there have been no problems sleeping?" He asked as Tony sat up, the blanket pooling at his midsection and exposing his chest. Alice handed him the sweatshirt she grabbed for him and he removed his nasal prongs and tugged it over his head, replacing the prongs and tucking the tubing behind his ears.

"Not yet, but that's always a possibility with my condition." Tony answered as he leaned back again.

Carlisle winced slightly, but nodded.

"So it is. And there hasn't been any noticeable issues?" Carlisle glanced at his foster daughter, who shook her head slightly.

"Just that he's been really tired."

"Understandable." Dr. Cullen nodded. "Well, Anthony, I believe you'd much rather be at home right now."

"I've had Alice keeping me company." Tony grinned at the woman's who returned it, flashing her bright white teeth.

"Yes." Dr. Cullen smiled. "Nevertheless, I'm sure you'd like to be discharged. Your father just needs to sign some release forms. I suggest you take it easy for a while." The blond finished, nodding to Charlie.

"Right kid, let's get you home." Charlie picked up the tank off the floor and slung it over his shoulder.

Alice grabbed her bag with Tony's clothes from the day before and followed after them.

"Is it okay if I come with you Chief? I wouldn't have a ride until one of my siblings could come get me." Alice asked, knowing she didn't have a car and Carlisle would need his to get home, also not wanting to hang around the hospital for another hour or so.

"Of course you can, Alice" Charlie agreed easily, also knowing his son enjoyed Alice's company.

So Charlie signed the forms and together, him and Alice helped Tony to the back of the police cruiser waiting in the parking lot.

The ride was silent. Despite all the sleep Tony had caught up on, he was still relatively tired so he stayed quiet instead of trying to fill the awkward void.

Once they pulled up at the Swan residence, Alice and Tony made their way upstairs while Charlie laid down on the couch and fell asleep, not used to the stress of having a child in the hospital.

In Tony's room, the two collapsed on the messily made bed and played an innocent game of Never Have I Ever while waiting for Jasper, who insisted he'd be the one to pick up Alice and Emmett would just have to ride with Rosalie.

Jasper did arrive (before Bella, unsurprisingly) after a near hour of waiting, and Charlie let him in and directed him upstairs.

Muffled giggles and tired laughter could be heard behind the closed door when he knocked.

"C'mon in." Anthony's voice called out.

Jasper entered the room shyly, muttering a quick hello and glancing at his foster sister.

Breaking the awkward silence, Alice stood up.

"I'm gonna go get you something to eat before we go." Alice winked at Anthony, who smiled.

"My angel." He called out lovingly as she left the room.

Jasper grabbed the computer chair and rolled it over to the boy's bed, sitting down on it, being a bit more comfortable with the incoming conversation now that his foster sister wasn't in the room.

"So," Jasper smirked slightly. "You like my face?" He teased.

Anthony groaned lightly, "Shit. How much of that conversation did she tell you?"

"There's more to tell?" Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"Uhh, no? Just a lot of gay shit, you know me." Anthony tried to laugh it off gracelessly before cringing.

"You're gay?" Jasper asked, despite already knowing full well what Anthony's sexuality was.

"Yes? Though yesterday with that whole holding hands thing-" Tony tried to explain, knowing all too well what a toxic masculinity infested and heteronormative society they lived in.

But Jasper cut him off, sliding his cold hand into Tony's warm one and lacing their fingers together.

"It's okay, I don't mind."

Then, the two were unable to keep from smiling, having a constant grin on both their faces.

author's note

I think I have a legit problem
I finished this chapter at 5 am this morning

My insomnia now has a hobby and it's writing this

And I wanted to have Jasper visit him in the hospital so bad but like- I'm not gonna stray way from him being a newborn, I've noticed a lot of people do that and put Jasper in public places as if he wouldn't have problems with so many humans

anyway,
Expect another update soon lmao