Just the Way You Are

"Eve... if you can hear me, I love you so much. You have to wake up soon, not just for me, but for Darla, too."

Jacob's voice was faint, it were almost as if Eve was listening to him from underwater. She heard him, though, and that enough gave her the motivation to force her eyes open.

"Eve...!" His muscular tanned arms wrapped around Eve's upper torso, gently squeezing her as he placed kisses on her temple. "Thank God you're alright."

"What... what happened?" She murmured, her voice raspy and dry.

Jacob handed her a cup of water. "Here, drink this." He told her, helping her hold the cup until she had a firm grasp. "You fainted after being told about Darla's condition. The doctors believe it was maybe the stress, but they've done some tests just to make sure."

Almost as if on cue, Doctor Carlisle Cullen sauntered into the room, looking over some papers on a clipboard. "Jake, could you please go down the hall and get Darla from her room so she can be here?"

"Sure..." Jacob replied hesitantly, soon walking out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"Eve, you passed out a few hours ago. We immediately ran some tests and got you settled into the room. It's been about four hours since you've collapsed." He explained. "We found that you might have been suffering from malnutrition because of your vitals and such."

"That's crazy," Eve began. "I eat with my family all the time. The tests must be wrong." She sat up uneasily in her bed and realized that she had been too persistent with her purging the past few days and that was why she had fainted.

The door opened and Jacob wheeled Darla in, who looked relieved to see her daughter finally awake.

"We ran some different tests and I have a very important question to ask. You must answer this truthfully, Eve. It's important." Eve awaited for the question and she felt lightheaded when it was finally asked. "Are you bulimic?"

"No."

"Eve, this is crucial. If you don't tell me the truth, your health is in danger."

Eve was annoyed. She told him the answer. Even if it wasn't true, she had given him a reply. Why didn't he just want to leave the subject alone...?

"Eve!" Upon hearing the familiar voice, Eve's head shot upwards. "Thank God you're awake! I was so worried!" Dylan looked as if she had been crying the entire time she was headed to Forks General with her puffy pink eyes and reddened cheeks. "What's going on?"

"Doctor Cullen was asking Evangeline if she was bulimic. I must say it's such a crazy thought..." Darla answered.

Dylan looked at Eve as new tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm... I'm... I'm so sorry for doing this to you, Eve...!" She bawled, falling onto the bed and soaking Eve's hospital gown with her salty tears as she hugged her younger step-sister. "I don't want this to happen again. Please... please tell them...! Tell them the truth!!"

Eve couldn't believe her ears. The person who had shown her how to purge was now pleading with her to stop and tell them her darkest secret...? It just didn't make sense.

"Evangeline... is... is this true?"

As soon as she saw her mother's watery eyes she began to sob hysterically. "...Yes..."

Eve was soon joined by her mother who was now crying as well. She was shocked that her little innocent angel had done such an act. It broke her heart in two. Darla couldn't believe she had let it go on. If she had only been a bit more observant maybe this all could have been avoided. She was Eve's mother, and if she couldn't protect her from something like this, she felt that she couldn't do much of anything.

Darla knew it was her fault for Eve's current situation.

Eve looked through her blurred vision to find that Jacob's figure was leaned against a wall. She blinked her eyes free of the tears and found that he was staring directly into her honey brown eyes with his dark chocolate ones. They were dull and almost black. Eve looked away immediately with guilt, knowing that she was the one who caused his pain.

Doctor Cullen began to explain what Bulimia was. Eve didn't care, she was too busy being ashamed of herself and her irrational actions. She honestly didn't know how it got this bad, but knowing how this was ending, was making her wish she had never started.

"What... what can we do for her, Doctor Cullen?" Darla inquired, finally gathering herself as she wiped away a few tears on her hospital gown.

"Well, I believe that going to a rehabilitation center would be best. There she would be able to undergo counseling and it would most likely be a fast procedure. Depending on her situation, she could be out in as little as a month."

Carlisle sighed and turned to face Darla completely. "Darla, I also have good news. Your surgery has been moved up considerably. Due to the fact your tumor is growing rather rapidly, your surgery has been rescheduled for this week. In two days you'll be in Los Angeles and going into endoscopic surgery."

"That's wonderful. Where would you suggest that Evangeline be sent?"

Eve couldn't believe her ears. They were talking about her like she wasn't even there...!

"I know a few people who work with Bulimia Nervosa patients in rehabilitation centers. The absolute best place I can recommend would be Rosewood Ranch. I'm afraid that it is far from home, very far."

"How far are we talking about?"

"It's in Wickenburg, Arizona in the Sonora Desert." He answered. "They always help their patients recover quickly and I'm sure that Eve can be helped there. Of course, if it's too far I'm more than happy to recommend more local rehab centers?"

"No. That's perfect. Could you please give me their number?"

"Gladly." He nodded, walking out of the room to fetch the information.

"Thank you so much." She replied, and then looked at Eve with heartbroken eyes. "Eve, you're leaving for this place."

"I know." She replied quietly. "Tell them to expect me after your surgery."

"Oh no, you're leaving tomorrow."

"Mom... you cannot be serious! I can't miss your surgery for rehab!" Eve yelled. "What kind of daughter would I be?!"

"What kind of mother would I be if I didn't make you go as soon as possible, Evangeline Blair!!" Darla shouted. "You're leaving tomorrow. If you don't, then I will not be undergoing this surgery, do you hear me?"

Eve stared at her mother in complete shock as the tears continued to cascade down her cheeks. "Dylan... please... start packing my things..."