chap21

   Shawn froze when he heard the sound of someone crying. He followed the sound to the bathroom and gently pushed the door open a crack and peeked in. There, he saw Belle sitting on the floor next to the toilet, crying softly and holding her stomach.
"Belle, what's wrong?" he asked, walking in and hurrying over to her. She held her hand out to stop him.
"Shawn, please...just leave me alone" she said, weakly, in between sobs.
"Belle, it's ok, I want to help" he said, kneeling down next to her.
"I don't want you to see me like this" she said, covering her face.
"Belle, I don't mind, trust me" he said. She was shaking and he gently took her in his arms and tried to calm her down. "Did you get sick?" She nodded into his shoulder and cried harder. "Shh, it's ok" he said, trying to comfort her. He held her for a minute before she jumped up and grabbed onto the toilet.
"Shawn, please leave" she said.
'No" he answered. He put his arm around her and tried not to listen as she was sick again. When she was finished she leaned up against him, completely exhausted. He sat back against the sink and held onto her as she shook, either from the cold floor or the sickness-he couldn't tell. He grabbed a washcloth from the sink and wiped down her tear-stained face.
"Do you feel better?" he asked her quietly. She shook her head.
"No, I feel so sick Shawn" she practically whispered, with her lower lip starting to tremble. Shawn panicked and was unsure of what to do-she could have been really sick and he knew he wouldn't be able to take care of her.
"I'll be right back, I'm going to go get your mom" he announced. He helped her stretch out on the floor next to the toilet with the cloth on her head before he sprinted out of the room. He ran down the hall and down the stairs before ocming to their door. He knocked hard and heard someone coming.
'Shawn?" a confused and sleepy Marlena said, pulling her robe around her tightly.
"Hurry, please" he said, out of breath. "It's Belle...she's sick"
"I'll be up in a minute" she said. He turned and started back up running, tripping on the steps but never slowing. He flew into the bedroom and in the bathroom where Belle was still lying on the floor. He gently pulled her upper body onto his lap and his arms while he wiped the sweat off her face.
     Marlena had by this time headed up the stairs and went in Belle's bedroom but stopped in the open door. There, she saw Shawn holding her daughter and gently wiping her face, with an evident look of concern on his face. She felt her eyes well up and quickly blinked them back as she let herself in the door. Shawn turned to look up.
"Mom..." Belle said, the tears starting to flow freely now.
"Shh, sweetie, it's alright" she said, as she kneeled down next to them. "Do you think you're going to be sick again?"
"No, I don't think there's anything left" Belle said, her voice trembling.
"Did your stomach settle?"
"No, it's still turning" Belle said.
"Sounds like a mild case of food poisoning" she said. "I'm going to go get something to settle your stomach-Shawn, do you mind watching her for a minute?"
"No, that's fine, go ahead" he said. Belle closed her eyes again and he pulled her close to his chest, happy to feel her heart starting to slow again. Marlena came back a minute later.
"Here, drink this" she said, handing her the glass. "It'll calm your stomach but it'll also make you very sleepy" Belle drank it and they both watched as she kept it down. Belle weakly leaned up against Shawn again. "Do you want to go to bed"
"No, I'm afraid to leave here yet" she said.
"Then how about we let Shawn go back to bed" Marlena said.
"No!" Shawn said. "I mean, I can stay. It's no problem, I don't mind watching her"
"Belle, sweetie, are you sure you'll be ok with Shawn?" she asked.
"Yeah, Shawn will take care of me" she said. Marlena looked up at Shawn and saw the look in his eyes that he wanted to stay.
"Well...alright" she said, standing up. "But Shawn, come and get me if she gets sick again"
"I will...thanks Marlena" he said.
"No problem" she said, leaning over and giving Belle a kiss on the top of her head. "Feel better sweetie"
"Bye mom" Belle mumbled, already her eyes closing. Shawn settled back against the sink and Belle wiggled herself close to him, already asleep. He leaned his head far back and closed his eyes. He awoke with a start sometime later. He looked down, confused, and then saw Belle asleep against him and he remembered everything. He shifted uncomfortably on the hard floor and Belle stirred in her sleep.
"Hey, there, how are you feeling?" he asked her. She took a few seconds to wake up before she answered him.
"I'm ok, I'm just...tired" she said, her eyes shutting on her again.
"Then lets get you back to bed" he said, pulling himself to his feet. He pulled her up with him and she protested slightly, her eyes barely open. He started to walk into the bedroom but she was dragging so he bent over and slipped his arm under her knees, scooping her up in his arms. Her head dropped on his shoulder as he carried her into her room and set her on her bed. He arranged the covers around her and then set a garbage can at the side of the bed, just in case. He sat down on the edge and watched her sleep for a minute-she looked like an angel.
"Shawn..." she mumbled, sleepily.
"Yeah?" he asked, leaning in close to her and brushing her hair aside.
"Shawn, I...I'm..." she struggled.
"Belle, it's ok hun, go to sleep" he said, running his hand down her cheek.
"No, no" she said, shaking her head, her eyes closed. She struggled to open them and looked at him. "Thank you for taking care of me, Shawn"
"Belle, sweetie, it's no problem" he said, smiling to himself.
"You're too good to me, I don't deserve it" she said, her eyes slipping closed again.
"You know I'd do anything for you" he said. She smiled sleepily.
'Thank you, Shawn" she said, and turned her head and seemed to drift off to sleep. He sat and watched her for a few more minutes before he turned and let himself out. He shut the door carefully behind him, went into his room, and quickly went to sleep.
     He woke up the next morning and immediately hurried to check on Belle. She was still sound asleep in the same position he had laid her in the night before. He smiled, watching her, and then slipped out of the room and out to the kitchen. Everyone was out there eating breakfast and talking loudly. Marlena slipped up to him by the counter.
'How was Belle last night?" she asked him, leaning in close to him.
"I think she's ok" he said. "We both fell asleep in the bathroom and then I took her to bed later. And I just checked on her and she's still asleep.
"Good, good" Marlena said, putting the coffee pot back. "Thanks for watching out for her"
"No problem" he said, getting his bowl of cereal and going to the table. "So what's going on for today?"
"The beach" his mom answered.
"Again?" he asked, jokingly.
"Honey, don't tell me you're tired of it already" she said, a little concerned.
'No way, I'm just kidding" he said. He heard a noise and looked up to see Belle coming down the hallway.
"Morning Belle" her mom said.
"Morning everyone" she said, going to the kitchen. She came out a minute later carrying a piece of toast and a glass of juice.
"How are you feeling, hon?" her mom asked. She smiled.
"A lot better than last night" she answered. She came over to the table and leaned over close to Shawn's shoulder. He felt her hair gently brush up against the back of his neck and felt her warm breath on his ear.
'Thanks for taking care of me" she whispered and he felt his heart pounding harder.