Episode 21

Even though the wound fully healed, Bella started getting paler and continued to sweat. Abraham and Megan spent the rest of the afternoon with their daughter, and Dale joined them at dinner time.

"Bell, I have to tell you. You picked a good man," said Abraham, and Dale smiled.

"Yeah, I think I did," Bella said weakly and smiled, lying on the mattress.

"Well, Megan and I are gonna go inside and see if we can get Charlie to talk to us. Let me know if anything happens," said Abraham, handing Dale a radio.

Dale nodded, and Megan and Abraham climbed out of the truck. Dale climbed onto the mattress and held Bella in his arms. He sighed heavily and rested his cheek on her head.

"Dale?" asked Bella, looking into his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Do you love me?" she asked, intertwining their fingers, and Dale sighed.

"I'm not sure what love feels like. I know I would do anything to protect you and feel helpless because I…"

Bella put her hand on his cheek and pressed her lips against his. Dale sighed, kissing her back, and held her face.

"I love you, Dale," she whispered as the kiss ended, and he searched her tear-filled eyes.

He hugged her tight and started sobbing.

"I didn't want to say it before. I was afraid something like this would happen, and now it is. I'm so sorry, Dale. I wanted you to know how I felt," she sobbed.

Dale pulled back, sniffing and rubbing her cheek.

"Don't ever be sorry, little bird. You made me feel alive again," he cried.

Bella smiled through her tears and kissed Dale again. He looked at her as her eyes started to droop, and he gasped.

"No, Bell. Don't go," he whispered, and her eyes closed as her body went limp.

"Bell, little bird?" he sobbed, shaking her, but she didn't respond.

"You were like a dream come true. You came into my life, stole my heart, and now you're gone. Now, you're gone," he cried and pulled his knife.

Dale sobbed as he got ready to stab Bella in the back of the head and wiped his tears on his arm.

"I'll meet you on the other side, little bird."

He kissed her forehead and raised the knife. Suddenly, the strap broke, and Bella grabbed his wrist.

"I'm not dying. Not today," she said, looking at him, and Dale saw her eyes shimmer with a kaleidoscope of colors.

He watched the color come back to her face and dropped the knife. He grabbed her face, searched her eyes, and blew a shaky breath.

"You're alive!"

Bella bit her bottom lip, nodding, and Dale's heart surged.

"I love you, little bird," he whispered through his tears and kissed her deeply.

"How is this possible?" he asked when the kiss ended, and Bella shook her head, smiling.

"I don't know."

Dale hugged her tightly, laughing, and Bella chuckled, hugging him back.

"I'm never letting you go," he said.

Bella sighed happily and grabbed the radio.

"Little bird to papa bear," she said, and Dale grinned.

"Bell, is everything alright?" asked her Dad, and Bella smirked.

"Why don't you come out and see for yourself."

Abraham, Megan, Andy, Liam, Teresa, Mike, and Bonnie ran out of the house, and Abraham ran to the back of the truck. Bella jumped in her father's arms, and he hugged her tightly, spinning her around.

"Oh my god, Bell," he breathed, half crying.

"Bella!" cheered Charlie, running out of the house, and Abraham set his daughter down.

She picked Charlie up and spun around in a circle, hugging her brother. Andy, Mike, Liam, Teresa, and Bonnie smiled with tears running down their cheeks, and Dale jumped out of the truck bed. Abraham and Megan hugged him and pulled Bella and Charlie into their embrace. It was an impossible miracle, but no one questioned it.

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Sarah and Waylon watched from the window and stared in awe.

"How did she survive the bite?" asked Waylon, and Sarah shook her head.

"I don't know, but we should keep this to ourselves as a group. There are other people out there that would love to turn her into a lab rat. I know we're not the only ones who've survived," she said, and her brother nodded.

"So what are we going to do as doctors? Are we just going to let a walking miracle pass us by?"

"No, as long as Bella agrees to it, we will take blood samples. We are going to figure out how she survived, and if there is a cure, then I guess we will be the ones who save the world," said Sarah, looking out the window.