A New Cullen Sister

Chapter 53

Author's Note-

This chapter is a bit on the mature side. There is no activity, but Amelia and Carlisle will be having their chat. Given her past abuse and her fears that have developed as a result, it is not going to be pleasant but it does need to be done. If a discussion of such a nature is upsetting to you, then please do not feel under any obligation to read it :)

Thank you to RebeccaXOX3 for the encouragement and general crazy ideas that were bounced around last weekend. You are awesome :D

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"Do you mind if I check your wound site quickly?" asked Carlisle, referring to delightful scar that the chest drain wound would leave once it had healed up. Amelia nodded and lifted up her pyjama top on the right side so that Carlisle could remove the plaster and assess it. The pair was sitting in his office. They had finished watching Episode I of the Star Wars boxset from Emmett and after a quick nap, it was time for Amelia's least favourite activity of the day – physiotherapy.

"I hate plasters," grimaced Amelia as she felt her skin being pulled as Carlisle ripped the plaster off quickly and placed an icy hand immediately over to area to soothe the sting.

"Well it's looking good for now," stated Carlisle, assessing the wound, "there appear to be no signs of infection."

"Yet," broke in Amelia, sighing quietly. Carlisle said nothing and grabbed some disinfectant and dabbed the wound softly. Amelia held her breath as she often did when she was in pain. It stung, and brought a few tears to her eyes

"Breathe, Amelia," reminded Carlisle. She nodded and let go of the breath she was holding. Carlisle then dried it off and frowned, "the plaster region is very red and sore. Are you allergic to plasters?"

"I am allergic to the pine resin in the adhesive," Amelia replied, "perhaps we can put some gauze and medical tape over it for now, then leave it off for a while when I go to sleep tonight so that it can get some air?"

Carlisle taped up the wound in the exact manner that his daughter requested, placing some strong anti-septic cream over it.

"So how many collapsed lungs have you had?" he asked conversationally, propping Amelia up on some pillows and helping her turn onto her side so that he could start administering the physio. He grabbed her nebuliser, chock-full with inhalational antibiotics, bronchodilators and saline, and passed it to her. She obligingly pulled the elasticated band over her head and adjusted the face mask until it was comfortable.

"Five. So there is pulmicort, garamycin and I'm not sure I want to know what all else is in here," she stated, pulling a face as Carlisle put on the nebulising unit and she got her first taste of the hideous concoction of medication.

"Saline, a couple of bronchodilators, same old," he grinned, beginning his rhythmic percussion of Amelia's back in order to loosen up the abnormally thick mucus that her body produced.

"Forget a chest drain, I think you could reinflate my lungs with physio alone," giggled Amelia, inhaling the medication through her nose and exhaling it through her mouth.

"Beating the living daylight out of collapsed lungs in Cystic Fibrosis patients: a randomised study, by Carlisle Cullen and Amelia Theodore-Cullen," snorted Carlisle, "it'll be a hit in some or other medical journal."

"Forget chest drains, just call your local friendly vampire for help," chimed in Amelia, sounding suspiciously like a sale representative, "dial-a-Vamp, for all your vampirism requirements."