Title: More Than Human

Rating: G

Fandom: Twilight: Carlisle and Edward (but not Carlisle/Edward)

Movie/quote: "More human than human' is our motto." - Blade Runner (1982) AFI# 97

Summary: Edward is fast, Carlisle is slow, and Bella makes a geek reference.

Disclaimer: I don't own, and don't make any profit from, Twilight or the Twilight characters. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer.

Author's Notes: This is vaguely set between the first two novels. I'd like to call it a missing moment. Pure fluff.


Carlisle was walking down the front steps as Edward and I pulled up to their home. I was a little surprised to see Carlisle moving at human speed-I had this idea that when they weren't out in public, the Cullens zipped around at vampire speed. I was pretty sure that I would, in their place.

I didn't have the chance to dwell on that thought, though, because unlike his father figure, Edward decided to move faster than I could track him, and in a blur of motion he was at my door, opening it for me. A small part of me-the Renee part, I thought-had a blip of "hey! I'm a 21st century woman! I can open my own door!" but the rest of me thought Edward's chivalry was terribly romantic. I smiled up at him as I took his offered hand, and allowed him to pull me out of the Volvo.

Once I was on my feet, I snuggled against him for a moment and enjoyed the coolness I could feel through the shirt he was wearing. Before I knew it, I was scooped up in Edward's arms, bridal style. I squeaked. "I can walk, you know. The cast came off."

"But you're so slow." His voice started off in a coo but shifted into what I could only call a whine. It wasn't a tone I was used to hearing from him. He'd cajoled, and he'd mocked, and he'd whispered, but I wasn't sure I'd heard him whine before.

I wasn't sure how to respond, so I pointed at Carlisle, who by this time was parallel to us as he walked to his car. "Carlisle doesn't seem to have a problem with human speed. Is it because he has more practice being around us slow little humans?"

I heard Carlisle laugh. "'More human than human' is our motto," he said.

Edward shook his head, and from the expression on his face, I wondered what else he'd picked up from Carlisle's mind.

"Like Data, from Star Trek?" I asked.

"You like Star Trek?" Edward looked surprised. "You say the most unexpected things."

I shrugged a little. "Phil likes it, so I've seen a few reruns. It's not my kind of thing, but it's what I thought of when Carlisle said that."

"One day," he said, full of determination, "I'm going to understand how your mind works."

Carlisle paused as he opened his car door, and looked at the two of us. He had a warm smile. "Men will never understand how women think," he said. "It's something I've learned over the centuries."

As he drove down their long driveway, I turned my attention back to Edward. I tapped my head with my index finger. "Locked as tight as a vault," I said, smug.

"My little mystery." He bent his head and shifted me up so he could press his cold lips to my forehead. I wanted to stay here with him forever.