Sorry guys, for a very prolonged update. I'm sure you'll like this chapter. BTW, the movie was awesome!!
Chapter 4
Esme walked into the room finding Carlisle is a state of unrest. His shoulders hunched over. He looked weary – perhaps even older.
She walked behind him, leaning over gently kissing his cheek. She hoped that maybe it could give him a little comfort. She couldn't stand to see him like this and wrapped her small arms around his strong shoulders leaning on him breathing in his sweet scent. With her hands hanging loosely across his neck his stiff shoulders relaxed a little.
"Carlisle, dear, what's wrong?" Her voice was muffled when leaning into the crook of his neck.
He grabbed her hand and held it tightly. She was his life-force and it renewed him in the worst of times. He never felt so dragged down, never felt as if his balance was lost. His optimism weaned but the desire to protect his family kept the small flame ablaze. He took a breath to say something but then stopped squeezing his eyes shut. He kissed her hand; if only to gain a little bravery with her near. He began again.
"My conversation didn't go as well as I had hoped with Eleazar from Denali." There was weighted silence. She grasped his hand tighter as a sign for him to continue. He let go of her hands and rubbed his face.
"It seems that the Volturi have dealt with a matter like ours before at least two times in the past. The outcome wasn't favorable." He continued. He didn't want Esme to hear this. He wanted to protect her from this evil truth. He wanted to protect himself - he wanted to move back in time and stop from ever calling the Denali clan.
Right now, was not the time for wishes.
"What do you mean?" Worry leaked into her voice. He pulled her arms off him and turned around to see her concerned face. He stood up and brought her close. It steadied him for what he was about to say.
"They killed them off fearing it was contagious." Carlisle gritted his teeth, being a doctor for centuries made it nearly impossible for him to understand taking a life for something like that. Humans were so much more advanced than vampires when it came to ethics and moral issues.
"Do they know, about Edward?" Her voice trembled and her body stiffened. He rubbed her back as if he could rub all the invisible knots of tension away.
"Not yet," He hesitated, "Well, at least I hope so. Eleazar holds the same superstition that the disease could be contagious. He's giving me two weeks. All I can do is trust him and try to find a cure without attracting less favorable attention."
"Two weeks?! How could they do this to us." Her breath hitched and he kissed her head; rubbing his face into her hair. Trying to stop the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him as he vehemently agreed with his wife. How could they do this to his son?!
"I don't know, Esme. We must deal with what we have." She looked up to him, his smooth features wrought with worry. She brought her hand up and ran it through his hair.
"There's something else bothering you isn't there?" it was barely a whisper but Carlisle looked startled and a small flicker of a smile crossed his face.
"Never can get anything past you, can I?"
"Never doubt a woman's intuition." There was a long moment as Esme watch Carlisle mentally struggle with his inner demons on whether he should voice his fear. His face hardened with resolve but the distinct furrowing of his brow gave way to the agony of his thoughts.
"What if this is my fault?" Esme stepped back in astonishment.
"How could this possibly be your fault?"
"Maybe it is wrong to go against our nature. Maybe vampires are at risk of getting this disease if they take on our diet? I'm afraid a few years you'll have this also." His voice was littered with doubt.
"Oh, Carlisle, that can't possibly be the reason. I'd risk my life if I didn't have to hurt a human and you know everyone here would. You've made this family the way it is. Unlike any others and we would not be together without this diet."
"I hope you're right. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." He sighed and kissed Esme on the head and left the room to see how Edward was doing.
He walked down stairs and stopped before reaching the last step to find Bella and Edward preoccupied. Edward was preoccupied enough to not notice that Carlisle was standing there. They were in an intense kiss and Edward gently running his hands down her.
Carlisle made his last step down the stairs much louder than called for effectively breaking them up before he saw too much of their intimate moment. Thank fully they were easier to break up then Emmett and Rosalie. Only threatening, loudly, the revocation of all media devices and cars broke them up enough to take it to their room.
Bella was flushed, "Mr. Cullen – we were – um," She stuttered out her words and Edward smirked with amusement.
"Don't worry – I understand, although I'm more understanding if you do those things in private. Also, call me Carlisle or you'll leave me no choice to call you Isabella." Carlisle's eyes must've shown too much amusement because Edward chose now to roll his eyes.
This only caused her to blush more, "Yes, Carlisle."
"Is there reason you're down here?" Edward grumbled looking none to please about being interrupted.
"I was hoping that we could go up into the 'library' and run some tests."
Before Edward could protest Bella jumped up, "Okay! Let's go. I've never been up there before." A look of genuine excitement made Edward sigh and slowly drudge himself up.
They all headed to the third floor and into the Library. The room was massive with all types of computer equipment and medical equipment. Even though they did not have the need for the medical equipment; Carlisle's fascination and desire to keep up with the times made him get as much as he could.
Edward reluctantly took a seat next to the long line of microscopes and computers. Carlisle took out a beaker and gave it to Edward.
"Give me a sample of your venom." He asked while jotting something down on a sticker for the beaker.
Edward dripped venom into the beaker from his mouth and gave to Carlisle. Who then dropped it onto the slide and place the cover slip over it and sliding it under the microscope like a honed professional. Bella watched with fascination.
"You do that so well – I've never seen Edward do it that quickly in lab." Edward rolled his eyes again.
"Edward could do this himself if he put his mind to it. Contrary to popular belief, Edward is not the best student." Carlisle said looking up giving an Edward a long look. Edward scoffed.
"I'm sorry – but I don't share your fascination with medicine. If you stopped forcing me to listen to long lectures on the billion diseases, I may have been a better student in another area." He defended himself.
"Pity, you would have made a wonderful doctor, someone as bright as you." Carlisle said smiling longingly.
"Except the whole sucking the blood of every patient problem." Edward continued sardonically. Carlisle waved his finger at him.
"You under estimate your control too much. Although, I admit, you are a better student if you're interested." Edward nodded approvingly but Carlisle muttered under his breath, "If rock music is a subject."
Bella giggled, she never imagined Carlisle and Edwards relationship was like this but they had lived with each other for nearly 80 years. Carlisle feeling encouraged by Bella's laughing looked at her smiling almost evilly but not quite evilly – more nostalgic.
"If Edward has any fault, it's his inability to sit still. Gave me near panic attacks with the amount of disappearing acts he did when he was newborn Vampire. The worst is when he went to the baseball World Series. " Carlisle said exasperatedly.
"The Cubs were playing. I was from Chicago. I had to see them." He said defensively.
"I probably wouldn't have known he was in a crowd of people as a newborn if I didn't hear on the radio that the scoreboard suddenly fell over after the Cubs lost."
Bella leaned forward grinning. "What happened?"
Carlisle smiled, "Well."
Flashback
Carlisle had just come back from work and was walking leisurely home. He got a feeling of unease as he neared the house. He did not sense Edward whatsoever – fearing the worst; he sped up his pace.
When he reached home he found it empty. He trusted Edward but not that much. Edward was still only a few months old. He looked around and saw a hastily scrawled not on the table where he usually put his keys.
He picked up the note and it read:
Carlisle,
I know you told me to only hunt with you but I'm very thirsty and decided to do it myself. Don't worry – I will be safe. Please don't look for me. I'll be fine.
Edward.
Carlisle sighed with a slight tinge of frustration and worry. He guessed this is where he gave Edward a little space. This was his first child in a sense and maybe he was smothering him too much. He was slightly confused because they had just hunted two days ago but he guessed that newborns got thirstier than most.
Carlisle decided to turn on the radio to see how the World Series with the Cubs and the Red sox was going.
Carlisle, getting home so late, the game had just finished and he listened to the announcers.
"Well it looks like the Red sox won effectively beating the Cubs with a score of 4 to 2." The first announcer proclaimed.
"Yeah, well it looks like the scoreboard didn't like it too much. The whole thing fell over right after the game. One man said she saw a very pale young man nearby the scene of the crime but then disappeared out of nowhere before he could talk to him."
"Looks like he had a little too much to drink." They both laughed but Carlisle stiffened. Is this where Edward went? Did he actually lie to him?
He listened intently for any news of death or other strange occurrences. He waited silently for Edward to return from his "hunting trip". He quickly closed his mind the best he could to prevent Edward from seeing his knowledge hoping that Edward may fess up.
It was about two hours later when Edward showed, quietly opening the door and shutting it. He entered the room but stopped for a second seeing Carlisle's stiff posture. Carlisle gave him a strained smile.
"How was your hunting trip?"
Edward paused a little, "It went fine. I didn't hurt anyone. I swear. I'm sorry if I worried you." He said trying to figure out why Carlisle was so stiff. Carlisle, if possible, stiffened even more and a flash of disappointment crossed his face.
"Yes, you worried me alright but now you've disappointed me. Why don't you take a seat?" Carlisle said, wordlessly motioning to the empty seat across from him. Edward felt his stomach turn.
"What? It was just a hunting trip." He stuttered. Carlisle gave him a pleading look.
"Edward, I don't want any more of these games. Please take a seat and tell me what really happen."
Edward blanched reeling back in shock but then quickly took a seat judging that Carlisle's never-ending patience may have worn out after an hour of worrying. Edward suddenly noticed exactly what Carlisle was thinking. He had heard something on the radio.
Edward looked ashamed of being caught and breaking Carlisle's trust. He was also intent of on destroying that radio, but he would not mention that to Carlisle.
"Yes, I went to the game but I didn't go near anyone, I swear. I was standing all the way up on the scoreboard."
"You put you and thousands of people in danger. That was very irresponsible, Edward. The scoreboard falling could've hurt someone" Carlisle said in a stern tone.
"There was no one there when I broke the score board." Edward weakly defended himself.
"Right now, I don't think I care that you went to a very dangerous place. I'm more upset that you lied to me. I hate lies, Edward." Carlisle sat back looking very disappointed.
Edward looked at Carlisle; his regret ravaging him on the inside.
"I'm apologize Carlisle. I was being selfish." He said quietly.
"I forgive you Edward, but we're going to have to work some stuff out. I'm going to take a few days off work and maybe we can discuss ways we can occupy your time with more productive things. And maybe keep my mind at ease that you staying in one place. Maybe we can get you studying medicine?"
Edward inwardly grimaced at the prospect of studying medicine the next few days.
End flashback.
"Wow, you got off pretty easy, Edward." Bella said grinning.
"Yes, if hours upon hours of medical lectures is getting off easy. I practically died of boredom and vowed to never leave the house again. Carlisle, can we get to the matter at hand, you're talking as if I was a small, unruly child." Edward half complained looking fully embarrassed.
"To me you were. Remember, you were a newborn." He said chuckling a little at Edward's embarrassment. Edward moaned leaning his head on the table.
Carlisle looked into the microscope and looked intently on the computer. Suddenly, his face dawned with revelation. The venom seemed to be straining for something and then gradually weakening from the denial of what the venom was straining for. Carlisle thought back to his earlier idea and closed his eyes and regret.
Edward heard what Carlisle was thinking and the diagnoses. He then scoffed. "Carlisle, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. If that were true you would've died a long time ago."
"Then what could your venom be straining against." Carlisle retorted.
Bella looked at both of them confused finally understanding how annoying these on sided conversations were.
Edward chewed his lip and then looked at Bella, "How many Vampires have resisted their singer." Carlisle's eyes lit up with understanding. Bella slowly putting the pieces together looked at Edward excitedly at the prospect of keeping him alive. She could save him by turning into a vampire. It would be like a two in one deal.
"Do mean I can stop this? I can help." Bella looked at them expectantly. Edward face hardened, understanding what she was getting at.
"No, there's got to be another way." Edward said angrily. Carlisle's face was unreadable and Bella looked angry and incredulous.
"Edward we can stop this! Stop the straining of your venom. Stop the weakening. You need to bite me, now!" Bella nearly screamed drawing close to Edward with a determined look.
AN: Even though it looks like it's nearly done. It's not – be patient. Plus there was a Red Sox game against the Cubs in 1918 when he was turned. I was very excited to see that Edward's home team was playing then. "The library" reference was information I got from twilight lexicon. I'll try to update a little faster with encouragement.
Please R&R!!
