Stephenie Meyer owns the copyright to Twilight and all its characters
The original characters, plots, and storyline contained within this derivative work are the property of Brits23 and Lazykate
(Translation: if you steal it, we will send Bitey after your ass…and not in a good way)
Just as a reminder—Lazykate writes the girls and Brits23 writes the boys.
Chapter Four - Flying
CPOV
I popped my ear buds in and swirled my finger over the dial of my iPod until I found my running mix. This selection of music was as vital to me as morning coffee, as the Florida Marlins…as air. I tightened the laces of my Nikes and stretched my legs, preparing myself for the vigor of my morning run.
I was a man of routine, starting my day with Beethoven Virus by DDR, segueing into Mozart: Requiem. The power of the melodies and crashing crescendos intermingled with the pounding of my feet against pavement, the rising sun blessing the day with its light from above the dark horizon of the sea, the chill of the morning biting at my skin. But I lived for that chill. It left just as quickly as it came but for one blissful moment in the early morning hours of Miami, you could let the cold run through your veins and allow your blood to pump at a furiously refreshing rate.
As Confutatis began playing loudly, I picked up my pace, exhaling contentedly as the sheen of sweat that began to form on my body now stung with the frigid breeze that swept around me. Nearly every morning between the hours of four-thirty a.m. and six, I allowed my seldom-peaceful mind to wander. In one week's time, I would be terminating my employment at Mercy Hospital to open my own private practice. To say I was excited would be a vast understatement.
It wasn't that I disliked my current occupation, more that the discrepancies of other hospital staff and the general lack of compassion were starting to discourage me. All too often my colleagues would put themselves before the well-being of the patient, making them wait for no valid reason, diagnosing quickly and sometimes incorrectly in order to hurry about their day. But my greatest concern at Mercy was the lack of staffing.
It was nearly every day that I was running madly around my ER, doing my work and the work of others simply because there wasn't enough help. It's not to say that any of our patients were being neglected or were in any sort of danger. The professionals at Mercy were excellent doctors at the heart of it. The fact of the matter was, the practice of medicine no longer held the value it once had. Now the MD's were more concerned with their title and the added perks involved with it. They took an oath, and while medically they weren't doing anything wrong, we all dedicated ourselves to helping the human race, not just glancing at a chart and dismissing them quickly in order to make it to the golf course by three.
I was disheartened, and all I wanted to achieve by opening my own practice was to create a safe haven for the people of Miami. To let them know that throughout the changing world of plastic bodies and the immorality of our fast-paced environment, there was still someone you could trust.
You could trust me.
The date of my grand opening was fast approaching and I had yet to find a proper website builder to promote my business online. It was immensely important to advertise via the web, since the information highway was now one of the leading ways to gain clients as well as effectively establish your good name to the community.
It was one thing I had prided myself on, my sincerity. There had certainly been some instances in my life that I wish I could have erased. But the one thing that had held true amongst the rapacious evenings and the blonde nurses—was my dedication to the medical field and the people I treated.
My twenties and thirties were occupied by three things: medicine, women, and the club scene. I wasn't proud of it. I'd convince myself night after night that this was what I wanted to do. I was a young doctor, I was attractive and that worked for me. I wasn't missing a life of intimacy, love, or family. I was living life to its fullest, not limiting myself to the chains of matrimony. And every night that I found myself alone, or even nights when an unidentified woman was tangled in my sheets, I'd fight back my pure loneliness and convince myself this was the life for me.
Looking back, it was clear to see just how miserable I truly was, and maybe just how much I desired the intimacy I attempted to deny.
I had entertained myself with the company of different women, all the while being respectable in my advances. Although my actions were somewhat suspect, I worshipped the female body. I wasn't a barbarian when it came to the act of sex. I caressed, I paid attention, I put my pleasure on the backburner because that's what gave me satisfaction. I wanted to watch my lover reach her peak before I allowed myself to join, only because a woman in the height of her orgasm, in my opinion, was one of the most beautiful sights in this world.
Realistically I knew what set me on my path of women and promiscuity. I had been scorned…and much too young to feel the power of love that I had felt. But God help me, I felt it...I was enveloped in it.
I was seventeen years old when I met Esme Platt. Seventeen years old when I fell so desperately in love that I thought the whole world would crumble from the intensity of my adoration for her. All those years ago and still my heart lurched at the thought of her name.
The Platts were the epitome of elite, their old money stretching far back into the years. They spent that idealistic summer vacationing in Miami, where I had been fortunate enough to grow up my entire life. Esme resided in Chicago, and stole my heart on the beaches of Miami with an ice cream cone in her hand and an obnoxiously-large sunhat atop her head.
She was absolutely breathtaking.
We were inseparable during our one and only summer. We only had a handful of months together but that girl was a part of my soul. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was meant for me and found myself beyond lucky to have found my one true love at such an early age.
The day she left was one I'll never forget. It felt like my heart, my stomach, my insides were being pulled out of me in long, painful grasps. I resented the sun and the breeze and the laughter around me because the light was gone…the sun had burnt out with my last sight of Esme Platt.
She was devastated as we said our goodbyes, promising me she'd write, promising me we'd find each other again. I had been such a fool. I wrote her every day for well over a year, and had very nearly lost my mind with each letter sent. I heard nothing in return…absolutely nothing.
I did everything in my power to contact her, even attempted to travel to Chicago and find her myself until my father convinced me of everything I would lose in the process. None of it mattered at the time, but disappointing my father was something my body physically rejected. Even though my entire life revolved around the girl who had left me, I still couldn't bring myself to go against my father's wishes. It was a blessing and a curse, in the grand scheme of things.
I was absolutely destroyed from our separation and lack of communication. I completed my senior year of high school as a shell of the person I used to be, my friends eventually giving up as the pain that radiated from me became too much to bear.
I still don't know at what point I recovered from the darkest pits of my own personal hell. I vaguely recall the summer after graduation, drowning myself in alcohol and becoming a somewhat deranged individual. If I hadn't applied to medical school the previous summer, I'm certain I never would have taken the initiative to become anything other than heartbroken and alone.
And angry.
Oh was I angry at the girl who told me she loved me more than love itself. The girl who shined when her eyes met mine, who hung on every word that fell from my lips. How could she have left me so abruptly? How could everything have ended so terribly wrong?
Once I left for medical school, I finally began the process of letting Esme Platt go…and replacing her with countless others. It was my coping mechanism of sorts, busying myself with school and girls to the point of exhaustion. If I was studying, I couldn't think of Esme. When I was intoxicated and absorbed in the girl of my choice, I didn't need to think of Esme. They became my safety blanket. A protection from the raw heartache she instilled upon me.
She had essentially ended my life and replaced it with a figment of despair and emptiness.
It wasn't until eighteen years later that I found out why.
It was three weeks after my thirty-sixth birthday. I had just landed my first attending physician position, had purchased a beautiful home directly on the beach and, overall, I had everything I'd ever dreamed of achieving. I wasn't indulging in female companionship as steadily as in the past, even allowing myself to explore the idea of exclusive dating. In the beginning it scratched at my still open wounds, the pain of what Esme had done to me still making its presence known beneath many suppressed surfaces.
I eventually found a therapist and had begun working through my past issues, finally seeing a faint light at the end of a dark and sinister tunnel.
That light was my son.
And I knew he was mine and hers the second I opened my front door. A tall boy with Esme's beautiful bronze locks and green eyes. A solid boy with my chiseled jaw and nervous crooked smile. My flesh and blood was standing on my doorstep…my boy…a boy that I didn't even know existed.
I saw the recognition in his eyes as well, once he observed me in the doorway for a moment. We didn't blatantly resemble one another, more like the simple mannerisms and hidden characteristics that only the self recognizes on a daily basis. He was a part of me.
We said nothing to each other as he shifted awkwardly on my step, words unnecessary as we silently recognized the first encounter of father and son. The questions in my mind were so overwhelming and loud that I had to hold my head from the sheer velocity of their assault.
Once I regained a somewhat clear frame of mind, I invited him in and we started what came to be the longest and most significant conversation of my life. His mother, my long lost love, had only informed him of his true parentage days before his "father" died from lung cancer. I went on to learn many things about the son I never knew I had. He had grown up insanely wealthy and surprisingly level-headed. The death of the only father he'd ever known was traumatizing, but his mother's timing of indulging her deep dark secret of my paternity only fueled the pain. It confused him, and it generally hurt him that he had been lied to for so long.
He wasn't the only one.
The mother he described was not the vibrant girl I had once known. The woman he described was one of conceit and material possession and selfishness. All he wanted was to escape the caged existence of belonging to a family of power and money.
So he came to me.
And I welcomed him with open and willing arms.
He soon began renting a home nearby my residence, allowing us closeness without the potential awkwardness of living with a technical stranger. He enrolled in UM, and I was so very proud of him for pursuing medicine. All he could do was shrug and say that his mother would be disappointed in his pursuit of Veterinary Medicine. All I could say was that I had never been prouder.
Since I had been void from the first eighteen years of Edward's life, we were left with a bond that resembled friendship more than anything. because while we would play and joke like friends do, there was a fondness in our relationship that could only be defined as the love of a father and son.
Edward was my best friend, and I'd gladly relive all my years of pain and solitude to have his presence in my life.
If I had one and only wish, it would be to have a chance to relive all the vital years of my son's life that I had missed. The pain of not watching him grow up, of not supporting him and molding him into a man was the biggest loss I'd ever felt. More than lost love or empty pursuits of physical satisfaction. My biggest regret would always be missing out on the fundamentals of my son's life, no matter how out of reach they had been to me at the time.
To date, Esme had never attempted to contact me, whether because of nerves or simple ignorance. There were so many unanswered questions that both Edward and I needed answers to, but the fleeting moments when she decided to call Edward were filled with ramblings of her latest destination and the fun she was shamelessly having.
I had struggled internally with the idea of contacting her, finding her and demanding to know why she hadn't given me the option of knowing my own flesh and blood. I finally decided that I had spent too much of my life searching for Esme, and the fact that Edward was now in my life would be enough to mollify all of the question marks of my past.
I was convinced that the girl I fell in love with had died along with the heart she destroyed inside of me.
On the plus side, knowing of Esme's irresponsibility had helped in the closure process. While I still yearned for the girl I gave my heart to all those years ago, therapy was helping me realize that living in the past was no way to live at all. I began focusing on the positives in my life. My son, my career, my new zest for life.
It had been almost ten years since I was introduced to Edward, and ten years since I had become a changed man. It was he who had convinced me to really start dating, to let go of the past and do something for myself for a change. It surprised me how much I enjoyed getting out there and meeting new people. It was amazing the conversation you could carry with a woman when you weren't trying to bed her.
While the dating game was now an active part of my life, I still hadn't found anyone that made me tick. At first it was discouraging, but after time I realized that I may never find the one person meant for me. And even though the threat of solitude seemed to be a definite possibility, I had to embrace the positives in my life.
I would date when the opportunity presented itself, but I was content in being alone, focusing on the plans for my practice and diving into my work to pass the time.
I had been steadfast in denying the advances made by the majority of the female nursing staff—and several male. I laughed it off and allowed myself to be flattered, but refused to resort back to the emptiness of my past life.
I broke from my heavy thoughts and rested my hands above my knees, panting for air and suddenly realizing how hard I had been pushing myself. It wasn't every morning I permitted myself to contemplate everything I had lost and gained in my forty-five years on this earth, but when I did, it exhausted me.
I paused my iPod and ran my forearm across my brow, wiping away the sweat that had pooled there. My Miami chill had since been replaced with the sweltering heat. Taking in my surroundings, I realized that I had already run five miles. I'd have to push hard in order to make it home and to work on time. I ran stealthily, each pull of my muscles and ache in my bones making me feel alive and healthy.
I allowed my mind to wander away from painful and complex thoughts, since the heaviness sometimes made my chest constrict. I wanted this run to be light and carefree.
The idea of being carefree made me chuckle as I jogged in the direction of home, spiraling into the events of the previous night.
Working in an ER will bring you into direct contact with all types of people with varying ailments. Some moments are sad, difficult, and disheartening, but others can put a smile on your face and allow you to keep it with you long after you've bid them farewell.
Yesterday evening, the Benadryl-induced musings of Bella Swan had done just that.
A young woman with a peanut allergy who had replaced her expired Epi-Pen with an over-the-counter fix had served to be my source of entertainment—as well as my last patient of the night.
Medically she was fine, which allowed me to chuckle at the ramblings and bold statements from someone who was clearly too inebriated to know better. I was taken aback from the moment I pulled open the curtain and stepped into exam room three.
I was met with the glossy, deep brown eyes of a woman who held a beauty so unique that someone less observant could have easily overlooked the stunning qualities she possessed. The fact that she was young enough to be my daughter pulled at my conscience as I observed the appealing blush of her cheek, but I quickly dismissed it. No one truly knew how old I was, considering my youthful appearance. And that's not me being conceited, simply truthful. With my daily workout regimen and superb genes, I didn't look a day over thirty-five. The old Carlisle Cullen would have used it to his advantage…but that was no longer me.
Instead, I just shook my head and laughed at at her boldness, taking her compliments and enjoying the temporary ego boost she bestowed upon me in her drugged state.
Her long dark hair swung in her pony tail and she gestured wildly as she spoke, her friend looking on in absolute horror. I assured her it wasn't a problem at all, but sympathized with her embarrassment.
After all, Bella did sniff my coat and tell me that I smelled like cotton balls.
And then of course there was the moment she called me 'a hot piece of ass' when she thought I couldn't hear her.
Memorable indeed.
I found her simply adorable as she babbled, ignoring her friend's exasperated looks and reprimands. I refused to allow myself to read too much into it, although Bella had awoken more within me in her ten minute consult than any of my several-hour dates. Of course I would be intrigued by a beautiful girl who said everything that came to mind—a mind that was filled with thoughts of my attractiveness.
She had put a bounce in my step as I left the hospital that night, and had managed to pop in and out of my head every moment since.
***
The paperwork seemed never ending, just like the ebb and flow of patients that walked through those glass doors. There weren't enough hours in the day to file and document when there were patients to attend to, which always put an added weight on my shoulders.
I worked as fast and efficiently as I could, running my fingers violently through my hair as my leg bobbed in concentration. My head was starting to ache and it was clear to me that even though it was late morning, I already needed a quick break to clear my overwhelmed mind.
Overall, the day had been pleasant. No serious cases had come in yet, and the quiet murmur in the confines of the ER was rare and welcomed as people came and went peacefully. Of course there was always a wailing child in the building, but thanks to my exceptional selective hearing, I hadn't heard a screaming child since roughly 1998.
I rose from my desk and shut the door behind me, whistling the beginning notes from the Ave Maria as I rounded the corner to the receptionist's desk. I smirked as a group of huddled nurses and aides straightened up the moment I came in, not so slyly covering the fact that they were discussing how the color of my dress shirt made my "blue eyes pop."
"Ladies," I nodded my head in greeting as they stared back at me.
I was met with a chorus of, "Good morning, Doctor Cullen."
One of the newer nurses—Emily—straightened up and heaved a sigh as she addressed her fellow gossipers. "Well, I suppose I'll do that follow-up on the allergy case from last night, and then I'm taking a much needed lunch."
My ears perked up the moment "allergy case" left her mouth. Of course, it didn't necessarily mean that it was Bella Swan, but I couldn't deny my piqued interest that it very well could be. Before I even realized what I was doing, I stepped forward and leaned across the counter, smiling crookedly at the congregated ladies. "Emily, why don't you head on out and grab your lunch? I can do the follow-up for you." My eyes hungrily searched the chart in her hand, falling on the words Isabella M. Swan. "I treated her last night anyway," I shrugged, reaching for the chart. "I might as well be the one to check up on my own patient."
Emily suddenly went cross-eyed as she stared back at me. Eventually she smiled brightly and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Sure, Doctor Cullen," she purred. "Thank you so much for assisting me. What a sweetie."
I bit the inside of my lip and suppressed my chuckle, her fingers brushing against mine as I took Bella's information from her eager hand. "It's really no trouble, Emily."
"Or, you know," she paused, pulling at the ends of her hair and licking her lips, "I could wait until you're done and we could both grab a coffee?"
I smiled almost bashfully as my eyes fell to the floor. Just because I didn't pursue the nursing staff didn't mean that I took pleasure in shooting them down. "I've still got some paperwork to go through, Emily, but maybe next time, all right?"
She nodded, clearly disappointed, and I waved a short goodbye to the audience that was now staring at the scene in front of them with gaping mouths.
Mercy Hospital literally could be its own soap opera…yet another reason I was anxious for my departure.
I walked back to my office leisurely, turning around periodically to see Emily still staring at me as I retreated from reception. Just another day in the life.
I sat at my desk and absently played with the file in my hand, determining whether or not it was indeed appropriate to contact Bella. Of course it was. I had been her attending physician last night, and had even informed her that she would be receiving a follow-up call from a nurse the next day. But I was no nurse. I was an extremely busy doctor who had zero time for follow-ups, pondering about follow-ups, or thinking of the person involved in said follow-up. Yet, here I was…thinking, and pondering.
I decided to just pick up the phone and make my call. It was simply a piqued interest in a beautiful and highly-memorable patient. It wasn't as if I'd be doing anything but checking on her well-being in the utmost professional manner. I'd assess the situation as the doctor who'd signed off on the case and, once I was certain the patient was in a healthy state, end the phone call.
Okay, so I may have been a little eager to see what Bella would be like without the influence of over-the-counter medicine.
The phone rang several times before it connected, a loud rustling noise on the other end giving way to a gentle, raspy voice. "Hello?"
"Bella Swan? This is Dr. Carlisle Cullen from the hospital, calling to check up on you."
Why the hell were my palms sweating?
There was a long silence before she replied. "Oh, hi…listen, I am so sorry about last night. I mean, I don't remember much but apparently I was completely inappropriate and I wanted to apologize…"
I laughed heartily, fighting the urge to tell her that she'd been positively endearing in her influenced state. "No apology needed, truly. I see much stranger things on a daily basis."
She restated her embarrassment, but I simply assured her once more that she had nothing to be ashamed of. Before I felt the urge to turn this conversation into playful banter rather than a doctor checking up on his patient, I proceeded to ask her how she was feeling, and if any of her symptoms had been reoccurring.
"No, I'm fine, honestly. I was a little groggy earlier, but I feel much better now."
Her voice was melodic and refreshing, causing me to grin widely.
After I discussed with her the importance of always having a functioning Epi-Pen, I begrudgingly began my parting words of medical suggestions.
"Make sure you take the expired Epi-Pen in and exchange it for a new one today. Doctor's orders. You're fine to drive but you may want to take the day off work, just to give your body a chance to fully recover from the allergic reaction."
She informed me that she worked from home, and the words were out of my mouth before I had time to filter the response. "Oh? What do you do?"
I was writing aimless notes on her chart, trying to remember who I was and what this call was supposed to be pertaining to. There was nothing inappropriate about asking someone what their occupation was, yet I felt like a criminal in the process.
I just didn't want to get off the phone with her.
"I build websites for small businesses," she informed me.
My jaw nearly dropped to the floor.
For weeks I had been searching for someone to build and design the website for my private practice. I had met with several independent builders, but none of them really understood the vision I was trying to instill. I had planned on just moving forward with a more corporate-based web design company but…..when opportunity knocks, you might as well listen.
We discussed her profession adamantly back and forth, the extent of her involvement in the California-based company she was employed by, and her ability to tweak any website into exactly what the client desired. By the end of our discussion, I sincerely wanted her to build mine.
And I was quickly learning that the silly woman who entered my ER last night was a far cry from the level-headed, business-oriented Bella Swan. I was torn on that matter. While I assumed Bella was being professional, and doing far better than I in the process, I had hoped that some traces of that jubilant young woman could still be found in the amazing persona she carried.
I found myself wanting to learn more. I found myself wanting to find a piece of her carefree disposition and embrace it as my own. I'd settle for her work on my website, because fraternizing with patients—past, present or future--was not something I allowed myself to do, even in my days of promiscuity.
"Would you like to see some examples of my work? I could e-mail you the addresses of a few sites I've built."
Her voice was alight with excitement, and it was clear to me that she truly enjoyed her profession. I suppressed my budding curiosity and focused on the task at hand: getting my website built and designing it for the sole purpose of securing my name to future patients and advertising my practice in the best way possible. "Better yet, if you don't mind, why don't we set up a business meeting? Lunch, perhaps? I could tell you exactly what I'm looking for and then I'll leave the rest up to you."
I reminded myself that this was only a business meeting, not a meeting to search the depths of endless deep brown eyes. At what point exactly did my curiosity transition into a genuine fascination of Bella Swan?
"Um, sure," she said somewhat uncertainly. I suddenly wondered if I had done the wrong thing by suggesting this in the first place. There was nothing I could do about it now. "When were you thinking?" she asked. Her tone was suddenly laced with excitement, causing my apprehension to lessen infinitesimally.
"How about the day after tomorrow, Friday? I'm working the midnight shift that evening so I'll have plenty of time for a late lunch meeting. Is 2pm convenient for you?"
She concluded that it was indeed convenient for her, and we decided on a place to discuss our future business arrangement. I felt much lighter once we hashed out the logistics of our professional partnership, my guilt for taking an interest in her was quickly sedated by the fact that I truly did need a web-builder, and she was more than happy to offer her services.
I decided to end the phone call before any more guilt could assault my conscience. "I won't keep you, but I look forward to seeing you again."
"Yeah, you can meet the real Bella Swan, not the doped-up stranger who was masquerading as me last night."
I chuckled and leaned forward in my chair. "That reminds me, I wanted to wish you a belated happy birthday. I'm sorry that it ended up with you in the ER, but I'm glad we met." A twinge of sympathy hit my abdomen at how unfortunate a birthday it had been for her.
"Me too. I mean, I'm glad you're taking me seriously after the way I acted."
I wanted to tell her that I sincerely enjoyed the way she acted, even though the circumstances were ill-fated. Instead I swallowed my words, already pushing my boundaries by letting it slip how pleased I was that we had met. I reminded myself that the statement could easily be taken as gladness for our future business relationship.
Even though the stirrings in my abdomen told me something entirely different.
I assured her once more that there was no harm done before restating that I would see her in a couple of days. Once my phone receiver was replaced firmly in its cradle, I stared at it in deep thought, my fingers running along the length of the phone as I pondered the conversation that just took place on it.
Lines hadn't been crossed, and nothing inappropriate had come from the innocent and beneficial follow-up call. And while I knew no complication would arise from discussing my future website with a past patient, I still couldn't deny the fact that for the first time in a very, very long time, I had been captivated by a woman…a woman who was essentially unattainable.
Would I easily be able to let go of my fascination with Bella Swan?
***
The following day was a rare time of reprieve.
It was a day off.
Days without work were few and far between for me. Either I would be called in or too uneasy about the state in which I was leaving my ER to take time away. But this day, I was taking.
I was almost disgustingly gluttonous on the days I resolved to have as my own. I didn't run, didn't shower, didn't change from my basketball shorts and t-shirt and surely didn't remove myself from the sofa.
I even had a mini refrigerator stock-piled with Guinness in order to remain entirely glued to my plush seat. I kicked back, slinging an arm over the back of the couch and watching intently as my beloved Marlins went head-to-head with the Mets. My phone was on silent, even though no one who knew me at all would call me at the bottom of the eighth with two outs.
I had frequently been referred to as the last Florida Marlins fan in existence, which was of course, preposterous. I had loved the Marlins since they were established in the early nineties. Even though the franchise had little to no success since their 2003 World Series win, I was quick to stay by them. You can't just abandon your team because they've been cursed with a rough streak.
I even blogged.
As the game ended with an unsurprising and equally angering loss, I grabbed my phone and flipped it open, knowing if my son hadn't already started dialing, it would only be a matter of seconds. I chuckled, seeing the screen light up with his name. "Calling to gloat?" I answered exasperatedly.
Edward scoffed. "I don't need to gloat, old man. That would insinuate that I didn't know for a fact that the Mets would dominate. You need to let go of the dream, Pop."
I finished the last sip of my bottle and threw it, cursing softly as I missed the recycling bin by mere inches. "I'll never give up on The Fish, kid. That two-run homer in the fifth nearly cinched the deal."
Edward chuckled incredulously. "You must be dipping into the good shit at the hospital. The Fish haven't cinched shit since '03 and you know it. Self-prescribing again, Carlisle? Really, I had no idea just how corrupt you truly were."
I rolled my eyes and reached blindly into the cooler at my side, twisting the cover off of my beverage. "You're too young to know a damn thing about the sport anyway. Your ignorance is endearing, in a pitiable sort of way."
I heard a car door slam, echoing in my ear as well in my driveway. "Whatever old man, say that to my face."
My door opened and I suddenly had a brown little dog in my lap, licking my face eagerly. "No licking, Taylor," I chastised, affectionately scratching behind the ears of the only girl my son bothered to keep in his life. I turned and smirked at him. "Come to challenge the Master of Baseball in person?"
Edward threw himself in the nearby La-Zy-Boy and huffed in irritation, grabbing a Guinness from the cooler between us. "Nah, fuck baseball. Nobody follows that shit anymore anyway."
My brow furrowed at my son, obviously irritated for some reason as he gnawed on his bottom lip. Usually he was lighthearted as ever, albeit a smartass…but an amiable smartass. "What's the matter, Edward?"
He shrugged and scoffed slightly, pulling the label violently off of his beer. "Nothing really, I don't know. Work has been shit…I'm sick of negligent assholes who think they have a right to own animals."
"Another neglect case?" I questioned sympathetically. I knew every animal that had to be euthanized at Edward's facility wore him down. He hated taking a life, no matter the misery he was saving the animal from. We had spent hours debating exactly that, the fact that we weren't always healers. Despite our best efforts, we couldn't save every living creature we dedicated ourselves to treating.
Edward nodded and fixed his eyes on the TV, slouching even further in his chair. "Yeah, whatever. Life goes on."
"I'd like to say it gets easier…"
Edward waved a hand at me and took a long sip from his ale. "It's cool, Carlisle, we don't need to dwell on it. So what's been going on at Mercy? Walk in on James with that butch nurse lately?"
I laughed loudly, the disgust written plainly on my face. "No, thank God. That's an image I'll never get out of my head."
Edward shook his head in disbelief. "I just don't get it, man. The girls he brings back to the Tower are fine as hell. He must have some kind of sick Nurse Hatchett fantasies that he desperately needs fulfilling."
I cringed. "Yeah, something like that."
He burped and punched his chest. "He's a sick fuck, no joke."
I nodded, thinking back to some of the disturbing stories my son had shared with me about James, a fellow doctor who was employed at Mercy and also happened to share a conjoining wall with Edward. I had no doubt of the sinister things James was capable of, just from the occasional comments he had made to me about women in general. "Well, if it's any sort of consolation, he had hair plugs put in sometime last week, and it's glaringly obvious."
Edward sat up in his chair and chuckled, holding out his fist for me to bump. "Yeah, I saw him in the hallway the other day. Dude looks like someone took a sharpie to the top of his head and started poking holes with it."
I laughed and shook my head, because that was exactly what my pathetic co-worker looked like. A silence fell between Edward and I…it was quite obvious to me that there was more than just a neglect case that had a look of utter frustration spread across his features. "What else is wrong?"
He jumped slightly, running his hand through his hair just like I frequently had the tendency to do. "Huh?" he sounded startled as his eyes met mine. "Nah, nothing. Just kinda feel like I'm losing myself or some shit these past couple weeks. Maybe I need a vacation, maybe it's because I'm becoming a giant fucking pansy…"
Before I could question what he meant by that last remark, Edward quickly recovered. "Whatever, Pop. I'm not going emo on you, I swear. So what's up, any new ladies in your life? Did you move in on that hot new nurse…Emma, Eva, whatever her name is?"
I chuckled and shook my head. "It's Emily, and you know I don't pursue nurses, son. I'm past that…all they do is get attached and cause you a world of trouble. But if you'd like me to play matchmaker for you, I'd be more than happy."
Edward smiled crookedly but stared off into the distance. "Yeah…well I'm not looking for anything permanent. I don't do the whole 'exclusivity' bullshit, you know that."
I eyed him cautiously, because he definitely wasn't acting like himself. Something was very obviously going on with him, but I didn't pry any further…that wasn't my style. I knew eventually he would tell me, because we told each other nearly everything. I wasn't exactly thrilled that my son was taking on some of my old, less than honorable habits when it came to female companions, but there wasn't much I could do about it. Over time, I was confident that Edward would realize it was time to grow up and retire his bachelor status for the title of husband and father. I decided to change the subject and try to get the look of agonized confusion off of his face. "I'm having a website built for the practice," I offered, my mind immediately going back to Bella.
He nodded. "That's cool…yeah, that's coming up pretty quick isn't it?"
I nodded. "Not a moment too soon…the hospital is starting to get to me."
Edward stretched his back and finished his beer. "Well, we'll have to celebrate sometime soon. Go out on the town and stir shit up, Cullen-Masen style."
I smiled, my eyes glued to the floor. "Sounds great." It felt wrong to hide Bella and the effect she had on me from my son. Truthfully, and maybe even sadly, the stirrings of interest I had for her was something exciting in my life, and I hated not sharing that with Edward.
Even though I openly didn't have any plans of pursuing Bella, the mere humor of her visit and the charming characteristics she encompassed would have been something I'd eagerly tell him. Truth be told, I felt guilty for having an interest in a woman who was Edward's age. Mix that with the slightly scandalous way I had met her and I quickly decided that this situation was something I'd readily keep to myself.
Eventually Edward and I walked down to the sports bar located less than a mile from my home and grabbed a beer, catching up on the events of the week and discussing his best friend Jasper's budding romance. The night was spent with an unusually contemplative, somber Edward….and my secret thoughts of one brown-haired beauty who I'd be meeting with tomorrow...my anticipation was palpable.
***
I pulled into Portofino's at about 1:30, removing my sunglasses from my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose. I cursed at myself. I was far too mature and far too distinguished to be nervous about a professional lunch date. But my betraying hands were sweating, and my heart was rapidly palpitating as I cautiously scanned the parking lot.
I don't know what I was looking for. It wasn't as if I knew what she drove, and I certainly didn't expect her to be as early to arrive as I. But still, it didn't stop me from searching for her.
I slid my sunglasses back on and exited my black BMW, the car locking with an audible beep as I pressed the button on my keys. By the time I removed myself from the car and stopped pondering the possibilities of my future meeting with Bella, it was nearly 2pm.
I stood awkwardly in the foyer of the restaurant and struggled not to pace. Instead I pushed my hands in my pockets and began studying the generic art on the wall as if it were something beautiful to behold.
And suddenly, there was something extremely beautiful to behold.
I turned automatically, almost sensing her arrival. Like a breath of fresh air she walked through the door, briefcase in hand. Her hair was pulled back into a loose, yet professional bun, her black pencil skirt and pink blouse accentuating every curve, as well as the blush of her cheek.
She was a vision.
I wiped my hands viciously against the inside of my pockets, trying to remove the excess moisture, and smiled crookedly at the woman in front of me. I held out my hand and she took it efficiently, exuding a strong handshake and a business-like stature that I was somewhat disappointed in seeing. "Dr. Cullen, it's great to see you again."
My smile never faltered as I rather reluctantly released her hand. "Call me Carlisle, please. It's great to see you again as well. Shall we?"
I gestured for her to walk in front of me as we approached the hostess podium, my fingers twitching in the urge to press against her lower back as she walked. Once we were seated, we got right down to it. Apart from a few pleasantries and my fight to not openly stare at the breathtaking woman in front of me, we kept it strictly business.
We discussed layout, sub-pages, photos, mouse-overs, as well as a "Chat with your Doctor" feature. This would allow me or my staff to chat online about symptoms with our patients. This was especially something I was interested in doing for the sake of the people we treated, taking into account the rising cost of health insurance and co-pay/deductible rates. It would cause a bit more of a challenge for Bella, considering there were certain standards this option would have to meet in order to be HIPAA-compliant, but she was more than happy to step up to the plate.
She immediately saw what I had envisioned for my website. A warm, friendly layout where my potential clients would feel welcomed and safe while providing the accurate information about my practice and the ethics I stood for. It was almost eerie how in sync we were on the basic designs and features that were essential to the arrangement of my website.
After we worked out the details and Bella felt she had enough information to get started, we ordered our main course…and that's when everything shifted.
****
"I believe this is the actual way it happened. Let's see," I paused dramatically, barely wiping the smile from my face long enough to tap my chin in mock contemplation. "Your friend asked you since when Benadryl had turned you into a raving nymphomaniac…"
My laughter was giddy as she covered her stunning, brightly flushed face. "Oh, God…no more," she groaned.
"Are you sure, Bella? I'm only getting to the best part!" My face ached with a most welcome pain. I had laughed more in the past three hours than in my entire life.
Bella lifted her head and wiped at her eyes, bouts of laughter still fighting to break through as she fought to calm herself. She smiled angelically at me and folded her arms across the table. "Fine, come on then, Doctor. I can take it."
A shudder went through my body as her dark brown eyes met mine, her face alight with the conversation we'd been buried in for the past two and a half hours. I never thought it would be like this…never thought that one simple business meeting could turn into one of the most delightful encounters I've ever had.
And I mean ever.
We smiled at each other a moment before my eyes dropped to my coffee cup. "No, I can't bear to torment my future website-builder anymore than I already have."
She pouted and smiled at me at the same time. "How chivalrous of you." She batted her eyelashes at me playfully.
"I'm nothing if not gallant, Ms. Swan," I murmured, sliding my finger around the edge of my cup.
Our eyes met once more as a momentary silence fell between us, the air suddenly feeling heavier than normal. "So you've told me the events that led you to Miami, but are you enjoying yourself now that you're here?"
Bella smiled radiantly and nodded her head. "Yeah, I mean, it's beautiful here. The energy of the city, the diversity, the excitement…it's a far cry from dreary Washington, that's for sure."
I chuckled. "I can imagine. I've been to Seattle once for a medical conference, and had never been happier to get back to the sunshine."
"Yes, Miami definitely has its way of making its good impressions…as well as the people who live here." She raised her glass of water towards mine and I reciprocated, my smile widening as the brush crept along her throat and into her cheeks. Simply beautiful.
"Would it be boorish of me to say I'm glad your friend bought you a cross-contaminated birthday cake, Bella?" I smiled softly as we set our water glasses back on the table.
She rolled her eyes playfully. "You'll have to send her a thank you card. 'Dear Alice, thank you for potentially poisoning your best friend and roommate. Yours truly, Doctor Carlisle Cullen'."
I laughed heartily, but quickly covered my tracks. "I wouldn't have let anything happen to you, even if your reaction was more severe than it was."
"That's sweet."
I grinned at her sheepishly. "It's my job."
A flash of mortification spread across her face before she quickly recovered. "Right," she chuckled, rolling her eyes at herself before quickly glancing at her watch. "Wow, where has the time gone? Look how long I've kept you."
I leaned forward in my chair. "And here I thought I was keeping you."
She shook her head and smiled. "No, I cleared my day for this actually. I figured after our meeting I could get started on your site straight away…I'm really excited about it."
I hummed in response but didn't take my eyes away from her, since it was nearly impossible to do. Suddenly a loud thumping noise broke both of us away from our stare. We looked towards the window to see a man wearing a large sandwich board shaking his fist at a passing bicyclist.
Bella's eyes were wide as she looked back at me. "Parasailing? I didn't know you could do that on Biscayne Bay."
I turned to read the sign strapped to the man's back, advertising a local parasailing company. "Yep, you can parasail almost anywhere along the coast…have you ever been?"
She shook her head, her eyes still glued to the window as she reread the advertisement. "I haven't, is it fun?"
"It is, let's go."
The words were out of my mouth before I had time to process them, since clearly this woman had the power to completely debilitate my verbal filter.
She gaped at me a moment before laughing melodically. "You want to take me parasailing? Um…I mean…when?"
I smiled and reached for her hand across the table. "How about right now?"
She placed her hand in mine and pressed the other to her mouth, obviously processing my request. I had no time to contemplate whether or not I had done the right thing, since there was nothing I could do about it now. She chuckled once and shook her head incredulously. "I do have a change of clothes in the backseat of my car…I was going to go for a run later."
"You run?"
She nodded. "I do."
I closed and opened my eyes slowly, a new intensity burning inside of mine as we connected. "So do I…so are we going?"
She smiled shyly at me and squeezed my hand before letting go. "You're wearing a tie."
"My gym bag is in the car, Bella," I chuckled. "What are you afraid of…what's holding you back?"
She mulled over my words a moment before lifting her chin in defiance. "Nothing is holding me back, you're right. I can be spontaneous…so let's go parasailing. I've had a really great time with you today, Carlisle, whether that's appropriate for me to say or not."
My brow furrowed as I leaned forward in my seat. "Bella, I don't see why we can't be friends just because you're building my website."
She nodded and smiled, rising from her seat. "I agree. So what are we waiting for…let's fly!"
She giggled and walked ahead of me with the bill in her hand, obviously intent on paying her half. I would begrudgingly let it go for now, but I'd be paying for her next time.
Because if I had it my way, there would definitely be a next time.
***
It wasn't even two hours later before we were sitting in the back of a boat, getting strapped into the parasailing device and holding on tightly to the handles in preparation. I looked over to Bella, her smile radiant, the breeze blowing stray strands of hair around her face as she giggled in anticipation. "Are you ready?" I asked softly.
She looked up at me and smiled. "No regrets."
I gazed at her a moment longer and ran the back of my hand along her cheek. "No regrets."
And a handful of seconds later…we were flying.
I had been parasailing a few times before, but a view like that could never get old. The bright blue sky, large buildings, vast landscapes…it was breathtaking.
But not as breathtaking as Bella.
I quickly gave up the view for an even better one to the left of me. I took her excitement as my own, watching her wide eyes as she eagerly tried to observe everything at once. "Are you okay?" I chuckled, unable to hide my cheerfulness as we glided above the crystal blue water.
"I'm better than okay!" she yelled over the breeze, laughing almost maniacally as her eyes continued to scan the horizon. From the excitement in her eyes to the melody of her laughter, I was being treated to the free-spirited Bella that I had been longing to see since we last parted. I watched her as my heart beat rapidly, not from the heights we were reaching but from the pure wonder of being up here with her, experiencing this with her.
We reached different levels of height as we sailed on, our feet grazing the water at some points, at others being ejected amazingly high into the sky. I released the grip of the parasail, content that my harness would support me as I reveled in the beauty of the day, as well as the woman I was with.
My heart nearly stopped when I felt her small fingers intertwine with mine, her eyes fixed on mine as she gazed at me sincerely. "Thank you, Carlisle. This is amazing."
"As are you, Ms. Swan," I murmured softly, temporarily caught up in the quiet moment in the sky that held only Bella and I.
Slowly we began the descent back onto the boat, a small pout forming on Bella's face with each inch closer to the surface. "What's wrong, Bella?"
She gestured ahead of us and turned to look at me. "The sun is about to set," she spoke softly, clearly saddened that we wouldn't be in the sky as the sun departed.
I glanced down before looking back at her, the disappointment in her eyes causing my chest to constrict. I ran the back of my hand along her cheek and smiled warmly. "If you want the sunset, Bella, then it's yours."
She bit her lip and stared back at me, an indecipherable expression on her face as we both looked downward, preparing ourselves for the landing on the deck of the boat. Once we touched down, one of the men went to unhook Bella, but I stopped him. "How about one more time? The lady would like to be up there while the sun sets," I pointed above us.
He looked between us and smiled. "Another trip up?"
I nodded. "I'll pay, of course."
He chuckled and double checked our restraints. "All right, let's give the princess her sunset."
A sense of peace washed over me as we were lifted back up, and as we hovered above the boat, high in the sky and surrounded by the darkening light of the sun retreating behind the horizon, I took her hand.
Bella spent the next ten minutes watching the sun disappear in front of us…while I spent the next ten minutes watching nothing but the contented smile across her glorious face.
****
By the time I dropped Bella off at her car, it was nearly 10 p.m. and raining torrentially. We ran to her driver's side door hand in hand, laughing as the cool rain pelted our skin.
She unlocked the door quickly and climbed inside, starting her car and rolling down her window. "Do you want to get in for a minute?" she giggled.
My smile was beaming as I leaned my forearms above her window and rested my forehead against them. "No, I'm good right here."
"You're getting all wet," she smiled, staring up at me almost whimsically as the water ran off of me in waves.
"I don't care, I'm saying goodbye to you…I'll just get wet," I shrugged casually.
Bella took her bottom lip between her teeth in contemplation before rolling her window up. I backed off and my face fell, my ego bruised as I tried to figure out why she dismissed me so easily.
And then she climbed out of the car, shutting the door softly and leaning back against it. It was like a magnetic pull between us. One moment there were several feet of distance between us, the next, my hands were on either side of her head on the car as we gazed intently at each other.
"If you can get wet, then so can I," she breathed, the rain cocooning us in our own little world as the dark night enveloped us.
My fingers were gripping the edge of her car forcefully, my face inching closer to hers because there was simply no stopping it. "Bella…"
She shook her head as if to stop me, her eyes searching mine, almost looking for guidance. She hesitantly lifted one hand and slid her fingers through the soaking wet hair at the base of my neck, my eyes closing briefly.
"Can I tell you something, Carlisle?" her whisper somehow reached me through the pounding rain and in that moment, nothing existed but her.
I nodded and felt my lip quiver as her fingers tightened in my hair. "I've never been treated with so much care, so much respect, in literally my entire life. I can't believe this day turned out the way it did and yet, it was completely natural…as if there was never any doubt that we were going to go parasailing and laugh until we cried in the rain." She was quietly looking past me before our eyes reconnected. "Maybe I'm just crazy."
I took her hand in mine and brought her wet knuckles to my lips, resting them against her skin and reveling in her touch. "You aren't crazy," I murmured.
She leaned up from the car and took a step until our bodies were centimeters apart, her hand to my mouth and the other still buried in my hair. "Is this wrong?" she nearly begged me, asking the permission to give in to something we both were unsure of.
"It can't be," I shook my head, kissing her hand once more. "It can't be wrong."
A heavy breath escaped my lips in a whoosh…and then I was surrounded by her.
I groaned the moment her soft mouth was pressed against mine, moving against me slowly and carefully as we held each other in the rain. My fingertips made gentle circles along her cheeks as I worshipped her with my mouth, tasting her sweet skin and losing myself in the gentle frenzy she bestowed upon me.
I slid one hand into her hair, the other drawing a gentle trail along the side of her neck as our lips caressed in slow, passionate strokes. She moaned into my mouth as her body pressed tighter against mine, her sounds of desire fueling my longing for the gorgeous woman in front of me.
I stepped forward until she was pressed gently against her car, her hands leaving my hair and gripping my shirt in tight handfuls at my waist. The sound of rain and our heavy breathing surrounded us, removing us from the outside world and creating a haven where only we could exist.
I slowed my ministrations, placing gentle, sweet kisses across her mouth. I opened my eyes and met hers as I slowly slid my tongue across her bottom lip, gauging her reaction to me. It was nearly instantaneous that her tongue met mine in long, wet strokes.
I felt my body start to tremor, my hands sliding along her waist and behind her back, crushing her against my chest as our kiss deepened into slow and gentle caresses.
I don't know how long we kissed like that, exploring and losing ourselves the sounds we elicited from one another. We finally broke our kiss, foreheads pressed tightly together as we fought to catch our breath. I couldn't think properly. There were so many things I wanted to say to her, but all I found myself wanting to do was kiss her again.
Our eyes met, my thumb running slowly along her bottom lip as she stared up at me with hooded eyes. "Was that okay?" I whispered, my hand gripping her hip tightly.
She laughed breathlessly and widened her eyes. "Um, yeah…very much so."
"Bella, I didn't know…it's not like this was my ulterior motive the entire time…"
She smiled and pressed her fingers to my lips. I couldn't stop myself from kissing them. "I know. It wasn't mine either, but now that it's happened…we could do it again?"
I chuckled at her and nodded, pressing my lips softly against hers. "As much as you'd like," I whispered, smiling brightly down at her as our noses rested gently together.
As soon as her small body started shivering in my arms, I frowned in concern. I opened the door behind her and pulled her against my chest, giving me room the open it fully. "Come on, you're getting cold," I murmured.
She climbed in and sat in her seat as I crouched in front of her, our fingers linked as we smiled at each other. There was no awkward moments, no fear of crossing the line. Only quiet contentment as we looked at each other with a new sense of familiarity.
"You need to go to work," she whispered in a nearly dejected tone.
"Do I?" I chuckled, temporarily lost in the high she had inflicted up on me.
She laughed and leaned forward, kissing me softly once more. "Yeah, I think so."
Her lips rested against mine as I closed my eyes and inhaled her breaths deeply, not wanting to leave her side. "Can I call you?"
"You can definitely call me," she smiled. I kissed her once more and backed away, meeting her warm brown eyes. I ran my fingertips along her cheeks, her lips, her neck, struggling to memorize her touch so I could keep it with me for the remainder of what was sure to be an extremely tedious evening.
"Okay," I smiled, standing and taking her hand, kissing each knuckle and looking down with a new intensity as she gazed at me beneath her lashes. I didn't want to go. "I'll call you tomorrow."
Her eyes opened and closed lazily as she grinned back at me. "Okay," she whispered.
I reluctantly let go of her hand and shut the car door, not moving from my spot until she had left the parking lot and was unfortunately out of my sight.
I walked to my car as if the ground below me was made of nothing but clouds, the scent of Bella filling every one of my senses. I chuckled giddily and climbed into my car, soaking wet and more euphoric than I ever thought I possibly be.
A/N:
Brits: sighs and hands Kate the bowl of popcorn God, that man is dreamy...
Kate: All I want for Christmas is my own Dr. McYummy sighs with Brits
Brits: snort Yeah, he can stuff my stocking....trim my tree...deck my halls with boughs of holly....hm, I've gone too far haven't I?
Kate: Not at all, especially in light of what's coming up soon...those won't be sugarplums dancing in Bella's bed...I mean head
Brits: hehe well stop humping Dr. Fuck-Me-Now's leg and get to the BPOV already!!
Kate: DO YOU ALL SEE HOW SHE TREATS ME?!?!?! Flogging me for the sexy-times that she knows are coming...it's not Christmas YET Brits...
Brits: Fine rolls eyes at Kate So while we have to wait for Kate to get her perv on, we'd like to take a moment to say thank you for the kind words and amazing reviews we've received for our little ficcie. It means a lot to us.
Kate: Yes, for everyone who's thrown their inhibitions aside and vowed to follow us into the unknown...we do hereby promise that we will not let you down! In other words, no Team Carlisle vs. Team Edward beatdowns in the reviews, please
Brits: While we do appreciate the visual of Carlisle and Edward going head to head in a sweaty, naked, muscle-filled smackdown, we also truly love the personalities we've given these characters. We just ask that you keep an open mind and give both Edward and Carlisle a chance in this story. We sure do appreciate it!
Kate: And to show you how MUCH we appreciate it...leaving a review will convince Santa-Kate and Santa-Brits to move Christmas up this year and leave you something extra-pervalicious under the tree in the next chap!
Brits: You heard the woman....review! And come play with us on the DLS thread. We'll answer any questions you may have (Besides the dreaded 'Who will Bella end up with?' inquiry) and we'll maybe even give you a teaser or two. Stop on down. Linkage: www(dot)twilighted(dot)?f=44&t=8305 Thanks for reading!