I Won't Give Up Chapter 7: Memories, a twilight fanfic

Moments

Lying here with you
Listening to the rain
Smiling just to see the smile upon your face
These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
These are the moments I'll remember all my life
I found all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more

Looking in your eyes
Seeing all I need
Everything you are is everything to me
These are the moments
I know heaven must exist
These are the moments I know all I need is this
I have all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more

I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have's come true
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be
Here with you here with me

These are the moments IthankGod that I'm alive
These are the moments I'll remember all my life
I've got all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more

I could not ask for more than the love you give me
'Cause it's all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more
I could not ask for more
I Could Not Ask For More-Edwin McCain

CPOV

Nothing exciting really happened at work. Sad things, yes, those were many. I lost a child right after an open heart surgery. I kept my head high and moved on like I always have. Then six teens were brought in after the Old Forks Mill collapsed and they were in it. All of them survived but all sustained major injuries. Tonight was my first date with Isabella though and I was not about to let the events of the day mar the event. Her name is just too beautiful and I don't understand why she hides it behind Bella. I couldn't wait to take her to a lovely restaurant and get her alone. I wanted to know everything she wanted to tell me.

I made my last round of the day checking up on patients, administering medication and making the families of long term patients feel at home. I came back over to the main nurse's station and picked up my paperwork. Sarah looked up and looked away. I felt terrible that I hurt her but it had to be done, I couldn't lead her on this way.

I took my work back to my office since my shift ended at seven and it was only 6:30. I worked on my paperwork and went through the different files. I was halfway through when a knock came to my door. "It's open." I called. I put my paperwork neatly to the side and put my pen back in its holder. I clasped my hands in front on me on my desk. Sarah appeared at my open door.

"Dr. Cullen, someone to see you. He insisted." She said and stood back to let the man in. I stood and smoothed my scrubs. I still hadn't changed into my slacks and shirt and tie. But at least my scrubs were clean. I walked around my desk and picked up my lab coat I put it on with my back turned.

"There's no reason to get all dressed up for me, Carlisle. I'm only visiting." The man said. I smiled and turned to see my old friend, Eleazar. I took two steps and extended my hand and shook his.

"Eleazar, this is unexpected. Thank you for showing him in, Sarah." I nodded at her and she backed out of my office. When the door had closed I gestured to the chair in front of my desk. "Please have a seat, friend. I'm sorry about my clothes. I'm about to get off my shift and was just working on some paperwork." I explained.

"I understand, and it's really not a big deal. I figured I catch you before you left work. Maybe give you a little heads up." He trailed off. Heads up for what?

"What are you trying to warn me about? Has something happened to Lee?" I leaned forward in my seat.

"Nothing has happened but as I told you earlier this week, he's progressing at an alarmingly fast rate; he has almost no bloodlust and his powers are almost completely under control. He came back early. I couldn't stop him from coming back so I made a deal with him. I told him I would accompany him back to watch him as his last test to see if he was ready to be around the populous. If he was, I'd leave and let him go whichever way he wished. But if he wasn't he had to come back with me immediately. There was nothing I could do, Carlisle. He came back to protect his sister." There was no emotion showing on his face.

"I don't blame you for his decision, Eleazar. Where is he now?" I inquire.

"He's at your house. Your family is with him. Getting to know each other and learning a little about what makes him tick. He's bound to stick close to me while we are here.

"Well that's understandable. We only kept him with us long enough for him to change and tell him what was going on" I replied, I knew that if he wanted to be around Bella, he'll have to cozy up to me. I don't plan to leave Bella's side. "Just let me finish up this paperwork and you can ride with me to the house." He nodded and I went about my business. When I finished up, I clocked out and we went to the house.

There was a light buzz inside the house. We walked in and my family was sitting in the living room. Esme was standing at the entrance to the kitchen with Jasper next to her his arm was around her waist and she was holding his hand. Edward stood next to the sofa by the stairs with Rosalie on the sofa. Her legs were crossed and had the posture of an aristocrat with one arm on the sofa and the other resting delicately on her lap. Edward was gently playing with her hair. Emmett had Alice in his lap on the other end of the couch and Riley was standing near the door we came in.

"Eleazar, it's good to see you." Edward said with a smile. "We were just talking about what Riley remembers about his human life, which is just about everything."

"Well, not everything. I remember some things from when I was little and I don't remember much about food. Riley Biers… it's nice to meet you now that I'm not a feral lunatic." He thrust his hand towards me. I shook his hand, his handshake was firm.

"Carlisle Cullen, and you as well. I have a feeling that we'll come to be close friends." I said, releasing his hand and addressing the room. "I hate to be a bad host but I have a prior engagement with Isabella in about forty minutes so I must go and freshen up. If you'll excuse me." I nodded, at Edward and clapped Eleazar on the shoulder.

I ghosted up to my room,"What is he doing with my sister tonight?" I pulled out my black blazer and button down and smiled to myself. This could either go really well or really, REALLY bad. I hung them from the ceiling in the bathroom and turned the shower in full heat to steam them. I got out a pair of my faded dark wash Rock Revivals and laid them on the bed. I pulled my scrubs off and threw them in the hamper. I ran a hand threw my blonde hair and looked in the mirror. This girl was going to make me go insane. I got in the shower and got myself clean and the smell of the hospital off of me. I had to force myself not to wish it was Isabella's hands on me and not my own. I turned off the shower and pulled a towel off the rack. I dried off and wrapped the towel around my waist. I took the blazer and button down and hung them on the closet to set. I picked up a pair of boxers and went back into the bathroom to start getting myself ready. Using the towel I'd had on, I wiped the steam off the mirror and before hanging it back up. I put a little gel in my hair and combed it back. I went back out and pulled my jeans on facing away from the door.

"So you're the man my little sister will marry." Riley was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. I wasn't quite sure how to approach this sensitive subject.

"Riley, I have no intention of taking Isabella from you but, I do intend to make her the happiest woman in the world. If marrying her is what makes her happy. Then yes, I will happily be your brother-in-law." I hoped that this had been the right thing to say. I walked over and pulled on the dark red button down and started to button it. I turned and he was in front of me about an inch away from me. "You're very stealthy, Riley." I took a step back, "That will take time to get used to." He followed me in my step.

"I'm not especially happy that you are trying to get with my little sister, but I know why. Alice seems to think the woman in her vision is my own mate. So I guess I'll soon know what it means to have a mate. But, if you hurt her, I'll beat the living shit out of you and no one here will be able to stop me."

"I won't stop you. But Riley, I don't plan on hurting her. In the few times I've spoken with her, I've come to realize she is my everything and she's all I'll ever want." I told him while I was buttoning my cuffs. I turned to pick up my blazer. Riley took it from me and held it out for me.

"I know. Now I want to fill you in on a few things before you leave. Bella wasn't always this shy. When our parents were killed she… she disappeared into herself. She came back out some but not near what she was. And I haven't seen her since the change but with my leaving her, it can't have helped either. Just keep the conversation going if she starts to become quiet. She hates the quiet." He paused if only for a second, with his hands on my shoulders and then continued. " One other thing, I doubt it will happen tonight but, if she starts to panic about something and starts hyperventilating , take her hands and make her focus on you. I know you're a doctor but she's different. She'll try to look everywhere but you because she's scared and embarrassed… make her look at you. Be commanding. When she's focused, make her breath with you, when you breathe in squeeze her hands. When you breathe out, release the squeeze. And just keep doing that until she starts to squeeze back. Once she does, then do the movements some more, until her breathing is normal." I turned and looked at him.

"Does this happen often? Have you asked you primary care physician about it? What normally causes this?"I had gone into full doctor mode and my mind went into frenzy, the animal inside tried to break free, to protect her.

"Carlisle, she doesn't have one, neither did I. It happens enough that her close friends and teachers have to know what to do. And it's normally a flashback to our parents death or a fuck ton of stress. But like I said earlier, I doubt it will happen tonight."I stepped into my dress shoes and dabbed a light cologne on collarbone.

"Will you and Eleazar be staying with us tonight?" I asked. He shook his head.

"My tests are tonight, first we're going down to Portland while you are with Bella. This is to see my durability and how I handle blending in. Lots of night life, ya know? Then later he's taking me hunting near a large camp ground. He wouldn't do it if he didn't trust me. With my power, it'd be hell trying to stop me." He said gauging my reaction.

"Still, I would feel much more comfortable if you took the family with you. It gives you more time to bond with them, and it's a safety precaution that would ease my troubled mind. We all hunted in the last couple of nights. So they are physically ready but I can ask them on my way out. I'm sure they'll agree, they all like it here and would like to be able to stay here for as long as possible." I said with a grin; he nodded and followed me into the bathroom again. I checked my hair to make sure it had no awkward hairs out of place.

"So when do I get to 'bond' with you? It seems like you're giving all this time to your family." He stated.

I turned to him and checked the time on my clock from the corner of my eye. It was ten 'til eight and I had a ten minute drive ahead of me.

"We'll have time. If things go as planned, you and I will have a lot of time to get to know each other. I'm going to be late if I don't leave right now. Thank you for informing of these things about Bella. But, I must leave." I ghosted down to my car. Damn, I was hoping to stop and get her some roses but I don't have time, now. I got in my car and there were a dozen red roses in the passenger's seat. Thank God for Alice!

I pulled out and sped to Isabella's apartment. I wanted to be a moment early so I could buzz her right at eight. I know it was cheesy but I thought it a good thing to let her know that I'm punctual. I arrived and parked my black Mercedes next to a beautiful Challenger and walked to the front door and pushed the button labeled Biers and waited. The intercom crackled, "I'm on my way down." She said. I waited patiently. She opened the door moments later. I stood up straighter and watched as she walked around the door.

She was a goddess. Her face was bright and under her light make up her skin was flushed and she was even more gorgeous than I had ever seen before, or imagined for that matter. Her dress simple and perfect. I love that I would be able to feel her warm skin without taking her clothes off. The only thing keeping her luscious breasts covered was a ribbon tied behind her back. It was some coincidence that we matched. Alice… that woman knew I would need this shirt. I stood there speechless and couldn't get past her beauty.

"Hi." She said shyly and looked down. Way to keep the conversation going, Carlisle. Say hello, you big oaf!

"Hello. Isabella… you look… stunning!" I said, she blushed and smiled. "Are you ready to go?" I asked, way to be a cliché date, man. That's the way to be a stud! Look out we got a hard ass over here! GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, CARLISLE!

"Um, yeah, I was hoping that I wouldn't be overdressed. You look dashing as well, Dr. Cuuuu… arlisle." She giggled, and covered her sweet mouth. Her laugh was musical and so beautiful. I took her small hand in mine and started towards the car.

"Dr. Carlisle? That's a new one." I chucked. There we go I'm back in the game, sorta. I'll get there.

"I was going to say Dr. Cullen but, I know you would prefer Carlisle, so I tried to fix it. I like it though, Dr. Carlisle." She joked, I smiled and opened passenger door and pulled out the roses and offered them to her. "Carlisle, you shouldn't have. They're beautiful!" she took them and brought them up to her nose and closed her eyes and inhaled. She was so beautiful. I helped her into my car and closed the door behind her. Then I walked at a human pace around the front of my car, aware of her eyes on me the whole time. Soon we were on our way to Port Angeles for dinner and a movie.

"So Carlisle, tell me something not everyone knows about the great doctor." She said as she laid the flowers across her lap and leaned toward me.

"Well I'm 23, divorced with 2 senior children in high school and three college freshmen. My father was a minister, and my mother died when I was born." It was true I just left a few parts out. She looks like she's trying to make 2+2 equal 10. "I married Esme at the ripe old age of eighteen and we adopted the kids when I was twenty. Jasper and Rosalie are twins and they wanted to keep their family name in honor of their parents. Edward and Alice are also twins but have different birth dates. Edward was born one minute before midnight. Alice was born six minutes later. They took my name, having never known their parents. Emmett is the oddball. He kept his name and found his family but stayed with us. And, Esme and I quietly and civilly divorced last year. She still lives in town to be near the kids."

"Oh, that makes more sense. Why didn't you just have children, or adopt babies? Not that I don't like your kids, I've never really talked to them much, but why all the teens?" she asked.

"Esme has a passion for teenagers. She works much better with them opposed to younger children."

"How did you support such a large family? Surely you were still in college when you adopted." She said. I glanced from the road to her and back.

"Actually no, I graduated high school at 14. I finished med school in four years and had been working as a doctor for a year when we decided to adopt." I told her. "But enough about me, tell me about you."

BPOV

Roses, the car, and he looked hot! This date was just getting better. Graduated at 14! What if I'm not smart enough for him? I don't think he's that shallow… but what if he is? Whatever. I thought he was older than 23. But I don't care how old he is. "Well, I've lived here my whole life. I'm a senior in high school and I'm so glad I only have a month left. I live in the apartments my aunt owns. I'm an orphan, and I guess I'm all I have left. My parents were… murdered over a year and a half ago. My twin brother… he disappeared a little over a month ago. They found him dead in his truck; he had been hit by a semi…" I stopped and took a deep breath. I clenched my fists and let out the breath. I had only just come to terms with Riley being dead. Carlisle pulled up to the restaurant and got out. He gave the keys and some money to the valet and he helped me out of the car.

"I'm sorry, about your brother and your parents. Would you like me to take you back? Because, I can call them back." He offered.

"No! Er, no, thank you. I want to spend this evening with you." I said. He offered me his arm and I took it. He had reservations here. This place was fancy and expensive. They seated us at an intimate table in the back. There were lit candles on the table and it was a beautiful setting. A waiter came by and took our drink orders. We talked about a lot of things; he asked me what my favorite subject was in school and I asked him what his favorite part about being a doctor was.

We talked until the food came, then we talked some more. I got lost in the honey color of his eyes and all I wanted to do was reach out and run my hand through his hair. I settled for holding his hand. We talked for what seemed like hours in only seconds. My phone buzzed in my clutch. I picked it up and put it in my lap. Carlisle was telling me a story of when he first met Emmett is eldest son. He had been stuck in his swim trunks and a tiny pink bra that Edward had given him of Alice's and dared him to put on. I laughed so much that my sides hurt and I knew that if his kids ever found out that I knew he'd never be forgiven. I was in the middle of rehashing the terrible April Fool's joke in detail when our waiter came up.

"I couldn't help but notice that you guys are on a date. May I ask what the occasion is?" flamboyantly gay waiter asked. Carlisle spoke up.

"It's our first date." He said with so much pride and a bright smile that I knew was all for me.

"Oh, how precious! If you have a camera I can capture the moment for you! That would be a great little souvenir for the first date!" he said. I nodded to Carlisle. Carlisle handed the waiter his phone, and scooted closer to me. He put his arm around me and I turned toward him a little, taking his remaining hand in both of mine.

"Is this alright?" he asked. I nodded and we both looked at the waiter and smiled for the camera.

"Okay, One, Two, say Forever!" and he took the picture. Carlisle and I both started laughing and the waiter snapped another picture. He handed Carlisle his phone back and said he'd be by to check on us later. Carlisle showed the first one to me.

"I want that one! You have to send that to me!" I smiled. Then he showed me the second one. We looked like we had just seen the funniest skit ever and we loved each and every moment of it "okay can I have both? They're both too awesome." I asked.

"Of course Isabella." I secretly loved hearing him say my name. But if anyone else called me that they were dead. One second I'm giggling with Carlisle and the next, he's leaning in for a kiss. Just as our lips are about to meet, my phone starts screaming Who Let The Dogs Out.

"Perfect timing Jacob… just perfect." Carlisle laughed and I held up a one second finger.

"Yes Jacob?" I hiss

"Where the hell are you? You were supposed to be back an hour ago!" he all but yelled.

"I'm on my date, Jake and no, I wasn't. We still have a movie to go to." I said.

"Bella, Check the time." He said. I pulled the phone away from my ear and noticed we had long since missed the previews and film.

"Okay so the time got away from us, I'll be home when the date is over. "

"Bella-"

"Bye Jake!" I hung up, and looked back at Carlisle.

"I'm so sorry about that, my brother's best friend was starting to get worried about me." I told him. "I guess we won't be making it to the movie. Its 11:30pm. The theater closes at midnight."

"I guess the time got away from us. Would you like to go back to my place to talk? We can get out of their hair here. All the kids are gone for the night." He asked hopefully.

"Sure" I told him. I felt like I've known him for years, when in reality I met him for the first time about two months ago. What is happening to me? Do I even care?

AN: Woooooweee! One long chapter in 12 hours. Damn I'm on fire! I'm just kidding, I'm getting cocky! This was a lot of dialog and I hope you love it! Thank you for my wonderful beta DodgerMcClure. This is the second long chapter in two days she's done for me!