Hey Guys! Sorry it took me so long to put this chapter up! I've been very busy lately, you know how it is for the holidays lol! Christmas Shopping and working.. I will try to get chapter 9 up as soon as possible. I've been brainstorming on what to do with it. I've already written some of it. Anyway though, enjoy the new chapter! =]


Chapter 8: Death

It was a long ride to California, and it was awkward. I couldn't blame Esme for trying to make steady conversation with me the whole way down there. She just wanted to make sure I had something to think about other than my worries, but I didn't want to be focused on anything else. I wanted to be stuck in my own head. Don't get me wrong, it was fun hearing about her many adventures throughout her hundreds of years living, but I just wanted to stay quiet. However there was one story she told that completely grasped my attention. Apparently, Carlisle was almost married against his will.

"What happened??" I asked excitedly.

"Well… Are you sure I completely have your attention this time?" she smirked.

"Yes! Come on, tell me! Please?" I asked politely.

"Okay," she smiled, "Well, the year was 1952 and it was the era of new rock and roll and where girls used to wear poodle skirts and all. We lived in Seattle at the time and as always, Carlisle was working at the hospital. I was working as an interior designer and the kids were all at school. The boys posed as Greasers so the other kids would leave them alone. Anyway, Carlisle would come home telling us of this one patient who seemed to come every week. There was always something wrong with her, whether it was a simple cut on her hand or she gotten the flue. She was also an odd girl, she would always stare at him as if she was trying to figure to figure him out or something. Carlisle was worried that she was going to figure out what our family really was, so he always tried to stay away from her if he could.

"One day, she came in just to see him. Apparently, there was nothing wrong with her. She just wanted to talk to him for a second. She asked the nurse if she could see him and luckily the nurse told her that he was very busy at the moment. The nurse was one of Carlisle's best friends at the hospital. She didn't know about us though, but Carlisle always felt that she kind of knew there was something to us. She would say that Carlisle and our family were different, but "special." Well, the girl told the nurse that she was willing to wait for Carlisle until he wasn't busy. The nurse told her that that could take hours and the girl replied with 'I have no plans for today. I don't mind waiting.' She was being serious. The nurse decided to drop it. She excused herself and went to go find Carlisle. He wasn't busy at all, in fact he was on his lunch break. She told him what had happened so he decided to just handle the situation now rather than later.

"When he walked over to her, her eyes grew wide and she smiled the biggest smile. That's when it clicked with him. She had a crush on him. She got up and formally introduced herself as Carmella Stock and she was nineteen years old. Immediately she told him that the reason why she was came every week for a month was that she had fallen in love with him. He was the only person she had ever felt that way about and she felt that she couldn't live the rest of her life without him. He told her that he was not marrying type, and he was more committed to his work and his family to worry about having a relationship with someone, and the fact that she was his patient. She then told him that she already changed doctors, and even hospitals just so the whole patient doctor relationship wouldn't interrupt their, what she called, sprouting new relationship. Carlisle chuckled and she gave him a confused look. She wasn't joking around at all, she had meant every word. Carlisle sat her down and told her that he wasn't interested in her that way. He then told her that she could find someone better than him. She told him that he didn't have to love her, just being married to him would be enough for her. Carlisle wasn't amused by her consistency and finally told her that he was sorry and then declined her offer. She stayed quiet and then anger took her. She glared at Carlisle and told him that he would be sorry, and they would be married. She then stormed out of the hospital.

"The next day, the nurse came into his office. When he looked up at her, she had the look of worry on her face. When he asked her what was wrong she told him that she was back and this time she had her father with her. Not only that, but she was trying to say that she was having his baby. Carlisle was stunned. He couldn't believe the stunt she was trying to pull. When he went to great them, the nurse behind him, the father grabbed Carlisle and trapped him against the wall. He told Carlisle that he because the sin he made his precious daughter do, he would now have to marry his daughter or else. The girl gave an evil smile to Carlisle. Carlisle grabbed the father's hand and began to squeeze it. The father immediately let go of Carlisle for fear that he was going to break his hand. Carlisle sternly told him that his daughter was lying and that she wasn't even pregnant. He then argued back asking about the pregnancy test in her hand. Carlisle simply told him that it was someone else's. He then told him that she could take a pregnancy test right now. Carmella looked afraid now and told his father that she shouldn't have to and that her father should believe her. The father told her that she shouldn't be afraid to take another one if she really was pregnant. Apparently, Carmella broke out into a sweat and looked nervous. She stayed quiet. Carlisle told her to tell her father the truth. She looked at both of them in fear and finally she dropped to her father's feet begging him to force Carlisle to marry her. She told him that she loved him with all her heart and that she couldn't live without him. She then began to cry. Ashamed by her childish behavior, the father threw her over his shoulder and told her that they were going to move far away so that no one would ever hear about this embarrassment. He then turned around and told Carlisle that he was extremely sorry for the appalling behavior of his daughter. Carlisle shook his hand and told him that it was perfectly fine and wished them luck for the future. The father then walked out of the hospital with his daughter kicking and screaming, saying comments like 'This isn't fair. I always get what I want!' Carlisle decided that it would be better for us to move somewhere else before this girl escaped from her father grasps and came after him. That's when we moved to Forks. Quite the interesting story isn't it?"

My mouth had dropped open.

"Wow…"

She laughed, "Yes, don't ever tell Carlisle I told you that. He prefers to act like it never happened. Are you hungry, my dear? I can pull over so you can get some food. You have to forgive me. I forget that humans have to eat a lot more than we do."

"No actually, I'm a bit tired. I'll just take a nap."

"Alright, I'll let you know when we're in California."

"Thanks Esme."

She smiled and said you're welcome, then began focusing on her driving. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep. I think I fell asleep about five minutes after I leaned back in my seat. I began dreaming that I was walking in the hospital. No one was there. The hospital was suspiciously empty. That was scary. I quickened my pace, hoping that I would find someone soon. I then came to a door at the end of a hall and when I opened it, it was the inside of a beautiful church. People had filled up the entire room. I began walking down the aisle and people stood up. They looked at me and smiled. I was confused. I then looked down and noticed that I was in a wedding dress. When I looked in front of me, I saw him. Carlisle was there waiting for me. He looked perfect in his black tuxedo. The guys were in line behind him. Esme was on the other side, with Rosalie, Alice, and Bella behind her. When I got closer, I saw my parents sitting in the front row. Tears were rolling down my mother's face as she smiled at me. I walked up to Carlisle and he took my hand. We smiled at each other. I couldn't believe I was about to be his forever. Of all the girls out there, he had chosen me. We leaned into each other to kiss when out of nowhere Laurent was there behind Carlisle. He threw Carlisle to the other side of the room and right when I was about to run after him, Laurent grabbed my arm and bit me.

"Vivi! Wake up! Vivi!"

"Huh? What?"

"What's the matter? Are you okay? You were screaming just now."

"Oh yeah, I was having a nightmare," I said as I began to look out the window.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I'm fine… Really," I said forcing a smile at her.

"If you insist then. Well, we're in California now and we're almost at the hotel too."

"Great. Have you heard from Carlisle?"

"No, he hasn't called."

This worried me.

"Everything is fine, Vivi. Don't worry."

When we got to the hotel, it wasn't long until we got a call from Alice saying that they were there in Arizona too. I'm glad they were safe, but I was still worried about Carlisle and the others who were still back in Forks. Esme closed the blinds so the afternoon sun wouldn't hit her, turning her into one huge, beautiful diamond. She then ordered some food for me to eat. I tried to eat the cheeseburger she ordered for me but it was hard with all the worry that filled me. The cell phone then rang, Esme handed it to me.

"Hello?"

"Darling, are you okay?"

"Carlisle! Is everything okay? Are you okay? I feel so awful about all of this—"

"Sweetheart, don't worry about us. We're fine. I'm afraid that we have bad news though. James and Laurent are gone. They figured out that we were trying to fool them. Emmett, and Edward are on their way to Arizona and Rosalie and I are on our way to you. Darling, I'm sorry I put you through all of this. I swear to you, everything will be fine soon. Until I get there, I don't want you out of Esme's sight, you understand me?"

"Of course. Carlisle?"

"Yes"

"I love you. Please come soon."

"I love you too. I'll be there before you know it."

We then hang up. I hated being away from them, especially Carlisle. If anything happened to anyone I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for it. Esme came to me and put her arm around me. She told me that everything was going to be okay. I wanted so desperately to believe her. She then got up and started watching to food channel. I went to bed. The next morning I awoke to a familiar voice, and joy hit me with a hard impact. I ran out of the room and into the living room. There was Carlisle and Rosalie talking with Esme, but something was wrong. Carlisle turned to me and embraced me in a kiss. There was worry in his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"James is on his way to Arizona. We all have to go now. Change your clothes and then we'll be on our way."

I went into the room and quickly changed into jeans and a blouse. When I walked out we hurried to the car and left for Arizona. Carlisle and I were in the front and Esme and Rosalie were in the back. Carlisle was speeding at about a hundred miles per hour. I was already sinking into my seat.

"I'm sorry, Vivi. I know you don't like it when I speed."

"Don't apologize. We have to save Bella no matter what."

Two hours passed and the cell phone rang. On the other side was Alice's frantic voice. Esme listened to her and then hung up with her.

"Carlisle, Bella left Alice and Jasper."

"We'll be there in ten minutes." He then stepped on the gas.

True to his word, we got to the hotel in about ten minutes. Edward was frantic. Everyone was arguing about where she could have went. Then Alice got a vision. She was at her old ballet studio. Carlisle told me to wait in the hotel room and to not move at all period. They were going to save Bella and then come back for me. He locked the door behind him. All I could do for an hour straight was pace the room back and forth, then sit on the bed, and then get and pace again. I was scared. If James killed Bella… Wait! James… Where's Laurent?! With all the commotion about James coming after Bella, we all forgot about what was going to happen Laurent. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. I went to door and asked who it was. A man said that before Carlisle left he had ordered some food for me to eat. I looked at the peep hole and saw Laurent there on the other side of the door. I hid in the closet by the door. I heard Laurent kick down the door and walk inside. I opened my door very quietly and swiftly walked out. I couldn't go downstairs so I made a break for the roof. As soon as I got there, Laurent was already waiting for me. When I turned around to run, he was already in front of me.

"My dear, you think you could run from me?"

"Well, I could have tried."

"I don't think so. So everyone decided to save Bella and not you? What a shame."

"No!"

"It was great stupidity to leave you alone. I knew with all the commotion with James finding Bella that they would leave to save her, leaving you alone," he smiled his teeth, "Tell me, Vivi. Have you ever thought or even considered becoming one of us?"

"Actually no… I've never given it any thought before."

"Do you realize that we never age? What would happen if you passed Carlisle in age? Eventually you could look more like his grandmother and his girlfriend."

He was right!

"My dear, I can help you. I can make you a vampire and then you and Carlisle will have each other, forever. Never aging, never being apart."

"Why would you do that for me?" I asked suspiciously, "What's in it for you?"

"Why my dear girl, I'm only here to help you. It was James that truly wanted to your friend's blood, not I."

"I don't trust you," I then turned to leave but he grabbed my arm. He looked at me in hunger.

"You have no choice".

He threw me across the ground and I almost fell off the building. My head was hanging. He then placed his foot on me. He began pressing down and I felt pain like I've never felt before. I heard a crack. He broke my rib! I screamed in pain. He then grabbed my arm, gave me one more look and smiled. He then bit me. I wanted to die right then and there. It was like I was set on fire. The pain was excruciating. I began to lose conciseness and everything was going black. It seemed like forever, but I heard fighting and then I heard his voice. Carlisle was here, fighting Laurent. I heard others too. I think it was Emmett and Jasper. I heard a snap and then I felt heat. All the while, the pain was starting to leave and I could feel myself slipping away. My heart was beating slower and slower with every second that went by. Carlisle was next to me, I could hear him calling me but I had no strength to answer. I managed to whisper I love you to him and I felt his tears falling on me. I felt him pick up my arm and he was now trying to save me, but I think he's too late. I could hear him saying, "NO! VIVI!! PLEASE NO!!" but it was becoming fainter by the second. The pain was growing more and more unbearable that I just wished he would let me die. Finally, I felt everything closing in on me. I closed my eyes and let myself go.