Carlisle's POV
I met Damon's vehicle as he pulled into the yard, quickly rushed to open the passenger's side door and lifted Sophie into my arms careful not to wake her. As I listened to the racing of her heart, my nose picked up an unfamiliar scent in her blood. Medication of some sort, but what, i wasn't certain. Whatever it was, the effects were certainly evident in her condition. I was surprised to see Alice climb out the back of the car.
"She collapsed on the field while running laps. I caught her so she didn't hit her head, but she did have a pretty bad anxiety attack. i had to force air into her lungs by hitting her back," Damon's concern rang through his voice as we climbed the stairs to my office where I set her down on the sofa.
"Her pulse is racing and there's a scent I can't identify," I paused to pull back on all my years of experience, "Is she on any medication that you know of?"
Damon's POV
I shook my head. Sophie certainly hadn't been that upfront with me since our first meeting. Our relationship was bittersweet at best with mixed signals being thrown around without caution. Her whole life was very guarded as though she had been hurt horribly. While I wished nothing more than for her to let me inside her world, her walls stayed up. "Perhaps Bella knows," I suggested as I looked up directly into Bella's eyes.
"None that I know of," she crossed the room to stroke Sophie's damp hair away from her forehead. "She doesn't talk to me anymore. I don't know what happened since Renesmee's birthday, but Sophie is only a shadow of who she was before. All the rebellion, the weight loss, the guarding, it's new and I can't begin to simply blame it on her going through a phase. I've asked Alice to look into it, but she can't see anything. Carlisle, you have to talk to her and find out what's going on. I can't stand to see her like this."
If Bella thought just talking to Sophie was as simple as that, she obviously didn't know her sister all that well or at least not the new version.
Carlisle considered this a moment as his trained fingers rested on her pulse. Her eyelids began to stir and I found myself practically leaping to her side as her eyes opened.
Sophie's POV
Despite the curtains over the windows, the light assaulted me as I opened my eyes to look around. I knew I wasn't at school and knew for certain I was NOT at home; it took a moment for my eyes to adjust before recognizing the room from one of my previous visits to the Cullen home. A groan escaped my lips before I realized they were standing around my bed. The Cullens were perceptive and they always had questions. I, for one, did not plan on offering up any answers.
"Glad to see you awake, sunshine!" Damon grinned.
"Sophie, do you remember what happened?" Carlisle sat on the side of her bed, brushing a hand across her damp forehead to assess my temperature. At my action, she pulled back as if burned. "Any nausea or double vision?"
"I don't remember giving you permission to touch me!" she snapped, angrily though there was little strength behind her tone. "Get your filthy hands off me!"
Bella gasped at her sister's behavior, "Sophie, that's enough! You apologize immediately. Carlisle is only trying to help you."
Carlisle held up his hand to stop her mid-sentence, "No, Bella, she's right. Sophie, I apologize for doing anything without your permission. I was concerned for your welfare and did what I felt was best to make sure you were all right. Now, with your permission, I'd like to examine you and find out what's going on."
Carlisle's POV
I watched as she considered my words. The anger melted away slowly, but the edginess remained. "I'm not going to hurt you," I added assessing that she needed the reassurance. Finally, her head nodded slowly.
"Fine," she kept her eyes trained on the floor, "But I want Bella to leave."
"Oh, here we go again," Bella rolled her eyes at her sister's rebellion. "Sophie, I'm here because I'm worried about what you're doing to yourself. This act you've been playing the past few months is getting old real quick. Pull it together. You're not some angsty 13 year old. It's time to grow up!"
"Screw you, Bella!" Sophie pushed herself up in bed immediately responding to the change of position. My hand prevented her from getting up, but she struggled against me regardless.
"Screw me? Screw me? Seriously, who bails you out all the time? Who handled things when you got into trouble when you were living with Mom and Phil? Who flew down repeatedly to deal with things and help you out? Me, that's who. Now, knock it off!"
Damon was across the room ready to remove Bella with force if that's what it took. His hands were about to take action when I spoke.
"Bella, you are to remove yourself from this room right this instant. I will not have either of you speaking to one another like this. This stops right NOW. Do you both understand?" I didn't like to use my parental authority especially considering my children were not actually children, but at times like this, it was necessary. "I will not speak to either of you about this again."
Bella bit her lip in frustration, but I could feel shame emanating from her as well. "I'll be downstairs," she excused herself. Alice followed her out.
"Damon, why don't you step out as well," I suggested before turning to pull from my doctor's bag. Damon looked like he was about to argue before simply walking out.
Sophie's POV
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Carlisle's gaze was intense as he looked down at me with compassion and concern. "Deep breath, kiddo," he smiled slightly, "Would you feel more comfortable if I have my wife join us?"
My eyes pooled with tears; I turned so he wouldn't see them. Tears made you weak and I was anything but weak. Finally, I nodded appreciative of his willingness to consider my comfort despite my attitude and how rude I was to him earlier. "Esme, would you come up here, Love?" he spoke in a normal tone yet Esme appeared in the doorway not five seconds later.
"Sweetheart, how are you feeling?" Esme pulled me into a hug. At first, I tensed at the touch before slowly melting into it. "Damon was so worried when he brought you here. He said you collapsed during gym?"
I nodded, ashamed to be receiving so much attention.
"Sophie was just getting ready to let me examine her and I thought she might be more comfortable with you here," Carlisle explained.
"Well, of course," she rubbed my back in circles.
Esme's POV
The exam passed quickly. I couldn't help but recognize Sophie's discomfort with Carlisle's close proximity. "Are you feeling up to eating something?" I offered, but Sophie immediately shot me down with a shake of her head.
"Perhaps later then," my husband used this as his cue to step out and give us some girl time."We need to call your parents and tell him what happened."
Sophie feigned boredom while intently examining her peeling fingernails."Why bother? They don't have time for me,"
I moved slowly to rest a hand on her shoulder, grateful when she didn't pull away. "Sweetheart, your parents love you and wants what is best for you. We should call them before someone else does."
"Then you obviously don't know them that well," Sophie's tone held a bite to it. I could see through her act. She wanted to play it tough and push everyone away. I, for one, was not to be pushed.
"Or perhaps it's you who should take another look," I delivered with a smile. "Sophie, what happened to you? All these years you've been visiting us, you were so happy. You smiled and you laughed. You joined in with everyone and everything without hesitation. You were the life of the party. There was a sparkle in your eye, and I can't help but recognize that it is gone. You look haunted, and I wonder if I might help lift some of that weight from your shoulders if you'll let me." I watched her carefully. The tears though quickly wiped away were not to be dismissed. I could hear her heart tearing away at her chest and felt a touch of sadness at being the one to bring it to such a place. "Baby girl, you're not alone. I just need you to know I'm here for you and i'm not going anywhere."
Sophie's POV
It took me a moment of fighting to prevent tears. Bella's mother-in-law was showing me the attention I craved so desperately yet it hurt like a red hot iron. It hurt too much! I had to make it stop! But how? Esme was nothing but sweet to me and I didn't want to rub it in her face yet I wasn't sure what else to do. My heart felt like it was ripping open and an involuntary sob escaped my lips. I felt cold arms surround me into a hug which I accepted only momentarily because I needed it so much. But then, I did what I had to…"Let go of me!" I growled, shoving her hands to the side. "I'm not one of your kids to cuddle and console. In fact, I'm nothing to any of you. Bella's your family. Not me! So back the hell off and mind your own business!"
Esme looked wounded yet quickly recomposed herself. The door flew open and Carlisle stepped in wearing a carefully calculated expression on his face. "Sophie, perhaps you should rest your eyes for a bit before dinner then Bella will take you home."
Sophie was on her feet gathering her things already despite my words, "Don't worry about it; I'm leaving now and I'll get myself home."
I crossed the room to take her bag from her before physically directing her back to the couch. "Child, I don't believe you heard my words," he paused, "As your physician, you are under my care, and I will not tolerate your walking home in this condition."
Carlisle's POV
I chose my words carefully while remaining painfully aware of my proximity and hand placement yet I needed Sophie to recognize my authority. From the sounds of it, she was being allowed to run rampant with little to no consequences while Charlie worked late nights and long hours trying to crack a particularly challenging case. I heard her swear under her breath but chose to ignore it. "When Edward married Bella, we not only took her into our lives, but you and Charlie as well. We care about what happens to you, and no amount of your rebellion, stubbornness or meanness is going to push us away so you can stop when you are ready to allow us to love you."
Later that week, I found myself at the pep rally and game despite my great efforts to stay home. It had taken a great deal of convincing on Alice's part to get Bella and Edward to support my attendance after the incident the Thursday prior. Alice said it would be "good for me" to still attend and support the team even if Carlisle wouldn't clear me to cheer until at least one week of good health. So, against my will, I found myself in full uniform in search of a place to hide until I could make my way home complaining to be tired.
I knew Alice saw me when I left but I didn't care. She had only requested I go with heonto that I participate at least she had never verbalized that though the meaninghas clear. If drawn into a debate I could certainly defend my view.
Outside, I felt my mask drop. No more people meant no more show. Taking a deep breath, I decided the explore the path behind the school that led to the stream. Since the attack, I was afraid of my own shadow yet I forced myself to do things that terrified me just to prove I could. So with feigned bravery, I walked down toward the running water.
"Lost, Cullen? Pep rally's that way," I looked up to see my friend from the first day of school. Of course, I used the term friend purely sarcastically as he hadn't spoken to me since our first meeting got interrupted so abruptly and the only thing he had spoken of that night was to tell the other boys how ready I was to put out so they all thought I was a slut.
"Don't be a jerk just because you can!" spoke a senior with dirty blonde hair. With a smile, she offered me a Smirnoff and a seat near the fire.
"My name's Swan," I muttered. Justin had made my life pretty miserable lately, but I wasn't going to let him know.
"Whatever, you might as well be one of them. What time did you schedule the calvary to arrive this time?" he sneered.
"Justin," Hailey tossed an empty can at him.
"Yeah, seriously, man," a senior playing guitar said, "You're fine, Soph."
Grinning at a victory won, I took a long sip off the bottle. This seemed like the escape I was looking for.
Several hours later, I found myself surrounded by swirling smoke and the smell of sweet grass. Hailey sat pressed up against me and I leaned into her. Before I knew it, she kissed me. At first, I didn't know what to do, but before long, I found myself kissing her back and it was like magic. Damon's face flashed before my eyes, but I forced it out of my mind. I wasn't going to worry about that tonight. For now, I was going to do what made me feel good not what was expected.
Two hours, I found myself riding home beside Alice. She hadn't said one word since we met at the car. As we pulled up in front of my house, I started reaching for the door handle, but Alice pulled it closed faster than I realized was possible.
"Did you really think I wouldn't smell smoke on your clothing?" she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel waiting for a response. When I didn't respond, she started speaking once more. "I don't even want to think about what Edward would do if he knew you were partying with James again."
"Whatever," I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever?" she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears. "Soph, what happened? This isn't you. I wish you'd just talk to me."
I hated it when she was so sweet because it was hardest to fight against someone who wouldn't fight back.
Alice glanced up toward the house then back at me, "You're staying with me tonight," she decided and that was that. "I'll call Bella and take care of everything."
"What?" I looked at her with confusion. "I didn't agree to that."
"You don't get a choice," she spoke matter of factly. "When you make bad decisions like tonight, you prove to me that you're not capable of making good choices right now so I will make them for you besides if I let you walk through that door right now, Bella and Edward will never let you see the light of day again."
I considered this a moment, "Fine..."
Alice smiled like a cheshire cat.
