Forgiveness

Garrett ran forward, putting himself in between Bella and Carlisle.

"Leave now," Garrett boomed at Bella.

Bella stood her ground, she couldn't believe what was happening. Carlisle had killed those four guys and now he was staring at her like Garrett usually looked at her. He wanted to taste her blood.

Garrett turned his back on Carlisle. "Go, now. Run back to your friends."

"No," Bella said. She wasn't going to leave Carlisle alone like this.

Garrett growled and turned back to Carlisle.

"Lyle," he said, "love. You need to calm yourself."

Carlisle's eyes snapped to Garrett's.

"Love, this isn't you," Garrett took a step closer to Carlisle, "you need to calm down. Lyle, keep your eyes on me."

Carlisle's gaze never wavered.

"Now," Garrett hissed at Bella, "you need to leave now."

Carlisle didn't move an inch. He still wanted Bella's blood, but he wasn't stupid. Garrett was a threat to him, he was stronger, Carlisle would lose. He needed to wait this out.

"Lyle," Garrett stepped forward and reached out to touch Carlisle's face. Garrett's hand rested on Carlisle's cheek. "Lyle," he repeated, "let go of this anger."

Anger? This wasn't anger. Carlisle seethed. He'd had enough of this, he reached out and shoved Garrett aside. Garrett wasn't expecting it and he stumbled before he righted himself. He managed to get in front of Bella before Carlisle could get to her.

"Leave," Garrett said, "can't you see how dangerous this is?"

Bella still didn't leave.

Garrett focused back on his mate, stepping towards Carlisle again. Carlisle watched him closely.

"Lyle, do you know who I am?" Garrett asked.

Carlisle didn't answer. He didn't care about Garrett, only Bella.

Garrett stepped closer and Carlisle didn't hesitate this time. He growled and grabbed Garrett's arm, spinning him around before throwing him out of the way. Garrett righted himself and was back in front of Bella before Carlisle could get to her. Garrett was sick of this game, why wouldn't Bella leave?

Bella placed her hand on Garrett's back.

"Let me do this," she said, her voice shaky.

Garrett growled, there was no way he was going to do that.

"Please," Bella said, "he's not listening to you."

"I'm not letting you do this," Garrett spun around, "he will kill you."

"Isn't that what you want?" Bella asked.

"No." Garrett growled.

"I'm not asking you to leave," Bella said, "I trust that you will save me if need be. I can do this, I know I can, just let me try."

Garrett saw no other way out, so he stepped aside.

Bella took a deep breath as Carlisle sized her up.

The threat was gone, Carlisle had won. Now, to collect his prize. Her blood would be so sweet, he could already taste it. Bella kept her eyes locked on Carlisle's black ones. She was scared shitless, but she was ready for this. If Garrett couldn't calm him, then it was down to her.

She stepped towards him, trying not to freak out. Carlisle's eyes didn't waver and it gave Bella hope, if he wanted to drink from her then he would have already. Bella put her hand on his cheek just like Garrett had.

"It's okay," she said softly, "we forgive you."

Carlisle blinked, cocking his head to the side. What was she talking about?

"We forgive you," Bella repeated.

Carlisle's eyes went to his mate Garrett before they landed back on Bella. They were forgiving him? For what?

"We love you and we forgive you."

It was then that it hit Carlisle. He'd just killed four humans, they were low-life's and they were pawing at Bella, but they didn't deserve to be killed. He shouldn't have killed them. He loved humans, he had always protected them at all costs. How could he kill them?

"We forgive you," Bella said.

That's all it took. The full weight of everything hit Carlisle and his legs gave out. Garrett caught him before he hit the ground.

"Bella's right," Garrett whispered to him. "We love you, Lyle, and we forgive you. We will get through this together."

Carlisle was only half listening, too consumed by his own thoughts.

"We need to get out of here," Bella said. "What are we going to do about this?"

Garrett and Bella looked at the four dead bodies, all of their necks had been snapped.

"Come hold him," Garrett said and they switched places.

Garrett used his vampire speed to get rid of and cover up Carlisle's kills. He didn't do the best job, but it would have to do. He wouldn't leave Bella alone with Carlisle for longer than he had to. When he came back, he paused. There was his mate for over two hundred years, collapsed on the ground, completely broken, with sixteen-year-old Bella Swan holding onto him for dear life. It gave Garrett the oddest feeling.

"You need to go back to your friends," Garrett told Bella.

"No way," Bella said.

She pulled out her phone and sent them a message telling them that she took the bus back. They accepted it.

"I'm coming with you," Bella told Garrett.

"How?" Garrett asked. "We ran here and I'm going to have to carry him back. I can't take you too. Go with your friends."

"No."

Bella pulled away from Carlisle and put her hand on his cheek again. Their eyes locked.

"Let's go home," she said. "Come on, Carlisle."

Bella stood up and held her hand out for him. Carlisle didn't want to take it. He looked around, but the bodies were gone, there was no evidence, but that wouldn't erase what happened here tonight. He was a killer. His eyes went back to Bella's hand and then to her brown eyes. There was so much love in them, no hate. He slid his hand into hers and stood.

"Are you right to run?" Garrett asked him.

Carlisle didn't answer, he just scooped Bella up and took off. Garrett followed closely, making sure Bella was okay. She was fine. The run from Port Angeles to Forks didn't take long and the moment Carlisle was home, he set Bella down and disappeared inside his house.

"You need to leave," Garrett said.

"When are you going to accept that I'm staying?" Bella asked. "I care for him too and I'm not leaving him alone."

"He's not alone, he has me."

"That's not what I meant," Bella said, "he needs both of us."

"What about Chief Swan?" Garrett asked. "Isn't he expecting you back?"

Bella sighed, Garrett was right, but she wasn't leaving. She pulled her phone out and called Charlie.

"Hey, Bells," he answered, "it's getting late. Are you back yet?"

"Yeah, dad, sorry, I forgot to call you. My friend had a crisis and I'm kind of dealing with that. Is that okay?"

"Sure, kid. Will you be back tonight?"

"I don't know. It might turn into a sleepover, but I'll let you know."

"Okay, Bella," Charlie said, "but I'm trusting you. No alcohol, no drugs, no sex."

"Dad," Bella said, "it's not… I won't, I promise. I'll call you in a couple of hours."

She hung up the phone.

"It's curious," Garrett said.

"What is?" Bella asked.

"How good you are at evading the truth. Not one lie was told."

"Shouldn't you be comforting your mate?" Bella asked, pushing past Garrett and walking into the house.

Bella couldn't help but smile. It was large, modern and open, and not messy like Carlisle once claimed. It was sophisticated like Carlisle, but you could also see Garrett's small messes too. This was their home and she was in it. Her heart beat faster.

"I can hear that," Garrett said, "such a pretty noise. Thump, thump, thump. I can smell your fear. Taste your blood."

"Why aren't you concerned about Carlisle?" Bella asked, looking around the room for him.

"He's home," Garrett said, "he's safe now. He's calm, he will be fine."

Bella scoffed, she couldn't help it. Carlisle was not fine.

"If you're not going to help me," Bella said, "then you can leave."

Garrett waved her off and sat on the couch, putting his feet on the coffee table.

"Do whatever you want," he told her.

Bella couldn't understand why he was acting this way but she didn't have time to figure it out. She shoved his head with her hand on the way past. Garrett growled, but left it be. He was quietly pissed. Now that everything was calming down, now that Carlisle was home, he was hit with the truth. He hadn't been able to calm his mate down, but Bella had. Garrett had known Carlisle for over two-hundred-and-twenty-years whereas Bella had only known him for a couple of weeks. Maybe Carlisle didn't need him anymore.

Carlisle was hiding up in his shared bedroom with Garrett and it didn't take Bella long to find him curled up on the bed. She climbed in front of him, resting her hand on his cheek. Carlisle's eyes snapped to Bella's, sweet Bella.

He had wanted her blood and he was going to get it, she had seen him kill those guys. He had killed. The tears came forth and Carlisle couldn't stop them. Bella pulled Carlisle's head to her chest and she ran her hand through his hair.

"Thank you for saving me, Carlisle," Bella said softly. "I was so scared and you protected me. You did what needed to be done, please don't punish yourself too much. I forgive you, but you need to forgive yourself too."

"She's right," Garrett said, joining them on the bed.

He laid behind Carlisle making sure their bodies were flush together, then he wrapped his arm around Carlisle's chest, splaying his fingers out, holding him tightly.

"I forgive you," Garrett said. "I love you."

"Yes," Bella agreed, "we love you and nothing will ever change that."

Carlisle tried to listen to their words, but he couldn't get past what he'd done. Had his whole life been for nothing? What was the point of saving humans if he took their lives? Everything was jumbled up. He didn't want to be a doctor anymore, he didn't feel as though he deserved that right. He just wanted to find a way to make all the bad thoughts and pain stop.