Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight but Stephanie Meyer's does so I all you to divert all questions pertaining to her characters to her.

Thank you to all of you who have read and reviewed, I truly appreciate it.

Chapter Eleven

Edward and I had spent most of my dad's party in my room. At first we just talked, a little about his job and my lack of one. Some about Charlie and Victoria, it turned out my dad's girlfriend was a near decade younger than him. I had a feeling she was younger than him but I thought it rude to bring it up. It was Jake who had mentioned it, he had of course heard it from his dad. It made me wonder how old Elizabeth was? She looked a little older then her cousin, but not by much.

Eventually we wondered back down stairs to join in a chorus of Happy Birthday and had a burger, or in Edward's case three, apparently he had skipped breakfast. When we headed back to my room it wasn't long before we had started kissing, and…well other things, though I flat out refused to have sex with half of the population of Forks just a few feet below us. As the time passed and voices died down we made our way back down to party central to find pretty much everyone had left. Edward suggested we take a trip to our meadow, I quickly agreed.

He had stumbled across it years ago, in the past he went there to read or think in the peace and quiet , but then, just a few weeks after we started dating, he showed me his secret place. It was where he told me he loved me for the first time.

Edward had located Carlisle on the back porch swing; apparently he and Elizabeth were in the middle of a rather steamy make out secession.

Just Lovely.

I knew I was jealous, but I didn't want to be. I wanted to be happy for him, for both of them. I knew in time my feelings for Carlisle would dim, at least I sure as hell hoped they did, I didn't want to keep feeling the knot in the pit of my stomach every time I saw them together. I had plans to break it off, officially. I just didn't know when but I had to do it soon. I needed a clean break from this, we both did.

Edward and I made love in our meadow, but did not stay long after as it was already dark and the night air was growing colder and colder with each passing hour. When I drove Edward back home I wasn't entirely surprised to see Elizabeth's car parked in their driveway. I knew she often stayed in Forks on the weekends, but Carlisle had mentioned she always spent the night at Victoria's. Had something changed? Had they decided to take their relationship to the next level?

I tossed and turned in my bed for hours as such questions continually replayed themselves in my mind, it was close to three in the morning when I finally was able to get to sleep.

XXX

It was just after eleven when I finally woke, it felt odd to wake up so late, I was normally a bit of a morning person. After taking a quick shower, pulling on a pair of comfy jeans and a T-shirt and pulling my hair in a messy bun, I made my way downstairs. You can imagine my shock when I saw not my dad but Victoria's sitting at the kitchen table and she was wearing Charlie's bathrobe. She gave me a shy smile, and a soft, "Good morning," before diverting her eyes to the cup of coffee that sat in front of her.

"Good morning," I said, making my way to the fridge, "Um…do you know where my dad is?"

She nodded as she took a sip of her coffee, "He went to the store to get some Danishes for breakfast."

"Ah, okay," Pulling out a small bowel of pre-sliced fruit, and an individual bottle of OJ, I sat down at the table across from Victoria.

A near minuet passed in complete silence as I ate my breakfast and she sipped on her coffee, I know I certainly wasn't interested in starting what was sure to be a very awkward conversation. Eventually, however, Victoria sigh broke the silence with a long sigh.

"I hope me being here doesn't make you…uncomfortable." She said suddenly, running the tip of her index finger around the edge of her coffee cup. Her blue eyes slowly moved to meet my own and I could see that she looked genuinely concerned.

"Oh course not," I said honestly, after all it may be a little weird to see my dad's girlfriend sitting at the kitchen table in his robe, but at the same time it was a very good indicator that he was happy and secure in their relationship, and after all of the heartache he had suffered through with Renee, he deserved to be happy.

"Really?" She asked looking slightly unsure, I had a feeling she thought I was simply trying to pacify her.

"Victoria, my dad's a grown man, I don't expect him to act like a monk just because I'm visiting for the summer."

She gave a small giggle, and I noticed her cheeks flush slightly, "I love him," She admitted softly, her eyes moving back to her coffee.

"And I love you."

Both of our gazes shot up and towards the doorway separating the kitchen from the living room to see Charlie standing there, a smile on his face and a container of Danishes in his hands. Their eyes locked and I could tell this was going to turn into a private moment.

"Well," I said standing, "I think I'll head out. I need to trim the rose bushes at the Cullen's," and after quickly depositing my now empty bowel into the sink I headed out the back door and around to the side of the house where my car was parked.

Fifteen minutes later I was pulling into the Cullen's driveway. I knew Edward had to work at ten, so he wasn't currently at home, and as it was Sunday Alice was working as well, so most likely Carlisle would be the only one home, that was unless his girlfriend was there, however as I didn't see her car, I was assuming she wasn't. Perhaps she had already headed back to Seattle?

Although I had my key, I decided it best to knock. "Bella, what a nice surprise," Carlisle grinned as he opened the door wider to let me in.

"Thanks," I said stepping inside, "I thought I'd work in the backyard a bit, last time I was here I noticed the rose bushes need trimming."

"Oh, of course. Well, you know your way around so I'll just let you be." He turned to leave, but I called out to him.

"Is Elizabeth still here?" I knew she most likely wasn't but I wanted confirmation.

"No," He replied shaking his head, "She came over for breakfast but left almost an hour ago. She still needed to pack, and she said something about needing to get home early to finish up a report she had to turn in Monday morning."

"Oh, okay, um…

I knew this was the perfect opportunity, we were alone, and would be for several more hours. I knew he wanted an answer concerning our relationship, and it really wasn't fair to make him wait, I just wasn't looking forward to seeing that disappointed look in his beautiful eyes when I called it off.

"Carlisle, can we talk?"

He simply nodded motioning to follow him into the living room where we both sat down on sofa.

"Okay," He said taking a long deep breath, "let's get this over with."

Oh why did he have to say that, and the way he was looking at me, you'd think I'd just run over his puppy. My eyes diverted to my hands, which I was ringing nervously, I didn't want to do this, but I had to.

Come on, Bella, I mentally encouraged myself, it's for the best, for both of you.

With a deep intake of breath I moved my gaze back to his own, "I care deeply for you, Carlisle," my words caused his lips pulled into a small smile, a tiny glimmer of hope filled his eyes, "but I can't be you mistress. I'm sorry, but that's just asking too much." An in an instant his smile faded, with his a low sigh his eyes closed.

"I knew this was coming," he said his voice barely audible. "I never should have pulled you into this in the first place," He admitted, his eyes slowly reopening and raising to meet my own. "I was desperate and lonely and…you were always so kind to me, so understanding. I'm sorry Bella, I'm sorry for ever bringing you into my problems in the first place."

Why was he apologizing, this wasn't one sided, he didn't force me into any of this.

Reaching over I placed my hand softly atop his, "Don't be. It was my decision to go along with it. I could have easily said no, and maybe I should have, but I didn't and Carlisle, I don't regret our time together, not for a second."

Turning his hand so my fingers lay in his palm he wrapped his large, warm hand around my own. "You the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. I don't know what would have become of me without you. You saved me from the darkness, Bella." And then his pulled my hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss to my fingertip and then my wrist.

I had expected him to place my hand back in my lap and release it but….he didn't. Instead his lips continued to ascend my arm in small peppered kisses.

"Carlisle, what are you-

"Please," he breathed, his mouth moving suddenly to my neck as he wrapped her arms around me, pulling my body tightly to his own. "Just one more time. Please, Bella, let me feel you soft flesh against mine one last time. Let me burry myself deep in your center, just…just once more, please." He kisses continued, even between his desperate, pleading words.

It had been months since I had been this close to him, and yes I missed it, I missed all of it, all of him. I wouldn't change my mind, our relationship was over but I could give him this, one final time for our bodies to become one.

"Yes." I breathed.

"Thank you," he pressed his lips to my own in a passionate kiss, "thank you," he repeated.

We spent the next hour in his bed, enjoying what we believed to be the very last time we would ever be intimate together. It was slow and tender, and wonderful. I didn't want to admit it, not even to just myself but that day our intimacy was more than just good sex, that day Carlisle and I made love.

A/N: So Bella gave him the boot but with a lovely parting gift. Next up Bella gets a job, Alice finally talks to Bella about why she took Jasper back and a little something extra your just going to have to wait for. Also Carlisle talks a little about how he was feeling when Bella ended things. Next Chapter should be up my Wednesday.