That day Carlisle took Elizabeth to the library. Carlisle let her browse the books for 2 hours before taking her home with four books.
Elizabeth had started reading The Hobbit before they even got in the car. Carlisle shook his head and laughed as he got in the car. They drove back home in silence, Elizabeth reading and Carlisle thinking. There were a hundred thoughts running through his head. First, how was he going to handle her self-harming? He knew she was cutting herself, he had seen the band-aids and poorly wrapped gauzes around her hips and upper arms. However, he had no idea what she was using.
Secondly, he was going to take her into therapy. There was one problem with this; she was not going to talk to anyone willingly. She hardly talked to him, Jasper, Alice, or Esme. She was slowly starting to trust him and Jasper; however, Alice and Esme were a different story. Esme was gone most of the time for work. At the same time, so was he. But he didn't bring his work home with him. Esme was often in the kitchen working on designs for different houses and historical sites. What confused him the most was that Alice was open, excited, and tried the harder than Jasper to create a good relationship with her. Jasper, however, was elusive, silent most of the time, and left the room most of the time when she entered. It was due to her depression and Jasper's ability with emotions.
They pulled into the driveway and Carlisle parked the car. Elizabeth got out reading her book and Carlisle shook his head. They got in the house and Elizabeth went straight for the couch. Carlisle sat down on the coffee table across from Elizabeth. He put his hand on her book and then slowly took the book from her. She looked at him and said, "Hey, I was reading that!"
Carlisle chuckled lightly and said softly, "I know. We need to talk though." Elizabeth sighed and pulled her knees into her as if she was hugging herself. She said in a calm voice, "It's never good when someone says that." Carlisle looked at her for a moment, confused at the calmness in her voice. At the same time there was a bit of fear in her voice that she was clearly trying to hide. He then asked can, "May I sit next to you?" Elizabeth nodded and said, "Yeah." Carlisle stood up and then sat down next to her. He put his arm around her shoulders but she stayed very tense. Carlisle then said, "I'm taking you into therapy." Elizabeth looked at him and shook her head. "No," she said, "I won't go." Carlisle's reply was kind but definitive. He replied, "You have no choice. Your father abused you for years. Your mother died when you were a young child. You're in foster care. You cut yourself with a needle your first night here. You continue to hurt yourself. How you do that, I do not know. However, I have noticed the band-aids on your hips and the gauzes on your upper arm."
Elizabeth shook her head and said in a horse voice, clearly trying not to cry, "You can take me but I won't talk to someone I won't know. I know what they think of me. I am freak in their eyes."
Carlisle wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "You are not a freak. Especially not in the eyes of therapists. " They were both silent for a moment, Elizabeth was crying softly. Then Carlisle said, "It would be easier for both of us if you talked more." Elizabeth looked at him with the tears streaming quickly down her face. Elizabeth then said in a fearful voice, "How do I know that you won't hurt me too?"
Carlisle wiped the tears from her face and said, "You don't. But I promise I will not hurt you in any way. Neither will anyone else in my family." Elizabeth nodded and leaned against Carlisle. He held her tightly.
Esme walked into the room and Carlisle looked at her with a sad look on his face. Esme then sat down on the couch on the other side of Elizabeth and put a hand on her back. Elizabeth turned around and looked at her. She had a sad and embarrassed look on her face and then she leaned against Carlisle.
Esme took her hand away from Elizabeth. Esme then said kindly and sweetly, "You are safe here. All of us want nothing more than to see you get better." Elizabeth nodded. Then Carlisle said, "Should we go bandage up those cuts properly?" Elizabeth looked at him and nodded. They stood up and Carlisle kept a hand on her back the entire way to the bathroom. Carlisle then looked at Elizabeth and said, "Go ahead and sit on the counter." Elizabeth nodded and then climbed up on the counter in front of the mirror. Carlisle then started rummaging through the medicine cabinet for bandages. When he found them, he walked over to where Elizabeth was. He started taking off the bandages that Elizabeth had put on herself. Carlisle said in a gentle voice, "So what did you use?" Elizabeth avoided his eyes and said nothing. Carlisle kept working and said gently, "You need to tell me what you used, Elizabeth. I really want to help you but I can't do that if you don't talk to me." Elizabeth looked at him and said, "An exacto knife." He then continued to bandage her upper, left arm in silence. "Done." Elizabeth then pushed herself of the counter. As soon as she was off the counter, he put a hand on her waist. She looked away from him. He then said, "Look at me, Elizabeth. Now, I need to know you're listening and the only way I can know that is when I'm looking into your eyes." She looked at him. Carlisle nodded. "Alright so, here's the deal sweetheart. I will be checking your arms every morning before I go to work and every night before you go to bed. I won't be letting you harm yourself." Elizabeth nodded. "Alright," Carlisle said as he put gave her a playful tap on her shoulder, "Go read that book of yours." Elizabeth nodded and gave him a small smile. Carlisle then gave her a kind smile and said, "There you go. I knew you had a smile in you." Elizabeth nodded and giggled. Then she went off to her bedroom. Carlisle followed her to ensure that she kept the door open and watched her for a few moments. She curled up with her book on her bed. Carlisle then concluded that she wasn't going to harm herself that night. He left her room and he had gotten more questions than answers that morning.
