TWENTY-ONE:
TRADING SACRIFICES
The empty garage was not so welcoming but in its own way brought certain relief. I was not ready ready To face The rest of my family just yet . . . "Where is everyone?" He smiled . . . "Alice favored a Trip To Italy and well... she also Thought we could use The Time To ourselves." I nodded numbly while in The same instant The first dreaded doubt brought itself about To Torment my already battered mind: Was This Time To ourselves simply another common courtesy from my siblings, or was it They Themselves That craved The distance?
Inside Carlisle was just sliding The sleeves of my coat away when Edward appeared at The bottom foot of The stairs just across from us. I smiled a weak, most awkward smile. "Italy didn't appeal at all?" He grinned, quirking an eyebrow. "Italy is old", he shot a sideways glance at Carlisle, "and Tired . . . one day I'm sure you will feel The same. But enough about me", he went on smugly, "How was your canine slumber Party?"
I felt Carlisle go rigid before he moved To stand between us . . . "Don't you have somewhere To be?" he asked, The words solely cold and coated with what felt like one Too many lifetimes of resentment. I could make out Edward's jaw muscle Tense despite The humored expression he displayed in response. "I'll see you two love birds later Then won't I", he responded moving around us and out The door in one easy swift. Carlisle Turned back To face me shortly after his Exit . . . "All except him of course." His gaze was dark and lifeless as it came To settle on me. He caressed my wrist in his hand . . . "I have a surprise for you."
. . .
Facing his office door I could never bring myself To look at him until he cleared his Throat just as his hand fell on The handle before he looked back To me . . . "I can promise it was nearly costless and . . . you will love it", he finished, with another sickeningly warm smile . . . The Study Still held all of Its same displays of The Endless Eras. Nothing seemed To pop out of The norm until The slight spec of light caught my eye coming from a large box wrapped in a glossy Aqua blue. I sighed . . . "You make me sick you know That", I mumbled more so unconsciously Then. "I'm supposed To be begging you To Take me back and you're welcoming me with open arms and gifts - really?"
He rolled his eyes. "Maybe so . . . nut a grudge against you would never amount To more Than wasted Time piling away." I managed To Take in a slow breath only with The conclusion That - whether or not he ever actually admitted To The fact - he had To have been a Total martyr back in his day. And as I stood before my undeserved gift, I hesitated before ripping away The wrap That revealed The solid light brown of The cardboard box, and after another brief hesitation I pulled The Two Top ends apart only To find myself staring down at a small cubed emerald green case . . . Yes, of course I would love This one gift - I had To Love it . . . because I knew good and well That I did undoubtedly deserve It . . .
Reluctantly I brought it up only To set it down on The edge of his desk . . . "Won't you open it at least?" I could hear his voice, now fading, his words only echoes Transmitting from somewhere - likely another space of Time. One where This was just a nightmare and I could at least hold on to The comforting Thought That eventually, at some point during This mad scene, I would wake up . . . As I watched him - watching me - down on one knee , I could feel my legs giving in beneath me To The weight of myself That Threatened To bring me down . . .
"I'll only ask once . . . This I can promise", The echo of my relentless angel's whisper came again. "In my Time I would have never stood a chance with you . . . would have been The most fortunate To even have The chance To admire you from a distance. But luckily This is not Then and we are here now so", he got To his feet and his gaze could burn its wrenching blaze straight Through mine . . . he sighed . . . "Erin Gallagher, will you do me The Extraordinary honor of marrying me?" . . .
I winced at The finish of his words with The foolish hope That he had Not Noticed before bringing my hand up to rest on his collar bone . . . "Is This really what you Want?" He smiled crookedly. "More Than anything", he spoke The words in a soft murmur. I Took in a breath . . . "I'm Not suppose To have you", I whispered, The words heavy and barely manageable . . . "You'll grow Tired one day you know, and Then . . . I'll just be The one regret you'll carry forever . . . don't you Think?"
I watched him wince and his eyebrows furrowed Together before he brought an arm To curl around my waist and he pulled us closer Together limiting The gap between us . . . "Maybe if I was still human enough. Maybe . . . only if you spoke The words." He sighed . . . "My Love, No Time With You will Ever suffice . . . but we'll start with forever. If it is your wish as well of course." . . .
I swallowed before nodding . . . "Ok." In The same I felt myself being picked up before I Was seated at The edge of his desk and The grand box was now on The floor beneath us. And - if There was ever a Time when I felt I had done my angel justice - it was in This moment . . . His Expression was lit with The life neither of us would Ever possess again. He leaned in To plant a soft kiss on The side of my neck and I could feel a chill course Through me Then, and - as I felt a brush against one of my fingers - The next Time i looked down at my hand There was a sickening, far from humble, diamond ring. It was white gold, with bits of carrots circling all around. As if This was Not a maximized gesture as is, in The center There was a Topaz blue diamond That appeared as Though in it There were a million sparkling skies and all The vast of glimmering oceans Trapped inside of it . . .
I let my hand slide down So That my fingers could curl against his side in a firm grip. "One day you'll bring me back To life from all The back To back shocks you know . . . which would kind of screw up The whole immortal perk." I could make out The sound of a light laughter before he pulled back To face me again. "If I could I would", he replied in a Faint murmur. "Hey", I quickly countered, "I didn't agree To marry you so you could go all funeral mode five seconds Later sir."
He chuckled, "No I'm sure you did Not . . . Thats why I've arranged a few Things for The night." I pushed him back away Then, eyeing him skeptically . . . "What'd you mean a few Things?" He rolled his eyes before bringing a hand up To caress my cheek . . . "You can change Into something a little More casual. There will be no need for all The Formalities Tonight." He brushed his lips against mine with a sheepish smile . . . "I promise you will Not Absolutely Loathe This Night's Events."
. . .
Two hours later after condensing what should have been a Three and a half hour Trip - Traffic and all other inconveniences Not included - we were parked just across The street from a bar Located in Downtown Seattle. Visible likely To only us from This distance was The gold Lettering at The Front Door That read, The Alibi Room. I looked at him completely dumbstruck. "A bar?" He grinned. "Yes." Following his smug response he reached an arm across me and The glove compartment fell open during which Time I watched him retrieve a Thick black Rectangular case.
He decisively shut The glove compartment closed again and Then brought The case up in one hand for display. With a single flick of his Thumb The case came open and a syringe accompanied by a miniature bottle That contained a kind of caramel colored liquid. I huffed . . . "What is it?" He quirked an eyebrow at me with This proud, rather smug look . . . "Does Humanity still appeal To you my love?"
I was lost with Not even The possibility of maybe vaguely grasping where my angel planned To angle This conversation . . . I shrugged, "Not really. But sometimes ... like I said . . . where Exactly are you going with This Carlisle?" He chuckled rolling his eyes . . . "I am very reluctant To expose you To This . . . especially after my Venture with Emmett but . . ." "But what?" I pressed. He quirked an eyebrow staring off ahead, seeming To drift away . . . "Back some Time ago I reveled into The past you could say. More so as humans replace what Certain Things They can not have with The nearest equivalent substitute", He looked To me, "And so came about The serum. It shocks and boosts The heart just long enough for your body To return To its once human State", He smiled, almost disappointedly . . . "But as all good Things must always come To an End, The serum can only last for a maximum period. You'll have a maybe five...six hours depending on your body's initial reaction To The serum itself." . . .
Taking in all of The Conversation, I quickly did away with all The sciences, confusion, and senseless questions That came with This senseless Theory making sure To only keep and Try To hold The most useful factors . . . I exhaled a breath as it finally set in before Focusing back on him . . . "So . . . I can get wasted again?" He rolled his eyes grinning smugly, "Yes, I should have known That was all you would pick up." He chuckled before his expression went stiff and lifeless again . . . "The first few minutes will Not be pleasant. It will be almost similar To your Transformation if you can recall . . . but rest assure, in a few minutes Time The discomfort will fade and you will in fact be Just as any of The humans That surround us now. Powerless . . . human." . . . I sighed Taking a Moment To look back across at The inviting Alibi before Returning back To Him once more . . . "Lets do This sir." He himself sighed before pulling The syringe free and carefully inserting it Into The bottle which held The serum. Then abruptly I found myself with my back pressed against him. His fingers were wrenched around my neck . . . "Hold very, very Still my Love."
. . .
"And you sir what'll it be Tonight?" The Female bartender asked Carlisle, and I Enjoyed a low laugh. "Having a good night?" She asked now and I knew she must have caught wind of my amusement. I nodded. "I Actually am", I casually responded. She smiled curtly in response before Turning away. Carlisle sighed, eyeing my drink. "Are you enjoying your poison?" I scoffed, "Hey I asked you To join me but you had To go all Super senior citizen on me", I mocked.
It Takes Exactly six CC's of The serum before your system goes ha-wire. I managed To crack The passenger window in amidst my agony and just like That - an endless eight and a half minutes later here I am again; Erin Gallagher, The powerless human. He laughed and The sound was still as smooth and as flawless even with human hearing. "I've already had my share of fun with The serum and besides . . . someone has To look after you."
I rolled my eyes, "Such a parental unit Tonight." In The same I Took down The rest of The whisky in one swig. I moaned, and even I could here The fever in The sound. "God, I missed This", and Following my words I saw his gaze fall from me . . . I smiled, Taking his hand in mine and pulling him closer . . . "But never more Than I would miss you." He brought his eyes To meet mine again and smiled faintly. "Are you sure?" I used his Tie To pull him closer until I was able To crush my lips against his.
When I was running out of air for The first Time In years I pulled back, giving an exasperated sigh . . . "I'm positive", I responded in breathless words against his lips. "Will you Two have another Round?" The bartender asked coming To stand before us. "Absolutely", Carlisle responded, never looking her way and she was off again. He chuckled softly . . . "I can hear your heartbeat", he murmured. I Laughed weakly, still somewhat lacking The sufficient air, "And I can't."
. . .
It was when The room started To blur That I realized I might have gone pass my limit. But given I'd be human in a couple more hours The warm, numbing feeling didn't phase like it once Had given I knew it wouldn't last much longer. It was only something to be appreciated - The one human Experience I wish I could hold on To forever. But in The same moment That My eyes met with his, In That instant I was reminded That There were far more important - far more meaningful Things To get back Too. Ups and downs and all . . . marriage included . . . I wouldn't Trade This for neither Endless humanities nor endless Eternities . . .
"My love", Carlisle leaned To whisper in my ear. "We should go now. The serum will be wearing down soon." I nodded in acknowledgment; Words were not an option in This state. I recall his amuse laughter before I found myself half leaning, half wobbling against him as we made our way downstairs, pass The dance floor still crowded with The crowd of The ambitious, The hopeful, and The plastered out of The Alibi.
"Wait here my Love, I will bring The car around", he murmured softly in my ear as he sat me down on The bench just outside and in The same a single shrill scream pierced from a distance close by. it was enough To bring me To my feet. Carlisle pulled me close To him as he stared over my shoulder. "Wait here", he said with an urgency in his Tone, "Don't Move", he directed before darting off around The corner down an alley That curved just behind The Alibi. But as I now could feel my heart as it Thumped with anxiety and certain desperation against my chest, it was only a few seconds before I found myself running unstably after him.
This was only To find Two men Twenty-some feet away down on The ground, appearing just barely able To maintain consciousness. I searched franticly for Carlisle as everything began To spin in my own intoxicated world, Until I at last found him behind a dumpster, just below a fire escape, hovering cautiously - No - possessively - over another person - a female . . . and as I approached close enough To Stand just beside Carlisle and The misfortunate victim, I could see The crimson pupils, murderous and determined . . .
I placed a hand on his shoulder before I felt a sharp painful jolt shoot up my chest bringing me To my knees. The serum was fading - an uncomfortable, out of place feeling bluntly Told me This. And in That instant Carlisle reacted and I found myself wrapped in his embrace . . . "It's . . . it's okay my Love its just The serum dissolving", he soothed in an anxious whisper. Then as I met face to face with The girl beneath us for The first Time, It was Then That my heart had To have stopped . . . "Carlisle", I spoke in an agonized whimper as I felt another jolt, This Time shooting up my spine, "We have To save her - she's my - she's my friend."
. . .
First off I just want To apologize To all The faithful readers To whom expectations I might have failed due To my lack of attentiveness To The Story In The last couple of months. Believe me when I say it was for good reason - LIFE HAS BEEN A LITERAL ROLLER COASTER- But I'm back now and I can only hope The readers will continue To read. This weeks chapter is definitely going to alter the worlds of both Erin and Carlisle gravely and . . . no more delays There will be weekly updates every week from This week on, Chapter 22 is already in The works *_* I do greatly appreciate all The fans of "What To do When You are Dead" and I do hope you all have not officially given up :( . . . Thanks again and once again, sincerest apologies guys . . .