This is something new that popped into my head when I suddenly got in the mood for some Bellisle. Not sure how fast updates will be or where the story is ultimately going. All I know is that I wanted to write a fic that paired Bella and Carlisle. As the summary says, if you don't like the pairing, then simply don't read it. If you do, then sit down and enjoy the ride with me. I own nothing but my own ideas.

There was a pause as I repeated he words in my head a few times, sifting through them for their real intent.

"You... don't... want me?" I tried out the words, confused by the way they sounded, placed in that order.

"No."

...

"Of course, I'll always love you... in a way. But what happened the other night made me realize that it's time for a change. Because I'm... tired of pretending to be something I'm not, Bella. I am not human." He looked back, and the icy planes of his perfect face were not human. "I've let this go on much too long, and I'm sorry for that."

"Don't." My voice was just a whisper now; awareness was beginning to seep through me, trickling like acid through my veins. "Don't do this."

He just stared at me, and I could see from his eyes that my words were far too late. He already had.

"You're not good for me, Bella." He turned his earlier words around, and so I had no argument. How well I knew that I wasn't good enough for him.

...

"And your memories?" I asked. It sounded like there was something stuck in my throat, like I was choking.

"Well" -he hesitated for a short second- "I won't forget. But my kind... we're very easily distracted." He smiled; the smile was tranquil and it did not touch his eyes.

He took a step away from me. "That's everything, I suppose. I won't bother you again."

...

There was a light, unnatural breeze. My eyes flashed open. The leaves on a small vine maple shuddered with the gentle wind of his passage.

He was gone.

{The Twilight Saga: New Moon; Chapter 3: The End}

I chased after him through the trees. I knew it was hopeless, but I couldn't help it. To stop would be to give up; to give up would be to admit that it was over. And it would not, could not, be over. Edward was my life, my love, everything. I couldn't live without him, I couldn't survive this if it were real.

I stumbled through the woods for hours, wandering hopelessly in circles as it got darker and colder. I lost count of the number of times I tripped, the number of times I fell. My hands, knees and joints ached with the force of repeatedly catching myself, and finally there came a time when my abused muscles refused to push me back up again. Miserably, I laid down among the foilage and wrapped my arms around me as the truth well and truly washed over me. He was gone.

The thought seemed to punch a hole directly through my chest, and I gasped helplessly at the intensity of the pain. It was all I could do not to become lost in it as it washed over me. I cried out desperately, wrapping my arms around my ribs in an attempt to hold myself together. Tears tracked down my cheeks until I had none left to give to the damp, cool earth, and finally I laid shivering in a dim stupor.

After an indeterminate amount of time, I heard a low rustle in the bushes, but I didn't care enough to agknowledge it. Edward - the name made me cry out again - had once said that he wasn't the most dangerous thing out here. I hoped now that whatever it was he spoke of would come to finish me off. With a shallow breath, I closed my eyes and waited for death to claim me.

Instead, it was a voice that I knew very well, though it was not the one I longed to hear.

"Bella!" The voice exclaimed, as though surprised to find me here. How could he be? All he had to do was follow my scent. I didn't care enough about the mystery to ask, though, or indicate I had noticed Carlisle's presence at all.

He was at my side in a flash, pausing for a couple moments before speaking again. "Bella?" He asked. He sounded worried this time, but I didn't have it in me to respond. I simply laid there in the dirt, not caring about anything. I heard him heave a deep sigh. "Oh Bella," he said softly.

I felt cold, hard arms underneath me as he scooped me up, and the sensation of resting against his cold, marble body was a marginal comfort, it reminded me of Ed- of him.

I barely noticed the feel of the wind whipping against my face as he ran, and a part of me agknowledged that this was the first time the speed didn't bother me. As he ran, I heard the sound of raised, tense voices, among which I could clearly identify Charlie's. A ghost of a sting went through me, but I didn't have enough left in me to regret what he must be going through.

We must have broken through the trees then, because quite suddenly all the voices cut off, followed by Charlie's strangled cry. "Bella!"

I heard Carlisle's impossibly smooth voice respond. "I've got her, Chief," he said. "She's in shock, but other than that she's fine." I felt warm hands on my face then as Charlie ascertained that for himself. I felt him move to take me from Carlisle, and my hands gripped Carlisle's shirt tightly of their own accord, and a whimper made it's way out of my throat. "Perhaps it would be better for her to stay with me for the time being," he said gently. "I know you're worried, but I can assure you she will be in capable hands with my family and I."

Charlie huffed in response, clearly annoyed. My dad took my hand in his own, fingers wrapped tightly around my wrist. Carlisle correctly interpereted the noise, and his tone was impossibly sad when he answered. "Edward is an adult, and I can no longer hold him here against his will. He was long unhappy with living here, as he wished to track down his birth family." I felt Carlisle sigh deeply before he continued. "I do not agree with the choices he made, and Esme and I expressed that to him in no uncertain terms." Carlisle's voice had grown hard, especially with those last words. "Regardless, we all consider Bella a part of our family. Please, Chief Swan, allow us to treat her as such."

Carlisle's words warmed me slightly, and I knew that he spoke with the utmost sincerity. Even if Ed- if he had abandoned me, the rest had not. I would still have the rest of them, and maybe, just maybe, I could make it through.

My eyes finally focused, and the first thing I truly saw was my dad's tearstained face above me, making my pulse stutter. Carlisle responded instantly, of course, though I hadn't made any indication of coming out of my comatose state. "Bella?" Carlisle asked, his tone flooded with relief. I responded with a low hum as a peculiar, confused expression flitted across Charlie's face before it switched to one of relief, much like Carlisle's.

"Bella? Sweetheart? Can you hear me?" Charlie asked anxiously. I nodded weakly, unable to speak. His grip on my wrist tightened, and I attempted to squeeze his hand in response. "Doctor Cullen wants you to stay at his house for a while so he can keep an eye on you. Is that okay?" My dad asked seriously.

My throat rasped as I responded, and my affirmation had no volume at all. "What was that honey?" My dad asked in confusion.

"Yes," I managed to hiss. He sighed in relief again.

"I'm so sorry Bells," he said sadly. "I love you."

I nodded again, feeling incredibly sleepy. "Love you too dad," I barely whispered.

He stood there for a couple more minutes, just holding my hand, before Carlisle shifted his weight.

"Oh, God, Doctor, I'm so sorry," Charlie said suddenly. "You've got to be struggling, you've been standing here with her for fifteen minutes."

"Oh, yes," Carlisle said quietly, "You're right. I really should be going, the others are very worried. I'll keep you updated, Chief."

"Call me Charlie, Doctor Cullen. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other for a while."

"You're probably right. And call me Carlisle, please." I felt a soft chuckle in his chest. "I need to escape the hospital every now and again."

Charlie chuckled, probably in agreement, and Carlisle began walking again. I felt him shift my weight briefly, and the next thing I knew, I was in the passenger seat of his Mercedes. I felt his cold hand caress my face softly. "I'm so sorry, Bella," he whispered.