Bella felt like a woman.

Perhaps she wasn't particularly beautiful, and god knows she had always been at a distinct disadvantage when it came to all things feminine wiles.

But she felt like a woman, worldly, and as if she'd joined that secret club of women who have had sex.

She was also very sore.

She hadn't been for the first few steps out of the baths, but as soon as the adrenaline had worn off, Marcus' marble penis had caught up with her. Let it be known, that Bella could now tell the world that marble dildos were not to be trifled with.

Yes, Bella was very sore, and unless there was a fire she was not getting off her ass for the rest of the day.

She dreaded the idea of hobbling to class tomorrow. Or, god, meals. Breakfast was going to be terrible. Maybe she could just skip it or something.

To say nothing of class, where Marcus would undress again, and they would stare at each other, teacher and student, one-time lovers.

Part time lovers? Had they ever clarified whether this was a one and done thing or not? Was it even successful? Bella thought it had been, all the usual bits had happened, but she had no idea if he was expected to do it again or not.

Would it be weird that she was wearing clothes now, and he wasn't?

She supposed since he was naked because of art, he had a professional reason to be naked. She didn't. Besides, there would probably be another mole person in class tomorrow, which in turn meant Bella would be too embarrassed to undress.

Marcus would probably let her know if they had to engage in Round 2: Sexual Boogaloo. Probably, maybe, she'd better find a way to covertly ask. Maybe she could scribble it.

No, that wouldn't do - she was a woman now. Women don't pass notes in class saying "Sex?" in terrible handwriting.

She'd… she'd figure something out.

Then there was a knock on the door.

It sounded impatient. "Bella?" a mole person called on the other side.

It took her a second to identify the caller as Carlisle.

A second that, apparently, was one second too many. "Bella," Carlisle repeated, sounding distinctly alarmed, "Are you okay in there?"

She hobbled over to the door, holding in the urge to curse, and opened it to reveal not only Carlisle Cullen but Aro the Bus Stop Man.

"Hey," Bella said, then, blinking at them, she realized it had to be three am or something. She then realized that probably didn't matter to them, Marcus hadn't asked her what she was up to taking a bath in the middle of the night, "How you doing?"

"Fine," Carlisle said, his voice almost mechanical, as his wide yellow eyes scanned her from top to toe.

He didn't look fine.

"You okay?" Bella repeated slowly.

Carlisle's eyes snapped up to meet hers. "Are you?" he breathed.

Bella frowned, looked down at herself, then back at him, "Yep."

Carlisle made an odd face at that.

"Super duper," Bella said for emphasis, giving Carlisle a thumbs up, as he looked like he needed the encouragement.

Carlisle's brow furrowed.

Aro looked up into Carlisle's face and then down at Bella. Then, smiling, he said, "I think what Carlisle means is that we would like to do a medical examination on you."

"A what?" Bella asked, flushing crimson.

And oh-oh shit.

Oh, she hoped this wasn't about what she thought it was about.

She didn't know why she was surprised, why she hadn't expected this. If there was a breeding program then of course there was going to be some kind of medical examination/probing after the fact.

Still, she'd hoped the mole people, with all their commitment to blending in and not letting on that there was something more to them than the eye would suggest, would have found some kind of unnoticeable way to examine their humans.

Apparently not.

Yikes.

"Okay," she said after a beat, nodding to herself, still blushing. "You guys got a lab, then?"

Carlisle turned to look at Aro, clearly questioning, but Aro shook his head looking almost embarrassed. As he should, if they had a breeding program they should have a fucking lab.

"Seriously?" Carlisle asked. "You don't have a lab? You?"

"It never came up!" Aro said, ignoring the dubious raising of Bella's, experiment number 265's purposefully brought in for the fucking of Marcus, eyebrows, "I've been very busy!"

"Unbelievable," Carlisle muttered, and turned back.

Bella was with Carlisle on this one. Jesus, Aro, get your shit together.

"Why would I have a lab?" Aro continued in irritation. "When would it ever come up?"

"I can think of a few reasons," Bella couldn't help but quip.

Both Carlisle and Aro turned to stare at her, looking as if she'd just announced that she was the alien.

Right.

She wasn't supposed to know.

She held up her hands and smiled, twisting her wrists to make them jazz hands. "Because it's a school?"

"That was a joke," Bella said, her smile becoming strained as she explained, "I am funny."

"Right," Aro said, nodding. "Right."

Carlisle looked like he couldn't even.

"If we don't have a lab, we'll use Aro's office," he said, with a look to Aro as if this was supposed to be some kind of punishment.

Wait, Aro's office? She had no idea what a mole person office would look like but she was picturing a desk. Were they-were they going to do a gyna exam on a wooden desk? Did they-did they have any idea how pornographic that sounded?

Indeed, Aro pouted. "My office is completely unsuited-"

"We can put her on the desk," Carlisle dismissed, confirming Bella's fears.

"Oh, Professor Aro," Bella could picture herself saying in pigtails and a very short Catholic schoolgirl skirt, "I've been a very naughty girl. Can I have some extra credit?"

With Carlisle as the eager TA or something.

Goddammit, oh, oh goddammit, she was starting to realize what this was.

Not having a lab her ass. Was she supposed to have sex with these two now? Level up from Marcus and get a two-fer? Was she supposed to have sex with all these fucking people?

She really didn't think she was up for that.

Not just because she didn't know these two all that well (Aro was nice and all and Carlisle seemed like a good guy but she'd really only started talking to them two days ago), but, you know, she also physically wasn't up for that.

She needed some recovery time here.

Jesus.

"Look," she said, "I think there's been some misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Aro frowned.

"Yes," Bella deadpanned. "Look, I'm just going to be frank - what Marcus received was a one-time offer. Coupon redeemable only to art professors that I've known for months." She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, or tried to. She missed it, and had to grasp at it for balance.

"Capiche?" she asked once she'd pulled herself up again.

Aro was looking at her like he didn't quite understand what she'd just said. Carlisle too, for that matter.

"If this was a movie," Bella said slowly, "then this would be the part where you guys try to deliver me pizza. Only, I think I'll go ahead and deviate from the script, and decline the pizza. Okay?"

Carlisle still seemed clueless, Aro, however, appeared to know his pornography tropes.

"Oh dear gods, no!" he exclaimed, looking shocked and appalled, "No, no, that is not what's happening!"

"She doesn't want pizza?" a feminine voice said.

Bella leaned out of the doorway to see Esme standing there, looking out of sorts.

Bella had been wondering where she was, at breakfast she'd seemed like a permanent fixture on Carlisle's arm until she'd run out of the room crying.

… Bella still felt kind of bad about that.

She wondered if she should apologize or if even bringing up Edward's name would destroy the woman.

"I came to…" Esme said, and made a gesture towards the two men. "Edward said you guys were doing laundry? I don't understand how that's an emergency…"

"Ah, yes!" Aro exclaimed, his face making it all too clear that the pair had not been doing laundry, "We just finished and decided to check in with dear Bella. And it was an emergency, I'm afraid, the state of my sheets were perfectly dreadful."

Esme's face did something odd, but it was over before Bella could interpret it.

Aro, for his own part, looked as if he'd realized he'd said something awful and had no way of taking it back. Instead of saying anything else, he stared at the wall behind Bella in supplication, as if it might save him somehow. It didn't.

"I'm happy to help with the laundry from now on," Carlisle smiled.

"Oh, that's alright," Esme said with a smile, "I enjoy doing the laundry and you're so busy as it is. Really, it's fun!"

She looked oddly small, even as she said it.

… Sweet Jesus, Bella did not know the drama behind what was happening here but there clearly was some drama happening here.

Alright, maybe she could work this out. Carlisle and Esme clearly knew each other, and clearly were extremely close. However, Carlisle and Aro also clearly knew each other, and clearly were extremely close… As was Carlisle and Esme and Edward.

No, Bella was confused.

She just knew that not all was alright in mole people land.

"Bella, did you say you were hungry?" Esme asked, and it felt like she was drowning and had just asked Bella to throw her a lifeline.

"Uh," Bella said, just stopping herself from noting that Esme had missed the point of her metaphor, "Sure. Super hungry."

Esme smiled, or tried to.

Then she was gone.

Poof, just disappeared.

Aro closed his eyes in dread, but he didn't say anything.

"Will she find any pizza?" Carlisle asked quietly.

Aro just shook his head, eyes still closed.

Carlisle frowned.

Right.

"So, um, if that's all…" Bella said, and moved to close the door.

"No, no!" Carlisle said.

Bella stopped closing it, just on reflex.

"Damn it all," Aro said, seeming to surrender something. He looked up at the ceiling for guidance, "I'm happy that you and Marcus had-a lovely time together. However, sex is not without its perils. Sex with Marcus, especially, is not without its dangers."

"Dangers?" Bella repeated. Then, her eyes widened. "Oh my god. Are you saying…"

Aro closed his eyes again, and nodded.

"Marcus gave me an STD?" she hissed.

Jesus, did she have alien AIDS now?

Was Marcus' semen toxic or something?

"No," Aro said quickly, "No, at least-Carlisle, is that even possible? I mean- uh, probable, does- Is Marcus clear, that's my question."

Carlisle winced, and grabbed Aro's hand (for moral support?). "Nope," he said. "Marcus is in the clear, no spots."

"Oh, good," Aro said, looking like he had a lot more to say than that.

"Oh, cool," Bella said, making to close the door again.

"... but who knows," Carlisle added, ignoring the furious look Aro gave him. "I haven't examined him in… a year," he said, waving a hand in the air. "Who knows what he might have picked up since then. That Marcus, he's a rascal."

… That was such bullshit.

Bella stared at the pair, eyes narrowed. Well, on the one hand, he was clearly lying and doing a terrible job of it. On the other hand, Bella was gleefully gambling with her own health. On the other hand, if she had alien AIDs then she probably was going to die anyway and this examination would be a complete waste of her time.

"Please just agree to the examination," Carlisle said, and he actually held his palms together as he pleaded.

"No pizza?" Bella asked, eyes still narrowed in suspicion.

"No pizza," Aro assured her, elbowing Carlisle in the ribs when he didn't respond.

"There will be no-uh-pizza," Carlisle said in confusion, giving Aro a very annoyed look before looking back at Bella.

Alright, then.

Bella stepped out of the safety of her room.

"Also, we're going to be moving at a snail's pace," Bella explained as she started hobbling down the hallway, "Marcus is a tiger."

"Oh, god. Bella, I don't think you should be moving. May I?" Carlisle asked.

She barely had time to nod before he'd swooped her up, bridal style.

Well, this was very romantic of him for having proposed taking her on Aro's desk with Aro watching or-er-participating. Bella approved.

But Bella wasn't complaining about the free ride. Really, it was kind of fun, being carried around like that.

Acting as if she weighed nothing at all, Carlisle carried her down several hallways to where Aro's office apparently was. Aro opened the door to reveal what actually looked like any old office. Bookshelves, coffee table, nice desk covered in papers.

Within moments, Aro had cleared the desk, Carlisle still holding her.

Cleared it, as in, he dumped it rather unceremoniously on the floor.

Aro then skipped back to the door, "I'll be back with the ultrasound."

And with that, he was gone.

Bella gave Carlisle a horrified look. "Please tell me you guys aren't actually looking for hybrid babies?"

With an ultrasound no less, didn't they have their own equipment for that?

"What?" Carlisle asked. "No. No, no, no worries. Marcus is sterile, I assure you. No, the ultrasound is to check for internal damage."

Bella raised a brow. "You can do that?"

Carlisle looked a bit sheepish, and shifted his weight from one foot to another. "... I realize I may not look it and that I-ah-claimed to only be a student, but I am fully qualified to give you this examination."

Somehow, she could believe that.

Then he placed her on the desk, and Bella could only admire the man for making the seemingly romantic act of carrying a woman bridal style onto a surface as professional as he did.

A few minutes later, Bella's pyjama pants were neatly folded up on Aro's chair, and Carlisle had begun the examination. As in, he had his fingers far up in a place that had until recently been no man's land.

It was, if nothing else, a moment to reflect.

Within the course of twenty-four hours, Bella had gone from hopeless virgin to having her vagina fingered by the most beautiful man in the world after having sex with the other most beautiful man in the world.

This was, perhaps, the most awkward moment of her life.

It was also a moment that made her wonder how the hell her life had taken such a bizarre series of turns that she'd ended up here.

Go abroad for a year, that's normal enough. End up in an art course out of desperation, a little pathetic but not out of the ordinary. Get probed by aliens, not something she'd be writing home to Charlie about.

(Renee, probably, would have loved it if Bella were to fess up. She'd also gloat that she completely knew Bella's hot alien teacher would sleep with her if Bella had only asked.)

Carlisle frowned, and Bella squirmed as his fingers went even deeper. He stopped. "Am I hurting you?"

"N-no," she squeaked. "Nah, just…"

She couldn't bring herself to tell him this was the most awkward moment of her life.

"It's just cold," she said, and he grimaced, looking as if this was a common complaint that he really hated.

"My apologies," he said, "I-In my haste to see you I forgot about that part."

"Right," she said, and gave him an encouraging smile.

He smiled awkwardly back. "I am sorry we don't have a female doctor at hand," he said, and he meant it.

"Nah, it's cool," Bella said, "I mean, I'd be impressed if you guys did. Kind of impressed you have a doctor at all. Though I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised."

Carlisle opened his mouth to ask, but seemed to think better of it. "Well," he said, "the good news, Bella, is that I've detected no tears so far, nor signs of other injuries." He sounded amazed even as he said it. It seemed he'd fully expected there to be tears galore.

He withdrew his fingers, and covered them with his other hand, looking around for something to wash them with.

Of course, this was an office, so there was nothing. She could see his face fall, just a bit.

"Hooray?" Bella asked, wondering if she was supposed to have been concerned about that.

"I'm not making any promises," he added, "Just that, for now, I haven't noticed anything. We won't know for sure until Aro returns with the ultrasound."

Bella just nodded as she retrieved her pajama pants. She then clapped her hands, looking at him, wondering what she was supposed to say now. He didn't look like he knew quite what to say either.

"Excuse me for a moment," Carlisle said, still shielding his hand, and then disappeared out the door.

He returned too quickly after, his hands now sparkling clean, holding several towels.

"So," Bella said in the very awkward silence, "How's the, uh, Edward thing going?"

"Hm?" Carlisle asked, something plainly noncommittal about his tone.

"You know, Edward sent home by the director, family emergency," Bella said, quoting Carlisle from earlier, "Esme was very upset. That whole thing?"

"Ah, yes," Carlisle said slowly.

As he paused before speaking, Bella had the distinct feeling that he was choosing his words very carefully.

More specifically, that he was choosing a lie.

"It's going… well."

Alright, so maybe not much of a lie.

But that seemed to be all Carlisle was willing to say on the matter.

Right.

"You and Esme known each other long?" She then nearly cursed, realizing Carlisle had told her they only just met that morning, "I mean, ah, seems like you two really clicked. You have a lot in common?"

Carlisle smiled quickly, and nodded. "Yes. Yes, we… we have a lot in common. We both like… things."

Again noncommittal.

Oh shit.

They had nothing in common.

"Well, Marcus and I have nothing in common," Bella reassured him. Only to pause and reflect, "Well, I mean, I guess we're both socially maladjusted. So, there is that. Hm."

Carlisle turned to look at her. "I admit I have been curious about you two," he said.

Bella wasn't sure if she was surprised by that or not.

On the one hand, yes she had been chosen by the mole people. It went to reason they'd be invested in her and Marcus' relationship.

On the other–

There was just something to picturing the mole people gathered around a table, throwing ideas about Bella and Marcus across the room as they tried to figure out the quickest way to get them to have sex with each other until someone finally said "Screw it, we'll put them in the baths at the same time" that felt weird to Bella.

Still, seemed like it was easier for Carlisle to ask her about Marcus than it was for him to answer questions about anything else.

"Alright, shoot," Bella said, making guns with her fingers and pretending to fire them off.

"What's he like?" Carlisle asked.

"Very Marcusy," Bella said without missing a beat, "I mean, I know that's the worst description anyone's ever given about anything but-It's really hard to describe."

Carlisle said "Huh," to himself, and nodded slowly, chewing lightly on his inner cheek as he thought over her answer.

"I guess he's sort of a mix between the world's greatest poker player and a jellyfish," Bella continued, gesturing vaguely as if Marcus were standing in front of her, "On the one hand, you can't read a damn thing from him. Except, of course, when you do-but it's you just projecting whatever you think he's feeling onto his face. And you think something's going on in there but at the same time it's like he's reached such a point of enlightenment that he's not even on our material plane of existence anymore."

"Do you like him?" Carlisle asked.

Strange, there was true curiosity in his eyes. Burning curiosity, in fact.

She wondered how long Carlisle had been sitting on this.

"Yes," Bella answered, again without missing a beat. Then, blushing, "Not like that. Or, uh, I suppose… habitually like that. But, erm, we're, we're friends. Or professor and student," she was blushing harder. "People who watch movies together? Sounds small, but big mark of friendship right there."

Carlisle looked like he'd never heard anything more fascinating in his life.

"We are friends who have now had sex," Bella finally landed on.

Carlisle's eyebrows waggled lightly at her. "So I've heard. Are you taking questions on that subject?"

"Sure," Bella said, she was an enlightened, modern, woman after all who could discuss her sexual relations with aliens.

Carlisle clapped his hands together in delight, and moved to sit on the couch. He gestured towards the chair opposite him.

Bella hobbled her way over to the couch and sat down in it with a big 'oof' of relief. She really hoped somebody would carry her back to her room when this was over.

Carlisle flinched on her behalf. "You okay?" he asked.

"Hanging in there," Bella responded, "Reaping the rewards of my virginity."

Carlisle smiled lightly. "You sure you're up for gossip hour?"

Bella nodded fiercely. "Bring it."

"Why?" Carlisle blurted.

"Because I have never in my life had a chance to gossip about my love life," Bella said, "Closest I got was Jessica Stanley, high school, but she just gossipped about her own love life then nearly murdered me when Mike Newton asked me to the dance instead of her. It got ugly."

"No– no, I meant, um," Carlisle closed his eyes in embarrassment. "Actually, a part of me wants to hear about Jessica Stanley nearly murdering you, that sounds like delightfully petty drama. If you don't mind, of course."

Bella was grinning now. "Sure don't!"

Carlisle beamed back at her.

She felt the early bubbles of excitement in her stomach as she realized that her and Carlisle were… if not friends quite yet, then surely on their way towards becoming just that.

"So, here's the thing, my parents had this truly nasty divorce when I was young and were from the smallest town on the planet. Everybody knows everybody, five generations back, all the kids are in the same high school. My mom leaves, takes me with her, and everybody hears about it. Then, years later, I come back because-it's a long story but my mom married this guy named Phil, nice guy and all, he's fine, but I was a bit of a third wheel so I went to live with my dad in the middle of the year. I'm talking January, just up and move to Forks."

Carlisle nodded, riveted. "I have a few questions, but I'll ask them later."

Bella nodded appreciatively. If he started asking questions now, they'd never get anywhere. "Right, so I'm back in Forks, and everyone knows exactly who I am. I am the daughter of the police chief's flighty runaway bride. I show up in school, the entire goddamn place knows my name, and for the first time in my life I am popular. I'm from exotic Phoenix, where this mystical thing called 'the sun' exists. It's amazing, these people have never heard of that before."

Carlisle laughed. "Yes, you were exotic indeed."

Feeling emboldened, Bella continued. "Right, so, right away I get a seat at a lunch table. That never happens, I'm the girl who ate lunch on the go in the hallway. And sitting there's your average collection of highschoolers: Mike Newton, Jessica Stanley, Lauren Mallory, Eric Yorkie, Angela Webber, and Ben Cheney. Look at me, I remember all their surnames,"

"Impressive," Carlisle said.

"So, right away, we've got a few problems. See, I'm new and shiny, but I'm a little too new and shiny. Lauren's sitting there giving me a 'what the fuck' kind of glare, because I'm getting a lot of attention from the guys. That I didn't ask for, by the way. Jessica's doing a little better but she seems to be more than a little upset that Mike, specifically, is asking me if I was a cheerleader in Phoenix. Because all people from Phoenix are blonde cheerleaders."

"Bella, can I just say, this is exactly the sort of petty small town teen drama I was hoping for. And you've given me very high expectations for what's to come."

Forget about awkward medical exams, between becoming a woman and now having someone as beautiful and cool as Carlisle riveted by her storytelling, this day was one win after another where Bella's ego was concerned.

"Well, now you're giving me just a bit of performance anxiety," Bella laughed.

Carlisle laughed in return. "Please, don't let me pressure you. God knows I have enough anecdotes that have awfully anticlimactic endings" he said. With a grin, he added, "That's half the trick, really, sometimes. You gather people around, you build up to a really gripping story, drag it out as much as possible, and then you serve them this really lackluster ending, the most anticlimactic possible. Don't just drop the ball, you puncture it and drop it on the audience's metaphorical foot. People get so upset, it's just as funny every time. Ah, funny for me, that is." He chuckled to himself.

Yes, Bella definitely liked this man.

"Well, this one did end with me being nearly hit by a car and asked to prom by the truck driver," Bella said, "But I think I'd like to hear one of yours."

"One of mine?"

"Sure," Bella said, motioning to him, "Quid pro quo. I tell you about my dumpster fires then you have to tell me about yours."

"Hm," Carlisle said, "Alright. Give me a second, though, I'll have to see what I come up with," he said, eyes focused as he squinted at the wall.

"How about whatever's going on with you, Aro, and Esme?"

He looked confused, "Nothing's going on with us."

Bella raised her eyebrows at him. "Then what was the laundry talk about? And the pizza?"

"Ah, that is-" he seemed to realize something, "Esme and I have-um-started dating. Aro and I are just good friends though."

"Right," Bella said slowly. She'd gathered that much herself.

But he seemed sincere.

Well, alright then, who was she to dissect relationships among aliens. Or their laundry, for that matter.

"Back to Marcus," Carlisle said hurriedly, "You distracted me with Jessica."

"Yes, right," Bella said.

But like the bell, Aro came in just then.

"I've got the ultrasound," he chirped, and held up one box that looked entirely too big for one man, certainly a man as thin as Aro, to be carrying. "And contrast fluid! With IVs!" he added triumphantly.

"Where did you even get all of this?" Carlisle asked in horror. It looked like he had a strong suspicion of just where Aro had gotten all of this.

"Never ask a magician his tricks," Aro said cheerfully. "T'inquiètes, personne n'a été blessé."

… He hadn't blessed people? Bella wasn't even going to guess that one. Or picture Aro dressed up like a priest while he ran off with the Holy Ultrasound of Antioch.

Carlisle just gave Aro a wry look. "You're incorrigible," he said, but his tone was decidedly fond as he relieved Aro of the equipment.

When he opened it and saw what was inside, his jaw fell. "A vaginal ultrasound? Aro, that is… actually what I needed."

"Yes, you're welcome," Aro said, looking incredibly pleased with himself.

Bella, meanwhile, blanched. "Uh…" she asked.

Carlisle gave her an apologetic look. "Bella, would you mind another vaginal examination?"

Bella resolved right then and there that she would have to befriend that man. If mole people were going to be poking around her vagina, then she would be damn sure they had a good relationship first.

"Alright," she said, "Alright fine, let's do this. Again. However," she raised a finger, "we do this while I tell you about Jessica."

"Who's Jessica?" Aro asked.

"Jessica Stanley, her classmate in high school. Boy trouble with Jessica led to Bella nearly getting hit by a car, and dying. And then the driver asked her to prom."

Aro lit up. "Ah, delightful," he said, "Well, not the car bit, of course. But, please, fill me in."

For a moment, Bella almost froze.

Filling Aro in would mean Aro stayed for the examination.

But Bella had become a woman now, and Bella was an artiste, unfazed by nudity.

If she could undress around Marcus and Carlisle, then she could do the same around Aro.

So she nodded, stripped, laid down on the table, and began talking. "Right, so you missed the first part, which is that I move to a small town and am cooler than cold. I'm ice cold. Then, a few weeks later, there's this dance that comes up. Only trouble is I can't dance. The other trouble is that I get asked, multiple times, and one of those times is by Mike Newton-"

Bella rambled on about Tyler's truck, her emergency trip to the ER, how Tyler had also asked her to the dance, and the slow deterioration of her friendship with Jessica.

All the while, Carlisle put an IV in the arm (and Aro looked abruptly to the ceiling. Squeamish around blood?). Then he plugged in the ultrasound, booted it up, and lathered it with lube, and soon there was an ultrasound in Bella's vagina.

"-And then Jacob says 'it's me, not you', can you believe that? We weren't even dating! And he drops me that line, while standing shirtless with his bros."

"No," Aro said in appropriate shock, "That cad."

"Yeah, that cad," Bella agreed, "Only other time he ever spoke to me was at my graduation party. It's still a sore point between Charlie and Billy."

She looked to Carlisle to see how he was reacting to the story, but his eyes were fixed stiffly on the screen.

Aro's smile stiffened as well as he caught the look on Carlisle's face.

Not saying a word, Carlisle moved towards the fluid Aro had brought with him, his movements slightly too quick. Within moments he'd injected it into Bella's IV.

"Carlisle," Aro said quietly, "What is it?"

On the screen, the shades of gray turned red.

"It's to see more clearly," Aro said quickly to Bella. "Blood flow, in particular - I thought it might help to rule out any internal bleeding– Carlisle, what is it?"

Slowly, ever so slowly, Carlisle reached out to touch Aro's hand.

Aro blinked.

"Well, that can't be right," he said.