Carlisle stood in the living room, his arm resting on the mantle, staring into the burning wood in the fireplace. As Esme walked up behind him it was obvious he was lost in deep thought.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his back, just holding him until he was ready to speak.
Carlisle soaked in the comfort Esme offered, laying his free hand against her clasped hands. Ensuring she would stay with him.
Finally, he broke the silence, "Are we doing this right, Esme?"
"What do you mean Love?"
"Bringing Alice and Jasper in. Is it too much to expect Bella to handle now?"
Esme gave his question some thought before speaking, "I don't think there is a right or wrong way to handle this Carlisle." Her brow furrowed as she continued, "This upcoming conversation was never going to be an easy one for Bella; we've known that. At least Jasper's presence should ease her through whatever is discovered."
Studying him, Esme spoke her assessment, "You're agitated."
"Call it apprehensive." He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "We've known something was off since Bella first turned up. We live our lives in the human world through very necessary lies. To protect us, and the innocent humans around us. Yet, there has never been lies or half-truths between us. Other than practical jokes, no one in this family intentionally misleads another. Just as our homes are where we are safe to be true selves; our family is where we have always had the safety of truth. Even when it was just Edward and I."
Esme nodded her head in agreement. She chose not to reply, knowing Carlisle had more to say.
"Besides the obvious; something feels very wrong about the promise Edward requested from Alice. I never spoke aloud, so Alice perhaps didn't know; yet Edward did. There is no way he missed my thoughts on Alice's visions continuing to provide a safety net for Bella. He and I had a conversation regarding it. He went behind my back Esme. Even when he left us to live a life against my teaching, he had the respect to be honest with me about it."
Clasping her tighter to him, he said, "I'm afraid Esme. Very afraid of what we will learn from Bella. Scared to death that I can no longer trust my son." Sighing, he said, "Even stating such a possibility out loud sounds so intrinsically wrong. Yet we are missing a significant piece of information. Isabella went through so much with us when we were in Forks. Her faith in us was only solidified. Alice's promise is a huge piece of the puzzle. Yet something more transpired. Bella knows Alice is fallible. She would have considered the possibility that Alice just didn't see the attacks. Something else occurred to persuade her otherwise. To convince her she couldn't trust in us."
"I'm terrified that answer lies with Edward."
Esme thought about that but disagreed, "He loves her so very deeply Carlisle, he's incapable of hurting her."
"I am not suggesting he would have attacked her. But think about it Esme. He loves her enough to have left her behind; knowing that action would hurt them both. He was convinced it was the right thing to do…"
"You think he took it farther than just telling her why we were leaving." Esme realized.
"Yes…after all, why bother extracting the promise from Alice first? He had so little precious time left to hold Isabella. Why not after? If he was convinced it was the best thing for Bella, the right thing for Bella…I fear what he may have done."
Carlisle twisted in her arms, folding his around her waist so that they now held each other face to face. He searched her eyes, then reached up to caress the deep purple beneath, "You need to hunt." It was a statement, not a question.
She nodded her head, "They'll be here soon. I'll have Jasper take me. Bella needs you to watch over her."
"She did well."
Esme gave him a gentle smile, "Of course she did, she had you for her surgeon." More serious she asked, "When will she awaken?"
"The sedative has already worn off, she's simply sleeping now. I expect she'll slumber a few more hours yet."
Wrapping her palm around his cheek, she asked, "I'd like to sit with her until Alice & Jasper arrive. Will you be alright my love?"
Twisting his head to kiss her palm, he said, "Of course. I'll be up in a bit myself to check on her."
Catching her hand in his as she pulled away, he sought to reassure them both, "Whatever this is Esme, we'll get through it. All of us."
Carlisle pushed away from his desk and walked through the hall. It was time for him to check on Bella. He had just finished setting up the portable diagnostic equipment borrowed from the hospital on their trip. It would be useful in preventing a return visit. Several hand surgeries still lay ahead for Bella. Having an in-house xray and ultrasound machine would go a long way in making life easier for her. He had moved all of the equipment from the dining room to his office. Her ribs no longer an issue, and the future hand surgeries being less invasive adjustments, his office would be a suitable site.
Entering her room, Carlisle paused by Esme and placed a gentle kiss in her hair.
"How is she doing, love?" he asked.
"She seems to be resting surprisingly peacefully," came the answer.
He checked on the nearly empty bag of saline fluid Bella was still receiving. Happy with the amount she'd already taken, and knowing she would soon be awakening and consuming a meal, he went ahead and disconnected the iv, leaving the port in her skin for convenience.
"I suspect it's a combination of the pain medication and her bodies need for rest, that has her so deeply asleep."
It wasn't much later that they heard the sound of tires turning into the driveway. Alice and Jasper had arrived.
An unusually subdued Alice stood in the doorway to the Bella's bedroom with Jasper behind her. He had stopped holding his breath after Carlisle's assurance that Bella was not bleeding, but kept his arms wrapped safely around Alice. He didn't trust himself to set foot in the room.
"How is she?"
Carlisle and Esme had already filled the two in on Bella's arrival and physical condition. So Esme knew that was not what Alice was asking, "She's healing Alice. I think Carlisle and I finally made some headway in reestablishing trust between the three of us. That said, you should prepare yourself for a colder reception from her than you are expecting."
Alice nodded and looked at her toes, "I deserve that." Looking up, she turned pleading eyes on her parents, "I swear I had no idea, I never watched a single one of the visions."
Carlisle walked up to her and squeezed her shoulder, "We know that Alice. Nothing would have stopped you from going to her the moment you saw, we know that. It is Bella who needs to learn to trust that again."
"Now, I suspect she'll be rousing soon, why don't you go help Esme prepare her a meal? I think it's best that she's told of your arrival prior to seeing you."
Turning to Jasper, he said, "I'd like for you to take Esme hunting soon; perhaps tonight? Bella still needs me here."
"Of course," he turned to Esme, "We can leave whenever you wish Esme."
Jasper then lead the way to the kitchen; eager to put distance between himself and the sweet smelling human.
Carlisle continued to sit with Bella until she awakened on her own.
As Bella stirred, awareness came to her slowly. She was so very groggy she considered just going back to sleep, yet her stomach told her it had been a long while since she had eaten. As she tried to get her bearings, she attempted to roll over, only to gasp in pain.
The physical suffering cleared her head. Between it and Carlisle's "careful sweetheart" she suddenly remembered where she was and why it had been so long since her last meal. The surgeries must be complete then.
Opening her eyes, she examined her right hand. It was enchased in a fancy, custom cast that was clearly the work of Carlisle. She could see pins connected by metal rods sticking above the restraint. The site began to make her a little queasy, so she turned to Carlisle instead.
He stood ready to help her into whichever position she desired, "Sorry Carlisle, I was so groggy I forgot about the whole not-moving thing."
Carlisle ran the back of his hand against her cheek in a soothing gesture as he spoke. "That's alright Bella, while your body still needs rest, I was successful in removing the splinters. There no longer remains any threat to your lungs."
"I believe Esme is fixing you a late lunch, would you like to sit up?"
"Please, that sounds better than going back to sleep right now."
Carlisle assisted Bella with exactly that, then took a seat on the edge of her bed taking her left hand into his. "I feel I must inform you Bella, Alice and Jasper arrived while you were sleeping. They are currently downstairs assisting Esme."
Bella focused on Carlisle's supportive hand in hers and tried to hide her grimace at this news. She knew she didn't fully succeed, yet Carlisle was gentleman enough not to mention it. Nodding her head to indicate she understood, she reminded herself this was the plan. Besides, more numbers meant greater safety for those protecting her from Victoria.
"Alice would like to come say hello, are you ready for that Bella?" Carlisle thought the answer was a resounding no, but stuck to the plan of letting Bella make decisions that affected her.
Grimacing fully this time, aloud Bella responded, "Perhaps later? I'm still pretty out of it right now."
Carlisle actually found Bella's response rather encouraging – she was finally feeling comfortable enough to display her true feelings on the matter to him, even if it was only a facial expression.
"That sounds reasonable to me," Esme said as she walked in with a tray ladened with food.
Bella's stomach actually grumbled at the delicious smell of meatloaf. She blushed and Carlisle laughed, "Dig in Bella."
As quickly as she could with the wrong hand, she did exactly that.
A now exhausted Bella placed her napkin on the tray and turned to Esme, "Thank you. That was tasty." Blushing she asked, "Would you help me to the rest room, please?"
"Of course Sweetheart," Esme said as removed the tray and handed it to Carlisle. She then assisted Bella as requested.
When Bella was resettled into bed, she was asleep almost instantly. Esme watched her foor some time before joining the others in the living room.
Alice was the first to speak, "She seems so hesistant."
Carlisle actually grinned a little at this observation. "She's already come a long way Alice. You should have seen her when she first arrived." His grin turned upside down, "She had zero trust in us, would not have spoken her true thoughts nor dared ask for Esme's assistance as she did just now."
"I am so sorry, Carlisle. I thought I was doing the right thing, abiding by Edward's wishes. Clearly I was wrong," Alice professed.
Carlisle shook his head to reject Alice's apology, "While I am pleased you understand that, it is not I whom your regrets needs to be spoken to Alice."
Jasper looked up in the direction Bella's room lay. "What little I've read of her so far speaks volumes. There is a decided lack of confidence, a strong need to rely on herself, and an utter feeling of heartbreak and betrayal when she considered greeting you Alice. There is no doubt; the girl upstairs is not in the same emotional place as when we last saw her."
Carlisle shifted in his seat and sighed, "I fear that will only turn out to go far deeper than you've found, Jasper."
Jasper cocked his head in question, but Carlisle shook his denying Jasper the information he sought.
"One aspect I know, but will not be sharing with either of you until I have first shared it with Bella. The other…well, I am beginning to develop a working theory and I dread the approaching conversation will see Bella confirming it beyond what I can imagine."
Sickened at the thought of what he was coming to believe Edward must have done, he walked to the window and stared out at the surrounding landscape.
"Why don't you and Esme take that hunt now? When Bella awakens it will be time to talk." Carlisle needed some time to reflect.
Jasper nodded, stood up, and ever the gentleman, held his arm out to assist Esme up. Then the two were gone.
Charlie pushed his half eaten plate away and sighed. Sue's cooking was delicious, but these days his stomach was half rock filled over worry for Bella. He wrapped his plate up and stuck it in Emily's fridge knowing one of those boys – make that wolves – would finish it later. Did they ever stop eating?!
He shook his head at his thoughts. It hadn't even been twenty four hours since seeing Seth transform, and already he was getting used to this new reality. When he had first learned how deeply Bella was involved with all of this, he assumed she'd gotten her ability to be ok with the weirdness from Renee. With how quickly he was adapting, perhaps it came from him instead. Now that was a scary thought!
Nope, Charlie shook his head and promptly labeled the idea false – he wanted to know only what he needed to keep Bella safe and not one iota more. Yep – good ole comfortable, un-supernatural reality. That was Charlie's speed. Or so he told himself.
He stuck his glass and silverware in the sink then headed back to the master bedroom. Passing the couch, he paused and fluffed up the pillow before readying a blanket.
Sure enough, when he entered the bedroom – sickroom these days – Emily was asleep in her chair with her head crooked on her shoulder.
Sharing a glance with Billy, he whispered, "Girl is working herself to death." Then he walked right up to her, bent at the knees and gently lifted her up. Poor Emily was so exhausted, she slept right on.
Grunting quietly with the effort of carrying a grown woman, he took her to the couch, laid her down and covered her with the blanket.
When he returned to the room, Billy was grinning at him, "Your getting too old for that Charlie."
Pressing his hands into his lower back and flexing until he heard a crack, he said, "Don't I know it."
Sitting down where Emily had been a moment ago, he looked at the dry cloth lying next to Sam and felt the temperature of the water in the bowl. Sure enough it was cold – Emily must have just filled it. Billy shook his head and explained, "she was so tired, her body shut down the moment her tush hit the seat."
Rubbing his eyes, Charlie said, "I can relate." Then he picked up the cloth and began to cool down the overheated wolf lying as still as death.
A moment later, Charlie thought he was going to have a heart attack when Sam suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist.
Charlie's eyes snapped to Sam's face. Sure enough, his eyes were just barely cracked, but they were open. "Billy! Sam's conscious!"
Sam tried to work his mouth and wound up coughing. Grabbing the glass at the bedside table, Charlie slid his hand behind Sam's head to lift him up. He was careful to give Sam just enough water to wet his lips.
"Th..th..thank you for Em..em…." Sam started coughing again, so Charlie helped him to roll onto his side. After a few moments, Sam's hacking cough stopped and he was able to take another sip of water.
He tried to speak again, but Charlie held up his hand to stop him, "Save your energy Sam, I understood." Sam weakly nodded his head and collapsed back against his pillow. Charlie squeezed his hand and said, "Get strong Sam. I'll watch over Emily as long as you need. My little girl needs you watching over her."
That made Sam snap his eyes open again. Charlie reassured him, "Just rest up Sam, explanations will hold."
But something occurred to Sam with the mention of Bella, and he tried to say, "How…am…I?"
This time it was Billy who understood what he was asking.
"Alive? Is that it, Sam?"
Sam turned his head toward Billy ever so slightly and gave the weakest of nods to confirm.
Billy answered him, "Bella. She knew how to save you both."
"Jake..?"
Billy's look clouded over a little. "Alive. His wound was closer to his heart." He shook his head sadly, "We just have no way of knowing. But you waking up brings hope Jacob will too."
Sam gave a weak nod again and let his eyes slip closed. Within moments he was out. This time a gentle snore rose from his chest.