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Chapter 17

Carys woke slowly on Saturday night, wincing as she stretched and muscles she'd not used for quite some time protested her movements, despite the hot bath she'd fallen asleep in earlier.

"You have my full attention, Alice, I promise."

Carlisle's voice came from somewhere above her as the questing hand that woke her was replaced by his body, and she shifted beneath him to better accommodate his weight. That too was removed a second later.

"Alright, fine, you now have my full attention."

Carys giggled sleepily as she rolled to her side and slid an arm around Carlisle's waist, though she frowned when she finally registered that he was fully clothed, sat up, pushed her hair away from her face, and tried to open her eyes for more than a second or two.

He was on the phone.

She grumbled to herself as she laid her head on his chest. She shivered as his cold hand stroked her back, and the duvet was immediately wrapped around her body, earning Carlisle a languid smile for his thoughtfulness.

"It is hardly my fault that- no, she's- Alice... Fine," he sighed, gently rousing Carys as she began to snooze. "Darling?" He pressed an affectionate kiss to Carys' eyelid as she tipped her face up and refused to open her eyes again. "Darling, Alice wants us to stay at the house tonight."

It took a couple of attempts, but Carys finally managed to mumble a vague and incoherent response that made him quake with laughter, and she squinted up at him and tapped his chest.

"Edward's bringing Isabella to visit in the morning, and- Darling, can you hear me, or are you falling back asleep?"

Carys emitted a high pitched groan as she smiled drowsily, and her pillow earned himself a few pokes for moving again. "Mmm's'Alice. Isssabella."

Carlisle's laughter overtook him completely then, and Carys finally began to come to just enough that she heard a tinkling cackle coming from his phone.

She rubbed her nose and sleep-softened cheek and pulled herself up to rest her face against his shoulder.

"Mm'wake," she murmured sluggishly.

"Are you?" Carlisle asked, still laughing as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and tucked the duvet more securely around her.

"Mhmm," she affirmed, yawning as she pushed the duvet to her waist. It was immediately tugged back over her shoulders, trapping her arms inside. Despite more than one attempt, her limbs were too weak from sleep to pull it down again. "Wha-mmm... Wha'time is it?"

"It's eleven," Carlisle informed her, his arms on the other side of the duvet. "Would you like to meet Isabella tomorrow?"

"Bella?"

"Yes... She's coming to the house..."

"Whose 'ouse?"

Emmett's amused voice was so loud it made Carys wince even though Carlisle's phone was nowhere near her ear. "WHY'S SHE SO TIIIRED, CARLISLE!?" He sang. "WHAT'VE YOU TWO BEEN DOOOOING? THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T EXHAUST HUMANS!"

She giggled sleepily again, and murmured, "You do if it's for mind-blow-"

"Carys, they can hear you," Carlisle warned, whispering against her ear with a smugness that she thought he'd thoroughly earned the previous night... And morning... And a couple of times throughout the day for good measure.

She was too tired to fully realise what he meant by 'they', but she nodded all the same and rubbed her eye, blinking up at him.

"You're so adorable... Isabella's coming to my house."

"'S'Edward coming too?"

Carlisle's laughter blended in with the peals coming from his phone as he nodded and placed a kiss to her warm cheek.

"Yes my love, Edward will be there too."

"Are you going?" She whispered softly, closing her eyes again as she snuggled into his side and yawned, her hand meandering its way down his chest.

"I will be there to receive Edward's guest, yes," he murmured, reaching around the covers to bundle her up completely and place her gently across his lap, hugging her to his chest.

"Now?"

"Tomorrow."

"Alice?" She murmured with a frown as she pressed a soft kiss to his neck in thanks for his patience.

"Would like us to stay the night here, so that I can help prepare."

"Okay..." She whispered, kicking her legs a little against the covers to free them. "Can I sleep some more?"

Carlisle chuckled. "Of course you can, darling."

Carys grumbled. "You said that last time...," she reminded him.

He let out a strangled sound and pressed the back of his wrist to his mouth.

"Alright..." He whispered a few seconds later, shaking his head as he raised the phone to his ear again. "Is there any chance you didn't hear- ... Okay, well I... Yes,- Carys?" He asked, shifting his shoulder so that he could look down at her. "I'm going to take you to the house - is that okay?"

Carys struggled to think for a moment as the fog of sleep continued to descend, her head dropping back against her shoulders. "Do... I have to wake up?"

"No," he assured her, trailing his fingertips down her throat. "I can get you there-" he let out a deep breath through his nose and pressed his lips together when she opened her eyes just enough to wink at him. "-I can get you to the house," he clarified slowly, "and you can just sleep until morning."

"Mmhmm."

"Yes?"

Carys nodded, her chin dropping to her chest as she fell asleep again.


The next time Carys woke, she was wearing pyjamas, light was streaming through the windows of Carlisle's bedroom, and she was happy to find that her muscles only twinged a little as she stretched.

"You're awake!" Alice announced as soon as she sat up, bouncing into the room with all the confidence of someone who knew they were always welcome - or, at least, how difficult it was for anyone to hold on to annoyance in their presence.

"I am indeed... Morning Alice," Carys greeted her, more grateful that she was dressed than she had been moments before as her eyes adjusted to the light and she slid to the edge of the bed, noting Carlisle's absence.

She wondered where he was, what time it was - the gloomy day making it harder to discern as she stumbled into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.

"Bella's lovely! You're going to love her - not as much as me, but it'll be close!" Alice announced when Carys reappeared a few minutes later, handing her a small pile of clothes.

Carys didn't recognise them. "When does she get here?" She asked, examining the striped top. When she saw the label, she raised her eyebrows. "These aren't mine by the way."

Alice grinned and swung her arms from side to side. "They are now! There's a storm coming later and Emmett wants to play, so I'm rounding everyone up for baseball - did Carlisle tell you?"

"About the game?" Carys asked, still confused about the clothes. She wasn't going to be expected to play, was she? She certainly hoped not... She still didn't have an answer to her question over whether it was just rounders for one - and she'd heard how hard they threw and hit for another. She also couldn't be sure she could run very far, but that was by the by. "Or about the way the thunder masks how hard you hit the balls?"

"The thunder," Alice trilled, hopping onto the footboard of the bed, legs swinging. "And to answer your other question, she got here an hour or so ago -"

"She what!?" Carys asked, racing across the room to Carlisle's walk-in wardrobe, trying to ignore the pain as her thighs twinged, as she grabbed a dress from the rack he'd cleared for her. "Why didn't anyone wake me?" She complained, slamming the door behind her as she wrestled Carlisle's pyjamas from her body, cursing his good name for owning clothes with so many buttons.

"You seemed so peaceful-" Alice called from the other side of the door.

"Peaceful!?" Carys called back, horrified, as she finally got herself free and grabbed some underwear from the drawer. "Peaceful is for humans who don't have visitors! And don't give me oh, but this isn't your house-" she mimicked, popping her head around the door as she forced her arms into her dress, "-if you're in a house, and another person comes to that house, you're supposed to at least say hello!"

Alice laughed as Carys closed the door again. "You're only saying that because you're English," she argued happily.

Carys finished pulling on her tights, twisted her hair into a low bun, and checked her face in the mirror again before she wrenched open the door and hopped out, tugging one of the legs of her tights straight. "So I'm to assume you didn't go down and greet her then?"

Alice's shoulders lifted as she smiled a little guiltily for a moment - then hopped off the bed and skipped across to where Carys was attempting to swipe mascara onto her eyelashes and blusher onto her cheeks at the same time.

"I can't sleep," she reminded her, nodding as Carys closed her eyes and bent down so that she could check for any mistakes. "All good!"

"Where's Carlisle?" Carys asked, thinking better of eyeliner as she strode hastily across the room.

"Oh, he headed out a little while ago."

Carys stopped as she reached the door and turned around slowly, her stomach dropping. "Carlisle's headed... What?"

"The hospital called," Alice explained as if she hadn't just shocked Carys to the core, "Dr Snow needed cover - what's wrong?" She asked, finally noticing Carys' wide eyes.

"What's wrong?" She whined quietly, knocking the back of her head lightly against the door as her expression crumbled. "What's wrong? Well... You know what Alice? A lot. A lot is wrong with this picture." She waved an arm. "First, she's going to think I'm rude for not being there when she arrived- yes, she is, Alice- then she's been here for ages before I come out, looking like-" she gestured around her face and body, "-this - and then, and worst of all, how am I supposed to meet her when Carlisle's not even here? If I come out now, having just woken up, it's gonna be weird," she gesticulated wildly, "and she's gonna be like oh, who's this weird, random human?"

Alice bit her lip, eyes dancing. "Bella's not going to think any of that, I promise you."

"Oh yeah?" Carys grumbled, staring down her. "Can you suddenly read minds?"

Alice snorted and rolled her eyes on a grin. "No, and that wouldn't work with Bella either, but I can-"

"See the future!" Carys called, looking up excitedly as she grabbed Alice's arms. "Tell me, oh wise and great oracle who we all love, even though you leave humans sleeping too long and don't know how to knock - what does my future hold?"

Alice wrapped her arms around Carys' waist and hugged her as she laughed.

"Well," Alice announced gravely, pulling away to stare deeply into Carys' eyes. "I can tell you... When it comes to meeting Bella Swan... I have no idea," she finished quickly, laughing again.

Carys rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, somehow feeling a little better for Alice's laughter at least. "Why do we keep you around again?" She asked sarcastically.

Alice's answering grin was effervescent as she hopped on to her tiptoes. "I'm sweet, happy, fashionable, usually helpful, and I brought Jasper with me."

"Ah." Carys nodded as she tapped her nose. "Jasper - I knew there was something..."

Alice's grin only seemed to grow - if that were possible - as she latched onto Carys' arm and tugged her towards the door. "I can also introduce you to Bella - she's our next stop."

"Our?" Carys asked as she reluctantly followed, caught in her whirlwind.

"Mine and Jasper's - I tried to get him to come in, but he's still a bit old fashioned when it comes to bedrooms and disturbing people."

"Old fashioned," Carys echoed as they left the room and she made meaningful eye contact with Jasper, appreciating the feeling of calm he sent her way. "Or just polite?"

"Old fashioned!" Alice called, dancing down the hall as she waved them on excitedly. "Come! Come!"

Carys turned to Jasper with a smirk. "So... Eternity, then?"

He nodded slowly for a few moments as they grinned affectionately after his soulmate.

"Lucky man."

"I know," he agreed easily, falling in beside her as they made their way far more sedately towards Edward's room. "You'll be fine, M-Carys."

"M-Carys? We're getting closer at least," she said thoughtfully, looking down as she checked her dress and adjusted the tie at the waist. "How do you figure that? I'm pretty sure crash and burn would be a better description of what's about to happen."

Jasper waited until she met his eye, and sent her a lopsided smile as another wave of calm washed over her. "You forget, I'm not just a pretty face."

Carys blushed and drew to a halt, remembering her comment the first time she'd met him. "You... Heard that, then?"

"Everyone heard that." His smile deepened as he clasped his hands behind his back and he turned to face her. "I wanted to assure you - after wha' Emmett said th'other day-" He broke off when Carys gasped and shook her head, laying a hand on his arm.

She had a feeling his accent came out more when he was unsure of himself.

"I know he was joking about you eating me - I'm not worried about that - well... No more than I am with the others..." Carys grimaced lightly as she trailed off and let her hand fall back to her side.

He seemed relieved as he nodded once. "Thank you, Carys. I jus' wan'ed you t'know you have nothin' to worry about, is all. "

"No hugs though?" She added with a smile as Alice darted back down the hall towards them.

"What are you doing? Come on!" Alice complained lightly, tugging on Jasper's arm.

He didn't budge but smiled down at her before he turned back to Carys. "Not just yet, but... Well, you don't smell quite as delicious as some people so it's not so bad."

She still didn't know how she felt about her smell being discussed so easily, but she didn't comment on it as she allowed herself to be pulled along by Alice again, who seemed to have realised she was the easier target.

Alice drew them to a halt just before they reached the open doorway, and asked permission to enter.

"So you do know how to enter a room?" Carys murmured, earning herself an eye-roll from the tiny vampire by her side.

When Edward called "Go ahead," Alice danced into the room, sinking down to sit cross-legged on the floor.

Carys stepped into the room a lot less easily, leaning against the wall as Jasper stopped in the doorway beside her.

Bella, the beautiful brown-haired, brown-eyed teenager she now saw her to be, was sitting on Edward's lap, blushing and appearing far more surprised to see her than she'd expected.

Awkward wasn't quite a strong enough word for what Carys felt in that moment.

Alice called their attention as she stared at her brother and cocked her head, announcing, "It sounded like you were having Bella for lunch, and we came to see if you would share."

Carys shook her head and rolled her eyes as some of the tension seemed to break in the room - though she felt sorry for Bella when the comment seemed to scare her for a moment. Maybe she wasn't as confident about vampires as Carlisle thought she was?

"Sorry, I don't believe I have enough to spare," Edward replied, seemingly easing Bella's mind as he pulled her closer to his chest and grinned.

"You guys are the worst," Carys complained, smoothing her hands over the front of her dress as her anxiousness fought against Jasper's calm. "You're not supposed to scare your human guests."

"I'm not scared," Bella retorted quickly, shaking her head as she looked at them all.

Carys forced herself not to let her disbelieving smile show as she nodded - she didn't want her to think she was laughing at her rather than being momentarily relieved she wasn't the only one to have that sort of reaction to vampires.

"Hi, I'm Carys," she greeted, smiling nervously as she waved when Bella continued to stare at her blankly. "Carys Vale."

Bella turned her head to look at Edward for a moment, obviously confused, before she looked at Carys again. "Charlie's friend?"

Carys glanced over her shoulder at Jasper, who appeared as non-plussed as she was, and seemingly a little shocked - though she put the second emotion down to the time he grew up and Bella's position on Edward's lap, rather than Bella's reaction to her.

"Yeah," she confirmed as she tilted her head and tried to hold on to her smile. "And... Carlisle's..." She grimaced as she realised they'd not really confirmed what they were, and boyfriend didn't really seem right. She tried to keep thoughts of the previous day and a half from her mind as she looked at Edward. "Erm... Did Edward not... Mention...?"

Edward frowned. "I'm sure I have - I told you about Carlisle's girlfriend only last week."

Ahh, that's nice, Carys thought affectionately, pleased at Edward's bringing her up at all, studiously avoiding his eye when he looked at her in interest.

"Um, you're not..." Bella glanced at Edward again as Carys raised her eyebrows, wondering if she was about to say something about her skin colour, before she continued. "I just didn't realise Edward meant you - that you're a human like me. I guess I thought Esme was more like..."

Carys glared at the vampires around her as they laughed, trying not to dwell on the fact Bella had potentially thought Esme was with Carlisle. It would make far more sense than the two of them, she admitted bitterly to herself, but he was hers.

"I mean... No offence to you guys," she began, darting the three vampires embarrassed, apologetic looks, "but yes, thankfully very much still a human. And Carlisle and I are together," she added, settling on the word.

"Why did you think she'd be a vampire?" Edward asked Bella seriously, cocking his head to the side as if he hoped he might be able to read her mind after all. "Tell me," he demanded when she didn't immediately answer.

When Carys bristled, raised her eyebrows, and fixed him with a stare that best conveyed the judgement she sent him in her mind, he swallowed.

"I meant to say, tell me?" He glanced at her again when she thought not quite good enough, and added, "Please?"

Carys nodded lightly and thought much better, Edward, returning her gaze to the only other human in the room.

She suddenly wondered if Bella knew what he'd done, and he met her eye and nodded.

"Well," Bella began as her blush deepened, capturing their attention again. "It's just - you stay here? In the house?"

Carys gripped the hem of her dress with one hand, gesturing lightly with the other as she wondered just what exactly Edward had told her. And what she might have imagined... "...I mean..., not all the time...? Why...?"

"Oh, no reason," Bella said a little too quickly.

"Well... Not to break up this wonderful bonding," Jasper joked, finally walking into the room as he smiled brightly, "but Alice says there's going to be a real storm tonight, and Emmett wants to play ball. Carys' in, are you game?"

Carys wasn't sure she'd actually agreed to anything, but the look Alice sent her when she opened her mouth prompted her back to silence.

"Of course you should bring Bella," Alice announced, throwing Carys for a second before she realised she was doing exactly what she had been a few moments before - only using her premonition.

Edward appeared far more animated - far more excited - than she'd ever seen him as he asked Bella, "Do you want to go?"

"Sure," Bella agreed without much hesitation, staring at Edward in an awe-struck manner. "Um, where are we going?"

"We have to wait for thunder to play ball," Edward explained to her quickly, throwing Carys again as he really didn't answer Bella's question at all. "You'll see why."

Carys edged to the door as Bella asked if she'd need an umbrella, joining in with the laughter for just long enough to mask her fairly obvious retreat. She felt as if she might be cramping their style a little if she stayed much longer - they seemed far more at ease around each other than they did with her, and she'd made her introductions - her job was done, her anxiety over being impolite could pass.

"It was lovely meeting you, Bella," she said when she was in the right position to appear as if she was already on the way out, without seeming as if she'd forgotten to say goodbye and was adding it as an afterthought. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, um, you too. See you later Carys," Bella agreed, smiling awkwardly as she placed a hand on Edward's chest as if for support, reminding Carys of her father in the way she spoke.

"Oh..." Carys took a large step back into the room. "If... Charlie asks... I mean..." She looked at each vampire individually as she held her hands up questioningly.

"Carlisle and Carys haven't yet 'gone public' as it were," Edward explained to Bella, nodding seriously as he was the first to cotton on to Carys' silent question. "Would you mind not mentioning her presence to Charlie if he were to ask?"

"Um, yes, of course," Bella agreed, obviously more confused than she wanted to let on, judging by her expression.

Alice bounced up onto her knees and shot Carys a grin when she began to turn away, asking, "If you're off anyway, can you make Carlisle come?"

"What?" Carys asked, letting out a little whine as she made eye contact with the grinning vampire and the phone call the night before came flooding back. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, and she just hoped her cheeks weren't as red as they felt.

"Can you make Carlisle come play baseball?" Jasper clarified, covering Carys' lapse with an ease she would be forever grateful to him for.

When she glanced in Edward and Bella's direction, Bella looked as she'd not really noticed anything, and Edward... Well, Edward looked as if he wished he'd not.

Carys nodded and forced herself to keep calm rather than to run away as she wanted to, as she left the room as quickly as she could.

She'd only just reached the top of the stairs when she was accosted again - Emmett stepping out of his room with his arms crossed and a rather deep frown on his face.

"Carys Vale... It's come to my attention that you don't know how to play baseball."

"Oh thank god," Carys whispered, her eyes rolling back as she held on to the bannister for support when he grinned, snapping, "Don't scare me like that, Emmett!"

"Sorry-" he really didn't sound very sorry at all as he followed her down the stairs with a far more genial tone and expression, "-but if you're part of this family, you have to know how to play."

"I already know," she bluffed, smiling at him as she took a leap of faith. "I was Captain of the rounders team at school for a bi-"

Emmett took a huge step back as Esme came out of nowhere to join him, wrapping her arm around his in apparent support as they stared at her with wide eyes.

Carys sighed. "Rounders and baseball aren't the same thing,... And I'm going to have to learn about baseball, aren't I?"

Emmett and Esme nodded in unison, refusing to take their judgemental eyes off her.

A/N: Next chapter, I think we all know what's gonna happen...