I removed the part about Carys' shoulder because upon reflection, after everything, she deserves to be pain/brace free on her wedding day. I added the dislocated shoulder as I wrote the chapter, but only really planned for the lacerations.

Eclipse, Chapter 26

A strange, near overwhelming, urge rose up within Carys to lick her wound.

Huddled as she was, against the tree, cradling her jagged, mutilated arm, she wondered if it might help. Your own saliva helped heal, didn't it? Or was that disinfect? The pain in her back and legs was nothing compared to this. Anything had to be better than this.

Voices washed over her from afar, along with thuds and the whoosh of fire. Then sweet perfume rose through the air.

Carys raised her ruined arm with her uninjured one.

Almost to her lips.

She paused, resting heavily against the tree at her back, and tried to remember how to get more saliva to her mouth. Her tongue was dry. What little saliva she could muster was too thick. There was no point licking her wounds with a dry tongue. That would do nothing.

Was she supposed to put pressure on it first, or lick it first? She couldn't remember.

Lick it, probably.

That was right, surely?

The tangy, iron-rich scent of blood flooded her senses on a deep inhale. It was as sweet as the smoke. So different to the off-putting, claggy scent of uncooked meat. It reminded her of childhood scrapes.

She'd put her mouth over those, hadn't she?

It reinforced her decision.

There was too much to seal at once, she realised with a jolt. The blood was flowing unchecked. That was where the warmth came from. And why she was beginning to feel cold everywhere else.

Carys lowered her head slowly.

"No!"

A cold hand clamped down over her wrist, another curled around her shoulder, holding her steady as her arm was drawn away from her mouth.

"Carys, I have you. It's alright."

"Need... Need to... I need to..." Her mind was too foggy, her tongue too heavy. She tried again. "Seal... Disinfect..."

"That's not going to work," said Edward.

Carys looked to the side and saw him bend over her wound. There was no ignoring the horror of the sight now. Pressure and pain slammed into her, stealing her breath and concentration.

He held her arm high now as someone screamed. No. Continued to scream. The sound had been muted, almost impossible to hear before.

The heat poured down her raised arm, soaking her jumper, and then her sleeve was ripped way and the flood slowed as something twisted and tightened painfully around the top of her arm.

The screaming continued.

Who was it? she wondered. Was Bella injured too? Was it Victoria - her head reattached to her torso? But the air was heavy with the scent of sweet fragrant incense.

And Edward was with her.

He wouldn't leave Bella and Seth to face Victoria alone. He wouldn't leave Bella if she was injured in the slightest.

She remembered having seen Victoria die just as a howl pierced the sky. High-pitched and pained.

The screaming came to an abrupt end.

Carys turned her head.

Seth was there, his ears flattened against his head. He whined, pawing the ground just in front of her, inching ahead, eyes wide and flickering wildly between Edward and her, bending low over his massive paws.

Carys lifted her right hand towards him. "What's wrong...?" she whispered.

He only whimpered and darted forward, pressing his head to her flank on her right side, nudging her up when she slumped. He looked so scared. So very hurt. Had she missed an injury?

She ran her hand through the patch of fur between his eyes, staining it a dark, coppery red. "It's... It's okay," she crooned as best she could. "Is your leg...? Chest...? Get... Get Carlisle. He'll help."

She looked to Edward for the answer.

"Seth has already healed," he told her, concentrating on her arm. "He was feigning the depth of his injury, luring Riley toward him." The pain lessened a little as pressure raised and lowered, twisting around and around. "I'm wrapping it up," he explained.

"Why?" Carys croaked.

Seth stilled, then began trembling violently. Tears rolled from one large eye, soaking the fur of his cheek. She tried to wipe them away. They wet her hand, diluting the deep scarlet red to a rose pink, distracting her from the burning pain.

The colour drew her attention.

Retrieving her hand, she held it in front of her face. Were tears the ones you could use as disinfectant? He was a wolf; he healed quickly-

"Do. Not. Put wolf tears on your wound," Edward hissed, glancing worriedly over his shoulder. "That's not how this works."

"You may be right... Maybe... Seth," Carys whispered in what she hoped was an encouraging tone, looking up and rubbing her hand dry as she did so, "have... Have you tried licking your wound better?"

"Seth isn't hurt," Edward reminded her distractedly. "I don't know what century you believe this is, Carys, but no one is going to lick their wounds. Least of all, Seth."

Tears brimmed over and slid down Carys' face. He didn't have to be snarky about it. She was just trying to help. "Vampires do."

Seth whimpered and growled gently.

"I'm sorry," Edward whispered, shuffling back as far as he could while continuing to assist her, "No, no, I can manage alone. Comfort her. There's just so much blood... I don't know..."

It hurt like the devil too, but he didn't see her complaining. It occurred to her that she didn't know where Bella was. Lifting her gaze further, she scoured the cliff-face.

"She's over there," Edward said, once again in answer to her thoughts. "You are searching the peak, Carys... Carlisle won't be happy if I don't slow this down...," he worried under his breath. "You need to hold still. Has Sam informed him?"

Ah. Yes. Vampire. Blood. Something clicked. Not good.

"No. Not good. Carlisle will know exactly how much you've lost," he murmured, tugging at the makeshift bandage, tightening it further.

"The battle," she whispered. What had happened while they were occupied? Was anyone else injured? Or...?

"It's over. We haven't lost anyone. Everyone's fine. As will you be, don't worry."

A deep agonised roar sounded, all of a sudden, from far below, echoing up over the mountain. It shook the air around Carys, sending pain stabbing and lancing at her heart.

"Huh," she gasped, "sounds... like Carlisle."

Her mind sharpened. Pain slammed into her. Her shoulder and arm were aflame, but it was nothing compared to what she felt inside.

Carlisle!

"LET ME GO!" she screamed, scrabbling and ripping at Edward's hold as Seth jumped back, his ears flattening against his head again. "IT WAS CARLISLE! HE'S HURT! HELP HIM! STOP! YOU HAVE TO HELP HIM!"

She struggled and tore against him when he tried to keep her still, wrenching her arm and shoulder.

She screamed from the pain.

He was talking to her, but she heard nothing.

How and why wasn't Edward doing anything!?

Panic twisted her gut. It stung her to the core, shooting outward through to her limbs, near overwhelming her.

Was he dead!? He couldn't be!

"LET ME GO, GODDAMN YOU!"

Edward abandoned her arm in favour of gripping her nape, twisting her head to face him as her back hit the ground. He held his other arm across her shoulders, keeping her down. Seth's paws held her legs in place when she would have kicked and fought.

"HE'S FINE!" Edward yelled over her screams, piercing the haze. "He knows." His voice lowered, softening dramatically as her screams became soul-shuddering sobs. "He knows you've been injured. He'll be here in a minute."

"He's ok-ay?" she sobbed as the fight left her and the pain - fuck! Now she could feel it worse than ever. Her mind fogged, scattering her wits, offering her an alternative. She gritted her teeth and glared, forcing the last of her concentration. "Don't-don't lie... to me, Edward." She couldn't take it if he lied to her and Carlisle was gone.

"He's okay," he assured her again.

She turned to Seth. "Seth...?" He wouldn't lie. Edward might think it a kindness, but he would have seen through the minds of the others.

Seth's head dropped to his paws. He nodded quickly, and then removed his paws before jumping forward to rest his head against her legs once again. Tears pooled and spilled over with each movement of his head.

"He's okay?" Carys whimpered.

"He's alright," Edward soothed, releasing his hold on her. "He's alright. He'll be here in a minute."

Carys nodded slowly. The tracks of her tears - sliding over her temples, into her hair - were as grating as the agony.

Her arm burned worse than ever when Edward raised it high again. He must have been listening to her, because he rubbed the wet streaks from her hairline.

Carlisle was all right.

Everyone was all right, she reminded herself.

She blinked slowly. Nodded even slower. Her sobs died away. Her eyelids grew heavy, but she fought the desire to close them for long.

She needed to see Carlisle for herself.

"He's alright," she echoed in a low, sleepy whisper. Her lips lazily tipped up at the corners. Another tear slipped from the corner of her eye but it no longer bothered her. "He's okay..." Carys sucked in a breath. Wrenching her eyes open, she rolled her head to try and wake herself up. "He'll be he-re, ri-right?"

No sooner had the words left her than Edward disappeared, and Carlisle took his place beside her.

Relief flooded her.

Then she frowned.

His shining, shimmering face was a blank mask of detached professional concern. His eyes alight with-

But that made no sense. He hadn't so much as a visible scratch. His hair was tucked behind his ears, a lock falling across his forehead, but those were the most discomposed parts of his appearance.

Save the fear and pain clouding his eyes.

His familiar marble touch flitted and trembled over her body. "Hello, darling," he soothed. The tone was forced. "What have you done to yourself, eh?"

He finished his assessment quickly, and then looked over his shoulder, lifting her arm to rest across his knees. "Edward. My medical bag, please. Quickly."

Her lazy smile returned. He was worried about her. He would make the pain go away. Even as she thought it, the fog densified.

"Lovely..." Her lovely. "You... You didn't think," she gasped, "you were the..."

"Only one having any soul-destroying fun today?" he guessed. Shaking his head, he removed his hands to take his bag from Edward, and then pulled on a pair of gloves, snapping them into place against his wrists. "You realise you were on the brink of losing this arm, don't you?"

"This one...?" Had she been? How did he know?

"Yes. Have I mentioned," he asked, unwinding a long - blood red, soaking wet - strip of fabric, though he left the deepest pressure at the top of her arm, "how much I like this arm?"

"No..."

"How remiss of me," he said brusquely, studying her wound.

Carys tried to do the same. Darkness edged her vision. The bleeding had slowed; the blood trickled from the jagged gashes running from the side of her bicep almost to her wrist.

"Edward. Give me the-yes. Thank you." His tone changed dramatically when speaking to Edward. Businesslike. Curt, even.

He ripped a transparent bag open with his teeth and poured the cool liquid around the wounds. It mingled with the blood, diluting the scent of it.

It felt nice, as did his cold touch.

For a brief moment, it didn't sting quite so much. She leaned into the numbness sweeping over her body. There were other pains, but they were falling away as quickly as she registered them.

And then he poured something else, and her arm stung worse than ever. A strong medicinal scent burned her nose.

He prodded and twisted her arm a little, this way and that, then held out a hand. "Can you hand me-?"

"Yes." Edward handed Carlisle something small.

"Sharp scratch, love." His gentle tone had returned. He pressed the syringe to Carys' arm; cold seeped from the injection site. "Easily one of my top two favourite arms," he told her, discarding the needle, "and you were just going to let it go?"

Her sleepy giggle briefly drew his admonishing gaze while he placed something over her wounds.

"Are you laughing at me, Mrs Cullen?"

"No...," she lied, closing her eyes.

"Let's pretend that's the truth. Don't fall asleep on me now. Talk to me. I've had a very boring day, myself. I need the excitement."

The fog was too nice, too strong, to resist.

Carlisle's voice became urgent. "Carys? Carys, open your eyes for me, love. No. Open them," he begged. "Now, Carys. Please."

Her body shook from side to side, tipping her head. Something hard tapped her cheek then light assaulted one eye.

"Stay with me. Please. Talk to me. Carys."

Carys struggled to do as she was told, but she didn't want to give up the fog.

The tapping and shaking resumed. Her eyes were forced open again. Both, this time. His skin appeared as if a hundred-thousand diamonds glinting in the sun, raining shimmering light everywhere he turned. "You're so... beau...tiful...," she whispered. "All shiny... glittery..."

Carlisle sagged, briefly closed his eyes, then nodded at Edward and returned to the forced professionalism. "And you," he said as something tugged at her skin, "are a magpie."

She hummed tiredly.

Seth remained, his eyes focused on her arm. He wasn't crying anymore. He was interestedly following Carlisle's every move.

"I'm going to need you to use your words, love," encouraged Carlisle as Seth drew back and Edward lifted her legs this time. "Tell me what you're thinking."

She hummed again, her eyelids fluttering closed.

"Carys!"

"Mmm..."

"Talk to me, love." He sounded strained, barely in control. "Please. I need you to talk to me."

"I'm... I'm so..." Tired. She couldn't say the word.

"I know you are," he said tremulously. "Just stay with me. Just a little longer. Tell me something."

"Hmm..." Carys tried to marshal her thoughts.

"Anything, love," he insisted. "Anything in the world. What's going on in that incredible brain of yours?"

A memory surfaced. "Bella..."

"Good." He sighed his relief. "Worried about her, are you?"

"No... She..." She licked her lips. It was so cold. Couldn't she just sleep? "Cheated..."

Carlisle's expression shifted for a moment, but the tugging at her arm continued, moving impossibly quickly down towards her elbow. "Did she now?" he murmured.

"Yes... I... saw..."

"How does one-" he reached the middle of her forearm and returned to the top to repeat "-cheat in a battle?"

"Not the... battle...," she murmured. The part of her brain still awake was amazed he was moving so quickly. She could hardly concentrate on his movements. The tugging was different this time. Deeper. "Before... with Jacob..."

He spared Seth and Edward a glance. "Perhaps we should speak about something else?"

"She... she didn't... brush her... teeth..."

"I'm sorry?" he asked, frowning at her arm. He was taking his time with this one; it must have been worse than the other.

"Before kissing... Edward..."

His face cleared. "Ah. Now I know a change in subject is required."

"Sleep..." It beckoned her.

"Not just yet. Keep those gorgeous eyes open for me. I'll make a suggestion. Your wedding dress?"

Carys giggled. Her breath left her in shallow, soft pants. Her wedding dress? She remembered there had been some reason she'd been worried about it, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"What is it, love?"

"Sleeves," she joked, but neither he nor Seth or Edward laughed. It hurt less and less the longer he worked. "And... I know why I... Why I... got hurt."

"Why?"

"I... told... you."

"You told me what?"

"'Bout Bella... 'cause snitches... get... stitches..."

Carlisle shook his head. His lips pressed into a tight line, tipping up a little at the corners. Edward. She couldn't see Edward now. But Seth lay curled, her raised legs resting against his flank, warming her. He coughed out a soft bark and shook as if laughing, lowering his head and gaze the instant Carlisle looked at him.

"See...? Seth thinks... it's... funny."

"Seth is a fifteen-year-old."

Her thoughts shifted. Tears pooled in her eyes. "Victoria...," she gasped.

"She's dead. You don't have to worry about her any longer."

"Just... wanted... She just wanted... Hmm..."

"Victoria wanted what, love?"

"A friend."

Carlisle and Seth shared a look of alarm. "I'm sorry!?" Carlisle spoke for them both, it seemed. The way he said it suggested he thought she was mad.

"I..." Carys groaned and forced the words out as one. "James was her mate, but... she wasn't... his. He died... She was alone and-and-and sad. I... was mean... I said no. She died... alone."

Seth coughed, his eyes wide and horror-struck.

"Is... Is this the... blood loss?"

Carlisle swiped his forearm - his sleeve - over her temples, collecting the tears. "No, darling, I think your reaction is all you."

"Oh," she cut across him, a thought occuring as the tugging returned, passing over her elbow once again, "no. My ring." She couldn't see the bright refraction dancing through the air.

"Present and correct, darling."

"It is...?"

"I'll show you in a minute."

"My... cross and... And..."

"All there."

"My hand?"

"Intact."

"My... lips..." she asked with a slow smile.

"Untouched."

"Exactly." Carys tilted her head back just a little, but he shook his head again instead of kissing her.

She was about to ask why when Seth bounced back and away, drawing her fascinated gaze. Edward caught her legs before they touched the ground. Seth jumped about, his muzzle shifting from side to side, up and down, as if fighting an invisible foe with his head.

Carlisle was distracted. Carys grasped the opportunity and allowed her eyes to close all the way.

Seth's sharp growl forced them open again a moment later.

He jumped up to his full height and howled in celebration, throwing his front legs up and slamming his paws down, shaking the ground.

"Edward," Carlisle inquired quietly. "What has happened?"

"Leah wanted to prove herself. She pursued a newborn as he attempted to flee. Jacob ran to assist her, but as it happened, his assistance was wholly unnecessary. They're gathering the pieces."

"Yay," Carys cheered softly, "go... Go Leah... She's the..." she trailed off, losing her train of thought. She slashed her hand through the air. "Whatsit..."

Seth turned sharply to face Edward.

Edward stilled. "Alice says the members of the Guard are on their way."

"Is it who Alice expected?" Carlisle asked in clipped tones. He poured more liquid over her arm. Before Edward appeared to speak, he said, "Two pints at the very least." He inhaled sharply. "I apologise."

Carys wondered why. He hadn't said anything rude. Raising her hand, she pressed it to his forearm. And tried and failed to grip.

"Seth," he said, his hands moving under and over Carys', pouring more of the stinging liquid and sweeping something soft over it before he began to wrap her arm with a bandage, "it would be best if the Pack leaves before the members of the Volturi arrive. They won't understand you. It would be too dangerous for you to remain."

Seth bobbed his head up and down, then pressed his nose to Carys' cheek and whined softly. She smiled lazily and turned her face to bop her forehead to his nose. His muzzle wrinkled, baring his teeth as he huffed and eyed her.

His teeth were so long and fang-like. "My... my..., grandma," she sang softly, "what... sharp teeth..."

Carlisle caught her good wrist in a newly gloveless manacle-like grip. She grumbled. Just a touch wouldn't make a difference. He was so warm. She was so cold. So very cold.

Carlisle released an exasperated sigh, matching the wheeze which left Seth at the very same moment. "I'll take Carys straight to the hospital," he assured him.

"No!" Carys protested weakly.

"You're not meeting the Volturi like this, Carys."

"Yeah..."

"No," he said firmly.

"No," she murmured, "I say... yes... then you say... okay."

Seth released a sound that sounded suspiciously like another laugh.

Carlisle was not quite so inclined to humour. "That is not going to happen."

"What if... They-"

"I said no, Carys."

"Volturi," she grumbled. Glaring with her eyes half closed didn't seem to make the difference she wanted it to. He remained unaffected.

"String a sentence around the word, and I may reconsider my position."

"I..."

He raised a solitary eyebrow. "Yes?"

Carys wet her lips and sucked in as deep a breath as she could manage. "I need... to meet them..."

"Why now?"

"So... they know..." When Carlisle only frowned at her, her dimmed gaze shifted to Edward. "They need... to see... me. Other... otherwise they might think... we're rude..."

Carlisle scoffed, but Edward stopped him.

"No, no, she may be right," he said thoughtfully. "None of the Volturi has met her yet. They were interested - incredibly so, in the case of Aro, Marcus and Caius. They will expect you to be there, Carlisle, and Aro will want news of Carys. He won't like it if he thinks you're hiding her."

"There is no time for this. Taking Carys to the hospital is hardly hiding-" Carlisle's voice fell away, lowering as Carys was raised in the air, held aloft against his stone chest.

It was nice. Calming. She just needed to rest for a few seconds. Just a few...

Edward's swam through her mind, taking on a dreamlike quality. "Their arrival is imminent. Fine. We can cover for you; tell Jane that you send your regards to Aro, but the hospital raises questions of-"

"Enough, Edward."

"Bears have been spotted on and around the Reservation," Edward stubbornly continued, "more so than the wolves. Sue Clearwater has blood on hand; her practice is equipped, and Sarah Martins is on the Reservation with her."

Carlisle's urgent tone grew desperate. He began to move. "The time for discussion is over. I will not leave her."

"Some of the wolves sustained injuries. Minor, but significant enough that Sam proposes-"

Everything fell away, Carys tilted back, and there was only darkness and blessed - painless - peace.

A/N: okay. Bit of a cliffhanger, but I maintain - Carys isn't going anywhere, and the symptoms she's had throughout Eclipse will continue, don't worry about that.

I've been a bit wrapped up with life stuff so if I've missed replying to anyone, please let me know and I'll do so asap. Thank you to: WickedlyMinx, Guest (He was faking! But she thought it was real! And Leah, Seth and Sue will definitely appreciate that! As will the wolves!), Kimkrys, Momochan77, jhaenox, Joseph Cullen, TheRavenSlayer, KEZZ 1, BMBMDooDoo-Doo-Doo-Doo, BubblyYork, DxGRAYxMAN, seconddragon, TheWiseQueen, PsychoMutt, silentmayhem, 0oKitteno0, Anita Simons, and Guest (thank you so much!), for your reviews!