They're going to have a chat about skin colour post-change in this chapter. I've changed it to fit more with the films and described it to fit my own idea of what it would be in this world, as I've done with other stuff, to be honest.

SMeyer's vampires are as such, "Regardless of original ethnicity, a vampire's skin will be exceptionally pale. The hue varies slightly, with darker-skinned humans having a barely discernible olive tone to their vampire skin, but the light shade remains the same".

Eclipse, Chapter 29

"I mean, just, 'cause... I've been thinking about it a lot, and it was me, wasn't it?" Seth asked nervously. "It was my fault you got hurt."

Carys, again, shook her head.

Leah and Seth had arrived around ten minutes before, and from the moment he'd entered the room - garbed in a crisp My Chemical Romance t-shirt, leather jacket and blue jeans, a contrast to Leah's strappy black a-line dress, which she coupled with sandals, ignoring the cold rain battering the hospital windows - he'd kept up a near-constant, insistent barrage of apologies to her, to Carlisle, who was sitting by the window, seemingly absorbed in his book save for when he assured Seth there was nothing to worry about, and, occasionally, to Leah, for nearly getting her friend killed.

Sitting in the spare chair to Carys' left side, while Leah sat on the end of her bed, Seth opened his mouth again.

Leah rolled her eyes as Carys broke and studiously asked:

"I'm sorry. Did you lose a few inches off your height?"

Seth frowned his confusion. "What?" he asked.

"Are you suddenly curly-haired, mixed-race, and lacking the whole shifting abilities?"

"No..."

"Are you English, and a woman?"

"Again, no..."

"Right, so you're not to blame, are you, lovely?" At Carlisle's sharp intake of breath, she looked over and clarified, "He's a lovely, not my lovely."

With a slight tightening at the corners of his eyes and lips, Carlisle returned to calmly pretending he wasn't listening.

"I screamed and reached," Carys explained, turning back to Seth. "If it wasn't for me, I'd be fine. And Victoria, of course," she added as an afterthought. "But still... Unless your name is suddenly Carys Vale, you're grand."

"I thought it was Carys Cullen," said Leah, smirking while the tension left Seth on a long exhale, "or did you change it back now?"

"Shut up," Carys grumbled. "Seth?" she implored, her tone shifting higher, "you realise it honestly wasn't your fault, right?"

He shook his head but smiled regardless. "Not really, but I'll think about it and get back to you."

"Literally no one blames you. It's only because I'm in here that I reckon no one's blaming me to my face yet," said Carys in a morose way.

Seth"s eyes widened. "No way!" he protested.

Carys adjusted her covers. "Well, it was Edward's too - for being distracted."

"What? No, it wasn't! Stuff happens in the middle of a battle. He was doing his best!"

"Was he?"

"Yeah! It wasn't an easy fight, and you and Bella kinda added something to worry about on top. He did all he could, I swear."

"So... Edward's not to blame?" she inquired, as if unsure.

He shook his head vehemently. "No way. It was the redhead who clawed you, not him."

Carys grinned. "Oh, okay," she said, taking in his faltering expression, "so you do get how it wasn't your fault then. Stop beating yourself up about it."

Seth's jaw worked as he stared, a crinkle between his dark brows, at the corner of the bed. After half a minute's silence - during which Carys and Leah shared an indulgent smile as if to say, 'how sweet is he?' - he looked up and blushed.

"Yeah... Oh.. okay, I... I get it."

"Say it for the room," Leah encouraged.

"I-uh." He ran a hand through his hair. The thick mass spilled through his fingers with an ease Carys envied. "It wasn't my fault either," he slowly accepted.

"Awesome," Carys said with a grin. "Now we can get on with talking about fearing for my life, so we can move past the whole sorry affair."

Leah rolled her eyes again and forced down a grin.

"We were all scared," Seth now eagerly supplied. "Mom got the fright of her life when I ran into the house with blood on my face - thanks for that, and everyone freaked when I told them why. Carlisle was fixing bones - 'cause he made that agreement with Sam, you know, so Leah was sitting by you. But man, when you got that infection on top of everything? Lee was terrified."

Leah growled, studying and plucking at her hem. "I wasn't scared," she announced. "I knew you weren't gonna die like that. You're too fucking stubborn."

"That's not what you said! You said-"

She cut her brother off with a glare and a snappish: "Can we not?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Seth."

Seth leaned forward, and said, in a stage whisper, "She was scared."

Carys only just managed to hold in the laughter that would pull her ribs yet again. "Thanks, Leah," she teased. "I'm sorry I scared you so much."

"You didn't scare me," she insisted again. "I was... concerned Seth would blame himself for good," she said as her long curling lashes descended to briefly touch her high cheekbones. "That's all."

"That's not what Seth said."

Leah's lashes flicked up and she narrowed her eyes at her. "Fuck. You."

Carys chuckled as lightly as she could. "Lovely language, that. You do remember you promised to be my bridesmaid, don't you? That means you're at my mercy over what you wear?"

"You..." Leah hesitated. "You remember that?"

"Carlisle told me, almost as soon as I woke up," said Carys in a gentle voice.

She rolled her shoulders back and raised her head. "Well, that's... That was just 'you're dying' talk."

"I'm holding you to it. When I get out of here, you're coming shopping with me."

"Not fucking likely with you all laid up and shit."

"I mean, like, that weekend or whatever. I think I'm getting discharged on Monday if all goes well, so you can drive us on like Saturday or something."

"Drive us where?"

"I dunno... Seattle?"

Leah slumped across Carys' legs. Tossing her head up, she sighed, "You really love that place, don't you?"

"It's okay now it's not infested," Carys said with a shrug. Eyes widening, she grinned and bounced her legs until Leah sat up against the footboard again. "The colours are green and gold, so I'm thinking... Gold. All gold. Don't make me put you in green," she warned.

Leah humphed, then inquired, "How bad are these dresses?"

"I'm kidding t'be honest," Carys admitted. "You get to choose what suits you. The colours kind of happened, so you're stuck with them, but... Oooh, we can go for manicures and pedicures and get our hair done and stuff too!"

"You do know the next time I shift, half the stuff will come off?" Leah asked, frowning as if the issue had been overlooked.

"Yeah," she said, deflating a little, "but we like that stuff once in a while."

"I used to. Before... this." Leah avoided Carys' eye. "It's just a waste of money now."

"The experience wouldn't be... Let's just say you're stuck doing this stuff because it's part of the job," Carys suggested. Once again, excitement took over. "If you do the driving, I'll do the paying. We'll start by getting the dress, then we'll have lunch, then a mini-spa thing."

"I can't let you-"

"No arguing on the paying front."

"Fine..." Leah gave in, tucking one ankle under the other thigh. "Okay."

Carys all but fist pumped. "Yes! You heard that, right, Seth?"

Seth grinned back at her. "Sure did," he said happily.

"Good. Make sure your mum knows too, then there's no wriggling out of it."

Seth nodded, tapping his temple. "I'll dig out the invite and get Mom to RSVP tonight."

Leah shifted at the end of the bed, her lips tipping down at the corners. "I'm not sure if-"

"You'd say no to me?" Carys asked pitifully, reaching her right hand across to lift her left arm - the one which had a very good range of movement for the severity of her injury - into a new position against her waist.

"Talk about milking it," Leah muttered.

Carys gave up the pretence. "Well, the wedding's in three weeks," she said lightly.

She'd been trying not to stress too much, as per Carlisle and Rosalie's insistence - but it was suddenly so very close and utterly real. If it wasn't for Carlisle designing her dress, she wouldn't have one; Alice was going to add detached voluminous sleeves for her, but even that seemed unreal when she'd yet to try on the main part of the outfit.

Worrying her lip between her teeth, she said, "I've only got so long to go, and if there're alterations or anything, we need to give time to get them done."

"Ugh. Fine. If you're well enough," Leah agreed.

"I will be. You're right about stubborn."

Leah and Seth stayed for another hour before Leah's not so subtle attempts to cover her nose led Carys to let them go.

During that time, they steered clear of anything too personal or incriminating. They touched upon Leah's small graduation the day before - at which point Carys proffered her graduation present, a well-endowed gift card, which wrung a blush from Leah - Seth's new game, and exactly how badly Sue screamed at the sight of her son running topless into her living room, his face streaked with blood.

When they left, Carys could no longer distract herself from her bladder's urging. She stood up slowly, wobbling a little before she got her bearings and used her IV pole as a crutch.

She was weak, but she learned earlier that she could manage it so long as she trusted herself and didn't try to move too quickly.

Carlisle's gaze followed her like a hot brand, burning wherever it touched. He studied her closely as she headed gingerly to the bathroom, and again, when she returned minutes later, dragging her feet and pausing in the middle of the room.

Carys jumped a little when he appeared before her and touched a hand to her cheek. His fingers glided over her skin. Her eyelids fluttered closed.

And then he was kissing her.

Finally, she thought, smiling against his lips. Took you long enough.

It had been a little over two weeks since they'd kissed like this. Her lips curved and moulded to his as he slanted and deepened the caress. Hunger flared between them. He captured her bottom lip between his hard lips, tugging a little before he released it, deepening the kiss yet again. When Carys' stomach clenched and she murmured, he groaned, lifting her harder against him. Her ribs protested the move - as did her left arm, pressed against his chest while his hands firmed at her back - but she paid no mind to the pain.

Long passion-filled minutes later, she was the one to break the kiss. Hauling in a breath, she trailed her lips across his jaw, up to brush his cheekbone, and down to his neck, where she rested her face.

"I really only wanted a kiss," she gasped.

"More's the pity," he murmured against her temple. "I want so much more."

They stood together for longer than Carys had thought manageable. Surrounded and supported by him, she began to waver - not from pain; from that drugging comfort and calm. She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. There was nothing like it. Nothing that felt so utterly perfect.

He sighed heavily, prompting her to murmur:

"What's up, buttercup?"

Smiling, he turned to press his lips to her cheek, saying, just as quietly, "I'm buttercup now, am I?"

"Give me ten things you don't have in common with a buttercup."

Carlisle chuckled lowly and then sighed again. "Do you remember members of the Guard came?" he asked. "Jane, Demetri, and Felix?"

The sudden change of subject threw Carys. Marshalling her wits, she tried to focus on the new train of thought, fighting a sudden chill at the thought of them. They'd come to check for survivors. That, she knew.

Carlisle had waited until she was doing better, but why hadn't she thought to ask about them before?

"Yes," she whispered. Her voice trembled slightly. It annoyed her. She didn't want to be scared of whatever news he had to share.

"A present arrived at the house. A gift to you from Aro and Marcus."

Genuine surprise pushed aside the chill. "Marcus!?"

"Oh, he is utterly apathetic to all save the potential loss of a mate," Carlisle said, his smooth voice cracking infinitesimally on the last few words. "That, he wouldn't wish on me. Not that he said this, of course...," he admitted. "The gift remains untouched, but the card, I opened; it was addressed to both of us. Aro inscribed the note, though Marcus signed his name to it."

"What did it say?"

"It reiterated their expectations. While our absence was understood, Caius and Aro grow restless for news of your change. They were a little disappointed that I didn't change you, but with the wedding underway... Time is running out, regardless."

Carys kissed his neck again. "I can do the end of the year," she assured him. "D'you think they'd accept that?"

"I do... but, Carys... you shouldn't-"

"I mean it, Carlisle," she assured him, leaning back just enough to study his profile before she returned her face to the crook of his neck. "It's what we expected, isn't it? I can do it... I know you weren't sure the other day, but can you?"

"You're worried about me?" he questioned. Carys didn't need to see his face to tell he was frowning. "How does that fit in this scenario?"

"I'm going to be going through what you've gone through, but you're going to be going through everything else that comes with it. You never know, I might not remember myself, and you'll have even more on your plate."

"I doubt you'll forget who you are, dearest."

"Even if I did," she murmured, "I know I'm in good hands."

Carlisle was silent for a while before he lifted his head and said, "Let's get you back in bed before I get in trouble. Doctor Liu needs to look you over."

He, as usual, timed things perfectly. By the time the doctor opened the door and strode into the room, Carys appeared as if she'd been reclining against the pillows for the past hour, rather than how she'd occupied herself.

While he examined her, Dr Liu kept up a commentary, distracting her from the pain. When he asked her if there was a possibility she was pregnant, Carys spluttered so hard she pulled her ribs and cried out. She had thought that Carlisle's insistence that he was sterile, the inconclusive ultrasounds, and the fact that she had, more than once over the past months, spoken with Sarah about the issues she was facing with her pill, had all been accepted.

"No," she told him when she'd recovered enough to speak, "absolutely none."

He smirked a little at that. "Well," he said, "I need to ask. I understand it may be hard to separate your symptoms, but can you tell me if you're feeling different now that you've been off the birth control?"

"Erm... I don't think I have any of them...? I mean, I feel much better, despite the whole injuries thing?"

"No headaches, additional nausea, cramping? Obviously, any tiredness would likely be down to the morphine..."

"Yeah, no, I feel pretty... great, actually. Really great. None of that stuff."

"Good. Good. Well, you're certainly healing nicely," he said as he rewrapped her arm. "A little quicker than I'd expect, truth be told. And, I'm happy to say, as long as there aren't any big changes in the next day or so, I don't see why you won't be fit to be discharged to Doctor Cullen's care on Monday." He smiled at Carlisle, glancing up as he mentioned him.

"Thank you," Carys said, for what felt like the hundredth time since he'd begun.

"Of course." Returning his gaze to Carys, he said, "We'll send you home with medication and have you back in for a check-up before the wedding. Carlisle-" he addressed him, and Carlisle appeared to know what was coming because he chuckled lightly "-can you please make sure Carys sticks to her pain management?"

"I'll try my best," Carlise promised.

Carys sank lower against the pillows, smiling awkwardly. "You noticed that too?"

"I did," he said, his eyebrows raised. "It's an important part of your healing."

"How long do you think my ribs will take to heal?"

"I'd usually say between three and six weeks from the injury date, but the rate at which you're healing up, I'd estimate you're in the three-week territory. Take it easy, and you'll be up and at 'em before you know it. Don't overexert yourself, mind."

Carys nodded. "Understood," she said. It was easier said than done.

Though he eyed her suspiciously, Dr Liu didn't question her further. "I'll leave you to it," he said instead, returning her chart to the end of her bed. "Nurse Brown will be in to change these bandages for you soon."


As promised, Carys was discharged on Monday morning.

There hadn't been too many visits from the Cullens and Hales after she'd woken - for different reasons, ranging from a wedding issue for Rosalie to discomfort for Jasper - and she was excited to spend time with the group. Even Edward was spending the day at home for her benefit.

As one was far too obvious to be hidden, attracting Carys' notice immediately, they began their afternoon by giving her the birthday presents she'd missed.

Emmett's was the unmistakable gift. A gigantic grey plushy bean bag and a thick knitted blanket to match. He told her the bean bag was exactly the right size for her to jump onto from the mezzanine above without injuring herself. This, fortunately for Carys - who wasn't quite as excited by the fifteen-foot drop as he was - was no longer an option.

Esme, Edward and Alice had bought her a Motorola Razr and a diamond bracelet. Rosalie and Jasper set up collections from restaurants for the next two weeks - all meals Carys had never tried - and a selection of the ten rarest teas and coffees from around the world.

Each present was met with genuine, unabashed delight. Carys wasn't sure which one she would treasure more.

There were two she enjoyed immediately, accepting a cup of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee and a spell in the bean bag - which, to her, felt akin to floating in the midst of a cloud, sipping heaven - while Carlisle unwrapped the last present.

Aro and Marcus had sent an antique clock.

Aro's meaning was as clear in the choice as the card. It was as unsurprising as the way Marcus' perfect calligraphy appeared laconic, while Aro's was bold; full of life and determination.

"They're about as subtle as I am," Emmett remarked to a general lack of amusement.

Though Carys tried to hide her trembling reaction to the present, Carlisle caught it. He disappeared with the clock, returning and instantly moving the conversation away from the Volturi.

Edward was openly pleased. While everyone else formed small groups, he slid to the edge of the sofa, biding his time until there was a lull in Carys' conversation with Esme.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

Guessing his purpose, Esme and Carlisle excused themselves while Carys asked, "About Bella?"

"Yes. I'll jump straight into the deep end on this one. The kiss was coerced, and-" he broke off with a sympathetic smile. "I understand what you saw, and yes, it became-" he pursed his lips "-passionate by the end, but Jacob used the battle to coerce Bella, to begin with. Bella has chosen me, not him. I trust her implicitly, and yes, we are planning to be married before her transformation."

"It's still..." Carys wasn't sure what she wanted to say. What she would say. A scene from Monty Python's Life of Brian sprang unhelpfully to mind. Whatever the motives, she wasn't sure it was a good idea to brush Bella's actions under the carpet.

And yet, looking into his eyes, all she could see was barely concealed excitement, happiness brimming over, pride, and hope. The last, she attributed to their conversation as it had grown the longer she thought about the situation.

"Nothing will be announced until after your wedding," he assured her.

"I think we both know that's not what I was thinking about," Carys muttered.

All the same, she realised it had worried her. An engagement fresh out of high school - especially between a pair of teens who had been broken up for six months in the middle of their eight-month relationship - would take the attention away from her wedding, and the intrigue would take a long while to die down.

He favoured her with a lopsided grin. "Bella isn't half as bad as you think she is."

I worry that neither of you is half as good as you think you are, she thought before she could stop herself.

His grin faltered then firmed. "We're each better than we were."

Are you?

"Yes."

I know you are, actually, that's not fair. But I'm not sure you see how Bella isn't. She's very selfish at times. Half the time. Like, almost most of the time half the time.

His grin fell. For a moment, Carys wondered if she'd lost him towards the end, but he reached out a hand, pressing it to the edge of the bean bag as he said, "She has had a lot to deal with. Jacob was there when I wasn't; he's her best friend, and those feelings can become... complicated."

I think maybe you've spent too long judging us all by our selfish thoughts, and not by how we treat people on the outside. Best friends don't, in my experience, snog each other when they've got boyfriends. Let alone fiancés. Carys sipped her coffee. If you could read her thoughts as well... She hummed - a high pitched note - and raised her brows as high as she could.

"It would certainly make things easier if I could," he said quietly. "All I ask is that you remember that there was a time when you enjoyed her company. You care for her. If you didn't, her actions wouldn't affect you in the same way."

Carys scoffed derisively. Oh, I think they effing would, Edward.

"Give her a chance?" he implored hopefully. "As you gave me? As you give those who make mistakes?"

Meh.

"Please?"

I said, Meh.

"That is not an answer," he complained with a gentle frown.

Sucks for you, I'm full of painkillers. Meh's all ya gettin' for now.

"You are so childish at times," said Edward.

He left her with those words and an affectionate grin, as if entirely sure of himself and the conclusion she would come to. Carys didn't dwell on it for now. It was difficult to be annoyed when she was so very comfortable.

Carlisle said nothing when he rejoined her and perched on the side of the bean bag, stroking her shoulder. His lips were pursed, though Carys greatly doubted it was from anger. Her suspicions were proved correct when he glanced down at her and she saw his eyes. He found the exchange amusing.

"Do we think it may be time for hair?" he asked as soon as she'd finished her coffee.

Carys nodded enthusiastically. "We do," she agreed. After two weeks confined to a hospital bed, it was in desperate need of care.

He helped her up the stairs to their bathroom, where she saw that someone had set up the room for the purpose. One of the two butler sinks and half the counter were covered by a thick waterproof mat, over which a blanket was folded, and a range of products were lined up beside the second.

Carlisle settled her, covered her with the blanket, and took great care, saturating her hair with water and deep conditioner before he slowly, carefully began to section and brush the curls.

"Bliss," Carys breathed.

Carlisle grinned. "What was that?"

"I said it's bliss."

"I heard you the first time," he chuckled.

"Mum would just attack it with the brush and complain I wasn't treating it right. With you..." she sighed happily. "I can't wait for the scalp massage."

"I don't doubt it," he said. "Oil?"

"Please... And thank you, by the way, if I've not said it."

"I gathered you would be."

While she lay there, enjoying the soothing attentions, Carys tried not to let her mind wander too far. It was a bit of a fruitless task, she discovered. Before long, she'd strayed as far as wondering, yet again, about what would happen after the change. There was one issue she'd yet to ask him. It was something she hadn't wanted to, at the risk his answer wouldn't be what she hoped.

Still, with her change imminent, and an end-of-the-year deadline - she smirked at the pun - looming, there was no putting it off any longer.

Adjusting herself slightly on the mat, Carys drew out the name: "Carlisle..."

"Yes, darling?" he asked, glancing at her.

"I'm not sure I've... When I change-" she took a deep breath and closed her eyes "-will I. That, is, I don't think I've asked, but you know your friends Amun and Kebi?"

"Well they're my friends, and so I would be lying if I said I did not."

"They're not... They're not-"

"White?" he prompted.

"Yes," she agreed, opening her eyes.

"No. Darling... why haven't you asked me before?"

"I don't know... But it worries me. I mean, Laurent kept his colour, and Carmen and Eleazar have a bit of olive because they're Mediterranean, but. I guess what I'm asking is, do you know what I'd look like? I just don't want to lose... myself..."

"You don't need to worry about that."

Carys looked up, trying to keep the alarm and sadness from her expression as best she could. She'd hoped he would understand, that she wouldn't have to explain further.

"But I do," she insisted, "because-"

"I only mean," Carlisle cut across gently, curving his suddenly dry hands about her forehead and chin as he bent over her, "that you don't need to worry about losing your colouring to the change. The change... How can I explain this? Hmm..."

He glanced up, staring at himself in the mirror for a moment before he met her gaze once again. "You know, of course, that your features will appear airbrushed; enhanced and preserved?"

She nodded, and the hand cradling her chin meandered a path to her left shoulder, by the mirror, where she gripped it with her right hand, tensing slightly.

"Yes... No wrinkles, no lines, no beauty marks, no spots, no discolouration, no birthmarks," she listed off, "no pores, no scars... My lashes and hair will thicken..."

"Your lips will be as full as they are first thing in the morning," he added, a slightly smug and wistful smile playing about his lips.

"Yeah," she confirmed quickly, "and everything will tighten up and appear to turn to muscle, but really to stone."

"Yes. Your features, your beauty, will be greatly enhanced, rather than abjectly altered," he reminded her seriously. "You will retain your skin colour almost... as you appear in the winter, without a tan, however, there will be an altered undertone. At the moment-"

"I've got those fancy warm undertones," she offered, smiling as she relaxed.

"Exactly." Relief was etched across his features, lacing his tone. "When you change, those warm undertones will turn cool, more... cold, perhaps, than cool, due to the bloodlessness."

"I know, I just... I wanted to be sure I'll still look like me," Carys said. She needed the answer, the specific answer that he could supply after all his time as a vampire.

"Yes, you will." He winced a little, his lips tightening as his eyes shone with apology. "I'm sorry. I realise I should have thought to assure you when we spoke. I suppose I assumed having met Laurent, in particular, that any fears would have been alleviated. I should have actively sought to speak about it."

Carys shook her head, but when she would have dismissed his comment, he stopped her with a frown of distaste, and so she settled instead for, "I guess I could have asked before as well..."

This, he was forced to accept as she drew him down, putting all her relief into the kiss, before she allowed him to return to her hair.

She grinned at the ceiling, utterly relaxed now that the nagging doubt that had made its home in the back of her mind for more than a year had been vanquished, while Carlisle set to rinsing and shampooing, and then adding oil to her scalp.

When he applied another layer of conditioner, she gave in to a slightly more vanity based urge, and asked, "Do you think I'll end up like... Esme and Alice level beautiful? As unearthly beautiful as they are?"

Carlisle's hands stilled. When he began to speak, they moved again. "I'm not sure I'm the right person to ask. I doubt I could give you an answer without causing offence," he said, making an uncomfortable apology of the words.

"Thanks!" she said hollowly. He'd always been so complimentary before. Had things changed?

"I simply mean-"

"Carlisle means," Rosalie interrupted matter-of-factly from the door, an eyebrow raised as she met Carys' interested stare with an impassive one of her own, "he's way too in love with you. Objectively speaking, however... I wouldn't say you would ever stand a chance of being as incredible as your mom could have if she were a vampire-"

Sarcastically, Carys murmured, "This is a lovely conversation. I feel really great about myself."

"-but," Rosalie mused, giving her a once over, "you can be almost intimidatingly beautiful - when you bother to try-"

"Just keeps getting better."

"-and so," she finished with a roll of her eyes, "there's a good chance you could be on the verge of exceptional, even for a vampire. Not my level, of course." She adjusted her hair in the mirror and smirked at her reflection while Carys' jaw dropped, then purred, "But an acceptable effort in the grand scheme of things."

With one last glance, she flipped her hair, spun on her heel, and disappeared.

When Carys was able to close her mouth, she murmured, "I love how she's able to make an amazing compliment sound like a downright insult."

Carlisle hummed non-committally. "It is a skill few possess. Rose does partially have the right of it, however. I am far too in love with you, and you are intimidatingly beautiful."

"Tell that to the plethora of people who asked me out in the year and a half before you. Oh, wait. There was one," she deadpanned.

"If a tree falls in the forest, and there's no one there to hear it..."

"What does that mean?"

"If you don't happen to see the looks, or you think compliments from your friends, family, or lovers are exaggerations, it doesn't mean they're not there... Dearest... are you having an especially low self-esteem day?"

"It's through the floor, Carlisle," she cried. "So far down, I didn't hear it hit the bottom of the well."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No... I'll feel better when my hair's dry, but it's just not my day."

"I suppose even goddesses have off days."

Carys laughed out loud, gasping and wincing as she cradled her left-side ribs.

"Ow, ow, ow. Don't make me laugh, I beg you," she whimpered as the sharp pain dulled.

"I didn't think it was funny," he announced thoughtfully.

The next morning, Carys stood on her own for a full thirty minutes and then determined to commit again to the trip with Leah on Saturday. Though he was displeased about the prospect of her spending the day exerting herself, Carlisle didn't dissuade her.

A/N: the bit about Carlisle and Sarah agreeing Carys couldn't be pregnant was originally going to be in the chapter when she woke up, but it gave Carys a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions as she wasn't quite with it then, so I took it out. Should have kept it in!

I love how Carys was hobbling to the loo, and Carlisle was just like "Ahh, she's so sexy. What perfection." hahaha.

Also, my face when I realised I left in a stage direction for myself. Nooo...

Thank you to: BubblyYork, jhaenox, Momochan77, Shelly J88, seconddragon, BMBMDooDoo-Doo-Doo-Doo, WhiteDarkness9, Books-n-Harleys, Guest (Yes, but they don't, and not everyone seems to have picked it up just yet!), Guest (I'm not sure if she will after the conversation with Edward, but she'll won't forgive her for it too quickly), mmmgirl13, TheWiseQueen, NeonKat (I'm glad you liked it! Thank you so much! I worry sometimes that it can seem a bit stilted, but I'm so so so proud whenever you mention how it flows together! Thank you so much!), 0oKitteno0, and Guest (Yay! All the cuteness seemed to be in the last chapter, spilling over (I hope) a bit into this one too!) for your reviews! Any PMs and reviews I haven't yet replied to, I'll do so in the morning.