Chapter "I got a little drunk and wrote this and it may not count as a chapter but it really should".

"I'm a very social person, Carlisle. I can't help it if people see that in me..." Carys paused, looking a little unsure of herself. "I'm a very sociable person, is what I meant to say."

Carlisle, who had raised an eyebrow when Carys said she was social, felt the need to explain: "I'm not questioning the misuse of words, darling. I'm questioning how sociable you are."

Carys frowned, confused by the clarification.

The couple had been talking about this and that while Carys finished her breakfast and lingered over her cup of decaf coffee at the kitchen table. Neither one of them was quite ready to face yet another day in the library after they'd returned the night before with even more questions than answers. It was Thursday morning, and the question of when they should announce their news to the family was hanging over their heads: a silent yet ever-present cloud. It hadn't been discussed in days. Carlisle almost didn't want to reach the stage where it would be. His family meant more to him than anything and yet with this ... with this news, he wanted to come to them armed with everything he or Carys could need.

There was also the fact - which lingered in the back of his mind - that if his children didn't know about this, Carys and he could pretend that everything was fine and that when they made their announcement everyone would be happy for them.

The time would come when they needed to go to Carl Isle (he slightly disliked that Carys had said that name enough for it to take over "Cullen Island" or "Isle Ivy" in his thoughts; he also disliked that he wanted to suggest: "Cary Isle" as an alternative because it blended both their first names) and make a proper decision, but that was far enough away that Carlisle could ignore it in his dominant stream of thought.

"I'm saying," Carlisle continued, inwardly smiling at his wife's reaction (he would never get bored of saying that: his wife), "that you're a lovely person and people respond to that to a degree which makes me wonder about your future powers, but I wouldn't say you were sociable."

"What do you mean?" Carys asked.

Her little frown deepened, her brows rising a little to present Carlisle with what he (and he had yet to admit this to her) thought was by far one of the most adorable expressions he'd seen in over three hundred and fifty years: her worried face. Carys' other expressions made up Carlisle's top five: her nervous expression, the look she gave him when she was about to say she loved him, her expression when she wanted to say she loved him but wanted to say it without words, and her thinking face.

"Your best friends are an anti-social shapeshifter/werewolf and an anti-social vampire," he said gently.

Carys bristled. "I take offence to that."

"Oh?"

"I've still not decided if Jasper is going to get back to best frie-"

"Esme or Rosalie," he interrupted. "Either one is... Esme not so much when it comes to vampires, but Rosalie? Would you call her sociable?"

"Rosalie's not my best friend exactly," Carys said. "Esme is definitely one of them, but- No. I have others."

"Would you care to give me an example?"

"Charlie used to be?"

"Introverted introvert."

"Alright, how about my real best friends? Sarah and Monica. They're the most sociable people I know! They're like the queens of the social scene in Forks."

"I'll give you them," Carlisle agreed without hesitation. "But they're the queens. You don't like socialising. I didn't say you couldn't do it, or that you can't be amazing when you do - because you are; as I said, people take to you - I said you're anti-social; you don't want the company of others outside your inner circle."

Carys crossed her arms, her lips twisting as she mulled over the information. "I can't deny that," she said at last. "I get nervous, and... no, I don't like going out too much, but I can enjoy it when I do. I just worry a lot." She paused and Carlisle waited. "I don't think it's that I don't like people, just I like smaller groups? Or my own company? Or a few good friends?"

"Exactly," Carlisle said. "Which, my darling, is why I doubt you'd enjoy taking a crash course in public speaking if the opportunity presented itself."

This had been their latest topic of conversation, prompted by an article in one of the newspapers Carlisle had bought that morning.

Carys hummed, turning her half-finished mug round and round and studying it until she raised her gaze to meet Carlisle's.

"Sarah and Monica are my best friends," she murmured. "I might have the others, but they're..."

"I know," he said. "And Sarah is my best human friend as well." Taking a breath, he thought carefully over the implications and added, less than a moment later, "If you don't mind me claiming her in such a manner."

"Why would I mind?" Carys asked. Her tone had risen to suggest she was once again confused. It made Carlisle smile. "I'm just glad you like her as much as I do."

"What do you mean by that?" Carlisle asked, now the one on the back foot. "I thought you knew I held her in great esteem."

Carys nodded quickly. "I did. I mean, I do. But 'great esteem' isn't quite 'she's my best human friend' is it? It makes me happy to know you feel that way about her."

Carlisle sighed, glancing at the table, focusing on the grain of the wood. "My biggest regret is that we won't see their wedding," he admitted. "Alice told me it will be - and I don't say this lightly," he glanced at Carys and then returned his gaze to the table, "she said it will be the loveliest wedding Forks has seen in decades, bar ours."

When he looked up, Carys' gaze had softened. She stared unseeing in his direction. One elbow came to rest on the table, her knuckles propping up her cheek.

"I bet it will be," she said slowly. "I wish we could see it. Mon and I are ninety hundred percent sure Sarah will make a fudge wedding cake." Carys paused, her eyes glistening as she took a shaky breath and began to descend into wistful sadness. "That's what we wanted her to make, anyway. Sarah's still on the fence about it because it would be so much work, but it would be incredible."

"It would," Carlisle agreed, wistful himself now that he thought about it. "It will be. Alice has run the scenario quite a few times and it always comes up with a tower of fudge."

Carlisle wondered if Carys knew that she had almost forced friendships with these humans upon him which (from his connection with her) meant more to him than others had for a long time.

Carlisle had had human friends before, and he generally prided himself in his connections with humans and vampires alike, but he had long since taken to accepting that mortal relationships were short-lived. They were connections that wouldn't stand the test of time. It was part of the curse of immortality to watch those you cared about grow old and die, and - by virtue of his inability to age as fictional vampires might - it was somewhat of a blessing that he and his family were forced to move on so often; they couldn't grow close enough to humans or spend long enough with them to watch it happen. In fact, they were careful not to do so.

It wasn't until Carys and Bella came into Carlisle's life that he found himself yearning for things he'd long since accepted to be impossible. There was no chance of him or his wife attending the Michaels' wedding in six years' time, nor could they meet the two children they would have in three and five years' time respectively. They would both miss out on the renovations which would be done on Sarah and Monica's new house and the parties they would throw, which Carlisle had always been more than a little envious of Carys for attending in the past.

Carys and Carlisle were lost to their thoughts for long minutes until Carys jumped and shook them both from their reverie.

"What's the matter?" Carlisle asked.

"Nothing," Carys said quickly, "just..."

"Just?"

"I don't know," she said under her breath. "There's something..." Carys shivered and glanced around the kitchen. "I don't know."

Carlisle rounded the table and sank to his knees beside her chair almost before he thought of doing so. The move made Carys jump again.

"What is it?" he asked. "Is it physical or mental?"

Carys thought about her answer carefully, turning in her seat. Carlisle leaned back just enough for her to swing her legs around and bracket him with her thighs. The question wasn't surprising to her, Carlisle noted with relief.

"I'm not sure," she said, her attention focused within as she tried to puzzle herself out. "I think ... maybe spiritual?"

Carlisle waited again, holding still when he would rather stroke Carys' thighs or sides or face to soothe her. Things like that distracted her sometimes, and he didn't want her to lose her train of thought or forget what she was thinking about because she would rather be enjoying the calm of his embrace. She had told him that once and he would never forget it: she felt calm in his arms. Calm and loved - unconditionally so. It was what he wanted to give her more than anything else in the world and to achieve it rendered him almost speechless.

Carys' lips pressed together, her brow creasing. She was truly unsure of herself. It wasn't confusion. It was ... ignorance, in the truest sense of the word.

"I don't know," she said. "I feel like ... something changed."

"The dhampir?" Carlisle posited.

Carys shook her head, staring off past his shoulder. "No. At least, I don't think so," she said distractedly. Slowly her expression changed until she looked Carlisle dead in the eye without any traces of confusion and said thoughtfully, "I guess someone just walked over my grave or something."

Her wording didn't bother Carlisle. It was a common enough phrase.

"Perhaps," he said, giving in to the impulse to stroke her cheek. "Have you any ideas? Anything on the periphery?"

Carys shrugged lightly, leaning into his touch. "Maybe I've lost something? Like I've felt something go? Not a worrying thing, just ... something I've forgotten? Maybe? Or lost? Or missed?" She shrugged again. "It might be us talking about Sarah and Mon and I'm missing them." Her eyes welled up. "I'm really missing them, Carlisle." Her voice cracked.

Venom polled in Carlisle's eyes, catching his throat and catching him by surprise.

"I'm missing them too," he said.

Carys' laugh was watery. "You miss the hospital," she joked. Then, immediately and far more lovingly, she said, "You miss having someone on your level, don't you? A human with the compassion and mental speed of a vampire doctor who genuinely enjoys their work."

Carlisle grinned through his unshed tears. "I wouldn't say she was quite on the vampire level, but she's as close as a human will get and yes, I already miss working with her. Sarah is ... Sarah is one in a million. More than a healer. She and Monica complement each other perfectly. They're as lucky as I've been and I understand why they've decided to remain in Forks for the time being rather than go to a city where Sarah could easily become a top-ranked doctor. They made the same decision I did; for different reasons, but the outcome is the same."

"I miss my mum as well," Carys whispered. "I miss Findlay and I miss Shauna, and I miss my grandparents. It's not like I miss them now, even. I miss them..."

"You miss the future?" Carlisle suggested. His free hand joined the other, cupping Carys' cheeks. "You're grieving for a life you could have had with them."

Carys took a shaky breath. "I do want this," she whispered. "I want you, I do, I just miss..."

"What could have been," Carlisle said.

"No." Carys shook her head. "Not exactly. It's like, I miss that I'm not going to be able to see them but I know I'll be able to contact them and stuff, and I wouldn't change you for the world, I wouldn't." She seemed determined that he understood this. "I want you. I love you. I need you. I just..."

"Wish it didn't come with the loss of everything else," Carlisle said knowledgeably.

Again, Carys shook her head. "No, it's not that. I mean, yes, I'll miss so much, but it's not that, Car, it's not that. It's like..." This time when she thought over her words, Carlisle didn't try to understand her aloud. "Oh god, I don't know. It's- I don't know. I can't explain it." Carys was becoming increasingly agitated by the train of thought. "It's something in me right now, and don't say-" she tilted her head, giving him a suffering look that he knew was as much for her as it was for him "-it's Dhamp. It's something inside me which feels like ... like-"

They were interrupted by the sudden and incessant ringing of Carlisle's phone. Carys murmured about Alice as she fished it from his front pocket and hummed as her suspicions were proved correct. The name flashed on the screen: Alice Whitlock. Alice had had them all change her name in their phones as soon as she graduated and the charade was over for now.

Carlisle accepted the small silver device when Carys thrust it into his hand, sliding his free hand down over Carys' body to rest upon her knee. With her watching him, he flipped open the phone and set it to his ear.

"Alice," he said calmly. "Is anything the matter?"

"Why would something be the matter?" her high voice chirped. "Can't I call you without a good reason?"

"Usually yes," he conceded, meeting Carys' eye. "However, you'll remember I'm currently on my honeymoon?"

Carys stifled a grin and Carlisle offered her a knowing smile of his own.

"Yes," Alice said. "Only, I'm wondering why you're in England instead of enjoying the sun."

"Oh? You saw that, did you?"

"Just about." Alice's voice changed and Carlisle could picture her pouting on the other end of the phone. "Can you tell Carys to give me a break? I was only peeking. It's not fair that she knows how to get around me."

Carlisle very much doubted that Carys could get around Alice as much as the vampire thought she could. Connecting the dots, he wondered whether more recent events had led to some sort of block on Alice's abilities. He worried that it would get in the way, but it was almost gratifying at the same time. Alice's abilities worked on vampires because she was one, and they worked to some extent for humans because she'd been one. The gratification came that his and Carys' secret was contained for now because Alice had never been a dhampir and much like with the shapeshifters, she would be confused or blocked. It was also terrifying to know that Carys' future was hidden.

"Whatever do you mean?" he asked.

Alice sounded piqued. "I mean she's hiding from me again."

"Perhaps she's trying to avoid you seeing anything unsavoury?" Carlisle said, causing Carys to stifle a laugh this time. "We all know that's the last thing you would want."

"I guess," Alice said, extending the words. "What are you doing in England?"

"We both missed London," Carlisle said, the words tripping from his tongue. "I thought it would be nice to come back for a week before we went on to enjoy the rest of our honeymoon."

The implication was clear: he didn't know how long it would be until they might be able to make a repeat trip. Alice was silent for a moment or two. Her voice was less accusatory when she spoke.

"Are you having fun?"

"We're on our honeymoon," Carlisle said kindly.

"I know that," Alice complained. "I meant in general. Are you having fun in London?"

"We are."

"What are you doing?"

"I took Carys home, and we've visited the library a couple of times. I'm sure you've seen snippets?"

"Not really. Flashes here and there. I've not been pryi-hold on. Did you say home?"

"I did." Carlisle spoke calmly as always but inside he bubbled over, knowing that the connection had been made.

"You took her... Oh, that's amazing, Carlisle!" Alice trilled. "I'm so happy!" She sounded it. In fact, Carlisle could hear her jumping around whichever room she was in. "Do I get to see it?"

"No. I'm sorry," Carlisle added quickly when the sounds of excited jumping ceased. "I'm not quite ready to be sharing this with everyone as of yet. Soon, I promise."

"I'll hold you to it," she said. "Now put me on with Mom. I have a bone to pick."

"No can do I'm afraid. We're on our way out."

"Just for a second?" Alice whined. "I won't be long."

"Are you going to complain about Carys hiding from you?" he asked.

Alice lingered over her answer. "No..."

"You can talk to her later." Carlisle laughed. "Until then I'll pass on your love."

"Do I get love back?"

Carlisle grinned. "I love you, Carys loves you. Buh-bye, Fairy."

"Bye Dad."

"Speak to you soon. And," he added when the sudden thought arose to tease her, "stay out of trouble. Listen to Esme when she tells you not to do something. I don't want to hear of anything untoward happening whilst I'm gone, do you hear?"

Alice played along, almost too happily. "I swear on my premature grave: we'll be on our best behaviour."

"Good," Carlisle laughed. "How are your brothers?"

"They're boring."

"Your sisters?"

"They're fine. Boring. Everyone's missing you."

"I miss you all too. How's Jasper?"

"He's good. He's missing Carys more than ever."

Carlisle heard a complaint rise up in a southern drawl from the other side of the phone and chuckled.

"Soon, I hope," he said cryptically.

Alice understood his meaning. "I hope so," she sighed.

"Esme?"

"All good! Gosh, you're boring sometimes, Carlisle. How is everyone? Can't a woman complain about her step-mom without getting the whole family involved?"

Carlisle laughed at her mock exasperation.

"I'll say goodbye then," he said. "Love you."

"You too," Alice trilled.

The line went dead and for long seconds Carlisle and Carys were quiet. Carys leaned forward to rest her forehead to his, and Carlisle closed his eyes, revelling in the contact.

"We'll tell them soon," Carys said.

"I know," he replied, remembering there was something more than this much needed physical contact.

"We've almost got everything we need," she added.

"So long as that librarian stops being an-" Carlisle caught himself. "According to one of the others, Matt doesn't work on Fridays. We should have all the rarer manuscripts laid out for us. Until then..." Pulling back, Carlisle let his gaze roam over the dress Carys wore, lingering on the hem while he grew increasingly hungry for her. "I think we need a day off, Mrs Cullen."

Carys spoke as if she hadn't heard the implicit warning in his voice. "I feel fine, Carlisle. I'm not sure what that was before, but I'm good to go. You don't need to worry about me."

A part of Carlisle that he tried to hide, tried to push down deep inside himself, reared its head and demanded her attention. It demanded that she said his name in a myriad of ways, culminating in screaming it so loudly that the neighbours would hear it all the way through ten walls.

"I'm not worried about that," he said. "And neither should you."

Reaching for the hem of her dress, settled over her widespread thighs, Carlisle gripped and barely twitched his hands. It gave way easily, ripping straight up the middle and causing her to gasp.

"You should be concerned about whether or not you'll be able to walk after I've finished my breakfast."

I'm sorry. I don't even know where that came from. Chapter Four will include responses and proper thanks for reviews. Tonight, I'm just going to leave this there and have a good whiskey fuelled sleep.