Lots of fun writing this one. Things are certainly on the build! I hope you enjoy! Thank you so much for your lovely comments and don't worry, I haven't forgotten anything ;)

My hammering heart seems to be trying to burst out of my chest. Trying not to look so flushed in the face is difficult however and with his smile making my skin prickle in delight, I try and add some attitude back into both my walk and voice.

'Yo-working in here!' Disrupting an artist at work is more than just a crime right now. It's a travesty.

With a bit of a shaky hand, I wrench the door open to reveal a group of semi-drunk football-esque students who bustle in just as Carlisle's pulled his shirt down over his back. At this point, I have to deliberately look away from him to hold my nerve.

The leader of the pack, a hench brunette guy with the arms the same circumference as my head, throws his arm around his taller girl and instantly starts grilling me out. To the point where I'm angry confused. And now I'm mad for two reasons.

1. You interrupted the artist.

2. You're still interrupting the artist.

'We've had this place booked since eleven. You're not meant to be in here.' He says smartly, coming up to stand over me as the rest of his buddies file in through the door like a swarm. A drunken swarm who have somehow managed to reinstall a dormant headache.

'You couldn't have considering we've been here?' I retort. 'Besides, free workspace, free opportunity.' I fold my arms across my chest but a few of the guys behind start sniggering to each other, making fun of the fact that I've just made my tits bunch up a little. So I unfold my arms and quickly pull on the jumper that is being pushed into my hands.

But this only makes the group laugh more and now my hammering heart is hammering for a different reason.

'Well I suggest you and your boyfriend leave before we get campus security around to kick you out the polite way.' The guy stands up taller as if trying to push his height through the ceiling while his pathetic giggly girlfriend turns her glare towards me.

Freshers? A group of bloody freshers are kicking me out of my own workspace?!

'And if I refuse?' I demand, ignoring the fact that there's a lot of them waiting to lunge out at me. Why did a bunch of Beach-Butt Suckers need the fucking art studio?!

And worse- why was I being such a wimp about it? I could give as good as I got. I don't let people walk over me… that's the rule. But I could feel every part of me back away the more I tried to stand straighter.

'We'll just have to kick you out ourselves?' Says the leader, laughing jovially with his buddies as they high five each other.

There's a soft touch of fingertips on my hand. It's the first time I notice the safe presence behind me. My shitty balance wavers a little, as I almost fall back into a retreat. Which isn't good.

'Excuse me?!' Thank fuck my voice is sturdier than my bravery.

'Es,' Carlisle says quietly, coming closer to me with not only his bag on his back, but mine as well. I'm still holding the camera, trying to stop the threat of shuddering shoulders with gritted teeth. 'Come on, there'll be lots of places free elsewhere-.'

'Yeah baby,' jeers one of the cockier, short guys, flexing his arms like a threat. 'Better listen to your boo and get a move on.'

Shit blows up.

'Who the hell do you think you are?' I fire back, astoundingly aware how the group of them out-number both me and the pearly Saint who was never going to get involved despite his well-acted piece earlier. Easy thirteen-to-one.

'You'd better listen to them, Babe. Get a move on.' Adds the girl, pouting in a way that is so like Tilly-.

I have had enough of patronising assholes.

'I am Not your fucking Babe?!'

'Es.' Carlisle pleads from behind, tugging on my hand. 'Please, just leave it.' My hand slaps his away for the second time today, echoing a horrible sound in the large room.

The majority of the lads start to whistle and chant with each other, all pushing to get to the front of this apparent crowd.

'Oooooh, Feisty's got a temper!' And the bunch of them seem to get rowdier.

Carlisle looks at me gently and then towards the door. He's right. Moving in front, he creates a gap for us to walk through, leading the way with me very close to his back and his hand hovering below mine.

'Aww, Feisty doesn't want to play anymore?' Taunts another childish twit, pretty much blowing his bubblegum cheeks at me as he winks. 'Come on Doll. Give us a bite?'

'Grow up!' I snap, trying desperately to leave the room but they're proving to make this difficult. There's just so many of them and they're everywhere like an airborne disease. I'm not even sure where the hell the door is?

'Yeah! Show us your temper, Feisty.'

'Ignore them, Esme.' Carlisle encourages from behind, reaching for my hand to tug me out the room with him. I grip it tightly for the sake of calm.

Which is perfectly fine until one of the leery drunks takes it one step too far. Just like earlier, there's a sharp sound that cuts through the air and down slaps a hand, right across my sore ass cheeks sounding out like alarm bells.

If there's one thing I did not need right now, it was the reminder of that.

The involuntary cry of pain has left my mouth before I have time to halt it. But because it's the most humiliating day of my life, the whole group of them scream with laughter and copy and mimic the sound until I'm red with tears of fury. Cullen stops dead in is tracks and turns around to face me straight on, scarily still.

'Are you okay?' He asks softly, his blue eyes taking in every part of my expression. My shoulders are moving without my control and if I'm not careful, he's going to notice.

'I'm fine, just get moving.' I mouth sourly, frowning to hide the torturous sting of my backside once more.

The group is still laughing behind us. He's staring.

'Move, Carlisle.'

And they mimic that, too.

He barely touches me as he passes and spots the dickhead who slapped my rear end. He's not hard to miss. He's waving his wrist about, bragging with rambunctious laughter as he proudly shows off his achievements to his friends.

It happens so quickly, I'm almost too surprised to notice let alone to shout out.

Using only his forearm, Carlisle pushes the guy up to the nearest wall, keeping the guy locked so he can't move without restricting the necessary flow of air. Though even from here I could see the twat on his tiptoes. I'm briefly grateful I can't see Carlisle's face, I'm shaking enough as it is.

'Keep your hands off her.' He growls, ignoring the yells and shoving of the group who are tearing at his back as he scares the drunkard to near death.

'Carlisle! Stop!' I beg, pulling on his arm. But once more, he proves that his strength is far above my own and doesn't let me close enough to risk more harm. The group hounds in on him but he hasn't noticed, they're like a pack of wolves attacking shock-proof glass.

'Apologise to her.' He says stiffly.

A few more laughs and jeers but Carlisle pushes his forearm tighter against the kid's neck, not enough to cause damage, but enough to frighten.

'Carlisle, please!' And once more, I'm shuddering violently.

'Apologise.' He repeats sinisterly, glaring into the kid's skull.

I'm clawing onto his shoulder now, trying to pull him back. 'Drop him, please.'

The larger group of lads are trying to grasp at him but with me in the way and Carlisle so furiously threatening the other kid, no one is ready to move just yet. My previous flushed skin of nervous excitement had taken a darker route with a paler colour: I'm now flushed with a mix of fear and fury. Not for me, as it should've been. Not even because the safest guy I knew was hurting someone. Rather, because I was desperately frightened of what could happen to him. This was a big group.

'I'm sorry.' The lad squeaks out. 'Shit, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.'

'It was just a bit of harmless fun!' Yells another guy.

Cullen drops the kid so that he falls in an awkward heap to the floor and scrambles to find his balance. He looks at me once and then gathers our stuff to head towards the door, pulling me with him and keeping me encased in safety with the simplicity of his posture.

'What the fuck is your problem, Man?! We were just fooling!' Shouts the ring leader pushing onto Cullen's shoulders so that he ducks a little.

'Hey, leave him alone!' I yell, standing in between them, my heart beating like crazy.

'Fiesty's back again!' Cheers another ignorant lad. 'Come on Babe, what are you going to do-.'

But Carlisle gently pushes me towards the door before taking a fistful of the shirt on the ringleader's chest and shoving him so he goes flying backwards into a stool and falls on his back.

The girlfriend is yelling now but Carlisle's already dragging me away till we're out into the corridor and leaving through the doors.

The hit of the wind strikes me as harshly as the rain did a few hours ago and out of bitter humiliation, fresh tears bubble over and leak down my cheeks. For a second, it looks like we're going to make a run for it and jump out into the car park but instead he stops and turns around to face me, his whole posture slackened into exhaustion.

'Are you okay?' He whispers, putting his hands on both my shoulders to calm the shuddering but even when he hangs his jacket on me, there's an unnerving silence. I can't trust my voice enough to say anything so he simply smiles tightly. 'Come on,' Carlisle insists, taking hold of my hand and pulling gently till we're stood outside his car doors. He unlocks it with a nervous sigh and watches me get in before settling in himself.

'You won't be offended if we just go home will you?'

I shake my head, not trusting my words to uphold any honour when my head is bent so low and my eyes are leaking.

'Esme?'

I don't know what's worse, how humiliated I feel, how frightened I am or how much pain I am in yet again. My ass is on fire.

'Hon. I'll always keep you safe, I promise.'

But it's ridiculous now because on the sound of 'Hon', the tears release and I'm crying into both hands again, trying to hide myself while consciously getting louder and louder. He continues to rub reassuring circles into my back acting like all of this is completely normal.

When I said I didn't cry, I meant like ever. What the fuck was happening? And why the heck won't it stop?!

'What about you, huh?! You're meant to be a fucking Doctor, Carlisle! What the fuck are you playing at?!' I croak through floods of tears.

He doesn't say anything, just accepts my anger without comment. All the while trying to soothe me and make me feel better because he's that good of a person. And because I'm so pathetic, I literally fall into the cave of his arms and cry for twenty solid minutes.

'I'm just so sick of this fucking body.' I murmur when my throat has calmed enough to let me not suffocate. But now my face and my chest are in as much pain as my ass. And my pride. My pride hurts just as much. 'I would be so much safer if I was a twelve year old boy.' I snivel, swotting at my eyes and nose with the ends of my sleeves.

With little movement, he pulls the curtain of my hair away from my face to look at me properly, his mouth curved into an encouraging smile.

'Hey, I think you're beautiful. But that doesn't given anyone the right to touch you without your expressed permission. ' He says softly, catching and wiping away a few more tears with the side of his finger. 'And the same would stand if you were as beautiful if you were a twelve year old b-.'

He stops himself and cringes visibly, his eyes closing for a millisecond. 'That didn't come out right...'

'Please just drive us home.' I beg, my smile as crumbly as his posture. Before doing so, he sweeps me up into a one armed hug, squeezing my rib-cage slightly and letting me rest my chin on his shoulder. The complete eradication of misery takes place under his arms and with even breaths, I let myself restore to safety again.

I'm expecting Edward when we get back and the fact he's still not home makes me want to cry more for reasons that make no fucking sense in the world.

Cullen fixes a hot drink from the kitchen and then seats himself on the sofa behind me, leaning forward to watch me. I've pulled out the laptop and have started printing the last photo off my camera ready to map out on a bigger scale in silence. In all honesty, I've been far too lucky. The photo is beautiful, everything about it is perfect and I couldn't be prouder.

'I'm sorry for getting you in trouble.' I whisper eventually, taking the drink from his hands after several more minutes of silence.

'If we can't find trouble, trouble can surely find us, eh?'

I smile lousily, the muscles in my mouth unable to hold the weight so I instead start to draw out my piece. My hand keeps swooping slightly and I'm well aware my eyes keep closing shut.

'Must you really do that, tonight?' He asks tiredly, his words wrapping me in another layer of warmth as they travel down my neck. He puts a hand on my shoulder and gently squeezes. 'You're falling asleep, Sweet.'

There it is, that beautiful word. My heart is going to burst.

'I just want to get this done,' I yawn, rubbing at my now my sore face. I didn't really have room to complain. Not when it felt like I'm sat on a gas stove, burning rings of fire scolding each cheek.

'Take the night off. You've had a day and a half.' He says softly, his mouth almost unable to form the words.

'You can talk.' I reply but when I turn to sneer at him I find his head hanging over the end of the sofa, his eyes closed and his chest rising. Well, that didn't take long?

It's late in the evening, he hasn't slept well for several days and I have every responsibility to help him into bed to save that poor spine of his but I don't.

Instead, I turn off the light and put the TV on a low volume to give me an excuse of something to look at. My hand closes the lid of the laptop, I finish my drink and then in my snivelling state, I help Carlisle to lay down properly on the sofa before curling into his side and pulling the throw over the two of us. It helps and before long, the security of his body has me relaxed in seconds.

When I stir a little a few hours later, there's a chill in the air. It's biting at my arms, my neck, my face and then something I'm lying against shudders and so do I.

'Not disturbing, I hope?' Edward says with a grin, close against my face as he kneels, his green eyes glittering. Hold on Edward's home?

Before even registering why, I gasp out loud and drag him into a bone-breaking hug, clenching onto him as though he were to disappear. Which is additionally worse. It meant one of two things. Either A: I had somehow managed to find myself high once again, (which isn't inconceivable when you think to how quickly one hot drink managed to knock me out) or B: I actually am insane.

'Where the fuck have you been?!' I groan, wiping away an escaped tear of worry before he gets suspicious. He frowns at me.

'Out, why?' He says with a grin, a thick eyebrow cocked at which seemed to confirm both my ideas at once.

'Dammit, Edward. Do you know how worried I was?!'

'Worried?' He asks. 'Worried why? What's happened?'

I forget how easy it is to alarm him once I'm alarmed.

'No, no, I'm sorry. I was just over-reacting.' I say quickly.

Amazed, he reals back a little and simply blinks.

'What?' I ask nervously.

'You? Over-reacting?' He laughs when I go to push him aside and dodges it well. 'Go on then, what about?'

I grimace aloud.

'No, it's pathetic. Just forget I said anything.' I don't even want to think about how ridiculous I am. I'm embarrassed enough as it is.

'Oh Come on, Esme? You can't keep your mouth shut forever.'

How do these guys know me so well? It's still cold in this living room so I pull the throw over my shoulders a little more, deliberately trying to ignore the face of pure beauty that lays behind.

'I just…caused issues about something... and thought they might come after you…' I really am paranoid. What the fuck did Cullen slip in my drink?

'They?' He repeats, laughing. 'Who?'

'Never mind. I was just-I'm being stupid.' I rub at my eyes a little more before doing quick once over of him. Not a scratch on him and positively giddy. He's totally fine. 'Are you definitely okay, though?'

I unconsciously yawn again and go to swing my legs out when I'm unconsciously aware of something… Underneath the blanket, my feet are entwined with another set of feet and with that in mind, my eyes widen and I try not to blush. Or to think. Or to look pathetic. Is he looking at me?

'Yeah, yeah, I'm cool. Thought I'd better wake you…both. Wouldn't want you guys getting back ache now, would we?

He's deliberately looking behind my head.

'In my defence,' I start dejectedly, already knowing I'm a total idiot for bringing it up. 'It's been a really shit day and I was crying…'

He grins widely, holding in that stupid laugh of his. 'I don't doubt you were.'

Why be an asshole right now?

'Stop it, really. I don't have the energy.' I beg weakly, hiding now in both my hair and my jumper and everything else that'll shroud me from an explanation.

'Neither does he.'

'Edward!' I groan, quietly.

He grins once more and helps me up which in the process wakes up Carlisle. He stretches out, curling his spine and his toes before rubbing at his tired face and pushing the same hand into his thick hair so that it springs back.

I'm being stared at. Not by the boys, that would be weird, but by the other lady in the room.

'Oh. Hi Bella?' Need to sound more enthusiastic… Also need to not act so surprised to see her. Alice always acted fast. Should've predicted it.

'Hey.' She says shyly. 'Sorry for waking you two. Edward said it was best but I tried to dissuade him.'

I smile awkwardly and stand up, trying to fuss with my waves instead of looking at her. She's doing the exact same.

'Morning Sgt. Loser.' Edward greets, leaning over to playfully punch Carlisle's face which means putting his knuckles to the poor man's cheek.

'Kid, eurrrgh,' He pushes Edward away and squints his eyes a little from the light. 'What time is it?'

'Two.' Him and Bella say simultaneously.

'Oh. Hi Bella.'

'Morning, Carlisle. How are you feeling?'

He scrubs at his eyes once more before pointing upstairs and rolling off the sofa. 'Bed. Going to bed, now. Goodnight.' But Edward stops him and raises his arms up in mock offence.

'Carlisle! Dude, why are you not as pleased over my life as, Esme?'

'Dude.' I whine. 'Please shut the fuck up.'

'What are you on about, Kid?' He mumbles, tiredly.

He grins a little sloppily and bounds into offensive mimicry. 'O Edward! I thought you'd died! Where have you been?! I was so busy crying, I didn't even think to phone!'

'Edward,' I hiss. 'Shut-up.'

'Wha?' Carlisle groans, yawning once more.

'Our poor Edward- Gone forever.' He continues to play. This would be beyond hilarious if I hadn't been genuinely worried. For fuck sake, this is what happens when I'm nice. Although why I even wanted to be nice, or worried or concerned was another question entirely.

'I swear to God-I will hit you.'

Bella pulls on his arm with a smile. 'Come on, Edward. Leave them alone. They deserve a good night's rest together.'

I look behind to Carlisle who is looking just as confused and just as embarrassed- and then I see Edward and he's fucking sniggering...

'What did you say?'

The release of his ferocious laughter hurts my ears.

'What?' Bella asks confused, she staring panicked at the three of us. Or rather the two that does not include her fucking muse. This has got to be a joke?

'Edward, what the fuck did you say?!'

He's crying out with laughter, ignoring my very warnings, positively laughing at me-.

'I said nothing. What Bella here implied-'

'I'm going to wring your fucking neck!'

'Es,' Carlisle whines. 'Don't rise to the bait.'

But Edward has already taken off running and I'm hot on his heels, hands poised ready to kill this bugger for being the ass who thinks it's funny to make my evening ten-times bloody worse just for a shitty laugh.

'Its fine, Es.' He says laughing, mocking the same endearing tone of our landlord as though it is the funniest thing in the world. That makes me lose it. I lunge at him so he runs off again until we're at an impasse. He's on the opposite side of the island in the kitchen, hands up in a pretend surrender. 'I really wouldn't feel self-conscious, Hon. At least Tilly will take your place tomorrow?'

I throw a cup at his fucking copper hair and lose it when catches it and half skips out the kitchen.

'I swear to God you Spoilt Sack of Shit-'

As I come storming out of the kitchen after him, Carlisle catches me perfectly by the waist to stop me attacking his Kid brother. And if I wasn't so focused on getting my revenge, I really would be appreciating every second of this restraint right now. Well, to be honest, I'm loving it even as I fight it.

'Can we please just go to bed?' He pleads.

'Ha!'

'You know I meant all of us, Edward!' He fires back, hotly. 'I don't fancy my house getting wrecked because of you two!'

'Thanks, but I'm not really into that?' He says in a pout, winking at Bella because he's clearly been spending far too much time with Emmett for God's Sake.

'A cider doesn't make you King fucking Kong, Edward! Just go to bed!' I add, annoyed. Carlisle has to pretend to look in the kitchen to have a second's control of halting his smirk and then he turns back to the opposition.

Fucking Alice making this dipshit all happy for stupid bloody reasons.

'Yes, Mom!' He salutes with a grin. 'Should it be expected that I come running into the both of you for a bedtime story?'

'Eurgh!' I scream, reaching out to grab him once more but I seriously underestimate the cage right here who is making no effort to move anything but his bloody smart-arse mouth!

'Right, I'm going to bed- Goodnight, Kid! Sorry Bella.' Just like that, Carlisle loosens his belt like arm and drags himself to bed. Looking once at me to raise an eyebrow, he continues his slouching walk and ignores his smile.

'Go on, then.'

'Edward, I swear to God!' I do follow him up the stairs. 'Goodnight Bella!'

'Goodnight Esme, sleep well!' Blah, blah, bloody, blah. Go get laid you pathetic hormone filled rabbit infusers.

Once I get up the stairs, I find Carlisle is waiting for me with an expression of pure hell.

'Please tell me you have a huge pack of pills in your hands?'

'There should be some in the bathroom?' I reassure softly, my fury at Edward seeping away the more I look at his gorgeously pained face. 'Would you like me to check?'

'I was actually going to ask if you'd get my pager for me? It's downstairs on the side…'

Bastard. But his eyes are so blue and his body is so hot and I just want him not to be in any discomfort-.

'Sure.' I reply willingly.

'Thank you, My Dear.' He says softly, rubbing his head as though it weighs a tonne.

I glare at Edward the whole time I collect the pager, daring him to say one word, to which he doesn't, and knock gently on Carlisle's door to give it to him. For some bizarre reason he's splayed awkwardly on the floor in his white t-shirt and jeans, his back against his bed as he takes the pills in his hand.

'You alright?'

'Headache from hell.' He confesses, combing through his blonde hair to mess it all up once again.

'It's because you haven't slept. Go on, get into bed.' I pull back his side of the duvet for him and help pull him up so that he falls to the pillow face on with a groan. 'Maybe not so hard, eh?' But I ignore the fact he's still dressed and drag the rest of the duvet over his back.

'Stay tonight?' He asks softly, still facing the pillow.

At this precise second, I forget how much searing pain is impaling my rear and think only on the fact that if I don't breathe in a second, I'm going to faint. I'd spent nearly every night this week with him. That wasn't weird. What was weird is that all those times I'd had an excuse. Now, I had an invite.

'M-me?' I stammer out.

'No, that random guy behind you?' He mumbles, sarcastically. 'Yes, of course you. It's cold in here and you make the bed warmer.'

How skillfull of me...?

'I'm not going to make much of a positive difference. Look at your face, you're exhausted.' And really cute... He's so beautiful with his crazy hair and his tight t-shirt and his jeans, eurrrgh why does he have to make life worth living?

He turns to the side and frowns a little. 'You can say no, Es? I'm just being cheeky.'

What the heck does that mean?!

'Cheeky? Why?' I ask carefully.

'Are you determined to embarrass me today?' He asks with a semi-grumble. He sighs a little and rubs his head. 'Because it's nice to have someone to wake up to? And like I said- I'm cold.'

'Quit the act, Cullen. I know full well you're only asking because I don't want to go back into the spider pit just yet.'

'You're hilarious.' He retorts, proudly.

'Go to bed.'

I head first into my bedroom to grab my stuff and then into the bathroom where I fix my hair into a long plait and brush my teeth. That doesn't take long and soon, I'm back in the famous blue, the shirt, his shirt, long and floaty. The hem finishes around my thighs so that if I bent over while naked (which I obviously won't do with a baboon-butt), you'd probably see the curve of my cheeks. The sleeves hang to the middle of my palms and the buttons are perfectly spaced between each other, leaving barely half a centimetres gap until the next button. I like the shirt. It smells like him.

It's so quiet as I climb into his bed that I almost assume he's knocked himself into a coma.

'Esme?'

'See- I told you I keep you up!'

I feel him breathily laugh once more and move closer to my pillow.

'Esme?'

'Yes?'

'Are you even looking at me?' He complains, the minty toothpaste wisping into his face with deliberation.

'Hilarious. Of course I am.' Did I really need an excuse to stare?

'I need to- Hold on, is that my shirt?' For some reason, I was expecting the voice to be nearer than it actually is. I do my best to turn to face it, inching to the edge of my pillow to be closer to his words.

'It might be…'

'Your sense of humour is brilliantly mischievous.'

Well look at that. It seems our night owl has become braver once again.

'Hon, go to sleep.' I say softly, putting a lot of emphasis on his word. I obviously can't tell when it's pitch black but I would theorise that he's smiling.

'No, seriously. I really need to ask a favour…' The tone of his voice has muted into something important. I reel back a little, feeling their movement on my nose.

'A favour from me? Wow. I'm privileged!'

'I'm serious!' He says laughing in that oh-so believeable way.

'What do you want?'

He sighs a little, so that I hear his breath move from hitting me in the face to somewhere above. '...I want you to take a week's holiday from the shop?'

'What?!' I say, cackling. 'That's ridiculous, you know I'd never get that.'

'I really need you to try. Please Es-'

'What- why? Why are you asking me this?'

'I really think it'll help and-'

'Cut the bullshit, Cullen.' I feel him shiver next to me.

'…I've got to go away for a week.'

I now pull myself up to stare at him in the dark. A week?! A week?! A Whole week?!

'Why?' I ask, trying to make my voice sound less World-War devastated.

'The hospital wants to open a Neo-natal unit and I'm part of the team to really push funding for it-It'll be such a great opportunity and we could-'

'You don't have to sell it to me. It's great you're going...' I say quietly. He needs to sell this better. He pulls himself up too, moving towards my curled posture.

'It's just a week's holiday? Or at worst phone in sick? I-'

'When are you leaving?' I ask miserably, trying to brighten the fuck up but it's pretty impossible now. A whole week? Seven twenty-four-hour days?

'Sunday.' He says, grimly. 'I'm sorry, they've only just sprung it on me.'

Sunday?!

He left it till two in the morning to tell me he would be leaving on Sunday?!

'It's impossible for me not to work, I've got bills to pay.' I remind him though at this moment I'm very aware the only bills currently impending were to him and my car. Which was a mystery. Was it even a car anymore? Who knew?

'You've also got to hand in that painting? And finish all your pieces for College and-?'

'Jeeez, Cullen. Way to stress me out, thanks.'

'No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…. Just take a little week's holiday, take your evenings off, chill out, cook dinner and just get back to being you? Please?'

'I am me?' I say bluntly.

'I meant in terms of cooking.'

'You're telling me to take a week's holiday because I haven't been cooking? What kind of fucked up gender comment is that?'

(If it's not clear, I'm pissed off).

'I'm telling you to take a week's holiday because you haven't eaten properly in the last three weeks. For the first time in years I saw you cry today. You've had complete swings in your attitudes for days and whether you admit it to me or not, which is fine because it's your business, but whatever's happening with your boss isn't right and it isn't your fault.'

'Mood swings?!' I demand.

That's the only thing you pick up on?' he guffaws, throwing out a hand to his knee. 'Really?'

'Well what about you with your 'mood swings'?! You're the most passive person I know and you're asking me to stay in your bed and have dinner with you?!'

And here comes the hysteria...

'This wasn't a conversation on me.' He disputes meekly. 'This is a conversation on you needing a break!'

'This is a conversation on you being a sexist asshole!' I retort, turning on my side to ignore him before I blow up in his face.

'I need a break too! Why the hell do you think I'm skipping off to Alaska for the week?'

'Alaska?'

'Why are you mad at me?' He better not be fucking grinning or I swear to God-.

'I'm not mad!' I seethe, burying myself in the duvet. It's quiet for the moment as he contemplates his choices. He goes for the dangerous option. Very unwise.

'You are mad.' He states confidently and then in a more sensual tone; 'You tense up when you're mad….' And he drags a fingertip down the very centre of my spine so that I shiver to the point of no return.

'S'not funny.' I murmur. Don't get turned on, don't get turned on, don't get turned on...

'You also do this thing where you try to hide your expression?' He shifts so that he's leaning over me to catch a look at my face (which right now is suffocated by his duvet).

'And you glare to try to hide the fact you're smiling.'

I readjust my face to better hide the accused smile.

'And you stop calling me by my first name?' He claims delightfully, his teeth beaming.

'Goodnight, Carlisle.'

Dammit, it is weird!

'You know I'm right.'

'I know you're full of yourself.' I mutter back.

'Well, you're the one who didn't want me shy.' He says, playfully. I frown at myself in the dark.

'I just want you to be comfortable?' I mutter, confused. He stiffens a little next to me before chuckling softly. Err…did I just say that I wanted him?

'Right.' He says soberly. 'And what if part of who I am is being right ninety-eight percent of the time?'

'Only ninety-eight? Away with false modesty.' I murmur, lightening up a little.

'Es?'

'Aren't you meant to be sleeping?' Goddamn you being Goddamn gorgeous.

'Es?'

'Urgh! What now? What do you want? Yes, I'll try get the week off. Are you happy now?'

How the fuck did one man get so persuasive just because he had the most perfect blue eyes? He sighs a little, returning to his reformed self, his controlled and calm nature, if not a little shy.

'I just want you safe.' He says slowly. 'Safe and happy.'