Back in the lobby, I smiled up at Carlisle and linked my arm through his. His relieved smile was bright and I figured I would just go with the flow. We spent the evening enjoying the show and even stopped with everyone for dinner at a high end restaurant around the corner. I was famished but I noticed that Alice, Emmett, and Carlisle merely pushed their food around. The sight caused me to stop talking and at my raised eyebrow, which caused Maggie to look up from her meal, they smiled apologetically. "We actually ate before we came tonight. We weren't sure if you'd be called away to the hospital or even hungry so we didn't want to miss the chance." Carlisle explained smoothly.

I smiled at him and continued eating. Something had been bothering me with these three since the first time I saw them all together but I tried to push the feeling away. I would work it out in my head eventually when I had more time to think about it. My risotto was amazing and I was glad the meal was so large. By the time I set my fork down, I leaned back in my chair and resisted the urge to pat my stomach like a fat man. I was definitely satisfied with that meal.

"It looked like you enjoyed that." Carlisle observed.

I nodded and sighed, satisfied. "I really did."

"I enjoyed my meal too. Not that anyone asked." Maggie said with a sly smirk, eyeing the lack of space between Carlisle and myself.

I cleared my throat as I scooted my chair away from him slightly but that only caused Maggie's smirk to grow and Alice and Emmett to look my way.

"You okay there, shorty?" Emmett asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.

I narrowed my eyes at him as a blush crept up my face. "I'm fine. Just getting ready to leave." I grabbed my purse and started looking for my debit card when Carlisle's cool fingers brushed mine. I looked up at him.

"Please, allow me. It would be my pleasure." The velvety way he spoke mixed with the subtle burn in his eyes had my knees weak and I was glad to be sitting down.

Swallowing hard, I nodded dumbly. "Okay." I breathed.

I heard Alice snicker across the table and kicked out at her. She gasped, shocked I would do such a thing and I was regretting it because all I did was hurt my toes. She has really hard shins.

"That wasn't very nice, Bella." She tutted me with a stern look.

I batted my eyes innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Alice."

Only a few moments later, the waiter picked up the check and Carlisle's card and once he returned it, we all stood and walked out onto the sidewalk. Emmett and Alice were murmuring to each other and Maggie was telling me about the latest gossip between her and her birth father.

"It just seems like he wants to get to know you, is all." I said as she complained about his hovering.

"I have a father. I don't need him to get to know me." She stated.

I stopped as we reached the sleek black hire car and turned to face her. "Look, Maggie. I like you. I really do. This is new for Richard as it is for you. He didn't know you existed. If anything, Ellis cheated him out of that and if anything else, you should be pissed at her for it. And she's dead. So you can't. Don't take it out on Richard. Dr. Webber is a fantastic man. He's compassionate and kind and he would do anything for anyone. Yes, you have parents and they love you. Who says you have enough love? Don't you think you could use the love of another person in your life?"

Maggie stared at me for a very long moment, her face unreadable, before she shrugged. "You're right." She nodded decisively. "I'll get to know him."

I wasn't even sure why I cared so much. Dr. Webber has always been nice to me but it's not as if I was close to him or Meredith. Despite the years of working alongside them, I still didn't know them well at all.

"I'm going to catch a cab. You all be safe, okay? Bella, I'll see you tomorrow?" Maggie inquired as she hailed a cab.

"Sure thing. See you tomorrow." I waved as she got into the bright yellow car.

I felt a hand touch my lower back gently. "Right this way, Dr. Swan." Carlisle said charmingly.

I smiled up at him and followed him to the car where he opened the door and gestured for me to climb in first. As I strapped the seat belt around me, I noticed him shut the door before Alice and Emmett got in.

He noticed me looking out the windows for them. "They had an errand to run."

It was all he said on the matter and though I wondered why they didn't even say goodbye, all thoughts flew out the window when Carlisle smiled at me and leaned closer. I saw his nostrils flare slightly as I blushed and looked away.

"Tonight was great. Thank you so much." I said softly as I smoothed the skirt of my dress down anxiously.

Carlisle's hand laid upon mine on my knee and I stopped fidgeting to look up at him. He was so close. The breath from his lips coated my face, fogging my thoughts and I felt myself lean toward him. The hire car started driving and I felt myself sway from the movement. Staring into Dr. Cullen's beautiful golden eyes transported me to another dimension. I felt as if I could fly, with how weightless his stare made me.

One of his hands came up slowly, calculatingly, as if he were afraid I would move away from him. When I showed no signs of moving and held his mesmerizing stare, a single finger trailed from my temple down to my chin where he paused his movements. He held my chin between his thumb and forefinger and I felt my heart beat heavily inside my chest.

A small noise released itself in the back of my throat moments before his smooth, firm lips pressed against mine briefly. He pulled away just enough to stare into my eyes again and I threaded my fingers with his before pushing closer, capturing his lips once more. He tasted heavenly. Sweet as nectar. His scent invaded my senses and I felt like I was free-falling into a great, starry abyss. A low groan pulled itself from Carlisle's chest and I pushed myself closer to him, trying to ignore the sting of the seat belt at my hips. Our hands caressed each other's arms and necks, as he slanted his face and deepened the kiss. His tongue was cool against mine and I gently suckled on it, relishing in the vibration that began to escape the handsome doctor. Butterflies chased each other in my lower belly and I pressed my hips further into the seat to keep myself grounded, and possibly give myself some friction. He was doing sensual things to my brain and my body with just his tongue and his dancing fingers.

It was over before I wanted it to be and he gently pushed his forehead against mine, his eyes closed. His sweet breath fanned across my lips as we both panted from the passionate kiss.

When I felt the hire car stop, I pulled away and looked out the window to see we were parked outside of Joe's Bar, across from the hospital.

I sighed heavily and smiled coyly at - who I figured I could call now was - my date.

"I had such a lovely evening with you, Bella. I hope that you will accompany me again soon." Carlisle said, his voice low as if afraid to disturb the air around us.

I linked my fingers with his as my smile grew. "I would like that, very much." I said, just as softly.

Another vibration left Carlisle and I wondered if I affected him as much as he affected me. He seemed so pleased with himself as he stared into my eyes and brushed a strand of hair away from my face that had fallen out of one of my braids. Leaning down once more, behind the darkened window panes of the hire car, Carlisle kissed me again.

It was that moment that both of our pagers went off and I cursed as I reached for it. I had it stashed inside my own small purse with my wallet.

Another emergency in the pit.

"I'll see you in a moment. I'm going to run upstairs and grab my scrubs." I said to him, all business now.

I saw the shift in him as well as he nodded and got out of the car, striding quickly across the street, unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt to pull them down his arms. I thanked the driver and ran up the stairs outside of the bar to unlock my door. When I threw the door open, I tossed my purse onto the counter and kicked off my heels as I trotted to my bedroom. The place wasn't very big. A living room and bedroom combo, a small kitchenette, and a bathroom. The entire thing was made out of cinder blocks that had been sealed to shine and there was no drywall in the whole place. Very modern and sleek, the kitchen cabinets were a dark gray and the hardware was bright, shining silver, while the counter tops were stark white. My favorite feature about the place was the rack over the mini island. It was a basket rack with large iron hooks hanging from it for pots and pans. Over the sink hung pendulum lights with crackled glass bulbs.

Throwing my dress off over my head to land in the corner by my bed, I grabbed the light blue scrubs and my Converse, dressing as quickly as possible before attaching my pager to my pants waist. I bypassed the wallet on the counter, swiping my keys and locking the door behind me.