"What do we do Alice?" Carlisle asked. Immediately switching into crisis management mode.
"I don't know," came the small reply from the other end of the phone. "I think Bella should go home and be honest with him but it won't be pleasant."
"Thanks, Alice," Carlisle nodded to himself and ended the call. We both sat for a moment. Neither of us making eye contact.
My heart felt like it might break and the sickness I felt ran all the way through me. I wanted to close my eyes and make it all go away. I wanted to stay here with Carlisle, in our perfect little bubble. We could run away and ignore Edward, ignore Charlie and deal with this all another day.
I put it to Carlisle. "Lets just run away. Pack up quickly and just go. Then it can just be me and you and we won't have to worry about Edward or Charlie or any of it," it was more of a desperate plea than a real suggestion.
"No Bella," Carlisle shook his head sadly. "You know we can't do that. Edward would find us and it wouldn't stop the hurt we've caused him and Charlie won't let you go. He'd call the police and we would be tracked. Yes, we could evade them but that's no way for you to live."
I moved over to where he was sat at the other end of the white sofa and wrapped myself around him so my arms and legs were around his torso and my chest was pressed against his back. I leaned my head against his back.
"I love you. I love you so much I can't be without you," I whispered feeling very vulnerable. I couldn't lose him. He was everything to me.
He held my hands, placing his arms on mine. "You won't be without me, my angel. I can't be without you either." He turned his head and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
He moved and gently untangled me from his body pulling me onto his lap.
"We will get through this," he said his golden orbs blazing into my eyes. "I will come to see you on a night and lay with you. I will speak to Charlie. I will make this better," it was a promise that I believed. I could never doubt Carlisle. He was a god incarnate. But I wasn't stupid, I knew this wouldn't be easy and the idea of running away did seem so much easier.
He leaned forward and pressed his forward against mine repeating, "we will get through this together." I closed my eyes and let a few silent tears run down my face.
"I don't want to go home."
"You have to my angel," he breathed against me. "We have to face this."
We stayed like that for a little while. His head against mine just breathing one another in. Eventually, though we had to detangle. I had to go home and face the music. Face Charlie. I gathered my things silently and left. Carlisle kissed me at the door. It wasn't just a kiss goodbye. It was a kiss filled with everything that needed to be said. Our desire and love for another. Our need for another. A promise between the two of us that we would be ok. That we wouldn't let this break us apart.
The drive home felt long and arduous though I had done it so many times before. I was filled with a feeling of dread like I was walking into a tigers lair.
Maybe this would have been easier if I had been angry if I had been filled with some burning rage. A hatred for Edward that we would do this to me but I could never feel those things. I wasn't angry at myself for loving Carlisle, how could I be when he made me so utterly happy? I wasn't angry at Edward. He was hurt and I understood that. I was pained in myself that I had caused that hurt but I knew Edward wasn't acting maliciously, he was hurt and in that hurt maybe he genuinely thought it was the best thing to do. If I was in his position would I have done the same thing? Maybe. I could see where his concern came from. Carlisle may be only physically 23 but he was over 300 years old, he was wise in a way I struggled to comprehend and maybe Edward genuinely believed that Carlisle was using that wisdom to manipulate me into his bed. I would have thought that Edward knew Carlisle too well to think that he would ever do something like, or that Edward would at least care enough or know me well enough that he could respect my decision. So it made me sad that he would do this, go behind my back to Charlie, but I couldn't be mad at him.
When I pulled up in front of the house I could see that shadow of Charlie waiting for me in the kitchen. I took a deep breath in readying myself before exiting the truck and going into the proverbial lion's den.
The door had barely shut behind me when Charlie called sternly, "Isabella, in here." Crap. My full name. He was angry.
I dropped my bag by the door and went through the little door into the kitchen.
"Hey dad," I tried to make it sound happy and optimistic but even to me, I could tell it was strained and strangled.
Charlie's face was barely holding its composure. He was flushed and his jaw clenched but he was clearly trying to rein himself in.
"Edward Cullen came by here this afternoon," he said to sound relaxed.
"Oh did he?" I asked biting my lip. This felt torturous.
"Yes." He was staring me down now. "He had an interesting idea. He seemed to think that you were in some sort of relationship with his father, Doctor Cullen." I held his gaze but didn't say anything. I needed to know what else Edward had said.
"I, of course, said that was ridiculous. That you had only seen Doctor Cullen when you had had a sleepover with Alice," Charlie paused and the sickness in my stomach intensified. "And do you know what he said to me, Bella?"
"What?" I said my voice barely above a whisper.
"He said that Alice hadn't been to Forks to stay over since she left and that you had been having sleepovers with Dr Cullen," his voice took on a hard edge and I cringed and bit down on my lip.
"Now Bella, I want you to be honest with me. Have you been having a secret affair with Carlisle Cullen?"
I didn't answer for a very long time and my silence was confirmation enough but Charlie wanted me to admit it.
"Well, Bella?" He prompted.
"I love him," It was barely more than a whisper but Charlie heard it. He did a double-take and caught himself against the kitchen counter, turning away slightly looking horrified.
"You love him," he said to himself and then louder in an accusatory shout, "you love him! Bella, you just broke up with his son three months ago and he's an adult for Christs' sake!"
I had forgotten this. Charlie believed the lie. He believed Carlisle was supposed to be around 30 rather than his very real 23.
"I'm 18!" came my childish reply. I was aware of how juvenile that response was but without telling him all the things I couldn't tell him it was all I had.
"Just Bella!" He took a breath and I could see the cogs working in his head. "How long has this been going on?" He asked trying to see whether I was underage when it began.
"After Edward left," my voice was quiet. I would answer his questions as best I could but I wasn't volunteering any information.
"How? I need answers Bella," Charlie was becoming increasingly frustrated with my non-committal responses.
"I thought you liked Carlisle dad!" I pointed out. I somehow didn't think that telling my father Edwards' vampire brother attacked me because of how good my blood smelt and then I seduced my boyfriends' father whilst he was stitching my arm up would go down too well.
"That was before I knew he was preying on my 18-year-old daughter!" Charlie shouted.
"He's not preying dad." Charlie was silent for a moment. Thinking before saying, "You're going to Jacksonville."
No, no, no, no. I couldn't go to Jacksonville. I couldn't leave Forks. All of sudden the world stopped and did a 180 turn. If arguing with Charlie was going to get me sent to Florida then I needed to change tack. I had to agree with Charlie. Stop seeing Carlisle, agree to whatever punishment was coming my way and I work everything out with Carlisle after as long as I stayed in Forks.
"No, Dad, please don't send me to Florida," I begged. "Forks is my home." I wasn't just saying that to stop him sending me away from Carlisle. It had been almost a year since I had moved here and Forks really had become my home.
He looked at me for a long time, studying my torn face.
"Please dad," I whispered.
Charlie walked over to the little kitchen table and sat down placing his head in his hands. I chewed on my lip nervously not wanting to say anything that could upset him further.
After an excruciatingly long silence, he looked up at me.
"Ok but you're banned from seeing him." My heart sung at those words, though I was sure it was because Charlie didn't want to explain to Renee why he was sending me there and less about my persuasive begging. "Since you're 18 I can't arrest him, as much as I would like to. So that's it then. No more seeing Doctor Cullen." I took in a sharp breath at those words. Charlie wanted to arrest Carlisle.
"But you can't see him again Bella and if the rest of the Cullen's come back it is best if you stay away from them. And you're grounded forever." It wasn't a request. I would not be allowed to see any of them as far as Charlie was concerned. As much as I wanted to argue with him, to declare my love for Carlisle I knew not to push it. I knew I could probably see Carlisle behind Charlie's back and I knew Charlie wouldn't want to listen to anymore pleading. I was lucky, I'd gotten off lightly.
Charlie shook his head and got up from the table, walking into the living room and switching the tv on. I stood motionless in the kitchen for some time until I was sure it was over, that Charlie wouldn't be back to argue about it again.
When I was sure he was settled I tip-toed up to my room anxious not to disturb him.
I flopped down on my back on my bed and let out a loud sigh. How had some much happened in one day? How had I been in Carlisle's arms making love only this time yesterday? It made my head spin.
I pulled out my phone from my bag and fired over a message to Carlisle. I was sure if Alice hadn't already told him he would be worrying about what had happened.
'All ok. Banned from seeing you though B x'
He wrote back almost instantly.
'Ahh. Well, I thought as much. I'll come over tonight when he's asleep. Leave the window open. C.'
I left it there. Anything I had to tell him could be done later. Not for the first time I was grateful for Carlisle's supernatural abilities and his lack of need for sleep. It wouldn't be possible to only sneak around so convincingly were he human.
I decided the best thing to destress myself was a long shower. I grabbed my bag and some fresh pyjamas and made my way to the bathroom. I made sure the shower was hot and already steaming by the time I got in. I took my time thoroughly working the shampoo through my hair and combing through the wet conditioner to give it a detangle.
The hot water not only soothed my body, but it also made my mind feel more at peace. Edward knew now and there was nothing I could to do change that. Charlie knew and understandably wasn't very happy but there was nothing I could do to change that and I wasn't going to stop seeing Carlisle. I wasn't sure I could. I felt tied to him as if I was away from him for an extended period I would break. the cord between us would snap and I would never be the same again as if I had lost a part of myself. The thought of being away from him was unthinkable.
When I finally turned the water off and got out of the shower I took my time dressing and towel drying my hair. It was still early and I wanted to drag out the time before Carlisle would come.
Charlie had ordered pizza. It was supposed to be the two of us for a family dinner but that had gone out of the window when Edward had told Charlie about me and Carlisle so in the end neither of wanted to try cooking.
I sat quietly on the sofa, my legs wrapped underneath me. I nibbled on a slice of pizza, taking my time with it while I opened with Jane Eyre for the 500th time. I'd been sat for a while and was getting to the part where Rochester proposes to Jane when Charlie started speaking.
"I'm not mad at you Bella," his voice was soft and uncharacteristically paternal. "I'm mad at him, he took advantage. I'm just looking out for you." I chose to ignore his comment about Carlisle taking advantage, telling Charlie that I had initiated things with Carlisle probably wouldn't go down well. So, I bit my tongue and just said, "thanks, dad." He smiled at me awkwardly before turning the volume back on the TV and going back to the game.
I felt sneaky and I wasn't a sneaky person but it wasn't as if I could just move in with Carlisle, so I needed to keep my home but I also wasn't prepared to lose Carlisle either. I wished Charlie could be more open and understanding but unfortunately, it looked like I was going to have to be sneaky, at least for the next few months.
I had been in bed for some time when Carlisle came through my window. I had retired early and spent an hour sitting at my desk doing schoolwork when I heard the thud of Charlie's feet on the stairs. He knocked on my door and popped his head around to say goodnight and no doubt to check I was where I said I would be.
I listened carefully for him to settle down and when the creak of his bed had stopped indicating he was settled I slowly packed my things into my backpack for the next day and climbed into my own bed to wait. He appeared like an apparition about 10 minutes after Charlie had begun snoring.
He smiled gently and crossed the floor to my bed. He slid onto the bed next to me and opened his arms out for me to burrow into.
"How are you beautiful?" he asked after pressing a kiss to the top of my head.
I sighed. "I'm ok. Not thrilled at the way everything has turned out. Being banned from seeing you and everything."
"But here I am," he said chuckling lightly. "No ban could keep me away from you Isabella."
"I would die if I had to be apart from you," I said simply. It wasn't dramatic. It was true.
"I know," was all he replied.
We laid in silence for a moment listening to my breathing. I was enjoying the coolness of his smooth chest.
"I've spoken to the hospital," he said after a minute. "I'm going to be doing day shifts from now on so all my nights will be spent with you." I turned in his arms so my eyes met his and pressed my palm to his cheek.
"Thank you, Carlisle," I said before pressing a kiss to his mouth.
"I've also spoken to Esme," he said gently as I settled back into his arms.
"What did she say?" I asked. She knew about us and was supportive.
"She's going to speak to Edward when he next contacts her. Try and make him see some reason."
That was good. Edward loved Esme, hopefully, she would be able to get through to him. The time away to process should help as well.
"Everything will be ok Bella, I promise you," Carlisle whispered into my hair as he pulled me closer to him and my eyes began to feel heavy.
"I love you," was my only reply before I let sleep take me.