A ring of laughter reverberated down the central staircase of the Cullen house, and met with a voice from around the corner;
"They're just enjoying themselves, there's no need to worry." Carlisle turned from where he stood, hand resting on the banister. His wife approached him slowly, rounding the corner underneath the staircase. He sighed,
"Not worry, just concern." His posture relaxed as he met Esme's eyes "They are our children after all." He added with a smile. Esme sidled up next to him, and slid an arm under his and around his back, pulling herself up lightly and kissing him on the cheek.
"They'll be fine." She said quietly, "I've finished that patient transfer for you, I'll be in bed reading when you're done being concerned." She smiled for him, then walked silently up the stairs, and he followed her after a moment. At the top of the stairs, she turned left, and he turned right. The door to the guestroom was cracked open, and a slim blade of light bled out onto the hallway floor, the incandescent yellow continued up the wall, across the ceiling, and back down to the door frame, which Carlisle now pushed through.
The laughter that had been full of mirth before he entered the room quieted a fraction, but didn't stop, and they all took notice of him in their way. Alice leaned towards him slightly, as if to move closer, to give him a hug. Jasper's chest rose just a sliver of an inch, military habits die hard. Emmett's mouth curved into the slightest of smiles, seeing his father always brought out the half-serious, half smart ass smirk. Bella was sitting down, facing away from the door, leaning back on her hands. Her posture slackened an ounce, she was always more tense when Renesmee was with Jacob on the reservation, and more so when Edward was out of town, but knowing her father-in-law was behind her was reassuring, and she let herself relax. The last person in the room, and their guest, Adrian, looked up from where he was sitting, and smiled broadly at Carlisle.
"Uh oh! Party's over." he laughed out, jokingly. Adrian's voice was light, with a grain to it, like fine sandpaper, or wood that's not quite smoothed enough.
"Just making sure nobody forgot the time." Carlisle replied with a smile of his own. Carlisle took note of the tie Adrian wore, one of the many oddities about their newest acquaintance, on the day they'd first met, he'd told Carlisle he felt naked without one. He continued, "I suppose Rose has already gone to pick her up?" directing the last part to Bella, who now turned to face him, grinning.
"She left a couple minutes ago," She said, now standing and straightening the flowing skirt she wore, "I suppose Rose will expect me outside in a moment." Bella grinned again, then glided past Carlisle and out the door. Alice and Jasper both stood in unison, and shared a quick glance.
"We'd better get going." Jasper said.
"Jasper booked us the red eye going back." Alice finished, then turned to observe the grin from Adrian and Emmett. Alice and Jasper both gave Carlisle a hug and kiss, before leaving to find Esme.
"You'll have to show me what you were talking about, that trick in Italy, some time." Emmett said to Adrian, punctuating it with a punch on the shoulder that sounded like boulders falling, as they both stood. Adrian faked pain, rubbing his right shoulder with his left hand, and making an "ouch" face. They both laughed as Emmett offered him an odd handshake, clasping hands and pulling him in for a pat on the back. Emmett gave the same to Carlisle, and left the two of them alone, laughing to himself as he went out to greet Rosalie. Adrian was quick to break the silence.
"Mr. Cullen, thank you so much for letting me stay with you, your family has been so accommodating, isn't there anything I can do for you?" Carlisle smiled warmly, and saw Adrian's amber eyes lighten the slightest amount.
"Please, Adrian, we'd never ask any repayment of you, just seeing you well is plenty enough for us. Besides, you get along so well with the family, I'd hardly call it a burden to have you with us." Held out his left hand, for a handshake, and when Adrian met his hand, he replied,
"Thank you, really, thank you so much, kindness is in such short supply among us." Adrian's face was grateful, mournful, but gave him a compassionate nod, then said
"We'll all be on the drive, you should come join us, Rose will be back any moment.", releasing the handshake and moving to leave.
"I'll be down in just a bit then, I want to tidy up in here." Adrian motioned to the chairs and couch that had been scooted to face the spot where Adrian sat, only a minute ago.
Carlisle shut the door behind him, and Adrian quickly re-aligned the room to the way it was a moment ago, he stood, left hand resting on the back of the couch, looking at his reflection in the glass windows, lit from the inside, darkened by the shadows of the trees cast by a crescent moon. He was tapered, like the build of a men's clothes mannequin, his hair was short around the sides and the back, longer on the top, thick and brown. His jaw rounded, his long-lashed eyes hooded by shapely eyebrows, and his lips forming a gentle letter "M". He thought it was funny, how hardly he remembered his human reflection. He held out his right arm, admiring his newest change, the stump that showed now that he stretched his arm; his right hand torn off, just above the wrist.