Author's note: I promised to update more these past four days off - what I didn't count on was the plethora of family things I had to take care of in that time. However, I haven't forgotten this or any of my other stories...I'm just moving at a slower pace than I'd like. :-P Fear not, though, updates are forthcoming!

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"It's been hours and not a peep. What is she doing?" Edward stopped his pacing, looking up at Rosalie for a long moment before responding.

"All I know is that she said she had to 'dive into Bella's mind'. I have no idea what that means or how she planned to accomplish it, but I do know that if there is anyone capable of fixing this, it's Caralla."

"So does anyone know anything about Caralla? Emmett and I have only known her for a couple of decades." The blonde looked at Esme.

"I met her through Carlisle shortly after we got married."

"Jasper and I met her about - what, forty-some years ago," said Alice distractedly.

"Fourty-four this winter," her husband replied quietly from his perch by the window. Rosalie began pacing as well while she spoke.

"So does anyone know how far back Caralla and Carlisle go?"

"Over three hundred years," came the smooth voice from the doorway. Everyone turned to stare in shock at her sudden appearance.

"How long have you been there?" asked Emmett, admiration in his tone. "None of us heard you come out!"

"Long enough," she murmured as she walked into the room. The family was shocked to see much of her customary grace and poise gone. She was no longer gliding, but just moving. No one said a word as she settled into the chair closest to the window - in fact, no one spoke at all. It was Caralla herself that broke the silence a few moments later.

"Edward, you should go to her. She'll be sleeping for a while, but when she wakes she shouldn't be alone." He was gone almost before she finished speaking, yet she waited for a few moments before saying anything else. An odd chill swept through the room causing the family to glance at one another, and then she spoke.

"Alice, you said Carlisle is in Seattle, correct?"

"The last I heard from him, yes. His future is all fuzzy - it scares me."

"It will remain fuzzy until I can contain the effects of the bond in his mind as well." She leaned back and closed her eyes. "We need to call him back, but it is going to be tricky. That's why I wanted to make sure Edward was out of the room - I needed to sheild our conversation. I hardly think he'd enjoy hearing what I have to say at the moment. Esme, could I use your phone?" Slightly stunned, Esme handed the silver phone to Caralla, not missing the slight shaking of the ancient one's hand.

"When I call Carlisle, we will need to be watching. Now that I've corralled the bond in Bella's mind, his is going to begin to - burn? Is that the best word? - at any rate, he's going to be possessed by the desire to go to her. It will just get stronger the closer he gets to the house. What I will need you to do, and I believe it will take all of you, as frantic as he'll be by the time he gets here, is to stop him about a mile away and hold him there. I'll be explaining the same to Edward, but as Bella is human he can restrain her himself quite easily. Carlisle is going to be the difficult one. He's got hundreds of years on you all, and he's going to be in a bit of a rage, so be very careful to not let go, regardless of what he says or does. I will be there as well, but as I am going to need to mind-walk I'm afraid I won't be much help in the physical struggle." She chuckled without humor. "I'm going to have my hands full just trying to get into his subconscious while he's struggling to get to Bella."

"And why are we keeping them apart exactly?" asked Emmett. Rosalie turned a withering look on him, but Caralla forestalled the blonde's scathing reply.

"No, Rose darling, it is a valid question." She turned to Emmett. "Let me explain a little about the bond. In ancient times, it was a ritual done to ensure perfect obedience from human slave to vampire master. It was never done in affection, and never with consent. If we allowed Carlisle back into the room with Bella, there would be no force on earth that could stop him from involuntarily raping her to death." Around the room came gasps and exclamations, but Caralla held up her hand.

"It is imperative that he NOT REACH THE HOUSE. I know you've more questions for me, but I beg you, let me finish this and I promise to explain the situation to everyone to the best of my ability. It's a lesson anyone who lives amongst humans needs to know, to avoid things of this nature." Such was the command and plea in her sentence that even Emmett was quieted. Caralla leaned back, closed her eyes, and dialed a number.

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She looked so pale against the dark pillows - pale and beautiful. Her head shifted, tossing a bit, and he reflexively pulled her into his arms, smiling in happiness and relief when she snuggled into his embrace, quieting immediately.

"Come back to me, Bella," he whispered into her hair. "I love you. I need you. Come back." He cradled her to him, closing his eyes against the world and holding his life in his arms.

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He'd stayed in one spot until the sun set, until the crowds of people became groups, became trickles, until the trickles deteriorated to the occasional walker. The moon had been in the sky for a while when he finally stood, absently putting his unread book into his jacket pocket. The wind ruffled his hair, a sensation he usually took much pleasure in, but he didn't notice it at all. He needed to walk, to go somewhere; he felt himself being pulled and, not knowing where he was going, simply began to walk. He was in a deserted area near the center of the park when the pain hit - sharp, piercing, like a solid flame barb embedded in his brain. He dropped to his knees in agony, but even as quickly as he moved the lance of fire in his head dissipated, leaving him kneeling and confused.

~What on earth was that?~ he wondered. After a few moments had passed and the pain didn't recur, he stood tentatively. The need to just go somewhere was still there, stronger than ever, but he chose to sit on a nearby bench for a moment. He forced himself to watch the stars as they played hide-and-seek behind the slowly moving clouds. He became aware of a sound, a light trickle of notes that ascended and descended, and it took him a moment to recognize Esme's ring tone. Reaching reflexively into his pocket he brought out his phone and flipped it open. Before he could say anything, a smokey honeyed voice spoke.

"Carlisle, it's time. You need to come home."

"Caralla?" His voice was a bare whisper.

"Come home, Carlisle. It's time I fixed this." The line disconnected, leaving him with total silence. That, and the understanding of where he was being pulled. The burning desire to go home flared to life and a brief second later the park was deserted save for the wind and a stray cat. The four-legged hunter sniffed for a moment at the bench, then disappeared into the bushes, and the wind was left alone.