Despite all her previous complaining, Bella was grateful that the following day at work was not particularly taxing. Her alarm screeched invasively at six o'clock and she switched it off groggily, plodding into the bathroom to prepare for the coming day. She was literally drained, though she knew she wouldn't suffer long-term any effects of Edward's actions, she was exhausted and needed some time to replenish the excessive amount of blood that he had taken.
The two, tiny puncture marks were almost invisible on her throat and she covered the remaining dots with some foundation that she found in her drawer. Pulling her hair into a tight bun, she packed a sandwich and some fruit and opted to walk to work, relishing the cool morning air which refreshed her tired, aching body.
Charlie didn't comment on her state when she arrived for her shift ten minutes early. She silently congratulated herself on her success in hiding what had taken place and began arranging his paperwork in alphabetical order, without waiting to be asked.
It wasn't until gone lunchtime that she made her way over to reception to purchase something, anything with a high concentration of caffeine to see her through the remainder of the afternoon. A pretty little vampire was sat in the waiting area, staring at the ceiling and barely even trying to appear human.
'Alice!' Bella greeted her warmly, taking off her hat to appear less like a clone. The girl appeared genuinely happy to see her, but there was a hint of sadness in her expression that no amount of expensive clothing could detract. 'Are you okay?'
Feigning cheer, Alice hugged Officer Swan happily and thanked her for what she had done for Edward. Following that, she invited her to hang out after work, to which Bella immediately agreed.
'It's so awesome that you know what we are,' the pixie gushed excitedly, all trace of her previous unease now gone, 'you're the first person I've been able to hang out with properly, like no faking. We could go to the cinema, and I won't have to pretend to eat!' Her voice grew shrill as her plan developed, and Bella agreed to return to the Cullen household immediately after her shift. 'Promise you won't even go home first?' Alice pleaded desperately, 'of course you won't, I've seen it,' she added nonchalantly. 'I know already what I can give you to wear!'
'Alice, Alice,' Bella interjected with a wave of her hand, 'as much as I appreciate your visit, I'm sure you didn't stop by here just to invite me to the movies. What's the real reason you're here?'
Her face fell as she remembered the news she had been asked to deliver.
'Carlisle wants to see you; he said he got your bloods back. He's on the late shift at the hospital but I'm sure you could catch up after the film, right? He also said he would have called himself but he doesn't have your number. You should use his card you know.'
Bella sincerely doubted that lack of a cell phone number would prevent Carlisle from making contact with her, and that he was merely being courteous. Alice departed, having coerced Bella into promising several more times that she would go round as soon as she possibly could, and true to her word she punched the doctor's number into her phone.
I hear you got the bloods back. How scared should I be right now?
The handset beeped almost instantly with a reply.
Terrified, I'm afraid to tell you that it appears to be a life or death situation.
She hit the call button before the words had even properly registered, and was met with the sound of hearty laughter. She might have been angry, had it not been the most wonderful sound she had ever experienced.
'You wait, Doctor Cullen, until you finish your shift! I'll get you back for this, I swear!'
'I look forward to it,' he replied teasingly, and terminated the call without any further contact. She sent him another text, well aware that she would look like a stalker. Besides, talking to Carlisle made filing practically bearable. Their exchange was brief but promising.
You didn't answer my question.
I know, nor am I going to.
Why not?
This is a conversation that would be better had face-to-face.
That bad?
I'm still talking to you aren't I?
It will be a miracle if I'm talking to you much longer. Cough up, doc.
No, sorry. I don't normally lack chivalry, but I know if I stay on the phone with you, you'll drag the answers out of me. It is not a risk that I am prepared to take. Besides, this way I'm guaranteed to see you in person : )
Well that's incredibly selfish of you.
And I will have to live with that knowledge for all of eternity. I much prefer to refer to it as 'knowing what I want.'
Bella didn't know what to say to that, so she tucked her phone in her trouser pocket and returned to work, knowing that time would drag now that she had plans to see him.
As promised, she pulled up outside the Cullen's at precisely half past four. Alice was waiting in the doorway expectantly and she held a small stack of dresses in her lithe but powerful arms, each still on the hanger and with labels attached, so Bella had plenty of opportunity to examine the extortionate prices.
'Some of these cost more than my car,' she whistled appreciatively, grinning as Alice passed her a black shoulder-less dress that she had been looking at.
'Put it on!' she ordered happily, waving Bella into the bathroom.
Forty-five minutes later, Bella was an entirely different woman. Her hair fell down to the small of her back in soft waves and the low lighting reflected the red that streaked through her hair.
Decorated with small, diamante earrings and a plain white-gold necklace, she looked stunning. Three-inch heels and a clutch bag completed her outfit an Alice whooped at her own handiwork as the unrecognisable woman descended the stairs, desperate not to fall over.
'Well Alice, you've outdone yourself this time,' Edward patted her on the shoulder and she basically purred at the compliment.
'What are you saying, Edward?' Bella challenged playfully, holding on to the bannister for support.
'That you normally look like a troll.'
Bella and Alice both shrieked girlishly and threw their bags at Edward's nimble body as he ran from the hallway, screaming 'I was joking,' the entire time.
Finally relenting, the girl's made to leave whilst Edward hid in the garden, boldly shouting a hasty 'goodbye' as he heard the front door close behind them.
'Are we really going to the cinema?' Bella asked doubtfully, 'don't you think we are a little overdressed?' Alice pouted, her clear lip gloss shiny in the moonlight and retorted childishly,
'I don't get to eat popcorn anymore; surely I can dress how I like when I want to see a film?' Bella giggled, and humoured her for the rest of the evening.
The house appeared empty when they returned home. Alice explained that her partner Jasper was away for work, he was in the military, but was due home the following week. In order to distract her from his absence, they made plans to meet up every evening until his return.
Bella turned to hang her cardigan behind the front door when she heard a movement in the kitchen. Heading over to investigate, she literally jumped when a shadowy figure reached out and touched her arm. Flicking the light on, the intruder grinned.
'Carlisle! Don't you ever, I mean ever, do that again! I almost punched you!' Bella fought to get her breathing back to a normal rate, 'why on earth are you standing in the dark anyway?'
'I just got home,' Carlisle explained innocently, unsure why Bella didn't seem to appreciate his account, 'I didn't have time to turn any of the lights on yet.'
Comprehension finally dawned on Bella, and she exclaimed loudly.
'Right, you guys can see in the dark! Of course, sorry I freaked out.'
Slightly embarrassed by her blatant overreaction, which particularly contrasted with Alice's calm demeanour, Bella covered her face with her hand to cover her flaming cheeks.
Tactfully changing the subject, Doctor Cullen, who was still in his work uniform, made towards the stairs.
'Want your results?' She almost ran behind him, kicking off her heels as she went, the suspense was so great.
Carlisle showed Bella her blood sample on a microscope, and she felt sufficiently uneducated when she wasn't instantly amazed by what she saw.
'What am I supposed to be looking at?' She questioned, knowing she appeared naive.
'Nothing,' Carlisle replied bluntly, and she immediately questioned whether or not she had offended him with her naivety.
'So why am I here then?' Carlisle directed her gaze to the sample once again.
'That's my point, you're looking at nothing. Normally in a sample that size and under a lens this powerful, you would be able to see uniform red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets, occasionally cellular debris or even foreign organisms in some cases. But here there is quite literally nothing. I thought the sample might have been contaminated, but this was the third one I ran, and they're all identical.'
'In English please, Carlisle? We aren't all doctors you know.' He pulled her away from the microscope so that he could begin packing his things away as it was getting late.
'It means I can't figure you out, Bella.' His voice dropped and it was deep, almost husky. Suddenly he was standing close, too close, and Bella looked up at him doe-eyed as he inched even nearer. He placed one cold hand on her flushed cheek, their opposite temperatures balancing each other out pleasantly before continuing, 'and there's nothing I like more than a good mystery.' He placed his other hand on her waist and she looked up at him expectantly, determined not to be let down a second time.
He lowered his face until it was level with her own and closed his eyes as their lips finally made contact. The kiss was everything that Bella hoped for and more as he held her securely and controlled their slow movements. He ran his tongue along her lower lip, almost asking permission, and the instant she relented slightly he was inside her mouth, dominating her. She gasped as he stepped closer, closing off the last few inches between them, and lifted her onto his desk with a firm gentleness that made her knees go weak.
She tangled her hands in his hair and reciprocated the movement as he continued to kiss her with more passion than she had ever thought possible. Before she could question just how long she was prepared to allow this to continue, there was a gentle knock at the door and Edward entered without invitation.
Carlisle finally put Bella down when he realised his son wasn't going to leave.
'What do you want?' He asked hastily, not bothering to hide his frustration. Edward nodded to where Bella was sat, hair dishevelled and lips slightly swollen from Carlisle's lack of restraint.
'I can't hear her,' he stated simply. Used to the dysfunctional ways of the Cullen family, Bella didn't even ask him what he meant. Instead she waited patiently for an explanation.
'Edward can hear other people's thoughts,' Carlisle dropped in, as though it were part of everyday conversation, 'but not yours, it appears.'
Bella felt a rush of relief as she realised that her privacy had not been interrupted, though she had to admit she was stunned that Edward had walked in on her kissing his dad, and what's more he didn't even seem to mind. Some of the thoughts she had entertained had been entirely personal, and she didn't doubt she would die of embarrassment should Edward ever 'hear' them.' While Carlisle mused what this revelation could possibly mean, Edward took the opportunity to wind him up.
'I can however, hear Carlisle's thoughts as clear as day. But I don't imagine you need me to tell you what he was thinking about, do you?' With a cheeky wink, he ducked behind the door so that the heavy volume Carlisle threw in his direction missed his head by a split second.
'Edward seems to be out to get us all today,' Bella mused quietly, admiring the doctor as he navigated his way back towards her.
Heading back over the desk where Bella remained sat, Carlisle returned to his previous position and muttered almost silently,
'Now where were we?'
She jumped off the desk hastily and pushed him back, her regret at leaving him written all over her face.
'Sorry, Carlisle,' she whispered so low that he could only hear it as a result of his enhanced senses, 'I'm on the early shift tomorrow, so I should really be going.'
He groaned and pulled her back into his grasp so he could pepper small kisses all over her face. Giggling, she finally managed to escape before declaring loudly,
'Besides, I told you I'd get you back. So there.'
She poked her tongue out and ran, knowing he wouldn't give up until he caught her.