Chapter Eight: Getting Late

Carlisle's POV

"Dad! We're going to be late!" Edward wined up the stairs as Lizzie and I got dressed. Even though it was mid-January, Edward had joined a travel team for soccer. We were constantly on the road for him. But, it was a good distraction and Lizzie normally came with us.

Lizzie and Edward had bonded a lot since the first time they met. Edward was never going to be as close to her as he was with Bella, but it was good they got along. It was even his idea to invite her to the games. I was so happy he was getting along with her or things would have been a lot more difficult to start something with her.

Lizzie grabbed our bags as I got our coats and we headed downstairs to the car where Edward was already waiting for us. He crawled in the backseat and put his headphones in like he always did and he was occupied for the entire four and a half hours to Cincinnati. Lizzie and I talked for most of the trip, but talking to her was a whole lot different than talking to Bella. Lizzie was smarter than most people I knew, but we didn't connect as well on an interletual level like Bella and I had.

But she was still someone to talk to and I was thankful. She was a nice girl who didn't expect much from me or anything from this relationship. Although, that's what she kept telling me anyway. But, I could tell she was getting attached to me and I felt horrible. The only reason I got involved was because I thought she was going to understand when it was time for me to go back to Bella. But, now I was afraid I was going to break her heart and that wasn't what I wanted to do at all.

The three of us piled into the car and began our four hour drive to Cincinnati. Edward stayed quiet through most of the drive except for when he was telling us where he wanted to eat. Lizzie and I sat in comfortable silence and barely spoke the entire way.

It was different with Lizzie. She didn't expect much from me. She didn't expect me to fall madly in love with her or to be the perfect boyfriend. We were happy just where we were. Where we were though, I had no idea. She meant more to me than just a friend, but less than love. It was true. I didn't love her and I honestly doubt I would end up loving her. Not in that way anyway.

But, I could tell her trust in me was growing and she was beginning to develop feelings for me. The way she grabbed my hands while we walked, and the way she looked at me when she thought I wasn't paying attention.

She made me feel like a horrible person.

But, I was greedy and selfish and didn't want to let her go just yet. She was some sort of security in my life right now and that's what I desperately craved right now.

"Thanks, dad!" Edward shouted as I parked the car in the lot next to the field. I got out and unlocked the trunk so he could get his things and he sped off towards his team.

"Good luck!" I called as he ran away. Lizzie was waiting for me with a blanket and cooler in hand for the game. I grabbed the cooler and she grabbed my hand as we walked towards the bleachers.

"Carlisle, good to see you." A mom greeted as I sat down next to her. "How's Edward's ankle?"

"A lot better." I told her. "He says it isn't bothering him much at all anymore."

"He got a doctor's clearance?" She asked since it hadn't been very long since he sprained it.

"Last week, but then he was sick so we had to wait for him to play." I told her. She turned away to watch the team warm up. Lizzie and I snuggled under the blanket and waited for the game to start. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to warm her up since she was constantly cold and prayed the game would end soon. I didn't want to say no when he asked to join a travel team, but I had no idea what it really entailed.

"YES!" I shouted when Edward scored a goal towards the end of the first half, breaking the tie they'd been in. Moments after, the ref blew his whistle, signaling the end of the first half. Lizzie and I stood up and met up with Edward who looked like he was in pain. "You okay, bud?"

"My ankle hurts a little, but nothing major." He told me. "I just haven't used it in a while...it's bound to be a little sore."

"Okay, but you tell the coach if you need to sit out."

"I'm fine, dad." He huffed before his coach called them over for a huddle. Lizzie and I made our way to the concession stand to get some hot coffee and sat down again as the second half started. Edward managed to kick the ball to his team mate at kick off, starting the second half off well.

I almost couldn't believe how good he'd gotten at soccer since he didn't play a single sport until he turned twelve. But, he was a natural and I was so proud of him being able to do sports and still make time for the piano. I watched as he and another boy fought violently for the ball and just when I thought Edward had won, he fell down to the ground.

I watched, waiting for him to get up, but he only cried out in pain. I stood up and ran down to the field as the ref blew his whistle for a time out. I ran passed the teams bench and towards Edward at the other end of the field. I could hear him almost screaming in pain and when I got to him, I saw him holding his ankle.

"Damn," I whispered as I kneeled down next to him. "What happened?"

"This kid kicked me!" He accused, pointing to the kid who he'd been trying to get the ball from.

"Did not!"

"I think it was a mixture of the small hole right there," His teammate, Nate, pointed out. "And the fact that prat kicked him in the ankle on purpose."

"Did you see that, Nate?" I asked.

"I was right next to him," He shrugged. "And Edward isn't a liar and he shakes things off when he can if he's in pain."

"Edward, move your hand, sweetie." The coach's wife, Shelby, who was also a nurse, said. "It's already swelled, we need to get him off the field."

"Come on, bud?" I sighed, trying to help him up.

"Dad, it hurts."

"Come on, I'll hold you up." I told him. I stood him up, careful not to let him put pressure on his ankle. Nate grabbed his other side and helped him stand up as he hopped off the field. The crowd began to cheer for him and I didn't miss his smile of appreciation as he hopped off the field. The coach put two new players on the field to take their places as we sat Edward down on the bench and the game started again.

"We're going to take you to the hospital." I told him as I wrapped his coat around him and Shelby wrapped ice around his ankle.

"Dad, no." He wined. "Can't I at least stay to watch the end of the game."

"I don't think that's a good idea." I sighed.

"I'll go with you." Nate offered. "I'm exhausted anyway." He smiled.

"No stay and finish the game."

"It isn't fun when you aren't playing with me." He said and Edward gave a reluctant nod, saying he could come. Nate's father came and helped get Edward to the car while Lizzie and Jada, Nate's mother, helped get his things into the car. Nate jumped in the back with Edward and we started towards the hospital. The drive wasn't very long and I could tell Edward was in a lot of pain.

Nate ran inside and got a wheelchair so Edward wouldn't have to hop anymore and I pushed him through the Emergency Room doors.

"My son did something to his ankle at a soccer game." I told the nurse at the desk.

"Fill out these forms, please." She smiled. "I'll get you back to get looked at as soon as possible."

"Thanks," I sighed as I went to sit next to Edward. The wait wasn't very long since it was the middle of the afternoon and Edward was sitting on a bed in no time.

The doctor came in and did a quick examination before sending Edward up for an x-ray. Lizzie, Nat, and I waited impatiently while we waited for his x-ray to be finished. I kept getting my phone out to tell Bella what was going on.

Then I remembered...we were broken up and I couldn't talk to her.

"Mr. Cullen?" A womans voice asked after a good twenty minutes of waiting.

"Yes?"

"Edward's back in his room." She smiled. "You can come back in."

"Thank you." I said as I followed her. Edward was sitting in his bed with his leg elevated and ice on it. I went and sat down next to him as a doctor came inside. "So?"

"Unfortunately, the ankle is fractured." He sighed as he showed us the x-rays. "Did he hurt this ankle before?"

"I sprained it a few weeks ago, but my doctor back home said I was good to play." Edward explained, sounding extremely disappointed.

"It was, but it would have been better for you to stay out a bit longer." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Edward but I have no choice but to cast your ankle."

"How long will it be on?" He asked.

"About six weeks." He told me and I knew Edward wasn't going to play soccer again until the fall. His extended season ended the middle of March and who knew how long he'd have to be in physical therapy after getting the cast off.

"But my season end in two months..." He argued.

"I'm sorry, son." The doctor sighed. "There isn't anything I can do about that."

"You about ready?" I asked as I grabbed Edward's crutches for him. He was finally going back to school after being out for a week. But, in the week he'd spent at home, the only thing he'd done was mope. He wasn't going to be able to play for the rest of his season and he couldn't even play the piano with the cast around his ankle.

"Yeah," He sighed, putting the crutches under his arms. I grabbed his bag and followed him out to the car. I drove him to school and Nate met him outside to help him out. I was so thankful Nate and Edward had met. They were closer to each other in four and a half months than Edward was with any of the kids in his school after years together.

"Thanks, Nate!" I called as he grabbed Edward's backpack for him.

"No problem, Mr. Cullen!" He called as he and Edward walked towards the school. I made sure they got close to the school before driving off towards the city. I had also taken a week off to help Edward out and I wasn't really ready to be back. I saw Lizzie of course but I didn't really wanna see people.

"So, I was thinking I'd make you and Edward dinner tonight." Lizzie told me as she perched herself on my desk at lunch. "You've been doing all the cooking lately."

"That sounds really nice, Lizzie." I smiled. "Thanks."

"Are you okay?" She asked. "You've been in a mood all day?"

"I'm just...in a mood I guess." I shrugged. "It was just nice being off is all."

"Oh, I get that." She laughed as she took a bite of her sandwich. We finished lunch and parted for our afternoon classes. I finished before she did and offered to go to the store to get what she needed for dinner. It was a quick trip and Edward was passed out on the couch when I got home. The pain medication was making him so tired all the time.

Lizzie made the two of us a delicious dinner, but I couldn't get the voice out of my head saying that it wasn't Bella's cooking. Bella's meals came close to the meals my mother made me when I was a kid...and no girlfriend I'd ever had had ever come close to that.

Lizzie just wasn't Bella.

"You ready?" I asked Edward as he crutched into the doctors office.

"Dad, I've been ready for six weeks." He laughed. He was finally able to get his cast off, but I didn't want him to get too excited. He'd most likely still have to go through physical therapy, but we were taking this one step at a time. When we got into the office, he was called into an exam room immediately and the doctor gave him the okay for having the cast removed.

Dr. Meade began sawing the cast open and soon, Edward's leg was finally free. He let out a sigh of relief and tried bending the ankle.

"We're going to do a x-ray, but everything on the outside looks good." Dr. Meade smiled. The x-ray confirmed that the bone had healed properly and was a lot better than he expected it to be. He gave Edward an ankle brace to keep everything in place for the time being, which I could tell frustrated him.

"How long do I have to wear this?" He asked, sounding annoyed.

"At least three weeks." He explained. "It's just for caution since your ankle is so week from not using it. You can walk around and put pressure on it, but this is just to be safe."

"Okay, that's not that bad."

"And then, depending on what your physical therapist says, I would strongly advise you to wear this during soccer and baseball or during anything physical activity."

"I can do that." Edward said with joy in his voice. Just the thought of being able to play sports again thrilled him. We finished up at the doctor's office and got his recomendation for a good physical therapist. Edward and I went out for lunch and then out for a walk to enjoy his new freedom. I called the therapist when we got home and made him appointment for early next week.

Edward was happy and moving around again. I was content.

"You wanna go make your room up again?" I asked since he'd been living in the downstairs guest room to make everything easier.

"Yes please!" He said excitedly, grabbing a handful of his clothes in his hands. Edward was quick to move everything upstairs and I left him to clean everything up while I went and got ready for my date with Lizzie. Although we'd been getting closer, we never had many nights out together. We were normally at her place or mine, but nothing special.

Tonight I was taking her into the city for a romantic dinner and then she got to pick what we did afterwards. I may not be wanting to marry her, but I was allowed to be romantic.

"You going to be okay?" I asked as Edward sat down at the piano. Being thirteen, he insisted he didn't need a babysitter and I trusted him. He was a good kid and I had a neighbor looking after him from her house.

"Yeah, pizzas on it's way, right?"

"Yep, moneys on the kitchen counter." I told him. "They should be here within in hour they said."

"Cool," He smiled. "Bye, dad."

"Bye, buddy." I laughed as I headed out to the garage. I walked to her door and my breath was taken away. Lizzie had always been beautiful, but it seemed to be magnified in the pink and white dress she had on.

"You look...beautiful." I whispered as she pulled on a trench coat since it was only March.

"Thanks, you look pretty good yourself, handsome." He giggled as she leaned in and pecked me on the lips. "Shall we?"

"I think we shall." I laughed as I took her hand in mine. We drove for a little bit before pulling into a small parking lot next to a quant little restaurant.

"Oh my gosh." She gasped when she saw the sign.

"What?"

"This is the place my mom and dad got engaged." She smiled. "I was seven."

"Seven?"

"Okay, not my real mom." She sighed. "My real mom walked off just weeks after I was born. It took my dad years to trust anyone again and for a while it was just the two of us. Until he met Sara."

"And Sara's...good?"

"Sara's the best person he could have met." She smiled. "She was my preschool teacher and the nicest lady you will ever know. I'm the reason they really spent time together." She laughed as we sat down.

"And why is that?"

"I called Jill Daniels a...bitch." She laughed. "I'd heard my dad use it over the phone once...come to think of it...I think he was talking to my birth mom. Anyway, they had to have a little chat and from that little chat..."

"Sparked a great love affair." I laughed. "Sounds like a movie."

"That's what everyone says, but it was real." She smiled. "They're going to be celebrating their twenty-fifth anniversary in a few weeks actually."

"That's fantastic." I smiled. We had a delicious meal together and even shared a dessert to add on the cliche I was trying to create. She insisted we go to Mt. Washington to gaze at the city since it's one of the only places I still haven't been since moving here. She showed me a good place to park and dragged me to one of the balcony like things that overlooked the city.

I had to admit, she was right. I was missing out on this and it was the prettiest spots in the city. I could see the entire city perfectly and everything was gold with the lights turned on. The fountain was sputtering water and everything was extremely peaceful. I grabbed her waist and gently pulled her into me.

I hadn't taken the time to really think about my feelings for Lizzie yet. Not until this moment anyway. But, sharing this moment with her was oddly settling. Like everything that we were had built up to this moment. That this was our moment.

"Carlisle?" She whispered as I tightened my grip on her.

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm falling in love with you." She whispered and my body went frigid. But, she turned in my arms and placed her hand to my cheek and I instantly relaxed.

"I feel the same way, Bella." I smiled before realizing what I'd just said.