Thanks to all for the great reviews! It keeps me going. Sorry to take so long to post, but I needed to think about the direction this story was taking, and I finally figured it out… on with the drama!

Bella POV

Carlisle was pacing, his brows furrowed, one hand pinching the bridge of his nose. Upset was not quite the word I would have used to describe him at the moment, it would have been more along the lines of furious or enraged. I could feel his emotions seething within him and I was afraid to speak, fearing his wrath would consume me. I knew why he felt this way, but I also could not shake the feeling I had just a few short hours ago:

I could feel him move beneath me, his statue-like body was behind me, grabbing at my hips. I cried out in surprise as his cold member slid into me. I was nervous as I felt his venom spilling into me, but another emotion took over. I wanted his seed inside of me, filling me, making Carlisle mine in a way nothing else could; to have his child inside of me. He pounded ferociously into me as my body shook beneath him. His second release brought a certain instinctual satisfaction; his possessive low growl had me whimpering in submission.

"Carlisle, please talk to me." I begged. I hated seeing him this way.

His eyes shot me a quick sharp look; he was not ready to speak yet. I could feel the anxiety deep within him, and his disgust with himself. I didn't blame him; he couldn't help that his vampire side took control of him, and I actually liked that side. I liked the dominance he showed. I could feel myself flushing at the thought of the first night we had together; his domineering roars filled my head like a song, their echo filling my heart.

"Isabella, don't think that way." His tone cut to my heart. "Don't encourage me. I already have a hard enough time with your soul calling to me. I cannot have you wanting more of… of that side. It is already too dangerous for you, breakable and human."

"Then change me," the words fell from my lips softly. There was nothing more that I wanted than to love him forever. He was everything I could ever want in a mate; kind, loyal, passionate, respectable, and not to mention gorgeous beyond belief. I don't ever think I could get over his perfection.

The words stopped him in his tracks and he turned to me, slowly. He crossed the bedroom and sat next to me on the plush bed, his cool hands enclosing mine. "You would really want that? Are you ready to give up your family, your friends, your humanity?"

"Yes, of course." I didn't need to even think about it.

"Isabella, this is not something to be taken lightly or easily." His eyes bore into mine, trying to impress the severity of the situation into my mind. "You would never be able to see Charlie or Renee again. Relationships change, people change, and they can grow apart and get bored."

My face fell at his words. Was he getting bored of me already? I knew things were different for vampires; maybe his attachment to me wasn't as strong as mine was for him. Maybe he was getting tired of always having to save me from my dreaded luck.

"Well, if…if you don't think I should, then I won't." I tried to hide the hurt in my voice, but I didn't do a good job.

He pulled me onto his hard lap, his arms closing around me, my thin nightgown doing nothing to shield me from his freezing skin. "No, Isabella. You silly woman," his lips pressed into my temple. "There is nothing I would want more; I just want you to be sure that it is right for you. I want you to be sure that this would be the life you want forever, with no remorse." His cool breath sent shivers down my spine as he whispered in my ear. I met his eyes, the previous worry not totally gone, but I could feel his heart lightening.

"From the moment your hand caught mine in the emergency room, there is nothing more I have wanted than to spend my every moment with you." I pressed my heated mouth to his, my lips parting as his tongue forced his way inside, dancing with mine, both demanding and begging at the same time. I heard his breath suck in and a low rumble built in his chest. His fingertips pressed into my back, pulling me closer and I ran my fingers through his hair, pulling at the golden strands.

He pushed me back and I could see that his eyes had gone dark, and his voice was pleading with me. "Isabella, I can still smell the hormones in you and the animal in me wants to mount you again. I don't think I can control myself for much longer."

My teeth found his ear lobe, biting down on the hard flesh, and a soft hiss came from him. "Now would that be so bad?" I asked playfully. I could feel his entire body stiffen at the words.

He pushed me off of his lap, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you trying to get pregnant?" I could hear the mistrust in his voice, and it hurt me.

"What? No?" and I wasn't. The thought of my abdomen swollen with his child did send a thrill through me, but I knew very well what the risks could be, and I didn't want to take them, the odds always seemed to be against me. "It was just a joke!"

"Not funny, Isabella. A baby could kill you! And I won't have that, I will not lose you." He had begun pacing the floor again.

"But, what is the use worrying about it now? If it happened then there is nothing we can do to change it! I don't want to spend all of my time worrying about something that may or may not happen!" I threw my hands into the air and stomped to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me, locking it for effect.

Why is this so difficult? Why was it so hard for two lovers to make things work? Maybe we needed to get back to Forks, out of this little bubble, and start living in reality again. It seemed like things would be easier if I was a vampire. He wouldn't have to worry about me getting hurt as I would be nearly indestructible. I wouldn't be able to get pregnant. He wouldn't have to hold back in his nature, we could love each other equally, sharing everything in our lives. Maybe he didn't know how serious I was about him, maybe he thought me still too much of a child, I mean, he was over three hundred and sixty years old! My short eighteen years seemed so small in comparison.

I started the bath, making the water so hot that it burned my skin as I sunk down into it. That was good, it was a nice distraction. I worked my hair into a sudsy lather, and cleaned myself thoroughly, scrubbing my skin raw as if I could clean off the anger. I knew that part of my feelings came from him, but I couldn't control what I felt and I hated being angry.

I dried myself, brushed the tangles out of my hair, and applied a little make up, doing it all very slowly, making sure that I wasn't angry when I went out to see him again. He looked a bit less irate and he smiled when he saw me, the warmth having returned to his eyes, the sun breaking through the clouds and causing his diamond skin to sparkle.

"I must apologize to you, Isabella. I wanted this to be a beautiful vacation for us. I wanted our relationship to begin on the right foot, so to speak. All I have done is insulted you and managed to put you in danger. Can you forgive me? Can I make this up to you?" He crossed from the edge of the pool and beckoned me into his arms, where I went without hesitation.

"There is nothing to forgive," I shook my head. "We are still getting to know each other. We will figure this out, eventually."

Suddenly I felt him draw me behind him, his body crouched down into a defensive position and a growl erupted from his lips. From behind him I could see someone approaching, her caramel colored hair framing her beautiful face, her eyes glared at me and an expression came to my mind: if looks could kill!

Carlisle POV

I could smell her sweet apple clover scent before she even entered the room and it made me feel sick. I could clearly see the resentment in her eyes as she viewed Isabella behind me. I growled as Esme sniffed the air, her nostrils filled with the same scents as mine; Isabella and my smell mixed with the faint hint of sex.

"Well, isn't this nice," her lips pulled back over her teeth and she let out a snarl at the female behind me. I could feel Isabella's body begin shaking behind me and the smell of adrenaline filled my nose. No one scared my beloved! I straightened and pulled Isabella into my side, partially shielding her from the prying eyes of the annoyance before me.

"What in God's name do you want Esme?" I didn't try to hide the distain from my voice.

"I ran into Edward and he told me some surprising news. I came to see if this unholy union was true. I guess he was right." She didn't even look at me, her eyes trained constantly Isabella. I gave Esme a warning growl, to low for Isabella to hear.

"Yes, Isabella and I are in a relationship. What is it to you? You are the one who left our marriage vows a long time ago; you have no right to be here." Her eyes finally met mine and I saw a flicker of shame pass through them. I watched as her posture softened and she took a tentative step forward.

"I came here to beg you to take me back."

My mouth dropped open; I was definitely not expecting that!

"I regretted leaving almost as soon as I stepped foot out of the house. I want you to stop this foolishness and rebuild our family," her hand carelessly motioned to Isabella. Enough was enough!

"Foolishness? Foolishness?! How dare you. Isabella is not merely some fling! I love her. And some day she will say yes and be my wife," I suddenly heard Isabella's heart do a hard thud and her breath caught in her throat. Through her fear I could feel warmth growing and something that felt like elation. Oh, God! She'll have me! Instantly I felt giddy, but now was not the time or the place. "Get out of my sight!" I dismissed her without another, but she didn't move, instead she turned her attention to my love.

"You know you are not the first! He has had other women, many other women before me. He won't stay with you. You are just a passing fancy!" her voice rose little by little until she was yelling and her piercing gaze held Isabella eyes.

I was surprised when I heard Isabella's small but firm voice. "You say he has had other women, of course he has! He had been lonely for hundreds of years. I am not surprised or appalled. If you thought this would change my mind about him, you are sorely wrong. And if it is such a big deal, such a bothersome issue, why are you begging for him to take you back?" I could feel my love swelling for her in my chest; she loved me despite my imperfections. I did not deserve her.

Esme looked like her skin had gone even paler, the color even leeching from her eyes. "He is my soul mate, Esme. I will not. Let. Him. Go." All the fear had left from Isabella's face and I could feel her teeth gnashing behind her carefully cultivated mask. If she was a vampire she would have ripped Esme into shreds, and I would not stop her.

"What could you do to stop me? I could kill you faster than lightning could strike." I could hear the desperation in her voice, Esme knew she had lost, but she was not giving in easily.

"We would stop you," I heard a soft breathy laugh and suddenly relief filled my body. The inky head bobbed behind Esme and I could see Jasper come into view as well. Esme's shoulders slumped and she darted from the suite, shooting murderous glares at each of us before she left. "And don't come back!" Alice called after her.

"Sorry we are late, I was afraid that we would not get here in time." She bounced over to Isabella and took her in a hug. I noticed that Jasper hung back, his shoulders not moving; he wasn't breathing. My lips curled back over my teeth and I let out a threatening hiss. The wound on Isabella's chest had started to heal and turn from red to pinkish around the edges, she no longer needed the gauze, but the stitches were still visible. The rational side of me knew he was not to blame, it was no one's fault really, but my instincts warred with me, wanting to throttle him and rip him from limb to limb for attacking my beloved.

"Carlisle, Jasper needs this, trust me." Alice looked into my eyes, the reassurance there told me everything would be alright, but I was still wary. I nodded my head, but I didn't back away from Isabella, in fact, my grip tightened as he approached. I could hear Isabella's hear begin to quicken, the attack form a few days ago still fresh in her mind. His eyes were dark and he wore a worried expression, stopping only a few inches from her. He drew in his breath carefully, tentatively smelling her. I could hear a low moan come from deep within him, but immediately after that his eyes cleared, turning back to their liquid gold color.

"Now talk to her." Alice's voice commanded. Jasper looked embarrassed, his eyes searched around for an escape from whatever humiliation Alice was going to subject him to. "You said you would, for me."

He sighed and resigned to do what was needed, "Carlisle, I to speak to Bella alone."

"No," I said instantly.

"He is okay." Alice grabbed my arm and escorted me, a bit unwillingly from the room. My eyes met Isabella's as I left and they were filled with worry.

Bella POV

Jasper smiled sweetly at me and motioned for me to sit on the couch next to him. He looked a bit nervous, which was odd for him, I knew I was picking up some of his emotions, as I began to fill with the same unease.

"Bella, please understand how much this pains me, and how sorry I am for my reaction the other day. It pains me because I am completely mortified by my feelings; however Alice assures me that she will leave me unless I repair this relationship we have, as friends, and come clean to you." His southern drawl sounded defeat. "It is also hard for me to say because I know that Carlisle can hear me, which only furthers my disgrace."

"I love Alice with all of my heart and soul. She is everything I could ask for in a mate, but somehow, I found myself pining after you, desiring you; your blood and your body." I could hear a terrifying snarl come from the other room, it was Carlisle. "After I went after you and the blood craze subsided," a sorry expression crossed his face, "Alice took me out for the best sex I have ever had. We went on for two solid days…now I have to tell you this, Alice is making me… I called out your name a few times."

Wow, I was flattered. Jasper, too, was a beautiful creature. His gold hair perfectly fell to his square jaw, his lips were full, and his body was lean and hard; I took it as a compliment. I didn't know what to say.

"I am attracted to you, physically. Controlling myself, in this new lifestyle, is proving harder than I thought it would. I do think that much of it is the fact that I was picking up emotions, for awhile, from both Edward and Carlisle. I think everything just pushed me over the edge. I am sorry."

"Jasper, you don't need to apologize. Really. I think most of it was my fault that day anyway."

His face lit up and a huge smirk played across his lips, "I haven't felt that turned on in nearly fifty years." Now it was Alice's turn to snarl. "But I do think I can keep thinks in line now. Alice was right, the smell of Carlisle on you, and the bond that I can feel the two of you have for each other, does make it easier to control my instincts."

I could see in his eyes that he was going to be reserved around me, at least for a while longer, but I was at least happy to know that we could still be friends. But, I was now dreading Alice. Knowing that he had cried out for me during sex! How was I going to be able to stand looking her in the eyes?

Jasper gave me a very brotherly tap on the back as we went to rejoin our mates. Alice was beaming from ear to ear at me, as if nothing had changed. I was happy to see her after the heavy events that were happening on a constant basis around me.

"Alice, what are you doing here, besides the obvious?" Carlisle said smoothly.

"Well, besides the fact that you would have felt horribly guilty if I had let you kill Esme, nothing much. We just wanted to see how the happy couple was doing." There was something in her voice that I did not trust. I could see confirmation of this in my lover's eyes, but his face made no other betrayal in his handsome face.

"Well it is good to see you just the same. I was just going to take Isabella out for some lunch, but I am sure you will tell us what we are really going to do," Carlisle's arm snaked around me, the coolness bringing some relief to my aching body, vampire sex was beginning to take a toll on my human frame.

"You," she said pointedly to me, "Are going to call Charlie and tell him you are on your way home. And Carlisle, you are going to pack your stuff, Isabella needs to be back in Forks." Her words didn't escape my notice.

I didn't question her as I called Charlie, suddenly glad to be alone with my thoughts. Charlie was more than gracious to me. I explained to him that leaving was all a big mistake and that, after having time to rethink things that I still wanted to live in Forks. After all, graduation was fast approaching and I had only missed a few days, I should still be on track for my degree. He seemed happy to have me coming home which made me feel good.

But I couldn't revel in that happiness to long, my thoughts kept me busy. I knew Carlisle, Jasper and Alice were glad to have me in another room, they needed to talk. However, Carlisle was getting more and more preoccupied by the second and I could feel and emptiness in my stomach. What was so important that I, specifically, would need to go back home? Home to where there were more vampires than just Carlisle. If it was something small she would have told me right? So this had to be big, big enough to cause Carlisle to worry. Was I going to be pregnant? Did I need to be near a hospital for that? No, it would be too soon to even tell. More vegetarian vampires… safer right? Oh. My. God. The phone slipped from my hand and clattered to the floor. Edward was coming back!

Heavy… I know, but I had to set the story up a bit more, Eddy is back (crazy, too.)… and no lemons (rawr), but not to worry, next chapter they will be abundant. Bella needs a little bondage… let Carlisle loose on her!