Chapter Two: Dr. Cullen

My steady routine continued. The only change I found was that I was more exhausted after rehearsal. Dancing two dances was clearly taking its toll, though I enjoyed every moment. I never experienced freedom like I did when I was dancing. I felt beautiful with every move I made. When I was dancing, all eyes were on me, but not in the way I was used to. They didn't pity me, they admired me. More than anything, they loved to watch me. Even during rehearsals, when it was just a few janitors and maybe some parents, I performed as though it were a room full of dignitaries. When the real show rolled around, I would perform ten times better. While some dancers feared the audience, I embraced them. I fed off the energy. I detected energy in the sea of people, much like a shark detecting blood in the water. I let the audience's energy fill me, making me more than I really was.

My collection of cuts and bruises stayed in equilibrium. I spread the stories around, and though everyone commented that it was odd that such a graceful dancer was so clumsy, they didn't delve any further. I really was quite clumsy, though. That made it a bit easier.

Naturally, in a small town, I first heard buzz about the new family through the old family. The Masterson's were moving to Florida for a permanent vacation, leaving the frigid temperatures of a typical Massachusetts winter now that their youngest child had married. Their house, an old Victorian in perfect condition, had been bought by Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Since the city auditorium was connected to City Hall, we were the first alerted to this new news.

"Yes." The mayor was talking to Madame, not bothering to keep his voice down. "He seems to be a very prominent doctor in Boston at the moment. Apparently he's bored with city life, and his young wife wants more of a home." I tried my best to ignore him, following Jamie as he explained a new bit of choreography.

"Do they have any children?" Madame asked, and I knew she was only thinking of her enrollment numbers.

"Well, sort of." I perked to attention at that. "He seems to be the guardian of a large group of nieces and nephews. All in high school now, apparently." He said. "Although the oldest is apparently attending Columbia right now."

I tuned out again as the conversation drifted to the wife. Jamie and I ran through our number four times before Madame returned her attention to us, shooing us off stage finally.

--- --- ---

The new Cullen family was the topic Daddy brought up at dinner that night. Apparently Dr. Cullen had already registered a few cars at the town office Daddy worked at.

"He seems very nice." Daddy said. "I spoke to him over the phone, and he was very kind. Sounds young, though."

"Did he say anything about his children?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing. I didn't know he had any children."

I nodded. "He's the guardian over some of his nieces and nephews." I repeated.

"Maybe they will go to school with you, Adele." Mama piped up.

"How many other options do they have?" Dad asked jokingly. The Catholic school I went to was the only high school in town. They didn't even charge tuition to high school kids.

That night, after I inspected a new bruise on my hip (attained as I hit the steps on the way down) I crawled into bed, and my thoughts returned to the Cullens. It was an odd name, but they seemed to be a rather old-fashioned family. I shook my head, allowing my thoughts to wander, as they did every night, to my original vision of me in the blue costume of the Dew Drop, dancing for world leaders.

--- --- ---

School was wildly uneventful. It wasn't until I left the campus and started heading in town for rehearsal that I noticed the buzz of voices that seemed to be constant. It grew as I reached City Hall, and I glanced around, looking for someone familiar. I spotted Cindy, and ran to her.

"Adele, the new doctor is here." She hissed.

I rolled my eyes. "That's what everyone is excited about?" I muttered.

"Apparently he's gorgeous." Cindy said, a hint of scandal in her tone.

"He's also married, Cindy." I reminded her. "Come on, let's get inside before my nose falls off."

We changed quickly, and the buzz continued as the dancers began moving inside. The girls were squealing over the new doctor, and I ignored them. Finally, we were called to the stage, and Madame called us to quick order. We were running the show, no stops, to see what needed work. She gave a few quick instructions, and then sent us all backstage.

There were few glitches in the first act. I popped out to do the mouse scene, trying my best to be scary without a costume. I heard some laughter from our usual onlookers, and cracked the slightest of smiles.

I stayed backstage, chatting quietly with Cindy until our cue. She ran out first, in silence, with the four other dancers. Jamie and I stood side by side. As our cue came, we both leaped across the stage together. The delicate music matched our motions, and my skirt seemed to flutter at just the perfect times. After our minute was up, we fell into perfect position. At least, Jamie did. It was practically in slow motion, the way my foot twisted the wrong way, my right ankle making a low cracking sound. I instantly lifted my weight off it, but held position, hoping no one noticed.

People noticed. Jamie glanced down at me, his eyes wide with horror. I heard a whisper out in the seats, and a deep voice answer. Madame watched me with critical eyes as Jamie supported my weight, pulling me offstage.

"Adele, what happened?" He muttered, sitting me down as we reached the wings.

"I think I just rolled it." I muttered. He lifted up the ankle in question, quickly untying my pointe shoe.

"Adele, someone is getting the doctor." Cindy whispered, appearing from on stage, where she shouldn't have been.

"What doctor?" I asked stupidly.

"Dr. Cullen." She rolled her eyes at me. "He was watching. He stopped by to get the deeds to the house and the registration for the car, and the mayor wanted to show off a bit."

No sooner had she finished her sentence than a man appeared around the red velvet stage curtains. My eyes hardly had time to look at him before my attention was brought to my ankle.

"Ow." I murmured against the pain as Jamie dropped my ankle to better see the new arrival. Then, very suddenly he was in my line of vision, crossing the space between the stage and me quickly, kneeling down to place his hands where Jamie's had been.

"Hello." He said quietly. "I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen. It seems you were that wonderful cracking noise I heard."

"That would be me." I grimaced, trying not to stare. He was beautiful, clearly more godlike than man. His golden hair caught the light from the stage, sparkling gently as he moved his head to further examine my ankle. His hands, pale as my white dance tights, were cold as he gently turned my ankle this way and that, examining the ankle. "Adele Foster, the world's clumsiest ballerina."

He looked up at me briefly, his golden eyes holding a hint of amusement. "Surely not." He contradicted gently. "You dance so beautifully, I can't imagine you tripping."

"Oh, it happens quite a bit." I argued, my voice a little harsher than it had to be. I certainly didn't need a doctor of all people getting the wrong idea. And yet, oddly enough, I found myself at ease talking to him. Despite the fact that this was our first meeting, he seemed very familiar to me. I listened to the music floating in from offstage, and sighed. "Is there anything you can do in the next five minutes so I can be out there to dance for Waltz?"

"I might." He frowned slightly, reaching for his black bag. He pulled out an ace bandage, and began wrapping it tight. "It's just a minor sprain. I wouldn't recommend you dancing for a week, but as you seem so keen to get out there, I will do what I can now. But you need to take at least the rest of the week off."

I sighed. It was only Tuesday. "But Dr. Cullen, the show opens in little more than a month."

"And they will not have their star if you keep this up, Miss. Foster." He argued.

"I'm hardly the star." I argued. "And please, just Adele."

"Well, Adele." He shook his head slightly as he finished wrapping. "I must insist. Please, just take the rest of the week off. You can return to the stage on Monday."

"Certainly Dr. Cullen." Cindy jumped in before I could argue. "Right, Adele." She hissed through her teeth.

"Sure." I muttered. And suddenly, I heard the end of Mother Ginger. "Shoot, I'm almost on!" I laced up my pointe shoe as quickly as possible. "Thank you so much Dr. Cullen!" I stage whispered, rushing into position behind the other flowers. They entered, and I waited. My entrance was grand. I heard my cue, and rushed out, suddenly leading the dance. My ankle screamed in protest a couple of time, but my face never showed it. I didn't falter, I pushed through it. During my solos, I tried to fill the stage as much as possible. As the dance ended, I heard cheers coming from both sides of the stage and the seats. I followed the rest of the flowers off, hopping slightly as the pain ran up my leg. I tripped as I reached the curtains, and prepared myself for the impact. It never happened. In one swift move I was set upright by Dr. Cullen, his arm around my waist as a support.

"One injury is enough for today." He joked, moving me towards a chair again. "But I understand what you said before about being clumsy."

"I told you." I muttered, but he didn't respond. He gaze was not at my ankle, which I would have expected, but instead at my neck. I raised any eyebrow, reminded myself that he was married, and then said "What's wrong?"

"I was about to ask you that." He admitted, his eyebrows knitting together in an expression that made him look years older. "Where did you get this mark?" He asked, running his cold finger along a bruise at the base of my neck. I shivered, not only from his cold touch, but at his discovered. There was enough makeup covering that bruise to deceive even the man who gave it to me. And yet this doctor picks up on it like the make-up was only highlighting it.

"I tripped." I said, in a knee jerk reaction. His expression changed from concerned to dubious. I tried again. "I tripped, and one of the kids at school tried to catch me before I fell. He's stronger than he thinks, obviously."

"And why did you go to such lengths to cover it up?" He asked.

"Because I'm a ballerina." I said, the bite returning to my voice. "I'm supposed to be perfect." I felt his eyes inspect me closer as I talked. I could feel him discover more bruises, a few cuts. He was already suspicious.

"Well, thank you very much, Dr. Cullen." I said, jumping to my feet. "The finale is coming up, and I must dance for that, but I promise I will stay off my feet as much as possible until Monday."

"Thank you, Miss. Foster." He said, also standing. His gaze never left mine. "I hope you do get well."

"I-I-I'm sure I will." I stuttered, staring into those eyes. There was a double meaning to his words, and he knew that I was only answering one. He left without another word. I was frozen in place, until I was suddenly being pulled out with Jamie for our part in the finale. We had to change the choreography, putting the Chinese dance in front of the Flowers so I could be recognized for both. I took my bows, performed the final dance, but the freedom was gone. In its place was a single thought.

How did he know?