A/N: I thought there was one chapter left, but nope, there'll be one more after this one and then this story will reach its conclusion. I appreciate everyone who's read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story - the fact there's others out there who enjoy my ship means more to me than you can possibly imagine. These two truly mean the world to me, and writing their story has given me happiness that I haven't felt in a long, long while.

As always, the full chapter is on AO3.

The end is in sight.

Blood Bound
Chapter VII :: Heart by Heart

"Do I really have to try all these suits on?" Alec gripes. He and Alice are in Port Angeles at her insistence and he's tried on at least five suits since they came here. It's starting to get a little tiring, but Alec indulges her, because he knows how much it means to the pixie for her to do this right.

"Yes!" Alice replies, making Alec groan. "We have to find the perfect one, and I won't settle for anything less."

"God help me," Alec grouses, resigning himself to spending the entire day in the tailor. He knows it means a lot to Alice for her to do this perfectly, but he's tempted to remind her there's no such thing as perfect - everything has some kind of flaw.

He guesses that won't go over well with her, so he shuts his mouth and lets Alice zoom around the store, mumbling to herself about things Alec doesn't bother to listen in on.

Looking out the window, rain falls softly against it, and Alec thinks back to everything that's happened until this point. In his thirty mortal years, he never thought he would have something like this - shopping for a suit for his goddamn wedding. Hell, the thought of marrying anyone never crossed Alec's mind.

He admits he was quite jaded until he met Carlisle, never believing love, happiness, or joy were meant for a damned soul like his. But a smile quirks his lips when he thinks such a thing. If his human soul was damned, what was it now that he's a vampire?

Alec doesn't believe he's damned just because his heart no longer pumps life and ice is in his veins. In fact, he's never felt more alive, and the fact he can spend forever with the love of his life means more to him than being human ever did.

So much has changed. Would Alec change any of it? The only thing he'd want to fix was being separated from Carlisle - neither of them handled being apart well, and Edward's words so many years ago flicker in his mind, how their bond is one of the strongest he's seen in his hundred years, and how neither of them would handle it if they were apart.

But everything happens for a reason, Alec muses, and perhaps their separations were meant to be so they could be stronger in their connection. And Alec will do everything in his power to reassure his beloved he'll never leave his side again, that someone would have to drag him away, and they'd have a hell of a fight on their hands if they even attempted such a thing.

"Alec?" Alice's voice breaks his train of thought, and he blinks, looking at her. "What are you thinking about?"

"Just… everything," Alec replies, and Alice gives him a confused look. "Everything that's led up to this point. I still can't believe I'm getting married."

Alice smiles, and it lights up her entire face as she pulls Alec in for a hug. "You can't begin to imagine how happy I am that you and Carlisle have each other. I thought he would be alone for all of his eternity, and god that was such a painful thing to think about." Alice pulls back, tapping Alec's forehead with a laugh. "Now, though? I see it was all worth it for you two to find one another."

Alec knows he'd be blushing if he could. Instead, he gives Alice his own smile, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "While I hate he was alone for almost four hundred years, I'm glad no one snatched him up before I came along. I can't imagine being without him, not being able to love him." Alec shivers. "I don't even want to picture it."

"You don't have to," Alice reassures. "You two have eternity together, and your marriage is just the start. That's why I have to make sure the beginning of your forever is perfect!"

Laughing, Alec can see Alice is in wedding mode again. "Don't give yourself an aneurysm, yeah?"

"Oh, please." Alice chuckles. "An aneurysm is worth it to make sure you and Carlisle have the best day of your lives."

Alec snorts, a bemused smile quirking his lips. "I don't think he'd forgive me if you died trying to plan our wedding, y'know."

That earns a laugh before Alice takes a suit off the rack, shoving it in Alec's face. "Here, try this one."

Having the house to himself, as his children are off hunting or doing their own thing, gives Carlisle time to think about all that's happened in such a short amount of time. Sometimes, he finds it hard to believe he found his mate and he's been blessed to have forever with him, especially after everything they've been through together.

The fact Alec died during their first separation makes a long, drawn out sigh slip from Carlisle's throat. If he hadn't forgotten one of his scarves, could he have survived if Alec perished?

No. There's no debate or thought needed. Alec is the gravity on which he functions, the moon to his tide, his heart and soul, and the mere thought of living without him makes a low growl drip from Carlisle's lips.

They don't have to worry about that, not anymore. There's no more battles on the horizon, no other threats, and the only thing that matters now is starting their forever.

A soft smile crosses Carlisle's face as he chuckles. His love looked horrified when Alice said he was taking them out to go shopping for suits, and while he gave his mate a pleading look, Carlisle simply kissed his forehead and told him, "Good luck". Alec gave him a half hearted glare at those words before Alice took him outside, but not before telling her father figure to not sneak a peek at the suit when they came home.

While it's quite tempting, Carlisle knows Alice would be displeased with him, and traditions from his time - having the bride's dress (or, in this case, the groom's suit) be a surprise - is of the utmost importance.

It's still hard to believe he's getting married. Marriage was, for many decades, nothing but a dream to Carlisle. Hell, he never even imagined he would find his mate after being without for almost four hundred years, but now that he has his beloved and they have eternity together, it makes a soft laugh spill from his throat.

Alec is everything Carlisle could possibly want in a mate, in his lifelong partner, despite the fact his little rascal can be hard on the head sometimes. However, even with that, Carlisle wouldn't change Alec for anything in the world. His quirks, his personality, everything about him, draws Carlisle in, and in another world, if they were both human, Carlisle knows he and Alec would have still ended up together.

The mating call makes it so neither of them could resist one another, but even without it, Carlisle takes a guess he would have been pulled towards Alec's gravity. There was something quite charming about his love, and he knows people have been drawn towards Alec because of it. All, besides Raven, for the wrong reasons, but those bastards gave Carlisle the chance to love Alec the right way, the way he was always meant to be cared for.

No one would ever hurt his beloved again. While Carlisle doesn't enjoy hurting people, all of that would be moot if someone attempted to beseech harm onto his precious mate. Alec's been hurt far too much and Carlisle would spend the rest of their forever to ensure Alec never wants for anything ever again.

His little rascal deserves that and so much more, and Carlisle plans to give him everything he could possibly ask for.

The island he bought centuries ago is proof of how much Carlisle loves Alec. While it remained nameless for hundreds of years, when he met Alec and they became one, Carlisle was quick to secretly name it Isle Alec, after his beloved. Even Edward thought it still lacked a name whenever Carlisle gifted it to him and Bella for their honeymoon.

He was waiting for the perfect opportunity to tell his love, and although he knows Alec will be flustered and embarrassed, naming the island after him was one of the many ways Carlisle plans to show him how much he loves and cares for him.

Running a hand through his blond tresses, Carlisle lets a smile touch his lips. God. The utter love he feels for Alec makes his undead heart give a singular beat within the cage of his ribs. Although he's failed to protect him more than once - his utmost failures - Carlisle swears he won't fail Alec again.

He'll keep him safe, he'll love and cherish him for the rest of their eternity.

"Hey," a voice breaks Carlisle's thoughts, and he looks over his shoulder, nodding at Bella. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I suppose I'm still trying to comprehend that all of this is real," Carlisle murmurs. "That I've been granted my mate after hundreds of years without him, that I'm marrying him, it's… baffling at times."

Bella chuckles, moving to stand beside him, and places a hand on Carlisle's shoulder. "Before I knew of your world, Charlie told me how it was obvious you were taken with Alec, just as Alec was with you. When I first met you at the hospital and saw how much you and Alec loved each other… it made me jealous, honestly."

Carlisle quirks a brow in curiosity. "Jealous?"

"In that moment, I wanted someone to look at me the way you two looked at one another," Bella admits. "Actually… I wanted Edward to look at me like that. But I figured it was hopeless. After all, I was pretty sure he hated me and regretted saving me from being van food." A quiet laugh slips from Bella's lips. "But I wouldn't change any of this for the world. Meeting Edward, meeting all of you, everything all of us have been through, made me feel alive."

Laughing quietly, Carlisle wraps an arm around Bella's shoulders, squeezing them for a brief few seconds before pulling back. "As much as I know my son wishes things turned out differently, I also know he wouldn't trade the years with you for anything. I just hope, one day, he understands all of this was meant to happen."

Bella smiles, leaning into Carlisle. They remain this way for a good few minutes before she moves off, smacking his shoulder. "I know Alec can't hate you, but he's probably gonna complain for a while that you didn't save him from suit shopping with Alice."

Carlisle scoffs, amused. "He'll be fine. He knows how important it is to Alice - to all of you - that our day is perfect. As much as he'll grouse about it, deep down, he understands."

"It is important to all of us that your day is the best one of your lives," Bella confirms, nodding. "You've done so much for all of us, for your family, that you deserve to be spoiled on your wedding day."

"Thank you, Bella," Carlisle murmurs. "You've always been gracious about us."

"Remember what I told you? There's no way your soul is damned. You've done too much good, helped too many people," Bella whispers, placing her hand on Carlisle's arm. "You deserve this, Carlisle. You deserve to have found your happiness and your forever."

Smiling, Carlisle places his hand over Bella's, squeezing her fingers. "I appreciate your kind words, my dear. You've always been a part of this family, ever since you and Edward found one another, and words cannot describe how happy I was when my son found you. It was like a spark that was burnt out ignited and came to life, and I cannot thank you enough for what you've done for my son."

A tiny grin touches Bella's lips. "You're welcome, but you don't need to thank me. Edward means everything to me, just as I know Alec does to you." She pulls her hand back, resting her head on Carlisle's shoulder with a soft sigh. "Let's just say we both deserve to have our mates and leave it at that."

Carlisle nods, looking out the window again. They remain in companionable silence for a good while before Bella breaks away, squeezing Carlisle's hand. "I gotta go pick up Alise from Charlie's. Don't worry, Alec will be back soon."

Carlisle sighs. "It's that obvious, is it?"

"Yeah. You're pining after him," Bella replies with a smile. "It's okay, though. After all you've been through, it's natural to miss him, even though you know he's completely safe."

"I suppose you're right," Carlisle murmurs. "Thank you, Bella. I'm glad you're a part of this family."

Bella laughs. "Back at you, Dad."

Rolling his eyes, Carlisle laughs. "Away with you."

Grinning, Bella squeezes Carlisle's shoulder before bounding out of the house, leaving him with his thoughts once again.

He really hopes Alec comes home soon.

After what felt like days - but in reality was a few hours - Alice found a suit that passed all her standards, and Alec admits it was rather nice as well, thus giving her his approval as well. When he went to pay for it, Alice was quick to brandish a credit card, telling him this was one of many gifts Carlisle plans to give him.

After it was paid for - and Alec almost had a heart attack at how expensive it was - the pull in his chest became almost impossible to ignore. His entire core is screaming at him to get back to his mate, to be in his arms and hold him, and thankfully Alice picks up on it. She breaks every traffic law to get them home, and once they reach their home, Alec makes quick work of getting out of the car and speeding up the stairs.

Breathing in his mate's scent - sandalwood and something uniquely Carlisle - Alec can't help but grin when he falls into Carlisle's arms, nuzzling him and letting out happy, content purrs.

"Hi," Alec whispers, leaning up to capture his mate's lips.

"Hello, my darling," Carlisle murmurs against Alec's lips. "I see you survived the dreaded shopping trip."

"I'm going to get you for that, you know," Alec complains, burying his nose against Carlisle's neck. His mate hums, holding him close, and Alec mutters, "I had to try on at least ten suits before we found the perfect one."

"Oh?" Carlisle sounds amused. "Alice is dead set on perfection, it seems."

"Of course I am." Alec hears Alice approach, but keeps his head tucked against his mate's throat, Carlisle's scent calming him. "Your day has to be perfect, and that includes your clothes."

"Why didn't you drag Carlisle shopping?" Alec mumbles, sounding annoyed, but deep down, he really isn't.

"I bought mine quite a while ago," Carlisle replies, tangling his fingers through Alec's hair and stroking his scalp. "Even though I had no plans to, when I saw it, let's just say something compelled me to purchase it."

Alec looks up into butterscotch eyes, laughing. "Really? That sounds like you, planning ahead even though you hadn't even proposed yet."

A sheepish smile touches Carlisle's lips as he presses them against Alec's forehead. "You bring out different sides of me, my little rascal."

Laughing, Alec nuzzles their noses together. "And I gotta say, I quite enjoy those sides and that I'm the only one who gets to see them."

Pecking Alec's lips, Carlisle aligns their foreheads together, a soft smile resting on his face. "And you'll be the only one who does."

The pull Alec felt in his chest eases at being around his mate, and a gentle sigh spills from his throat as a happy purr rumbles deep in his chest. He weaves his arms around Carlisle's shoulders, pulling him closer, not wanting anything between them. Even though they were only separated for a few hours, it felt like days.

"Everyone should be coming back soon," Alice's voice carries over to them. "You're welcome to stay if you like, but something tells me you two need to reconnect, so it's probably best if you head home."

Alec lets out an indignant noise when Carlisle lifts him into his arms, knowing he'd be bright red right now if the luxury of blushing wasn't taken from him. "We'll see you later, Alice," Carlisle tells her, and despite being embarrassed, Alec curls closer to his beloved as he runs through the forests until they reach their home.

"You can put me down, y'know," Alec teases.

"Hm, should I?" Carlisle throws back, opening the door and kicking it shut behind him. "Will you promise to not run away if I do?"

"Scout's honor."

Pleased with his answer, Carlisle sets Alec down, and within seconds, Alec pounces on him, devouring his lips with his, their tongues mingling together as desperate hands make short work of their clothes. Once they're bare before one another, Alec wears a wicked grin, and he can see the confusion in his mate's eyes as he leads him towards the bedroom, shoving him down so he lies against the plush throw.

"You were so good today," Alec purrs. "Let me reward you, eh?"

They don't leave their bedroom for a good few days, reconnecting over and over in the most intimate way, and once they're both satisfied, Carlisle pulls Alec against his chest, nuzzling his nose within blond tresses and purring in content.

"Alice probably hates us right now," Alec muses, and Carlisle shrugs, tightening his hold on his love. "We still have a lot to do before the wedding, and we just spent the past few days fucking. Yep, she's really gonna hate us."

A scoff spills from Carlisle's lips. "You're mine," he murmurs possessively, "and I'll share you when I want to. She knows that; they all do."

Alec laughs, amused. "Gotta say, I love your possessive side, since no one would guess you have it."

Carlisle hums. "After everything we've been through, I'm sure you can't blame me for wanting you to myself."

"Nope. Can't say I do," Alec murmurs. "And I want you all to myself too. How the hell did we survive being separated for months?"

A soft chuckle drips from the older vampire. "God knows." He kisses Alec's hair. "But I know I couldn't survive being apart from you, not anymore. I'd chase after you."

"Good, you better!" Alec teases, nuzzling his nose against Carlisle's throat. "I can't take being away from you. Those hours I was in Port Angeles were actual hell. I wanted to get back to you so damn bad, but Alice refused to let me leave until we found the perfect suit. Frustrating, really. A real pain in the ass."

Carlisle laughs. "She wants everything to be perfect, and I understand that. Us, our family, means the world to her, to all of them, and I know none of them will stop until the wedding is everything we could possibly want and more."

Alec's chest rumbles with a purr, and Carlisle answers it with his own. "I don't have the heart to tell them as long as I have you, it doesn't matter what the wedding looks like. Hell, we could get married in Vegas for all I care."

"People who get married in Vegas don't tend to last long," Carlisle muses, making Alec laugh. "I know we're tied together in every way that matters, but a Vegas wedding wouldn't be enough for me to express my love for you." Carlisle captures Alec's lips in a soft, tender kiss. "I don't know if anything will be enough for me to express my devotion towards you. But a wedding is a good place to start, I suppose."

Carlisle knows Alec would be blushing if he was able. Instead, an affectionate sigh slips from him as he leans their foreheads together. "You mean everything to me, you know," Alec whispers against Carlisle's skin. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, to deserve your family, but I've finally found my home, and it's with you and everyone else."

Shaking his head, a soft breath leaving his throat, Carlisle pulls Alec against him. "You deserve me, my darling. We deserve each other."

"I know. But for fifteen years, I thought love and happiness weren't meant for me. That night, when I met your eyes and you tended to my wounds, I thought you were beautiful. But I bashed the thoughts away. Someone as gorgeous as you surely had someone waiting for him. Then when we met again, when you protected me against the nomad…" Alec shakes his head. "I thought I was dreaming. I felt so safe with you and I never wanted to be without it, without you.

"I don't know what possessed me to kiss you. It just–... felt right. But then you kissed me back, and I realized I found my forever in you, and the thought honestly scared the shit out of me. I thought if I loved you, I would lose you, just as I lost everything else I cared for. But you taught me it's okay to be scared, it's okay to love someone so utterly and completely. And I do." Alec smiles, tracing Carlisle's cheek with his fingers. "I love you so, so much. I can't imagine life without you."

Carlisle feels venom gather in his eyes, but it doesn't fall - it can never fall. A ragged breath spills from him as he nuzzles his nose against Alec's shoulder, weaving his arms around his beloved mate and pulling him close. "I adore you, my dove. More than I ever thought I could love another person." Looking into Alec's golden eyes, Carlisle captures his lips in a soft, achingly domestic kiss. "You're my world, my everything, and a life without you is one I don't want to live."

Venom pools in Alec's eyes, and he lets out a choked laugh. "God, I never thought I would be getting married, let alone to such a beautiful soul like you." When Carlisle opens his mouth to say something, Alec presses a finger against his lips. "No, you are. You're so damn selfless and would do anything to help another person. I don't need to be a psychic to know how many people you've saved over your decades of being a doctor." Pulling his finger back, a soft, tender smile touches Alec's lips. "And, for some reason, that selfless, beautiful soul loves me, me of all people."

"Alec," Carlisle breathes, his arms tightening around his precious, beloved mate. "Your soul is precious as well. You've been through so much turmoil, so much agony and despair, and yet you still see the good in life and in others. That's a stunning trait."

Alec lets out a soft laugh. "You've helped with that, you know. I was quite jaded and lost before I met you. When I caught your eyes all those years ago, it felt like everything fell into place, like I found my purpose and home all in one person. I can't thank you enough for that."

Kissing Alec's forehead, Carlisle smiles against his skin. "You have nothing to thank me for, my sun and stars. You've done much the same for me."

Their lips find one another's again, and everything is right in their world. A swift knock breaks them out of their kiss, and Carlisle chuckles. "It seems like we have to return to the real world, my love."

"Damn it," Alec teases as they put on their clothes. Once they're dressed, Alec presses Carlisle against the wall, kissing him softly. Breaking the contact, a warm smile touches his face. "I really do love you."

"I love you too," Carlisle murmurs. "More than anything in the world."

Alice's voice carries over to them. "I gave you two a few days, now c'mon!"

Alec laughs. "Coming!"

Taking Carlisle's hand within his, Alec pulls him towards the door, and Carlisle tightens his fingers around his mate's smaller ones.

Their forever is just beginning.

TBC...