Author's note: Okay, I don't know if updating this will mean that everyone gets an update email and, if it does, I'm very sorry. I just read through this chapter this morning and realised I wasn't quite happy with the ending, so decided to elaborate it a bit. There are no plot changes or anything, so, once again apologise if people are expecting a new chapter. It's just me being a perfectionist :)

I'll warn you now, this chapter is pretty dialogue heavy.

Chapter twenty six

I was stunned by Carlisle's statement. It was obvious there was a past between him and Edward, but, I had never it expected it to be that. Seeing my reaction, he made his way over to the couch and sat down, whilst I remained where I was, arms still folded, watching and waiting for him to continue. The fingers curling around my biceps tightened in anticipation. He clasped his hands together, elbows resting on his knees, as tawny irises grazed the floor by my feet.

"We first met almost one hundred and twenty years ago," he began to explain. "I was a doctor in Chicago at the time and his entire family had been hit by a severe bout of cholera. I was treating all three and Edward's father was the first to succumb. His mother wasn't far behind, but, whilst in my care, I found her to be a remarkable woman. Not once did she ever complain about the cards fate had dealt her; the only thing she thought of or cared about was the fate of her son. She would spend hours talking about him, whenever she had the energy and I learnt he was the most caring, sensitive and intelligent soul ever to grace this Earth. Of course, she was biased, but, in the future, I would discover much of what she said to be true."

His eyes curved upwards, but, they didn't seem to focus on anything in the room. They were far away, reminiscing about things that had happened almost a century before I was even born.

"On her deathbed came the first and only request of Elizabeth Masen. She knew her son was dying, but, for some reason, she was sure I could be the one to save him. Of course, she was completely ignorant of my vampiric nature, yet...it was as though she...sensed something different about me. Her last words to me were: "You must do everything in your power to save him. What others cannot, that is what you must do for my Edward.""

As I listened, the anger and frustration started to melt away. Yes, the fact that my questions were now being answered played a part in their dissipation, but there was more to it than that. My inbred curiosity was taking centre stage once again, begging to know more about this aspect of Carlisle's history of which I was previously unaware. For me, watching his face as he spoke was more thrilling than any blockbuster movie could ever hope to be. His face may remain still and somewhat detached, but, his eyes were so expressive and-ironically-alive. I hung onto each word, keeping my breaths quiet to hear them.

"For days, I pondered her words. To start with, I could not work out exactly what she meant. Then, there was also the question of what I should do, how far I would be willing to go." His eyes met mine, seemingly returning to the present. "You must understand, what I say next is by no means meant to excuse my actions, but, I do hope it may go some way to explaining why I did what I did. By that time, over two hundred years had passed since my transformation and I had spent the majority of them alone. Yes, I lived with the Volturi for a time and had met other nomadic vampires along the way, but, most of them could barely even comprehend my lifestyle, let alone follow it. Some refused to even associate with me due to my refusal of human blood. Yet, the idea of creating another like myself, to condemn another soul to the existence forced upon me, was a notion I always found repulsive." A gentle frown rested on his fair brows. "But, I found myself entertaining that very notion after Elizabeth's request."

His voice held as much confusion now, as it probably had when the events were actually unfolding. It seemed as though he still couldn't quite figure out why he'd done it.

"When first laying eyes upon Edward, I was struck by his youth. He couldn't have been any older than seventeen at the time and, during sleep, he was so pale and still, it was as if death had already claimed him. I visited him every night, as his condition quickly deteriorated, his mother's wishes still ringing in my mind. The repulsion to changing him was still present, yet, the more I watched him, the more I felt my reservations fade. I began considering the necessary preparations for such an event, convincing myself it was all purely hypothetical, but, deep down, I knew my resolve was wavering. It would be nice to finally have a companion, someone to share my experiences with."

I was as still as a statue, listening to the tale. Carlisle never simply relayed an event, he truly told it, describing it in such a way that allowed me to vividly picture every single moment, like I was actually there.

"I remember the day my resolve gave way completely. It was, funnily enough, a beautiful September morning in eighteen ninety five. I was about to end an overnight shift at the hospital and a nurse came up to me, informing me that I should prepare to say goodbye to yet another of my patients. She knew how much I disliked that aspect of my job, so always found the time to warn me, ensuring I was prepared. I found out that patient was Edward and immediately rushed there. Seeing him, even paler than before, his heartbeat barely comparable to the flutter of a butterfly's wings..." Carlisle trailed off and I saw a visible droop of his shoulders, before he quickly collected himself to continue. "Every one of Elizabeth's words came back to me and I realised I couldn't let him go, couldn't leave this world bereft of such a soul, not when I had the power to stop it."

I took an involuntarily step forward, as the emotion charging each word of his story drew me in, each secret of his past he revealed bringing us closer together.

"So, I did what I never imagined I would ever be able to do. I changed him. Up until that point, it was one of the most difficult things I had ever done."

I could absolutely believe that. I had seen the movies and, whilst they were largely inaccurate in comparison to the real thing, there were certain elements I knew to be pretty realistic. To change a human, the vampire would have to bite them, which, in turn, meant tasting their blood; something that would drive the average vampire into a feeding frenzy. Carlisle, however, was anything but average. For a start, he had achieved what no other vampire known had been capable of. He had never given in to the impulses that were supposed to drive his existence.

"Transformation, on average, takes three to four days to complete," he continued. "And it took some time for Edward to adjust to his new life. I told you how hard it was for me to refrain from my natural food source, so, you can imagine Edward's struggle. He slipped several times, but, with time, came control and he became a founding member of the coven. In fact, it was Edward who discovered Esme. She had been recently turned and was very much still in the throes of the newborn lifestyle, but, he brought her to me and, together, we managed to convince her that our way of life would be far more beneficial to her than the lonely, nomadic routine she followed at the time.

"After a decade, our numbers grew by two and that was when we first ventured into this part of the continent. Not long after, the truce with the Quileutes was forged and Alice and Jasper brought our numbers up to seven. It was around this time that I started entertaining thoughts of settling down somewhere, knowing it was an idea Alice also found particularly favourable. Although we all held a fondness for Washington State, we wanted to look around, before deciding. One of our stops was a small city in the south west of England, called Plymouth. Its weather is almost as bad-or good, depending on your point of view-as here."

The levity ending the paragraph didn't reach his eyes, but, it was a subtle hint that Carlisle Cullen hadn't completely disappeared on me. If he was capable of light humour, then, perhaps things wouldn't be as bad for the pair of us as I feared.

"We bought ourselves a house, on the outskirts of the city and, whilst five of us hunted for work, Edward enrolled in the local university and Jasper was finally allowed the opportunity to master his control. For the first year, I never enjoyed my life more. It felt like everything was falling into place and I was no longer alone."

The word 'alone' caused my chest to squeeze painfully. I hated to think of Carlisle lonely or experiencing any form of unhappiness, no matter how small or, seemingly, insignificant. It may have been dwelling beneath the exterior for a while, but, listening to his story brought to the surface a furious need to never let him feel any pain ever again. Not for the first time that day, I wanted to run and wrap him in my arms, but, knew I had to wait.

"Then," Carlisle said, with a heavy sigh and I knew the story was moving into dangerous territory. "The trouble began. By this time, Edward had been following the animal diet for nigh on eighty years and, whilst there was the occasional wobble, it was never anything to concern me. But, when Edward came home early one day, absolutely beside himself, talking about a girl who had crossed his path, it was a sign that everything was about to change. It had been a very long time since the presence of a human had affected him so. When he described it to me, I felt the first tremor of panic run through me, as I realised what she was. It turned out that the girl-Sapphire-was something many vampires spend their entire lives searching for. She was his singer."

"Singer?" I asked, speaking for the first time.

"Its proper name is La tua cantante, which, in English means my singer, although the phrase is generally shortened to simply singer. It is a phenomenon very few of our kind experience. On rare occasions, a vampire will come across a human whose blood calls so strongly to them, whose scent is so irresistibly appealing, that it is as though that human was created solely for that vampire. Very few of us ever come across a singer, but, when we do, it is impossible to describe. Edward is the only one I know to ever find his and, had I known how things would end, I would have moved us out of that city as soon as vampirically possible. However, back then I was not blessed with the power of hindsight I possess now. He had to spend a week away, to gain control of himself, but, when he returned, he was on a mission to conquer the thrall she had over him. He attempted to make contact and, when he did, everything about him changed. Although Edward had never shown signs of depression or sadness with the path his life had taken, there was always an element of detachment to his persona. However, once he started spending a significant amount of time with Sapphire, the obsession she fired within him gave him a zest for life I had never witnessed before.

"Although he was coping well, I ensured to keep a close watch on his restraint, in case it showed signs of slipping and I must confess, I was impressed by his level of self-control. My scrutiny led to the discovery that he felt more for her than the basic pull of her singer qualities. He was falling for her. I spoke to him of this and he did not deny it, but, I could tell it worried him. He told me he couldn't keep away and, against all his better judgement, he needed to be near her."

I knew I wasn't alone in recognising the familiarity of that statement and found myself unable to watch Carlisle's expression for fear of what I might see there.

"So, I did all I could to minimise the risk. I ensured he hunted regularly and even asked the others to keep an eye on him as often as possible. For a long time, it worked. Even when Edward and Sapphire became an official couple, they spent many months happily together, incident-free."

I didn't even have to see Carlisle's face to realise the bleak turn the story was about to take.

"Then, just as I was beginning to allow myself to hope it would all work out, disaster chose to strike. Edward came home one night, covered in blood and rambling incoherently. It took almost an hour for him to calm down long enough to give an explanation and that was when I discovered my worst fear had been realised. The pull had been too strong and, even after months of holding back, he had finally given in and bitten her. In his panic, he'd left her in a secluded area of woodland, before running back to us for help. Leaving him distraught and wracked with guilt, I searched for Sapphire, but, by the time I found her, it was too late. The change had already begun. There were only two courses of action available to me: kill her or let the change complete. Perhaps it was a moment of cowardice, but, I couldn't make the decision by myself, so was about to carry her back to the house, before Edward intercepted me and, as you are now aware, was able to read my thoughts. He was furious for me even contemplating ending her life, so, seeing the pain and distress he endured, we ended up taking her back to the house together to let the change complete.

"Watching Edward during that time was almost unbearable for me. Every cry of agony that left Sapphire's lips etched a line of grief into his face and, by the time the fourth day was over, he could barely stand, having heard every single painful thought that crossed her mind during the transformation. As you can imagine, she did not take too well to becoming a vampire. In fact, during Sapphire's early newborn life, most of our time was spent rebuilding damage constantly inflicted upon our house during her bouts of rage. We hoped time and patience would allow her violent outbursts to subside and, to some extent, they did. However, even Jasper, who possessed extensive experience of dealing with newborns, could do little to calm the anger and frustration she felt at the situation she found herself in. The betrayal of Edward's attack on her was carried into, and amplified by, her immortal existence. He tried everything to earn her forgiveness, but clemency eluded him, as she chose to use his guilt as a weapon.

"She was volatile, rebellious and unpredictable, and, if any of us even thought of reprimanding her for her actions-even though the discipline was for her own good-Edward would stop us, promising to deal with it himself. He never did, though. Part of her rebellion was to never truly commit to the lifestyle Edward and the rest of us lived. She began feeding off humans just to spite him and, after a particularly hostile argument, went on a killing spree. Of course, the murder of an entire family could never go unnoticed by the human populace, which, in turn, prompted the Volturi into action."

A wave of pain enveloped his intense, amber orbs, encouraging me to close more of the distance between us. My heart was breaking all over again, for Carlisle, for Edward, for Sapphire, all three victims of circumstances beyond their own control.

"They demanded she be punished for her reckless actions. I would offer you a clue as to what that punishment was, but, doubt you'd need it. I tried to argue her case, swearing to move away from populated areas, until she had been brought under control, but, they refused to listen. I was ready to fight for her, but, there were six other vampires I held responsibility for. I may have been willing to lay my own life on the line for Sapphire, but, I would not sacrifice theirs.

"I will never forget the look on Edward's face, as he watched her die. I stood beside him, ready to offer moral support, should he wish it. The Volturi set fire to her body-the only way to truly kill a vampire and Edward Masen did not move a muscle, until the very last smouldering ember had extinguished itself. That was when he finally looked at me and I do not think I have ever known anyone to loathe a being more than he loathed me right then."

The story paused and, if tears had begun to fall from Carlisle's eyes, they wouldn't have looked out of place. His voice continued, but the volume had lowered and it was loaded with so much anguish, I thought my knees would buckle from the weight of my empathy.

"He blamed me for everything and was right, in so many ways. The chain of events began with me. Had I never changed him, he would never have become the creature unable to resist the call of Sapphire's blood. She would have lived a full, happy life as a human and so many people would have been spared the grief and terror she caused."

In that moment, I finally understood why he believed himself to be damned. It wasn't just his father's teachings that made him feel like a monster, but, an immortal lifetime of mistakes and regret, causing the acceptance that the gates of heaven were forever closed to him. I had made plenty of mistakes in my time, but, I'd only had to live with the repercussions for a few years. Carlisle had lived with them for several decades. But, as terrible as some of the events were, I wanted him to see that he was still wrong. At the time, he'd had no idea of what the future might hold and, his initial act of changing Edward was at the behest of a dying mother. If she'd never said a word, Carlisle wouldn't have acted the way he did. He was a good person, who had given so much to those around him. He needed to know that he wasn't to blame; I needed him to see that.

"Edward left less than a week later and forty years passed until we saw each other again. When Esme first told me he had returned to Washington, I cannot deny the hopes of reconciliation I felt. However, those hopes were quashed after our reunion in Port Angeles. The moment I looked into his eyes, I saw that he had lost none of the resentment he bore towards me. I could...accept that. I wouldn't push for the resolution I wanted so badly, knowing he would be unwilling to give it. I would let him go, say goodbye to the man I once considered a brother and move on." Golden eyes slowly lifted to mine. "But, today has shown that Edward is not so willing to move on. That resentment has grown into something far more dangerous."

The struggle present on Carlisle's face when he first admitted his feelings for me returned, the fear emanating from every pore and I felt my pulse race in response. Although the man sat across from me was terrified of what Edward might do, I was dreading what Carlisle might do, following a path forged by his desire to ensure my safety. He claimed to be too selfish to keep away from me, but, that was back when we thought there was a chance to keep our relationship secret from Edward. Now that the Volturi member knew, would Dr Cullen remain true to his altruistic nature and push me away?

"And, now, I have made the worst mistake of all," he said, his gaze clutching mine.

Clarification was unnecessary; I knew exactly what he meant. Edward was on his way to tell the Volturi and there was every possibility that my life, as well as the lives of several others, was coming to an end. And I didn't care. It was selfish, reckless and went against the survival instinct supposedly embedded into every living creature. However, I had told Carlisle that I would fight for him and stood by that statement more than ever. Edward's history may have been intended as a cautionary tale, but, it only strengthened my feelings for Carlisle, proving he was worth the price.

I couldn't hold back anymore and my feet propelled me forward, until I was stood before him. His mesmerising eyes watched me the entire way, a hint of wariness contained within them as I grew closer. I slowly extended a hand and let it rest against his cold cheek, before my fingers began tracing invisible lines of woe the unending years had etched into flawless marble skin. I began at the jaw line, brushing along its smooth surface, up to his sharp cheekbone, before reaching his left temple. I let my thumb run back and forth a couple of times, mimicking the affectionate gesture he had often performed on me, as a whisper escaped his lips.

"Yet, still you look at me with nothing but love in those beautiful eyes," he remarked in wonder, his wistful tone of voice making it seem like he wasn't so much addressing me, but, thinking aloud. "Even after knowing what I am and what I have done, you refuse to run."

Letting the fingers remain at his temple, I stretched my thumb across, to begin brushing the fine hairs framing his right eye, before letting it travel down the straight narrow contour of his nose. When it reached his lips, I recommenced the back and forth motion and he let me do so in silence for a while, before placing his hand over mine to press my palm to his cheek once more.

"You already know I am incapable," he began and I didn't need Edward's talent to know what was coming. "But, if I begged you to tell me to leave you-for your own good-would you do it?"

I watched him for a long time. This was his last attempt at saving me, I knew. Whatever decision I made right then would be final and there wasn't a single doubt in my mind about what the answer to his question should be.

"No," I replied.

The grip on my hand tightened and his eyes branded my heart. "Then," he murmured. "There is nothing left to say."

In one fluid, sudden motion, Carlisle gripped either side of my waist and pulled me to him, crashing our lips together. My hands shot out in surprise and gripped his shoulders for balance, before his cool touch slid up my back and tangled in the back of my hair. My knees had originally landed between his legs, but, when his other arm wrapped around the small of my back and pressed our bodies closer, I found myself straddling his lap. Had any space been left between us, my arms around his neck would have eradicated it, as I returned the heart-stopping kiss with equal fervour.

Our first kiss had been incredible, but, it was nothing compared to the second and I felt my insides melt, as every ounce of love, devotion and passion he possessed exited his body through the embrace, to enter mine and nourish my soul. He had finally surrendered, no longer trying to fight the magnetic connection that had been growing between us. All restraint and control was thrown away, as his tongue entered my mouth to massage mine and, this time, when I moaned in pleasure, he didn't pull away. In fact, it only made him kiss me harder, setting my nerves aflame, as my entire body blazed with the ardour I felt for Carlisle Cullen.

My fists clasped his golden tresses, revelling in their silken texture, revelling in the fact that this angel now belonged to me, heart, body, mind and soul. The rest of the world ceased to exist and I swore to destroy anything that attempted to drive us apart. In the back of my mind, I was vaguely aware of the need to catch my breath, but, that meant separating my lips from Carlisle's, an altogether repulsive notion. I couldn't get enough of him. The way his lips tasted against mine, the way his fingers brushed against my skin, the way he inhaled and exhaled just as frantically as me, despite the fact that vampires didn't need to breathe.

And, although he may have been a vampire for over three hundred years, he was also a man, an aspect our passionate activity brought very much to the fore. I wasn't sure who had instigated it, but, suddenly, my hands were no longer around his neck and his were no longer around me. My fingers were busy freeing the buttons of his shirt from their restrictive holes and the sound of a zipper opening told me my hooded sweatshirt wouldn't be clothing me much longer. In a flash, it was pushed down my shoulders and discarded onto the floor, as I fumbled with the last of his shirt buttons, cursing the agonising slowness that was a product of my humanity. Finally, his beautiful torso was revealed, and my hands moved underneath the fabric covering his shoulders. The feel of skin I had never touched before was indescribable. It was cold and hard, yet deliciously smooth and I abandoned the task of removing the shirt any further, to simply let my hands explore.

Our lips had not parted during any of this, but when he finally pulled away, I let out a protesting whimper, before gasping as kisses began to trail along my jaw and down my throat. His tongue caressed my flesh, sending volts of electricity up and down my spine. My hands wrapped in his hair to push his face closer, before I heard a ripping sound and air hit my bare back. His fingers ran up and down, brushing over every inch of skin, as though using his hands to commit my body to memory.

My breathing became laboured, as I basked in the excess of feeling he created within me. His mouth had moved to the space between my breasts and my body arched into him, but, he had clearly decided my bra was an unacceptable obstacle, as I felt his chilly fingertips fiddle with the clasp.

Just as it opened, Carlisle froze. My mind, that had been utterly lost in a lustful frenzy, came clattering back to Earth and I pulled back a little to see what was wrong.

"Your father..." he said, forcing the words out between heavy breaths.

It took a moment for my fogged mind to register what he had said, but, when it did, my eyes widened in alarm and I scrambled out of his lap, before stumbling to the window behind the couch. Sure enough, the cruiser was making its way into the drive.

"Shit!" I muttered, clutching my bra to my chest, before turning back to Carlisle.

The moment my eyes fell upon that magnificent creature, I was ready to launch myself at him all over again, indecent exposure in front of my dad be damned. His shirt was open, his hair was a mess and his eyes were clouded with a desire that matched my own. We both stood there for a long moment, doing nothing more than stare at one another, as my breathing regukated and I could feel a gentle smile pull at my lips for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime.

The closing of a car door kicked me out of the trance and I began searching for my top, closing the clasp of my bra as I did so. I found my sweatshirt by the foot of the sofa and quickly pulled it on, pulling up the zipper, as Carlisle hastily did up his shirt buttons. I resented the garment for obscuring my view, but knew I'd have to kick the licentious thoughts away if I was about to face Charlie.

We were both smoothing our hair back into some semblance of decency, when the hinges of the front door creaked open and Charlie's heavy footsteps collided with the floor. Carlisle was waiting in the doorway of the lounge, when something caught my eye. There, on the arm of the sofa, was my spaghetti strap top, the back torn wide open. I gawped in shock, before rushing to grab and shove it underneath one of the armchair cushions.

Charlie entered just as I straightened up.

"Hey, kiddo," he greeted, before turning to Carlisle with a smirk. "Uh-oh. What did she break or lose this time?"

"Funny, Dad," I replied, hoping my face didn't look as hot as it felt. "He gave me a lift home, actually."

"Makes a change," Charlie said and I definitely wasn't mistaken this time when I saw him give Carlisle another once over. It probably should have bothered me more than it did, but there were far more important-or pleasurable-things running through my mind at that moment. "I was thinking of pizza tonight, Bells," he continued, glancing at me, before his eyes flitted back to the Adonis beside him. "Did...uh...you wanna join us?" He asked and I couldn't stop my jaw slackening in shock. He never asked anyone to stay for dinner. Well, nobody but the Blacks, anyway.

"I'm afraid I cannot tonight, as I have a mound of paperwork to sort out," Carlisle declined. "But, thank you for the invitation."

"Yeah, I know that feeling," Charlie commented with a small smile. "Another time, maybe."

Carlisle nodded and agreed, as my eyes narrowed at my dad. I couldn't help but wonder if he was up to something and, if he was, what would his motive be? The unusual behaviour made me wary and I decided it was time to regrettably let Carlisle leave.

Letting Charlie settle in his usual television spot, I walked Carlisle to the door and opened it. A wave of shyness suddenly enveloped me and I found myself at a loss for words. What exactly was the etiquette for addressing a vampire you had just made out with? My eyes were fixed on the door handle, but those wonderfully cool fingers touched my chin and lifted my gaze up to his. The expression on his face was enough to take my breath away. If I'd had any doubt left in my mind, it was eradicated by those orbs of liquid gold.

He loved me.

His thumb caressed my jaw and my heart fluttered.

"Goodbye, Isabella," he whispered. "For now."

He walked down the porch steps, as his words left my insides squirming delightfully. The distance between us was growing and, with each parting step, I felt an ache increasing in my chest. As he reached the bonnet of his car, I took a quick glance behind me and heard the sound of sports conmentary coming from the lounge. Assuming the coast was clear, I raced towards Carlisle and threw my arms around his neck to plant a deep, parting kiss against his lips. Without a word, I ended the embrace, taking several backwards steps and biting my lip. An unexpected giggle erupted from me and I had to turn to hide the blush beginning to colour my cheeks. I stole one last glance at Carlisle, before closing the front door, as he entered his Mercedes.

When the door clicked shut, I let my forehead rest against its wooden surface and squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could let out the scream of joy lingering in my throat. It didn't matter what Edward or the Volturi planned to do. Right then, nothing could quench the unadulterated happiness I felt.

"Bella," came Charlie's low, rumbling voice from behind.

I recognised that tone. I swallowed a gulp and slowly turned, wondering if he had seen our embrace outside. I hadn't been thinking clearly and knew it had been a careless action. When I finally faced my dad, he was leaning against the doorframe of the lounge, a hand held up. His forefinger was extended and, from it, hung my torn article of clothing.

"Care to explain?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

Double shit!