Chapter 24: Faith

We went about our lives as if nothing was new. The buzz around the town was all about Isabella. People were in much anticipation for her arrival. It finally came on January 17, 2005.

I was working. All day, rumors had been flying around the patients and staff at the hospital about the poor Swan girl. Most were wondering if she was as "flighty" as her mother, who'd apparently left Forks when Isabella was just eighteen months old. Some speculated that she would be bored in Forks, after living in such a big city like Phoenix, Arizona. I would have loved to see Phoenix, and other southern cities. But it was much too sunny for our kind. We wouldn't be able to have a normal social life with that much sun.

It was afternoon, just as the kids were getting out of school, when Edward showed up. Sometimes they visited me at the hospital, occasionally just stopping in. But most times, they came to talk to me about something that couldn't wait until everybody got home at night. I was in my office at the hospital, going over a patient's medical history, trying to see if they would be a good candidate for a surgery procedure. I looked up from the packet as I heard agitated footsteps outside, and then the door swung open. It was Edward!

He looked horrible. The expression on his face was worse than when he'd returned to Esme and me after his brief foray away from our family. It was marred with despair; despair fiercer then any I'd seen from him in the 87 years I'd known Edward. Surprise and wary struck my silent heart, and would have caused my breath to catch in my throat, had breathing still been a necessary process.

"Edward?"

He looked wild, his eyes darting around my office. "I have to go, Carlisle. I have to go now."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. Yet. But it will, if I stay."

Instinctively, I reached for his arm to calm him and comfort him. But he cringed away like my gesture was meant to hurt, rather than help. I felt distressed, rejected that he hadn't allowed me to comfort him. That he hadn't let me help him.

"I don't understand," I admitted. Truthfully I didn't. Edward was speaking in short bursts, not giving enough information.

"Have you ever…has there ever been a time…"

Edward was concerning my now. He looked so flustered. It takes a lot to throw Edward into such a state. He's always seemed so collected.

"Has any one person ever smelled better to you then the rest of them? Much better?"

"Oh." I couldn't help it. I knew I should say something more, but "Oh" was all I managed. I understood. He was tempted, by someone whose blood smelled better than any other human's. Although I was repulsed by the concept of feeding on humans, that didn't mean my predator body didn't react. It was in the 18th century when I'd smelled the scent of a young girl, no older then fourteen, who'd been the hardest to resist. I couldn't help the shame that played across my face as I remembered how close I'd come to killing the girl. I rested my hand on his shoulder, ignoring his recoil.

"Do what you must to resist, son. I will miss you. Here," I tossed him my keys from my lab coat pocket, "take my car. It's faster."

Edward looked at the keys I'd given him a moment before tossing me his. I wondered if I'd done what was right. By sending Edward off, had my lack of trust hurt him? I sincerely hope not. That had not been my intention. I'd tried to handle it as best as I could, and I thought it would be better if Edward decided what he needed to do so that an innocent life was spared. And Isabella was Charlie's only daughter. I didn't want to see this incredibly honest man hurt.

Edward turned on his toes and hurried away, much too fast to maintain the human pretense. Thankfully the hospital became much too busy to notice this slip. Three car crash victims arrived in the emergency room and I was called off to help.

Upon arriving home, I found that everyone else already knew Edward was gone. Alice had foreseen him going to Denali. I breathed a sigh of relief to know that Edward was going to friends. He would sort things out in Denali, and decide what he was going to do about Isabella.

She was the reason for his leaving, Alice confirmed that too. Edward hadn't been able to hear Isabella's ("Bella," Alice corrected.) thoughts. He'd been listening to what she said. But meeting her in biology had been too much.

"He'd come so close to killing her and the entire class," Alice said. "For the longest time, he was so sure. He was planning it."

"What happened?" Esme asked softly. She spoke the words we all thought.

"He resisted," Alice said simply. She turned to look at me. "He didn't want to disappoint you Carlisle."

I was filled with pride. Pride for my oldest and youngest son. He'd been tested, and had succeeded against his thirst long enough to get away.

I looked up to see everyone looking to me. They wanted me to say something. They wanted to know what we would do, remain in Forks, follow Edward back north, or even move elsewhere so that Edward may be more inclined to return.

"Edward will sort everything else, and will return to us when he's ready," I told them. "We will wait here for him."

Esme nodded, her expression falling. She was still worried about Edward. We all were. But Edward was Esme's first adopted son, and he'd left once before. I remembered the depression. I don't think I could stand Esme slipping into that sort of sorrow again.

So I waited until everyone dispersed, then took Esme by the hand and led her out back. As soon as we hit the trees, we started running, and didn't stop until we reached the Canadian border. We would have gone farther, but it was a pain to have to come back into the United States.

Esme let out a muffled choke that was the closest vampires could come to crying. We can't produce tears. I pulled her in tight, holding her as close to me as possible as she "cried".

"I trust him," I whispered to her. "Edward will come back. He loves you and Alice and Emmett, all of us. He will sort this out in his own time, and return to us when he's ready. I have faith in him."

Esme looked up at me. "I do too," she whispered. She nodded, gaining conviction. "I do too. Edward will be alright in Denali. He has Tanya, Kate, Irina, Carmen, and Eleazer. They'll help him figure this out and he'll return when he's ready."

"Right," I nodded, smiling down at her. She smiled up at me for the longest time. Then we both realized we were alone with not a chance of being disturbed in the middle of the backwoods. Emmett and Rosalie would have been proud of us.

Tell me what you think! All information for dates come from Twilight's Lexicon's timeline based on the books and Stephenie Meyer's letters. However, if you see anything that's wrong, don't hesitate to drop me a line and tell me so I can fix it ASAP. Thanks!

-Wish