Two

"Edward! Rosalie! Do you two have a moment?" Carlisle shouts from his study on the bottom floor of our home. He could have whispered his request and I would have heard him but Roses' limited human hearing needed the amplification.

"Yeah, one second, Dad." I reply softly, placing a bookmark in my novel and traveling downstairs, passing by my mother, the journey taking but a second.

I hear Esme sigh after me. "What have I said about running at full speed in the house?" She shouts after me.

I chuckle sitting in front of Carlisles' over sized mahogany desk.

"Sorry, Mom!" I shout back so she'll hear me.

She continues on upstairs muttering to herself.

"Whatcha need?" I ask proping an ankle on a knee.

Rose rushes in, breathing heavy, a wrench in her oil stained hands and her platinum blonde hair falling around her face.

"Took you long enough, Human." I mock with a wide grin.

She rolls her pale eyes and reaches over to grope my face with her filthy hands but I escape easily, settling myself in a different chair, out of reach and smiling even wider.

"Whatever, I'll have Emmett get you later." She warns, her ice blue eyes narrowed with humor.

"Confirmative, babe!" Emmett hollers and she smiles smugly my way.

Psh, I'm definitely not afraid of Em.

Looking up from his paperwork, Carlisle grins at us presenting perfect teeth and bright gold eyes. Eyes — I greatly envy.

"I have very exciting news," he holds his hands up in a placating gesture, "But you have to hear me out before you reply."

He looks at us hopefully but Rose and I exchange worried glances until we reluctantly nod our heads, making him smile.

"I've just been invited to the East Coast to be the keynote speaker alongside a panel of experts concerning the physiology of Vampiric mating. As well as, and this is exclusive information, so keep it to yourselves — an opportunity to view an on going research lab dedicated to infertility in Human Vampiric Mates. I'd like for the two of you to join me."

Neither of us speak.

Carlisle waves a hand telling us we have the floor.

Neither of us speak.

"Come on, guys," Carlisle heaves.

"What do you hope to accomplish by bringing us with you?" Rose asks snidely, crossing her arms.

Good question. I'm tempted to just get the answer from the source; his thoughts, but I refrain. He'll speak truly and this is no reason to invade his privacy by snooping were I don't belong.

"Well, for you, my dear," Dad says to Rose, smiling gently, "answers."

"A group of fertility researchers are trying to uncover why some infertility in human women is so extreme," Rose flinches, but Carlisle rallies on, "that not even a Vampires attributes — whether it be his Semen, blood or venom — can't promote ovulation or successful fertilization."

"So?" Rose bites out between clenched teeth, "you could relay any information to me when you get back, there's no reason for me to be there. But even that doesn't matter because I already have the answers. You say 'they're trying to discover why' as if that's what's going to help me now, in this moment. Unless it's a cure or a way to fix me, why should I waste my time? The why is obvious, I'm too damaged. The fine print doesn't matter to me if they don't know how to fix it, right now, it'll just drive me crazy."

We can both tell Rose is close to tears, and apparently Emmett could too from where he was playing grand theft auto across the house, because he runs in with a great gust of wind, scattering dads papers from his desk and picks Rose up and sits her on his lap.

"I'm sorry, Rose, perhaps you're right and your presence isn't needed." Dad whispers, dejectedly.

Carlisle looks as if he wants to comfort her as well, but he knows she's best left alone in her mates arms. He's all she needs right now.

Carlisle looks to me now. I hate to make him feel worse than he already does, but we've had this fight too many times.

"My presence isn't needed either." I say as calmly as I can.

Dad sighs and shakes his head.

"Edward, I know we just moved back and you like it here in Forks, but you've inspected every woman in this town, none of them are your mate, you won't be able to find her if you don't search harder."

"I could circle the globe twice and it wouldn't make a difference, Dad, you know it —"

"I don't know it, Edward." He says, sharply.

"— it's not going to happen." I finish angrily.

"I just wish you would think about it, Son." Carlisle begs, knowing he's fighting a losing battle.

"I wish you would leave. me. alone. about it, Dad." I seethe.

Carlisles' pure gold eyes stare deep into my red ones with a look of heated annoyance clearly not enjoying the back talk.

I'm over a hundred years old and yet that strict, fatherly look still unnerves the hell outa me, making me want to apologize like a little boy. I try to focus on his almost white blond hair instead but those disapproving eyes are so commanding it's like they're magnets or something and you can't help but be pulled back.

"Come on, don't look at me like that, dad," I groan, "I get what your saying, and I understand why you're so adamant, and I appreciate it, but it's not necessary, this is our home, my favorite home, we haven't been back here in 55 years, we're happy here and I have no desire to jeopardize that happiness for a wild goose chase that will end in bitter disappointment."

"Edward, please—"

"Look, it's my decision, and the answer is no."

"Edward, honey," Crap, he's enlisted Esme this time, "please listen to your father, this trip could be a great chance to broaden the search and maybe finally find her."

I look up at my mother, her caramel hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders and a pretty blush creeping up her tan cheeks.

"Mom, if I haven't found her by now, what makes you think I ever will?" I hiss, unable to check my temper any longer.

"Dad, Jasper, Emmett — along with every other mated vampire on the fucking planet, all found their mates within months of their 18th year. Those that don't, don't find her. Ever. That's fact. I'm 116 and she's still not found; she won't ever be found and the last thing I want is to trespass through this god forsaken world searching for a lost cause. Let's all accept it and move the fuck on."

What was at first the easily ignored background noise of my other siblings, Jasper and his mate Alice, playing chess, stopped when I finished my side of the argument, it's abrupt absence the thing that made the previous noise notable.

Then silence except for Esmes', Roses' and Alices' heart beats and everyone's breathing. But still even then, the air feels still.

That frozen silence felt like it had been stretching on for too long but honestly had only just started when Esme filled it with an apology.

Bending down to were I'm sitting and wrapping her warm arms around my shoulders she whispers into my ear, "I don't believe that for a second, you are too incredible to walk this world alone forever, but you are right that this is your choice, and we'll respect it, sweetie, I'm so sorry we've been pushing you."

I wrap an arm around her waist and return her hug.

"Thank you, Mom."

She's wrong, but at least they'll lay off. For now.

I look to Carlisle, a twisted pain marring his handsome face.

Crap.

"I won't participate in whatever it is you wanted, Dad, but I will go with you and keep you company at least. So, please get that look off your face, for the love of God." Freaking parental guilt is awful.

Carlisle tries to muster a smile, but all he can manage is a grimace.

"Thank you, Edward, I'd really appreciate your company, we leave on Sunday. You'll have to miss a week of school, I hope that's alright." A tiny, mostly real smile forms on his lips.

I heave a great, big sigh pretending to look disturbed by this tidbit.

"It'll suuuure be a shame to miss the adventure that is the 11th grade for the billionth time, but I think I'll be alright."

I slip out of the room and return back to my novel, hoping this trip can at least distract me from the loneliness for a time. Pft, yeah . . . That's not going to happen, But if nothing else it'll at least provide a rare chance to get away from three happily mated couples for a week.

AN: I couldn't wait to upload this chapter, I have two more pre written and will upload again when more people review