Content Warning: Contains Lemons :)

"Do you remember that night I turned up on your doorstep?

I was wearing my Sunday best. You watched the mascara as it ran down like fault lines,

and you knew there was blood on my lips.

I'm tired of running, I said.

And the earth shook a little.

So am I, you replied.

As it shook a little more.

I don't want anyone else, I whispered.

And I felt myself crumble.

You held out your arms and I was cracked porcelain. We looked at each other as we stood at the precipice.

And I knew once I fell, I'd never stop falling. And everything before you would be time to kill.

You said you were scared but you couldn't ignore it.

And that was the moment when we became real."

~ Lang Leav, Sunday Best, Memories

CHAPTER NINE: WOVEN

BPOV

The journey to the hospital seemed to last for an eternity, even at the speed Carlisle drove at. I was out of his Mercedes before he had even finished parking. He caught up with me easily of course, and one of the nurses accompanied us to his bedside.

"Just take it easy on him" she warned before allowing us over to him. "He is still very confused, and he will tire out very easily. He isn't out of the woods yet."

Then, she smiled, drew back the curtain around his bed, and ushered us in. Carlisle stayed back, however, indicating that I should see him alone first. Given the last time he had seen Carlisle with me, that was probably a good idea. I had no clue what he would remember from the early hours of this morning.

I took a sharp intake of breath as my eyes fell on him. He was hooked up to all kinds, and bandaged, and bruised. His face looked puffy and swollen. I composed myself, not wanting him to see me upset. He blinked, looking momentarily confused as he tried to take in who was approaching him.

"Hey dad," I said softly, ever so carefully taking his hand in mine. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got run over by ten of your trucks," came his gruff reply, and I chuckled, relief flooding through me that he seemed his same old self, despite the battering he had taken.

I gingerly laid myself over his body without putting too much pressure on him, the best I could manage as a hug for now, and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I was so worried about you dad, I'm so glad you're awake and okay. The doctors are pretty optimistic about your recovery."

He grunted, and attempted a smile. I stroked his head, and sat quietly. I could tell everything was an effort right now, and I didn't want him to over exert himself.

But I need to know what he remembers...

"Dad, I don't want you to say much right now, because you need to rest," I began. "But do... do you remember what happened?"

He was silent for a while, before very slightly shaking his head. A small frown creased his brow, as if he was trying to recall the events that led to him ending up this way.

"I remember driving to the Cullens' house," he wheezed softly. "Was I looking for you?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I think you probably were."

I wanted to keep everything as vague as possible until I knew exactly what he had seen, if he even remembered.

"Why was I looking for you there?" he asked, looking confused again. "I thought Edward left town ages ago..."

I bit my lip. "Um... Carlisle came back and I had been visiting, catching up, you know?" I said as nonchalantly as possible.

He blinked a couple of times, and frowned. "I don't really remember, Bells."

"It's okay dad, you don't have to remember everything right now. Your head took quite a battering, I mean I guess it will take time for you to get all of your memories back on what happened."

He nodded gingerly. "I guess so, kiddo."

He slowly moved his head so he could look at me better.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "Is anyone taking care of you? The Blacks?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. And um... no, not the Blacks. Carlisle has been with me. He made me get some rest, don't worry dad."

Given his current lack of memory about what happened, I figured mentioning Carlisle more in the conversation was safe.

"Good, I'm glad Doctor Cullen is keeping an eye on you."

We fell silent again. I squeezed his hand gently, and he squeezed back weakly. I was aware of movement behind me, and as Charlie visibly registered another person approaching, I turned to see Carlisle quietly walk in.

"Hey Chief," he said in his best, comforting doctor-patient tone.

"Doctor Cullen," he acknowledged weakly in reply. "Thanks for keeping an eye on Bella for me."

"Anytime. I'm glad to see you awake and lucid."

Charlie half chuckled, before wincing and stopping abruptly. "Don't know about lucid," he grimaced. "I feel pretty out of it on all this morphine!"

"Take it easy dad, don't hurt yourself," I exclaimed, leaping up to tend to him. Carlisle put a reassuring hand on my back, rubbing it comfortingly.

Satisfied that Charlie was okay, I sat back down, and Carlisle's hand moved to my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Without thinking, my hand went up instinctively to hold it there, fingers entwining. Too late I realised what I was doing, as I took in Charlie's change in expression as he noticed. I dropped his hand like a hot poker and put both my hands in my lap, biting my lip again nervously.

Something flickered across Charlie's face, then, and I cursed inwardly for having been so careless already.

He shifted in his bed, looking uncomfortable.

"Dad? Are you okay?"

He kept blinking, his brow furrowing, as if snatches of something were coming back to him.

"I remember... dancing..."

I tensed, and I felt Carlisle freeze behind me.

"Wait... no, it was dark. Moonlight..." he mumbled. "Damnit, I keep getting little flashes of things, you know?"

"Um, maybe it would be better if you got some rest, dad," I said, trying to stop him from trying so hard to remember. "They think it may have been some kind of large animal..."

But he wasn't really listening to me.

"Two people dancing, and then... kissing..." he murmured, half to himself.

"Dad..."

"Then... pain..."

There was a very long pause, and then...

"Shit!"

He cursed loudly and shot up in the bed, managing to half sit up before collapsing back against the pillow in pain.

"Charlie, take it easy," Carlisle tried to tell him soothingly, shooting over to his side. He was breathing heavily.

"You..." he breathed between winces of pain, "You were with her... you... gah! What were you doing..."

"Charlie, please calm down..."

"Then something slammed into me, threw me halfway across the front of your house! That was no animal. What in the hell has that kind of impact?"

He tried to sit up again and ended up coughing.

"Dad please, you're going to damage yourself..." I pleaded.

He got to the end of his coughing fit, and then stared hard at Carlisle, who was checking him over and glancing in concern at the monitors he was wired up to.

"It got you, too," he said suddenly, his voice changing tone. "I saw you... you hit the ground harder than I did..."

Carlisle looked back at Charlie, at a loss for words.

"Then how in the hell are you standing there, with no injuries?"

Carlisle found his voice.

"I think you must be misremembering, Charlie... you got quite a head injury..."

"I remember what I saw!" he snapped. "What is going on? What is going on with the two of you?"

He rolled sideways, trying to meet my eyes, but I couldn't look at him. My heart was pounding, and his monitor was bleeping and flashing, and then we were suddenly surrounded by nurses and doctors, and Charlie was shouting and thrashing, and I squeezed my eyes shut, tears flooding my cheeks.

I felt Carlisle gently pull me from my seat, guiding me from Charlie's bedside.

My eyes snapped back open, watching the staff attend Charlie, barking at each other to hold him down and to administer a sedative.

"No! No, dad! Please, stop!" I cried, and one of the nurses turned to push me gently from the room, throwing me an apologetic smile.

"You need to leave, love, I'm sorry," she said. "We need to get him calm, or it could impact his recovery."

Carlisle gripped me tighter and I let him pull me from the room in a daze. I didn't remember him getting me to the car, or putting me in it. I didn't remember the drive home.

I only came back out of my own head as we pulled up back at his house. He killed the engine and looked at me, radiating pain at my distress.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I... I shouldn't have let it get to that..."

I hushed him with a finger and shook my head.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed it, or been so careless. Will... will he be alright?"

"He is in the best hands."

"Not quite the best," I retorted, raising an eyebrow at him. He smiled. "The best human hands, then."

He looked away and sighed heavily.

"Well, if nothing else, it gives us time to think this through. What to do. It's pretty clear that he is going to remember most if not all of what happened. I doubt that he actually saw Edward, he was too fast for the human eye to pick up. But he saw me suffer the same fate he did, and receive no injury. And of course, he saw us."

I leaned my head back against the car seat, praying silently that Charlie would be alright.

It was a mess. All of this was a mess. How could such a pure love between two souls cause such chaos?

I went to reply to him, but his head shot up, as if he had heard something with his refined senses that I as yet could not. I tensed. Not more drama, please...

But his face broke into a smile.

"Alice," he whispered.

My eyes widened, and we both shot out of the car. He rounded the front to pull me into his arms, and kissed me fiercely.

The sound of a distant car engine rumbled into my hearing range, and I turned, leaning back into his strong body, his strong embrace. Before long, the familiar shape of Alice's Porsche flew into view, and I almost stopped breathing.

Two vampires emerged from the vehicle, and before I could fully register the sight of them, Alice was over to me in a flash, engulfing me in a hug akin to a death grip.

"Bella!" she squealed. "Oh my God, Bella. I've missed you so much!"

"I... missed you too... Alice!" I squeaked in return.

"Isabella needs to breathe, Alice," I heard Carlisle murmur in amusement, before she relinquished her grip on me and flew into Carlisle's arms, squeezing him even more tightly given his unbreakability, and uttering words of relief, happiness and apology into his ear all at once.

"I've missed you too," was all he said, and hugged her that little bit closer.

I turned from their sweet reunion to see Jasper standing by the Porsche, throwing me a happy, lopsided grin.

"Jasper," I breathed. Had my ill-fated birthday really been the last time I had seen him? He was a world away from the feral, snarling mess he had been when I last laid eyes on him. He was calm, relaxed and full of smiles as he sped over to me, engulfing me in a loving, brotherly hug.

"Hey, Bella," he drawled, squeezing me tight. I drew back, gazing into his face in delight.

"Wow, you are way more chilled than when we last saw each other," I half-laughed, and he chuckled.

"Yeah, sorry about that," he grimaced sheepishly.

"Don't be sorry, Jasper. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault, it was just a series of poorly timed incidents. Please know, I don't blame you at all..."

He hugged me close again.

"Thank you darlin'. I know, Alice has told me so repeatedly since that day, but it still feels good to hear it from your mouth."

He pulled away to slap a hand on Carlisle's shoulder, before the two embraced. Alice shot back over to me, throwing her arms around me and kissing my cheek. Her beautiful chiming laugh rang out as she absorbed the joy of it all, and my heart skipped a beat.

"God Alice, I missed you."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I can't ever tell you how much I wish we never left. We should have listened to Carlisle, should have supported him more, even before I knew the reasons for why he fought so hard for you."

She looked truly ashamed, and I squeezed her hands tightly in mine.

"You're forgiven," I said. "I understand."

"More than you probably realise," Carlisle chimed in, pulling us both in for a group hug with him and Jasper. "Bella has shown quite the incredible capacity for understanding and compassion when it comes to this family."

"I don't doubt that," Jasper smiled. "She is your mate, after all. I wouldn't expect anything less."

I blushed, quite possibly from head to foot, or it certainly felt that way in terms of the heat I felt radiating off me at his words. All three of them burst out laughing.

"Ah, I have missed that flush!" Alice shrieked, and the next thing I knew she was yanking me towards the house. "Bring the bags Jazz! Bella I have so many gifts for you..."

"Oh holy shit, seriously Alice?" I protested as I looked back to see Jasper pull a bunch of high fashion brand bags from the Porsche. "You've not even been back five minutes!"

"Exactly!" she exclaimed. "We have so much lost time to make up for!"

And with that she pulled me inside, the loud roars of laughter coming from Jasper and Carlisle ringing in my ears.

xxx

Carlisle looked up in eager anticipation as I descended the stairs, a firm pout on my face. Alice had spent the best part of an hour making me try on all the clothes she had gotten me, insisting that Carlisle would adore every single piece on me, before finally pulling out what looked to be a hugely expensive knee length, deep blue dress, embellished with lace and intricate embroidery.

"Alice," I had protested, but she hushed me. "Trust me, you want to put this on," she grinned, winking at me. "But before you do, this needs to go on first..."

To my horror she had pulled out a bunch of lingerie, effortlessly sorting through them before settling on a deep burgundy set, and waving them in my face.

"Alice, I don't even know what to do with half of... that..." I'd groaned, gesturing at the pile of lacy undergarments, which appeared to include stockings, suspenders and far worse.

"Which is why I'm keeping it simple... for now," she grinned, to which I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time that hour.

"Repeat after me, Alice. Bella is not your Barbie doll, Bella is not your..."

I was cut off by her throwing her arms around me and hugging me.

"I missed you," she had chimed, before all but shoving me in the bathroom and throwing the bra, panties and dress after me.

I shuddered and shook the memories from my head, refocusing my attention on the stairs so as not to trip and fall the rest of the way down, even if Carlisle was likely to streak over and catch me if I did so. I found his eyes, locking onto his face, and watched his features change as I came down the stairs carefully.

His eyes grew wider, his eyebrows arched, his lips quirked and then broke into a boyish smile. His eyes darkened, and swirled with delight, and then love, and then... unmistakably... desire.

He walked to the base of the stairs, extending a hand as I reached the bottom step, and taking mine, placing a reverent kiss upon it.

"Bella, you look exquisite," he breathed. Behind him, Jasper smirked, then jokingly fanned himself.

"Whew, it's getting hot in here... and kinda lusty!"

"Jasper!" I exclaimed, my cheeks flaming again. Carlisle chuckled and wrapped his arms around me, his lips seeking mine and bruising them when they locked onto their intended target, kissing me with passion and urgency.

"Well would you look at that."

We reluctantly pulled apart, eying Jasper quizzically. Alice was standing beside him, tucked into his arm, grinning.

"How did we never see it before?" she sighed in wonderment.

"What?" I asked, slightly unnerved by their scrutiny.

"How perfectly you fit together," she smiled, Jasper nodding in unison.

"You are made for each other," he confirmed. "True love suits you."

I felt a giddy grin break across my face, one that was worthy of Jasper when overwhelmed with everyone else's emotions. I sneaked a glance at Carlisle and he was no better, a ridiculously happy smirk plastered across his face.

"You know, Jasper and I really need to go hunt," Alice said innocently. "It's been a while. And I know Jazz wants to err on the safe side, even though he has reached immaculate control around humans now. So..."

She threw us both another of her winks.

"We will take our leave for a little while. And you guys can... you know. Have some fun, exploring your bond..."

She didn't even wait for my inevitable blush before seizing Jasper's hand and shooting outside with him. Within a couple of seconds, they were gone.

I suddenly felt very self conscious in the dress Alice had put me in. Carlisle had let go of me to slowly walk around to face me from a distance, his eyes dark and glazed, as they roamed lazily over every inch of my body, drinking me in.

"Isabella," he sighed, breath catching as he gazed longingly at me.

"Car...Carlisle," I stammered. Heat was suddenly flooding my body, electricity pulsing in my veins, and I flushed an even deeper crimson as I felt myself grow suddenly very wet beneath his scrutiny. My scent must have hit his nose because he tensed and breathed deeply, eyes turning pitch as night. It was so deeply erotic, and I could not tear my eyes away from his as he gazed at me, ever so slowly edging towards me.

He reached out, hands sliding up my arms and then cupping my face, pulling me in for a kiss that was deep and sensuous. His tongue sought entry to my mouth, hands gripping my face tighter, thumbs stroking back and forth over my skin. I moaned into his mouth as his kiss grew more forceful, more urgent.

Without warning, he broke away and began kissing his way down my neck, touching every sensitive spot on the way down, igniting a fire throughout my entire body. I gasped, clutching at his shoulders, then sliding my palms down to explore his chest through the thin shirt he was wearing.

A low rumbling began vibrating against me, and it took me a moment to realise it was coming from him. It was like a purr and a gentle growl all in one, and it sent a fresh wave of heat and wetness straight to my core.

"Isabella,' he moaned as his lips reached my throat, hovering over my pulse point as he fought to compose his desire.

"I want you, Carlisle," I whispered, balling his shirt in my fists. "I need you..."

That undid him. Before I could register what was happening, he had gathered me up and taken me upstairs at supernatural speed, guiding me down onto a four poster bed and clambering on top of me, his cold, hard, beautiful body pressing down upon mine, quivering slightly as he bit his lip and tried to hold back from going completely feral on me.

I gazed into his eyes, finding no trace of the beautiful topaz irises; only black, lustful pools, which were locked onto mine, unwavering in their desire. Beneath all of the headiness and lust I felt coursing through my own body, I felt a deep rush of something else; something more.

Immense love.

It rushed through me like a raging river, like a great flood had burst from its banks and was now settling in every vein, every bone, every pore. It roiled and it ached with such beauty, such poetry, that I almost gasped from the intensity. But instead, three words burst from my lips.

"I love you."

The look on his face, in his eyes, then, was beyond description.

He swallowed, sweeping his gaze over my entire being, before returning to my eyes. Slowly, he lowered his face, touching his forehead to mine.

"As I love you," he whispered. "Endlessly, eternally, without bounds, Isabella..."

I knew then that there was no coming back from this. I was his, in body, mind and soul. I had fallen completely and utterly in love with him, and would spend the rest of my life... no, the rest of eternity, falling deeper and deeper in love with him each day. I felt like there was no limit to how deep our love could go. I felt like I could not identify where I ended and he began, and vice versa. As his lips captured mine, I lost all thought, all sanity, and there was nothing but him, and a burning fire in my body, and a love coursing through my heart that was beyond words. My bones felt like they were melting, and as I felt his desire for me press and grow against my heat, I bucked my hips and moaned loudly, the sensations in my veins and between my legs reaching unbearable heights.

"Carlisle!" I begged, though for what exactly, I did not know. I wanted him everywhere at once, I wanted to melt into him and be one with him, and yet still that did not feel like it would be enough.

He suddenly went very still, his arms pressed over mine, his face nuzzled into the crook of my neck. I felt my heart pounding wildly as I lay there, anticipating his next move. It was agonising.

"Carlisle...?" I murmured, after a minute or two passed. He was so still, and not breathing. His nose pressed a little harder against my neck, and I could feel the blood rushing through my veins, my pulse point throbbing.

"Are you alright?"

He was still a moment longer, before finally moving. His arms left mine so he could place his palms on the bed either side of me, and he pushed himself up, slowly, gazing into my eyes.

"You're so beautiful," he sighed in wonder, and pressed his face to mine, nose to nose, forehead to forehead. I sighed in return, relieved at his touch.

"I want... I want to turn you, so badly," he confessed. I blinked, his words sinking in. I had not expected that. He closed his eyes, continuing.

"Your pulse is intoxicating, I can barely stand it..."

"Then turn me," I implored him, the entire world forgotten to me but for him. "Make love to me, and turn me, love. Make me yours forever..."

He squeezed his eyes shut even tighter and a wave of ecstatic joy crossed his features at my words, but he was pulling himself back under control. He bit back a groan, jaw clenched.

"Not yet," he gasped. "Not yet. We can't. Not until Charlie has healed... he needs you. And the pack..."

Curse those damn wolves.

But I knew he was right. He would be breaking the treaty, again, and they would rip him apart, even if it was done at my request.

I bit my lip. "Do... do you want to stop?"

I tried to hide the disappointment from my voice, and failed.

His eyes reopened, faintly amber again from his attempts to rein in the desire to bite me. But the other desires were all still there, swimming in delicious ochre.

"No," he said in a voice that was entirely far too husky for my poor heart to take. He was going to kill me before he had even started, I swore.

Then, his lips were on mine, and his tongue was dominating my mouth, and his hands were underneath me, expertly unclasping the bodice of my dress. He began sliding it off my shoulders, causing me to gasp as his fingers brushed them. He left my deliciously bruised mouth and started placing kisses on my collarbone, his lips working their way across my skin, his hands still pulling slowly, teasingly at my dress.

When he had it pulled down to my waist, he paused to look down at me. The look of desire in his eyes made me dizzy. His gaze dropped to my body, lingering on the burgundy lace that hugged the curves of my breasts oh so perfectly (I made a mental note to forgive, and endlessly thank, Alice for her impeccable foresight, as ever). He exhaled, tracing fingertips over the edge of the lace, leaving a trail of fire across every inch of skin that he brushed. I shuddered, his name escaping my lips in a breathy moan. He smiled, pleased at my reactions to his touch.

"This needs to go," he muttered, literally grabbing the dress at the waist and ripping it away from my body. Alice was going definitely going to kill him for that, but such thoughts were ripped from my mind just as abruptly as the dress was gone from my body, for Carlisle was growling deeply as he looked down at me, now clothed only in the burgundy lingerie, and then his lips and hands were on my skin, all over me, ice cold and yet starting fires everywhere they touched.

I grabbed on to his shirt, crying out as he explored me with fingers, teeth and tongue, sliding my hands up his back and then fisting into his hair, relishing his moans as I pulled tighter on his gorgeous locks, body arching up into his worship.

My breath coming in ragged gasps, I pulled him closer, before returning my hands to his shirt and sliding round and down his chest, fumbling with the buttons almost desperately. I was feral with need, wanting only to feel his freezing cold skin against mine as it burned. As my fingers undid the final one, he shucked it off in a split second and had removed his trousers, too, before I had even registered the shirt. He lowered himself back onto me, his icy body pressing against my skin, sending intense convulsions of pleasure through my every nerve ending.

"Carlisle!" I cried out, voice broken and needy.

"Isabella," he signed in return, his tone dripping in equal need.

Slowly, reverently, he peeled away my bra, lowering his face to capture one breast with his mouth, ravishing the nipple first with his tongue, then with his teeth. I cried out again, clawing at his body feebly, and he growled, continuing to worship that breast before shifting and worshipping the other.

"I love you," he groaned eventually, reluctantly breaking from his ministrations there to shift back up and kiss my mouth with renewed passion.

I could only moan in response, and then moan some more as his fingers curled into the waistband of my panties and ripped them to shreds. I mirrored his actions, hooking my fingers into the band of his boxers and tugging them down. He manoeuvred himself so I could pull them off him, and we paused, eyes locking, breath hitching.

My eyes roamed down, taking in his incredible body. I had no words for how gorgeous he was. He took quick advantage of my distraction, sliding his hands up my thighs slowly, and I laid back down and closed my eyes from the bliss of feeling his hands on my skin.

I felt him move to cover me, his lips crashing down upon mine once more.

"Oh Carlisle," I sighed happily, granting his tongue entrance, eagerly kissing him back. He smiled into the kiss, the low rumbling emanating from his chest again. My hands roamed over his glorious chest and shoulders, exploring the feel of sinewy muscle, tracing over scars, trailing their way down to the taut muscle of his stomach. He hummed against my mouth, his body quivering at my touch, and ran his own hands down the sides of my body, letting his fingers trace sensuous patterns on my skin. They moved down, skimming over my hips, and then inward, inciting my back to arch and press my body deeper into his touch. I whimpered with need.

And then, his fingers brushed between my thighs, causing me to gasp and moan loudly into his mouth. His teeth gently feasted on my lip, before his kisses began trailing down my neck, and he teased a finger at my entrance, before slowly, achingly slowly, easing one inside me.

"You're so wet," he breathed, breaking his kisses to watch my face as I arched my back again and moaned at this wonderful new sensation. He pushed another finger in, stroking confidently, hitting places I didn't know could feel so good. His lips returned to my neck, moving from there to my breasts, and then back up my neck again before reclaiming my mouth. I was panting, writhing against his hand, feeling the tension building in my core, desperate for release.

"Carlisle," I stuttered, "Please..."

His fingers increased their speed.

"Please! Oh God... I want you inside m... oh! Oh Carlisle..."

My hips bucked against his fingers, I wanted so badly to have him inside of me, but his skilled fingers had brought me to the brink, and I came hard, colours exploding behind my eyelids, my mouth moaning his name against his lips. He growled in pleasure, letting me come down from my giddy high, before removing his fingers and aligning himself with my body, pressing the tip of his manhood to where I ached so very much from the loss of his touch.

His forehead touched mine, his beautiful eyes gazing at me as the electricity sizzled between us. The feel of him at my entrance, so tantalisingly close to pushing inside of me, had sent pulses of what felt like lightning searing beneath my skin.

His eyes seemed to convey to me an unspoken promise that he wouldn't hurt me, before slowly, torturously slowly, he began to ease inside of me. A brief flicker of pain ignited, then faded, as I gasped at the icy cold but delicious sensation of being filled by him. His eyes did not leave mine as he did so, burning into me with heady desire and intensity, and unspeakable love.

Satisfied that I had adjusted to him, he began to move his hips. The feeling was indescribable; I cried out and fisted my hands in the sheets, my own hips rising to meet his thrusts, at first gentle and sensuous, before growing in speed and intensity.

"Isabella," he moaned throatily into my mouth, plunging his tongue inside and kissing me hard. He was no longer being gentle, his mouth was fire and fury, his hands were gripping, pinching, clawing, and his thrusts were hard and fast and pounding. The overwhelming desire to consummate our bond and claim me, fully and completely, had utterly overtaken him. The feral nature of it was deeply erotic.

My fingers traced the curve of his back, nails digging into his skin as I felt waves of pleasure building inside of me. He felt so unbelievably good inside me, as if he was made for me, every curve of his body fitting with every curve of mine.

I began to tense, the sensations increasing, my walls tightening as I felt myself growing closer and closer to a precipice I wanted so badly to plunge over the edge of. I wanted him to be my undoing, wanted to feel myself spasm and shudder against his rock hard member.

"Carlisle!" I moaned loudly, desperate for release. His ragged breathing and the way he gripped the underside of my body now, as if trying to plunge even deeper, as deep as he could possibly go, told me he was also close. He cried out, then lustily sighed out my name, and that finished me. I spasmed, feeling wave after wave crash over me, filling my entire body with pleasure and heaven. I screamed his name, and felt him tense and grip me tighter, before moaning loudly into my mouth as he shuddered and came violently inside me, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face in my neck.

We lay there, entwined, chests heaving. After a moment or two, he shifted to pull me into his arms, gazing into my eyes with a mixture of deep, reverent love, and awe.

"That was... everything," he breathed. I could only nod in response, still incapable of speech. Instead I brought my hand up to brush his cheek, leant in to capture his lips with my own. We kissed, and kissed, and kissed, until finally I felt able to speak again, and pulled back, licking my lips, smiling almost shyly at him.

"That was... indescribable," I sighed happily, feeling incredibly sated, and yet at the same time feeling like no amount of lovemaking between us would ever be enough.

We lay there for a long time, entwined, revelling in each other's touch, enjoying the feel of our naked skin against the other, and basking in the lazy, wonderful afterglow that burned brightly around us. I felt as if something spiritually profound had occurred between us; we were one, now, mated and bonded fully, mind and body and soul. I was a part of him, and he was a part of me, forever. I no longer felt the need to pinch myself to know that this was real. I knew we were real, deep in the very bones of me.

Eventually, reluctantly, we rose, and freshened up, and dressed. Absorbed completely in each other, we made our way downstairs. Alice and Jasper had returned, and Alice eagerly plonked a plate in my lap as I sat down, looking immensely proud of herself.

"Wow, Alice," I grinned, looking down to find a delicious looking salmon salad that had me salivating. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome! Wow, Bella... you are positively glowing..."

She threw me a wink. I flushed, even more so when Jasper chuckled and I looked over at him to see him struggling to compose himself as he was hit by the waves of love and afterglow from Carlisle and I. Not knowing quite what to do with myself, I locked my gaze onto my food and started eating, blushing crimson.

The three vampires begin to discuss the issue of my father as I devoured the food. Who knew that lovemaking could make you so intensely ravenous.

Alice stared off into space, searching for possible futures and outcomes with Charlie. She pursed her lips and slowly smiled.

"You know, I think the very best way to approach this is to be honest," she said at last.

"Honest? But... we can't tell him the truth!" I exclaimed, looking up at her with a mouth full of salmon. "The Volturi..."

"Being honest doesn't have to include all of the truth," Alice interjected, somewhat mysteriously. Carlisle exhaled and folded his arms.

"Are you sure?" he pressed, and she threw him a look.

"Look where trying to bury the truth has gotten you," she chided softly. "It's time for honesty, Carlisle."

He sighed, and nodded. "Alright."

I swallowed, not sure what the implications of being honest would be, but knowing that we had to trust that Alice had seen the best way forward.

Carlisle opened his mouth to say something else, then faltered, then sighed and forced himself to speak the words.

"Have you... had any more of your other... visions?"

I frowned. What visions?

Alice looked momentarily haunted, then shook her head.

"Not for a day or so, no. It's like... something has blocked them out."

I wasn't sure if she looked worried or relieved, or both.

I opened my mouth to ask what exactly those visions were that they spoke of, but before I had the chance, her eyes glazed over and she was gripped with another one. But this appeared to be a good one, because her mouth curved into a beaming smile.

"Alice?"

We all looked at her expectantly, but I don't think any of us had contemplated what fell from her lips as her attention came back to the room.

"Welcome home, Emmett and Rosalie."

Hope you all enjoyed that. Thank you for your lovely reviews! Please keep them coming, and I'll keep Bella and Carlisle... well, you know ;-D