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CHAPTER 17

IN THE COLD

Carlisle's shift had ended fifteen minutes ago, and he was now on his way home. With an upward glance through the windshield, he guessed that rain was imminent. Indeed, the clouds were thick and dark this evening. So dark, in fact, that night was falling quicker than usual.

"This is 103.5. Forks' best music. Next up, we have—"

Click.

Normally, Carlisle liked to listen to the radio while he drove, but his thoughts were so jumbled, he had decided to turn it off. Wrapped in the relative quiet of the car, he couldn't get Jasper's advice out of his mind. "I think you should tell her," he had said in reference to the fact that Carlisle was in love with Bella.

Should I?

If truth be told, Carlisle really wanted to spill his heart to her. Especially after Jasper had hinted that Bella might not be as happy as everyone believed her to be.

Could it be true? Was Bella unhappy in her romantic life with Edward? If anyone would know, it would be Jasper.

Minutes passed. An incoming call jolted him out of his musings. At first, he thought it might be the hospital, but a look at the car's display screen told him it was Alice. With a press of a button on the steering wheel, he took the call.

"Alice?"

"Carlisle, it's ab… ella." While he couldn't make out the full sentence, the agitation in her voice was unmistakable. "Edward took… woods…"

"Alice, the reception is really bad. You're breaking up."

"He left… You've got to… her. She's…"

Worry slammed into him. Whatever she was saying, it wasn't good. But the reception only worsened. Before he knew it, the call cut out altogether. Alarmed, Carlisle tried calling her again. To his dismay, it went directly to voicemail.

What's going on? he kept wondering as dread coiled in the pit of his stomach. Knowing he had to get home, he pressed on the gas until he was well over the speed limit.

Carlisle had just turned into their long driveway when the sky opened up. It was just a few droplets at first, but by the time he reached the house, the rain was falling in sheets.

Paying no heed to the downpour, he got out of the car just as his brother emerged from the woods. He was alone.

"Edward, talk to me. I just got a worrying call from Alice. What's going on? Where's Bella? Is she in the house?"

"No, she isn't in the house," was Edward's answer. Resentment, hurt, anger. Carlisle saw all of those things on his brother's face.

"Well then, where is she?"

Recalling some of Alice's key words, Carlisle started putting the pieces together. Edward took… woods… He left… As his dread turned to panic, he said, "Where is she, Edward? Tell me you didn't leave her in the woods!"

Taking Edward's silence as confirmation, Carlisle lost it. In the blink of an eye, he grasped his brother's shirt, and shoved him so hard against a tree, the trunk actually cracked. Carlisle was beyond caring, though. Enraged, he seethed, "It's night, and it's cold and raining. Are you out of your mind?!"

"I was going to tell you or leave a note. I knew you wouldn't leave her stranded out there." Jealousy was writ clear in his eyes. "I've noticed the way you've been looking at her. At the club the other night, you couldn't keep your eyes off of her."

Before Edward could do or say anything else, Carlisle shoved him to the ground. "You better be long gone by the time I get back, you hear me? I mean it!"

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on staying." Edward opened his mouth to continue, but Carlisle had heard enough. Even though he had no idea what had transpired between Edward and Bella, he latched on to her scent trail, and started running.

She's alone out there, he kept thinking as his feet carried him through the woods. She's alone in the cold, in the dark. In a forest that was home to mountain lions and bears.

Damn you, Edward!

Bella was in trouble. Night had fallen before she could find her way home. With the moon and the stars hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, she couldn't see a thing in front of her.

Her heart racing in fright, she pivoted on the spot, and despaired. How will I get home? Taking a blind step, then another, Bella held her hands in front of her. It was no use. She was going to trip out here. That or she was going to fall down a hill.

Ugh, this weather!

The rain had started about twenty minutes ago. Bad from the start, it was only getting worse. Bella's hair was wet. The rain had seeped into her coat and sneakers, chilling her to the bone. Since there was nothing else for it, Bella did the only thing she could think of. Crouching, she wrapped her arms around her knees in a vain attempt at staying warm. "Help!" she yelled, but her only answer was the unrelenting and merciless rain.

Breaking up with your boyfriend in the woods. God, you're stupid, Bella.

"Actually no," she amended. "He's stupid. Immature and fucking reckless."

To hell with him.

How long she stayed that way—huddled in a pathetic little ball—Bella couldn't tell. Every second felt like an hour. She was shivering now, her teeth chattering as all of her muscles clenched and tensed.

If she couldn't find a way out of this predicament, and soon, she was going to die of hypothermia out here. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, than she heard a distant but familiar voice.

"Bella!"

She gasped and looked out into the gloom. It was too dark to see anything, but it was him. She was sure of it.

"Carlisle?!" Rising to her feet, Bella turned on the spot, and could have wept in relief. "Carlisle, I'm here!"

One second, she was alone, the next he was there, his hands finding station on her upper arms. "Bella."

Despite the darkness, she could make out the slightest hint of his pale features. She had never seen a more beautiful sight.

"God, am I glad to see you," she said, and threw her arms around him. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Alice called. I couldn't make out everything she was saying, but I… Actually, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that I found you." He eased away a little just then. With concern in his voice, he said, "You're freezing. Come on. I'm taking you home."

With that, he turned so she could climb onto his back. Then, they were off, speeding through the forest as she held to him.

"Where's Edward?" Bella asked when they arrived at the house.

Setting her down in the den, Carlisle sniffed the air a few times. "He's gone. We're alone. Are you okay?"

She nodded, and kept on shivering. "Just cold."

"What happened?"

"I broke up with my fiancé in the woods. That's what happened. In hindsight, I should have chosen a better location."

"You need to get out of those wet clothes."

Knowing he was right, Bella shed her coat, then started for her room, where she fetched a fresh set of comfortable clothes. As she changed, her ears caught the sound of a ringing cell phone—Carlisle's phone.

"Hello, Alice?" she heard his muffled voice through the wall. "Yes, she's with me. She's safe. We're at the house."

There was a pause.

"Edward took off. I don't think he's going to show up here anytime soon… Yeah… No, no. You guys don't have to come back. Everything's okay now... Yeah, will do. Okay bye."

Still shivering from her ordeal, Bella soon exited her room wearing a sweatshirt, leggings, and a thick pair of socks.

Going in search of Carlisle, she thought he might be in his study. But when she saw that his bedroom door was open, she guessed that he was there. When she arrived at the threshold, he was crouched in front of his fireplace, where a fire was now kindling to life.

"You're still shivering," Carlisle noted when he saw her. Same as Bella, his hair was still damp, but he, too, had changed his clothes. "Come sit by the fire."

Heartened by his invitation, Bella went to sit cross-legged on the rug, while Carlisle retrieved a decorative throw from his couch. As the fire crackled softly, sending its warmth over Bella, Carlisle draped the woolen blanket over her shoulders, then sat down beside her.

Quiet minutes passed. Bella's shivering lessened, then stopped altogether.

"Better?"

"Much. Thank you," she said. "Not only for the fire, but for finding me tonight."

At her words, Carlisle tightened his mouth in a line, his nostrils flaring before he said, "I'm horrified that Edward would do such a thing… leaving you out there. If anything would have happened to you…"

He closed his eyes then, his chest rising on a shaky sigh.

"Hey," Bella whispered, and touched the side of his face. "I'm okay. Really, I am."

His features set in a mask of pain, he asked, "Did I mess up your life, Bella? When I agreed to Edward's plan, did I—"

"No." Her response was immediate. "I don't want you to ever think that. The end of my relationship with Edward hasn't messed up my life. I have other things to live for. Besides, hind-sight is twenty-twenty. Even if we had refused his plan, the moment he decided to subcontract our love life was the moment it ended, or should have ended rather. I just couldn't see it right away. I didn't want to."

"So now…"

"Now, I'm free of him. And I'm never looking back." Guided by her aching heart, Bella leaned her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes.

In a moment of hesitation, Carlisle froze in place. Bella could have sworn that his breath had caught. But then, after several heartbeats, he wrapped his arm around her frame, and leaned his cheek against the top of her head.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked at length, his cool breath gusting against her scalp.

Bella pondered her answer for a moment. "When you fall out of love with someone, the right thing to do is to tell them. That's what I did tonight. Let's just say he didn't take it very well."

"A broken heart is no excuse for what he did, putting you in danger like that."

Bella didn't gainsay his words. Carlisle was absolutely right.

"Can I stay in here tonight? My room, it's…"

"Too many reminders?" he guessed quietly.

Bella nodded. Not only did the room hold many of Edward's things, but he had spent so much time in there that his scent lingered. "The idea of sleeping in that room kind of makes me sick right now."

"Of course, you can stay here. I would never turn you away, Bella."

And so they sat there for a good long while, neither speaking, neither moving. When tiredness started to creep up on her, Carlisle must have sensed it. With whispered words, he excused himself, saying he would be right back. A minute later, he returned with clean blankets and a new pillow.

"I apologize for the lack of a bed. I hope the couch will be comfortable enough."

"I'm sure it'll be fine."

When Carlisle started making her makeshift bed, Bella went to help him. "Thank you." As rain pelted the windows, she managed a heartfelt smile.

"It's no problem."

Once the bed had been made, Carlisle indicated the door. "Well, I suppose I'll let you get some sleep."

Before he could leave, however, Bella grasped his hand. "Wait."

Curious, Carlisle watched her, and cocked his head.

Beneath his enquiring gaze, Bella stepped closer, and rose on her toes to plant a simple kiss on his cheek. In the aftermath, she smiled, blushed, and wished him goodnight.

In the instant that followed, his amber eyes held a tinge of joy and wonderment.

"Good night," he echoed then started to leave, his smile lingering as he closed the door quietly behind him.

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