|Falling for a Cullen| |Carlisle Cullen Fanfic |

Chapter 6

"Alice!"

Edward shook his sister violently, but Alice refused to let go of her vision.

"He's coming", she whispered. "He wants to finish what he's started and he is on his way here."

"Alice, let go!" Edward hissed. Alice blinked, letting go of the vision before rising from the ground. She looked at Edward for a moment, before she rushed back into the house.

"What did she see?" Bella asked, her voice merely a whisper.

"The man who killed Esme", Edward answered, his voice trembling with anger. "He's after Carlisle."

"What? Why?"

"I think it has something to do with his past", Edward said thoughtfully. "That's what I managed to hear when Esme got killed, that the killer was 'the one from the past'."

"And now he's coming here since... why?" Bella continued.

"Maybe because he didn't get what he wanted when he killed Esme?" Jasper suggested.

"What would he have wanted then?" Bella asked and sat down on Edward's lap. "He broke Carlisle's heart, isn't that enough?"

"Obviously not, since he's coming, according to Alice's vision", Edward sighed. "Damn, this is really Deja Vú."

Bella groaned.

"I know, I know", she muttered. Jasper suddenly tensed.

"They're on their way", he said and nodded at the two persons walking out from the woods. Just like when they'd left, Carlisle's arm was placed around Ashley's shoulders.

"We have to tell them", Bella mumbled. Edward nodded and lifted her off his lap. Then they all noticed that Carlisle changed direction, from the door and the house to the road. His smile was broad and he talked to someone.

"It's Rosalie and Emmett", Edward said and opened the door. Jasper and Bella followed him.

Down by the road stood their siblings, Emmett and Rosalie. Obviously Carlisle was introducing them to Ashley and Bella recognized the reactions; Rosalie's disgust and Emmett's wide and welcoming grin.

"Hey, there you are!" Emmett called and waved at them. He embraced them one by one, before noticing that someone was missing.

"Where's our little pixie?" he asked. Edward's face darkened and he shifted his gaze to Carlisle.

"She had a vision not so long ago", he said. "The hunter is coming."

Carlisle didn't move, or at least it didn't seem like that, but Ashley felt his grip around her shoulder harden once again.

"Everyone in the kitchen, now", he said. "Oh, and Emmett, place the car with the others."

"Carlisle, you have to tell us", Edward said and looked at his adoptive father. "Who is that man and what does he want?"

"That man, son, is the vampire who changed me", Carlisle answered. The other Cullens looked surprised.

"Is he still alive?" Emmett asked.

"Seems like that", Carlisle said and sat down next to Ashley. "I recognized his scent when you brought Esme back home and I couldn't believe it. Neither could the werewolves."

"Werewolves?" Ashley said and stared at Carlisle. "There are werewolves as well?"

"There are", Bella answered. "My best friend is one."

She rose from her seat.

"I'll call him, try to get him to come here and help", she continued. Carlisle didn't answer her and she walked out of the room to fetch a phone.

"You didn't answer my second question", Edward said.

"That's because I do not know the answer", the older vampire said.

"In Alice's vision it was like he hadn't received what he wanted", Edward continued. "What could he have wanted by killing Esme?"

"A change", Ashley whispered. All pairs of golden-brown eyes turned towards her.

"He might have wanted Carlisle to change", Ashley explained. "Or maybe, make all of you change. You're what you call vegetarians, different from the rest of your kind. And difference has always been bad to some people. What if this vampire believes that if Carlisle or anyone else in this family starts drinking blood again, the whole race of vampires would change as well... maybe turn more powerful."

"Why would he kill Esme, then?" Edward asked. It was the first time he actually didn't sound angry when speaking to her.

"Because of that if someone gets his heart broken, that person tends to change, maybe seek revenge."

Edward leaned back.

"That sounds logical", he admitted. "And if that is his plan, we now know his next move."

Ashley swallowed.

"Time repeats itself", Alice whispered from her place. It was the first thing she'd said since the vision had come to her. Carlisle wrapped his arm around Ashley's shoulders.

"We'll keep you safe, I promise", he said. "He won't get anywhere near you."

"Jacob will come, and the other guys too", Bella said, returning to the room.

"I don't like that they'll risk their lives here, far away from home", Carlisle said.

"They were more than happy to do it, sounds like he managed to kill a Quileute right after killing Esme and the werewolves are eager to revenge her", Bella answered. "And if Ashley's right about his plan, we're going to need a lot of people around."

"Translation from werewolf-language to regular English; they're bored and they miss Bella", Emmett said. Bella hit him on the shoulder.

"We should put out guards in the forest", Edward decided. "Since we do not know more about when he'll be here or anything else, we need to be very cautious."

"I'll bring Ashley back to her place and stay with her there", Carlisle said and rose. "We'll meet up in the morning again."

"Will they be alright?" Ashley asked. Carlisle, lying next to her on the bed, nodded.

"They will. This time we know what we're up against."

Ashley nodded, though she wasn't sure about what Carlisle was referring to, and squeezed his hand.

"It will be alright", she said. He looked surprised.

"What, are you suddenly comforting me?" he said. She smiled at him.

"You sounded worried and you've been acting as if you are really worried since Edward told us about Alice's vision", she said.

"I'm only worried that I'll lose you like I lost Esme", he answered and kissed her forehead.

"But not about the others?" she asked.

"They'll be fine."

"Then I'll worry about them for you", she said and snuggled up against him. He chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around her.

"Sweet dreams, Ashley."