la belle dame sans merci | carlisle cullen

36

Carlisle was doing his weekly performance of wandering through the grocery store when his phone began to buzz in his pocket. "Hello." He answered.

"You should take Minerva a coffee." Said the voice on the other line, without bothering to say hello.

"Why? Is something wrong?" He halted in his step.

Alice was quiet on the other line for only a moment, "I'm not sure. She was asleep when I went in and she practically jumped out of her skin when I woke her up." She explained, "Then she was just.. off the whole time I was there."

"I'm on it." Carlisle said making his way to the cash without a second thought, "I'll see you at home."

"Wait, Carlisle-" Alice said quickly before he could hang up, "Be.. patient."

"I'm always patient." Carlisle chuckled as he stepped forward in line, settling his basket on the counter, "It's like my whole thing."

Alice chuckled softly on the other line, "I know but be consciously patient, not your normally patient. Just trust me." The line went dead and Carlisle rolled his eyes, tucking his phone into his pocket as his turn at the cash finally came.

Carlisle made a stop at their usual coffee spot but his mind was absent from him all the while. He was worried about Minerva. Off had become her new normal. She covered it up as best she could but Carlisle could still see it, like part of her was always somewhere else. He had to wonder how much of the truth she was telling him, perhaps it was more than just the torturous labours of a regular existence.

It killed him that he couldn't tell her what he was. If she knew he was a vampire, maybe she'd trust him more. Immortal to immortal. Either that or she'd never want to speak to him again, it was hard to say.

Once he was armed with a hazelnut coffee and a blueberry danish, he hit the road again to speed off to Little Leaf. Carlisle didn't take the time to hype himself up like he usually did, he was out of the car as soon as it was in park.

The bell jingled over his head as he entered, glancing around to find no sign of Minerva. Sound of her reached his ears though, "ONE MOMENT." She hollered, it sounded far off. If his hearing wasn't as good as it was, he might not have caught it.

"No rush!" He called back letting the door close behind him. It was only about thirty seconds before she emerged from the back room. Her face brightened when she realized it was him, lips spreading into a relieved smile.

Carlisle wished he could share that relief. Minerva looked like hell. The dark circles under her sunken eyes were more prominent than he'd ever seen, her skin's normal olive shade was white as a sheet. Everything about her said lifeless which was ironic to think for a dead guy. "I didn't realize it was you, I'd have taken longer." She teased, leaning against the counter, "What's up?"

"A little birdie told me you could use a coffee." He admitted holding up the cup before he set it on the counter in front of her, "The danish was my call."

"You're a godsend." Minerva said picking up the cup, "Alice left like ten minutes ago, you were quick." If his face could have heated, it would have.

"I'm good in an emergency, what can I say?" Carlisle asked with a little smile as she took a deep drink of the coffee eyes closing in concentration. "So what's going on?"

"I was just thinking about some work in the basement." She replied, tucking her hair behind her ears, "It's shitty and unfinished, I'm thinking of making a project out of it. Wanna see?"

It wasn't what he meant and he had a feeling she knew that. In the spirit of respecting her deflection Carlisle just responded: "I'd love to." He stepped behind the counter, following her into the back room he'd never seen before. He'd never ventured further than to sit in her chair.