la belle dame sans merci | carlisle cullen

39

The cullen house was deathly silent as they entered which was every bit as much a blessing as it was a curse. On one hand, there was no one to jump on the bandwagon. The last thing he needed was to face Rosalie. On the other hand, there was no barrier between the two. Carlisle often tried to keep the peace, even if he did firmly believe in one side over the other.

Carlisle was in no mood to be the peace keeper. "Say your piece." His lips twisted into a scowl, leaning against the kitchen island. His mind was as clear as it could be in the circumstances. He tried to focus on what Edward was about to say. The lack of unrestrained thought was making the boy uneasy.

"I just.." Edward sighed, leaning against the fridge. "I felt compelled to follow her. I didn't intend on making myself known. She went off by herself and these guys surrounded her."

Carlisle kept his silence though the excuse did lessen the vex. It was careless of Edward to follow her in the first place.

"I couldn't just stand by so I got her out of there." He finished quietly.

"How exactly did you do that?" There was an accusation to it.

"With my car. Do you think I'd let those thugs see me do anything?" Edward asked with a scoff.

"You let a parking lot full of students." Carlisle reminded with raised eyebrows, "so it's hard to say." There was no haughty response to that. "Why on earth did you follow her?"

"Wouldn't you have followed Minerva?"

Carlisle had figured on the car ride home this would get thrown in his face and it brought him no pleasure to be right. "That's entirely different."

"How?"Edward exclaimed, "Honestly, Carlisle you're on my case about this as if it's not the most hypocritical thing for you to do."

"Don't you dare call me a hypocrite." Carlisle said slowly, losing his grip on his resolve. The bronze haired boy's face foretold of his regret moments before he'd really be made to regret it. A frustrated hand disrupted his hair as he ran his fingers through it, "I'll tell you how it's different; since you can't seem to think about any one other than yourself to realize it on your own. One: Minerva and I, against all odds, are friends. I wouldn't have to follow her because if I asked, she'd surely invite me along. Two: Protecting her is only a concern as far as our kind are concerned." He ran his hand down his face, "I can't believe I even have to make this distinction but THREE. She doesn't have the faintest clue that I'm anything but human. I've not given her a hint, I've not made her suspect a god damn thing."

Edward winced. The patriarch certainly wasn't one for cursing and far less when it came to taking the lord's name in vain. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are but not for the right reasons." The blonde said with a huff, "You're sorry that we're pissed off at you. I get that you're going through a hard time and this is screwing with your head but you don't show the least bit of regard for not doing it again! And you want to call me the hypocrite?"

"I shouldn't have said that." He allowed softly, "That I am sorry for."

"You told me to keep it to myself and to keep my distance and I've done just that as much as I can possibly bear." Carlisle said through the vile that was filling his mouth, "Why doesn't that apply to you? Whether she's cosmically something to you or not, you've gotta deal with that on your own. Just as I have."

"I know. I-" he took a deep unnecessary breath, "I truly am sorry, Carlisle. I'll do better."

Carlisle let his anger break for the remorse on his son's face, moving foreword to place a hand on his shoulder, "You must do better." He said earnestly, "This is all of us at stake. She's human and has accumulating evidence that you may not be."

Edward only mustered a nod, letting his posture straighten from the sad slouch he'd taken on as Carlisle dropped his hand. "What happened with Waylon? I didn't figure digging would do me any favours."

"It wouldn't have." Carlisle agreed, "He was killed. I suspect by our kind moving in from the West. Alice and Jasper have gone to scope it out when the police have left the scene."

An odd look crosses Edward's face for only a moment before he wiped it away just as quickly. "You're worried about Minerva." He deflects before Carlisle can ask.

He lets his weight rest against the island once more, rubbing his eyes of imaginary fatigue. All he'd done was worry about her since he even suspected the unwelcome arrival, now that it was here he was halfway to beside himself, "Of course, I am."

The pair went their separate ways, Edward off to join Alice and Jasper while Carlisle trudged up to his office. He slipped his phone out of his jacket pocket, a sad smile etching itself on his face at the sight of a reply. Awake, unfortunately. Was all she'd said but it was enough for him to heave a sigh of immense relief. For now, she was safe. Alive and mostly well.
He could only hope it would stay that way.

Note: Sorry chapters have been so short! There'll be some long ones down the line to make up for it! Second semester hasn't been easy on me but my stories and your support keep me going :) thanks for reading!