Dangerously Beautiful • Carlisle Cullen

Chapter 33: I choose life

The summer had come and went, Carlisle taking a few weeks off work and just the two of them going on a vacation to Spain.

Charlie and Esme's relationship was steadily improving. Charlie asking to take it slow, for he hadn't been with anyone for quite a while, and of course Esme respected his wishes saying they would start off as friends and build from there. Though she still spent two night a week or more at the Swan house, and Cole secretly thinks Charlie liked having a female around again.

Bella and Edward had been attached at the hip, hardly going anywhere without each other. Colette had to drag the boy home several times, claiming her niece needed sleep, or honestly just a human minute alone. Bella would protest, but Colette could see the thanks in her eyes. The youngest Swan loved the boy with everything she had, but also loved her solitude.

Bella and Colette still talked every night, whether they were in the same house, or in the same country. Carlisle had understood what Charlie was talking about, that the two were more like sisters than aunt and niece. They talked of their relationships, their adventures, they especially talked of when Bella had her first kiss with the bronze boy, funny enough with said boy in the room.

Edward had never been so embarrassed by a conversation, and Colette had never taken so much joy from one.

On their vacation, Carlisle and Colette had seemed to make up for lost time, their multiple bedrooms destroyed as their honeymoon faze had hit full force. The couple had waited, two weeks before listening, taking tests, but unfortunately there was nothing there.

Colette had began to pull away, but Carlisle wasn't going to allow her to go through this alone. He continued to tell her this was new, no vampire had ever been able to create life. Yes she had given the gift the Rosalie, but to use the gift on herself maybe it was a different story.

Rosalie had tried to hide her growing bump, as to not discourage the woman, but as she was sleeping, Colette had stole all her oversized shirts, telling her the next day that this baby was gift whether it was hers or not.
That day Rosalie and Colette had grown closer yet.

Cole had been trying to build her tolerance to the smell of human blood, and the plane ride was a large step from what Carlisle told her. She wanted her life back. She wanted to be nurse, she wanted to be back with her kiddos and she wanted to help people.

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School started back this week, reminding Cole that is was not only Bella's last year in school, but it was also nearing her eighteenth birthday.

Cole had tried to bring the event up several times, but Bella would brush it off, telling her aunt she didn't want to talk about getting older until Colette had finally broke the girl down.

Bella was terrified of being physically older than Edward. It was then Colette reminded her that she herself was physically older than Carlisle, Cole being twenty-seven and Carlisle being twenty-three. Bella was silent at that.

Colette explained to Bella that it didn't matter if she was physically older than Edward. He was mentally older, which the more she thought about it, it did freak her out, but she wouldn't let Bella know that. Edward would always be older than her. A few human years wouldn't matter in the long run.

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As Carlisle was getting ready for work, Cole was getting dressed as well, more than her typical leggings and one of his shirts. "What's on the agenda darling?" Carlisle asked. "Bella's birthday is coming up. I need to get her a present that out beats Edward."

"Don't you mean Edward's gift?" Carlisle asked and Cole laughed. "No baby. Bella said she didn't want gifts, which of course I'm going against that. She wants gifts, every eighteen year old wants presents. I don't care what they say." Cole sassed and Carlisle chuckled under his breath.

"Do you have anything in mind?" Carlisle asked. "With her habitual reading, I may invest in some new book marks. Even though she insists on dog earing the pages which drives me insane." "Bookmarks?" Carlisle asked. "She is not a normal teenager Carlisle. You should know this by now. But I do have other ideas." She said as she grabbed her blouse, slipping it on, making Carlisle's eyes linger. "Down Doctor." Cole smirked as he rolled his eyes playfully.

"If I remember you have a birthday coming up as well." Carlisle grinned and Cole smiled. "Maybe." "I remember from being it on your charts. September 20th." "Exactly a week from Belle's. I always hoped we shared a birthday, but she decided to come early. Stubborn before she even got here." Colette laughed.

"What would you like for a birthday present?" He asked as he kissed her neck. "I have everything I could want." She said though Carlisle knew that wasn't true. "You're going to leave me to surprise you, though you hate surprises." He said and she nodded as she pecked his cheek.

"I've got to get going, and you're going to be late if you're not careful." Cole warned as she slipped on a pair of heels. "Your not supposed to be seen remember? You died." Carlisle reminded her gently. "I know. I'm going out of state. And I have your card." She said as she held the piece of plastic between her fingers. "Sticky fingers now?" He chuckled as he shook his head. "Only for you." She mumbled as she kissed his cheek.

Getting in the car, she was about to pull out of the driveway as two of the doors opened, and a blond head popped in. "You're not going shopping without me." Rose told her as Emmett crammed himself in the back. "And your bodyguard?" Cole asked. "Adam hasn't be caught, or even seen since the baseball incident. We've all been on edge, and you're not going anywhere alone." Rose told her, her words not leaving any room for discussion.

"Alrighty. Family shopping trip." Cole said and Emmett groaned. "You can get out." Cole teased and he huffed. "I choose life."