better than drugs || carlisle || - 01/18/05

[marie]

Angel had decided that enough was enough and she needed to come home for good. She had her duffel bag stuffed with clothes flung about her shoulder with her backpack on her back. It had been a few years since she had seen this house. Her and Edward had fought so bad, and he just couldn't leave her alone about her thoughts. He just had to keep digging, so she left. Packed up one night while everyone but Edward had gone camping and left. Edward knew what she had been planning but he never tried to stop her, she was grateful for that one nicety. Although thinking back now she wished he had cared enough to stop her from being so foolish.

She dropped her bags at her feet before looking at the all too familiar door. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and knocked softly. Someone would hear that and they would be there soon. She just hoped everyone was alright with her being there. She didn't want to cause any problems, but then again she knew she had to talk to Edward at some point in time. She hung her head and waited with baited breath.

[carlisle]

Although Esme has stayed behind with Jasper, Rosalie and Emmet, Carlisle felt that he needed to get back to the hospital. Not to mention he didn't like leaving Edward or Alice alone anywhere. They always tended to get themselves into trouble and it was best if he was home to be there if he was needed. Nothing brought him more joy than the way his children, even as old as they were still needed him.

Reclining on the couch he pursued the newest medical journals, seeing what could be learned from them. Just as he found an groundbreaking article on neurosurgery there was a soft knock at the door. The Cullen's lived far out from Forks, and while they were accepted by the community people from the town usually gave their property a wide berth. Laying down the glossy paged magazine on the coffee table, Carlisle stood and made his way to the front door.

As he approached a familiar smell reached his nostrils. So, she had come home after all. Dazzling smile gracing his features Carlisle turned the knob and opened the door. “My Angel has returned.” He said softly, the happiness he felt evident in his voice. Gently he embraced her before standing back to look her over and determine if the past decade had treated her well.

[marie]

Although she had been the one to decide to come home, she hadn't prepared herself for anyone other than Carlisle. She knew Carlisle would be excited she was back and he would want to know everything, and so would Esme, but she wasn't sure about anyone else. She hoped Alice would be happy, or at least alright with her coming back. She hadn't really gotten to get too close to anyone before her and Edward had fought. She chewed softly on her bottom lip as she ran over different scenarios in her head. None of them having happy endings.

When she heard soft footfalls heading in her direction from inside the house she knew that someone was coming to the door. She waited until she could smell Carlisle's familiar scent. It wafted over her and made her nerves almost disappear. She looked up when she heard the door handle squeak softly. When she saw him smiling she couldn't stop the smile from gracing her features. There was just something about Carlisle smiling that made her smile. He was pretty much the father she never had. "Yes, i'm home for good now. At least i hope so." She said, returning his embrace softly.

She watched as he moved backward and looked her over. "I haven't changed much Carlisle, i've just seen more of the world than before." She said, with a light chuckle, bending down and picking up her things before moving past him into the house. "Where is everyone today?" She asked, looking around for the tell tale signs of her family actually being home. She just didn't get the impression that many of them were home.

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[carlisle]

“I'm so glad to hear that.” He replied as her slender arms wrapped around his back. “It is good to see you again.” He said, as she made her way into the house. “You shouldn't have been gone so long.” She had left while he was gone, not giving him a chance to argue her departure. Edward and Angel had a horrible fight that had been building since she arrived and she vanished from their lives. Carlisle had often suggested to Edward that he should go and seek her out and try and mend the rift that had formed.

He smiled to himself at the reunion that would occur eventually. He wasn't sure how Edward was going to take it, but he was sure it would be much like Edward, dramatic. “I believe Alice and Edward are at school. The rest of the family is on holiday. I don't think they'll be gone much longer, but you never know. Please, let me take those.” He reached his hand out to take the bags she held. “We built you a room. You'll have to decorate it of course, but there are plenty of shops in Seattle. I'm sure Alice would love to help you.”

[marie]

She smiled at the one man who could do no wrong in her eyes. "I was going to come back so many times before now, i just didn't know how everyone would react. I felt bad about not saying goodbye to anyone. Edward just pushed me too far. I'm sorry." She said, looking down at her feet. She felt like a child at that moment. She hoped he wouldn't be too mad at her for it, but if he was she would gladly try to make up for it anyway she could. She never wanted to see him disappointed in her, that would hurt too much. She didn't really hate Edward she just hated how he made her feel sometimes.

She looked at him when he spoke. As soon as Edward's name came out of his mouth, she cringed. She didn't really hate Edward and it had been years, maybe he had changed. She could hope for that at least. She tried her hardest to form a huge genuine smile, and not a half grimace. She let him take her bags, before she turned to look at everything. "I am assuming it won't take too long before Edward and Alice show up. Alice probably already knew i was coming." She said with a light laugh. When he said they had a room built for her, she felt like a jerk. She felt all the guilt from leaving in the first place hit her. "Who knows, maybe i'll even get Edward to help out. but i'm not going to get my hopes up." She said with a wry grin. "What have i missed since leaving?" She asked, secretly wondering when Edward was going to show up so she could get that conversation over with.

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[carlisle]

“No need to apologize, Angel.” Carlisle said firmly, lifting her chin up gently with his fingers. “You're back now, and that's all that matters. Edward can be quite trying.” Her smile made him smile once more, and he took her bags gratefully. He headed up the stairs expecting her to follow as he led her to the addition that had been built specifically for her. They had a feeling she would be returning eventually, they just didn't know exactly one. All of their houses had been fashioned with a room for her.

Seeing as she was feeling tentative, Carlisle decided to retain that information to share later. There was more than enough for them to talk about now. “At the latest they will probably be home sometime after three, if they don't get into some sort of trouble before then.” Carlisle said, raising an eyebrow as he looked back down the stairs at Angel. Alice and Edward were notorious when together. It was only worse when the other three children were involved.

Now that Angel mentioned it, Alice hadn't said anything about Angel's arrival. Things like this weren't something the gifted vampire often missed. He would have to speak with her about that later. A low musical laugh issued forth at the notion of Edward shopping. “I'll buy you a new car if you can manage that.” Carlisle offered in the form of a bet.

Turning the corner Carlisle opened the door into a spacious room that was mostly glass, like many of the other rooms in the house. The room was done in deep reds and yellows the last time that Esme felt the need to try her hand at decoration. Fabric hung from the ceiling, reminiscent of some middle-eastern mosque and satin cushions covered the hardwood floor. “Our lives have been thankfully quiet.” Carlisle responded as they entered the room. “I think we've been through a new set of graduation gowns for everyone, but nothing of interest has occurred. Until now that is.” He added with a smile.

“I'm sorry about the room.” He said with amusement, a grin spread across his face. “Your mother can get carried away with things sometimes.”

[marie]

She smiled up at him when he had touched her chin with his fingers. "I still should have said goodbye at east." She said softly, as she turned to follow him up the stairs. She had hoped that they had a space for her but she wasn't actually expecting it. She had often wondered what Esme would do without another daughter to play dress up with. She had missed having a mom to hang out with and being around Alice all the time. Her and Rosalie didn't get along all that well, but they never argued or anything.

She wondered how everyone had been since she had left. She wondered if Edward was going to just show up and scream at her or something. She hoped that with the years apart he had mellowed out and they wouldn't want to kick each other's buts anymore. "I can't wait to see Alice, and everyone. I hope though that Edward doesn't start outright yelling at me for leaving." She said, climbing the stairs swiftly but not too swiftly. She wondered how everyone would accept her back into the family.

She wondered how much Alice had known about her these last few years. She didn't doubt Alice knowing about her going everywhere in Europe. She smirked when he had offered to buy her a car for getting Edward to bring her shopping. "You should just buy me a car anyway." She said chuckling. She was only joking but who knew how he would take it. Besides if she really wanted a car she could buy her own. She had made some money on her own and she ad enough to get a couple cars right now.

She meandered into the room and looked around at the deep colors and the rich fabrics. Esme had really gone all out on her and she appreciated it. She smirked when he had said something about graduation robes. She needed to remind herself to give Esme her new set from Oxford. When he had said that nothing interesting had occurred until she had come home she smiled softly. "I am glad i came home too, Dad." She whispered the last word softly.

She laughed when he said that Esme could get carried away. "Don't worry about the room dad. Mom just needed to occupy herself with something. You and i both know that. She did the same thing when Edward went off once." She siad, pulling open her bag and looking for her graduation robes. "I have a new set of graduation robes for you and mom." She said, laying out the black and white oxford issued graduation cap and gown.

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[carlisle]

“No promises about Edward.” Carlisle replied as he looked over the gown she laid on the bed, “But I am sure the rest of the family will be more than delighted by your arrival. Edward will be happy, too, although I doubt he will show it.” The man lowered his voice, sharing something in confidence. “I think he has always regretted that he did not try and stop you from leaving.” His vision roamed around the room and then back to the child that stood before him. So many years ago he had found her, broken, changed and frightened. Now she had done something beyond difficult, and returned to her tumultuous family, declaring that she was planning on staying. Pride at her actions surged through him and he smiled even broader. “I know your mother will be more than glad that you have returned.”

“Oxford, eh?” He asked, curious. Carlisle had kept tabs on her over the years, but nothing so severe that he would know all that she had done. “Impressive. I am sure that Esme will be more than proud.” He was sad that he missed the opportunity to see her graduate. They might attend hundreds of the wretched things, but each was special and enjoyable. It pained him that he had missed so much of her life. Perhaps he should have gone after her. Fighting the regret that threatened to well within him, Carlisle hovered near the doorway. “We can go car shopping in Seattle sometime this week if you like. I know the girls will want to take you for clothes and furnishings, so, prepare yourself for a busy couple of days.”

He was unsure if she would be willing to tell him more of her adventures, or if she needed time to get accustomed to her new surroundings. “Would you like some time to settle in?” He asked, getting straight to the point, feeling comfortable enough with the girl he considered yet another of his daughters to expect an honest answer.

[marie]

She looked at Carlisle and grinned. "Don't worry about that dad. He will come around eventually. At least i hope he will." She said, her smile faltering a bit. "I know. Mom, and Alice and everyone minus edward miss me. It's how it has always been." She said, sighing softly. The way he lowered his voice made her subconciously move closer to him to hear what he had to say. What he said, made her stop and think. She wasn't sure if he did or not, Edward was always so guarded with the way he approached things. "I doubt that. He probably regrets not doing it sooner." She said, biting her lower lip and pulling out clothes and placing them on the bed. She often wondered why Edward had hated her so much when she tried to be nothing if not there for him. She hadn't been ready to share with him the secrets of her life. There were things she didn't want anyone but Carlisle to know about. Carlisle had been there to save her after she had been raped and changed. She didn't feel right telling edward yet, even if she could trust him. She wanted to tell him, but only when she knew she could trust him not to push her so much. "I shall be happy enough just to see mom. Not to mention the rest of the gang." She said, smiling and remembering the night she had left. She remembered what had happened when she had made it to new york, a couple days later. She was sitting in a coffee shop near the airport waiting for her flight time. Edward had been the only thing on her mind then. She loved Edward, she really did, he just frustrated her to no end. She didn't quite understand why she had ever had feelings for him really. He seemed to hate her no matter what she did.

She looked over at him and smiled. "Yeah, surprising really." she said, with a slight laugh. She had never expected herself to be able to get accepted into a place like Oxford. "I just hope she doesn't go about bragging or anything. That would be tough, especially with Edward. He might not think it's all that impressive."

[/b] She said, turning back to her chore of unpacking. She walked over to the huge walk in closet nd opened the doors. She shook her head thinking about who had designed this one. It had probably been Alice with her love of shopping for frivalous things. She didn't mind having Carlisle there, it was good to finally be with him after so long. "Any day you aren't busy would be fine. And i don't mind it really, it will give me a chance to reconnect with everyone." She said, with a sad smile.

She watched him as he stood next to the door, almost waiting for her to dismiss him. "I have all the time in the world to settle in. come on Dad, we can talk while i do this. We have before, if i recall." She said, with a wide grin. She Pulled out some sewaters and sweatpants. She didn't need time to settle in, she was just coming home finally.[/blockquote][/size][/font]