Second Chance at Forever | C. Cullen

020

CHAPTER TWENTY
Memories

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-Carlisle-

Carlisle hadn't felt good about leaving her there alone, but then Alice gasped and looked at him in horror. Immediately he stopped talking and ran upstairs, knowing if it could his heart would be pounding. The look on Alice's face told him all he needed to know, and he was at his study door in barely a second. He couldn't breathe, fear and panic choking him as he shoved through the door to get to his mate.

The night before had been one of the best of his life, he finally got the love of his existence back into his arms. He had been foolish to think that nothing could go wrong now that they were together, but she was human still so he knew that things could go wrong easier than they had before. When Edward said she wanted to turn, every instinct was rejoicing that she wanted to join him in eternity, but he still didn't want to damn her. He should've asked her the first time, though if he ever said that to her afterwards she would've been extremely upset with him, and he was young enough to not know better. However, he wasn't positive anymore if they were damned and soulless. If they were, how did she come back to him?

But that could come later, because he yanked open the door to watch as she fell to the ground unmoving, her body so silent and still other than the shallow breath and beating heart. Even with that, it almost felt like she was dead because he could feel nothing coming from her. No emotion, no life, and he was terrified.

"Abigail!" he called loudly, his voice full of fear and devastation as he quickly went for her, bringing her into his lap. She was so limp that he checked her pulse and breathing even though he could hear it anyway. "Abigail! My love, please. Please wake up, please... Sweetheart, what's wrong? Wake up!"

His voice, he knew, had carried downstairs because Emmett and Jacob stood in the door, both almost as fearful as him. Other than Carlisle, they were the two she was closest to, and so they moved in next to her quickly, only Emmett paused as Jacob kneeled down to check her vitals same as Carlisle, though the blond knew that the wolf could hear them anyway. A hissed curse drew Carlisle and Jacob's attention up to Emmett and immediately Carlisle knew what caused it. His heart sunk and his breath caught. He hadn't seen the painting since 1984 when Alice first helped him cover it. While he had the woman in his arms, it didn't help the searing agony that coursed through him.

"When did you paint her?" Jacob asked, brow furrowing.

"1873."

The wolf went silent and ever so gently, Carlisle swept her up into his arms. Emmett and Jacob knew there would be no touching her. She was in a vulnerable state and if anyone came near her, they would have a very protective Carlisle at their throats. He took her back into the room she had been in before, and she didn't make a single noise as she laid there, her breathing and beating heart the only noise in the room as they all studied her, the doctor in Carlisle warring with the beast to figure out what was best.

"Did she hit her head?" Jacob finally muttered and Carlisle slowly shook his head.

"No. Alice had a vision and I knew it was her. But she just collapsed and I think it was because of the painting. She must have looked and..." He trailed off because he didn't know where his thoughts were leading him.

"Maybe the memories came back," Jacob suggested with a shrug. He stood on the other side of her, posture tense as he crossed his arms over his chest. Carlisle could see he wanted to comfort her and he clenched his teeth, but gave him a firm nod and the wolf looked grateful. He sat down and slowly pushed some pieces of hair off her face. Carlisle was surprised at how the possessiveness was less with Jacob, but perhaps even his beast knew that Jacob loved her like a sibling and not romantically, and that Jacob could take care of her as much as he could. And he also knew he and Jacob could never take the place of one another in her life.