The One Thing • Carlisle Cullen

-24-

Carlisle arrived at Billy's house with AJ and John accompanying to see if they could help if Carlisle had to break his bones again, the three of them stood outside of Billy's house cautiously watching everyone.

"How is Jacob holding out?" Carlisle asks, he looks at Billy.

"He's in pain," Billy says, Carlisle nods his head.

"That is understandable," Carlisle says. "I hope you do not mind that I brought AJ and John with me, they will be assisting me." Billy nods his head and the three vampires enter the house with Sam Uley behind them, they enter Jacob's room and Carlisle examines Jacob. "As I suspected, I'm going to have to break all his bones on the right side of his body."

"Do what you have to do, just take the pain away!" Jacob grunts.

"It will hurt," Carlisle says, AJ slowly beds down next to Jacob's bed and Sam takes a step closer, he wasn't sure if he should trust them or not.

"Jacob, do you want me to put you in a trance? You won't feel a thing when Carlisle is breaking your bones." AJ asks, Jacob nods his head rapidly, he was in extreme pain, nobody needed to be able to feel emotions to see it on his facial features, AJ looks up at John. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," John says, AJ looks back at Jacob.

"All right, look at me, Jacob," AJ says, Jacob turns his head to AJ and looks into her eyes. "What's your favourite place?"

"The beach," Jacob grunts out, AJ nods her head and John begins creating an illusion in Jacob's mind.

"Do you see the beach?" AJ asks, Jacob nods his head. "Focus on that, listen to the waves crashing on the shore, the wind blowing, the smell of the salt air." AJ compels him. "Ignore the pain, the pain is the illusion."

"Are you compelling him?" Sam asks, AJ didn't dare look away from Jacob just in case the compulsion broke.

"I am, but I will break the compulsion as soon as Carlisle is finished. "AJ says, she places her freezing hand on his cheek making sure he didn't turn his head.

"I'm almost finished," Carlisle says.

"I can't keep the illusion up much longer," John says.

"How long?" AJ asks.

"Seconds," John answers, a truck drivers up to the house and then shuts down before the door slammed shut, the loud noise from outside sounded like fireworks in John and AJ's ears causing them to lose focus, Jacob lets out a scream as Carlisle breaks the last bone. "Shit, I'm sorry." Jacob pushes AJ's hand off his cheek.

"It's all right, that was the final one, go wait for me outside," Carlisle instructs, AJ stood from the floor and leaves the house with John, they step outside and saw Bella standing next to Billy.

"Carlisle will be out in a minute to inform you about everything," AJ says, Billy nods his head.

"I will see you at home," John says to AJ, AJ nods her head and John disappears.

"How many bones did he have to break?" Paul asks, AJ looks at Paul.

"The entire right side, John and I took most of the pain away until a loud bang in our ears caused us to lose focus," AJ says, she glances at Bella almost hinting that she had caused the final scream.

"You two took most of his pain away?" Paul asks.

"It's our gift, we might not be able to control emotions like Jasper, but I can compel someone or something, and John can create an illusion in their mind or around them to cause a distraction," AJ says. "I had to compel him, but not to worry, he broke my compulsion as soon as we lost concentration."

"Thank you," Billy says, Carlisle walks out of the home with Sam, everyone looks at them.

"The worst is over, he'll be all right," Carlisle says. "I gave him some morphine." Carlisle looks down at Billy. "But his body temperature will burn it off soon, I'll be back to set up a drip." Carlisle walks up to AJ.

"Thank you," Billy says, Carlisle stops and Billy holds his hand out for Carlisle, Carlisle takes his hand and gently shakes it, Carlisle looks at Bella.

"He's asking for you," Carlisle says, Bella nods her head and looks at everyone before entering the house, Carlisle walks up to AJ and takes hold of her hand, they begin making their way to the woods.

"Wait," Sam says, they stop and turn around to face him. "Is it possible to compel him to not feel any pain until the drip is set up?"

"It is possible, but the decision would be his, not mine," AJ says.

"Then stay, I'll ask him when I go to talk to him," Billy says, AJ looks up at Carlisle and he nods his head, she looks back at them and nods her head.

"I will see you at home or when I bring the drip," Carlisle says, AJ nods her head and Carlisle kisses the top of her head before disappearing into the woods, AJ looks down at the ground avoiding the wolves who were all staring at her.

"Who turned you?" Seth asks, AJ looks up and stares at the youngest wolf, everyone stared at him as well. "What? I'm just trying to get to know her."

"An evil vampire that I never knew, but I had the pleasure of killing it," AJ says, Seth nods his head and walks up to her to stand next to her.

"Did you want to be a vampire?" Seth asks, everyone watches Seth as he interacted with the vampire.

"No, I never wanted this life, And I don't understand why Bella wants this life," AJ says. "It is not a life I'd choose for anyone, I'm a monster and I'll always be one no matter what my diet is."

"Oh, sorry," Seth says.

"You're curious, you have nothing to be sorry for," AJ says, Bella walks out of the house and looks at everyone.

"Uhm, bye," Bella says, she walks to her truck and climbs in before leaving, Sue pushes Billy into the house to go talk to Jacob.

"When did you and Carlisle meet?" Seth asks, A smile tugs at the corners of AJ's lips as she heard Carlisle's name.

"About twenty years ago," AJ says. "I guess you could say he saved my life, he showed me the other way, the better way to survive."

"Do you consider him as your saviour?" Embry asks, AJ look at Embry and nods her head.

"Yes," AJ says. "I was a rogue vampire until I had met Carlisle, well, he found me actually," AJ says.

"You sound very old," Embry says.

"You did not just bring my age into the conversation," AJ says, a faint smile appears on Embry's lips. "All right, I am to be exact, 104."

"Are you and vampire doc dating?" Paul asks, AJ looks at Paul.

"We're married," AJ says. "We recently married, but we have been together for 18 years."

"And you're 18, aren't you?" Embry asks, the wolves suddenly felt comfortable asking AJ question.

"In human years, yes, I was turned two days before my 19th birthday," AJ says, Sue walks out of the house and looks at AJ.

"He wants you to compel him."