Carlisle-Meg.

[ofthefamily]

He didn't have a choice, in coming here. There had been avoidance several times, seeing blue shimmering doorways and choosing instead to walk around the entirety of the house to get to the other side.

Milliways wasn't having it anymore; Carlisle was taken as soon as he sat down in the driver's seat of his car and found himself in the bar's garage.

Carlisle walks up the stairs from the garage onto the main level of Milliways. Might as well check in at the infirmary. Do something useful.

Comments

[noteful]

He'll pass her table before he gets to the infirmary.

"Hello, Dr. Cullen."

It's been a while since she's seen him.

And she's kind of been watching for him.

[ofthefamily]

"Meg. Hello."

It's been months, is the next phrase Carlisle thinks, but doesn't actually say.

[noteful]

"How are you?"

There may ba slightly more weight to it than there usually would be.

[ofthefamily]

Well. There's no good answer to that question, is there.

"We're living in New York at the moment." Slightly stilted, as though the information itself is of little to no actual consequence.





"What about yourself?" Another pleasantry remembered.

[noteful]

"I'm fine, thank you," she says.

There's a moment's hesitation, but really, what's the point of not getting to the point?

So she says, "Are you still in Ithaca?

"I ran into Edward in . . . well, September, I guess, for me, and November for him. He said he was in Des Moines, and the rest of you were in Ithaca.

"And then I ran into him again more recently and he didn't say anything at all."

[ofthefamily]

The question she asks is completely and utterly ignored.








"You've seen him."

[noteful]

"Yes.

"Does this mean you haven't?"

[ofthefamily]

"No. Not in months. He's coming here. Oh my God."

[noteful]

"I'm sorry," she says. "I . . ."

She's not even sure what she's apologizing for.

"Um.

"Do you want to sit?"

She'll tell him what she can. If he wants to know.

[ofthefamily]

"Why would I -- oh."

Sitting is normal.

Sitting is human.

She's seen Edward!

So Carlisle sits, with his hands under the table in his lap, looking simultaneously lost and incredibly focused on Meg. "Tell me?"

[noteful]

"Of course," she says.

"When I saw him in what was November for him, he said he was in Des Moines, and it was snowing. And when I asked about your family, he said you were, um, adjusting. To having moved.

"I didn't quite follow the story; he didn't really give me all the details. But he said there was an accident at Bella's birthday party, though he didn't ever say what happened exactly, just that she was injured somehow. And that it was his fault, and after it, you had to leave Forks. That it was better, that she'd be safer that way. And I asked him what he wanted me to say if I saw you, or Alice, and he said it didn't matter. Because it wouldn't be good enough.

"And then . . . it was mid October for me, just around Thanksgiving. I saw him and he . . . he didn't . . . I don't even think he blinked, Dr. Cullen. He didn't move, didn't speak, just . . . sat. And if he heard me when I addressed him, there wasn't any reaction I could notice."

[ofthefamily]

"Il sait que ça ne fait rien."

That's not what you would have to do.

Oh no. Please --

"Meg. Do you remember what color his eyes were?"

[noteful]

"Um."

Meg closes her own eyes, trying to remember.

"They were dark, I think.

"Black."

[ofthefamily]

Not hunting. Not living.

Carlisle's gaze drops slightly, to the polished tabletop. For a second he might look like he too is not going to move again.

[noteful]

"What, um . . . what does it mean that his eyes were black?"

[ofthefamily]

"It means he's not well."

[noteful]

Meg had kind of already figured that out, from certain other clues, but she doesn't push the issue, just nods.

"Is there anything I can do?"

For any of them?

[ofthefamily]

"Be careful, if you see him here again."

Warning someone, about Edward. It's --

"I don't know what to do anymore."

[noteful]

There's a moment of surprise on her face, at the warning, and she opens her mouth to . . . object, or something . . . and then closes it again.

Because if Dr. Cullen warned her about Edward, then she needed to be warned about Edward.

She nods, again.

"I'm so sorry."

[ofthefamily]

A loud smack stutters the underside of the table - Carlisle forgot where his hands were when he moved in aggravation. He startles even himself with it.

"I'm sorry, sorry -- The only person who needs to apologize is him."

[noteful]

She jumps, a little, at the noise, but her voice is even when she speaks.

"I'm still sorry that it's happening, whatever it is. That you're all having to go through it.

"How's Esme? And Alice and everyone?"

[ofthefamily]

"Esme is keeping everything together. Alice and Jasper recently went on a trip, but they're back now."

[noteful]

"Will things get better?

"Will he get better?"

[ofthefamily]

"Not unless he comes back."

[noteful]

Meg is silent for a moment, shifting the bracelets around the rubber band on her wrist.

And then she looks back up.

"If I see him again, do you want me to leave word for you with Bar?"

[ofthefamily]

"The second you think of me, Edward will leave. If I had to guess."

[noteful]

Meg spreads her hands a little helplessly.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know any way I could keep that from happening.

"I could still leave word that he'd been here. If you wanted.

"Whatever you think is best, I'll try to do. Because I really don't quite understand what's going on."

And she really doesn't want to do something that makes it any worse.

[ofthefamily]

"There isn't anything you can do to make this better, Meghan. I promise. If there was, I...

"I wouldn't let you out of my sight until you did it, and my family was whole again."

It's the most truth Carlisle's offered anyone in what feels like quite some time indeed.

"I'm sorry I am not telling you more. I cannot. I don't know how, and. Speaking of everything is. It's just wearying."

[noteful]

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything else about it.

"I hope things get better."

[ofthefamily]

"Why do you care?"

[noteful]

Meg blinks.

"Why wouldn't I?

"You and your family have been nothing but kind to me, Dr. Cullen. And Edward especially I condsider a friend. I don't have to know exactly what's going on to see that it's awful for all you. And . . ."

Meg breaks off, looks down at her hands, and then takes a breath and looks back up at Dr. Cullen.

"And I know what it was like for me, when a member of my family went away, and we didn't know where she was, or what she was doing, or if she was all right.

"It was awful. And I wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially not people I like.

"So hope things get better for you and your family."

[ofthefamily]

Has Carlisle truly forgotten so much of human compassion? He closes his eyes for a second, just one - trying to not be outwardly disgusted with himself.

"Thank you, Meg."

[noteful]

"You're welcome."