Ash Over Seas

It was a few days before I was finally able to escape to the Cullen’s. My father had been wandering the house much more often, to keep an eye on me, and I hadn’t been able to break away for a while. I knew he was still furious at his long-time friend, but the anger blinded him from what really needed to be done.

I had convinced Artemis to lure him into taking her to Port Angeles for the day, claiming that she and Pan needed new winter jackets, and after many hours of reassurance on my part, he had agreed to make the trip.

To be safe, I waited several hours before making the journey over to the Cullen residence. When Carlisle answered, his expression was mildly surprised and he quickly stepped aside to let me in.

“Colby, what a pleasant surprise,” he greeted warmly as he took my jacket to hang up.

I frowned. “Alice didn’t see me coming?”

The doctor smiled softly and shook his head. “No. It’s something about you half… humans that blocks her from having visions about you. She can’t see Jacob either, which can be very tricky if we’re trying to keep an eye on you.”

“Oh.”

Well, that kind of sucked.

“So, I take it you're here because Jacob passed along my message?” Carlisle asked as we ventured further into the jewel-toned interior of his home. We passed Edward and Bella sitting by the piano and waved cordially. Carlisle turned another corner and began leading me to the second floor.

I nodded toward him and took a deep breath. “Yes, he told me you wanted to see me. I had to get my father out of the house to even be able to come but he should be gone for a while.”

Carlisle stopped and looked back toward me. “He doesn’t know you're here? Colby, if this is going against your father’s will I’m not sure it’s the best idea for you to be here. It wouldn’t be wise to upset him any more.”

I shook my head firmly. I wasn’t going to let my father make this decision for me; not when there was so much at stake.

“My father is blinded by whatever rage he has. He is not thinking clearly and you know it. You obviously have a lead on something you think might help me. This isn’t my father’s decision anymore and I don’t care if I’m not of age yet. I want you to start the tests. Please, Carlisle,” I murmured.

I looked up to see the vampire’s face still torn. He was being forced to choose between the wishes of his close friend, and the chance to save a patient’s life. When he didn’t speak for several moments, I became nervous and my hand lightly brushed over my uneasy stomach.

“Please, Carlisle,” I begged again quietly. “If not for me… if not for me, then for Jacob. He’s been through so much… I don’t want to hurt him again. I want us to be able to have a life together. You know he won’t be able to take it if… if I, well, you know… don’t make it.”

That seemed to be the push he needed, and I was granted a nod as Carlisle sighed.

“You're right. You have much to live for, and I know Henry will come around if all is well by the end of this. If not, it was worth trying.”

I nodded, biting down on my lip. Carlisle held his hand out in front of him, gesturing me up toward his office. We wove through several more hallways, the silence between us lingering until I found the guts to ask what was on my mind.

“What… why is my father so angry anyway?” I asked the question that had been riddling my thoughts since my last appointment, just about a week ago.

It seemed like it had been ages since then.

Carlisle let out a soft breath. “Unfortunately I think that is still his to tell. I’m sorry I can’t tell you why I’m performing these tests; I know it is a lot of blind faith for you to be putting in me, and I am grateful for your trust. Your father just has many bitter feelings toward certain happenings of his past. I fear some of the things he has told you have not been entirely truthful.”

That surprised me.

“He lied to me?” I questioned, making sure I heard right. “About what?”

I should have known Carlisle wouldn’t answer, but it didn’t make it any less frustrating as the office door was opened for me and we proceeded in silence again.

“I fear all I can tell you is that I will begin a thorough examination of your lymphatic system. I have checked your bone marrow and found nothing of use. I believe now I must examine your cerebrospinal fluid, which will call for another painful extraction, and I am sorry for putting you through that again. I have a theory that whatever this disease is that ails you, your lymph is trying to rid your body of it. I believe I might be able to figure more out by examining the cells and fluids your body is degrading.”

I nodded, not really sure what he was saying exactly, but trusting that he knew what he was doing.

I was handed another gown, and changed quickly behind the provided screen. I reemerged, taking a seat on the padded bench. My mind flashed back to the first time I had been in this position. Jacob had burst through the door and thrown a fit at the sight. I knew he would want to be here now as well, but decided I would just call him when it was finished. He had been so worried lately. Between patrol and all the time he spent taking care of me, even a human could see the dark bags forming under his eyes.

Carlisle instructed me to lie down on my side and I took several deep breaths, trying not to stare at the needle held between his pale fingers. I lay down and gripped the edge of the bench nervously, squeezing my eyes shut tight.

I felt the fabric at the base of my back being pulled away and goose bumps formed on the skin. An alcohol-dipped swab was swept over my skin.

“Still now,” Carlisle instructed and I felt his fingers press down to steady my back. The needle pierced my skin and inhaled sharply through my teeth. I clenched my jaw and tried to ignore the chilling feeling of the fluids being drained from my spinal matter. After a moment, Carlisle retracted the syringe, but kept his hand on my hip.

“Don’t sit up until I instruct you so,” he told me. “Your cauda equina needs time to heal, otherwise your CSF will come draining out your back,” he said in all seriousness. “I’ve seen it happen. It isn’t pretty, and it most certainly isn’t sanitary.”

I nodded, a little nauseated just from the thought of it, and held still as Carlisle held up the vial of clearish, opaque liquid.

“Well, I certainly have something to go on now,” he murmured before setting it down on a rack and turning back to me. “So I hear you're having issues with an old friend of yours,” he mentioned, as if we were speaking over afternoon tea and not in the middle of his home lab.

I snorted and my expression hardened. “I’d hardly call him a friend.”

Carlisle nodded sympathetically. “I have known many in the past who have been unable to let go of lovers. It is a sad thing to go to such lengths to win back a person.”

I sighed deeply. “I’ve a feeling Cormac would’ve gone and made himself a vampire whether I was one or not. Naturally, he knew of them because of me, but he would have found out eventually and become just as obsessed. It’s just the kind of bloke he is. Power hungry. Sometimes I think he only liked me so much because he liked what I was.”

Carlisle nodded and thought things over. “And you say he has a power, correct? He was able to shield his red eyes from you for a time?”

“Yeah, they were the same brown they used to be when I first saw him, then he… well, I don’t know what he did, but they turned red mighty fast.” I paused. “Do you think that’ll be a problem?”

Carlisle paused. “Well… I don’t know. If Alice is searching for him in her visions, I don’t know if his changing appearance will have any effect on what she sees.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. He had a valid point. Would Alice see Cormac just as he was at the moment? Or could her visions see through his façade? The thought made me feel much less secure as I lay on the table, and I decided I would call Jacob before I left the Cullens.

“You may sit up now,” Carlisle told me, bringing me from my thoughts.

I thanked him, glancing back to make sure I wasn’t leaking fluid from my back before shuffling behind the curtain again to change clothes.

“I will find some way to get in touch with you to tell you what I find,” Carlisle assured me as I stepped out once more. “If Henry has not come around by that time. I hope you will at least try to talk to him.”

I nodded. “Of course I will. I don’t know how much good it’ll do, but I’ll give it a shot.”

Unfortunately, I knew I wouldn’t have the guts to have that conversation.