CHAPTER EIGHT: VAMPIRES

ELISE WAS LATE RETURNING HOME THAT NIGHT, she and Carlisle spent hours in the planetarium together, and then spent the three-hour drive talking.

Her eyes were slipping shut when he walked her to the door, a soft smile on his face.

"Did you have a nice night?" He asked softly, brushing back a piece of her hair.

Elise nodded, trying not to yawn.

"Sweet girl," he held her face gently. "I was planning to kiss you tonight, but it seems you're falling asleep on me, and I'd prefer you remember every second."

A blush creeped on Elise's cheeks, and she closed her eyes, nose crinkling up when she fought the smile. There were only inches separating them, but with the height difference between them, his fingers cupped her jaw and forced her to gaze up at him.

"So cute," he remarked quietly, his thumb brushing her lips lightly. She looked into his eyes as he gently tugged her bottom lip out. "Oh, Elise," he murmured. "You've no idea what I'd like to do with you."

"Carlisle," Elise breathed, eyes widening a fraction at his bold words.

A small smirk claimed his lips and he leaned forward. Her heart sped up, anticipating his lips on hers. They would feel soft, surely, and he would taste of the same sweet textured honey of his voice. She closed her eyes, breath hitching, when his lips planted gently on her cheek.

"Until the next time, my dear," his lips brushed her ear. "Sleep well, Elise Swan."

Carlisle pulled back, smiling at her dazed expression. She let out a shaky breath, fighting the cough that threatened her lungs. Not now, not now, not now.

"Goodnight, Carlisle," she replied weakly.

He reached down and grabbed her hand gently, pulling it to his lips. Pressing a kiss on the back, he dropped it a moment later and her eyes followed him to the car. Turning, she quickly unlocked the front door, and with a final parting glance, the blush on her cheeks deepened.

Carlisle was watching her too.

—

Elise awoke to someone jolting her, shaking her roughly. Blinking back the sleep, her glossed expression found Bella with a panicked look.

Sitting up quickly, she accidentally bonked her forehead on her sister's, and winced at the contact.

"Shit, Bella," she groaned out.

Bella winced, rubbing her forehead and sitting next to Elise's feet on the bed.

"Edward can read minds," she explained quickly to Elise's disbelieving expression. "Don't give me that look, El, I'm serious.

"Bells, it's too early for this," Elise groaned, sinking her head back against the pillow. "I was out late last night with the hottest doctor in the history of ever."

"Ew," Bella's nose crinkled up, "that's Edward's dad."

"You're Edward's dad," Elise retorted sleepily, grumbling to herself as she tried to close her eyes.

"Elise!"

Elise opened her eyes again, groaning, and sat up. "What?" She asked flatly.

"He can read minds. He told me last night on our date."

"You went on a date with Edward?" Elise raised her eyebrows, then held up a hand for a high-five. "You go girl, nice."

"Not the point," Bella gave her a look. "Edward read the minds of these guys that attacked me—"

"—Pause on that," Elise cut in, suddenly feeling much more alert. "What?"

"Oh, yeah," Bella tucked a lock of hair behind her ear nervously. "After you and I separated, these guys cornered me in an alley and—"

"—Oh my god, Bella!" Elise exclaimed, looking over her sister with renewed worry and interest. "Are you okay? Oh my god."

"Elise," Bella grabbed her sister's hands and forced them from where they'd taken resident at her face. "I'm fine. Edward saved me. He just...sort of growled at them—"

"—Like a dog?" Elise asked, face twisting in confusion. "What, he's like 'bark bark, grr, grr, get away from Bella Swan?' Because that's super weird, Bells."

"No," Bella sighed, rolling her eyes. "He just looked at them, we got into the car and then he took me to dinner, and he didn't order anything, but he told me what everyone in the restaurant was thinking because he can read minds."

"And I'm the Queen of England," Elise replied dryly. "Bella, you're an idiot. He's a boy and boys are dumb, and they lie."

"He wasn't lying!" Bella protested as Elise slowly stood, walking to her closet and pulling out clothes for the day. "I'm serious, he can read minds and I think it's because he's a vampire."

"Oh, not this again," Elise whined, switching shirts. "Bella, did you ever think that maybe he's just...nuts? And you're finding yourself wanting to play out your fantasy novel? Setting aside reality and grasping onto delusions can actually mean—"

"—I'm not delusional!" Bella stood, sighing heavily. "I'm going to prove it to you. And you're going to feel like an idiot when I do."

"Sure thing, B," Elise responded sarcastically as she raked a brush through her hair. Bella huffed and left the room, closing the door behind her. "Can you make pancakes?" Elise called through the door. "I really hope she makes pancakes."

—

Elise tucked her head into her hands, editing her bucket list — scratching off 'aquarium date' — from her place next to Jack at the bookstore.

"You did it," Jack observed, glancing over at her. "Look at you, knocking off your bucket list."

"Do you miss London?" Elise asked softly, ignoring his observation. Her eyes flickered to his curiously.

Jack nodded. "Sometimes, yeah," he confirmed. "You'd like it. Rains a lot, just like here."

Elise smiled sadly. "I'll never go," she said quietly. "To London or Rome or Japan. All places I've wanted to go my entire life and...I'll never make it there."

Jack's face fell and he reached a hand over, squeezing her hand. "Maybe things will turn around," Jack offered softly. "You never know what life has in store for you."

"Death," Elise stated bluntly. "I'm going to die and that's all it has for me at this point."

Jack didn't say anything for a moment, running a hand over his face, before his gaze softened. "How was your date with Carlisle?"

Elise's face brightened at the mention of the man. "He's amazing," she gushed, biting back a grin, "he crossed off this bucket list item," she pointed to the aquarium, "and this one," she pointed to 'kiss under the stars', "and this one," she pointed to one reading 'meet the perfect guy', and then she cut herself off, blushing. "I really like him, Jack."

Jack smiled kindly. "He likes you too," he winked. "Stole Esme last night to talk to her about you."

Elise smiled to herself, biting her lip. "Seriously?" She asked.

"Cross my heart," he smiled back. "You'll be good together, darling. When's the next date?"

—

After a week of constant calls and small walks or long drives — and one night where Elise and Carlisle sat under the stars and she fell asleep on his chest — Carlisle asked her something a bit forward.

"Come away with me for the weekend," he asked her over the phone.

Tucked into her pillow, an arm curled around her blanket, Elise smiled softly to herself. Go away with Carlisle for the weekend?

"Okay," Elise agreed shyly. "W-where are we going?"

"I think you'll enjoy Canada," he planned, "have you been before?"

Elise blushed at his words. He wanted to take her out of the country. Was he...that serious about her?

"Once," she informed him. "Dad and I went to see a Hockey game there when I was a kid, it was super awesome, but that's really it. Do you...want to go this weekend?"

"If you'd like," he confirmed. "I can get us a hotel, take you to the local museums. Does that sound appealing?"

"Yes," Elise answered immediately. "Yes, I-I'd like that. Just us?"

"Unless you wanted to bring your sister and Edward?"

"Oh, yikes," Elise laughed. "Let's definitely not ever do that."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

She could hear the smile in her voice and couldn't stop the grin that took over her face. "When are we leaving?"

"Noon?" He asked. "I can pick you up, three-hour drive over, we'll make sure you eat when we arrive."

"We're really going on a little vacation?" Elise asked.

"First of many, Elise Swan."

Elise sighed in contentment. "Oh, I likes you, Carlisle Cullen."

"I'm enamored by you, sweetheart."

—

Charlie was a bit confused that Elise was going on a sporadic vacation with Elise over the weekend, but he helped her pack her meds and made a list of the nearest hospitals just in case.

He figured because she'd be with a doctor, she'd at least be in the safest company possible.

Bella told her to keep an eye on Carlisle's habits — to see if he was a vampire. (She got a book thrown at her head in response.)

True to his word, Carlisle picked her up and helped load her suitcase into the back of the car. He offered her a bag of sour patch kids — her favorite snack — and a pack of capri-sun to keep her occupied during the ride.

"You look lovely," he commented, brushing back a piece of her hair as he held the passenger door open. "Is this okay?"

"I'm excited," Elise confessed. "I've never been on a trip with a guy before. My ex was...not super into that sort of thing."

"I'll take you anywhere you wish to go," he smiled softly, pressing a kiss to her head. "Buckle up, Elise."

Elise did as told, pulling out the sour patch kids with a smile and opening them as Carlisle sat in the driver's seat. He backed out of the Swan residence and took them on the road, allowing Elise the opportunity to pull out her CD collection.

Since driving with Carlisle so often, she'd decided to bring her CD collection each time they ventured out. He didn't listen to anything but classical or opera, and both made her want to bash her head into a wall.

Sliding in 'Elise is the Better Swan' — a mix Bella had made her when she'd won a bet a few years previously — she munched on her sour patch kids as Coldplay blared through the speakers.

"So, I have to tell you something hilarious," Elise began, "Bella thinks you and your family are vampires."

Carlisle's hand clenched around the steering wheel, but he made no other motion to suggest uncomfortableness. "Oh?" He asked casually, eyes on the road. "Why's that?"

"I don't know," Elise shrugged, rolling her eyes and pulling a leg up to the seat as she adjusted her position to something more comfortable. "Apparently, Edward told her he can read minds. Which, honey, you need to talk to him. That's delusional."

Carlisle lips quirked a fraction. "I'll let him know," his eyes glanced to Elise. "Why vampires?"

Elise shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, you guys having the same eye color is weird, but that's the extent from what I've noticed. Bella says Edward never eats, but that could mean a lot of different things. I'm not one to judge hardly eating. I'll probably puke these sour patch kids up when we get to Canada, but they're worth it going down."

Carlisle smiled at her words, glancing at her again. "How are you feeling?" He asked gently. "Another week's passed."

Elise sighed, knowing what he meant. She'd confessed to him late one night that with each passing day, she felt death looming closer and closer. She wondered each evening as her eyes closed if it would be her last day on Earth. If her lungs would give out and she'd live out the next journey in the afterlife.

"I keep thinking about my dad," she admitted, closing the bag of sour patch kids, grabbing Carlisle's hand from the steering wheel and pulling it to her lap. He smiled, meeting her gaze and interlocking their fingers. "I know he'll have Bella but...it's different with them. She calls him Charlie."

"You're worried about leaving him alone?" Carlisle deduced.

Elise nodded. "He was so bad after Renee left. He used to just fall asleep on the sofa and stopped hanging out with Billy and Harry. It was awful. I started planning dad-daughter dates to make him happier and we'd do stuff outside of the house until he stopped feeling the pain of losing her and Bella."

Tears filled her gaze at the memory. They'd go fishing for hours, cook up the fish together. They'd watch football games and build puzzles and go see action movies in the local theater. They'd spend time at the diner and make time to see his friends — and Jacob, Rachel, and Leah, who always tagged along with Billy and Harry — and they'd go mini-golfing and play laser tag.

"I'm scared he'll spiral again," she wiped a tear away. "And Bella's always been a loner, she's got good friends now, but...who knows what'll happen after graduation. I'll never see her go to college and..."

Elise inhaled shakily, blinking back tears. Carlisle looked over, removing his hand from hers and moving it to her head, gently running his fingers through her hair.

"I can't help but notice you're concerned about their well-being, and less so about your own death."

Elise shrugged, leaning into his touch. "I guess I've accepted the inevitable. Some things suck. But..." she blushed a bit. "You're making me enjoy life a bit."

"Oh?" Carlisle asked, smile taking over his face. "Do share, Elise."

Elise moved his hand from her hair and pressed a kiss gently to his cold knuckles, intertwining their hands again over her lap.

"I just mean that when I learned about this, I thought my life was over. That I'd just spend the rest of my days with Charlie and Bella, watching reruns of Supernatural and then dying in my bed like an old lady."

She toyed with his fingers, his pointer running over her wrist delicately.

"But then you came into my life, and...I don't know. You're sweet. And nice. And you make me laugh and...make me feel special."

"You are special," he slowed down at a red light, looking over at her. "You're the most incredible thing this world has ever created, Elise Swan."

Elise met his gaze evenly, but tears filled her eyes at his words.

"Shut up," she rolled her eyes, looking down.

"I mean that," he squeezed her hand. "Elise, you're unlike anyone I've ever encountered and I will spend each day making you feel as incredible as you are."

Elise smiled pulling their hands to her face and hiding behind his hands. "Stop being so cute."

"You're the cute one, darling," he chuckled.

Elise rolled her eyes, sighing and unbuckling her seatbelt. He raised his eyebrows at her motion but she simply pulled both legs up and leaned closer to him, back against the console, pulling his arm over her shoulders, her fingers still intertwined with his, resting over her chest.

"What's first in our adventure this weekend?"

Carlisle smiled gently. "Once we arrive," he informed her, "I'm checking you into a hotel and then we'll spend the evening on a ghost tour—"

"—NO WAY!" Elise squealed, pressing kisses to his fingers. "You're taking me on a ghost tour? Ohhhhh, you're the best boyfriend a girl could—"

Elise clapped her mouth shut, suddenly feeling a pool of nerves. Boyfriend.

Oh, no.

Ohhhhh no.

She'd done did it now.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I—I didn't mean to imply that—"

"—Would you like to be my girlfriend, Elise?" He asked gently. "I'll admit I had an evening planned out with it tomorrow, but I do not wish for you to be in any capacity uncomfortable."

"I'd like that," Elise smiled into his arm, nodding. "Your girlfriend."

His grip tightened around her. "Mine, yes," he hummed. "I have to push it at least until we arrive in Canada," he told her. "I'd like to kiss you before we make it official."

"Promise?"

He slowed down to a stop as the light flickered red, tilting her head back to look at him.

"Promise."

—

idk this was cute or whatver they're cute i missed them.
also, i know it's soon for them to go on trips but she is straight up dying soooo they're doing things a little out of order and she deserves it.
next chapter we get some more fluff in victoria bc, and then the following chapter we'll finaaaalllllyyyy have elise realize the truth.
and then we meet the remaining cullens hehehe that'll be hilarious.
okay thank you all for reading and I am SO SO SO SO SO SOOOO SORRY for the delay in how long it took to update!!!
promise it won't be as long next time.