CHAPTER ELEVEN: SUNSHINE

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO RAIN ALL WEEKEND.

Carlisle told her this multiple times on the drive up. Don't get your hopes up for sunshine. The sky is predictable; rainy, wet, and showers.

Elise stepped out of the bathroom, hair wet from the shower, drying it with a towel. "Carlisle?" She called out, looking around for him.

The room was empty, and the curtains were closed. The bed was still messy, but only on the side she'd slept in. Elise frowned, shaking off her confusion and checking her phone. No word from anyone, but she sent a quick good morning to her sister, and another to Leah, to ensure both knew she was alive and vice versa.

Tossing the towel aside, Elise walked to the window and pulled open the curtains, smiling at the sun. Maybe she and Carlisle could go walking in the park below before they left. Elise made the bed and double checked her duffel bag, ensuring she'd packed everything. Grabbing her phone again, Elise flopped on the bed and let the sun hit her face.

"Elise?"

Elise turned, hearing Carlisle's voice, and walked over, opening it. A flash of something, the blinds closed, and then Carlisle was standing in front of the window.

"W-what, but you were...?" Elise turned around, then looked to him, then back to the door. "Oh my god," she whispered. "Bella was right."

"I can explain, Elise," he walked forward slowly, hands up in surrender. "I promise."

"I just — I'm — I'm confused."

"You should sit."

"But you were over here," Elise looked to the door, then him again. "What the fuck?"

Her head was swimming, but she took his advice, taking a seat on the bed, watching him stand awkwardly near the foot of it.

"I thought she was crazy," Elise shook her head. "Man, now I'm gonna owe her ten bucks."

Carlisle smiled at her words. "You're not screaming?"

"Dude," Elise sighed, looking up at him and shrugging. "You were kind of obvious last night with your questioning, now that I think about it."

"I'm confused by your reaction," he spoke carefully, "or rather, the lack thereof."

"You're a vampire," Elise shrugged. "It's cool."

She perked up, and grinned, looking up at him. "Wait, wait, let's make this more cinematic."

"I-I'm sorry?"

"Okay, stand there," Elise giggled, standing on the bed, giving her a bit of a height difference to Carlisle. "Yer a vampire, Carlisle."

Carlisle looked at her in complete disbelief and confusion.

"Now you say, 'I'm a what?'" She encouraged. "Okay, try again. And action. Yer a vampire, Carlisle."

"I'm...a what?"

"Good job!" Elise squealed, leaping off the bed and jumping into his arms. He caught her, and she winced a bit at the contact — why was he so hard? It was like hitting rock — and she buried her face in his neck as his hands found her thighs. "I like you."

"Elise, I'm a vampire," he told her seriously, but didn't remove his grip from her. "I drink animal blood to survive and—"

"—And your favorite book is The Age of Wonder." She cut him off. "Or The Battle for God, depending on your mood." She pulled back and placed her hands on his cheeks. "I like you, Carlisle. You've accepted my eminent death with grace, so...of course I don't mind. Besides, you're a surgeon. I don't think you drink human blood."

"I never have," Carlisle confessed. "I never will."

"Because it's your soul that lives in this body," Elise said softly. "You just have a...weird diet."

His eyes filled with tears — but he didn't seem like he could cry — and he leaned his forehead against hers. "You must be a dream, Elise Swan," he whispered. "A figment of my own imagination, a creation I've dreamt up in my darkest times because there is not a possibility that a woman like you exists, and certainly not someone who looks at me and wishes to continue this."

"I like your funny words, magic man," Elise quoted, grinning up at him.

Carlisle grinned, pressing his lips to hers, smiling through the kiss, tightening his grasp on her thighs. He turned them pressing her back to the wall. Elise gasped at the sudden contact, and he chuckled, taking advantage and deepening the kiss.

It wasn't gentle like their first; it was needy and desperate and hungry. He was worshipping her with his mouth, he was pouring his affections, every emotion into her. A soft moan left her as his tongue tasted her mouth, and he pulled back, dragging her lower lip between his teeth.

"You are perfect, woman," he reached a hand to her face and brushed back some of her damp hair. "So perfect. I don't know how you exist. I truly don't understand why I've been blessed with your presence."

Elise smiled, blushing at his words. "Carlisle, shut up, I'm gonna cry."

Carlisle let out a soft laugh, pressing a kiss to her head, breathing her in, before pulling back, slowly letting her down. He cupped her face with one hand, the other resting on her waist.

"You can't be this understanding about it. Don't you have questions?"

"Of course," Elise nodded. "But if I can gaslight Bella into thinking she's delusional, it'll be ten times funnier when she finds out you are vampires."

A laugh escaped Carlisle's words and he kissed her sweetly again. "What are your questions? Anything you'd like to know?"

"Where were you this morning?" Elise questioned, head tilting.

"Oh," Carlisle pulled away, walking to the other side of the room and grabbing a box. "I got you donuts. I won't eat them, I can't eat human food—"

"—That makes so much sense," Elise nodded. "We've never been on a dinner date."

"I'm sorry about that," Carlisle set the box on the bed, walking back over to her, pulling her to him. "You deserve a proper date."

"I like our dates," Elise grinned up at him. "You showed me the stars and let me play Greene Day for three hours. And now we're in Canada and you took me on a ghost tour."

"I want to take you everywhere," he confessed softly.

"I'm okay with that."

Carlisle sighed softly. "Elise, now that you're...aware of my affliction, would you ever consider it?"

"Eternal life?" Elise raised her eyebrows, taking a seat on the bed. "I don't know. Can I think about it?"

"Of course," he kneeled down in front of her and grasped her hands. "Elise, you do not have to turn. I meant it: whatever future you and I are granted is enough for me. I'll gladly spend every second you give me."

"Why?" Elise asked, tears gathering in her eyes. "I mean, how old are you? You must — you must have lived a long time, right? Why me, why now? Why not...like Esme or something?"

"It's complicated," he admitted softly. "I don't want to scare you away."

"Never," Elise leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I'm yours, Carlisle."

"I should tell you more of myself first," he thought aloud. "My history. I'm three-hundred and sixty-five—"

"—What?" Elise exclaimed with wide eyes. "No way, you're being funny."

"I'm not," Carlisle replied with a small smile. "I was born in London in 1640—"

"—Do you have an accent?" Elise cut him off. "I don't hear it."

Carlisle's smile widened. "I do, but I use American to blend in more when we're in the states."

"Can you...say 'pompous circumstance, do you want some biscuits, aye, get me some crumpets and tea, get me a schedule, mate?' in a British accent, prettyyyy please?"

Carlisle shook his head with a grin. "No," he met her gaze. "I will never say any of those things to you."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please."

"Elise," he chuckled. "No."

"You're mean," Elise pouted.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he pressed a kiss to her head, standing up. "But I'll never say that to you."

Elise leaned against him, resting her head against his chest.

"What's your favorite time period?" She asked curiously. "I doubt it's now."

Carlisle thought for a moment, running his hand through her hair. "I enjoyed the 1800's," he said after a moment. "And the '20's, and the '50's." She heard the smile in his voice. "You'd have liked the 50's, my love."

"With gender roles, rampant sexism, homophobia, stigmatization of mental health, wife beatings, marital rape and xenophobia?" Elise asked with a raised eyebrow.

Carlisle sighed. "I meant the discovery of rock and roll. The Golden Age of Disney. The first vaccine for polio. The development of NASA. The first computer, the civil rights movement."

"Hmm," Elise pondered. "You've convinced me." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Besides, you'd never beat me."

His hands tightened in her hair. "When I marry you, you'll be a queen, Elise."

"When?"

"Yes," he gently pushed her back to the bed, her head landing next to the box of donuts. Carlisle leaned down, pressing soft kisses to her fingertips, the bare skin poking from under her shirt, her thighs under her shorts. "When, Elise Swan, I marry you, I will make you want for nothing."

Warmth pooled in Elise's center, but her inhale made her stomach rumble, the smell of donuts wafting through her nose. He chuckled, resting his head against her thigh.

"Are you hungry, sweetheart?"

"Nom nom nom," Elise opened the box and grabbed a donut. "Me so hungry."

Carlisle laughed at her words, slowly climbing over her and pressing a kiss to her nose, before lying on her other side.

"This is good," Elise commented, eating a chocolate glazed. "Do you smell blood when I'm on my period?"

Carlisle covered his face, shoulders shaking as he laughed quietly. "Elise, you're the most unique person I've ever known," he moved his head to the side, watching her. "I never know what will come out of your mouth."

"It was a real question," she asked, taking another bite.

"I do," he nodded. "As all vampires do, but it's...stale. Dead."

"What do I normally smell like?" Elise asked, moving into a seated position. His hand found her knee and he traced circles there.

"You have a unique smell," he informed her. "Also...a bit stale. You smell decrepit. But your perfume is lovely."

"You like cotton candy and apples? It's a newer one. Dad got it for me, said I was too gay using cologne."

He chuckled again. "Charlie Swan is exactly like you," he smiled up at her. "You're both flannel-wearing, cologne bearing, fish-loving, football-enjoying—"

"—Is there an end to this—"

"—People and I adore you for it," he grabbed her non-donut covered hand and pressed a kiss to her fingers. "I imagined a mate for centuries. What you'd be like, how you'd act. How well we'd get along and...you're nothing like I imagined."

"No?" Elise questioned, moving onto a second donut. "Cancer-having, Star Wars-loving, loud-mouthed, crass kind of girl?"

"Precisely," he nodded with a smile. He sat up, pressing a kiss to her lips, grimacing at the frosting on his lips. She reached her finger out and took the frosting, licking it off her finger. His eyes darkened from a golden to hazelnut and she smiled up at him.

"What?" She asked cheekily.

"You're a minx," he shook his head. "We can talk more on the drive," he got off the bed. "Bring your donuts, you'll get hungry. It's going to rain in the next few minutes, I'll drive us."

"Don't you burn in the sun?" She asked curiously. "We can extend our trip."

He paused, eyeing her for a moment. "You're going to laugh."

"I won't laugh," she frowned. "Why would you think that?"

"Because I know you," he gave her a pointed look and walked to the windows, opening the curtains.

As the light shined on him, Elise's eyes widened. Shimmering against his marble skin, he seemed to glimmer against it, sparkling.

Elise snorted, then covered her mouth, shaking her head. "Not...laughing..."

"Let it out," he rolled his eyes.

Elise burst into laughter, shaking her head at him. "You're...like a fairy!"

"Think it's funny?" Carlisle asked with a teasing scowl, stalking towards her.

Elise bit her lip; his blue button down half-cuffed at his sleeves, dark pants and belt, hair lightly tousled, his skin shimmering in the sunlight.

He was perfect.

"I do," Elise smiled up at him. "You look ridiculous."

"I'll show you ridiculous," he moved onto the bed, gently pushing her down. Taking the box of donuts, he tossed them to the floor and Elise was surprised she didn't hear them hit the ground, but didn't question the physics of a vampire. "Apologize."

Elise shook her head, letting out a giggle when he tickled her sides lightly.

"No, Carlisle!" She exclaimed, pushing him off with a laugh.

"Apologize," he leaned down, nuzzling against her neck. "Apologize, Elise..."

"Never!" She exclaimed, wrapping her legs around his waist and laughing when he tickled her again. "You'll never take me alive."

"Because you're a cancer patient," he replied dryly, nipping her ear.

A loud laugh left her. "Carlisle Cullen!"

He chuckled above her, pressing a kiss to her temple and pulling back. Carlisle pressed his hands on either side of her head, staring down at her.

"If you decide to turn, I'll marry you," he promised. "But if you decide not to turn, I'll marry you anyway."

"Really?" She asked softly, the smile on her face softening. "I won't make it a few months, Carlisle."

"I told you," he kissed her forehead, "every second will be bliss with you. I don't need a thousand years, but I'll take as many as you offer."

"Is this your proposal?" She asked, narrowing her eyes with a smile.

"Not yet," he kissed her softly. "Maybe next week."

"Think I'll make it that long?"

"I happen to have a psychic in the family," he admitted. "Alice sees the future."

"Like Professor Trelawney?"

He chuckled. "No," he shook his head. "She can see outcomes of decisions as someone makes them. She can't see all of your decisions, but she can see your future."

Elise's smile fell. "So you know when I die?"

"No," he said immediately. "Alice does, but she can see your decision is uncertain. Edward can see it too, because he can read minds."

Elise's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"Yes," Carlisle smiled softly. "All except Bella's. He does say you and your father are more static, like radios on the wrong channels. Bella doesn't give him anything."

"Anyone else have powers?" She asked curiously.

"In my family, yes, and in the vampire community, yes. Emmett has strength, he's stronger than an average vampire, Jasper can regulate emotions and control them — he's an empath — and Jack has telekinesis. I have compassion, meaning I...feel no urge to harm a human being. And it grants me elevated restraint when turning others. It allows me to work in my surgical field so easily."

"Can I meet them?" She asked softly. "Officially, I mean. I know I've me Edward and Alice in passing, and I know Jack."

"I'd love nothing more," he smiled down at her, pressing a kiss to her mouth softly. "Esme would love to cook for you, if you're interested."

"I will eat so much food."

He laughed softly. "I know," he leaned his forehead to hers. "A day you're feeling alright, we'll plan for it."

"You need to meet my dad."

"I have."

"I mean officially," her eyes narrowed. "He knows we're seeing each other, but I know he'd like to see you as my boyfriend."

"Whenever you'd like," he agreed. "Him and Bella. I know they're both important to you."

"Leah says you're bad news," Elise thought aloud.

"It's...complicated with the tribe," he admitted. "There's history there. It's not...my story to tell."

"But there's a story?"

"There is," he nodded. "I'm sure Leah can tell you, and if not, just know there's nothing to worry about."

"I want my best friend and boyfriend to get along."

"We have no personal quarrels with one another," he assured her. "You are my priority, I promise you."

Elise nodded, shifting her legs. "My legs are falling asleep."

He smiled, moving onto his back and pulling her to his chest, pressing a kiss to her head.

"Did you want to extend another night?" He asked gently. "It'll be sunny today, we only had a short window to leave. Otherwise, I'll have to wear a big sweatshirt and hood."

"Mmhm," Elise cuddled closer. "I want forever with you like this."

His hand was soft running through her hair.

"That can be arranged, love."

Elise smiled, tilting her head up to look at him a bit. "I heard the accent."

"Haven't a clue what you mean," he said quietly, kissing her nose. "I'll call the front desk. You sleep, sweet girl."

"Mmm, sounds good to me."

"Good girl."

—

heheheheheee I lovvveeee themmm smmm
she knows!!!!!
A lot of books go into the history of the love interest, but tbh I don't think Elise would honestly care that much. She'll ask eventually but she's just like "okay interesting moving on" because he's the love of her life and his history doesn't matter.
I'm so obsessed with them.
This chapter was so soft. Okay byeee