»—— act one. twilight
☽⋅── TWO ──carlisle cullen ─⋅☾

The next morning dawned overcast, with the weather taking on a dreary tone. Eleanor's expression was a mix of annoyance and exhaustion, clearly eager for the Cullen family to return to school just to have everyone less annoying.

For Eve, the thought of finally meeting the infamous Dr. Cullen brought a sense of expectation and curiosity to the forefront of her mind.

As they got in the car, Eve glanced at Eleanor, who seemed to be deep in thought, her expression slightly irritated. "You seem somewhat distracted," she commented, breaking the silence of the car.

Eleanor shifted her focus to her mother, a hint of frustration still lingering on her face. "It got me thinking about those siblings." She paused, her tone thoughtful yet tinged with irritation. "Even if I am being avoided by one of them, at least my classmates won't be constantly complaining about his absence."

Eve couldn't help but chuckle at her words. "I won't tell you to interact with him again, but please, no more cursing at him." She added with a touch of humour in her voice. "I haven't even had the chance to meet the doctor who is likely his father yet."

Eleanor nodded slightly, a wry smile still playing on her lips. "I guess you're right."

Her expression softened slightly, and she continued, "I'll try to rein in my temper, but no promises." A quiet moment of comfortable silence hung in the air, broken only by the sounds of the car engine and the occasional rumble of distant thunder.

Eve glanced at her daughter, assessing her mood, before returning her gaze to the road ahead.

...

As Eve waved goodbye to her daughter, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. The sensation, one of the chills running down her spine, compelled her to look outside the car window. There, in the distance, she noticed a girl with a pixie cut, eyes fixed on her.

Intrigued by the unexpected exchange, Eve decided to return the wave, offering a warm smile. The girl hesitated momentarily before reciprocating with a bright smile of her own.

The moment was brief, but Eve wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Once the moment had passed, the petite girl soon fell into conversation with others, and Eve only caught a fleeting glimpse.

As she drove away, focused on the drive to the hospital for work, she couldn't shake off the memory of the brief interaction.

As Eve arrived at the hospital, her thoughts remained somewhat preoccupied. The memory of the girl with the pixie cut lingered and made her curious. She shook her head slightly, pushing away her musings as she stepped out of the car and headed towards the hospital building.

Somewhere else in the hospital, Carlisle was attending to a patient. Suddenly, he froze in place as a sweet scent filled the air, making him speechless.

Surprised and puzzled by the unexpected reaction, he stood still for a few moments, trying to make sense of the inexplicable situation. His patient, fortunately engrossed in a newspaper, remained unaware of Carlisle's unusual state. By the time the patient would have noticed, Carlisle had regained control and composed himself, as if nothing had occurred.

After successfully tending to his patient, Carlisle stepped out of the room and once more encountered the sweet scent that had captured his attention. This time, he was able to locate its source - a female doctor, Evelyn Demeter, stationed at the nurse's station. He observed her closely, his sharp eyes noting her physician's badge.

Meanwhile, Eve, engaged in conversation with the nurse, suddenly experienced the chills, prompting her to turn her head. Their eyes met for a brief moment before she turned back to the nurse, excused herself, and made her way over to where Carlisle stood.

Carlisle watched her approach, a mixture of fascination and anticipation in his eyes. He observed her every move, unable to take his gaze away. As Eve finally stood in front of him, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, revealing a subtle hint of amusement.

"Dr. Demeter," he acknowledged, his voice smooth and melodic, "I've been meaning to make your acquaintance. I am Dr. Cullen."

Eve chuckled softly, "Just call me Dr. Eve." She extended her hand out to Carlisle, a warm smile on her face. He reciprocated, taking her hand and gently shaking it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Eve," Carlisle replied, his voice soft and soothing.

For a brief moment, Eve noticed the sensation of his cold, almost corpse-like touch. The thought crossed her mind, but she quickly shook it off, offering him a smile. "And it's great to finally put a face to the name," she said graciously.

Eve nodded in agreement, accepting his gesture. His firm grip and the subtle coldness of his hand didn't escape her notice, yet she chose to overlook it in a polite manner.

The two continued in a brief conversation, exchanging pleasantries and light banter. The initial tension seemed to ease slightly, replaced by a casual ease. As the small talk continued, Carlisle found himself gazing at her face, appreciating its delicate features and gentle demeanour.

"You have a kind smile," he remarked, his tone warm.

Eve smiled, slightly surprised by Carlisle's observation. "Thank you," she replied, a touch of warmth in her voice. His words, although simple, held a genuine appreciation.

They stood there, facing each other, the silence between them filled with an aura of mutual respect and understanding. Carlisle continued to observe her intently, his gaze wandering over her face and figure as if committing every detail to memory.

Eve felt a mixture of emotions as she stood in front of Carlisle, his stunning appearance leaving her momentarily captivated. However, after a few moments, she composed herself, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

"Forgive me," she whispered, her voice lowered, "but I must say, the nurses were not exaggerating when they spoke of your beauty."

Carlisle couldn't help but chuckle at her bold statement. "I must admit, you're the first person to speak my appearance so openly," he replied, his voice tinged with amusement.

"Well, it's true," she said, her tone still soft but holding a hint of confidence. As her pager rang through the hallway, signalling her call for duty, Evie turned her attention back to Carlisle.

"I should get going," she informed him, a small smile on her face, "I hope we'll have the chance to talk more later. Take care, Dr. Cullen." She gave him a final nod, before turning and making her way down the hall, leaving Carlisle standing there, his own thoughts lingering on the encounter.

Carlisle stood there in silence, watching Eve walk away. He couldn't deny the subtle impact her presence had on him - a mix of admiration and perhaps even a hint of attraction. Her boldness and confident demeanour was quite intriguing, stirring something within him that he hadn't felt ever.

As she vanished down the hall, Carlisle smiled to himself, wondering if they would have the opportunity to speak again. The encounter had left an impression on him, one that would likely linger for some time.

Carlisle found himself breathing deeply as if trying to recapture a whiff of the intoxicating scent that still lingered in the air.

The fragrance that had enveloped the room seemed to have left an imprint, clinging to his senses. He couldn't dismiss it - it remained ever-present, a reminder of the fleeting encounter with the captivatingly beautiful doctor.

His instincts and intuition recognized the significance of their encounter, and he wasn't oblivious to the intense attraction that washed over him. The feeling and pull he experienced went beyond simple charm or attraction—he sensed a profound connection that ran deeper than mere physical attraction.

Carlisle knew this was something special, and part of him was elated at the prospect of having found his "mate" - but he also understood the need to proceed with caution. He wanted to cherish this journey, allowing their bond to develop naturally and organically, rather than rush into defining their relationship by some predetermined name.

Carlisle murmured her name softly to himself, savouring the way it sounded on his tongue. He couldn't help the gentle smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. As his thoughts lingered on her, he turned away, refocusing his attention on the professional duties that awaited.