»—— act two. new moon
☽⋅── FOUR ──what did i almost want to do? ─⋅☾

The car ride, to the Cullens house didn't take long for Eleanor to recognize the direction they were headed. It was familiar territory, having visited the home many times before.

"Should I even bother pretending I don't know where we're going?" she teased with a grin.

Eve rolled her eyes playfully, "Maybe I should have blindfolded you to maintain the surprise. Just play along, for the sake of the mystery," she suggested, chuckling softly.

Throughout the journey, they witnessed the sky transform from a vibrant orange hue to a moonlit night.

As the car approached the long driveway, they noticed Edward and Carlisle engaged in conversation outside the home. The car then rolled closer, and both men noticed their arrival, turning their attention to the car coming up the drive.

As Carlisle approached the driver's door, he opened it for Eve, with a warm smile. "My knight in shining armour at the ready." she teased, accepting his outstretched hand.

Eleanor made a disapproving face, "Please, don't forget I'm here."

Meanwhile, Edward made his way over as she opened the door.

"You know," he read her thoughts.

"Of course, I do," she grinned with sass.

Eve rolled her eyes at her daughter's attitude, as they entered the home together.

As Eleanor began to head for the door, she chimed in, "It seems like I would have figured it out anyway, thanks to Alice's ongoing questions."

Edward shrugged, "Yeah, well, I did try to suggest subtlety."

Eleanor laughed, "Well, let's face it, subtlety isn't Alice's thing."

Suddenly, Alice's voice echoed through the room. "Flattered, are we?" she teased, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

"I prefer to call it being prepared," Alice chimed in, wrapping her arms around Eleanor in a warm hug.

"Happy birthday, El." Alice continued, embracing the young girl in a warm hug.

Eleanor's response was a smile, "Thank you, Alice."

"Follow me, I have a special outfit ready for your birthday outfit!" Alice exclaimed, eagerly tugging Eleanor away.

Edward sighed as he watched the women ascend the stairs. He then approached Eve, who was quietly standing in the party area.

"Where's Carlisle?"

Eve casually responded, "He's in his office retrieving Eleanor's gift. Where are the others?"

"Jasper and Emmett just returned from hunting," Edward explained. "They're currently in the bathroom cleaning up. I'm not sure where Rosalie has gone, and Alice has kidnapped Eleanor."

Eve glanced around at the decorations, recalling the past. "El once despised these flowers," she mused, touching the baby's breath. "They reminded her of her father too much. But then, one day she realized that the more she hated them, the more sad it made her. She started avoiding them, but the more she avoided them, the more she found herself thinking about them. And before she knew it, she began to adore them."

"Do you happen to know the significance of these particular flowers?" Eve inquired, directing her question to Edward.

With a nod, Edward moved closer and responded, "They symbolize everlasting love."

Eve nodded in acknowledgement, then turned towards Edward with a serious expression. "I'd like to have a private discussion with you after I speak with Carlisle. I need to request something from you."

Edward seemed to sense the gravity of the situation and agreed, "Sure, just let me know when you're ready."

Eve smiled and patted Edward on the shoulder, turning her attention as she noticed Carlisle entering the room. She moved towards him, and he wrapped his arm over her shoulder, planting a kiss on her forehead.

Edward observed the affectionate moment, a mixture of jealousy and understanding crossing his features. He recalled how Carlisle had long avoided the subject of finding someone special, and now witnessing Carlisle's happiness in a relationship, Edward started to grasp the depth of Carlisle's previous loneliness.

As Edward's focus shifted away from Carlisle and Eve, his gaze landed on Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie entering the room. It became apparent that Rosalie's behaviour had undergone a significant transformation since dealing with James. He noticed that she had warmed up to Eve and Eleanor, a marked improvement in their relationship.

The room filled with conversations as everyone engaged in discussions, all while patiently awaiting Alice and Eleanor's arrival.

As Eve conversed with Rosalie, a gnawing sensation tugged at her thoughts, reminding her of the foreboding feeling she experienced before the arrival of Victoria, James, and Laurent. However, this feeling felt different—more intense and consuming than before. It was an unsettling presence that clawed at her throat like a relentless hunger.

Carlisle gently felt Eve's tenseness in his arms, not wanting to interrupt her conversation with Rosalie. As she leaned into his embrace, he patted her arm in reassurance.

Once her interaction with Rosalie concluded, she moved to be with Emmett. She touched his chest, saying, "There's something...off."

Carlisle looked at her intently, "What do you mean?"

Eve shook her head, "I can't quite explain it..." she murmured softly.

Carlisle was about to ask for more details when the sound of two sets of footsteps descending from the stairs caught his attention.

Eleanor and Alice appeared downstairs, and Emmett made a jestful comment. "Wow, Eleanor in a dress? That's not something I ever thought I'd see!"

Rosalie promptly slapped Emmett across the chest, chastising him for his remark.

Alice laughed heartily, "I had quite a struggle trying to get her to wear it, but she looks great!"

Eleanor sighed, "I prefer staying in jeans and sweaters, but I suppose I can indulge your whims and be dolled up occasionally, Alice."

Alice chuckled and grabbed her arm, leading her further downstairs. Eleanor took in the decorations, smiling appreciatively at the baby's breath flowers and the emerald green-themed party.

"Thank you for everything," she expressed gratefully.

As Eve rubbed her neck and inhaled deeply, she mustered a smile despite the unsettling feeling she was experiencing. Carlisle watched her closely, his arm securely around her, his worry growing. Despite his curiosity about the cause of her discomfort, he refrained from questioning her directly, not wanting to dampen the atmosphere on Eleanor's special day.

As the others gathered around to celebrate Eleanor's birthday, Carlisle and Eve observed the festivities from the sidelines until a minor incident occurred. Eleanor accidentally cut her finger on the wrapping paper and started bleeding.

Jasper's frenzy, fueled by the scent of her blood, caused Edward to spring into action. He positioned himself between Jasper and Eleanor, preventing him from getting any closer.

However, Edward's actions resulted in a commotion, involving Carlisle and Emmett trying to restrain Jasper. In the chaos, Eleanor's attempt to flee led her to collide with a nearby vase, which shattered. Eleanor suffered a gash on her arm.

Eve, in the middle of rushing over to check on Eleanor, froze in horror as she saw the blood trickling down her daughter's arm.

The scent of the blood drew a reaction from everyone, and the room filled with tense silence, with Carlisle the only one seemingly unaffected by it.

Carlisle swiftly acted, grabbing hold of Eleanor's arm to stem the flow of blood. Emmett had escorted Jasper out of the room, followed by Alice and Rosalie.

Edward stood still, his senses overwhelmed by Eleanor's blood, but he forced himself to remain composed.

Carlisle firmly held Eleanor's bleeding arm, declaring, "I'll need to extract the shards and suture your injury." She struggled to hide her pain but simply nodded in response.

As he turned his attention to Eve, Carlisle noted her laboured breathing and sweating, but his mistake was raising his blood-stained hand towards her.

Edward's gaze widened upon observing Eve's primal reaction, attempting to pounce at the scent of the blood. He swiftly grasped Eve, commanding, "Eve! Stop!"

Eleanor's voice cut through the chaos, "Mom...?"

As Carlisle issued his orders, he turned to Edward, "Edward, take her out of here, where she can't smell the blood."

Eve's hands clawed through the air, driven by her desire to pursue the scent of the blood.

Carlisle then turned his gaze to Eleanor, expressing a mixture of shock and confusion, "Edward, hurry! Take her away before she loses control."

As Edward hastily led Eve out of the room, an inexplicable turmoil took hold of Carlisle and Eleanor, left in bewilderment by her mother's behaviour.

Carlisle ascended the stairs, guiding Eleanor to his office to address her injury. As he attended to her wound, she expressed her bewilderment, "What happened to my mom?"

Carlisle confessed his confusion, "I don't have an explanation. Her behaviour mirrored Jasper's frenzied state."

Eleanor's confusion mounted, "But she isn't a vampire. How is this possible?"

Carlisle shook his head, "It shouldn't be possible, as she possesses blood and a beating heart."

Eleanor's mood darkened, a tear forming in her eye. "This doesn't make sense..."

"Whatever it is," Eleanor uttered, her voice wavering. "Once my mom realizes what she almost did, she'll be devastated."

There was a profound silence in the room as Carlisle and Eleanor grappled with the enigma unravelling before them. Meanwhile, in the adjacent room, Edward had escorted Eve outside, where they now stood together, each lost in their own thoughts.

Edward then gently settled her on a nearby chair, his expression reflecting his worry. He inquired with tenderness, "Are you okay, Eve?"

She had already begun to calm down slightly by the time they were outside. When prompted by Edward, "What did I almost do, Edward?"

Eve posed the question although she suspected the answer, seeking reassurance that the event had not transpired. Despite this, she knew deep down that her behaviour had been erratic.

Edward scrutinized her appearance, noting the remnants of her unexpected frenzy, her breathing still slightly laboured. He paused briefly before replying, "You were...out of control. You wanted to..."

His voice trailed off, unwilling to elaborate on the unsettling thought, but it was clear that she understood.

Eve's voice trembled as she cried out, "But why? This is the first time I've ever felt like this! I work in a hospital with blood constantly, and being around Eleanor when she's injured never triggered such a reaction before. Why was today different?"

Edward's eyes locked onto hers, detecting the depth of her emotional turmoil mirrored in her thoughts. He reached for her clenched hand, attempting to shield her mind, and responded, "I don't have an answer. We'll have to await Carlisle's insights."

She clung to his cold hand for a moment before weeping even more.

Edward turned to encounter Carlisle, who had emerged from the house. They exchanged a nod, and Edward promptly went to check on Eleanor. To his surprise, he found her comfortably seated at the table, devouring a plate of food, while Rosalie occupied the chair beside her.

He furrowed his brow at the scene, noticing Eleanor's puffy eyes. She attempted to lighten the mood with a jest, remarking, "They say food is the best medicine."

Rosalie turned to Edward, noticing his tense expression. "Don't worry, her blood didn't affect me that much," she reassured him.

Edward approached the table, taking a seat alongside Rosalie and Eleanor. Eleanor set down her fork, awaiting an update on her mother's state.

He shook his head and replied, "She's devastated by what almost happened. Give her some time to speak with Carlisle, and once the initial shock subsides, you can talk to her."

Eleanor expressed her guilt, "I had to be so clumsy and mess everything up."

Rosalie offered a comforting touch on Eleanor's shoulder, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. She remained silent, understanding that things couldn't be changed.

Meanwhile, outside Carlisle was on the brink of holding Eve, but abruptly felt his hand pushed away. He would have been hurt by her rejection, but the broken expression and tear-streaked face on her face spoke volumes.

She strained her voice, "I almost hurt Eleanor... her blood was intoxicating. Carlisle, what did I almost do to my daughter?"

Carlisle stared at Eve, the gravity of her statement weighing heavily on him. "Eve, it's not as simple aa—

But before he could continue, she abruptly interrupted him, her voice filled with desperation and anguish. "No! You need to tell me now." She pressed.

Carlisle's words hung in the air, finally admitting the truth. "You had the look of a vampire who couldn't resist the temptation."

With a choked sob, Eve immediately broke down into tears, and she wrapped her arms around his torso. He reciprocated her embrace, offering comfort and support as she continued to weep.

As time passed, Eve continued to cry, the tears flowing freely. Hours ticked by as she held onto Carlisle, finding solace in his presence.

Finally, after a while, her tears began to subside, and she gradually began to calm down, her grip on him loosening slightly.

After a few hours, Eve's tears finally dried up, and her grip on Carlisle started to loosen slightly.

"I have to find out about my past, Carlisle. I have to go to New York and uncover anything." She declared fiercely.

Carlisle's words were firm and resolute, his determination unwavering. "I'm going with you, Eve."

She tried to protest, "You can't—"

But Carlisle silenced her with a steadfast look, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Yes, I am. With my years of experience and knowledge, I'll be able to aid you. You aren't facing this alone."

"But what about your family?" She attempted to reason, only to be cut off once more by Carlisle.

"They'll stay here and ensure Eleanor's safety," he concluded with a reassuring smile.

He added, "Regardless of your protest, I would've followed after you. So, we're doing this together, for you and Eleanor."

Eve clenched her teeth in frustration before sighing in resignation and leaning on his chest. "When you insist on things like this, Carlisle, it makes me fall in love with you even more each time."

Caught off guard, Carlisle froze momentarily as her unexpected confession registered in his mind.

Eve was taken aback by her own words, realizing immediately the impact they had on Carlisle. As she leaned against his chest, her declaration of love slipped out before she could stop herself.

He was, speechless, as her words hung heavily in the air between them.

A mixture of shock and excitement flickered across Eve's face as she processed her confession. "Oh god, did I just say what I think I did?"

Tempted to retreat, she attempted to take a step back. However, Carlisle's lips claimed hers in a deep kiss, silencing her words and any doubts that might have lingered.

Time seemed to stand still as they lost themselves in the passionate embrace. When the moment finally ended, Eve tried to wrench her face free, but Carlisle's arms wrapped around her, holding her tight.

He leaned in, his lips just barely touching hers, and his words were filled with raw emotion. "I love you, and words are never enough to convey just how deeply I feel for you."

Eve collapsed into his arms, tears streaming down her face. Between her sobs, she managed to murmur her "I love you."

He held her, embracing her tight, finding humour in her emotional outburst and she mumbled declaration.