»—— act four. breaking dawn, part one
☽⋅── NINE ──whatever trials lay ahead ─⋅☾

Eve felt herself transported back to her childhood in her dream, but there was a sense of melancholy in the air. She found herself in her small bed, woken up by the sight of her father getting dressed. However, his attire looked different, more practical than his usual attire.

"Daddy, are you going somewhere?" Young Eve asked, rubbing her eyes, sleep still lingering on her face. Her father turned, seemingly startled, almost as if he hadn't expected her to be awake. There was a hint of hidden alarm behind his attempt to conceal it.

"Yes, I have to go somewhere for a little while," he replied, a note of unease in his tone. He walked over to the bed and sat down beside her, reaching out to pat her head affectionately. "But I'll be back soon, sweetie."

Eve, blissfully ignorant of the abnormality of the situation, beamed at her father with a wide grin. "Okay, don't forget to bring me something exciting!"

He ruffled her hair affectionately and reassured her, "I will, but you have to promise me you'll behave while I'm gone. No, going outside, just stay safe indoors." He then gestured towards the pottery, "I've filled them to the brim with what you need. Just don't finish them all at once. I'll be back before you know it."

"I promise I'll be good, Daddy," the young Eve nodded, still filled with the innocence and trust of a child. Her father smiled fondly at her, but his expression still had an undertone of worry.

"That's my girl," he said, his voice a mix of pride and concern. He leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead before he stood up, adjusting his clothes once more.

"I love you, and I'll try not to miss you too much," the father replied, a hint of sadness in his eyes. He gave her another gentle pat on the head before reluctantly walking towards the door. He lingered there, a flicker of guilt in his gaze, but young Eve was too engrossed in humming to herself and nestling back into bed to discern the underlying emotion.

Unaware of the reality, young Eve went about her daily routine. She cleaned the small cottage, using a makeshift broom to dust the floor, and then spent her time humming to herself. She had grown accustomed to this monotonous routine, finding little boredom in it.

The day went on as usual as she drank some of the prepared blood, carefully concealing the rest to prevent it from going bad. After that, she sat at the table, closing her eyes, and her mind filled with thoughts of playing outside or spending time with her father, eagerly awaiting his return.

As night fell, the young Eve tidied up and got ready for bed. The next day progressed as usual, and she patiently continued to wait for her father, completely unaware that her wait was in vain.

Time passed, and the pottery full of blood gradually emptied, yet Eve, lacking a sense of time did not grasp how many days had passed. Unaware it had been weeks.

Finally, on the last day, after consuming the last bit of blood, she sensed something stir within her. However, the usual feeling of expectation for her father's return was absent.

Eve frowned, confused at the strange feeling. Why wasn't her father back yet? Shouldn't he have been back by now? She tried to shake off the feeling, but it lingered in the back of her mind, gnawing at the edges of her thoughts.

As the day went on, the sense of worry grew stronger. She fidgeted, her small fingers picking at the fabric of her clothes as she glanced towards the door, hoping each time she looked that her father would knock on the door, their secret little passcode.

As time went on, the home continued to remain silent, with no knock at the door. The only sources of light in the house were the small fireplace and the oil lamp, both near the end of their supplies, as young Eve poured the last drops of oil and burned the last bits of firewood left.

The darkness grew, filling the space around her, but it was not the darkness she feared. It was the absence of her father, the silence that filled the air like a heavy cloak, that scared her more than anything else.

Eve turned her gaze towards the door, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and disappointment. Days passed by, each day starting with the hope of her father returning, and each day ending in a bitter realization that he was still not coming. She slept and awoke, waiting for something, anything that would signal his return, but all she was met with was an endless silence.

The pangs of hunger gnawed at her stomach, becoming more and more intense. Young Eve approached the door, recalling her father's promise, but this time, another thought crossed her mind. If her father wouldn't come to feed her, was she bound to wait and slowly starve?

But her instincts, stronger and more persuasive, were telling her to go out and find food, to seek sustenance instead of waiting for something that may not arrive. She was puzzled, however, as to why her instincts did not tell her to search for her father.

Young Eve reached for the door handle and slowly pushed it open, feeling a gentle breeze fill the air and freshness against her face. The sky was tinted in a warm, orange hue, signalling that it was evening. She inhaled deeply, savouring the crisp air before releasing a sigh.

She then turned her gaze behind the cottage but then looked away, feeling a strange urge to venture forth. She smiled, then took off, running through the flowery field.

As she darted through the blooming flowers, she couldn't help but pause to gather some berries. Her father had always taken care of hunting, so she instead used her knowledge of gathering berries and fruits that were within reach.

Young Eve's mind buzzed with excitement, the thrill of being outside in the world she rarely experienced, a world usually shared only with her father.

But to her surprise, he was becoming a distant memory, lingering in the back of her mind as she learned to survive, relying on the wisdom of others she eventually came across.

Time went by without her even being fully aware of it, and she adapted to her new life, mimicking the behaviour of other people she encountered. In this way, she managed to live.

Yet, deep in the recesses of her mind and almost faded from her conscious thoughts, was the memory of her father.

As time went by, the memory of her father was slowly fading into the farthest depths of her consciousness, almost as if it were completely lost to her.

Eve continued to live, growing older and adapting to her new life with ease. She discovered a sense of fulfilment in assisting others and interacting with diverse individuals.

Whenever people inquired about her family, she would swiftly shift the topic, as if programmed to avoid speaking about it. In her mind, she was simply Eve, with no family. This was the life she now led.

It took several years for Eve to realize that she appeared to have stopped ageing at the age of twenty. However, due to her habit of travelling and periodically altering her appearance, she only became aware of it when she returned to visit people she had known in the past.

Eve began to notice that she never gained wrinkles or grey hair and that her skin stayed flawless as if she was frozen in time. In addition, she found that when she sustained injuries, her body healed as if the injuries had never occurred.

Centuries went by, and as time passed, Eve grew weary of her seemingly endless life. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't sleep forever, as her body constantly healed itself the moment she woke up.

Feeling trapped, she forced herself to keep living, until one day, everything changed. It was the day she found her golden sunrise.

...

Eve slowly opened her eyes, waking from a deep sleep a sense of realization came over her, and she found herself sitting up. The room around her was still dimly lit. Eve took a moment to collect her thoughts, reflecting on the memory of how her father had left all those centuries ago, and how the passing of time had caused her to forget him as if her mind had somehow forced itself to erase any memory of him.

Eve didn't want to brood in bed, dwelling on her heartache, so she forcefully pushed the thoughts aside and got up.

To her surprise, she no longer felt the weariness that had plagued her for so long. Instead, she felt wide awake, as if her body no longer needed sleep.

Eve left the room and made her way around the home, seeking out Carlisle, who she found alone in the clinic.

As she entered the clinic, she discovered Carlisle sitting at his desk, surrounded by a small reading lamp. When Carlisle looked up and saw Eve, there was a flicker of surprise in his expression, but it soon gave way to a soft smile.

"Good morning," Carlisle greeted her. He looked at her for a moment, taking in how she seemed different. "Did you sleep well?"

Eve attempted to plaster a smile on her face, but in a moment of realization, she released her efforts, recognizing that she didn't need to conceal her pain from Carlisle. With a resigned expression, she confessed, "I had a dream again, about my past... this time it was about my father when he abandoned me..."

As she spoke, Carlisle was suddenly beside her, gently guiding her to a nearby couch. Without a word, he took a seat next to her, his expression filled with understanding. He waited patiently for her to continue, not rushing her.

Eve took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. "It's funny, you know," she began, her voice tinged with a hint of irony. "I've lived for centuries, I've been through so much, but the memory of that day, when my father abandoned me, still hurts. It's like a fresh wound that never fully healed."

"I seemed to forget all about it", Eve began, her words carrying a weight of contemplation, "because my mind pushed the hurt aside, trying to make me move on without remembering." She released a deep sigh, expressing, "I want to be angry, I want to hate him, yet deep inside, I knew my father loved me. But I want to know, what was the reason he left? And I don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to find out because, honestly, I don't even know if he's still alive."

Carlisle listened intently, his gaze never leaving her face as he absorbed her words. He could see the pain and confusion etched on her face, and he longed to ease her heartache in some way.

His thoughts briefly considered the possibility that her father could be the individual he had in mind, but he refrained from giving false hope. He knew that it would cause her even more pain if there was a chance he was mistaken.

He decided to wait, to hold back his suspicions until she had less on her plate. He would wait until after their twins were born and when they no longer had the constant threat of an impending attack hanging over their heads.

In the meantime, he focused his attention on offering comfort and support. "I'm sorry you're going through this," Carlisle said softly, reaching out to gently take her hand in his, offering a silent gesture of reassurance.

Eve returned Carlisle's grip, a small smile forming on her lips. "It will be hard," she acknowledged, her voice tinged with a mixture of nostalgia and resignation, "but I'll be okay."

She took a moment, her gaze shifting into determined focus. "We have to focus on what's happening now," she continued, "because I can't change the past. What's done is done."

Carlisle nodded, appreciating the strength in her words. He knew she was a strong woman, but it still warmed his heart to see her determination to push forward despite the pain from her past.

"You are right," he replied, his voice gentle yet supportive. "We have to stay in the moment and focus on what we can do now. And remember, you are not alone. I'm here with you, and we will face whatever comes together."

Eve's grip on his hand tightened as she absorbed his words. She knew she wasn't alone, that Carlisle would be there for her, and she felt a strange sense of comfort in that knowledge. As her gaze met him, a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"I love you," She said softly leaning her forehead on his.

Carlisle smiled warmly at her words. He lifted his free hand to tenderly cup her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her skin. "I love you too," he replied, his voice filled with tenderness and affection.

He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, before resting his own against hers. They stayed like this, taking comfort in each other's presence, their foreheads touching gently.

The room was still and quiet, the only sound was Eve's breathing and the soft thud of her heartbeat. At this moment, it was as if time stood still, and all that mattered was the connection between them.

Finally, Carlisle spoke, his voice a soft murmur, "We will get through this. Together, we can face anything. I promise."

Eve's free hand moved to cover the one he had placed on her cheek, holding it gently. She closed her eyes, absorbing his words and the warmth of his touch.

"I trust you," she replied, her voice filled with certainty. She knew that as long as Carlisle was by her side, they could face whatever trials lay ahead.