chapter┊ ✦. :: sixteen
♡ ﹙farewell﹚ ❋  ˚  ݂ ꛒ

Lydia was very focused on writing some notes about some patients when she felt a hand slide around her waist. She smiled without stopping writing, and when she finished, she turned to see Carlisle.

It had been almost a week since the incident with Bella, and things had been quite strange. As far as Lydia knew, Jasper and Alice had gone who knows where, Emmett and Rosalie had also left town, and according to Carlisle's explanation, Esme and Evander were also going on vacation far from the city, probably out of the country.

Carlisle hadn't told her, but Lydia already imagined what was going on. After Bella's incident, Edward didn't want her to be in danger surrounded by vampires. But Lydia didn't know what would happen between her and Carlisle. She assumed that no Cullen would stay in town. But where did she fit into all of this?

"Ready to go home?" Carlisle asked with a smile, leaving a kiss on the girl's forehead.

"Yes. I'll just take these sheets to the emergency room for the night doctors."

"Alright. Is it okay if I meet you in the parking lot?"

"Of course."

Lydia gave him a smile before walking towards the emergency room. She was nervous about what might happen in the next few hours. Would Carlisle break up with her? Would he ask for a long-distance relationship? Would he just disappear as if nothing had happened? To be honest, she was scared. She had no idea what to expect, and of course, she wasn't ready.

She met Carlisle at the entrance of the parking lot. She didn't say anything and silently got into the blonde's car. She didn't say a single word all the way, and neither did she change the radio station when that current song that she didn't like started playing. He didn't say much either, just focused on the road ahead but resting his hand on Lydia's knee and making gentle circles with his thumb.

As soon as the car stopped by her house, she didn't wait for Carlisle and opened the door to run inside. The blonde didn't understand what was happening, but he followed closely behind her into the house.

"Say it already," Lydia told him without looking at him, almost yelling.

"What are you talking about?" he frowned.

She turned around to look at him; her eyes were red and glassy.

"You're going to break up with me. I know your whole family left town after what happened with Bella, and that's okay, but don't make this harder. Just leave and... and leave me alone."

He shook his head, still confused and with a furrowed brow.

"Lydia," he approached, but she backed away.

"It's okay, Carlisle. They are your family, and I understand that you have to go with them. I really do, but don't make this painful."

He approached, and although she retreated, he was faster. He took her cheeks, pressing their foreheads together.

"You are my family too, Lydia. And I'm not leaving you behind. Never."

The girl felt her heart warm. An intense relief flooded her. But still, the accumulated tears slowly slid down her cheeks. She felt silly, but relieved.

"I really feel like a complete idiot for all this," she let out a scoff that sounded like an attempt at laughter, "did I just imagine that you were going to break up with me in the end?"

He smiled, pressing the girl's body a little closer to his.

"It never crossed my mind to break up with you," he left a quick kiss on her lips, "I wanted to ask you to come with me. Although I wasn't sure how to ask."

"It sounds too cheesy even for me," she took Carlisle's hand to give a gentle kiss on his knuckles, "but I would follow you to the end of the world without thinking twice."

A big smile spread across Carlisle's face.

"I'll make some calls to the hospital. Pack your bags, and we'll leave right away. We'll travel on the road until dawn."

Lydia had never heard him so excited.

"Okay," she sighed, "I won't regret it, right?"

"Never."

"I trust you."

Carlisle let go of the girl with a smile and took his phone out of his jacket.

"You won't regret it. Now go while I make the calls."

Lydia ran upstairs. She took out a suitcase she had stored and packed all the clothes she found along with other things she might need. She had no idea where they were going, but right now, it was the least of her concerns. She had never done anything crazy like that before.

Carlisle was by her side a few minutes later, helping her pack more clothes and close the suitcase. She was halfway down the stairs when Carlisle stepped forward to store the suitcase and came back to her to carry it in his arms and kiss her.

"Maybe we'll never come back."

Lydia couldn't stop smiling.

"It's okay. I don't care as long as I'm with you."

He helped her into the car, but he went back to turn off all the lights and properly close the door. When everything was ready, he got into the car and started driving. He placed a hand on the girl's leg as a smile spread across his lips.

He already knew their first stop.

🫀

Carlisle looked at Lydia, who had fallen asleep around four in the morning after giving a two-hour concert. He stopped the car by the side of the road and quickly got out to open the trunk and look for a blanket. He didn't want the girl to get sick, and even though there was heating inside, it was better not to risk it. After covering Lydia with a blanket, he continued on his way and didn't stop until it was a little after nine in the morning in front of a small roadside café. Lydia would probably be hungry when she woke up, and although Carlisle didn't need to rest, he wanted to stretch his legs for a while.

Lydia woke up with a strong pain in her neck. Sleeping in the car was definitely not a good idea at all. She stretched a little, unintentionally throwing the blanket that covered her. Then she realized she was completely alone in the car.

She raised the backrest to look around. Carlisle was outside making a phone call. She let out a big yawn and finally opened the car door, taking the blanket to shield herself from the cold outside. It was as if the temperature had dropped drastically even though it was almost eleven.

The blonde looked at Lydia with a smile and signaled her to wait a moment. She did, walking a few steps in the opposite direction of where Carlisle was to see where they might be, but she really had no idea. All she saw was a deep forest and a road. Further ahead, there was a small building, which she assumed was a roadside café.

"I'm sorry," Carlisle approached her, "are you okay?"

She nodded.

"It's cold. Where are we going?"

"We're almost at our destination. We're heading to Alaska; I'd like you to meet some people."

She looked at him with a furrowed brow, but then yawned again.

"Alright. How much longer until we get there?"

"Not really. Maybe four or five more hours if I increase the speed. I didn't want you to wake up in the middle of the

night, so I went a little slower."

"I sleep like a log. But thanks for being so considerate."

Carlisle smiled.

"Are you hungry?"

"Actually, yes."

"Let's go, get back in the car, and we'll go to the café up ahead."

She did as she was told. They didn't spend much time in the café because Lydia ate very quickly, and soon they were back on the road. This time, with the girl drinking a chocolate milkshake and singing as if she were giving a big concert.

Carlisle really felt more alive being with her. He felt the energy that emanated from the girl and that contagious happiness. He would never get tired of it.

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