Reach × A twilight saga fiction

》gift

Doctor Cullen is still on my mind the next morning, as he had been all night. No, I don't have a crush on him, but I am curious about him. He's so young, how does he have a wife and kid, a kid who's married!? And he's so pale. That isn't so hard, giving we live in a place where there is hardly any sun at all; I'm pale too, but he's a whole new kind of pale skinned. He smelt amazing too, he was so polite and he managed to make me feel comfortable. He's probably been raised with money, though, so he knows how to make people do or feel however he wants them to.

I sigh and sip the disgusting protein drink the doctor has me on. The taste is revolting, stale, and the texture is slimy. I'm so sensitive to textures in my mouth that I have to suppress a gag every mouthful I take.

I look up at the door when I hear footsteps approach and then stop. Cullen. Doctor Cullen stands in the doorway, that smile on his face again as he stands in a white shirt, black tie, suit pants and a lab coat. In his arm is what looks like books.

"Good morning Adley." He says cheerfully as he comes over and sits on the edge of my bed. "How are you today?"

I shrug small. "Okay I guess.." I set the drink on the table.

He chuckles. "Sure you are. You hate that drink huh?" I blush and nod. "Maybe we can try some food later, so you don't have to drink that horrible stuff."

"O-okay thank you." I nod small again. I forgot - he's my doctor now. I look at the books. "What are those?"

He smiles wide again and sets them in my lap. "A late birthday present. I told Esme, my wife, that you loved Shakespeare and that Shelley said you loved to read, and she dug these out for you. We have so many books so I dug a few of my favourite out for you, too."

I blush deeply as a small smile creeps onto my lips. I look through the books and see a few I know and many I don't. "Wow.. thank you so much. I've never heard of many of these authors." I say quietly.

"Many of them aren't very recognised, but they're very interesting writers. You like older books, right?"

I nod small. How did he know so much about me...? "I do, thank you again. Thank your wife for me too."

"Of course. I'll leave you be for a while but I'll be in soon to take your vitals." He smiles and pats my knee before leaving.

I watch as he leaves, watching his graceful and smooth movements. There isn't a single crease on the blanket where he sat, it's like he wasn't even there. I shake off my thoughts and look at the books. I take the muddy brown colored one, a sort of velvet feel to it, and begin to read slowly. I get lost in the book very easily.

×××××××

▪ Carlisle POV The evening before ▪

I leave Adley's room in a thoughtful state. Such a beautiful, sweet girl. The freckles on her cheeks, the orange coloured hair. The poor thing is all alone, sick, and I feel so helpless. I need to tell Esme about her, she'll love her.

I make it back to the house in record time that evening. What is usually at least a 3 hour drive for most took me barely an hour. All the lights are on in the house as usual, but I can tell Esme is the only one home. I run inside at a more human speed, which I've gotten used to doing where I have to be inconspicuous at the hospital.

"Essy?" I call as I put my briefcase down.

She appears beside me seconds later and I gently kiss her with a smile. "How was work?" She smiles as I wrap my arms around her.

I smile. "I met this girl.. Adley. She is so sweet and bright but..."

Esme frowns. "But what, love?"

I sigh. "She has leukaemia. She s just turned 15." I shake my head and sigh again. That's one thing about being immortal that I hate- while I get to stay healthy and never lose those I love, everyday humans are dying from sickness and disease which many of them can't afford to treat. It sometimes makes me loathe being what I am, a vampire. But by being a doctor i know I can at least save a few lives, hopefully make people feel better.

"There's that look in your eye." She says matter of factly. A small hint of a smirk settles on her lips.

"Look?" I raise an eyebrow as I look down at her.

She nods. "The same look you have when you changed me. The same look you have for our children. You care about her, feel for her."

I sigh. "I don't know... She is all alone up there. This isn't a case of 'I must change her, cure her'." I shake my head and look out of the big window, staring into the dark. "Changing her wouldn't help her. But she's got such a gentle soul, I can just feel it. One of her nurses was telling me she lost her grandmother a few weeks ago. She had to give her up when she was first diagnosed because of her age and other things. Plus her parents abandoned her when she was barely a toddler."

Esme frowns deeply; she gets this little look in her eyes, one I recognise. "See, now you have a look." I chuckle small.

She shoves me playfully and sits on the couch. "Well, what can we do? How can we help her?" She leans her chin on her hand and her elbow on her knee as she frowns, her smooth, pale for head wrinkling.

"I don't know. The hospital will not allow her to stay there much longer; she doesn't have the funding for the treatment she's receiving. Shelley is currently paying for as much of it as she can but I checked her records and she cannot afford much else." I sit beside her.

"Do you think maybe... maybe we could foster her?" Essy looks up at me.

I frown. That's a good idea.. "Well we can look into it, yes. Is it a good idea, though?"

She smiles. "Well Jasper and Alice are gone for a few months, Rose and Emmett are with the Denali's. Bella and Edward have the cottage and Nessie and Jacob usually stay down on the reservation... we don't have to tell her what we are, ever. We foster her for now, help her get better and see how it goes? I don't think we should change her either."

I smile gently. This is why I love her. So smart, compassionate and loving for every creature on this planet. I lean over and kiss her. "Okay. Let's do it."

She giggles happily and cuddles into me. "It'll be nice having someone to care for, since Nessie is all grown up now I've had nothing to do."

I smile. If I had a heart, it would melt at the love I have for this woman. "That's very true. Do you think we should consult with them about this?"

She thinks for a moment. "Not yet. We may not even get anywhere with the fostering. And you know they'll just disagree.... Well, Rosalie will." She sighs.

Ah. Rose. Our one child who is so opposed to people becoming like us. Maybe she'll get the wrong end of the stick, maybe she'll get jealous. She has never taken well to this life, unlike the rest of my family. Like Bella; she was born for this.

"Then we keep this quiet for now, control our thoughts around Edward. Alice can't see us so well for now, being so far away. Plus, the pack still patrols near by. Maybe we can actually have a secret between just you and me."

"Ooo I like that idea." She giggles.

I smile. You'll be happy soon, Adley, that I promise.