Control [Carlisle Cullen]

Fourteen

Eleanor brought an extra pair of clothes to change into before the party. Instead of jeans and a t-shirt, she now stood in a red knee-length dress. She leaned against Carlisle next to the piano, and waited for her friend to arrive.

She had gotten a little mad when Alice yelled at her and Carlisle that it was time for the party. She had been curled up into his side, and was just dozing off when Alice pounded on Carlisle's door.

Eleanor looked around the room, studying the other vampires. Rosalie crossed her arms and scowled on the other side of the room, and Emmett circled an arm around her, causing the blonde's scowl to disappear slightly.

Jasper and Esme whispered quietly over by the staircase. Alice had disappeared, probably to pull Bella away from Edward. She realised she was right when she saw Alice pulling Bella down the stairs. Esme perked up.

"Sorry about all this," the woman said, and hugged Bella, "we tried to reign Alice in."

"As if that would be possible," Eleanor laughed, and Alice shot her an annoyed glare. Bella flinched when a sudden flash went off. She looked over at Alice, who held up a camera.

"I found it in your bag, I hope you don't mind."

The vampire turned on her heel, and held the camera up to Eleanor and Carlisle, "smile guys!"

Eleanor straightened her posture, and wrapped an arm around Carlisle's waist. She smiled wide and the flash went off. She then looked up at Carlisle and grinned at him again, "cute!"

Eleanor giggled, and buried her head into his chest. Carlisle pulled her closer. Alice grabbed a small box off the table, and walked up to the birthday girl, "open Rosalie's first."

"It's just a necklace," Rose spoke up, "Alice helped me pick it out."

Bella thanked her, before she moved onto Emmett's present. Eleanor frowned when Bella shook the package, and found nothing inside it, "already installed it in your truck. Finally a decent sound system for that piece of-"

Bella held up a hand, and laughed, "hey don't hate the truck."

Esme suddenly walked forward, and handed Bella a small envelope, "something from me and Carlisle. You've been looking a little pale lately."

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Eleanor watched Bella slit her finger on the paper, and winced. She walked away from Carlisle just as Jasper lunged at Bella. Edward pushed his mate into the table, as Eleanor shot a blast of energy towards Jasper.

That bought Carlisle and Emmett enough time to reach for Jasper and grab one of his arms. Alice rushed over to him, "Jazz, it's alright. It's just a little... blood."

"Get Jasper out of here," Carlisle ordered, and flashed over to Bella. He examined the new cut on her arm, and sighed, "I'll have to stitch this up in my office."

"Carlisle-"

"Eleanor, go wait in my room. I'll come get you when I'm done. Edward, go talk to Jasper. I doubt he'll listen to anyone but you." Eleanor slouched down, but turned to walk towards Carlisle's room. She looked back at Bella one last time, before she stormed off.

The girl threw herself onto the bed, and crossed her arms. She didn't have any reason to feel hurt, but she couldn't help it. She didn't necessarily expect Carlisle to push her away.

Eleanor stared up at the ceiling, and thought back to what happened only moments ago. She felt bad for hurting Jasper, but she didn't want Bella to get hurt even more. She knew that everything would change now. Carlisle was going to be more guarded, and she had to prepare herself for it.

It didn't take long for Carlisle to arrive back in his room. He was silent, and a frown was etched on his face. He didn't look at Eleanor, instead he flicked his head to the door, before he walked out again.

Eleanor gulped, but reluctantly followed after him. She followed him outside, and leaned on the hood of her car, "Carlisle, it's okay. Don't overthink this too much."

He didn't say anything for a moment. His golden eyes searched her face, and she felt a lump rise in her throat, "Carlisle?"

"Go home, El. I'll talk to you tomorrow," he kissed her forehead, and turned away. She watched hopelessly as he stomped up the stairs and back into the house.

Eleanor stood there. She didn't want to move. All she wanted was to march back in that house, and make Carlisle hold her all night. She didn't want to be alone.

After a few minutes, though, she unlocked her car and got in. She sat there for a moment longer, before speeding off.

---

The Cullens' didn't show up at school the next day.

Or the day after that.

Carlisle hadn't contacted Eleanor. He hadn't shown up in her room. He hadn't returned any of her phone calls or text messages.

Bella told her that Edward was doing the same thing.

Eleanor was growing angry. She was half tempted to show up to the Cullen house, and confront Carlisle; ask him what his problem was. She also knew that once she saw him her anger would fade away and she'd forgive him.

She convinced herself she was angry. Besides, it was better than feeling hurt.

Eleanor went straight home after school. She didn't want to talk to Bella, or Mike, or Angela, or even Jessica. The only thing she wanted was Carlisle, but it was growing more and more clear that he didn't want to be around her.

She thought he had changed his mind when she saw him standing in her bedroom that afternoon. It was just the two of them in the house. Jess had been kind enough to drop her twin off at the house before she left for the diner with Lauren.

"What do you want?" Eleanor pushed past him, and threw her bag down on the bed.

"I'm so sorry Eleanor," he sighed. Carlisle wasn't prepared for what he was about to do. He didn't want to leave the girl. He didn't want her to be a human. If she wasn't a human, then he wouldn't be so scared of her getting hurt all the time.

"For what?" She crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow.

"My family and I are leaving Forks."

"What do you mean you're leaving Forks?"

Carlisle just stared at her, his eyes pleading for her to understand.

"Oh," her heart clenched in her chest, and she let out a breath of air. Her eyes searched his face, trying to find something to show that he was lying, "why? Because of what happened with Jasper?"

"It's not my choice. The secret could get out, and Edward doesn't want Bella to get hurt. They voted against me. If I had the choice I would stay with you," Carlisle walked over to Eleanor, and grabbed her hands.

"Then why don't you? You can make your own choices!" Eleanor hated how selfish she sounded, but at the moment she didn't care. She needed him. He had been the first person she actually felt comfortable being around.

"They're my family, Eleanor."

"Will you come back?" She felt her eyes grow watery, and desperately tried to blink them back.

"Eventually, hopefully."

Eleanor nodded, and pulled her hands away from his. The lump in her throat continued to grow, and she was scared if she spoke another word, she would burst into tears. But she refused to cry in front of him, "go then."

"El-" he stepped towards her again.

"Go Carlisle!" Her watery eyes were now glowing a bright red, "please."

He looked down at the ground, and then up at his mate again. The vampire quickly walked forward, and placed a soft kiss on her forward, "I'll be back, El."

She scoffed, and backed away from him. Her eyes looked at her carpet, and when she looked up again he was gone. Eleanor narrowed her eyes at the window, and as her chest clenched again, she screamed and fell to the floor.

A river of tears rolled from her eyes, and onto her clothes. She gripped her knees, and wept into them. She hated how weak she felt. She hated that she depended on someone- a man- to make her feel happy.

She hated him.

---

"Eleanor?"

The brunette squeezed her eyes closed as her shoulder got another nudge, "El, baby, wake up."

She groaned, but peeled her eyes open anyway. Her mum sat in front of her, her eyebrows drawn together in worry. She noticed she was still on the floor, and figured she must have cried herself to sleep.

"Were you crying? Why are you on the floor?"

She sat up slowly, and looked at the now closed window. It was now night time.

"Um, yeah. School had been stressing me out, so I was crying about that," she laughed nervously, "what's wrong?"

"Have you heard from Bella?"

Worry flowed into her veins, and she shook her head, "no, why? What happened?"

"Charlie called me and asked if you were with her. She disappeared after school."

Her eyebrows drew together. Would Bella leave Charlie and go with the Cullens'? The thought of her leaving left her when she remembered what Carlisle had said. They didn't want their secret to get out. Edward didn't want Bella to get hurt. He wouldn't have let her go.

"El?"

"I'm going to help look," she scrambled off the floor, and reached to her bed to grab her jacket, "don't wait up. I'll be home soon."

She ran out of the room before her mum could say anything else. Eleanor grabbed the car keys off the kitchen table, and ran to start the car.

It didn't take her long to get to Bella's house. People flooded their front yard. Police cars were up and down the street, their bright lights illuminating the night. "Chief Swan!"

"Eleanor?" Bella's father turned to Eleanor, "you haven't seen her?"

"No I-"

"Charlie! They've got her!"

Eleanor turned towards the woods. Jacob Black stood next to his father, and pointed to the forest. Bella was unconscious. She laid in an unfamiliar pair of arms, her limbs dangling from her body.

"Oh, my God," Eleanor sighed in relief as she watched Charlie take Bella from the man.

"What happened?" Jacob Black appeared next to the brunette, "is this because the Cullens' left?"

A lump grew in El's throat, and she swallowed, "I think so," she shook her head, "anyway, who is that?"

Jacob followed her eyes. His eyes darkened when they landed on the man, and Eleanor frowned, "Sam Uley."