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[themidnightson]

Today was another one of those brilliant days.

Where he had to sit through their version of the monotonous high school hell counting hundredths of seconds.

(Which he had definitely sat through the end of telling himself he did not wonder why Bella kept tapping the pencil tip and eraser of her pencil, over her thin and pale finger, which clashed with her sweater choice, through the lecture on unicellular eukaryote microorganisms in the odd off tempo rhythm. It wasn't important. He shouldn't care. He didn't care. It was better that way.)

It was hours later when he arrived home.

The backpack was left in the closet on the way to the stairs.

He stopped at the top of the stairs searching out where his family members were and what they were doing.

Comments

[themidnightson]

"She usually is." Chagrin is there for a quiet part of that one. Edward walked further into the room finally.

This wouldn't make sense, unless-

"Did she fill you on her background?"

[ofthefamily]

"Gallifreyan, heartbeats louder than any two people I've ever examined, regenerated, formerly dead," Carlisle drones for a moment.

"You went to an amusement park."

[themidnightson]

"She's seven months old-"

Or around that the last time he saw her.

It's really the detail that grates on Edward the most, in the best and worst ways.

"-and supposedly destined to live thirteen lives according to a book she found on her people. It's a long time, if it's correct, but it doesn't stop her impetuousness now."

[ofthefamily]

It's a reflex to think it rather than speak aloud: The least she could do is provide me with embarrassing photographs.

"If she runs to Rosalie like that, there may be a problem. Same with Jasper."

[themidnightson]

"There is one picture." Edward gave him a wry grimace.

Vanished and reappeared in a mere three seconds.

He held a paper with a hologram.

"And I know it will be a bad idea for her to run into either Rose or Jasper. There was a hope she might not instantly fall into Alice's lap and her interests."

A faint, lightening flash shrug of it's Alice, what can you do?

[ofthefamily]

The hologram shows everything Carlisle was hoping for; there's not any given direction Edward's hair doesn't fly towards. Carlisle laughs.

He does hand it back, though. Fair's fair.

"So! Is there...dare I ask, is there anything else I should know about?"

[themidnightson]

Edward face shifted and he looked across the room.

There was only one other serious thing there in his head. It was selfish, and it was already a problem, both here and there for him.

They just didn't know the same problem extended there for them.



"Isabella has a door to Milliways."

[ofthefamily]

Carlisle's expression freezes. His teeth grind to suppress a groan.

"I have a favor to ask, then."

[themidnightson]

Edward looked over.

The expression on Carlisle's face doesn't make him cringe, nor does the fact he can see him holding back the wash of reaction.

He waited for the words.

[ofthefamily]

"Don't tell anybody. I can only deal with a certain amount of anxiety from everyone all at once."

[themidnightson]

It's both a surprise and not a surprise.

It's both a relief and a burden.


He nodded, while walking toward the window.

"She hasn't reappeared there since Milliway's Halloween."

[ofthefamily]

That doesn't console Carlisle very much.

"At least I can assume you won't be going to Denali since you seem unable to avoid her even at the end of the universe."

[themidnightson]

(And how long precisely is 'a given time'?)

He needs to say it. He wants everything that hasn't been said to stop existing at all. He wants there not to be a wall that makes any of now different from how it was.

"It-She," Edward gave forced breath. "They were both there then, too."

[ofthefamily]

So it has been quite a while.

"Edward. You don't have to cope with everything by yourself."

That might be what bothers Carlisle about the secret of Milliways the most - he could help. It's supposed to be what he does.

[themidnightson]

"I hadn't known if I was even coming back then."

It came as a short burst of very fast, very quiet words.
He shook his head and then put his hands into his pockets.

"It was hard enough, and there wasn't any proof until Alice saw it finally in one of her visions. It would have sounded ludicrous, as though I had an imaginary play land after running away."

Like she had driven him crazy. As though she weren't still. And he's sorry. It's there in his expression. For all of it really. For being nearly powerless against both of these changes and having not shared it until now.

[ofthefamily]

"What's past is past," Carlisle starts finally, "And no matter what Rosalie might wish, we can't ignore Milliways."

Carlisle tries extremely hard not to think about the tiny glimmer of professional curiosity at the possibilities Milliways could offer. He mostly succeeds.

The older of the two vampires raises one hand, placing it on top of Edward's shoulder: "I would have believed you."

[themidnightson]

His shoulders sagged and he nodded.

"I know."

At least he did mostly.

"I should have."

[ofthefamily]

He doesn't need to reiterate anything, and Carlisle can't think of anything more that needs saying right then, at that moment.

"It'll be fine."

The insinuation here is We've gotten through far worse than a bar at the end of the universe.

[themidnightson]

Edward nodded, again, but took a step back toward the door. It was absolutely better that they knew. Which added more problems to an already stressful occassion.

But his family was with him now.

Anything was better if that was true.

"I should go attempt to make believable errors in tonight's homework now."

He stopped only once again right before he closed the door, with a very very soft, "Thank you."