It was the first of August which meant that the kids of Forks had exactly a month before school started up once more. (Y/n) was pulling down the plush comforter as she prepared for bed when she noticed Carlisle’s absence. Regardless that he didn’t truly sleep, Carlisle was always there by his wife’s side as she drifted off.  She threw the decorative pillows into a corner before wandering down the hall to the man’s office. All of the lights were off in the hallway, except for one. Elizabeth was fast asleep, probably dreaming about the first day, while her much older siblings were out roaming around. It was only plausible that the solely lit room in the house was Carlisle in his office.

Knocking on the cracked door, (y/n) slowly pushed it open, “Carlisle, honey, what are you still doing up?”

It was clear that something was clearly bothering Carlisle, for his hands dejectedly held his head and he was still dressed in his work clothes. (Y/n) wondered if he had lost a patient at work today or if something terrible had happened in the family. 

At the sight of his wife, Carlisle immediately sat up and shot her a weak smile to seem convincing. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ve just been caught up in thinking that I didn’t notice the time.” 

He held out his hand to invite her over to which she quickly crossed the room and connected her hand with his. 

“Something’s up. Do you want to talk about it?” (Y/n) mindlessly played with his fingers while she studied his solemn expression. 

“You can read me like a book can’t you?” Carlisle playfully cocked his head before delicately kissing (y/n)’s wrist. “I would like to talk, but let’s go to bed first, okay? You seem tired, sweetheart. I’m sorry that I’ve already kept you up late.”

(Y/n) stood up from leaning on his desk as he rose from his office chair. Ever so slightly, she pecked his cheek thoughtfully before heading back to the bedroom. “Don’t ever apologize about that, Carlisle. I’m always here for you. For better and for worse, remember?” 

It was at that moment that Carlisle realized that life would have been miserable without her. 

Since the bed was already made, (y/n) climbed in, but left the bedside lamps on for Carlisle who was quickly changing into some loungewear. He came back in mere minutes and got in on his side of the bed before pulling (y/n) close to his chest. 

Her head rested on his shoulder while his chin rested gently atop her head, “So what’s on your mind?”

Carlisle softly sighed before beginning, “This may seem melodramatic, but I’m just very worried about Elizabeth.” 

“Oh honey,” (Y/n) peered up at the man to look into his golden eyes that were full of concern. 

“I mean, for three-hundred years, I never thought that I’d get to experience this kind of life. I never thought I’d get to experience this kind of love, let alone have a child of my own. She’s just growing up so fast, (y/n). For once in my life, I fear that time is finally getting the best of me.” 

Carlisle gingerly pulled (y/n) closer by the waist, wanting nothing more than for her to be as close as humanly possible. She too knew exactly how he felt about Elizabeth growing up so fast, about time moving at light speed, about everything. Words weren’t enough to sympathize with the man, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He immediately reciprocated the gesture and lovingly squeezed his arms around her waist before burying his face in her neck. 

(Y/n) slightly leaned back, just enough so that she could kiss her husband reassuringly. “We will get through this, Carlisle. I promise you.” He just nodded and planted a kiss in return on her forehead.

Trying to lighten the mood, (y/n) continued, “Besides, Lizzie wants to go back to school shopping tomorrow. We gotta put on our game faces. You know she’s going to beg for glow in the dark backpack. I already saw her eyeballing it in one of Alice’s magazines.”

Carlisle just chuckled lightly before reaching over to turn off the bedside lamp. “Goodnight, darling.”  

-

Elizabeth was absolutely oblivious to her parents' heartache that they tried their best to hide. She also couldn’t understand the dread of older students, for she was over the moon about starting school. 

The next morning, you could only sleep in till about eight before Elizabeth jumped on the bed. 

“Mommy, wake up! We gotta go shopping today.” Her golden locks were matted and her pajamas were crumpled, but her excitement made up for her sleepy appearance. She leaned against Carlisle’s pillow giving (y/n) her best puppy eyes.

Just a few seconds later Carlisle came running in, laughing when he found that Elizabeth had already made her target. 

“Birdie, I told you not to wake your mom yet.” Carlisle walked over with his hands on his hips before bending down to kiss (y/n) on the forehead. “Morning, you.”

She peered up at the man and slipped out of the covers to stand next to him. Elizabeth, taking this as a ‘yes,’ then jumped into her mother’s unexpecting arms. 

“Thank you, Mommy!” She kissed (y/n)’s cheek in appreciation. Her sweetness made it nearly impossible for the two parents to resist. 

“Of course, baby. Just let me get ready first, okay?” (Y/n) set down her daughter and turned to Carlisle who automatically knew that he’d be getting Elizabeth ready for the day.

“Okie dokie! Daddy made me breakfast, so we can make you some too!”

Staying true to her word, Elizabeth with the help of Carlisle made a simple pancake breakfast for (y/n) who appreciated the gesture. She had gotten ready in record time which only furthered her daughter’s enthusiasm to get in the car and go.

(Y/n) grabbed her purse off the counter after eating and went outside to find Carlisle struggling to strap Elizabeth in her car seat. Her legs flailed around excitedly which made it almost impossible for the man to secure her in the seat. Deciding to not interfere, (y/n) stood in front of the garage door and watched the interaction.

“Birdie, I know you're excited, but we can’t go anywhere until you sit still.” Carlisle sat on the edge of the leather seat and looked pointedly at Elizabeth who finally understood the severity of his statement. When it came between the two parents, it was obvious that Carlisle was Elizabeth’s favorite. So for him to be serious with her, Elizabeth knew that she should get her act together. 

Once (y/n) saw that the two had finally come to an understanding, she walked to the passenger door of the car and got in. Never in a million years would she have thought to see a car seat in the back of Carlisle Cullen’s black Mercedes which was decked out in expensive leather and the finest technology.

Carlisle quickly got in the driver’s seat and backed out of the driveway before Elizabeth could fuss anymore. 

Elizabeth surprisingly was silent during the drive, instead opting to look out the window and hum along to the radio. The drive was only a few minutes long, but from the minute the car was in the parking lot, (y/n) and Carlisle could tell that this was going to be a long trip. It seemed as if everyone in Forks was doing their shopping since the parking lot was nearly overcrowded. 

“Mommy, can I have the list?” Elizabeth was currently holding Carlisle’s hand, as to not get lost in the crowd. (Y/n) fished the school supplies list out of her purse while pulling the shopping cart to the side to avoid angry shoppers. 

Carlisle had been working on teaching Elizabeth how to read, and she was proficient for her age; however, she still had some trouble. 

“What’s the first thing on the list?” Carlisle looked down to his daughter who inquisitively studied the list. 

“Daddy, what’s this word?” Elizabeth pointed to the first item on the list and handed it to Carlisle. 

“Oh, it says ‘safety scissors,’ Birdie.” He sweetly smiled at her and handed back the list as she tried repeating the words. 

Elizabeth eagerly pulled her dad’s hand to the school supply section as (y/n) kept up behind them with the shopping cart. She immediately found the safety scissors in the purple shade. Since the cart was taller than her, Elizabeth handed the scissors to Carlisle who effortlessly threw them in the basket for her. For the most part, the shopping was easy as Elizabeth went down the list and picked out each supply in the color purple. (Y/n) leaned against the shopping cart rail, nursing a cup of coffee while Carlisle tried to match Elizabeth’s zeal. Everything went smoothly until it came to the great backpack debacle. 

A great variety of backpacks lined the aisle and Elizabeth eyed them all with interest. She had let go of Carlisle’s hand to inspect the backpacks that she could reach. 

(Y/n) leaned close to Carlisle to whisper, “How much you wanna bet she picks up that damn glow in the dark backpack?” 

Carlisle whispered back, “I don’t know, sweetheart. I feel like she’s gonna keep with the purple theme.” 

Just as the two were about to shake on it, Elizabeth picked up the glow in the dark backpack. She had seen it in one of Alice’s catalogs just as (y/n) had said, but neither parent realized how taken she was by the bag. 

“Mommy, Daddy, can I please get this one?” Elizabeth came up to her parents and clutched the bag with two hands. She looked up at the both of them and pleaded with her eyes. 

(Y/n) looked at Carlisle who looked like he was about to cave, but the backpack was ridiculously expensive. Even though the Cullens had money, (y/n) didn’t think it wise to buy such an expensive backpack for a five year old girl who surely would take that bag through the ringer. 

“How about the purple one, baby?” (Y/n) tried to deflect by picking up a lilac backpack that had flowers patterned on it. She offered the ultimatum to Elizabeth who insisted on the glow in the dark one.

“But that one doesn’t light up.” 

(Y/n) then looked at Carlisle for some backup. 

“Well, Birdie, how about we save that one for next year?”

Elizabeth was about to continue questioning her parents before she reluctantly accepted her fate and picked a sparkly violet backpack. Her disappointment was swiftly replaced by happiness when she found scented markers that her parents let her get. 

After two hours, school supply shopping had been officially completed. Elizabeth’s enthusiasm had worn off as she now dozed against her father’s shoulder. It was apparent that she was tired as she became cranky near the end of the visit, so Carlisle carried her against his hip while (y/n) finished up some grocery shopping. 

(Y/n) threw a box of Advil in the cart when she noticed the glow in the dark backpack that hadn’t been there before. She raised an eyebrow at Carlisle who smiled sheepishly and shrugged. 

“I wonder how that got there?” He jested before throwing in a box of cartoon band aids that their daughter adored.

Finals week had kicked everyone’s asses and after celebrating such a survival, many college students- yourself included- eagerly packed up their 290 sq ft. rooms to return to much larger ones. 

You and your roommate, Mel, had helped each other pack up the first day that finals were over. Mel had become a pretty good friend over the past year, but she unfortunately had to live on the opposite coast. It seemed that things always worked out that way for you for just about anything. 

Your parents had finally divorced when you were sixteen which sent one parent to the west coast and the other to the east. The same could be said about a package of jeans that you had ordered; each one coincidentally ended up on the opposite sides of the United States. 

Since your mother was taking a sojourn around the world, you were going to stay with your dad in Forks for the summer. He had recently moved to the new city after receiving a job offer from the city’s barren hospital. The job came with great pay, but most importantly a wonderful modernist house resting on the eaves of the forest. The exact words being from the realtor who had so eagerly sold your father on the house. Despite the fact that the house was a lavish build in the middle of nowhere, it was only fair that your father finally lived happily. The man had been living in an unhappy marriage for so many years; it was something that you all could attest to. 

You had stayed at his house a few times before in the fall and winter, yet you hoped that summer would vanish the melancholy atmosphere of Forks. If it wasn’t raining, then it was snowing and vice versa. It seemed that there was always something falling from the sky in Forks almost year-round. 

Your hopes for a glowing summer at your father’s were assured when you arrived at his house surrounded by not a single cloud. It was about a six hour drive before you arrived in the town, and you noticed that the sun does in fact shine in Forks after all. 

“(Y/n), you made it!” Your father came running out of the front door, although it was impossible to not notice him since more than half his house was made of glass. 

You put the car in park and stepped out to meet the man in an embrace. His usual cologne was overpowered by the smell of the hospital disinfectant that lingered on his white lab coat. “Dad! It’s been too long.” 

He nodded in agreement before offering to help you unload your car. The upside of living in a dorm room that was about the size of a large bathroom is that one can’t accumulate too many boxes. You popped the trunk to reveal about six medium sized boxes that consisted simply of clothes and dorm room decor. 

Your dad chuckled at your down sizing, “That’s all you got, kiddo? Wow, college really has changed you! Where’s my girl that moved in with a gazillion boxes?” 

“I could say the same about you, Dad. Living in this giant fishbowl and all, I would’ve thought that you’d have more furniture.” You jested at him as the two of you began to pick up the few boxes. 

He set down a box and placed his hands on his hips, “Well how would you know that? You haven’t even stepped inside yet!”

Closing the trunk you jokingly shook your head, “Like I said, fishbowl.” 

Your dad helped you unpack your meager amount of belongings. He made the bed with the new mattress while you hung up your clothing in the empty closet. Even though you had visited last year when he had first moved in, this house and its furniture still felt foreign. The newly constructed home aroma still lingered in the air.

“So Dad, how’s work?” Mindlessly rearranging the hangers, you decided to organize the closet for the second time. 

“It’s going pretty well actually,” He smoothed out the plush comforter before continuing, “I’ve gotten close with some of the other doctors and I was actually thinking of inviting them and their families over tomorrow for a barbecue.” 

You hummed a response while continuing to sort the hanging clothes, for you were not opposed to the idea of a barbecue. It had been so long since you’d had any good food that wasn’t from the dining halls. 

“You know you were right, (y/n). The sun does actually shine in Forks!” Your dad chuckled once more before excusing himself to go make phone calls to his friends from the hospital. 

—-

The next day, despite that there was a small chance for rain, Mother Nature held out and it seemed to be for the better. There would be plenty of time for rain in the months that occurred after August.

Your dad had opened up the pool because what’s a barbecue without a pool party? Slipping on a yellow sundress over a swimsuit, you went downstairs to help with the food preparation. The kitchen counters were covered in various packages of bread as well as hamburgers and hotdogs waiting to be grilled. Everyone was set to arrive around one o’clock, and it was currently two hours before then. The time crunch was apparent as your dad ran around the kitchen frantically trying to man the stovetop and the ovens. Between the combined work of both you and your dad, lunch was prepped right as the visitors began walking in.

Last night, your dad had told you that he was inviting a few coworkers and their families, but you had no idea that it would turn out to be so many people. The backyard was brimming with young kids running around the pool while their parents socialized over drinks in the vast plot of grass. While your dad grilled the main course for lunch, he had you welcome everyone at the front door. Most of them were doctors, but a few were nurses. Regardless, they all came with either spouses, kids, or both. 

Except one doctor stood out very much, for he came alone. You were not only stunned by his lack of family, but also how perfectly styled his light blonde hair was. His hair somehow managed to contrast his flawless skin that seemed even paler. Not a single strand fell forward and covered his golden eyes that crinkled as he wore a polite smile. One hand sturdily held a case of beer, presumably for the party, while the other reached out to greet you. 

“Hello, you must be (y/n). I’m Carlisle Cullen. Your dad talks about you a lot at the hospital.” The man squeezed your hand gently in a friendly manner before letting his own drop to the side. 

“Wow, I just got here and I’ve already got a reputation. Hope he says good things about me.” You reached out to take the case of beer from him, but he insisted on carrying it himself like a gentleman. Most of the guests had just thrown their things at you, so this was a nice change of treatment. 

“Only good things, of course.” He nodded.

You gestured Dr. Cullen to come inside and he followed behind you, waving to the couple of guests that were mingling indoors. 

“So Dr. Cullen, are you the one who hired my dad? Your name sounds vaguely familiar.” The two of you were nearing the backyard, and your dad waved you both over through the screen door.

“Your father had an impressive resume and we desperately needed that kind of help around the hospital. And please, call me Carlisle.” He turned around to smile at you before making his way over to your dad who wore the grin of a five year old standing in a candy store. The two seemed to be talking a mile a minute as if they had not just seen each other at work. It was apparent that Dr. Cullen was your dad’s closest confidant in the hospital. 

Sitting on one of the lounge chairs, you began to feel the rays of the sun harshly beaming down like a spotlight. The heat was becoming unbearable, so you slipped off the yellow sundress to reveal a teal bikini that was a gift from Mel. Everyone was either preoccupied with their friends or family and couldn’t have cared less, except one man who stood by your father at the grill. 

Dr. Cullen, an untouched beer in hand, was walking over towards you. A smirk painted his lips, but you knew behind those sunglasses there was a playful glimmer in his eyes. Your father was so preoccupied with his role as grill master that he didn’t even notice that the doctor had walked off. 

“Now, Dr. Cullen, why aren’t you out there socializing with your peers?” You playfully pulled down your sunglasses to peer at the man who had leisurely taken a seat on the lounge chair beside you.

“Well, Ms. (y/l/n), I see these people every day,” He gestures to the mass of people surrounding the yard, “but it’s not every day that I get to talk to you.” 

You stifled a giggle at his poor attempt to flirt, “Do you get many girls with that line, Doc?”

He shook his head, laughing at his own poorly planned pick-up line. “Apparently, I’ve been out of practice for a while, sweetheart.” 

Leaning the back of the lounge up, you turned to sit and face him. The chairs were positioned so closely that your knees hit his, yet neither of you moved. Barely leaning in, your lips ghosted against the shell of his ear. The smell of mint clouded your senses being so close to the man who was as still as a statue. 

“We’ll see about that.” Breathlessly, the words left your lips as you leaned further to grab his untouched beer and take a confident swig. 

You leaned back to see that his face was not shocked, but rather smug. If he had been stunned by your receptiveness, then it surely wasn’t obvious now as he seemed unphased. It was more obvious that a challenge had been accepted.  

Just as he was about to continue the banter, your dad hurriedly ran over to the both of you. He was covered in one of those cheesy grilling aprons and desperately waving around the tongs in his hand. “Hey, would you guys mind grabbing some paper plates and cups? We ran out, but there should be some in the closet upstairs. I’ve got just about a million more burgers to cook.” 

You looked at Dr. Cullen who just shrugged in return. Agreeing to help, you both stood and began to walk back to the house. Your father, pleased with the answer, ran off to continue to man the grill and the line that was beginning to form. 

Dr. Cullen seemed to trail behind aimlessly, so you grabbed his hand without second thought. Once you were inside, you eagerly led him up the stairs and to the hallway where the closet was. 

Just like everything else in this house, the hallway closet was unnecessarily elaborate in its design. It was no towel closet, but more like the size of a whole bathroom itself. You walked in once the barn door slid open and Dr. Cullen flicked on the lights. 

For a man who lived by himself, your father stored a lot in the closet that would make you think he had a family of ten living with him. You scanned the endless shelves as did Dr. Cullen, but the plates and cups appeared on your side first.

“Found ‘em.” Of course the supplies had to be on the very top shelf which appeared to be closer to the sky than you. It wasn’t until you were on tippy toes trying to reach the items that you were aware of leaving your sundress downstairs by the pool. 

And it wasn’t until Dr. Cullen stepped behind you, that you were aware of how chills racked your body.

“Need some help there?” A cold hand rested on your bare waist as you turned your head ever so slightly to be met with Dr. Cullen who tauntingly looked down at your lips. Without shame, he continued to admire your pillowy soft lips before you gave in. 

Fruitless attempts to get the supplies were damned as you threw your arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. You pulled him down as he pulled you closer; neither of you wanting to let go. His one hand on your neck slid up to cup your jaw, slightly turning your head to expose your neck. For a brief moment, his lips disconnected from yours, but only to make their way further down. The man slowly moved his free hand from your waist to delicately brush your hair off your shoulder. His lips connected with your neck as he kissed a slow line down to your collarbone. 

“God, Dr. Cullen,” You threaded your fingers through his hair as he mercilessly continued on, “You don’t seem that out of practice to me.” 

For a split second he stopped his maneuvers only to correct you once more, “Please, call me Carlisle.”  

So overcome with pleasure, his name breathlessly rolled off your lips and you only pulled yourself closer to him. Moving your hands from his hair, you began to blindly fiddle with the buttons on his shirt as he continued to nip at the sweet spot where your shoulder met your neck. His skilled fingers began to play with the strings of your bikini top that held it together.

He murmured while trying to slow his movements, “Sweetheart, I don’t think I can stop, but I don’t want to do this here.” His efforts to stop were becoming forgotten as he took in the sweet smell of your perfume that painted your skin and tempted him more. “You deserve something thoughtful, not a heated moment in a closet.” 

You quickly pulled back and he seemed shocked, for he mistook your adoration for insult. His eyes scanned your face for any inkling of meaning before your lips reconnected with his in a hurried passion which instantly cleared his confusion. 

Meanwhile, downstairs, your dad noticed the absence of paper plates and cups. He didn’t come to think of where you might have run off with them, but he instead took initiative to find them himself. Not a single thing could’ve prepared the man for the sight that he would see once he made it to the top of the stairs and down the hall. 

Without a care in the world, your dad slid open the heavy barn door to not only find the missing supplies, but to also find his daughter pressed up against the shelves and lip locked to Dr. Cullen. The faint sound of someone uttering their shock caused you and Carlisle to separate. Your father stood in the doorway frozen in shock before Carlisle instinctively jumped in front of you to cover any indecencies. 

After what felt like the longest minute of your life, your dad awkwardly cleared his throat before speaking. “I’ll uh just grab some paper plates next door.” 

As your father scrambled off, Carlisle turned around to plant a kiss on your forehead, "Like I said, we can do this somewhere else."