A/N: This story takes place between Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Just a little Father/Daughter type thing between Carlisle and Bella. I wish I did, but I don't own The Twilight Saga. Credit goes to SM where credit is due.

Family Pieces

Ladders and Rings

The summer was in full swing, even though the weather still felt more like Phoenix in the winter. Long-sleeved shirts were still appropriate and shorts were no where to be found.

My job at Newton's kept me busy at least. It was my last day, and I had offered to help reorganize the store in preparation for inventory and the holiday weekends coming up. The Fourth of July and Labor Day were always busy, for Forks at least. With Mrs. Newton around, everything had to be perfect, she could be worse than Alice at times.

The clock ticked slowly, but I really didn't have anything better to do today. Edward was hunting at Goat Rocks with Emmett, Jasper and Alice. Esme and Rosalie had gone to New York on some shopping trip I didn't ask questions about. And Carlisle was at the hospital on and off all weekend. Even Charlie had decided to take a small trip to Oregon with Billy, trying to release some of the stress of my upcoming wedding.

Carlisle promised Edward he would keep an eye on me, and told me to call him for anything. He even offered to let me stay at their house, but with Carlisle at work, I figured I could make better use of my time packing my things and cleaning the house.

Mike and his dad were helping two sets of clueless customers who were effectively monopolizing their time. I was the only one available to hang up the new signs. Mike should have known better. Ladders and me are a deadly combination, probably worse than hanging out with vampires all the time.

I looked up as I heard the front door open, hoping to help the newest customer and put off this chore for another hour when Katie came in so I could pass this off to someone less inept.

I was both happy as could be and incredibly irritable as my future father-in-law walked into the store. I always wanted to see Carlisle, but I knew he didn't need any help. There went my plan of getting out of this death trap.

Carlisle spotted me almost instantly and raised an eyebrow, glancing at the ladder. I simply shrugged, I still had a job to do.

"Dr. Cullen! How nice to see you! Getting ready for the holiday weekend?" Mrs. Newton greeted the doctor enthusiastically, but still stayed back about six feet. It was entertaining to watch, knowing I was the only human in Forks that would run up and give him a hug without thinking twice about it. I loved my bizarre instincts, or lack there of.

I was climbing oh-so-carefully up to the fifth wrung of the ladder when my shoelace got caught somehow. I tried in vain to steady myself, but to no avail. The ladder tipped over, throwing me into a mass of fishing equipment in the next aisle.

I felt a sharp crack on my head and a hard pull on my shoulder.

A couple seconds of dead silence followed before the Newtons ran to where I was laying, covered in fishing poles and lures. Carlisle was already two steps ahead of them. Years of working the ER had perfected his human speed to get to me before anyone else, but not fast enough to look unnatural.

I barely heard Carlisle say my name before everything went black.

I stirred as I realized I was being moved, but the fluidity of the motion lead me to only one conclusion, Carlisle was carrying me. He gently laid me in the back seat, and took off to what I assumed was the hospital.

To my surprise, I felt the road change under the car and through the windows I could see nothing but an olive green wall. I closed my eyes again as the pain in my head increased.

Edward would no doubt be running home now. Not that I didn't want to see him, I could barely stand being apart from him. I just didn't want him to see me all banged up again, I could see the pain in his face when I had the most minor of accidents.

"Bella? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me honey." Carlisle's silky smooth voice was almost impossible to ignore. I gently squeezed his hand, and groaned. My arm was throbbing.

"It's alright Bella. I just gave you some vicodin a few seconds ago."

"What happened, Carlisle?"

"You don't remember? You fell off the ladder at work. Luckily I was there buying some things, supposedly for next weekend."

"No, I remember that. I meant my arm and my head."

"Oh," he chuckled lightly. "Your head should be fine, and the medicine will help with the headache I'm sure you have since you do have a minor concussion. Your arm is not as bad as I thought it would be. You're bruised up pretty bad and your shoulder looked like it could be dislocated, but amazingly it's fine. You've been in and out for a couple hours and moaning when ever something touched your shoulder, so I gave you the vicodin to help with that. Morphine is a little too strong for aches and pains."

"That's it? I thought it would be worse, you know, because of last time. Punching a werewolf versus falling off a ladder."

Carlisle gave me a crooked smile. I loved that smile on Edward. With Carlisle, it was a genuine, fatherly smile.

"Very true. I'm not all that surprised though, I've seen a few miracles in my time. One nurse even compared me to Dr. House, considering how I can sometimes reach a diagnosis before the other doctors. Thanks mainly to my decades of medical studies and my enhanced abilities."

"So can I sleep or do I need to stay awake?"

"You can sleep Bella. Regardless, I'll be right here, watching over you," he said, smiling. "And if you're not opposed, that is, I was thinking maybe you rather stay here? I know everyone is gone for the weekend, and I took a couple days off myself this morning. I'd like to be able to keep an eye on you if I could."

"Sure, Carlisle, I don't have a problem with that. But I don't have any clothes or anything with me," I said sleepily.

"I'll go to your house and pick them up for you if you don't mind. I can be back in ten minutes at most."

"Alright. I'll probably just fall asleep anyway."

"Okay, Bella. I'll be back very soon."

He leaned down, kissed me on the forehead and disappeared out the back door.

I closed my eyes, and drifted into pleasant dreams of random images of my soon to be family.

I awoke the next morning, wrapped in the comforter on Edward's bed, although I'm the only one that ever slept in it.

I took a quick shower, and got dressed. I was pleasantly surprised Carlisle got everything from my room, including my favorite jeans, and the blue top Edward liked so much on me.

I was also rather shocked Carlisle had made breakfast for me. I'd never seen any of the Cullens cook, as they always ordered take out if I stayed over.

Carlisle could have been a world-class chef. I devoured the massive omelet he had made.

"Carlisle, this is amazing! Now, where did a vampire learn to cook for us mere mortals?"

He laughed.

"First off, you are hardly a mere mortal. Second, Food Network helps a bit," he said grinning and winked at me.

As I finished and cleaned my plate, my foot caught on the corner of the island and I went tumbling sideways. Quickly, I realized I hadn't landed on the floor. Carlisle was pulling me upright, keeping his hands on my shoulders to make sure I could at least stand straight.

"Are you alright, Bella?" He asked, obviously concerned about my lack of coordination.

"I'm fine. Thanks," I murmured, smiling sheepishly. If anyone was there to catch me, I was incredibly glad it was Carlisle and not Emmett.

"I would normally press the issue, but I guess we all know you're not the lightest on your feet."

"Like I told Edward, if I don't have a better sense of balance in my next life, I'm demanding a refund."

He chuckled then looked at me with an odd mix of emotions in his eyes, happiness, expectation and somewhat regretful.

"Bella, being graceful tends to be one of our defining characteristics. I have no doubt you'll be a majestic immortal, because you're a beautiful person, inside and out. So I don't believe a refund will be necessary."

"But you don't want me to become a vampire -" he let out a small chuckle, he knew I still felt strange saying the word out loud, "do you? I know you won't lose Edward like that, but you don't really like the idea, do you?"

He sighed, taking a second to collect his thoughts on the matter.

"If I may be completely honest, I'm not thrilled by the idea, but I'm by no means opposed to it."

"Why, if you don't mind me asking?" Only Edward and Rosalie were strongly against my change. Although I knew Carlisle was willing to change me himself, I wondered why he would willingly perform an act he had mixed feelings about.

"Of course I don't mind Bella. You're as much my daughter as Alice and Rosalie are. I have few reasons why I am more in favor than some. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt you want this. If I didn't, I would not even consider the thought. No one else in this family had the choice. Rosalie still has an issue with what we are, but she's come to accept it and Emmett has been the light of her life. I also know, whether he would admit it or not, Edward does want this too, but he's thinks it is the most selfish thing he could ever consider. You share my belief, that we still might not be eternally damned, perhaps even more so than I do. Edward's views are shifting on that, but they are still in turmoil, so it's much harder for him."

"I do, I can't imagine any higher power that would damn any one for this, regardless of if it's their choice or not. Especially if they didn't have a choice," I said, sitting myself on one of stools at the bar. He smiled at me, a smile of complete understanding.

"Another reason I agree with this is because I understand how difficult and would be for you to stay with Edward throughout your human life, and the havoc that would no doubt cause you emotionally and mentally as you age and we do not. Also, my most selfish reason is because I will not lose Edward when you pass away if you were to remain human. I love him and you too much to see either of you go through that again. I can not even begin to describe the pain and heartache when I thought I would lose not one but three of my children in Volterra. Even one of you would incite grief beyond measure."

I started to tear up a little as the memory of Alice's phone call to Jasper was brought to the foreground of my mind, I'll do everything that can be done, but prepare Carlisle; the odds aren't good.

"Why are you not in favor?"

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm not in favor of it, just slightly conflicted about it because I've only done this to save someone who did not any other option but death, and have their life cut short in the process. And even then I was...I don't want to say Esme, Edward, Emmett and Rosalie were more special, because that seems like I only saved those who were worthy or deserved a second chance. That's not how I think of it at all. I can't really explain why I chose them, except that I saw something in them all that the world could not do without. Even that does not really explain it, so I guess I do not know. You do have the choice, and I believe you have made the right one, but it still feels awkward in a way. I hope you understand."

"I do understand Carlisle. Thank you for telling me." I gave him a hug, and he wrapped his cold, stone arms around me. "You're one of the greatest men I know Carlisle, and I can't tell you how thankful I am to become part of your family and for you to call me your daughter."

"You are my daughter, Bella, and I couldn't ask for anything more. The happiness you have brought to my family makes everything that has happened worth it thousand times. I can never begin to show you the depth of my gratitude and love for you."

I could clearly hear the smile in his voice and it made me smile until I felt like I couldn't contain my happiness of his fatherly love and acceptance any more.

He released me with a hand resting on my shoulder, once again making sure I could stand on my own.

"I needed to run an errand today, you're welcome to come with me if you wish. I would prefer that actually, since I promised Edward I would make sure you were alright. And I'd like to keep an eye on you myself. Plus, I know you'll be by yourself all day if you stay here and I do enjoy spending time with you Bella. Your curiosity and thirst for knowledge rivals my own."

"Really? Of course if you honestly don't mind me tagging along." I could not hide my excitement at the idea of having some bonding time with Carlisle. We could talk for hours if we had the chance. Well, he would talk and I'd listen, asking so many questions I would think he'd be happy to get rid of me, but Carlisle was always eager to share his knowledge with me.

"I rather enjoy your company, Bella. We should get moving, I need to go to Lake Tahoe, and it would actually be helpful with you there."

"Lake Tahoe?" I was surprised at say the least. Lake Tahoe wasn't a hop, skip and a jump away like Port Angeles or even Seattle.

"Don't worry, Bella, I'll have you back by the time Edward gets home this evening. I've been meaning to go for a few weeks, but the sun as made that difficult, Alice called to tell me if I was going to make the trip, I needed to do it today."

I nodded weakly and he chuckled at my shocked expression. Back by tonight? How fast was he planning on driving?

"Off we go, Bella."

I climbed into the passenger side of his sleek black Mercedes and fumbled with the seat belt. I trusted Carlisle as much as I trusted Edward, but I remembered Edward telling me last year that they all liked to drive fast. Carlisle surely drove more reasonably than the rest, right? The sixteen hundred mile journey we were about to embark upon flashed in my head. No way.

"Carlisle?"

"Yes?" he said as we were already pulling out of the garage.

"Please tell me you drive better than Edward," I said, apprehension peppering my voice.

He started laughing, a shook his head slightly.

"Still worried about our driving habits? I think Edward drives a little better, and Alice too, thanks to their gifts, but I've never been pulled over or in a wreck."

"Alright, but that still doesn't -" my words dropped like a lead balloon when we turned onto the highway and he floored it, pushing the car faster than any vehicle should be allowed to go.

Carlisle chuckled, apparently at my surprise as the forest blurred into a solid color. The speed didn't bother me as it once did, but I still felt a twinge of fear. All it would take would be a split second and I would be wrapped around a tree.

It became blatantly obvious Carlisle drove the fastest out of all the Cullens, by far. It was odd to think of the proper, respectable town doctor flying down the road at well over two hundred miles per hour.

"Bella, I drive faster than anyone else, partly because this car's engine is completely custom built, thanks to Rosalie. Also, I think because I spend more time acting human than the rest because of my work at the hospital. This one of the only times outside my home I don't have to keep up the facade perfectly, although it's almost second nature to me now."

I couldn't even think of asking them to slow down a bit in the interests of my safety. I wouldn't deprive him of his release of the charade he had performed flawlessly for years upon years. At least if we did crash, and I managed to survive, he was the best person to be there with me.

"Why are we going to Lake Tahoe and why do you want me there?"

"Our favorite jeweler and goldsmith is there. I have to purchase a few things from her. Namely the necklace I am giving Esme as a gift for wedding, Edward's wedding band, and something for you. I don't want any arguments from you about that. I know you're not fond of gifts, but this one is rather important to all of us, especially to me."

I frowned. The mention of the wedding still made me want to crawl in a hole, and any gift from the Cullens made me feel as if they were so far out of my league that I would be insanely lucky not to have them disappear from reality in the next few seconds.

"I'm sorry, Bella. You'll understand when we get there," he said, smiling at me almost apologetically.

"I know, and thank you Carlisle. I've actually gotten better about accepting gifts. And it's something I'm sure I have to get used to if I'm going to be in the Cullen clan."
Carlisle laughed, his bright golden eyes twinkling in the dark interior of the car.

"Yes, I suppose you do. I guess being generous is one of those habits everyone else picked up from me, especially since we don't actually need the money to survive. It's just an indulgence. Although it does help create the idea that we are a rather private family."

We continued to drive, and talk about random things, even my thoughts about Edward when we first met that fateful day in biology.

"You do have some strange instincts. You react as you should to normal vampires, but have the opposite reaction to us. I wish I knew why that was," he mused.

"I wish I knew too actually. I feel safe with all of you." I shrugged. The pain shot through my shoulder, making me wince.

Carlisle's arm flashed behind me, and he held out two blue pills.

"Take these. They'll help with your shoulder, but they might make you a little drowsy."

"Thanks, Carlisle. You always take care of me."

"Of course, it's my job after all. I don't stop being a doctor just because I'm not at the hospital. And you're lucky to have a doctor on call too." He beamed, no doubt thinking of all the times he had to stitch me up or make sure I was alright after a tumble.

I laughed, thinking of exactly how lucky I was.

We pulled into the parking lot of a small stone building. An elaborately carved wooden sign stated "Miss Cotton's Place". As we walked through the french doors into the small showroom, I was reminded of a fairy tale cottage.

Rose carpets covered the floor, and three sets of chairs were arranged, looking as if they were awaiting old friends for afternoon tea. Beautiful paintings of the Victorian Era graced the mint green walls. A stone fireplace sat off to the side, with various knickknacks and candles artfully arranged on a lavender cloth on the mantle.

"Wow, this is beautiful!" I whispered, still awe struck at the feel of the room.

"Why thank you, my dear," a woman said softly, entering through the door near the back of the room. I could only blush in response.

She was tall and slender, wearing half-moon glasses with her auburn hair pulled back. She couldn't have been older than fifty. Her steps were like a less graceful version of Alice, the way someone would move after a lifetime of practicing the art of ballet.

"And Carlisle! How good to see you again, you don't look a day over thirty!"

She obviously knew Carlisle, but acted the same way Mrs. Newton had, still giving him a wide berth. I half expected her to hug him or at least shake his hand by how she talked to him, but she nor Carlisle made any such move.

"You too, Kathy," he said, giving a slight, small smile. I guessed he was avoiding the wide smile that would make anyone except me uncomfortable.

"I have your order ready. Please take a seat while I go retrieve the pieces. And help yourself to some refreshments." She motioned to a set up of four high-backed chairs, covered in rich dark green leather, with a small table in the middle. On the table sat a glass pitcher of lemonade and glasses decorated with tiny blue flowers.

I poured myself a small cup, and sipped it. It was so good, I managed to drink that cup full, and Carlisle offered me the one he had poured for himself out of politeness. It could be useful having a human around at times.

I wondered if perhaps she was acquainted with Carlisle enough to notice his lack of aging. He saw the look on my face and leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"We rarely do business with her face to face, mainly over the phone or through the mail. Last time I was here with Edward, he told me she has noticed I still look rather young. She thinks it's a little odd but is blissfully unaware of anything more. She's too fond of the money we spend here to question it further."

I nodded. She reminded me of Charlie in a way. He rather completely ignore the obvious, if it's too weird, than ask questions.

"Here you are Dr. Cullen."

She laid a black velvet covered tray in front of us. A gorgeous string of pearls with a large lilac gemstone cut into a teardrop hanging from the center graced the largest portion of the tray.

"Ah, this will look beautiful on Esme." He eyes were bright, imagining the delicate necklace on his wife.

"I'm so glad you like it. The stone was difficult to find, but I came through as I always do," she said. "And there is the band for your son. Is this the future Mrs. Cullen?"

I smiled and nodded. I was still amazed my beautiful angel would want as his forever.

"Yes, this is Bella Swan," Carlisle proudly introduced me.

"Nice to meet you, Bella! Alice designed this ring, and I think it complements yours nicely," she said, offering me a small black box. "I'll leave you to examine your order, and ensure my work is in accordance with your standards, Dr. Cullen, Miss Swan." She smiled politely and hurried out of the room, her survival instincts finally getting the better of her.

Inside was a simple gold band, with a tiny pattern etched on the surface of the brushed gold, matching the intricate pattern of his mother's ring around the diamonds. I lifted it from the box, and noticed the engraving on the inside: Bella and Edward - As long as we both shall live.

A multitude of emotions swept through me and moisture began to flood my eyes. There was no one who could ever love anyone more than how much I loved Edward. I was smiling, lost in my thoughts when Carlisle held his hand out to inspect the ring as well. He was smiling, just as he did when Edward asked him to be his best man.

He replaced the gold band, and took the last box from the tray.

"And this, Bella, is from me."

He opened the box so slowly, it could have held a priceless treasure, which in fact it did, for me at least. Nestled in the soft folds of the box was a platinum ring, decorated with the Cullen family crest. I had seen the crest on various pieces of jewelry worn by my future family. This was very similar to the ring Carlisle wore, only smaller and much more feminine.

The tears in my eyes overflowed and I tried to remove the ring with my shaky hands. Carlisle gently took the box from my grip and slid the beautiful symbol of my new family on my right ring finger.

"Welcome to the family, sweetheart." His smile at that moment could have outshone the sun itself.

The ring fit perfectly and looked like it had belonged there all my life. It finally began to sink in that I was part of something bigger than my own little bubble of awkwardness. I was Carlisle and Esme's daughter. I was Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett's sister. And most of all, I was Edward's other half.

I threw my arms around Carlisle's neck and he hugged me back for a long moment.

Finally I was able to mumble out, "thank you Carlisle, for accepting me. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Bella." He placed his hands on either side of my face and kissed my forehead. "Our family is complete because of you, dear. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

He was still beaming and my smile was as big as his.

"I'll be right back, Bella."

He stood and followed Miss Cotton into the adjoining room. I heard Carlisle tell Kathy how much he appreciated her work as he paid for the pieces. She then thanked him, and wished him well.

He took me by the hand and led me out to the car. It took a lot of effort to relax my smile, but it stayed front place and center in my eyes, and in Carlisle's too, all the way back to Forks.

A/N: This is the first fic I've actually had the guts to publish. Hooray for that. I have a few ideas to continue this, perhaps for another couple chapters. If I get a decent response, I might add to this. Be gentle :)

Update: I fixed a few minor formatting issues and typos. oops.