Trio

"Where are you going?" Carlisle asked Garrett when he got off the bed. They had both been resting with a sleeping Bella in the middle. "You're not leaving us again, are you?"

"No," Garrett said, "there's just something I have to do."

Carlisle didn't ask what, but Garrett felt compelled to tell him. Not only did Bella demand explanations from him, but Garrett now knew that he owed it to those he loved.

"I'm going to visit Jessica Stanley and Michael Newton," Garrett said, "I'm going to scare them straight to hopefully get Bella some relief."

"Can I come?" Carlisle asked.

Garrett smiled, he definitely liked this new side of his mate and he hoped it stayed.

"No." Garrett kneeled on the bed, leaning over Bella to kiss Carlisle. "I love you," he said, "anyway, someone needs to be here if Bella wakes up. I won't be long."

Carlisle accepted this and Garrett made his way to the door.

"Give them hell," Carlisle said.

His statement shocked Garrett because when Carlisle first woke up he was still against swearing and saying words like hell, but apparently not now. It was definitely a welcome change.

"I will."

Garrett slipped out and ran at top speed. He didn't like leaving his mates. He wanted to get this done quickly, so he could get home. He chose Jessica first, knowing she would be the easiest. He slid into her bedroom. Jessica was fast asleep. Garrett knew how to manipulate people and it was easiest when they were sleeping.

He started off by whispering in her ear, threatening her that if anything bad happened to Bella that Jessica would be harmed. Then he started trying to correct some of the behavior. It was power of suggestion. When he was sure he hadn't overdone it, he jostled Jessica until she woke up.

Jessica groaned and blinked, then her eyes landed on Garrett. She was fearful and Garrett relished in it.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Jessica repeated, "I didn't know… I won't… I promise."

"Leave her alone," Garrett commanded lowly and Jessica nodded her head.

He didn't want to overdo it, so when Jessica turned to switch on the light, he left her room.

Garrett did the exact same thing to Mike, but a bit more intensively. He even put thoughts in his head that Jessica was hot and that they would make a perfect couple. Better to have those two wrapped up in each other than tormenting Bella. When Mike woke up, he backed away and ended up falling off the bed. Garrett towered over him.

"Leave her alone or I will kill you," Garrett said and just like he hoped, Mike pissed himself. Garrett smiled, he wasn't sure what it was, but he liked frightening people to that point. Maybe Bella was onto something when she said he liked making people pee themselves.

Mike didn't verbally agree, but Garrett was certain he would fall into line, if not, he'd just kill him. Garrett used his vampire speed and disappeared before Mike could comprehend what just happened.

Garrett was true to his word, he was gone barely ten minutes. He took his place beside Bella, drawing in her scent. He wanted to hold her, but he wasn't sure if that was overstepping any boundaries.

"How did it go?" Carlisle asked.

"Good," Garrett said, "I think I instilled enough fear in them. If not, we kill them."

"Together," Carlisle said.

"Of course," Garrett smiled, "together."

"I'm sad," Carlisle said, looking at Bella.

"Why?"

"Isabella's father comes back today, I'm going to miss having her here all the time."

Garrett would miss that too, but there was nothing they could do about it. "It will be okay," Garrett said, "the Chief approves of us, so he'll still let us spend time with his daughter."

"It's more than that though," Carlisle said, "she belongs here, with us, always, forever. Can we change her?"

Garrett frowned. "I'm sure we'll change her one day, but she needs to have a say in all of this."

"Of course," Carlisle said, "I just want her with us forever."

"She will be."

Nothing more was said on the matter. Both vampires laid beside Bella, watching over her closely, letting their love for her and each other grow. This was right, this was where they all needed to be.

Bella stirred awake and once she realized she was in between her two mates she couldn't stop smiling. She didn't know who to turn to first though, she didn't want to upset either of them, not after all the progress they'd made.

"Morning," Carlisle said, returning her smile, "did you sleep well?"

"Umm, yeah," Bella sat up and moved to the foot of the bed so she could see them better, "you two didn't just sit there and watch me sleep all night, did you?"

"No," Carlisle said, "I was reading a medical journal and watching you sleep."

Bella groaned.

"And you?" she asked Garrett.

"I went out on a short errand," Garrett said, "other than that, I did just sit here. I wouldn't say I watched you though, I was thinking."

"About what?" Bella asked.

"You, Lyle, us, the Chief."

Bella loved how open he was being and she couldn't hold back. She launched herself at Garrett and kissed him.

"What was that for?" Garrett asked, pulling back, when he could tell Bella was struggling to breathe.

"Just wanted to," she said.

"What about me?" Carlisle asked.

Bella knew this would happen.

"Is this going to become a thing?" she asked. "Because I can tell you right now that trying to keep things equal between the two of you is going to drive me insane."

Carlisle pouted. "Does that mean I don't get a kiss right now? Do I have to earn it? Do I have to ask for permission?"

Bella didn't know what to say or do. They had entered a new stage of their relationship and she didn't want to set any expectations too early on. There was a knock at the door and Bella jumped up.

"I'll get it," she said.

"Why didn't she kiss me?" Carlisle asked.

"Don't know." Garrett stood up.

"Who's here?" Carlisle strained his ears.

"The Chief."

"Already?" Carlisle stood up. "But I didn't get my kiss yet."

The two vampires rushed down the stairs right as Bella opened the door.

"Bells," Charlie said, bringing his daughter into a hug, "I missed you."

Bella hissed in pain and Charlie pulled back, seeing her broken arm.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, examining her arm. "Who did this to you?" Charlie's eyes went to the two vampires. "What happened?" he demanded.

"Dad, dad," Bella said, "calm down. This wasn't because of them."

"What happened?" Charlie asked. "I knew I shouldn't have left you alone. I should've forgotten my plan and just stayed. It would've happened eventually. Why didn't I wait?"

"Dad," Bella said, "Jessica pushed me into the lockers at school. It had nothing to do with Garrett or Carlisle. They've actually been really kind to me, putting my needs first, loving me, caring for me."

"Right, right," Charlie said, trying to calm down. "Well, I'm back now, so it's time to come home."

Charlie saw his daughter falter, he also saw the sadness on the two vampires' faces, but he had no idea if his plan to get them together as a trio had worked.

"Garrett," Charlie said, "who do you love?"

Garrett wondered why the Chief was asking him this again. Humans could be so forgetful.

"Lyle and Bella," Garrett answered.

"And would you say that you love them together or separately?"

Garrett growled. This was so pointless. "Together."

Charlie smiled. "And if you could be with only one, who would you chose?"

"I'd refuse," Garrett said. "What is the point of this?"

"No point," Charlie said, still smiling. "Come on, Bella, it's time to go home."

"Can't she just live here?" Carlisle asked.

Charlie chuckled. "No, she's seventeen."

"But that's grown," Carlisle said, "let us take this burden from you, she is well past marrying age, we will look after her."

"I only just got her back," Charlie said, "so I'm going to hold onto her for as long as I can. When Bella turns eighteen, she can choose where to live."

"But that's almost a year away," Carlisle said.

"She is my daughter."

Garrett could see that tensions were rising, he stepped forward. "What do you want, Bella?" he asked.

"Umm, both?" she questioned. "Dad, you're cool with this right? You think we're destined to be together, me and these two vampires."

"Yes," Charlie grunted.

"Then how about this," Bella said, "I spend five nights at home, two here."

"No," Garrett spoke up, "four here, three at home."

"I agree to that," Carlisle said.

"I don't," Charlie stood up straighter, "five with me is fine, she still goes to school remember."

"But I take her to school," Garrett said, "so your argument is pointless."

"How about four at home, three here," Bella suggested, "and we reassess after a month."

Everyone agreed knowing that it was the best they would get for now.

Garrett: I miss you, come over

Bella: Is this Carlisle?

Garrett: No

Bella: You miss me Garrett?

Garrett: Yes

Bella: Where's Carlisle?

She thought that maybe Garrett was feeling bored and alone, and that's why he was seeking her out.

Garrett: He's beside me, he misses you too, he wants to see you too

Carlisle: It's true, I do miss you, Isabella. Can you come over? Will Charlie let you? We can do something. Maybe go for a hike or something

Bella: A hike? Why?

Garrett: I agree with Bella

Carlisle: I like the trees …I almost died, remember

Bella: Low blow Carlisle

Garrett: At least he's talking about it with no negativity or self-loathing

Bella: That's progress

Carlisle: I can read Garrett's screen, stop talking about me like I'm not here

Bella set up a group chat between all three of them.

Bella: Is that better?

Carlisle: Yes, thank you

Garrett: I don't like this

Bella: You can still talk to me privately, both of you

Carlisle: I have no secrets to hide

Garrett: I do

Carlisle: If no one wants to go on a hike with me, I'm going alone

Bella: I'll come. Be over soon

"What about you, sweetheart?" Carlisle asked Garrett.

"It sounds pointless, Lyle. Can't we just stay here? You've lured the human over, I'll trap her and then we can have our way with her."

"You think of her like that?" Carlisle asked. "You know, having her body? Is she… Is she a virgin?"

"I think so," Garrett said, "she definitely smells like it."

"What does that mean for us?" Carlisle asked. "Only one of us can rob her of her virtue."

Garrett laughed. "Are you ever going to regain your memories?"

"I don't know, why?"

"Bella's her own woman," Garrett said, "and yet again, she will want to have a say in this. It will be her decision, not ours."

"Can we both do it?" Carlisle asked. "At the same time."

"No. Leave it up to her, Lyle, though if you want it, I won't take that from you, but I get to clean her up afterwards." Garrett growled, thinking about the blood. It had been far too long since he had tasted Bella's blood.

Carlisle stood up. "You're right," he said, "it's her decision to make. …Are you ever going to answer my questions?"

Garrett thought back. "Yes, I think of her like that. I am attracted to her and sex with you is good, so, when she's ready, I will share that with her too."

"Alone or together?" Carlisle asked.

"Together," Garrett answered, "at least for the first few times, but it will end up being just like us, Lyle, I'm sure there will be alone times too."

"I don't like that."

"You're jealous, it's cute."

"And you're not?" Carlisle asked.

"Sure, a little, but it's only you, Lyle, no one else, and I trust and love you."

"I love how open you're being." Carlisle kissed Garrett.

"I'm trying."

Garrett heard the rumble of Bella's truck and stood up, pulling Carlisle with him.

"Let's get this stupid hike over and done with," Garrett said.

They met Bella out the front and neither Bella nor Garrett knew why Carlisle wanted to hike, but they both decided to go along with it. It didn't take long for them to hit the stream and Carlisle followed it.

Carlisle led the way and soon Bella started lagging. Garrett dropped back, but didn't walk by her side, next thing he knew, Bella had launched herself onto his back. Garrett grabbed her legs and laughed.

"You're going to have two broken arms before you know it," he said.

Bella wrapped her arms around Garrett and nuzzled his neck. She was loving this new side of him. How he stuck around, how he no longer ran, how open he was being. She loved him. She kissed his neck.

"What is this?" Carlisle asked, turning around. "Why are you on his back, Isabella?"

"Carlisle," Bella groaned, "you need to stop this. Nothing is ever going to be fair or equal with us, we're a trio, not a duo. You can't get annoyed because I jumped on Garrett's back and not yours. You're both too fast for me, I couldn't keep up."

"Yes, but why did you choose him?"

Bella put her forehead on Garrett's shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Lyle, she just said that things aren't going to be equal. She can't be on both of our backs at once. I'm sure she just chose me because I was closer."

Carlisle huffed and sped up. Garrett stayed back.

"Ignore him, Bella, he's just feeling a little jealous."

"Why? I love you both equally."

Garrett didn't have an answer for her. He hitched Bella up higher on his back and took after their mate.

"Garrett?" Bella asked. Garrett grunted and it made her smile. "You're communicating more now, right?" Another grunt. They had almost caught up to Carlisle. "Can you please, please, please tell us why you call Carlisle Lyle?"

Garrett tensed up. "Why?"

"We just want to know. Why won't you tell us?"

Both could tell that Carlisle was listening, but he continued walking, clearly on a mission.

"It's embarrassing," Garrett said.

"We've finally hit our stride," Bella said, "we should be going into this relationship with no secrets. Carlisle and I won't judge you. Don't you think it's time to let this secret go?"

"No."

Carlisle stopped, his head was dropped. "I would really like to know why," he spoke quietly.

"I just don't see why it's so important," Garrett said, "it's just what I call him, the why shouldn't matter."

Bella slid off Garrett's back.

"No secrets," she told him.

"No secrets," Carlisle agreed.

Garrett saw no way out of it.

"I can't say it," he whispered.

"What?" Bella asked.

"I can't say it," Garrett growled, "I've tried so many times to say his name but my brain just can't get it out. I can say Lyle, so that's why I call him Lyle."

Garrett stormed off.

"Garrett, wait," Bella called out.

She approached Carlisle and he bent down so she could climb onto his back and then they gave chase.

"Garrett, thank you for telling us," Bella said, "we don't care, do we, Carlisle?"

"No."

"Why not?" Garrett asked. "It's embarrassing. I can say every other single word, but when it comes to my mate's name it just comes out jumbled. Do you know how many times I've tried? I just can't say it."

This place seemed familiar. Carlisle bent down and Bella took the hint. She got off his back and Carlisle started looking around. Memories flashed in his mind of this spot and he tried to make sense of them.

"This is where it happened," he said, looking around, "where I lost my head, where I was found."

Carlisle remembered the wolves leaving him, he remembered wishing for death, he remembered Seth, then he remembered his mates, he no longer wanted to die, he had tried to let Seth know, but he was too weak. He had made the decision to die and he was going to die.

More things flashed in his mind. His depression, what led him to that, the four men he killed, protecting Bella, meeting Bella, moving back to Forks.

Everything Garrett had told him had been truthful, but now Carlisle remembered it all from his perspective. Then he remembered his time from before he met Garrett. How he didn't like what he'd become, how he had tried to kill himself back then. He remembered it all. It was a lot and if he didn't have his vampire mind, he was sure it would have put him in a catatonic state. Even now, he just stood there, letting it all settle.

"Carlisle, are you okay?" Bella asked.

"I… Umm…" Carlisle didn't know where to begin.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?" Bella asked.

"For your forgiveness for what I did, those men that I killed. You knew just what to say to snap me out of it, thank you, Isabella."

"So, what now?" Garrett asked. "Are you going to start feeling sorry for yourself? Full of regret? Are you going to try and kill yourself again?"

"No," Carlisle said strongly, "I killed those four vile men to protect, Isabella. They... They deserved to die, I can see that now. Being out here, I… I remember everything."

"And?" Bella asked.

"I don't know," Carlisle said, "I kind of feel the same, just more sure of myself."

"And what of Esme?" Garrett asked.

"She was a girl that I treated," Carlisle said, "I felt connected to her, I wasn't sure why, then we moved on. I met her again, years later, the connection was still there. She was dead when I saw her, I tried to change her, but it didn't work. I was actually glad it didn't. I wasn't sure what we were to each other, maybe we would just be friends, but I'm glad she's at peace now."

"You know what this means," Bella said. Both vampires looked at her confused. "This is our time. We've accepted our bonds, we've connected with each other. Now is our time to be together without anything holding us back."

"Aside from the Chief," Garrett said.

Bella laughed. "Yes, well, aside from that. I am his daughter after all."

The End

A/N: Be sure to check out my Bella/Jasper full length fics: Light Within the Darkness (2011) - Let's Get Ethical (2014) - Irredeemable Killers (2014) - Bringer of Darkness (2015) - Rising Dawn (2015) - Whitlock's Swan (2018) - Online Predator (2019)