Little Esme

I don't own Twilight.

I wrote this for Miki's birthday, but she was okay with me posting it as well.

I used the seventh chapter of Miki Mouse in Blue Jeans story, "Faith and Love" for the background of Carlisle and Esme's first meeting in canon for this story. You might understand this story better if you read that chapter (it's called "the Genius and the Apple"), but it's up to you. Of course, if you have some free time, I highly recommend you read the whole story of "Faith and Love."

Forks was one of the slower hospitals that Carlisle had worked in. Normally, he only saw one or two patients a day, although Bella's appearance may have slightly increased that. But fortunately, nothing seemed to be wrong with Edward's girlfriend today, or many other Forks residents, either. In fact, this afternoon Carlisle was enjoying the latest issue of Journal of American Medicine in his office. He was very pleased to spend time here when he wasn't busy with patients. It was peaceful, there were no overeager nurses, and Carlisle's office had very warm feeling. After all Esme had done a wonderful job decorating it with family pictures and famous doctors.

He had just turned to a new page when he heard "Dr. Cullen, please report to the ER. Dr. Cullen please report to the ER" on the intercom. It appeared something was wrong with one of the Forks residents, after all, considering no one had a scheduled appointment today. It was too bad but Carlisle was sure he could help. He carefully put the journal aside and headed out the door.

As soon as he did, he began hearing moans and groans of pain coming from a young girl in the waiting room. Carlisle forced himself to approach the waiting room at a human speed. The girl obviously needed help as soon as possible, but he still had to appear human. In the waiting room was a girl, possibly nine or ten years of age leaning against what appeared to be her mother and hobbling on her right leg. She continued to moan and groan constantly. "Hello. There's something wrong with your leg, I see?" he asked the girl as he finally approached her.

The girl seemed to be too busy moaning to answer, so her mother did it for her. "I'm not sure if it's broken or sprained, Dr. Cullen, but it definitely needs to be examined."

Carlisle nodded in agreement. He smelled some flowing blood as well. Not strong enough for open blood, but stronger than what was normal. The girl must have a bruise that needed to be treated as well as the broken leg. "Yes. Absolutely," he agreed with the girl's mother. Then Carlisle turned to the patient. "Would you prefer it if I carried you to the exam room? It seems you're having a lot of trouble walking, Miss…?"

"Yes!" the girl replied, automatically. Carlisle immediately picked her up as gently as he could.

"And it's Samantha," the girl added. "Samantha Grey." The girl's mother followed, looking like a cross between gratefulness and jealousy. Two eager nurses trailed behind.

Carlisle entered the closest exam room and carefully deposited the girl onto the table. Then he left the room so the nurses could help her into a hospital gown. Carlisle also mentioned they should find some ice, just in case Samantha had bruises that couldn't be seen. After waiting what seemed like a long time because he couldn't help the girl, Carlisle was finally allowed back in the exam room.

Samantha was sitting on the table in a white gown, still grimacing from the pain. Her left leg was laying straight out in front, and sure enough, there were two bruises on her the side of her left femur, just above the knee. Fortunately, they were already being iced. "So, how did the accident happen?" Carlisle began, taking out his paper and pen for notes.

Samantha sighed for a minute. "I was climbing a tree," she finally admitted. "My mother told me the trees here are a little tall for that, but it's…one of my favorite things to do."

Climbing a tree? Even though her mother disproved? Carlisle smiled, despite himself. This girl reminded him of a little Esme. He fondly recalled the first time he had seen his wife, when sixteen – year old Esme had come into the hospital with a broken leg because she'd climbed a tree, much to her parents' disproval. This girl even had a similar hair color to Esme's beautiful caramel waves, although Samantha's was a slightly lighter shade.

Samantha's mother, who had brown hair, shook her head. "Well, this why I warned you about climbing trees, Sammie. I knew you'd get hurt sooner or later."

"How high did you fall from?" Carlisle continued.

Samantha shrugged. "I'm not – ouch – sure," she replied. "The tree I was climbing was about twenty – five, maybe thirty feet tall, but I hadn't reached the top when I fell." Carlisle admired the girl's spirit, but he was happy she hadn't reached the top. If she had, the damage would have been much worse than a broken leg. "Maybe I fell from about twelve feet? I – ouch – don't know."

Carlisle wrote down twelve feet with a question mark in his notes. Then he paused. "You're still in a lot of pain even though you're not moving your leg. Did your mother or anyone else give you any pain relief before you came?"

Samantha shook her head.

"I was in too much of a hurry to get her here to think of things like that," Samantha's mother said, sounding defensive.

"That is fine, Ms. Grey. I'm glad you knew taking her to the hospital was important," Carlisle told her to calm her down.

Samantha's mother looked at Carlisle all dreamy – eyed. "Oh, I definitely knew how important it was to get Samantha here," she replied as she flipping her hair back.

"Well, I think I will find you some pain reliever than," Carlisle replied, switching the subject back to what mattered most. He left the room, pleased to be temporarily away from the woman's flirting.

Of course, as soon as he left, he was ambushed by two more nurses. "Can I help you with anything, Dr. Cullen?" said Nurse Sanders, blocking his path. She was short woman in her forties, but she blocked his path with the force of a lioness.

"Can I be of assistance to you?" Nurse Tompkins, one of the nurses who had helped with Samantha's case earlier, asked. She was in her twenties and had short blonde hair. Carlisle noticed she was wearing make – up to work again.

"I was just heading to find some Children's Advil with codeine for the patient with the broken leg," Carlisle replied," pointing in the direction those medications were located.

Nurse Tompkins smiled and batted her eyes at him. "I will be happy to do that for you Dr. Cullen. I should have done it to begin with," she told him, and then disappeared so fast, Carlisle almost believed she was a vampire as well. It was nice that the nurses were so eager to help him he supposed, considering it meant the patients received proper care quickly.

"Are you sure there is nothing else I can help you with?" Nurse Sanders protested. "I could make you a cup of coffee. I'm sure a hot cup would taste good after treating your patient."

Actually, it would not, but Nurse Sanders didn't need to know that. "Later, perhaps. I will be occupied with this patient for a while." With that, Carlisle disappeared back into the exam room.

As soon as he entered the room, Carlisle was struck by how much Samantha resembled Esme. Little Esme he thought to himself fondly. "Your pain relieve should be back soon. I hope an adventurous girl like yourself will be able be amused without tree – climbing for a while."

Samantha nodded. "I'll be alright. I like to read about adventures, too. Frank Balm's Oz books, for example, are awesome. As is Alice and Wonderland." It was interesting that Samantha enjoyed books when she wasn't tree – climbing. Esme had done that as well. Carlisle clearly remembered discussing books with Esme when she had broken her leg. The book she named were of Esme's favorite books as well.

Just Nurse Tompkins arrived carrying a bottle of children's Advil. She poured the red liquid into a medicine spoon and handed it to Samantha, staring at Carlisle the whole time. "Is there anything else I can do to help you, Dr. Cullen? Anything at all?"

"I'm just going to take the girl to the X – Ray room," Carlisle told the nurse as he watched Samantha drink the medicine.

"Well, I'll make sure everything is all set in there, Dr. Cullen," Nurse Tompkins commented. Out of the corner of his eye, Carlisle saw she was batting her eyes at him again.

Carlisle waited for Samantha to finish, and then carefully picked her up again to carry her to the X – ray room. It was nice that all hospitals had them today. Carlisle knew he was fairly accurate looking at a broken bone without the machine, but he still preferred to examine the X – rays. It was too bad Esme there wasn't one available when Esme had broken her leg, but it was nice there was one for "little Esme."

OOOOOOOOOOO

Carlisle looked at the X – ray and found Samantha's leg was broken in two places on her tibia, just as he had suspected. Fortunately both were small breaks. After setting the leg, which the girl handled as well as to be expected, he placed it in a cast. Samantha seemed happy about the cast, because as her friends would be able to sign it. Finally he fitted the girl with a pair of crutches and was able to discharge her. As fond as Carlisle was of the little Esme, he knew she would recover better in the comforts of her own home.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

That evening, as Carlisle drove home, he smiled again as he remembered how much Samantha reminded him of sixteen – year – old Esme. He adored recalling the first time he seen his wife, especially with his perfect memory. She had still leaves still stuck in her beautiful caramel – colored hair from climbing the tree. It made her look like a woodland fairy. As he treated her, she told him how upset her parents were that their sixteen – year old daughter had climbed a tree when she was supposed to be a young lady. Esme also talked about her favorite books, and how her parents disapproved of those as well. By the end of the meeting, Carlisle had admired her so much, he even gave her a nickname.

Carlisle arrived home to the wonderful sound of Edward playing Bella's lullaby. As he opened the door, he saw Bella seated next to Edward on the piano, watching him intently. Esme was standing in the corner, watching them from a distance, with a contented smile on her face. "Hello Little Apple," Carlisle greeted her.

Esme smiled at the name, but then she looked at him in surprise. "I haven't heard that name in a while."

Carlisle smiled and looked into her eyes. "I treated a girl with a broken leg today. She…fell from a tree. She reminded me so much of you, so I started thinking about the first time we met."

Esme nodded and pecked him on the lips. "That's nice. It good to reminisce."

Carlisle gently picked up some of Esme's beautiful hair, recognizing how much she and Samantha looked alike again. His eyes widened as he thought of something. "Even the girl's hair looked like yours. I just realized if we were able to have child, she might look like Samantha…A nine – year old adventurer."

Esme nodded, thinking about that for a second as well. But then she shook her head. "Don't torture yourself, Carlisle. We have plenty adventurers already. Emmett, for example."

Carlisle chuckled softly in agreement. He was sure they would hear plenty of Emmett and Rosalie's adventures when they returned from Africa. "True. And Alice gives us a new adventure every time she comes home with a new wardrobe."

"And Edward's on his own little adventure right now," Esme added, nodding toward Edward and Bella, who were still seated on the piano bench while he played.

Carlisle smiled and nodded. "I agree. Love is always an adventure."