My Esme Chapter 1: Intruder, a twilight fanfic

Disclaimer: While the attempt has been made to be medically accurate, some artistic license has been taken, and statements made by Carlisle are not to be regarded as authoritative.

Do not post without permission. Do not copy/print without including the above disclaimer in its entirety.

Chapter One: Intruder

Carlisle

I entered my office in the hospital and picked up my cell phone from the desk to check my messages. The instant I had it in my hand, it began ringing. I glanced at the screen before answering; Alice.

"Carlisle, where have you been?" she hissed.

I tensed; whatever was wrong had her too distracted to "see" for herself what I had been doing. "In surgery," I told her. "What's wrong, Alice?"

"Esme's in trouble; you need to get home now!"

I snapped the phone shut and shoved it in my pocket, already running through the halls. In seconds I was driving out of the parking lot, taking the corner nearly on two wheels.

I should have left the car and run on foot; it would have been safer for any humans who might be in my path, and faster.

I pulled up cockeyed in front of the house, nearly tearing the car door off its hinges as I got out.

I could smell the stranger immediately; a male, judging by the nuances of the scent. "Esme?"

The front door stood open, and I followed the stranger's scent upstairs…into my and Esme's room. His scent was mingled on the bed with Esme's, and I growled fiercely. But it seemed he was no longer in the house, and where was my Esme? If that monster had taken her with him… I growled again, then spun toward the window as a breeze came through the curtains carrying my Esme's scent with it.

I was at the window in an instant, pushing the curtains aside.

And there she was. She sat on the edge of the back porch roof, her hair loose and disheveled down her back. A single hairpin hung crookedly, still caught in the strands. "Esme?" *

She didn't respond, and I climbed through the window and crossed the roof to put a hand on her shoulder. I knew from working with humans that victims often blamed themselves; perhaps she was ashamed to face me. "Esme, love?"

Still I got no response, and with a knot twisting my stomach I took her chin and turned her head to face me. Alarm slammed through me; her eyes were staring, blank and expressionless. "Esme!" There was sharp command in my tone, but she gave no sign of having heard.

I had never before dreamed of striking my beloved, but now I slapped her smartly across the cheek; harder than I would have with a human, but still with far less than my full strength. "Esme!"

She sat as if she had turned to a statue, not moving or even breathing. With a soft moan, I bent and gathered her in my arms. "Esme, love," I whispered brokenly.

Never had I felt so helpless as I carried her back through the window and gently laid her in the bed. How did you even begin to diagnose someone who had no heartbeat, no internal body heat, who didn't even need to breathe?

I pulled my phone out and flipped it open, quickly selecting Alice's number. "Alice. What happened to my wife?"

"You don't want to know, Carlisle," Alice said miserably.

"Tell me!" I snarled. Of course I didn't want to know — but I needed to.

"She was raped," Alice whispered.

"Impossible," I snapped, desperate to believe it. "Nothing's broken; you expect me to believe my Esme submitted without a struggle?"

"She couldn't, Carlisle," Alice said sadly. "His mental powers paralyzed her mind."

I growled. "When I catch him, he'll wish he'd never —"

"No, Carlisle!" Alice cried. "You can't go out after him!"

"He's not getting away with this, Alice," I snarled.

"Not alone," she insisted. "He'll just use his powers on you, too; you need Bella."

"Seriously, Alice, do you 'see' Edward letting Bella near a vampire rapist? I don't."

"He doesn't have to let her that near. And I already called them; they're on the way over. Just wait for them, Carlisle, please!" Her voice broke, and she hung up without waiting for a response.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my arms lying limp on my legs, helpless to do anything for my Esme.

I barely glanced up when Jasper came into the room several minutes later. "Edward and Bella are downstairs, Carlisle," he said quietly. I was grateful that he didn't attempt to ease my despair; I needed to be able to feel it.

"Thanks, Jasper," I said dully.

He held out a hand, and I took it to pull myself to my feet…my son's touch was comforting in a way false emotions could never be.

I glanced over my shoulder at Esme as I left the room. "I'll avenge thee, love. I promise." It was all I could do for her now.

Next chapter coming next week!

* Illustration for this scene can be found on my DeviantArt account at femalechauvinist . deviantart art/Catatonic-663752196

A/N: I really have no idea how or why Esme was on the roof…that's just where Carlisle found her, so that's where she had to be. Barbie

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