A/N – I know I said I'd do a Rosalie POV of Breaking Dawn, and I do promise I'll get to it! I was also asked if I'd consider doing something with Carlisle, and what it was like when he found and turned Rosalie, and that idea intrigued me.
I love Carlisle's character, I love the history that he's lived through, I love that he has so much goodness and wisdom inside him, and I love the fact that he did the impossible and turned 'vegetarian' without help and without even knowing that it could be done! But there's also the darker side to Carlisle…the fact that despite all he is and all he believes, he changed humans into vampires.
I wanted to see what I could do with that, so this story is me playing with Carlisle and trying to get into the head of the good doctor and see what he was thinking when he took a dying Rosalie and thought making her one of them was a good idea. Because I like all my stories to fit together I've taken Chapter 2 from my World Of Shadows fic as the basis for this, which is Rosalie's memories of her change. This won't be really long, but I guess I'll see how I go with it.
One warning- this story deals with the aftermath of Rosalie's rape and assault, and as such will have details of her injuries and her reactions to what happened to her.
Chapter 1- The Charity Ball.
"Carlisle, let me do that for you."
Esme, already dressed in her dark green formal gown, comes across the room to me and reaches for my tie with a smile, beginning the process of knotting it.
"My love, I've been tying ties almost since they were invented," I point out to Esme teasingly. "I think I can probably manage."
Esme's golden eyes are bright. "Perhaps so dear, but you wouldn't deny me the pleasure of doing it for you now, would you?" Her hands, finished with the bow tie, run caressingly down the front of my dress shirt.
I catch her fingers up in my hands, bringing her fingers to my mouth and kissing them. "Indeed I wouldn't. And may I say how beautiful you're looking tonight?"
"Thank you," Esme smiles, patting a stray caramel coloured curl back into place. "We should be going now though. Edward is waiting downstairs."
As he hears our tread on the stairs, Edward rises to his feet. He wears evening dress well, and Esme has even succeeded in taming his unruly hair for the evening. If he wasn't scowling at us he would look older than his seventeen years. Not that Edward is exactly seventeen…
"I still don't see why I have to go," he says, almost belligerently.
"Because you were invited," Esme says calmly.
Edward rolls his eyes. "No, you were invited because Carlisle donated money..."
"And you were invited too because they needed more young men," Esme says sweetly, brushing imaginary lint off Edward's jacket. "It won't hurt you to go out for an evening and have some fun, and I'm sure the girls will appreciate having someone as lovely as you to dance with."
"It's completely hypocritical," Edward protests. "The Rochester Charitable Foundation…I'm sorry Esme, I know you've been involved with the committee, but it's ridiculous! It's not about charity at all! The amount of money they've spent on this ball tonight could supply food baskets to the needy for a year. Add in the money that the city's leading lights will have spent on gowns and jewels, and we'd eliminate poverty in the city completely."
"Well, aren't you being quite the revolutionary tonight," Esme teases with a laugh, not in the least offended. Edward is not saying anything she has not fretted over in private with me.
Edward makes a face and I chuckle, because in all honesty I'm not that excited about going tonight myself. But Esme has been involved with the committee and I donated a considerable sum and the invitation was given, so accepting it was the only polite thing to do. And I know that Esme wants to go. For the most part she's happy with our quiet life, but from time to time she enjoys going out in society and I would never deny her something that gives her pleasure.
Edward drives us to the Stratford-Banks home, as they are hosting this evening's ball. Rather than hand the car over to one of the valets he parks it a little way down the street, where it will be available to leave in a moment should we need it, and the three of us walk towards the large, lit up house.
Just as we reach the gates a large, dark limousine pulls up and a chauffeur jumps out immediately to open the rear doors. I recognise the man who steps out although I know him only slightly- Royce King, one of the most prominent and influential businessmen in the town. He doesn't look around as he reaches back into the automobile and helps his wife out, a thin woman almost lost in her elaborate beaded gown and the heavy ropes of pearls around her neck.
The son follows her out of the limousine. He is a handsome man, but there is something about him that unsettles me as he looks back into the car, bending his head to speak to someone still inside. There is a certain look of avarice in his eyes as he takes the slender pale hand in his and draws his fiancée out to stand beside him.
I recognise the girl too. Rosalie Hale, the daughter of the man I use for some of my banking needs. Young lady I suppose I should say, for she's certainly dressed up as elegantly as anyone else this evening, in a blue silky dress that leaves most of her back bare until she drapes a matching wrap over her arms and smiles up at the son as he leads her up the path. I very seldom notice the attractiveness or otherwise of humans anymore, but there is something about this blonde girl's beauty that draws every eye, even mine.
I glance across at Edward, but his eye passes over her without interest as he takes in the limousine and the other cars crowding the road. I know Esme worries about him being alone and wishes he had a mate and lover of his own, but sometimes I wonder if that is what Edward wants. He was only seventeen when he was changed and perhaps not ready for that part of life, as in all the years I have known him he has not talked of the issue. He has shown no inclination towards any of the female vampires we have met during our years together, and as I watch his attention move towards the cars as opposed to the many beautiful ladies around us I wonder if Esme's romantic heart will ever see Edward in love.
We follow the King family inside and wait patiently as they are greeted by our hosts and have their photographs taken for the society pages of the newspaper. Esme holds my arm a little more tightly and I look down at her, seeing her frowning at the younger Royce King as he holds Rosalie's arm possessively and they smile for the camera.
"I don't like that man," she murmurs to me, and I raise my eyebrows, a little surprised at the intensity of her tone.
"What do you mean?"
"There's something about him," she says uneasily. "I can't explain it Carlisle, but the way he looks at women…it's disturbing. I've seen him at other social events, and we had a committee meeting at Evelyn King's home one day and he was there, and although he's always behaved faultlessly I can't escape my feeling that there is something else there, something almost frightening."
Edward has been listening to Esme, and as he looks across at Royce King Junior his lip curls. "Well, all he's thinking about now is groping the girl he's with," he says lightly, making a face. "Ugh, I wish I hadn't looked in on that particular train of thought!"
I laugh a little, but it's our turn in the receiving line then and we greet our hosts as they welcome us. Elizabeth Stratford-Banks makes a special point to make a fuss over Edward and beg him to dance with some of the younger girls who will no doubt be feeling shy. Edward agrees and is led away, sending a rueful grimace in my direction. I take Esme in my arms and we move on to the dance floor too.
It's a pleasant evening. The music is good and I always enjoy dancing with my beautiful wife. Esme and I tend to keep our distance from Rochester society, but in some ways it's a small community and we are acquainted with many of the people at the benefit ball so there are plenty of people to talk with as we move about the room. Edward dances gallantly with some of the younger girls, most of whom look blushingly thrilled to be with him. Esme has her fair share of offers too, and I encourage her to enjoy herself.
Esme is dancing with Dr Travers, the senior doctor at my practice, and I have stepped into the quiet conservatory and am taking a brief moment alone when Rosalie catches my attention again. I had seen her dancing earlier of course, I don't think anyone was oblivious to the captivating sight of the pretty girl laughing as she whirled around the dance floor with one of the Stratford-Banks boys, but as I stand in the shadows of the conservatory and see her stumbling in from the garden she looks anything but happy.
If anything Rosalie looks afraid, her eyes wide and her breath coming fast as she drops into a chair and buries her face in her hands for a moment. Deep in the shadows she would be almost hidden from human eyes, but with vampire sight I can see her quite clearly as shakes silently. As I watch her she raises her head and looks down at her bare arm, and following the line of her gaze I can clearly see the dark imprint of a hand on her pale skin. Flaring my nostrils I can smell the blood pooling under the skin as the bruise darkens. Rosalie touches it, her lip trembling, but just as I am about to go to her and offer assistance there is a noise and a trio of giggling girls step into the conservatory, holding hands and talking in high, happy squeals in that way that excited young girls do.
One of them sees a flash of blonde hair from the corner and peers in curiously. "Rosalie? Is that you?"
It is as though a mask drops into place as Rosalie rises to her feet and comes out from the shadows, her face glowing with a brilliant smile as she, apparently, carelessly, slings her wrap around her arms to hide the marks. "Girls! You found me!" she cries gaily, as the four of them rush together.
"Oh, what have you been doing? You look beautiful tonight Rosie!"
No one would ever guess that a moment ago she was huddled nearly in tears as Rosalie hugs and kisses her friends, not even flinching when one of them takes her by the arm in a manner that I know must hurt her. "I've been outside with Royce," she says, and her eyes glitter even as she trills a laugh. "Now you must excuse me, I need to go to the ladies room and freshen up." I cannot help but muse on her inner strength as she tosses her head and glides away through the crowd, smiling and nodding and even blowing a kiss back to her girlfriends.
Esme brushes past her as she comes into the conservatory in search of me, and I feel my smile widen at the sight of my wife. She is beautiful, and as I step forward to meet her I once again bless the fates that guided her here to my hands.
"Hello my love," I say tenderly, brushing her cheeks with a kiss, ignoring the light giggles of the girls who are still nearby.
Esme smiles at me. "What are you doing hiding here in the shadows?" she scolds teasingly. "Shouldn't you be out there making friends and influencing people?"
Before I can answer there are heavy footfalls and Royce King strides in from the garden, his son trailing sulkily behind him. He looks angry, but seeing me he smooths his face down and nods in a friendly enough fashion.
"Dr Cullen, Mrs Cullen," he says. "Good evening."
"Good evening," I reply.
"You've met my son?" he says gruffly. "Royce, this is Dr and Mrs Cullen. Dr Cullen is in partnership with Dr Travers now."
I shake the young man's hand and murmur a greeting, but I can feel Esme's unease and remembering the distress of the Hale girl I am inclined to believe her that there is something disturbing about this man. But he shakes my hand firmly and the eyes on me are bland and clear.
"I'm going to find Rosalie," he mutters to his father once he drops my hand, and with a nod to me his father follows him. The young girls trip after the two of them.
Much to my surprise Esme shivers, and then looks at me with an embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry. You'll think me silly, I'm sure, but he reminds me of…of my ex-husband." Her voice falters and her eyes drop. We do not speak of Esme's former husband, not because I suffer from any feelings of jealousy but simply because she does not like to be reminded of such an unhappy time in her life.
"It's fine," I trace my hand down over her rounded cheek. "I would never think you silly…truth be, I find him unpleasant also."
I don't tell her about what I saw of Royce's fiancée and the bruises I believe he left on her arm. I don't want to raise any more old and upsetting memories for Esme, and I don't wish to distress her with situations we can do nothing about. While I would not see a human suffer when I could do something to assist them, unless Rosalie herself were to ask for help in this situation I am helpless.
"Come on," I say to Esme with a smile, pushing all those unhappy thoughts away. "I can hear that they're playing some music that is more my style…will you dance with me?"