Disclaimer:

I do not own Twilight. that's it.

Carlisle and Esme- Sweeter than Sunshine.

Chapter 1: The Coffee Shop. September 28, 1922

I was dricing through Cinncinati, Ohio, exploring the place Edward and I had begun to live in, when i spotted this little coffe shop in the corner of the street. Places like these were rare, so i decided to step inside and buy a newspaper.

Inside, there were a few little tables and a counter, behind which stood the most beautiful woman i'd ever seen. She had a heart-shaped face, bright blue eyes, and caramel colored hair. For a moment, all i could do was gawk at her. Then i pulled myself together. She was smiling at me happily.

"Hello, sir. Can I get you anything?" she asked me.

"Um, no, but i would like to buy a newspaper."

The woman sighed. "That's what everyone here seems to come for. Newspapers."

"If it makes you happy, I'll buy a coffee."

"Oh, would you? That would be wonderful! I'll get it right away!"

I grimaced at myself. Only I would buy a coffe to make a girl happy. I sighed, and reached for a newspaperfrom the box it was kept in. The headline said "Circus comes to Cinncinati!" I shook my head at this, wonering why i bothered with reading newspapers anyway.

The woman with caramel hair came back with my coffee, smiling even wider than before. "Here you go, sir! 50 cents!"

I handed her twice the money, so she would get a tip. She really was a nice lady.

"So, what's your name?" she asked me.

"Carlisle," I said, shaking her hand.

"I'm Esme Lynnette," she said, intent on making small talk. I was surprised; usually people avoided me. "Are you that new doctor everyone's been talking about?"

"Yes, that's me. Dr. Carlisle Cullen."

"Well, I'm glad your here! Everyone says you're the best, and the guy i work for is in dire need of the best. You see, her neice is very sick, and none of the doctors she's seen have been able to help. She has a terrible dog bite on her leg, and it seems to hurt her very much. She sometimes screams with pain, saying "It burns! My leg is on fire! Make it stop, Auntie!" and no one understands why. The leg is not infected, how could it hurt her so?

I stared at Esme in horror.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Only a day, sir. She's only 6, and she's very scared, sir. She's staying in the hospital."

I got up immediately, still holding the newspaper.

"Are you going now sir?"

"Call me Carlisle," I told her. "And yes, I'm going."

I began to walk quickly towards the door.

"Do you want your coffee?"

"No, you can have it," I said as I walked out the door.

She hurried after me.

"Well, goodbye," she said sadly as i got into my car.

And even when i had shut the door, even when i'd roared the engine to life, even when i'd begun to drive away, I still heard her faint, soft voice, whispering after me as she watched me go.

"Goodbye, Carlisle Cullen."

I arrived at the hospital quicker than I'd thought I could in this slow car, still thinking about Esme. To my extreme surprise, Edward was waiting for me in the doorway with his arms crossed and his eyebrows raised.

"I thought you'd never get here," he complained.

"How did you know I was coming at all?" I asked in awe.

"The coffee shop is close enough to home for me to hear your thoughts," he said, and snickered. "The waitress was pretty, now, wasn't she? The most beautiful thing you'd ever seen? Pathetic. "

I sighed. "Just tell me what ward the girl is in."

"The dieing ward. Her aunt doesn't care enough to make a personal calll to you. She hopes the child will die."

"Wonderful," i muttered as I rushed up ther stairs, trying to stay at human pace, to the ward with the dieing.

There were only four people in the dieing ward, and only one of them was a little girl. She was very small for her age, and had a bandage on her left leg, which wasn't bleeding as badly as i'd expected.

I huried over to her and sat down beside her bed. She looked over at me, face distorted with pain, fighting the urge to scream.

"C-can you h-help me?" she whispered. I wanted to cry, it pained me so.

"No," I told her, looking down, "but I do know what's happening, and you are the only person i know besides myself, who can endure this for any length of time without screaming too much. What's your name?"

"Helen" she said, trying hard not to pass out.

"Helen, do you know what a vampire is?"

"Somewhat..."

"A vampire is some one who is extremely strong, fast, and beautiful. Vampires are most commonly known for drinking human blood because of their overcoming thirst for it, and their urge to kill people. However, there is an alternative to living that way. Some vampires, such as myself and Edward, drink the blood of animals instead of humans. We are able to live side-by-side with the mortal world without causing death and pain. vampires are an immortal danger."

"Is that what's happening to me?" Helen whispered. "I'm going to be six forever?"

"Not if you don't want to be. You have one other option."

"What is that?"

"To die before you become a full-fledged vampire."

Helen was quiet for a moment. She looked at me with sad, young eyes and said, "Forever be changed, or to live for eternity. What, doctor, shall i choose?"

"Do what you wish, child, though both seem to count towards vampire."

"No," she said simply. "That's wrong. To live for eternity and to be cahnged forever are two different things. One means to stay on this Earth, just changed in form, desires, and state of mind. But to live for eternity, to truly live for eternity... That means to be with the Lord for eternity."

I looked at the child like she had just invented lightbulbs and exclaimed, "How did you get so smart?"

Helen tried to smile, but gave up after 3 minutes.

"I learn things from watching the world, and evaluating it all into what my opinion is. Children are more deep-minded than you would think."

I sighed.

"When do you want me to do this?"

"I don't want you to do anything. You have to kind a spirit to be able to let me go, I can see it in your eyes. You would never be able to kill me. Your goal is to save lives, not destroy them. Instead I will pray that the Lord take me so that no one gets charged with murder..."

Helen sat up, straining her face and moaning as she did so. She bowed her head, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together.

"Dear Lord," she whispered. "Take me away."

Suddenly Helen was gone. The bed where she had lay was made perfectly, as if no one had ever slept there, in the first place.

The man in the bed beside Helen's said, "What are you doing?"

"Did you see that?" I asked him incredulously.

"See what? See you kneel down beside an empty bed? Are you supposed to be in the insane ward?"

"You didn't see Helen?"

"Helen? Helen who? Is this some kind of joke? S'far as I'm concerned, there has only been three people in here until you showed up." the other two old men nodded in agreement.

Maybe they were asleep, I thought to myself as i walked back through the hallway.

My ride back home was short and uneventful, but when I got there Edward was pacing in the living room.

"Edward!" I exclaimed. "She ended up fine!'

"What?" he said, looking up at me.

"Helen! The six year old that almost became a vampire!"

"Who in the name of Pete's Cat is Helen?"

I slapped my forhead. "Listen to my memories!"

I began to think hard of Helen and all that had happend that day. To my surprise, Edward gave me a funny look.

"What is wrong, Carlisle? All I hear is buzzing!"

"Is my mind whizzing that fast?"

"I'm serious! All I see in your head is a blank page... Are you alright?"

I stared at him in wonder. "You don't remember?"

"Remember what?

"Fascinating..." I muttered. "Edward, what all did I do today?"

"You went to a coffee shop and saw a pretty waitress named Esme. "

"Esme! She'll remember! Of course!"

"As I was saying, you went to the coffee shop, then to the hospital to meet the other doctors."

Suddenly I launched into the story of Helen and everything Esme said, hoping that might work. Edward just stared at me silently.

"Carlisle, your brain is buzzing again. And don't stare at me and smile like that without saying anything. It's creeping me out."

I sighed and walked deflatedly to the couch. Edward went to his room.

The a dove with a note flew through the window. The note was addressed to me.

Carlisle,

The all-powerful one took young Helen before she became a vampire. All memory of her was erased from every head but yours. When you try to speak of her, however, your lips will not move. When you think of her, all young Edward will hear is a buzzing sound. But one day there will be one who will here you, one who will be able to listen. Be patient, child.

-The Angel Gabriel

I stopped breathing when i finished, because the note dissapeared in a shroud of silver dust. Edward must have heard me stop breathing, because he came back into the room and asked, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine Edward," I said dryly, "but can I be alone for a moment?"

"Hmph. Sure, Carlisle." he muttered, leaving the room.

I hoped you all liked this chapter. I know, i got a little carried away with the religious stuff, but none of the other chapters will be as weird.

I know Edward seems cranky, but he hasn't found Bella yet, so i fugured he wouldn't be the nicest man on Earth.

if people ask for it, I will also make a story about Helen's life. Please review. I'm sorry if you didn't like it, so please tell me what i did wrong.