Chapter One – Returning From Another Camping Trip

Forks – Winter 2009

Carlisle glanced in his rear view mirror at his adopted children sitting in the back seats. Rosalie and Emmett were sitting behind himself and Esme with their arms around each other looking out the window, while Edward sat beside them in the third seat listening to his MP3 player and reading a book. Alice and Jasper were sitting in the seats behind them talking intently. He found his gaze drift back to the couple in front, who'd just kissed sweetly and were gazing into each other's eyes.

Rosalie felt his gaze and smiled at her adopted father. "Where are we Carlisle?" she softly, leaning on Emmet's shoulder.

"We are about an hour from Forks," Carlisle replied. He felt a hand on his knee and he turned and looked at his wife. Esme smiled and looked back at her children.

"Why don't you have a nap?" she suggested gently in her calm, loving voice. After a week of camping and hiking they could see that all of their children were tired, but Rosalie especially. It really wasn't her favourite pastime to say the least; Rosalie wasn't outdoorsy and was teased by the boys ever since they'd first tried camping.

Rosalie smiled at her mother and closed her eyes, snuggling into her boyfriend's arms. Emmet pulled up a blanket from his feet and draped it over her as she fell asleep. Carlisle looked back at the road with a smile.

It was amazing how two people so different could end up so perfectly suited. They had been the only two children they had adopted together.

Portland, Oregon - Fall 2000

It had been a long night at the Portland General Hospital. Carlisle had taken a job as Paediatrician in the hospital but due to a staff shortage kept getting asked to help out in an emergency. He helped out with anything but if there were children admitted Carlisle was asked.

Carlisle was in the cafeteria drinking a coffee at 2.30 am when a nurse rushed into the room. "Dr. Cullen, we need you." Carlisle stood and walked swiftly out the room next to the nurse. "There was a three car pileup on the highway. Ten people are in the ER."

"Do we know how the accident happened?" he asked.

"The driver of a BMW was drunk," the nurse replied disgustingly. "While driving his wife and daughter. When it started raining he lost control of the car on the highway and swerved into a minivan then flew into a tree. The minivan then collided with a station wagon."

They walked into the hectic emergency room filled with stretchers and medical staff. He walked to the closest stretcher; a blonde woman in her thirties was receiving CPR from another doctor. "Cullen," the doctor recognised as a close colleague, Dan Smithers. "I need you; I haven't been able to revive her since they got her in here. I think she was dead on scene."

None the less Carlisle ordered a defibrillator and attempted to get her heart going with electric shocks. He gave up after the fourth attempt with the highest voltage. "It's no good," he said. "She's been gone awhile."

A nurse and doctor walked past with a small girl on a stretcher. "Who this?" Carlisle asked, taking a look at the deep cut on her head.

"The little girl in the car of the drunk driver," The doctor replied. "She's been unconscious since the accident occurred. She wasn't wearing a seat belt and got thrown from the car."

"What kind of parents don't make sure their child has their seatbelt on?" The nurse commented with disapproval.

"The kind that drives over the limit," Carlisle answered sadly, looking over the small blonde girl who looked no older than ten. "Does she have any other injuries?"

"A fractured shoulder and some cuts and bruises, nothing else serious," The doctor answered.

Carlisle didn't see the girl again till after the shift was over. An elderly couple in the station wagon had both died from head injuries and the girl's parents had both died. The woman he had tried to revive had been her mother and her father had died on scene. He felt very bad about the whole situation, the poor girl had been made an orphan in one horrible night. After making sure the five young students in the minivan were being treated, he went to his office to fill out the necessary paperwork.

Once he was done, he went to casualty and found the room where the little girl was being kept. He took a look at her file. Her name was Rosalie Hale, daughter of Roger Hale, the CEO of a major electronics and IT company. Her mother was Stephanie Hale, who was a rich socialite who hadn't worked a day in her life. Rosalie Hale had attended a wealthy boarding school in Seattle and the family it seems where on their way to their country house when the accident occurred. Why Mr Hale was incredibly drunk was something Carlisle might never find out.

He walked into the casualty room; she was in with three other patients, all victims of the accident. Rosalie was lying in a hospital bed on the far left next to the window. He walked over to her bed and took a look at the clipboard hanging on the end of the bed. 'Admitted with a fractured shoulder and head injuries. Was found unconscious at the scene and had not yet regained consciousness despite completely normal brain activity.'

Carlisle put the clipboard back and walked over to her. She was a very pretty little girl, soft delicate features and very light golden hair that was cascading past her shoulders in what seemed to be perfect curls. He felt a pain in his heart when he imagined who was going to have to tell her about her parents. He knew it was late but he couldn't bring himself to leave her side. He pulled up a visitor's chair next to her bed and sat down. He reached out and took her small hand in his own, then sat watching her sleep.

It was eight am when Carlisle finally made it home; pulling his BMW into his modest three bedrooms colonial home that had been picked out and completely renovated by his wife Esme. Esme had her own building restoration business, specializing in buildings over a hundred years old. She loved antiques and had already grown quite an impressive collection.

Carlisle locked his car and walked through the front garden path and up the stairs to their front porch. He found the door unlocked and walked in, finding his wife and son at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Esme stood and walked over to her husband. "Carlisle at last," she said as she hugged him tightly. "You didn't come home at all last night."

"Sorry, Esme," Carlisle replied, putting his hand on his son's shoulder. "It was a rough shift, I had to work back a lot later than I thought."

"I'll make you some toast," Esme said warmly, knowing her husband always needed some time to unwind after a shift before he went to bed.

Carlisle sat beside his adopted son Edward. He was nine years old and Carlisle and Esme had adopted a three year old Edward because Esme was unable to bear children. They had originally decided on adopting a baby but when they were in an orphanage they found little Edward playing by himself. He'd been so small and Esme had found out that they couldn't find a home for Edward because he was too old.

There was something special about Edward, he was uncommonly bright for his age as well as advanced. He already showed an interest in science and medicine, Carlisle hoped one day Edward would want to become a doctor. "What happened at the hospital, Carlisle?" Edward asked curiously looking up from his cereal. Edward had rich green eyes and bronze colour hair, which Esme kept quite short.

"Just had a lot of patients, Edward," Carlisle answered tiredly. He knew Edward wanted more information but he wasn't comfortable sharing difficult details with someone Edward's age. He felt Edward should enjoy his childhood while he had it, not that Edward acted like a child.

"Sweetheart," Esme said as she placed some toast in front of Carlisle. "You should be leaving for school."

Edward stood and checked his schoolbag. "I better be going," he said quietly, giving Carlisle a hug then Esme, who kissed the top of his head and walked him to the door as Carlisle ate.

Esme had a wide smile when she walked back into the kitchen.

"What is it?" Carlisle asked, instantly feeling better about the night he'd had just seeing her smile.

"I went to the adoption agency yesterday," Esme said, sitting next to him. "I've found a little boy I want you to meet."

"How old is he?" Carlisle asked eagerly. They had decided on adopting another child but he didn't think it would happen so soon, they haven't even discussed it with Edward.

"He's nine," Esme said a little hesitantly. "Which I know is older than we said but there's something about him."

Carlisle took Esme's hand. "How long has he been an orphan?"

"Three months," Esme replied sadly. "His parents and older sister died in a house fire while he was away at camp. Beth said it's been really hard for him to be in the city, he is used to living in the country."

Carlisle said, "But it was hard enough when we first adopted Edward." He squeezed her hand. "But with Edward we managed to become a family, he is our son. Do you think it would be possible with a child that's already had a family for so long?"

Esme kept smiling and replied, "Do you remember how we felt when we saw Edward? That feeling of instant attachment, that you didn't want to leave them, that this child is meant to be with you and you were brought into this world to take care of them?"

Carlisle thought back to the small girl lying unconscious in the hospital and the pang of protectiveness for her and how he couldn't leave her last night. "Yes I remember," he replied.

Esme looked as though she was getting teary. "Well that's how I felt when I saw Emmett. He's got this amazing spirit and warmth. I can't believe no one wants him, Carlisle you have to come and meet him," she was gripping his hand now and Carlisle leant forward and kissed his wife.

Forks – Winter 2009

Carlisle was interrupted from his thoughts by Emmett sneezing loudly in the back seat. He can't imagine the two little children they adopted together nine years ago would grow up so fast and fall in love. He certainly hadn't seen it coming, Rosalie had disliked Emmett until two years ago when they had suddenly bonded and a month later they were completely head over heels for each other.

"Carlisle!" the alarmed, deep voice of Edward made the whole car jump and Carlisle quickly planted his foot on the brakes when he saw what had alarmed his son. The car jolted to a stop and as the fog cleared further he saw the Ute upside down on the road, smoke appearing from the engine of the car.

"Oh my god!" Esme exclaimed in shock and the girls in the back made similar noises.

Carlisle parked a safe distance away from the scene and jumped out the car, being followed by the boys. He reached the driver's door and crouched down to check the driver. "Oh no," he said solemnly when he felt no pulse.

Esme ran towards him. "Who is it?"

"It's Chief Swan," Carlisle said sadly.

Emmett crouched down beside his father. "Come on we've got to get him out," he said urgently.

With Emmett and Jasper's assistance they pulled the Chief out of the car and lied him down on the road. Carlisle attempted resuscitation but he'd seen enough to know that Charlie was already gone. He could hear Alice and Rosalie crying and Esme moved away to comfort her daughters.

"Carlisle," Edward called out panicked.

"Oh Jesus," Emmett swore as he looked up and Carlisle followed his gaze.

Edward had appeared from around the side of the car carrying a young teenager in his arms. "I think she's breathing," he said shakily, his eyes desperate.