A/N: AU, OOC, AH

Disclaimers: I don't own Twilight

Prologue

June 16, 1994

Forks, Washington

"Mommy!" a little voice resonated through the house followed by the sound of tiny feet running across the carpeted floor. Sitting on one of the black leathered couches in the living room, Esme Cullen looked from the book and let a smile spread across her face. Her light green eyes graced the doorway just as her little son skidded to a halt in front of her.

Cheeks flushed, blue eyes shining, and black hair inherited from his grandfather tousled in a curly mess, three year old Emmett stood grinning with a ball clasped in his tiny hands. "Mommy, can you come play?" he asked. Esme was once again filled with wonder and unspeakable joy at being blessed with a little angel like her son. Glancing down at her swollen belly, her broad smile only grew brighter. Soon, her perfect little family of three would welcome two more little angels.

"Please, Mommy?" Emmett wheedled, and padded over to stand next to her.

"Of course, baby boy," Esme grinned and tousled her son's already messy hair.

"I not baby!" Emmett protested and Esme fought hard to not laugh at her son's diminutive size and childish words. Ever since he had been told that he was going to have younger siblings to play with, he had declared himself grown up. "I a big brother, Mommy! I not baby!"

Unable to restrain herself, Esme let out a small chuckle that turned to loud guffaws when Emmett almost appeared to be offended by it. "Ok, you're not a baby. Shall we go play?" The whole situation forgotten, Emmett let out a jubilant whoop and dashed off towards the back yard. Esme got up from the couch and groaned a little at the ache in her back. So far in the pregnancy, she hadn't had troubles with back pain, but they had been quite frequent on this day. Thinking little of it, Esme rubbed her back for a bit before following Emmett at a slower pace than he had left. When she got outside under the setting sun, she immediately felt better. Thoughts of her discomfort faded and were pushed to the back of her mind as she breathed the fresh air and set about lobbing the small ball back to Emmett when he tossed it to her. High, childish laughter permeated the air, joined by the tinkling of a woman's laugh every once a while as the ball flew back and forth. It often flew astray, but the little boy always ran after it, unknowingly making his mother chuckle to herself in amusement. Just as Esme was thinking how wonderful her life was, a sudden cramp in her stomach made her hands fly to her swollen belly.

Her heart immediately raced, her mind jumping without thought to bad scenarios. She bit her lip as she waited for the cramp to subside. A few moments later, it had faded away and Esme was about to let a breath of relief through her lips when another one seized her stomach, causing her to gasp softly. Only then was she aware of the throbbing in her lower back and Emmett's little voice calling her. Glancing down, she saw that the ball had landed by her feet. She knew better than to stoop down and pick it up though. "Emmett!"

"Yes, Mommy?" her son called back, full of innocence.

"Em, I need to sit down for a bit. Ok?" Esme told him. Without waiting for her small boy to reply, Esme walked to the porch and eased herself down on the first step just as another painful cramp tightened her stomach and made her heart race. Taking a deep breath and telling herself not to panic, she tried to think coherently against the onslaught of dark thoughts in her mind. She tried to recall the time she had briefly looked up a guide about twins. Hadn't it said something about being at a greater risk of premature birth because she was carrying twins? Esme then tried to recall what the guide had said about symptoms of premature birth, and to her dismay, she couldn't remember.

At least the cramps have subsided, she thought to herself as she realized a few minutes had passed when the last cramp had made her heart race and polluted her mind with foreboding thoughts. Maybe I'm just overreacting. Wiping the few beads of sweat from her forehead, Esme blinked to clear her eyes and settled to watch Emmett as he chased the ball around the yard. She thought she would give him maybe fifteen more minutes before calling him in. The world was darkening around her, literally. Places once lighted were quickly being stolen by the looming shadow and lights were coming on in people's homes. However, since it was summer, the sky wouldn't become completely dark for a few hours yet.

Esme adjusted her weight on the porch step and let her mind drift a little, glad that she wasn't experiencing any more cramps at the moment. It must be close to seven or so, her husband should be home soon. As always, thought of her husband brought a smile to Esme's pretty face. Carlisle had made himself a part of her life during their sophomore year. Both had known that they were destined to be together and were each other's firsts for everything. They got married at twenty one and had their first son at twenty seven. Through their fourteen years together, they had had several arguments, but none powerful enough to break them apart. For that, Esme felt eternally blessed. Carlisle was everything that she had ever wanted and her trust in him had never been betrayed.

Wrenched violently back from her day dream, Esme was once again barraged with pain as her abdomen clenched again. This cramp was the most painful so far, and she felt the breath leave her lungs as she nearly doubled over from the pain. Her hands unconsciously drifted to her stomach, as if trying to protect her unborn babies. When the pain had ceased somewhat, she made to get up so she could go call her husband, but another jolt coursed through her and she had to clench her eyes shut against the tears that were building. She had to be strong.

Small, cool hands were suddenly on her cheeks and Esme opened her eyes a little to see her little boy's bright blue orbs peering at her with unmasked concern. Ever since he was a very small, Emmett had been a very caring baby. He often strove to protect others and was very attuned to people when they needed help. There was no doubt in his parents' minds that he would be an exceptional big brother for the twins.

"Mommy?" Emmett's soothing little voice asked as Esme bit her lip against the another flare of pain. Something bad was happening, something very bad. She knew this wasn't normal at all, as she had gone through a very healthy pregnancy when she was bearing Emmett. Although Emmett had been quite the large baby, she had never experienced anything like this during that pregnancy. "Mommy, you okay?" Emmett asked, bringing Esme's wavering attention back to him.

"I'll be fine, Em. Can you go get the phone for me?" she gritted out, trying to sound assuring and not doing a very good job of it. Emmett nodded solemnly and left to do as she had asked. Esme concentrated on the sound of his footsteps to keep herself focused through the pain that was quickly becoming more intense. She barely registered the sudden wetness at her crotch, but she comprehended it enough to send waves of fear crashing down on her. The phone was suddenly in her hand, the cool plastic against her warm palm somehow letting her focus a bit and dial her husband's number. She found herself with and armful of Emmett when he wrapped his arm gently around her neck and rested a hand against her swollen belly. Esme thought she saw his lips move, but couldn't make out what he was saying so she focused her attention on the phone. Feeling like being on the edge of a precipice, she waited for her husband to pick up with a throat tightened with tears.

"Hello?" Carlisle's voice came through the phone, and Esme nearly lost it.

"Carlisle?" she choked out unnecessarily. Tears slipped unbidden from her eyes and still, she fought against them. For Emmett's sake, for her sanity's sake. A little hand wiped some of it away, but she didn't turn to acknowledge her son.

"Esme? What's wrong?" Carlisle asked, sensing the fear in his wife's voice. Esme closed her eyes and more tears cascaded down her face. What should she say? She still didn't know what was wrong with her. She had a good idea, but she didn't want to believe that.

"Where are you? Can you please come home? Come home, please. I need you," she finally answered, barely keeping herself from sobbing. Her breath hitched as another wave of pain blasted through her abdomen and the wetness between her legs grew. She turned her head and pressed her face against the top of Emmett's head for comfort and strength. Afraid to look down, she sounded her plea into the phone again.

Without asking for an explanation, Carlisle quickly replied, "I'll be there in a few minutes. I promise."

"Please hurry," Esme cried softly. The phone beeped when she pressed the off button, causing her despair to multiply.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Emmett asked in a quiet voice. Esme tried to put on a brave face for her young son when she turned to him, but she knew Emmett wouldn't fall for it.

"I'm not sure, Em, but we have to get inside," Esme said. Emmett quickly scrambled off her lap and allowed Esme room to hull herself to her feet. The corner of her lip tipped up slightly when Emmett held out his small hand for her to take. Her twins were so lucky to have Emmett as big brother. Unless...

Before she could be led on that train of thought, Esme quickly shook her head and concentrated on placing one foot in front of the other. When they entered the house, she debated going to the bathroom to investigate the wetness that had spread to her inner thighs, but when another cramp ravaged her, she lost the nerve to. Instead, she made her way slowly to the closest chair, and groaned in pain when she sat down. Her back was still bothering her, but the pain there wasn't nearly as bad as the ones that were ravaging her abdomen. She was aware of Emmett squeezing her hand with his small one and turned to look at him. He still had that look of concern in his eyes and was watching her carefully. "It'll be okay soon. Daddy's coming," Esme told him, comforting both of them. At least, attempting to. Absently, she rubbed a hand over her stomach and sent a silent plea to whoever was listening to let her babies be okay.

The sound of the garage door opening renewed her hope just a bit more. She watched Emmett dash off to greet his dad and tried to compose herself a little. With tears in her eyes and throat tight with fear in the form of liquid, she listened as Carlisle greeted Emmett with concern clearly in his voice and Emmett's high pitched voice telling him to go to Esme.

Hope blossomed in Esme's chest for the briefest of moments when Carlisle burst through the doorway that led to the kitchen with Emmett trailing behind. The doctor in him quickly scanned over his wife, looking for physical trauma of some sort to explain her distressed state while the husband and father rushed over and held Esme's face between his hands. "What's wrong, love?" he asked, blue eyes looking deep into her green ones for an answer.

"I don't know. I've been having horrible cramps and some back pain. Something's wrong, I know it. Something's wrong. Our babies, Carlisle! I don't... I don't... You have to help them!" Esme rambled, her voice coming out in a harsh whisper. She still refused to break down, but the tears refused to stay put.

"Shh..., love. It's okay. It'll be alright. When did they start?" Carlisle asked, keeping his voice low and soothing. Beneath the surface, his heart raced and he had a sick feeling in his stomach. His wife was only 27 weeks along in her pregnancy and she was describing some of the symptoms of premature labor. Though his specialties didn't lie in obstetrics and gynecology, he knew enough to guess what the symptoms meant.

"When I was...," Esme started but was cut off when the most agonizing bout of pain hit her. She felt the breath leave her just as the patch of wetness grew. She moaned and panted for breath while her hand strayed to her thigh, touching the patch. When she brought her hand up, fresh tears cascaded down her face. A splash of red marred her skin. Blood. "Carlisle!" she whimpered and her eyes swiveled up to those of her anxious husband's.

Seeing the blood, Carlisle acted quickly, despite wanting to scream. This just wasn't happening! "It's alright. It's going to be alright," he quickly reassured his wife as well as himself. "Let's go." He hauled Esme up gently and put an arm around her to support her weight, being careful of her protruding belly. "Emmett, come on," he called to the little boy who had hidden behind the chair in the couch. Carlisle felt a pang of grief that his young son had to witness this, but he couldn't dwell on it right now. The little boy obediently followed his parents to the car and climbed into the backseat by himself. After getting Esme settled on the passenger side, Carlisle quickly buckled his son into the car seat before dashing around the side of the car and hopping in the driver's seat. The drive to the hospital was silent, the air stretched very thin with fear. It wasn't until the black Mercedes had pulled up to Forks Community Hospital that the silence was broken.

"Oh God, please no," Esme whispered to no one in particular Carlisle gave her hand a quick squeeze, supporting her. "It's too early."

~To Heal~

9:31 pm

Seattle... Swedish Medical Center

Esme Cullen's world has been turned upside down. Literally. She was lying on a bed tilted so precariously that her feet were about two feet higher than her head. It was an attempt to keep the babies from pressing against her cervix. But that wasn't what kept her hands gripping tightly to the side of the thin mattress in which she was supine on. Her hands were white from her tenacious grip because she was about to lose her babies. The tears had run dry for the time being, whether because she just didn't have the energy to cry or because she couldn't comprehend the reality, Esme didn't know. She didn't care. Tears couldn't give her what she wanted most right now. She just wanted this to be over. To have the doctors tell her that there was nothing wrong. To know that her babies would be alright and healthy when they are brought into the world thirteen weeks from now.

Despite knowing better, she couldn't help but feel a flutter of hope in her chest when the door opened. Perhaps the doctor had come to tell her that all was right in the world again. Tilting her head to the side, she found not the doctor that she had been expecting but the blond hair, blued eyed, gorgeous doctor that was also her husband. He surely wasn't bringing the good news she had been hoping for, but he lit up her world just the same. He always did. Allowing the corner of her lips to tip up in greeting, she released one side of the bed and reached out her hand towards him.

"Hello, love," Carlisle said softly as he took her hand and pressed a warm kiss to her forehead. "My mother just took Emmett home. She said she can take care of him for as long as we need her to."

Esme nodded minutely, she was glad that at least her little boy was safe and sound. Her mind was drifting off again when she heard the sound of a chair scrape against the linoleum floor. She turned her head of light brownish-red hair to see Carlisle pulling up a chair to sit next to her. As always, the pure adoration and love in his eyes made Esme's whole being fill with a warmth that she could never begin to describe. Often times she found herself wondering what she had done to deserve a man like Carlisle Cullen to be her soulmate. If this was going to be the worst night of her life, and she had a feeling that it would turn out to be, she was at least thankful in the sense that she had the best person in the world next to her. They would struggle through this together. For their twins and for each other.

"I love you," Esme whispered. Three words that are spoken so frequently across the world. Special only because of the deeper than describable meaning behind them.

Carlisle lifted the hand that he clasped between his, the one that hadn't been pierced by needles delivering medication to stop Esme's contractions, and kissed the knuckles softly before reaching out to stroke a few stray strands of chestnut hair from Esme's face. "I love you." They lapsed into a comfortable silence born from thirteen years together. No words were needed. As soulmates, they were connected mentally, physically, and spiritually. Unfortunately, this comfortable silence allowed Esme's mind to stray once again.

Her gaze wondered to the to the four screens that surrounded her bed. Two of them were fetal monitors, monitoring the babies' heart beats. The third, her own heart rate. The fourth, her contractions. She was having contractions every five to six minutes. They weren't powerful enough for her to feel, so she wasn't in pain really. Watching the twin green lines trace across the identical screens, she saw that both of her twins had a heart rate of 139 beats per minute. Which was normal. She just wanted them to stay that way. But as she continued watching the lines, hardly feeling Carlisle's thumb trace soothing circles on the back of her hand, she felt dread building within her, threatening to spill over her already cracking resolve.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered into the still air, not sure whether she was speaking to Carlisle or her twins. Or no one at all. Nevertheless, Carlisle tried to reassure her, because he loved her.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked gently. Before Esme could speak, he cut in. "None of this is your fault, angel. No one blames you, so you better not do so either." He conveyed a whole string of assurances, knowing exactly why his wife was sorry. Half standing by the end of his assurances, he pressed his forehead to his wife's, the tips of their noses touching. Though neither of them spoke of it, the fear within their hearts was so prominent that the air was saturated with it. They shared a brief kiss full of love, of understanding, of despair, of an unspoken agreement that they would get through this.

The opening of the door made Carlisle pull away and the couple turned to see Dr. Lara Rivers come through the wide doorway. "The medications aren't helping," she told them gently after a quick greeting. Her voice was full of sympathy. She could only guess at how the couple felt. She had two healthy children at home and the very thought of even the smallest thing happening to them had her gut twisting painfully.

"And?" Esme asked weakly.

"I'm going to give you steroids that will spur the production of surfactant in the babies' lungs. Surfactant keeps their air sacs slightly open. Without them, breathing would require too much energy. We're hoping the steroids will keep your babies from developing Respiratory Distress Syndrome," Dr. Lara informed them, keeping her voice as soothing as possible. "If they survive, that is," she added as an afterthought and winced at her own words. However, the truth was, she didn't want to give the young couple too much hope.

"What's the chances? The full truth please," Carlisle asked her as she injected the steroids into a rubber port on the IV line.

"At twenty seven weeks, your babies have a very small chance of surviving. In the rare occurrence that they do survive, they are likely going to be faced with life long complications. Keeping them alive would amount to very large bills and it would be a very rough ride. The whole experience will be exhausting in every way that the word pertains to. I'm so very sorry."

No matter how many times she has done this, the mind numbing grief never failed to seize her. She felt deeply for each and every couple, or single, that had to hear their babies' prognosis.

Unbidden, tears had begun to leak out of Esme's eyes again as Carlisle's gave a mournful sigh. They already loved the twins to no end. From the day Esme declared herself pregnant, the twins had been a big part of their lives, loved to no end from the time they were no bigger than a thumb tack.

"You have a decision to make. Some parents decide that the quality of their babies' lives would be too horrible to keep them alive, so they let them go. Others want everything possible done for their kids. In the chance that your twins survive, what would you like us to do?" Lara Rivers asked the grieving parents.

Carlisle answered for both of them. "Everything possible."

~To Heal~

June 17, 1994

3:14 am

Everything had progressed too quickly. Nearly six hours after the administration of the steroids to make the babies produce more surfactant, Esme was wheeled into a large birthing room. Her water had broken just a few minutes ago and the final stages of her labor were under way. As she was pushed through the double doors, she noticed the people already in the room, readied with machines and supplies to welcome to babies into the world. If they were lucky. There was a team of pediatricians and nurses for each twin and they would take over as soon as the babies took their first breath. If they were lucky. She had a death grip on Carlisle's hand, but he didn't seem to mind.

Things happened quickly, yet almost in slow motion after that. One part of Esme wished this whole ordeal would end quickly, while the other part of her just kept wishing that the whole thing never happened in the first place. Neither side got their wishes, as nature had its own agenda.

A nurse relayed to her what she had to do and when throughout the process, though she had already gone through this once.

"I love you, angel," Carlisle whispered into her ear and kissed her on the forehead. Their intertwined hands were clenched tightly together. They had to be strong. There was nothing else that could be done to prevent this so they had to trek forward. No matter how hard it would be.

At 3:24 am, Alice Cullen was born. She gave a tiny cry as she came out before the one of the pediatricians suctioned out her mouth and slipped a tube down her throat to attach her to a respirator. She weighed only one pound 16 ounces. "Too small," Dr. Rivers shook her head when she and Carlisle shared a look. "There's a rough road ahead." Carlisle felt as if he had been bathed in ice water. Esme heard this news too, but she was too focused on the fact that her daughter had cried to think much about it. Her daughter had cried! It was more than Esme could've hoped for.

They allowed Carlisle to hold Alice for the briefest of moments and he showed her to Esme. Despite seeing that her daughter was just a bit bigger than her father's hand, was covered from head to toe in purplish bruises, and had a tube down her throat, the tiny, fragile baby was still her child; so Esme grinned slightly. "Welcome to the world, my daughter," Carlisle whispered to the baby cupped in both of his palms before she was whisked away to the NICU.

At 5:11, just as the sun peeked out about the horizon signaling the crack of dawn, Edward Cullen was born. He weighed only one pound 7 ounces. Shaking her head in dismay, Dr. Rivers said, "Even smaller!" No further explanation was needed and Carlisle felt the cold water pour over him again. Unlike his sister, Edward didn't cry.

"No!" Esme cried, voice rising in a wail. Carlisle blinked back the tears and looked to Dr. Rivers who had handed the baby to the second team of pediatricians.

"No, he's not dead," Dr. Rivers reassured them. "He's just too weak to even cry."

"Please," Esme whispered. Without asking, Dr. Rivers knew what she wanted. The tiny baby was placed in Carlisle's hand and the parents couldn't help but stare for a moment at how incredibly minuscule their son was. His whole body fit onto Carlisle's open palm. Like his sister, he was covered in bruises from the birth as he had no body fat to protect him. After the initial shock, both parents smiled at their precious little son. "Welcome to the world, my son," Carlisle whispered to the baby and just like before, he was taken away to the NICU a moment later.

Their twins had been brought into the world. Alive. Now they just had to keep them alive.

~To Heal~

9:00 am

Several hours after the birth of the twins Esme was declared fit enough to pay a visit to her twins. Carlisle wheeled her down to the NICU, passing by a family leaving the hospital on the way. The mother of the family held a baby in her arms, and the same bright smile adorned every family member's faces. Carlisle carefully adverted his eyes and Esme did so as well. But not before the cold blade of jealousy knicked her heart. When they got to the doors of the NICU however, all that faded away and she was left with a tinge of excitement as well as nervousness with the anticipation of seeing her twins. Carlisle had already been down to see them earlier while she was resting.

A nurse greeted them when they were allowed through the door and taught them how to scrub themselves from fingertips to elbows with the brush with a sponge attached to the back that were laid out for them in little sterile packages.

Alice and Edward had been placed in the same general area. The little heated beds they lied on only a few feet apart. Seeing her tiny babies again brought an indescribable joy to Esme's heart. She knew that the road ahead was tough and that she shouldn't keep too much hope around, but she also knew none of that would stop her from loving the babies with all her heart. Beside her, Carlisle was thinking along the same lines.

Each twin had a network of tubes and wires running from their miniature bodies to various machines by their bedside. Their eyes were covered with little patches to protect them from the UV lights over them that were keeping them from developing jaundice. The nurse explained to them what all the tubes were, though Carlisle had a good idea of their function. He was a doctor after all. That didn't keep him from listening with rapt attention, however, the lives of his children were tied to the network of tubes and wires across their bodies. After the explanation, the couple asked about their children's condition.

"They're not doing very well," the nurse told them after a long sigh. "Though Alice is doing slightly better. Girls tend to do better for some reason, we've seen that with many cases. Edward is already in the first stages of Respiratory Distress Syndrome."

The couple turned teary eyes to their two children and were pained at seeing how much effort it took the babies to breathe, even with the help of the machines.

"Are...are...," Carlisle started, choking on the question that he dreaded to ask.

"Are they going to live through today?" Esme asked for both of them, the question having been at the tip of her tongue as well.

"At this point, we think Alice will if she doesn't deteriorate, but Edward will be lucky to see the night fall," the nurse told them solemnly. It felt as if their hearts were being torn out of their chests. A numb feeling spread throughout both Esme and Carlisle as the words registered in their brain. It just wasn't possible. It can't be. The nurse left them to talk to their babies and they went from Alice to Edward and back to Alice and back to Edward. Sometimes, they would stroke the babies' heads with their pinky, but most of the time they talked to them about anything they could and told them just how much they loved them. When the time came to say goodbye to them for the time being, they went first to Alice.

"Keep fighting, little princess," Esme whispered to the tiny girl. "We love you." Then, they turned to her brother to bid him goodbye.

"Don't ever give up, little buddy," Carlisle said to Edward, fighting back a sudden flood in his eyes. "We love you." When they left the NICU, it was Carlisle who broke down first. It wasn't until they reached Esme's room that Esme joined him in convulsing sobs.

Later on in the day, Emmett came to visit and the room was filled with hugs and Emmett's voice telling them what he did at Grandpa and Grandma's house. When he asked about his little siblings, he was told that they were very sick and were staying in the room where sick babies go. He demanded to see them, and Carlisle and Esme spent long minutes explaining to him in simple terms why he couldn't. Emmett being Emmett, would hear none of it and threw a tantrum. Unable to stand it anymore, the three of them made their way down to the NICU to beg the nurses to let Emmett in for just a few minutes. It took a lot of convincing and out right begging before the head nurse finally relented and gave them a few minutes. Emmett deserved to have a chance to see his little siblings since tomorrow wasn't a promise for them. The look on Emmett's face when he took in the sight of his tiny baby siblings was all worth the persuasion. It even caused the nurses around the twins to smile. He had been so filled with wonder that he had literally been dazed, though the parents could tell Emmett quickly switched into big brother mode when a look of fierce protection stole over his face. The look almost seemed a little comical, causing the parents to smile just a bit wider. Carlisle and Esme felt so proud of their son at that moment that pride nearly made them puff out their chests. When he was told he had to go, he didn't even put up a fight. He was given the chance to mutter goodbyes before being carried out by his dad. Back in the room, Emmett sat on the bed and bounced a little from excess energy.

"When I baby, I bigger?" he suddenly asked, unknowingly causing his parents to fill with sadness all over again.

"Yes, you were, Em," Carlisle answered. "You were a lot bigger."

"I big brother!" Emmett exclaimed. To him, that was the reason why he had been bigger. His parents decided to leave it at that.

~To Heal~

6:00 pm

Carlisle and Esme were back at the NICU. An hour earlier, a nurse had come by their room to tell them that their twins weren't doing very well at all. They had said Edward's breathing had deteriorated to the point that he couldn't get enough oxygen and didn't have long left. An hour at the most. Alice had a little more time, but she was fading right behind her twin. Dry eyed, the two grief stricken parents had headed down to the NICU to be with their babies in their last moments. There was nothing anyone could do at that point. Numbly, yet with all the love behind their voices, they told the twins over and over how much they loved them and that they didn't have to be scared because they were going to heaven. And that they would be their babies for always and they would all meet again someday.

"Don't be scared," Carlisle whispered as he clutched Esme's hand tightly in his. His words were meant for all four of them to hear. Beside him, Esme was continuously dabbing at her eyes. She refused to break down, for that would make her miss her babies' last moments. They watched as if through a veil as the nurses disconnected the babies from the tubes and wires. The babies were going to be off life support in their last moments so they didn't have to leave the world while their bodies were invaded by all the foreign objects. Besides, those machines and IV lines weren't going to produce a miracle or even help them any longer. The only things left on them were going to be the patches that monitored their heart and their respiration rate.

"Can they be placed on the same bed?" Esme asked the nurses softly. She watched as the heart monitor by Edward's head showed numbers that were rapidly decreasing, meaning her baby's heart was quickly slowing down. Alice's heart was still beating at a steady rate, but her breathing was deteriorating fast.

The nurse quirked an eyebrow at Esme, though she didn't object. "I just want them to be together so they can pass on together. I know it sounds silly, but they have been together since they were just a cell. I just like to think that with each other, they wouldn't be scared," Esme tried to explain.

"It's not silly at all, love," Carlisle said as he kissed Esme's temple every so quickly. "Please?" he asked the nurses. The couple watched as they looked at each other and shrugged.

"I think that's a very touching idea, Esme," one of the nurses said. "Of course we can." The couple breathed out a thanks and watched as they gently scooped up Alice and placed her next to her twin. As the tubes aiding in their breathing were slipped out of both babies' throats, Carlisle and Esme clutched each other so tightly they could've been fused together. The nurses stood off to the side to offer them privacy, but also support as the parents each touched a hand to the babies' heads for a brief moment. They watched, not breathing, as the twins struggled to inhale. They managed one breath, though from the heart monitor, Carlisle could see that Edward's heart was about to give out from the stress. Alice, however, was still maintaining a steady heartbeat, though her oxygen level dropped significantly. It was after the second painful breath, that something happened.

The previously unmoving babies suddenly moved one arm each. Carlisle and Esme watched in awe with tears falling from their eyes as tiny little hands came together and they turned their heads towards each other. It was almost as if Edward and Alice were holding hands in their last moments. When their lungs deflated after their second breath, there was a long moment when everyone thought they would never rise again. Everyone was transfixed as they saw both babies open their eyes just the tiniest bit. When their chests rose again, the nurses thought that it had seemed less painful. But the spectators were unprepared to witness Alice's heart rate climbing back up to a steady 140 while her breaths evened out and supplied her with much needed oxygen. There was a brief moment when Edward's heart started fibrillating and his breathing ceased all together, but then his heart rate climbed up to a steady 140 just like his twin. His breaths evened out and the bruises covering both twin disappeared from their skin in front of disbelieving eyes.

By the time Carlisle and Esme, along with six nurses who had witness the whole situation finally comprehended what had just happened, the twins were sleeping soundly with heads touching. They were no less premature than before and still required a lot of attention, but they were surely not leaving the world either. Simultaneously, Carlisle and Esme dropped to their knees by the bed and thanked whoever had been watching them for the miracle. "It's a miracle," they both whispered loudly and the staff in the NICU clapped for them, though they were just as baffled as the parents. In the end, it didn't matter what had happened. Two precious lives had been saved and that was all that mattered.

When Esme glanced up at the clock, she saw that the time read 6:17. Was it only a coincidence that her babies were born on June 17th? June was the sixth month of the year.

~To Heal~

June 17, 1994

6:17 pm

A little village in the middle of no where

The man's face was streaked with dirt from a hard day of work in the field. As he finally got back to the village, he stared in disbelief at the sight before him. The whole village had been destroyed. Bodies were strewn everywhere and things were littered across the field. Houses had been toppled, nothing had been left standing or alive. He peered around, trying to discern what had caused this destruction. But could find nothing. A freak occurrence.

......

A/N: Sorry for the long prologue. The summary will make more sense as the story goes on. Please leave a review. They are much appreciated