Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight universe.

2 - Rosalie

Esme sighed, all of the tension melting from her body as she sank into the hot bath. The air crackled and hissed as her icy body touched the scalding water. Steam curled through the air in wispy little tendrils, curling the locks of hair falling from her loose bun.

She rested her head on the rounded edge of the clawfoot bathtub and let her eyes close with a whimper of pure pleasure.

She was determined to enjoy her rare moment of quiet, determined to spend a bit of time not working on the house or breaking up fights between the kids.

Esme shook her head. The children were...a challenge.

Her heart had broken when Edward decided to live on his own. She had tried to stay cheerful during those years, but her son was never far from her mind. Every time a car turned into the drive, her still heart would lurch and her eyes would dart to the window. Carlisle had assured her that he would be back, that Edward wouldn't adapt to the lifestyle of a nomad.

He was right.

One day, he simply came back, walking right into Esme's open arms, his face buried in her shoulder. "Sorry, mom," he had whispered. And with that hug and those words, her heart was mended. It was the first time anyone had ever called her 'mom' and her elation was written clearly across her face.

Rosalie brought new challenges. Esme saw the broken child there, the girl forever trapped in her worst moment, eternally punished for her beauty. She found an easy kinship with Rose, the similarity of their pasts enough to bind them even when she was so intent on shoving everyone away.

Esme worked on her slowly, peeling away the hardened layers as Carlisle once had with Esme's insecurities. Esme loved her instantly, her finely honed motherly instincts taking over when she naturally would have retreated from the lashing out and bouts of bad attitude.

Carlisle's guilt was consuming him. He ached to see Rosalie happy and it pained him to see her so unable to find joy in her new life. She resented him for changing her and she went out of her way to avoid him entirely. He threw himself into work, often finding the hospital a much more inviting place than his own home.

Esme sighed and shifted in the tub, her eyes popping open when a familiar scent wafted through the thick steam.

"Why the sad sigh?" His voice was velvety smooth and her lips curled into an easy smile.

"I thought you had to work late."

Carlisle shrugged and moved to her, tugging his suspenders down as he walked and letting them dangle at his waist. "I just explained to them that I have a gorgeous wife waiting for me at home."

"And that was enough?"

He knelt behind her, one hand skimming the chilled water and the other moving aside the hair escaping her bun. He pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck. "Mmm," he murmured. "Well, that and a new doctor started today."

She laughed lightly and twisted to meet his eyes. "Less time at work?"

He smiled and touched her cheek with an amazed sort of reverence that never failed to take her breath away. "I will try."

Esme leaned forward, her lips still curved as he met her halfway. She lost herself in the kiss, twisting further to wrap an arm around him.

"Where are the kids?" he whispered against her lips.

"They were arguing." She brushed his hair behind his ear with sure fingers. "I sent them to hunt in different directions."

He laughed and stood, tugging his clothes off impatiently, their gazes locked and smiles still wide. Carlisle eased into the tub and Esme barely noticed the water sluicing over the edge. He raised an eyebrow at her as he got settled and she shifted to his side, fitting her body neatly between his legs, her smooth back pressed against his chest, her hand resting lightly on his raised knee.

Carlisle wrapped an arm around her waist and buried his face in her neck. "How long has it been since we've done this?"

Esme's brow furrowed, searching her memories for the last time they shared a bath. "When Edward was gone." She grimaced at the thought and Carlisle chuckled.

"So much awful alone time."

"You missed him too," she protested, turning her head to see his face, her eyes narrowing at his teasing grin.

"I did. Every day. But I knew he would come back." He nipped at her shoulder. "And I had you all to myself."

She smiled and reached up to play with his hair, her fingers threading through the locks as her eyes searched his face. "I love you," she whispered, still a little dazed even after a decade and a half together.

His teasing grin melted into a gentle one. "I love you too."

He captured her lips again, his hands roaming freely under the water. He swallowed her moans and offered up his own. She turned fully and he slid further into the bath to cradle her easily against his body.

She smelled it strongly then and froze against him. Venom pooled in her mouth as the strong scent of human blood invaded her senses.

"What – " Carlisle started just as the door flew open.

Rosalie stood there, her golden eyes crazed, a smile stretched across her face. Her clothes were covered in blood and Carlisle held Esme tighter as he felt her tense.

"I've found someone," Rosalie said in an excited burst. "I need your help, Carlisle. I – " She turned to leave, confident that they would follow. "I brought him here. He's hurt. I need your help."

Her voice trailed off as she left the room. Esme glanced at Carlisle and stood fluidly. His face was serious, all business now, as he stood to gather his clothes. Esme dried off and slipped on a dress, following Carlisle down the stairs.

Rosalie was bent over the man, her eyes dancing with a happiness beyond anything Esme had ever seen from her. "I stopped the bear. Will you change him, Carlisle? I would have done it myself." She spoke quickly, as if she needed to get it all out before he said 'no.'

The man was a lovely human. Dark curls framed his face. Deep dimples were etched into his tan cheeks, even at rest. His muscles were huge and ropy, clearly the product of a lifetime of manual labor. Carlisle moved to him, easily ignoring the scent of his blood as he checked his vitals.

Carlisle looked back at Esme. She was holding her breath and inching toward the door. "I'll do it," he said, shoving a hand through his damp hair. "Go change, Rose." He raised his hand as she started to protest. "He'll be fine for awhile longer. Let me talk to Esme and prepare."

Rosalie's eyes darted to Esme and she flew up the stairs.

Carlisle turned to face his wife. "You should wait outside."

She shook her head, her darkened eyes still locked on the blood-soaked boy, "I'll stay while I can."

He grasped her chin and turned her head to meet his gaze. "Another son?" His question was simple and accompanied by a little smile.

Esme looked into his eyes and offered a tiny nod, her eyes darting back to the boy. She forced a smile through the all-encompassing thirst. "Yes." She met her husband's eyes again. "Yes, another son and perhaps a happier daughter."

Rosalie burst into her room, tearing off her clothes and shrugging into new ones, not even paying attention to what she was doing.

She thought of the man laying downstairs and she paused, clutching her ruined clothes to her chest as she sank to her bed. Something drew her to him. Something allowed her to ignore her thirst and carry him for a hundred miles. Something about him made her happy and hopeful.

Part of her brain was screaming at her. It was telling her that she hated her life and she shouldn't make the choice for him. It was telling her that she was being selfish.

She stood from the bed and walked down the stairs slowly, her clothes still clutched to her chest. Rosalie stopped on the third step, her eyes trailing from the man to her family.

Carlisle was close to Esme, gentle fingers trailing along her jaw as he spoke to her softly. Her hands were sure and steady at his waist, ignoring her bloodlust in favor of speaking to the man she loved. The memory of them naked and embracing in the bath flitted through her mind. They had such incredible, tangible love for one another, so much easy trust and endless patience.

God, she wanted that.

She wanted someone who would love her unconditionally and who would never hurt her. She wanted someone who could counter her sour moods and keep her on her toes. She wanted someone who would make her forget that she was a murderer and who would be the happy twist to her dark story.

Rosalie looked again at the man with the curling hair, so like the tiny boy she had once longed for. She moved to him and ran shaking fingers over his cheek.

Her brain was still screaming at her to stop being selfish but she raised her eyes, catching Carlisle's gentle kiss to Esme's forehead. He pushed her toward the door, his gaze lingering as she retreated from the overpowering smell.

Rosalie's heart ached with all her wants and she ignored her brain, standing to meet Carlisle's questioning gaze. "Ready?" she asked simply, entirely resolved now to allow herself this one ally, this one possible love.

Carlisle moved close, rolling up his sleeves and kneeling over the man. He grimaced once and met her eyes again. For the first time, she saw him in a new light. No longer was he the man who had delivered her into this half life. Suddenly, he was her mentor, her example. He was a man who had made a difficult choice three times over. He had made the selfish choice for himself once and the selfless choice two other times. It humbled her that he was willing to do the dirty work to fulfill her wishes, that he was trusting her choice.

"Carlisle," she whispered, stopping him as he descended toward the man she already thought of as hers. Carlisle looked up at her, his eyes questioning. She spread her hands, wishing she had more to offer than her words. "I know this isn't easy for you. Thank you."

She knew, from that moment that no matter the horror of the next few minutes or the challenges of the days and months ahead, that she would forever be grateful to Carlisle.

He bent again to his grim task and she smiled, watching the sharp teeth spill fresh blood. With a foresight that usually eluded her, she knew, that no matter how strange and gruesome the delivery method, her happy twist had arrived. Her dark story was coming to a close.

Note: I know this one had a little less Esme/Carlisle but that's the nature of Rosalie. Plus, she interrupted them really early :) Emmett's story coming this weekend, I think. I don't have his done yet but I do have Alice's written and I am anxious to get there.

I forgot to mention this in the last chapter but, this story would be much more difficult to write without Twilight Lexicon's timeline. So thanks to them for helping me keep my dates straight.

Thanks to everyone that reviewed. I appreciate it so much.

Now, review! - Brynna