Meeting Bella

Carlisle's POV

We arrived at address, Esme was so nervous she changed her dress three times and I lost count of how many times she did her hair before leaving it down framing her beautiful face before we finally left, she made me stop by a grocery store to pick up flowers and tissues making me later that I wanted to be, I knew Bella needed to sleep with two children and a job, rest was what she needed most not us asking questions about the last twenty years.

I was impatient to find out as much as I could before Alice invariably picked up on our decisions and called or worse sent everyone over to meet Bella, I needed to make sure she was safe and comfortable with a house of invading vampires before it happened, if Edward found out he'd be on the next flight that I knew for sure, I'm grateful his cabin is at last out of range for his gifts and his mood the last 15 years has made him keep his phone off after he got so annoyed with Alice when she explains her latest vision.

I killed the engine to the Mercedes outside the Victorian terrace, we sat in silence listening, we could both hear the humans going about their evenings business as clearly as if we were in their homes with them. The only house Esme and I were listening in to was the one without voices. "The Children must be asleep then" Esme said "their hearts and breathing sound at rest" I smiled listening closer to the fast pasted heart beat which was furthest from us, other sounds of clattering in what sounded like the kitchen "she is cooking" Esme piped up, how silly of me to omit this calculation, she needed to eat as well as get home, fetch her daughter and get them to bed, I forget the human speed for doing things when I cannot see them.

Esme's hand clutched at mine in the darkness as we surveyed the street where she lived, it was a little too urban for our liking but for a guard to hide here the hundreds of temptations would be intolerable and he would draw attention to himself, Esme squeezed my hand again and nodded to the house next door the sign said 'To Let' I knew what she was thinking but this was a heavily populated area and ability to blend in with humans may be easy when we dwell separate to them but this close, when they can watch our every move like being in a goldfish bowl to coin a phrase was not a good idea, I shook my head but could also see the advantages of being next door.

"give it time Esme, she thinks she killed Alice and Edward, she seemed surprised to hear you were alive too, let's just be patient, we do not know much about her life these days" she agreed with me reluctantly, she knew time would help everyone even Edward who would if he met her have to get used to the idea of Bella having been married and be the mother of another man's children. He made a comment once when I was helping him sand the floors that he wanted them so smooth children would not hurt themselves, it was a very poignant comment to make he loved and missed her so much.

21:00 flashed on the clock in the car, Esme was out of the door before I had chance to blink, I followed her at a more stately pace, the sign on the front door indicated that visitors use the side door, this was intriguing and awkwardly we walked the drive way to the door. Through the window we could clearly see Emma, from the back it was Bella in so many ways, I had warned Esme about the change in eye colour and her implants to her cheeks so she would not stare too much, they changed her face considerably, she was cooking, we could both smell the curry she was attending.

Esme grabbed my arm as Bella turned round and got water from the kettle, her gasp although inaudible to human ears made Bella stop, she stared out of the window into the dark and cocked her head in a very Edward fashion and returned to pour the water. Before we took the final two steps to the door Esme took advantage of the dark and checked out the empty house next door, the back of the house went in to open ground used for growing vegetables by the looks of it, the house next to that looked empty but the scent of a human was evident everywhere so work was happening on this property too. She cocked her head at me and I knew it was going to be an argument I'd loose so I just kept quiet.

When my wife returned to my side I knocked the little white door, her heart rate went through the roof we needed to be careful there was no telling what our visit may do to it and Edward for one would not be please, if her demise was due to a heart condition, she was overweight and the likely hood of this happening was greater.

It was awkward hugs all round, an exchange of pleasantries and then we stood in that awkward silence not knowing what to say, Emma looked like she wanted to say something as she found a vase for Esme to arrange the flowers. She cleared her throat in the way we both remember Bella doing when she wanted to say something which may be construed as controversial but very sweetly she said "I'm going to ask this once, and please forgive me cause I know you don't, won't but if I don't ask I'll go mental with guilt" we both looked at her for a second Esme's speedy comment for my ears only was about her British accent it was very strong and there was no trace of her former enunciations "would you like a drink" we laughed which broke the idea and Esme did what she does best replied.

"That's very sweet of you dear, but we are fine thank you, but don't let that stop you carry on, it smells lovely" as she looked over at the stove and watched as Emma turned and finished making herself some English tea, I could tell Esme was watching her every move to make her another just how she liked it, my wife was always wanting to help and physical help for Bella was something she knew she could offer if nothing else was acceptable.

We sat at the table with Emma as she ate her curry, Esme's comment to me was that she can cook really well, I was never under the impression Bella was anything but competent at cooking and other human tasks, it was just my wife refusing to let the girl cater for herself. "she needs to eat more vegetables" was another of the passing comments when she headed off to make Emma a fresh tea as we headed to the front room, while the kettle was boiling I knew Esme could not resist the call of the children I heard her she dash upstairs and looked in. Her sigh made my cold still heart ache to provide her with ones of her own.

"So..." Emma started when Esme handed her the hot mug "you're not dead then, none of you?"

"No" I had come to the conclusion we should be factual, Honest and not beat about the bush with the whole does she remember what we are problem as it is she already spoke to me when a human would not hear and her opening comment about drink proved enough for me that she remembers something at least

So I continued "we have not seen any Volturi since at least the battle with Victoria's Army but we could smell they had been to your house and ours which we can only guess happened while we were looking for you, family and friends helped put the house back to rights the afternoon you disappeared the numerous guests human and vampire no one would pick out a stranger, we had noticed several items were missing we went to look for them"

"What did the Volturi say to make you think we were dead?" Esme asked gently

Emma, winced and I seel she was thinking how to phrase her reply, there was never going to be an easy way to soften what the Volturi did or what she would have seen while held captive their tolerance for humans is virtually nonexistent. "I saw a video of the house in Forks, it was a mess, the flowers and everything for the wedding I presume Alice would not let me see, it looked like a tornado had torn through it"

"mm that was Edward, he was very... upset they took you" Esme replied apologetically, Edwards behaviour was understandable but was out of control it took four of us and Jasper to calm him enough to talk rationally with him.

She smiled then the color drained from her face making Esme look at me with concern "there was a fire, you know... like the ones when Victoria's army attacked it had purple smoke, I saw bodies, well your bodies being thrown on or at least I think it was you, was hungry and thirsty as they just left me witha pitcher of... " blood I guessed she was trying not to say from teh way she crinkled her nose "they kept me awake for days I was so scared, so confused I could have seen anything"

"No one hurt us my dear" Esme said soothingly placing her arm round Emma's shoulders with a blanket between them so she would not get cold and patting her hands.

"two weeks after that I woke up in the castle the receptionist would bring me food, one afternoon I tried escaped past her, they warned me not to try again but I did, I made it out of the window and onto the roof to the other side of the quad. I just was not fast enough to get into sunlight when I got off the roof. They chained me to the pillars on the balcony in that room you have a picture of and made me watch them... Alice.." she mouthed the name "they pulled her apart, I saw it with my own eyes this time it was her, I was there and I was given her coat before they.. set her alight, the coat smelt of Alice and there was a note in the pocket in her handwriting telling me to be brave no matter what, If I'd known they had her I'd have not tried"

"you did well to try and get that far, and what of Edward" I asked she hung her head as she answered. My wife scolding me for my pushy question when she was so obviously distressed.

But Emma took a breath "My family went to America for my cousin.. well Emma's cousins wedding, it was 14 years ago now I think. My memory is not as good as yours. I found the library in the mall close where they lived and it had internet access, I used it to search for you, I didn't find much, I had no idea where to start looking except the newspapers and school and Hospital websites. when I got home there was a box post marked Italy for me"

Esme rubbed her shoulder and handed her a tissue from the box she'd made the stop to get "there was a blue shirt much like the ones Edward wore when he left me to go for his stag night.. Oh Carlisle, Esme I'm so sorry it killed me, it smelt of him, it was armless ripped just as Alice's coat was and his gauntlet the one he wrote my name inside, he said never took it off, that's how I know. I tried to look for you and they killed him because of me" tears flowed silently and freely from her face, I was glad her daughters had fallen asleep so not to see her mother's distress as she shivered I put my arms up to comfort her and she pulled away.

"No Doctor Cullen please don't I killed them, how can you want to touch me"

"Bella, my child, you have not killed anyone. Both Alice and Edward are very much alive, please its Carlisle none of this Doctor Cullen business" I asked

We sat in silence as she sobbed away years of hidden private grief and elation that we were not dead and her friend and fiancé were very much alive.

We heard the neighbours grandfather clock chime 11pm and she bounced up wiping her face, "I've got to toilet Bea, sorry I forgot" she said as she ran well hobbled from the room, her ankle looked like it caused her pain as she moved I'd have to look into that, we heard the sound of water and the splashing of water on a face before she vanished up the stairs to her daughters room, we heard her wake the child and coax it out of bed, then heavier footsteps as she carried the child down the stairs and to the bathroom.

Such caring loving words of encouragement similar to those I heard her use with the younger daughter. She praised her and then refusing help from Esme she picked the child up as if she was no more than a small child not a seven year old and ran up the stairs returning her to bed. While we waited Esme washed up and cleared away the kitchen, she was struggling not to assist, I'm proud of her resilience so far but at least the washing up was done. We looked round the objects in the living room as we heard the covers being pulled over the now fast asleep child, she is an attentive parent she went in to see the other child and we hear the covers being adjusted and her whisper she loves them.

There were pictures and medical wrist bands on display for both children, we both spotted the names on them and Esme gave me a squeeze as she read Beatrice Elizabeth-Rose and Alice Esme on the name cards at the back, I kissed my wife's head as she revelled in her name and that of her children and Edwards mother, "she never forgot" was all she said, she'd have tears rolling down her face if that were possible as we comforted each other as Emma descended the stairs.

It was time we left her to get some rest, she had work tomorrow and as much as it pained me to say it I brought this meeting to a close, Esme is not at the hospital tomorrow and has scheduled herself to be here ready for when Emma and the girls get in, to help with bed time and to continue the reunion I will join them after my shift finishes. Emma seemed happy to have Esme's company which after the years makes this young woman just as special to us as she ever was.

Esme and I needed to have a long discussion about the future and what we should do for the best, when to tell Edward and when should they meet, Esme must have been thinking the same thing by the fast comment she said, "let's see what tomorrow brings, Edward needs to know soon" we bid our goodbyes leaving our cell numbers and taking hers including where she works which surprised us as we would have thought keeping a low profile would be in her best interest but I have to agree with her reasoning at least the Volturi don't have to come all the way to me to find out what I'm doing.