Chapter Seven: New Beginnings

The hospital staff was sad to see Dr Cullen leave, but they still got into the swing of things at the party. The party itself was technically a wedding reception, but since Carlisle would not be returning to work before they left for Denali, Carlisle's fellow hospital employees took the opportunity to say goodbye and good luck.

The wedding had been a small affair, just the Cullen family, which had doubled in size in a single afternoon. Esme and Carlisle had been married at City Hall. Edward and Emmett had been co-best men, while Alice and Nessie acted as Esme's bridesmaids. They had had the adoptions pushed through - a matter made a lot simpler by the fact that the four children were being adopted by a person who had just become their step-parent - before the wedding took place. After the wedding the entire family had taken a visit to Public Records and Esme, Edward and Nessie had all had their last name changed to Cullen. Edward had been especially jubilant at casting of the name of Evenson.

'Edward Anthony Cullen sounds better, don't you think?' Edward asked his new father. Carlisle grinned and agreed, remembering the time he had given Edward his name and thought the exact same thing. They were all once again in Carlisle's (and now Esme's too) bedroom, the parents trying to make the children presentable. Nessie was in the corner of the room, repeating her new name over and over to her reflections with as many different expressions as she could. Emmett was trying to squirm away from Esme, who was just as stubborn in her efforts to straighten his tie. Finally, after being given the look he had christened 'the Hairy Eyeball,' Emmett gave up and let Esme fix his appearance. Alice was sat on the bed preening - she had helped Esme pick out all the wedding outfits and found she had quite the talent for fashion.

The doorbell rang and Esme jumped to her feet. Behind her, Emmett began to pull at his tie, at once. 'Oh! They're early.'

'No, love,' Carlisle smiled over at her, indicating the clock with his thumb, 'we're late.'

Edward ran downstairs, Emmett close on his heels, to open the front door. Alice fixed Nessie with a look that dared her to run in her bridesmaids dress and the two of them followed the boys down at a far more sedate pace. Carlisle took the opportunity to grab a kiss.

'So, Mrs. Cullen, I don't think I told you how beautiful you look today.' His arms snaked round her waist.

She giggled, 'why, Doctor, you charmer. You look rather dashing yourself.' They laughed at the completely romance novel language they were using before Alice barged in and demanded their presence downstairs.

'She could run the next presidential election,' Carlisle muttered.

'She's winning. It's not a good idea to bet against Alice.' They walked down the stairs, arms around each other's waists. Coming to the bottom, they sure their children were already hard at work. Emmett and Edward had organised the children into two teams for a game of football in the back garden, Alice had organised the adults into an orderly queue to speak to the bride and groom, and Nessie was trying to be invisible in a corner with Love but kept getting cooed at because of her gorgeous curls.

The party lasted well into the night. Mrs. Phelps had graced them with her present, along with Mr. Phelps, but had left shortly after being hit in the head with an oyster. Emmett, Edward and Alice all took credit for the seafood in the hair, but only Nessie had been in range. She attempted to look doe-eyed before scurrying off to seek the protection of one of the many older nurses whom she had long since wrapped around her little finger.

A few days later, the Cullens were aboard the flight to Alaska, their stuff supposedly arriving shortly after they did. The flight was largely uneventful due to the fact there were no off-key singers and Carlisle and Esme had deliberately chosen a late night flight so the kids would sleep through it.

When they arrived in Denali, it was early morning. It was past lunch by the time they had found the house. Since their stuff had not arrived yet, the Cullens decided to get lunch. Carlisle went for supplies at the local supermarket while Esme kept the children entertained on the front lawn and waited for the truck. While they were waiting, the family next door wandered back from the car.

Grace Taylor had three girls; Tanya, the same age as Edward and Alice, Irina, who at five years old was two years younger than Nessie, and Kate, who was only two. She looked over the white picket fence at Esme who was romping around with her kids in a rough and tumble game of tag.

'They all yours?' Grace asked looking kind of surprised since all four of them looked to be quite similar in age.

'Yep, all my darlings.' Esme beamed at her.

'These are mine. Tanya,' Grace indicated a strawberry blonde girl on the tops step. 'She's eight. Irina, next to the tree, is five and this little one,' she bounced the toddler in her arms, making the little one gurgle, 'is Kate. She's only two.'

'Oh, well this is Emmett, he's nine.' Esme had her arms over Emmett's shoulders, who waved politely before running off to catch Edward. 'Edward and Alice, the one with spiky black hair, are both eight and Nessie, here,' Esme managed to grab the aforementioned child as she rushed by, 'is seven.'

'Four in three years and you look like that?' Grace was still carrying a little baby weight, whereas as Esme had a rather svelte figure.

Esme figured she might as well get the truth out there now, before anyone pried. 'Well, Alice and Emmett are from my husband's first marriage, and Nessie and Edward are both from my own.'

'How long ago were you and your husband married?' Grace liked the slender woman a lot better now that she knew not only had Esme had children several years ago, she had, in fact, only carried two, not the three that Grace had, and still kind of was.

'Just a month and a half ago.'

Grace was admittedly surprised, 'wow, the kids are getting along great.' She just finished speaking when Emmett rushed over with a bleeding finger because Alice had tripped him onto a stone. After making a general fuss of his and whipping a band aid out of her pocket like a magician, Esme cleaned the finger up, put the band aid on and watched as Emmett went off to seek revenge.

'They seem taken with you, too. Are your kids like this with -'

'Carlisle,' Esme supplied. She should have felt that Grace was intruding, but the woman was so welcoming and unassuming that Esme did not want to end the conversation. 'And, yes, they are. Neither Carlisle, nor myself had what you would call charmed first marriages. They were actually big mistakes. At least they would have been, if we had not got those four out of them.' Esme looked back at her kids, now running around the oak tree. Grace saw the look of love the heart-faced woman had; it would have been obvious to a blind man that she adored all four. 'Still, we got it right, this time around.'

A cab rolled up and Grace saw a very attractive blonde man climb out of the back, laden down with grocery bags.

'That your husband?'

'Yep, that's my Carlisle.' A complete different smile came across the other woman's face. The man walked up to her and kissed her on the lips. So absolutely besotted by his wife, it was a minute before Carlisle noticed his new neighbour at all. When he did, he immediately started to make amends. He laid the bags on the ground, which were immediately pounced upon by the four children as though they had not eaten in days.

'Carlisle Cullen, sorry about that.'

'Grace Taylor, don't apologise. Bit of love's no bad thing,'

'Would you care to join us?' Carlisle gestured towards Grace and Kate and then at the food.

'Oh, no. I've got two more. I think -'

'Please, I bought more than enough. You would be doing us a favour. It would be lovely to get to know our new neighbours better.'

'Do you mind? Of course, you are invited around to dinner this evening. My husband was in the Marines. We moved around a lot so I remember how difficult dinner the first night can be. With four kids and a house to sort out, the last thing you guys want to be doing is trying to cook, too.'

'That's wonderful of you! If you're sure you and your husband wouldn't mind - there are rather a lot of us.' Esme smiled at Grace.

'Oh, my husband passed away. It's just me and to be honest, I'm dying for a little adult conversation.'

Esme looked stricken. 'Oh, I am so sorry. I just assumed that -'

'No, no, it's fine. It was nearly three years ago now. I was still pregnant with this one when it happened.' Esme and Carlisle looked like they did not know how to proceed. 'So, if I just round up my girls, we'll certainly help you put this lot away.'

Esme and Carlisle smiled gently and turned to get the food and their own children organised. The short picnic lunch lasted the entire afternoon. The Taylor girls and the Cullen offspring set about discovering everything they could in the new house. The three parents sat on the front lawn, idly chatting the time away, one ear open for any sound of mishap. Carlisle had his head in Esme's lap and his eyes closed, listening to the two women talk. Esme was brushing her fingers through his hair as she found out more about Grace Taylor.

She and her husband had met in college. They had been together for three years, before marrying the week after graduation. He had joined the Marines six months later. A year later she had had Tanya. Irina had followed three years later. She was five months pregnant with Kate when Kyle, her husband, had been killed while on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. She had named the baby Kate because that was the name Kyle wanted, after his favourite Shakespeare character, Kate in Taming of the Shrew. Grace had not been sure about naming the baby after a shrew, but after Kyle had been killed it was the only name that seemed right.

In turn, Esme had shared her experiences with Charles, though not about the baby she had lost - she was not ready for that to be common knowledge yet. Carlisle had spoken briefly about Elizabeth. Grace had read one of Laurent's books. She assured them it was not very good. Carlisle and Esme had to laugh at their new friend's fervency.

'Do they ever see their kids?' Grace had lumped Charles and Elizabeth together.

'No, Charles is not allowed to. Not until Edward and Nessie are both over eighteen and they want to see him.'

'Do you think that will happen?'

'I don't know. They weren't very close with Charles anyway - he was either working or drinking - and he left them both so damaged. I don't know, maybe one day they will want answers.' Esme let her gaze wonder over the lawn to where all seven children were sitting in the shade of the house. 'I just don't want him to hurt them anymore,' she said, more to herself than to the others. Carlisle took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips.

'Don't worry,' Grace said. 'If he comes by, I got a shotgun handy.'

Carlisle laughed while Esme smiled a sweet, slightly sad smile, 'thank you but no. I'm through with violence. I don't wish it on anyone, not even Charles. He'll be old one day and they will be grown. And they won't want anything to do with him. I think that's punishment enough.'

'What about your ex?' Grace enquired of Carlisle. 'Do I need to keep the shotgun out for her?'

'I don't think so. Elizabeth was never interested in being a mother so it wasn't hard for her to walk away because she never really was one. She had always left the kids with the nanny while I worked. She went back to work herself a month after Emmett was born. She did not go on maternity leave until two weeks before Alice's birth. To her, it seemed to be a necessary, but unpleasant task. She thought it would make her mean more to me - the mother of my children rather than just my wife. She resented the children when I loved them more than I did her. She never wanted custody.

It's been four years since she left, nearly five. In all that time, there has never been a phone call, a letter, not even on their birthdays or Christmas. I had to listen to my kids cry themselves to sleep for months. I couldn't explain why she had left because I didn't understand. They used to be terrified that I would leave them too. For a while, they were like statutes, barely moving at all. I didn't hear them laugh for so long. They are happier now than they have ever been. I don't think they want her to come back like they used to. Good, because she's not coming back. I don't ever want her to come back.' Carlisle felt better after saying this. It was everything he had ever wanted to say about Elizabeth but had never been able to, either because the only people around where his two young children, or because he did not want to have to explain his business to the people he worked with. Esme continued to stroke his hair, willing him to let go of the anger towards the woman that had hurt his children. He took a breath and relaxed his muscles, which had become tense and rigid during his speech about Elizabeth.

'You guys have certain been through the mill, haven't you?'

'You know what they say, what doesn't kill you cripples you until you get over it. I think we are finally getting over it.' Carlisle broke off as Emmett landed on his chest. 'Oof, hello Emmett.'

'Dad, when's the stuff getting here? We're bored.'

Before Carlisle could answer however, a moving truck pulled up. A man in overalls jumped out of the front, 'sorry, buddy, we got lost on the way over; would have been here on time if the Missus could read a map.'

A woman climbed out the other side and glared at her husband. 'The Missus can read a map. It's the hubby that can't follow directions given.'

Before it could escalate, Carlisle thanked them both and they set about making a chain so that the boxes could be passed from one person to the next and put in the foyer. Grace gave Kate to Irina since both of them were too little to help. The other children formed pairs because they might not be able to carry the boxes on their own, except for Emmett, who worked alone stacking the boxes in the front hall. Soon enough, the lorry had been empty and drove off. The boxes were taken to the appropriate rooms and the Great Unpacking began. At this stage, the Taylors left to start dinner, telling the Cullens to take their time - Grace would send Tanya over when they were ready for them. Tanya didn't look overly impressed with her new status as messenger but decided not to make a fuss. Grace told Carlisle in an undertone that she thought her eldest had taken a shine to Edward. Carlisle looked over at the pair. Sure enough, Tanya was shadowing Edward's every move. Edward was completely oblivious. Carlisle hoped it stayed that way until Edward was at least sixteen.

The Taylors were of great help to the Cullens and they quickly formed lasting friendships, although the Taylor girls were mildly apprehensive of Emmett, who became mammoth over the seven years they lived next door to each other. By the time the family moved away from Denali, Emmett was six foot four, every inch of him covered in a thick layer of muscle. Edward was only a couple of inches shorter than his brother, but where his musculature was lean whipcord he looked a lot smaller next to his brawny brother.

In the seven years that the children spent growing up in Denali, they all found their own personality. Emmett was still enthusiastic, but less reckless when it came to his family as he grew up. Edward was more intense than his brother. He was of the opinion that life was too short to waste doing anything half-hearted. If something was worth doing at all, it was worth doing to the best of his ability. He was beloved of all the football coaches he had ever played for. But unlike some, Emmett did not let it go to his head. He admitted he was a natural athlete - to pretend otherwise would be stupid - but his easy going, accepting nature prevented him from being egotistical, which had the bizarre effect of making him even more popular, being he hung out with everyone, refusing to be drawn into the clique system. While girls found Emmett slightly intimidating because of his size, they seemed drawn to the brooding nature of the younger Cullen. Edward rarely dated, finding most people to be shallow and superficial, and it was common knowledge at school that Tanya Taylor had designs on him, but it did not stop girls dreaming about the bronze-haired musician. He was the type of person that was great to know, the only challenge came in getting to know him. He was the classic tortured artist that girls throughout history seem to fall for - aloof, slightly oblivious and distasteful of the more sluttish womanly wiles, preferring to write music than to go out and get wasted. He would have been a perfect target for the loutish, intimidated boys of his school had he not had an edge to him that suggested he could take care of himself, proved by the time one such football star tried to hit him because his girlfriend was clearly trying to chat Edward up, and Edward gave him a concussion.

Alice was still just as chirpy and organising. Life and soul of the party, she just dared people to be miserable around her. She was the one that got Edward to stop his 'Byronic moping' as Alice called it, and made him smile, long after everyone else had given up. She was a dancer, ballet being most suitable to her natural elegant grace, and only truly when comfortable when she was moving, preferably in front of an audience. Alice had no problem being centre-stage and had an unfortunate habit for trying to force Nessie into the spotlight; she was also the only one that made Nessie feel truly comfortable around a lot of people. This became a battle of wills as the two girls were equally, and incredibly, stubborn. Like her brother, Nessie was a musician, though she preferred playing the guitar in her room to the piano where anyone might hear her, and she also sang. While Edward held himself with quiet confidence and grace in any circumstance, and Alice's and Emmett's natures meaning they were welcome in any social situation, Nessie hated crowds. She was shy, preferring to observe rather than be observed. She liked being alone, outside, rather than cooped up indoors and never felt lonely. She also had a wicked temper, at great odds with her nature the rest of the time. It took a lot to get her riled and show the fiery spirit that usually hid behind her shyness, but when she did she could, and had, made grown men cry. People were always surprised when they found out her real interests lay in classic rock, classic cars and mechanics. If Nessie could not be found, the chances were she was in the garage, fiddling with some sort of machine. The girl could not stand to be idle and was a natural fixer of everything, a great benefit and companion to her mother, who found a passion in renovating old houses.

In the seven years, Carlisle and Esme had barely changed. They had a few more laughter lines and were much happier now, but were basically still the same good people they had always been. After seven years together they were still as in love as ever. They watched their children grow, supporting most ideas and pursuits, while gently discouraging them for those that may get them killed. Every summer they would take the children to Italy, to visit Carlisle's family in their hometown of Volterra. The Volturri family had founded the city nearly a thousand years ago and was still there taking care of the small part of Italy they called their own.

Esme could well remember the first time she, Edward and Nessie had gone to Volterra.

'So, remind me again, how are you related to them?' she asked Carlisle, nervously patting her clothing - she wanted to make the right first impression.

Carlisle sighed patiently, reaching over to take Esme's hand before she could stroke the caramel curls right off her scalp. 'They are my mother's family. There are three patriarchs - Aro, Marcus and Caius. Aro is my grandfather. His daughter, my mother, fell in love with an English painter, Matthew Cullen the only son of an Anglican preacher in England. He came to Italy to study art and they met while he was visiting the family's galleries. Everyone, on both sides was against the marriage - Roman Catholics and Protestants rarely play well together. So, my mother and father ran away to America, where they married and had me. My mother died giving birth to me and my father died when I was six, so I was sent to live with my grandfather. I grew up in Volterra. It was my home until I was eighteen and I went to medical school. After graduating I moved back to America to see the place where I spent the first six years of my life. Then I met Elizabeth and we had Emmett and Alice.'

'Did you take Elizabeth to see them?' Esme wanted to know the family's reaction to his first wife - if they had adored her, how would they react to Esme and two children that were not biologically Carlisle's?

A muscle in Carlisle's jaw twitched. 'Just once. Elizabeth did not get on well with my family. She complained the entire time - she hated that I had a large, loving, extremely interfering' - Carlisle smiled fondly at this point - 'family, that she was not the whole family I had. Elizabeth always wanted to be the star, never part of an ensemble and that did not really work with my family. She refused to go back - said there was not any point now that they had met her. I couldn't take Emmett and Alice to meet their grandfather until after Elizabeth had left - I wanted to, but Elizabeth did not want to go and I guess pride prevented me from visiting my family without my wife.' Carlisle shook his head. 'I did not want to admit that may be I had been taken in, that my marriage was in trouble, even from the word go. It took me two years after Elizabeth left to return to the place where I spent most of my childhood. I was ashamed I had failed at marriage - the Volturri do not fail at marriage, they endure. But my family was exactly what they should have been: sympathetic, welcoming. They loved Emmett and Alice and did not fail to mention several times a day how much better off we were without her, how much they had not liked her. Everything you want your family to say when you've just got through a divorce.'

'What if they don't like me?' Esme had not meant to turn the conversation back to herself so quickly after Carlisle's heartache, but she was terrified of the prospect of them not liking her, or her children.

'They will love you, particularly my grandmother, Sulpicia. You are exactly the person she said I was meant to be with.' Carlisle kissed her cheek and Esme felt a little better.

'But what about Edward and Nessie?' she asked quickly.

'Is that what you are worried about? That my family won't like them?' Carlisle laughed.

'Well,' Esme shifted nervously, 'they are from my first marriage, so they are not biologically yours. What if they aren't accepted because they are not blood relatives?'

'They will be loved for exactly who they are. Besides, not of the family is not technically blood to either Aro or Marcus or Caius. They seem to have a knack for collecting people and incorporating them into the family. Most of the people that stay that are called family are really just old friends. No one bothers to differentiate because they are far too many of us.'

'You're sure?'

'I am sure. As sure as I am that they will love you, just as I do.'

Esme nodded and finally managed to stop fidgeting. At that point the plan had landed and they were taken by private plane to Volterra, then by limo to Castle Volturri.

'Spared no expense, did they?' Esme muttered, stroking the leather of the seats.

'Ignore it - they just like to show off initially. They really are wonderful people. If you look out of the window, you might be able to see Castle Volturri.'

Esme whipped around to face Carlisle, sliding a little on the seat. 'Castle Volturri?'

'I didn't mention it was a castle, did I?' Carlisle had the good grace to look sheepish.

'No, Carlisle Cullen you did not!' Esme started to feel undeniably nervous again.

'I believe I did say it was an ancestral home.'

'Yes, but not an entire castle!'

'Esme, it doesn't matter.'

'No, it only makes you practically royalty.'

'Well, we can trace our family back further than the Italian Royal Family can.' Carlisle joked. From the expression on Esme's face, the attempt at humour had not gone down well. He grabbed Esme before she could do something stupid like bolt out of the moving car and clamped her to his side. Taking her chin in his hand, he forced Esme to meet his gaze. 'You can do this.'

She tried to shake her head. 'They are never going to believe I am good enough for you. I'm not.'

'Yes you are,' Carlisle sounded rather angry at Esme's notion. 'I don't deserve someone as good and loving as you, but I have you. They are going to love you, too. Just be yourself.'

'You know that never really works don't you?'

Carlisle laughed again and kissed the top of her head. 'You will be fine.'

To her surprise, they had been. Aro had welcomed them with open arms, conversing in rapid Italian with Carlisle, Alice and Emmett, who answered equally fluently, until he noticed Esme, Edward and Nessie had no idea what was being said, at which point the switched to English, gently berating Carlisle for not teaching his new family his native language. Carlisle pointed out that his native language was English, since he was born in America. Aro dismissed him with a wave of his hand, 'the language of your blood, Carlisle, your blood! Not of that country that you were born into,' he said, barely hiding the good-natured disgust in his voice. 'Not that America is all bad,' he hastened to add, taking Esme's hand and kissing it like a turn of the century gentleman. 'Many lovely things have come out of America. You, for instance my dear, and your children.' He introduced himself to Edward and Nessie, insisting they call him 'nonno' (the Italian for grandfather) as Emmett and Alice did. Then he ushered them through the foyer, which resembled a small cathedral, and out into the gardens, which included several acres of cultivated garden, followed by several miles of wild Italian countryside and a mountain.

'You are the last to arrive, my dear nipotino,' Aro said. 'Everyone else has arrived!' It looked to Esme as though the population of a small country had arrived. Over the next month, they meant everyone. As promised, Esme, Edward and Nessie were greatly received. Here, Edward found a passion for music and Aro had an old friend, a world famous pianist, teach Edward in the music room. Nessie also discovered her love for cars here, having gotten lost trying to find her way to breakfast one day and ending up in the cavernous garage. There, Marcus, who owned a Grand Prix team, had been bent over a car, muttering to himself about the intake. The ever inquisitive Nessie had asked him what the intake was. After getting over the surprise of not being alone after all, and the bump resulting from smacking his head on the hood, Marcus explained all about cars and mechanics to a fascinated Nessie. Three hours later, after frantically searching everywhere, Esme and Carlisle found Nessie, streaked with oil, surrounded by a dismantled engine. With Marcus' help she was putting the engine back together. At dinner, Marcus gushed to everyone who would listen about Nessie obvious aptitude for cars.

And so the new Cullens had found their places in the family. Aro enjoyed being read to, now partly so he did not have to admit that he needed reading glasses, so Esme volunteered to read to him for an hour a day in the library. Carlisle often sat with them, listening to his wife's soft voice, initially somewhat hesitant, as she read to the old man in Italian. Esme proved to be just as capable with language as her children were with music and cars.

But then seven years after they moved to Denali, the Cullens had found a reason to move.

That reason was called James.