AN ~ I've done quite a lot of editing on this chap to make it seem less of a recount and more of a story. It's pretty long, even though I removed the end and made another chapter with it!

The original aim of this story was actually to be a story of Bella and Edward's relationship through Carlisle and Esme's eyes, but as they faded out of the books I had to keep bolstering the story with their private moments and so it became a story about them. I am editing the early chapters to make this more seamless, so forgive me if it takes a little longer than a basic punctuation/spelling edit.

Also, thanks to TwilightLover-CarlisleandEsme's wonderful review of my other story, Life is Harder, you guys might be getting THREE chaps today! Man, I spoil you guys!

Review pleeeeease :) I spoil you because I love you!

Chapter Seven: Bella's Close Call

Esme:

Edward became very withdrawn. He'd disappear for long periods of time, never to be found unless he wished it so. I wished he would put a little more faith in Jasper's old friends: they may not adhere to our diet, but they were civilised and respectful about what they did. The golden rule of keeping house was to never offend your guests, so of course Edward's recently tarnished opinion of Peter and Charlotte never passed my lips when I had to explain his coldness and near-constant absence.

"Edward is just concerned," I explained to them as Edward stalked off at two o'clock in the morning on the third day of Peter and Charlotte's stay. "He recently saved a girl's life at school and he's very conflicted over it. He feels he put the family in danger."

This was not the whole truth of course: Edward was also conflicted over his whole relationship with Bella. On top of that, he felt that by allowing us to stay - or at least, not putting up a decent defense to the suggestion - he was personally responsible for encouraging our non-vegetarian friends to stay in the area rather than just pass on through.

For most of Peter and Charlotte's visit, Edward stayed away from the house. He became more and more anxious about Bella as the days wore on, and as his anxiety grew, so did mine. I hid my troubles from Carlisle, and though my worried husband often inquired as to what was wrong, he never pressed me for information. I wanted Edward to act like the responsible young man he was and either solve his problems or ask for assistance. He knew Carlisle and I were here if he didn't feel comfortable going to one of his siblings about it. Yet he insisted on cold silence. It was frustrating...and worrying.

...

Finally, near the end of Peter and Charlotte's visit, Edward came home and headed straight for the piano. His face was somewhere between panic, envy, anger and guilt. Bella, again. I frowned. I hate to see him suffering so much, even knowing he could seek help at any time.

Edward started playing, but his music no longer resembled the peaceful tones of last week: Bella's lullaby was replaced by angry, swarming notes. I had never seen him treat a piano so brutally before...except perhaps when he stormed out on Carlisle and I all those years ago. No, not even then.

"You were saying?" Charlotte prodded, glancing between me and Edward.

"Oh, yes...sorry..." I shook it off and continued what I had been saying before: Peter and Charlotte had been looking to build a place to settle down, only for a year or so of course, and they were asking me for suggestions on materials. Of course I had been all too happy to help. They were just about to leave, so I had to make it quick, but design problems were easy to solve...not at all like solving the mystery of my son's complex but brilliant mind.

"If you see Maria again, tell her I wish her well," Jasper said, walking his friends towards the door. Peter laughed: Maria was the vampire who had turned them both. Theirs were tragic stories...but unshakable relationships had formed, and for that we were all glad.

"I don't imagine that will happen soon," Peter said, clearly planning to avoid Maria wherever and whenever possible. "But, should it happen, I certainly will."

They shook hands, and Edward hastily stood up, abandoning his song.

"Charlotte, Peter," he said, nodding his head to each of them.

"It was nice to see you again, Edward," Charlotte said, though she had hardly seen him the whole visit. Peter nodded curtly and soon enough the nomads were on their way. As soon as they were out of sight, Edward left: he got into his car and disappeared before I could say a word.

"He's coming back," Alice assured me. "Bella's going to Port Angeles with some friends…he's just helicopter-boyfriending," she joked. Rosalie and Emmett snickered.

...

Carlisle:

"Carlisle's in his study," I heard Alice's voice from downstairs.

"Thank you," Edward replied. He shuffled in his pocket for a moment and then added: "Oh, sorry. I didn't even check to see who it was. I was…busy."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, too. By the time I saw what was going to happen, you were already on your way."

"It was close."

I looked up from the pages before me, surprised. What had happened in Port Angeles that Edward needed to seek my help over? He wouldn't have attacked anyone, surely…though he may have been neglecting his hunting. I had never taken the time to check. And with all that time away recently, I guess I'd just assumed...

No. Edward was a clever young man. He wouldn't let such things as absent-mindedness and rushing to be in Bella's presence cause himself to be a risk to the girl's safety. Then again, I would risk a lot to be with Esme…with my inexperienced heart I had risked destroying her so that I could build our relationship. Luckily, that was a gamble for the best: at the time, I hadn't really thought about what might have happened had I backed out at any point. Love does strange things to a person; sometimes it makes them blind. Perhaps that was what Edward needed my help with. I wondered how I could possibly put it into words.

Suddenly, I recalled Alice's vision earlier that evening. It had sent Esme and Rosalie into panic, sparked a furious protective instinct that was only soothed by the knowledge that Edward had arrived in time to prevent the horrific event. No doubt that was what Edward was coming to me about. I grimaced, and discarded my book immediately, turning to face the door.

Surprise was evident on Edward's face when he found me waiting.

"I heard Alice tell you where to find me," I said by way of explanation, and smiled.

"I need help," he said.

"Anything, Edward."

"Did Alice tell you what happened to Bella tonight?"

Almost happened, I reminded him, just as relieved as he was that it had only been 'almost.' I had treated my share of rape victims and a disturbing number of them wound up on methamphetamine, found themselves in psychiatric wards or worse...

"Yes, almost," Edward corrected himself as though it didn't matter. "I've got a dilemma, Carlisle. You see…I want…very much…to kill him…so much..."

I drew a deep breath as Edward's words came blurting out: thick, fast and passionate.

"I know that it would be wrong, because it would be vengeance, not justice. All anger, no impartiality. Still, if can't be right to leave a serial rapist and killer wandering Port Angeles! I don't know the humans there, but I can't let someone else take Bella's place as his victim! Those other women – someone might feel about them the way I feel about Bella. Might suffer what I would have suffered if she had been harmed. It's not right-"

She's very good for you, isn't she? I smiled, catching Edward off-guard. Edward saw my expression and dropped off, staring. He remained frozen, arms poised in their gesture, staring like I was a madman as I smiled casually back at him. Truly, I was impressed. And I was beginning to realise Edward and Bella's love story may not be as tragic as Esme feared. She didn't tell me her concerns, but I knew her too well.

"I'm not looking for compliments, Carlisle," Edward reprimanded.

"Of course not," I agreed, recovering my solemn expression. "But I can't help my thoughts, can I?" The smile returned, though smaller, which was considerably more appropriate. "I'll take care of it," I assured Edward. "You can rest easy. No one else will be harmed in Bella's place."

...

Knock him out…take him out of the state…leave him where someone will find him…I repeated the plan over and over to myself: I knew this was the right thing to do. Some part of me, some inconsequential part, was screaming at me to kill the monstrous man. Images flashed through my head of what had happened to Esme all those years ago. That, more than anything, made me sure I wanted to pick up my medical supplies. As much as Edward would have enjoyed the far simpler methods of cracking the man's skull or pinching a nerve to render him unconscious, neither of us would manage it without killing him.

What men like that did to Rosalie left her dying, the voice at the back of my head hissed. I had grown quite good at hiding my thoughts over the years, so thankfully, Edward couldn't hear these more violent thoughts.

What Charles did to Esme made her throw herself off a cliff…the voice relentlessly tried to persuade me, but I ignored it.

To distract myself, I turned my thoughts back to Bella as the scenery almost literally flew by the darkly tinted car windows.

I didn't foresee that she would be so good for him. That's unexpected, I admitted to myself – though these thoughts, Edward could hear. It was a pleasant surprise, though…I remembered their very reserved argument after the van incident, then thought over all the precautions Edward had taken to protect her…much more than necessary.

Perhaps this was somehow meant to be, I mused. Like Esme, who was certainly a godsend. Perhaps it serves a higher purpose. Only…I couldn't help conjuring the image of Bella's vampire face: pale skin replaced by marble, red eyes shining like rubies. I flinched, and it disappeared. Hopefully, Bella would never be put in such a situation as to end in transformation. But even more hopefully, she would avoid a situation that entailed the other option...

Edward deserves happiness. He's owedit. I fiercely agreed with Esme on that. I too had watched Edward grow lonely. It had only gotten worse as the love blossomed between Esme and I. Now, living with three couples, it had to get to him sometimes.

There must be a way. But how? Edward would not let Bella be changed unless circumstances absolutely demanded it – perhaps not even then – and I would certainly prefer to keep the girl human. We would be taking her away from too much; her father, her friends, and every hope at a normal life. At children. I grimaced, Rosalie's pitiful tale again coming to mind.