well, first of all I want to say that I am truly really sorry for taking so long to update... I know I'm saying that all the time but my days just seem to have too few hours... I'm busy with university, finals are approaching fast and I can't find time to write... I really hate that, but I can't change it... well, I hope you understand... I would love to write more often and update faster but I simply can't manage it... I'm trying again for the next chapters, but I can't make anypromises I fear... Sorry, again...

Well, here are two more chapters for you! I hope you enjoy them and leave a review for me! Things are getting close to the end... I'm currently working on teh Epilogue now which is already very, very long but good according to my friends... I thought about making a sequel since I like writing the epilogue so much... tell me what you think about it? would you like a sequel?

But now to the story: Have fun!

CHAPTER 9: Mia Cantante – Carlisle's POV

I lay on the little couch in my office and watched the sky changing its colour – from a dark blackish-blue to a shade of ultramarine finally to azure. Then the sun rose and coloured the overcast sky in shades of deep orange, red and purple. The night had been extraordinary quiet. No patients at all. I sighed. In a few hours I would release Esme from the hospital and never see her again. The same night I would move to Chicago where I needed to hunt along the way. My eyes were far darker than I usually would let them get. Outside in the hall the nurses were arriving for the early shift. I rose from the couch and sat down in my office chair. I still had some paperwork I could work on.

Filling out the patient's file wasn't a job that kept me occupied. My memory was flawless and it didn't take much of an effort to remember the treatments I had given my patients. So, my mind drifted off… It was dangerous what I had been doing these past days… far too dangerous… I used to be sensible and responsible but these qualities somehow vanished when a certain young girl came to the hospital… Being near Esme, talking to her made me feel so human… I no longer felt that ache of loneliness then… but I felt it a hundred times worse when I was away from her… like my still heart was bleeding… Nonetheless I couldn't be so selfish to make her one of my own kind… she deserved a life, to be happy, to grow up and see the world, maybe marry, have children, have a real life… all the things someone like me couldn't give her…

Outside the world changed slowly. It was time for the people to get up and go to work. The streets and sidewalks filled with pedestrians. I heard the carts on the streets and the horses and the few automobiles some wealthy families owned.

Another hour or two passed without anything happening, leaving me to think. Around 9 am a nurse finally knocked on my office door. "Dr Cullen, Mr and Mrs Platt are here for her daughter. I already put young Ms Platt in exam room 3." She said. "Yes, eh… I'm coming." I said and followed the nurse into the hallway. Esme's mother who I had met briefly when her daughter was admitted to the hospital stood next to a stern looking man. He was well built and had an air of authority around him. Well, I was not intimidated by it. I went over to greet them. "Good Morning, Mr and Mrs Platt." I said and shook their hands. "My name is doctor Cullen, your daughter is one of my patients." –my favorit one – I added in my head and smiled. "Well, good morning, Dr." Mr Platt said. "I will have to do a final check up on your daughter before she can be released from the hospital. And I need you to fill out some paperwork." "Yes, would you please follow me, Mr and Mrs Platt…" the nurse asked and led them over to her desk were some forms waited for them to be filled. I sighed lowly and went over to the exam room, happy to be able to spent this last minutes alone with Esme.

I knocked on the door before I stepped in. Esme was sitting on the exam table, waiting for me. She looked a little tired but perfectly happy. "Hello!" she greeted me. I smiled. "Good morning. How have you slept? Not to good according to the circles under your eyes…" I remarked and sat down on the stool in front of her. She blushed a little. "Is it that obvious?" she asked. I smiled. "No, it's just because I know how you spent parts of your night, I guess…" I reassured her. "Well, you look far worse." She stated. "Haven't you slept at all?" Her eyes were fixed to my face. I knew that I had dark circles under them, but they weren't there for any lack of sleep. I needed to hunt. My throat was itching constantly and being this close to Esme made me want to scoop her up in my arms and press her close to my body, just to inhale her scent. I could never harm her. "A little." I whispered, not meeting her gaze and instead trying to focus back on the examination I had to do.

Suddenly I felt something touch my face and I froze. Esme's fingers were tracing the circle under my left eye like she could erase the mark with her fingers. "You should sleep. You must be terribly tired." She said lowly and stroked my cheek. I froze under her touch. My instincts were screaming at me to flinch back from her, to not let her touch me but I couldn't. Her warm hands sent a warm sensation through my body. I enjoyed her touching me. I closed my eyes for a short moment, focusing on that moment to keep for eternity. The feeling of her soft fingers, the warmth spreading through my body, her sweet scent surrounding me…

I snapped out of it. My eyes shot open again which caused Esme to take her hand away. The room was filled with an awkward silence. I coughed nervously. Strange. I've never been nervous. With all the will power I had left I concentrated on my task. Checking Esme's leg. "Well, I will have to take a look at the cast…" I murmured. "Go ahead." Esme just said.

I was asking her a few questions about how she felt and then checked on the cast. It seemed fine, no cracks or anything. "Well, everything seems good to me." I told her. "Your leg will be fine in about six weeks. Until then I recommend you to keep it elevated, don't walk to much and only on crutches. In six weeks you should get back to the hospital to have the cast removed. You'll still have to use the crutches for a while then because the muscles in your leg degenerate if not used but you will be fine afterwards. Ready to climb trees again, just promise me to not fall out a second time." I winked at her. Esme bit her lip and blushed a little. "Thank you." She whispered. "Will you remove it?" she asked. I looked up. "Sorry?" I didn't know what she meant. "The cast. I wondered if you will be the one who removes it…" she explained. I sighed and shook my head. "No, I am leaving…" I answered. Esme stared at me. "Leaving?" she echoed hoarsely. I nodded. "Yes… I got an offer from a hospital in Chicago…" I replied lowly. Esme looked away. "You didn't tell me…" she murmured. Instantly I felt guilty. "I am sorry, really. I guess I just didn't want to think of it… spoil our time together…" What was I saying? Our time together?! "I really enjoyed talking to you…" I said. "Why are you leaving?" Esme asked me. I hated lying to her but I couldn't tell her the truth… "Well, it's a great chance for a young doctor like me…" I said. She nodded. "I guess it is, good luck then." She wished me. I smiled sad. "Thank you."

"Well, I think it is goodbye now…" I started though I hated to do so. I didn't want to leave her. "Yes." she agreed lowly. "Goodbye Carlisle." She said in a raspy voice. "Goodybe, Esme." I said her name once again, willing to remember it forever which wasn't exactly difficult. I would never forget her. Our eyes locked and I felt a strange course of connection between us. We looked at each other. I could see the same sadness in her eyes, I also felt. I stared at her for the last time and etched every of her features in my memory. Her dark brown eyes, her kind, heart-shaped face, the soft caramel curls framing it. My gaze lingered on her lips and a wave of completely strange feelings washed over me. I felt like I was a metal piece, drawn to a magnet. I heard Esme's breathing stop. I let her scent wash over me, inhaling it. I felt the strange urge to lean closer to her, but before I could do something really stupid I stood up – a bit too fast probably because Esme flinched startled. "Sorry, I thought I heard something…" I muttered. Esme nodded. "Well, Esme I wish you all the best… I am sure you will become a wonderful woman and a great teacher." She smiled shyly and blushed. "Good luck in Chicago." She replied before she leaned on her crutches and stood up.

We turned to the door, but then Esme stopped again. "I still have your books…" she remembered. I smiled warmly at her. "Keep them." I told her. I simply wanted her to keep something of me. Some little part so she wouldn't forget me, like I kept her memory. "What? Really?" she asked. I nodded. "But promise me not to break more bones when reading them in the trees." Esme blushed a little and smiled. "promised." She said as she turned towards me. A strand of her curls waved past my face and sent her intoxicating scent in my direction. I swallowed hard when my throat burned uncomfortable, but there was something else. I didn't want to kill her, I wanted something else entirely. It was strange and unknown to me.

I was so consumed with my thoughts, that I didn't notice anything until I felt Esme threw her arms around my waist. I had never been this close to a person before, especially no human and surely no woman. I could feel the warmth of her body on my cold skin. A strange feeling. My kind was usually scary to humans and here I was with a beautiful young woman clinging to me. I put my arms around her and held her close for a second. It felt so good, so right to hold her.

Then I slowly released her from my embrace. "Goodbye… Esme." For the very last time I said her name. "Goodbye… Carlisle Cullen…" she replied. I couldn't help it and smiled, my name sounded wonderful when she said it. I gave the crutches back to her and then opened the door to the corridor.

Esme's mother and father stood up from their seats. "Well, I am sorry the examination took a little longer, but it seemed like there was a crack in the cast, but it is fine. Your daughter should return in six weeks, Mr Platt, to get the cast removed. Until then she should not walk too much and keep her leg elevated and cooled if necessary." I explained smiling. "Thank you, doctor." Mr Platt said and shook my hand. He, just like his wife, flinched from my touch. Mrs Platt just smiled. But Esme turned to me again. "Yes, thank you Dr Cullen." She said. I nodded, suddenly feeling a lump in my throat. She was leaving. Reality hit me like a wrecking ball. I would never see her again. "Goodbye, come Esme." Mr Platt put his arm around her shoulders and led her away. Just before they vanished round the corner Esme turned again and smiled. I winked at her. "Bye, bye mia cantante." I whispered lowly before I went back into my office.

Mia cantante that was what Esme was for me. I just realised that. That and maybe more. When I had lived in Italy Aro had talked about singers, people whose blood sang for a special vampire. That meant it was almost irresistible to them. Like Esme's smell was for me, who was almost immune to the smell of blood…

okay, another chapter waits for you... I hope you liked this one... please leave me a review... they make my day...