Sorry it has been so long since I updated! I am moving into my new apartment and college is getting started, so I have been very busy, to say the least.
I think you will all appreciate the fresh point of view, let me know what you think, either way.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer created the characters, I took them to Chicago.
C POV
"Esme, what I wrong love?" I ask as I walk into our home after my shift at the hospital. I see my beautiful wife hunched over, body shaking with each sob she lets out.
"Did you look at the papers today?" Esme mutters, as close to crying as we can. Her lovely voice breaks and I rush to her side, holding her. The Seattle Daily Times was lying on the dining table beside her and I glanced at the headlines as I softly rub her back.
"What is it? Chicago?" I ask, not seeing anything relevant on the front page.
"Carlisle, our babies are in the middle of an underground war!" Esme cries out, sobbing into my shoulder. Esme has taken to calling Edward, Alice, Rosalie and Bella our babies. Her motherly instincts are as strong as ever and I feel so bad for her. It kills me to know the danger they are living in, but I can only imagine the immense dread she feels with her mother-like instincts.
"I am sure Edward can take care of himself and the girls. He's not one to caper around, doing things foolishly. He is a businessman, I trust his judgment."
"But they are merely children! Little Alice is barely 16! Who can let teenagers live like that?" Esme weeps, shuddering. I try to calm her down.
"Let's sit down so I can read the actual article. I'll call Edward in a few minutes." I tell my adoring wife, steering her to one of the rarely used dining chairs as I grab the paper with my other hand.
I scan the paper, flipping pages, finally finding the article that has Esme in such a state. I rub her back as I read, humming a soft tune I hear in the nursery. I see what has caught her eye.
"Capone bumps off another saloon owner
…There are only one or two competitors to The Chicago Outfit left. I don't expect they have much time left. Capone and his boys are an unstoppable force. They get whatever it is they desire…Look out Cullen. You are one foolish fellow, standing up so long…Capone doesn't take NO for an answer… It's a one gang town, Chicago…"
Thirty seconds later and I was putting the paper down. Esme would be worried about that, hell, I'm worried now. I can't let her know that. I pull her over to me, rubbing her back more vigorously. I start humming louder now, thinking about what to do.
"They are saying Edward is a gang leader! You need to call him now! Capone has actually said he will be looking for Edward!" Esme sobs, her breathing very erratic. It sounds more painful than the actual tears would be.
"Esme, love, think for a second. This is Capone going after Edward. He is a human, you know. There is nothing he can do that will ever hurt Edward. It's not like the Volturi are after him. I'm sure Edward is perfectly fine. He always has the best men taking care of the other poor girls working for him. We definitely helped raise a perfect gentleman with a solid head on his shoulders. If they were in any serious danger, I am sure Edward would let us know." I tell my wife, cupping her cheeks and bringing her face to mine. I look into her perfectly golden eyes and smile.
"Carlisle, I think you might be right! I did always think he was smart, a practical minded man. He grew up in Chicago, and he knows the city style of living. I bet he has a plan worked out right now." Esme calms down and realizes that I am telling her the truth.
"That's what I like to hear! I will call Edward, but I don't think we have anything to worry about, dear." I tell her and kiss her swiftly on the tender heart-shaped lips I adore.
"Call him quickly, and then meet me in the living room. I had something planned before the afternoon paper got here." Esme tells me, winking at me with the sweetest grin I have ever seen.
"This will be one short call." I tell her, heading to the telephone.
"Edward, its Carlisle." I tell him as soon as he answers the phone.
"Hello Carlisle. How are you doing this evening?" Edward asks, polite as ever.
"Very well. Esme has been rather worried about you. Did you know you made it into the Seattle papers?"
"Oh? What did I do now?" Edward asks and I think I can hear someone talking to him in the background.
"You are pretty much the only one standing between Al Capone and the entire city of Chicago. It sums up to saying you are dead meat." I tell him, "By the way, who else is talking to you right now?"
"Bella. She was here before you called. I am the only competition left? Hmm, I guess that means we will need to move soon. I really don't want to confront Capone because there is no way a human can deflect bullets like I can, like we do." Edward answers, and it almost seems like he was surprised that he was the only one left standing up to The Chicago Outfit.
"Did it surprise you to hear that all the other speakeasies shut down or sold out?" I ask.
"I thought the Germans still had a few places over in their neighborhoods, but I guess they folded." Edward comments.
"That's what the article was about, the German guy was 'taken care of.' When you speak of moving, were you considering Washington, or are you still adamant to be independent?"
"Carlisle, I have no idea. The four of us need to all come to an agreement. Alice doesn't see any new location yet, but I will call you. In either case I think we will spend a few weeks with you. We all miss you and Esme so much."
"Think about it son. I trust you will make the right decision. Tell Bella and the other girls we love them and miss all of you." I tell him, and do believe Edward will do the right thing. He always thinks things through.
"I will, Carlisle. Goodbye, I'll call again when we make our minds." Edward tells me.
"Goodbye, my son. I hope to hear from you soon." I tell him as I hang up the phone.
Before I see what Esme has planned in the living room, I take a moment to consider the various things I have just learned. I have only been home from work for about 45 minutes, but I completely solved one issue.
First, Esme is really worried about Edward, Alice, Bella and Rosalie living in Chicago during such violent crimes. She does have a valid point, what if something happens and they are exposed? I don't think she was really worried about them dying, but if there was a gunfight, as Edward himself mentioned, it could be dangerous. I know for a fact that if it came to a physical brawl, my four children would easily take out the entire Chicago Outfit, no matter large the mob is now.
Second, there really is a reason to be worried. The mobs and 'underground' thugs are being found out, making it to papers across the nation. I was really surprised to see news of a Chicago gang making it to the Seattle paper, which means it is very serious business. I mean, the cities have got to be 2000 miles apart, how can the news there be relevant here in Washington? Also, Edward is considered a gang leader. He could be in serious trouble if he isn't extremely careful with his business.
Third, Edward is considering leaving Chicago. I don't know how soon these plans may come to fruition, especially if they are relying on Alice to see something. I know Alice has some crazy vision of the four of them finding mates and Edward and Bella falling for each other, but I don't see how it can happen. If Bella wasn't in love with Edward from the moment she opened her eyes, I don't think there is an option for it. We aren't like humans, developing feelings over an extended period of time.
I seriously hope that when Edward and the girls decide to move, they at least come within a reasonable distance of Seattle. Esme and I can go out most days and lead relatively normal lives in this environment, we don't really foresee moving to far, as long as I can find a job. I didn't want to say it to Edward, but I would love it if we could live as a family again. I miss the close relationship we all shared.
"Carlisle? Is everything alright? You've been sitting there for a while." My Esme calls from the living room. How could I forget her?
"I'm fine dear. Just a second!" I call, hoping the surprise is grand.
I quickly walk to the living room, but at the human pace I master while working as a doctor. Sometimes I forget I can behave naturally in the house. I enter the living room and gasp.
Esme has strewn rose petals over every available surface, which I smelt as soon as I got home, but assumed they were from something else, like a bouquet. Besides being covered in rose petals, there were several candles lit on various tables and the mantelpiece. As I rounded the doorway, Esme dropped the needle on our Victrola gramophone and the beginning of Caruso's rendition of Rigoletto. Esme, what a wonderful wife. She remembered that I helped Verdi on this piece just before we met in the 1870's.
"Esme, this is wonderful! What could have inspired this?" I ask, racking my brain, searching for some occasion I couldn't have missed. My vampiric memory cannot be failing me now, can it?
"Carlisle, surely you joke. It is the anniversary of the day we first met! This is the day you started working in father's hospital, right?" Esme curtly tells me and I surely remember the day I met her while human.
"How foolish of me to forget. I just had so much on my mind, it slipped from the surface." I tell her, pulling her quickly to my side, kissing her.
"Is this your way of making up to me?" Esme laughs, I can tell she isn't mad that I forgot.
"Of course, my love. Have you ever seen me beg for forgiveness?" I ask, taking her to our couch.
We kiss for what feels like years and I sadly remember that I have obligations, such as work to take care of. An unhappy Esme rushes to get my change of clothes while I tell her what Edward said yesterday on the phone.
She is glad Edward is seriously considering leaving Chicago, but wishes that were synonymous with returning to Seattle.
Well, I hope you like it! I have a bit of writers block, but I promise more of Bella and Edward's relationship is to come!
Review, you know what to do!
