Chapter 11: Rose

A/N: I own nothing. The characters all come from much more brilliant minds than mine. I am just playing with them, the way others may play with dolls. I was thinking about the end of Breaking Dawn and how it reminded me of one of my favourite TV shows and so the two were combined.

Since Edward's return our house truly became a home. Although Esme and I still thought of Edward as our son, we decided since his return that he should masquerade as Esme's brother. It required less explanation and he could join me in the hospital as an intern. We had been in Rochester for a little over two years. We had been invited to join the high society but decided to remain reclusive. The less time we spent around humans the fewer suspicions we raised.

Despite the Great Depression, our little family flourished. It helped having so many years to amass fortune and no real requirement to spend it. We found that when we wore the nicest clothes, lived in the finest houses and had the finest automobiles people didn't question us. When you are poor and reclusive you are crazy, but if you are rich – you are eccentric. Our current house was so big, but was old and run-down when we purchased it. Esme discovered a flair for decorating so that was how she spent her days while Edward and I were at the hospital. Esme and I spent the nights together while Edward attended night school. My family was complete and untroubled.

I hadn't met the Doctor again, but after our last meeting I wondered if it would be over 60 years before we met again. Such a short time to wait. Whenever I thought of the Doctor, Edward would smile and say "I will meet her one day. I will wait forever for her if I have to." We hadn't been able to get anything further out of him about what he saw in the Time Lord's mind. I wasn't sure how painful it was for him to relive it so I didn't press the issue. Whenever my mind turned to the Doctor I thought of Rose and Martha, those two women. Both so obviously in love with the Doctor but still strong and independent. But each, so painfully human and breakable. I wondered how long it would be before Martha paid the price like poor Rose.

"But the Doctor said Rose was still alive?" Edward was trying to pull me out of my reverie.

"Yeah, but she is trapped in another dimension, having to live a normal life after seeing all of time and space."

"A normal life isn't so bad. Sometimes I wish I could live a normal life."

I still felt a pang of guilt when he said things like that.

"Don't feel that way. I know my life was over when you found me. I know I couldn't have lived any longer, but I do sometimes wish that I hadn't been dying. That I could walk freely into the sun without concern for who is nearby. That I could go without the aching burn in my throat when walking down a street. Or that I could talk to people without them subconsciously shying away."

"I know son, I wish that too."

"I'll bet Rose looks back on her time with the Doctor with fond memories but has settled back into regular routine."

I thought about the vibrant young blonde I had met. The way she seemed so excited by the strange and usual. She had been happy that I was a vampire, thrilled in fact. I pictured the way she smiled, with the tiny bit of tongue poking out from her teeth. I couldn't see her ever being happy with a normal life.

Edward knew a lost cause when he heard one, so left then to find Esme, or maybe to go hunt. I wasn't sure but I didn't mind. I trusted him completely. Since his return he hadn't slipped up at all and was firmly back on the vegetarian wagon.

As I sat thinking, I heard a group of drunken men clamouring down the end of the street. I didn't think much of it until I heard one of them shout, "Rose!"

I was out the door before I could think.

Such a stupid reaction, it was a common name after all. As soon as I could see who the group was, and who they were calling to I berated myself again. It was Royce King the Second and his cronies. They were shouting to his fiancée Rosalie Hale, I assumed she must have been on her way somewhere and not noticed them. It was really none of my business. For starters it wasn't the Rose that had been playing on my mind and it was hardly like she was being chased by a bunch of strangers. They were getting married in a week. The wedding of the century the papers called it.

I turned and went back into the house. I headed for my study and started reading. I was halfway through the textbook when I noticed a scent on the air. Blood, human blood, and lots of it. I raced to find the source. I headed onto the street and saw a woman lying crumpled on the floor. Her blonde hair was lying across her face. All I could think of was Rose. The Doctor's Rose. Broken, hurt - dying. I knew she would die, she had lost far too much blood.

I gently picked her up and raced back to my house, laying her on the couch. I didn't even think about what I was doing when I bit into her throat. Then her wrists and ankles, trying to force as much venom in as possible.

The woman screamed again begging me to leave her alone, to not hurt her anymore. It was only then that I gathered control of my senses again and brushed her hair off her face.

I gasped, it was Rosalie Hale. I had seen her not an hour ago going to her fiancé. It hit me then as I realised he was the one who did this to her. I was disgusted with him, his friends but mostly myself. I could have stopped it. I heard them calling for her. If only I had gone over and escorted her home.

"You didn't know what they were planning." Edward's voice startled me. "Esme and I were just out hunting, we heard the screaming here and raced back to see what was happening."

He looked down at Rosalie's broken form before shaking his head and leaving. He obviously didn't approve. Then I thought about what Esme's transformation had cost him, cost all of us and I was horrified. I broke down into dry sobs, my ability to cry real tears long gone. I felt Esme wrap her arms around me and turned into her, letting her support me as I contemplated what I had done.

A new thought entered my mind as I sat wrapped in Esme's loving arms. Maybe this wouldn't turn out to be such a bad thing, maybe Edward could find happiness with Rosalie the way I had with Esme. I couldn't think about it too much though, if it was going to happen it would happen naturally. I sat up, wrapping my arms around Esme in return. I kissed her gently before turning back to Rosalie. I held her hand and ran my other hand across her face.

"Please have mercy on me. Please just kill me. End this pain." She cried between the ragged screams.

"I am sorry. I am so sorry. This pain will end. I know it doesn't feel like it now, but it will. And then you will be strong. Strong enough to survive anything."

"Royce! Why?"

"It's ok. He can't hurt you anymore. He won't hurt you ever again. No one will. You will soon be something else. A vampire. You will be strong and beautiful. And immortal."

"But this hurts. It hurts. Please kill me. Now. I can't live through this."

"It's okay sweetie," Esme's nurturing side took over. "We'll get through this. Together." She took Rosalie's hand from me. I stood back from the couch, trying to take stock of what I had done.

The hours passed slowly. Rosalie would scream with no coherency then suddenly change tack and beg for death again. Then she would fall deathly silent. Esme and I guided her though the process as best we could, alternating between words of comfort and explanation. Esme left to get some clothes that would fit Rosalie. While she was away, Edward walked up behind me, "What were you thinking, Carlisle? Rosalie Hale?"

"I couldn't just let her die," I thought of how much she reminded me of the Doctor's Rose when I first saw her on the road. "It was too much – too horrible, too much waste." I could easily picture the blood pooling around her and her screams, filled with both pain and heartache.

"I know."

"It was too much waste. I couldn't leave her."

"Of course you couldn't." Esme agreed, as she arrived back home.

"You can't save everyone," Edward quoted the words he had heard in my memory, the words of the Doctor. "People die all the time. Don't you think she's just a little recognizable though? The Kings will have to put up a huge search – not that anyone suspects the fiend."

I thought about what might have to come soon. We might have to leave, but we would have to wait a reasonable length of time first.

"What are we going to do with her?" I knew Edward was disgusted that we would have to move away when we were so thoroughly settled here.

I sighed, "That's up to her, of course. She may want to go her own way."

I noticed the change in Rosalie's breathing and heart. Her breathing was hitching and her heart racing. It was almost over. A final beat and she opened her eyes. She stood and I saw she was beautiful, even as far as our kind go she was a beauty. But she was fierce, like a dark angel. Now that I saw her I wondered how I had ever mistaken her for the Doctor's Rose.

Rosalie's blonde hair was longer – wavy all the way down to her waist. Even her features were different, more refined but with less compassion in them. Her eyes flittered between the three of us, the red irises whirling in horror and shock. I thought Edward was the best to handle this conversation with his extra abilities, at least he would be able to judge her mood.

He complied and Esme and I listened silently to a one-sided converation, "Rosalie, I know this is a lot to take in... A vampire... Yes, that is the thirst. The burn will never completely go away but you will eventually be able to manage it..." He nodded, "Esme, can you please get a mirror?"

Esme ran swiftly from the room, when she came back she held the mirror up for Rosalie to see.

Edward laughed, "Yeah, they do take some getting used to. They will fade in a few months if you live our lifestyle... We feed off the blood of animals...Humans... No if you feed off them your eyes will remain red, a slightly different shade but still red... Golden brown... I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice. I can read minds. It is a special talent of mine... I don't know, but if so we will find out soon I am sure."

I could see that Rosalie was handling the process well so I wanted to take over the conversation. "Rosalie, I know we have met only briefly before but I am Carlisle and these are Esme and Edward. How do you feel? You will need to speak out loud because Esme and I don't share Edward's gift."

"I am not sure..." She seemed shocked at the sound of her own voice. "I feel... strong. But my throat burns. I...don't want to be alone." Her voice broke on the last part, obviously she had heard our conversation.

"Rosalie, you are welcome in our home as long as you want to stay. We would be honoured if you decide to join our family. But perhaps we should take you hunting before we bother with any more conversation."

"Come on Rosalie," Edward called, somewhat harshly. I could only guess something he had heard in someone's head had upset him. Rosalie scowled after him for half a second before following.

Esme turned to me, "I hope those two can get along."

"So do I. I just hope Edward can cope with the thirst this time. I don't want to lose him again."

She wrapped her arms around me, "I think Edward is strong enough now. He knows the other life, I don't think he will go back to it."

I nodded, if anyone could hold this family together it was Esme. Esme was the heart of this family and her love was contagious. I looked into her eyes and was lost. She may be the heart of the family but she owned my heart completely. I traced the line of her cheek with my hand and pulled her lips towards mine.

Edward and Rosalie returned after about an hour. Rosalie was a mess, twigs twisted into her hair, blood smeared over her clothes. She had a look of disgust over her face. Edward was doubled over laughing. "We hunted herbivores today. Apparently she is not taken by the taste." Something must have crossed Rosalie's mind because a fresh round of laughter burst from him lips.

If I had even allowed myself to hope that they would be together it was dashed with the manner in which they spoke to each other. Edward stopped laughing, shot me a dark looked and stalked from the room.

Esme led Rosalie to what would become her room if she chose to stay with us. I headed after Edward, before I had even reached his door I heard him, "That is why you turned her?" He seethed.

"No, I promise you. You saw the real reason I turned her. I just thought, afterwards, that you might be lucky and find some small portion of the happiness that I have Esme that's all."

He sighed, "I know Carlisle. I just...can't. I promise I will try to love her like as a brother would, as family. I see that she is resolute in staying with us, at least for the time being. But I can't ever love her more than that, how can I when I know she's out there somewhere."

"But Edward, you don't even know that you will actually ever meet this other girl."

He gave a hard chuckle, "Don't tell me you are losing your unshakable faith in the Doctor? Remember he said he would meet her. But even if I don't, even if I am never lucky enough to encounter her first hand. How could I ever settle for anyone else? Could you – if you lost Esme now, even if you knew you would never see her again, could you love someone else."

Even the thought of having to exist in this world without Esme was painful. Edward read the pain in my mind.

"Exactly. That is exactly how I feel about this girl."

I wasn't going to try to force him to love anyone. I just hoped he could accept Rosalie into our family.

"I'll try."

I sighed.

"I will. But you may have to have the same talk with her. She kind of hates me right now." He laughed.

As I stood to leave he added, "If I were you I would talk to her about her plans as well."