Still convinced that a younger Alexis Bledel would look like a perfect daughter for Esme.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.
~.~.~
Esme sat back in her chair amazed. Amazed of the sudden warmth she felt, and it still lingered in her womb. Instinctively she placed a hand on her tummy and let it stay there. She wondered if she had to wait to kick in or if she'd get pregnant right away. Looking at the small clock she had on her desk, she smiled knowing Carlisle was going to come in any minute. Almost as if on cue, there was a short rasp on her door, as Carlisle appeared on the door frame with a smile on his face.
"Carmen and Eleazar doing fine downstairs?" Esme reached out for his hands, grinning from ear to ear. Holding his hands in hers, staring into his golden orbs, she saw and felt the love that they both had for each other, and now she was even more excited to have his child.
Carlisle nodded and kneeled in front of her, in a manner similar to how Ava did thirty minutes ago. "You look happy, love." He commented caressing her cheek, his heart melting a bit as she leaned into his touch.
Esme hummed in affection, and slowly got up from her chair and swiftly closed the door behind her quite dramatically. Giving him her most seductive smile she walked over to him as he stood up from his kneel. "I am happy." Giving him a playful shove, he fell onto her chair. Leaning down she kissed his forehead. "Carlisle, I hope you don't mind but Ava did it." Esme whispered, watching his face carefully.
Carlisle reached up to cup her cheeks. "Did it work?" was all he asked.
Esme shrugged and straddled him in her chair as she popped the first couple of buttons from his shirt, her fingers lingering his bare chest momentarily. "Well, there's only one way to find out." She breathed out as she leaned into him, pressing her lips to his, softly at first. Carlisle smiled into the kiss as she returned the kiss, giving into her.
Deepening the kiss, Esme reached down to unbutton his belt with a swift movement she undid his pants button and zipper. "You're so eager, cariño." He chuckled moving so she could undress him easily.
"I know, but I don't really care right now." Esme smirked continuing their passionate kiss.
Carlisle laughed and moved her over to her desk pushing everything out of the way before placing her on it. Esme gasped as he kissed her neck a smile on her lips. "I love you, Esme." He whispered into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
"I love you, too." Esme gasped as she felt pleasure running through her body.
~.~.~
One Month Later
Eager to find out if Ava's power really worked out, Esme and Carlisle took every opportunity to try and conceive, mostly at night when they knew everyone else would be busying themselves for the night. Only once did they drive Ava away.
Lately, Esme has been having food cravings. Taking a couple spoonsful of whatever Nessie was having for breakfast or lunch, trying to satisfy her cravings. Her hunting trips with Carlisle were slowly going away, as she didn't really need to go out as often, or even at all. However, she went to spend time with Carlisle.
It was still early in the morning, a bit before noon. Ava had left to go check out a bookstore in town and get some mail from the post office. After finishing her chores, Esme was sitting down by the island, feeling her stomach churning a bit. Furrowing her brows, she tried to trace back her steps from the morning. She had a couple of fresh strawberries that Nessie had left out from the morning after she made herself a smoothie.
Easing herself off the stool, she felt lightheaded as she felt queasy. Her eyes wide, she ran upstairs and locked herself into her bedrooms bathroom as she let whatever came up from her stomach and into the toilet.
~.~.~
Ava sighed as she pulled up the driveway from towns post office and grabbing the pile of mail from the passenger seat while stepping out of the car. Ava was still conflicted and felt as if she was trapped. Constantly shutting herself from the rest of the family, only interacting with them with the bare minimum. There were times when they would invite her out, even if it was to go hunt with them. Nessie even took her as her date to her junior prom, it was one of her fondest memories to date.
Alice was busy curling Ava's hair while Rose was helping Nessie do her hair with both girls doing their own makeup.
"It's not even my prom, I don't understand why you guys are making such a big fuss." Ava grumbled as she applied her lipstick, making sure it was on even. Through her mirror she saw Alice roll her eyes while waving the curling iron around dismissively.
"Zellie, who cares! You're going with me, so zip it!" Nessie tossed a brush at her as she sipped on her soda can while Rosalie pinned back a couple of her tress down by the nape of her neck.
"It's not even your senior prom, junior proms sound kind of ridiculous if you ask me." Ava sighed closing her eyes, as Alice sat down the curling iron and sleeking back the sides of her hair a little bit.
"Any dance is special, Hazelnut."Alice put her hands on Ava's shoulders, pulling a couple of strands in front of her face as the finishing touch. Ava opened her eyes and looked at herself from side to side, approvingly. "There, you look perfect!"
As both girls finished getting ready, Ava slipped into her dress it was a blush dress with champagne lace over it with a slit on her right side, a sweetheart neckline with off the shoulder straps.
"Ready?" Nessie asked, fixing the skirt of her dress as she was wearing a royal a line dress with a deep v neck line.
"Ready." Ava sighed, grabbing her clutch and walking down the steps with Nessie, their arms linked together.
Throwing her bag beside the couch, she plopped down and leafed through the stack of mail, a couple bills, some subscriptions. Her brows furrowed when she saw an envelope written out for her. Setting the rest of the mail on the coffee table she carefully ripped open the envelope and saw a couple of pictures in there and a small note.
Thought you'd like these for yourself
Carmen.
Ava smiled, relieved that it was only Carmen. Taking the pictures out of the envelope, there was a small stack. A couple of pictures of herself, a couple of them being candid pictures of her laughing with the family throughout their stay, the pictures from their picture day, the one with her and the family in the group hug as everyone was laughing and smiling, with her and Nessie, one of just her siblings and herself, a picture of just Esme and herself, and finally the one that she and Esme liked so much.
Lingering on the picture of the one with her family, she heard heaving from upstairs. Shoving the stack into her purse, she quickly got up from the couch and walked upstairs and into Esme's and Carlisle's room, where the heaving was coming from.
"Mom?" Ava called out, and quickly flitted over to the bathroom they had in their room. As she tried to open the door, she noticed it was locked. Knocking on it slightly, she heard Esme groan from the other side. "Can I come in?" Her voice soft, dripping with worry as she heard her expel whatever was in her system into the toilet.
There was a soft clicking and she turned the knob to find Esme clutching onto the porcelain rims of the seat, her hair covering her face. Hurrying to her side, she pulled her hair out of her face, as she Esme expelled a combination of red chunks that still held the faint smell of strawberries and animal blood. There was a small hint of joy that Ava felt, knowing that it worked.
Rubbing her free hand down her back in a soothing manner, Ava cooed softly as Esme's body shook. "I feel awful." Esme groaned, her cheek resting on the cold seat.
Ava nodded and flushed the toilet for her, stroking her hair trying to comfort her the best she could. "It worked."
Esme smiled softly, a hand instinctively going to her stomach as if she might feel something there. "It did?" Esme croaked, her throat feeling raw after she almost puked everything in her system.
"It did, you're eating food, and I swear you look clammy." Ava murmured as she tied Esme's hair back with a hair tie. "Have you told, Carlisle?"
Shaking her head, she lifted her head off the toilet seat and smiled weakly at Ava. "No, I guess I should call him soon." Esme tried to get up from the floor but felt weak. Pulling Esme up from the floor, she held her up as she walked them to her bed.
"Cuddle with me till Carlisle gets here? You're cold and it feels good." Esme chuckled.
"Of course."
~.~.~
It was a quarter until two, and Carlisle sped his way up their driveway. Only Esme's and Ava's cars in the driveway. As he walked into the house, it was quiet. Normally there was music playing if it was just both of them but today there was nothing.
Perhaps they went hunting, but as he walked into his room, he saw Esme curled up into a ball with her eyes closed while Ava was hugging her, stroking her hair. Turning her head, Ava smiled at Carlisle. "Hi." She whispered looking down at her mother.
"Is she okay?" Concern dripping from his tongue, as he glanced over at Esme as her eyes were closed, she looked so peaceful.
Ava nodded slowly easing herself away from Esme, making sure not to move her. "She's fine, just a rough morning. I'll let you be." Ava said fixing her hair and picking up her shoes from the foot of their bed. Ava smirked as she passed him, giving him a pat on the shoulder.
Esme slightly stirred from her position but remained that way. Climbing onto the spot where Ava previously laid. Pushing away one of her loose hairs away from her face, her eyes still closed. He watched her as she let out a sigh, as her eyes began to slowly flutter open. "Hi, daddy." Esme smiled, her voice a bit hoarse from her short nap.
"Daddy?"
Reaching up to touch his cheek, she nodded excitedly. "Yes, my love. It worked. We're going to have a baby." Esme giggled.
His smile only widened as he saw how excited Esme was. "Darling, I'm going to be a dad?"
"You're going to be a dad."
"I love you, beautiful." He murmured as they hugged each other as they lay there. His hand went over to her tummy his cold hand against her stomach. It felt amazing against her skin. "I'm going to be a dad to a beautiful baby."
~.~.~
Taking her bag to her room, Ava sat down in the middle of her bed with a record playing in the background. Taking the pictures from the inside of her bag she laid them out on her bed. It was crazy how even the simplest photographs made her feel happy and complete, however, she couldn't help but feel this pang of sadness within her.
Holding her two favorite pictures in her hands, she mentally thanked Carmen for sending her own pictures. The picture of her and her mother and the one with the whole family never left her bedside table drawer. Putting them back in there, she got up from her spot and walked up the stairs to check on Esme.
"How are you doing?" Her voice soft, as she saw Esme sitting on her bed, sitting on the foot of the bed. Carlisle walked out of their bathroom with a trash an empty trash can in his hands.
"Peachy." Esme scoffed rolling onto her side as Carlisle rushed to her side with the trash can by her side.
"You need to have something in your system." Ava murmured pulling her hair back prepared if she did get anything out of her system.
Shaking her head Esme rolled back onto her back and shut her eyes tight. "No, I'm fine."
"Carlisle."
"Ava's right, love. You need to have something, blood or food, even water please." Carlisle pleaded, placing his hand onto her forehead.
The sound of cars pulling up the driveway made her whip her head up, while Esme tried to get up but gently being pushed down by Carlisle. "I need to greet them."
Ava laughed and shook her head. "Nope, I'm getting you crackers and water, maybe kill a squirrel or something." Ava said getting up from her spot and kissed her mom's head, a habit she's gotten used to do whenever she leaves the room or enters it. It brought comfort to her, as well as Esme.
Rushing downstairs, she found her siblings sitting around the family room, doing the homework they received for class. Giving them a wave, she walked to the cupboards and got out a packet of crackers and a water bottle from the fridge.
"Zellie, what are you doing?" Emmett asked looking up from his textbook on his lap as she passed by the sitting room, as he raised an eyebrow as he eyed the items in her hands.
Ava smirked and opened up the packet of crackers taking one and shoving it in her mouth. "Torturing myself." Her mouth stuffed with dried up cracker, a couple crumbs flying out of her mouth.
"Oh yeah? Swallow it then." He leaned back from his seat, staring at his sister with a pleased smirk on his face.
Panicking for a second, she swallowed the dry mush in her mouth already regretting her decision soon. Opening up the water bottle, she took a sip and clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Did it." Ava sang, as she tossed a cracker his way but hitting Jasper in the process. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Shock in her face, Jasper laughed it off as he plucked the cracker out of his hair.
"Don't worry, I'll chuck it for you." He smirked, chucking the cracker a head of him, the cracker grazing his lip.
Ava smiled before turning on her heal to take the items up to her mother. "Thank you, Jazz."
"Have fun regurgitating everything back up, Ava Hazel Cullen!" Emmet called out behind her as she ascended the stairs, while she flipped off her brother.
Knocking on her mom's door softly before entering the room, she saw Carlisle and Esme cuddled together on the bed. "I have your des collations." Ava sighed, handing her the packet of crackers.
Carlisle had an amused look on his face as Esme laughed before placing a cracker on her tongue and slowly chewing on it. "Where did that come from?"
"Oh, I'm learning French. Everyone here knows like five languages; thought I'd learn how to speak French first." Ava shrugged and sat down by the bed as she took off the lid from the water bottle.
"That's good, hon." Esme cheered on, as she sat up on her bed. "How are the kids?"
"Your adults are fine. They were doing homework the last time I saw them." Ava corrected, in a teasing tone. "You're going to have a baby soon, worry about yourself for a while. You need to take care of yourself and the life that is going to be growing in you for the next couple of months, mom."
"You're right. I need to tell them." Esme swung her feet off the edge of the bed having Ava and Carlisle help her up slowly, so she wouldn't get dizzy and return to being best friends with the toilet. "I'm not nine months pregnant, I can still get up by my own." Esme rolled her eyes as both of them dropped their hands to their sides.
Esme lead the way down their stairs, with Carlisle behind her watching her every move, feeling more protective over his wife and mate. Ava was having fun watching the way he shadowed her every move down the halls and down their stairs, as if she might trip over a speck of dust and tumble down their three flights of stairs.
~.~.~
Esme did her best to block her thoughts from her gifted son and tried to play with Alice's blind spots. She walked down the stairs as casual as she could, taking a seat on the empty love seat, as half of her kids were doing their work in the dining room table.
Ava sat down by her feet, as she grabbed a book from the coffee table, flipping through it, occasionally glancing up from her spot as she felt Esme fidget slightly in her seat. Trying to comfort her in the best of her ability, she held onto her ankle, something that her best friend from her human years used to do when she was nervous.
Carlisle stood behind Esme, his hands on her shoulders, softly massaging them. Leaning back into his touch, she closed her eyes partly because she thought she was going to puke again, but partly because it's what made her feel better. He always made her feel better.
"Are you okay?" Rosalie looked up from her tablet, her pen in her hand as she wrinkled her eyebrows, as Esme looked like she was about to pass out.
Esme nodded looking opening her eyes, suppressing her urge to heave right now on her floor. "I'm fine, Rose." It had caught all of her kids' attention, Ava's thumb rubbing circles on her ankles as she continued to read her book. It was one of Esme's book on the art during the Rococo years. "I have something to tell you something." Esme breathed out, looking up at Carlisle for confirmation as he nodded with a affirming look.
"You guys are swingers?" Emmett shouted out standing away from his seat, slamming shut his textbook.
Ava snorted with laughter, closing her book and tossing it back on the coffee table. "Oh, yes. They are swingers, they have a group in Hartford and New Haven that they run." Ava rolled her eyes, watching as the rest of her siblings suppress giggles and chuckles as they saw the confusion on Emmett's face. "No. They are not swingers."
"Thank you." Carlisle laughed, rubbing his hands up and down his wife's arms.
Esme cleared her throat, reaching up to hold Carlisle's hand trying to find the courage to tell her adoptive kids that she is carrying her miracle baby. "I am pregnant."
There were a chorus of whoops and congratulations, yet a sad look from Rosalie. Ava noticed her sad expression and bowed her head, as she remembered the conversation, she had with Rosalie a week or two ago.
It was raining hard in Connecticut that day. Ava had just gotten home from New Haven as she was picking up some items that Esme had sent her to pick up, a couple of paints that she could only find at a New Haven art supply store. While she was in New Haven, she checked out the smaller book stores, and boutiques that they had. While she was in one of the smaller boutiques, she found the cutest little pale orange onesie that had cartoon foxes all over it, it had a matching beanie and socks. She smiled at the thought that perhaps her future half-sibling was going to be wearing the onesie, so she declared that her animal was going to be foxes.
Leaving the onesie in the trunk of her car, she lugged the many paints and canvases that Esme had sent her to pick up, unpacking everything in Esme's studio she heard some movement coming from downstairs as she slowly stacked the canvases on of her mom's shelves.
Walking down the stairs slowly she heard Rosalie take in a shaky gasp. Knocking on her door, she waited outside listening to the rustling inside before the door swung open and found Rosalie laying down on her bed, hugging a pillow close to her, as she had the lights off, with soft music playing in the background.
"I never pegged you for the indie type of music." Ava commented sitting on the edge of her bed, as she looked over at Rosalie's phone as the song changed.
Rosalie smiled softly and nodded, the sound of the rain hitting her window and the music creating a medley that brought her peace and comfort. "Yeah, it makes me feel better." Rosalie whispered patting the spot next to her, as Ava took off her shoes and crawled over and laid next to Rosalie as they listened to her music in silence.
"Something's wrong, Rose." Ava pressed, wanting to know what was wrong with her new sister.
Rose sighed, throwing the blanket off of her. "Emmett didn't agree."
"Rose, I'm sorry."
Taking in a shaky breath she shook her head. "He said he didn't want to risk losing me, maybe in a couple of years or soon, but he said that he had too much on the line if you were to have helped me. I don't want to lose him either, but Ava, it hurts me so much that I won't be able to have the opportunity to have a baby." Rosalie let out a dry sob escape her body, her body wracking as she began to sob uncontrollably.
Ava held her, unsure what to say. It upset her that Esme was able to get what she wanted, but Rosalie wouldn't. "He'll come around."
"Yeah, in a couple of years. Ava, Esme gets to meet one of her first born after all these years, and she still gets to have another chance at having a child while I get none?" She scoffed, slightly, enjoying the company that Ava was giving her.
Ava sighed and held her hand, trying to find the words to comfort her. "Rose, you'll still be young. It's not like you won't be able to have a chance at conceiving. As long as I'm around, I'll be able to help you."
"Thank you, Ava, you're a good sister you know." Rose sighed, closing her eyes as she heard the soft guitars playing the background with the small beat of the drum. "I'm glad you stalked Carlisle and Esme that night."
Both girls laughed as they talked about Rosalie's baby that she always imagined having, how she'd raise her child, and how she'd be spoiled rotten.
Ava gave Rosalie a sympathetic look, but Rosalie only nodded as she walked over to Esme and gave her a tight squeeze. "I'm so happy for you, momma." Rosalie whispered, a small smile on her lips.
"Really, Rose?" Concern in Esme's voice as she looked at her daughter after they separated.
"Yes, I'm really happy for you. That little nugget is going to be so loved." Rosalie placed a hand on Esme's tummy, even though there was nothing to show for her pregnancy just yet.
~.~.~
Couple of Months Later
Esme's cravings have been off the roof, as she was mid second trimester. It was funny in Ava's eyes to see her scarf down a stack of pancakes with lots of berries and syrup. They tried getting an ultrasound, however it didn't work. Alice knew what the baby was going to be already, but she didn't want to tell them what the baby was going to be.
Ava and Esme spent their days together, as they planned the baby's nursery. They stuck with the fox theme with oranges and yellows with hints of greens. Ava was on a latter sketching out a big tree in the corner of a room with a fox reading a book under the shade. "Have you thought of names?"
Esme looked up from her tablet, her hand resting on her small bump, as she looked for cribs and anything that the baby would need. "I have."
"Can I hear them?" Ava asked huffing a piece of hair away from her face.
Esme smiled and set her tablet aside and looked at the work that Ava was doing. "You know, I can help out."
Ava shook her head and stepped down from her stool, as she finished with the outline and moved onto the smaller details. "Nope, you're staying there." Ava turned to look at her mother with a cheeky grin. "So, I can hear the names?"
"If it's a boy, I was thinking of naming him after Carlisle."
"Don't. It's a unique name, but don't do it. Homeboy is going to be teased most of his young life." Ava stopped her there with a quirk of an eyebrow and a laugh. "Surly, you have a backup."
"I was kidding, Carlisle didn't let me name the baby after him." Ava laughed along with Esme. "I was thinking either Nicholas or William."
"For girls?"
"Adeline or Luna."
"Those are pretty names. I like all four." Ava smiled over at Esme, as Esme held onto her small baby bump. "Is baby moving?" Ava asked hopeful, as Esme nodded. Flitting over to her side, Ava pressed a hand to her bump and smiled as she felt the baby kick at her hand.
"Baby likes you." Esme commented as she watched Ava smile as she ran her hands across her bump.
Ava smirked and nodded. "Of course, I'm Baby's favorite sister, of course." She sat there enjoying the way she felt the baby move and kick away, even though it might have been uncomfortable for Esme. "Can I ask you something? When Edward left those three times, did it hurt?"
Esme's smile fell as she nodded, remembering the three times Edward left them, it tore her hear apart. "It did. A little more so when it was just us three, and again when we moved because he thought it'd be safer for Bella. I missed my son dearly; I didn't know if he was okay as he only called once a month while we were in Ithica." Esme recounted as she looked out the window.
Ava bit her lip and took her mother's hand. "I'll be back." Ava whispered, kissing her mother's head, smoothing out whatever creases she had in her clothes and walked out of the room.
Nessie had told her that Edward had left multiple times during his time with Esme and Carlisle. Each time breaking Esme's heart once more. As Ava walked into her room and let out a huff and took out the onesie and her backpack from her under her bed and placed it on the bed.
She knew Esme was going to be fine, now that she was in lesser danger of losing the baby, Carlisle was around a lot more often, he's only at the hospital four days out of the week, as opposed to everyday of the week most of the time. It breaks her heart to know that she was going to put Esme in so much distress, potentially. She had to do it.
She had to do it soon, without anyone ever finding out. She needed to find herself and see if she really belongs.
I know I sped through some of Esme's pregnancy in the chapter, but please remember that it's a story of Ava and Esme with the rest of the family.
So, let me know if you'd like a tie in to this story, as there I could go into full detail of Esme's experience with her pregnancy.
Also, should she have twins again because either she has a baby boy, or twins. A boy and a girl again. I like the idea of Esme having twins.