Chapter 11

Five days after the talk of the Volturi, a day of hunting had gone terribly wrong. Carlisle could see them in the distance. Emmett couldn't get there fast enough. He was running with Rosalie at full speed but there was nothing either of them would be able to do. Caleb and Mackenzie ran at Carlisle's side but he demanded them to turn around and go back. Neither listened. They looked as determined as he was. Caleb was nearly crying but held it in as he saw his mother struggling in a fight with Aro up ahead in a clearing.

"Go back!" Carlisle demanded. His voice was unusally hard. He couldn't have the children in harm's way.

"We can't," Mackenzie demanded back. She sounded apologetic in her responce but they kept at Carlisle's side knowing he wouldn't stop for anything.

Caleb huffed and sighed and showed signs of emotion as a tear streaked down his cheek, drying immediately from the force of the wind.

What happened next was like a blur. From the corner of his eye, Carlisle caught a glimpse of Edward. He was alone.

The thought passed through his mind, I thought he went to Brazil.

"Aro, no!" Edward screamed. His voice was shrill and at that moment Carlisle had never felt more fearful. He knew whatever Edward had read in Aro's mind was perhaps the most terrible thing he'd ever had to hear.

Carlisle felt like his feet were trapped in cement. He couldn't do anything.

"Bella!" Edward called next, "Bella, where are you?"

Her voice was heard in the distance. The far, far distance.

"Esme, we're coming!" Alice's voice was just as shrill as Edward's. It cut through Carlisle's soul like a knife because it rang with helpless alarm.

A fire was already burning behind where Esme fought her hardest to keep Aro from getting a grip on her head and shoulders. She knew she needed to hold on for a few more minutes, but didn't know if she could.

Keep fighting, Carlisle begged her in his mind. He looked down toward his legs and demanded they go faster.

It was the next moment that left him breathless, speechless, heartbroken... With a sickening cracking sound, Esme lost her battle with Aro. He held her head in between his hands just as Jane appeared and tossed it to her. She smiled coldly and stared into the depths of Carlisle's eyes before letting go above the flames.

"Mom!" Caleb cried mercilessly, "Mom! Mommy! No!" It had been months and months since Caleb had used the phrase "Mommy" but it rolled off his tongue so easily.

Carlisle froze as Volturi members began emerged from all angles and Aro disposed of the rest of his wife's body. His mouth hung open and his senses stopped working. He couldn't hear or feel. All that was left was his sight. He couldn't see Esme anymore. All he could see was the fire; the flames. And Aro, Jane, Caius, Marcus and Felix. They stood tightly packed together as a unit, all eyes on him.

He turned his head slowly, spinning the world before him in slow-motion. Caleb was screaming and tears streamed out of his eyes as he fought and clawed as Mackenzie held him back from attacking. All Carlisle could see was his son's expression. He couldn't hear the screams that he knew were pouring from his mouth.

Edward was suddenly in his face and snapped him halfway back to reality. Before he even heard Edward screaming his name, he heard Caleb's cries; his tormented screams.

"Carlisle." Edward's voice was surprisingly soothing and calm. It almost seemed to echo. He sounded light years away. "Carlisle." His voice came in more clearly.

Carlisle lifted his eyes to meet Edward's. He was looking at him like he didn't know who he was. He saw through him; past him. He wasn't in his right mind. His ears were ringing and he felt dead inside.

In the background he made out the blurry figures of his family fighting toe to toe with the Volturi members. He had no idea who had the advantage and he regrettably didn't care. He felt nothing.

Bella knelt in front of Caleb and had her hands on the sides of his face. "Caleb," she said, visibly choked up, "Look at me Caleb."

His teeth grinded and he cried and fought, then let his body go limp as he sobbed. Reactively he threw his arms around Bella and buried his face against her shirt. She looked up at Edward, not knowing what to do.

Carlisle continued to stare blankly. He couldn't come to terms with what he just witnessed. His mind refused to process it.

"Carlisle," Edward said, "Caleb..." He turned his head to where Bella still held Carlisle and Esme's son. "We have to get him out of here."

Caleb, Carlisle thought, Caleb we have to get him out of here. He repeated Edward's phrase in his mind several times before his head turned to the side and his eyes fixed on his son. What kind of a father am I? I have to protect him.

Carlisle looked back once at Edward then dropped to his knees next to Bella. Caleb immediately threw his arms around him and Carlisle hugged him fiercely. His heart felt like it had quite literally been ripped out of his chest. The nothingness he felt was now at least taken over by the worst sadness he could ever feel. His son was hysterical in his arms and he didn't know what to do. Anger hadn't kicked into his system, but he knew it was the only thing that could jump-start his body again. He didn't have it in him to feel that way yet. He was numb.

"Shield him! Shield him!" Edward screamed.

Bella looked Carlisle in the eye and stood up.

"Now Bella!" Edward called out again.

Jacob, in wolf form, had joined them and was struggling to stay on four legs as Jane inflicted her nasty powers against him. A moment later he jolted back to life and Jane glared across the woods at Bella.

Edward squatted down next to Carlisle, "Take him home. Go home, Carlisle."

He shook his head and didn't speak. It was as if he'd forgotten the human language.

"You have to get Caleb away."

"She's..." Carlisle shook his head again and felt his grip tighten on the back of Caleb's shirt.

"Daddy," he cried.

The pain in the single word was another speck of life and Carlisle managed to get to his feet.

Edward looked him in the eye with sympathy, but stayed strong, "Take him to the house. Leah and Masen are there. We'll send the pack to protect you."

"Masen..." Carlisle's mouth hung open, "Can he?" His eyes looked at Caleb, "Can they fix her?"

Edward knew the answer, but didn't share it. Carlisle knew from the look on his face that his doubts were right on. He knew Esme couldn't come back from what had happened. It was beyond the control of their sons.

Alice joined the group in a hurry and had tears in her eyes despite the anger that flashed in her expression. She put a hand lovingly on Carlisle's face, "Please take him home. You have to get him out of here."

Carlisle lifted a hand and placed it over Alice's on his face.

"Go!" she told him, "Go, you have to. Take Caleb to safety. Come back if you need to but take him back to the house."

Take Caleb to safety. Come back if you need to. Her words seemed to agree with his brain and he looked at Alice and Edward and final time before taking off toward their home.