Chapter 11

Carlisle and Esme walked slowly together back to the house, hand in hand, as night began creeping in again over the west coast. Their shoes crunched on top of the leftover snow from the dusting the night before and a cold breeze whistled through the trees.

Esme leaned into him and he let go of her hand to bring her body against his as they walked, throwing an arm tightly around her shoulders.

"What time is it?" she asked, looking up at the fading light in the sky.

Carlisle reached in the pocket of his khakis and clicked on the screen of his phone, "Five o'clock."

Esme chuckled, "I was suppose to go to Masen's this morning to bring them over a box of clothes for Cassandra."

He kissed her temple, "We can bring them over when we get home."

She squeezed his lower back with the hand that was slung around his waist and stopped to give him a kiss, "Thank you."

Carlisle grinned and embellished the last moment they would have alone together for the time being, "For what?'

"Everything you do. I love you. And I promise, no more crazy stuff from me."

He shook his head and took her chin in his hand, "Don't change anything."

Esme grinned and accepted one more kiss as they emerged back onto their property. A few illuminated windows and Alice's leftover decorations stood out in the dark, wooded atmosphere.

"Oh, Masen and Leah are here," Esme pointed out, "Great. I'll just give them their things now."

The two of them entered through the front door and just about everyone was home. Leah and Rosalie were cooking. Bella and Renesme were decorating the top of a vanilla frosted cake and most of the boys were scattered around the television, along with Alexandra.

Alice burst in the room upon hearing their arrival, "Finally!"

Carlisle raised his eyebrows, "Finally, what?"

"I've been waiting for you to get back," she said with her hands on her hips, "And so have Masen and Leah."

The two of them looked at each other, then back to Alice. "About the clothes?" Esme asked.

"Where'd you guys go?" Emmett asked with a smile.

"Hunting," they answered at the same time.

"Oh, is that what they call it now?"

Edward and Jasper laughed and Masen shook his head, "Eww."

"Oh, come on," Emmett said, hitting him on the arm, "It's art at their level. Look at how beautiful those two people are."

Alice looked back at him and couldn't help but snicker herself. She turned back to face her parents, "Ignore him. Masen, tell them."

"We set a date," he said, "In five months. Summertime."

"July eleventh," Leah called out from the kitchen.

"And we're going to have a Jack and Jill," Alice smiled, "Very soon."

"Masquerade themed," Masen added, "Because that's when Leah imprinted on me." He laughed at the way it came out.

Esme gave a subtle tug on Carlisle's shirt that no one else seemed to notice. Both of them smiled at everyone, who's eyes were all in their direction.

"I'm glad you have everything settled and picked out," Carlisle told them, "Alice, you were able to work your magic, I see."

She folded her arms in front of her chest, "You weren't doubting me, were you?"

"Never," he said with a grin.

"Where are you guys going to have the wedding?" Esme asked them.

"Here," Masen, Leah and Alice's voices came at once.

"If that's okay?" Leah added, darting into the living room.

Carlisle and Esme laughed, as they both nodded, "Of course," Esme assured her.

"Well, congratulations," Carlisle said, "I'm happy you've decided on a date." He kissed Esme on the cheek, "I'm just going to shower. I'll be back." He headed upstairs.

"Yeah, after eighteen hours of... hunting, I'd need one too," Emmett said, throwing in one last punch.

"Stop embarrassing our mother!" Alice scolded.

Carlisle eyed Emmett until he backed off and turned around then flashed a subtle wink at Esme as he reached the top of the stairs.

"Let me get those clothes for you, Masen," Esme said, rounding into the hallway towards one of the spare rooms.

He arched his neck in her direction, "You don't have to right this second."

"I'm just going to get a bag ready for you to take home with you later," her voice called back to him. She returned momentarily with two shopping bags full of baby clothes, all of different shades of pinks and purples. She put them by the couch next to where he was sitting.

"Thanks," he said with a smile.

"So where is she? With Sue and Charlie?"

Masen nodded, "They've been feeling robbed of time with her," he laughed. So we figured for a couple of hours while we ate dinner over here they could steal her.

Bella entered the room and flashed him a smile, "So, Charlie's having a good time with her huh?"

"Yeah," he smiled back, "He really loves her."

Edward pulled Bella into his lap and kissed her with a smile, then looked at Masen, "He was head over heels when Renesme was younger," he turned to Bella, "And he's a great father."

She nodded, and suddenly caught the look on Michael's face from the corner of her eye, making her overly eager to change the subject. Edward, at the same time, read his thoughts, along with Alexandra's.

"You want to get a poker game going?" he asked, knowing it would surely get an enthusiastic rise out of Emmett.

"Hell yeah," he said, "I'm in." He turned to Masen, "Hey where's the little wolf and the spawn of Aro been lately?"

"Sue and Charlie's," Masen explained, "Or... elsewhere. I don't know."

Edward chuckled at the way he referred to them and went to get a deck of cards, parting from Bella reluctantly as she tried to cling to him. He kissed her cheek and made his way to Carlisle's office where he'd last stashed a newer deck.

Carlisle's door was partway open and he had yet to get into the shower, catching the tail end of the evening news as she stood with the remote in his hand in front of the television.

Edward knocked lightly and went in as his father waved him in his direction. "Anything good going on?" he asked, eyeing the reporter that spoke trained and professional on the flat screen.

He shook his head, "Not in particular."

The two of them continued to stare at the screen before Carlisle turned to him, "Do you want to tell me something? Ask me something?"

Edward shook his head, "It's nothing major really."

Carlisle glanced at the open door and turned to face him, "What's nothing major?"

"Alice," he whispered quietly, "She's had a vision that's been changing involving Alex and Michael. When I mentioned Charlie just now, both of their thoughts went a little haywire."

"They still want to go see his parents?"

Edward nodded and shrugged at the same time, "I don't know that they necessarily would, but it's been heavy in their thoughts still."

Carlisle put his thumb and pointer finger on the upper bridge of his nose between his eyes and appeared to be thinking.

"I don't think it's much to worry about," he went on, "I just want to let you know what Alice told me. She was planning on telling you and Esme, anyway."

"Thank you," he said, "I'll have to sit down and have another talk with them."

Edward nodded and the two of them stood still for a moment, overhearing Esme talking with Michael and Alexandra about putting together the package for his parents. They both eagerly agreed to her requests and the three of them could be heard moving to another room in the house.

"Coincidence," Edward told him, "She was already planning on doing that with them tonight."

"What was Alice's exact vision?" Carlisle asked, trying to be as quiet as possible.

"Them boarding a plane. Us going after them."

The muscles in Carlisle's jaw tensed, though he remained calm, "I need to talk to them." He started to head out of the room, but Edward put a hand up, "See if Esme's idea works first."

The two of them stared at each other for a moment before Carlisle nodded in agreement. "Continue to keep an eye on that for me. I want you to update me all the time. If this package doesn't change anything, I have to talk with them."

"I agree," Edward said. He patted Carlisle on the shoulder once and went back to join everyone downstairs.